Al's Town, We Just Live Here

Thinking about the continuing Freddy "freefall," as Shelly Silver had it this morning, one wise observer made the following point to us:

"This is Al Sharpton's town, and you're either with him or against him," he said. "You can't have it both ways. That's what Mark Green learned in 2001, and what Freddy's learning now."

Also today, Joyce Purnick dares to suggest that racial politics might be rather complicated. She thinks black politicians are shying away from Freddy because Billy Thompson is their horse. We don't entirely disagree, but think that less calculated factors -- longstanding enmities, the usual competition between groups -- are also relevant.