As the 2008 presidential campaign heats up, Rev. Al Sharpton is being dogged by accusations that he’s jealous of Sen. Barack Obama  -- and worse: Trying to derail Obama’s campaign.

New York City tabloids and televison networks have recently questioned whether Sharpton is jealous of Obama, and reporters have pressed Sharpton about why he won’t endorse Obama for president. Obama, the U.S. senator from Illinois, is widely viewed as the first viable black presidential candidate in the history of American politics.

Fred Dicker, a columnist for The New York Post, wrote on March 12 that Sharpton is engineering a campaign to ruin Obama’s candidacy, an accusation Sharpton vehemently denies.

"He's saying that Obama never did anything for the community, never worked with anybody from the community, that nobody knows the people around him, that he's a candidate driven by white leadership," a prominent black Democratic activist who knows Sharpton, told Dicker.

"It's driving Al crazy that Obama is as impressive and popular as he is, and he's not happy about it," another black Democratic activist told Dicker and the Post. "Sharpton is just terrified of being overshadowed by someone of Obama's class and character. Al had wanted to run again for president in 2008, but now that Obama is a serious candidate in the race, that has become impossible."

But in a BlackAmericaWeb.com interview, Sharpton said he’s not jealous of Obama, and, in fact, had a pleasant five-minute conversation with Obama last week. The two men agreed to keep in touch.

Sharpton said he wants to hear more from Obama about Obama's civil rights agenda before commiting to an endorsement. He said he would hold off on an endorsement until after the Democratic presidential candidates, including Obama, speak at his National Action Network Conference next month.

"When the article appeared in the Post saying I was jealous, I thought it was absurd," Sharpton told BlackAmericaWeb.com Friday.

Sharpton said he wants some "clarity" on where Obama stands on issues and wants Obama to share his views with the black community.

"We have a history of candidates coming before our community to talk about the issues," Sharpton said. "So why would anyone assume that black folks don’t have political issues they want to discuss?"

"There are some things that I agree with Obama on and other things I don’t understand," Sharpton said. "I just want some clarity."

Sharpton said he was annoyed that anyone would suggest he was jealous of Obama and implied that his detractors are trying to "suppress" black leadership by planting a story that was not true.

"I guess we’re not supposed to ask questions," Sharpton said. "We’re just supposed to shut up and not ask questions. Well, I’m going to ask questions."

Sharpton ran for president in 2004, and, despite a mediocre showing, has suggested that he raised issues of paramount importance for the black community. He says he has not decided if he will run in 2008.

Ron Walters, a political science professor with the University of Maryland, said talk of Sharpton being jealous of Obama is nonsense.

"It’s garbage," Walters told BlackAmericaWeb.com.

"When you look at the emergence of Barack Obama’s campaign, the tremendous public support and substantial black support, and then compare what Sharpton did in the 2004 race, there is no basis for jealousy," Walters said. "It’s irrational to draw that conclusion."

Peter C. Groff, a Colorado state senator, publisher of Blackpolicy.org and executive director of the Center for African American Policy at the University of Denver, said the Sharpton-Obama debate is more about old-school leadership versus new-school vision.

"It's generational," Groff told BlackAmericaWeb.com. "On one hand, it's good to see this sort of dialogue on the new face and direction of African-American political development, which ultimately determines our collective fate. On the other hand, it's potentially problematic for Obama's campaign in that Sharpton still holds much grassroots weight and credibility within the community. But, it also poses challenges for Sharpton in his quest to leverage clout within Democratic party circles."

"The old-school cats are grasping for relevancy," Groff said. "The new-school cats are outpacing the old-school with a different vision, a different style and strategy since we face somewhat different challenges. These days, it's not really about equality and justice as much. The focus is on closing the equity gap and attaining solid levels of political and economic power."

Privately, some black Democrats told BlackAmericaWeb.com they hope Sharpton does not enter the presidential race and refrains from criticizing Obama, saying he could further polarize the election and segments of the black community.

Other Democrats said Sharpton -- a product of the old-guard civil rights movement -- wants Obama to seek the blessings of prominent civil rights leaders as he moves forward with his campaign.

"They want Obama to kiss the ring and pay homage to old-school civil rights leaders," one black Democrat, who asked for anonymity, told BlackAmericaWeb.com. "Obama doesn’t need their blessings. He’s doing just fine without them."

In the interview, Sharpton said it’s not about "kissing the ring," but is about listening carefully to where Obama stands on issues that impact the black community.

Walters, meanwhile, told BlackAmericaWeb.com that he agrees with Sharpton, adding that he would also like to hear more from Obama.

"What Sharpton is saying is this election is not about personalities, but about issues," Walters said. "And I agree with that."