The latest episode of "The Rev"
Things were looking bad for The Rev yesterday:

April 29, 2003 -- WASHINGTON - The Rev. Al Sharpton was having a tough time last night meeting his deadline to file a presidential campaign finance report.

Sharpton's campaign claimed a computer glitch made it impossible to file his presidential papers electronically with the Federal Election Commission by the 5:30 p.m. deadline.

The FEC warned earlier this month that Sharpton risked a fine for failing to file timely presidential papers. Sharpton's campaign subsequently vowed to file with the FEC by yesterday.

I told you the dog ate it! But he apparently got something out to reporters:

The Rev. Al Sharpton officially entered the presidential race yesterday by filing documents showing some of the nation's leading black businessmen are bankrolling his candidacy.

In his first finance report of the 2004 race, Sharpton said he has collected $114,456 and spent $54,456, a fraction of the million-dollar fund-raising and spending tallies reported by the five leading Democratic candidates for President.

Only one problem - The Rev and his entourage have been flying around the country for months but only claim $54 K in expenditures?

Sharpton's report did not fully itemize expenditures, so it was not immediately clear how he was able to spend so little compared with his rivals while crisscrossing the country for months.

His campaign compliance attorney, Stanley Schlein, did not return calls seeking comment.

Well, he's mastered the essence of the reporting rules - it's more important to file than it is to be factual.