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Democratic Candidates Gather at MLK Day Speech

January 21, 2008 6:54 PM

ABC News' Kate Snow, Eloise Harper, Raelyn Johnson and Sunlen Miller Report:

The top three Democratic contenders commemorated Martin Luther King Jr. Day by each delivering a short speech to the "King Day March At the Dome" together at the sate capitol in Columbia, SC. The media eagerly anticipated the dynamic of all three on stage, sitting next to each other, as the campaign has become heated, even in the chilly South Carolina weather.

What transpired was an odd sequence of events, where the candidates filtered on and off stage at staggered times and nearly avoided being on stage all together at one time. Barack Obama was the only candidate to march to the site, in the annual parade with NAACP members. Hilary Clinton’s plan was delayed so she did not make this leg of the event. John Edwards did not participate.

When the program started, Barack Obama and John Edwards, who had just arrived, took the stage together. A series of NAACP speakers primed the show. Then John Edwards and Barack Obama walked off stage together, in a sudden exit. The two candidates passed Hillary Clinton, who had just arrived, as they were exiting stage right and she was taking the stage.

Edwards smiled and walked past Clinton.

Obama, without making eye contact with Clinton, said to no particular person at all, "I’m going to thaw off," referencing 36 degree temperature.

Clinton, patted him on the shoulder and replied, without making eye contact, "Go thaw out, yes turn on the heat."

Clinton then took the stage with Chelsea, chatted with others seated, and milled about for about five minutes, then exited in a similar hasty manner.

The speakers later introduced Barack Obama. He walked out alone. Then shortly after the other two candidates filtered in.

Obama was the first candidate to speak, but followed many notables speaking from the NAACP, including Dennis Hayes, the NAACP President, who pumped up the crowd saying, "Fire it up, Ready to go." Although the speakers claimed it was a ‘60’s era chant, the repetition by Obama supporters in the crowd of the chant that Obama has used the majority of his campaign may not have been a coincidence.

"I want to acknowledge my outstanding competitors, but partners, in the Democratic party, Hillary Rodham Clinton and John Edwards, for their excellent leadership," Obama said at the top of his speech, as Clinton looked and Edwards visibly frowned.

Obama drew up images about the time before MLK was an icon, but rather was a young preacher with a dream, "a time when those in the black community still doubted the possibilities of change and many still doubted ourselves," an attempt to remind the predominately African Americans in the South Carolina audience that his own run had been doubted, even by many within the community.

After finishing Obama greeted Clinton and Edwards for a brief moment, then exited the stage without listening to the other two sepal.

Edwards, who received a lackluster applause, was quick to remind the crowd of his roots, "I was born here in South Carolina. Proud to have been born here. Proud to be a native son."

The former Senator told the crowd that the presence of his two competitors on stage was a sign of the progress the United States has made, "On stage with an extraordinary and talented young man who’s running for the presidency of the United States and who’s African – American makes me so proud of my state and my country…..I am also proud to be on the stage with a woman who has an opportunity to speak on behalf of so many women whose voices have been left unheard, whose voices have been muffled."

Despite all of the Obama signs and cheers from the crowd, Clinton took the podium next and offered some new lines and roused the audience. "It is time for us not only to stand up and speak out, but to act to vote and I hope every single eligible voter in South Carolina to vote this Saturday."

Clinton continued "The stakes are high the challenges are big the time is now with an urgency that calls to each and every one of us."

Senator Clinton also took time to praise her top rival. "Barack Obama an extraordinary young African American man with so much to contribute"

Honoring Martin Luther King day Clinton said "That is our cause that is our moment"

January 21, 2008 in Tancredo, Tom | Permalink | User Comments (2)

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Posted by: thematrixisreal | Jan 21, 2008 7:17:26 PM

Posted by: Jo | Jan 21, 2008 10:59:49 PM

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