Candidates Remember King, Clinton Chokes Up

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Candidates Remember King, Clinton Chokes Up

April 04, 2008 1:22 PM

ABC News' Eloise Harper and Sunlen Miller Report: Senator Hillary Clinton's voice quivered as she recounted her recollection of the day Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated. On the 40th anniversary of King's death, Clinton spoke at Mason Temple Church of God in Christ in Memphis TN. She addressed the crowd in the annex of the church located behind a larger church where King spoke before dying the following day.

Watch the VIDEO HERE.

“Like many of you here who are of a certain age. I will never forget where I was when Dr. King was killed. I was a junior in college and I remember hearing about it and was feeling such. I walked into my dorm room and took my book bag and I hurled it across the room. It felt like everything had been shattered. Like we would never be able to put the pieces together again you know I joined the protest march in Boston It worked to convince my college to recruit more students of color wore a but it felt like it wasn’t enough,” said Clinton.

Clinton spoke about King’s drive and perseverance even when the media and everyone else counted him out and how he never gave up.

“He never gave up and neither should you. His faith in America animated and sustained his journey. Like with any faith there were dark moments when one doubts. When one is on the brink of giving up and throwing in the towel. He would always come back from those dark places, and so must we. The tenacity of Dr Kings faith is all the more extraordinary when you think of the ways it was tested. All the critics in the media attacking his work, by the death threats the bombings the beatings the stabbings the murder. The grinding heard work day after day of just getting up and moving on.”

Senator Barack Obama also honored King on today's anniversary, in a speech before a Fort Wayne, Indiana crowd. At the top of his prepared remarks solely devoted to the anniversary, the Illinois senator said he had spoken to the King family this morning and then prompted the crowd to observe a moment of silence.

Obama called King an extraordinary American whose assassination, “left a wound on the soul of our nation that has yet to fully heal.”

Obama said the dream that King began has not been completed, and it is all Americans task to now help finish.

He referenced his own speech on race in this context, “this is something I spoke about a few weeks ago in a speech I gave in Philadelphia. And what I said was that instead of having a politics that up to Dr. King’s call for unity, we’ve had a politics that’s used race to drive us apart, when all this does is feed the forces of division and distraction, and stops us from solving our problems. That is why the great need of this hour is much the same as it was when Dr. King delivered his sermon in Memphis.”

Obama said earlier that he chose to commemorate the day with campaign events in Indiana and North Dakota because he wanted to spread the message of Dr. King’s legacy to unfinished places. Indiana also has a place in today’s history, it was the place where Robert Kennedy was campaigning when news broke of King’s assassination. Obama was introduced at his town hall today by Mike Riley who served as Indiana chairman for Kennedy’s campaign and was with Kennedy when he spoke in Indianapolis after receiving notice of King’s death.

April 4, 2008 in Bush, George W., Kucinich, Dennis | Permalink | User Comments (196)

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Donna, thanks for your agreement....

To be frank, I just can't find any reason Obama would have earned to be our CIC...based on his little experiences, his little accomplishments and his same old political tricks.....

Looks to me he is just a young power-hunger...

Posted by: True Truth | Apr 4, 2008 2:31:17 PM

cc4obama
I myself was wondering that 1 too. Looks good thou doesnt it

Posted by: Lauren | Apr 4, 2008 2:36:09 PM

In Hilary's own word:
"I don't think people should come to Ohio and tell the people of Ohio one thing and then have your campaign tell a foreign government something else behind closed doors," Clinton said then. "That's the kind of difference between talk and action and that I've been pointing out in this campaign."

"I would ask you to look at that story, substitute my name for Senator Obama," she also said. "If some of my advisers had been having private meetings with foreign governments and basically saying ignore what I'm saying because it's only political rhetoric … I think it raises serious questions."

Like in Obama's case this was not just a meeting. Penn is actually lobbying for free trade.

Posted by: craig | Apr 4, 2008 2:37:08 PM

Also, wright coming to cleanse Bill's sins. Bill Clinton did not go to his church for 20 years and donate over 250K to the church and hang out Farrakhan - it is very very different.

Posted by: Alan | Apr 4, 2008 2:37:22 PM

was she talking about the late MLK or her self? its seems to me that she was talking about her campain and herself with this never gave up and all that. the fact is she could have done the things she said and she could have mis-spoke! But one thing is clear even she knows she is going down and fast.

Posted by: melissa | Apr 4, 2008 2:43:56 PM

OBAMA is a crook! He insults Martin King by likening himself to him. I would support Hillary 100%.
Personally, I think there's a government conspiracy to get Obama elected, i think the media are apart of this too. The reasoning behind this is that the half wit government thinks that, with Obama's Islamic connections, he will be able to make them see reason...bs!!!!! LOL but remember this, there is an element of truth in every joke. The only real joke would be on America if they vote for him and the only chance America has to get back on it's feet is by electing HILLARY as PRESIDENT!!!

Posted by: Di | Apr 4, 2008 2:46:23 PM

CLINTON GETTING EMOTIONAL AGAIN.... HMMMM... SEEMS LIKE SHE DOES THAT ANYTIME SHE IS GETTING BEHIND IN THE POLLS! ONCE AGAIN, A PLOTTER SHE IS. IS THIS NEW HAMPSHIRE AGAIN! GET OUT NOW HILLARY. YOU'VE ALREADY LOST.

Posted by: Rick Retting | Apr 4, 2008 2:49:23 PM

brian did Mrs.King say im not loretta lynn standing by my man? i personaly could care less if she stayed with him or left him but its comments like that, and the stay home and bake cookies comment that offend people.

Posted by: melissa | Apr 4, 2008 2:50:30 PM

Nice job, Obama... (not) use MLK's anniversary to promote yourself.. Obama, go away..

Posted by: You know what? | Apr 4, 2008 2:54:41 PM

Posted by: Rick Retting | Apr 4, 2008 2:49:23 PM

good observations Rick

Posted by: Lauren | Apr 4, 2008 2:57:31 PM

Donna...
Yes you are correct that Obama gave the speech on race to save his campaign...That doesn't mean that he did not feel that way before the Rev Wright issue came out. I believe that him being mixed he has seen both sides of racism. This was the time for him to come out say how he felt. You are to concerned about why he gave the speech instead of listening to what the speech was about. Also since the artical is about MLK did you know that some of he speeches were considered controversial and unpatriotic just as Rev Wright.
Also Maya Angelo is not just a poet she has also written books, films, and plays. Lets not forget she is also a important figure in the civil rights movement. I would listen to her over you regarding a speech on race.....

Posted by: OpenMindied | Apr 4, 2008 2:58:36 PM

you know what? i it was hilary that did that, she went on for a few sentances about not giving up going all the way i dont think its coincidence that was something she has been saying about her campain!

Posted by: melissa | Apr 4, 2008 3:00:29 PM

WAIT!!!! It's too early for her tears!!!! She usually holds those until 3 days before a vote!!!! Good lord the woman must really be getting desperate! Go figure.....

Posted by: Deanna | Apr 4, 2008 3:00:48 PM

Obama called King an extraordinary American whose assassination, “left a wound on the soul of our nation that has yet to fully heal.”

And how right he is . The biggotry is still living loud and clear . Just read the blogs .

Posted by: Lauren | Apr 4, 2008 3:00:50 PM

Clinton spoke about King’s drive and perseverance even when the media and everyone else counted him out and how he never gave up.

well yesterday she was Paulette Revere
The day before she was ROCJY
hummmmmmm.i wonder who she is today.

Posted by: Lauren | Apr 4, 2008 3:05:49 PM

deanna
good for you i forgot thjat 1. so on april 19 we should she the water works.
Maybe on that day we should all duck and run for cover.

Posted by: Lauren | Apr 4, 2008 3:10:07 PM

Bush has got over 4000 young men & women
killed, thousand injured, billions of dollars wasted and you talk about Clinton having sex in the white house & he is not running to be prez. How many of boys & girls have cheated on your other half? You need to look in the mirror. I will take the Clintons any day over Bush, if I recall the 1990's where pretty good for everyone

Posted by: Don FL | Apr 4, 2008 3:10:52 PM

Obama said the dream that King began has not been completed, and it is all Americans task to now help finish
Hopefully we as a united country will be able to do it.

Posted by: Lauren | Apr 4, 2008 3:13:25 PM

don fl. the facts are what they are, hilary can NOT beat mccain! so its obama or 100 more years at war!

Posted by: melissa | Apr 4, 2008 3:17:16 PM

I will take the Clintons any day over Bush, if I recall the 1990's where pretty good for everyone

Posted by: Don FL | Apr 4, 2008 3:10:52 PM

the problem is Don he can not be president again havent you been listening to Hill she said it is and always will be HER presidency.

Posted by: Lauren | Apr 4, 2008 3:18:48 PM

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