NYT: Recalling Civil Rights, Democrats Seek Black Votes - Hillary and Obama in Selma tomorrow

[flpoljunkie]

March 4, 2007
Recalling Civil Rights, Democrats Seek Black Votes

By JEFF ZELENY

In the opening stretch of the 2008 Democratic presidential contest, Mrs. Clinton, Mr. Obama and John Edwards, the former North Carolina senator, are embroiled in what party officials believe is one of the most competitive scrambles for black supporters since the Voting Rights Act was passed four decades ago. The chief rivals will be in Alabama on Sunday when the Clintons and Mr. Obama commemorate the 42nd anniversary of Bloody Sunday, when hundreds of activists — Mr. Lewis among them — crossed the Edmund Pettus Bridge during a civil rights march from Selma to Montgomery.

Representative Artur Davis, Democrat of Alabama, invited Mr. Obama to deliver the keynote address at the historic Brown Chapel on Sunday. After Mr. Obama agreed, Mr. Davis said, Mrs. Clinton suddenly accepted an invitation to speak at a church just down the street. And two days ago, Mr. Clinton said he would join his wife in Selma, the first time since she formally entered the race that he has been called on to use his clout so directly to give her a hand.

“Her timing speaks for itself,” said Mr. Davis, who supports Mr. Obama.

Sunday’s events will be the first time Mrs. Clinton and Mr. Obama share the same campaign turf. Aides to Mrs. Clinton dismissed suggestions that they were following Mr. Obama, but members of Congress traveling to Selma said they were encouraged by her allies to attend her speech, not his.

more...

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/03/04/us/politics/04campaign.html?hp=&pagewanted=print

[illinoisprogressive]

1. well worth linking and reading the full article.