From The Road
January 13, 2008 12:37 PM

Edwards Weighs in on Clinton MLK Comments

By
Aaron Lewis
Topics
John Edwards
(CBS)
From CBS News' Aaron Lewis:

SUMTER, S.C. -- John Edwards jumped into the fray and addressed controversial remarks made by Hillary Clinton about Dr. Martin Luther King.

"I must say I was troubled recently to see a suggestion that real change that came not through the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, but through a Washington politician," Edwards told the congregation at the Mount Zion Missionary Baptist Church in Sumter. "I fundamentally disagree with that. Those who believe that real change starts with Washington politicians have been in Washington too long and are living in a fairy tale."

The remarks never addressed Clinton by name, but it was clear that the New York Senator was in the crosshairs.

Edwards continued to address in historical terms the theme of change to the audience of African-American church goers.

"Real change has never started in Washington," he said. "Real change came from those who fought in the trenches, those who shed their blood , sweat and tears and those who suffered broken bones. Real change started in Selma. Real change started with Rosa Parks. Real change started with the Reverend Dr Martin Luther King and the brave men who sat down at a luncheon counter at Woolworths in Greensboro, NC."

And in a somewhat unlikely turn, Edwards went on to praise his other rival Democratic candidate.

"This may come as a surprise for some you coming from another presidential candidate," he said, " but as some of you grew up in the segregated South, I feel an enormous amount of pride when I see the success that Senator Barack Obama is having in this campaign. And I'd be best to acknowledge that some days I wish he was having a little less success."

Add a Comment
by chrisparecha January 14, 2008 8:52 PM EST
It''s natural for a Hillary Clinton Supporter to use her favorate trump card that has so far worked well for her. "The Gender Card". Everytime she encounters scrutiny, "SOMEONE IS BEING SEXIST" ...According To Senator Clinton. But the fact of the matter is, Hillary uses the gender card as a cop out. To justify the rational behinde illeagals to stay in the United States without obtaining Citizenship. and To Justify her comments about MLK and LBJ. She can only continue to ride the Gender Card for so long. But the fact of the matter is that her mentor Senator J william Fulbright was no champian for the Civil Rights Act.BILL CLINTON HAS DONE NOTHING TO IMPROVE RACE RELATIONS.
Senator James William Fulbright United States Senator
from Arkansas Who Filibustered the 1964 Civil Right Act was also Clinton''s Mentor.
Reply to this comment
by teamsterwif1 January 13, 2008 11:08 PM EST
Edwards through the convention and to the White House! Thanks for the exposure!
Reply to this comment
by kenshin051 January 13, 2008 10:47 PM EST
Hillary''s blog patrol is certainly out here today! I hope you are not paid by her campaign, it''s against election rules you know...

Edwards is being polite in his words here. If you want to see how others are reacting to the Clinton''s words, look at the other article on cbs:
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/01/11/politics/main3702777.shtml?source=search_story

In my opinion, Edwards is the only candidate who really and truly understands the South, her needs, and the true problems of communities of color and the right solutions. Perhaps I simply come from the land where black politicians know only how to let our black communities down (Wash Dc area), but I have no confidence in Obama''s approach, and certainly none at all in Clinton.
Reply to this comment
by oriy January 13, 2008 7:17 PM EST
Arrogant Edwards misleads again.
Edwards and Obama are clearly dividers. Edwards was so immoderate against Clinton, and double-teaming with Obama (as if he weren%u2019t also running against Obama) that people had to consider gender. Obama was riding on the media%u2019s one-sided representation of himself and endless condemnation toward Hillary %u2013 as he always rides entities to use to divide us %u2013 and he willingly let Edwards help in the division by the already stated extremism on the part of Edwards. Then now he%u2019s letting South Carolina help him by accusing the Clintons, of all people, of being racist. It%u2019s SERIOUS how empty and fake their candidacies are!
Reply to this comment
by oriy January 13, 2008 7:12 PM EST
Edwards is loosing anyway! Let him step aside and let Hillary, the strongest person in the game, take over.
Reply to this comment
by worrieddem January 13, 2008 6:01 PM EST
Edwards is a class act. And he''s also right about real change.
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