Democratic Contenders Put Spotlight on Selma

Published: March 04, 2007

by Juan Williams

The Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Ala., was the battleground 42 years ago in the fight to assure black Americans the right to vote. Today, it was the battleground in the contest for the Democratic nomination for president.

Sen. Hillary Clinton and Sen. Barack Obama attended Selma's Bloody Sunday anniversary events. They were later joined by former president Bill Clinton in a brief march to commemorate the 1965 voting-rights event. [Copyright 2013 NPR]

TRANSCRIPT:

DEBBIE ELLIOTT, host:

From NPR News, this is ALL THINGS CONSIDERED. I'm Debbie Elliott.

Forty-two years ago this week, the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Alabama was a battleground in the civil rights movement. Today it was a battleground in the contest for the Democratic presidential nomination. Senators Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama were in Selma today for commemorations of the 1965 Voting Rights March. Police attacked the marchers in a confrontation that came to be known as Bloody Sunday.

NPR's senior correspondent Juan Williams is in Selma on the Edmund Pettus Bridge and joins us now. Juan, what is the scene there?

JUAN WILLIAMS: It's an incredible scene, Debbie. You got Bill Clinton and Hillary Clinton linking arms in front of the march to the left-hand side; and on the right-hand side, Barack Obama, John Lewis. You got some from the New Black Panther Party behind them. And of course you got lots of young people - college students - just energized by this 42nd recreation of the powerful march across the bridge on the way to Montgomery.

ELLIOTT: Tell us about, first, Senator Clinton's appearance. How was she received?

WILLIAMS: She was very well received. Initially, Senator Clinton had not planned to come here, but after Barack Obama really used the opportunity to come, agreed to come and see at the invitation of Congressman John Lewis, who, you know, was beaten on this bridge back in 1965, then she decided to come and she appeared at the First Baptist Church and she spoke about the Voting Rights Act.

Senator HILLARY CLINTON (Democrat, New York): The Voting Rights Act gave more Americans from every corner of our nation the chance to live out their dreams. Today it is giving Senator Obama the chance to run for president of the United States.

(Soundbite of applause)

Sen. CLINTON: And yes, it is giving me that chance too.

(Soundbite of cheering)

ELLIOTT: A nod to her opponent there. Tell us a little -

WILLIAMS: That one was very tactful. You know, she was making sure that people understood that she understood and appreciated the power of the Voting Rights Act.

ELLIOTT: And Senator Obama, who attended his event?

WILLIAMS: You know, again, it's an overflow crowd, Debbie. And the difference here is so interesting. At the First Baptist where Mrs. Clinton spoke, it was largely people who attend that church, so it was an overwhelmingly black presence there.

Now at Brown Chapel, where Obama spoke, you have lots of young people, college students, people who were there who are elected officials, so it was a much more integrated crowd. And Senator Obama used the occasion to tie himself to the history of the civil rights movement and speak about how though some may question whether he's authentically black because his father was from Africa, he feels that he is in fact deeply tied, wouldn't exist without what happened here in Selma in 1965.

Senator BARACK OBAMA (Democrat, Illinois): So don't tell me I don't have a claim on Selma, Alabama. Don't tell me I'm not coming home when I come to Selma, Alabama. I'm here because somebody marched for our freedom.

ELLIOTT: Juan, there's been a lot of talk about how these two candidates are being received by black voters. Was there any sense there today in Selma whether their speeches will help them?

WILLIAMS: I think both speeches will help. Both politicians accomplished their aims here. Obama wanted to make it clear to the black community that he's one of their own. I think he was welcomed just like that. And Mrs. Clinton wanted to make it clear she wasn't ceding the black vote to Barack Obama, and her presence here helped by the presence of her husband, Bill Clinton, really made that clear. In fact, they were the stars as they walked across the bridge. Obama had to take a backseat on this occasion.

ELLIOTT: NPR's Juan Williams in Selma, Alabama. Thank you.

WILLIAMS: You're welcome, Debbie.

ELLIOTT: And we'll hear extended excerpts from speeches by senators Clinton and Obama later in the program.

DEBBIE ELLIOTT, host:

From NPR News, this is ALL THINGS CONSIDERED. I'm Debbie Elliott.

Forty-two years ago this week, the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Alabama was a battleground in the Civil Rights Movement. Today it was a battleground in the contest for the Democratic presidential nomination. Senators Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama were in Selma for commemorations of the 1965 voting rights march. Police attacked the marchers in a confrontation that came to be known as Bloody Sunday.

NPR's senior correspondent Juan Williams is in Selma and joins us. Juan, can you describe for us the scene there today?

JUAN WILLIAMS: It's been a fascinating day, Debbie. We just crossed over the Edmund Pettus Bridge and now concluded a ceremony in which President Bill Clinton was inducted into the Voting Rights Hall of Fame. He was on stage with his wife, Hillary Clinton, the senator from New York, who spoke earlier in the day at the First Baptist Church.

For a time, Barack Obama, the senator from Illinois, was also on stage. He spoke early in the day at Brown Memorial Chapel, where the marchers left from back in 1965.

ELLIOTT: A lot of symbolism there in Selma today, can you give us a sense of Senator Clinton's appearance and how she was received?

WILLIAMS: It was fascinating. You know, Hillary Clinton had not planned to come here until Barack Obama had said he was going to appear here. And it looked like this will be an opportunity for him to make real inroads into the black vote. Senator Clinton speaking at the First Baptist Church really honored the memory of voting rights and said that voting rights were key, not only to Barack Obama, but also to Hillary Clinton's success.

(Soundbite of applause)

Senator HILLARY CLINTON (Democrat, New York): The Voting Rights Act gave more Americans from every corner of our nation the chance to live out their dreams. And it is the gift that keeps on giving. Today, it is giving Senator Obama the chance to run for president of the United States.

(Soundbite of applause)

Sen. CLINTON: And by its logic and spirit, it is giving the same chance to Governor Bill Richardson, a Hispanic. And yes, it is giving me that chance too.

(Soundbite of cheering)

ELLIOTT: And Senator Obama? Who attended his event?

WILLIAMS: Well, it's was really interesting. You had John Lewis, the hero of these events back in 1965 there in the church with him, as well as the local congressman, Artur Davis and Joe Lowery, Dr. King's aide from the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, all at Brown Chapel. And Barack Obama used the occasion to really try to strengthen his connection and ties to the civil rights community.

Senator BARACK OBAMA (Democrat, Illinois): So don't tell me I don't have a claim on Selma, Alabama. Don't tell me I'm not coming home when I come to Selma, Alabama. I'm here because somebody marched for our freedom.

ELLIOTT: As you mentioned, Juan, there's been a lot of talk about the competition between these two candidates for black voters. Any sense of who made headway there today?

WILLIAMS: I think they both did very well, Debbie. You know, this was clearly an effort by Barack Obama at a time when he is picking up in polls, picking up more and more the black vote, a time - an opportunity for him to really fight back against any suggestion he is not a black candidate and not in line with the grand traditions of the civil rights struggle.

Mrs. Clinton, on the other hand, wanted to make it clear that she too has a story to tell, and that her personal story is of a woman having the opportunity not only to run for president but to actually win.

ELLIOTT: NPR's Juan Williams in Selma, Alabama. Thank you.

WILLIAMS: You're welcome, Debbie.

ELLIOTT: And we'll hear extended excerpts from speeches by Senators Clinton and Obama later in the program. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.