By Associated Press
Selma, AL – Presidential candidates Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton crossed campaign paths for the first time yesterday (Sunday) as they paid homage to civil rights activists who they said helped give them the chance to break barriers to the White House.
The two candidates and former President Clinton, making his first appearance with his wife since her campaign began, linked arms with activists who 42 years ago were attacked by police during a peaceful voting rights march. ``Bloody Sunday'' helped bring attention to the racist voting practices that kept blacks from the polls.
Clinton and Obama both appeared outside Brown Chapel A-M-E Church for a pre-march rally, but did not interact.
The two candidates sounded similar themes in their speeches. Both said the civil rights movement is not over because inequality still exists. Both criticized the Bush administration for failing to return Hurricane Katrina victims to their homes.
But the former president stole the show from the two candidates. The audience cheered loudest for him when the three took the stage at the end of the march and the crowd mobbed him as he tried to make it to his limousine.
(Copyright 2007 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)