Race, a major factor in the race

This Blog was written Jan 25, 2008 -- Sorry for the delay in posting


As Monday marked a historic tribute to one of the most influential black Americans and his battle for racial justice in the United States, another influential black American battles for the racial vote and the justice he calls for in the United States.

On the day of celebrating the life of Martin Luther King Jr. the three leading Democratic candidates stood in unity and exchanged a few brief cordial words in Columbia, South Carolina before battling to reveal the truth of their voice in the Congressional Black Caucus Institute debate in Myrtle Beach, S.C. and ultimately win the South Carolina primary election on Saturday Jan. 26.

Democratic officials estimate that African-American voters could comprise more than 60 percent of the primary voters in South Carolina. With African-American candidate Barrack Obama up against South Carolina native John Edwards, race will be a major factor in this race especially.

Barack Obama, who if elected would be the first African-American President of the United States, lead a march through the few city blocks leading to the state capitol where he was joined by Hilary Clinton and Edwards to make brief remarks on the impact of MLK and his battle for civil rights even today.

“Everyday, our politics fuels and exploits this kind of division across all races and regions, across gender and party,” Obama said. “So let us say that on this day of all days, each of us carries with us the task of changing our hearts and minds. The division, the stereotypes, the scape-goating, the ease with which we blame our plight on others—all of this distracts us from the common challenges we face—war and poverty; injustice and inequality…It is the poison that we must purge from our politics; the wall that we must tear down before the hour grows too late.”

Yet encouraging words of tribute faded quickly into bitter attacks during the debate, especially between the would be first woman and the would be first African-American president. The South Carolina Primary will be essential as the race continues to be a close one. So far in the democratic contest, Clinton has won the New Hampshire, Nevada and Michigan primaries. Obama has won Iowa and taken second to Clinton in New Hampshire and Nevada, while Edwards finished second in Iowa but has not won any state primary elections.