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Obama Takes First Campaign Trip South
Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.), left, accepts the endorsement of Virginia Gov. Timothy M. Kaine (D) in Richmond for the 2008 presidential campaign.
(By Steve Helber -- Associated Press)
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South Carolina state Rep. Gilda Cobb-Hunter (D) said it is "totally ludicrous" to worry about Obama's lack of a history in the civil rights movement. "Look at the man's record," she said. "It shows he has an understanding of issues like that."
But many in the crowd seemed more hesitant and said they were not yet certain they will vote for Obama next year.
"I believe in listening to all of the candidates," said Wilhemina James, 58, from Florence. "This old gut hasn't failed me yet."
South Carolina has one of the nation's first presidential primaries, and African Americans make up about half of the state's Democratic electorate, so black support here is particularly critical.
Obama is vying with Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (N.Y.) and former North Carolina senator John Edwards for that backing. All three camps are wooing prominent black politicians and courting black religious leaders, with varying degrees of success.
That push seemed reflected not only in Obama's Orangeburg speech but also in one he delivered to a more racially diverse crowd of almost 3,000 in Columbia on Friday.
"When folks were saying we're going to march for our freedom, somebody said, 'You can't do that.' And we did," Obama said Friday, sparking raucous applause. "And somebody said, 'Don't sit at the lunch counter.' . . . We did. When somebody said, 'Women belong in the kitchen, not in the boardroom,' they said we can't do that. Yes we did!"
Carol Singletary, 55, a retired social worker from Columbia, said that part of Obama's speech was important to her.
"I was raised in the civil rights era," said Singletary, who is black. "We came through a lot of ups and downs. South Carolina is one of those places that really did struggle. And still does struggle."
But she said Obama's background should not be a barrier to African Americans like her. "I don't hold that against him," she said after watching his speech. "I thought he was wonderful."
Edwards came to Charleston last week, and Clinton is scheduled to visit South Carolina on Monday.
Staff writer Tim Craig contributed to this report from Richmond.
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