In 2007, then-Democrat presidential candidate hopeful Hillary Clinton, soon to lose to Barack Obama in the primary process, appeared at the First Baptist Church in Selma, Alabama for a campaign stop. It went less than well for her, as Hillary bizarrely slipped into an African-American accent during the speech, while quoting a gospel singer.<\/p>\n
That moment came during the end of the speech, when Clinton pledged to introduce a voting rights bill and then, trying to burnish her civil rights credentials by quoting James Cleveland, a gospel singer and musician who lived from the early 1930s to the early 1990s.<\/p>\n
In that portion of the speech, she first declared that she would push a voting rights law, saying, \u201cMy friends, we have a march to finish. I will be reintroducing the Count Every Vote Act, to ensure that every voter is given the opportunity to vote, that every vote is counted, and each voter is given the chance to verify his or her vote before it is cast and made permanent.\u201d<\/p>\n
Then is when she quoted Cleveland and slipped into an African-American accent while doing so, saying, \u201cWe have to stay awake. We have a march to finish. On this floor today, let us say with one voice the words of James Cleveland\u2019s great freedom hymn, \u2018I don\u2019t feel no ways tired\/I come too far from where I started from\/Nobody told me that the road would be easy\/I don\u2019t believe he brought me this far to leave me.’\u201d<\/p>\n
She then slipped back out of the southern gospel singer accent and said, \u201cAnd we know \u2014 we know \u2014 we know, if we finish this march, what awaits us? St. Paul told us, in the letter to the Galatians, \u2018Let us not grow weary in doing good, for in due seasons we shall reap, if we do not lose heart.’\u201d<\/p>\n
Concluding, Hillary said, \u201cThe brave men and women of Bloody Sunday did not lose heart. We can do no less. We have a march to finish. Let us join together and complete that march for freedom, justice, opportunity, and everything America should be. Thank you and God bless you.\u201d<\/p>\n
Watch the moment here:
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