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South Carolina Congressman Calls Tuesday’s Presidential Election As Important As 1860 Contest

South Carolina Democrat Campaigns In Wisconsin For Clinton

By
Chuck Quirmbach/WPR

A South Carolina Congressman, and longtime civil rights activist, campaigned Monday in Wisconsin for Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton.

U.S. Rep. James Clyburn told a get-out-the-vote rally in Milwaukee that Tuesday’s election is as important as the presidential contest of 1860.

“Flowing from that election was the Emancipation Proclamation,” Clyburn said. “Flowing from this one could very well be the turning back of all of that, if we are not successful.”

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Clyburn is assistant Democratic leader in the House, and is the highest-ranking African-American in Congress. He said Clinton would be the better role model in the White House, and he criticized Republican candidate Donald Trump for insulting women, the disabled and racial minorities.

“That’s not what we want this country to be about,” he said. “We want our children, our grandchildren to look upon our leaders as examples of how they should be and how they should conduct themselves.”

A Trump campaign spokesman did not respond to a request for a statement about Clyburn’s visit. The Trump campaign did issue a press release highlighting another prominent African-American politician, Dr. Ben Carson, is urging his fellow Republicans for vote for Trump.