Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel
reports on Edwards' Saturday visit:
... as a new Southerner in the mold of former President Bill Clinton, he did confess to an easy familiarity with black culture.
"I've grown up with African-Americans; there's a comfort level," Edwards said.
(cont'd)
... As he talked, 80-year-old Johnnie Mae Rhodes punctuated many of Edwards' points with a rousing "Amen!" or "That's right!"
Basically, she took Edwards to "church." What was curious to watch, Edwards didn't even flinch. It's like he understood the call-and-response tradition of the black church and acted accordingly.
A small thing? Maybe.
But for black voters who can immediately spot whether a white politician is nervous or uncomfortable in their presence, it was a gentle reassurance.
(Anybody care to imagine Dick Cheney's reaction if somebody started saying "Amen" at the end of every sentence during a meeting with black leaders?)
... Before the rally, a group of blacks waiting for Edwards to arrive remarked on the makeup of the racially diverse crowd gathering for the rally.
"I didn't think so many white people would ever come down to 15th and Vliet," one person cracked.
Already, Edwards was making an impact.
Earlier diary includes photo of Edwards in an Orlando church.