Obama, Clintons eulogize the 'honorable' Cummings
A WHO'S WHO OF POLITICAL HEAVYWEIGHTS, INCLUDING FORMER PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA AND 2016 PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE HILLARY CLINTON, GATHERED ON FRIDAY FOR THE FUNERAL OF THE LATE U.S. REPRESENTATIVE AND CIVIL RIGHTS CHAMPION ELIJAH CUMMINGS.
(SOUNDBITE) HILLARY CLINTON, FORMER DEMOCRATIC PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE, SAYING:
"OUR ELIJAH COULD CALL DOWN FIRE FROM HEAVEN… BUT HE ALSO PRAYED AND WORKED FOR HEALING AND HE WEATHERED STORMS AND EARTHQUAKES, BUT NEVER LOST HIS FAITH LIKE THAT OLD TESTAMENT PROPHET HE STOOD AGAINST CORRUPT LEADERSHIP…"
THOUSANDS GATHERED AT THE SERVICE FOR THE LONGTIME MARYLAND DEMOCRAT, HELD IN CUMMINGS' HOMETOWN OF BALTIMORE.
OBAMA, ALONG WITH FORMER PRESIDENT BILL CLINTON, PRAISED CUMMINGS -A KEY FIGURE IN THE IMPEACHMENT HEARINGS AGAINST DONALD TRUMP - WHILE TAKING NOT-SO-VEILED SWIPES AT THE CURRENT U.S. PRESIDENT.
(SOUNDBITE) FORMER PRESIDENT BILL CLINTON SAYING:
'HE TRIED TO TREAT EVERYBODY THE WAY HE WANTED TO BE TREATED… YOU KNOW YOU CAN'T RUN A FREE SOCIETY IF YOU HAVE TO HATE EVERYBODY YOU DISAGREE WITH…"
(SOUNDBITE) FORMER PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA SAYING:
"I WAS THINKING THAT I WANT MY DAUGHTERS TO KNOW THAT BEING A STRONG MAN INCLUDES BEING KIND.. THERE IS NOTHING WEAK ABOUT KINDNESS AND COMPASSION AND ABOUT LOOKING OUT FOR OTHERS… THERE IS NOTHING WEAK ABOUT BEING HONORABLE, YOU ARE NOT A SUCKER ABOUT HAVING INTEGRITY AND TREAT OTHERS WITH RESPECT.. THIS IS THE(?) TITLE WE CONFER ON ALL KINDS OF PEOPLE WHO GET INTO OFFICE, WE'RE SUPPOSED TO INTRODUCE THEM AS HONORABLE.. BUT CUMMINGS WAS HONORABLE BEFORE HE WAS ELECTED TO CONGRESS, THERE'S A DIFFERENCE.."
OTHER HIGH-PROFILE DEMOCRATS, SUCH AS 2020 PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES JOE BIDEN AND ELIZABETH WARREN, WERE ALSO IN ATTENDANCE…. ALONG WITH MANY REPUBLICANS, INCLUDING NORTH CAROLINA REPRESENTATIVE MARK MEADOWS, WHO CUMMINGS HAD CALLED A GOOD FRIEND.
IT IS UNCLEAR IF PRESIDENT TRUMP HAD BEEN INVITED. HE DID NOT ATTEND, INSTEAD SPEAKING AT A HISTORICALLY BLACK COLLEGE IN SOUTH CAROLINA.
(UPSOUND CUMMINGS)
CUMMINGS, THE SON OF SHARECROPPERS, SERVED FOR 22 YEARS IN THE U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES BEFORE HIS DEATH
LAST WEEK AT AGE 68 DUE TO LONGSTANDING HEALTH CHALLENGES. ##
