Where are the candidates? – MLK Edition

Greetings Kossacks!

With the MLK weekend behind us, Where are the candidates? brings you a roundup of where your Democratic Presidential candidates were campaigning and what they were saying.

Where are the candidates is impartial and does not offer political analysis, just day-to-day updates on where the campaigns are visiting in this big, beautiful country.  So far, we have two campaigns that are emailing or calling us with updates and another one or two that are considering joining the service.  If you have any connections, please let them know about Where are the candidates.  The recap starts below the fold.
Candidates listed alphabetically.  

Before I hear it from anyone, a candidate has to have announced or clearly be about to announce before they are added.  I will list all events that I can find about ANY candidate once they make that leap and you can challenge this assertion by sending me an email with current campaign info and seeing how quickly it is added.

Biden
The Biden website is still non-functional and I have not been able to find much scheduling information.  What I do have for MLK Day:

Confederate flag should go, 2 presidential hopefuls say

    COLUMBIA, S.C. – The Confederate flag doesn’t belong on the State House grounds in South Carolina, two presidential hopefuls said Monday at the King Day at the Dome march and rally.
…
    U.S. Sen. Joe Biden, D-Del., also spoke at the rally, and said if he were a member of the S.C. General Assembly, “I’d vote for it to move off the grounds, out of the state.”

    In an interview with The State newspaper afterward, Biden said once people realize how much pain the Confederate flag causes African-Americans, the banner will be moved off the State House grounds.

Clinton
Senator Hillary Clinton spent the MLK holiday weekend in the Middle East.

Hillary Clinton leads bipartisan delegation to Iraq

Baghdad: US Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton arrived in Iraq on Saturday on a one-day visit to meet with American and Iraqi officials amid heavy opposition from the Democratic-controlled Congress to President George W. Bush’s plans to send in 21,500 more troops.

US senator Clinton in Pakistan on brief visit

ISLAMABAD, Jan 13 (KUNA) — US Senator Hillary Clinton arrived in Pakistan on Saturday on a surprise brief visit.

She is heading a delegation and has arrived in eastern Lahore city, 370 kilometers southeast of Islamabad, official sources told KUNA.

They said on Sunday after meeting with President General Pervez Musharraf, she will head to Afghanistan.

Senator Hillary Clinton’s bipartisan delegation meets with Afghan president

KABUL (AP) – Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton ate breakfast with soldiers from New York and Indiana at the main U.S. base in Afghanistan on Sunday before meeting with the top American general there and Afghan President Hamid Karzai.

Clinton, a Democrat from New York who is considering running for president, came from Iraq with Senator Evan Bayh (D-Ind.) and Representative John McHugh (R-N.Y.). All three are members of armed-services committees.

Their meetings in Kabul were closed, and Clinton and her colleagues did not talk with journalists.

Dodd
Senator Chris Dodd spent the MLK holiday weekend in South Carolina.

   Annual MLK Memorial Service
    Start: 14 Jan 2007 – 6:00pm
    End: 14 Jan 2007 – 7:00pm

    Sponsored by the Baptist Ministers Fellowship of Greenville and Vicinity
    Springfield Baptist Church
    600 East McBee Avenue
    Greenville, SC

Dodd staying in South Carolina for MLK Day
Columbia Urban League Annual MLK Day Breakfast
Start: 15 Jan 2007 – 8:00am

Brookland Baptist Church
1066 Sunset Blvd.
West Columbia, SC

South Carolina NAACP MLK Day March and Rally
Start: 15 Jan 2007 – 10:00am
End: 15 Jan 2007 – 12:30pm

Main Street to State Capitol Columbia, SC

Confederate flag should go, 2 presidential hopefuls say

The Confederate flag doesn’t belong on the State House grounds in South Carolina, two presidential hopefuls said Monday at the King Day at the Dome march and rally.

U.S. Sen. Chris Dodd, D-Conn., told the estimated 5,000 people crowded onto the Capitol’s north lawn that the rebel banner is not what the country is fighting for.

“As a state that has provided so many of your sons and daughters who have served in the military uniform of our country, thank you for your sons and daughters, South Carolina,” Dodd said.

Edwards
Senator John Edwards spent the MLK holidays in New York, speaking at Riverside Church in Harlem. NOTE: I have asked other campaigns for recent video and flickr links, this one was easily found on the campaign website.

Gravel
Senator Mike Gravel was in New Hampshire for the MLK weekend, and then traveled to Washington, D.C. where he will be this week.

Gravel traveling to Washington after New Hampshire
Former Alaska Senator Mike Gravel will be at a meeting in Pittsfield, New Hampshire, then he returns to DC on Tuesday 16 for scheduled media interviews throughout the week.

From the Concord Monitor:

    On Monday at 6 p.m. at the Pittsfield Community Center, presidential candidate Mike Gravel will hold a town meeting to discuss the abolishment of the federal income tax and the IRS. All are invited. Coffee and snacks will be served. Gravel, a former U.S. senator, will present his election platform.

Kucinich
I have been unable to find schedule information for Representative Kucinich. The campaign is more than welcome to contact me directly through the website or my personal settings at DKos.  The info I do have for Saturday, January 13, 2007:

Kucinich at National Conference for Media Reform

    Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D- Ohio) paid a surprise visit to the National Conference for Media Reform and announced to hundreds of cheering activists that the U.S. House will created a committee on media reform and that Kucinich will be its chair. He promised reform in media and said it would drive national reform and world reform.

    Actor Danny Glover introduced Kucinich, accompanied by his wife Elizabeth, to the surprised crowd around 9:30 Friday evening, after performances by Rev. Al Green’s Full Tabenacle Choir and the Lady Diamonds and following speeches by FCC commissioners Jonathan Adelstein and Michael Copps.

Obama
Despite the many stories about his announcement (on Oprah?) this week, there was little in the searchable press about his schedule this weekend.  What I found:

Obama in Chicago for Rainbow/PUSH Coalition Breakfast

Obama A Hit As He Honors MLK            
CHICAGO (AP) — Senator Barack Obama was a big hit today at a Rainbow/PUSH Coalition breakfast honoring Martin Luther King Junior.

Obama received a standing ovation at the annual King scholarship breakfast when the Reverend Jesse Jackson introduced him with an approving reference to the Illinois Democrat’s presidential aspirations.

Vilsack
Governor Vilsack spent the holiday weekend in Iowa doing town hall meetings and events.

Vilsack attends MLK ceremony, receives award for service.
Gov. Vilsack attended the Martin Luther King Celebration service held
by the Black Ministerial Alliance and the NAACP today. It was held at the Union Missionary Baptist Church in Des Moines from 4pm until 6pm. In addition to speaking, he received an award for his service.

Sunday January 14, 2007

Knoxville Community Gathering
12:30 pm
Park Lane Village
908 South Park Lane
Knonxville, IA

Newton Community Gathering
2:15 pm
UAW Hall
1838 1st Street
Newton, IA

That is what I have for this weekend.  Please email me tips and sightings and I will add this ASAP.