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NEW YORK (Reuters) - Democratic U.S. presidential rivals Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama on Monday toned down their rhetoric over race, seeking to smooth over a clash that was dividing their party, which for decades has prided itself on standing up for minority rights.
"I've been a little concerned about the tenor of the campaign over the last few days," Obama told reporters in Reno, Nevada, after speaking to about 2,500 people at a rally. "We share the same goals, we are all Democrats, we all believe in civil rights, we all believe in equal rights."
"I think that (former President) Bill Clinton and Hillary Clinton have historically and consistently been on the right side of civil rights issues," he added. "I think they care about the African American community and they care about all Americans and they want to see equal rights and equal justice in this country."
His remarks came as the former first lady addressed a predominantly black audience of union and church members in New York who gathered to demand higher pay for security guards in the city and to mark the anniversary of King's birthday.
Clinton, a New York senator, took an equally conciliatory tone, hailing the fact that the Democratic Party's top two presidential candidates were a woman and a black man.
"Each of us, no matter who we are or where we started from, is a beneficiary of Dr. King," she said. "Both Sen. Obama and I know that we are where we are today because of leaders like Dr. King and generations of men and women like all of you."
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Link:
http://www.reuters.com/article/topNews/idUSN1432150720080114Good.