King and Obama: Eleven Things in Common
See some of the striking similarities between the leaders.
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Powerful Speakers With Iconic Speeches - King: Known as a powerful orator, Dr. King's rousing speeches are a significant part of his legacy. His iconic "I Have a Dream" speech was delivered at the March on Washington on August 28, 1963. Obama: On Aug. 28, 2008, 45 years after King's "Dream" speech, Obama accepted the DNC nomination, evoking many symbolic King comparisons punctuated with the slogan "Yes We Can!"(Photos: dpa/Landov; Scott Olson/Getty Images)
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Advocates for the Working Class - King: King's Poor People's Campaign addressed issues of economic justice and attention to poverty, and was the inspiration for the March on Washington.\r\rObama: A huge point on the Obama campaign platform was a proposed tax cut for 95% of working families, and significant tax relief for the middle class.\r(Photos: Getty Images, Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
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Both Attended Boston Area Grad Schools - King: Dr. King received a Doctorate of Philosophy in Systematic Theology from Boston University in 1955.\r\rObama: Obama received a Juris Doctor (J.D.) and graduated magna cum laude from Harvard Law School in 1991.\r(Photos: www.reobama.com, Getty Images)
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Pretty, Smart and Elegant Wives - King: After his assassination, Coretta Scott King assumed the face of a strong widow, while gracefully fighting to maintain the integrity of her husband's legacy.\r\rObama: His wife Michelle is influential in her own right. She draws huge crowds, attracts interest in her style, and is single-handedly changing the public image of the African American woman and mother.\r\r(Photos: CBS/Landov; Mark Wilson/Getty Images)
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King and Obama, The Athletes - King: As a youngster, King played baseball, ran track, and was even on his high school football team. He was also a good pool player. Legend has it he was quite the trash talker.Obama: The president is an avid sports fan, and was a high school basketball player. He had a ritual of playing ball on the day of every primary election and hosted top NBA players at the White House for a pick-up game last year.(Photos: www.mlkonline.net, CBS Sports)
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