Sunday marked the 54th anniversary of “Bloody Sunday.”.A day that ended up galvanizing the vote to pass the Civil Rights Act in Congress, it was a time when civil rights activists marched across the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Alabama and were beaten by Alabama State Troopers. Now the day is commemorated every year with a march across the bridge by politicians and activists from around the country. It is certainly high on the list of must-do activities for any potential presidential candidate in the Democratic Party. Republicans march, too, but the story is always all about the Democrats. This year only Bernie Sanders and Cory Booker marched. Senator Sherrod Brown was there, too, but he hasn’t officially declared his candidacy.

Quite a scene in Selma today on the 54th anniversary of Bloody Sunday. pic.twitter.com/qMf2MGtfpu — Matt Viser (@mviser) March 3, 2019

As in years past, Hillary Clinton showed up this year and this time she collected an International Unity Award. I know. During her acceptance speech at Brown Chapel AME Church, she dropped quite a hyperbolic statement, even for her. “We are living through a full-fledged crisis in our democracy.” She went on to explain that there’s a racist in the White House encouraging white supremacy, but not in those exact words. She was just determined to make her speech one more bitter diatribe against President Trump and his supporters.

Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton warned Sunday at a reception in Selma, Ala., that Americans are facing a “full-fledged crisis in our democracy,” likening its importance to the civil rights movement from decades ago. “This is a time, my friends, when fundamental rights, civic virtue, freedom of the press, the rule of law, truth, facts, and reason are under assault,” Clinton said at an event commemorating the 54th anniversary of “Bloody Sunday,” according to CNN. “And make no mistake, we are living through a full-fledged crisis in our democracy,” she added.

While she admitted that there are no tanks in the streets, she issued a call to action. It’s all about protecting the vote which is code for railing against voter suppression. She even brought up Stacey Abrams, the failed gubernatorial candidate in Georgia. Abrams has been blaming her loss on voter suppression since election night.

“When racist and white supremacist views are lifted up in the media and the White House, when hard-fought-for civil rights are being stripped back, when the single most important fight of our time, which makes it possible to fight every other fight and must be, as Frederick Douglass would say, our North Star — the fight to protect our vote — is not gathering the momentum and the energy and the passion it deserves, we have a lot of work to do, don’t we?” she said.

Hillary’s phony Southern accent made an appearance as she spoke. She used it while addressing a member of the clergy in a push for voter registration. Ugh. I’m a Southern woman and it is such a hideous pander whenever she does that. It’s insulting and she never seems to understand how stupid she sounds.

Hillary's occasional Southern accent made a well-timed return today in Selma, Ala., where she spoke at a "Bloody Sunday" anniversary event pic.twitter.com/qQsptMLhVZ — Tom Elliott (@tomselliott) March 3, 2019

And, here’s a quick montage of the accent from Sunday.

Hillary's occasional Southern accent made a well-timed return today in Selma, Ala., where she spoke at a "Bloody Sunday" anniversary event pic.twitter.com/qQsptMLhVZ — Tom Elliott (@tomselliott) March 3, 2019

Anyway, all of this ties in with H.R.4 in the House. In particular, the push to “restore” the Voting Rights Act is high on the Democrat agenda. Hillary wasn’t just rambling on about voting rights randomly. A Congresswoman from my city, I’m embarrassed to admit, made that perfectly clear in a tweet after the recreation of the march across the bridge Sunday.

Important to commemorate #BloodySunday where blood was shed in #Selma on the Edmund Pettus Bridge to get the right to vote. Marching today with Hillary Clinton and many others again to take a stand to stop voter suppression and restore the vote by passing #HR4 – enough is enough pic.twitter.com/rfiqziNiUC — Sheila Jackson Lee (@JacksonLeeTX18) March 4, 2019

The Supreme Court ruled against a central part of the Voting Rights Act, according to the Democrats, in 2013 and they have been pushing for a reversal of that decision ever since.

A 2013 Supreme Court decision invalidated a key part of the law that required states with histories of racial discrimination to seek approval from the federal government before changing its voting laws. In the wake of the ruling, several states governed by Republicans, including North Carolina and Texas, have passed laws that curb early voting, require people to provide identification at the polls and prohibit preregistration for people under 18.

H.R.4 has been introduced in the House and is working its way to a vote. The bill’s sponsor is Rep. Terri Sewell (D-AL). It was referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary at the end of February.

By the way, if you are curious how Hillary handled crossing paths with Bernie, well it was cordial but not warm, according to the reports. She shook his hand at the prayer breakfast. She did, however, hug Cory Booker. Always playing to the audience, that Hillary.

When Cory Booker left the stage here in Selma, Hillary Clinton stood and gave a big hug. The warmth was palpable. When Bernie Sanders left the stage, she stood and, as he was briskly walking past, it appeared they briefly shook hands. The chilliness was palpable. — Matt Viser (@mviser) March 3, 2019

Bernie held a big rally in Chicago Sunday night. The estimated crowd was 12,500. And on we go.