Hilary's Herald

http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1595029-1,00.html

http://www.abcnews.go.com/Politics/wireStory?id=2916818

The AP article written by Ben Evans called, “Clinton, Obama Address Selma, Ala,� is an advance article informing readers that the senators are scheduled to speak at an event honoring the 42nd anniversary of the famous civil rights march that played a role in eliminating segregation. This writer also heavily emphasizes his angle of discussing the amount of black voter support each senator will have in the election.

Since this article is an advance on the senators’ speeches, the writer had to undergo the challenge of determining the most interesting aspect of the speeches and informing the writers of the necessary information. Since the speeches are taking place in Selma, Alabama to commemorate the anniversary of the civil rights march, the writer chose to emphasize the civil rights movement, as well as the fact that the rival senators are both in the same city at the same time. For example, the writer said, “Steeped in civil rights symbolism, the speeches offer rivals Hillary Rodham Clinton and Barack Obama an opportunity to show unity with the black community while they spar over support from a crucial Democratic constituency.� The writer also focused on the reasons why each senator would have support from black voters in the election. Besides the topic of honoring the civil rights march, the writer also informed readers the date, city, and the name of the churches in which they are speaking. Otherwise, the writer did not mention any more specific information regarding the event. This writer did not have a nut graph because the lead begins with the fact that the senators are speaking on Sunday. However, the writer did include in the lead the specific and interesting information that the rival senators are planning on speaking in the same city at the same time and that the event is to commemorate the anniversary of the march.

Another advance article written on the speeches written by Beth Fouhy from the AP is called, “Bill Clinton to Join Wife in Alabama.� This writer also chose to emphasize the black support for each senator, but this writer chose to focus on Bill Clinton being present at the speech. Evans did not include anything about Bill Clinton being in Selma on Sunday. In fact, there is some contradiction between the two writers because Evans said that Hillary Clinton would be picking up the award for her husband. Fouhy also specified the information of the date and city that the speeches are taking place, but this writer did not state the names of the churches like the first writer did. Fouhy did have a nut graph where she stated the date, location, and speakers of the event; and, in the lead she previewed her angle of Bill Clinton joining his wife. Also, both writers kept the correct verb tense for advances by saying they are “scheduled to…,� instead of they are speaking.

I liked the angle of Evan’s article because it focused on the event topic of the civil rights movement and the aspect that the rival senators are going to be in the same place at the same time. Since it related to the topic of the event, I thought this angle was more interesting than the Fouhy article because she focused on Bill Clinton who has nothing directly to do with the speeches other than being married to one of the speakers. Since these are both AP articles, it makes sense that the writer did not go into too much detail about the exact time, location, parking, and price. However, I do like that the Evans article was a little more specific by including the names of the churches they are speaking at. I do like that both of the writers made their leads specific, interesting, and previewed their angles, and I also liked that both writers gave the background on the historical significance of Selma, Alabama.