Maya Angelou Endorses Hillary Clinton in TV Ad

Poet Maya Angelou has expressed her support of presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, first in an open letter posted on Senator Clinton’s campaign Web site, and most recently in a television ad. The endorsement, in which Angelou and Clinton share a stage as the poet commends the candidate’s egalitarian politics, is currently airing in North Carolina, where primary elections will be held tomorrow.

The ad, which can be seen on YouTube, features a montage of photographs showing Clinton engaging with members of the community, and a video of Angelou calling the candidate "the prayer of every American who really longs for fair play,” noting Clinton's interest in the working class, public health, and education. "She dares to say human beings are more alike than we are unalike."

Angelou echoes those sentiments in her open letter, calling Senator Clinton a friend "for whom I have profound affection." The poet has long been a supporter of the Clintons, having read a poem at former president Bill Clinton's 1993 inauguration ceremony.

According to a CBS/New York Times poll released yesterday, Senator Barack Obama leads Senator Clinton by twelve points, 50 percent to 28 percent, among Democratic primary voters nationwide.