Clinton wins endorsement of civil rights leader John Lewis(Dupe Please Remove)

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noon EDT; Will be led. AP Photos staffing

NEW YORK (AP) _ Democratic Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton has earned the endorsement of John Lewis, the longtime Georgia congressman and leader in the 1960s civil rights movement.

Clinton and Lewis were scheduled to hold a campaign event Friday in Atlanta to discuss the endorsement.

"I have looked at all the candidates, and I believe that Hillary Clinton is the best prepared to lead this country at a time when we are in desperate need of strong leadership. She will restore a greater sense of community in America, and reclaim our standing in the world," Lewis said in a statement released by the Clinton campaign.

The endorsement is a setback to Barack Obama, who is seeking to become the first black president and has counted on support from black leaders to spark his candidacy.

http://www.newsday.com/news/local/wire/newyork/ny-bc-ny--clinton-endorseme1012oct12,0,1591422.story