Dem Rivals Share Spotlight in Des Moines

ABC News Sunlen Miller and Eloise Harper Report: In downtown Des Moines, Iowa the top two Democratic presidential candidates, Sens. Hilary Clinton D-N.Y., and Barack Obama D-Ill., gathered to celebrate Sisters on Target.

Curiously Obama was missing from the pledge of allegiance and prayer ceremony. He also was absent for Senator Hillary Clinton’s remarks, even though his staff was in the room and he was reported to be in the building. While the Obama campaign claims the Senator was on time – it wasn’t until the strawberry sorbet was served, and Senator Clinton left – that Obama emerged.

Clinton and Obama both got rock-star treatment from this African-American women’s organization, and both summoned famous black women leaders from our past. Clinton said ‘I think about Sojourner Truth traveling across America often by foot way back in the 1800’s preaching against slavery and demanding the right to vote for women." Senator Obama referenced the struggles of Rosa Parks and Evelyn Davis, founder of Sisters on Target.

Clinton connected with the women in the room, "If you want something done, ask a busy woman to do it." "Our mothers and fore-mothers carried us a long way, but it’s with our sisters and brothers that we will finish the journey,"Clinton told the audience. Obama envisioned the day his wife would be in the White House alongside him "Because of what they did that come 2009 we’re gonna have a first lady from the south side of Chicago in the white house."

Obama also reminded the crowd that he’s had a track record standing up for them in the past, "I’ve stood up for African Americans for all my life. I’ve fought for you as a community organizer; I’ve fought for you as a civil rights lawyer. I’ve fought for you as a state senator. I’ve fought for you as a United States Senator…and I will fight for you every single day as president."

On the night which four presidential contenders were in the room, Senator Clinton did not engage in attacking her opponents. Obama had a few subtle digs at his top opponents, "I’m not going to win by just being the most calculating politician in this race, I’m going to win by just doing it – by building a coalition …of every race and religion and political party."

Senator Clinton and Senator Obama book-ended Senator Biden D-Del and republican candidate John Cox who delivered speeches on Iraq, and education.

It was among these other candidates that Senator Obama clearly tried to distinguish himself among the group, "Everyone’s a Christian on Sunday. The question is what you doing on Monday, what you doing on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday?"

The evening ended with a standing ovation for Senator Obama, with crowds chanting as he left the stage.