George W. Bush remembers King and legacy of a ‘great man’

WASHINGTON (AP) — President George W. Bush is remembering Martin Luther King Jr. and his powerful words 50 years ago — words that Bush says changed the hearts of millions.

Bush is not attending Wednesday’s 50th anniversary ceremony in Washington. A spokesman says the invitation came as Bush was recovering from a recent heart procedure, so he declined.

But Bush and his wife, Laura, say in a statement from Dallas that King’s “I Have a Dream” speech challenged the nation to live up to its founding principles that all people are created equal.

Bush said the nation has come a long way — “yet our journey to justice is not complete” and there is still a need to take King’s vision to every community in America.

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