April 5th, 2008 10:01 AM ET 4 years ago  McCain says he was
wrong to oppose MLK day   McCain marked the 40th anniversary of
Martin Luther King Jr's death Friday. (AP Photo)  (CNN) -
Speaking at a ceremony marking the 40th anniversary of Martin
Luther King Jr.'s death, John McCain said Friday he was wrong to
initially oppose a government holiday in memory of the civil
rights leader.  "We can be slow as well to give greatness its
due, a mistake I made myself long ago when I voted against a
federal holiday in memory of Dr. King," McCain said during the
rainy Memphis speech. "I was wrong and eventually realized that,
in time to give full support for a state holiday in Arizona. We
can all be a little late sometimes in doing the right thing, and
Dr. King understood this about his fellow Americans."  The
comments were met with audible boos in the audience, though the
Arizona senator did draw applause at other moments in the
speech.  McCain, then a first-term congressman, voted against
creating a government holiday f