Leon Panetta, a Californian and former Clinton WH chief of staff, tells local TV that Clinton's time has come: "I think there's a time now to concede and unify the party."
Al Sharpton, using many more words on NY1, delivers the same message:
“As you know, I’ve been in the ministry of civil rights all my life, but had dealings with entertainers because of James Brown. The worst thing in the world is when an entertainer doesn’t know when the show is over. The audience is gone, the lights are down, you’re getting ready to cut the mics off and you are still on the stage singing. It’s over, it’s all right, it’s over. Come sing another day, but this show is over Senator Clinton.”
And: “There is no possible scenario that I see without the total destruction of the Democratic Party for Hillary Clinton to become the nominee.”
Full text of his interview after the jump.
Sharpton on NY1:
“I think Barack Obama is the nominee, I think we should get ready for (Dominic: Wait, Barack Obama is the nominee?”) Oh, I think he’s won. There is no possible scenario that I see without the total destruction of the Democratic Party for Hillary Clinton to become the nominee. I mean the vote in North Carolina and the close vote in Indiana was it, as far as I can count. As far as I’m concerned it was over before, but now we are just kidding ourselves. I think that there is no possible way that Mrs. Clinton can win this nomination, and I think that if there are those looking at this and are concerned about her they would tell her that it’s time to just say it’s over. As you know, I’ve been in the ministry of civil rights all my life, but had dealings with entertainers because of James Brown. The worst thing in the world is when an entertainer doesn’t know when the show is over. The audience is gone, the lights are down, you’re getting ready to cut the mics off and you are still on the stage singing. It’s over, it’s all right, it’s over. Come sing another day, but this show is over Senator Clinton.It is over in terms of this nominating process, unless we’re going to change the rules, change how we do things; and when and if you do that in my judgment you are destroying the party. Barack Obama has run not only a good campaign and a credible campaign, and I told you before I respect it, he has won. He has got the most popular votes, he has got the most committed delegates, only unless you are going to change the rules can you deny him the nomination. If Mr. Clinton called me, or Senator Clinton called me and asked me for my advice I would tell them it’s over, they should withdraw for the good of the party because I think that there will be a formidable race in November that we need to start getting ready for now. And I think we need to stop playing this whole game of continuing to act like there is something to decide here, when the majority of democrats have already decided.You can still have good days, that show is over I said. I’m not saying she can’t sing another day, but this show is over.”
Comments (1)
Al Sharpton represents, if he represents anyone at all, only the lunatic fringe of the Black community. He is a direct throw-back to the Kingfish character in the old Amos 'n Andy shows. Anyone who interviews, or otherwise, present him as a "Civil Rights Leader" does a great disservice to the Black community.