Offers Strong Praise for Senator Sanders as Well
California Democratic Gov. Jerry Brown in an open letter Tuesday endorsed Hillary Clinton for President. An icon in California politics, wrote, “I have decided to cast my vote for Hillary Clinton because I believe this is the only path forward to win the presidency and stop the dangerous candidacy of Donald Trump.”
“I have closely watched the primaries and am deeply impressed with how well Bernie Sanders has done,” Brown, on his fourth term as governor, observed. “He has driven home the message that the top one percent has unfairly captured way too much of America’s wealth, leaving the majority of people far behind. In 1992, I attempted a similar campaign,” Brown said, referring to one of his presidential campaigns.
The New York Times notes “Mr. Brown lost that race to Mrs. Clinton’s husband, Bill Clinton, in a contest that left lingering bitterness between the two men.”
“For her part, Hillary Clinton has convincingly made the case that she knows how to get things done and has the tenacity and skill to advance the Democratic agenda. Voters have responded by giving her approximately 3 million more votes – and hundreds more delegates – than Sanders,” Gov. Brown continued, offering some calculations. “If Clinton were to win only 10 percent of the remaining delegates – wildly improbable – she would still exceed the number needed for the nomination. In other words, Clinton’s lead is insurmountable and Democrats have shown – by millions of votes – that they want her as their nominee.”
“But there is more at stake than mere numbers,” the California democrat who has run unsuccessfully for President three times said. “The Republican nominee, Donald Trump, has called climate change a ‘hoax’ and said he will tear up the Paris Climate Agreement. He has promised to deport millions of immigrants and ominously suggested that other countries may need the nuclear bomb. He has also pledged to pack the Supreme Court with only those who please the extreme right.”
“The stakes couldn’t be higher. Our country faces an existential threat from climate change and the spread of nuclear weapons. A new cold war is on the horizon. This is no time for Democrats to keep fighting each other. The general election has already begun. Hillary Clinton, with her long experience, especially as Secretary of State, has a firm grasp of the issues and will be prepared to lead our country on day one.”
“Next January, I want to be sure that it is Hillary Clinton who takes the oath of office, not Donald Trump.”
He signed his open letter, “With respect, Jerry Brown.”
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Image by Neon Tommy via Flickr and a CC license