‘Only indictment of Clinton could save Sanders’ campaign’

An American political analyst says the only thing that could save Bernie Sanders’ campaign now is an indictment of Hillary Clinton for a range of potentially criminal activities.

Myles Hoenig, a Green Party candidate for Congress, made the remarks in a phone interview with Press TV on Wednesday, after Clinton capped a historic Tuesday night with a victory in California's primary.

Clinton also beat Sanders in New Jersey and South Dakota. In addition, she defeated the Vermont senator in New Mexico.  With the wins on Tuesday night, Clinton surpassed the 2,383 delegates needed to clinch the nomination.

Speaking to supporters in Brooklyn, New York on Tuesday night, Clinton described herself as the first woman to be nominated by a major party for US presidency.

“Thanks to you, we've reached a milestone. It's the first time in our nation's history that a woman will be a major party's nominee,” Clinton told her supporters.

“We are, for all practical purposes, at the end of the Primary Election season,” said Hoenig. “Although neither Clinton nor Sanders have reached the magic number of pledged delegates and both will go into the convention short, Hillary Clinton is presumptuously claiming to be the winner of the Democratic Party’s nomination for President.”

“Sanders has not conceded but has acknowledge that the race is all but over. He vows to take it to the convention, but the question is whether he’ll contest the results and still try to claim the nomination,” he stated.

Clinton’s campaign superficial

“The clock is running out for Sanders. The only thing that would save his campaign, now that he has likely lost California, is an indictment of Clinton for a range of potentially criminal activities related to selling favors to foreign governments and misusing classified email,” Hoenig said.

“This is an historic moment for the US. If Clinton were to become the presidential candidate and then president, she would be the first woman for a major party. Incidentally, Jill Stein achieved that milestone in 2012 as being the first woman to head a political party in a presidential race as a Green Party candidate. Clinton has played on this moment the entire race. She has used her gender as a reason to vote for her, something we call ‘identity politics,’” he stated.  

“Incidentally, Bernie Sanders is Jewish and has never claimed that as a reason to vote for him, being that he would be the first Jewish president in US history. And for these reasons, many see Clinton’s campaign as superficial in comparison to Sanders. Also, much of what Clinton has proposed on the campaign trail has been shaped by Sanders’s policies. When it comes to the general election, the Democratic candidate usually tends to move farther to the right, giving progressives no real choices except to go with third parties, such as the Green Party,” he noted.

Will Sanders play role of good cop now?

“Now that Sanders has been in touch with President Obama, we can only presume that Sanders will play the role of the good soldier and do as ordered and support Clinton, even though her positions, history, and actions are contrary to his own. This is likely the deal that was arranged when he first entered the race. What his supporters will do is unknown,” Hoenig said.

“A vast majority of them were supporting him because he was so diametrically opposed to Clinton. Politicians easily compromise their principles and values but supporters often don’t. This clearly gives the Green Party a good shot of having a respectable showing in November, hopefully reaching at least 5% for future federal matching funds,” he added.

“Lastly, there’s Trump, the only person more despised by the general public than Clinton. Even his own party is trying to distance themselves from him! The race looks like it’s Clinton’s to lose but Trump and the Republican can run a successful campaign. With two candidates most Americans despise, the likely outcome would be a success for outlying parties, Greens, Libertarians, and maybe even an insurgent- Republican Party candidate,” he concluded. 

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