On Wednesday, Democratic presidential candidates attended the National Action Network (NAN) Ministers’ Breakfast in North Charleston, North Carolina.
MSNBC host Reverend Al Sharpton defended Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders over political anxiety pertaining to socialism, saying “They accused Dr. [Martin Luther] King of being a communist.”
While introducing Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Al Sharpton said: “The civil rights movement always was targeted by those that would use the red scare,” and noted that civil rights activist Bayard Rustin was not allowed a public role in the March on Washington “because they said he was a communist.”
“They accused Dr. King of being a communist. Every major leader in the 60s they tried to call socialist or communist. Whatever you decide to do on Saturday, do not go by those that use the socialist tag to try to separate us from what we need to do for this country,” Sharpton said, ahead of the Democratic primary in South Carolina.
“Because we’ve been down that road before, and we are not that stupid to allow you to tell us who is what. Socialism, capitalism, all of it has not worked fairly for black folks,” he continued.
Rev. Al also defended Sanders over his recent praise of Fidel Castro, noting that Ted Koppel once pressed Nelson Mandela for working with Castro and others, and saying that “to have an assessment does not mean you are signing on to everything,” reported Mediaite.
During a press conference Thursday, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) told reporters that Democrats “are all unified whoever the nominee is of our party.”
“The presidential is its own race and I don’t– contrary to what you may be hearing or writing, we are not getting– we are all unified,” Speaker Pelosi claimed. “Whoever the nominee is of our party, we will wholeheartedly support. Our gospel is one of unity, unity, unity.” [Emphasis added].
Meanwhile, Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart (R-FL) introduced H. Res. 868 Wednesday, a resolution that condemns Sen. Bernie Sanders for praising Cuba under the late dictator Fidel Castro. Diaz-Balart represents a district in Florida that has 335,000 residents of Cuban descent. (Video Below)
The resolution was brought on the House floor Thursday, and Democratic lawmakers blocked the GOP resolution condemning Senator Sanders’ flattering comments about the Castro regime. The vote was 224-189 that fell along party lines.
Rev. Al Sharpton’s official remarks:
Rev. Al Sharpton: "They accused Dr. King of being a communist. Every major leader in the 60s they tried to call socialist or communist. Whatever you decide to do on Saturday, do not go by those that use the socialist tag to try to separate us from what we need to do." pic.twitter.com/3xQZpK8G2j
— The Hill (@thehill) February 27, 2020
