"He will do the right thing": Spike Lee endorses Bernie Sanders in new ad

Ahead of the South Carolina primary, the "Do the Right Thing" director tries to boost Sanders with black voters

By Sophia Tesfaye

Senior Politics Editor

Published February 23, 2016 2:27PM (EST)

  (AP/Jeff Haynes)
(AP/Jeff Haynes)

“Waaaaake up! Wake up, South Carolina!” acclaimed film director Spike Lee demands, opening Bernie Sanders' latest campaign ad and announcing his endorsement of the Democratic presidential candidate ahead of Saturday's South Carolina primary.

“This is your dude, Spike Lee," the "Chiraq" director announces in the radio ad released Tuesday.

“Ninety-nine percent of Americans were affected by the Great Recession of 2008,” Lee says in the commercial. “Many of you affected are listening to me right now.”

"You know that I know that you know that the system is rigged," Lee continues, with his usual flare. "For too long we’ve given our votes to corporate puppets. Sold the okie doke."

The outspoken artist says he endorses Sanders because "Bernie takes no money from corporations. Nada. Which means he’s not on the take, and when Bernie gets into the White House, he will do the right thing!”

“How can we be sure?"

"Bernie was at the March on Washington with Dr. King. He was arrested in Chicago for protesting segregation in Chicago’s public schools. Fought for wealth and education equality throughout his entire career."

"No flipping, no flopping,” Lee assures the heavily African-American electorate of South Carolina, where the Sanders campaign is hoping to shore up support among millennial black voters to dent rival Hillary Clinton's lead in the Palmetto State.

Of course, Clinton has also enlisted a familiar black voice to narrate her South Carolina targeted ads, with two Morgan Freeman voiced television commercials.

Listen to Spike Lee's new ad for Bernie below:


By Sophia Tesfaye

Sophia Tesfaye is Salon's senior editor for news and politics, and resides in Washington, D.C. You can find her on Twitter at @SophiaTesfaye.

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