Spike Lee Endorses Bernie Sanders over Clinton in a New Ad

By Cheri Cheng - 23 Feb '16 15:17PM

Bernie Sanders has received a key endorsement from director Spike Lee just a few days before the South Carolina primary.

"Waaaaake up! Wake up, South Carolina!" Lee's radio ad for Sanders starts. "This is your dude, Spike Lee. And you know that I know that you know that the system is rigged! For too long we've given our votes to corporate puppets. Sold the okie doke. Ninety-nine percent of Americans were hurt by the Great Recession of 2008, and many are still recovering. That's why I am officially endorsing my brother, Bernie Sanders."

In the one-minute long ad that was released Tuesday, Lee explained that he supports Sanders over Clinton because of Sanders' positions on education and income inequality. Lee also praised the candidate for his involvement with activism during the Civil Rights Movement.

"Bernie takes no money from corporations. Nada. Which means he's not on the tape," Lee said. "When Bernie get's into the White House, he will do the right thing. Enough talk. Time for action."

Lee's endorsement is vital for the Vermont Senator who is lagging behind opponent Hillary Clinton when it comes to getting support from black voters. According to a CNN/ORC poll conducted in South Carolina, the results found that Clinton had 65 percent of the support from black voters. Sanders only received 28 percent.

Lee is the latest black celebrity to back Sanders. Over this past weekend, actor Danny Glover attended events in South Carolina in support of Sanders. Clinton, on the other hand, has the support of African-American actor Morgan Freeman, who is the narrator in her ad.

Throughout Lee's career, which started with "She's Gotta Have It," he has never shied away from controversial race topics. He has addressed race relations, urban problems and other political issues both in his movies and in the real world. Lee most recently stated that he would be boycotting the Oscars this year due to the lack of diversity in Hollywood.

The South Carolina primary takes place on Saturday, Feb. 27.