Bernie Sanders’ campaign manager said Monday that despite leaked emails showing the Democratic National Committee conspired against his candidate, it’s time for the party to unite behind Hillary Clinton.
Jeff Weaver said he is “100%” on the same team with Clinton, the presumptive Democratic nominee, despite a dump of emails leaked on the internet over the weekend that showed DNC officials working against the Vermont senator during the presidential primary season.
“This happened, we knew it happened then, now is the time to go forward,” Weaver told CNN’s Chris Cuomo on “New Day” on Monday. “Now is the time to elect Hillary Clinton and defeat Donald Trump.”
The emails resulted in the resignation of party Chairwoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz, who announced Sunday she would step down at the conclusion of the convention.
But despite clashing with the Florida congresswoman for months, Weaver had nothing but positive things to say about her decision, adding it was time to “turn the page.”
“I think that Debbie Wasserman Schultz did the right thing,” Weaver said. “I think now is the time for party unity. I think she put the party ahead of herself.”
“We are moving forward,” added pro-Clinton super PAC chief Jennifer Granholm, a former Michigan governor. “It’s going to be a great night, and this kerfuffle will be over.”
Weaver also downplayed any appeal to Sanders voters that Donald Trump might have, saying the presumptive Republican nominee doesn’t represent a Sanders-like ideology on trade.
“Donald Trump on trade is a phony, and I think we’re going to have to expose him,” Weaver said, adding Trump is a “dangerous candidate” and that third party voters should unite behind Clinton.
“Everybody who’s thinking about sitting out or supporting a third party candidate, you’ve got to get into this race, we’ve got to elect Hillary Clinton and defeat Donald Trump,” Weaver said.
