“Not dropping out would mean ruining the party,” the civil rights leader told New York 1 television on Thursday night. “I think Barack Obama’s the nominee. I think he’s won. The majority of Democrats have already decided.”

Sharpton, a failed Democratic candidate in 2004, has yet to endorse any candidate for the November election though he has been actively courted by Obama and Clinton.

He has natural ties to both Democratic candidates: his National Action Network is based in New York City and Clinton is a U.S. senator from New York state. And he has also championed causes for African Americans, and if elected Obama, a senator from Illinois, would be America’s first black president.

But his latest words suggest an endorsement might not be necessary in the nomination battle.

“As you know, I’ve been in the ministry of civil rights all my life, but had dealings with entertainers because of James Brown,” Sharpton said. “The worst thing in the world is when an entertainer doesn’t know when the show is over. The audience is gone, the lights are down, you’re getting ready to cut the mics off and you are still on the stage singing. It’s over, it’s all right, it’s over. Come sing another day, but this show is over for Sen. Clinton.”  

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- Photo credit: Reuters/Mike Segar