O’Malley returns to Iowa for Clinton

DES MOINES - The last time Martin O'Malley was in Iowa, he was bowing out of the presidential race after finishing last in the three-way Democratic race.

The former Maryland governor was back in Iowa on Thursday for the first time, visiting campaign organizers for Hillary Clinton, the party's presumptive nominee, at state party headquarters.

While encouraging campaign volunteers and fielding questions from reporters, O'Malley called presumptive Republican nominee Donald Trump a fascist, said he thinks supporters of Democratic primary runner-up Bernie Sanders will support Clinton, and that he is focused on helping Clinton win, not whether he would be invited to serve in her administration, should she win.

'That's not why I'm doing this,” O'Malley said. 'At this point in my life, having been a mayor and having been a governor, I'm going to put all my energies into this election to make sure we don't careen over the fascist cliff.”

O'Malley said he pledged to Clinton campaign manager John Podesta that he would 'do everything I can and be everywhere I can” to help Clinton defeat Trump in November's election, but that he has no expectation of being offered a chance to work with Clinton, should she win.

O'Malley plans to make a similar stop Friday in Sioux City and Friday night is scheduled to speak at the South Dakota Democratic Party's state convention banquet.

O'Malley, who finished a distant third to Clinton and Sanders in Iowa, said he thinks the Sanders' supporters can be swayed to support Clinton against Trump. Sensing a disconnect between them and Clinton, Trump has made overtures to Sanders' supporters.

'Donald Trump is absolutely the opposite of that vision for America that Sen. Sanders supported,” O'Malley said. 'No one who supported Sen. Sanders for the right reasons should go to Donald Trump.”

O'Malley said he thinks Democrats are 'pulling together now for this fall.” He said many people who worked for his caucus campaign are now working for Clinton.

The Trump campaign did not respond to a request seeking comment, but the Republican National Committee said in a statement that O'Malley earned fewer than 1 percent of Iowa's delegate equivalents in the caucuses.

'Martin O'Malley is back in Iowa, and much like his failed presidential run, this visit will also end in defeat,” RNC spokeswoman Lindsay Jancek said.