Stepping out of the shadows of presidents past, the former first lady, senator and vanquished-candidate-turned-secretary-of-state appeared unannounced on the platform at her nominating convention, pointed a finger at President Barack Obama and gave him a hug.
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But her real audience was the millions of voters watching at home, many of whom may welcome her experience, but question her character.
Perry told the crowd she hadn’t finished high school, but does “have an open mind and I have a voice”. “Proud to be an American, especially after last night”. Imagine, if you dare, imagine, imagine him in the Oval Office facing a real crisis.
Citing recent terrorist attacks in the USA and overseas by “determined enemies that must be defeated”, Clinton again hit Trump by saying: “No wonder people are anxious and looking for reassurance – looking for steady leadership”. “Are you ready to work for a great Democratic victory?” Regardless of internal party politics, her speech will undoubtedly reflect this inflection point in American history.
“From our inner cities to our small towns, from Indian Country to Coal Country”, she said. At times, Hillary Clinton’s delivery sounded scripted, and she offered little indication of how she hoped to steer her agenda though a hostile Congress. But the biggest moment on the convention stage was when President Barack Obama urged voters to “do for Hillary Clinton what you did for me”. As pyrotechnics shot off, delegates held up red, white, and blue placards in an attempt to resemble an American flag. His supporters chanted at times during her speech only to be drowned out by her supporters.
She embraced her reputation as a studious wonk, a politician more comfortable with policy proposals than rhetorical flourishes. “I sweat the details of policy”, she admitted.
The lineup of speakers included the President and Kaine, Clinton’s vice-presidential nominee; Vice-President Joe Biden; former Defence Secretary Leon Panetta and other former officials with national security credentials.
She disputed Mr Trump’s assertion that she wanted to repeal the Second Amendment, saying: “I’m not here to take away your guns”. “He’s betting that the perils of today’s world will blind us to its unlimited promise”, citing that “love trumps hate”.
“For 25 years, she’s been on the receiving end of one attack after another”.
Arguing that her “primary mission” as president will be “more good jobs with rising wages right here in the United States”, Clinton also said the nation faces a stark choice between her and Trump over national security.
But Mrs Clinton said Democrats had not done a good enough job of showing working families that they understood what they were going through and said she agreed with families who have told her the economy was not working.
A parade of speakers – gay and straight, young and old, white, black and Hispanic – cast Mr Trump as out of touch with a diverse and fast-changing nation.
I can’t think of another one of these events when the presidential candidate’s acceptance address ended up solidly in the running for the more-than-dubious honor of being the worst speech of the convention.
“He’s taken the Republican Party a long way, from “Morning in America” to ‘Midnight in America, ‘” she said.
“We are clear-eyed about what our country is up against”, she said in excerpts released ahead of her speech Thursday accepting the Democratic presidential nomination.
Hours later, he told Fox News he was being “sarcastic”, although shortly after his remarks on Wednesday, he tweeted that Russian Federation should share the emails with the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
In a flurry of e-mails sent during Clinton’s speech, the Trump campaign noted that Clinton once backed free trade deals she now criticizes.
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Thursday night’s convention lineup will also showcase Democratic up-and-comers, including Texas Rep. Joaquin Castro; Katie McGinty, a Senate candidate from Pennsylvania, and Illinois Rep. Tammy Duckworth, also a candidate for the Senate. And while many of her claims are true, there’s no doubt that her rhetoric can be polarizing.
