So Bernie Sanders stood on the podium in the Wells Fargo Center on Monday night – the first day of the Democratic National Convention – and basked in the moment.
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“This is an incredibly passionate election, and these are people concerned for their country and families”, Lewis said.
For months, Sanders, 74, mounted an unexpectedly tough challenge to Clinton, 68, a former secretary of state, who this week will become the first woman nominated for president by a major USA political party.
But if Sanders’ supporters believe, as he believes, that a Trump presidency represents a true threat to our nation’s rule of law, civil liberties and security, they will do just that.
Mr. Sanders insisted his “political revolution”, as he came to call his campaign, will go on. “The choice is not even close”.
While it was speculated that Bernie could break from his prepared remarks to address the DNC WikiLeaks scandal and disgraced DNC chair Debbie Wasserman Shultz, he stayed mum on the topic. That frustration was on display when Sanders himself was booed earlier Monday when he urged backers to support Clinton.
Trump, celebrating his rise to the top of recent polling over Clinton, warned the North Carolina crowd of future ads against him, but boasted of his success despite lack of on-air rebuttals: “I’ve spent nothing – and guess what, we’re leading!”
Comparing the GOP nominee to Clinton, the senator stressed that the former first lady “will fight to make sure discrimination has no place in America”. Not even Bernie Sanders.
The Vermont senator added, “Hillary Clinton will nominate justices to the Supreme Court who are prepared to overturn Citizens United and end the movement toward oligarchy in this country”. But the emails amount to a legitimate scandal for a political party that boasts “democratic” as part of its name.
As the convention opened, they still erupted in chants of “Bernie” and booed Clinton the first several times her name was mentioned. “When you talk to Hillary supporters they are mostly concerned with the candidate herself or the party, but Bernie supporters know it’s not about the man, it’s about the movement”, said Ryan Lopez, a 20-year-old California delegate.
Alonzo attended a meeting Monday afternoon between Sanders delegates and the senator from Vermont where Sanders called for unity – and was booed by some delegates. (Throughout the night, some Sanders supporters shouted “war hawk” at various points when Clinton was mentioned). “Our focus is on electing Hillary Clinton, Tim
Kaine and Democrats across the country, thanks to the Democratic Party that is strong, unified, and poised for victory in November”.
Another Sanders delegate wearing a Marine Corps cap took a swing at a Clinton delegate before Secret Service officers broke up the fracas.
This is why the divide in today’s Democratic Party is deeper than it was when Barack Obama beat Hillary Clinton.
First lady Michelle Obama stepped into the U.S. presidential election today with a forceful, impassioned defence of Hillary Clinton, casting her as the only candidate who can be trusted as a role model for the nation’s children. “Bernie!” in response to speakers praising Clinton.
“I’m really annoyed”, said MI delegate Bruce Fealk.
The anger by Sanders supporters came on a week that began with the leaked DNC emails showing officials favored Clinton during the primaries.
“Other than talking about building a stupid wall, which will never get built, other than that wall, did you hear any actual ideas” from Trump’s speech last week accepting the Republican nomination, she asked.
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“I’m not going to heel”. Then when Schultz gave in and declined to speak, a sense of complacency among the establishment set it.
