Hillary Clinton’s husband spoke about his wife’s life journey – from the young woman with “thick blond hair and big glasses” he met in law school to her experiences as a mother and a senator and as secretary of state. “Just ask the people who fought in the civil rights movement, the women’s rights movement, the labor movement”. Hillary Clinton’s nomination comes on the second day of the Democratic National Convention, where leaders sought to move past the drama of divisions between Clinton and Sanders supporters.
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Bill Clinton at the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia on Tuesday night.
Bill Clinton, thinner and visibly aged compared to his time as America’s president from 1993-2001, highlighted her years of advocacy on behalf of children, women, the poor, the disabled, and members of the LGBT community.
When he mentioned Mrs Clinton’s name, the group answered with shouts of “Lock her up!” – an echo of the chants at last week’s Republican convention. Former presidents often vouch for their potential successors, but never before has that candidate also been a spouse.
Sometimes Bill Clinton got personal: He detailed how Hillary left him speechless and how he proposed two times before she said yes the third.
The scandal has further hardened some Sanders supporters in their opposition to Clinton who was largely painted as the establishment candidate during the primary by her opponent.
Clinton explained how his future wife influenced him and helped steer him towards a life in government: “Hillary opened my eyes to a whole new world of public service by private citizens”.
The former President slammed negative perceptions about Hillary Clinton as distortions from Republicans after rattling off her biographical high points.
“I move that Hillary Clinton be selected as the nominee of the Democratic Party for president of the United States”, Sanders announced, as the convention roll call reached his home state, a process where each state declares its delegate counts. “She never made fun of people with disabilities”.
Sanders, who said in an opening night speech that “this election is not about political gossip”, told his delegates yesterday: “Politics is not easy stuff, you don’t get everything you want tomorrow”.
Mr Trump cheered the disruptions from the campaign trail. In North Carolina, he told a convention of the Veterans of Foreign Wars that, “our politicians have totally failed you”.
The situation is understandably different this year.
The convention cheers as Bill Clinton takes to the stage.
Mr Clinton championed Ms Clinton’s strong track record in education and healthcare, as well as her work after the 9/11 terrorist attacks when serving as senator for NY. The significant time devoted to the character testimonials underscored the campaign’s concerns about how voters view Clinton. That perception that was reinforced after the Federal Bureau of Investigation director’s scathing assessment of her controversial email use as secretary of state, even though the Justice Department did not pursue charges.
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The symbolic roll call was packed with extra emotion over Clinton’s historic achievement.
