Democrats are opening their national convention in Philadelphia eager to show off a forward-looking party united behind Hillary Clinton, but they face lingering bitterness among supporters of defeated rival Bernie Sanders and a fresh political mess of the party’s own making.
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Thousands of Bernie Sanders supporters have been protesting the Democratic National Convention today, as Bernie prepared to speak during a primetime spot whose time kept getting changed.
“We’re all Democrats and we need to act like it”, US Representative Marcia Fudge of OH, the convention’s chairwoman, shouted over the uproar.
Cory Booker is calling for the Democratic party to unite around Hillary Clinton – and the Democratic senator from New Jersey says Clinton would be a champion for the poor as president.
Sanders complained bitterly during the primary process that the party leadership was working against him.
Branding himself a democratic socialist, Sanders galvanized young and liberal voters with his calls to rein in Wall Street and eradicate income inequality.
“I think the good news now is we’re done”, McAuliffe said, after speaking to a delegate breakfast in Philadelphia on the first day of the Democratic National Convention. The release of hacked party emails revealed the Democratic National Committee had favored Clinton over Sanders in the primary, despite vows of neutrality.
Sanders began by reflecting on his campaign and its successes, citing his 8 million individual campaign contributions and 1,846 pledged delegates.
Sanders, speaking later to his delegates in Philadelphia, was booed when he urged supporters to help defeat Trump in the November 8 election by backing Clinton and her vice presidential running mate, U.S. Senator Tim Kaine of Virginia.
“Brothers and sisters, this is the real world that we live in”, Sanders said as he tried to quiet the crowd.
“Hillary is our Democratic nominee and I will proudly vote for her”, Silverman told the convention crowd. This is a almost decade-long quest for the candidate, who first sought the nomination in the 2008 election, but ultimately lost to President Barack Obama.
A CNN/ORC opinion poll gave Trump a 48 percent to 45 percent lead over Clinton in a two-way presidential contest. It also sapped some of her energy coming out of Trump’s chaotic convention last week and the well-received rollout Saturday of her running mate, Virginia Sen. Clinton and President Barack Obama both quickly praised the departed party chief.
Speakers pleaded for unity among the competing supporters.
“To tell us to do that”, said Ryan Lopez, a California delegate, of Sanders’ request, “it goes against everything that we’re fighting for”. Inside the arena, chants of “Bernie” echoed through the arena as the convention opened, and boos could be heard at times when Clinton’s name was raised.
Comedian-turned-Sen. Al Franken, a Clinton supporter, and actress Sarah Silverman, a Sanders supporter, made a joint appearance to promote party unity.
“The unity that we would have hoped for I don’t believe is going to be there”, said Rep. LaDawn Jones, (D- Atlanta) on the phone from Philadelphia.
“This right now, is the greatest country on earth”, she said.
McAuliffe said he hopes the delegates will treat Wasserman Schultz with respect, noting that “she wants to get up there” and participate this week. Some protesters held up signs that read “Bernie” and “E-MAILS” and shouted: “Shame” as she spoke.
Wikileaks has posted emails that suggested the DNC was favoring Clinton during the primary season.
Sanders supporters were already dismayed last week when Clinton passed over liberal favorites like U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren of MA to select the more moderate Kaine as her running mate.
First lady Michelle Obama stepped into the presidential election Monday with a forceful, impassioned defense of Hillary Clinton, casting her as the only candidate who can be trusted as a role model for the nation’s children. “What we’ve been saying for months is obviously true: They had the finger on the scale of the campaign”, he said. Republicans dismissed the suggestion as absurd.
Sanders will meet with his delegates on Monday afternoon and will convey “more about how to keep the political revolution he started alive”, he said.
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Trump appeared to relish the Democratic chaos on Sunday, writing on Twitter: “The Dems Convention is cracking up”.
