Fresh off his rousing speech Monday night on the convention floor, Bernie Sanders visited New York’s delegation on Tuesday morning – urging delegates to back Hillary Clinton for president.
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As history is being made, hostility is being heard, too.
Trump, never known to be at a loss for words on Twitter even if one of those words is often “sad”, weighed in during Sanders’ speech, perhaps trying to appeal to those “Bernie or Bust” people.
Bernie Sanders was booed by his own supporters this morning when he pleaded with them to vote for Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton.
Still, he did lay out in detail why his supporters must work to elect the party’s soon-to-be official nominee, in contrast to one of Trump’s Republican rivals last week. Alternatively, Sanders could decide that he’s not willing to put a damper on what should be a special-albeit bittersweet-moment for himself and his movement after the delegates he won during the primary are tallied on the convention stage.
And some of the Sanders delegates, who are attending their first party convention, were taken aback by the basic premise of the event: to officially nominate the first-place primary finisher as the Democratic candidate for president. “Sometimes we are asked “Hillary Clinton has been at it for a long time” and we are asked if that is the right candidate for an election that is about change and the answer is yes … that’s what she has been doing for four decades”, said Palmieri.
The very first time that Clinton was mentioned sparked a round of “Bernie!” chants, which continued for much of the beginning of the program.
“He’s got to remind America of what a presidency under Donald Trump would look like”, said Maryland Rep. Elijah Cummings. And in a critique of Trump’s campaign slogan, Obama said, “Don’t let anyone tell you that this country isn’t great”.
Though Michelle Obama drew widespread praise for helping heal party wounds on Monday night, Democrats are increasingly anxious that scenes of division may exacerbate a recent surge in support for Donald Trump. He also touted the experience difference between the ticket of Clinton and Tim Kaine, compared to Donald Trump and Mike Pence, insisting the country will be better off with the Clinton team. Clinton addressed the same group Monday.
“In many ways, I’m welcoming Senator Sanders home because he’s Brooklyn boy”, Cuomo said in his introduction. Maryland Sen. Barbara Mikulski, the longest-serving woman in Congress, will submit Clinton’s name to kick off the ritual. After e-mail revelations rattled the national party leadership and threatened discord between the Clinton and Sanders camps, enter Bernie himself with a message of unity that seems to be taking hold. That’s what she did on Obama’s behalf in 2008 to indicate their rivalry was truly over.
Sanders suggested Tuesday he wouldn’t rush to make that gesture early, mindful that cutting off his restive voters could cause an outcry.
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With super delegates, Clinton has all the votes she needs to secure the nomination. He sparred with Black Lives Matters protesters who interrupted his campaign speech in Philadelphia in April and sparked outrage for dropping in for a private chat with Attorney General Loretta Lynch while her Justice Department was investigating his wife’s email server. Clinton’s campaign responded that two members of law enforcement also are on the convention schedule. Alicia Keys is slated to perform.
