Hillary adds more Sanders’ supporters to speakers list
philadelphia — Seeking to bridge deep Democratic divides, Bernie Sanders robustly embraced his former rival Hillary Clinton on Monday night as a champion for the same economic causes that enlivened his supporters, signalling it was time for them, too, to rally behind her in the campaign against Republican Donald Trump.
While Sanders had endorsed Hillary previously, his remarks on Monday marked his most vigorous and detailed praise of her qualifications for the presidency. It came at a crucial moment for Hillary’s campaign, on the heels of leaked emails suggesting the party had favoured the former secretary of state through the primaries despite a vow of neutrality.
Sanders scored the resignation of party chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz, a nemesis in the primaries, but that wasn’t enough to quell the anger of supporters. As the convention opened, they still erupted in chants of “Bernie” and booed Hillary the first several times her name was mentioned. Outside the convention hall, several hundred marched down Philadelphia’s sweltering streets with signs carrying messages such as “Never Hillary.”
Behind the scenes, Sanders and Hillary aides joined forces to try to ease tensions. Hillary’s campaign quickly added more Sanders’ supporters to the speakers lineup. Sanders sent urgent messages to supporters asking them not to protest.
By the time Sanders took the stage for the night’s closing address, much of the anger had been overshadowed by speeches promoting party unity. Sanders did his part, imploring his supporters to consider a country under Trump’s leadership.
“If you don’t believe this election is important, if you think you can sit it out, take a moment to think about the Supreme Court justices that Donald Trump would nominate and what that would mean to civil liberties, equal rights and the future of our country,” he said.
Former president Bill Clinton, watching from the audience, leapt to his feet and applauded, as did most of the delegates filling the convention arena.
Sanders spoke just after Massachusetts. Senator Elizabeth Warren, a favourite of liberals who has emerged as one of the Democrats’ toughest critics of Trump.
“Donald Trump has no real plans for jobs, for col- lege kids, for seniors,” she said in the keynote address. “No plans to make anything great for anyone except rich guys like Donald Trump.”
Hillary’s campaign hoped the nighttime line-up would overshadow a tumultuous start to the four-day convention. The hacked DNC emails fed the suspicion of Sanders’ supporters and sapped Hillary’s campaign of some of its energy following a well-received rollout on Saturday of her running mate, Virginia Senator Tim Kaine.
Campaigning in North Carolina, Trump seemed to revel in the Democrats’ commotion, telling supporters that Hillary made a mistake by not choosing a more liberal running mate to appease Sanders’ base. “Crazy Bernie’s going crazy right now,” he said.
But in Philadelphia, Delegates waved ‘Love Trumps Hate’ signs and cheered as immigration supporters, gay rights advocates, and labour leaders took the stage.
Comedian-turned-Senator Al Franken, a Hillary supporter, and actress Sarah Silverman, a Sanders supporter, made a joint appearance to promote party unity. “I am proud to be part of Bernie’s movement,” Silverman said as the crowd roared. “And a vital part of that movement is making absolutely sure Hillary Clinton is our next president of the United States.” —