HIL’S 1 OF A KIND!
First woman picked to lead major ticket Sanders pushes vote by acclamation
PHILADELPHIA — Hillary Clinton is officially the first woman to top a major party ticket — and Bernie Sanders helped put her there Tuesday.
Sanders came to the floor at the Democratic National Convention at the end of the official roll call vote for President to ask that the party give Clinton the nomination by acclamation, his latest move toward unifying the party and assuaging his most stubborn supporters.
Clinton formally surpassed the 2,382 delegate votes she needed to officially lock in the nomination when the South Dakota delegation cast its votes during a state-bystate roll call earlier in the evening.
But Sanders’ surprise speech provided the moment of catharsis.
“I move that the convention suspend the procedural votes . . . I move that Hillary Clinton be selected as the Democratic nominee for President of the United States,” he said before he kissed his wife Jane.
The crowd inside the Wells Fargo Center erupted into a deafening roar, with loud “Bernie!” chants overtaking several delegations.
Sanders was then ushered out of the arena, and Democratic National Committee interim Chairwoman Rep. Marcia Fudge (D-Ohio) retook the stage.
“All in favor of the motion,” she gleefully asked.
“Aye,” the thousands in attendance roared.
Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.) was even more effusive than usual as the roll call ticked toward history.
“This is extraordinary. This is a moment in history. This is the first time a major party in the United States of America has nominated a woman, and whatever your party affiliation is, this is a breakthrough moment in our country,” he told the Daily News on the convention floor.
Support from Clinton’s closest confidants rolled in quickly.
“So proud of you, Hillary,” tweeted Bill Clinton, who was to speak at the convention later.
“It’s official. I couldn’t be more proud to call @HillaryClinton my mom — today & every day. #ImWithHer,” tweeted Chelsea Clinton.
Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), the only sen
ator to back Sanders in the primaries, said he was hopeful the roll call vote and the rest of the week’s events would both help Clinton unify the party and let Sanders voters have their moment.
“We’re another step in this journey of bringing folks together,” he told the Daily News. “This process, this week is very important in bringing together the energy, the grass-roots organizing, the passion, behind our united Hillary Clinton-Tim Kaine team.”
But Merkley admitted not all those in his Bernie-heavy state delegation were ready to come aboard. And in spite of the mostly happy moment on the floor, dozens of Sanders delegates stormed out in disgust, chanting, “This is what democracy looks like.”
“The Democratic system in this country is rigged,” said Daniel Carter, a Florida Sanders delegate.
Carter said he’d hold his nose and back Clinton in the fall but said he’s furious with the process.
Other Sanders delegates begged their brethren to stay and work together as they streamed out chanting, warning what would happen if Donald Trump was elected.
But things ran much smoother early on Tuesday than they did Monday, when Sanders delegates repeatedly interrupted other speakers with boos and “Bernie!” chants.
Sen. Barbara Mikulski (D-Md.), the first Democratic woman elected in her own right to the Senate, formally entered Clinton’s name as the nominee as the crowd chanted, “Hillary, Hillary!”
“It is with a full heart as I here today nominate Hillary Clinton to be the first woman President,” Mikulski, a longtime Clinton ally, said.
“She wants to break barriers to opportunities so you won’t have barriers. You can count on her. She will work for you,” she added.
She was followed by civil rights icon and Rep. John Lewis (D-Ga.).
“There are forces in America that want to take us back. They want to undo 50 years of progress this country has made. . . . We have come too far, we have made too much progress, and we are not going back. We are going forward,” Lewis said.
“Tonight . . . we shatter that glass ceiling again,” he added, nodding to the phrase often used by Clinton.