Democrats off to rough start
Chairwoman’s resignation over emails clouds convention opening
PHILADELPHIA — The Democrats’ best-laid plans sagged under the weight of 19,000 hacked emails published by WikiLeaks and the lingering bitterness of Bernie Sanders’ supporters, turning Sunday into a scramble instead of a smooth and joyful walk-up to a quadrennial party celebrating the champions of their political ideology.
Democrats had hoped for a convention showcasing party unity after the uproar of the Republicans in Cleveland last week. The Republican National Convention featured charges of plagiarism in the speech by the wife of presidential nominee Donald Trump, criticism that the programming was poorly organized and had none of the high-profile glitz promised by its billionaire standard-bearer and a stinging non-endorsement speech in prime time by Trump rival Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas.
But after the release of thousands of emails that embarrassed the leadership of the Democratic National Committee and called into question its neutrality in the primary battle earlier this year, the planned framework started showing stress fractures. DNC chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz abruptly resigned Sunday. Mr. Sanders, who had suggested the move earlier, said Sunday that it was the right thing to do.
Ms. Wasserman Schultz, a Florida congresswoman, had been criticized for months by the party’s more liberal wing, with Mr. Sanders repeatedly accusing the national party of favoring Ms. Clinton despite officially being neutral. She said she would step
down at the end of this week’s convention.
“I’m not shocked, but I’m disappointed,” Mr. Sanders said of the hacked emails, one of which questioned whether his religious beliefs could be used against him, on ABC’s “This Week.”
Republicans discussed the events of the day during a previously planned reception at 2300 Arena, a pro wrestling and concert venue three miles from where Democrats will hold their festivities beginning this afternoon.
“These email leaks just verified something that we all kind of already knew, right? We’re not really sitting here believing that the DNC was impartial,” said Reince Priebus, chairman of the Republican National Committee. “The DNC was tipping the scale the entire time for Hillary Clinton.”
He said the scandal demonstrates that the Democrats face an uphill climb this week as they attempt to unify their party.
That theory seemed to play out outside City Hall and on the muggy streets of Philadelphia where protesters marched and demonstrated for much of the day. News of the email scandal emboldened already angry Sanders supporters who had long believed their candidate was treated unfairly.
“It’s a rigged system and the Democratic Party has a chance to acknowledge that now,” said Thomas Caruso, a 36-year-old social worker from Cincinnati. “They’re going to have to make a radical revolutionary change. This party has become a grotesque representation of what it used to stand for.”
Several protesters said Mr. Sanders would have won if the deck hadn’t been stacked against him, and they think Ms. Clinton should step aside. They know that’s unlikely.
“I know it sounds crazy, but I’m still hopeful. I believe there are enough people that are realizing what’s going on,” Mr. Caruso said.
The Wasserman Schultz news dampened the rollout of Ms. Clinton’s vice presidential pick, Sen. Tim Kaine of Virginia. He had been praised for the speech he gave Saturday and even Sen. Pat Toomey of Pennsylvania said he was a good choice. But the selection had already rankled Sanders supporters, who saw him as too centrist.
Greg Schaffer of Pittsburgh is an ardent Sanders supporter who isn’t sure whom he will vote for now that his candidate lost the nomination.
“This whole past week — the vice-presidential pick, the email thing — it makes it more difficult,” said Mr. Schaffer, who was in Philadelphia to participate in protests.
Trump campaign manager Paul Manafort said Ms. Clinton’s vice-presidential pick makes voters’ choice even more clear.
“Both of them are bigtime spenders, big-time taxers,” he said.
Swing-state voters can expect to see a lot of Ms. Clinton and Mr. Kaine over the next three months. Already they have announced a postconvention bus tour through Pennsylvania and Ohio focusing on economic issues. Planned stops include Harrisburg, Pittsburgh, Youngstown and Columbus.
Mr. Sanders will address the convention Monday night.
“I hope that he’s himself and that he speaks from the heart,” Mr. Schaffer said. “I’m not looking to him for direction.”
President Barack Obama will speak on Wednesday night. Other high-profile speakers include first lady Michelle Obama, former President Bill Clinton and Vice President Joe Biden.
Katie McGinty, Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate, is expected to speak Thursday evening, the same night Ms. Clinton is scheduled to accept the nomination. Ms. McGinty is running a close race for the seat now held by Mr. Toomey.