DEMS OPEN WITH BIG NAMES
Sanders tries to spur supporters to switch to Clinton
PHILADELPHIA — U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders sought to quell an uprising of his supporters Monday, telling them that it was important to unite behind Democrat Hillary Clinton.
Addressing the legion that made up his political revolution, Sanders said no one was more disappointed than he was that he didn’t win the Democratic presidential nomination.
But given the contrast between Clinton and GOP presidential candidate Donald Trump, Sanders said, “Hillary Clinton must become the next president of the United States.”
Sanders, 74, whose populist campaign pulled upsets in several states and drew millions of people into the political process, frustrated some Democrats in continuing his campaign long after Clinton had clinched the nomination.
But he endorsed her earlier this month and has been unwavering since. Meanwhile, many of
the Sanders supporters who were hesitant to endorse Clinton have grown even more so in the last couple of days after leaked Democratic Party emails showed party officials favoritism of Clinton.
Sanders said the election was never about the candidates or the kinds of things the media wanted to focus on.
“This election is about, and must be about, the needs of the American people and the kind of future we create for our children and our grandchildren,” he said.
Trump tweeted during Sanders’ remarks, “Sad to watch Bernie Sanders abandon his revolution. We welcome all voters who want to fix our rigged system and bring back our jobs.”
Sanders’ speech came on the first night of the Democratic National Convention, which will make Clinton the first female presidential nominee of a major party.
First lady’s remarks
First lady Michelle Obama and U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren also gave prime-time speeches.
Obama endorsed Clinton as a person who could be trusted to influence the nation’s children.
“I want a president who will teach our children that everyone in this country matters,’’ she said.
The first lady, whose husband was the first black president elected in the United States, grew emotional talking about the progress the country has made.
“I wake up every morning in a house built by slaves,” she said.
“And I watch my daughters — two beautiful, intelligent, black young women — playing with their dogs on the White House lawn.
“And because of Hillary Clinton, my daughters — and all our sons and daughters — now take for granted that a woman can be president of the United States.”
Obama mocked Trump’s frequent use of Twitter and rejected his promise to make America great again, saying, “This right now is the greatest country on Earth.”
She also seemed to be speaking directly to disgruntled Sanders supporters when she said Clinton “didn’t get angry or disillusioned” when she lost the nomination in 2008.
Warren criticizes Trump
The Oklahoma-born Warren, of Massachusetts, ripped into Trump — a recent pastime of hers on Twitter — saying that he was trying to turn Americans against each other to prevent them from solving problems together.
“That’s Donald Trump’s America,” Warren said. “An America of fear and hate.
“An America where we all break apart. Whites against blacks and Latinos. Christians against Muslims and Jews. Straight against gay. Everyone against immigrants. Race, religion, heritage, gender — the more factions the better.
“But ask yourself this. When white workers in Ohio are pitted against black workers in North Carolina, or Latino workers in Florida — who really benefits?”
Warren said Americans would reject Trump’s vision of a “hatefilled” country.
“When we turn on each other, bankers can run our economy for Wall Street, oil companies can fight off clean energy, and giant corporations can ship the last good jobs overseas,” she said.
“When we turn on each other, we can’t unite to fight back against a rigged system.”