Clinton and Sanders: New allies as Democrats divide

It’s a sign of how divided the Democrats are that Hillary Clinton is counting on Bernie Sanders to put it back together.

Through a long and sometimes bitter primary battle, Sanders had gone from annoying critic to increasingly serious challenger for the Democratic presidential nomination. But in his address Monday in the Wells Fargo Arena, at the close of the convention’s chaotic opening day, the Clinton camp was hoping the Vermont senator would be able to staunch the noisy protests from some of his supporters not ready to embrace Clinton as the party’s standard-bearer.

“I understand that many people here in this convention hall and around the country are disappointed about the final results of the nominating process. I think it’s fair to say that no one is more disappointed than I am,” Sanders said in prepared remarks. After listing a litany of his key causes, he concluded, “By these measures, any objective observer will conclude that — based on her ideas and her leadership — Hillary Clinton must become the next president of the United States.”

The hall erupted in broad applause that overwhelmed scattered blowback from a handful of his most fervent supporters.

At risk with the convention’s conflict was the image the Clinton campaign had hoped to project this week of competent and steady leadership, a contrast to the roiling disputes at

“Based on her ideas and her leadership — Hillary Clinton must become the next president of the United States.” Bernie Sanders, in convention speech

the GOP convention last week. The Republicans had faced an angry rules showdown and a chorus of boos that filled the Quicken Loans Arena when Texas Sen. Ted Cruz concluded his prime-time speech without endorsing nominee Donald Trump. “Vote your conscience,” Cruz had said.

While Democrats are undeniably more unified than the GOP — for one thing, the party’s former presidents and presidential nominees are showing up in Philadelphia — the person wielding the gavel to open the conclave at the Wells Fargo Arena here was Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake, a last-minute fill-in for Debbie Wasserman Schultz. The very presence of the Democratic chair was deemed inflammatory after the leak Friday of nearly 20,000 Democratic National Committees emails, some snarky toward Sanders.

The WikiLeaks disclosures reinforced Sanders’ longstanding complaint that the Democratic establishment had “rigged” the system against him. In a bid at damage control, DNC leaders late Monday afternoon issued a “deep and sincere” apology to Sanders and his supporters for “inexcusable remarks.” That wasn’t enough. Even during the opening prayer, chants of “Bernie!” erupted when the Rev. Cynthia Hale invoked Clinton’s name. They continued to reverberate despite the entreaties of speakers. A few in the crowd chanted “Lock her up,” echoing the most popular anti-Clinton chant in Cleveland.

Before he arrived at the convention, Sanders tried to quiet the disruptive chants by his supporters. “Our credibility as a movement will be damaged by booing, turning of backs, walking out or other similar displays,” he said in an email to his delegates. “I would ask you as a personal courtesy to me to not engage in any kind of protest or demonstration on the convention floor.”

That did seem to tamp down some of the protests, and first lady Michelle Obama received a tumultuous reception that ignited the hall.

That said, some Sanders delegates in the New York sat on their hands during Obama’s speech. And when Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren, a liberal heroine, delivered a speech denouncing Trump and lauding Clinton, there were a few chants in the hall of “We trusted you.”

When Sanders arrived onstage to enormous applause, he said the goal of his campaign always had been about more than this nomination.

“Together, my friends, we have begun a political revolution to transform America and that revolution — our revolution — continues,” he declared. “Election days come and go. But the struggle of the people to create a government which represents all of us and not just the 1% —a government based on the principles of economic, social, racial and environmental justice ... I look forward to being part of that struggle with you.”

Party unity isn’t enough to guarantee victory in November, but disorder and divisions can contribute to defeat. Over the past half-century, Democrats were split in tumultuous conventions three times, in 1980, 1972 and 1968; they lost all three elections. Republicans split three times, in 1992, 1976 and 1964; they lost all three.

This time, while tensions persist among Democrats, the divisions in the GOP are deeper and more fundamental. The convention’s home-state governor, John Kasich, refused to endorse Trump or address the gathering. The GOP’s senior mayor, Mick Cornett of Oklahoma City, addressed the convention but told USA TODAY he was considering voting for Libertarian Gary Johnson.

That said, the Democratic convention hall took on a more raucous tone from the start.

Clinton campaign officials thought they had defused the opposition of the Sanders forces once they had won the senator’s endorsement. In an analysis by the Pew Research Center, nine of 10 Sanders supporters nationwide said they’d planned to vote for Clinton in the general election.