Day one of the Democratic Party’s National Convention.
Against a backdrop of controversy and an apology to Bernie Sanders following the apparently Russian hack of the DNC’s candidate process emails and an unwelcome post conference poll bump for the establishment candidate Donald Trump, the Democrats are struggling to control the message. A small but idiotic minority of delegates are booing every time Hillary Clinton’s name is mentioned. That includes shouting over the speakers so far in the session. Shame that some of Bernie’s supporters don’t seem to be interested in hearing from the women on the stage, nor the black and Hispanic delegates who have struggled to get their stories across.
Bernie Sanders has tweeted the leaders of the delegations from states that supported him asking them to STFU. It seem so to be working, as the booing seems to have subsided. This follows on from Sanders himself being booed at a pre-convention speech.
Sanders is due to speak in a few hours, at roughly 2PM our time.
“I first met Hillary as First Lady on a visit to the White House. I was 9 years old and I listened to her and my mom discuss healthcare and early intervention for children with disabilities. Over the past 23 years, she has continued to serve as a friend and a mentor, championing my inclusion and access to classrooms, higher education and the workforce.
Donald Trump has shown us who he really is. And I honestly feel bad for anyone with that much hate in their heart. I know we will show each other, and the world, who we really are in November – when we choose genuine strength and thoughtful leadership – over fear and division. Donald Trump doesn’t see me, he doesn’t hear me, and he definitely doesn’t speak for me.
I am confident that as president Hillary Clinton will do everything in her power to support the rights… and humanity of all Americans.”
Cheryl Lankford, whose husband, an army sergeant major, died in Baghdad in 2007:
You just saw what happened to me. How Trump University cheated me out of the money I received after my husband’s death. How they broke their promises. How they stopped taking my calls. How the whole thing was a lie…
Conning me out of the money the military gave me after my husband died, I felt he was disrespecting my husband’s memory…
He made millions of dollars off of people like me. Millions. …
Here’s a guy who was born rich and who has all the money in the world, and there’s nothing wrong with that… but then he decided to make himself even richer by cheating working people who had nothing to spare. What kind of man does that?
I’m here because America deserves to know the truth. This election isn’t about Democrat versus Republican. It’s about right versus wrong.
Donald Trump made big promises about Trump University. And I was fooled into believing him. Now he’s making big promises about America. Please don’t make the same mistake.”
Sarah Silverman:
“Some of you my know I support Bernie Sanders and the movement behind him. And Bernie’s already succeeded in so many ways.” She singles out opposition to Citizens United. “I’m very glad
You know my shrink says, we don’t get what we want, we get what we think we deserve. And Bernie Sanders has shown us that all Americans deserve quality health care and education, not just elites.
She says the Democratic primary was so grown up, with omission of details like hand-size or “if they go to the bathroom.”
“Hillary is our Democratic nominee and I will proudly vote for her.”
Michelle Obama:
I wake up every morning in a house that was built by slaves. And I watch my daughters, beautiful intelligent black young women, playing with their dog 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.
So don’t let anyone ever tell you that this country isn’t great. That somehow we need to make it great again. Because this right now is the greatest country on earth.