PHILADELPHIA – Breaking a historic barrier, Hillary Clinton triumphantly captured the Democratic nomination for president Tuesday night, the first woman ever to lead a major political party in the race for the White House.
Delegates erupted in cheers as Clinton’s primary rival, Bernie Sanders, helped make it official when the roll call got to his home state of Vermont – an important show of unity for a party trying to heal deep divisions.
“I move that Hillary Clinton be selected as the nominee of the Democratic Party for president of the United States,” Sanders declared, asking that it be by acclamation.
It was a striking parallel to the role Clinton played eight years ago when she stepped to the microphone on the convention floor in Denver in support of her former rival, Barack Obama.
This time, Clinton shattered the glass ceiling she couldn’t crack in 2008. And in November, she will take on Donald Trump, nominated last week at the Republican convention in Cleveland.
In the main hall, the second night of the convention featured former President Bill Clinton, who took the stage to deliver a personal validation for his wife. Former presidents often vouch for their potential successors, but never before has that candidate also been a spouse.
Her landmark achievement saturated the roll call with emotion and symbols of women’s long struggle to break through political barriers. A 102-year-old woman, born before women had the right to vote, cast the ballots for Arizona.
Martha McKenna, a Clinton delegate from Maryland, said the night felt like a celebration for Sanders’ campaign as well as Clinton’s. She added, “The idea that I’m going to be here when the first woman president is nominated is overwhelming.”
Clinton’s campaign hoped the night of achievement, personal stories and praise could chip away at the deep distrust many voters, including some Democrats, have of the former secretary of state, senator and first lady. Much of the night was devoted to introducing voters to Clinton anew, including three hours of speakers highlighting issues she has championed for years, including health care and advocacy for children and families.
“Tonight we will make history, about 100 years in the making,” said Karen Finney, a senior adviser for Clinton’s campaign.
“What we’re really going to focus on tonight is telling that story, and telling her story, talking about the fights of her life.”
The stories were being told by a long list of lawmakers, celebrities and advocates. Among those pledging support for Clinton were the “mothers of the movement” – several black women whose children were victims of gun violence. Clinton has met privately with the mothers and held events with them, and they’ve become an emotional force for her campaign.
Clinton aides believe a focus on policy is another way to rally Sanders’ supporters, especially those who threatened to stay home or vote for Republican Trump. While the opening night was interrupted by boos and chants of “Bernie,” there were fewer signs of discord Tuesday.
Trump cheered the disruptions from the campaign trail. In North Carolina, he told a convention of the Veterans of Foreign Wars that, “our politicians have totally failed you.”
When Trump mentioned Clinton’s name, the group answered with shouts of “Lock her up!” an echo of the chants at last week’s Republican convention.
Trump has been a frequent target at the Democratic gathering, where several videos featured his comments about women and the disabled, and tried to discredit the real estate mogul’s business record.
Sanders backers protest
PHILADELPHIA – Bernie Sanders loyalists protested inside and outside the Democratic National Convention site and clashed with police on Tuesday after Hillary Clinton won the party’s presidential nomination.
Despite Sanders’ calls for them to support Clinton, thousands of activists took to the streets during the convention this week to voice support for the liberal Vermont U.S. senator and his progressive agenda.
Moments after Clinton became the first woman to be nominated for president by a major U.S. political party, a large group of Sanders delegates and supporters exited the Philadelphia convention site to hold a sit-in inside a media tent. Some had their mouths taped shut. A few spontaneously sang the chorus of the folk song “This Land is Your Land,” and a banner read “we the people.” They said they were holding a peaceful protest to complain about being shut out by the Democratic Party.
“This was not a convention. This was a four-day Hillary party. And we weren’t welcome,” said Liz Maratea, a New Jersey delegate at the media tent protest. “We were treated like lepers.”
In the streets outside, Sanders supporters who had spent the day protesting began facing off with police. Protesters began scaling 8-foot walls blocking off the secure zone around the arena parking lot, and several were detained. An officer pepper sprayed one of the protesters.
The protests continued into the night with Sanders supporters and anti-police brutality protesters joining together. They marched in the street outside of the Wells Fargo Center. Later, someone set an Israeli flag on fire while people chanted “long live the intifada.”
Others then came together for a candlelight vigil.
Unmoved by Sanders’ plea for party unity, the Bernie or Bust protesters walked miles in the stifling heat again Tuesday to make their case for him. They held a midday rally at City Hall, then made their way down Broad Street to the convention site. By early evening, a large crowd had formed outside the subway station closest to the arena.
“We all have this unrealistic dream that democracy is alive in America,” said Debra Dilks, of Boonville, Missouri, who said she wasn’t sure she’ll vote in November. “Hillary didn’t get the nomination. The nomination was stolen.”
The crowd consisted of an assortment of protesters espousing a variety of causes, but mostly Sanders supporters and other Clinton foes on the left. College student Cory James said he expects the Democratic Party to split over the nomination.
“I suspect we are witnessing an event that will fundamentally change American politics,” said James, of Flint, Michigan.
Earlier in the day, participants at the rally charged that Sanders was cheated out of the nomination, and they said they weren’t swayed by his Monday plea to his supporters to fall in line behind Clinton for the good of the country.
“He persuaded no one to vote for Hillary,” said Greg Gregg, a retired nurse from Salem, Oregon, who intends to cast his ballot in November for Green Party candidate Jill Stein.
The longstanding bitterness between Sanders’ supporters and Clinton’s seemed to grow worse over the past few days after a trove of hacked emails showed that officials at the Democratic National Committee played favorites during the primaries and worked to undermine Sanders’ campaign.
