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Clinton Camp Strives For Unity As Democratic Convention Ends
July 29, 2016
After two fractious weeks in Cleveland and Philadelphia, the final night of the Democratic National Convention on Thursday strove for unity that has eluded both parties, calling on preachers, immigrants and others to vouch for Hillary Clinton and to level withering criticism at Donald Trump.
It was a calculated attempt to try to capitalize on one of the most unusual election seasons in recent American history, one overwhelmed by the bombastic personality of Trump, a real-estate mogul who upended the Republican establishment.
Accepting the Democratic nomination Thursday, Clinton spoke for nearly an hour, reminding the audience of her accomplishments in a political career that has spanned a quarter-century as first lady, U.S. senator and secretary of state. Clinton conceded that some voters still feel like they don’t know her.
She laced policy prescriptions with personal anecdotes and criticisms of Trump. At the same time, she tried to cast herself as a candidate of unity in a divided America.
“I will be a president for Democrats, Republicans, independents; for the struggling, the striving, the successful; for all those who vote for me and for those who don’t — for all Americans,” she said.
The night was filled with overtures to conservative and centrist voters repelled by the populist candidacy of Trump, who accepted the Republican nomination in Cleveland a week earlier. Delegates waved signs that read simply “Together,” along with those bearing Clinton’s first name.
In her speech, Clinton hewed closely to the issue profile that she has cultivated over the course of a year, some of it designed to undercut U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders’ primary challenge from the left.
Clinton rejected outright Trump’s signature proposal to build a wall on America’s border with Mexico in a bid to stop illegal immigration.
“We will not build a wall,” she said. “Instead, we will build an economy where everyone who wants a good job can get one. And we’ll build a pathway to citizenship for millions of immigrants who are already contributing to our economy.”
Clinton’s address was also strikingly tough on Trump, who in turn has been harshly critical of the woman he calls “Crooked Hillary.” In addition to outlining her policy differences with Trump, Clinton raised doubts about whether the Republican’s temperament was suited to the presidency.
“A man you can bait with a tweet is not a man you can trust with nuclear weapons,” she said.
Stephen Miller, a Trump policy adviser, slammed Clinton’s speech as “an insulting collection of cliches and recycled rhetoric” and said the Democratic nominee skipped over controversies that have dogged her campaign, like her decision to use a private email server during her time as secretary of state.
“She spent the evening talking down to the American people she’s looked down on her whole life. … But in Hillary Clinton’s America, millions of people are left out in the cold. She only stands together with the donors and special interests who’ve bankrolled her entire life,” Miller said.
Doubts about Trump were also on display in some of Thursday evening’s most theatrical moments. Through the final day of the convention, Clinton’s campaign tried to balance promoting a progressive message that would appeal to Sanders’ supporters with inching onto Republican turf left open by the unconventional campaign of Trump.
Khizr Khan, a father of a soldier who died in Iraq, blasted Trump for the Republican’s proposed temporary ban on immigration by Muslims like Khan.
“Let me ask you: Have you even read the United States Constitution?” Khan said, taking a small booklet out of his jacket. “I will gladly lend you my copy. … You have sacrificed nothing and no one.”
Retired generals and Republicans, including a former official in the administration of President Ronald Reagan, a conservative icon, hammered away at Trump’s proposals and called for the country to unite around Clinton. That amplified a speech Wednesday night by former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, who has spent parts of his life as a Republican, Democrat and independent.
Democrats clearly hoped that message would contrast with the Republican National Convention, which featured vivid displays of a rift within the party and a hard-edged take on Clinton.
But for all the efforts to promote the idea of unity in Philadelphia, delegates to the convention didn’t deny that there were still divisions in the party — at least in the hours before Clinton’s speech. A small number of Sanders delegates were still wary of the nominee, supporters of both candidates said.
Protests and chants by Sanders supporters were audible almost from the beginning of the convention and continued through Clinton’s speech, though it wasn’t clear how many of the attempted interruptions Thursday night came from dissatisfied Sanders voters.
Some Sanders delegates staged a walkout Tuesday to demonstrate their unhappiness with Clinton’s nomination and the primary process that led to it.
“There’s still bitterness, and people have not come to the table,” said Florida state Sen. Audrey Gibson, a Jacksonville Democrat who supported Clinton. “I think it’s a small minority. … It’s not going to keep Hillary from winning the election.”
Sanders delegates said two camps had emerged. Lifelong Democrats who supported the Vermont senator were more likely to rally behind Clinton and work to block Trump from the White House.
But Sanders’ message of democratic socialism and a “political revolution” brought together an eclectic group of supporters from scattered parts of the political spectrum. Polls consistently showed him performing best with independent-minded voters who cast ballots in the primary.
“A lot of them just became Democrats,” said Samantha Herring, a state committeewoman from Walton County who supported Sanders. “They became a Democrat just to vote for Bernie.”
Mitchell Stollberg-Appleyard, a Sanders delegate from Florida’s 22nd Congressional District, said he was still concerned about issues like fracking and trade policy. He promised to back the ticket but also hold it accountable.
“The revolution doesn’t happen overnight,” Stollberg-Appleyard said. “We have to keep working for it. And that I will do. From within the party.”
by Brandon Larrabee, The News Service of Florida
Comments
25 Responses to “Clinton Camp Strives For Unity As Democratic Convention Ends”
I can not believe anyone Raised in this Great Country, where we had the Lord’s
Prayer every morning and then The Pledge of Allegiance to American Flag, could
vote for any democrat.
I just can’t believe our Citizens has turned against Religion and Responsibility. Oh
yes, there are those who Thinks They are Owed something and are looking for a free ride. They are the ones who will help finish off the Greatest Country in the
World .
I hope that you will Pray to the One who Made Us ALL.
I can’t prove this, but the biggest difference between Hillary and Trump, and should be important, but doesn’t seem to be is Trump doesn’t have innocent blood on his hands. There have been more mysterious deaths of aids under the Clinton’s than any other in presidential history, two just in the last year.
Hillary’s America , the full movie is online on YouTube. Everyone should watch it. See for yourselves. Everything in the movie can be verified. The news media won’t say anything bad about Hillary, but do everything they can think of to make Mr. Trump look bad. Do not believe the news media. Listen to Mr Trumps acceptance speech. The media told many lies about it. Always watch his entire speeches to get the truth.
It appears America’s main stream media had turned into something akin to Pravda, really pushing their agenda.
It is interesting to research Webb Hubble, Hillary, and Chelsea. Hmmmm?
Divided country: You are right… We are better than this!
This election is about two bad choices!
The Clinton Machine that has literally gotten away with every shenanigan that they have done in Arkansas, Washington and everywhere else they have been or..
The Donald that has no clean hands either
so we have to weigh and decide which is the lesser of 2 evils!
A third party will not win so we are torn between these “mongrels”. HEAVEN HELP US! My choice is Mr Trump … Because Killary will not be strong against our enemies and will try to destroy or take away the Second Amendment. She has proven her ability to secure classified and should be in jail
Mr Trump has Pence who is a good conservative so I am banking on Pence.
Some voters want to not vote
I say VOTE.
Perhaps those for Hillary should do some research on Hillary’s scandals,and Bill Clintons criminal/mena connection …from when Hillary worked on Watergate,and her supervisor Jerry Zeifman fired her calling her a liar and dishonest. she lied about being under sniper fire in Bosnia. Hillary laughs about defending child rapist….travelgate… pardongate….emailgate…. Vince Fosters 1993 death…. radical pal Saul Alinsky.and lies to the Bengazi heros’ families…..knowing it was a terrorist attack. And worse yet…Hillarys assistant and long time friend..Huma Abedin is , along with her father and brother, part of the Muslim Brotherhood…a group bent on destroying Western civilization from within.
I would much rather “not be invited to visit Trump”….than to have this nation fall to terrorists who are using Hillary to destroy us from within.
For all you people voting for hillary….do yourself a favor and go see Hillarys America playing at the carmike in pensacola. She is the real power behind the Clintons and has been in bed with Obama since college. She is a dictator and wants to ruin this country. She is evil. Trump is a business man who may not be perfect but look at how he has raised is family. Get informed…infowars.com. vote trump.
Yes if u want men in wigs and dresses using the girls bathroom then Hillary is ur woman. If u think bullying states by withholding federal funding to ur child schools because they refuse to allow boys and girls shower together after gym class, then Hillary is ur women. If u think illegals crowding our school rooms, driving up health care cost, and taking ur neighbors job is good, then Hillary is ur women. If u think ur child or grand child should be denied a college admissions based on their white skin color, then Hillary is ur woman. If u only think black lives matter, then Hillary is ur women. If u really think an all women jury who heard all the facts and aquitted George Zimmerman r too stupid to decide guilt or innocence, then Hillary is ur woman. Because apparently she the women jurors, women judge and woman supervisor of the prosecuting team r stupid. Because she still runs around the country demanding justice for trayvon Martin. Makes u wonder what she thinks justice is. And lastly if u think law abiding citizens should have their constitutional rights restricted because of what some deranged person does another times away, then Hillary is ur woman. Let’s just hope she’s not everyone else’s woman.
I am 56 years old, I have always voted Republican. I went last week and changed my registration to Democrat. This nation has reached an all time low when a man such as Trump can even be on the ticket. Any person who agrees with making fun of a disabled person, women and religion, does not need to be the leader of what I consider the greatest country in the world. Does anyone research this man and what he stands for, he did not serve his country in the Vietnam War, he was one of the chosen rich. Do you honestly think he will invite your redneck family and you to visit him? He is a con and playing on the fact that his voters are not educated, he tells you what you want to hear. Let’s face the facts, this race is about the white society wanting to “take their county back” because they cannot accept people who are different. I would advise some of you to take to the internet and study Hitler and how he took control of Germany using the same tactics. WE ARE BETTER THAN THIS !
About Trump, it is more than saying some fooling things. His statements are not based on facts. They show that he is not fully sane, very dangerous to all of us. That reminds me of another President that did that same, Nixon.
Our country needs better!
Have you ever watch C-SPAN, then watched ALL the news channel to see which told it like it is, I have many times.
Voting should be based on facts, not Fox News.
Hillary is not the best choice, but she is certainly not the worse choice, Trump is!
John…I agree. I surely wish Pence was running for President. Quite frankly, I wish there was a third choice on the ballot that would read: “none of the above”. If that got the most votes….which I bet it would….. they would have to clear the docket and
and present other nominees.
I will now vote for Trump because of Pence. I can remember now as far back to the early 90’s and late 80’s the Clinton scandals back then and I’m not talking about Monica. There was a trail of dead bodies connected to the Clinton’s all the way back to Little Rock. The Clinton family is extremely evil and it would be foolish to put them back in office regardless of party affiliation. Yes Trump says some foolish things that I don’t like, but until America truly unites for a third party to break the cycle of the political norm. It will reluctantly vote Trump. Hillary will hurt all of us!!!
Oh yes, Hillary has done every evil deed possible. Nobody ever kills themselves out of depression it is HILLARY that did it, as an attorney she had no obligation to defend the murderous idiot, her was her job to lose her Bar license and assure he was found guilty. What is the matter with you people? Where is your common sense. Like Benghazi, she sent the ambassador to Benghazi deliberately full well knowing he would be murdered. NOT! Republicans don’t even realize how crazy you sound with your false accusations. Try watching something besides FOX and get educated. BUT you will elect a known socio-path who interest is HIM.
Trump may be a real estate mogul. a bully, but what is killary? A lazy, lying, two faced thief that should be in Gitmo for treason. No vote for the witch. Anyone would be better, even Trump.
Bob’s Brother, even if all true, on the other side is an extremely vulgar, lying, unfaithful, hot-headed, sub-genius bully who makes a living by stiffing the powerless.
David for better options
(and close look at Libertarian)
nooope, I appreciate your commentary but who in the right mind thinks that Trump is the best candidate for this office? My candidate of choice isn’t perfect but neither is Trump and I for one think she will be an excellent President of the United States. Go Hill!!
I hope that everyone will research the two candidates before voting. I am voting for Hillary due to my research on her and Trump. We do not need to take this country down the path that Trump will lead us. Put your politics aside and do your research. I did not base my decision on male v female or religion, I simply did my research. I am praying we the people make the right decision in this election. I am praying we the people do not select based on media hype and only vote based on the facts. God bless all of us!
May GOD forgive this nation and bless us again. I am not saying it will happen with Trump, but I know it will not happen with clinton.
“I watched her speak and thought she did an excellent job!! I can’t wait until she is the first woman President of the United States.”
Sorry pal, she won’t be the first female president of the US. BTW…voting on someone because of their gender isn’t a good reason to vote for them.
“At least there isn’t all that hatred and nastiness you see with Trump. Good job Hill!!”
No, it’s just not all public. She prefers to keep her nastiness in dark corners of non-descript buildings and servers in bathrooms. Places like where Vince Foster was found and where Bernie would have probably been located had he not switched his opinion about her.
I’ll be glad when November comes and goes and then I won’t have to see her god-awful, disingenuous and phony smile anymore. Trump 2016!
Hillary can’t hide from her past. She was fired from the Watergate investigation for removing files and lying. Then she volunteered to defend a rape suspect that she knew was guilty and after the criminal walked, she laughed and said she knew he was guilty. As first lady, she fired the WH travel office staff and replaced them with her handpicked friends. A federal judge determined that the firings were illegal and the fired staff were re-instated. That’s all old stuff, but most recently it’s come to light that Debbie Wasserman Schultz (DNC head) and Hillary colluded to tilt the nomination in Hillary’s favor and away from Bernie Sanders. Hillary is a scoundrel of the highest order and had Bill Clinton not badgered our attorney general, Lorretta Lynce and FBI Head, James Comey, Hillary may have faced indictment for the same crime that General David Petreus was convicted. We can’t have this thouroughly corrupt woman in charge of this nation.
“some Sanders delegates staged a walkout Tuesday….” What Larrabee didn’t say was that the DNC brought people in to fill the empty seats so that the auditorium did not look half empty! those fill ins were not delegates!
At least there isn’t all that hatred and nastiness you see with Trump. Good job Hill!!
I watched her speak and thought she did an excellent job!! I can’t wait until she is the first woman President of the United States.
She is certainly NOT the best choice for President, but she’s certainly NOT the worse of the two!
Working together is certainly the answer. Hate never gets anything but hate in return.
No Way for the USA.