This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/live/2016/jul/25/democratic-national-convention-day-one-sanders-clinton-live

The article has changed 30 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 12 Version 13
Democratic convention live: invocation interrupted by 'Bernie' chants Democratic convention live: DNC apologizes to Sanders for emails
(35 minutes later)
10.22pm BST
22:22
Maryland congressman Steny Hoyer, the biggest Democratic wig yet to appear onstage, hits the lectern. How will the Sanders crowd treat him?
He’s almost immediately interrupted:
We’re here to nominate Hillary Clinton, because of her.... [boos, cheers]
...because of her ability, experience and vision for this country. We’re also here to show America why Democrats up and down the ticket are ready to lead.
10.20pm BST
22:20
Russell, the Maine representative and Sanders backer, gets closest to coaxing a full cheer from the crowd for Clinton yet.
“In the end, love does Trump hate. And in the end, I stand with my Democratic family in making sure we win this fall,” Russell says:
I do not want to see anyone like him become the president of this United State. Whether you support Bernie Sanders or Hillary Clinton, we are all in this together, and we will all have a voice in the Clinton administration.
We all know in our heart of hearts, a Donald Trump presidency will not just hurt our party. It will hurt our people. And I am not OK with that.
I will also do everything I can this fall to elect Hillary so that we have a Democrat in the white House.
It is time to get to work!
Then the whole crowd applauds, with some barely audible boos.
10.14pm BST
22:14
And now Webb’s hard work at getting the crowd to behave has gone out the window.
Diane Russell, a state representative from Maine and a self-described “proud delegate for Bernie Sanders,” takes the lectern and gets the Sanders supporters going again.
Russell introduces herself as “the one who introduced the first amendment to reform the superdelegates system!”
She is quite cheered on that count. It is much safer to make pro-Sanders statements from that stage than pro-Clinton statements.
In opening hour, it sure feels like this is the Bernie Sanders convention
Then Russell she assures the crowd that an effort is under way to reform the nominating process. She’s on the unity commission.
Then, in a powerful window into Democratic leaking, Russell makes a Harry Potter allusion:
“Dumbledor from Harry Potter once said, ‘it takes great courage to stand up to your enemies. It takes even greater courage to stand up to your friends.’
She continues:
On behalf of senator Sanders and the political revolution, in strong, unequivocal support for the unity compromise, this plan gives us the opportunity to present a number of election reforms, including reducing the number of superdelegates by a full two-thirds. That is written right into the commission’s charter.
She reads this rather defensive line from the Teleprompter:
I want to be clear. We did not win this by selling out. We won this by standing up! We won this by standing together.
Updated
at 10.15pm BST
10.06pm BST
22:06
Wellington Webb, former mayor of Denver, a rules committee member, introduces himself as “a longtime supporter of Hillary Clinton.”
He’s describing the work of a “unity commission” formed to review the Democratic nominating process.
When he mentions a particular focus on “superdelegates,” someone in the crowd lets out what can only be descibed as a maniacal cackle. It echoes in the arena, which usually hosts basketball and hockey.
“Let me share with you that the primary season brought to light some issues we need to address as a Democratic family,” says Webb. But, “it is vital that we always move forward together.”
He continues with a basketball metaphor:
Just as we watched LeBron James and Steph Curry shake hands after a well-fought fight, we know that the country is eager to watch these two giants fight together.
Webb is ad-libbing now:
Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders are our champions. They both deserve our cheers.
They both deserve our cheers.
They both deserve our cheers.
I ask you if you would do this for me. Do this for our party. Do this for you. And let’s show Donald Trump we can be united.
Let’s all cheer for Bernie tonight when he takes the stage. And let’s also cheer for Hillary when she takes the stage on Thursday.
There’s a reasonable amount of cheering and a reasonable lack of booing.
10.00pm BST
22:00
Democrats apologize to Sanders for emails
The Democratic national committee has released a statement apologizing to Bernie Sanders and his supporters for “the inexcusable remarks made over email.”
A leak of nearly 20,000 emails among party officials revealed them testing ways to challenge Sanders and disparaging him and his candidacy.
“On behalf of everyone at the DNC, we want to offer a deep and sincere apology to Senator Sanders, his supporters, and the entire Democratic Party for the inexcusable remarks made over email,” the DNC statement says.
These comments do not reflect the values of the DNC or our steadfast commitment to neutrality during the nominating process. The DNC does not -- and will not -- tolerate disrespectful language exhibited toward our candidates. Individual staffers have also rightfully apologized for their comments, and the DNC is taking appropriate action to ensure it never happens again.
We are embarking on a convention today that — thanks to the great efforts of Secretary Clinton, her team, Senator Sanders, his team, and the entire Democratic Party — will show a forward-thinking and optimistic vision for America, as compared to the dark and pessimistic vision that the GOP presented last week in Cleveland. Our focus is on electing Hillary Clinton, Tim Kaine and Democrats across the country, thanks to Democratic Party that is strong, unified, and poised for victory in November.
The signatories are:
Donna Brazile, Incoming Interim Chair
Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake
Secretary Andrew Tobias
Treasurer Raymond Buckley, Vice Chair
ASDC President Maria Elena Durazo
Vice Chair Mayor R.T. Rybak
Vice Chair Henry R. Muñoz III
National Finance Committee Chair
9.54pm BST
21:54
Fudge: 'we are all Democrats and we need to act like it'
Fudge says, “Let the convention begin.”
Then she lectures the unruly crowd.
“May I just make a point. There are many of you who do not know me in this room. I intend to be fair. ... I will be respectful of you. And I want you to be respectful of me.”
This brings huge cheers.
“We are all Democrats and we need to act like it!” she says. Bigger cheers.
Like Trump’s family’s Republicanism, however, Sanders’s Democratic bona fides don’t run particularly deep, and his non-delegate supporters here may be cut from a similar partisan cloth.
9.51pm BST
21:51
Convention hijacked by shouting match
Every time Hillary Clinton’s name is mentioned on the stage – now by representative Fudge – the crowd is overtaken by a wave of boos, and countervailing cheers.
The crowd is restive. They’re trying to boo Fudge down. Until the Virginia and New York delegations up front there, stand to cheer.
“Excuse me. Scuse me,” Fudge says.
But it’s pandemonium. Thunderdome-style. There’s nothing to be said from the stage. It’s all in the crowd, a contest of shouting.
“Hillary Clinton, this is your time,” says Fudge, and the crowd explodes in both cheers of joy and howls of outrage.
Updated
at 9.52pm BST
9.44pm BST9.44pm BST
21:4421:44
Former congressman Barney Frank, co-chair of the rules committee, is introduced – and greeted with applause and some boos, presumably for the committee’s resistance to changing the party’s superdelegate nominating rules, a top demand of the Sanders camp.Former congressman Barney Frank, co-chair of the rules committee, is introduced – and greeted with applause and some boos, presumably for the committee’s resistance to changing the party’s superdelegate nominating rules, a top demand of the Sanders camp.
“Thank you, or not, as the case may be,” he says. Rawlings-Blake conducts a voice vote on approving officers of the convention. There are some vocal nos but nowhere close to the crush of ayes.“Thank you, or not, as the case may be,” he says. Rawlings-Blake conducts a voice vote on approving officers of the convention. There are some vocal nos but nowhere close to the crush of ayes.
Permanent convention chair Marcia Fudge takes the stage.Permanent convention chair Marcia Fudge takes the stage.
9.39pm BST9.39pm BST
21:3921:39
Guardian Washington bureau chief Dan Roberts was on the floor for the extraordinary moment during the invocation, when a Hillary! chant ran into a Bernie! chant:Guardian Washington bureau chief Dan Roberts was on the floor for the extraordinary moment during the invocation, when a Hillary! chant ran into a Bernie! chant:
Mixed reception from California delegation at the first mention of Hillary Clinton, loud shout of 'Bernie' from back https://t.co/eGuYdxAxsJMixed reception from California delegation at the first mention of Hillary Clinton, loud shout of 'Bernie' from back https://t.co/eGuYdxAxsJ
9.37pm BST9.37pm BST
21:3721:37
All-time gavel game.All-time gavel game.
I think this gif has potential to outlast the election season. @NBCNightlyNews pic.twitter.com/XZfx1B4U9SI think this gif has potential to outlast the election season. @NBCNightlyNews pic.twitter.com/XZfx1B4U9S
9.35pm BST9.35pm BST
21:3521:35
There was the national anthem. They made it through the whole thing with no interruptions from outraged Sanders supporters. Steady as she goes...There was the national anthem. They made it through the whole thing with no interruptions from outraged Sanders supporters. Steady as she goes...
9.32pm BST9.32pm BST
21:3221:32
Invocation interrupted by 'Bernie' chantsInvocation interrupted by 'Bernie' chants
If there were any question whether the Sanders backers would be restive, the invocation - the invocation – was just interrupted with chants of Bernie! Bernie! Bernie!If there were any question whether the Sanders backers would be restive, the invocation - the invocation – was just interrupted with chants of Bernie! Bernie! Bernie!
The pastor had made the mistake of veering away from the godtalk and mentioning nominating Hillary Clinton.The pastor had made the mistake of veering away from the godtalk and mentioning nominating Hillary Clinton.
This is going to be lively!This is going to be lively!
UpdatedUpdated
at 9.33pm BSTat 9.33pm BST
9.20pm BST9.20pm BST
21:2021:20
Baltimore mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake emerges and calls the convention to order.Baltimore mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake emerges and calls the convention to order.
But she forgets to gavel it. A tech has to intercept her as she walks offstage and herd her back to the lectern.But she forgets to gavel it. A tech has to intercept her as she walks offstage and herd her back to the lectern.
She jogs back across the blue carpet (in heels) and does the honors.She jogs back across the blue carpet (in heels) and does the honors.
And there, at last, is the ceremonial gavel. Maybe everything will run smoothly from here?And there, at last, is the ceremonial gavel. Maybe everything will run smoothly from here?
[note: this post, which incorrectly identified mayor Rawlings-Blake, has been corrected. Thanks to a vigilant reader!][note: this post, which incorrectly identified mayor Rawlings-Blake, has been corrected. Thanks to a vigilant reader!]
UpdatedUpdated
at 9.47pm BSTat 9.47pm BST
9.17pm BST9.17pm BST
21:1721:17
Hello from inside the Wells Fargo arena, where Mother Bethel AME church choir has just finished an extraordinary medley culminating in Glory Glory Hallelujah.Hello from inside the Wells Fargo arena, where Mother Bethel AME church choir has just finished an extraordinary medley culminating in Glory Glory Hallelujah.
So -who’s going to get this party started? Who will wield the gavel?So -who’s going to get this party started? Who will wield the gavel?
9.13pm BST9.13pm BST
21:1321:13
Streaming live: The Democratic National ConventionStreaming live: The Democratic National Convention
Watch live here:Watch live here:
9.11pm BST9.11pm BST
21:1121:11
Adam GabbattAdam Gabbatt
A protest march is heading through downtown Philadelphia. Hundreds of largely Bernie Sanders-supporting demonstrators had gathered at city hall at 3pm, close to the DNC convention center, before walking south half an hour later.A protest march is heading through downtown Philadelphia. Hundreds of largely Bernie Sanders-supporting demonstrators had gathered at city hall at 3pm, close to the DNC convention center, before walking south half an hour later.
“Bernie Sanders: not for sale” people are chanting, along with: “Clinton lied people died”.“Bernie Sanders: not for sale” people are chanting, along with: “Clinton lied people died”.
One man is carrying a banner banner that says “Hillary Clinton for prison”. Earlier protesters had chanted “Lock her up” in reference to the Democratic nominee: a common Donald Trump supporter refrain.One man is carrying a banner banner that says “Hillary Clinton for prison”. Earlier protesters had chanted “Lock her up” in reference to the Democratic nominee: a common Donald Trump supporter refrain.
Few hundred protesters outside Philadelphia city hall. Mostly Bernie Sanders supporters #dnc https://t.co/GSiQRhgWH9Few hundred protesters outside Philadelphia city hall. Mostly Bernie Sanders supporters #dnc https://t.co/GSiQRhgWH9
The march is being closely monitored by police officers on bicycles, some of whom seem quite ill-suited to cycling in 96f heat.The march is being closely monitored by police officers on bicycles, some of whom seem quite ill-suited to cycling in 96f heat.
Someone seems to have sprung a fire hydrant along the route and it is spraying water all over protesters.Someone seems to have sprung a fire hydrant along the route and it is spraying water all over protesters.
9.00pm BST
21:00
Seeing outside Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia shows a larger and more fervent collection of protesters and protests then we ever saw in Cleveland.
8.39pm BST
20:39
David Smith
A close aide to Hillary Clinton has accused leaders of the campaign for Britain to leave the European Union of making “grandiose promises” that they reneged on as soon as they won last month’s referendum.
Jake Sullian, a senior foreign policy adviser to the Democratic nominee, predicted that Americans would learn the lessons of Brexit and not vote for her Republican rival Donald Trump.
“We believe that, as Secretary Clinton has said before, the kind of turbulence and the kind of uncertainty generated by the Brexit vote will ultimately demonstrate to American voters that an approach that is based on evidence and fact and sound, sensible policy making is the approach that the American people are going to pursue,” Sullivan told reporters at the Democratic national convention in Philadelphia.
“Just as an example of this, some of the architects of Brexit campaign put forward grandiose promises in the course of running their argument for why the UK should leave the European Union. As soon as the vote happened, they came out and said, ‘Well, maybe we didn’t mean it with those promises’. We think the American people have seen that and it’s going to make them more sceptical of grandiose promises here on this side of the Atlantic in this election.”
One of those architects, Nigel Farage, popped up at the Republican convention in Cleveland last week and spoke to delegates about how Brexit attracted “little people” who do not normally vote but who wanted to send a message to the establishment. He suggested that, despite cultural differences, Trump could benefit from a similar groundswell.
But Sullivan, former deputy chief of staff to Clinton during her tenure as secretary of state, cautioned against drawing too many parallels. “We believe the vote over Brexit in the UK cannot easily be analogised to the presidential election in the United States,” he said. “For starters, obviously the United Kingdom and the United States are different countries with different constituencies and different considerations in play in the election, but more than that, the vote over Brexit was a vote on how the United Kingdom would relate to an institution.
“The presidential election in the United States is a choice between two candidates, two people, two human beings, and the character and temperament of those two human beings will be very much on the voters’ minds as they go into the polling booth.”
Sullivan added: “So our view is that ultimately this comes down to something about the United States, not about Europe, not about the UK, but to the extent that you can draw lessons from the Brexit vote, many of them cut in favour of the kinds of arguments that Hillary Clinton has been making on the campaign trail.”
The former national seadviser to vice-president Joe Biden also addressed the leak of Democratic party emails, which he said multiple intelligence experts and security firms had blamed on government-sponsored Russian hackers. “If it is indeed the case that Russia was behind this hack, this would be a new watershed. This would be Russia interfering in the American presidential election, which is deeply alarming and completely unacceptable if it bears out to be true.”
8.15pm BST
20:15
The line for the shuttle from the Pennsylvania Convention Center - where press briefings are held - and Wells Fargo Center - where the actual convention will take place - is hundreds of people deep.
7.55pm BST
19:55
Stephanie Rawlings-Blake, the mayor of Baltimore, current secretary of the Democratic National Committee and president of the US Conference of Mayors, has announced that she will take DNC chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz’s place as the master of ceremonies this afternoon, gaveling in the Democratic National Convention after Schultz declared that she would give up the role.
at 4pm today I will gavel in the start of the Convention #DemsInPhilly #outofmanyweareone #StrongerTogether
7.50pm BST
19:50
We happen to know that Better Midler employs a full-time comedian to writer her tweets - thanks, Gay Mafia: Los Angeles Chapter! - but this tweet referencing Melania Trump’s plagiarism scandal brings a question to mind: Will first lady Michelle Obama refer to her would-be successor’s speech tonight?
Michele Obama is speaking tonight #DemocraticConvention. Melania Trump is excited cause she's gonna get some new material!
7.47pm BST
19:47
Memo: Bernie Sanders considered asking for plane in return for endorsement
A memo detailing the potential future plans of Bernie Sanders’ presidential campaign included the possibility of demanding a private plane, funded by the Democratic National Committee, for Sanders to visit swing states during the general election as a negotiating point during the wind-down of his pursuit of the Democratic nomination.
The memo, obtained by Buzzfeed, was apparently left on a table in a hotel restaurant by a careless staffer and frequently emphasizes the important of Sanders using his then-diminishing “leverage” to advance progressive issues within the Democratic party.
The memo opens with two “key decisions” needed to be made in the closing days of Sanders’ campaign: Whether to force a roll-call vote for the nomination at this week’s convention, and whether to concede the nomination prior to the convention, as Sanders eventually did.
In support of the roll-call vote, the memo details that Clinton “will unquestionably be short of a convention majority based upon pledge delegates” and that superdelegates are “by definition undeclared... It is possible that an external event,” like the indictment that failed to materialize after her investigation by the FBI, “would bring Clinton’s viability in the general election into focus in the weeks before the convention.”
But the memo also notes that “short of a major external event, the superdelegates are likely to coalesce behind her candidacy,” and that external pressure from Democratic elites, Senate and House leadership, lobbying organizations and even some Sanders supporters would be extreme in the face of an attempt to circumvent Clinton’s lead in pledged delegates, superdelegates and the popular vote.
Read the whole memo here.
7.35pm BST
19:35
Julian Assange, on Trump vs. Clinton: 'Do I prefer cholera or gonorrhea?'
In an interview with Democracy Now, Wikileaks editor-in-chief Julian Assange compared choosing between Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump and presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton to choosing between two different infectious diseases and said that “personally, I would prefer neither.”
“Well, you’re asking me, do I prefer cholera or gonorrhea,” Assange said, in response to a question on his stance regarding Trump. “We know how politics works in the United States. Whoever - whatever political party gets into government is going to merge with the bureaucracy pretty damn fast. It will be in a position where it has some levers in its hand. And so, as a result, corporate lobbyists will move in to help control those levers. So it doesn’t make much difference in the end.”
What does make a difference, Assange said, “is political accountability, a general deterrence set to stop political organizations behaving in a corrupt manner. That can make a difference, because that changes the perception of what you can do or not do.”
7.24pm BST
19:24
Adam Gabbatt
Bernie Sanders supporters adopted one of Donald Trump’s attack lines against Hillary Clinton at the opening of the Democratic national convention today, chanting “lock her up” at protests in downtown Philadelphia.
Bernie Sanders supporters chant: "Lock her up" outside Philadelphia city hall https://t.co/ANA5CkybqJ
Around 200 people were gathered at Philadelphia City Hall at noon, ahead of a planned march through the city. Most of the crowd were Sanders supporters, who voiced their anger at the leaked Democratic National Committee emails that showed behind-the-scenes support for Clinton during the Democratic primary.
“Lock her up, lock her up,” protesters chanted repeatedly. Many were carrying anti-Clinton banners, drawing attention to both the recent Wikileaks disclosures and her own use of a private email server while Secretary of State.
Trevor Minter, a 21-year-old bartender from Fort Worth, Texas, was among the dozens demanding the Democratic nominee be jailed.
“I feel like I’ve been cheated, I feel like my brothers and sisters have been cheated, and I feel like it’s all her fault,” Minter said.
He said he was dissatisfied with “all the classified emails she’s let out using her own servers and using her own personal email and then you have the Wikileaks, all the going behind people’s backs”.
“Lock her up” is a favorite chant at Donald Trump rallies, and could be heard throughout the GOP convention in Cleveland last week. The Republican nominee has branded Clinton “Crooked Hillary”.
The FBI investigated Clinton’s use of a private email server while in office, but decided against pressing charges at the beginning of July.
7.18pm BST
19:18
Al Gore: 'I will be voting for Hillary Clinton'
Former vice president and almost-president Al Gore has been radio silent on the shape of the Democratic presidential field this cycle, but less than two hours before the Democratic National Convention is gaveled into order, Gore tweeted that he intends to vote for former secretary of state - and his ex-boss’ wife - Hillary Clinton.
I am not able to attend this year’s Democratic convention, but I will be voting for Hillary Clinton. (1/3)
Given her qualifications and experience -- and given the significant challenges facing our nation and the world, (2/3)
including, especially, the global climate crisis, I encourage everyone else to do the same. (3/3)
Notably missing: The word “endorse.”
7.15pm BST
19:15
Jane Sanders hot mic: 'They don’t know your name is being put in nomination'
Jane Sanders, wife of Vermont senator Bernie Sanders, was caught on a hot mic after his speech to supporters at the Pennsylvania convention center this afternoon saying: “They don’t know your name is being put in nomination, and that’s the concern...”
Jane Sanders after @BernieSanders speech caught on mic saying: https://t.co/IgszqduMQA
Campaign spokesman Michael Briggs has clarified that Jane Sanders “means there will be a roll-call vote and the senator’s name will be placed in nomination,” perhaps deflating fans of the Vermont senator who read palace intrigue into his spouse’s remarks.
Updated
at 9.45pm BST