What a contrast between the 2016 Democratic Convention and the Republican Convention the week before. The Democratic Convention's focus on inclusion and the "greatness" of America was a true testament to the symbol of democracy at its best!
However…
…it is impossible to comment on the Convention without,
first, addressing the elephant in the
room - the raucous and at times disrespectful behavior demonstrated by some
- not all - Bernie delegates during
the event.
So let’s address the
elephant in the room before we move on.
The majority of
Bernie Convention delegates were new to
the Democratic Party; never attended
a Democratic Convention, and being unfamiliar
with the Democratic primary voting process, held prior misconceptions about it.
Those prior misconceptions bled into the Convention, and were not addressed by the Bernie Campaign or the media prior to
the event.
The prior
misconceptions can be clarified with two realities: 1) the Democratic primary voting process - more often
than not - favored Bernie over Hillary, and 2) the votes of the majority
that supported Hillary were just as
valid as the votes that backed Bernie!
You see, by opening Democratic
primary caucuses and some Democratic primary
elections to voters who were not Democrats, the Democratic Party increased
the odds for Bernie votes from his
Independent voter constituency, and by holding primary caucuses instead of primary elections in some
states, the voter turnout was lowered in Bernie’s favor by not opening the voting process to all eligible Democratic
voters. (See the System isn’t rigged
against Sanders link.)
Despite the prior misconceptions demonstrated by some - not all - Bernie delegates during
the Convention:
- Hillary Convention delegates never booed Bernie or his surrogates when they spoke at the podium.
- the Democratic Party dedicated the lion’s share of Day 1 to highlighting Bernie Sanders.
- The Democratic Party dedicated the lion’s share of Day 1 podium time to Bernie surrogates.
- The Democratic Party fired Wasserman Shultz for the unacceptable, anti-Bernie emails generated by two of her underlings.
- The Democratic Party included the majority of Bernie’s’ policy ideas in the Democratic Convention Platform,
- Every Hillary keynote surrogate spoke glowingly about Bernie Saunders including - but not limited to - President Obama, President Clinton, Michele Obama, Hillary, and Hillary’s VP pick, Mike Kaine.
- The Democratic Party insured that the presidential nominee roll call reflected that all of Bernie’s delegate votes were voiced and counted.
Now that’s a symbol of democracy at its best!
Not only did the Convention accommodate Bernie delegates in a gracious manner, the Convention, also,
afforded podium-time to Republican political
figures, as well as 2016 Libertarian and
Green Party presidential candidates.
Even prominent Independents were
afforded an opportunity at the podium with former
New York Mayor, billionaire and philanthropist, Mike Bloomberg calling for Independents to "Vote for Hillary!"
Unlike the hateful, ‘factless’, fear mongering at the Republican Convention, the Democratic Convention’s inspirational messages
of hope, positivity, optimism, the
spirit of inclusion and the “greatness” of America flowed throughout
each day.
Criticisms of Donald Trump
were limited to his actual words and actual business dealings instead of on
manufactured falsehoods, slander, blind fear, anger and hate.
Every state was represented at the podium at
some point during the Convention either by active and/or retired political figures, veterans, immigrant family members, Blacks, Latinos, Asians, Jews,
Christians, Muslims, Atheists, straights, gays, transgender, the rich,
the middle class, the poor, mothers,
fathers, young and old from all walks of life!
Previously unknown accounts of Hillary’s numerous contributions to public service over the past 30-plus years were
enlightening particularly those from
everyday people.
Here are highlights from some of those testimonials that most cable news networks didn’t cover.
9/11 survivor, Lauren Manning met Hillary while she was
convalescing from burns over 80% of her body. She stated that without the
publicity of cameras, “Hillary walked into my hospital room and she took my
bandaged hand into her own.” She, also,
spoke of how Hillary has never forgotten her and continues to “cover my back”.
Kate Burdick, a lawyer from Philly, spoke of Hillary’s “quite
crusade for juvenile justice”.
Black 2010 Harvard
Law School graduate and former US Senate Intern, Jelani Freeman, talked about
how Hillary handed him a
lifeline after a childhood
spent bouncing between foster homes, using a trash bag as a suitcase.
Three bereaved black mothers offered recollections about how
Hillary helped them grieve over the loss of their sons and daughter and helped them turn their grief into action
to galvanize others into a movement. “Not only did she listen to our problems,
she invited us to become a part of the solution.”
Jason Collins, the first openly gay player in the NBA
recalled coming out to Hillary before
his teammates because Hillary was someone “I could trust”.
Karla Ortiz, an 11-year-old from Nevada, described meeting
Hillary at a campaign stop and telling Hillary she was afraid her undocumented
parents would be deported.”Valiente - brave - that’s what Hillary Clinton
called me when I told her I was worried my parents would be deported. Hillary Clinton told me that she would do
everything she could to help us. “She told me that I didn’t have to do the
worrying because she will do the worrying for me.”
President Obama, President Clinton, Vice President Biden and
other dignitaries, also, issued high praises for Hillary’s 30 plus years of public service which you can view on the C-Span
links below.
Chelsie’s introduction of her Mom was heartfelt and Hillary’s
acceptance speech not only outlined her plans to uplift America and its
citizens, it was inclusive of Bernie’s progressive campaign contributions as well as
inclusive
of the hopes, dreams, aspirations and contributions of all Americans - “Stronger together where love trumps hate”!
If you missed out on any portion of the Democratic Convention
described above, be sure to watch the YouTube and C-Span
links below and share the links
on your social networks.
Democratic National Convention - YouTube
2016
Democratic National Convention (Days 1-4) - C-SPAN
Hillary Clinton Acceptance Speech {Video
| C=Span.org
President Obama Addresses Democratic
National Convention
First Lady Michelle Obama Remarks
Democratic Convention
Vice
President Joe Biden Addresses Democratic Convention - C-SPAN
In the words of Convention speaker, Reverend William Barber,
“Fight for the heart of America”!
GOTTA VOTE AND GET OUT THE VOTE IN NOVEMBER!
I Will Vote
vote.gov/
https://www.usvotefoundation.org/vote/...elections/state-election-dates-de...
votesmart.org/
SOURCES
Many Bernie Sanders delegates are new to
the Democratic Party
The System isn’t ‘Rigged” Against
Sanders
Democrats Launch Operation to Humanize
Hillary Clinton
No comments:
Post a Comment