PHILADELPHIA – Mother nature’s mood mimicked that of the delegates in Philadelphia at the Democratic National Convention on Monday, as tensions and temperatures came to a roiling boil before giving way to a torrential downpour and an endorsement of Hillary Clinton by Bernie Sanders that offered relief but an intense thunderstorm that foreshadowed trouble to come.
"Hillary Clinton will make an outstanding president and I am proud to stand with her,” Sanders said as pro-Clinton delegates erupted in cheers. Clinton officially became the Democratic nominee on Tuesday with the completion of the roll-call vote, which Sanders completed himself. Clinton's husband, former President Bill Clinton, followed that up with a speech in prime time.
But despite the happy images on the first two nights, the week began with the resignation of Democratic National Committee chairwoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz, prompting a dive into the history books and a return to the 1984 Democratic convention to find a comparable event. Even back then the ultimate decision was to stick with the unpopular chairman.
Wasserman Schultz was not so lucky, forced out due to unflattering e-mails sent by DNC staffers demeaning and plotting against the campaign of Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders that were released by WikiLeaks. The chairwoman didn’t even gavel in the convention, instead giving that honor to Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake, lest the increasingly unpopular Florida Democrat face boos like she did at her state’s breakfast on Monday.
The South Carolina delegation began their convention with a breakfast that included addresses from Rawlings-Blake as well as Monday prime time speakers New Jersey Senator Cory Booker and Minnesota Congressman Keith Ellison. Tuesday’s breakfast also featured an all-star lineup, with Congressman Jim Clyburn, DNC Southern Caucus chair and South Carolina State Rep. Gilda Cobb-Hunter, former South Carolina Governor Jim Hodges and former MSNBC host Melissa Harris-Perry.
Clyburn is expected to speak to the entire convention Thursday, following addresses from Emanuel AME survivors on Wednesday and Tuesday night’s speech from Columbia Mayor Steve Benjamin. Benjamin, who campaigned for Clinton in Columbia, was sitting beside former President Bill Clinton on Monday. Mothers of the Movement, who also traveled with Clinton in South Carolina, spoke Tuesday as well.
But the main story throughout Monday and Tuesday was the fading of the thin veneer of party unity forged by Sanders’ endorsement of Clinton earlier this month. Furious Sanders delegates, inflamed by the DNC email scandal, voiced their displeasure with the party’s leaders on the floor of the Wells Fargo Center.
One Texas delegate was wearing and passing out clown noses.
“We stand in solidarity in rejecting the establishment and the way that they held this election and demanding reform,” the delegate said, preferring to remain anonymous for fear of losing his credentials due to the red noses. “For me, that’s what this symbol is. That’s what this is about. And this is why so many of Bernie Sanders’ followers are just inconsolably bitter and there’s terrible acrimony.”
Sanders delegates sported Robin Hood hats, “Bernie or Bust” signs and placards reading “No TPP,” in reference to the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal. Many booed whenever Clinton’s name was mentioned during the afternoon program Monday, including the opening prayer, and even booed convention chairwoman and Ohio Congresswoman Marcia Fudge.
“Excuse me,” Fudge said repeatedly, irritated that she could not conduct convention business over the catcalls from disgruntled Sanders delegates.
Some Sanders delegates resorted to staging a walkout and briefly occupying the media center on Tuesday.
While there are some ardent Sanders supporters among the South Carolina delegates, for the most part the divisions in the Democratic delegation from the Palmetto State are minor, and there were few outbursts from their section Monday and Tuesday.
South Carolina Democratic Party chairman Jaime Harrison took in the convention from his seat on the floor and was thrilled at the important role South Carolina has played in the last two contested Democratic primaries.
“We’re now, on the Democratic side, about to be able to say that we make presidents as well,” Harrison said. “We’re really excited about the role we were able to play in 2008 and also the role that we played this year in 2016.”
Harrison noted the uniqueness of this year’s nominee.
“When you think about it, both of those elections are historic elections, with the first African-American and now the first woman,” Harrison said. “And it was the South Carolina Democrats who were all a part of that.”
Harrison also had a message for young voters in South Carolina.
“It’s important to keep the faith,” he said. “It’s important to get your friends registered and it’s even more important to make sure they go out and vote!”
Young delegates in Philadelphia are the most bitter about the Sanders defeat, a point not lost on Democratic Party officials hoping to win the youth vote in November.
Cobb-Hunter, acting in her DNC role, apologized to Sanders delegates and supporters from South Carolina Tuesday morning for the DNC’s conduct in the email scandal.
But party elders are out in force in Philadelphia as well. USC Political Science professor and former DNC Chairman Don Fowler was recognized Tuesday morning at the state delegation breakfast for his service to the party, and former South Carolina Governor Richard Riley was sitting in the delegation’s first row as they watched the speeches Monday.
Big Democratic names from all across the country were present as well, as New York Mayor Bill de Blasio, former Cincinnati Mayor Jerry Springer and former two-time presidential candidate and former Ohio Congressman Dennis Kucinich chatted with delegates inside the Wells Fargo Arena.
In the prime time program on Monday, household names such as Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren and First Lady Michelle Obama served as warm-up acts for Sanders.
Mrs. Obama spoke about the importance of electing a female president.
“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!” she said.
Warren praised Sanders for fighting for social justice and economic equality.
"Bernie reminds us what Democrats fight for every day,” she said. “Thank you, Bernie!"
Sanders received a lengthy standing ovation when he took the stage, with many young delegates in tears as he spoke.
"This election is about the thousands of young people I have met who have left college deeply in debt,” Sanders said as he reiterated his proposal, now partially adopted by the entire party, for debt-free public college.
After Monday's speech from Sanders was over and as delegates made for their buses, chants broke out among the delegates reaffirming who the star of the first few days of the convention was.
“Bernie! Bernie! Bernie!” delegates shouted on their way out.