begin quote from:
Philadelphia
(CNN)Democrats on Tuesday made Hillary Clinton the first woman to head a
major party ticket -- and during an emotional night, her family and
supporters asked voters to give her …
Breaking News
Clinton nomination puts 'biggest crack' in glass ceiling
Story highlights
- Hillary Clinton is the first female presidential nominee for a major political party
- The former first lady, senator and secretary of state triumphed in a roll call vote at the Democratic convention
Philadelphia (CNN)Democrats
on Tuesday made Hillary Clinton the first woman to head a major party
ticket -- and during an emotional night, her family and supporters asked
voters to give her a second look.
At
the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia, just three miles
from Independence Hall where the nation was born, a sense of history is
palpable -- as is Clinton's willingness to finally enjoy it.
"What
an incredible honor that you have given me, and I can't believe we just
put the biggest crack in that glass ceiling yet," Clinton said via
satellite after a video montage showed the faces of all 44 male
presidents before shattering like glass to reveal Clinton waiting to
address the convention from New York.
"This
is really your victory. This is really your night," Clinton told the
cheering crowd. "And if there are any little girls out there who stayed
up late to watch, let me just say I may become the first woman
President. But one of you is next."
The
Clinton campaign hoped the day would build momentum and goodwill to
repair the deep divides that still linger after her bitter primary duel
with Bernie Sanders. The goal is to reshape national perceptions of a
candidate with negative approval ratings and who was lambasted last week
at the Republican National Convention as a criminal and liar.
Former
President Bill Clinton weaved a parable of Clinton's work for children,
the sick and the disabled into the story of their relationship. More
than two decades after Hillary Clinton became a fixture in national
politics, Bill Clinton's folksy, sometimes meandering testimony was
aimed at revealing a softer side of the Democratic nominee to a
nationwide television audience.
'Best darned change-maker'
The
42nd President hailed his wife as "the best darned change-maker I have
ever known" as he sought to debunk Republican nominee Donald Trump's
claim that Clinton is the epitome of the status quo. Bill Clinton framed
the election as a choice between the flattering picture he painted of
his wife and the damning portrait the GOP laid out in Cleveland last
week.
Bill Clinton's entire Democratic convention speech 41:52
"One
is real, the other is made up. You just have to decide which is which,
my fellow Americans," Clinton said. "Earlier today, you nominated the
real one."
Hillary Clinton's
historic status was confirmed earlier in a roll call vote of the states
-- one of the great traditions of American politics.
Rebecca
Wininger, 49, a Clinton delegate from Arizona, had tears streaming down
her face as the convention floor erupted with applause when Clinton
formally went over the top and secured the necessary delegates to become
the nominee.
"We made history
today by nominating the first woman for president. To be part of that
moment was inspiring, overwhelming," Wininger said.
Nancy
Pelosi, a history maker in her own right after becoming the
highest-ranking woman in the history of the US government when she was
elected House speaker in 2007, was also overcome.
"It's
beyond thrilling. It's very exciting and to see at the end she's the
nominee. It's going to be spectacular," Pelosi told CNN's Dana Bash.
Bittersweet feeling
But there was also a bittersweet feeling about the night.
For
Sanders supporters, it was a moment of loss as well as pride in a
well-run campaign. Sanders stood on the floor to officially proclaim his
former rival the party nominee.
"I
move that Hillary Clinton be selected as the nominee of the Democratic
Party for President of the United States," Sanders said.
Often
a gruff figure on the campaign trail, Sanders also showed unusual signs
of sentiment. In one of the night's most moving moments, his brother,
Larry, who lives in England, rose to deliver the votes of the Democrats
Abroad movement to his sibling and remembered their parents.
"They
did not have easy lives and they died young," said Larry Sanders. "They
would be immensely proud of their son's accomplishments," said Sanders,
who was also choking back tears as the crowd gave him a rousing
ovation.
As
soon as the Clinton nomination was made official, a group of Sanders
supporters staged a walk out from the convention hall chanting "this is
what democracy looks like."
Against
that backdrop, Democrats had a tricky political assignment Tuesday
night. They had to give full recognition to Clinton's moment but also
pay due respect to her rival whose supporters are loath to give up the
fight.
The campaign also faces an
urgent need to sketch a new image of Clinton in the nation's
consciousness. For all the credit she got for being a trailblazer, she's
often a polarizing figure whose frequent political highs have been
tempered by self-inflicted political disasters, including the debacle
over her private email server.
Tough fight ahead
And
as Trump basks in his own post-convention bounce, Democrats are
becoming increasingly skittish about a presidential race in which
Clinton is still the favorite, but appears to be facing a tough fight.
So,
almost as soon as a roll call vote of the states had wrapped up,
speaker after speaker arrived on the stage in Philadelphia to attest to
Clinton's character and sense of mission.
Mothers
of African-American sons killed by law enforcement and gun violence
took the stage in a heart-rending call for social and firearms reform.
They spoke of how Clinton had embraced their cause, as cries of "Black
Lives Matter" rang out from the audience.
"I
am an unwilling participant in this movement," said Sybrina Fulton,
mother of Trayvon Martin, as she spoke for other members of "Mothers of
the Movement."
"Hillary Clinton has
the compassion to comfort a grieving mother," Fulton said. "She has the
courage to lead the fight for common sense gun legislation."
Civil rights icon John Lewis hailed Clinton as a "leader who can unite us as a nation, a leader who can break down barriers."
Clinton was hailed as a heroine of 9/11 by first responders and survivors during her time as a New York senator.
"She
visited, called, and checked in for years, because she cared. When I
needed her, she was there," said Lauren Manning, a 9/11 survivor.
Former
Democratic presidential candidate Howard Dean praised Clinton as a
tireless fighter for progressive causes. He recalled her effort to
reform health care during her husband's administration, which ultimately
failed even as she persevered in the battle for children's health
insurance.
"She fought the way she always did. She did her homework. She persevered.
She never forgot who she was fighting for," the former DNC chief said,
ending his speech with a joyful reprise of his 2004 "Dean Scream."
Former
Secretary of State Madeleine Albright argued that Clinton had the
character, steel and principles to be President, and argued that Trump
had already damaged the nation by the way he has run for the office.
"He
has weakened our standing in the world by threatening to walk away from
our friends and our allies," Albright said, and slammed what she said
was the GOP nominee's "strange fascination" with dictators.
But
it was Bill Clinton's address for which the night will be remembered.
The speech was tender, admiring and laced with the political savvy that
characterized the career of the man President Barack Obama called the
"Explainer in Chief," thanks to his role in his 2012 re-election bid.
But
critics will likely complain Clinton's address skipped over the many
controversies of his own career and their lives together -- including
his impeachment over an affair with a White House intern and the
Clintons' consistent problems in overcoming perceptions that they
sometimes cut ethical corners and abhor transparency.
Still,
the former president pleaded with voters to recognize that his wife is
the best person to keep Americans safe and prosperous.
"I hope you will do it. I hope you will elect her," he said. "Your children and grandchildren will bless you forever if you do."
No comments:
Post a Comment