2016 Democratic National Convention: Inspiring, tough and cohesive
The Democrats gathered in Philadelphia to choose Hillary Clinton as the presidential nominee for the upcoming National Election. There have been several star attractions at the Democratic National Convention, including Hillary becoming the first woman nominee of a major American party. It was the beginning of a farewell to President Obama and Michelle as they put an end to their incredible White House journey.
The Democratic National Convention
The delegates of the US Democratic Party choose a nominee for the President and Vice President in the national elections during the national convention. In 2016, the Democratic National Convention was held for four days, from 25-28 Jul'16 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Democratic National Committee chose Philadelphia as the host city in Feb'15; the last time it hosted a DNC was in 1948.
WikiLeaks unveils the biased side of DNC
As Hillary Clinton was gearing up for the Democratic nomination, WikiLeaks published over 19,000 hacked emails revealing the party's bias. The emails showed the DNC members traded ideas on how to undermine Hillary Clinton's rival Bernie Sanders' campaign in the primary. However, Clinton's campaign accused Russia of interfering in the election and said Russian hackers stole DNC emails and released them to support Trump.
DNC Day 1: "United Together"
The opening night of the four-day Democratic National Convention began with the theme- "United Together". Several party leaders like Marcia Fudge, Michelle Obama, Bernie Sanders, Elizabeth Warren, and Cory Brooker tried to "heal" the breach following the WikiLeaks email scandal; Sanders too supported Hillary Clinton for the President. DNC Chairperson Debbie Wasserman Schultz announced her resignation from the post after the Democratic National Convention.
Day 2: "A Lifetime of Fighting for Children and Families"
After formally receiving votes for the nomination, Hillary Clinton addressed the convention from New York on the second day. A message on civil rights and policing, voicing the party's concerns about bias was delivered; families of victims also spoke at the gathering. Former US President Bill Clinton offered a tribute to Hillary; Former President Jimmy Carter, Nancy Pelosi, Amy Klobuchar also addressed the convention.
Bernie Sanders' supporters
After Hillary Clinton was announced as the Democratic nominee on the second day, Bernie Sanders' supporters reportedly stormed out and let their anger out on the party and its candidate in front of reporters. Clinton still had to win the support of the Bernie Sanders-bloc.
DNC Day 3: "Working Together"
The third day of the four-day convention opened with the theme- "Working Together". US President Barack Obama, Vice President Joe Biden, Second Lady Jill Biden, Tim Kaine, Gavin Newsom, Kasim Reed, and other members of the Democratic Party addressed the convention. Democrats delivered speeches about their administration and persuaded voters that Clinton was the worthy successor. The Democrats indirectly attacked Clinton's rival Donald Trump.
President Obama's speech
President Obama's speech was the star attraction. He said: "I can say with confidence there has never been a man or a woman - not me, not Bill, nobody - more qualified than Hillary Clinton to serve as president of the United States of America."
DNC Day 4: "Stronger Together"
The fourth and final day of the national convention was themed "Stronger Together"; the party made history by nominating a woman and celebrated it. The highlights of the final day were Hillary Clinton's speech and her daughter Chelsea's tribute to her mother. In her acceptance speech, Hillary assured Americans that she would work to heal the "breach of trust" indicated in some unfavorable ratings.
Hillary Clinton's speech
"When any barrier falls in America, it clears the way for everyone. After all, when there are no ceilings, the sky's the limit. So let's keep going until every one of the 161 million women and girls across America has the opportunity she deserves."
