Dems begin Convention with fighting on the floor

By Alex Malm
@Malm_a13

After Donald J. Trump and the Republican Party were able to unify around beating Hillary Clinton last week at the Republican National Convention, the Democratic party had one goal for their Convention: Unify to beat Trump.

However, day one of the Democratic National Convention did not begin this way. Protests broke out in the streets, not against Trump, but against Clinton who is the presumptive nominee. Some chanted about Clinton, “She lies. She cheats. She steals our money”

The chants against Clinton along with the resignation of the Democratic Party Chairwoman, Debbie Wasserman Schultz, lead to a civil war within the party.

A petition to nominate Bernie Sanders as the party’s official presidential candidate circulated around the delegates during Monday morning. “This campaign is not over yet,” said Dave Bright, a Maine delegate for Sanders. “[Sanders] promised that he would take the campaign to the convention, and I’m pleased he’s keeping his word on that.”

Inside the Wells Fargo Center, the site of the Convention, delegates from both sides argued and chanted at each other for either Bernie Sanders or Hillary Clinton. 

Even the speeches showed the divide in the party. During Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren’s speech there were chants of dissatisfaction as many in the center called out, “Bernie! Bernie!”

In an attempt to bring some unity to the floor, DNC staff handed out “Love trumps hate” signs to the attendees.

What Monday night showed was that although the party wasn’t planning for a floor fight the delegates may not have gotten the message.

Alex Malm is a senior political science major at Franklin Pierce University and is the Director of PoliticsFitzU. From Warwick, Rhode Island, this is his first Convention.

For more updates and information follow the members of PoliticsFitzU’s adventures at the Republican National Convention with @PoliticsFitzU on Twitter.