8 Crazy Things That Happened at the Democratic Convention
With the leaking of thousands of emails last weekend showing that the Democratic National Committee undermined the campaign of Bernie Sanders and displayed partiality toward Hillary Clinton, it was to be expected that this week's Democratic Convention was going to be interesting.
Although the convention concluded Thursday night in Philadelphia with Clinton accepting her party's presidential nomination and the party now seemingly beginning to unite around her and running mate, Virginia Sen. Tim Kaine, the anti-Hillary and Bernie Sanders-supporting crowd were not afraid to let their displeasure with the party be known.
Such tension and displeasure along with the political prestige of the convention provided for a breeding ground for crazy moments to transpire this week in Philadelphia.
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Below are eight crazy moments that occurred during the Democratic National Convention.
1. Thousands protested in the streets of Philadelphia
With the hacked DNC emails having been published by WikiLeaks on the weekend leading up to the convention, thousands of protesters took to the streets of Philadelphia Monday to protest and express displeasure with their party.
Some protesters held signs that read "Never Hillary," "RIP, DNC," and "Bernie or Bust," while the Washington Post reports that one group prepared to erect "tombstones for democracy" in a local park.
According to the Post, the crowds protesting in the streets of Philadelphia were far greater than the crowds protesting the Republican National Convention in Cleveland, Ohio last week.
"I'm a Never Hillary person. Because she's corrupt. She represents everything we're against," 60-year-old Luigi Costello from Florida told the Post during a protest outside city hall.
2. Sanders supporters booed Bernie for telling them to vote for Hillary
Sanders attempted to rally his supporters behind Clinton on Monday afternoon, as he addressed his delegates.
"We have got to defeat Donald Trump," Sanders said, followed by cheers.
"And we have got to elect Hillary Clinton and Tim Kaine," Sanders said, followed by boos and vocal displeasure from the crowd.
The booing and shouting lasted for a good 30 seconds before Sanders was able to continue and warn the delegates about the dangers of a Trump presidency.
"Brothers and sisters, this is real world that we live in," Sanders said. "Trump is a bully and a demagogue. Trump has made bigotry and hatred the cornerstone of his campaign."
According to a tweet from CBS News correspondent Nancy Cordes, Sanders sent a text message to supporters asking them not to "engage in any kind of protest on the [convention] floor."
3. Sanders supporter Sarah Silverman said 'Bernie or Bust' people are 'being ridiculous'
Actor and comedian Sarah Silverman took the stage on the first night of the convention.
After her speech, she and Al Franken were told that they needed to stall since the program was running ahead of schedule. During that time, Silverman offered her thoughts on those Sanders supporters in the crowd who were chanting "Ber-nie! Ber-nie! Ber-nie!"
"To the 'Bernie or Bust' people: You're being ridiculous," Silverman said. "They told us to stretch, so I figured I'd add that. Oh, I have so much I want to say."
Later, Silverman told CNN that her remark was not scripted.
"No, it wasn't scripted at all," she asserted.
3. Clinton booed on night 1
Despite the text message from Sanders, seemingly every time Hillary Clinton's name was mentioned on the first night of the convention, she received scattered boos came from the crowd, VOX reports.
"This thing is off the rails. Every time @HillaryClinton named massive boos cry out," tweeted NPR politics editor Domenico Montanaro on Monday. "Can't even hear Marcia Fudge in the arena."
4. Sanders supporters walked out after Hillary's nomination
Shortly after Clinton became the first woman ever to receive the presidential nomination for a major American political party on the second night of the convention, a large number of Sanders supporters reacted by walking out in protest.
The group of Sanders supporters then occupied a media tent located outside of the Wells Fargo Arena.
"Enjoy this. In four years, we are taking over this party. This is the future of this country. These are the future voters. These are the future politicians. Look at them now. You can't lie to them. You can't BS them," Mark Van Landuyt of California told BuzzFeed's Dominic Holden. "Bernie Sanders and his supporters are the future."
Sanders delegates march out and storm the media tent to protest Clinton nomination. Mark Van Landuyt of CA speaks: pic.twitter.com/MvgzM62B8O
— Dominic Holden (@dominicholden) July 26, 2016
