History will be made for the second time in two days in Philadelphia when Hillary Rodham Clinton accepts the nomination of the Democratic Party, the first woman to be nominated for President from a major party.
The program will build to the climax when after being introduced by her daughter, Chelsea, Hillary Clinton will give what may be the speech of her life, to demonstrate to America that she should be their choice to be the next president.
The program will pull together the various themes of last three days: Monday’s theme told how Hillary is fighting to build an economy that works for everyone, while the Republican nominee, Donald Trump has been fighting for himself and the ultra-wealthy like him; Tuesday’s theme explored the fights of Hillary’s life, the motivations that have driven her, her many accomplishments in more than 40 years of public service – a story told by ordinary people, some who have met and known her personally and others who never met her at all, recounting how their lives have been changed for the better because of what she has done.
Last night, America heard how Hillary has the leadership skills and steadiness Americans can count on. Vice President Joe Biden talked about how Hillary will fight for the middle class, while Trump would be a a disaster for the middle class and gave some hint of the pressures and complexity of dealing with multiple crises. Former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, an independent, said burst Trump’s bubble of being a successful businessman calling him nothing more than a con man. Former CIA Director and Defense Secretary Leon Panetta reinforced the theme that Hillary has the steadiness and experience to keep our nation secure, and what a threat Trump’s temperament would be for our security..
Finally President Obama talked about the values that founded our nation are themselves at stake in this election – Hillary will protect them and Trump would endanger them. This election is too important to sit out, he declared. And then in the moment that set the hall thundering, Hillary Clinton came onto the stage with Obama.
“Tonight, Hillary will stitch together all these themes and how this moment is really a moment of reckoning for voters: are we going to succumb to very powerful forces tearing at our social fabric, dividing us economically and socially or are we going to come together to solve problems, build an economy that works for everyone, make our nation more secure and make sure every American has the same opportunities,” said Robby Mook, campaign manager for Hillary for America.
“We will hear her invoke the principles that have guided her throughout her career – how it takes a village, a theme from her 1992 book, in this campaign, 2016, talking about how we are stronger together, and you will hear her flesh out not just what this means from a values standpoint, but specific policies to make our country stronger, and do it together.”
Highlights tonight:
A governor of a must-win state, Pennsylvania, Governor Tom Wolf, “will actually be attending our convention (versus Governor John Kasich who did not attend the convention in his state of Ohio and did not endorse Trump). Also Governor John Hickenlooper of Colorado and Governor Andrew Cuomo of New York.
Also, former Reagan official, Doug Elmets and co-founder of Republican Women for Hillary, Jennifer Pierotti Lim, Director of Health Policy for the US Chamber of Commerce, who will build out the message Michael Bloomberg began that Republicans and Independents should come together o support Hillary
Speakers like General John Allen, former Commander, International Security Assistance Forces and Commander United States Forces-Afghanistan will also build on the case made Wednesday on national security. General Allen will outline Hillary’s commitment to veterans and how they can trust her ability and experience to keep the country safe and secure.
Marlon Marshall, Director of State and Political Engagement for Hillary for America, will also speak. He is behind the organizing program that has been underway all week – holding watch parties – and underway in force after the convention, building up in every state, particularly the battleground state, the grassroots organizers who knock on doors and make phone calls.
The campaign launched the 3 million Stronger program on July 18, with a mission to register and commit to vote three million people. “We used the convention this week to continue to do this work, going into communities to register to vote and commit to vote for Hillary. Tonight there will be 350 house parties in battleground states and more tuning in tonight. In the hall, we will connect four of the watch parties with the attendees – you will see on the screen as they watch in Richmond VA, Brooklyn NY, Madison WI, and Denver CO. You will get a chance to see what is happening in their living rooms – see organizing first hand, how we are using this convention to build.”
The convention was viewed as a unique opportunity to introduce Hillary Clinton and her plans to address economic and national security to people who don’t typically tune in. The firs ttwo nights set record viewership, she said and she expected the same for the third night, when Obama and biden spoke, according to April Mellody, the DNC’s Deputy CEO for Communications.
“Particularly since after what the country saw at RNC, America has a chance to see from Democrats why Hillary is the most qualified person to ever seek the office of president, and also how she has been motivated her whole life to help children and families and has the values to be a great president.
“They are seeing plans to make an economy that works for everyone, an economy that will grow – Mayor Bloomberg spoke effectively, he is not just as concerned American but as a businessman who said Hillary would be the best for business – not just growth but fair growth.”
Obama was not shy mentioning Trump by name, Hillary is likely to be clear about what the choice is in this election and the threat his presidency would pose, and why she is better.
During a press briefing, she said, this week, Trump “suggesting that a foreign country – in this case a hostile state to US conduct espionage against an opponent running to seek the presidency of US is never sarcastic, never a joke, [the Hillary campaign] shall take it seriously. You should treat it seriously because he is the Republican nominee for president and we should hold him accountable. As the New York Times reported, US intelligence has told the White House they believe the DNC was hacked by Russians.
“This is first time in modern history that we’ve had presumably a foreign power seek to engage in influencing our election and there are a lot of questions that all you should consider seriously – such as Mr. Trump’s view that we should weaken our alliances against Russia. That the RNC platform chose to take away language that was in support of Ukraine and express support for Russia’s involvement there. Trump’s disturbing affinity for Putin and others. This is not a curiosity any more, not politics, this is a matter of national security and should concern every American and take seriously.”
Asked about Obama’s reference to “jihadists and home grown demagogues,” she “Donald Trump demagogues in a way that we have not seen on the modern political stage, in a way that seeks to divide Americans.”
As for Hillary’s themes, “Throughout the week you have heard- culminating best in Obama speech – in the words of our president, the most qualified person to seek the office – and behind that, through the week, people she never met who has helped, the people closest to she has helped guide, and people she has sought out whose lives she has made her own passion – each night, what has motivated her for public service her own time.
“This is a moment of reckoning for America – two paths – one that seeks division, gives into forces whether economic or social that can divide us, versus a path that working together will make America stronger, and make the economy stronger.”
