PHILADELPHIA — “The people united will not be divided” — a phrase coined to represent the masses who locked arms and joined hands for mutual benefit. Outside as protesters marched, it became a chant as a strong front for change. Inside Wells Fargo Center it represented a strong plea of a party, trying to merge ideas and make their statement to American voters.
A lesson in history
As Nov. 1 approaches the Democratic party hopes to “come together,” like the famous Beatles song played during the convention. A hope that, throughout the week of the Democratic National Convention, seemed unattainable.
Former Michigan Senator Carl Levin compared 2016’s election to that of 1948’s election, when the party saw a division between Democratic incumbent Harry S. Truman and new Progressive party leader Henry Wallace at the Michigan Delegation Breakfast. Levin paralleled Wallace to Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.).
Levin’s father, a Wallace supporter, was pleaded by Levin and his brother to vote for Wallace or to not vote at all, he said. But not voting would have handed it to Republican nominee Thomas Dewey, or Donald Trump in 2016, he said.
“Folks, he never regretted a day in his life voting for Harry Truman,” Levin said.
Both were good nominees, but Wallace wasn’t going to win and Levin’s father knew that, he said.
“We’ve seen it all and all we can do is plead a little bit of history here,” Levin said. “The only way that Trump, a guy like him, can win is if the people stay home.”
Levin said if people stay home because they had preferred someone else like Wallace, Dewey would have won.
Scandal at the DNC
Sanders supporters frequently sought to have their voices heard this week, after WikiLeaks revealed that their candidate was conspired against. Former DNC permanent chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz resigned after emails released by WikiLeaks presented evidence of bias within the Democratic party. The scandal intensified the week and a division grew.
Speeches on Monday were interrupted by chants and “boos” of Sanders delegates.
Former Michigan Gov. Jim Blanchard, a Hillary Clinton delegate, said the disappointment is a familiar trend because it is the first convention for many Sanders supporters.
“Sometimes when it’s your first campaign and there is such emotion and you don’t win, it’s so hard to all of the sudden flip the switch,” Blanchard said.
Blanchard said the platform was a huge compromise and showed unity within the party. Blanchard said Clinton is the best choice for the party to defeat Trump.
“There’s not a lot of difference on issues between Sanders and Hillary,” Blanchard said. “That’s why the platform came together without any big fights.”
The Democratic platform made statements on the minimum wage, college debt and healthcare that many say was brought about by Sanders.
Sen. Sanders said the platform is the most progressive in the Democratic party’s history. His supporters agree that Sanders is to thank for that.
“I think it’s a good platform,” Arizona Sanders delegate Dan O’Neal said. “It’s directly because of Bernie. If it wasn’t for Bernie and the millions of people that supported him the platform would reflect the same.”
O’Neal said Sanders supporters are for Sanders because of his progressive plans that they didn’t necessarily see from Clinton.
Striving for unity
Some Sanders delegates see a division even with “together” supporters who are willing to join Clinton so easily.
“Nobody, not any of the delegates here if we were to get on board, not any politician, not any surrogate for Senator Sanders, not Bernie himself has a magical button that can just create unity,” MSU supply chain management junior and Sanders delegate Neil Oza said. “That can bring everyone on board.”
Oza said he’s still waiting to see more from Clinton about Sanders progressive plans in order to garner his vote.
“There are lots of people including myself very willing to vote for Secretary Clinton,” Oza said. “But, I don’t vote for someone simply because there’s a worse alternative.”
As far as party unity, Oza said the Democratic party is more divided than people think mainly because of the treatment of Sanders and his movement. Oza said he isn’t sure he can support Clinton.
“I’m going to have to believe in a candidate,” Oza said.
Many Sanders delegates were on the fence about getting behind Clinton out of fear of Trump, and others think unity is essential.
“We’re going to come out of the convention more unified,” Sanders delegate and Central Michigan University student Ethan Petzold said.
Petzold said through Sanders urging and the Wasserman Schultz resignation, the party will unify.
Throughout the week, speeches from first lady Michelle Obama, Sen. Sanders, Sen. Elizabeth Warren and many more brought forth messages of unity within the party in order to defeat Trump.
Even once adamant supporters, including actress Sarah Silverman, told “Bernie or Bust” people that, “You’re being ridiculous,” she said.
As another strive for unity, Sanders declared Clinton the Democratic nominee by acclamation at the end of the roll call vote. Following Sanders' move to nominate Clinton, several Sanders delegates and supporters exited the arena and occupied the media tent.
Several Sanders supporters stood in the arena and outside with tape over their mouths in objection to Clinton’s nomination and the treatment of Sanders by the Democratic National Committee.
Crowd then shouted,"Yes, we can." @thesnews #DemsInPhilly pic.twitter.com/XXWDDtKrQz
— Rachel Fradette (@Rachel_Fradette) July 28, 2016
The question of whether they will abstain from voting to avoid Clinton or Trump is unknown.
“I think most probably 90 percent will be voting for Hillary,” Blanchard said on Sanders voters deciding to vote for Clinton in November.
“I think people have gotten very used to this very front runner candidate, historically,” Clinton delegate Elizabeth Welch of Grand Rapids said. “Actually, a lot of conventions go through this.”
Welch said it can be incredibly tough when someone gets behind a candidate and things don’t work out.
“If were going to be serious players in electoral politics,” Blanchard said. “You have to be realistic and you have to be unified.”
