PHILADELPHIA – Once again the weather matched the mood at the Democratic National Convention on Thursday, as the oppressive heat and tensions that occurred earlier in the week gave way to cooler temperatures, light rain and optimism as Hillary Clinton accepted the party’s presidential nomination. It wasn’t a picture-perfect ending, but it paired well with the somewhat muted but nearly unanimous enthusiasm that Clinton’s speech was greeted with in the Wells Fargo Center.
“It is with humility, determination and boundless confidence in America’s promise that I accept your nomination for president of the United States!” Clinton said, making history as the first woman to be nominated for the presidency by a major political party.
The program Thursday built up to Clinton’s speech with a parade of speakers that testified in support of the former secretary of state, New York senator and first lady.
South Carolina Congressman Jim Clyburn took the stage early in the evening to praise Clinton.
“In my home state of South Carolina, we often say you can best tell what a person will do by looking at what he or she has done,” Clyburn said, before praising the activism Clinton engaged in throughout South Carolina and Alabama during her youth.
Bakari Sellers, CNN commentator and former South Carolina state representative, spoke to the convention and tied Clinton’s historic nomination to the civil rights movement and the feminist movement of the 1970s. While he spoke, South Carolina delegates held up placards spelling out his name and enthusiastically cheered.
“Throughout her life, Hillary has stood for the best of who we are,” Sellers said, before finishing his remarks by profusely praising Clinton’s campaign platform.
South Carolina Democratic Party Chairman Jaime Harrison also spoke to the convention. Harrison told delegates Clinton is pursuing a 50-state strategy in her campaign.
“Hillary Clinton, who followed her heart to Arkansas, understands that the American dream extends beyond the Mason-Dixon line and that South Carolina’s motto, ‘while I breathe, I hope,’ applies to all,” he said.
When Clinton took the stage to close the convention, she began by wrapping up the week and praising her primary rival Bernie Sanders.
“Bernie, your campaign inspired millions of Americans,” Clinton said. “Particularly the young people who threw their hearts and souls into our primary.”
Clinton made an appeal to Sanders supporters, many of whom are still not supporting her campaign.
“To all [Sanders] supporters here and around the country: I want you to know, I’ve heard you,” Clinton said. “Your cause is our cause. Our country needs your ideas, energy and passion.”
Many on the far-left remain unconvinced coming out of the convention. One young activist from Seattle, who wished not to be identified lest she be seen as speaking for the entire Socialist Alternative Party due to her party leadership role, said she plans to vote for Green Party presumptive nominee Jill Stein.
“If the Democrats are not going to be the left populist party that we need, we need to make a party of the 99 percent,” she said.
The young socialist said she didn’t agree with Democratic Party officials that suggested this week that protest votes for Stein would mean a victory for Republican nominee Donald Trump.
“I hope Trump doesn’t win, but one step for building a party of the 99 percent is going to be a large vote, of maybe a million votes, for Jill Stein,” she said. “I do live on planet Earth and I understand that Jill Stein is not going to win, but she’s going to take votes from the people who would not vote otherwise, not necessarily from the people who won’t vote for Hillary Clinton.”
After praising Sanders in her speech Thursday, Clinton praised the founding fathers before pivoting to attacking Donald Trump.
Clinton claimed Trump was peddling fear, and quoted Franklin Roosevelt to rebuke the businessman. “The only thing we have to fear is fear itself,” Clinton said.
“We will not build a wall,” Clinton said, blasting Trump’s proposal to stop illegal immigration. “Instead, we will build an economy.”
Many of Clinton’s most well received lines in the hall came during her attacks on Trump. Throughout the speech, a small minority of Sanders delegates tried to shout in protest but were drowned out by chants of “Hillary, Hillary.”
“Remember what the president said last night,” Clinton said as the crowd booed at the mention of Trump. “Don’t boo, vote.”
Clinton quoted Trump’s acceptance speech in Cleveland. “Americans don’t say, ‘I alone can fix it,’” Clinton said. “We say, ‘we’ll fix it together.’”
“Donald Trump says he wants to make America great again,” Clinton said as she continued lambasting her general election rival, this time about outsourcing in his business empire. “Well, he could start by actually making things in America again.”
Clinton attacked Trump’s temperament. “A man you can bait with a tweet is not a man we can trust with nuclear weapons,” she said.
Clinton also suggested Trump is a warmonger. “War might be started not by big men with self-control and restraint, but by little men — the ones moved by fear and pride,” she said, quoting Jackie Kennedy.
Trump responded to Clinton's speech in a statement issued on his campaign website for July 28.
"Her refusal to even say the words ‘Radical Islam’, or to mention her disaster in Libya, or her corrupt email scheme, all show how little she cares about the safety of the American people," the statement read in part. "Excluded from Hillary Clinton’s America are ... the victims of open borders and drug cartels, or the people who’ve lost their jobs because of the Clintons’ trade deals, or any hardworking person who doesn’t have enough money to get a seat at Hillary Clinton’s table."
During her speech Thursday, Clinton suggested Trump's campaign slogan was hypocritical.
“America is great because America is good,” she said. “So enough with the bigotry and bombast.”
But Clinton spent just as much time during her speech on her own campaign and her platform as she spent attacking her opponent. She made an appeal for the youth vote early on during her remarks.
“We have the most tolerant and generous young people we’ve ever had,” Clinton said. She promised to champion reform in higher education funding, a popular cause this election for millennials.
“Bernie Sanders and I will work together to make college tuition-free for the middle class and debt free for all,” Clinton said. “We will also liberate millions of people who already have student debt.”
Clinton paid homage to the historic nature of her candidacy and said it represented progress for the nation.
“When any barrier falls in America for anyone, it clears the way for everyone,” she said.
“My primary mission as president will be to create more opportunity and more good jobs,” Clinton said. “Especially in places that for too long have been left out and left behind.” The “left out and left behind” phrase is one she also used campaigning in Columbia the night before the South Carolina primary.
Clinton also pledged to work for more gun control measures. “I’m not here to take away your guns,” she said. “I just don’t want you to be shot by someone who shouldn’t have a gun in the first place.”
Clinton was somewhat introspective during portions of her remarks. “Through all these years of public service, the 'service' part has always come easier to me than the 'public' part,” she said. Still, she did not attempt to apologize for the recent scandal surrounding her e-mail or other past public scandals that have led to a high unfavorable rating among the American people.
The polarizing politician promised to work for bipartisanship.
“I will be a president … for those who vote for me and those who don’t,” Clinton said. “For all Americans, together.”
Clinton also made an appeal to Republicans and independent voters. “Whatever party you belong to, or if you belong to no party at all, if you share these beliefs, this is your campaign,” she said.
Clinton addressed Americans who are dissatisfied with the current state of affairs in the country. “None of us can be satisfied with the status quo,” she said. “Not by a long shot.”
“Some of you are frustrated — even furious, “ Clinton said. “And you know what? You’re right. It’s not yet working the way it should.”
Clinton closed with a line gently rebutting her opponent’s campaign slogan.
“Let’s build a better tomorrow for our beloved children and our beloved country,” she said. “And when we do, America will be greater than ever.”