Convention sketch: the gantlet of Bernie buddies
Today, as delegates emerged from the subway at the Wells Fargo Center where the Democratic National Convention is being held, they were met by hundreds of rowdy protesters pressing against a wire mesh fence, chanting, “Hey, ho, DNC! We won’t vote for Hillary!”
It was a reminder, both to the delegates planning to vote for Hillary Clinton and to the Bernie Sanders delegates, that there are some folks on the left who will never vote for the party’s nominee if it turns out to be you-know-who.
After a relatively quiet day on Sunday when many activists were avoiding the heat, the protesters were out in force as the first day of the convention began. The heat and humidity were hitting record highs, but the crowd outside the fence was energized. They yelled at delegates as they passed by, urging them to change their minds and vote for Sanders.
In a couple of hours, Sanders himself will address the convention. Unless he throws a curveball at the Clinton campaign, he is expected to call for a united front behind Hillary. Even Bernie, though, will not be able to change the minds of his many supporters out in the streets who see no difference between Clinton and Donald Trump.
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