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Mahoning Valley delegates react to first day of DNC
YOUNGSTOWN
As the first day of the Democratic National Convention came to a close with an impassioned speech from U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders on Monday night, Mahoning Valley natives who attended the events in Philadelphia offered their reactions.
Among them were David Betras, the Mahoning County Democratic Party chairman, and former state Rep. Robert Hagan, who were there as delegates for Hillary Clinton and Sanders, respectively.
While they’re in support of different candidates, both emphasized the same point, also the official theme of the day: party unity.
“The press is overplaying the dissension. If you’re here in the hall, it’s not nearly what it’s represented,” said Betras, referring to media reports of things such as boos, jeers and tears from Sanders supporters bitter over Clinton’s nomination.
“If anyone had any question why they should vote for Hillary Clinton, Bernie Sanders made the case for her,” Betras said. “This party is unified. We’re moving forward.”
Hagan, while acknowledging the difficulty of surrender after campaigning for a candidate in which you believe, said he believes other Sanders supporters are now willing to throw their support behind Clinton as Sanders himself has.
“Tonight, I saw a lot of unity. I saw very few people that were disappointed,” he said. “Those of us who have been with Bernie understand how important this election is. ... It’s an election about the future. It’s an election about the leader of the free world. ... We’re willing to actively help Hillary Clinton become the first woman president of the United States.”
That’s exactly what Sanders is now pushing his legion of passionate supporters to do, declaring in his convention speech that Clinton “must become the next president of the United States.”
Both Betras and Hagan identified first lady Michelle Obama’s rousing speech in support of Clinton as a highlight of the night.
Hagan, in particular, was struck by her observation that she “wakes up every morning in a house that was built by slaves.”
“It was really an incredible moment. All of us were really stunned by it,” he said.
Betras, too, enjoyed Obama’s speech, and U.S. Sen. Cory Booker’s.
“But the icing on the cake was Bernie Sanders’ speech, making the case for why people in the Mahoning Valley need to vote for Hillary Clinton,” he said.
Of being there to support Clinton, he said, “It’s historic. It’s historic that after this party nominated and elected the first black president, we’re going to nominate and elect the first woman president.
“‘We are stronger together’ is the theme – and we are stronger together.”