Bernie Sanders’ California Delegates Refuse to Fall in Line After Email Hack
PHILADELPHIA — Bernie Sanders sent out a text on Monday asking supporters at the Democratic National Convention not to protest on the floor, but delegates still expressed frustration over the process.
“I ask you as a personal courtesy to me to not engage in any kind of protest on the floor,” Sanders said in the text, according to multiple press reports.
As the convention opened, audible boos could be heard as speakers brought up the Hillary Clinton-Tim Kaine ticket, even as Clinton supporters tried to muffle out the protest with cheers in support.
Although Sanders has endorsed Clinton, and is expected to reiterate the need to defeat Donald Trump in November when he speaks on Monday night, a number of his delegates were dismayed after the Wikileaks release of emails from party officials, which the DNC apologized for on Monday.
Some of the loudest chants in support of Sanders have come from the California delegation.
Joey Aszterbaum, 41, a Sanders delegate from Hemet, said he and others who supported the Vermont senator were not surprised by revelations that senior party officials wanted to help Clinton.
“We were told that we were paranoid, we were told we were crazy or that we should just be quiet,” said Aszterbaum. “But we knew the whole time that something was going on.”
“Now the whole thing is being met with a collective shrug like nothing happened,” said Aszterbaum, a social worker. “But if the superdelegates were doing their jobs they would look at the polls and see that Bernie is the one who has the best chance of beating Donald Trump. But they know where their bread is buttered. And their interest is not in the Democratic process.”
Sanders delegate James Albert also expressed dismay that Sanders would be passed by.
“We felt all along that someone had their finger on the scales of the campaign and now these emails just confirmed that,” said Albert, a 25-year-old from San Bernardino. “We are still trying to appeal to the super-delegates that there still can be a contested convention. They have still not voted. There is still a decision to make.”
As the two men spoke, other delegates erupted into chants of “Bernie! Bernie!” and “Tuition Free! Tuition Free!” They also tried to raise their voices to overwhelm the Clinton delegates voting to approve the party’s platform, but to no avail. The “ayes” were louder in favor of the platform, which was backed by both Clinton and Sanders.
Exacerbating a sometimes tense atmosphere have been logistics. The Wells Fargo Center is about five miles from downtown, meaning that many delegates face a trek getting from their hotels or daytime events to the arena. Once there, attendees face long walks on treeless, asphalt roads and walkways to get to the security perimeter.
That’s a contrast to Cleveland, where the Quicken Loans Arena was located in the downtown area.
It also is hot and humid, with temperatures reaching the upper 90s on Monday.
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