Democratic Convention 2016 Day 1: Speakers, Schedule and What to Expect From Clinton
This year's Democratic National Convention kicked off unceremoniously with an unprecedented email leak which led the Democratic National Committee's chair, Florida Rep. Deborah Wasserman, to resign her post.
But while the DNC may have taken an unexpected stumble at the start, the show must go on. On Monday, Hillary Clinton will take the first step toward solidifying her standing as the party's presidential nominee at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, representing the peak of her robust political career.
Here's what's on tap.
Though Monday's events officially begin at 4 p.m. Eastern, news channels won't begin their live coverage until around 10 p.m., when the day's headlining speakers will take the stage.
According to NJ.com, Monday's big names include politicians like Iowa Senate Majority Leader Mike Gronstal, Oregon Sen. Jeff Merkley, California Rep. Linda Sanchez and New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker, rounding off the night with former Democratic candidate Bernie Sanders and first lady Michelle Obama.
Monday night's theme is "United Together," serving up a host of speakers poised to combat what many saw as a divisive message from Donald Trump's campaign with one of hope and unity.
While the Republican National Convention's opening day heard from relatives of victims who had been killed by undocumented immigrants, other DNC day 1 speakers include Karla Ortiz, who's a U.S. citizen, and her undocumented mother, Francisca and Astrid Silva, an undocumented immigrant who came to the U.S. as a child. Overall, viewers can expect to see the Clinton campaign take a hardline stance against Trump, especially for the sake of voters who are wary of both Trump and Clinton with regards to issues affecting people of color.
Michelle Obama is slated toward the end of the evening, reportedly followed by Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren, whose been called Clinton's "attack dog" when it comes to all things Trump.
Most anticipated on Monday night is Sanders, who the DNC spurned in now-public email exchanges where committee officials plotted to undermine his campaign. Though Sanders, who's already endorsed Clinton, isn't expected to pull a Ted Cruz, the world is watching to see if the Vermont Senator will react to the committee's attempts to sabotage him.
However, chances are slim anyone will go off script: With turmoil plaguing the Democratic party after this weekend's email hack, speakers will likely stick to a message of party unity, a task they perhaps once thought was only a problem for this year's GOP.
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