Displaying items by tag: DNC2016

The Former Ohio Governor spoke to the Ohio Delegation Thursday morning, ahead of the final night of the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia. He touched on the race for the White House, Donald Trump, and the "all-important" Senate race in Ohio.

Ohio Democratic Party chairman David Pepper joined The Jasen Sokol Show to talk about whether the Democratic Party is unifying in Philadelphia and preview the speeches by Vice President Joe Biden, President Barack Obama, and Democratic vice presidential nominee Tim Kaine.

Now that Hillary Clinton is the nominee -- time for Democrats to rally the troops. Put Ohio Senator Sherrod Brown in that corner. Brown spoke with Ohio's Democratic delegation this morning on day 3 of the RNC. He says 90% of Bernie Sanders supporters poll in favor of Clinton, and thinks most will come on board by November.

The Cleveland Democrat wasn't shy about taking on Donald Trump on the issue of free trade and economic growth, noting that while Trump was scheduled for Toledo today it was the Democrats who saved auto manufacturing jobs. He also bashed Trump for portrayiing himself as a friend of working Americans with deep reservations about trade deals, noting many of the products bearing the Trump name aren't even made in the United States and much of Trump's wealth was based on business overseas.

Brown also described himself as "honored" going through the vetting for consideration as running mate, the post that eventually went to fellow Senator Tim Kaine, whom Brown describes as one of his closest friends in the Senate.

One of Ohio's delegates, Ruby Gilliam, is 93-years-young, and hails from Minerva, Ohio.

A World War II veteran, she is attending her 8th consecutive convention, and was tapped to say the Pledge of Allegiance, to kick things off on the opening day of the Democratic National Convention.

"When I say the Pledge of Allegiance, I'm saying it to all of our fallen comrades", Ruby tells reporters.

Out of more than 4,000 delegates, she's the oldest attending the convention.

And she admits she's a little nervous to say the pledge... which is why she got help from the youngest delegate; a 17-year-old from Maine.

Ruby has a message for her friends who couldn't make the trip from Minerva to Philadelphia for the 2016 DNC..."wish you were here, I'm having a great time, we're going to nominate Hillary Clinton, who's going to be the next president of the United States."

Below is the interview Ruby did with our own Joe Irizarry from the DNC in Philadelphia: 

The day started early for the woman who will weild the gavel as chair of the Democratic National Convention, which opens later today in Philadelphia. It is a start Cleveland Congresswoman Marcia Fudge didn't see coming when she made her way to Cleveland before the tumult of leaked anti-Bernie Sanders emails from the DNC which led to her elevation as convention chair and sacking of the National Committee chair.

Fudge says of the Bernie Sanders delegates at the Convention, two-thirds are already onboard behind Hillary Clinton's campaign. "Where else are they going to go," Fudge asked when questioned by reporters following a morning breakfast with the Ohio delegation at the Embassy Suites Philadelphia International Airport.

Fudge said talk of delegates supporting Green Party candidate Jill Stein would shift coming out of Philadelphia. "What are their options; where are they going to go...when has the Green Party won anything? Let's be realistic about this; there is too much at stake," said the Cleveland Congresswoman. 

She says he goal over the next four days will be to be "fair and even-handed" to be sure Hillary and Bernie delegates get their say.

UPDATE Wassrman Schultz has resigned her position as chair of the Democratic National Committee, effective the end of the DNC in Philadelphia. The position will be filled on an interim basis by longtime Clinton confidant Donna Brazile.

The embattled chair of the Democratic National Committee -- snared in an email scandal showing party insiders worked to diminish Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders' campaign -- won't be speaking to her national convention. Instead, it'll be Cleveland U.S. Representative Marcia Fudge weilding the gavel in Philadephia.

Just as the Republicans came to Cleveland with a presumptive nominee and running mate, the Democrats move into Philadelphia for their convention with a presumptive nominee and running mate. Both sides will say that's where the similarity ends.

Hillary Clinton and Tim Kaine come into the Wells Fargo Center the clear choice of delegates convening in the City of Brotherly Love, poised to show some Sisterly Love and nominate the first major-party woman to lead their ticket. Clinton not only has 2,807 delegates -- far surpassing the 2,383 needed to nominate -- she also has the endorsement of her rivals in the primary, including Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders.

But like the fractures in the GOP, the Democrats also have their own splits; a Wikileaks dump of hacked emails from Democratic National Committee insiders paints a picture of the party apparatus clearly taking sides, even to the point of suggested attacks on Sanders.

The Sanders campaign says they are "disappointed" and would like to see those connected to the anti-Sanders strategies held accountable, and the chair of the Democratic National Committee, Florida Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz, won't be speaking at the convention in marked contrast to her Republican counterpart. The leaked emails show Wasserman Schultz as taking sides in the primary as both leading candidates fought for the nomination. Cleveland Democratic Congresswoman Marcia Fudge will instead chair the convention after the DNC Rules Committee decided to scrap Wasserman Schultz.

160 delegates from Ohio are making the trip for the week-long political convention; the makeup splits into 93 selected at the district level, 31 selected at large, 19 are pledged party leaders and elected officials, 11 are DNC members, one is a former DNC chair and five are elected Congressional representatives.

The list includes former Governor and U.S. Senate candidate Ted Strickland and Akron State Representative Emilia Sykes; Sanders delegates include Akron City Council's Tara Mosely-Samples. So-called "super delegates" include Senator Sherrod Brown, Congressman Tim Ryan, Congresswoman Marcia Fudge, State Representative Kathleen Clyde and State Chair David Pepper.

The gavel drops at 3:00 p.m. with prime time speakers Monday including First Lady Michelle Obama. Former President Bill Clinton speaks Tuesday, President Obama and Vice President Joe Biden are scheduled for Wednesday and Hillary Clinton is scheduled to be introduced by daughter Chelsea Clinton on Thursday. 1590 WAKR will have live coverage on Wednesday and Thursday evening starting at 8:00 both nights.