The Democratic National Convention kicked off marred by controversy on Monday, July 26, with Bernie Sanders supporters showing up in full force to drown out most of the speakers who spoke early on in the ceremony. While jeers would eventually subside to the inspirational orations of Michelle Obama, Cory Booker, Elizabeth Warren and Sanders himself, mention of candidate Hillary Clinton's name continued to draw boos throughout the night. It would end just as it began, with chants of Bernie scattering the crowd, just as it had during a pre-convention event earlier in the day, where before Sanders took to the podium to address his following, avid supporter Rosario Dawson revved up their resistance by calling Clinton's leadership into question.
"Please do understand, especially in regards to someone like Hillary Clinton, who I’ve said before, and I stand by it, is not a leader, she’s a follower," Dawson said. “She follows public opinion on things, so if we stay strong on universal healthcare, if we stay strong on the fight for fifteen, if we stay strong on all of these things… our revolution is dependent on your time, your energy, your blood, sweat and tears, your persistence, your commitment, your dynamism, you and us, making we together."
The 37-year-old activist-actress noted that should Bernie have been the nominee, the pressure on him to represent the interest of his constituency would have been the same. Judging by his inability to encourage followers to fall in line behind Clinton, she was telling no lies, as they seemed primed to show their movement is bigger than the Vermont Senator, shouting over him at the mention of the Democratic nominee, as well. None received the Sanders crowd's wrath more forcefully than shamed DNC Chairwoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz. Schultz stepped down from her position and eventually pulled out as host of the event only hours prior, following a last minute scandal that unfolded when an e-mail hack revealed how members of the committee had coordinated to sabotage Sanders' campaign over the past few months.
It wasn't the first time Dawson took aim at Clinton, calling her out for attempting to slander Sanders on women's issues during a rally in New York City, back in April. Dawson even went as far as foreseeing Clinton's most recent e-mail controversy, when during a rally in March she professed that the DNC indeed had been leaning on delegates to prevent Sanders from gaining the nomination.
Source: youtube.com
