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ELECTIONS 2016
2016 Democratic National Convention

Finally, Clinton claims her Democratic crown tonight

John Bacon
USA TODAY
President Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton stand on stage after Obama spoke during the 2016 Democratic National Convention at Wells Fargo Center on Wednesday, July27, 2016.

PHILADELPHIA — Hillary Clinton will take center stage at the Democratic National Convention tonight when she formally accepts her historic presidential nomination and kicks off a 15-week race to the White House.

Clinton's speech, before what will be a packed house at the Wells Fargo Center here, will likely draw on her experience and her belief that "America is at its best when everyone has the chance to fulfill their God-given potential," Clinton spokesman Jesse Ferguson said in an email.

A crucial task for Clinton will be to reassure disillusioned supporters of independent Sen. Bernie Sanders that her shift on issues such as free trade is sincere. Although polls indicate the vast majority of Sanders supporters say they will back Clinton in the general election, dissenters have been vocal and disruptive here.

Other key speakers Thursday include Retired Marine Gen. John Allen, who led troops in Iraq and Afghanistan and served as the U.S. envoy to coordinate the international fight against the Islamic State. Allen endorsed Clinton this week, saying she has the patience and understanding to make decision on use of military power.

“This has been a very personal decision for me,” Allen said. “I have stayed out of the political arena my entire adult life, but given the complexities of issues facing our country today and its longtime allies, I felt compelled to speak up and be heard."

Prep for the polls: See who is running for president and compare where they stand on key issues in our Voter Guide

5 things Clinton needs to accomplish in convention speech

Clinton's nomination culminates a drive that began nine years ago with a bitterly fought, failed primary run against then-Sen. Barack Obama. Eight years later, she again started the primary season as a favorite for her party's crown, but found herself in a battle for her political life when upstart, 74-year-old Vermonter Sanders quietly announced his candidacy — and promptly caught lightning in a bottle.

Sanders won almost two dozen states, pushing Clinton deep into the primary season and declining to endorse her candidacy until two weeks before the convention.

Clinton also was the target of Republicans, who blamed her for the 2012 terror attack at U.S. compounds in Benghazi, Libya, that left U.S. Ambassador Chris Stevens and three other Americans dead.

Then there were two email scandals, the first for her use of a private server while secretary of State, and more recently a hack of Democratic National Committee emails that revealed apparent efforts by some DNC staffers to sabotage Sanders' campaign. Sanders' most strident supporters rattled the convention with vocal outbursts, walkouts and protests.

Dem convention grand finale: All eyes on Hillary

The early days of the convention saw plenty of bashing focused on Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, but also passionate speeches extolling Clinton's virtues from firebrand Sanders, elegant first lady Michelle Obama and folksy former President Bill Clinton.

Wednesday night featured the formal nomination and acceptance speech of vice presidential candidate and Virginia Sen. Tim Kaine, but the night belonged to President Obama.

Outside, chaos erupted nearby that led to seven arrests when protesters stormed security barricades. Inside, Obama held his party faithful spellbound.

#ClintonNation: This is why Americans are voting for Hillary Clinton

Obama burst on the scene with a convention speech in 2004 while a Senate candidate from Illinois. Four years later the senator stunned Clinton in a hard-fought struggle for the nomination. leading to two terms in the White House. On Wednesday, Obama described himself in 2004 as "a skinny kid with a funny name who believes that America has a place for him, too."

Obama blasted Trump and Republicans for decrying all that is wrong with America at their convention that concluded in Cleveland a week ago.

"What we heard in Cleveland last week wasn’t particularly Republican — and it sure wasn’t conservative," Obama said. "What we heard was a deeply pessimistic vision of a country where we turn against each other, and turn away from the rest of the world. There were no serious solutions to pressing problems — just the fanning of resentment, and blame, and anger, and hate. That is not the America I know."  

By contrast, Obama said, "We don’t fear the future. We shape it, we embrace it, as one people, stronger together than we are on our own. That’s what Hillary Clinton understands — this fighter, this stateswoman, this mother and grandmother, this public servant, this patriot — that’s the America she’s fighting for."

"There has never been a man or a woman — not me, not Bill (Clinton), nobody — more qualified than Hillary Clinton to serve as president of the United States of America," he said.

Trump was unimpressed by Obama's pitch, tweeting Thursday: "President Obama spoke last night about a world that doesn’t exist. 70% of the people think our country is going in the wrong direction. #DNC"

Clinton joined Obama onstage as the night ended, and they hugged and waved to the cheering delegates. On Thursday, Clinton will be introduced by her daughter, Chelsea, who recently gave birth to Hillary Clinton's second grandchild.

"This election is so important to me, because I'm now a mom," Chelsea Clinton, 36, said on NBC's TODAY show Thursday. "And as proud as I am of my mom, this election to me is fundamentally about my children, about Charlotte and Aidan."

She said the Hillary Clinton she knows is not the 'Lyin' Hillary' vilified at the GOP convention.

"That's not the person that I grew up with, that I'm so proud to stand beside and to introduce here in Philadelphia," she said.

Contributing: Richard Wolf, Heidi M. Przybyla?, USA TODAY; Jeff Schogol,Marine Corps Times

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