Clinton Becomes First Female Democratic Presidential Candidate

Democrat Hillary Clinton has become the first woman to be nominated for president by any major US party.

She reached the milestone in a roll call vote from all 50 states at the Democratic National Convention.

Mrs. Clinton’s nomination comes after Senator Bernie Sanders’ supporters disrupted the first day of the convention with boos and jeers.

Former President Bill Clinton is now speaking about how he met his wife and what makes her qualified for the job.

Mrs. Clinton passed the 2,382 delegates needed to claim the nomination after South Dakota announced its delegate vote count.

In a symbolic gesture of party unity, former Democratic rival, Senator Bernie Sanders, took the microphone to move to suspend the procedural rules and declare Mrs. Clinton as the nominee by acclamation.

The Chair of the Democratic National Committee, Congresswoman Marcia Fudge, approved the motion after a unanimous voice vote and members of the crowd erupted into cheers as they held up new Clinton signs.

Former US Attorney General, Eric Holder, challenged Donald Trump when he said Mrs. Hillary Clinton had the “strength to lead our already great nation… Donald did you hear me? Already great nation”.

Holder said into the camera that the “Mothers of the Movement”, made up of parents who lost a child to police or gun violence, gave a powerful endorsement to Mrs. Clinton.

Geneva Reed-Veal, the mother of Sandra Bland, who died in a jail cell after she was arrested for a traffic stop, said: “What a blessing tonight to be standing here so that Sandy can still speak through her momma.”

President of Planned Parenthood, Cecile Richards, attacked Mr. Trump’s policies on women’s rights, saying: “Mr. Trump, come this November women are going to become a lot more than an inconvenience because women are going to be the reason you’re not elected president.”

Actress Lena Dunham, a fierce Clinton supporter, said of the nominee: “She knows we have to fight hatred of all kind, and not ignite it for the craven purpose of seeking power.”

The second night focused on race and justice, topics that dominated last week’s Republican National Convention in Cleveland.
Sybrina Fulton, the mother of Trayvon Martin, whose death inspired the Black Lives Matter movement, will also take the stage to speak on behalf of Mrs. Clinton.

Dissention on the convention floor plagued the first day when Sanders supporters booed throughout the event.

Senator Sanders scrambled to quell the protest by sending a text message and an email to delegates urging them to remain calm.

Mr. Sanders later took centre stage as the final speaker on the first night and directly told his supporters: “Hillary Clinton must become the next president of the United States.”

In declaring her the nominee, Mr. Sanders echoed Mrs. Clinton in a role she played eight years ago after a hard-fought primary.

At the 2008 Democratic National Convention, Mrs. Clinton called for a vote for Barack Obama by acclamation, ending the roll call vote in an effort to unite the party behind his candidacy.
BBC.