DNC Hangover 3: Hillary surprise, Obama’s reminders and Biden does Biden

This was the night of major Democratic players at the DNC: Barack Obama. Joe Biden. Tim Kaine. And yeah, a surprise appearance from Hillary Clinton herself. She came from backstage to embrace Obama, one day after officially receiving the nomination and one day before she’s set to address the crowd at the DNC.

Billy Penn breaks down the stories of the night in the Wells Fargo Center, the protests that got out of hand outside of it and more in the DNC Hangover.

Most notable moment

At the RNC last week, Donald Trump made a surprise appearance the first night in what felt like a professional wrestling entrance. Hillary Clinton made her surprise appearance Wednesday night, shortly after Obama told the story of his first speech at the DNC in 2004 to all his accomplishments as president and everything in between.  

Obama attacked Trump — saying he wasn’t even Republican — while professing his belief in America’s present and future. Toward the end of his speech, he recounted several different people across the country who gave him faith as an American, from a conservative in Texas who could tell he tried hard to be a good father to a small business owner in Colorado who reduced his salary so he wouldn’t have to lay off any employees.   

“Time and again, you’ve picked me up,” Obama said. “I hope, sometimes, I picked you up, too. Tonight, I ask you to do for Hillary Clinton what you did for me. I ask you to carry her the same way you carried me. Because you’re who I was talking about twelve years ago, when I talked about hope – it’s been you who’ve fueled my dogged faith in our future, even when the odds are great; even when the road is long. Hope in the face of difficulty; hope in the face of uncertainty; the audacity of hope!

“America, you have vindicated that hope these past eight years.”  

Obama and Hillary hugged and chatted for several minutes. During his speech, he had given the Democratic nominee her biggest endorsement yet.

“I can say with confidence there has never been a man or a woman more qualified than Hillary Clinton,” Obama said, “to serve as President of the United States of America.”

Watch Hillary join Obama onstage after his raucously received DNC speech: https://t.co/he0emW8WnP pic.twitter.com/Kwlps4RQz0

— Slate (@Slate) July 28, 2016

The most Biden moments of the night

For the last several years, vice president Joe Biden has captivated audiences with his friendly humor and, more so, by producing the feeling that he could go off the tracks and say literally anything at anytime. On Wednesday, he hilariously steered the crowd to the edge of the tracks at least twice.

First, he referred to Michelle Obama as “kid”: “I don’t know where you are kid, but you are incredible….Barack and I married way up.”

Second… Malarkey! As in Trump’s claims, as in… “He is trying to tell us he cares about the middle class. Give me a break. That is a bunch of malarkey.”

The shift to Trump

• A few speakers criticized Trump the first two nights of the DNC, but most speeches were reserved for complimenting Clinton and stressing the need for unity. That changed quite a bit on Wednesday. Here are a few of the many barbs that were thrown at Trump:
• Michael Bloomberg: “I led a business, and I didn’t start it with a million dollar check from my father.”
• Mike Duggan, Detroit mayor: “Unlike Donald Trump, Detroit is only going to do bankruptcy once.”
• Bill de Blasio, New York mayor: “We know Trump is the great pretender. But how can he pretend to be for American workers?”
• Hakeem Jeffries, representative in the U.S. House for Brooklyn and Queens: “It’s a choice between the Secretary of State and the secretary of hate.”
• Jerry Brown, California governor: “Trump says global warming is a hoax. I say Trump is a fraud.”

The protests

Things started to get out of hand late Wednesday night during the convention. There was fire, a confrontation with police and federal arrests.

First, the arrests. The feds arrested five men and two women who were allegedly attempting to get into the secured perimeter around the Wells Fargo Center by attempting to cut through the security fence. Additionally, 35 people were taken into police custody — but apparently not arrested — for blocking an exit out of the secured perimeter.

Police also attempted to rein in protesters trying to get through a gate at Broad and Pattison. A minor confrontation ensued.

Protesters tried to push through gate at Broad & Pattison. Cops rushed to push back. #DemsInPhilly #DNC pic.twitter.com/Hmk9SXimgT

— Michaelle Bond (@MichaelleBond) July 28, 2016

Then there was the fire. A woman stamping out an American flag caught on fire. The flames were quickly doused and the woman was treated for burns.

A woman catches fire after stomping out a US flag lit with lighter fluid. She is being treated for burns @PennLive pic.twitter.com/D5FM7d9xF8

— James Robinson (@jrobinsonphoto) July 28, 2016

Wednesday night was similar to Tuesday night in that the protests became tense for a while but returned to a more orderly state, thanks to the police and to protesters who de-escalated the situation themselves. For the DNC so far, 11 total people have been arrested.

Philly and Pennsylvania shoutouts

If it were anybody but Joe Biden, a Rocky-themed entrance would’ve been a bad cliche. But it was Joe Biden. And Biden, who lives down the road in Wilmington and spends a good amount of time in Philly, pulled it off.

Aside from Mayor Jim Kenney on Monday, Philly got its most attention of the convention tonight, from former police commissioner Charles Ramsey. Ramsey referenced eight officers who died during his tenure.

“I’ve mourned far too many officers killed by guns. And as a nation we’ve mourned far too many innocent people.”

Philly also got a little love from a shoutout to Congressional candidate Dwight Evans during a video about the need to elect a Democratic House this fall. A bit later, Councilwoman Helen Gym’s name appeared on the big screen as part of a segment highlighting diverse leaders.

Go Councilwoman @HelenGymAtLarge #DemsInPhilly #DemConvention #DNCinPHL pic.twitter.com/SMu3CJzWC6

— Katherine for Philly (@Kathy_Gilmore) July 27, 2016

Lee Daniels, co-creator of Empire and Philly native, said he was speaking on Hillary’s invitation, but wondered if she “really knew who I was.” He listed family members who had been incarcerated or lost their lives to gun violence. “That’s the America I know, and still I rise,” said Daniels, invoking Maya Angelou. At first it seemed like the director would be touching on mass incarceration. He did, but he really focused on gun violence.

The gun control pleas

Survivors and victims of gun violence dominated the convention for about an hour Wednesday night. Christine Leinonen opened up this theme when she told the story of her 32-year-old son, who died in the Orlando massacre. Unlike most speeches, which are sprinkled with ovations and applause, the crowd largely went silent as she called for gun control. “Christopher’s paternal grandparents met and fell in love in a Japanese internment camp,” Leinonen said to the crowd to audible gasps. Her next line would bring lots of applause, though: “So it was in his DNA that love always trumps hate.” 

“I’m glad common-sense gun policy was in place when Christopher was born, but where was that common sense the day he died?” she asked. “I never want you to ask that question.”

Stunned silence during Christine Leinonen's speech about her son dying in Orlando. Major applause after. pic.twitter.com/UeKExXBxec

— Billy Penn (@billy_penn) July 27, 2016

Philly’s former police commissioner Ramsey followed, advocating for better gun control measures to save the lives of officers and American citizens. Two survivors of the Charleston massacre were up next and then former Arizona congresswoman Gabby Giffords. She was introduced by her husband, walked to the podium and sounded as healthy as she has in a public setting since nearly losing her life after being shot in Arizona in 2011.

“Speaking is difficult for me,” she said. “But come January, I want to say these two words: ‘Madam President.’”

Other headlining speakers

Michael Bloomberg

• General theme: Bloomberg, an independent who led New York as a Republican, was basically like, “I’m not the biggest fan of Hillary in the world, but no way can elect Trump.”
• Memorable quote: “I’m a New Yorker, and I know a con when I see one.”

Jesse Jackson

• General theme: Jackson contrasted with Trump with Hillary and then led the crowd in a chant for the end.
• Memorable quote: “It’s healing time, it’s hope time, it’s Hillary time.” (Bonus: This was The Daily Show‘s Moment of Zen.

.@RevJJackson leads #DemsinPhilly in chant: "It's healing time, it's hope time, it's Hillary time." https://t.co/JUCGM6iByd

— ABC News Politics (@ABCPolitics) July 27, 2016

Tim Kaine

• General theme: The biography/introduction speech. Kaine told his life story, particularly highlighting his working class upbringing, Catholic lifestyle and his experiences with Hispanic culture. As much as the Democrats wanted to give Kaine a major platform, he didn’t come close to matching Biden’s charisma or content and probably should’ve gone before the current VP. However, his dad-joke-style delivery went over well with many.
• Memorable quote: “We should all feel the Bern and not want to get burned by the other guy.”

Martin O’Malley

• General theme: O’Malley attacked Trump and held up Clinton as someone who he personally knew could handle what he called the toughest job in the world. And man did he have a lot of energy. His speech sounded more like a pep talk, and he danced a little jig as he left the stage.
• Memorable quote: “It’s time to put a racist bully in his place, and a tough woman in hers.”

Celebrity sightings at the Wells Fargo Center

• Robert Rodriguez, director of Desperado and Sin City
• Sigourney Weaver
• Broadway chorus including Idina Menzel, Audra MacDonald, Kristen Bell, Kristin Chenowith and many others

Stars of Broadway perform "What the World Needs Now is Love" at #DemConvention https://t.co/QR3pdmq9Lm #DemsInPhilly https://t.co/JKj1XdMgsl

— CNN (@CNN) July 28, 2016

• Lance Bass (shown multiple times on the big screens inside Wells Fargo)
• Bradley Cooper

Best tweet

You knew the malarkey tweet would win.

HRC: "I need you to destroy Donald Trump. Absolutely ether him. Say 'malarkey' too."

Joe: "Say no more fam." pic.twitter.com/aXUWsSZuav

— Sam Stryker (@sbstryker) July 28, 2016

Best .gif

The DNC tonight, essentially: #DemsInPhilly pic.twitter.com/Gu5HLdtB5a

— Ellie Hall (@ellievhall) July 28, 2016

Stories from Wednesday

• Kick back with a Lime-A-Rita as the GOP mocks Democrats in South Philly
• Uber offers big dollars to Philly drivers to fix Wells Fargo wait times
• Rebuilding Kensington’s ‘Clintonville,’ far from the DNC spotlight
• Facebook for voting: Introducing Brigade, the social network for elections
• DNC Hangover 2: Hillary’s message to America’s girls, Bernie tears

What to expect today

4:00 PM – 6:00 PM (EDT) 

Call to Order
U.S. Representative Marcia Fudge (Ohio)

Invocation
Archbishop from Greek Orthodox Church, Reverend Bernice King, Native American Gov.
Eddie Torres, Sr. Mary Scullion

Pledge of Allegiance

National Anthem
Star Swain

Remarks
President of the League of Conservation Voters Gene Karpinski

Remarks
Minnesota State Representative Peggy Flanagan

Remarks
U.S. Representative Ted Deutch (Florida)

Remarks
Former Mayor of Los Angeles Antonio Villaraigosa

Remarks
Former South Carolina State Representative Bakari Sellers

Remarks
South Carolina Democratic Party Chair Jamie Harrison

Remarks
U.S. Representative Maxine Waters (California)