PHILADELPHIA: The Latest on the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia (all times EDT):
8:36 a.m.
Hillary Clinton’s spokesman says hacked emails in which Democratic party officials discuss how to undermine Bernie Sanders’ campaign don’t mean the nomination process was rigged.
But campaign spokesman Brian Fallon is not defending emails that discuss using Sanders’ religious beliefs against him. He calls those emails “completely unacceptable” and noted that the official involved has apologized. Fallon left open the possibility that the person could face “further action.”
He says that, “by every standard Hillary Clinton won a decisive victory.”
He noted that Clinton won more pledged delegates and had a greater popular vote than Sanders, and that the Vermont senator himself has acknowledged that Clinton is the “rightful nominee.”
Fallon spoke on CNN.
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8:03 a.m.
Donald Trump is brushing off claims that Russia is trying to help his campaign by leaking thousands of emails from the Democratic National Committee.
Trump said in a Tweet Monday that reports of Russia releasing the emails because Russian President Vladimir Putin likes him is “the new joke in town.”
The Republican presidential nominee was reacting a day after Democrat Hillary Clinton’s campaign manager accused “Russian state actors” of breaking into the DNC’s emails to boost Trump. Robby Mook told CNN that it’s no coincidence the emails are coming out on the eve of the party’s nominating convention in Philadelphia. Some Republicans opposed to Trump have sought to cast him as pro-Putin.
Wikileaks has posted emails that suggested the DNC was favoring Clinton during the primary season. The disclosures forced the resignation of DNC chairwoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz.
In another Tweet, Trump says “bad judgment was on display” by DNC officials who criticized Clinton’s primary rival Bernie Sanders.
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7:48 a.m.
Retired Gen. John Allen is endorsing Democrat Hillary Clinton for president, calling it “a very personal decision.”
Allen, who most recently served as America’s special envoy to the coalition fighting the Islamic State group, said Monday that he generally keeps out of politics but “given the complexities of issues facing our country today and its longtime allies, I felt compelled to speak up and be heard.”
He added: “I have no doubt that she is the leader we need at this time to keep our country safe.”
Allen is the former deputy commander of U. S. Central Command and previously oversaw NATO troops in Afghanistan.
Republican Donald Trump has said that in his administration, the U.S. might not come to the defense of NATO allies who don’t contribute enough to the alliance. Republicans and Democrats have widely panned that position as dangerous and evidence of Trump’s lack of fitness for high office. NATO members promise that an attack against any of them is considered an assault against all.
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7:07 a.m.
Elizabeth Warren, a favorite of liberals, will deliver the keynote address at the Democratic convention.
The Massachusetts senator speaks Monday night in an opening lineup that also includes first lady Michelle Obama, New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker and Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, who finished second in the Democratic primary.
Sanders will notably deliver the night’s closing address. Sanders generated enormous enthusiasm among young people and liberals during the Democratic primary, voters Hillary Clinton needs to show up for her in November.
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3:20 a.m.
Democrats are opening their national convention in Philadelphia eager to show off a forward-looking party united behind Hillary Clinton. But they face lingering bitterness among supporters of defeated rival Bernie Sanders and a fresh political mess of the party’s own making.
The resignation of Debbie Wasserman Schultz as chairwoman of the Democratic National Committee made for a rocky start on Sunday. The Florida congresswoman heeded Sanders’ longstanding call to leave as party chief. Her departure comes a few days after the publication of 19,000 hacked emails, which the Vermont senator said confirmed his belief the national party played favorites for Clinton during the primary.
Wasserman Schultz’s abrupt departure was undoubtedly an effort to keep the Democrats’ gathering from devolving into the tumult that marred last week’s Republican National Convention.