Sarah Silverman: "Bernie or bust" people are ri...
PHILADELPHIA (AP & KWCH) Demi Lovato took to the stage Monday night to endorse Hillary Clinton.
The pop singer is just one of the entertainers set to perform inside the Wells Fargo Center.
Boyz II Men performed shortly before the convention opened. All three members are Philadelphia natives.
Also set to add their celebrity to the 2016 DNC on Monday are Paul Simon, part of the duo Simon & Garfunkel and actress and comedian Sarah Silverman.-----6:20 p.m.
Bernie Sanders" supporters are getting plenty of time at the podium at the Democratic National Convention.
Some key backers of the Vermont senator were late additions to Monday night"s program - in an effort to promote party unity.
Tensions are simmering on the convention"s opening night as Sanders" allies celebrate the onetime presidential candidate and advocate for Hillary Clinton"s election.
Among those added are two strong Sanders supporters - Maine lawmaker Diane Russell and former NAACP president Ben Jealous.
Jealous is praised the party platform and saying, "Join us at the ballot box and we will elect Hillary Clinton as president of these United States."
Some frustrated Sanders fans are continuing to boo at the mention of Clinton"s name.
5:50 p.m.
Bernie Sanders may have asked his supporters as a "personal courtesy" not to protest at the Democratic convention - but not everyone"s willing to heed that request.
Michigan delegate Bruce Fealk says he understands Sanders" position and understands why the Vermont senator is making the request.
But Fealk also says: "I"m really annoyed. ... I haven"t decided yet. I want to support Bernie, but I also want to voice my displeasure with the Democratic Party."
Fealk says he sees the hacked party emails as a revelation, and says they show the party"s disrespect for progressives.
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5:35 p.m.
A Bernie Sanders supporter has taken the stage at the Democratic convention and has two missions.
Diane Russell - a Maine lawmaker - is trying to sell delegates on the compromise that"s been reached on the future role of superdelegates in the nominating process.
And she"s stressing her support for Hillary Clinton.
Russell led an effort to abolish superdelegates - they"re the party insiders who can cast their convention vote for the candidate of their choice.
She"s using her convention speech to praise a deal by the party"s rules committee that establishes a commission" to review the nominating process.
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5:25 p.m.
A Democratic official says Bernie Sanders" campaign has urgently reached out to Hillary Clinton"s team to express concerns that tensions are still raw among Sanders delegates.
They"re fuming about hacked party emails that already have led to the ouster of the head of the Democratic National Committee, Debbie Wasserman Schultz.
Aides to Clinton and Sanders have met in hopes of forming a plan to avoid excessive disruptions on the convention floor.
The Democratic official spoke on condition of anonymity in order to discuss the private discussions.
Sanders has sent out a text message and an email to delegates urging them not to engage in protests on the floor as a "personal courtesy" to him.
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5:05 p.m.
Bernie Sanders is urging supporters not to demonstrate on the floor of the Democratic National Convention.
He"s sending out text messages and emails with his personal request.
Sanders is characterizing the request "as a personal courtesy to me" and urging his followers to "not engage in any kind of protest on the floor."
The Vermont senator says it is of the "utmost importance" that this be explained to the state delegations.
Sanders say "our credibility as a movement will be damaged by booing, turning of backs, walking out or other similar displays."
The challenger to Hillary Clinton is speaking later Monday at the Philadelphia convention.
It comes as many of his supporters contend the Democratic National Committee failed to be neutral during the primaries.
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5 p.m.
The Ohio congresswoman who"s the chair of the Democratic National Convention is getting an earful from a rowdy group of delegates in the convention"s opening moments.
During Marcia Fudge"s opening remarks, she is being halted by boos and chants from Bernie Sanders" delegates at any mention of presumptive nominee Hillary Clinton.
But also cheers - from Clinton"s supporters. At one point, there were chants of "Let her speak!"
Fudge is asking for respect and promising to deliver it in turn.
She says, "We are all Democrats and we need to act like it."
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4:45 p.m.
The Democratic National Committee is offering its "deep and sincere apology" to Bernie Sanders, his supporters and the entire party for what it calls "the inexcusable remarks made over email."
The statement from incoming interim party leader, Donna Brazile, and six other officials says the comments in the emails "do not reflect the values of the DNC or our steadfast commitment to neutrality during the nominating process."
The statement says the party won"t tolerate disrespectful language.
The statement wasn"t signed by the outgoing DNC head, Debbie Wasserman Schultz.
She announced on Sunday that she"d step down from that job at the end of this week"s Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia.
The emails suggested party officials favored Clinton over rival Sanders during the primaries.
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4:15 p.m.
Democrats have gaveled in their convention in Philadelphia - after a day of discord that sent the party chief into exile.
It was Baltimore"s mayor, Stephanie Rawlings-Blake, who called the 47th Democratic convention to order. Her formal welcome was briefly held up a slight oversight - she forgot the gavel and had to retrieve it off stage.
Rawlings-Blake is a last-minute fill-in Debbie Wasserman Schultz, the ousted Democratic National Committee leader.
The Florida congresswoman was forced out of her post by a trove of leaked emails that appeared to show DNC officials favored Hillary Clinton over Sanders in their fierce primary fight. She"s set to step down from the party job after the convention.
Rawlings-Blake serves as secretary of the DNC.
Source: http://www.kwch.com/content/news/DNC-apologizes-for-inexcusable-remarks-388181712.html
