PHILADELPHIA – Disenfranchised Bernie Sanders delegates are talking intensely behind the scenes about how to disrupt the Democratic National Convention to protest the Hillary Clinton and Tim Kaine ticket.
Breitbart News has learned that some groups of delegates are considering nominating a vice presidential challenger to Clinton’s pick Tim Kaine. Others are discussing a potential walkout by Sanders delegates. But Sanders’ speech Monday afternoon urging people to vote for Clinton seems to have damaged the plans, prompting some pro-Bernie delegates to work instead to quash the uprising. The Democratic National Committee is also working to quash the rebellion, with rumors floating that the DNC is trying to break up possible rebels by changing the delegate seating arrangements.
“It’s too soon to say,” Norman Solomon, head of the Bernie Delegates Network, told Breitbart News when asked what kind of commotion to expect on the convention floor. Solomon is heading over to the convention to set up with the California delegation, as of press time. His group has been holding meetings to talk about what their options are for voicing their discontent with Clinton-Kaine.
A Bernie Delegates Network official named Jennifer confirmed to Breitbart News that a “walkout” is still on the table for Sanders supporters, in addition to other options to force television cameras to document Democratic Party disunity. Jennifer said that “negotiations” are underway to plot the best possible disruption or challenge.
“They are talking about walking out during the acceptance speech, they are talking about different floor things that can be done,” Jennifer said.
“The delegates are in touch with each other,” Bernie Delegates Network official Jeff Cohen told Breitbart News. “People are still talking amongst themselves about what to do.”
Cohen noted “the displeasure with Kaine” among many delegates, and said that Kaine could be challenged from the floor.
“It would be easy to put someone in to nomination” to challenge Kaine, Cohen said. “The delegate survey showed that there’s a lot of interest in it. It would be very easy to do.”
Cohen also noted that “everyone is watching Bernie’s speech very closely.” Sanders told his supporters to vote for Clinton.
“I know that there are things that are going to be going on… I will say that I know something that is going on later tonight,” Bernie Sanders delegate Angie Morelli of the Nevada delegation told Breitbart News. Morelli would not elaborate on the details of that plot, but said that she wants the plot to be defeated. It is unclear why she wants the plot to be defeated.
Bernie Sanders-supporting delegate Nomiki Konst told Breitbart News that the willpower is there to stage an uprising. But disorganization among the different factions is hampering the rebellion, and Sanders’ speech backing Clinton is also hurting the rebel cause.
“Hillary people have started to sit down already” to talk about how to consolidate her power on the floor, Konst said. “We heard that they’re sitting [delegates] early… someone told us that they’re staggering” the seating and “trying to split us up.”
“No one is giving us direction,” Konst said. “Bernie got up there today and said that we need to defeat Donald Trump and we need to support Hillary Clinton, and his own delegation booed. It was one of the most insane moments I’ve ever seen. 1,900 people were booing Hillary Clinton and these were all delegates. These people are going to be in the room!”
“I think somebody is going to nominate something,” Konst said, referring to a challenge to Tim Kaine. “Some of them are banding together in different states” but “there is no unified message.”
“I’ve heard Nina Turner” as an alternative nominee to Kaine, Konst said, referring to the prominent Sanders supporter from Ohio.
Konst said “when we vote on the platform I’m sure people are going to be screaming about TPP, climate change, so I’m sure some people are going to get upset.”
But Konst said that “as far as I know, 1900 people are not being organized to walk out,” and noted that a walkout would make it appear that Bernie supporters are “going home without the ball.”
Outside on the streets of Philadelphia, Bernie supporters circled around to listen to his speech on video. When Sanders said that it is imperative to defeat Donald Trump, a group of Berners started groaning and shouting “Don’t say it.” Then Sanders said that his supporters should vote for Hillary Clinton. The circle of Berners booed and yelled “No!,” realizing that their candidate just sold them out.
“Hillary Never!” bellowed one of the Bernie supporters.
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