PHILADELPHIA — Interim Democratic National Committee Chairwoman Donna Brazile — who is trying to tamp down an aggressive faction of Bernie Sanders supporters from disrupting the convention any further — insisted at the party's women's caucus Tuesday morning, "we're unified, ladies and gentlemen."
Brazile's comments came after thousands of Sanders supporters protested both in the streets and on the floor of the convention hall Monday — even heckling Sen. Elizabeth Warren by yelling "We trusted you!" during her keynote address.
On Monday, Brazile apologized to Sanders and his supporters after leaked DNC emails published by Wikileaks showed party officials talking about working against the Sanders campaign. (Former Chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz resigned in the wake of the scandal.) Brazile called the messages "ridiculous, insensitive, and inappropriate."
Brazile kept up the apology tour Tuesday. "I've had a lot of contrition this week," she told the crowd of about 350 people gathered in Philadelphia's convention center.
"I've done my confession, and for those of you who've accepted the apologies, those of you who understand that mistakes can be made," she said, "we can overcome them."
"Yes," many in the crowd responded, followed by a "thank you!" from one woman.
"We're unified, ladies and gentlemen," Brazile said to a round of applause and cheers.
Brazile's reception Tuesday was very warm, with women lining up between the rows of seats to take her photo as she began speaking.She received raucous support as she passionately delivered a series of "shoutouts" to female political figures such as Eleanor Roosevelt. She finished with an endorsement for Hillary Clinton, leading attendees in a chant of "Hillary! Hillary!"
"Last words, I'm feeling that Bernie, I'm feeling that Bern," she said. "Who said a woman of a certain age can't get that hot?" she asked, the crowd erupting in laughter.