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Democrats seek display of unity despite leadership shuffle

FILE - In a Tuesday, July 5, 2016 file photo, Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz, D-Fla., speaks during a news conference, in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. On Sunday, July 24, 2016, Wasserman Schultz announced she would step down as DNC chairwoman at the end of the party's convention. Her resignation follows the leak of some 19,000 emails, presumably stolen by hackers and posted to the website Wikileaks, that suggest the DNC favored Hillary Clinton over Bernie Sanders. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky, File) FILE - In a Tuesday, July 5, 2016 file photo, Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz, D-Fla., speaks during a news conference, in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. On Sunday, July 24, 2016, Wasserman Schultz announced she would step down as DNC chairwoman at the end of the party's convention. Her resignation follows the leak of some 19,000 emails, presumably stolen by hackers and posted to the website Wikileaks, that suggest the DNC favored Hillary Clinton over Bernie Sanders. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky, File)

By Associated Press July 25, 2016 1 min read

PHILADELPHIA (AP) – 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.