U.S. President Barack Obama (L) hugs U.S. Democratic Presidential Candidate Hillary Clinton on the third day of the 2016 U.S. Democratic National Convention, at Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the United States, on July 27, 2016. (Photo: Xinhua/Li Muzi)
Former U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on Thursday formally accepted the Democratic Party's nomination for president with a call for party unity against divisive rhetoric of Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump.
"America is once again at a moment of reckoning," said Clinton during her speech on the final day of the Democratic National Convention. "We have to decide whether we all will work together so we all can rise together."
By highlighting "stronger together" -- the theme of her campaign -- Clinton portrayed her leadership as the opposite of Trump's, whom she and other Democrats had long blasted for causing Americans to "fear the future and fear each other."
"We will not build a wall. Instead, we will build an economy where everyone who wants a good paying job can get one," said Clinton.
"And we'll build a path to citizenship for millions of immigrants who are already contributing to our economy. We will not ban a religion. We will work with all Americans and our allies to fight terrorism," she added.
Trump first drew widespread criticism in June 2015 when he said in his presidential announcement speech that Mexico was sending "rapists" and drug dealers to the United States. Since then, he had repeatedly vowed if elected to deport about 11 million undocumented immigrants in the country.
In another outburst of emotional remarks, Trump called for a "total and complete" ban on Muslims entering the United States in the wake of the Paris terrorist attacks in November 2015.
"None of us can raise a family, build a business, heal a community or lift a country totally alone. America needs every one of us to lend our energy, our talents, our ambition to making our nation better and stronger," said Clinton.
In a crucial speech with the main purpose to unify the Democratic Party after a bruised primary season, Clinton appealed to both disgruntled supporters of Bernie Sanders, her rival in the nomination race, and undecided independents by pledging more economic opportunities for Americans and "steady leadership."
"My primary mission as President will be to create more opportunity and more good jobs with rising wages right here in the United States from my first day in office to my last," said Clinton.
"In my first 100 days, we will work with both parties to pass the biggest investment in new, good-paying jobs since World War II. Jobs in manufacturing, clean energy, technology and innovation, small business, and infrastructure," she added.h In an apparent move to woo disgruntled liberals who adamantly supported Sanders, political veteran Clinton in her acceptance speech also vowed to overturn U.S. Supreme Court's 2010 Citizens United ruling that opened the door to unlimited donation in U.S. politics and to strengthen regulations of Wall Street banks and big corporations.
"I believe that our economy isn't working the way it should because our democracy isn't working the way it should," said the Democratic presidential nominee whose close ties to Wall Street had been scrutinized during the year-long campaign.
Meanwhile, by highlighting the looming global and national security threat facing the country, Clinton on Thursday called for "steady leadership" and again questioned whether Trump had the temperament to be commander-in-chief.
"Anyone reading the news can see the threats and turbulence we face. From Baghdad and Kabul, to Nice and Paris and Brussels, to San Bernardino and Orlando, we're dealing with determined enemies that must be defeated," said Clinton. "No wonder people are anxious and looking for reassurance. Looking for steady leadership."
Shortly after Clinton's speech, the Trump camp blasted Clinton for delivering a speech based on "a fantasy universe, not the reality we live in today."
"Hillary Clinton says America is stronger together. But in Hillary Clinton's America, millions of people are left out in the cold. She only stands together with the donors and special interests who've bankrolled her entire life," said the Trump camp in a statement.
Clinton's acceptance speech came at a time as the Democratic Party leadership scrambled to rescue the four-day convention from a political uproar as a disclosure of nearly 20,000 emails from the Democratic National Committee (DNC) reopened the bruising wounds from the primary season.
The emails, published by WikiLeaks last Friday, showed that DNC officials who are supposed to remain neutral during the primary contest appeared to conspire against Sanders, who has championed a "political revolution" electrifying millions of supporters.
Though the DNC issued a formal apology to Sanders on Monday over the leaked emails scandal, thousands of Sanders' staunch supporters took to the streets during the convention to voice support for Sanders and his progressive agenda.
