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Letter From Connecticut Delegate: Bernie Nod To Hillary Showed Unity At DNC

NORWALK, Conn. — Norwalk resident Chris Yerinides is attending the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia as a Connecticut delegate. Here are his reflections on his experience Tuesday at the convention in his own words:

Connecticut delegates Chris Yerinides and Nina Sherwood pose for a photo at the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia Tuesday.

Connecticut delegates Chris Yerinides and Nina Sherwood pose for a photo at the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia Tuesday.

Photo Credit: Contributed/Chris Yerinides

My second day at the Democratic National Convention proved much calmer than my first.

I started off my morning by eating breakfast with the Connecticut delegation. I sat with fellow Bernie [Sanders] supporters, and we discussed how to keep moving forward despite failing to secure the Democratic Party nomination. The unwavering enthusiasm and optimism in this conversation set the mood for the rest of my day. It was clear to me that while Bernie didn't have enough pledged delegates to beat Hillary [Clinton], his movement still had life — and a path to continue. We then left breakfast to cast our votes for Bernie Sanders. I want to once again thank all of those who chose me to represent them. It was an honor to vote for Bernie once again.

Afterward, I had the privilege of gathering with U.S. Sens. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) and Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) — along with many delegates and party officials. Schumer, Blumenthal, and Murphy each gave a short speech, which highlighted their accomplishments and positions. One of the positions all three discussed was their adamant stance against the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP). Thank you!

The most memorable moment Tuesday (and one that I will undoubtedly remember for the rest of my life) occurred during the convention. Yes, announcing the votes from Connecticut was incredible, but not quite the highlight. The golden moment was when Bernie’s brother, Larry, announced the votes from Democrats abroad. His heartfelt speech caused me to cry (I'm getting chills just thinking about it again as I’m typing up this summary up at 1 a.m. on my phone) along with not only the Bernie delegates, but Hillary supporters as well.

This was a moment of immense unity. Thank you, Larry Sanders, for a speech that stole all of our hearts and left us speechless. You are just as sincere as your brother (I had the pleasure of running into Larry a few times since my arrival on Sunday) and there is no doubt that the Sanders family truly cares about this country.

As states continued to be called — in typical Bernie fashion — Bernie did the honorable thing. He passed on Vermont, his home state, so that it would be called last. At the end, he released his delegates and awarded the nomination to Hillary. The arena erupted. Bernie supporters cheered in respect, and Hillary’s camp roared with continuous “Thank you, Bernie!” chants.

It is with pride that I say I agreed with the Hillary supporters.

Thank you, Bernie!

Chris Yerinides 

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