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Party Unity Difficult After DNC Emails Leaked

Erik Rankin

Bernie Sanders has the large task of speaking to his supporters at the Democratic National Convention, while also working to unify the party for Hillary Clinton, according to an ISU political scientist.

Illinois State University Politics and Government Professor Erik Rankin is in Philadelphia with ISU students for the convention this week. During GLT's Sound Ideas, Rankin said Sanders has to make sure people don't forget about his revolution within the Democratic party. 

"I think he has to calm their nerves and tell them that even though they we were not elected we have had a great influence A, on the platform itself and B, that he's had the ability to push Hillary Clinton to the left and that's something that I think people don't pay attention to enough," said Rankin.

Rankin says Bernie should present the stark contrast between Trump and Clinton and bring up the stakes if the Democrats lose in the election this November.

Controversy is the key word many people are using to describe the 2016 Presidential election and this week's Democratic National Convention is not shying away from that description. Rankin said between the email scandal and the split between Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders, the media has a lot to cover.

Credit Erik Rankin
ISU's Rankin, in a selfie, outside the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia.

"The media's attempting to expose issues and expose ideas that matter to people. And apparently the dishonesty or at least the appearance  dishonesty from the Clinton campaign is something that really bothers people.  So I think the media has every reason to follow up," said Rankin.

Rankin said Clinton made many unintelligent decisions when handling her email and servers.  Rankin says email scandals can affect anyone's role including DNC Chief Debbie Wasserman Schultz. Schultz resigned after leaked emails indicated how the DNC worked to undermine the Sanders campaign. 

Rankin and some ISU students can be heard during Sound Ideas all week from Philadelphia.

Mike joined GLT's staff as a student reporter in February of 2016 having worked previously as a reporter at Illinois State University's student radio station, 103.3 WZND. He acted as a director for the WZND newsroom for two years. Mike was also seen as a reporter, producer, and anchor at TV-10 News. He graduated with a bachelor's degree in broadcast journalism in May of 2017 before starting his post-graduate career with the Public Affairs Reporting Masters Program at University of Illinois Springfield.
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