PHILADELPHIA – Their political fates now entwined, President Barack Obama implored voters Wednesday to elect Hillary Clinton to the White House, appealing to the women, minorities and young people who powered his rise and are now crucial to hers.
In addition to party loyalty, a big motivation for Obama's robust support is deep concern that Republican Donald Trump can win in November and unravel the president's eight years in office.
"Anybody who goes into campaigns not running scared can end up losing," Obama said ahead of his address at the Democratic convention in Philadelphia.
For several hours, Trump stole the show.
He touched off a firestorm by encouraging Russia to meddle in the presidential campaign - even as he dismissed suggestions from Obama and other Democrats that Moscow was already acting on the Republican's behalf.
On the heels of reports that Russia may have hacked Democratic Party emails, Trump said, "Russia, if you're listening," he'd like to see Moscow find the thousands of emails Clinton says she deleted during her years as secretary of state. At about the same time, Trump's running mate, Mike Pence, declared there would be "serious consequences" if Russia interfered in U.S. politics.
"You just can't go out and say you want the Russians to conduct espionage on an American citizen," said U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson (D-Fla.). "I was surprised No. 1, that he didn't know better. And No. 2, if he knew better, that he would say it. You just can't do that. You can't fool around with letting our enemies spy on us."
To Obama and Clinton, Trump's comments only fed their contention that the billionaire businessman is unqualified to be commander in chief. Trump has no national security experience and few ties to the norms that have governed U.S. foreign policy under presidents from both parties, including standing by NATO allies threatened by countries including Russia.
"This has to be the first time that a major presidential candidate has actively encouraged a foreign power to conduct espionage against his political opponent," said Clinton adviser Jake Sullivan.
Wednesday night's Democratic lineup was aimed at emphasizing Clinton's own national security credentials, a shift from two nights focused more on re-introducing her to voters as a champion for women's issues, children and families. Among those who took the stage was former Pentagon and CIA chief Leon Panetta, who served alongside Clinton in Obama's Cabinet.
Vice President Joe Biden delivered his valedictory, and Clinton's running mate, Virginia Sen. Tim Kaine, got his turn in the spotlight, too.
Florida delegation has own agenda
Kaine made a surprise appearance at the Florida delegation breakfast Wednesday, arriving before the meeting formally started and speaking to activists in the room.
He spoke to another delegation, then went to the arena and did a walk-through for his speech.
Florida delegates came to the convention with more than just their votes. They are also championing issues they want to see included in the party's official platform.
U.S. Rep. Corrine Brown (D-Fla.) was in Philadelphia for the convention.
Jacksonville’s John Parker wants to see some changes to the Democratic Party, like reducing the number of super-delegates.
“There is a need for super-delegates and many people don't understand. It's really a poorly worded title, but they are your elected party officials, so they are people with experience and we do need them in the event of a tie,” Parker said. “But they want to see more of a raw vote: one vote, one person.”
Parker is the Florida point person for labor, so he honed in on the Trans Pacific Partnership, a trade agreement that has yet to be approved by Congress.
Critics think TPP encourages more exporting of manufacturing jobs to low-wage nations.
Parker is against it.
“One of my personal favorites is the party platform on TPP,” Parker said. “We can't keep outsourcing American jobs. And that seems to be something that everybody agrees on.”
First-time delegate Carl Zimmermann said he hopes his voice is heard, but the high school teacher and former state lawmaker from Pinellas County said his issue probably won’t make the cut for political reasons.
“I'd like to see a no fracking, a ban on fracking,” Zimmerman said. “I'm very disappointed that's not in the platform. But I understand why. Internationally, we have encouraged countries that are dependent on Russian oil to frack so they can free themselves from Russia. That's why they won't put it in a platform. That's what I believe. But I believe it belongs there, and I'd like to see it there.”
The trade agreement has become a big issue in the campaigns, on both sides of the aisle.
Bernie Sanders and Donald Trump both say they’re against it.
Hillary Clinton supported it as Secretary of State, but now says it doesn’t protect Americans enough.
Bloomberg to endorse Clinton
In a move aimed at broadening Clinton's appeal, New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg -- an independent who considered launching a third party bid for president -- will endorse the Democratic nominee.
Clinton's campaign believes Trump's unorthodox candidacy will turn off moderate Republicans, particularly women, who worry he's too unpredictable to take the helm in a turbulent world. They recognize that Republicans, as well as many Democrats, have questions about Clinton's character, but hope to ease those concerns.
Still, the core of Clinton's strategy is putting back together Obama's winning White House coalition. In both his campaigns, Obama carried more than 90 percent of black voters, the overwhelming majority of Hispanics, and more than half of young people and women.
That coalition was vividly on display in the first two nights of the convention in Philadelphia. Women lawmakers were prominently featured, along with young activists, immigrants and mothers whose black children were victims of gun violence, or killed during encounters with law enforcement.
The base-boosting strategy has some Democrats worried Clinton is ceding too much ground to her opponent. Her convention has made little mention of the economic insecurity and anxiety that has, in part, fueled Trump's rise with white, working-class voters.
Clinton campaign full of history
Speaking on MSNBC Wednesday morning, Biden said his party had indeed failed to talk enough about the concerns of white, working-class voters.
The party has "done the right thing" for those voters, said Biden, but it hasn't "spoken to them."
"We've been consumed with crisis after crisis after crisis," he said.
Clinton's convention has been awash in history, with energized delegates celebrating her formal nomination as the first woman to ever lead a major political party in the general election. Some supporters of Clinton's primary rival, Bernie Sanders, continued to voice their displeasure with the pick, but there was nothing they could do to take the nomination away from Clinton.
"As of yesterday, I guess, officially our campaign ended," a teary Sanders acknowledged during a meeting with New England delegates.
Clinton's campaign hopes Sanders' supporters refrain from protesting her running mate Kaine when he takes the stage Wednesday night. Liberals are unhappy with Kaine's support for so-called "fast track" authority for a Pacific Rim trade pact, though Clinton aides say he now opposes the deal in its final form.