Ohio’s Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown was scratched at the last minute from speaking at the Democratic National Convention last (Wednesday) night, but is preparing to take the stage tonight.
Brown is to be speaking at the DNC the day after Donald Trump campaigned in Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur’s district in Toledo. The Ohio senator has been critical of one of the key elements of Trump’s stump speeches – criticism of trade. Brown says that’s because Trump has been absent from the fight Brown himself has been pushing.
“When I helped to lead the charge with Marcy Kaptur against NAFTA," Brown said. "When I fought PNTR (permanent normal trade relations) against China, and fought the Central American Free Trade agreement, South Korea trade agreement, I never saw Donald Trump. He was never at my side. He was never testifying in committee, he never went in front of the International Trade Commission and said let’s enforce the trade laws. He makes money off trade.”
In contrast, Brown said yesterday Hillary Clinton’s opposition to the Trans Pacific Partnership comes from a nuanced understanding, including what the agreement would do to labor and environmental regulations.
TPP has been a huge issue for many of the Bernie Sanders delegates at the convention.
“The only chance TPP has of being enacted is if Mitch McConnell and Paul Ryan in November and December – after the voters have voted for Hillary Clinton for president -- if they try to jam it through Congress.”
Brown took a few other swipes at Trump, calling him ‘a pretty good demagogue,” a great salesman and a lousy businessman. But he said he intends his speech to be positive and realistic.
Brown, who had been on Clinton’s short list of vice presidential prospects, also laid out some of the details of the vetting process by the numbers: 32 days, six lawyers and a 90-minute meeting with Clinton.
He says he's pleased with Clinton's eventual pick, Virginia Sen. Tim Kaine.
“He calls himself a Pope Francis Democrat. And that’s what he is. I know a lot about his faith ‘cause we talk about it. I’m a Lutheran, he’s a Catholic. He doesn’t wear it on his sleeve, but it informs his behavior and his voting and his advocacy and his life.”
Kaine had been in favor of the Trans Pacific Partnership trade deal , but Brown said he's sure Kaine will follow Clinton's lead.
Sanders Supports Continue Protest
A segment of Bernie Sanders supporters aren't giving up.
For the second night in a row, delegates with the Bernie or Bust movement forced their way into the media tent outside the Democratic National Convention, this time to defend former Ohio state Sen. Nina Turner. But as WKSU’s M.L. Schultze reports for Ohio Public Radio, even some supporters of Bernie Sanders were confused about the details that sparked the protest.
“We’re with Nina.”(chants)
The chants drew reporters, photographers and video crews from all corners of the massive two-story media tent.
Turner was an early advocate for Bernie Sanders and campaigned at his side throughout the country. Many in the crowd of protesters believed the DNC had pulled her credentials.
Jason Edwards, who is in charge of credentialing of Sanders’ delegates in Ohio says he’s not sure what precipitated the protest, but.
“She did not lose her credentials; she has friends in the party on Ohio and they did not pull her credentials.”
Turner told Cleveland.com that she was supposed to be one of those nominating Bernie Sanders Tuesday night but was replaced.
