Bedlam erupts

Bedlam erupts as Wasserman Schultz speaks to Florida delegates

By Nick Gass and Daniel Strauss

Chaos erupted as Debbie Wasserman Schultz addressed Florida delegates on Monday, with opponents jeering the outgoing Democratic National Committee chairwoman as she delivered a speech at a state breakfast meeting.

"So I can see that's little bit of interest in my being here and I appreciate that interest," Wasserman Schultz said amid the cacophony, which began as soon as she started speaking.

"And a little bit of interest from the press," she continued -- straining to be heard over shouts of "Shame!" -- "but that really shows you that Florida is the most significant battleground state that will make sure that Hillary Clinton is elected president of the United States of America. We are the state that will deliver the White House to make sure that we can continue to make the progress that we have been able to make under Barack Obama for the last eight years."

When Wasserman Schultz entered the room, the crowd hushed momentarily and then her supporters began cheering. As she began talking, though, audience members with Bernie Sanders shirts started shouting and yelling waving signs that said “Thanks for the “Help” Debbie" and signs that simply read “e-mails.”

Wasserman Schultz is still slated to gavel in the convention later Monday, although she will is not expected to deliver any larger speech.

Her remarks were drowned out both by cheers and boos from the crowd. The Florida congresswoman, who faces a primary challenge from Bernie Sanders-backed candidate Tim Canova, attempted to pivot away from the party discord immediately, noting the overnight shooting at at a Florida nightclub.

"We have so much to do and we have to make sure that we have to move forward together in a unified way. We know that the voices in this room that are standing up and being disruptive, we know it's not the Florida that we know. The Florida that we know is united," she said. "The Florida that we know is going to make sure that we continue to create jobs like the 14.8 million jobs that were created under Barack Obama's leadership. The 20 million people who now have health care that didn't have it before."

Chris Riker, a pro-Sanders delegate from Miami's 24th district waving a Bernie sign and shouting, said all delegates received an email that Wasserman Schultz would be speaking Monday.

“Honestly it’s their fault that this happened. There is absolutely no reason that a day after rightfully resigning in disgrace with the quote 'Bernie Sanders will not be president' leaked from an email that she should be addressing the delegates," Riker said. "It’s bad for the party, it looks biased and quite frankly it looks tone-deaf.”

“I will literally boo anytime she’s involved in the convention because she shouldn’t be involved," Riker added, remarking that the emails confirmed the chairwoman's "biased conduct" and the state party made a poor decision in having her speak.

Florida state Sen. Eleanor Sobel, wearing a Debbie for Congress shirt, dismissed the Sanders supporters as "rude, disruptive and obnoxious."

"They should have stopped speaking," Sobel said. "They should have stopped speaking and let her speak."

Dan O’Neal, an organizer for the Arizona chapter of the Progressive Democrats of America who supports Sanders, said he came into the room when he heard the shouting.

“She shouldn’t have been here," O'Neal said. " She should have been on a plane back to Florida.”

After her remarks, Wasserman Schultz left the room. New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker then took the stage and the crowd quieted down again.