Wasserman-Schultz fall hurts Democratic show of unity

TAMPA (FOX 13) - As recently as Friday, Democratic chair Debbie Wasserman-Schultz promised to lead the Democratic convention.

"I will proudly gavel us in to our convention," she said then.

On Monday morning in Philly, she tried to speak to Florida delegates.

"Settle down please," she asked, as she was booed.

How quickly the mighty fall.

An email leak revealed she and Democratic Party staff called Sanders campaign manager a liar and plotted to take Sanders down.

Schultz agreed sunday to step down and let the mayor of  Baltimore open the convention.

The new DNC chair, Donna Brazile, apologized.

"They were salacious and insensitive, very mean-spirited emails."

While the dustup has confirmed earlier accusations of Sanders supporters, who showed their fury around Philly, chanting, "Hell no, DNC, we won't vote for Hillary"

That is the biggest concern of all.

Neither major party can afford to lose more than a few percent of their base in a tight election.

Sanders applauded schultz' departure, but even he felt wrath as he urged unity.

"We have got to elect Hillary Clinton and Tim Kaine," said Sanders.

The lack of unity not only looks bad, it raises the prospect of Democrats losing states they've recently counted on.

Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Iowa and New Hampshire, for instance, account for 40 electoral votes, are states Sanders did relatively well and Trump has targeted.

"This is the real world that we live in," said Sanders. "Trump is a bully."