Baltimore Mayor who Took Gavel in Place of Wasserman Schultz 'Optimistic' About Unity

— -- Baltimore Mayor Stephanie C. Rawlings-Blake, the secretary of the Democratic National Committee who on short notice filled in for DNC Chair Debbie Wasserman-Shultz on convention gavel duty Monday, told ABC News that she is "still very optimistic" about the party's members coming together in the wake of a controversial email leak and waves of protests at the convention.

Rawlings-Blake said Sen. Bernie Sanders "needs to set the tone" to bring the party together as it's important to "stay focused" on beating Donald Trump even as differences within the party have caused disruption both in and outside the convention hall on Monday.

Rawlings-Blake said some of the anger displayed on Monday at the convention was to be expected and compared the convention floor to a "football field on game day."

"Everyone here is hyped up," she said. "We're focused on moving forward."

She also defended the the right of protesters to express their differences with the party.

"Democracy is sometimes messy," she said.