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Biden Delivers Fiery, Forceful Speech; Ana Navarro Hosts 2nd Night of DNC; More Security at DNC; Steve Bullock is Interviewed about Republicans at the DNC. Aired 9-9:30a ET

Aired August 20, 2024 - 09:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

[09:00:00]

KATE BOLDUAN, CNN ANCHOR: Starts now.

JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning, everyone. I'm John Berman, with Sara Sidner. We are in Chicago. Kate Bolduan is in New York.

We are getting new details about this day of the Democratic National Convention coming in. We just learned that Donald Trump's former press secretary, Stephanie Grisham, and I said that, right. Donald Trump's former press secretary, Stephanie Grisham -

SARA SIDNER, CNN ANCHOR: Former press secretary.

BERMAN: She will address the Democratic National Convention. So, that's a thing.

Also a thing tonight will be former President Barack Obama. Someone who will be familiar to many people in the room here. They will have seen him before. Also former First Lady Michelle Obama and the current second gentleman, Doug Emhoff, who is looking kind of to move up a rung on that ladder from second to first.

So, it was just a few hours ago that President Biden delivered his speech. Just after he walked up to that microphone - actually just before he was actually wiping away tears.

SIDNER: In tears.

BERMAN: This was an emotional moment.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOE BIDEN, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: America, I love you.

CROWD: We love Joe. We love Joe. We love Joe. We love Joe.

BIDEN: It's been the honor of my lifetime to serve as your president. I love the job, but I love my country more.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SIDNER: There was so much support for him, but also they are happy that he has handed the mantle over to Kamala Harris. And you saw that there was also heated attacks, of course, over and over again on Donald Trump, with a sprinkle of self-deprecating humor.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOE BIDEN, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Donald Trump calls America a failing nation. No, I'm serious. Think - but think about this. Think about this. He publicly says it to the whole world. I'm going to say something outrageous. I know more foreign leaders by their first names and know them well than anybody alive, just because I'm so damn old.

But I'm not joking. They get a message he sends around the world when he talks about America being a failing nation. He says we're losing. He's the loser. He's dead wrong.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SIDNER: Yowsa (ph).

CNN's senior political analyst Mark Preston joining us now.

Mark, did Joe Biden do what he needed to do for Kamala Harris last night?

MARK PRESTON, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL ANALYST: He certainly did. And he wakes up this morning in California, if it talks about turning the page on the Democratic Party, he came here last night, how to swallow his pride, went on stage, and actually addressed all of the controversy about his decision to leave the race, said it was his own decision, and he holds no grudges against anybody.

Now, if that's the case, he is a better person than I am because I couldn't imagine being in the position that he was in last night. Again, the first day he stands on that stage on the first night. He was supposed to be there Thursday night. But again, he'll be in California for the rest of the week, watching the convention.

But he did pass the torch to Kamala Harris. And, of course, we saw these moments before he gave this speech with Kamala Harris as well, you know, going out and - and greeting him and hugging him and showing that these two are a team.

BERMAN: I guess the difference, Mark, between you and the president is that you're from Massachusetts, he's from Delaware. I mean you come in with a grudge, right?

PRESTON: Right, John, absolutely.

BERMAN: You come in pre-pissed off (INAUDIBLE).

PRESTON: Of course.

BERMAN: So, we've had a lot of people on this morning. And one of the things I think people have noticed, Mark, is that last night, all the many hours of it, more focused on the base perhaps of the Democratic Party. How much do you think the focus needs to shift to maybe independent voters, never Trump Republicans, over the next few days, and how do you think the Harris campaign intends to do that?

PRESTON: OK, so a really good question. And look, we have three more days left. So, the Democratic Party, which we know is - is really governed by its constituencies. You know, they hold a whole lot of power, a whole lot of sway. That's why we're seeing, you know, such a play to them. And we saw that last night.

Doug Emhoff giving the speech tonight is real interesting. He's not giving it on Thursday night, introducing his wife to the nation. Roy Cooper's going to do that. He is the Democratic governor in North Carolina. He was on the shortlist to be potentially a running mate. But more importantly, he is a white male. And I tell you, I think that that was a strategic decision that on Thursday night Roy Cooper would be the one introducing her.

But you're right about the base. The fact is, is that we've seen over the past 15 to 30 days is this excitement from young voters, from voters of color, and certainly from the union side of things.

[09:05:05]

And we saw it - you know, the union representation in here last night. And that's what they need on Election Day in order to get the vote out and what have you.

SIDNER: Mark, I don't think I've ever thought I'd see a day where you had to point out that a white male was speaking on a presidential platform in a convention.

PRESTON: Wild.

SIDNER: I mean, it really - it really says a lot about what has happened over these many years.

Mark Preston, thank you so much. Appreciate your time this morning.

BERMAN: All right, with us now is CNN senior political commentator, who will serve as a host tonight at the Democratic National Convention, Ana Navarro is here.

ANA NAVARRO, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: Most certainly not a white male.

BERMAN: You are - you are not a white male, as you correctly point out.

SIDNER: A Latina firebrand is what I call her.

BERMAN: Thank you for the fact check. But you -

NAVARRO: By the way, that terms - I think the correct political term is white dude.

SIDNER: White dude.

NAVARRO: I told Mark Preston today he's - he's doing this all wrong. BERMAN: If I can speak on behalf of them, you know, we'll answer to anything.

But - but - but, Ana, you say you're not a - you're not a white dude, a white male. One thing you - you were for a long time is the Republican. I mean, I met you. You were working for Jeb Bush and Mitt Romney and John McCain. Like, you're running the show here tonight at the convention. What does that say?

NAVARRO: Look, you know, yesterday when Joe Biden was speaking, and he had that moment, I love my job, but I love my country more. And I think people need to heed those words. We need to love our country more.

So for me, when Donald Trump became the nominee, when Donald Trump, it was clear he was going to win, that was it for me. I didn't need to see him for four years. I saw him come down an escalator, and I knew exactly who he was.

I remember Maya Angelou's words, when they show you who they are, believe them the first time.

SIDNER: Believe them. Yes.

NAVARRO: And I did.

And so, you know, this is a guy who went against the disabled, who went against immigrants, who went against Mexicans, who went against women. We heard him on tape boast about sexual assault. How was that not the end of Donald Trump with a party that claims to be about family values.

We saw him mock a disabled person. I have a disabled brother. How was not the end of - how was that not the end of Donald Trump with the Republican Party, supposedly about Christian values?

So, I - I broke with Donald Trump. I broke with the Republican Party, the Trump party, way back then, and haven't looked back. And frankly, I did all I could to get Joe Biden elected. Joe Biden is a man I've known for over 20 some years. I was so glad to see him get his flowers yesterday.

And I am incredibly excited, elated, to help my girl, Kamala, accept the nomination here today. I've known her for about seven years and I - and she's my friend. And I am thrilled to see that America is getting to see the Kamala Harris I have known. Because I think for the last several - for a couple of years there they tried to define her as what she's not.

And I'm loving seeing this optimism. There's hope. This joy, laughter. Things you don't see in a Republican convention. I'm like, I'm struck by the - the contrast, right? You go to the Republican Convection and it's gloom and doom and fear and distress and division.

This is a party. This is a celebration of democracy. This is channeling optimism. I am beyond myself to have this role today because - because I'm a little refugee girl who fled communism in Nicaragua. I just wish my mom was here to see it.

SIDNER: Wow, you're getting emotional. This has been an emotional time for a lot of people watching this.

NAVARRO: Yes.

SIDNER: Immigration is on - very much on people's minds.

How does Kamala Harris deal with this particular issue? Should she - should she address it here, because it is such a big issue. The economy and immigration, time and again in polling, is something that people talk about and they're worried about it.

NAVARRO: Look, Kamala Harris, first of all, was not the border czar, right? That's a - that's a misnomer that Republicans have tried to put on her. I think she needs to talk about the complexity of the immigration issue. It is not a problem that was created in one year or four years.

SIDNER: Right.

NAVARRO: It's been decades in the making. And I think she needs to turn it around and put a lot of blame on Donald Trump. We had an immigration deal. We had an immigration deal. And it was Donald Trump picking up the phone and calling senators and telling them not to vote for that deal because it would help Joe Biden, who was the nominee at the time, and hurt him is what put the kibosh on that deal.

So, hold them accountable for what they've done, which is continue using the immigration issue for political fodder. Shaman them because we need a solution.

BERMAN: So, you said you've left Donald Trump long ago and the Republican Party as well, but I think you probably still -

[09:10:02]

NAVARRO: I'm still a registered Republican.

BERMAN: You still speak Republican, right? So, I am curious, for the remaining three days of the Democratic Convention, if there are things you think that the Democrats should avoid, or if there's a certain way that they should speak to Republican or independent voters out there.

NAVARRO: You know what, don't overthink it. People need to speak from the heart.

I think the reason that this campaign has captured lightning in a bottle in the last four weeks, it's because it's been organic, because it's been authentic, because it's been joyful. People want to join because you want to be part of the excitement. You want to be part of the party. You want to be part of the happiness, right? And enthusiasm is contagious.

So, forget the focus groups, forget overthinking it. Just be real. Talk from the heart. There's enough to say. And have fun doing it. Have fun doing it. What this campaign has shown in the last four weeks is that you can - you can - you can win, you can make progress, and you can do it while still having fun and being authentic. Thats what I would say to Democrats and anybody listening.

SIDNER: I just want to know the phone call that came. Like, how did this happen -

BERMAN: Oh, yes.

SIDNER: That you are - you are now run of show. You're the lady in charge doing - pushing this through. How did that happen?

NAVARRO: I'm not sure I'm in charge of much, but there - believe me, there's a lot of people in charge of me. But I got a phone call asking me - reminding me of what it had been like four years ago. Four years ago the four hosts had been my friend, my sister, Mia Manner (ph), Eva Longoria, Tracee Ellis Ross, Kerry Washington, and Julia Louis- Dreyfus. And so they asked me if I will do it this year. And last - remember, four years ago it was virtual.

SIDNER: Right.

NAVARRO: And so -

SIDNER: That was painful for everyone, just the virtual everything of it was just hard.

NAVARRO: And I - I actually, you know, got a call about this when it was still Joe Biden. And I love Joe Biden. And I -

SIDNER: Did you accept?

NAVARRO: Absolutely. No - I mean I was going - I - I - I've had this clear from the get-go. I've had this clear from 2016. My purpose is to make sure that Donald Trump does not get anywhere near the White House. We failed in 2016. We're not going to fail in 2024.

BERMAN: Ana Navarro -

SIDNER: (INAUDIBLE).

BERMAN: Great to see you.

NAVARRO: Thank you.

BERMAN: Thanks so much for being with us.

NAVARRO: Are you going to stay up?

BERMAN: You know -

SIDNER: Yes.

BERMAN: It's morning television.

SIDNER: I have to. BERMAN: It's morning television. Do what you have to do.

Thank you so much.

SIDNER: I'll be there on the floor tonight. It will be fun, but we're crazy.

BERMAN: All right, Kate Bolduan in New York.

KATE BOLDUAN, CNN ANCHOR: Thank you.

So, the big question is, will there be a surprise guest of Ana's constant companion, her adorable dog Chacha (ph). We will see. Do not tell, Ana.

SIDNER: Yes, see.

BOLDUAN: She can do it.

SIDNER: Yes, she's here.

NAVARRO: She's here with an entirely new - brand new leash. Stars and stripes. We're ready.

SIDNER: She's going to be shown off. We know that.

BOLDUAN: Non-partisan, bipartisan, sweetest doggie in the world.

All right, let's get to this now.

New security measures going up this morning in Chicago after protesters breached some of the barriers around the Democratic Convention.

And the power of the social media influencer in today's politics on display at the Democratic Convention this week. How the Harris campaign is embracing and trying to harness some of the biggest stars from TikTok and Instagram in hopes of winning over more voters.

And Donald Trump's long running preoccupation with Taylor Swift taking a bit of a new twist, accepting an endorsement from Swift that does not exist.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[09:18:05]

BOLDUAN: This morning, crews in Chicago have installed an additional line of security fencing near the United Center after a small group of protesters broke through part of the barrier on the first day of the convention. Police arrested four people.

CNN's Whitney Wild is outside the convention for us again this morning.

Whitney, good morning. WHITNEY WILD, CNN LAW ENFORCEMENT CORRESPONDENT: Kate, good morning to you.

What we'll show you is this extra layer of security that they're adding as a result of breaching that fence. So, if you come over here, we're just outside the United Center. We're about a block-and-a-half away from where the breach happened, Kate. And what you can see is down the street here, they're adding an extra layer of fencing. So now instead of two layers of fence, there is three layers.

And this is, you know, just an example of the way that law enforcement is trying to fortify this area after the breach. And a couple other things that we're seeing, the fence, that's different this morning is these bolts here that are securing these in place. And then, in addition, this extra layer here, Kate, it stopped at the top of this panel. And then what we saw this morning is this extra panel going up.

And what protesters were able to do, Kate, is they - they sort of got together and they came from the bottom and lifted it up and went up and over, and that's how they were able to breach the fence. So, law enforcement and these crews have been working all night trying to fortify this area.

Superintendent Larry Snelling was on scene. He has made very clear in multiple briefings for months that we have been at, Kate, saying he wants to protect the First Amendment right to protest, but will not tolerate any criminal activity.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SUPT. LARRY SNELLING, CHICAGO POLICE: Our job here is to make sure that we keep the DNC safe, keep our city safe, and keep our people safe. We have no idea what they would have done if they'd gotten on to the other side. But as I said before, we're not going to tolerate anyone who is going to vandalize things in our city. We're not going to tolerate anyone who are going to commit acts of violence.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WILD: Kate, certainly that - they had intended to prevent any breach like that before. So, there may be more questions for the Chicago Police Department today.

[09:20:02]

We expect to hear from them later this morning, Kate.

BOLDUAN: All right, Whitney, thank you very much for the update.

So, day two kicking off of the Democratic Convention. A Democratic Convention that is going to spotlight, as we just saw from Ana, some Republicans tonight. So, who's taking the stage and why.

And the next generation of voters, young voters, those elusive younger voters that every presidential campaign wishes to win, and the new role social media influencers may be taking in terms of that now. (COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[09:25:06]

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. ALEXANDRIA OCASIO-CORTEZ (D-NY): Donald Trump would sell this country for $1 if it meant lining his own pockets and greasing the palms of his Wall Street friends.

DERRICK JOHNSON, PRESIDENT AND CEO, NAACP: I'm Derrick Johnson, president and CEO of the NAACP. And I'm here to do my black (ph) job.

MALLORY MCMORROW (D), MICHIGAN STATE SENATOR: And this - this is Project 2025.

SHAWN FAIN, UAW PRESIDENT: In the words of the great American poet, Nelly (ph), it's getting hot in here.

REP. MAXINE WATERS (D-CA): We can ask ourselves, is this America? And we will be able to say, loudly and proudly, you're damn right it is.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SIDNER: Tonight, and over the remaining nights of the Democratic National Convention, we will hear from several Republicans fighting to make sure Donald Trump does not make it back into the White House. That includes CNN's senior political commentator, and former Illinois congressman, Adam Kinzinger, and Geoff Duncan, the former lieutenant governor of Georgia. Can these Republicans rally red state voters around Kamala Harris is the big question.

Here now to discuss is Steve Bullock, the former Democratic governor, to be clear, of Montana.

You, as a Democrat, you've won three state races in a deeply, deeply red state. So, what does Kamala Harris and what do the speakers have to do to try and bring some independents over, bring some of those who are - who are Republicans but don't like their candidate?

STEVE BULLOCK (D), FORMER MONTANA GOVERNOR: No. And, look, when we say deeply red state, those are always states that are 55-45. Or, you know, so there's already 45 percent of people that are going to be there.

And I think what you have to do is talk about the issues that matter. Like, you think about what Tim Walz has done with free lunches for kids. Now that doesn't have any necessarily, you know, gradation when it comes to incomes. When you look at childcare tax - or the child tax credit -

SIDNER: Tax credit.

BULLOCK: When you look at these things that actually hit on people's lives, and the core issues of, like, we're doing a lot with a group I'm with, American Bridge, Michigan, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, talking about freedom, talking about democracy, and talking about abortion and reproductive health. When you talk - you know, not what you see just on cable television, but what people talk about at a bar, across a fence post, or at their own kitchen table, I think it matters.

SIDNER: What people talk about and complain about, that's the other thing that they want fixed.

BULLOCK: No, that's right.

SIDNER: Yes.

BULLOCK: Right.

BERMAN: And you heard a little bit of the sound from the event last night and you saw the lineup last night. So, how much does who said it and what they said addressed the red states and purple state voters out there so far.

BULLOCK: Well, I think when the head of the UAW talks about what it matters for working folks, it certainly makes a difference. You know, and you look at Kamala Harris, who spent her career serve the peoples as a prosecutor, Tim Walz, who served as a teacher and a member of Congress, and the statement that you saw in that clip that these guys have only served themselves, I think that actually does resonate with folks.

SIDNER: I do want ask you, you wrote an op-ed back in 2021. And I remember it because it stood out to me. And the title was, my fellow Democrats, you need to get out of the city more. And you said the Democrats are in trouble in rural America because they don't talk about their struggles. There it is there. Is that still the case? Are Dems still in trouble in rural America in not making that connection?

BULLOCK: No, look - look, we know ex-urban vs urban, that Democrats typically perform a heck of a lot better in urban areas. But we do have to - Democrats do have to show up. They have to listen. They have to begin with this base assumption that most people's lives are too busy for politics. But what everybody cares about is a safe community, a roof over their head, a decent job.

So, we still have a lot more work to do in rural America.

BERMAN: Along those lines, were you still running for office in Montana, would this be a convention you'd be comfortable coming to in an election year?

BULLOCK: Look, if I was running for office, I'd - this year, I would be exactly where I should be, in Montana, talking to voters.

But I also do things -

BERMAN: But that something.

SIDNER: Yes.

BULLOCK: Yes. But I also do think it does say something, but it also says that your first role is to make sure you're taking care of your constituents and who's going to vote for you, more than big national conventions. So, I never went, certainly, when I was running for office.

But I do think like, you know, and I've known Tim Walz since he first became governors, I was chair of the National Governors Association. Like here's a guy that can talk anywhere and people can connect with him as a human being, as a coach, as a former teacher.

SIDNER: I do want to ask you about that because it's interesting that we are now talking - it used to be we were talking about the female vote, right? And we still are. The black vote. The Latino vote. Now we're talking about the male vote. And if you look at the - sort of the polling, more men go for Donald Trump by - by a pretty large margin.

[09:30:04]

So, what does Tim Walz's role do to try and bridge.