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Prominent Republicans Speaking at DNC; Interview With Sen. Brian Schatz (D-HI): Obamas Set to Headline Democratic National Convention. Aired 1-1:30p ET

Aired August 20, 2024 - 13:00   ET

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

[13:01:00]

BRIANNA KEILAR, CNN HOST: It is the top of the hour. I am Brianna Keilar in Chicago for day two of the Democratic National Convention. And my good friend and colleague Boris Sanchez is in Washington.

The torch has been passed from President Biden to Vice President Kamala Harris, and now the anticipation is building here at the United Center, as Democrats await speeches from two of the biggest stars in their party.

Tonight, former President Barack Obama and former first lady Michelle Obama will be taking the stage, making the case for why Americans should elect Kamala Harris president.

Harris will not be in attendance at the convention tonight. She is headed for the critical battleground state of Wisconsin, which Donald Trump flipped to his column in 2016 and Joe Biden flipped back in 2020 on the path to that all-important threshold of 270 electoral votes. Harris will be holding a rally and a DNC watch party tonight in Milwaukee.

Her husband, second gentleman Doug Emhoff, will be speaking here in Chicago tonight ahead of the Obamas.

And I'm joined now by CNN's M.J. Lee.

First off, M.J., the night is going to be starting a little bit earlier than it began last night. There were some speeches, there was a James Taylor performance that was jettisoned. And even then, we saw Joe Biden speaking later than was intended.

M.J. LEE, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: That's right. It was a long night.

It got started a little bit later than anticipated. When we got to the point in the evening when the keynote speaker, President Biden, took the stage, that started later. And it was a long speech. I was looking from the floor at the teleprompter, and he was doing a good amount of ad-living, which is not unusual, but I think that contributed to how long the speech ended up going.

And, genuinely, there were so many moments when he was getting really fired up, cheers and chants of "Thank you, Joe," and all of that. I think all of that just made for the evening being a lot longer than the organizers had planned.

And so there were speakers that didn't end up making the cut. James Taylor ended up getting cut, which I know people were upset by. And he was here yesterday too. We saw him doing...

(CROSSTALK)

KEILAR: During the show, yes.

LEE: I have asked if he is going to get re-slotted. We have three days left. I don't know whether he will.

But, for sure, tonight I think they're going to be making some adjustments to try to rectify for all of that starting at 5:30 local instead. But the speakers who are definitely not going to get cut tonight, Barack Obama, Michelle Obama, and Doug Emhoff.

KEILAR: Yes, for sure.

(CROSSTALK)

KEILAR: And I know that you're learning a little bit about what Doug Emhoff is going to say tonight.

LEE: Yes, I know the theme of the whole week has been speeches that are being given that take on a totally different and new meaning because of President Biden dropping out four weeks ago.

But, really, for the second gentleman, this is going to be a different speech of a different magnitude, and somebody who really has not been in politics for very long. And I know this is going to sound really obvious, but the campaign truly does see this speech as being one of the most important of the week, in a week when we have a speaking lineup that features some of the biggest names in Democratic politics.

And that is just for the most simple reason of he is somebody that knows Kamala Harris in a way that nobody else does. I'm told that he really wants to sort of round out that public image of her.

And that is going to be accomplished, according to the campaign, by speaking about the story of how the couple met, the story of how she became a stepmom to his children, Cole and Ella. And he is going to describe her, I'm told, as being sort of that anchor of the blended family.

Yesterday, he came to the United Center to do a quick walk-through of the stage, and he came out to the song "You Get What You Give" by New Radicals. It just kind of was a moment for me where I realized, like, yes, a lot of people truly do not know this person very well, even though he has been in this role for 3.5 years.

Is that like his favorite song? Did he pick it? Did somebody on his team pick it?

[13:05:01]

But I do think it will also be just a really important opportunity for him to introduce himself to the American public too, because Democrats are hoping that he is going to be the first first gentleman starting in January.

KEILAR: Yes, you buy one, you get a bonus, right, in their spouse.

M.J., thank you so much for the report. I really appreciate it.

And let's talk a little bit more about this other big night here with Democratic Senator Brian Schatz of Hawaii.

Big night, because we are going to be hearing from former President Obama. I wonder what you're expecting to hear from him tonight.

SEN. BRIAN SCHATZ (D-HI): Well, he's still the best communicator in Democratic politics. And that is saying something, because, last night, we had Raphael Warnock, we had Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, we had Chris Coons, we had a number of people and the remaining leader of our party in President Biden.

And yet it's still Barack Obama who is able to just tear the roof off of a convention hall. So I'm very much looking forward to that. I think he's been giving space to our current party leaders to allow them to kind of spread their wings and become the leaders that they are. Our bench is growing.

And I think the vice presidential selection process allowed a bunch of regular voters to understand we have got a bunch of talent on the bench. But Barack Obama is still the GOAT.And I'm expecting to see that.

KEILAR: Still the GOAT.

All right, eight years ago -- I'm really also interested in hearing what Michelle Obama is going to say. And this hall is going to be curious as well. Eight years ago, the message that I think a lot of people remember was the, "When they go low, we go high."

And I wonder, for you, looking back on the last eight years, if you think that that worked for Democrats, if you think that Democrats followed that always.

SCHATZ: Well, I don't know if we always followed it, but I think even Mrs. Obama says: Well, that was kind of misinterpreted. That's not what I meant.

But we have to meet people where they are. And I think this kind of overly precious view about politics that the other party is going to be basically insane and we're going to be the civilized party, I think, worked to an extent.

But, right now, I think people want to see fight. People want to see joy. They want to see a little bit of improvisation. And they want to see a little bit of swagger and the Democratic Party being on its front foot.

And over the last month, that is exactly how it feels. The polling is bearing that out, but I think, more importantly, vibrationally, everywhere you go, the Safety in Manoa in Honolulu to the convention hall, everybody has a spring in their step.

And that's because we're going to charge up the mountain together. We're not going to let consultants talk us out of what we want to say and how we feel. This party is unified and pretty fired up.

KEILAR: There's a lot of enthusiasm. It's certainly undeniable.

I do want to ask you, because one of the biggest speakers is going to be someone who's not been a member of the party, Adam Kinzinger. And there are a lot of other Republicans. It's actually kind of unprecedented how many are going to be speaking here. He confirmed he's speaking on Thursday.

What does it mean to have him and other Republicans in this unusual number speaking at the convention?

SCHATZ: It's huge. And it is an essential part of our strategy, not just as a party, but as a country.

There are a lot of Republicans, Reagan Republicans, center-right Republicans in the suburbs across the country who do not like what they see in Donald Trump, but they're very deeply uncomfortable with joining the Democratic Party. And I guess our message is simple. We can fight about the rest of it later.

We can fight about the size and the scope of government later. We can fight about Libertarian issues or social issues later. We have freedom and democracy to preserve together, and there are certain principles that are bigger than party politics. And I think that's what we're trying to demonstrate not just as a retort.

I mean, listen, I'm a partisan Democrat. It's not that compelling hearing it from me. But if you hear it from Adam Kinzinger and other Republicans in otherwise good standing, that creates a permission structure for people who have maybe never cast a ballot for a Democrat to say, look, just this once, I'm going to join your coalition, and then we will get back to fighting about the other stuff.

But the way we will fight is through the political process, and not any other way.

KEILAR: Senator Schatz, really appreciate you taking the time to be with us. Thank you so much.

SCHATZ: Thank you.

KEILAR: Last night, the threat to reproductive rights was a big theme, and it was highlighted with the personal stories of three families impacted by bans on abortions that came after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade. Among them was Amanda Zurawski, who nearly died after going into

premature labor at 18 weeks of pregnancy. Doctors at a hospital in Texas sent her home. They said she was not sick enough to qualify for an abortion under the state's laws.

And, last night, she made it clear that, as she sees it, lives depend on who wins in November.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

AMANDA ZURAWSKI, LEAD PLAINTIFF, TEXAS ABORTION BAN LAWSUIT: A second Trump term would rip away even more of our rights, passing a national abortion ban, letting states monitor pregnancies and prosecute doctors, restricting birth control and fertility treatment.

[13:10:02]

We cannot let that happen.

(CHEERING)

(APPLAUSE)

A. ZURAWSKI: We need to vote as if lives depend on it, because they do.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KEILAR: Amanda and her husband, Josh, are with us now.

Thank you both for taking time to be with us.

And, Amanda, your story, I think, is one that some people have been familiar with. You have told this story, but this was such a big stage.

And I wonder -- I know you reached people who had not heard it before. What has the reaction been to you two telling your story?

A. ZURAWSKI: Well, thank you so much for having us today. It's an honor to be here.

The reaction has been really overwhelmingly supportive. People resonate with this issue because we know it's happening across the country. There are so many folks that have a story like mine, like ours. If they don't, they know someone who has or they're afraid they might be in a similar situation.

And so this is very personal for, I think, most Americans. And just the support we have gotten has been so, so lovely.

KEILAR: Josh, one of the points you made last night -- and I thought it was really interesting that you spoke first.

You spoke as an observer of what happened to your wife, of the fact that she was so ill, she had been disoriented. So, I think you were someone who certainly probably was more present for that moment as she got sick before she was finally able to go to the hospital.

But you said it's not just a women's issue, basically. Why was it so important for you to make that point?

JOSH ZURAWSKI, HUSBAND OF AMANDA ZURAWSKI: Yes, I think it's such an important thing for everyone in America to understand that this isn't just about a women's issue.

This impacts families. It impacts spouses. It impacts dads. It impacts brothers. It impacts everybody in your family. And, as you mentioned, I was the one who saw her crash firsthand and had to be there to help her.

So this is absolutely an everybody issue, and so we just want to broaden the base of people who view this as a number one issue.

KEILAR: Josh, what are you hearing from men?

J. ZURAWSKI: Yes, it's been great, so much support. So many people, especially in my own sphere, have reached out with so much support and energy.

So it's been really great to sort of see all of the men in my world really stand up and be so supportive.

KEILAR: Amanda, what is going to come next for you all when it comes to your personal battle and also when it comes to whether you will be out on the campaign trail?

A. ZURAWSKI: Great question.

So I am an official surrogate for the Harris/Walz campaign, which is incredible, and so honored to be a part of that. So, from now until November, I think we're going to be really busy continuing to share our story and others like ours. Essentially, wherever they need me, I will be there.

And for us personally, we're doing great. We are still really hopeful that we will have kids someday. And so we're pursuing that in whatever way we can.

KEILAR: Well, I wish you the best of luck with that. I know that is something that you desire so much. And that came across last night.

Josh and Amanda, thank you so much for your time.

A. ZURAWSKI: Thank you. Thanks for having us.

J. ZURAWSKI: Thanks.

KEILAR: Ahead this hour, we have much more from the historic DNC here in Chicago and how this event, it isn't just Democrats, because, in a rare move Republicans, many of them, an unprecedented number of them, will be taking the stage as well.

And this week in the Windy City might be all about Harris and Walz, but that doesn't mean that they're off the campaign trail. Both campaigns are on the road today in critical battleground states. And we're going to take you there live.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[13:18:42]

KEILAR: Anticipation is growing right now, as night two of the Democratic National Convention is about to get under way.

We have a live look now inside the United Center, where, in just hours, we will be hearing from former President Barack Obama and former first lady Michelle Obama. But it's not just Democrats who are speaking this week.

There are several prominent Republicans who will be taking the stage in support of Vice President Kamala Harris.

Let's bring in CNN special correspondent Jamie Gangel, who's been reporting on this.

It's -- would it be an unprecedented number?

JAMIE GANGEL, CNN SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT: I think it is an unprecedented number.

From time to time, you have a Republican who speaks to the Democrat convention, vice versa. I don't think we have ever seen. This is unusual. And here's the lineup. It's over the next couple of days, Adam Kinzinger, former Republican Congressman, member of the January 6 Committee, also a CNN analyst, Geoff Duncan, former governor -- lieutenant governor of Georgia, also works for CNN.

I spoke to a source familiar with his speech and was told that it is -- quote -- "directed at Republicans who are sick and tired of making excuses for Donald Trump."

Then, John Giles, mayor of Mesa, Arizona, Olivia Troye, who we have seen a lot of, who was a national security adviser for Vice President Pence, and, last but not least, Stephanie Grisham, who's very interesting.

[13:20:08]

She was press secretary, communications director. She was also chief of staff for Melania Trump. She knows behind the scenes. She is a true insider. And she told our colleague Jake Tapper that she will speak about who Trump -- quote -- "really is behind the scenes."

KEILAR: Adam Kinzinger, the spotlight on him, and the fact he just confirmed he will be speaking on Thursday, which is a pretty plum spot.

GANGEL: So, at conventions, real estate and the number of minutes you get, that's the key. He is getting a very big spotlight. He is speaking in prime time, leading in to Vice President Harris' speech. It doesn't get any bigger than that. And I am told that some Democrats

will be envious of the number of minutes he's getting. I think it really shows a commitment by the campaign and the convention to spotlight a Republican, someone who is on the January 6 Committee, democracy in peril.

KEILAR: No Liz Cheney.

GANGEL: No Liz Cheney, but I wouldn't read too much into that. Liz Cheney, as we know, has said repeatedly she will do anything and everything to make sure Donald Trump never goes back to the Oval Office.

I expect we will see a lot of her this fall, that she will play a major role, especially in battleground states. And this part always makes me laugh. She has said that she will be working very, very hard to make sure that Democrats are elected to the House and Senate.

KEILAR: Fascinating part of this convention.

Jamie, thank you so much for the reporting.

And let's talk now with David Urban and Ashley Allison.

David, we just heard from Senator Brian Schatz of Hawaii. When he said he looks at all these Republicans who are going to be speaking, he said he thinks it gives a permission structure to some Republican voters to vote for Kamala Harris. Do you agree?

DAVID URBAN, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: No.

KEILAR: Why not?

(LAUGHTER)

URBAN: By the way, to Jamie's point about some of the Democrats being jealous of Adam Kinzinger's spot, I know one person who is very jealous, Joe Biden. I bet he didn't like to have that spot, as opposed to 11:30 last night, when no one was watching.

KEILAR: It was late.

URBAN: Listen, so I like all the people you mentioned, right, Adam Kinzinger. Geoff Duncan's a friend. I know every one of those people pretty well.

They are not -- in no universe where they ever are going to vote for Donald Trump. They're disgruntled, let's put it that way, Republicans. And so they are not the folks who could speak to people who are on that bubble, right? All those people that are going to speak in this lineup are people who are -- they're never-Trumpers.

They're not going to get -- those people are already going to vote either for Kamala Harris or they're not voting in this election at all. They need to get someone who is a little bit more -- maybe not someone who was on the January 6 Committee, right? Maybe some other Republicans who aren't so disgruntled to come speak.

That may be more persuasive. I don't think you're getting -- you're not winning any voters over anybody on the bubble with that crew, just fact -- factually.

KEILAR: I do want to turn to the headliners tonight, Ashley.

ASHLEY ALLISON, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: Yes.

KEILAR: What are you looking for tonight from the Obamas?

ALLISON: Well, we're in his city, their city.

KEILAR: That's right.

ALLISON: And he's my former boss.

KEILAR: Her city.

ALLISON: Her city.

KEILAR: To be clear, his adopted city.

ALLISON: Adopted city. That's true. That's true.

Fact-checking me, keeping me honest. I appreciate that.

(LAUGHTER)

KEILAR: I'm doing her the favor.

ALLISON: Yes.

No, but I'm really excited to hear from my former bosses. I think everyone remembers in 2016 a line that we always talk about, "When they go low, we go high," what Michelle Obama talked about. And I have shifted that line to, when they go low, we match energy.

And so it's curious -- I'm curious to see how -- what her message is to guide us. They are still very influential, perhaps maybe the most popular elected officials, if not definitely Democrats, in the space.

So I do think that Barack Obama is going to paint a picture for the Americans, like, you took a chance on me. You made history with me. And we can do it again with Kamala Harris. And I think he has a great voice to enable that and really introduce and lay the bread crumbs for voters to go and pick it up and find their way.

KEILAR: We heard last night, and we actually just spoke to the first couple that spoke who was impacted by more restrictive state abortion measures that came after the Supreme Court overturned Roe.

I want to play some of the speeches that really caught a lot of attention last night.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) J. ZURAWSKI: We waited until Amanda was sick enough to receive standard abortion care. Eventually, Amanda's temperature spiked. She was shaking, disoriented and crashing.

KAITLYN JOSHUA, LOUISIANA RESIDENT: Something didn't feel right. Two emergency rooms sent me away because of Louisiana's abortion ban.

[13:25:07]

HADLEY DUVALL, REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS ADVOCATE: I was raped by my stepfather after years of sexual abuse. At age 12, I took my first pregnancy test, and it was positive.

I can't imagine not having a choice.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KEILAR: That last one was particularly difficult to listen to, I will say.

David, I wonder what you think perspectives like that mean for this race.

URBAN: That's tough. Listen, abortion is an issue that Republicans need to talk about better, right, need to be able to better address and have better messengers on.

But, to be clear, Donald Trump has said that he will not sign a federal abortion ban if one is brought to his desk. They were never going to get 60 votes to get it moved anyhow to get it to his desk. And he's always been for the exception for rape, incest, and life of the mother.

And so...

KEILAR: That doesn't exist in every state.

URBAN: I understand. I'm not saying that what these people didn't experience is their real-life experiences and the pain they have experienced. I'm talking about in a larger political context.

And in states like Pennsylvania, where the law is 23 weeks, it's tougher to make the case they're going to -- we have a Democratic governor, Democratic legislature, the law is going to be taken away from you somehow there. So...

KEILAR: Can you speak to that? Because I have heard Democrats from Pennsylvania say they are concerned that it doesn't resonate, that issue doesn't resonate in, say, a Pennsylvania like it would in a Texas with Democrats.

URBAN: Well, that's true, right?

ALLISON: Well, I think the issue is that can we trust what Donald Trump is saying on this issue? So when Donald Trump appointed three Supreme Court justices, they said

they wanted to take it to the states. And then, when Roe was overturned, within weeks, we had Lindsey Graham introducing legislation that would be a federal abortion ban. And he has teetered on this issue. He has not been consistent.

He said he is proud that he overturned Roe. So I get that he can say that he doesn't -- won't sign an abortion ban now, because it might be politically savvy for him. But that's why the people in Pennsylvania need to care about it, because, if it doesn't resonate now, if Donald Trump gets in and he signs it, it will be an issue for you.

URBAN: I mean, that...

ALLISON: And so I think, though, like, to the point of it says one in three women in this country are living under an abortion ban right now, one in three, OK?

So one out of all of us is basically living in that reality. And Hadley said something last night that I just think is a reminder. It is that we don't need doctors -- or we don't need politicians or our government in our doctor's office.

But she said: I can't imagine a child carrying their parent's child.

We don't have to live in that reality, but we have to trust our politicians to do the right thing. And to date, the Republicans haven't messaged it right and they haven't governed right on this issue. And they're out of step with the American people.

URBAN: Listen, the Republicans have got to have a better answer for it. It's tough.

Again, I -- just the Pennsylvania part, I don't believe it's going to be as salient an issue in Pennsylvania, because I do believe people look at it and say, it's not my reality in Pennsylvania. It is a lot of realities in Louisiana, Texas, other places, but not in Pennsylvania. May not be as big a issue in some of those other blue wall states, right?

And that's where it matters.

ALLISON: It just wasn't my reality before a Roe fell either, though. And that's the reality. It's like, nothing is your reality until the politician or the justices do something to make it your reality.

And that's what Democrats have to convey to Pennsylvania voters.

KEILAR: Ashley, David, Jamie, thank you so much. Really appreciate it.

And we do have much more from the Democratic National Convention ahead, but we're also following some developing news in the Middle East, as Secretary of State Antony Blinken is crisscrossing the region, trying to finally reach a cease-fire and hostage deal between Israel and Hamas, and warning that this could be the last real chance. (COMMERCIAL BREAK)