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Obamas Wow DNC Crowd As They Call On Dems To Act To Get Harris Elected; Russia: 11 Ukrainian Drones Shot Down Over Moscow Overnight; Tim Walz Takes DNC Stage Tonight To Formally Accept Democratic Nomination. Aired 7:30-8a ET
Aired August 21, 2024 - 07:30 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[07:31:39]
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DOUG EMHOFF, SECOND GENTLEMAN: I got Kamala's voicemail, and I just started rambling. "Hey, it's Doug. I'm on my way to an early meeting. Again, it's Doug." And by the way, Kamala saved that voicemail, and she makes me listen to it on every anniversary.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SARA SIDNER, CNN ANCHOR: Now, that is what you call humbling --
JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: Yes.
SIDNER: -- or a humble brag because, you know, she is the vice president. So it did work out well for the two of them.
Joining us now, former DNC vice-chair Michael Blake is here with us, and former Republican congressmen for Illinois, Joe Walsh. Gentlemen, what a night.
I'm starting with you because it wasn't Doug Emhoff, it wasn't a politician, it wasn't a celebrity that took the night away. It was one person who is not running for office and who happens to have the initials M.O.
MICHAEL BLAKE, FORMER DNC VICE CHAIR, FORMER WHITE House AIDE FOR PRESIDENT OBAMA: First lady Obama shut the place down last night. You can tell she has been waiting for years to give that speech. She was tired of Trump disrespecting her and her family and reminding folks that her husband had the Black job of presidency and one of her closest friends is about to have that Black job in Kamala Harris. And she did it with swag. I mean, we just can't ignore that.
As a former Obama aide, last night was one of those moments that you just will never forget because we were hyped to see our bosses take the stage. But let's be very clear, in that household, first lady Obama took everything over last night. JOE WALSH, (R) FORMER U.S. REPRESENTATIVE FROM ILLINOIS: And as a former conservative Republican congressman, she gave a speech that I could have given 12 years ago. It was amazing. She appealed to American values, regular values -- the things that matter. The things that my party used to talk about.
And it was inclusive. She wrapped her arms around everybody and contrasted herself and the Democrats right now with the stuff that my former party is feeding us, which is just fear.
SIDNER: The one thing that she didn't include or did include but not in a nice way is Donald Trump. Let's listen to the moment that really shook the crowd up.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MICHELLE OBAMA, FORMER FIRST LADY OF THE UNITED STATES: Who's going to tell him that the job he's currently seeking might just be one of those old Black jobs?
(CHEERS)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SIDNER: The thing that she did -- that was the end of that where people went wild. But before that she talked about it upset him to see successful, smart, highly educated people who happen to be Black. And she's speaking to period, pointblank, racism.
BLAKE: One thousand percent.
SIDNER: That's what she -- she went there but in a very different way.
You talk about your boss --
BLAKE: Yeah.
SIDNER: -- former President Barack Obama. Was there a moment for you during that speech -- was that the big moment, or did you find other things because it was -- every line of that speech had the crowd going nuts?
[07:35:00]
BLAKE: That was the line of the night. It probably is the line of the week until the vice president accepts the nomination. Because first lady Obama said what we feel as Black folk that too often you watch and listen to inherent, consistent racism that people won't address, and she put it out there. Because she also tied in the dynamic of Trump has consistently failed up and has been able to have success that we don't get to have.
And so when you talk about a Black job -- and we're -- let's be very clear. They mean low-wage jobs and all the disrespect that they have right there. She said out loud what we feel. And so as Black folk, not only can you say we're proud, we're excited, but you feel validated by someone saying it to the crowd and saying we will not tolerate the racism that has existed from the other side. And that's why I strongly believe Kamala is going to win this election.
WALSH: The affirmative action of intergenerational wealth --
BLAKE: Absolutely.
WALSH: -- that was the line that just hit me as a -- as a white man. That was just so powerful. And then Barack Obama tied it in with Michelle Obama's mom passing away and the values he got from her and his white grandmother from the middle of nowhere.
And again, John, they shared these common values that we all should share.
BERMAN: So to that end -- and again, I ask you this as someone -- look, you spent years beating the crap out of the Obamas.
WALSH: Beating the crap out of them.
BERMAN: I mean, you woke up in the morning and did it and went to bed at night and did it. That was -- that was what you did. And you've -- you're in a different place now than you were then.
But the totality of the events last night from Emhoff to Obama to Obama -- look, the crowd here loved it. But out in the country with people watching on TV, what do you think their takeaway was? What did the Democrats accomplish?
WALSH: How regular and how American this party is. And I say that as someone who is not a Democrat. And I say that as someone who has -- the Democrats have always kind of had a problem as being a bit too elitist.
Oh my God, listen to Doug Emhoff, right, leaving his cell phone, trying to get a call back for a blind date.
SIDNER: It's Doug. I don't think I'm going to forget that.
BERMAN: Yeah.
WALSH: Middle America would wrap their arms around what they heard last night.
BLAKE: Yeah. And you add in the part from the soon-to-be first gentlemen. It was very beautifully gratifying to see in this convention love --
SIDNER: Love.
BLAKE: -- from a couple --
WALSH: Yeah.
BLAKE: -- where let's just be real -- you didn't see that at all during the RNC in any regard. And then it was continued from the Obamas.
It resonates when -- people want to be happy. They want to feel joy. It's what Gov. Walz said. Joy has been restored in this campaign, and you saw that last night.
And then you also saw a very clear choice in contrast. At the end of the day, do you believe it will be better with this vision? You have to walk out feeling better about that.
BERMAN: Can I ask because one of the questions we've had now for the four weeks since -- four days, three weeks?
SIDNER: Yes.
BERMAN: I keep losing count.
SIDNER: He's still trying to do the math at this hour.
BERMAN: Is if the joy that clearly Vice President Harris and then Gov. Walz when he became the running mate tried to lean into -- is joy a successful strategy? Are we seeing that fill in a little bit more? How joy can be a winning strategy.
WALSH: And hope. I think it's -- you start with joy, but it's hope that we can get to a better place.
And I keep thinking this, you guys. It's so inclusive here.
BLAKE: Yeah.
WALSH: My former party -- at their convention, they were appealing to a certain segment of the American population. Everything here is appealing to everybody.
BLAKE: Look, we will be talking for years down the line about a roll call because of Lil John --
WALSH: Oh my gosh.
BLAKE: -- coming out --
WALSH: Oh my gosh.
BLAKE: -- right? It's a different ballgame.
SIDNER: Yeah.
BLAKE: And to the question around joy, I always give the core data point. There are 206 counties that went for Barack Obama twice than it went for Donald Trump.
SIDNER: Right.
BLAKE: People want to be excited about how they're voting for and you're seeing it in the numbers. CBS News had a poll with YouGov recently that Latino support for Vice President Harris has gone up 14 points. People want to be excited, and they are.
SIDNER: They want to feel good again, and she spoke to that --
BLAKE: Absolutely.
SIDNER: -- a bit. And you talk to people -- voters.
I do want to talk to you, Joe --
WALSH: Um-hum.
SIDNER: -- about all the Republicans who are here who have taken the stage. And you would never have seen that five years ago, two years ago, 10 years ago, 20 years ago -- just keep going back.
I was able to speak with the former Trump White House press secretary Stephanie Grisham last night and here's what she said after she had taken the stage.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SIDNER: In a word, what was it like up there?
STEPHANIE GRISHAM, FORMER TRUMP WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: Surreal, but I had to tell the truth. It was terrifying -- I'm not going to lie. I'm waiting for all the backlash that I'm going to get -- you know how it goes -- but I think it was really important. And if I reached even a handful of Independents or a handful of Republicans that will just go behind that voting booth in the private and just -- and vote their conscience and vote not for party, then I will have done my job.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
[07:40:10]
SIDNER: "Then I will have done my job." She was not the first. She --
WALSH: No.
SIDNER: There are many who have spoken.
But Donald Trump still controls this party. He is still the head --
WALSH: Yeah.
SIDNER: -- of this party.
How is it possible that you have this very unprecedented moment where you're seeing so many people come over to the Democrats' side how are tried and true conservatives? How is he still leading the party in such a big way?
WALSH: Because the party is shrinking. I mean, let's be real. I'm a former Republican. The party is shrinking.
We had a phone call -- a Zoom call a week and a half ago, Republicans for Harris, of which I am a part. Over 70,000 of us were on the call.
It takes courage to come out, but the group is growing because Donald Trump, again, is trying to contrast what's happening here. Trump's trying to scare people into voting for him, and there are a lot of Republicans that don't want that.
BLAKE: That's right. And we've got to include the mastery of last night to the earlier conversation to have Republicans saying I'm going to speak truth. We need to move forward. This is about the country. And then have it closed out with a former president saying let's move forward. People can see a clear vision.
Get down with what's happening right here. We'll get down with Lil John and everything else right now. But, like, you could be excited -- what's happening with the election.
BERMAN: Getting down is easier when Lil John is out there.
BLAKE: I understand that.
SIDNER: Much easier.
BERMAN: All right, gentlemen. Thank you both very much.
Hey, Kate. No, that's Sara. Go to you.
KATE BOLDUAN, CNN ANCHOR: Is that a --
SIDNER: Hey, Kate.
BOLDUAN: I don't know. I was -- I'm afraid that was -- I would say if I didn't know that John had the golden pipes -- that was your attempt at singing. But I know you're so much better than that.
BERMAN: It's a --
SIDNER: It's his Emhoff --
BERMAN: Hey, John, it's Sara.
BOLDUAN: I will say, speaking of Lil John, there was a moment when he was high-fiving Raphael Warnock. I was like this is -- this is something. This is a moment that everyone is watching right now.
BERMAN: This is different.
SIDNER: This is joy.
BOLDUAN: This is definitely joy.
SIDNER: The apostles of joy.
BOLDUAN: All right, we'll get right back to you guys.
Breaking overnight, another big move by Ukraine. Russia's Defense Ministry says 45 Ukrainian drones were destroyed over Russian territory, including 11 over Moscow alone. Moscow's mayor says it was one of the largest drone attacks that they've seen since the war began and it comes as Ukrainian forces continue to push further into Russia.
CNN's Clare Sebastian is tracking this one for us. Clare, Ukraine is not letting up. Do we have a clear sense of what Russia is doing about it? How they're going -- are looking to respond?
CLARE SEBASTIAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yeah, Kate. Well, I mean, the interesting thing here is that it's the most visible reaction we've seen from Russia so far in this now more than two weeks of this incursion has been actually to push harder in Donetsk, right, to try and continue their efforts to take territory there.
And we're hearing from the Ukrainian brigade near the strategic town of Pokrovsk today saying that the Russian outnumbered them there several times. So they have been making progress there, so we're watching that.
But we're also seeing now, they say some two weeks in, that there are signs that the Russian resistance, a more organized resistance within the Kursk region is starting to take shape even, of course, as the Ukrainian military shows off its efforts to sort of shoot down with drones Russian trucks and destroy pontoon bridges and things like that.
We're hearing again from a Ukrainian commander of a battalion active in Kursk and he says he's seen a shift in the behavior that the Russian units that have brought in and now trying to storm the Ukrainians and are not surrendering in the hundreds as they did at the beginning, he said.
But one of the interesting things has been to watch how President Putin himself has responded to this. His response has been to not say very much at all. It's been a little haphazard.
Take a look at this split-screen here. On the left you will see what was this week in southern Russian, him greeting crowds of Russians. And then on the right is what he did just a few days after the Prigozhin mutiny. Again, very similar scenes greeting Russians. Showing off, essentially, his popularity and his authority. So what we're seeing him -- is him drawing on this sort of crisis playbook even though it seems on the outset slightly fumbling -- Kate.
BOLDUAN: Yeah. The parallels -- that side-by-side is quite something.
Clare, thank you so much.
There is also new video this morning showing the moments just before a luxury yacht sank off the coast of Sicily after being hit by a tornado. One person died, 15 were rescued, and now the search for the six still missing enters a third day. We have much more on that for you.
And after so much speculation, it appears Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck are calling it quit. What we are learning about the divorce between these two -- two of Hollywood's biggest names. [07:45:00]
(COMMERCIAL)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BARACK OBAMA, FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I love this guy. Tim is the kind of person who should be in politics. You can tell those flannel shirts he wears don't come from some political consultant. They come from his closet, and they have been through some stuff.
GWEN WALZ, FIRST LADY OF MINNEOSOTA: (Nodding in agreement)
B. OBAMA: They have been through some stuff. That's right.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BERMAN: Former President Barack Obama talking about Gov. Tim Walz and his flannel shirts. That was Gwen Walz, the first lady of Minnesota there nodding in agreement.
SIDNER: She's like it's true.
BERMAN: I know those shirts.
Tim Walz, of course, will be the main speaker tonight here at the convention.
[07:50:00]
With us now, however, is the chair of the Democratic National Committee, Jaime Harrison. Great to see you.
JAIME HARRISON, CHAIR, DEMOCRATIC NATIONAL COMMITTEE: Good morning to you. Good morning.
BERMAN: Any sleep?
HARRISON: Very little. I think 4 1/2 hours last night, three hours the night before. But, you know, that's what you do when you've got the world's biggest family reunion.
BERMAN: So listen, in all seriousness, you had that roll call last night --
HARRISON: Yes.
BERMAN: -- with Lil John. I mean, it was a thing. And you had two Obamas and an Emhoff. In all seriousness, how do you top that tonight?
HARRISON: Hit after hit after hit.
This is like, you know, those series where you say you want to buy all of the greatest hits that's in four parts, right -- four CDs. Well, that's what you're getting right now at this Dem convention. You've got CD one and people are like how do you -- how do you top that -- the love for Joe Biden? CD two, how do you top Michelle Obama and Barack Obama last night? And that roll call, wow. I mean, this place was lit.
And now, how do you top day three? Listen, we're going to do it.
SIDNER: OK.
HARRISON: It's going to be nice.
SIDNER: So, Jamie --
HARRISON: Yes.
SIDNER: -- first of all, the young people are like what are CDs?
HARRISON: (Laughing).
SIDNER: Second of all -- second of all, when you say hit after hit after hit, does one of those hits include Beyonce?
HARRISON: Well, you know, Beyonce plays every night here in this arena -- every night.
SIDNER: Oof. That diplomatic answer does not serve well.
Um, but when you talk about what is going to happen tonight, you've got Tim Walz. What are you expecting from him? What did -- does he need to say anything after last night? Like, what are you expecting for him?
HARRISON: Well, listen, the coach is going to coach tonight.
SIDNER: OK.
HARRISON: He is going to deliver a great, great speech and he's going to show folks why he's so beloved in Minnesota. Why -- I have loved this guy for over 20 years. I was -- I was executive director of the House Democratic Caucus when he was a freshman member of the House, and Tim Walz is just a good and decent man.
In many ways, what we saw and what we loved with Doug Emhoff on the stage is what we're going to see similarly with Tim Walz. I mean, he is that uncle that you just want to hang out with and just -- you know, he's always there. And whenever he comes over to the house you just get so excited because you're like what's next? He's a great guy.
BERMAN: Who do you need to reach as you -- if you looked at what's happened so far and what's left --
HARRISON: Yeah.
BERMAN: -- is there anyone -- any voter out there -- you're like well, we need to address these people more.
HARRISON: Well, our goal for this convention was for every American to see themselves on that stage. And think about that. Look at the diversity that we have showcased. You have seen all of America in all of her splendor and all of her diversity that have stand -- stood up on that stage.
And that's the very big contrast that you see with the Republican Party because I didn't see myself on the Republican stage. I'm sure trans youth did not see themselves on the Republican stage. I'm sure many Latinos didn't see themselves on that stage, particularly when the Republicans were holding up all of these mass deportation signs. That is not who we are as America.
Their convention was one of fear. Ours is hope and joy. Like I said, this is the biggest family reunion you have. People are laughing, they are crying. They are dancing, they're hugging. There is so much positive energy. And in American politics we needed that so desperately and Tim Walz helped to bring that, but it's our MVP.
I mean, last night, two rallies and they were in the same arena that Donald Trump was in, and it was jampacked. Donald Trump didn't pack that arena -- the Pfizer Center in Milwaukee like we saw with MBP. And then it was jampacked here. And that is because the American people are ready for this. They are ready for this moment.
SIDNER: I do want to ask you. You talked about sort of opening your arms to what America looks like.
HARRISON: Yeah.
SIDNER: And some of the people you opened your arms to on the stage -- they weren't just here walking around; they were on the stage -- were Republicans.
HARRISON: Yes.
SIDNER: What was that like? Why?
HARRISON: Because. You know, all Americans believe in protecting our freedoms and our rights. And Republicans saw on January 6 what happened. They saw a president that was willing to risk the life of his vice president. They saw a man who has said I will disregard the Constitution of the United States.
As Americans, we fundamentally understand that our constitution is the basis by which we do all of this. And if you're going to be the President of the United States and not a dictator on day one, then you have to follow the dictates of that Constitution. You have to respect that Constitution. You have to respect the checks on your power. Donald Trump doesn't believe that.
BERMAN: Chairman, Michelle Obama -- one of the things she said as she was opening -- she said she was feeling something she hadn't felt in some time, and that was hope.
[07:55:00]
Now, listen, Joe Biden's been president for 3 1/2 years. Michelle Obama seemed to be suggesting she hadn't been feeling a lot of hope during those 3 1/2 years.
HARRISON: Well, I don't think -- I don't think she was saying that because many of us had hope in 2020 because that's what drove 80 million of us to the polls. Because we had a president that was teaching bigotry -- or preaching bigotry, hatred and division from the White House. And 80 million of us -- that had never happened in the history of this country. Eighty million people going to cast their ballot for two candidates, Joe Biden and Kamala Harris.
And so, yes, we doubled down then but now, being able to be together is creating an atmosphere like we have never seen before.
SIDNER: Jaime Harrison, thank you so much. And please say hi to Beyonce. We look forward to seeing her.
HARRISON: (Laughing).
SIDNER: Kate.
BOLDUAN: Yeah, exactly -- all of us.
A new study is linking popular weight loss and diabetes drugs to a slightly higher risk of potentially serious mental health issues. We want to bring you this new data -- new study this morning.
CNN's Jacqueline Howard has much more on this, and she is joining us now. So, Jacqueline, what is the new data showing here?
JACQUELINE HOWARD, CNN HEALTH REPORTER: Yeah. Well, Kate, the new data adds to what's been an ongoing debate about whether there is a possible link between an increased risk of suicidal ideation and taking semaglutide medications. Semaglutide is that active ingredient found in drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy.
And what's been said about this so far, the European Medicines Agency has said that there has been no available evidence showing a link. The FDA says it's continuing to monitor this. And some previous studies have found that there may not be a link but there actually may be a lower risk of suicidal ideation.
We do know that obesity itself is associated with an increased risk of depression. And I will say the one drug, Wegovy -- on its warning label it does mention monitoring patients for depression or suicidal thoughts.
But what this new study now adds to the conversation is in this study researchers looked at reports of suicidal thoughts among patients taking diabetes medications. And they found specifically among patients taking semaglutides there was an elevated rate of these reports by about 45 percent.
But again, Kate, this just adds to the ongoing debate. For patients right now, the takeaway message is if you, yourself, have a history of depression or self-harm and you're interested in a semaglutide medication or you're currently taking a medication, then you want to talk to your doctor about our risks and benefits. Your doctor may recommend monitoring you closely for symptoms or side effects. And if you do develop symptoms, they may recommend to stop taking the medication.
But this study is no reason to panic. It just adds to this ongoing conversation about the possibility of a link here, Kate.
BOLDUAN: Yeah. I mean, with the -- how new they kind of are, with the popularity of what they have become, all of this new --
HOWARD: Yeah.
BOLDUAN: -- information becomes, as you say, part of a bigger conversation that's going to continue around it all.
And it's good to see you, Jacqueline. Thank you so much.
So one of Hollywood's most famous couples is calling it quits again. Jennifer Lopez has filed for divorce from Ben Affleck on the second anniversary of their wedding ceremony -- the end of a romance that started, though, more than 20 years ago.
CNN's Lisa France has more on this and she's joining us now. Lisa, were there hints of trouble in this relationship? There was so much speculation leading up. So much photographs. So much accounting for Ben missing from this event. J.Lo canceling her tour.
What are you hearing?
LISA FRANCE, CNN REPORTER: Well, absolutely, people were wondering what was going on. Sometimes they had their wedding ring; sometimes they didn't. But there were some clues for us that they were not on the same page, and we know this thanks to her documentary. I think we have a little bit of that.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JENNIFER LOPEZ, SINGER, ACTRESS: He loves me, and he knows I'm an artist and he's going to support me in every way he can because he knows this is -- this is - you can't stop me from making the music that I made and writing the words that I wrote. He can't stop -- you know, and that's going to happen.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yeah.
LOPEZ: And he doesn't want to stop me. He wants to do that. But that doesn't mean he's, you know, kind of comfortable being the muse and being the --
BEN AFFLECK, ACTOR: Jen was really inspired by this experience, which is how artists do their work. They get inspired by their personal life. It moves you. I know that as a writer and director, like, I certainly do the same things. But things that are private, I had always felt are sacred and special because, in part, they're private.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
FRANCE: Yeah. So what they're speaking to right there is the fact that he's a much more private person. She, of course, loves her fans and loves being a celebrity. And that may have contributed to why Bennifer 2.0 did not last nearly as long as a lot of people thought that they would.
BOLDUAN: I mean, do you hold out for Bennifer 3.0, Lisa?
FRANCE: I absolutely do not. I don't think there should have been a Bennifer 2.0, but that's just me. I understand we all love love, and no one loves love more than Jennifer Lopez, apparently.
BOLDUAN: I mean, combining all worlds, maybe you apply what Barack Obama said last night from the -- from the convention stage that sometimes it's often the sequel is not as good as the original.
