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Vice President Kamala Harris Accepts Democratic Party's Nomination for President of the United States During Final Speech at Democratic National Convention; Themes of Democratic National Convention Include Reproductive Rights and Patriotism. Aired 8-8:30a ET.
Aired August 23, 2024 - 08:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[08:00:05]
JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: And good morning, everyone. I'm John Berman with Sara Sidner. Look at that floor. The party is over. And if you walk on the floor right now, it has that sticky deal to it.
(LAUGHTER)
BERMAN: John Berman with Sara Sidner here in Chicago. Kate Bolduan is in New York. The final chapter of this unprecedented political summer has now been written and it is now time to figure out what it all means. What has changed besides everything?
SARA SIDNER, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Literally.
BERMAN: So this was Vice President Kamala Harris accepting her party's nomination, which was not even hers to accept five weeks ago.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KAMALA HARRIS, (D) PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE: I know there are people of various political views watching tonight, and I want you to know, I promise to be a president for all Americans.
(CHEERING)
HARRIS: You can always trust me to put country above party and self, to hold sacred America's fundamental principles, from the rule of law to free and fair elections, to the peaceful transfer of power.
(CHEERING)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SIDNER: Well, we're going to show a lot of the major moments from last night all hour long. But the fight for women and reproductive rights is one of the many ways that Kamala Harris is continuing to use, to make her case against Donald Trump and the plan to the Republicans.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) KAMALA HARRIS, (D) PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE: He plans to create a national antiabortion coordinator and force states to report on women's miscarriages and abortions.
(BOOS)
HARRIS: Simply put, they are out of their minds.
(CHEERING)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BERMAN: All right, CNN's Eva McKend, who covers the Harris campaign, is with us this morning. So what now, Eva?
EVA MCKEND, CNN NATIONAL POLITICS REPORTER: Good morning to you, John and Sara. We're still waiting to learn from the campaign where the vice president and the governor will head to next on the campaign trail. They, of course, don't have a lot of time to make their case. But what was instructive about last night is they kind of gave a roadmap for the weeks ahead. The vice president talking about country over party, which seemed like an argument tailor-made for conservative in independent voters. We know that Republicans for Harris are a key part of her coalition.
She talked about how a defining goal of a Harris presidency would be uplifting the middle class. She centered reproductive freedom, that has become a central theme of the campaign. And then she also forcefully made the case against former President Donald Trump. Let's listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KAMALA HARRIS, (D) PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE: In many ways, Donald Trump is an unserious man.
(LAUGHTER)
HARRIS: But the consequences, but the consequences of putting Donald Trump back in the White House are extremely serious.
Just imagine Donald Trump with no guardrails.
(BOOS)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MCKEND: So Sara and John, the campaign well aware that now the difficult work begins. The vice president and the second gentleman acknowledging as such before supporters. They do have robust volunteer signups, though, in just the last couple of weeks, 600,000 phone calls made in Wisconsin, according to the Democratic Party there. Now all eyes, though, turn to that crucial debate on September the 10th. We know that the vice president is vigorously preparing for that. Sara, John? SIDNER: It is interesting that you mention that. We talked to a lot
of Democrats last night who said they are getting phone calls, people who want to volunteer after what has happened here. So it will be a wild and wonderful next, what, a month-and-a-half?
BERMAN: Seventy-four day, five days? Seventy-four or five days.
SIDNER: I can't believe how tight this is going to be. All right, Eva McKend, thank you so much.
Joining us now, CNN senior political analyst Mark Preston, and our good friend and friend of the show, and the executive chair for the New York State Democratic Committee, Christine Quinn. First to you, Christine. Wow, this convention has not had a night where there wasn't huge moments, but last its night was Kamala's night. How did she do in your eyes?
CHRISTINE QUINN, EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE CHAIR, NEW YORK STATE DEMOCRATIC COMMITTEE: Oh, I think she hit it out of the park. She had a lot of jobs to do in that speech, and that's hard. She had to further define herself for the American people. She had to make a case to the undecideds, and which is very hard to also do, she had told layout policy for those who were questioning whether she had policy chops.
[08:05:02]
And I think she did all of those things in a way that was so authentic and so compelling. This is my fifth Democratic convention, and every acceptance speech is great.
SIDNER: You're being very diplomatic.
(LAUGHTER)
QUINN: But last night's was like no other. It was like no other in her delivery and in her content and in how it was accepted by the base, the room. And that's why you're seeing over half-a-million people sign up to volunteer.
SIDNER: John, forgive me. I'm interrupting you because I know you have the better question, but I have to ask this. As a woman what did she have to do that is different than if this had been a man?
QUINN: Well, it is always an issue when women run for executive office. Are they tough enough to run the police department? Are they tough enough to run the armed forces? But God forbid you're too tough.
SIDNER: Right.
QUINN: Because then people are not going to like you.
SIDNER: Hard to thread that needle.
QUINN: Very hard to thread that needle. She did it perfectly in a way, I think, that will be a case study for other women candidates to look at moving forward. She didn't back away from being tough, but she made it clear why she was tough, because people, I think, are OK or better with women being tough if they know who you're fighting for. And that wasn't just clear last night. It was a thread throughout the whole convention.
BERMAN: I don't have the better question. So glad you asked that.
Mark, I am trying to figure out, though, this morning what this all means going forward. Our friend Mike Allen at "Axios" wrote that one of the things that Harris and the Democrats here did this week was triangulation, which is such an interesting idea going back to 1996. Clinton's second term, positioning himself between Congress and the Democratic Party. But triangulation here in a way for Harris is between Trump and Biden in a way, this past campaign.
And Peggy Noonan got to this, too, this morning. I'm going to read off my phone. We don't have a graphic. Peggy writes "They stole traditional Republican themes -- faith, patriotism -- and claimed them as their own. Also impressive was the degree to which they cast a magic conjuring sorcery spill --
(LAUGHTER)
BERMAN: -- in which viewers got the feeling the whole purpose of the Democratic Party is to break away from a grim and doom-laden reigning regime when they've been in charge for the last three-and-a-half years."
MARK PRESTON, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL ANALYST: Wow, so that was interesting that she would write it that way. It is true. A couple of things. One is there were two themes throughout this whole week, and we've talked about them already -- reproductive rights and whether or not Kamala Harris was strong enough to be the leader of the armed forces, to be the top law enforcement official here in the country.
If you saw her last night, she really did execute that case in a way that made her agreeable to people, but not scary, right? Because that is the problem. And I do think that that is the issue that women often have to face when they're in positions of power. Are you too scary? Are you going too hard? She did a very good job. I would say at the beginning of her speech, I thought it was kind of meandering because we were re-introducing her to a country that should have already known her.
Now, unfortunately, you know, we don't remember a whole lot post- COVID. But I do think that the speech got really strong later on and she was able to really hit home those two points.
SIDNER: I do my absolute very best to be very scary at all times, as John well knows.
(LAUGHTER)
SIDNER: But I do want to just further this theme of patriotism. Many Democrats that we have all talked to, have said the Republicans have sort of taken the idea of patriotism and run with it.
QUINN: Right.
SIDNER: And so when you think of Republicans, you think of USA, USA. I can't tell you how many times last night I was down on the floor listening to that chant and people waving flags. How important is it to do that, to try, for example to get independence, to get Republicans who aren't all that keen on Donald Trump, but don't know what to do because they are diehard conservatives. How important is that theme going forward?
QUINN: Well, I think it's critical for a couple of reasons. One, for decades we in the Democratic Party have let the Republicans steal home and country from us. Steal patriotism from us. But when you think about the values that were brought up at this convention, getting people to work, getting people to good jobs, making sure families can decide whether they want to have children, and if they want to have children, have all of the options. There's nothing more patriotic than protecting the American family.
And we stood up at this convention and took that back from the Republicans and made it very clear that under Donald Trump, all the Republicans care about is themselves, which is the opposite of patriotism. And I think one of the two great things that happened at this convention where we took back things that used to be ours that we allowed the Republicans to steal.
[08:10:03]
And two, we made the issues we are fighting for real by having the everyday Americans up on that stage, not just celebrities, not just blah, blah, blah, elected officials. I was one so I can say that.
(LAUGHTER)
SIDNER: Did she just throw shade on herself?
QUINN: I did.
(LAUGHTER)
SIDNER: Weird.
PRESTON: She blah-blah-blahed herself.
(LAUGHTER)
SIDNER: Wow.
QUINN: And I think that was particularly important with the reproductive issues, because people kind of, like, oh Roe versus Wade, we fought it forever. Even though the Supreme Court, it's not really going away. But when you listen, when you hear what's so beautiful about carrying your parents' child, you are stopped in your tracks.
SIDNER: That was hard.
BERMAN: All right, so what happens now, Mark? Look, we have the debate, this first debate in two-and-a-half weeks, basically. I mean, so you're the Harris campaign and you really want every day to count. So where do you take this?
PRESTON: Well, look, I mean, you have to come out of here. You expect is going to be some kind of a bounce because it was such a well- orchestrated convention. You expect that she is up a couple of points right now. If you were to believe the polls, expect that to go up maybe two or three points, and then it will level off, and then we'll go right into the debate, and then there's going to be a new defining moment about how the campaign will move forward from there.
I will say one thing, I talked about reproductive rights and we talked about whether or not she was strong enough to be a leader. I will say one thing about this convention that we didn't see at the Republican convention, is that there was a bit of happiness here, right? And I know we talked about joy, joy, joy, but there was a bit of happiness here. And I think that is something as a nation we've needed.
SIDNER: I just want to say one more point that your producer, Anna Glickman, brought up, that women were centered in a way in this convention. We saw it over and over and over again, this theme that women can be the strength in a relationship or in business or whatever. But they didn't shove it down your throat. You just saw women speaking, and it was it was really, really interesting. So good point. That's why she's you're person. I'm going to steal her.
BERMAN: Just say what she says. Christine Quinn, thank you. Great to see you here. Mark Preston, congratulations to you helping run a great week here for CNN at the convention. Kate?
KATE BOLDUAN, CNN ANCHOR: I'm taking it, even while you're still talking. It's mine now.
(LAUGHTER)
BOLDUAN: Today, guys, it's Friday. And one memorable moment from the final night of the Democratic convention came not from the V.P., not from a member of Congress, not even from an adult. From two young girls talking about aunt Kamala Harris.
And the Trump campaign is now teasing that a special guests will join him in Arizona tonight. Why many are speculating they're talking about RFK Jr.
And troubling new details from the investigation into the assassination attempt on Donald Trump. Allegations of spotty cell service and miscommunications.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[08:17:28]
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HARRIS: She taught us to never complain about injustice, but do something about. Do something about it. She also taught us to never do anything half-assed and that is a
direct quote.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BERMAN: All right with us now, the youngest member of Congress, Florida Democrat Maxwell Frost.
Congressman, thanks so much for being with us this morning. I hope I'm not betraying any confidence here, but we saw you a second ago getting ready for this. And can you look like it had been a long night or long four days here.
(LAUGHTER)
SIDNER: Even John.
BERMAN: At the end of this week it's been pretty exhausting, yes?
REP. MAXWELL FROST (D-FL): It has been pretty exhausting. This has to be one of the most exhausting four days I've had in a while. I think on Tuesday we counted, I think I did over 30 events.
And this morning or yesterday morning on Thursday when I woke up, I didn't have a voice and I spoke last night. So I had to kind of use a humidifier and be on voice rest the whole day so my voice came back, but it has been an intense four days, but very fulfilling and very great.
SIDNER: I apologize there. I didn't do it, but there was a balloon that popped all last night. The balloons were being popped in here and, you know, that popping sound sometimes makes me afraid.
Congressman, when you were on the floor, when you are watching all of this, when you saw Kamala's speech, what does it from her speech that you think will resonate with voters, the people that you want to go out to the poll, because of course she's talking to a convention full of love for her, but this has to translate to votes.
FROST: A hundred and ten percent and I think the top thing I'm thinking about is for the last over a year-and-a-half when Donald Trump has been running for president, he been focused on ad hominems. He's been focused on speaking about things that don't speak to the everyday struggles of people, things like housing, things like public safety, things like ensuring people have the resources they need, not to just get by, but get ahead.
And last night during her speech, she spoke directly to the American people and directly to the struggles that people are facing. And especially, as a young American, I mean, I am one of the first Congressional offices on a college campus and one of our top requests for constituent services is on housing and security because we don't have enough affordable housing, we don't have enough inventory nor opportunity, and we don't have enough opportunity for renters to become home owners.
[08:20:12]
And so, that is something that is top of mind for young people, but really just all Americans.
I'll be honest, it's been a criticism -- I've had a criticism of both parties that they haven't really centered housing as a top issue. This is one of the first platforms that Kamala Harris has put forth to handle this housing crisis. I think it's really exciting.
She spoke directly to people, to the struggles they have and I think many folks watch that speech felt very validated and saw a leader who knows what they're going through because she's been through it herself and actually has solutions to the problem.
BERMAN: One of the things that had been a concern for some heading this convention were protests. Would there be protests out on the streets? People upset with US policy toward Israel and Gaza. The vice president did and address that last night.
There was not a Palestinian American speaker, and I think there had been some people who are upset about that. So, how well do you feel that Democrats and Harris specifically address those conflicting concerns?
FROST: Yes, of course. As it relates to what she said on stage, I mean, I think that the vice president has the position that most Americans have that there should be self-determination, safety and freedom for Palestinians, that we need a ceasefire to see all the hostages returned home, and to see this massive carnage of innocent life ending and I think that's where most Americans are at.
And as we continue through this campaign, I know the vice president and her team want to continue to engage with people on all sides of this issue, but especially folks fighting to ensure that we achieve a ceasefire, that we protect innocent life. Those are the values of our country and those are the values of the vice president.
SIDNER: I'm curious, Congressman, have you heard from any constituents? Have you heard from people responding to what they're seeing, calling perhaps to get involved or have you just been running around to 30 events every single night trying to just keep yourself awake?
FROST: Both. I've been receiving texts throughout the entire week from people who have been watching at home, people who have been very excited. I've received text from my organizing director back at home.
You know, we run a year-round organizing program where we're always hiring young people, teaching them how to work on campaigns and putting them out there to actually work on a campaign.
And we have gotten an influx of folks who have been applying to be a part of that and volunteers who want to do this work on the ground and a lot of this comes from the vice president and the fact that her authenticity and her calls to action really hit home for people across the country. A few days after she became are presumptive nominee, I went to Las
Vegas, Nevada for a few office openings as a surrogate. You get a memo that tells you a little bit about the event and said, each event will have a hundred people. I show up and there's 450 people at the first one. I had to speak to three overflow rooms.
I started working in politics at the age of 18 as a field organizer, you know, to be honest, most of the time, a room full of volunteers skews a little older, but when I was in those rooms, it was truly diverse. I mean, I saw groups of high schoolers who came after school together that carpool just to knock doors, just to make phone calls for the vice president.
So this is a lot of energy and this is what I say, she is more than just a political candidate now, she's a movement candidate, which is when culture and the politics and the civics really blur and that's when the power truly becomes untapped.
SIDNER: Congressman, you started early in your career. You do your parents proud. Maxwell Frost, thank you so much. Appreciate it.
FROST: Thank you so much.
BERMAN: All right, Robert Kennedy, Jr. giving a speech today expected to end his campaign. Maybe as part of that speech, will he be throwing his support behind Donald Trump?
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[08:28:25]
KERRY WASHINGTON, ACTRESS: What are you here to do?
AMARA AJAGU, VP KAMALA HARRIS' GRANDNIECE: To teach you how to say our auntie's name. First you say 'Kama' like a comma in a sentence.
LEELA AJAGU, VP KAMALA HARRIS' GRAND NIECE: Then you say 'la' like la- la-la-la-la.
WASHINGTON: Put it together and it's one, two, three --
CROWD: "Kamala".
A. AJAGU: Everybody over here say, Kama.
CROWD: Kama.
L. AJAGU: Everybody over here say, La.
CROWD: La.
WASHINGTON: Together
CROWD: Kama.
WASHINGTON: Together. CROWD: La.
WASHINGTON: Together.
CROWD: Kamala, Kamala, Kamala.
WASHINGTON: For president.
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
BOLDUAN: Kamala Harris' great nieces taking center stage last night very clearly and stealing the show, I will say, offering a lesson of sorts on how to pronounce her first name. Why? People mispronounce it, and sometimes people intentionally mispronounce it as a slight.
Donald Trump has proven time and again, do not get her name right, for one, his intention with that, he has not said.
But Donald Trump has had a lot to say, quite a lot to say about Kamala Harris' nominating speech last night. He clearly was watching according to his social media account, posting dozens of messages in real time responding to her and then calling into Fox News saying this about the momentum she's had.
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP (R) FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: No, she's not having success. I'm having success. I'm doing great with the Hispanic voters. I'm doing great with Black men. I'm doing great with women because they want safety.
(END AUDIO CLIP)
BOLDUAN: Today, Donald Trump is holding a rally in Arizona, coincidentally or not, RFK, Jr. is also expected to be in Arizona today and expected to end his campaign.
[08:30:15]
