Return to Transcripts main page
CNN Live Event/Special
Hillary Clinton Speaks to Crowd on Making History; Clinton Becomes Presumptive Democratic Nominee; Trump Takes Montana with No Opposition. Aired 10-11p ET
Aired June 07, 2016 - 22:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[22:00:00] NIA-MALIKA HENDERSON, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL REPORTER: She's not going to do that. I think if you look back at that 2008 speech, certainly memorable for that line about breaking 18 million cracks and breaking the highest, almost breaking the highest, hardest glass ceiling.
What was also about Barack Obama, right? There was a whole section in that speech where she talked about how much respect she had for President Obama's journey, the energy that he brought to the campaign, how much grit he showed as a senator as a community organizer before that. I think in some ways she needs to do that too with Sanders.
DAVID AXELROD, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: I think one of the opportunities here.
HENDERSON: Yes.
AXELROD: If you look at the Trump speech whoever else it was, it wasn't a big speech. She has an opportunity to make a big speech here and really set the stakes of the election. I think she will make the contrast because the thing that will unify democrats in the end.
As John Podesta said several times in his interview with Jake, is that the fact that whatever gulf there is between Sanders and Clinton supporters is small compared to the chasm between all of them and Donald Trump.
So, I think she has to hit that hard pretty hard. But I suspect she's going to do it in a big ay because part of her argument is the presidency is a big thing. And you have to be big enough to fill that job.
GLORIA BORGER, CNN CHIEF POLITICAL ANALYST: And she's also going to -- going to continue, I believe. She'll make the big speech, but she'll distinguish herself from Donald Trump whom she's called a loose cannon. I don't think she'll use that language tonight. But it's the instability of Donald Trump that she's going to continue to point to.
And the olive branch to Bernie Sanders, which she has to do because it's important that she get those voters. She can turn what's a three- point race into an eight-point race if she gets those Sanders supporters tonight as the beginning. ANDERSON COOPER, CNN HOST: Well, and with that one she's starting out
this speech tonight with this sort of campaign video, essentially, which is just being released tonight kind of targeting all those members of the Obama coalition that she needs to reach out to.
PAUL BEGALA, CNN CONTRIBUTOR: And that is the key. David talked earlier about how it's completely different playing field when she move from the primary to the general election. And the scale is spectacularly large.
Hillary just won handily with 13 million votes. She needs 66 million to win the general election. Donald Trump got 11.5 million, good for him. That's more than any republican has ever gotten. He needs 66 or more.
You're talking about tens of millions of people who have not yet participated, and I know Hillary's most famous woman in the world. She spoke at the same time. Get this like the most highest negatives in 20 years running, the most admired woman in the world in the Gallop poll.
And it's that kind of attention that I think she threw this video and other things can address. You never get a second chance to make a first impression. She's been the most famous woman in the world for years. But I think what she can say is I'm on your side.
And if you listen to John, he said ready to tee it up against Donald Trump about setting up an economic system that works for you. There's definitely a class based argument that Bernie Sanders has test-driven, that looked like it worked real well. And I wonder if she's going to reach out to some of that tonight.
BORGER: She's smart.
AXELROD: It's also an opportunity for her to talk about the country itself because at a time when Donald Trump is under assault for being divisive, the notion that the country is embracing a woman, that, you know, the country is somehow bigger than it was and that this is our history that we moved forward that we embrace each other, that we're in this together.
It seems to me that that will be a part of this speech as well, to set up that contrast with Donald Trump.
DONNA BRAZILE, CNN POLITICLA COMMENTATOR: When she started this election back in Brooklyn many months ago, she's talked about the people that she wanted to lift up, the people that she wanted to help.
Hillary is a doer. She's not just a talk all, quote, unquote, "politician." She's someone who likes to get things done. Tonight, she needs to tell the American people the two and three things that she would like to get done as president.
Going back to what I believe one of my distinguished colleagues said over there, division thing. You know, the bigness, this is a great country, a big country, and people want to feel like you're talking about them. Their future. And I think tonight is about their future as well.
COOPER: And Kayleigh is joining us again. What did you hear from Donald Trump? What do you anticipate hearing from Hillary Clinton?
KAYLEIGH MCENANY, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: Well, I heard a concrete message, his America first plan that he tied together to me very eloquently when he spoke about trade when he spoke about foreign policy. I saw a vision that people can grab on to.
America first, America is strong. He is a politician who's going to break -- not a politician rather who is going to break up the Washington scheme. The Washington cartel if you're Senator Cruz and that's the phrase you use.
So, I saw a positive vision. I think Hillary Clinton, she needs to put forward that two-word message or three-word message that voters can grab on to because I think that's where it get lost upon voters.
We all congratulate her for The first republican to achieve this, she deserves accommodation for that and I applaud her for that.
COOPER: First democrat.
MCENANY: First democrat female. First woman, yes. She deserves absolute credit for that, but she needs to put forward a positive vision. Because I think voters don't know what her campaign is about.
[22:04:59] BEGALA: I think that's right. And I predicted the two words you'll from hear, stronger together. She's been saying that for the last few days, and it's an implicit contrast with Donald Trump, who many Americans view as divisive.
We're stronger together. And the way we become richer is by working together by including more people. The way we become stronger is having more allies overseas. We're stronger together. That's a very distinct and different vision than Donald Trump's.
And when you're in the business of addition, going from 10 or 13 million voters, to trying to get 65 or 70 million voters. I think this argument about inclusiveness and how we're stronger, richer, freer if we're all together is one that she's going to...
(CROSSTALK)
COOPER: Do you think they focus with that at all?
BEGALA: I have. You know, I think she's actually, I'm sure she focus group of this. But this is been at the core of her existence, and her very first job was the Children's Fund. She has gone into really racist towns in the '60s in South Carolina and tried to investigate the incarceration of young African-American males. This is long before she was famous.
COOPER: And I told you about this video, they're going to be debuting tonight. We're going to be show you. It does give kind of a window of the group that clearly are trying to reach out to in a very overt way. So, we'll play that for you as soon as they're playing it for the audience there as well.
AXELROD: You know, I don't want to -- I don't want to hammer this point too relentlessly, but I feel it's so strongly, I think that there's a linear nature to these campaigns that goes to the words you use and your policies.
But, there's a non-linear part of a particularly a general election where people are looking at you and imagining you in that office and in moments like this, you know, how you perform, whether you seem like someone who can rise to that...
BORGER: Right.
AXELROD: ... that occasion is going to be really important. This is a great opportunity for her to do that.
BORGER: And you know Trump was recovering from four or five really bad days. And he had to give the speech, and they had to put it on teleprompter because he couldn't mess it up. This was really important to him, really important to the Republican Party.
Clinton is not recovering from anything other than Bernie Sanders. And she's got to reach out to him, but it's a real moment for her because this is something she's tried once before and she lost. It is a moment in American history which she's got to make note of, which I'm sure she will.
And it's an important moment in the campaign because she has to get people to start liking her. And this is a real problem she's got, as does Donald Trump. But this is one way to talk to the American people and say, this is who I am. And this is what I stand for, and so give me another look. She's going to have a big audience tonight, and she'll try and take advantage of it.
BRAZILE: And it's the first of many occasions that she will have of course, Mr. Trump as well to introduce themselves or reintroduce himself to the public.
BORGER: Sure.
BRAZILE: We also have the convention, the first debate, and this selection of a vice president, which I also think is another big occasion as well. I want to say something about Bernie Sanders.
As you know, I've maintained my neutrality, and that's very important to me as an officer, but I want to say how incredibly important his campaign I think has been this entire political season.
I know when you have contested primaries you often walk away and but you know what, at the end of the day, if the family is able to come back together become stronger, the issues that Bernie Sanders has raised, income inequality, a lack of college affordability, take on minimum, take on criminal justice reform, climate change, these issues are at the heart of the Democratic Party.
And I'm glad that his voice has been in the race. I'm glad that he has so many supporters, we're going to have a wonderful platform process, it's already started here in the District of Columbia.
But I want to say congratulations to Bernie Sanders and his team. And incredible team, I talked to some of them earlier today, Chad, and Mark, my former colleagues, Paul, you know, some of us can get to our campaign, but this is an incredible moment for Bernie Sanders.
AXELROD: Well, they got about six weeks to get the family dinner together.
(CROSSTALK)
BRAZILE: I absolutely agree.
AXELROD: This next week is going very, very important.
BORGER: Right.
AXELROD: And big important phase of the campaign.
COOPER: Before a speech like this, I mean, what does -- what does Secretary Clinton doing and how did she?
PATTI SOLIS DOYLE, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: She's practicing, she's rehearsing, she's fine tuning.
COOPER: She's practices, good.
DOYLE: She is reading it allowed to herself. She is thriving in her car, reading it allowed to herself, she's making last minute changes. So this is her speech, you know, the idea that this is something else wrote it, she has poured her heart and soul into this.
COOPER: Well, somebody else wrote it though.
DOYLE: Yes. But she poured her heart and soul in it, she dine tuned. She made changes, she has a very, let me say, intimate relationship with her speechwriter.
And tonight is really, really important. This is history -- not to steal the vice president's words, this is a big f in deal and she is not, she's not going to take it lightly, let me say that.
[22:10:09] She's been working for women's rights for her entire life and this is a momentous occasion for her.
COOPER: David, you were saying the next few weeks of this campaign is critical.
AXELROD: Yes, I think so. I think the phase between the clenching of the nomination and the convention. When you need to consolidate the party and produce a convention that tells the story you want to tell in the general election, when you have the largest audience you're going to have until the presidential debate is critical.
It's critical for both candidate. And so, if that phase begins tonight. I think the president will play a big role in that process and can be very helpful in that process. He made a decision to stay out of the primary race, just so he could be useful at a time like this.
This is as close as he was to Secretary Clinton, she hadn't served in his cabinet. So, but I think this is a critical time. And if you do it well. You can come out of that process with a real momentum headed toward the general election.
I also want to say this, it has to be said that Hillary Clinton is one of the most tenacious figures in recent American political history. She has fought her way through so much to get to this moment.
COOPER: And Jeff Zeleny is standing by in there. Jeff, obviously the crowd now reacting. Do we have a sense of when she's coming out?
JEFF ZELENY, CNN SENIOR WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT: Anderson, she'll be coming out any moment now. The crowd is now firing up. The band is just started playing. And I can tell you just to set the scene here a little bit.
There are many of those father with young daughters up on their daughters. There are young women here watching this very carefully. So, it is true that it's history that we'll be seeing on this video coming up shortly is really being lived out here in real-time.
But I am told Hillary Clinton will be coming out shortly. She had been putting the finishing touches on her speech. We'll start with a video here at the historic nature of this. And then she'll speak in a few moments. Anderson?
COOPER: And this is a video as they're only playing it tonight. Is this a video they're going to be running as commercials?
ZELENY: Anderson, this is very much likely going to be turned into commercials and turn into web videos played for democratic function and things. But this is definitely a sound track we'll be hearing and seeing at the campaign going forward.
It's the way they believe that they can reach out some of these women supporters of Senator Sanders in particular. The young women are one of the biggest demographics they're trying to reach. They've been unable to. They hope things like this help out.
It will also be used on social media sort of sliced and diced on Snapchat and other things, Anderson. So, it's the first look tonight. We'll be seeing it more in the months to come.
COOPER: All right. Jeff, we'll stand by for this. Let's bring back our panel. David, you were talking about consolidating the party at a time like this. How did the -- how does the candidate go about doing that? And obviously Donald Trump has a bigger road ahead of him in terms of that, but for Hillary Clinton.
AXELROD: Yes, well look, again, I think the president can play a big role in that. He's someone whose been talking to both of them, I'm sure his staff has been talking to both, his political staff has been talking to both campaigns.
And my guess is that he will be instrumental in orchestrating a transition. He is in a position to translate some of the concerns of the Sanders campaign to the Clinton campaign and broker as it were some of the, some of the things that may be common ground on which they can settle moving into the convention.
So, I expect that in the next few days. He will be more prominent player in this process.
BORGER: I think he's going to be so key because the big question was, how do you put together the Obama coalition without Obama? And the truth of the matter is, you use President Obama to put together the Obama coalition again, and that's going to be so important.
One thing I want to say about this campaign is that unlike 2008, which was plague with a lot of drama in the Hillary Clinton campaign. This campaign in 2016 has been much more steady I believe, even though, they were facing Bernie Sanders kind of eyes on the prize little drama at the top, a different tone. They learned from 2008.
AXELROD: I want to give a shout out to Robby Mook, the campaign manager.
BORGER: Yes.
AXELROD: Because when they would needed it, the organization came through in a way that was very, very important.
COOPER: Let's listen in.
[22:15:00] MADISON MCFERRIN, SINGER & SONGWRITER (SINGING THE U.S. NATIONAL ANTHEM)
(APPLAUSE)
COOPER: Clearly there are some audio issues there. We're working out there during that. Again, they're going to be playing this video beforehand, again we will show it to you just to give you a sense of where this campaign clearly is targeting in the weeks and in the months ahead, the various groups.
We showed some of the video earlier, this is the first time we'll be seeing the entire video, Hillary Clinton's looks like her speech has been placed out on the podium.
The crowd there is clearly waiting for their candidate. We're not sure how long she would be speaking.
Donald Trump was relatively short in his speech, but I imagine Hillary Clinton will probably be speaking for longer.
HENDERSON: You imagine it, I mean, this is her big moment. Yes, maybe 30 minutes or so. We're talking with Axelrod here, just the whole idea of the winning thing, like how much does she kind of know that moment? And if it's a preview of how she plays it throughout the entire campaign.
If you remember, the first video when she launched her campaign very much about women, featured all women of working in the gardens and going after the working world.
So, and the interesting if she does that and President Obama or then Senator Obama didn't do that when he ran the first black president, it wasn't a sort of pro-black campaign in the way that you feel like this, at least for now is looking like it's going to be a pro-woman campaign, at least on this night.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: When I look at the pageantry and the staging of this as one who did advance many years ago for then vice President Bush, I'm reminded of how much went into this. This is the...
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HILLARY CLINTON, (D) U.S. PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: If America's going to lead, we need to learn from the women of the world who have blazed new paths. Think of the suffrages who gathered at Seneca Falls in 1848, and those who kept fighting until women could cast their votes.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Those who think that the women liberation movement is a joke, now this does views you of that notion. It is about equal opportunity.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We're talking about humans.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: To create a better world, it's about putting ourselves in the shoes of people who need a voice.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I am part of the new generation of suffrages. I will not stand silent.
CLINTON: Human rights are women's rights and women's rights are human rights. Once and for all.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The match has been lit in and my fire burns bright. Look, I can't do this alone. When we're together.
(CROWD CHANTING)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: This is what democracy looks like.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: And women need to be represented.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Ginger Rogers did everything, she just did it backwards and in high heels.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It's even in some tiny way I get to carry on the work that she and a whole generation of women did to give us rights, that's huge.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I want to help get that -- I've met so many other transgender people. Their voices haven't always been heard, but I've told them, our time is coming. We're going to change the world together.
[22:20:02] UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: And because I'm here, that has an impact on people like me who will come after me.
CLINTON: So, let's learn from the wisdom of every mother and father who teaches their daughters there is no limit on how big she can dream and how much she can achieve.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I'm a little feminist growing up to help all women with equal rights. I hope you can be the first woman president of the whole United States.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Dare to compete, Mrs. Clinton, dare to compete.
CLINTON: Women and men, young and old, Latino and Asian, African- American, and Caucasian. Rich, poor, and middle class, gay and straight, you have put...
(CROWD CHEERING)
And I will continue to stand strong with you. Every time, every place, and every way that I can. The dreams we share are worth fighting for. And I want to build an America that respects and embraces the potential of every last one of us.
(APPLAUSE)
(CROWD CHEERING)
(CROWD CHANTING)
(MUSIC PLAYING)
[22:25:03] CLINTON: One dad you have taken with me, and I am so grateful to you. It is wonderful to be back in Brooklyn here in this beautiful building.
(CROWD CHEERING)
And it may be hard to see tonight but we are all standing under a glass ceiling right now.
(CROWD CHEERING)
But don't worry, we're not smashing this one. Thanks to you, we've reached a milestone.
(CROWD CHEERING)
First time -- the first time in our nation's history that a woman will be a major party's nominee.
(CROWD CHEERING)
Tonight, tonight's victory is not about one person, it belongs to generations of women and men who struggled and sacrificed and made this moment possible. In our country, it started right here in New York, a place called Seneca Falls in 1848.
(CROWD CHEERING)
When a small but determined group of women and men came together with the idea that women deserved equal rights and they said it forth and something called the declaration of sentiments, and it was the first time in human history that that kind of declaration occurred.
So, we all owe so much to those who came before and tonight belongs to all of you.
(CROWD CHEERING)
I want to -- I want to thank all the volunteers, community leaders, the activists, and organizers who supported our campaign in every state and territory, and thanks especially to our friends in New Jersey for such a resounding victory tonight.
(CROWD CHEERING)
Thanks for talking to your neighbors or making contributions, your efforts have produced a strong majority of the popular vote, victories in a majority of the contests and after tonight, a majority of pledged delegates.
(CROWD CHEERING)
I want to thank all the people across our country who have taken the time to talk with me. I've learned a lot about you, and I've learned about those persistent problems and the unfinished promise of America that you are living with.
So many of you feel like you're out there on your own, that no one has your back. Well, I do. I hear you.
(CROWD CHEERING)
I see you. And as your president, I will always have your back.
(CROWD CHEERING)
I want to congratulate Senator Sanders for the extraordinary campaign he has brought.
(CROWD CHEERING)
He has spent his long career in public service fighting for progressive causes and principle and he's excited millions of voters, especially young people, and let there be no mistake, Senator Sanders, his campaign, and the vigorous debate that we've had about how to raise income, reduce inequality, increase upward mobility, have been very good for the Democratic Party and for America.
(CROWD CHEERING)
This has been a hard fought deeply felt campaign. [22:30:02] But whether you supported me or Senator Sanders or one of
the republicans, we all need to keep working toward a better, fairer, stronger America.
Now I know it never feels good to put your heart into a cause or a candidate you believe in and to come up short. I know that feeling well.
But as we look ahead...
(CROWD CHEERING)
... as we look ahead to the battle awaits, let's remember all that unites us. We all want an economy with more opportunity and less inequality. Where Wall Street can never wreck main street again.
We all want a government that listens to the people, not the power brokers which means getting unaccountable money out of politics.
(CROWD CHEERING)
And we all want a society that is tolerant, inclusive and fair.
(CROWD CHEERING)
We all believe that America succeeds when more people share in our prosperity, when more people have a voice in our political system. When more people can contribute to their communities.
We believe that cooperation is better than conflict, unity is better than division, empowerment is better than resentment, and bridges are better than walls.
(CROWD CHEERING)
It's a -- it's a simple, but powerful idea. We believe that we are stronger together and the stakes in this election are high, and the choice is clear. Donald Trump is temperamentally unfit to be president...
(CROWD CHEERING)
And he's -- he's not just trying to build a wall between America and Mexico, he's trying to wall off Americans from each other. When he says let's make America great again, that is code for, let's take America backwards.
(CROWD CHEERING)
Back to a time when opportunity and dignity were reserved for some not all. Promising his supporters an economy he cannot recreate.
We, however, we want to write the next chapter in American greatness. With a 21st century prosperity that lifts everyone who's been left out and left behind. Including those who may not vote for us, but who deserve their chance to make a new beginning. (CROWD CHEERING)
When Donald Trump says a distinguished judge, born in Indiana, can't do his job because of his Mexican heritage...
(CROWD BOOING)
... or he mocks a reporter with disabilities.
(CROWD BOOING)
Or calls women pigs.
(CROWD BOOING)
It goes against everything we stand for. Because we want an America where everyone is treated with respect. And where their work is valued.
(APPLAUSE)
It's clear that Donald Trump doesn't believe we are stronger together. He has abused his primary opponents and their families, attacked the press for asking tough questions, denigrated Muslims and immigrants.
He wants to win by stoking fear and rubbing salt in wounds. And reminding us daily just how great he is.
Well, we believe we should lift each other up, not tear each other down.
(CROWD CHEERING)
[22:34:58] We believe -- we believe we need to give Americans a raise, not complain that hard-working people's wages are too high. We believe we need to help young people struggling with student debt, not pile more on our national debt with giveaways to the super wealthy.
(CROWD CHEERING)
We believe we need to make America the clean energy superpower of the 21st century.
(CROWD CHEERING)
Not insist that climate change is a hoax. To be great, we can't be small. We have to be as big as the values that define America. And we are a big-hearted, fair-minded country.
We teach our children that this is one nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.
(CROWD CHEERING)
Not just for people who look a certain way, or worship a certain way, or love a certain way, for all indivisible. (APPLAUSE)
This election is not, however, about the same old fights between democrats and republicans. This election is different. It really is about who we are as a nation. It's about millions of Americans coming together to say, we are better than this. We won't let this happen in America.
(APPLAUSE)
And if you agree, whether you're a democrat, republican, or independent, I hope you will join us in just a few weeks, we will meet in Philadelphia which gave birth to our nation...
(CROWD CHEERING)
... back in that hot summer of 1776. Those early patriots knew they would all rise or fall together. Well, today, that's more true than ever.
Our campaign will take this message to every corner of our country. We're stronger when our economy works for everyone, not just those at the top. With good-paying jobs and good schools, in every zip code, and a real commitment to all families and all regions of our nation.
(APPLAUSE)
We are stronger when we work with our allies around the world to keep us safe. And we are stronger when we respect each other, listen to each other, and act with a sense of common purpose.
(APPLAUSE)
We're stronger when every family and every community knows they're not on their own. Because we are in this together. It really does take a village to raise a child.
(CROWD CHEERING)
And to build a stronger future for us all.
I learned this a long time ago, from the biggest influence in my life, my mother. She was my rock from the day I was born until the day she left us. She overcame a childhood marked by abandonment and mistreatment, and somehow managed not to become bitter or broken.
My mother believed that life is about serving others. And she taught me never to back down from a bully, which it turns out was pretty good advice.
(CROWD CHEERING)
This past Saturday, would have been her 97th birthday because she was born on June 4, 1910, and some of you may know the significance of that date.
(APPLAUSE)
On the very day my mother was born, in Chicago, Congress was passing the 19th Amendment to the Constitution.
(CROWD CHEERING)
That amendment finally gave women the right to vote.
[22:40:00] (CROWD CHEERING)
And I really, I really wish my mother could be here tonight. I wish she could see what a wonderful mother Chelsea has become and could meet our beautiful granddaughter, Charlotte.
(APPLAUSE)
And of course, I wish she could see her daughter become the Democratic Party's nominee.
(CROWD CHEERING)
So, yes -- yes, there are still ceilings to break for women and men for all of us, but don't let anyone tell you that great things can't happen in America. Barriers can come down, justice and equality can win.
Our history has moved in that direction, slowly at times, but unmistakably, thanks to generations of Americans who refuse to give up or back down. Now you are writing a new chapter of that story.
This campaign is about making sure there are no ceilings, no limits on any of us, and this is our moment to come together. So, please join our campaign, volunteer, go to hillaryclinton.com, contribute what you can.
(CROWD CHEERING)
Text join, j-o-i-n, to 47246. Help us organize in all 50 states.
(CROWD CHEERING)
Every phone call you make, every door you knock on will move us forward. Now I'm going to take a moment later tonight and the days ahead to fully absorb the history we've made here.
(CROWD CHEERING)
But what I care about most is the history our country has yet to write. Our children and grandchildren will look back at this time, at the choices we are about to make, the goals we will strive for, the principles we will live by, and we need to make sure that they can be proud of us.
The end of the primaries is only the beginning of the work we're called to do. But if we stand together, we will rise together. Because we are stronger together. (CROWD CHEERING)
Let's go out and make that case to America. Thank you. God bless you and God bless America.
(CROWD CHEERING)
JAKE TAPPER, CNN HOST: Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton declaring herself the democratic presumptive, democratic presidential nominee and to take a moment historically.
She is, as of now, the first woman in American history to be a major party presidential nominee. And it is such a thing. There she is hugging her daughter, Chelsea with her son-in-law, Mark.
There of course is former President Bill Clinton. And it was a strong speech. Dana Bash, let me bring you in. She reached out to Sanders supporters, congratulated Bernie Sanders on what he had accomplished.
Talked about all the things that united democrats, talking about the desire to fight income inequality, provide opportunity, to have Wall Street can never go against main street, talked about the removing unaccountable money out of politics.
And talked about creating a world that is tolerant and inclusive. And with that pivoting towards some strong statements, attacks on Donald Trump, calling him temperamentally unfit to be president, Dana.
DANA BASH, CNN CHIEF POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: That's right. I just want to take a moment to mark what image we saw just a couple of moments ago.
Not just with Chelsea Clinton as you said, Bill Clinton, and he's been in a lot of her speeches at these big events, big nights throughout the primary season. But I don't recall, I don't know about you, Jake, him actually getting up on the stage like that with her and having the classic spouse hand wave to the crowd.
[22:44:58] It's really been the Hillary Clinton show, he's obviously been an incredible surrogate for her, he's been on the road, he's been doing a lot to help her campaign, but that was a moment that I don't think we have seen very much.
The other thing that was really striking in addition to what you obviously just has to stop and reflect on immediately is the historic nature of this. But also, how much there were times in this speech where she could have been reading a Bernie Sanders speech.
Maybe not in cadence and in tone, but also talking about the fact that -- she was talking about a lot of the issues that he had brought up that she probably wouldn't have brought up, and I don't think she did that -- and that was on purpose. She was reaching out to them not to suddenly. What did you think, Jake?
TAPPER: Absolutely. I mean, the idea that she would say we want to make sure that Wall Street can never destroy main street, the only time she talked about Wall Street was in a negative and pejorative way. Clearly a page from the Sanders playbook.
It was definitely a speech aimed at Sanders supporters, but also aimed at women out there and aimed at individuals who might be independent and vacillating, she talked about, it was a much more inclusive speech than we've heard from other candidate this election cycle, especially she talked about reaching out to even those who may not vote for us, but they too deserve their chance to make a new beginning.
The idea being, hey, I know that some of you aren't going to vote for me, but I'm going to fight for you too. And ask yourself, at least subliminally was of the message there, do you think Donald Trump would make that same pitch? Anderson?
COOPER: I mean, to hear David Axelrod, we've heard a lot of Hillary Clinton's speeches, what did you make of it this time?
AXELROD: I thought that was her best speeches I've ever heard her give. And it was good on two levels. One is she spoke in values. Sometimes she gets bogged down in sort of policy, and the themes don't come through.
This was a speech about values, American values, values that not just democrats, but most Americans share. And I think that was very powerful. The second thing was the way she delivered her speech. Sometimes she can be very labored in her speaking. She seemed very comfortable, it was almost an intimate speech, even though...
(CROSSTALK)
COOPER: That was conversational on that.
AXELROD: She's talking to the American people, and it was conversational, and it wasn't the shouting we've heard at times, and it was much more powerful. I've always said you could -- she could draw people in by being more intimate rather than blasting them out. Here she did, and you can see it was a very good affect.
BORGER: You know though she went big at first, she talks about being the first female nominee the history-making part of it. After she went big, she kind of went right to sticking the shift at Donald Trump.
And you know, it seems to me that she's found her voice when it comes to taking on Donald Trump. She did it in her foreign policy speech, it was very well-received. And then tonight, she talked about him stoking fear, rubbing salt in wounds, abusing his primary opponents and their families.
She talked about how her mother taught her to deal with a bully. And on and on and on, and we are not even into the general election campaign. We are not even at the convention. So, imagine what this will be.
COOPER: Well, Donald Trump is saying already in his speech tonight that he is going to be making a speech about the Clintons probably Monday.
AXELROD: Yes.
BORGER: Right.
RON BROWNSTEIN, CNN POLITICAL ANALYST: I think he had a framework of the big message here. Because I think she connected the personal and the political in an interesting way.
And on the one hand, there was the milestone than she represented in American history, and on the other, there was the argument, I think the core argument tonight was that America works better when it's inclusive. When it doesn't divide and build walls among all of us.
You know, if you talk about the economy right now, it's a wash. If you talk about security, it's a wash between the party. If you talk about bringing change to Washington, it's an advantage to republicans.
Where democrats have their clearest advantage in this election is on culture and it's on whether we are comfortable with the diversity and kind of the cultural and demographic change we are living through.
And that is what she identified with. And that's what also she identified as the principle contrast with Trump. And I think it is the biggest problem he faces going forward as this past week has demonstrated.
COOPER: Yes.
BROWNSTEIN: Many American see him as fundamentally running against the changes, the demographic and cultural changes that are shaping modern America. And that is tough to win
HENDERSON: And she sort of rewrote or reinterpreted his slogan which, of course is make America great again. She said that for many people that it called for "let's take America backwards."
And it is true. You talk to people about that, and they essentially say, what America is talking about, is it the '50s, is it '60s, when things weren't great for a lot of people.
She had that other line to be great, we can't be small. So, I do think if democrats make this sort of an existential question about America, about who fits into America. I think they're on pretty good...
(CROSSTALK)
AXELROD: There are two critiques of Trump that she's worked with. So, the first on Thursday which is that he's dangerous because he's too impulsive, too temperamental to be the commander-in-chief and have the kind of grave and mortal power that the president has.
[22:50:07] And the second is the point that Ron just made. Which is he's too divisive and that we are, as she's adopted the slogan, stronger together. And I think you're going to hear this over and over again.
COOPER: Let's go to our commentators, Kayleigh, is it Trump's word, or what did you think?
MCENANY: I mean, I thought that her criticism of Trump were entirely off-base and I do think she needs to be very careful because, you know, Americans got the soaring rhetoric eight years ago, and the teleprompter, nicely woven speeches.
But Americans have sent a very clear message in both parties during in this election that they want someone who's outside of this center this distrustful of Washington. They want someone who's off the cuff, that's why Bernie Sanders has done so well, that's why Donald Trump has done so well.
And I think that's going to be her real challenge. You know, it was a great speech again, I commend her for being the first female nominee. But at the end of the day, I really think there's anger in an electorate that shouldn't be underestimated.
COOPER: Donna?
BRAZILE: Well, I love the speech of course because I love the person who gave the speech. I think she's a perfect messenger for the kind of speech that she gave tonight. A very inclusive speech.
A speech that said to most person Americans, if not all Americans is that there's a circle of opportunity for those who think that they're on the outskirts of hope.
She will be the president who will bring people into that circle. She will enlarge it because we all, we can all be part of it. I love the speech. I thought it was great and I'm looking forward to Bernie Sanders' speech later so I can get two for one.
COOPER: Patty.
DOYLE: Look, I thought it was a great speech. I think she's getting very comfortable with this role as she...
(CROSSTALK)
COOPER: Is she a better candidate than she was?
DOYLE: Absolutely. And I give credit to Bernie Sanders for that. I mean, you know, she started off this race as, you know, the inevitable nominee. And Bernie Sanders gave her a run for her money. And she made mistakes early on and she went a little less early on, more or less than she had wanted to. And it made her a better candidate.
All it only makes better when she's fighting for. But I also want to comment on when she spoke about her mother. I really do think that this is a better sweet moment for her, you know, her mother has always been a great inspiration to her.
You know, ever since obviously when she was a little girl, but her mother lived with her when she was in Arkansas, she lived with her when she was in the White House, she lived with her here in Washington, D.C. when she was senator, and for her mother not to be here tonight, I think is really, it's a big void for her.
COOPER: Paul.
BEGALA: You're right. I'm thinking of that as well. As her friend, this is a really emotional moment. As a strategist, she reached out and she did something pretty depth, she's not a gifted or she's not Barack Obama. But this is pretty depth.
She appealed very directly and honestly to Sanders voters, especially on populist economics where she is comfortable. And they want to hear that. And she paid them the respect and Senator Sanders himself the respect that he has earned. That's an important first step.
Second, he stuck the knife in Donald Trump the way that President Obama does. Usually, you know, Hillary just likes to hit. The president likes to wield a scalpel. His ridicule of Donald Trump is masterful. I think Hillary has been studying his method. And this will last, this line, to be great, we can't be small.
So, now she's diminished Trump who wants to pose as the great man. I think it's a very effective way to ridicule him, and she mocked him for telling us how great he really is.
Again, she's kind of piercing that ego. And the third thing she did was offer a unifying theme for moderates. You know, as a strategist, you want to get the left. You have to get the left, You can't win without the left if you're a democrat.
But you also there's a lot, a lot of republicans very uncomfortable with Donald Trump. They tend to be socially moderate, and she reached out to them. All of that inclusiveness, she literally needs that to win and you need that to govern.
And I think that that this will be a unifying theme for her. The way, I think Kayleigh, you mentioned earlier that Donald Trump talks about America first. I think Hillary's going to talk about stronger together.
BROWNSTEIN: Because that forward bat was a new element, and important.
BEGALA: Right.
BROWNSTEIN: To Nia's point, and if you look at, there are very few 32-year-old Hispanic lawyers or 35-year-old African-Americans who say there is some idealized point in American history they are trying to get back to again.
When Donald Trump talks about again, there is an implicit group that he is speaking to that feels they have been economically and culturally eclipsed. The problem he's got is that the majority that is part of the emerging next in her is a majority of electorate.
I mean, there is a majority that is a culturally in tuned with what the country is becoming. There are other grounds on which you can fight competitively. Kayleigh's point is right. People are looking for change in Washington, and they see him as more likely to bring it. But for much of the electorate, is not the principled way he is defined. He is defined primarily as the embodiment of cultural, white cultural backlash.
And this week really under -- when you have the Speaker of the House, of the same party in a really unprecedented moment saying it's the text book definition of a racist comment, you can see the box that you are in, and that he will have to figure out a way out of it if he truly wants to compete.
[22:55:10] COOPER: I want to go quickly over to Wolf for the projection. Wolf?
WOLF BLITZER, CNN HOST: All right. Thanks very much, Anderson. We have a projection right now. Hillary Clinton, we project is the winner of the New Mexico democratic presidential primary.
This is her second win of the night. We projected much earlier that she is the winner in New Jersey.
Let's take a look at some other states right now. She's having a very good night, a key race alert. We've got Hillary Clinton is ahead right now in two important states. Let's put them up on the board right there.
She's ahead, there it is in Montana, it was 25 percent of the vote is in. She's got 50.7 percent to Bernie Sanders 44.2 percent. In South Dakota, Hillary Clinton is ahead with 85 percent of the vote and 51.3 percent, Bernie Sanders 48.7 percent.
I should point out by the way, that Donald Trump with no opposition is the winner in Montana. He wins the republican presidential primary, Montana. Republican presidential primary, Donald Trump is the winner of that.
In about four minutes, the polls will be closing and the biggest prize of the night, that will be California. We'll have coverage of that once those numbers start coming in.
We'll update you on that. Remember, 475 democratic presidential delegates, convention delegates are at stake in California.
Let's go over to John King over at the magic wall. John, it's shaping up pretty good night, very good night, I should point out for Hillary Clinton so far, Bernie Sanders did win the North Dakota caucuses.
JOHN KING, CNN CHIEF NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: At the moment there is absolutely no doubt based on what we're seeing in the results. That even if some of the states turn, she will get a majority of the pledged delegates unless Bernie Sanders wins with 90 something percent in the State of California.
If you look at this right now, Bernie Sanders, the whole argument of his campaign was finish strong. Say I'm the candidate with momentum at the end of the race, try to flip those super delegates. Well, let's go through them. A thumping by Hillary Clinton, 63 percent
to 36 percent, we're almost done counting in the State of New Jersey, that's a shellacking, a big win for Secretary Clinton. A lot of delegates from this state that moved her closer to the pledge delegate count.
New Mexico, 52 to 47 in the count now up to 92 percent. Again, a very impressive win for Secretary Clinton. In this state, very much with her campaign wanted, Senator Sanders was hoping to pull that out of surprise. This is where it gets surprising.
And for the Sanders campaign, very disappointing, 85 percent of the vote in, this one could still swing. There are some places if you want to look out here, if you come out here to see, only 36 percent of the vote.
Pennington County, Senator Sanders ahead. So, there is a possibility some votes could come back there. But there are also if you come over here to this part of the state, a much larger county where Sioux falls is, still half the vote to come in with Secretary Clinton if it continues to track potentially the votes there.
So, this is a close race in South Dakota, but this is a state Sanders needed, and she's leading at the moment, Secretary Clinton is, she has the possibility to win in South Dakota.
Now we move over here, Wolf, up to 32 percent now. The Montana count is coming in fast and very, very close race here. But again, this was a place Senator Sanders was expected to come in and win big. Thirty two percent there, you see the two-point lead. We'll watch that one as it comes.
But this is not what the Sanders campaign wanted, and this is just the exclamation point the Clinton campaign wanted. We use as a boxing match, here is the undercard, she wins New Jersey, she wins New Mexico, she's competitive in these two fights that are still going on.
And now we're waiting for the polls to close in just over a minute in the biggest prize of all. Both campaigns expect this to be close, I will tell you the campaigns have had some access to the mail ballot, the early mail ballot information.
And inside the Clinton campaign, Wolf, they're pretty confident. In a couple of hours when we're done counting, they're going to win California as well. And if that's the case, one, two, that's the big one they want.
If they can get one of these as well, they think that that as Senator Sanders considers what to do over the next couple of days with, he needed to finish strong, if Secretary Clinton wins four or five of the six, that's a huge deal.
BLITZER: You said earlier, New Jersey gain, New Mexico set and California could potentially be a match. Let's talk about California for a moment.
(CROSSTALK)
KING: And if -- and if these hold, this is a huge bonus. Look at this region of the country and how good it's been to Senator Sanders, they're small states. There are not a lot of delegates there.
But just in terms of closing the campaign and adding a little icing to the cake, if they hold that would be very important for the Clinton campaign.
BLITZER: South Dakota and Montana.
KING: Right.
BLITZER: All right. Let's take a look at California, 2008 right now, almost exactly eight years ago, what was it like?
KING: If you go back and look at it here, 51-43, a very important win for then Senator Clinton over Senator Obama. The backbone of the Clinton victory was down here, by far, by far the largest slice of the vote, 26 percent plus of the population is Los Angeles County.
The City of Los Angeles, the suburbs around it. This is the biggest, most important section of the state when it comes to the democrats. It's a place where Secretary Clinton hopes anchors her supporter tonight.
But then you have Senator Sanders essentially, Wolf, camp out here for the last two weeks. He is hoping that he drives turnout at the end and gets the victory. It's the only question we have left tonight.
[22:59:58] Secretary Clinton will clinch the nomination, the only question is can Sanders somehow get the California trophy he so desperately wants?
BLITZER: All right, John. Thanks very much. Let's get a key race alert. Right now, the polls are closed in California.
