Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Live Event/Special

Moments Away: Start Of Third Night Of Democratic National Convention; Harris Set To Make History Tonight With VP Nomination; Biden Allies Open Up About His Empathy In CNN Documentary. Aired 8-9p ET

Aired August 19, 2020 - 20:00   ET

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

KYUNG LAH, CNN SENIOR NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: In 2020, more women of color are running for congress than ever before in American history. And Erin, yes, a historic moment tonight for Kamala Harris, but she's also a representation of the changing times. Erin?

ERIN BURNETT, CNN HOST: Absolutely. Kyung, thank you. And our special coverage of the Democratic National Convention continues now.

[20:00:18]

ANDERSON COOPER, CNN HOST: You're about to witness a historic moment in the fight for the White House and the fight for equality.

Tonight, Senator Kamala Harris becomes the first woman of color nominated by a major party to be Vice President. She will tell Americans her story in her biggest test yet as Joe Biden's running mate.

We are also standing by for former President Barack Obama said to deliver a complete and total takedown of President Trump. It is unprecedented. We will talk about what he believes are his failures in office.

Welcome to CNN's coverage of the third night at the Democratic National Convention. I'm Anderson Cooper.

This is Kamala Harris's night, but she is sharing it with some of President Trump's most impassioned opponents, including his predecessor.

Well, we are expected to hear from some really of the biggest names of the Democratic Party tonight.

WOLF BLITZER, CNN HOST: We certainly are, Anderson, and that includes two women who know firsthand what it's like to do battle with President Trump.

Hillary Clinton will speak from her experience back in 2016. She'll warn Democrats who say they didn't realize how dangerous Donald Trump was back then, that they must vote this time to avoid what she calls another would have, could have, and should have election.

We'll also hear from House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, she will tell voters how she has seen firsthand the President's disrespect for facts, working families and women.

We're covering all of it with our political team including my colleagues, Jake Tapper, Dana Bash, and Abby Phillip.

Jake, so what more are you learning about the big speeches tonight?

JAKE TAPPER, CNN HOST: Well, Wolf, if you thought former First Lady Michelle Obama was tough on her President Trump the other night, get ready for her husband. We're about to witness what has historically been very rare, a scathing takedown of a sitting President by a former President.

In Barack Obama's speech tonight, he will argue that President Trump is treating the office as quote, "one more reality show that he can use to get the attention he craves," unquote.

Obama will try to make the case for electing his former Vice President Joe Biden to the nation's highest office arguing that Biden is ready for the job in ways that President Trump never could be.

It will be a warm up, of course for Senator Harris's history making moment. She will also criticize the President, but also her speech will attempt to introduce herself to the American people and share her personal story, setting out her vision of a more inclusive nation as she accepts her place in political history as the first black woman and the first Indian-American woman nominated to a major party ticket in the United States.

And Dana, the Democrats are going to try to use this theme, paying tribute to bury our breakers throughout the whole night.

DANA BASH, CNN CHIEF POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: They will, Jake. This convention is happening during a week Americans are celebrating the 100th anniversary of women getting the right to vote. It's a big reason why so much of tonight's program will showcase women.

Not coincidentally, female voters will be really critical to deciding this election. In fact, another significant speech tonight will come from Senator Elizabeth Warren. She is of course a leading progressive who battled Joe Biden on issues related to the economy when she ran against him during the primaries, but tonight we're told she will help sell Biden's economic plan.

The Biden camp hopes that validation resonates with progressive voters who may not be so sure still about Joe Biden.

And Abby, last night was really emotional, but tonight, could be even more so, right?

ABBY PHILLIP, CNN POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes. Dana, each night so far has featured some powerful moments, but we are told the first segment tonight on gun control will be especially moving with a must see appearance by former Congresswoman Gabby Giffords, the gun control activist who is also a shooting survivor.

And climate change will be in the spotlight tonight. Democrats are eager to appeal to young voters on the issues, and also with tonight's entertainment.

Music superstar, Billy Eilish will give a primetime performance tonight, debuting a new song, "My future," -- Anderson.

COOPER: Our analysts are here as well. There's a lot to decipher. We've got early excerpts or some excerpts from former President Obama's speech. Here's some of what he is expected to say, and I'm quoting now from the speech, "I never expected that my successor would embrace my vision or continue my policies.

I did hope for the sake of our country that Donald Trump might show some interest in taking the job seriously, that he might come to feel the weight of the office and discover some reverence for the democracy that had been placed in his care, but he never did."

"He showed no interest in putting in the work, no interest in finding common ground, no interest in using the awesome power of his office to help anyone but himself and his friends, no interest in treating the presidency as anything. But one more reality show that he can use to get the attention he craves."

Let me bring David Axelrod. David, strong words for -- I mean, it's really unprecedented to kind of hear a former President critique a sitting President like that.

DAVID AXELROD, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: You know, I think it's interesting that he begins with the phrase, "I never expected him to embrace my policies," because what has been traditional is for Presidents not to attack the policies of a sitting President.

[20:05:29]

AXELROD: But he is going beyond that, Anderson. His critique is about the way in which Donald Trump has handled the presidency, about his disregard for our Democratic norms and principles and rules and institutions and the impact that it's had on people and about his lack of seriousness.

I think also what you're going to hear, it's not in the same category as his takedown of Trump in terms of its salience to a lot of people but it may be more important, he is going to lift up Joe Biden.

He can testify to Joe Biden's capability, his character, his preparedness for the presidency, and one of the important tasks of this convention is to make that case.

No one can do it better than Barack Obama. He was a witness to it. They were partners for eight years. He really leaned on Biden as a counselor, and you're going to hear about that tonight.

NIA-MALIKA HENDERSON, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL REPORTER: For years, people really wanted Barack Obama to say something about this President. He is demure. He essentially said, you know, he didn't want to really respond to what Donald Trump was saying, unless it was an emergency, unless it was a really big threat to the democracy, a really big threat to America's core values, he said in his last press conference. And so now you understand why he waited all of those years, because if

he had been out there kind of sparring with this President over the last three years, it wouldn't be as effective.

So now we see this President, really I think, continuing on from what we heard from Michelle Obama, echoing some of the same themes, being a sort of attack dog for Joe Biden, his former Vice President.

And I think in some ways, this makes Kamala Harris's job a little bit easier. She might not necessarily have to be the primary attack dog now because they have the firepower of Michelle Obama and Barack Obama who can make this case in a way that nobody can, as well as make this other case to young folks who might be you know, disaffected, not only by Barack Obama's presidency and sort of detached from politics.

I'm sure he'll make that case in the way that we saw Michelle Obama make, too, so this is sort of Chapter Two, a continuation of what we heard from Michelle Obama so powerfully on Monday.

GLORIA BORGER, CNN CHIEF POLITICAL ANALYST: You know, all I can say is that Michelle and Barack Obama must have some interesting dinnertime conversations, because if you go from her speech, which was pretty devastating about Donald Trump, to his speech, which I think takes it up about 10 notches, you understand where they are both coming from and you understand their frustration.

And the lead as my old newspaper reporter had on, the lead here is that they think that he is unqualified for the job, and that he is disinterested in the most awesome job in the world, being President of the United States, and that, in the very end, he is actually an existential threat to democracy.

This is what both of them are saying. They're kind of leading the way on this and we heard that from Bernie Sanders, actually. So they're following Bernie I should say, but these are the themes they want to put together and they've kind of ripped the Band-Aid off of all of it and just trying to shake people up and say, you've got to vote. This guy can't be President. He doesn't deserve to be and he doesn't understand the job and he's not up to it.

COOPER: Yes, it's going to be fascinating. We're headed into the third night of the convention, Kamala Harris's historic acceptance speech as the Democrats vice presidential nominee, and this hour, Joe Biden's friends and political allies opened up about his ability to connect with them and voters.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[20:13:04]

BLITZER: The star studded night of the Democratic Convention with a big speech by former President Barack Obama. He will take on President Trump in ways that he never has before.

Hillary Clinton also is on deck with a stark warning against the repeat of 2016. Let's check in with our correspondents, Jeff Zeleny and M.J. Lee.

Jeff, what more are you learning first of all about former President Obama's speech tonight?

JEFF ZELENY, CNN SENIOR WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT: Wolf, good evening, I'm told that former President Barack Obama is still putting the finishing touches on this speech. In fact, he spent the evening editing this speech.

One of the reasons is this is one of the most direct and confrontational speeches he has ever given against the sitting President Donald Trump.

Now, a person close to the Obama organization, the Obama world, if you will, tells me that this speech has been really coming together over the last several weeks, but the writing did not start until after the eulogy that the former President delivered for John Lewis late last month.

He has been writing it since then and about 15 minutes or so to make the case for Joe Biden, without question, but also against the President.

Now one of the things here that he is going to be talking about again and again, now he believes that the President Trump is not up to the task here.

But I'm also told, Wolf, he did one other interesting thing. Originally, the program had the former President ending the night. He was going to be the closer of this. Once Senator Harris was picked last week, I am told that the former President himself suggested that they should switch the order around that he should speak before her essentially introduced her to provide a bridge to her candidacy.

So it's essentially a symbolic passing of the torch, if you will, from her to him, but there is no question President Trump was elected in reaction to the eight years of the Obama presidency. Wolf, he knows his legacy is on the line here as well, and we'll see if November is a validation or correction of that.

BLITZER: We certainly will. All right, Jeff, standby, M.J. Lee is with us, so you recovering Senator Harris at this truly historic moment, M.J., what are you learning about how she has prepared for tonight?

[20:15:07]

M.J. LEE, CNN POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: Well Wolf, Kamala Harris is here tonight, of course, because Joe Biden chose her over many of the other women that he vetted and interviewed to be his potential running mate.

And CNN is learning that since she was announced as Joe Biden's running mate last week, Kamala Harris has personally spoken with some of the other VP contenders including some finalists who were on Joe Biden's shortlist. These women include former National Security Adviser Susan Rice,

Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer, Senator Elizabeth Warren and Congresswoman Val Demings. Again, all of these women have since publicly expressed support on Joe Biden's decision to choose Harris.

And you know, as Kamala Harris makes history tonight as the first woman of color to be nominated by a major political party for the vice presidency, it is not a coincidence that this evening is going to feature some key high profile Democratic woman and we do expect that gender is going to be a key theme tonight as well.

And now as a mark of the historic nature of Kamala Harris's candidacy, we are learning also that she is going to be introduced by three women who are very personally close to her, her sister, her niece and her stepdaughter.

But just in a final reminder of how unusual all of this is, is this week, they are all going to be appearing virtually instead of in person -- Wolf.

BLITZER: Certainly is an unconventional convention. All right, M.J., thank you very much.

As the Biden-Harris ticket is being launched at this convention, let's take a closer look now, at their potential path to victory. John King is over at the magic wall -- John.

JOHN KING, CNN CHIEF NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: The one thing that is still the same, Wolf, as you pick a President even in the middle of a pandemic, state by state, so let's look at the map and look at the path to victory.

On the one hand, Joe Biden right now has an advantage. That's why the back half of this Democratic Convention is so important for the Democrats, try to solidify what right now is an early Biden advantage in the Electoral College map.

If you look at this map, dark blue solid Democrat, light blue leans Democrat, dark red solid Trump, light red leans Trump. Joe Biden right now if you add all up the blue here is 269 electoral votes, just one away from winning the presidency.

We have him right now leaning in Pennsylvania leans his way, Michigan leans this way. Remember that's two of the blue wall states that Donald Trump flipped from blue to red. Wisconsin is the third. If Joe Biden could keep this map as it is and just win Wisconsin, he is the next President of the United States.

Now, that's still a long ways off, almost 11 weeks off. The most fascinating dynamic, one of the most anyway, is that in this race, the President has lost his calling card.

President Trump, we all thought all year this should be a tough race, but he had the unemployment rate, the economy on his side, this is February. Look at all of these states below three percent, single digit unemployment, the national unemployment rate back in February 3.5 percent.

Then of course, the punch of the coronavirus pandemic. You began to see it in March. West Virginia, Louisiana, and out in the southwest, but then bam, April came. Look at this. Just look at this map and study this map.

Plus 20 percent unemployment in Michigan, 20 percent plus out in Nevada. You see right here, Pennsylvania again that Trump won last time. Ohio, Wisconsin, Arizona, everywhere -- but look at these key battleground states where you have either 15 to 20 percent unemployment or nine to 12 percent unemployment, double digit unemployment everywhere.

So the President needs this to improve. The problem is April, then you go into May, stay pretty much the same, and still devastation. Tens of millions of jobs wiped off the map.

If you look at June, this is the latest month we have the state by state unemployment, we'll get new data before the Republican Convention, a bit of an improvement, a bit of an improvement here, but still look at all the pain on this map.

There are still 10 million jobs essentially missing, wiped out even though some jobs have come back. We're still 10 million more than that, shy of where we were at the beginning of the pandemic.

This is the biggest problem for the President because pain everywhere in America, but pain in the states that will decide the next President.

The battleground states, Florida, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Ohio, Wisconsin, out in the West right there. So Anderson, when you look at this map now, it tilts in favor of Joe Biden and the one thing we thought would always help President Trump the economy, he can no longer count on.

COOPER: Yes. John, thank you. I want to dive back into tonight's speech by former President Barack Obama with our political commentators.

Here's another excerpt from the former President speech, quote, "Donald Trump hasn't grown into the job because he can't and the consequences of that failure are severe, 170,000 Americans dead, millions of jobs gone."

"Our worst impulses unleashed, our proud reputation around the world badly diminished, and our democratic institution threatened like never before."

Governor Granholm, again, I mean, I don't know of any former President giving a speech like this about a sitting President.

JENNIFER GRANHOLM, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: I think because the circumstances are so dire. You know, tonight's theme is called a more perfect union. You might remember that in 2008, Obama gave an incredible speech called a more perfect union. He gave it in Philadelphia. It was about race. Tonight, he is going to

be in Philadelphia, giving this speech and he is going to be at the Museum of American Revolution and I think he chose that because he is fundamentally as one legal scholar told me, Trump is the most unpatriotic President we have ever seen, because exactly what you just read, he has dismantled the institutions of the Constitution, which we hold, which makes this country special, including things like the right to vote.

So I am really hoping that President Obama does come out and punches hard on behalf of our nation and the Constitution.

[20:20:36]

COOPER: Scott Jennings, do you think this actually gets any votes? I mean, does this work to bring people to the ballot box?

SCOTT JENNINGS, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR I mean, my assumption is it'll work on Democrats. I was noting that tonight's roster, President Obama included -- notes the end of the outreach to the disaffected Republicans that lasted all of 48 hours.

They're now rolling out all the people that would remind Republicans why they should not vote for the Biden-Harris ticket.

I think on the Obama excerpts that we've seen, I think it really does illustrate Anderson, the two strategies of the parties.

The Democrats need this to be a referendum on Trump and what you'll see next week from the Republicans is to try to make it a choice between Trump and Biden.

And so, you see, I think President Obama tonight, you know, trying to make the case against Trump as they see it. I think this convention has been light on policy so far, and that's for a reason because they just want everybody to go out and vote as it's an up or down on Trump and you're going to see a much different kind of thing from the Republicans next week.

COOPER: Van?

VAN JONES, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: Look, I think it is going to be an extraordinary moment, and a lot of Democrats are going to be happy to see Barack Obama take the gloves off and go.

I just want to remind people though that there's a heartbreak a moment here as well. Barack Obama never wanted to give a speech like this. He is a traditionalist. He is a constitutionalist. He was perfectly prepared to concede and to go off into just be above politics.

He has been dragged into this by what he sees as just a complete collapse of leadership in this country, and so people can be happy that he is taking the gloves off.

He is not the kind of guy that wants to do this. So, when you hear him do it, somebody else may say, hey, you could just it write off. When you hear someone like him, who is such a traditionalist, decide to go against hype, to go against the tradition and to speak, you can listen to his words very carefully.

He is speaking from his heart. He is not playing politics. He really believes that democracy is in peril. And I just think, yes, I don't want to be one of these Democrats jumping up and down saying, go, go, go because I know the heartbreak underneath this decision that he has made.

GRANHOLM: Although I would say that it may be heartbreaking, but it's also so important.

I mean, it's so -- I think you're totally right, Van, but it underscores the importance of what he is saying that he is forced to come out and basically, you know, open kimono about what is happening, people.

And I think also, it's not just going to be negative Trump. He is going to lift up Barack Obama. He was side by side with him. I think the lead into his speech --

JONES: With Biden.

GRANHOLM: Right. Excuse me, the lead in to the speech will be a montage which shows him giving the Medal of Honor to Joe Biden.

So I think he's going to do both things. He is going to, you know, make sure people understand who Joe Biden is. But he is also going to tell the truth, which is so important about the Constitution.

COOPER: Scott, I want to hear from.

JENNINGS: Republicans just don't see Barack Obama as a reluctant partisan. I mean, from a Republican point of view, you look at what George W. Bush did after he left office, he left Barack Obama alone. Republicans would have loved George W. Bush to criticize Obama. He never did it.

Jimmy Carter has not been someone that's criticized people, but Barack Obama has been pretty partisan since he left the White House. He did not like it that Trump followed him. I totally understand why.

JONES: Not true.

JENNINGS: He campaigned in the midterms. He has criticized Trump all the way through, he really has.

JONES: Listen, you've had Presidents go out there and stick up for their own party. But he held himself way back. In fact, the party has been frustrated with him for not coming out. He is coming out now because he feels like he has to.

You can take it more seriously because he is reluctant to do it.

COOPER: All right. Historic night at the Democratic Convention with Kamala Harris set to accept the vice presidential nomination. We'll talk to her lifelong friend about what this moment means to her, next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[20:28:30]

TAPPER: And welcome back. We are standing by for two barrier breaking Democrats, Senator Kamala Harris of California set to officially become the very first woman of color on a major party political ticket and former President Barack Obama ready to attack President Trump with new bites.

We are also getting brand new information about the start of the convention this evening. Arlette Saenz joins us with new details on that -- Arlette.

ARLETTE SAENZ, CNN POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, Jake, we are learning that Kamala Harris will actually appear at the beginning of tonight's convention, a new addition to the schedule. She will make some brief remarks, Democratic Convention officials say, and then return later for her acceptance speech.

These officials are hoping to capitalize on some of the excitement around Kamala Harris's addition to the Democratic ticket and they want as many people to hear from her as much as possible during tonight's events.

But Kamala Harris later on in the evening will be making history as she becomes the first woman of color, black woman, a woman of South Asian descent to appear and be nominated to a Democratic Party ticket.

Officials saying that she hopes her remarks -- that people will see themselves reflected in her own remarks as she shares her own personal story.

But in addition to that nominating speech, we will now be hearing from her at the beginning of the convention festivities this evening as well -- Jake.

TAPPER: All right. Arlette Saenz in Wilmington, Delaware. Dana, so much of this evening is about Kamala Harris introducing herself to the American people.

BASH: That's right. Americans will get to know Kamala Harris in a way that they haven't before.

[20:30:07]

And to that end, we are joined by Senator Harris' lifelong friend, Stacey Johnson-Batiste. Thank you so much for joining me.

Conventions, as we mentioned, are about voters getting to know candidates. You know, this candidate very, very well. What, in fact, you've noticed since kindergarten, what is she like when nobody is watching?

STACEY JOHNSON-BATISTE, SEN. KAMALA HARRIS' FRIEND: Kamala is the same person. So the person that everyone sees and hears is the same Kamala that I've grown up with, through our childhood, our teen years, our 20s, our 30s, et cetera. She is a happy person. She's always been happy. She's always been caring. She is extremely smart. She, you know, is humble. So no matter, you know, what office how far she climbs up, she still remains the most humble, kind, caring person.

BASH: You tell me that you've been texting with her this week. She is your friend of 50 years. She's now moments away from the biggest feature of her life so far. What can we expect?

JOHNSON-BATISTE: Well, I think Kamala -- so last week, I think that she laid just a good framework. And she covered all of the major issues. And I think tonight she's going to break it down maybe in greater detail in terms of, you know, perhaps policies, some of the specifics that need to get done. And how, you know, they will go about getting it done. So, I think I mean, Kamala tells it like it is, she always has, and I think she's going to be just as powerful as she was last Wednesday.

BASH: So she, of course, is the first black woman on any major party ticket, as somebody who grew up with her as an African-American woman, yourself and someone who knows her so well. Talk about the meaning of this.

JOHNSON-BATISTE: I get choked up thinking about it. It means everything. And I think right now with everything going on in our country, she is the right person at the right time. When I think about Kamala's mother Shyamala, she was such a pillar of strength. And she was so loving and so embracing of all people and she had so much courage.

I just know that she is here with her in spirit. It means so much and by this being the hundredth anniversary of the women's right to vote. It's so symbolic. I mean, it just seems like, you know, the stars have lined up and everything Kamala has worked so hard for all these decades, has gotten her ready.

BASH: I know tonight is her big night, but the next big moment for her in this campaign is going to be October 7th, she's going to be sitting on a debate stage with Mike Pence, knowing her and the way that she has sort of fought her life through her life and prepared for this, what do you think we can expect from that?

JOHNSON-BATISTE: Kamala is fierce and she's a fighter. And the one thing that she will not do is let, you know, let someone get away with not telling you like it is, telling the truth to the people. She won't let those types of comments get past her. So she's going to hold him accountable. And she's going to stick to the facts. She's going to stick to the issues, she's going to educate. And we're going to, I'm looking forward to it.

BASH: Well, we really appreciate you joining us and sharing your moments and giving us your obviously very emotional and candid take on what this night means for you. And other women of color, appreciate it.

JOHNSON-BATISTE: Absolutely. Thank you.

BASH: Thank you. And we are --

JOHNSON-BATISTE: Thank you so much.

BASH: Thanks. And we're counting down to a big night for the Democrats, as Senator Kamala Harris will make her historic debut as the party's official vice presidential nominee. We're also getting new insight this hour into one of Joe Biden's defining traits, his empathy.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[20:38:18]

COOPER: And we're back with the Democratic Convention coverage that will include a one-two punch by Senator Kamala Harris and former President Barack Obama. We're waiting all the times big speeches as well as performance by pop music superstar, Billie Eilish. Over the course of this convention, we've been hearing a lot about Vice President Biden's empathy for just he overcame stuttering as a child and suffering devastating personal loss. In a new CNN documentary, Gloria Borgia talked to friends and political allies of Biden's about his ability to connect with others.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

RAHM EMMANUEL, FMR CHICAGO MAYOR: In the middle of his campaign for the presidency. I mean, everything's going on Iowa, et cetera. My dad had passed away. Joe was the first one to call. I mean like the day he died, and he's got a lot of stuff going on. First one to call and talk. We told stories about our parents. He's running for office. You know, you can leave a voicemail.

BORGER (on-camera): Right? Did he come for you?

EMMANUEL: Yes. He -- he's a good man.

BORGER (on-camera): So is that the key to Joe Biden? The empathy?

EMMANUEL: He's a good man. Nobody even if you disagree with Joe, nobody assigns a nefarious or dark motivation. They know there's something genuine to the character and the belief.

[20:40:05]

BORGER (voice-over): Joe Biden's pastoral instinct is so well known that he is often asked to eulogize former political adversaries.

(on-camera): He delivers some sermons (INAUDIBLE).

REP. JAMES CLYBURN (D-SC), HOUSE MAORITY WHIP: Yes, he did.

BORGER (on-camera): Yes.

CLYBURN: Yes, he did at Strom Thurmond request. Now, a lot of people say that that meant something. I think that when you can hold on to your own political beliefs and have the respect of people whose political belief is totally different that says something.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COOPER: And Gloria joins us now. It really fascinating to see Rahm Emmanuel.

BORGER: Rahm.

COOPER: So emotional.

COOPER: Yes, I was texting with him before he said it's going to ruin his reputation. But he really, he grew so emotional, and I have to tell you, Anderson, it's not the first time. I've been talking to people about Biden reaching out that they get that way. And I think he understands what it's like to be at the other end of that.

And so, that's why he does it. And what's also stunning is the way Clyburn was talking about -- Congressman Clyburn was talking about Strom Thurmond asked, asked for Joe Biden to deliver his eulogy. Imagine that, segregationist. But what I learned in reporting the documentary was that when Biden came back to the Senate, having lost his wife and young child, the old bulls of the Senate kind of gathered around him and took him under their wing, and he never forgot their humanity, and always tried to return it.

COOPER: David?

DAVID AXELROD, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: Gloria, you remember, we -- you and I took a trip up to New Hampshire at the beginning of the primary campaign, and we went to see Vice President Biden at the Nadir of his campaign, he was about to badly lose the New Hampshire primary, we walked in. The first thing he said to me is how's Lauren?

Lauren is my daughter, she has epilepsy, she's struggled mightily. He knows the story. He's been very helpful to us. And so, in the midst of everything that he was going through at that moment, the first thing he remembered was that and that is the strength of Joe Biden, he sees the humanity in people and that is particularly valuable in this race, because what is the greatest critique of this President is that he is dehumanizing.

He doesn't have empathy. He doesn't care about people that and here's Joe Biden. And I think that's one of the reasons why these stories, you're hearing a lot of them at this convention because the country is hungry for that, the country is hungry for that sense of empathy and connection.

Now they have to close the loop and say, well, this is what it's going to mean moving forward. But this is a very powerful and undeniable element of who Joe Biden is.

COOPER: And Nia, well that was one of the things that Joe Biden said last night to one of the people who had cancer that he was talking to, he said, you know, I want to, you know, treat you like my, you know, I want to do for America, I want to do for all of you what I would do for someone in my own family for -- I'm, you know, mangling the actual words, but that was the sentiment.

HENDERSON: Right. In this idea that he sees people, even people who often are overlooked and we heard that from someone who met -- the woman who met him in the elevator at the New York Times. When you see him on the stump, you can tell that he genuinely cares about people, that he's genuinely happy to see them, and he genuinely wants to hear their stories.

Politicians are often very good actors. And with Joe Biden, it's remarkable to see him that way. You know, I've covered a lot of politicians a lot of us have and to see him in those quiet, intimate moments with people on the stump is just a remarkable thing.

And I think it is his gift and people can see that a when they see him not only on the stump, but obviously through these stories and I think we'll hear more of that tonight from people who know him best, from Kamala as well who's obviously getting to know him now.

COOPER: Yes. We're closing in a night three of the Democrats made for TV convention, including headline speeches by Senator Kamala Harris and former President Barack Obama. It is all just minutes away. Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[20:47:20]

COOPER: And we are just moments away from the kickoff of a historic night. Senator Kamala Harris about to officially become the Democratic vice presidential nominee. She says she wants all Americans to see themselves in her acceptance speech. And early (INAUDIBLE) the former president Barack Obama will deliver a scathing review of President Trump's tonight arguing he's unleashed the worst impulses as a nation.

And Wolf, so the party's biggest stars are being featured tonight.

BLITZER: That's right. Two of them will share their firsthand experiencing -- experiences going head to head with President Trump. We expect Hillary Clinton to send a very powerful message that our dire warnings about Donald Trump four years ago pale in comparison to what his presidency actually turned out to be the House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, meanwhile, will talk about what she calls the darkness under President Trump and how she believes Democrats will light the way for.

COOPER: Want to check in with our team here. Van Jones. It is certainly a historic night with Kamala Harris regardless of what one's politics are just in the arc of American history.

VAN JONES, CNN CONTRIBUTOR: Yes, you know, and it's crazy. I've known Kamala for almost 25 years. I remember when I was in the Bay Area when she was coming up in politics in the Bay Area. She comes on the scene. She goes up against this guy named (INAUDIBLE) and who's a local district attorney, local legend, knocked him out and became a DA and just shook up the whole city. And she's just to watch her rise and climb and she's always been the

same. He's been tough. She's been smart. She's been dogged. And she does represent the best -- not just of women of color. She represents the best in the country. She is a self created family person, and you also get to see the rest of our family.

You've got some stars like Maya, her sister who's amazing. Mina -- her -- you got to see the Harris women tonight. And it's going to be history for a very long time, because Mina going to do some big stuff in her life as well.

JENNIFER GRANHOLM, CNN POLITICAL CONTRIBUTOR: There's also an interesting dynamic happening tonight. So, she is going to be speaking but before her are these lionesses of women who are all over 70? Who, you know, I mean, the civil rights community talks about standing on the shoulders of those who came before.

And this is like these women who are lifting her up to be able to take the torch and continue the climb. And it's to me the historic nature of that, especially given that this is the week that we celebrate the 100th anniversary of the 19th Amendment, the women getting the right to vote. There is something about that is really special for women and men all across the country, I think.

COOPER: And Scott just on a political --

SCOTT JENNINGS, CNN CONTRIBUTOR: Yes.

[20:50:01]

COOPER: -- I mean, this is the Democratic Party going after suburban women would present from call suburban housewives.

JENNINGS: Yes, there's, I mean, look, the gaping chest wound in Donald Trump's chances to win reelection is the gender gap. I mean, you look at any poll, everybody can see it, you know, there's no way to spin your way out of it, it exists. And by putting Harris on the ticket, and making her a featured player of this campaign, they are looking to maintain that advantage.

And by doing that, it would make it difficult for Trump to rise. I mean, when you look at a gender gap that's high 50s, down to, you know, maybe in the high 30s for Trump, that's a huge number when last time I checked women were, you know, have for more than half of the country. And so, that is a political problem that the Republicans have and that's what they have to try to solve. That's why it was ultimately I think, pretty smart for Joe Biden to put a woman on the ticket.

And Harris look, she's more than capable, very qualified. I know a lot of Republicans in Washington consider her to be very smart and sharp. And so, I think she's going to be a formidable campaigner, and I look forward to seeing what she has to say.

JONES: Yes, usually lift this whole campaign on fire as well. Look, she did great the local level. Like I said, she did great the state levels. She's doing great as a senator. And she's added some fire to this whole campaign. And I think that that's something you're going to see tonight.

You know, when she is on as a speaker, and you know, she's going to be on tonight. She is grounded, she connects and she can tell a story. Just like Barack Obama 2004 he made his story, the story of America. She's going to do that, but she's going to do it backwards in high heels.

I guess they say it, but she's going to make her story, the story of America, and people will remember the lines from tonight. You're going to be showing this 20 years from now, 30 years now, because its history, its history tonight.

COOPER: Governor, what do you think people will learn about Kamala Harris? Because for many this is probably the first introduction to her?

GRANHOLM: Yes, I think what's super -- what's kind of interesting is that both she and Joe Biden come from families that were blended in some way, right? And so it's a, you know, it's a modern family, and it celebrates that. And so, I think that people will learn both from her husband and from her stepchildren, although she doesn't call, they don't call each other that and her amazing sister.

I mean, they are truly amazing in terms of their brilliance and their commitment and their passion. So, I hope that people see all of Kamala Harris tonight. All of her loves, all of her intelligence, all of her passion.

JONES: That's your DVR, because you will get a chance to see Maya Harris. Maya Harris is bad too, Maya Harris is a civil rights leader in our own right. And then Mina is coming up as this entrepreneur and she's bad in her own right. So set your DVR because you're going to see these three women for a long time in America positive. You'd never -- if you've never seen Mina and Maya Harris, get ready because Kamala is wanted three they bad.

JENNINGS: You know, Anderson, Van makes interesting point about the future. You know, Harris being put on this ticket is historic. But if you think -- if you believe what Joe Biden says that he's a transitional figure, what he's done is elevated quite likely the next nominee if she wants to pursue that. I assume she does. And so, we're going to analyze this campaign.

But there's no question, you know, whether Biden runs for election or not, or, you know, whatever happens in the future, she's clearly the front runner to be the next Democratic nominee. I'm not sure that's true about Mike Pence on the Republican side, but tonight you're going to hear from a vice presidential candidate tonight but very possibly a presidential nominee in the future if that's what she wants.

So that's why I think this speeches is actual sort of doubly important for the future of the political affairs in America.

COOPER: Let's go back to Wolf. Wolf? BLITZER: Should I'm going to be looking at all the speeches that are coming up tonight, but especially, I'm very interested in President Barack Obama, they released a tiny little chunk, he's expected to speak for about 15 minutes or so. They just released a tiny chunk, but he really goes after it.

President Trump blames President Trump's failures for 170,000 Americans dead from coronavirus, millions of jobs lost. He says Democratic institutions, I'm looking at what he says are threatened like never before. He of course praises Joe Biden big time.

But Jake, what else former president of the United States has to say in his remarks, I think will be very, very powerful.

TAPPER: Yes, it will. And it was about four years ago that then President Obama, he was speaking at the Congressional Black Caucus Gala for the last time as president and he told the largely black audience that he would consider it a personal insult if black Americans didn't turn out to vote for Hillary Clinton. He said, you want to secure my legacy. Go vote for Hillary Clinton. We need big numbers of black voters.

And guess what? The black community did not turn out for Hillary Clinton. The way that Obama and Hillary Clinton certainly wanted them to. And I think that that stung Barack Obama that bothered him a lot. Not just the black community, obviously the election of Trump.

[20:55:10]

But that that's a big thing that I'm going to be looking for tonight, Dana, well -- how is he going to respond to the fact that Donald Trump's election is in many ways a rebuke of him?

BASH: That's true. Speaking of a rebuke of somebody, Hillary Clinton. This is going to be so fascinating to watch because if you think about her career in politics, she started out coming to these events. Speaking as a candidate's wife, then she was the first lady.

Then she was the runner up for the Democratic nomination, then she was the first female nominee and this time, she's going to speak as a cautionary tale to remind people, if you don't get out and vote, even if you think that you've got it in the bag, you don't. I'm not president right now, Abby.

PHILLIP: Yes, and Hillary Clinton is also someone who knows about something the Harris team watching carefully, which is the sexist attacks that they're expecting to come at her after this moment. And I think tonight, they're really looking at this as her really critical opportunity to reintroduce herself. I talked to someone really close to her this week who said, you know, this is about her unique American story, but she wants to show folks that she's a fighter.

BLITZER: All right Abby, hold on, because the third night of the Democratic Convention starts right now.