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CNN Live Event/Special

First Night Of Republican National Convention; Trump Campaign Source: Expect "Surprises" At Convention. Aired 8-9p ET

Aired August 24, 2020 - 20:00   ET

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

[20:00:05]

ANDERSON COOPER, CNN HOST: Tonight, Republicans defend the Trump presidency and their grip on the White House. It is time for their convention.

President Trump in a starring role every night and serving as an official executive producer. We are learning what he has planned for two appearances tonight.

Welcome to CNN's special coverage of the Republican National Convention. I'm Anderson Cooper.

We are about to find out how the President and his allies respond to the Democrat's scathing convention takedown of his record and his character.

As always, I'm joined by Wolf Blitzer.

Wolf, it all began just about half an hour from now.

WOLF BLITZER, CNN HOST: Yes, it does, Anderson. Tonight's headline speakers are expected to deliver direct rebuttals to the Democrats.

The only black Republicans in the Senate, Tim Scott, will hit back on issues of race challenging Joe Biden's record. We're told that former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley will attack Biden on foreign policy and defend President Trump's performance on the world stage.

We'll also hear from the President's son Donald Trump, Jr., known for his searing attacks on Biden. He is one of many Trumps who will be speaking at this convention.

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

Jake, what more are we learning about the President's role tonight?

JAKE TAPPER, CNN HOST: Well, Wolf, the President is going to have a hand in trying to put an optimistic spin on, believe it or not, his response to the coronavirus pandemic, even as the U.S. death toll surpasses 177,000.

He is going to appear along with healthcare and law enforcement and other frontline workers at the White House this evening honoring their heroism.

Now, Republicans say that they know they need to address the pandemic head on. They will try to defend Mr. Trump's widely criticized handling of it.

Also tonight, President Trump will appear with some Americans who were previously unlawfully detained in foreign countries who have been freed under the Trump administration, highlighting what the President sees as one of his signature accomplishments.

But, Dana, the big question is how much he is undisciplined and grievance and lie-filled acceptance speech from earlier today is what we should expect for the rest of the week.

DANA BASH, CNN CHIEF POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: Stay tuned. We are going to find out very soon, but we do know that he is tapping into his reality TV show routes hoping to rev up his base and in some cases spark outrage among his opponents.

The way the Trump campaign sees it, Patricia and Mark McCloskey who are speaking tonight, personify all of those goals. They are the St. Louis couple who waved guns at Black Lives Matter protesters who were walking on a private street outside their home. It was caught on video and it went viral.

Also appearing tonight, Andrew Pollack, whose daughter Meadow was killed in the Parkland school shooting. He will present a very different take on President Trump and guns than we heard last week from the Democrats.

And Abby, the Republicans are planning to push multiple hot buttons tonight.

ABBY PHILLIP, CNN POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes, that's right Dana. They're going to team up with a former football star and speaking of those reality TV routes, a former "Celebrity Apprentice" contestant, we are told that Herschel Walker, an outspoken African-American supporter of the President will make a powerful case for why he thinks it's important to stand during the national anthem, echoing President Trump's condemnation of players who have been taking a knee.

Also speaking tonight, Cuban born American Maximo Alvarez. He's going to make a passionate case against socialism as Republicans try to pin that label on Joe Biden and the Democrats.

The Trump team has enlisted a diverse group of everyday Americans to tell their stories tonight. They're hoping to tweak perceptions about Trump supporters, and also about the President himself-- Anderson.

COOPER: A lot to watch for. Gloria Borger, what are you looking for especially?

GLORIA BORGER, CNN CHIEF POLITICAL ANALYST: Well, I'm looking to see how Donald Trump is this evening. We saw him during the day and he gave a speech that was much like a lot of the other speeches he has given recently. He was full of grievance talking about how Democrats are trying to use

COVID to steal the election. And this is a convention, his advisers say that is going to be uplifting and optimistic.

So the question is whether the President we see tonight can adapt to that role.

COOPER: David?

DAVID AXELROD, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: You know, I have to say -- yes, yes. I have to say, Dana has said that this is the reality show host taking charge here, but he's coming headlong into reality.

The reality is, he is nine points down. Voting begins in three weeks. The Democrats just had a very strong convention and the idea that this is going to be some sort of optimistic, uplifting exercise seems farfetched to me.

He needs to take Joe Biden down, and he needs to fire up his base. And if you listen to the preview of the things we're going to hear tonight, they seem absolutely designed to do that, depicting him as a socialist, depicting, you know, talking about the Second Amendment and talking about the kinds of issues that Herschel Walker apparently is going to talk about, standing for the anthem, and so on.

[20:05:13]

AXELROD: This is meant to charge up Trump's base. He's a base only guy and he needs to rev that base up if he has a chance to win. And this is what this convention is going to do.

COOPER: Nia-Malika Henderson?

NIA-MALIKA HENDERSON, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL REPORTER: Well, he is also -- yes, I mean, he's got to have that base, but he has also got to worry about those suburban voters who we have seen just flee the Republican Party, college educated white voters, you'll hear about those for the next 70 or so days, because those are the people I think this convention is really designed to reach.

Sure, there's going to be stuff for the base, Donald Trump, Jr., for instance, but then you hear people like Tim Scott, people like Nikki Haley, I think those folks are going to be stars in a way that they haven't been going into this.

So you're going to see them I think reach out to people who want to feel good about the Republican Party, want to feel good about Donald Trump's management of COVID and want to raise questions, right, about Joe Biden, do you see a reason maybe that Joe Biden isn't necessarily the reason they would switch from the Republican Party. They have to have a reason to stay with the Republicans.

I think this night, it almost reminds me of the State of the Union addresses that Donald Trump often gets. He's very much on script, he gives shout outs to regular Americans. And that's what it seems to me over the next four days, we're going to see that sort of atmosphere. Listen, off camera, away from the convention, I think Donald Trump

will have problems maintaining this message. But for these four days, I think they're going to have a pretty contained and upbeat convention that will probably start to get him back into this race and close some of these polls that we've seen so far.

COOPER: I mean, David Axelrod --

AXELROD: Yes, go ahead.

COOPER: I mean, in 1988, Michael Dukakis was what -- 17 points up from George H.W. Bush after his convention and we all know what happened. I mean -- and a lot of that was attacking his record, particularly highlighting, you know, crime.

AXELROD: Yes, no. And I think you're going to see that. Nia talks about the suburban vote. The President made clear over the weekend in his tweets, he wants to scare suburban voters back into his column.

He said, how could suburban women vote for Joe Biden when you know, we have this encroaching anarchy in the city that's coming up to their borders. I think that is his idea of how he's going to get that suburban vote.

The difference between now and 1988, Anderson, though is, he is the incumbent. We're in the middle of a pandemic. There's less fluidity in the electorate.

So he is in a different place than George H.W. Bush was, and Joe Biden is a little bit better known and better established than Dukakis was back then. So he has a tough road to hoe.

I mean, he could win this race, and he can win the Electoral College and that's what he's aiming to do. But there's no President since George H.W. Bush ran for re-election has been in a tougher spot than Donald Trump is right now.

BORGER: So bottom line, what the Trump campaign has to do is convince voters, the ones who may be undecided out there that Joe Biden is a risk.

They see his popularity ratings. They know that most of the public believes he hasn't done a good job on coronavirus, but they're going to try and convince voters, you know me, Joe Biden is a riskier candidate.

COOPER: As we wait the first night of the Republican National Convention. We're getting new reporting on the President's appearances tonight, and G.O.P. concerns that there might be too much Trump.

Also ahead, a one two-punch from Senator Tim Scott and former Ambassador Nikki Haley defending the President on race, foreign policy and more.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[20:13:20]

COOPER: And we're back with our coverage what promises to be a very Trump-centric Republican Convention. This will be a critical test of the President's ability to reach beyond his base.

I want to check in with our correspondent Jim Acosta and Kaitlan Collins covering the President and the convention. First, to Jim, you're hearing about some concerns within the Trump camp heading into tonight. What are you hearing, Jim?

JIM ACOSTA, CNN CHIEF WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Oh, that's right, Anderson. There are worries inside the campaign that it's too much Donald Trump, too much of the Trump family dominating the airwaves over the course of this convention as a source close to the campaign said, aides and allies of the President are well aware that members of the media will be chronicling Mr. Trump or his family's devotion to the truth and facts, as we'll put it, throughout their appearances this week.

As that source put it, quote: "There are Trumps every night. The fact checkers will be working overtime."

A separate campaign adviser said the President can't help but being heavily involved in the convention schedule and the viewers. This adviser said, he was afraid of saying that the President will have his viewers coming away bored from this experience if they're seeing the President night after night.

Typically, the nominee waits until the end of a convention to make a big splash. Obviously, the President is not doing this and asked whether Mr. Trump is coordinating and orchestrating much of this convention himself, this adviser said quote, "Of course, he is" -- Anderson.

COOPER: Kaitlan Collins, what are you learning?

KAITLAN COLLINS, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, we are learning that part of the programming tonight is going to focus on COVID-19 and what we're likely to see, Anderson are the allies and the other speakers coming out tonight, defending the President's handling of the pandemic after we just watched Democrats for four days hammer away at it as inadequate, really.

The question is when you walk away from both of these conventions, is whether or not it changed any voters' minds because so far we know that they have actually rejected the President's handling of COVID-19, but he will be appearing tonight with frontline workers in an effort to thank them for their work over the last several months.

[20:15:09]

COLLINS: One thing to keep in mind when you're seeing people like Donald Trump, Jr. or any other major speakers tonight is that they will not be speaking to an audience like the campaign had hoped initially. They'd been making plans last week to have at least some people there

at the Mellon Auditorium here in Washington, but because there are restrictions in place in D.C. and you're not allowed to have more than 50 people in a building at once in that kind of setting, they have decided to scrap those plans and there will be no audience when they're speaking live tonight.

COOPER: A lot to look forward to. We expect about 15 minutes from now is when it begins.

Let's go over to our analysts. Starting with the Senator Rick Santorum. Senator, what are you looking for, for tonight? Obviously, the President is having a heavy influence on what we are going to be seeing and hearing and likely hearing from him every night. Is that a good idea?

RICK SANTORUM, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: I'm not a big fan of that. I'm not a big fan of having Don, Jr. or the Trump family talk. I'm not -- I don't think that's going to accomplish what the President needs to accomplish.

I think the President needs to accomplish in this convention, what I would just call connection moments or relatable moments.

You know, you look at the Democratic Convention, and I think a lot of people across America is going to say, yes, that's not really how I see things or it's not really -- I can't relate necessarily to the people who are talking and what they're saying.

And they may agree with certain things, but it's those connections and I love the fact that most of the people talking tonight are people who can create those connections, people who are from across America, from a diverse group who are going to relate stories that people can say, well, yes, that's me. All right. I see that. I've experienced that.

And I think if they can do more of that, they can start drawing those connections to a broad swath of voters, they're going to have a success.

COOPER: David Urban.

DAVID URBAN, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: Yes, look, I mean, Anderson, somebody said earlier, conventions are about rallying the base, right? I don't think you're going to get too many swing voters, you're not going to pull people across the aisle.

The Democratic Convention didn't do it. I don't think this convention will either.

I think the main purpose here is to really rally the Trump base, which is pretty motivated, right. You see the poll after poll says Trump voters are very energized for supporting this President.

Unlike the Vice President Democratic nominee, people are opposed to Trump. They're not necessarily for Biden. So I think what the President's main goal here over the next few nights is really fire up the base, make sure they turn out in record numbers like they did in 2016 and win in those swing states that are very necessary for Electoral College victory.

COOPER: By the way, we're looking in the Mellon Auditorium where many of the speakers are going to be speaking tonight. It's in Washington, D.C. not far from the White House.

Governor Granholm, we've already seen obviously seen the Democratic Convention. You were very enthusiastic about it. I don't think you'll be as enthusiastic about it this week at the Republican Convention. But what are you expecting?

I mean, David Urban raised the point of rallying the base. It seemed like the Democrats were, you know, had a lot of Republicans at times trying to reach out to any Republicans out there or Independents.

Do you see this as an opportunity for the Trump campaign to get any people who may not be fully decided and not currently in the base?

JENNIFER GRANHOLM, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: Yes, I mean, we know that the electorate is incredibly polarized right now. And there's -- it doesn't seem like there's a huge amount of persuasion opportunity.

However, Donald Trump has massive gaps. He's got a 23-point gender gap. Among the African-American community, Joe Biden bests him by 87 percent. He has a youth gap. He's got an empathy gap.

And so I think he's got a chance here to at least try to pull back in some of the Independents. His lineup of speakers is, you know, they seem to be moving in the direction of diversity. But just by comparison, the Democratic Convention had over 350 speakers; 53 percent of them were women, 51 percent of them were people of color. It was totally inclusive. And as you mentioned, they had a number of Republicans as well.

It was an effort to broaden the base as well as to rally the troops, and it's going to be interesting to see if particularly on the empathy thing, which I think Rick is talking about. That empathy thing when Donald Trump says it is what it is to 177,000 deaths, he has really got a lot -- a heavy lift to try to pick that up.

COOPER: Van Jones?

VAN JONES, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: Well, look, I think get ready for a peanut butter and ketchup sandwich tonight. In other words, two things that should not be put together.

You're going to have on the one hand, Trump trying to show the diversity card. You're going to see people talking about the black colleges, the criminal justice, all the great stuff, trying to show diversity at the very same time, you're going to have people pushing these hot button issues, these culturally divisive issues.

You've got the people who were pointing guns -- literally guns -- at unarmed black protesters also on the stage. So there seems to be some kind of identity crisis here.

Do you want to do a cultural war kind of a strategy here and double down on that? Or are you ashamed of that and you're going to try to put up in front of that some diversity points? I don't know. But it looks like to me, it's like ketchup and peanut butter sandwich.

You're going to put a bunch of stuff that together doesn't make any sense. Hopefully the American people will be able to see through it.

COOPER: Senator Santorum, what do you think about that?

SANTORUM: Well, I mean, okay, AOC and John Kasich on the stage on the same night. I mean, that's ketchup and peanut butter, too.

Look, both parties are doing -- they have to do it. I mean, you heard my response to Anderson's questions and David. Mine was, we've got to reach out and we've got to connect with people that are still, you know, out there who haven't decided and David is right, we have to rally the base.

Well, the democrats tried to do both. They tried to appeal to moderates, have Colin Powell and all of these people come and speak and at the same time they had Bernie and they had AOC. And that's what a convention is.

And you say people see through it, they do see through it. They realize that you've got to get your people excited to come out and vote, and you have to reach out to the undecided and that's what this convention is going to do.

COOPER: We are just minutes away from President Trump's turn in the convention spotlight in his two tradition breaking appearances tonight.

We'll also hear from quite a few everyday Americans, including a couple of caught on camera waving guns at protesters in a Black Lives Matter protest.

We will be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: We're closing in on the first night of the Republican National Convention. A lot of it will play out in Washington, D.C. at the historic and beautiful Mellon Auditorium instead of in Charlotte, North Carolina, the original host city, as this event was reimagined because of the coronavirus.

Tonight, President Trump is hoping to outshine and out produce the Democratic National Convention last week, and he is giving himself star billing each and every night.

Jake, it all begins only a few minutes from now.

TAPPER: That's right, Wolf. And I can't help but think about the fact that Trump aides and campaign aides talked about how the President was going to project a hopeful and optimistic vision for the country, and yet when the President accepted his nomination earlier today, that's not what we got.

What we got was grievance and a lot of lack of discipline evident. This is a real opportunity for President Trump. He's going to have one week of basically unfiltered opportunity to talk to the American people and try to convince those who have concerns about him, as evidenced by the polls, Dana, why they should reelect him, and to be honest, the unhinged Trump is probably not the better Trump to go forward if he wants to achieve that.

BASH: That's an opportunity for the President, which is obviously the most important thing for Republicans looking ahead to November, but it's also going to be an opportunity for people not named Trump. Most of the people speaking in big slots do have the last name Trump.

But there are those who are young and people who have big futures likely, Tim Scott, who of course is the Senator from South Carolina, and Nikki Haley, the former governor there who was the President's Ambassador to the U.N.

I'm specifically going to be looking at Nikki Haley because she, when she was in the Trump Cabinet, walked a very, very fine line of criticizing him when she thought it was appropriate, but staying with him at other times. She's been a little bit more critical since she's been out.

But the question is, how is she going to position herself in the post Trump Republican Party-- Abby.

PHILLIP: Yes. Dana and I do think that both Tim Scott and Nikki Haley are going to play a big role in this reframing of Donald Trump that we'll see tonight.

You know, I don't think that the Republicans really want to invite comparisons to the Democratic Convention. They've had much less time to plan for this virtual convention.

But at the same time, they have some advantages. They are going second. So they're going to be doing a lot of rebutting of these messages that we saw from the Democrats last week, and they're going to be going on offense against Joe Biden.

I think you're going to see tonight, a lot of turning the same kinds of messages that we saw last week back on the Democrats. They're going to be talking about saving America as we know it, talking about a lot of these issues of character, trying to reframe President Trump as a person who has empathy rather than one who lacks it.

So it'll be interesting to see how effective that effort is to really, totally undo what the American people might have seen last week if they watched the Democrats -- Jake.

TAPPER: Yes, and Abby, one of the other things that I think is interesting, Tim Scott, who will be the headliner this evening, other than President Trump himself, he'll probably talk a bit about Joe Biden's more problematic past when it comes to issues related to race, such as the '94 crime bill, such as his previous alliances in the 1970s with segregationists and the like in an effort to kind of blonde to the idea, Abby, that Joe Biden is the true progressive on issues of racial reconciliation, however much people find that believable.

PHILLIP: Yes, I mean, tonight's going to be a big night actually for diversity at this convention. You don't typically get that message from the Republican Party, but you're going to see Tim Scott, you're going to see a number of other black and Hispanic speakers who are all going to be speaking toward that same issue -- Wolf.

BLITZER: All right, so we're getting ready for the first night of the Republican National Convention and it is now scheduled to begin in a few seconds we are now told. The Republican National Convention dramatically beginning now.

[20:30:22]

JON VOIGHT, ACTOR: Determined by the shining light of our hopes and values, and faith. A country where we are judged by our character with dignity and respect for all. The belief that all are created equal, that lives matter irrespective of race, creed, or color, committed to excelling beyond our dreams, limited only by our imaginations, where rugged individualism and American exceptionalism inspire the best in each of us. And when we see injustice to one, we act to fix it for all.

This is our story. We journey together. We stand in a breach to preserve a way of life that wild and perfect has brought prosperity, honor and dignity to generations past and will for generations to come.

Four years ago, we faced an historic crossroad. Career politicians promising change every election, but delivering emptiness. We chose a different path. A man who is not a politician, a man who cares, a man who loves America, and all Americans, a man who works tirelessly for you.

Even tonight during this nomination, the results jobs were created, embracing the undeniable greatness of diversity, prosperity, safe communities, protecting and serving, caring for one another. Still politicians spun their deceptions and obstructed progress. Fanning the flames of (INAUDIBLE). We all know that it is easy to criticize. But it takes a true leader to solve problems COVID-19, while others criticize without solutions.

President Trump's swift action saved lives and these leading Democrats want to keep businesses closed down. Our President is leading the way for full economic recovery. We are Americans, despite unpredictable events, we as Americans work together to overcome challenges, write our own stories. The legends for our posterity.

America, land of promise, land of opportunity, land of heroes, land of greatness. Join us over the next four nights as we write the next chapter in our journey. And share our vision as the greatest country with the greatest citizens that attain the greatest achievements. (END VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: From Washington, D.C. Welcome to the 2020 Republican National Convention. Tonight, celebrating America as the land of promise.

CARDINAL TIMOTHY DOLAN, ARCHBISHOP OF NEW YORK: Let us pray. And pray we must is grateful citizens of a country we boldly claim to be one nation under God. Pray we must, praising the Lord for a country where freedom of religion is so cherished where were both Republicans and Democrats begin their conventions, heads bowed in prayer. Pray we must conscious of those suffering from COVID and those unwearied frontliners who care for them and all of us.

Pray we must that all lives may be protected and respected in our troubled cities in the police who guard them. Intense world situations where our men and women in uniform keep the peace. For the innocent life of the baby in the womb. For our elders and nursing care and hospice, for our immigrants and refugees, those lives threatened by religious persecutions throughout the world are by plague, hunger, drugs, human trafficking or war.

[20:35:07]

Pray we must in Thanksgiving. In Thanksgiving, dear God for democracy is we ask your hand Almighty Father upon this convention, and the nominees of both parties and his wisdom upon an electorate so eager to perform its duty of faithful citizenship. Pray we do, for we dare claim. In God we trust. Amen.

STEVEN MELNIKOFF, WORLD WAR II VETERAN: My pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one Nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

CHARLIE KIRK, FOUNDER, TURNING POINT USA: Good evening. It is an honor to be with you tonight. My name is Charlie Kirk. I run the largest pro-American student organization in the country, Turning Point USA, fighting for the future of our republic. Speaking to you in my personal capacity tonight as a 26 year old, I see the angst of young people, as well as the challenges facing new parents.

I am here tonight to tell you to warn you that this election is a decision between preserving America as we know it, and eliminating everything that we love. For decades, ruling class leaders in both parties sold out our future to China, to faceless corporations, and to self serving lobbyists. They did it to preserve their own power and enrich themselves all while rigging the system to hold down the good, decent middle class patriots, striving to build a family and pursue a decent life.

All of this changed dramatically in 2015 when a billionaire named Donald Trump put his own life of luxury on the line. From that moment, he came down that famous escalator, he started a movement to reclaim our government from the rotten cartel of insiders that have been destroying our country. We may not have realized that at the time, but Trump is the bodyguard

of Western civilization. Trump was elected to protect our families from the vengeful mob that seeks to destroy our way of life, our neighborhoods, schools, churches and values. President Trump was elected to defend the American way of life.

The American way of life means you follow the law. You work hard, you honor God. You raise your kids with strong values, and you work to create a civil society. The American way of life means you speak your mind without retribution without being kicked off social media by a self righteous censor in Silicon Valley. It means you can freely practice your religion and that church is more essential than a casino.

And it means that we judge people on their actions, not on their immutable characteristics. The American way of life is being dismantled by a group of bitter, deceitful vengeful activists who have never built anything in their lives. But habits locking up pastors while releasing violent criminals from prison. We are kicking doctors off at social media, yet promoting Chinese state funded propaganda on major tech platforms.

This election is the most critical since 1860 when a man named Lincoln was elected to preserve the union from disintegration. This election is not just the most important of our lifetime, it is the most important since the preservation of the republic in 1865. By re- electing Trump, we will ensure that our kids are raised to love our country and respect its founding fathers, not taught to hate or be ashamed of them.

We will build monuments to heroes not burn down our cities, we will be a country that rises to higher heights that dreams big, thinks big and achieves the impossible. A country that values our remarkable journey, the complexities of our past, but clearly communicates to the next generation that we have to be grateful, not angry that we live in the United States.

We will be a country that makes it easier to have many children, live quiet and peaceable lives and worship your God without a tyrant getting in the way. We will be a country that has its best 100 years ahead, we will build a future where America remains the greatest country ever to exist in the history of the world. All of that is within our grasp, if we secure for more years for the defender of Western civilization, our champion, my friend, the 45th, President of the United States, President Donald J. Trump.

[20:40:29]

REBECCA FRIEDRICHS, SCHOOL CHOICE ADVOCATE: I'm Rebecca Friedrichs, a veteran California Public School educator. I'm here to give voice to America's great teachers. Because our voices have been silenced for decades by unions who claim to represent us. They do not. When other dedicated teachers and I served within the unions, we spoke up in defense of children, parents, scientific fact and American values.

For our trouble, we were brutalized booed off the platform, barred from committees shouted down and even spit upon by union leaders. This is how unions treat devoted teachers. But what's even worse is how their agenda of control deceives Americans and our children.

They've intentionally rewritten American history to perpetuate division, pervert the memories of our American founders and disparage our Judeo-Christian virtues. Their lenient discipline policies morphed our schools into war zones, and they back defunding police and abolishing ICE.

Unions collect billions annually from unsuspecting teachers and push this radical agenda into our classrooms against our will. Why? The only way to keep a free Republic is with a well-educated moral citizenry that can self govern. Unions are subverting our republic.

So they undermine educational excellence, morality, law, and order. That's why they spend hundreds of millions annually to defeat charter schools and school choice, trapping so many precious, low income children in dangerous, corrupt and low performing schools.

To fight back on behalf of children and America, brave teachers brought a lawsuit against unions. And do you know who intervened against us? The Obama-Biden administration and California Attorney General Kamala Harris. They argued against us at the U.S. Supreme Court. Their comrades labeled us bonds of Satan and slandered us in mainstream media.

No matter their abuse, we'll keep fighting for the country and children we love Just like President Trump. He's breaking the union's grip on our schools. That's why unions have tried to destroy him since the day he was elected. But President Trump isn't afraid to fight for what's right, he won't back down.

His courage gives great teachers renewed hope. He's even proposed education freedom scholarships to return control to parents, protect religious liberties, and empower kids to escape dangerous, low performing schools.

The Republican platform supports educational freedom. The Democrat Party does not. Democrats stand with deceptive teachers unions, who pick on loving teachers and little kids. President Trump stands with America's families, great teachers, and most importantly, our children. So America's great teachers, let's stand with President Trump. protection of the kids and country we love.

TANYA WEINREIS, SMALL BUSINESS OWNER: I am so grateful to speak with you today. My name is Tanya Weinreis. I'm from Montana where I live with my husband, my hero, a Marine and retired police officer. My husband and I own Mountain Mud Expresso.

We are not some multinational corporation. Our success is not measured by stockholders, but by our neighbors, the people we see at church and at jujitsu school with our son. Mountain Mud Expresso is the American story, a story not just for entrepreneurs, but for millions of hard working men and women who are building their American Dream every day.

[20:45:00] Few months ago, like so many businesses, we got the crushing news. A large event we were serving was cancelled because of the virus. Our business was on the brink, threatened to be shut down from losses that were not our fault. I was scared. I thought of our 50 employees, the Mountain Mud family.

And when I thought of their jobs, I thought of their rent being too, their kids. And I felt personally responsible. I'm not too proud to admit that I fell on my knees and prayed, Lord, what do I do? His words rang clear, keep on working, it will be OK.

I had faith. And let me tell you, you have to have faith when your husband is a Marine, and a police officer who shot out on the job. And when you run a business, a little faith goes a long way. Faith in Jesus and faith in America. But I'm worried we have a generation of Americans who have been told that The American Dream doesn't exist.

That's a lie. I know because I live that dream. That's why I feel so strongly that we need a president who believes in the American dream like President Donald Trump. Now more than ever, I am so thankful that my prayers for help were answered. My company was one of the first to receive a PPP loan, and praise God, it has been a lifesaver. Not only were we able to keep every single employee, but we've been hiring weekly ever since.

I feel for local businesses across America who are under assault from shutdowns, from riots, and how facing the terrifying prospect of Joe Biden coming after everything we've built. I am so grateful we have leaders like President Trump standing up for local businesses like mine. Thank you President Trump, it is exciting to be part of the great American comeback story.

BLITZER: The Republican National Convention resumes after a quick break.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[20:50:36]

BLITZER: We're back with CNN's coverage of the Republican National Convention. We're awaiting the first appearance of President Trump. Up first, a GOP congressional candidate from Maryland, Kim Klacik.

KIM KLACIK (R) MARYLAND CONG. CANDIDATE: -- Klacik and I'm running for Congress in Maryland seventh district. And like Shirley Chisholm, I'm unbought and unbossed. Let me remind you, the Democrats have controlled this part of Baltimore city for over 50 years, and they have run this beautiful place right into the ground. Abandoned buildings, liquor stores in every corner, drug addicts, guns on the street.

That's now the norm in many neighborhoods. You think Maryland taxpayers would be getting a whole lot since our taxes are out of control. Instead, we're paying for decades of incompetence and corruption. Sadly, that same cycle of decay exists and many of America's Democrat run cities. And yet the Democrats still assume that black people will vote for them, no matter how much they let us down and take us for granted. We're sick of it. We're not going to take it anymore.

The days of blindly supporting the Democrats are coming to an end in votes where we had the highest number of black Republicans in the entire country running for office this election cycle. Joe Biden believes we can't think for ourselves that the color of someone skin dictates their political views.

We're not Biden allies anymore. You and your party have neglected us for far too long. We want safety in our neighborhoods. We want to make the most of the Federal opportunity zone I'm standing in right now in West Baltimore.

We want higher paying jobs and more business opportunities. We want lower taxes, we want school choice. We want a chance to get ahead, not just get by. That's what President Trump promised. And that's what President Trump delivered.

I want Baltimore to be an example to Republicans around the country, that we can compete in our inner cities. If we reach out to the citizens and deliver real results. President Trump is bringing this country back roaring. He's bringing the American spirit to life for all Americans. So, I'm asking you to help President Trump complete this great American comeback. And then I'm asking you to help me start this great Baltimore comeback. Thank you and God bless America.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

RONNA MCDANIEL, CHAIRWOMAN, REPUBLICAN NATIONAL COMMITTEE: Good evening. I'm Ronna McDaniel, chairwoman of the Republican National Committee. And on behalf of everyone in our party and President Trump, thank you for tuning in as we kick off this historic convention. As we speak to you tonight, we send our thoughts and prayers to those facing terrible fires in California, recovering from storms in Iowa and preparing for hurricanes in Louisiana and the Gulf Coast.

Democrats started their convention last week with Eva Longoria, a famous Hollywood actress who played a housewife on TV. Well, I'm actually a real housewife and a mom from Michigan with two wonderful kids in public school, who happens to be the only, only the second woman in 164 years to run the Republican Party.

And unlike Joe Biden, President Trump didn't choose me because I'm a woman. He chose me because I was the best person for the job. Four years ago, President Trump started a movement unlike any other. And over the next four days, we will hear from a few of the millions of hard working everyday Americans who have benefited from his leadership.

If you watch the DNC last week, you probably noticed that Democrats spent a lot of time talking about how much they despise our president. But we heard very little about their actual policies, policies that would have been unthinkable a decade ago.

Policies like banning fossil fuels, eliminating private health insurance, taxpayer funded health care for people who come here illegally, and defunding the police. Their argument for Joe Biden boiled down to the fact that they think he's a nice guy.

Well, let me tell you, raising taxes on 82% of Americans is not nice. Eliminating 10 million good paying oil and gas jobs is not nice. Policies that force jobs to flee our country or allow abortion up until the point of birth are not nice. The truth is, there's only one person who has empathized with everyday Americans and actually been fighting for them over the past four years. And that is President Donald Trump.

[20:55:30]

In the nearly four years I've worked on behalf of President Trump. I've seen up close a man who has a deep love for family, a man who has reverence for the office of the presidency, a man with an incredible respect for law enforcement in our military. I've seen private moments where he comforts Americans in times of pain and sadness.

Now, everyone knows he can be tough. He's tough when he takes on China. Tough when he works to fix our unfair trade deal. Tough when he fights to secure our borders, President Trump is always going to be tough when he is fighting for the American people, because nice guys like Joe cared more about countries like China and Iran than the United States of America.

Tonight begins a new chapter in the great American story. A story that has inspired the world for generations. And when we re-elect President Trump this November, the best is yet to come. This election is the most important in our lifetime, your vote counts more than ever. If you want to check your voting status, secure your ballot or register to vote text vote to 88022.

Earlier today, President Trump and Vice President Pence came to North Carolina to thank our delegates for unanimously re-nominating them to a second term. Our official roll call and the business of our Republican convention was conducted today in Charlotte. We have created a short video to symbolize the excitement for President Trump across all 50 states and territories.

Thank you for watching. God bless you and God bless the United States of America.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The great State of Alabama.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Alaska.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: American (INAUDIBLE).

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The Arizona.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Arkansas.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: California. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Colorado.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Connecticut.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Delaware.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: District of Columbia.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Florida.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Georgia.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Guam.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Hawaii.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Idaho.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Illinois.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Indiana.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Iowa.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Kansas.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Kentucky.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Louisiana.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Maine.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Maryland.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Massachusetts.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Michigan.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Minnesota.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Mississippi.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Missouri.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Montana.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Nebraska.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Nevada.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: New Hampshire.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: New Jersey.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: New Mexico.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: New York.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The North Carolina.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: North Dakota.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: the Northern Mariana Islands.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Ohio.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Oklahoma.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Oregon.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Pennsylvania.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Puerto Rico.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Rhode Island.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: South Carolina.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: South Dakota.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Tennessee.

UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKERS: Texas.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The United States of Virgin Islands.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Utah.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Vermont.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Virginia.

UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKERS: (INAUDIBLE).

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The West Virginia.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Wisconsin.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Wyoming.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We're excited.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: To nominate.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Donald J. Trump.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: And Vice President Mike Pence.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: For four more years.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Thank you for all you've done to make America great again.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It is our privilege.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: To nominate you.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: For four more years.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: And we know the best is yet to come.

UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKERS: Trump 2020. Trump, Trump, Trump, Trump.

UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKERS: Four more years.

UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKERS: Four more years.

UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKERS: Four more years.

UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKERS: Four more years.

UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKERS: Four more years. Four more years. Four more years. Four more years.

(CROSSTALK)

DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: We will make America great again. And ladies and Gentlemen of this country, the best is yet to come. I didn't back down from my promises, and I've kept every single one.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: This current administration have made hope possible.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We want this nation to continue to be the beacon of hope for the world.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You know, how many people say they go leave of America. If Donald Trump was elected, they're all still here, and they're not going anywhere, because we are in the land of the free.

[21:00:07]