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CNN Live Event/Special
RNC Live Special Coverage: Late Finale; Donald Trump Accepts Republican Nomination; Fact Check: Trump's Acceptance Speech; Widow of Former Police Captain Speaks at RNC; NBA Players Decide to Resume Playoffs; Teen Faces Six Charges, Including Homicide, in Kenosha Shooting. Aired 1-2a ET
Aired August 28, 2020 - 01:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[01:00:00]
KIRSTEN POWERS, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: Protests are happening. And let's be honest -- and Don, you do make this point and it's important over and over.
There's very little rioting. That's actually -- there's very little violence. But it's magnified by Donald Trump and it's magnified by Republicans to convince people that people are coming for them. And that's just simply not what's happening.
But the fault is, I think, with the government and with all of us for the fact that nobody has really dealt with the fact that you have police shooting unarmed black people, repeatedly. And often not being held accountable for it.
That is a problem that the entire country is responsible for. Republicans, Democrats, everybody.
RON BROWNSTEIN, CNN SNR. POLITICAL ANALYST: Can I just say quick? Real quick --
DON LEMON, CNN ANCHOR: Yes, hold on. This may help. I'm going to let you get in.
BROWNSTEIN: I'm going to get in.
LEMON: I just want you -- before you get in, look at this. We're going to play this. And just check out the date on it.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: The crime and violence that today afflicts our nation will soon, and I mean very soon, come to an end.
CROWD: (Applause)
TRUMP: Beginning on January 20th of 2017, safety will be restored.
(END VIDEO CLIP) LEMON: Ron?
BROWNSTEIN: The whole first third of the 2016 acceptance speech was law and order.
What I was going to say was it's not as binary as we are making it out to be.
To Chris's point. Yes, there are many Americans who wish that local officials would be tougher when protests when they spiral into disorder.
But there's a clear majority of Americans now who believe, as Kirsten said, there is an underlying problem that African Americans are treated unfairly by the police.
And the key distinction, the key problem that Trump faces, I believe, is that many Americans, probably most Americans, believe that his approach is making them less safe, rather than more safe.
Because his belligerent approach to racial issues, his refusal to acknowledge and deal with the underlying problems increases the risk of disorder. That to me has always been the key difference between him and Nixon in '68.
Most suburbanites thought Nixon could deliver on law and order. And if you look at the polling, I think it is pretty clear that many, many now feel Trump's approach makes the problem worse. Because he is so confrontational and refuses to acknowledge the full dimensions of the issue.
SHIELDS: (Inaudible).
CHRIS CUOMO, CNN ANCHOR: So Kirsten -- and me with this, just for a statistical rebuttal.
One, we've have seen from June to August a precipitous change in terms of a decline in people who think the protests are legitimate versus this is about unlawful behavior.
And with that has come a poll from NBC that has Trump beating Biden on law and order.
That's why I'm pointing out the idea that it will be worse as a proposition is a powerful sell.
POWERS: You mean you think that what Trump is selling is a strong proposition, electorally?
CUOMO: Yes.
POWERS: I think it's a strong proposition for a certain type of voter. I think that the Republican Convention was effective in targeting a certain type of voter.
It was targeting white suburban women and I think that there's going to be a certain percentage of them that are going to be receptive to this law and order argument. It's just --
CUOMO: What if it gives Trump Wisconsin?
POWERS: What's that?
CUOMO: What if it gives Trump Wisconsin?
POWERS: I don't -- we don't know --
CUOMO: But it's so close now.
POWERS: We don't know in the end how this is going to balance out. We don't know how much people are concerned about which issue.
I'm talking, traditionally speaking -- which is very hard to do now, because nothing is the way it used to be -- but traditionally speaking, there is a large percentage of Republican voters who are driven by law and order and the fear of people coming for them.
LEMON: All right. Listen, we got to -- I got to reset, guys. Thank you very much.
And by the way, there was a whole soundbite about law and order that could have been today four years ago. And it still didn't happen, again, on Donald Trump's watch.
CUOMO: Rudy Giuliani gave the same speech he gave tonight at the beginning of 2016.
LEMON: Whirr. Eep, eep, eep, eep. Crickets. Thank you, all. We're continuing our coverage --
BROWNSTEIN: Thank you.
LEMON: -- of the final night of the Republican National Convention. I'm Don Lemon along with Chris Cuomo.
Now, let's talk about some facts. Here's our fact checker, Daniel Dale. The hardest working man in the news business.
Daniel, you were busy fact-checking President Trump. Lay it out -- lay it on us here. What did you hear?
DANIEL DALE, CNN REPORTER: Don, there was just so much lying tonight from the president. As there often is.
My preliminary count is there we had more than 20 false or misleading claims from the president alone, let alone all the other speakers.
You can divide them into categories, I think.
There were false claims, some of them you can call them lies, about Joe Biden.
He said that Biden is talking about taking down the border wall. Biden has specifically rejected that idea. He suggested Biden might confiscate guns. Biden is running on a non-
mandatory voluntary buyback of so-called assault weapons.
[01:05:00]
He suggested or said Biden would entirely eliminate America's borders. That's just complete nonsense.
He again suggested Biden wants to defund the police. Biden has explicitly rejected that.
I think another category of falsehood, dishonestly, lying was Trump's own supposed accomplishments.
So he again claimed the he is the one who got that Veteran's Choice law signed. Barack Obama signed it in 2014.
He claimed he is partly responsible for the first NATO member spending increase in about 20 years. Spending was increased in 2015 and 2016, before he took office.
He, again, ludicrously claimed that he has done more for the African American community than any president since Lincoln. Lyndon Johnson signed the Civil Rights Act and the Voting Rights Act -- you can talk about other presidents as well.
And I think the third important category, guys, is his attempts to rewrite the history of the coronavirus pandemic.
So not only did he describe the fatally flawed testing system as a smashing success, he also touted what he called a record job gain of nine million over the past three months.
He didn't mention at all, not a hint of a mention, that this gain follows a record 22 million job loss over the previous two months. We're still in a hole of 13 million.
So there's just so much wrong here. And we hear this from Trump at rallies when he's off script.
I think it's notable tonight that a lot of it was in the text. This was pre-written, prescripted dishonesty.
LEMON: Interesting. Chris, got anything? You want to jump in here? Because that was a whole lot that Daniel Dale just said there. And I'm sure Daniel, you could go on even more.
CUOMO: Well, two things. One of the interesting economic metrics that people should keep an eye on is, of course, job development.
And the idea that this president made the best economy ever when it comes to jobs, you have to qualify two ways.
One, not since the pandemic, and the pandemic is on his watch. And the inability to adjust wound up sucking the life out of a lot of the economic vitality that consisted before. Second, if you are to look at job growth, just raw score, apples to
apples, with Obama, take the first three years. OK. That was the strongest metric for Trump, right?
1.5 million jobs fewer than Obama's last three years.
CUOMO: Last three years. Yes.
CUOMO: So apples to apples. It doesn't mean the growth isn't good, it means that it's not the best. That goes to telling the truth. But, Daniel --
LEMON: No, but he says it's the best economy. And he says -- and it's just not. But go on, sorry.
CUOMO: Fine. But Daniel, here's the bigger point. You've been checking the lies forever. It has literally been the full employment plan for you.
DALE: Yes.
CUOMO: My theory of the case is this. His voters know what you're telling them is true. They know that 80 percent of what you say is probably right -- not to discount you, but just in their own minds.
They don't care because they believe the alternative to him is worse.
DALE: Sure.
CUOMO: Because they all lie, because Joe Biden is led by a bunch of lefties that want to destroy the difference between a man and a woman, kill every baby they can, and make America crazy, where blacks and their kooky white friends run around the country trying to kill everybody.
So it's not really about lying and who's telling the truth and who isn't.
I think that this election will come down to a very negative aspect of who's worse.
DALE: That's fair. Chris, I'd say two things. One, I think a lot of people do care and the dishonesty does matter to a lot of voters. I hear from some of them.
But number two, I think you're right. That for a lot of voters, maybe especially Trump voters, it's not about the dishonesty or no dishonesty, it's about their policy preferences.
They say he cut taxes, moved the embassy to Jerusalem. And that's fine with me. It's not my job to get people to vote for Joe Biden. I just put out the information and what people want to do with it, they can do with it.
LEMON: Yes.
CUOMO: Because it wouldn't make sense any other way, Don. The numbers don't make sense.
This race can't be this close if people are valuing the quality of the information and messaging they're get from the candidates. Can't be this close.
LEMON: Here's the thing -- and this is not me. And I think we gave Kirsten short shrift and I'll take the blame for that. I'm sorry.
But Kirsten says to me people choose their candidate then they make up the reasons they support them. Facts won't make them change their mind. There's tons of social science to back that up. So?
DALE: The facts still matter.
CUOMO: Well, she's right.
DALE: We've got to stand up to them and say no.
CUOMO: She's right, post- and pre-. See, the pre-part is important also. What does that mean?
That if you have in your mind -- remember, perception's reality often in politics and feel often beats facts, OK. To fill out Kirsten's point.
And what does that mean here? Is that you are afraid of a destruction in your culture then anything that prevents that is acceptable to you, even Donald Trump.
Because at the end of the day, he will stop the things that you fear will happen if the other guy's in (inaudible).
LEMON: But when it doesn't happen in four years, how do you still believe that? That's the question.
CUOMO: Because his job --
LEMON: How is that true?
CUOMO: -- is to stop it, Don. There's nothing to see, because he has stopped it from happening.
LEMON: But stopped what?
CUOMO: He has stopped more leftie craziness.
[01:10:00]
LEMON: Like what?
CUOMO: The destruction.
LEMON: Like taking your guns? No one has taken guns.
CUOMO: Thank God for Donald Trump.
LEMON: OK.
CUOMO: He kept the lefties from doing it.
LEMON: OK. What else?
CUOMO: Anything that might have happened --
LEMON: The border wall?
CUOMO: -- if Hillary Clinton had gotten in.
LEMON: If you ask about the border wall and people coming over the border -- again, this is B.S.
CUOMO: Well, he built the wall.
LEMON: Right. But what they will -- because of our immigration laws, some people can touch the wall and they're citizens. It doesn't matter if they go over the wall.
CUOMO: They're not citizens. But they have a right to fight for asylum.
LEMON: They have a right -- so then what the hell is the wall? How much of the wall has really been built, Daniel?
DALE: It's about 300 total miles. But of those 300, only about five miles, at least as of August 7th, were entirely new, built where no barrier existed before.
CUOMO: Five more than what would have happened with Clinton.
LEMON: It's all so sad because none of it is true. And so to me, when you say oh, it's -- I forget how you characterize it -- to me, it's just people being gullible. Just being gullible.
CUOMO: Or afraid, Don. They are afraid of things and --
LEMON: Of what? I was afraid of the dark when I was a kid. Did not mean it was real. I thought there was a bogeyman under my bed, did not mean it was real.
I didn't find out there was a real bogeyman until 20 -- I think it was '13 when this guy named Chris Cuomo came over to work for CNN. And then there was a real bogeyman in the building. That was it.
CUOMO: What I'm saying is that in politics, fear sells. And it's very hard to combat. And it makes the job for Biden tougher than any poll's suggesting. That's all I'm saying.
LEMON: And Daniel Dale is saying there are two bogeyman on each side of me, oh, my gosh, what have I gotten myself into to?
DALE: I'm just enjoying listening to your conversation. Carry on doing it.
CUOMO: See? Even Daniel Dale, the fact man. As a matter of fact, he likes us, Don. Time to go to break.
LEMON: Thanks, Daniel. Thank you.
CUOMO: All right. Look, why are Don and I gaming this out for you?
Because at the end of the two conventions, OK, you now see what the battle will be about. And it is going to a battle about just how screwed you are if the other guy wins.
And that's not putting you in a great position.
LEMON: Yes.
CUOMO: You're not going to be given something -- at this point, the way we have seen it to this point. I don't see a reason to believe in the imagination and our better angels and our interdependence that is going to galvanize a base in a way that's going to change this race.
LEMON: I want to ask you something after the break, what we talked about.
CUOMO: That's a great tease.
LEMON: Yes.
CUOMO: All right. Let's go to break. Let's get back, so I can see what it is. I hope it's not paying for lunch. Again.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[01:15:00]
CUOMO: Now Don and I know that you've heard a lot tonight about the style and presentation of the president and the production and the pageantry. And that's one reason that we're not wasting a lot of time on it.
And also because neither of us believes that's what you're going to vote on.
What you're going to vote on is which one of these two men makes you think that you're going to be safer, that your life for your kids will be less chaotic if it's them for the next four years.
LEMON: Yes. If you went into this thinking that there was going to be social distancing at the White House this evening then you're sadly mistaken. When have Trump supporters ever, for the most part -- when has the president really touted social distancing and mask wearing?
CUOMO: Right.
LEMON: Unless -- you had to pull his arm. Right.
CUOMO: And yes, it makes no sense that you see all that or don't see all that.
LEMON: Doesn't mean it's not serious and we're in the middle of a pandemic.
CUOMO: Right.
LEMON: But it's just -- I didn't (inaudible).
CUOMO: And then Trump says Biden wouldn't follow the science the way I did. I know that makes no sense when people aren't following science right in front of his face.
LEMON: Yes.
CUOMO: But this is about who is worse.
Now, former V.P. Biden spoke with Anderson Cooper earlier today.
And let's listen to a little bit of him because this is the point, counterpoint, that we'll set up with the panel.
LEMON: All right.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOE BIDEN, FMR. VICE PRESIDENT AND DEMOCRATIC PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE: Now, if you think about it, Donald Trump saying you're not going to be safe in Joe Biden's America, well, all the video being played is being played in Donald Trump's America.
These guys are rooting for violence. That's what this is all about. To prove that you should be scared.
ANDERSON COOPER, CNN ANCHOR: You think that he's actually rooting for violence? That he wants violence because it --
BIDEN: absolutely.
COOPER: -- allows him to claim a law and order mantle?
BIDEN: Sure. Because it takes everybody's eye off the ball. Want to talk about safety? Look at the biggest safety issue in the nation, COVID.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CUOMO: How strong is that on the Don-O-Meter?
LEMON: On the what -- what do you mean, what he said?
CUOMO: Yes.
LEMON: I don't know if it -- in what context?
CUOMO: As a rebuttal to the president saying look at all this is happening on the streets.
LEMON: You mean from Joe Biden? I think it was -- I actually thought it was pretty strong, but I think his message would be stronger if he stands in front of a podium and not in a zoom thing at his house. I'm just being honest.
CUOMO: Presentation matters.
LEMON: Presentation matters. To come out and stand at a podium in D.C., or wherever, even in Wisconsin.
CUOMO: Yes.
LEMON: And say, listen -- this is what I expected today if they were going to really come out and do the thing right, whether it was going to be Kamala Harris or Joe Biden.
"Good afternoon, everyone. The rioting has to stop. The violence has to stop. And under a Biden Harris administration, there will be no lawlessness on the street.
Now you folks who want police reform, especially you young people, we hear you. And we are going to do that under this administration. But the people who are out there rioting are not protected by the first amendment.
And they are usurping your power and all of the gains that you have made with your movement. And it's got to stop.
I am" -- if it's Kamala Harris -- "a former prosecutor. I know who to prosecute, who to -- when not to prosecute, who to prosecute and who not to prosecute from my many years in doing this.
[01:20:00]
And trust me, the folks who are lawless, whether it's people who are burning down businesses or militia people who should not be involved in law enforcement, you will be prosecuted.
The protesters who are there doing the right thing, it is your right under the constitution. Keep doing it, I support you."
I didn't hear that. I'm just being honest.
CUOMO: I like it.
CNN political analysts, Carl Bernstein and Tolu Olorunippa, also Republican strategist, Alice Stewart. Good to see you all.
Carl, what do you think? Would Biden have been better served and/or Harris to do what Don is saying?
CARL BERNSTEIN, CNN POLITICAL ANALYST: I think that -- perhaps. But I think we've got to go back to a fundamental point about this convention. No matter how Biden addresses it.
This convention has been based on a big lie. This convention has been a big lie. Donald Trump today, tonight, his whole speech was about a big lie about where we are in this country with the pandemic.
The fact is that we are with the pandemic because of his negligence, that we have 180,000 dead. And he has been incompetent, that he has failed to deal with it in a meaningful way.
And furthermore, the whole idea of Donald Trump as a savior of African Americans in this country, this is preposterous.
The fact is he was cited by the justice department for refusing to rent his properties to African Americans. He has advocated throughout his presidency a continuing racist line. He is a racist. Those around him who know him believe he's a racist.
So I think we've got to deal with the big lies.
And I think that is going to be Joe Biden's real challenge. Because if Trump is allowed to get away with the big lie of this convention and of what he stated tonight, he can be very effective enlarging his base.
What we saw at this convention tonight was an attempt to enlarge his base through misrepresentation and lies. Not just about the base he's had before.
He sees a way to go after suburban women, to maybe get two, three percent more African American males to vote for him. That that could make a big difference. And it's all based on a big lie.
LEMON: Who, Tolu, has not made up their minds yet? Because both people in this race are known entities.
If you don't know who Joe Biden is then shame on you. If you don't know who Donald Trump is, shame on you.
If you don't know the record of Joe Biden, who has been in politics for a number of decades then shame on you. If you don't know Donald Trump from "The Apprentice" or from his time in politics then shame on you.
Who is undecided at this point? And is it going to make a difference?
Sure, it's true, what Carl said. But does it matter at this point? Is it preaching to the choir thinking that things will be different?
TOLUSE OLORUNIPPA, CNN POLITICAL ANALYST: I think the largest group of persuadable voters are not deciding between President Trump and Joe Biden. They're deciding or not deciding whether to vote or not in November.
They're either maybe marginally attached to the electoral system, they maybe couldn't be bothered to vote in the past and they're having to decide do I want to stand in line, do I want to go out and risk catching coronavirus by going and voting in person?
Am I going to request a ballot, am I going to take the steps to actually request a ballot, sign it, fill it out, return it?
These are voters who haven't voted in the past. Some are Republicans, some are Democrats, some are Independent. Somebody don't even pay attention to politics. And I think that's the largest group that both of these conventions have been trying to reach, trying to get on their screens, on their television, on their phones.
Just to say listen, this is an existential crisis in the country, the most important election in our history.
Screaming, essentially, that people should vote, they should take whatever measures they need to request their ballots and vote.
And I do think that that is the approach both candidates were taking. Trying to reach out to shore up their supporters, people who may be soft supporters who may be thinking about sitting out this election.
But also reaching out to some of those new voters. People who are -- if they're young voters, are just marginally attached to the political system.
And trying to get them to either be afraid, as President Trump said -- you should be worried that you wouldn't be safe in Joe Biden's America or get them to be hopeful about what could happen and vote for Joe Biden in order to get President Trump out of office.
CUOMO: Alice, help us understand the theory of the sell. In 2016, the president says when elected 2017 law and order comes. No more violence in the streets.
He's now making the exact same case even though all the violence that has happened and, frankly, increased happened on his watch.
How does the violence that's going on right now help him? Such that he's making it a centerpiece.
[01:25:00]
ALICE STEWART, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: Well, Chris, let me first address how we started off this panel with Joe Biden's comments that Republicans want this.
That is an asinine and absurd statement. No one does not want this more than certainly the president of the United States and Republicans.
He himself has actually sent, as you know, federal agents to these cities to try and help not just protect federal buildings but protect the people as well. And he has made it quite clear that he supports law enforcement across the board.
Certainly, there are some law enforcement that need to take a better look and closer look at reforms. But the president has made it clear that he supports law enforcement.
CUOMO: Both of those moves have been cited as fomenting tension, Allison -- Alice, by the way.
STEWART: But I think that -- BERNSTEIN: (Inaudible) and I went there suggesting that.
CUOMO: Right. But finish your point, please, Alice.
STEWART: No. I think it's important that -- the president has made it quite clear that he supports law enforcement and law and order.
Where we have Joe Biden who has aligned himself with the Democratic Party. And all of these cities, Chris, unfortunately where we have the looting and violence and fires and smashing of buildings and police cars, they're in Democratic-led cities (inaudible).
CUOMO: What about San Diego, Jacksonville, Fort Worth, Miami and Omaha? They all saw similar situations. They didn't see the attention from you guys because they're all Republican mayors.
STEWART: But the majority -- you know the majority of what we are seeing, the great tension and violence are in Democrat-led cities.
CUOMO: It's because most population centers elect Democrats. Isn't that a problem instead of a virtue?
STEWART: It's absolutely not. Because what we're seeing is we have not only the president but many people in the Republican Party that would certainly much rather see law and order in the streets and peace through strength in the streets. As opposed to the Democrats --
CUOMO: Then shouldn't they be upset --
STEWART: -- who have sat back. And look --
CUOMO: Then shouldn't they be upset at the president that allowed to happen on his watch for three years after promising he'd stop it?
STEWART: You cannot blame the looting and lawlessness on the streets to this president.
CUOMO: Why not?
STEWART: I completely support --
CUOMO: He's refused to mention the problem that sent people into the streets --
STEWART: No.
CUOMO: -- in the first place? He's never said the words systemic inequality, he's never addressed the pain. He didn't even address the latest shooting.
He didn't even address the fact that a white guy murdered people and got a pass until he decided to turn himself in.
You don't think that drives desperate people to the streets in anger?
STEWART: Look, Chris, we can all agree there are racial tensions in this country. There is incidences of racism.
I disavow the premise there is systemic racism in this country --
CUOMO: Really?
STEWART: -- but you cannot excuse lawlessness as a response to racial tension in this country. That's just not acceptable.
And to ignore the fact that we do have violence and lawlessness on the streets is not doing any favors for people that are in these cities.
That's why it's important for the president -- as we've seen all this week. We have seen the images and the fires and the looting in these cities. Because it should not go without being mentioned --
CUOMO: You've seen a lot more protests than you have --
STEWART: -- because this is a part of the big picture.
CUOMO: We've got to go to break. But you've seen a lot more protest than you've seen of anything else. And the least of anything that we've seen is this president addressing why these people are in the streets.
But, Alice, I appreciate your argument. Tolu, as always, thank you for the rationale that helps the audience understand their situation a little better in context.
LEMON: Yes. Yes, we have a lot to talk about. Because, again --
CUOMO: You promised that before the last break. And then you didn't say anything --
LEMON: Yes. Well, I didn't get a chance to ask you because we had a group of people we needed to get to.
CUOMO: Oh.
LEMON: But I -- well, let's just say this. Listen, you and I have been talking about protesting. Under the constitution, it is your right.
There is a distinct difference between protesting and rioting. Distinct difference. One is protected in the constitution, the other one is a crime.
CUOMO: Is a crime.
LEMON: The other one is a crime. So let's not get it twisted, people. If you believe that rioters should be protected, barking up the wrong tree.
CUOMO: Right. And if you believe that we're seeing as much rioting as we are protesting, you're being lied to.
LEMON: Absolutely. We'll be right back. (COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[01:32:37]
CHRIS CUOMO, CNN HOST: Well, without question, I think the most impassioned, the most painful rendering of the president's law and order message didn't come from him. It came in an emotional speech tonight from a widow, who lost her husband veteran police officer, David Dorn.
Here's a little of it.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ANN DORN, DAVID DORN'S WIDOW: David is never, never coming back to me. He was murdered by people who didn't know, and just didn't care. He would've done anything to help them.
Violence and destruction are not legitimate forms of protest. They do not safeguard black lives. They only destroy them. President Trump understands this.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CUOMO: The sickness is not systemic inequality; it is the riots. It is the reaction to the same. That is what the president's messages, and Ann Dorn's pain really makes it palpable. But David's daughters, may he rest in peace, they say their father would not have wanted the speech to happen. That they -- that he -- they believe he wouldn't want his name used to help reelect Donald Trump.
Debra White, and Lisa Dorn, join us now. Officer Dorn's veteran, Officer Dorn's daughters.
Thank you both. I am very sorry to meet you under these circumstances. I'm sorry for the loss of your father. And if nothing else, I'm sure that there should be pride in the family that he is being remembered well for his service and his love and how people loved him.
Now, obviously his widow who gave the speech, is not your mother. But this isn't about the family. It's about how you want to remember your father.
So Lisa, let's start with you. What do you want people to know about your father that did not come out at the convention?
LISA DORN, DAVID DORN'S DAUGHTER: You know, let me just first start out by saying thank you for having us. On the surface, I felt like the speech was very, you know, was a heartfelt speech.
[01:34:52]
L. DORN: You know, she did a good job, I think, of going through the order of the tragic events of that night. And it was very painful to have to relive that. And anyone who would've heard that, that would evoke emotional from anyone. I mean just to hear that story again. But what I want people to know is that my father would not have wanted his name, his image, his likeness to be used and politicized to continue to support the efforts of Trump and his administration, especially his law and order agenda.
My father and I had many conversations about Trump. He was a registered Democrat. He did not believe in many of the policies that Trump put forward. We had many conversations about that.
He even shared his conversations that he and his wife had that were, you know, that were not that great. And so you know, it was -- they were conversations that they couldn't have in their homes.
So you know, (AUDIO GAP) and for Trump to invoke his name in this sort of political form, at the White House, under the guise of a law and order agenda, it is just a disgrace to his memory, and to his legacy. And I know that he would not have wanted that.
CUOMO: Debra, I see you nodding along with your sister. Why does this matter enough for you to go through the pain of discussing this and coming on TV to so? What do you -- why does it matter so much to you, Debra?
DEBRA WHITE, DAVID DORN'S DAUGHTERS'S: It matters a lot to me and to my sisters because our father meant so much to us in our family. And we would like the opportunity to be able to grieve his death and we have not had that opportunity yet because we have been in the spotlight in the national media talking about how he would not approve of this, you know.
And we would not want this for him for any political agenda, whether it's Republican or Democrat. We would like the opportunity to just have him rest in peace, so that we may rest in peace because that is something we haven't had the opportunity to do.
CUOMO: Let me say this to both of you. Obviously, I'm sorry for your loss. I know what it's like to lose a father, let alone under these circumstances.
But let me tell you what I heard. Forget about politics because that is not what your father was about. Your father was about people. And he was about loving your community. He was a police officer that when he left the house, all those years as chief, and doing the job that he made a decision every time that others lives matter more than his own.
And that he believed in the love of mercy, even for those that he had to arrest. And I think that that is the kind of officer that everybody wants in their community and is the kind of father everybody is blessed to have in their family.
So thank God you had that influence. And I'm sorry to meet you under these circumstances, but I'm not sorry to remind people that this was a good man, who raised good people, and he should be remembered that way -- politics aside.
Thank you for coming on to talk to me. L. DORN: Thank you for having us.
WHITE: Thank you.
CUOMO: God bless and send my best to the whole family, ok.
L. DORN: Absolutely, thank you.
WHITE: Thank you.
CUOMO: All right.
So the president is taking a look at what happens in the country around him as if he were an observer. And he has an opinion about the NBA protest as if what they were doing wasn't somehow a function of his own action and inaction. He dismisses the NBA as a political organization. He says that what they are doing isn't good for the country. Sounds just like what he said about Colin Kaepernick, huh?
Andre Iguodala of the Miami Heat wants to react to the president. And he will do so here with us, next.
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DON LEMON, CNN HOST: So after postponing a total of six playoff games today and yesterday, NBA players have agreed to resume playing soon. That's according to multiple media reports. That, with protests spreading all over the sports world, including baseball's New York Mets who held a moment of silence tonight. This was tonight, look at that.
But listen, then they walked off the field. A Black Lives Matter t- shirt was placed over home plate.
Joining me now, Andre Iguodala from the Miami Heat. He is also the vice president of the NBA Players Association, and the author of "The New York Times" bestseller "The Sixth Man".
Nice book, nice cover, and it's nice to see you. Thank you, sir. I really appreciate you joining us this evening.
ANDRE IGUODALA, MIAMI HEAT: Thanks for having me. Really appreciate it.
LEMON: So the players are returning, but the stand they took really had a huge impact on the sports world and beyond, really Andre. Speak to me about why the players made this decision or these decisions?
IGUODALA: I think it was just a lot of things that have been happening, especially within our communities. And the environments that we come from affecting those who look just like us, knowing that it could be any one of us at any given time.
And this systematic oppression has been occurring, specifically with us, you know, since this country was, so called founded. And we've had generation after generation, you know, making sacrifices, countless measures, to try to make it better for the next generation.
And when you don't see change, and you continue to do the same thing, they call that insanity. So I think for us, it just hit me in my heart. It's been a hell of a cocktail in terms of the COVID environment, you know. We're in a bubble environment. We felt like coming down here was the right thing to do.
You know, more than just playing basketball -- that's part of it, you know, and generation of black wealth, but at the same time, knowing our platform is one of the largest platforms in the world to get our voices out there, let our voices be heard. Stand where we stand on and try to bring change about it.
You saw that, you know, the platform is working. You can see other leagues --
LEMON: Yes. So you've got hockey, you've got NFL, you've got all -- you've got most of the league's doing pretty similarly to what you guys are doing. But I mean you mentioned, you know, that you have a big platform. Another person who has a big platform is the president. Here's what he said earlier.
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DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I don't know too much about the protests, but I know their ratings have been very bad. And that is too -- that's unfortunate. They have become like a political organization. And that's not a good thing. I don't think that's a good thing for sports or for the country.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LEMON: What is your response to the president and being called a political organization?
IGUODALA: Well, when your people are being treated the way our people have been treated for hundreds of years, it's not a political organization or a political agenda. It is a human (AUDIO GAP) a human agenda. And that's where we stand on that. And that's why we say it comes at a point in time where, you know, we might take a pause in the entertainment business to shed light up on these experiences that we are witnessing, you know, through the technology and through the devices that are in one's hands and are supposed to be a part of the process of holding people accountable for their wrongful actions.
LEMON: So you know Jared Kushner. He is the president's son-in-law and advisor who was extremely dismissive today. And he said quote, "NBA players are very fortunate that they have the financial position where they are able to take a night off from work without having to have the consequences to themselves financially. They have that luxury."
I mean as if you should be satisfied, you know, with your wealth, you should just be grateful, right that you are wealthy. What do you think of that?
IGUODALA: Well, that is a double-edged sword that a lot of African Americans that haven't been able to come into wealth deal with, you know. It's all about, you know, getting away from your community because you have been able to get out of that community. And now you are supposed to rub elbows with those who don't understand your plight.
But, you know, as you've have seen throughout history and a lot of our leaders, you know, it is in us to go back. And we've always got a place in our hearts for our communities and try to uplift them throughout their hard times.
(CROSSTALK)
LEMON: I just thought it was surprising for me coming from someone who has had the privilege all of his life, coming from a wealthy family, a father who was incarcerated but didn't and was able to get out and not suffer the consequences of being poor, and having to restart their lives, and then also being appointed to a position by his father-in- law.
I just thought it was rich that he was lecturing people on money and wealth.
IGUODALA: I think that's the capitalist system that America has been built on. And when you dive deep into it, you know, capitalism and racism go hand in hand, you know. You can't have one without the other.
And until we start realizing that and (INAUDIBLE) "economics" on the back of my jersey which represents African-Americans being the largest consumer spenders in the entire world. Our spending dollar is the most powerful, yet our money is least recycled within our communities when you look outside of the other communities, who do it the right way.
The tricky part is when we speak up on other communities who do have the correct group economics (ph) and we look at that as, you know, racist or those were actually, you know, we call it giving them props for having these systems in place where they're taking care of their people, they're opening up businesses, getting loans. All those things occurring.
But, you know, the negative connotations that come from behind that is set up for us not to have those aspirations so we can continue to be held down.
LEMON: I'm looking at this quote, this is from Lebron James. And I want to get to a lot of this before we run of time. Lebron James and his role in all this. Here's what he tweeted. He said, "Change doesn't happen with just talk. It happens with action and needs to happen now (exclamation point). For my I promise school kids, kids and communities across the country, it's on us to make a difference. Together. That's why your vote is more important than a vote. #BlackLivesMatter." Listen, he also walked out of the players meeting last night, was willing to end the season which is really remarkable at this stage of his career. What does that say to you? How do you feel about that?
IGUODALA: I think he's just talking about, you know, what are we standing for. You know, like I said before, we have had leaders that have come before us. You talk about Muhammad Ali that they stood for something much bigger than, you know, the dollar. We have also had athletes show us the way to, you know, to try to build generational wealth for our communities on the court and off the court.
So you know, it's tough for an athlete of Lebron's stature because people always try to put him in a vulnerable situation and try to make him choose a side. And he has done an incredible job of being in the spotlight since the age of 16 years old. And, you know, they haven't been able to put any blemishes on his record, on his career, on his family name.
He has done an incredible job of building schools, done a great job with the voting initiatives. And when we look at the issues and the reason why we had a postponement was because of police brutality, we say we go to the root of things and one thing we found was voting was a direct -- voting directly goes hand in hand with how you hold people accountable for your --
[01:50:06]
LEMON: What do you say -- there are many young people out there now who are saying what do I have to vote for? My candidate -- I wanted a different candidate. I don't think I should go vote. It doesn't matter. Nothing is going to change. What do you say to those young people who feel like it doesn't really matter if their voices are not heard?
IGUODALA: Well, you look at, you know, you can go all across the line in terms of, you know, systematic oppression, red lining, school funding within urban communities, you know, public health or health insurance for the inner city community, loans, business loans for inner city communities, college degrees, incarceration, African- Americans
And we are not even talking about African-American sisters who are not just being African-Americans but also being female in this male- dominant society. They're -- you know, they have been treated the worst. So we got to continue to uplift each other, understanding that, you know, we need to equate voting with a dollar amount.
And people will start understanding how powerful it is to go out and vote and put people in a position who understand our situation and try to help us build for the next generation and put us in a better situation.
LEMON: Andre, thank you so much, sir.
IGUODALA: No, thank you. LEMON: Let's talk a little bit more about this. Jacob Blake's family
is telling CNN that he has been handcuffed to his bed, despite being paralyzed after being shot multiple times by police. We're going to have the latest live from Kenosha, next.
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CUOMO: Important developments in Kenosha, Wisconsin today including the 17-year-old accused of a shooting during the protests now facing six criminal counts including homicide.
For the latest CNN's Omar Jimenez who is, of course, in Kenosha. What do you know?
OMAR JIMENEZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well Chris, right now I just want to give you some insight to a situation that just happened within the last few seconds really.
We had people out here that had been peacefully demonstrating in the park and literally eight squad cars just screamed in here and they are telling the people here in the park to disperse or they will threaten them with arrests for breaking the curfew.
So you are seeing these cops again descend on this park here as we are actually now seeing what seems to be a line of literally people dressed in riot gear moving up from the courthouse. It's a very small group of people, I will say.
So we are continuing to watch this situation here. But in regard to what you are asking about before, there have been a lot of developments over the past few days, specifically in regard to Kyle Rittenhouse, who was the person accused of shooting people in the streets of Kenosha two nights ago. And he has been charged with five felony counts including first degree intentional homicide and first degree reckless homicide.
He is expected to be in court Friday morning. And as part of that criminal complaint, we actually heard or read as part of it that he was on the phone telling someone, "I just killed someone", allegedly after shooting the first person.
Again, he is expected to be in court tomorrow morning as we watch this situation continue to play out here in the park.
CUOMO: Just quick answer, have you seen the white militia guys there today and tonight?
JIMENEZ: We have not. Things have been peaceful on really any side you can think of for the past two nights in a row, since that shooting unfolded Tuesday night which is what the Jacob Blake family wanted to see -- peaceful demonstrations.
CUOMO: Yes.
All right. Omar, thank you very much. Be safe.
The president accepted the Republican nomination for president tonight. He made claims about what he has done over the past four years. They aren't true. And I'm not sure it matters.
He is telling the country that if he is reelected, he will stop what's happening now, even though it's happening on his watch. It may be the greatest con we have ever seen from a president.
More coverage, next.
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