The Lead with Jake Tapper Aired July 16, 2024 - 16:00 ET THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED. [16:00:02] … (MUSIC) JAKE TAPPER, CNN HOST: Welcome to THE LEAD. Day two of the Republican National Convention. I'm Jake Tapper, live here in Milwaukee, in battleground Wisconsin. Behind me last night, former President Donald Trump emerged in public for the very first time since that bullet came within an inch of ending his life, the image was striking. Mr. Trump wearing a bandage on his ear, emotion on his face. He is now officially the Republican presidential nominee for the third time. But this time was unlike any other, as the crowd cheered him with chants of "fight, fight, fight", the words that he mouthed after surviving that shooting. We still do not know how that 20-year-old gunman came so terrifyingly close to killing the former president, especially in light of brand new CNN reporting that the U.S. Secret Service had actually increased security in recent weeks after getting intelligence of an Iranian plot to assassinate former President Trump. We're going to have the latest on that investigation, which leaves many questions still glaringly unanswered. What we do know now is that Mr. Trump says his brush with death has been impactful. He told ABC last night that it is changed him. He said he rewrote his Thursday convention speech to try and, quote, unite our country. I'm learning that tonight at the convention, former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley will directly address those voters who are uncertain about voting for Trump. She, of course, was a Trump ally, then a Trump opponent. Now, again, a Trump ally. And speaking of former Trump opponents turned allies, Ohio Senator JD Vance is now Trump's running mate. The VP pick came down to the wire. We're told NBC is reporting that Trump's sons, Eric and Don Jr., talked him out of the more establishment pick, North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum. We'll ask Eric Trump about that reporting in just a second. Vance had a hill to climb to win the heart of Trump, given that he was once part of the never-Trump camp, once wondered in a private message if Trump was, quote/unquote, America's Hitler. And he told me this in August 2016. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) TAPPER: So who are you going to vote for? (LAUGHTER) SEN. J.D. VANCE (R-OH), VICE PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Anyone else that (ph) -- TAPPER: You don't know yet. VANCE: I don't know who I'm going to vote for. I'm definitely not going to vote for Trump because I think that he's projecting very complex problems onto simple villains. (END VIDEO CLIP) TAPPER: That was 2016, a big old change from that to this last night. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) VANCE: I was certainly skeptical of Donald Trump in 2016, but President Trump was a great president and he changed my mind. I bought into the media's lies and distortions. I bought into this idea that somehow he was going to be so different, a terrible threat to democracy. It was a joke. (END VIDEO CLIP) TAPPER: The Republican National Convention theme of tonight is "Make America safe once again". Republicans here will be leaning into the anxiety so many Americans have when it comes to crime and border security and illegal immigration. My colleague Erin Burnett, has insight on tonight's key messengers, including Trump's former political rivals -- Erin. ERIN BURNETT, CNN HOST: That's right, Jake. And you were just mentioning Nikki Haley. Of course, we all know just a few days ago, she wasn't even going to be attending the convention. She wasn't invited. And whether it was directly as a result of Saturday night or not, obviously, things have changed so significantly. Not only is she coming, but as Jake said, she's going to be speaking tonight and that is going to be crucial. So many people are going to want to know what she has to say as in state after state 20 percent of people continued, of Republicans continued to vote for her even after she had gotten out of the race. That is a significant bloc that obviously President Biden has been trying to win over as well. So, Jake reporting on how she's going to directly address her voters, going to be extremely significant tonight. That is just one of several rivals though. Senator Marco Rubio is going to speak tonight. Obviously, he was on that final list that in the call just moments before JD Vance, that he would not be the vice presidential nominee. Vivek Ramaswamy will speak tonight. Governor Ron DeSantis of Florida, obviously, also a former rival of Trump's for this nomination. So all of them speaking tonight, no doubt they'll hit this theme of safety, but this is really about the former rivals coming into the fold. And also, Jake, again, I'm sure we will hear we will hear about anxiety and fear and some dark visions. However there are so is another focus tonight and I would say that is to show that Trump has the full backing of the power players in the Republican Party, which he does. [16:05:05] You're going to be hearing House leadership speak tonight. Elise Stefanik, some had hoped shed be on that VP list. She is speaking tonight. Steve Scalise is going to speak in and how Speaker Mike Johnson will appear again. So, all of that heavyweight behind Trump tonight, and some crucial Senate contenders, Jake, Dave McCormick, who's running against Bob Casey in Pennsylvania, was in the front row on Saturday. He's spoken about that. He will be speaking tonight and I'm sure that will be raw emotion from him. Kari Lake speaking tonight and others from the Senate candidates. So it is going to be a crucial night, really showing that Trump has the entire party, not just the MAGA part of the party, but the entire party behind him. TAPPER: All right, Erin, I'll check in with you in a little bit. We're going to have more on the Republican convention. But, first, some breaking news, before Saturday's assassination attempt against former President Donald Trump, there was a separate assassination plot, one by Iran, that the U.S. Secret Service and Trump campaign were aware of. Let's bring in CNN's Evan Perez with this exclusive reporting. Evan, what more are you learning about this? EVAN PEREZ, CNN SENIOR JUSTICE CORRESPONDENT: Well, Jake, this was important, new and very specific intelligence from a human source. And that's the reason why the U.S. intelligence community and the Secret Service took him so seriously. They increased some of the protection around the former president, we are told. Now, we should make clear that this plot by the Iranians that was identified by the U.S. intelligence community, that he had nothing to do, at least as far as the investigation is concerned right now, anything to do with the shooter who was on that roof there in western Pennsylvania on Saturday and fired those shots that injured the former president. Nothing to do with that. And so what we have is a statement from a top national security official. I'll read you just part of what -- what they told us. They said: The National Security Council directly contacted the Secret Service at a senior level to be absolutely sure they continue to track the latest reporting, the Secret Service shared that information with the detail and the Trump campaign was made aware of an evolving threat. We also heard from the Trump campaign saying that they don't comment on ongoing -- any ongoing threats or their security of the former prime president, the Iranian mission to the United Nations also responded to our reporting saying that these accusations are unsubstantiated and malicious. But, Jake, as you know, the idea of threats from Iran has been a long- running concern for the U.S. intelligence agencies, for law enforcement here in the United States. You've had people on your air dissidents who have been under threat from the Iranian intelligence services. We also know that they were trying to kill John Bolton, and we also know that Mike Pompeo and other people have been under on their target list all because of the 2020 assassination of the head of the IRGC, Qassam Soleimani. So that is part of what the picture here is for the former president, and, of course, for all of these officials -- Jake. TAPPER: All right. Evan Perez, thank you so much. Let's talk about this and much, much more -- (AUDIO GAP) BURNETT: Thanks. ERIC TRUMP, SON OF DONALD TRUMP: Thanks, Jake. TAPPER: -- after the horrible, horrible incident on Saturday. Last night at the RNC, he made his first public appearance since the world saw that horrible but also iconic moment with him standing up his fist in the air -- and he seemed emotional. TRUMP: Yeah. TAPPER: I mean, that's me judging from a distance. But what was that like for you and what was he going through? E. TRUMP: I was watching that. I watched the rally on Saturday with my children when this whole thing happened, and you know, he got fallen (ph), he's got blood coming out of his ears and shot him in the ear, had he not turn last minute, his head would have blown off. I mean, literally, it's that close. It was millimeters from taking his life. And then, all of a sudden, last night, he walks in here, and he walks into the thunderous applause and, you know, chants of "USA, USA". There were people in the audience crying. I was sitting there, you know, "proud to be an American" was the song that was playing at the moment. And I think it will hit home, right? It puts everything in perspective. My father's, you know, spent eight years fighting the unthinkable, every attack humanly imaginable, you've covered every single one. (AUDIO GAP) E. TRUMP: You know, they tried to take his life. That was the final attack. And thank God, it didn't work out. But then he walks in here to just a sea of love, and as much reporting as you've done from here, I know how much love you've seen in this room. TAPPER: Yeah. E. TRUMP: The American flags, the red hats, the people who love America. They're proud to be American. They want America to be number one in everything we do. They're patriotic. They love our Constitution. They love religion in this country. I mean, these are great, wholesome people from -- from every state that we have in the nation. And it's a powerful moment. It was, you know, it was almost a moment that didn't happen. TAPPER: Yeah. E. TRUMP: Yeah. Because of a mad man that got far too close. TAPPER: What is your response to this new reporting from Evan Perez and our justice team about this us Secret Service finding, intelligence that there was an Iranian plot to assassinate your father? [16:10:06] E. TRUMP: Yeah. That's not new. I'll say that's not new and that -- because my father was the toughest president in history on Iran. He thought it was atrocious that we gave them back $150 billion. He thought it was crazy that we're giving them money for prisoner swaps and he ran -- he went around the whole world telling people, hey, you bought by Iranian oil and gas, as they're trying to develop nuclear weapons, right? This is a country that chants "death to America", just so everybody realizes that they don't have our best interests in mind. They're trying to develop a nuclear weapon, and we were effectively allowing people to trade their oil and gas all over the world. My father finally went out (ph), and said this is madness. They're going to use that money against the United States. They're going to hurt us in some way, shape, or form. If you buy oil and gas from Iran, we aren't going to do business. The United States of America will not do business with you. He effectively put Iran out of business -- you know, out of business. And he also took out some of their nuclear scientists as you know. Soleimani, al-Baghdadi, he took out both of them. I can only imagine that their feelings are hurt and I can only imagine that they don't like Donald Trump or anybody that wears our last name. So I don't think this is anything new. There's never been a tougher president on Iran, and it would be a huge mistake if we let them get nuclear capabilities because, believe me, they're out there. They're indoctrinating their children to chant "death to America" every single day. You better believe that they'll use a weapon, and, you know, you'll have casualties in the U.S., the likes of which we've never seen before. TAPPER: How much do you or your family want answers from the U.S. Secret Service given obvious failures that day? E. TRUMP: Yeah. TAPPER: Do you think that the head of the U.S. Secret Service should resign because of the obvious failures? E. TRUMP: I've been very outspoken in terms of the people on that stage. I've probably said this ten times now. The people on that stage love him. They would take a bullet for him. TAPPER: Obviously, they ran right in front of him. E. TRUMP: And they demonstrated that. TAPPER: Yeah. E. TRUMP: One of the females on the stage, she's with me for three years. I know every thing about her. She would take a bullet for me. She would take a bullet for him. As courageous as they come, same with everybody else who is around him, the head of his detail was on that stage, believe me, the last thing that they wanted was that to happen and they did all the right things. Now, take that ecosystem that travels with him. They show up at a rally. They get up on stage. They're were watching for people, making sure they don't run up with a knife or trying to tackle the president, or do something else that's stupid, throw something at him. They're not watching rooftops 130 yards away, 140 yards away. There was a breakdown with whatever happened there. Is that -- is that -- I don't even want to guess. I don't want to speculate. But they let somebody with a gun within 130 yards with the former president of the United States and very likely the future president of the United States. And there's got to be accountability for that. There has to be accountability. Now, one of the things that was kind of devastating to me as I watched Biden last night and he said -- I spoke to him, meaning he's talking about the head of the Secret Service, and he didn't realize that that the head of Secret Service was actually a her, not a -- not a him. And -- God, we've got to do better than this, Jake. I mean, you know, he's (ph) a pretty well-reasoned human being, but we've got to do better than this. You know, the president just doesn't even know who the person is, and it's pretty disconcerting. But yes, as a family member, I was enraged. I saw my father's ear with a four-year-old and a six-year-old sitting on my lap and my wife sitting next to me. TAPPER: Are they okay? Are your kids okay? That must be traumatic seeing their -- seeing -- first of all, just seeing that violent episode must have dramatic for so many Americans, but that was -- that's their grandpa. E. TRUMP: Yeah. I think it's even more traumatic when they go into camp when they have a little friend that camp say, hey, I heard your grandfather was shot, right? That's even more traumatic for them and that's not nice. It's not nice spot to be in. But there better be answers. There better be answers as to how that can happen. We'd better make damn sure that can never happen again because, listen, regardless of political affiliation, it's -- could you imagine just consequences on the world stage if a U.S. president getting assassinated on live TV? By the way, you guys were covering the rally. TAPPER: Yeah. E. TRUMP: Everybody was covering the rally. Could you -- I mean, that lim -- that image will live on in history. I mean, the current image will live on history, and frankly, his courage of standing up and pumping his fists in the air with blood streaming down his face, that's going to, you know, show a true fighter that he is. I was proud of him in that moment. But this cannot happen in the United States of America. TAPPER: So, let me turn to some -- a more fun subject, and that is there's an NBC News report that quotes a longtime Republican operative familiar with your father's vice presidential deliberations. And this report says your dad was on the verge, he hadn't yet, but he was on the verge of picking North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum as his VP, but then you and your brother, Donald Jr., stepped in. The source says, quote, Don Jr. and Eric went bat shit crazy, that -- I'm quoting. Why would you do something so stupid? He offers us nothing. They were basically all like "JD, JD, JD." E. TRUMP: Yeah. TAPPER: Is that -- is that true? E. TRUMP: No, I don't make my father's decisions. I -- in fact -- TAPPER: But did you -- of course not, but like did you -- did you want J.D. Vance and make the argument? E. TRUMP: I think the governor's an amazing guy. We got to know him very well. And -- brilliant, articulate, knows energy as well as anyone, would make a great pick. I know Rubio for years and he is an amazing guy who's also incredibly articulate and perfect and we know, obviously, J.D. Vance incredibly well. [16:15:02] Same thing -- incredibly successful, incredibly articulate, has risen through, obviously, the governmental system incredibly quickly, did well in the private sector, military, everything, right? I mean -- and I can make the case for any one of those three people. I happen to love J.D. and I also see the chemistry between J.D. and my father. But no, I've never been that person. Also, Jake, I run -- I run a great company and I'm very proud of the company I run. And I will sit there and I'll fight by my father's side every single day. But at the end of the day, the person he chooses as a vice president, make no mistake about it, that's Donald Trump's decision. That's not my decision. And I might have opinions in this world, and sometimes I chose not even voiced them, right, because I stay in my lane, but no, that was -- that was 100 percent -- that was 100 percent Donald Trump's decision. And I think he made the right one, but that was his decision to make. TAPPER: Eric Trump, thank you so much. I'm so sorry, what guys went through. E. TRUMP: Thank you. TAPPER: But I'm glad he was ultimately okay, and good luck with your kids. That's -- that's traumatic and I'm sure upsetting for them, not to mention for you and your whole family. E. TRUMP: Thank you. TAPPER: Thanks again. E. TRUMP: Appreciate. TAPPER: Enjoy the convention. Really appreciate it. Coming up, she was Donald Trump's last rival in the Republican primary. And now, Nikki Haley will have a primetime speaking slot at the Republican national convention tonight. We're going to take a closer look at the argument she's going to be making to Trump skeptics out there. Plus, we're also standing by to hear from President Biden, who is due to address the NAACP convention in Las Vegas this hour. Plus, New Jersey Democratic Senator Bob Menendez found guilty on all counts in his bribery and corruption trial. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) SEN. BOB MENENDEZ (D-NJ): I have never been anything but a patriot of my country and for my country. I have never, ever been a foreign agent. (END VIDEO CLIP) TAPPER: The punishment he faces and the calls for him to immediately resign from the U.S. Senate. That's next. (COMMERCIAL BREAK) [16:20:48] TAPPER: Welcome back. We're live in Milwaukee, in battleground Wisconsin. Day two of the 2024 Republican national convention. There is quite a bit to cover. Let's go straight to the political panel to discuss all of it. David Chalian, we just heard from Eric Trump. Your reaction? DAVID CHALIAN, CNN POLITICAL DIRECTOR: Yeah. I mean, first of all, just from a human perspective, it's harrowing to listen to him talk about sitting with his kids and watching this -- his kids encountering at camp, somebody saying, I heard your grandfather got you. I mean, that -- it's like a whole different experience from everybody else. TAPPER: These are four and six, they're little. Can you imagine watching that with your kids? CHALIAN: That's just like unbelievably painful to hear that they went through that. TAPPER: Yeah. CHALIAN: His demand for accountability on this, and from the Secret Service is interesting to hear as was his pushback on some notion that the agents weren't doing their job in the protective detail. TAPPER: Right. He was -- he was he defended the agents. CHALIAN: Exactly. TAPPER: But there he said, obviously some larger issue was there. CHALIAN: And clearly, President Biden feels the same way. I mean, then -- you've heard the call for the independent review and to be separate and apart from the department, so that we can get a thorough understanding. There's -- as Mayorkas said, there were clearly was a failure here. TAPPER: Yeah. And, Nia-Malika Henderson, Nikki Haley was not initially invited to speak at the Republican convention, but tonight she will address the convention. There's this big question about whether the support -- her supporters, the people who continue to vote for her even months after she dropped out can come back to the Republican fold, a source with knowledge of Haley's please speech tells me that she is going to make the case directly to those voters tonight. How important are those voters to Trump? NIA-MALIKA HENDERSON, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL ANALYST: Very, very important. I mean, they're, you know, 10, 20, 30 percent maybe of the party. They continue to vote for Nikki Haley even after she dropped out. I've been in touch with these folks. They, for instance, until the very end were holding out hope that she would even be his vice president. They didn't really like the Vance pick, but they respect her, they respect her ideas, they respect her sort of establishment approach to politics, her more moderate stances on any number of issues. She really went after Donald Trump in very personal ways, basically saying he is too old to be president. He was unfit to be president, and those are the things that these voters believe. They think he -- his character is flawed. So she I think has a lot of work to do in trying to change these people's minds. But I think it is good that she is there. I think obviously some of these people are reachable. Some of the ones I talk to you say, you know, they might write her in. They're sort of wavering in terms of Biden and maybe they could be persuaded to get back in the Trump camp. So, I think she's going to be a real pivotal person in trying to convince them to unify and get behind Donald Trump. TAPPER: I do wonder, Audie, if all the talk of Joe Biden and his lack of support within the Democratic Party, both voters, according to polls and Democratic officials, we know who were publicly calling and privately calling for him to step down from the top of the ticket, I wonder if that makes Haley's job easier to convince those voters and also just rhetorically because she was out there saying while she was still a candidate, Joe Biden's not going to be president if he gets reelected, it's going to be Kamala Harris. He's not going to be able to serve all four years. I remember but one anchor gave her some pushback and she had a little fun with that anchor after the bad debate performance. AUDIE CORNISH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I don't think that Nikki Haley is going to be onstage to do an actual convincing job to the voters. In a way, she's part of a narrative we're seeing over the couple of days which is the narrative of conversion. So if you're not completely rah-rah Trump, you've been on the stage as a Teamster, as Amber Rose, hip hop royalty to various degrees, and you're there to say, I was once lost and now I'm found. I didn't like Trump, but now I do. Here's how I made it through that transition, and you can, too, people at home. And I think that's a little bit of what Nikki Haley will be there to do, to say, even I who said this, this, that and the other have come to see X, because Joe Biden is Y. And each night, there'll be someone on stage who kind of plays that role. TAPPER: Yeah. Amber Rose from Wiz Khalifa to Donald Trump. [16:25:02] Manu, Trump's running mate, Ohio Senator J.D. Vance, was asked to explain his previous views on Donald Trump, which were really, really harsh with his now pairing up with him for the presidency and vice presidency. Here's what he said on Fox last night. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) VANCE: I was certainly skeptical of Donald Trump in 2016, but President Trump was a great president and he changed my mind. I think I can make a good case to the American people, people who may have been skeptical of the president back in 2016, who can be skeptical now that we've seen the results? (END VIDEO CLIP) TAPPER: What do you think, Manu? MANU RAJU, CNN CHIEF CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, I mean, it also helped fact that it was Donald Trump who essentially got him his Senate seat. If it were not for Trump essentially to intervening in 2022 Senate primary, he would not have won that race. He was stuck essentially towards the bottom of the pack. But really his evolution marks, of course, the transformation of the whole Republican Party and among another tick -- candidates down ticket. It will be interesting also tonight, Jake, is that there are a number of Senate Republican candidates who are speaking tonight in swing states from Wisconsin, from Pennsylvania, from the even -- HENDERSON: Michigan, right? RAJU: Yeah, there are lots. And this typically in a difficult election environment, those candidates are running away from polarizing candidates at the top of the ticket. This is a much different Republican Party and it will be very evident tonight when these candidates speak. TAPPER: And, Jeff Zeleny, CNN's reported on some of the fraudulent electors and election deniers picked to be delegates to represent their states here at the RNC. Take a look at this. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) SHELBY BUSCH, ARIZONA RNC DELEGATION CHAIR: This entire delegation cast their 43 delegates to Donald J. Trump! (END VIDEO CLIP) TAPPER: So that's Arizona's delegation chair Shelby Busch, who said this just last month. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) BUSCH: If Stephen Richer walked in this room, I would lynch him. I don't unify with people who don't believe in the principles we believe in and the American cause that founded this country. (END VIDEO CLIP) TAPPER: Stephen Richer, who she said, if he walked into this room, I would lynch him. He's a Republican whose offense was that he spoke out against Trump's election lies. JEFF ZELENY, CNN CHIEF NATIONAL AFFAIRS CORRESPONDENT: Obviously, that came before the unity memo went across in the wake of the assassination attempt. I mean, we joke, but the reality here is, I think we're already seeing day by day by day, we're only three days on since Saturday, you almost feel this crescendo starting to build to returning to a place where we were before. But as for the election deniers -- I mean, talking to delegates and talking to Republican officials, I mean, this is Donald Trump's Republican Party. There are many people who are not in favor of early voting. There are many people who think Democrats are trying to steal the election. So we shouldn't be surprised that sort of the entire breadth of this GOP is here. But as for those specific comments about lynching, someone, let's hope for the next 111 days, those don't happen, but we are going to return to campaign mode and it is a heated campaign. TAPPER: Indeed, thanks to all of you. How will J.D. Vance, the senator from Ohio reconcile his past opposition to Trump, as well as his harsh stance on abortion that Trump is trying to get the GOP to shy away from one? One of Vance's closest allies in the U.S. Senate will join me next. (COMMERCIAL BREAK) [16:32:52] TAPPER: And we're back live from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, for day two of the 2024 Republican National Convention. U.S. Senator J.D. Vance from Ohio, a once pointed critic of former President Trump, has now turned protege and is now his running mate. I want to bring in a close colleague of the Republican vice presidential nominee. With us right now, Republican Senator Eric Schmitt of the great state of Missouri. Senator, thanks so much for joining us. What did -- what did Senator Vance tell you after he was chosen? SEN. ERIC SCHMITT (R-MO): I mean, he was excited. I called them and we've been talking throughout this process, and it's a pretty unique life experience. We were at a dinner just a couple of weeks ago and just sort of talking about that. We've got a freshman class that's pretty close. But I just said, I'm happy for you. I'm happy for the country. And, you know, he didn't know, for sure, right, that this was all going to play out until -- TAPPER: Like 20 minutes or something, right? SCHMITT: Right, right. So I talked to him before that and then I talked to him right after that. And he was excited. TAPPER: So -- I mean, also, it's something of a -- I wouldn't call it a risky pick, but he's 39. He's only been in the Senate for a year- and-a-half. He doesn't have the background like you. I mean, you were a state attorney general first. It is -- in a way, it's conventional because he is probably the Trumpiest of those guys, of the finalists, but also in another way, it is a little risky. I mean, he's -- SCHMITT: I don't know. I think it sends a strong signal of who were fighting for as a party, which is I believe -- and I'm glad because I grew up in a -- in a blue-collar family, in a working class neighborhood that we are there for working class Americans. So I think that put an exclamation point on what, you know, President Trump has sort of been known for, is that -- and that -- and I -- so I viewed it as a big positive. I think it accentuates J.D.'s background and he can speak on those issues with a lot of credibility. When you talk about the challenges that -- whether it's of addiction or -- or just, you know, jobs being shipped overseas. I mean, J.D.'s lived that life -- TAPPER: Yeah. SCHMITT: -- and he came out on the other side and I think he's a great spokesman for it. TAPPER: How did he -- how was he able to surmount the fact that he had been such a vocal critic of Donald Trump in 2016? I get that that's a long time ago. But he said harsher things than a lot of MSNBC anchors. I mean, like, how did he -- how did he do that? SCHMITT: I mean, I think if you take his answer right, he basically said, look, I was wrong and he went through that endorsement process in 2022, and then he's getting close with President Trump and been a staunch ally. [16:35:08] And so, I think that's what matters most, right, is where are you going to be out on the issues? And I think he's a very effective spokesman. Like I said, he's a great messenger which I think is why it's another reason it's a great pick. TAPPER: One of the issues that Democrats think is going to matter a lot in November is abortion, and abortion rights. Obviously, since the overturning of Roe v. Wade, they're pretty much has been a romp by the pro-abortion rights forces when it comes to referenda on the issue whether it's -- whether it's an Ohio or Montana, or Kentucky. I want you to take a listen to what Senator Vance had to say about this issue last night on Fox. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) SEN. J.D. VANCE (R-OH), VICE PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Donald Trump is the leader of the Republican Party and his views on abortion are going to be the views that dominate this party and drive this party forward. You have to believe in reasonable exceptions because that's where the American people are. And you've got to let individual states make this decision. (EN VIDEO CLIP) TAPPER: So where the American people are, just according to polling, 63 percent of American adults say abortion should be legal in all, or most cases, 36 percent say it should be illegal -- illegal in all or most cases. So how does that compute when it comes to J.D. Vance and his position on abortion, which is pretty much 100 percent pro-life in his -- in his words? SCHMITT: Well, I think, look, what conservatives have fought for all along for those number years was to get this issue back into the states, right? This was a political discussion that nine justices took away, right, with one fell swoop. So, normally, in our society, we grapple with these things, right, through the electoral process, through our democracy, through our constitutional republic. That was taken away when Roe v. Wade was decided. So, this issue is going back to the states. So that might be a national poll but again, I think it's important. What might, you know, pass in Missouri, maybe very different, Idaho may be different in New York, and I think that's what conserves been fighting for, and that's what we're going to get. So, I think when you hear like, where are people going to weigh in, they're going to wrestle with this. It's going to be on the ballot probably in Missouri, it's going to be on the ballot in Florida, and those outcomes are going to be very different. And, by the way, it may not end there, right? You're going to have different ballot initiatives. It may take a decade for this thing to ultimately play itself out, but, you know, I've always advocated that are the people to actually weigh in on this. That was taken away for very long time. TAPPER: All right. Senator Schmitt, thank you so much for being here. Really appreciate it. With so much attention here in Milwaukee, the discomfort among Democrats raising serious questions about President Biden at the top of their ticket continues. More on that next. (COMMERCIAL BREAK) [16:42:01] TAPPER: At any moment, we're expecting President Biden to make his latest pitch in the battleground state of Nevada, addressing the NAACP, it's a major gathering of Black voters and activists. The public calls for Biden to step aside have quelled in recent days. CNN sources say that private efforts are still very much alive. "The Washington Post" also reporting that some Democratic lawmakers and campaign staff worry that some of Biden's top aides might not be giving him the full picture on the state of the race, allowing him to feel more optimistic than he should. Some House Democrats are even circulating a letter to delay Biden's official nomination. They're now in a potentially messy collision course with Biden allies who are working to solidify Biden atop the ticket by moving up his nomination vote to as early as next week. Let's toss it over to Erin Burnett, who's with a group of political experts who have been following the story closely -- Erin. BURNETT: All right, Jake. So, Jamal, you know, obviously is a longtime Democratic strategist. It is incredible to see what were watching here with these machinations behind the scene and what seems to be a willingness by some of the Democratic Party to sort of throw out the rules if it's in their interest to remove the top of the ticket. JAMAL SIMMONS, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: There are embers that are still around of people who are saying whether or not Joe Biden to stay at the top of the ticket, but I don't detect any flames. Now those embers could always spark and something could happen. But over the last few days, particularly since Saturday, things have calmed down very much more than they were last week. The president has done a good job I think managing this crisis after the assassination attempt. And I think that, too, has made people feel like he's on top of this crisis in a way that, that gives some comfort to people who are watching this. BURNETT: Important analogy. Embers versus -- versus flames. All right. What do the polls show? What do the polls show? When you look at the battleground states, I mean, I know the general -- national polls post that debate didn't really show much of a move. I know this comes down to a few states. How do you see it? KRISTEN SOLTIS ANDERSON, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: So, there wasn't really that much of a move and even if you watched the debate, you thought you were witnessing a political earthquake, it has registered only as a modest tremor, and we may well see the same thing come in the aftermath of Saturday's tragic near assassination of Donald Trump, that it felt like an earthquake, may only show up in the polls as a tremor. The problem Joe Biden has is the fundamentals are really against him. His job approval is low. And he's struggling with key parts of the Democratic coalition, including Black men in particular. So that's why this speech that Biden is about to give is really interesting because this is a piece of the Democratic coalition where there has been some real and sustained attrition of his support that he needs to regain if he wants to have a shot at beating Donald Trump. SHERMICHAEL SINGLETON, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: I mean, look, a president, a Democratic president cannot win with the numbers that Joe Biden currently has with Black voters, specifically younger Black voters, and a lot of young Black men, maybe 16, 17, 18 percent nationally, I think may potentially vote for Donald Trump. This idea that Joe Biden can lead the country for another four years, Erin, is naive to me. I don't think there's a single person in the United States of America who believes Joe Biden, if he were to win, could continue on. I think that's why you're seeing this mathematical deficit, not all with Democratic voters, but also independent voters who's saying, give us somebody else or we're sitting on the couch. I think a lot of people will be on the couch. [16:45:08] BURNETT: All right. But the polls on Black voters obviously is about to address the NAACP in this context. That attrition, that Shermichael's talking about is not new? JONAH GOLDBERG, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: No. I mean, look, we've been -- we're all living in the shadow of the disintegration of the FDR coalition, which has been coming apart for almost so century now. And little bits and pieces of mood as the Republican coalition or moved into the gettable realm of independence. The problem is that the Democratic Party really does need massive turnout of African Americans to sustain them, given how much, of, how much of the white working class that they've lost. And then when you particularly look at the battleground states, talking about the national polls overlooks the fact that the Electoral College, you need about three more points for the Democrat at this point to surmount the lead that Republicans have in those battleground states. What we see right now with Joe Biden -- I mean, I agree with Shermichael on this, what you see with Joe Biden, he's not really campaigning for president right now. He's campaigning to stay president and that's just a very different vibe. SIMMONS: I will tell you, I was in Detroit over the weekend with my African American family and a lot of friends and I kept asking -- BURNETT: Well, he gave a very rousing rally on Friday. SIMMONS: He did have a great rally. It was at my rival high school, so I didn't particularly want to go there. But -- (LAUGHTER) SIMMONS: But what we did see, though, is I talked to a lot of people. I'll tell you, people were very sober about it. They got the idea that Joe Biden might be struggling, but they said, anybody but Donald Trump. And I think they're willing to go along with him. So this crowd that I think he's going to talk to in Las Vegas, which will be older, which will be probably a little bit more educated, a little bit more were activists, they are going to rally behind Joe Biden. I think you expect to see them do very well. It won't be a crowd like the one Shermichael talking about this younger, that maybe has a little bit -- have few more questions. SINGLETON: Yeah, but that's the problem, right? He needs more than just those older, more affluent educated, African American. SIMMONS: But those people vote. SINGLETON: They do. You also need a coalition of Latino voters. You need a coalition of suburban white voters, where there's continued deficit for the president, which again is why I think many Democratic lawmakers are looking at the realities of these polls and said, look, you can't win my state of Michigan, you can't win in Arizona, you can't win in Wisconsin. We need someone else. ANDERSON: I do think though that this is also an issue of -- is this about Trump versus Biden or is this about the Democratic Party struggling with this group? I did a focus group for "The New York Times" of 11 Black men who were voting for Donald Trump. Their concerns were not just about Biden specifically, but what they felt was an approach from the Democratic Party that did not speak to that. BURNETT: So, it's not you swap for fill in the blank, right? Your favorite candidate in the day and all of a sudden they feel differently. ANDERSON: Correct. BURNETT: All right. All stay with us as our rolling coverage continues. Now, meantime, on the Democratic Party, gold bars, stacks of cash, a luxury car -- you may know who we're talking about. Now, a guilty verdict today. The latest in the criminal saga of a senator that is like a "Sopranos" episode, next. (COMMERCIAL BREAK) [16:52:20] TAPPER: Guilty, guilty, guilty, guilty -- guilty on all charges. Just hours ago, a jury convicted New Jersey Democratic Senator Bob Menendez in an all 16 counts, including bribery and extortion and wire fraud and obstruction of justice, and acting as a foreign agent in his federal corruption trial. CNN's Kara Scannell is live in New York, outside the courthouse. And, Kara, what did Senator Menendez say about the verdict as he left court today? KARA SCANNELL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Jake, as those first jury guilty verdict was read in court, the senator shook his head from side to side. He came outside to speak to cameras. He was defiant and pledged to appeal. Here's more of what he said. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) MENENDEZ: Obviously, I'm deeply, deeply disappointed by the jury's decision. I have every faith that the law and the facts did not sustain that decision, and that we will be successful upon appeal. I have never violated my public oath. I have never been anything but a patriot up my country and for my country. I have never, ever been a foreign agent. (END VIDEO CLIP) SCANNELL: You know, Jake, the U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York, Damian Williams, also came out to speak to the cameras. He said this was a shocking level of corruption that was brought to an end by this conviction. Prosecutors say that Menendez sold the power of his office in exchange for gold bars, nearly half a million in cash, and acted as an agent for government of Egypt while he was chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. There are growing calls for his resignation, including tonight from Senate majority leader Chuck Schumer, as well as New Jersey Senator Cory Booker. Now, a conviction is no automatic expulsion from Congress. So it would require a two-thirds vote by the Senate -- Jake. TAPPER: Kara Scannell, thank so much. A video of a phone call between Donald Trump and RFK Jr. What we see is not causing a stir yet what you hear is sparking alarm. That's next. (COMMERCIAL BREAK) [16:59:20] TAPPER: Former President Donald Trump continues to espouse false conspiracy theories about childhood vaccines. A leaked video by Robert Kennedy Jr.'s son shows Trump calling RFK Jr. and making these false claims about vaccines during that phone. Take a listen. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) DONALD TRUMP, FORMER U.S. PRESIDENT & 2024 PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE (voice-over): When you feed a baby, Bobby, a vaccination that is like 38 different vaccines and it looks like it's been for a horse. Not a, you know, 10 pound or 20 pound baby. And then you see the baby all of a sudden starting to change radically. I've seen it too many times. And then you hear that it doesn't have an impact, right? (END VIDEO CLIP) … The Situation Room Aired July 16, 2024 - 17:00 ET THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED. JAKE TAPPER, CNN HOST: This conspiracy theory about the dangers of childhood vaccines is flat out wrong. According to the Department of Health and Human Services severe allergic reactions to vaccines are quite rare happening to about one in a million people. And according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention vaccines, ultimately protect children by training the body's immune system to recognize viruses that children have not yet been exposed to. This is not about wild opinions shared on phone calls, just a matter of medical and scientific fact. I'll be back for a special coverage of night two of the Republican National Convention tonight at 8:00 p.m. Eastern. Our coverage continues right now, with Wolf Blitzer and Erin Burnett. [17:00:53] WOLF BLITZER, CNN HOST: The stage is set as night two of the Republican National Convention is about to kick off just one hour from now, with a call for unity and coming together. Welcome to our viewers here in the United States and around the world. This is a special edition of the Situation Room. I'm Wolf Blitzer live in Milwaukee. ERIN BURNETT, CNN HOST: And hello, Wolf. I'm Erin Burnett in New York. And this big night comes amid some new and disturbing reporting. We are learning exclusively of an Iranian plot to assassinate former President Donald Trump. Now this is according to U.S. intelligence. The details that we have learned here show that the plot as its unfolding so far has no connection to Saturday's attempted assassination. But news of this plot did lead the secret service to increase security around the former president in recent weeks, which actually raises extremely serious questions, right? That's increased security and a higher profile that they were in the midst of on Saturday afternoon raising real questions about those security lapses on Saturday, Wolf. BLITZER: It certainly does, Erin. And this is raising even more serious questions tonight about the security lapses during Trump's rally on Saturday. In a moment we'll talk to the Chair of the House Intelligence Committee. But meanwhile, here in Milwaukee, lots going on, all eyes will be on Trump's former rivals, including Nikki Haley and Ron DeSantis both set to take the stage tonight. We're also expected to hear from Vivek Ramaswamy and Trump's former 2016 opponent, Marco Rubio, who was just on the shortlist actually, to be Trump's vice president. We have a team of reporters standing by. Kylie Atwood is standing by live over the State Department, Kristen Holmes is here with us in Milwaukee. Let's go first, to CNN National Security Correspondent Kylie Atwood. The breaking news, very disturbing news about this Iranian plot to assassinate the former President Donald Trump. Kylie, I know there is no known connection to the actual shooting on Saturday in Pennsylvania, but what more are you learning? KYLIE ATWOOD, CNN NATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: Well, listen, what we've learned is that U.S. authorities in recent weeks, Wolf, obtained intelligence from a human source that there was an Iranian plot to assassinate former President Trump. As you said, at this point, no link that our reporting shows between that attempted assassination over the weekend against the former president and this incoming threat from Iran. But of course, this does raise new questions about the actual security footprint that was with the former president on that day. We're told by a national security official that as soon as this threat came in to the U.S. government, the NSA shared it with Secret service, who shared it with the former President Trump's secure -- secret service detail, and it was also shared with the Trump campaign. We should note that at the time of this incoming threat when it was received in recent weeks, the secret service surged resources to protect former President Trump. So that is the question, what did the surge of those resources actually look like? Now at this time, the Trump campaign is saying that they don't comment on the former president's protective detail that's around him. The Iranian Mission to the United Nations is denying this saying that, quote, "Accusations are unsubstantiated, and malicious." But we should also note that there continues to be this ongoing investigation, of course, into what happened over the weekend with that attempted assassination. And the National Security spokesperson Adrienne Watson is making very clear that up this time this incoming threat from Iran is not connected to that plot that attempt over the weekend, saying quote, "That there's no accomplice or co conspirator foreign or domestic that has been identified to what we saw over the weekend." Of course, we'll continue to track this and if this Iranian threat persists, as we have seen it against many former Trump officials over the last few years, Wolf. [17:05:03] BLITZER: Kylie Atwood, thank you very much. We're going to go back to Erin. Erin. BURNETT: All right, Wolf. And let's bring in Kristen Holmes in Milwaukee as well. Kristen, how seriously is this Iranian plot being taken by the Trump campaign? I mean, since you know, Kylie's reporting this and caused an elevation in the security around the former president, and what is the Trump campaign telling you about it? KRISTEN HOLMES, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, right now, as Kylie said, there are still a lot of questions about what happened. And they are not answering any of those questions directly. They are saying that this is a secret service issue and to reach out to the Secret service. But I can tell you this, they have a lot of questions as to who exactly at the Trump campaign knew and when, because I have talked to a number of people who have been on the ground of the former president in recent days and weeks who had no idea. Now one thing to remember is that Donald Trump has a very tight knit security team, he has been with the same detail for years. He is very close to them, they have a lot of respect for him. And he has a lot of respect for them. But one thing that a lot of advisors and allies had started to notice was that team was growing, that there was enhanced security. Now, no one had told these people that I have spoken to why. There was a lot of assumption that this was because he was going to be the nominee that he was getting increased security because of that. But I will tell you, as somebody who has been to a number of rallies in recent weeks, there didn't seem to be an increased security presence, we were going through the same magnetometers that we do every single time it was the same speed. And these are hundreds, if not 1000s of people who go through this every single day. So again, this raises a lot of questions very alarming to people who are close to Donald Trump, particularly those who didn't know about this. And when they look at what happened on Saturday, the idea that one it was not just potentially his own security detail that is with him, but an enhanced security presence and yet this still happened. That is a big question for everybody close to Donald Trump, who I've spoken to recently. BURNETT: And, Kristen, in terms of what we're going to be seeing tonight, Donald Trump and J.D. Vance, I know from your reporting are planning to attend every night as Trump did, obviously, the last time there was an in person convention, didn't wait to the last night when every night. So what are you expecting to see this evening? HOLMES: Well, the big question here is whether or not Donald Trump's message of unity following Saturday continues. And obviously, this is a step in that direction. One of the things that my colleague Steve Contorno and I had reported was that neither DeSantis nor Haley had been invited to speak, which is really breaking in tradition, generally, the top rivals of the person who wins the nomination do come and speak at the convention. It is a sign of unity, you invite them to bring in and court their voters. So whether or not this messaging continues, obviously, if shift in that direction, both of them being invited to the convention, being invited to speak, we'll wait to see what their messages are. But that's really what I'm hearing from people who are close to Donald Trump, that that's what they want the tone to be. That's what he wants the tone to be. Right now is one of unity and of coming together as a party. BURNETT: All right, Kristen, thank you very much. Wolf. BLITZER: All right, Erin, thank you. Our political experts are here to assess what's going on. David Chalian, let me start with you. This news about this Iranian plot to try to assassinate the former president of the United States say -- you and I are here in the Milwaukee, how has this been received here? DAVID CHALIAN, CNN POLITICAL DIRECTOR: Well, we heard from Donald Trump son, Eric Trump in the last hour, who used it precisely how I expect us to hear the campaign use the time again, which is, well, my father was tougher on Iran than anyone ever could be, this is the reality that my father lives in he said. And so I think that you will see, when people do discuss this, I don't know that it'll be a dominant topic, Wolf, but you will see it turned into this argument of strength of posture of America versus Iran invite this kind of behavior. And so it plays into that larger theme of strength that Trump is putting on display every day here. BLITZER: We also are at that very, very emotional entrance of Donald Trump with a bandage on his right ear last night as he walked in to this convention hall. That was a significant moment. AUDIE CORNISH, CNN ANCHOR: It was especially if you think about eight years ago when he entered the hall and it was to a party where people had not shown up in protest where he was kind of facing down Ted Cruz on stage who was being -- who was saying don't vote for Donald Trump, essentially. And it really was this moment that felt like it is completely done. This is the Trump National Party. And it'll be interesting to see what that means for some of the traditional Republican issues like foreign policy. How does Nikki Haley get up there and talk about foreign policy in a way that somehow squares the circle with the way a J.D. Vance talks about foreign policy. I think there's like a weird line to be walked over the next couple of hours. BLITZER: We'll see how that line is walking, in fact, very significant. Manu Raju, in a real show of party unity right now, a whole bunch of Trump's former rivals, critics like Nikki Haley, they're all scheduled to be speaking here at this Republican convention, what does that say to you? [17:10:06] MANU RAJU, CNN CHIEF CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes, I mean this is a key moment, what is Nikki Haley's message. We saw even after she dropped out of the Republican primary, she still was getting a sizable amount of Republican voters, even not being as a candidate anymore, still being on the ballot, kept picking up, you know, 10 percent 12 percent 15 percent. If that were to persist in the general election at the time, it seemed to be problematic for Donald Trump. Well, we've know the political world has changed a lot since then, obviously, the Biden debate, the way Biden has handled his campaign that he has struggled to get back to win over those Nikki Haley voters. Where are those Nikki -- BLITZER: Manu, I'm going to interrupt, sorry. But President Biden is speaking in Las Vegas now to the NAACP. And I want to listen and hear what he has to say. We're trying to get that audio going for the President of the United States. This is an important moment. And I want Nia-Malika Henderson set the scene for us. He's decided to go to Las Vegas -- NIA-MALIKA HENDERSON, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL ANALYST: Yes. BLITZER: -- address the convention of the NAACP, very significant. HENDERSON: No, it is. It comes as there are calls to have him drop out of the race. They have been quieted a bit publicly because of the assassination attempt on Donald Trump. But there still is work going on behind the scenes to get him to drop out. Yesterday he had an interview with Lester Holt, he said 14 million people voted for me in the primary. Those are the folks I will listen to. And all along what has been clear is that African American voters embodied by the Congressional Black Caucus for essentially saying they are riding with Biden, right? So he is out west in in Nevada, a very important state. BLITZER: All right, hold on. HENDERSON: Yes. BLITZER: I think we've reestablished our connection with the President in Las Vegas addressing the NAACP. JOE BIDEN, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: -- did build upon President Kennedy by that. President Johnson who signed the Civil Rights Act of '64, 60 years ago. Harry Truman was president was often counted out, he's also known for something else. Story goes, Truman said, do you want a friend in Washington? Get a dog. Well, guess what, last couple of weeks after last couple weeks, I know what he means. But that's why it's so good to have real friends. I'm not being solicitous. I have real friends. So many of you had my back. And I think I've had yours as well. And I will never forget it. I have some couple of dollar folks here still, and one of my best friends who we used to -- when I was a lifeguard and projects, he was -- his name is -- his nickname is Mouse, Mouse, here you are, pal, ends up running longshoreman loyal as hell. I'm truly honored to be here to meet this tense moment in this country. It is a tense moment. Just a few days after the assassination attempt on Donald Trump we're grateful he was not seriously injured. We continue to pray for him and his family. It's time for an important conversation in this country. Our politics has gotten too heated. I've said the Oval office on Sunday night, as it made clear throughout my presidency, we all have responsibility to lower the temperature and condemn violence in any form. Got to remember in America, we're not enemies, we're friends, we're neighbors, we're fellow Americans, most importantly, was full and firm reject power with political violence, with violence of any kind. Period. No exceptions. I have to say with one voice, that violence is not the answer. That's what we should rally around as a nation. That's the unity I'm talking about. Few organizations know that better than the NAACP. For the race riots in Springfield, Illinois in 1908, the NAACP was formed. That's what started it. You know, the pain and the price of violence. You understand if you're going to talk about standing against violence, you must stand against all violence or stand against violence perpetrated against presidential candidates in Pennsylvania. My stand against all violence. The violence perpetrated against George Floyd of Minnesota, against black veterans like police officers, Eugene Goodman on January 6, Black election workers, like Ruby Freeman and Shaye Moss in Atlanta. I have to stand against the violence and intimidation of white supremacy, the murder innocent lived in a grocery store in Buffalo New York when I went up there. [17:15:09] Mother Emanuel church in Charleston, South Carolina, was standing against the violence and murder of children at Sandy Hook and Uvalde. Concert goers in Las Vegas, this is on the street all across America that never made the news as you evolve every day, the communities across the country. We're going to be outspoken on one, don't be silent on others. We're going to speak about violence. We're going to speak about guns. War children in America died of gunshot wounds than any other reason that stunning and that is sick. And assure cowardness if do nothing about it. So, if you want to stand against violence in America, then join me getting these weapons of war off the streets of America. An AR-15 was used in the shooting Donald Trump, just it was an assault weapon to kill so many others, including children. It's time to outlaw them. I did it once and I will do it again. Now, just because we must lower the temperature, and our politics is very divided, it doesn't mean we should stop telling the truth. Who you are, what you done, what you'll do, that's fair game. As Harry Truman said, I've never delivered to give in any way to hell. I just told the truth and they thought it was hell. That's what I'm going to do. Well, here's the truth about why Donald Trump's presidency was held for Black America. He tried to repeal Obamacare to kick millions, I mean millions of black Americans off their health insurance. And a $2 trillion tax cut overwhelmingly benefited the super wealthy, the biggest corporation and exploded the federal debt larger than any one president has in one term. He left no room for us to do what we should be doing, invest in things that affect people's lives, like child care, elder care and so much more that grow the economy and help people. It's mismanagement of the pandemic was especially devastating to Black communities. Oh, I know. And other countries -- or other communities of color, that economic crisis drove up Black unemployment, decimated small black businesses and you peacefully protested George Floyd's murder, Donald Trump call for the National Guard to go after you. What the heel is matter with this man? No, I'm serious. Go figure. From the guy who spread the birtherism, I guess Barack Obama saying he wasn't born in America and he wasn't a U.S. citizen. Of course, here's what he thinks of Black jobs. I love his phrase Black jobs. It tells a lot about the man and about his character. Folks, I know what a Black job is. It's the vice president United States. I know what a Black job is, the first black president in American history Barack Obama. I was vice president to Barack and she is my vice president. I nominated the first black Secretary of Defense in American history, who is doing one hell of a job. I nominate the first black woman to the United States Supreme Court. It matters. It matters. And I promised myself and I promised America that my administration would look like America. And I'm proud that we are the most diverse administration all of history attached to the full towels revolution. That's who we are. These guys don't get it, that's why we're so successful. No, I'm serious. That's what makes us the greatest nation on Earth. It's not hyperbole. [17:20:00] Hey folks, it's because of you when I'm president and Kamala Harris was vice president. And by the way, she's now a great vice president, she can be president United States. Thank you. With the help NAACP, Black elected members in the Congress, we've gotten so much done. Seriously, presidential storage that we've gotten more done of consequence than any president since Franklin Roosevelt. Just think about where the Black community was when I came in office, think about how far the Black community has come. We still got a long way to go. COVID no longer controls our lives. Our economy has not figured he's literally the strongest economy in the world. To start grow (ph) black unemployment, record growth of black small business. Let me say this again, because Trump is lying like hell about it. Black unemployment hit a record low under Biden-Harris administration. The first pillar pass a good $1,400 checks plus $300 checks per child, per family, per month in the pockets of people in this country to get them through the pandemic, not Trump's administration, Kamala and I did that. We put more money in the pockets of than anyone. We cut black and have consequences we cut black child poverty in half. And when they finally get through to people, my economic policy grows the economy when we spend money, grows it. We grew the American economy to the strongest in the world. And I'm determined to make that tax cut permanent. No child should ever go hungry in America. By the way, all the data shows, they can't let them tell us we drag up deficits, they drive up deficits, folks. When you have childcare, guess what, mom or dad could work and the child could be safe. We're connecting Black neighborhoods that are cut off with old highways and disinvestment decades ago. My city, Wilmington, Delaware, I95 runs up to what used to be the Black community divided six lanes wide. We're going to make sure that the stage one and we're going to be able to pave over the top of that and still have the highway, connected neighborhood. We're removing, which is costly, every poisonous lead pipe in a house in America so every child could drink clean water without fear of brain damage. We're delivering high speed and affordable broadband. No child should have to sit out in the parking lot with their moms in front of a McDonald's so they can get online to do their homework. And because of you, not only protecting Obamacare, you allowed me to increase it, making healthcare more affordable. We're putting -- and by the way more than it's ever been, more than it's ever been, millions of African-Americans have now had health care because what we've done. We're putting homeownership, homeownership within reach. How do you generate generational wealth no matter what community you're from? On how we did we -- everything got stuck in Scranton with no jobs, moved to Delaware, dad worked like hell to get down payment to buy a small house. That's how you build equity. As small as a three bedroom split level home with four kids and grandpop live with us, but it was a home and he's able to build some equity. Look, we're making the most significant investment in climate ever in all of history, including most significant action on environmental justice ever. Look, folks, think about this, my state of Delaware, if you're -- if not many of you don't know my state, my state of Delaware has a Delaware River runs up along jagged line, but at the top of the state there's a half-moon and it goes up along more oil refineries. On the other side of that half-moon the mark was looking earth than anywhere in the country including Houston. And guess what, the wind blows south east. [17:25:03] We had the highest cancer rate for the longest time. Do you know what affect it? Fenceline communities. You know what a Fenceline communities are? Black communities. And I promise as we make this legislation work, we're going to take care of those communities first, first, first, first. I mean it. Same way in Louisiana, same way in other place. Look, we relieve student debt for more than 4 million borrowers, a significant amount of Black barrowers. I don't know how many call me say, Mr. President -- or got their phone numbers, I've called them back. Mr. President, thank you. I couldn't get married. My debt was so large. I couldn't have children. I couldn't -- no, I'm sure you know it, couldn't buy a home. But what you did, you freed me in my debt. And, and you gave me 10,000 bucks for a down payment on a home. This project 2024 -- Trump's 2025, Trump's deal, you know, he talks about education. HBCUs are as good as any other university, guess what the problem is. No, I'm serious. Not a joker. Kamala and I have a constant fight. She says Howard's the best, I said Delaware State is the best, because that's where I got my scar. But my point is this, my point is this, they don't have the endowment. It's one of the jobs in the future, the high tech jobs, you can pay a lot of money. They don't have the money for the laboratories, don't have the money for all that material. So that's why I've invested a spreadsheet record $16 billion dollars in HBCU. There's no HBCU student is any less qualified than any student anywhere else. And by the way, making sure that no one goes to jail for the mere use or possession of marijuana. Their record should be expunged. It holds them back. All told because you, NAACP, are making the most significant investments in Black America ever in all of history. We're seeing the results. The racial wealth gap is the lowest has been in 20 years. Inflation is down. In three years, we're coming down further and we're going to have as they say, a soft landing. Folks, you're going to see us grow faster and faster. That's not just my view, it's a view of 16 Nobel Prize winning economist who put out a statement. Look at my economic plan and Trump's, they said my plan will continue to lower inflation, continue to grow the economy. Prices are falling for cars, appliances, groceries, we're going to keep corporate greed at bay. But here's the thing what they said about Trump, they said his policies will cause a recession. Now this -- and by the way, these aren't Democratic (inaudible), 16 Nobel laureates. Look, we're going -- I come from the corporate state of the world, Delaware. I know how they work. They have more corporations and corporate in my state than any state in America, all combined. But guess what, we have to deal with corporate greed now. No, it is. Corporate profits are double since the pandemic and they keep bringing the prices. Now, we have to bring prices down further. Look, folks, the idea, the idea that corporate owned housing is able to raise your rent three, 400 bucks a month or something. I'm about to announce they can't raise it more than $55. That debate has taken place. Bottom line is we're just getting started. Well, no, it's not enough to talk about the past. We need a vision for the future. Here's my plan for the first 100 days in a second term. Kamala and I are calling on Congress to pass the John Lewis Voting Rights Act. I did all I was constantly able to do with executive authority, but we need the act. And we need to pass the freedom to vote act. And I'll sign them both in the law immediately. And guess what? Come hell or high water, we're going to restore Roe v Wade as the law of the land. [17:30:05] (CHEERING) CROWD: Four more years. Four more years. Four more years. BIDEN: I know. CROWD: Four more years. Four more years. BIDEN: I know you're saying, Joe, you may not have a Congress. Well guess what you all told me I couldn't pass the Inflation Reduction Act. You all told me I couldn't face the, anyway, we did it with your help. Republicans blocked police reform in Congress. So I signed his say -- a historic Executive Order on police reform. I'm going to come back and we'll sign George Floyd and Policing Act to the law, come hell or high water. (CHEERING) (APPLAUSE) BIDEN: Now I'm going to stop MAGA Republicans, I'm going to stop them in their program on 2025. We're going to stop them from cutting Social Security Medicare. I'm going to expand Social Security Medicare, by making the very wealthy began to pay their fair share. (APPLAUSE) BIDEN: We're going to bring rents down, as I said, we're going to build 2 million affordable homes and cap rent increases to 5 percent a year, so corporate landlords can't, God, anyway, I don't want to get going. I'm going to get very upset. But what -- the -- there's gouging Americans. And we're going to keep relieving student debt. (CHEERING) (APPLAUSE) BIDEN: We're going to end medical debt. We've already made sure medical debt can no longer be put on a credit report. (CHEERING) (APPLAUSE) BIDEN: Well, I'm working with states to wipe out medical debt for pennies on the dollar, so it's not hanging over you the rest of your life. We're going to raise the federal minimum wage. Our first term recap the cost of insulin procedures at $35. (APPLAUSE) BIDEN: Total -- total drug costs for seniors beginning in 2024 or '5 at $2,000. And some of those cancer drugs are $10, $12, $14,000 a year. But the second term, we're going to do that for not just seniors, for everyone in America. (APPLAUSE) BIDEN: By the way, not only saves lives, it will save taxpayers just what I did on the first round on dealing -- dealing with Medicare. It saves the taxpayer $160 billion because they don't have to pay these exorbitant prices to these, anyway. This year, Medicare's negotiating lower prices for some of the costliest drugs on the market that threats everything -- that's threats everything from heart disease to arthritis. And the next term, we want to go further, give Medicare the power to negotiate lower prices for 50 drugs a year, not 10. (APPLAUSE) BIDEN: That not only save lives, it's estimated to save the taxpayer another $200 billion a year. This is saving taxpayers' money. By the way, if you notice all the stuff they said big spending Biden, we have lowered the deficit not raised them. We've increased economic growth. (APPLAUSE) BIDEN: Folks, here's what else I'm determined to do. I'm determined to end Trump's track -- Trump's tax cuts for the very wealthy and big corporations and made the tax code fair and eases the burden on working people. I kept my commitment that no one making less than $4,000 would never saw in my life, like I like the President. We'll pay a penny more in federal taxes. But here's the deal, we have in America since the pandemic 1,000 billionaires, 1,000. And how much in federal tax they pay? Eight point two percent, that's a federal tax, 8.2 percent. We're going to make billionaires payment of 25 percent, which is low. (APPLAUSE) BIDEN: No billionaire should pay a lower tax rate than a teacher, a firefighter, a nurse, a janitor. That's simply ridiculous. And when we do that, that alone will generate $500 billion in revenue over the next 10 years, allowing us to lower costs for families and save the government money. We can do more on eldercare, childcare, bringing down the federal deficit. It's so much more. This is not rocket science, folks. But they've convinced us any spending the money, it's costing, it's saving money. I -- God's truth, it's saving money. And it's vitally important. You know, the next president of the United States could appoint two or more justices to the Supreme Court. (CHANTING) (APPLAUSE) BIDEN: Just imagine, I know the stakes, folks, my visual -- visual can (ph) be all about working people in this nation. And all I've -- my whole career, I go back and look at it. I've not been perfect by any stretch of imagination. But I've simple proposition the family I come from, the neighborhood I come from. Everybody deserves a shot, just a shot, no guarantee. Give hate no safe harbor. (APPLAUSE) [17:35:24] BIDEN: Leave no one behind. That's a stark contrast to my predecessor, the MAGA officials, they'll do everything. Undo everything the NAACP stands for. CROWD: Yes. BIDEN: But now they're trying to deny it. They're lying about their project 2025. (CHANTING) BIDEN: They want to deny your freedom, the freedom to vote, every vote counted. They impose a nationwide ban on abortion. There's new vice president, do you have any doubt, man, just take a look what he's been saying. They want to prosecute political enemies. They want to cut Social Security Medicare, rip away protection and release it in freezing conditions for 400 million people. Stop Medicare from negotiating lower prescription drug prices, risking people's lives costing the government more money. They eliminate the Department of Education. (CHANTING) BIDEN: No. You got to read it. Saying it's a state issue. Give me a break your state. We know how well we do with the states. (CHANTING) BIDEN: It would cut school lunches, eliminate Head Start program for lower income children that allow employers to stop paying overtime, employers to stop paying, catch this one, stop paying overtime to hourly workers. They're such good people. But give the very wealthy and big corporate and corporations new tax cut. They've already eviscerated -- eviscerated affirmative action. (CHANTING) BIDEN: But also decimated diversity, equity and inclusion all across American life. They're already trying to do it by banning books. They're trying to erase black history. Black history is American history. (CHEERING) (APPLAUSE) BIDEN: Folks, I'm not being dramatic, and we cannot let that happen. That's why it's so important to me, was so important to me to make Juneteenth a federal holiday. (CHEERING) (APPLAUSE) BIDEN: They can't erase it. People want to know what happened on Juneteenth. That's why I've made federal inching a federal hate crime in Emmett Till's memory. And that's where you've been reminded. Remember try to do -- (APPLAUSE) BIDEN: -- as well as established national monuments for Mamie and Emmett Till and so much more. So there's no doubt about what's happening. Look, folks, like I said before, we know black history is American history. It's as simple as that. Let me close this, the poem tells us, I've been young, and I'm old. (CHANTING) BIDEN: Didn't I'm not seen the righteous forsaken. (CHANTING) BIDEN: I've not seen the righteous forsaken. And I will not see the righteous forsaken. (CHANTING) (APPLAUSE) BIDEN: Hopefully, today, I've demonstrated a little bit of wisdom. Here's what I do know, I know how to tell the truth. (CHANTING) (APPLAUSE) BIDEN: I know right from wrong. I know how to do this job. CROWD: Yes. BIDEN: And I know the good Lord hasn't brought us this far to leave us now. (CHEERING) (APPLAUSE) BIDEN: There more work to do. This is the moment to be engaged. The work you're doing to recruit hundreds of thousands of volunteers move millions of people to make their voices heard. UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes. BIDEN: They will determine America's future for decades to come. UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes. (CHANTING) BIDEN: And folks, that's important. UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes. BIDEN: We must all be defenders for freedom, justice, equality. CROWD: Yes. BIDEN: And the bedrock of democracy. CROWD: Yes. BIDEN: There's been no more important voice in that truth than the voices of the black community. CROWD: Yes. (CHEERING) (APPLAUSE) BIDEN: I mean it. When Americans fail to live up, when we say we believe, you don't give up hope nor do I. CROWD: Yes. BIDEN: We've always loved this country. CROWD: Yes. BIDEN: Even when there's not loved us back. CROWD: Yes. (APPLAUSE) BIDEN: We've worked hard, hard as hell. Just think about it. Our children, your children, grandchildren, ask yourself, what American you want to leave them? My answer is in America of hope -- UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes. BIDEN: -- fairness, opportunity. [17:40:00] UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes. BIDEN: Possibilities. CROWD: Yes. (APPLAUSE) BIDEN: Look, I spent more time with Xi Jinping of China than any -- any other world leader have. I was with him in the -- in -- in China, on the steps in the mountains. And he looked at me and he said, can you define America for me? It's God's truth. I sent this recording. I said, yes, in one word, America, possibilities. (APPLAUSE) BIDEN: Nothing is beyond our capacity. America was full of promises available to everybody. America, racism, violence are no longer the ghosts, that are too long harnessed the nation. Folks it's about you and your families. And everything NAACP has stood for, for generation, freedom, democracy, America, always marching, always believing, always keeping the faith. UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes, yes. BIDEN: We're going to do this. CROWD: Yes. BIDEN: So they asked me, are you all in? CROWD: All in. BIDEN: Because I'm all in. CROWD: All in. BIDEN: And just remember who we are. We are the United States of America. And there's nothing, nothing beyond our capacity when we do it together. And let's stay together. God bless you all, and may God protect our troops. (CHEERING) (APPLAUSE) (MUSIC) BLITZER: That's President Biden speaking very, very forcefully in Las Vegas addressing the NAACP National Convention. Let's get some analysis. What we just heard, Audie Cornish, a very powerful word for the President laying out his agenda for a second term. CORNISH: Not just laying out his agenda, also reminding people how active and effective his presidency has been. And I know people have talked a lot about black support for Biden. I've also heard from black voters in focus groups who say it's also about not wanting chaos. They don't necessarily want to throw over what they see as an effective president, or an un -- for a process they don't understand or candidates that they don't know. No matter what, like George Clooney says. So I think there's a little bit of a reluctance there. And I don't think it's necessarily riding with Biden just because I'm black, and I somehow love Biden just that much. There's sort of a pragmatism for a lot of voters. And they hear him when he describes the things he has done for them. The problem is, has there -- has there economic gains, suffered due to the inflation? And does that make the push pull of those successes, harder to enjoy? BLITZER: David Chalian, he was very, very passionate. CHALIAN: No doubt about it. Audie is right to note, I mean, we have seen his black support in this moment of -- of the crisis that he's in politically about his candidacy be some of his strongest support that he has. And in fact, you've heard a reference that at the top of his remarks, reminding people that he has been in community and in friendship with Black Americans for quite some time as he likes to spell out. But -- but this is -- this is the bedrock of his support. I mean, it -- it -- in a recent "Washington Post" poll, Wolf, it was totally opposite for white Democrats and Hispanic Democrats, majorities of which said he should step down. But more than six and 10 Black Democrats in that poll said he should stay the course in this race. HENDERSON: Yes, I mean, this was Joe Biden saying to African American voters, save me. Keep me in the White House. He made our reference to Vice President Kamala Harris too, saying that she's a great Vice President. She could be a great president. He also riffed on Donald Trump pointing out some of Donald Trump's treatment of African Americans, pointing out that Donald Trump has this idea of what a black job is, I think we can all imagine what Donald Trump thinks the black job is. And Joe Biden had this rejoinder, which is I know what a black job is. It's the vice presidency of the United States. It's the presidency of the United States referencing Barack Obama. It's also significant and it comes in this moment, right? Democrats had been trying to figure out how do you press the case against Donald Trump days after an assassination attempt, right? And I think in this he is signaling that the campaign is back on. That the gloves are back, you know, are -- are off in terms of this. At some point, he said, what the hell was wrong with this man, referencing some of his behavior when he was president. It was very -- JEFF ZELENY, CNN CHIEF NATIONAL AFFAIRS CORRESPONDENT: I was struck with that too because he started out by saying he's praying for -- HENDERSON: Yes. ZELENY: -- former President Donald Trump and his family and he ended it with really a rallying cry that he's all in. So the pivot has happened. HENDERSON: Yes. ZELENY: I mean, this is going to be an ongoing sort of transition from a moment of national crisis and near tragedy to a presidential campaign. But I think him really harkening to the Psalms and to the Kingdom James Bible really rallying support. And this is his hour of need here. This is his hour of political need that he needs support and like his speech in Detroit on Friday, shielding himself and wrapping himself in the support of black voters by, but once again, for all the chatter in Washington and Manu and I and others have been reporting on House Democrats are -- and Senate Democrats really would like him to reconsider, once again, he said, I'm all in. [17:45:28] HENDERSON: Yes. BLITZER: Yes. ZELENY: Let's say it together, I'm all in. BLITZER: Manu, hold -- hold your thought for a second. I now quickly want to going to Erin, who's in New York. She's got some news on J.D. Vance. Erin? BURNETT: That's right, Wolf. And in the context of what we just heard from the President, right, with a forceful speech, a lot of it devoted to saying that Trump's record on race is alive, using his words. It is important context for what we're about to see tonight, which is J.D. Vance, Senator J.D. Vance appearing with the former President Trump, which he's going to do every night of this convention. And -- and in this context, the role of race in Donald Trump's presidency and in his campaign is front and central. KFile Andrew Kaczynski is here. And, you know, this is -- this is what we're going to be seeing more and more of, which is what J.D. Vance has said in the past, about Donald Trump. And on this specific issue of race he has talked about and you have found these instances, J.D. Vance, saying that racism directly played a role in the rise of Donald Trump. Here's one of the things that you found. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) SEN. J.D. VANCE (R-OH), VICE PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE: There is definitely an element of Donald Trump's support that has its basis in racism or xenophobia. But a lot of these folks are just really hard working people who are struggling in really important ways. Definitely some people who voted for Trump or were racist. And they voted for him for racist reasons. (END VIDEO CLIP) BURNETT: And now you have a chance, you found that, you're combing through what he said and what he's written, voluminous information to go through, more where that came from? ANDREW KACZYNSKI, CNN KFILE SENIOR EDITOR: Yes, that's right. And the things that J.D. Vance was saying about Donald Trump in 2016, is in many ways, just as bad or worse than things that Democrats are saying about him today, speculating that he was a, quote, cynical A hole or America's Hitler calling him a moral disaster. He compared him to opioids for medical -- Middle America. And he harshly condemned his rhetoric about immigrants, about Muslims, about women. He even said at one point in a clip that we found that if Trump supporters went to church more than they would not be as attracted to Trump. And just take a listen here to what he said about how Trump felt about regular people. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) MATT JONES: I cannot stand Trump because I think he's a fraud. Well, I think he's a total fraud that is exploiting these people. VANCE: I do too. JONES: Who is a total fraud. VANCE: I agree with you on Trump, because I don't think that he's the person. I -- I -- I don't think that he's actually cares about folks. I think he just recognizes that there was a hole in the conversation and that hole is that people from these regions of the country, they feel ignored. (END VIDEO CLIP) KACZYNSKI: And, Erin, I think it's going to be interesting to with this pick, because with Vance, maybe there's going to be something where, you know, here's the guy who thought maybe Trump was Hitler. And if he can change his mind on Donald Trump, you know, maybe voters who previously didn't like Trump can -- can too. BURNETT: And Jonah, in this reporting, just to read here, again, what Andrew found, J.D. Vance, there's definitely an element of Donald Trump's support that has its baseism (ph) and racism. I mean, that's a point blank, very clear statement that goes against everything that the Trump campaign says. JONAH GOLDBERG, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: Yes. I mean, look, I -- J.D. Vance back then was more of a Never Trumper than I was. But he -- I think he was right about a lot of that stuff. I think he's -- he would say he's, you know, more nuanced than I think people are going to make it out to be. At the same time, you know, I don't -- I don't know that this is going to move any voters because he gets to say, I changed my mind. And anybody who is inclined to vote for Trump isn't going to not vote for Trump for something that J.D. Vance has recanted, tried to explain away and has satisfied the full faith and trust of -- of Donald Trump. What I find just unbelievably unpersuasive is his explanation for why he thought that stuff in the first place, because he says he was tricked by the media. BURNETT: Tricked by the media. GOLDBERG: And like -- BURNETT: Into thinking there's a support that -- base of support that came from racism and many other things that he said. GOLDBERG: Right. As a conservative, you know, I've been a conservative in the conservative movement my whole life. The idea that in 2016, you would -- you would admit that you were just incredibly gullible, and you just bought "The New York Times" line, hook line and sinker is just a really weird explanation for why, you know, it's like, I was Jedi mind tricked is more plausible to me. BURNETT: All right. Thank you very much, Jonah. And of course, we're -- we're all here. Wolf, let me send it back to you. BLITZER: Erin, thanks very much. President Biden as we all know just speaking to members of the NAACP in Las Vegas trying to shore up his support with this key group of voters saying former President Trump's presidency was, quote, and I'm quoting the President right now, hell for Black Americans, end quote. [17:50:17] Joining us now Republican Congressman John James of Michigan, he's one of just five Black Republicans in Congress who spoke right here in Milwaukee at the RNC last night. Congressman, thanks very much for joining us. REP. JOHN JAMES (R-MI): Thanks for having me. BLITZER: You were very well received last night. I watched and I listened. I don't know if you heard President Biden address the NAACP just now. But if you did, what was your reaction? JAMES: Well, I think that President Biden is -- is trying to get people to believe the reality that he sees. And the reality that he sees doesn't match up with the reality the rest of America say. The rest of America is scared because we have an open border. The rest of America is scared because they don't look at the stock market. They go to the supermarket. And they're looking at the value of their dollar going down. People have real questions about Biden's leadership, and we need a change. BLITZER: You know, it was interesting, because I was taking notes of what the President Biden was saying. And he was saying that he's got a whole agenda for a second term that will dramatically benefit the black community in America. Did you hear some of the specifics he explained? JAMES: Oh, a -- a whole agenda as in the one that he didn't work on for eight years as vice president. BLITZER: But he did say he's achieved a lot for the black Americans, at least so far. JAMES: Joe Biden has been in Washington, D.C. since 1973. How can we reasonably expect Joe Biden to do any more in the next four years that he hasn't had the time to do in the past five decades? BLITZER: I want to continue this conversation. There's a lot to discuss. JAMES: Yes. Of course. BLITZER: So stay with us, Congressman John James of Michigan. Appreciate it very, very much. Erin, I want to go back to you. BURNETT: All right, Wolf, thank you very much. And also tonight, we are learning that the Justice Department, the Secret Service, and the FBI will brief senators tomorrow on the assassination attempt on former President Trump, as I said tomorrow. And it comes in the context of Iran now forcefully denying a separate plot on Trump's life. Joining me now is Republican Congressman Mike Turner, Chairman of the House Intelligence Committee. And Chairman, I very much appreciate your time. So let me just ask you about this -- this breaking news as we understand it from our reporting, the U.S. receiving intelligence on an Iranian plot to assassinate Trump, which we understand was based on the intelligence from a human source. Do you know anything about this? REP. MIKE TURNER (R-OH): First up, Erin, this is based upon a known and continuous and existing threat from Iran to President Trump and members of his cabinet. This has been ongoing -- has certainly been an issue of -- of needing increased security also for those former Cabinet members. Now, I don't know this specific intelligence that shows that there's an increased or specific threat. They are in the process of briefing both myself and staff. But one thing is clear here is that the, you know, President Biden needs to make clear that this is -- this would be an act of war, that -- that clearly Iran would pay a -- a horrible price of for any attempt to -- to attack Donald Trump. And -- and a reflection and understanding that we have known and it's been even publicly acknowledged for some time that Iran has known and existing threats to both Donald Trump and his -- his foreign Cabinet members. BURNETT: So Chairman, I -- I am -- I'm curious, in terms of the plot, we understand from -- from our reporting that there had been an increase in the security level around the former president because of intelligence assessments about this Iranian plot. They had heard the news and they had increased the assessment. Does that -- what does that make you think about what happened on Saturday because we're now understanding that what happened on Saturday happened in the context of an elevated security presence around the former president. TURNER: Right. Erin, it just -- it just unexplainable. I mean, obviously, when you have such an unbelievable security failures, and then you have them saying that this is also in the backdrop of them thinking that a state actor, Iran, might be trying to attack the President, certainly makes it even more critical that we look at the failures of the Secret Service. BURNETT: And -- and Chairman, do you think President Biden is doing everything he can at this point to keep the former president safe? TURNER: Well, it doesn't appear so. It appears that his Secret Service is in shambles, and that -- that even though you have great people there that are willing to -- to risk their lives and trying to protect President Trump and thank God, President Trump is alive today. But clearly they -- they have not risen to the occasion that, you know, this 20-something could take a ladder and get on a building and having a higher advantage to actually shoot Donald Trump at a time where they are saying that Iran is threatening his life also. BURNETT: So chairman, what more do you want to see President Biden do, do you think that he has done everything that he should and can to keep his rival, the former President Trump, safe? TURNER: Well, I think first off that -- that security does need to be ramped up in a -- in a way that -- that is visible and understandable. Also there needs to be a an independent review of this immediately to make certain that any vulnerabilities are addressed. But also the President needs to make clear that this state actor threat from Iran, that it would be an act of war and that this president would respond that it's not merely an issue of defensively protecting Donald Trump from a threat from Iran that it would be actually the U.S., you know, military might coming to bear. [17:55:27] BURNETT: All right, well, Chairman Turner, I appreciate your time. Thank you very much tonight, sir. TURNER: Thank you Erin. Thank you. BURNETT: All right. And everyone please stay with us. Wolf and I will be back as our coverage of the RNC continues next with a special edition of OutFront. (COMMERCIAL BREAK) The Situation Room Aired July 16, 2024 - 18:00 ET THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED. [18:00:00] WOLF BLITZER, CNN HOST: We are live here in Milwaukee where Republicans are raising the curtain on the next act of their convention and sending a very clear message that the GOP is now more than ever the party of Donald Trump. We are watching it all from the CNN skybox just above the convention hall. We want to welcome you to a special edition of The Situation Room. I'm Wolf Blitzer along with Erin Burnett. Erin, we expect to see former President Trump in the hall once again tonight, along with his new running mate, Senator J.D. Vance. ERIN BURNETT, CNN HOST: And, Wolf, we're told that they plan to appear together every single night of the convention. It was certainly an emotional high point for the delegates there when Trump showed up in the hall last night, his ear bandaged from the attempt on his life. And we will be watching to see how the crowd reacts to speeches tonight, a crucial night. Trump's former primary opponents will be appearing one after the other, Ron DeSantis, Nikki Haley, Marco Rubio, all of them there tonight, Wolf, as this convention gets underway. There's also breaking developments on Donald Trump's security. BLITZER: Erin, we're just learning that the FBI and the Department of Homeland Security are now warning of potential follow-on, what they're calling follow-on, or retaliatory attacks after the Trump assassination attempt. And this comes on the heels of CNN's exclusive new reporting that the U.S. Secret Service ramped up security around the former president in recent weeks after receiving intelligence of an Iranian plot to assassinate him. Sources now telling us there is no known connection to the attempted assassination of Trump on Saturday, but it does raise many additional questions about why that shooting wasn't thwarted in an increased security environment. I want to quickly go to CNN's Kristen Holmes who's working the story for us. Kristen, first of all, any reaction from the Trump campaign to this new reporting? KRISTEN HOLMES, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, Wolf, we've talked to a number of people and the reaction is really mixed. Now, we were told that officials briefed the Trump campaign on this security threat, but it still remains unclear who they briefed or what exactly they told the campaign. The campaign directing us to Secret Service saying they don't comment and anything involving Trump's security detail. But when I spoke to folks that are close to the former president, including those people who actually work for him, many of them were shocked to hear this report. Some of them said they believed the Secret Service would handle it, but others were incredibly angry and very concerned after what we saw on Saturday. There are a lot of questions remaining as to how that could happen on Saturday, particularly now that they know that there was an increased amount of security. One of his advisers saying to me, so you're telling me that there was more people there and they still. And that is, appears to be exactly what it was. One of another source telling me that while they had learned that there was increased security, they had noticed it themselves, but they just believed it was because he was going to be the nominee, that that's why they had beefed up his security. So, not really any clue as to why exactly that was going on or about this incredibly significant plot from Iran. BLITZER: All right. Kristen, we're going to get back to you with more reporting. I want to quickly want to go to the convention floor here in Milwaukee right now. CNN's Kaitlan Collins is joining us. Kaitlan, I know you're learning more about Nikki Haley's late addition to the convention program. We're all getting ready to hear from her tonight. KAITLAN COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: Yes, Wolf. I'm standing right by the stage where Nikki Haley will take that stage in just a few hours. I can tell you they're playing videos right now. All the delegates are starting to show up. It is very lively here on the convention floor as it was last night as well. And what is going to be so fascinating to watch tonight is the reaction when Nikki Haley takes that stage tonight because, of course, she was only invited to deliver a primetime speaking slot, I should note, only a few days ago. And I've been talking to campaign sources about why they felt it was important to have Nikki Haley come out here. They've been talking about unity ever since, of course, that attempted assassination of Donald Trump on Saturday night. [18:05:03] It's an open question of how the crowd here will receive her. But, Wolf, I want you to listen to what former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, who is walking around here this morning, who is walking around here just a few moments ago, said to me about this idea of Republican unity, but watch what happened here at the end of our interview, Wolf. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) REP. KEVIN MCCARTHY (R-CA): But what you're seeing here, a more united Republican Party. Think back eight years ago, Ted Cruz wouldn't endorse. Senator Lee was saying no to President Trump. Now you've got Nikki Haley, Ron DeSantis, you're watching a united party like we haven't been in the past. One who's not coming back, and then the other part that you have, and the other part you have is one person who raised the issue, he's got an ethics complaint about paying, sleeping with a 17-year-old. So, that's the way they would go. So, that's the biggest challenge we have. (END VIDEO CLIP) COLLINS: Wolf, that's Kevin McCarthy there talking about how he believes the Republican Party is unified. Of course, I pointed to his ouster that the House Republicans at least are fractured. And then you saw Congressman Matt Gaetz of Florida interrupt that interview just over here on the House floor a few moments ago, obviously highlighting that there are still very much fractures in the Republican Party. We'll see what the reaction is when Nikki Haley, one of Donald Trump's fiercest critics, takes the stage. She is someone who only months ago, Wolf, said that she believed Donald Trump was diminished, that he was unhinge, that he was unfit for the office, and now she will be coming out to speak at his Republican convention, a floor that is certainly in the grasp of his hands, and a party that also is as well, Wolf. It will be fascinating to watch her and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, two of the harshest critics of Donald Trump during the Republican primary, now on stage urging unity within their own party. BLITZER: Very interesting indeed. All right, Kaitlan, thanks very much. David Chalian, give us your assessment right now. Actually, you know what, let's, let's listen in for the chair of this Republican convention and then we'll get back to this. MICHAEL WHATLEY, RNC CHAIRMAN: I want to welcome you all to the night, second night of this historic Republican National Convention. I have to ask. Did we have a great night last night? Do we have a great nominee for vice president in J.D. Vance? And do we have a great nominee for the 47th President of the United States of America, Donald J. Trump? Are you ready for a great night too? I hereby call this session to order. BLITZER: All right, David Chalian, the call to order has now occurred. This is night two of this Republican convention. DAVID CHALIAN, CNN POLITICAL DIRECTOR: I'm a little jealous of the gavel. It's a really enormous gavel. Tonight, too, though, Wolf, is thematically going to be focused on keeping America safe, and it's largely going to be focused on immigration, crime, fentanyl coming across the border, again, totally familiar topics for anyone that has been paying attention to what Donald Trump has been campaigning on this season. And that will be a centerpiece. But we do have some key political moments here, seeing Nikki Haley on this stage tonight addressing this convention after their bitter primary. She released her delegates. She said she's going to vote for him. And tonight, she's clearly going to make the case to others, supporters of hers, as to why they should come along on this journey with her. So, you got the political piece on his former rivals. And then we're going to hear from a slew of Senate candidates, Republican Senate candidates. and this is fascinating, Wolf. A lot of these candidates are running in states that overlap with the presidential battleground map and where Trump is right now ahead of Biden in a lot of these states, it's the flip. The Democratic incumbent senators are performing well against these Republican challengers that we're going to hear from tonight. Biden is not dragging them under thus far. And so I'm curious to see how much they try to tie Joe Biden to their Democratic opponents that they're running against. BLITZER: I'm especially anxious to hear, Audie, what Nikki Haley has to say, given what she said when she was running for the Republican nomination didn't work out for her. But we're going to hear a very different Nikki Haley, I assume, tonight. AUDIE CORNISH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I mean, she just has to create stakes, really, and to say to people, don't stay home. It's not just about voting for Donald Trump. But don't say, I give up because I'm frustrated all together. She may not need to do that, given how Republicans are feeling about Joe Biden and their concerns about him, but I do think we're going to hear her talk probably more about Biden, in a way, than about Trump. [18:10:01] NIA-MALIKA HENDERSON, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL ANALYST: Yes, I think that's right. And, and listen, this is sort of an unexpected speech, speaker because it didn't seem like she was going to be here. There's clearly had been a history of animosity between Donald Trump and Nikki Haley, and she'll do something very powerful tonight, and that is try to unify the party, try to bring in some of those voters who were with her, even when she wasn't in the running. The other speaker I'm interested in, in hearing from, and she's the last speaker, is Lara Trump, who is the co-chair of the RNC. And if you think about Donald Trump's first convention in 2016, you know, it was a very different kind of party, right? It was Reince Priebus who was the head of the RNC at that point. And now, this is a total takeover of the party with his daughter-in-law as the head of the RNC, the co-chair, and she is really the head of it in so many ways. So, it'll be interesting to hear. She's getting a primetime slot, the final speaker of the night. So, that'll be interesting to hear from her. MANU RAJU, CNN ANCHOR AND CHIEF CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: The last thing was so much about the base throwing meat to the base, trying to rile up Republican base. This will try to be a more of a see if they can actually reach out to Donald Trump's major weakness, suburban voters, women voters, something that he has struggled with in past election cycles. What will Nikki Haley do to shore up that key constituency that, frankly, they were skeptical of him during the primary, were skeptical of him after she stepped out of the race? Do they come back to the Republican fold as Biden is struggling right now? And I'm told she's going to be talking about -- BLITZER: Hold on a moment. I want to go to the floor and listen to the ceremony as it's just beginning. ANNOUNCER: Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome Mary Ann Taylor to lead us in the Pledge of Allegiance. Hello, MARY ANN TAYLOR: Hello, patriots. Are you ready to pledge this American flag and give them our loyalty? Yes. Well, we're going to do this the Southern South Carolina way, a little bit slower. If you are military and I'm looking out and a lot of you already are poised, if you're like me from a military family, but not military, we're going to stand at attention, place your right hand over your heart, and pledge with me. I 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. ANNOUNCER: Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the stage, Grammy award winning singer and U.S. Army veteran Milwaukee native, Daniel Irby, to perform our national anthem. [18:15:00] BLITZER: A very beautiful opening to night two of this Republican National Convention here in Milwaukee. We quickly want to go to Kristen Holmes. She's getting some more news for us. What are you learning, Kristen? HOLMES: Yes, Wolf. We have learned that former President Donald Trump is expected to come to the convention, to be in the arena around 9:00 P.M. Eastern tonight. Now, there is a significance of that. That means that he is likely to be in the convention hall when both former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley and Ron DeSantis take the stage. Now, one thing to watch for, Wolf, how the former president responds to both of these speeches. Remember, neither Ron DeSantis nor Nikki Haley were originally invited to speak. It was only after backlash that they were given speaking roles at this convention, even when Donald Trump had been asked whether or not he would consider inviting Haley before she got that invitation, he said he would consider it, look into it, but then he aired grievances against her. But remember this, Donald Trump in recent days and his allies and advisers all say he is trying to unite the party. This will be one of the first opportunities to see whether or not he really wants to do that. BLITZER: Kristen Holmes, thank you very, very much. Coming up, much more of our special coverage from here in Milwaukee, Donald Trump preparing for another appearance here at the Republican National Convention, where we're told he's planning to keep a very close eye on his former rivals for the GOP nomination. We're talking about Nikki Haley. And we'll be right back with more special coverage. (COMMERCIAL BREAK) [18:20:40] BURNETT: And welcome back to CNN's special live coverage of the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, where night two just kicked off. We are expecting Donald Trump to make another appearance tonight alongside his vice presidential pick, J.D. Vance, as well as a show of unity from Trump's one time rivals who challenged him for the Republican nomination. We're going to hear from a lot of them tonight. Jeff Zeleny joins us with more for -- of the challenge tonight for Trump's former challengers, right? You've got, let's see, Marco Rubio, you've got Vivek Ramaswamy, you've got Nikki Haley, you've got Ron DeSantis. They're all going to be here, Jeff, and significant for all of them, Nikki Haley and Ron DeSantis perhaps with the hardest jobs to do. JEFF ZELENY, CNN CHIEF NATIONAL AFFAIRS CORRESPONDENT: Erin, there's no doubt that we all remember those pointed lines in this really intense Republican primary campaign with Nikki Haley and Ron DeSantis and a field of other Republican challengers who just a year ago were here in Milwaukee trying to make their case against Donald Trump. That's an entirely different matter tonight. They're on his side. He may even be in the audience watching his vanquished rivals. (BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) ZELENY (voice over): Tonight, they're with him. Nikki Haley and Ron DeSantis invited to the second night of the Republican Convention in a show of party unity. On the grand GOP stage here, there will be none of this from the Florida governor. GOV. RON DESANTIS (R-FL), FORMER PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I don't think Donald Trump ultimately can win an election. ZELENY: Or any talk of this from the former South Carolina governor. NIKKI HALEY, FORMER REPUBLICAN PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: How much more losing do we have to do before we realize maybe Donald Trump is the problem? ZELENY: Tonight, they each have specific assignments at the party of and for Donald Trump. Invited to attend only two days ago, Haley intends to address voters who are uncertain about voting for President Trump, an aide says, and make the case for why she is voting for him. DeSantis is set to praise the former president and deliver a blistering critique of President Biden. A year ago, they were among the field of Republicans who dared to challenge Trump. HALEY: I feel no need to kiss the ring. I have no fear of Trump's retribution. DESANTIS: Trump, his kind of -- the way he would run things, very chaotic. ZELENY: In a primary campaign that he lorded over. DONALD TRUMP, FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES (R) AND CURRENT U.S. PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE (R): We're going to win this state and then we're going to tell Crooked Joe Biden, you're fired, get out of here. You're fired. ZELENY: At this Republican convention, there's no whiff of dissent, unlike 2016 in Cleveland, when the rivalries with Trump ran a bit deeper and lasted a little longer. SEN. TED CRUZ (R-TX), FORMER PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Stand and speak and vote your conscience, vote for candidates up and down the ticket who you trust to defend our freedom and to be faithful to the Constitution. ZELENY: But in this race, as the former president tries to take command of his campaign against Biden, advisers see a unique utility in Haley. HALEY: Trump has not been perfect on these policies. I've made that clear many, many times, but Biden has been a catastrophe. So, I will be voting for Trump. ZELENY: Who spoke more bluntly about Trump than any rival and continued to win votes in key battlegrounds long after she left the race. HALEY: Trump would be smart to reach out to the millions of people who voted for me and continue to support me and not assume that they're just going to be with him. And I genuinely hope he does that. ZELENY: But for his biggest choice of all, Trump didn't seriously consider Haley or DeSantis, and picked Senator J. D. Vance, in a decision that sent a loud message about his views of 2028, and the next chapter of the Trump era. (END VIDEOTAPE) ZELENY (on camera): And I am told that Nikki Haley will be talking specifically about the border as well, trying to urge some of those voters to embrace the Trump policies, DeSantis also talking about safety and security. But there is no question that if Trump is in the hall watching his two rivals, it is a moment for him as well. This is his party. He is now in charge. And, Erin, both of them have pretty tight time limits. J.D. Vance, of course, will have that marquee speech tomorrow night. He is the future of the party in the Trump era. Erin? BURNETT: You know -- thank you very much, Jeff Zeleny. And, you know, obviously, you say that the time that they speak tonight is tight. [18:25:02] They are very short windows of time. I'm here with my panel. Shermichael, it's interesting, though, we have just reporting from our team saying that Trump will be showing up a little earlier tonight. And maybe that is because he just can't stay away from seeing Senator Ted Cruz, Nikki Haley and Governor Ron DeSantis speak, to be in the room. SHERMICHAEL SINGLETON, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: I mean, look, primary processes are contentious. You want to showcase your differences from your opponent. That is to be expected. But from a strategic perspective, Donald Trump has to reach out to those Nikki Haley voters. I mean, you're talking about nationally, maybe a million or two of never Trumpers. I would argue that there's maybe a 3 to 4 percent of them nationally who will not vote for President Biden a second time around. I think there's a potential appealing argument to make to those individuals from someone like a Nikki Haley. There's also some DeSantis voters out there who are very skeptical of Trump as well. BURNETT: What visibility do you have on those Haley voters? KRISTEN SOLTIS ANDERSON, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: Well, what I think is fascinating is that all of those names you just mentioned, Cruz, Haley, DeSantis, there is an alternate universe in which they are each, at some point, the leader of the Republican Party. They are the one giving the Thursday night speech. They are the one heading into November as the nominee. We don't live in that universe. And so what I'm curious to see is, what will they do tonight that sets up that for the future, if it's even possible, especially someone like Ron DeSantis? Governor DeSantis was sort of touted as Trumpism without Trump. If you like the policies but you don't like the guy, DeSantis is going to be the one, he's going to bow out of this race, but look toward 2028. What do you do when you're Ron DeSantis and now J.D. Vance is essentially the new heir apparent to the whole Trump movement? Very interesting to see how he handles it. BURNETT: And he's only 40 years old, or he will be in a couple weeks. JAMAL SIMMONS, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: Yes, he is. So, for me, what makes this really difficult is they didn't just argue that Donald Trump had a tax policy he didn't like, or they were uncomfortable with his position on Ukraine. They said he was a bad person. He was odious, that they didn't think he could win, that they didn't think he probably even deserved to win. And now you got to sort of come back and not just say, I was wrong about this policy or that, but come back and say, I think this person ought to be the highest position in the land, and my children, your children, should watch them on television and admire them. That, to me, seems completely off base from where most Americans would be. JONAH GOLBERG, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: Yes. So, I focus much more on a policy thing. This party is not unified on actual policy. The first night had David Sacks, a tech pro guy who basically said that we provoked Russia to invade Ukraine. Nikki Haley is the leader of an assertive American Reaganite foreign policy. If they don't let her talk about it tonight, that is a real sign. BURNETT: Yes, and it does truly show the bifurcation of the party. All right, all staying with us, we've got new details on the assassination attempt of Donald Trump. What we are learning right now about the gunman's motives and what he did just hours before the Trump rally, how he actually went through the magnometers. Also ahead, our coverage of the Republican National Convention continues. (COMMERCIAL BREAK) [18:32:21] BURNETT: You are watching night two of the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee. With the GOP ticket officially set, the party is now unifying behind Donald Trump and his new running mate, J.D. Vance. The pair expected to make another appearance tonight. We're told a little bit earlier even than had been anticipated, as Trump's former Republican rivals take to the stage, including Nikki Haley as well as Ron DeSantis and Marco Rubio, all of them will be speaking. Just the importance of this, Shermichael, when you talk about the job that they have to do, obviously, most people watching -- many people watching are people who are open to supporting Trump or -- you know, and there's others who are, but that's the base of your audience. SINGLETON: Yes. BURNETT: So, can Nikki Haley or Ron DeSantis really say anything that's going to get, say that 20 percent of Haley voters, that continued to vote for her even after she got out of the race to actually vote for Trump? SINGLETON: I think so, Erin. I think you just need a sliver of those voters to move them over. I think there's going to be some Republican- leaning independents that, that lean towards the right, maybe they're more moderate. They're looking to someone like a Nikki Haley or maybe even a DeSantis to make that compelling argument for why Donald Trump and J.D. Vance could carry the conservative mantle forward for the next four years. That's a far better alternative if you're a conservative than Joe Biden and Kamala Harris. And so I do think an argument can be made tonight. BURNETT: All right. And I want to ask about the polling in a moment. We do just have some breaking news, though, coming in, some developments on what we know about the shooter in the attempted assassination of Donald Trump. Our Chief Law Enforcement and Intelligence Analyst John Miller joins me now. And, John, you have a lot of new information here about the shooter. JOHN MILLER, CNN CHIEF LAW ENFORCEMENT AND INTELLIGENCE ANALYST: Erin, there's been some developments as the investigation has progressed. You know, what the investigators are telling us is, as far as a motive, a manifesto the reasoning behind this, the suspect is still a blank slate. But what they have developed is a lot of the background about what happened that day. They know that he went to his employer at the nursing home where he works as a dietary specialist before this and said, I need Saturday off, I have something important to do, but he told his co-workers, I'll see you on Sunday. So, he changed his days off presumably for this. We also understand that when he got to the fairgrounds where this rally was being held for Donald Trump, the first thing that puts him on the radar of security people is near the magnetometer area where they're screening people in, he's carrying in his hand a range finder. It's a device that looks like a small pair of binoculars, but it's used by shooters to measure the distance when they're setting up a long distance shot. Because he didn't have a weapon, that would not have prevented him to go through security, but they did flag, what does he have this in his hand for? [18:35:06] At that point, they told people keep an eye on this guy, but then he leaves the secure area, the staging area, and he doesn't turn up again for some time until the crowd says there's a guy crawling up the roof and it appears he has a rifle. There is an eerie moment in here, Erin, where he's taking the range finder and he's looking through it at the countersniper positions and one of the counter sniper positions is looking at him through the scope. At this point, there's not a gun in the picture, as I understand it, but they're saying he's looking at us looking at him. Then when people alert the police and they try to come up the ladder to get him, and he confronts them with the AR-15 gun, they dive for cover, and then a moment later, he opens fire. But a lot of this sounds very spread out. The end of it happens very quickly. The last piece is the search of the car. As we reported last night, two remote controlled IEDs, remote controlled bombs in the car, the remote control for those devices found on his person on the roof, according to sources, three fully loaded magazines with nearly a hundred rounds, a bulletproof vest. So it raises the question, did he expect to escape from this? And if so, what was all that intended for, what was to happen next, questions that are still open in the minds of these investigators. BURNETT: Right. I mean, I know that they say they just simply don't have details on motive. I mean, just saying as a lay person, I understand, you know, if you don't have a gun, then you can go through. Having a range finder and still being allowed to go through, I think is jarring for many people watching that they would have some discretion to say, sorry, you can't bring that in there. So, I will admit just -- yes. MILLER: That's a really interesting point because this is a prickly issue, which is, you know, this is in a place where there are a lot of Trump supporters. There are a lot of Trump supporters coming to the rallies. You may have been to these rallies where people show up wearing camouflage. People show up outside the rally with weapons. This is not a weapon. It's a device used by shooters, but also by golfers to measure these distances. And for security people, the Secret Service Uniform Division, to make a decision about you can't come in could actually backfire on the rally organizers and so on. So -- BURNETT: Which -- yes. So, can I ask you one other thing, John? I think that's -- and it's important, the context that you just gave about who would be there, the message you'd be sending to others. But then this question, but he goes through the screening and he has the range finder, but obviously he ends up with the gun, which he uses on top of the roof. So, when does he get the gun and where? MILLER: So when he leaves that secure area and appears to depart, he goes outside the inner perimeter, outside the outer perimeter, to that third layer which is that, you know, that football field and a half away, I mean, the working theory is, he goes to the car, he retrieves the weapon. I don't know how he carries it or conceals it, and then moves towards that building. And there's a long time -- BURNETT: So, wait, can I just -- I'm sorry to interrupt John, I'm trying to understand, and maybe it is unclear at this time, but if you clear security and the metal detectors, you can get back all the way to your car to get something and not go back through the metal detectors? MILLER: So, to be clear, when he was in a secure area with the rangefinder, there was nothing that would have stopped him from clearing security. He leaves that area, then he goes to get his weapon, presumably, but then he doesn't go back into the secure area. He's way outside the perimeter where they're doing security screening. In fact, the people who spot him are among the people who couldn't get into the rally or didn't go through security who are outside the wall where it's happening and looking in the direction because you can't see it from there, but you can hear it. You can see it if you're on the roof. BURNETT: Right. All right, and, I mean, just crucial and incredible details here, especially bringing that scope in through security. John Miller, thank you so much, breaking all of those new details for us. Wolf, back to you. BLITZER: Very disturbing information, indeed. I want to thank John Miller. Erin, thanks to you as well. I want to get back to what's going on here in Milwaukee right now. And, John King, fortunately, he's with us as he always is at the magic wall. The latest polls show Trump is slightly ahead of Biden in all these key battleground states. JOHN KING, CNN CHIEF NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: The state of the race is on night two of the Republican convention, Donald Trump is leading in this race. Significantly, if you look deep into the polling, he has a chance to build on it. New numbers out today, more bad news for the president, Wolf. [18:40:02] Let's look through it. But let's start with the then. This is back in 2020 when Joe Biden won a pretty convincing win, 306 to 232. This is the map as it fills in. Remember the then when you look at the now, because the striking -- the difference is striking. This is how our CNN political unit led by David Chalian projects the race right now. And right now, deep red solid Republican, light red, lean Republican. If this map played out, if the election were today and the map played out like this, even if the toss ups went blue, Donald Trump would win the election. Donald Trump would win the election. But the map is even more favorable to Donald Trump if you look through this. New polling today, it's a small lead, but Donald Trump is leading in Pennsylvania right now. Donald Trump is leading in Wisconsin right now. Donald Trump is leading in Arizona right now. And Donald Trump, most believe, is right now has the lead in Nebraska, too. Nebraska, like Maine, rewards electoral votes by congressional district. So, look at the map right now. That gets Donald Trump to 303. And there's new polling today that shows the president's approval rating in these battleground states is below 40. The president's ballot number right now is below 40 in most of those states, and it's at 42 in Nevada. It's very hard in 16 weeks, we count the votes 16 weeks from tonight, to turn that around. Plus, Democrats are now worried they think, I'm not saying this is going to happen, but what they're saying is the President's going to have to spend more time and more resources on places like Virginia because it's competitive, on places like New Hampshire because it's competitive. You look at this map as it plays out, and there are Democrats making the case, and we have Wisconsin blue here, let's move Wisconsin over here. There are Democrats making the case that Donald Trump is on a viable path, as of today, to get to 330 electoral votes, Wolf, or even higher, or even higher, because they see other states in here, the Trump campaign says Minnesota, the Trump campaign says maybe New Mexico. Let's be cautious. Those are blue states traditionally, but the president's standing, his approval rating, his ballot number, people's views about how old he is, and people who view the state of the economy are very bad for the president right now. And so even if you just go back to where we start, Donald Trump is in command. The numbers are getting worse for the president, Wolf, and Donald Trump has an opportunity with this convention to build it even more. BLITZER: And let's not forget the key magic number is 270, 270 electoral votes to be elected president of the United States. And speaking of David Chalian, you're our political director, if the election were held today, would Trump be re-elected? CHALIAN: Oh, I think that's without a question if it were held today. And, of course, the map that John is playing with here, it's not a projection of what November will look like. It's sort of a snapshot of where we are now. But I would argue when John just took us through all of that, what you see not only is Donald Trump's dominance, but what a narrow path Joe Biden actually has to victory. I mean, it really is. Pennsylvania, Michigan, Wisconsin, and that second congressional district in Nebraska, it's hard to even find him another truly viable path at this point to 270. KING: And, Wolf, (INAUDIBLE) Pennsylvania, toss up Wisconsin, lean Republican Michigan. Yes, Joe Biden has to win that, has to turn that around and has to win where we are in the state of Wisconsin. To David's point, that would only get him to 269. He would have to pick up that congressional district there. That is Biden's path to 270. But Donald Trump, if you project he could get 330, think about how many states he could lose from that collection and still get to 270. So, Trump, you could write six, eight viable paths for Donald Trump to get to 270. You can write one, maybe two, for Joe Biden. And, you know, the Democrats are saying, oh, 16 weeks, plenty of time. If you look at the approval rating, Wolf, if you look at some of these other numbers, it is hard to bend numbers like that when you see the structural underpinnings of the race. It doesn't mean it's impossible but no one has ever done it before. From where we are now to where we will be 16 weeks from tonight, no one's ever changed numbers like that in that period of time. BLITZER: Excellent reporting, as usual, John King at the magic wall for us. David Chalian, thanks to you as well. Still ahead, Donald Trump is set to make another convention appearance as some of his toughest critics during the GOP primary race take the stage tonight here in Milwaukee. Plus, we're getting new reporting on President Biden considering endorsing major reforms to the U.S. Supreme Court. Our special live coverage will continue in just a moment. (COMMERCIAL BREAK) [18:48:43] BLITZER: We're back with more of our very special coverage from here in Milwaukee where Donald Trump is expected to be in the arena tonight. And his fiercest contender for the GOP nomination, Nikki Haley, actually takes to the stage. I want to bring in CNN's Kaitlan Collins. She's on the floor of the convention for us right now, along with Republican Senator Rick Scott of Florida, who's speaking to the convention later tonight as well. Go ahead, Kaitlan. COLLINS: Yeah, Wolf. Of course. We are standing right here next to the Florida delegation where we find Florida Rick Scott. SEN. RICK SCOTT (R-FL): No, best delegation. You forgot that part. COLLINS: One of the biggest delegations certainly that has a big role here. And obviously, we are also, Wolf, you mentioned Nikki Haley is going to be on stage tonight. Also, your home state Governor Ron DeSantis, who had a very bitter primary challenge against Donald Trump once told me he didn't think Donald Trump could beat Joe Biden. What do you want to hear from Governor DeSantis on stage tonight? SCOTT: I think we're all Americans who wanted us to do and say, we're all going to stop to focus on the issues that we need to solve. We've got to solve the border. We've got to solve inflation. We got to make sure we deal with our enemies. And I think that's what -- I think that's what the whole public -- Republican, Democrat, independent, every wants. So I hope everybody will talk about how they're going to start solving problems. COLLINS: But what do you make of the fact that two major Trump critics who -- they didn't just disagree with him on policy. Nikki Haley's said he was unfit for office and diminished and that -- she didn't think that he could essentially effectively govern and she's going to be on that stage, too. [18:50:03] What do you make of that move by the Trump campaign? SCOTT: I think Trump's done a great job. I think what he's done is he's trying to bring everybody together. He's trying to make sure this is a party that's unified, that we can when in November. And it's important because that's how we're going to win the House, the White House and the Senate. We need to win all three. COLLINS: Should he consider putting either of them in his cabinet should he be re-elected? SCOTT: Well, you know, that's, of course, the choice for him, but I think they're both competent people, and there's things they could -- they could be doing if that's what they want to do with the next step in their careers. COLLINS: He just picked Senator J.D. Vance of Ohio to be his running mate. You are obviously running to be the Republican leader in the Senate. Do you think you'll get Trump's endorsement? SCOTT: I hope so. I'm hopeful, but I've got -- I've had a good working relationship with Trump since -- actually I knew him before he ran for office. So I'm hopeful I will. I mean, we've got to change the Senate. It's not working the way it's working. The -- so I'm hopeful that he'll -- he'll endorse. I'm glad J.D. Vance was picked. I think -- I'll miss him in the Senate. He's been a great colleague and he's been a good supporter of mine. But I think he'll do a great job as VP. COLLINS: And what do you make of what happened yesterday during that roll call where Senator McConnell, who used to be the majority leader for Republicans, was booed when he was announcing Kentucky's delegates. SCOTT: Well, you hate anybody being booed in a convention, Republican Convention. But I think people know we got to have change. They know that the way this has been operating, it's not working. I mean, we're not solving the problems that we have now $35 trillion debt almost, and, you know, the border -- I mean, we're doing earmarks, we're doing so many things that Republicans don't like. COLLINS: Yeah. Of course we saw how high the deficit was with Trump as well. It's been a partisan issue. Senator Rick Scott of Florida, you are going to be speaking shortly. We'll be watching your speak -- speech. SCOTT: It'll be fine. COLLINS: Thank you very much. SCOTT: Nice to see you, Kaitlan. COLLINS: Thank you. Wolf, back to you. Obviously, we are here on a very busy floor with a lot of speakers that you're going to see on stage tonight, also down here with the delegates. BURNETT: All right. Kaitlan, thank you very much. And meantime, we are learning that President Biden is considering publicly endorsing major reforms to the U.S. Supreme Court. Okay, term limits and an ethics code for justices are on the list as well as a constitutional amendment that would eliminate immunity for presidents, and what we all know where that came from. Okay. So, Jonah, let's just start with you on this. This -- this is coming from, you know, a president whose party has many have wanted a lot more in terms of Supreme -- I'm looking for, let's increase the number of justices on the Supreme Court. That's what, you know, many would have hoped for, not what we're getting. But nonetheless, clearly feeling pressure to energize his base with these sorts of suggestions. JONAH GOLDBERG, CNN CONTRIBUTOR: Yeah, I think it's kind of lame. So, first of all, for an 81-year-old who is under fire for being just too old, all of a sudden, started talking about term limits for other government officials. BURNETT: And ethics code. GOLDBERG: And on the ethics code, that cuts a lot of different ways. But the -- just also -- like so much of his rhetoric has been about don't attack judges, don't attack the court, don't -- you know, don't -- don't politicize the criminal justice system. And now, I mean, I understand he's putting it up to voters and whatnot, but I think it muddies the water for him in a way that I -- you know, it rallies the base, to be sure. BURNETT: Does it rally the base, Jamal? SIMMONS: Oh, yes, for sure, because there are lots of people out there who want him to pick two more -- two or three more Supreme Court justices. BURNETT: That's not what this is. SIMMONS: It's not in there, but what it is, it's not this, but something else that you might also like because people believe in the Democratic Party that this is the -- what he, what's happened in the Supreme Court is just unconstitutional. But what they are doing is an abuse of power. And so, if we -- if what we had to do is change the language the order to be able to make this work, then go ahead and change the language, but you cant just lay down and do nothing. And people on the left feel like the politicians in Washington are doing nothing, while the Republicans are running roughshod over our right. GOLDBERG: Just for a record, it's not unconstitutional what the Supreme Court is doing. I will defend what the Supreme Court is doing. (CROSSTALK) SIMMONS: I don't know, you gave president immunity -- GOLDBERG: I'm against the immunity decision the way it's done. I like any Comey Barrett's concurrence. I didn't like the majority opinion. BURNETT: And immunity is on this, right, that this would eliminate immunity for presidents, which will have its own. Can I just ask you, Kristen, this issue of the Supreme Court, especially in the context of what is happening with Trump, do voters care? ANDERSON: This is one that's going to be much more for the Democratic base than for your average swing voter. The reality is that even though the Supreme Court is right in the middle of many of our most contentious debates, when you ask voters, do you approve or disapprove of different branches of government, the Supreme Court doesn't necessarily fare worse than say Congress, who everyone hates. And so, while the Supreme Court is definitely something that progressives have been agitated about for a while that doesn't necessarily mean that for your average swing voter, procedural changes to how the Supreme Court functions is necessarily going to be something that will -- SINGLETON: So, you don't like what the court is doing, so we're going to change the rules. That's exactly what I here as a conservative. I mean, this is Kabuki Theater coming from the Biden administration. And it's obvious to me that the progressive mob is literally holding the president hostage. This was something he refused to do a year ago and, all of a sudden, because he's up for reelection, oh, here's some new rules. [18:55:03] Let's change the court. I don't like it. SIMMONS: How was reform -- who was reform Kabuki Theater? I mean, reform is saying, I don't like the rules that exist, let's go have another process to get new rules. SINGLETON: OK. Republicans changed the rules and -- (CROSSTALK) GOLDBERG: It's also never going to pass Congress. So it's all -- SINGLETON: That's another reality check. BURNETT: It does need congressional approval. All right. We hit pause, but just for a moment, still ahead, will Donald Trump's party pull off a big show of unity tonight because we are standing by tonight for the speeches by Trump's former rivals, that the former president is planning to be in the hall, so that he can listen to them. Stay with us. (COMMERCIAL BREAK) … Erin Burnett OutFront Aired July 16, 2024 - 19:00 ET THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED. ERIN BURNETT, CNN HOST: The second night of the Republican National Convention is underway in Milwaukee. The primetime program I designed to be a showcase of party unity behind the new Trump-Vance ticket. [19:00:06] And we are standing by to hear from tonight's top speakers, and to hear whether they stay on the Trump message. CNN's convention coverage continues now with this special edition of OUTFRONT. Welcome to all. I'm Erin Burnett, along with Wolf Blitzer. And, Wolf, what are you watching for tonight? WOLF BLITZER, CNN HOST: Erin, we've been told to expect that Donald Trump will return very soon to this arena tonight. It's already very, very lively, and about to get even more exciting. And the former president, he'll be in the hall for at least two of the most anticipated speakers tonight, his former Republican primary opponents, the former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley, who was the last bit drop out after a very bitter race, and the Florida Governor Ron DeSantis. Also coming up this hour, Republicans will focus on their fight to retake the U.S. Senate, featuring candidates from key valid drug states that will decide the presidential election, including among others, Kari Lake in Arizona, and Dave McCormick in Pennsylvania, whose remarks are straight ahead -- Erin. And those, of course, are going to be crucial. We see what they will say, if McCormick running in Pennsylvania was, of course, at that Trump rally on Saturday evening. Lets go to Boris Sanchez now. Boris, you've got a prime spot for tonight's major speeches. You are I understand right near the stage. So tell us more about the lineup tonight. BORIS SANCHEZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yeah, Erin, it is a lineup full of Republican lawmakers as well as everyday Americans that Republicans are hoping to drive the message home to voters that they are trying to send. Right now, we are watching the crowd moving to the sounds of the cover band. But soon enough, a slate of Republican lawmakers will take to the stage hitting over an hour of speakers aiming to take Senate seats. We have lawmakers from Ohio, Michigan, Wisconsin, Arizona, including the former gubernatorial candidate, Kari Lake, the former TV anchor. She's actually set to speak here in just moments. These are candidates that in their particular states were actually running behind where Donald Trump is in poll right now. He's actually leading them these battleground states. Nevertheless, we will hear from them. They're going to make the case for Trump and the case for themselves. As you noted, we're going to hear from David McCormick, who was at that rally on Saturday. It'll be interesting to hear what he says about the attempted assassination of Donald Trump, especially in light of these bipartisan calls for unity and a tone down the rhetoric. Aside from that later in the evening, were going to hear from everyday Americans, these are folks who are Republicans have put forward everyday citizens. Tonight, the theme is make America safe again, they're going to go heavy on a message about but immigration and public safety, and will hear directly from those cities. BURNETT: Boris, thank you very much. I'm sorry to interrupt, but we do want to take Kari Lake, who is on stage right now. Lead us listen to the -- obviously, she's running for Senate now, to Kari Lake, a staunch Trump supporter, of Trump's false election claims in Arizona as well. Let's listen. KARI LAKE (R), ARIZONA SENATE CANDIDATE: Wow. Hello. I love you. I love you. I love you, Arizona. You guys are amazing. Wow, this is -- this is MAGA energy tonight, guys. Love it. Oh, wow. This room, America, I wish you were in this room with us. This is electric. Hello, America. Welcome, everybody, who's watching at home and welcome everybody in this great arena tonight. We love you all. Actually, actually. Wait a minute, I don't mean that. I don't welcome everybody in this, meaning you in this room. The guys up in the fake news, frankly -- all right. Frankly, you guys up there in the fake news have worn out your welcome, right? You've worn it out, guys. You have spent the last eight years lying about President Donald Trump and his -- and his amazing patriotic supporters. Actually guys, they lie about everything. They've lied about. Joe Biden's health, the economy, the laptop, the border, I could go on and on and on. But the really good news is that every day, more and more people are turning off the fake news. And there -- (CHEERS) LAKE: That's right. [19:05:03] And Americans are waking up to the truth about the disastrous Democrat policies pushed by Joe Biden and his favorite congressman, my opponent, Ruben Gallego. These guys -- they are full -- they're full of bad ideas. Just last week, Ruben Gallego voted to let the millions of people who poured into our country illegally cast a ballot in this upcoming election. (BOOS) LAKE: Gallego, and the Democrats have handed over control of my state, Arizona's border, to the drug cartels, and because of them, criminals and deadly drugs are pouring in and our children are dying. Our children are getting their hands on these drugs and dying. I'll tell you the hardest thing I've had -- I've had to do on the campaign trail is talk to moms and dads who come up to me and tell me that their 19-year-old son has died because of fentanyl poisoning, or the 22-year-old daughter took a half a pill and she's gone. We are losing a generation of young people to this fentanyl crisis and has got to stop the grand canyon state has become the fentanyl state, and it's not okay with this mom. I'm not okay with that. I don't think it's okay with that mom. I don't think its okay with that mom.It doesn't have to be this way. The problems we face are huge, the problems caused by the Democrat Party. But the solutions, guys, they're really simple. First of all, stopped the Biden invasion and build the wall. Easy. (CHANTING) And while we're building the wall, let's kick Bidenomics to the curb and bring back the MAGAnomics. Is that okay? I missed the strong Trump economy and because I'm a mama bear, I want to replace this indoctrination, this psychological abuse they're inflicting on our children with a real, solid, quality education. It's all common sense. The great news is that we can solve these problems. And to be honest, we must solve these problems for the sake of our children because that's really what this is all about, right? The next generation, the future of our country. I learned something watching the Nature Channel, that the most dangerous place on planet Earth is between a mama bear and her baby cubs, right? And that's exactly where the radical left have found themselves, and it's not going to go well for them. Because guess what? They have awoken a sleeping giant. Tens of millions of moms and dads from sea to shining sea, they're going to show up on November 5th, and they're going to be hearing from us on November 5th. That's right. Actually, I think -- I can think of one thing more dangerous and a grizzly bear and its a middle age fed-up mother in Washington, D.C. And I haven't even started my hot flashes yet, guys, just wait, just wait. But seriously, I want every mother and father to know this that we, the Republican Party, will fight. I will fight, not just for my kids and my daughters over here. Are you over there? Ruby, wave to me, wave to mom. My daughters over there. I want to fight -- selfishly, I want to fight for my kids, but I want to fight for your kids as well. They deserve a better future. They deserve a better future. But the really good news here and the fake news want -- the fake news wants us to believe we're 50/50, at each other's throat, they're creating division and anger, Americans are actually much more united than people believe, right? You see it, we see it. We want to make life better and we want to create an incredible future for this generation, and the next generation. And together when we joined together, we will make America safe again. And we will make America great again. God bless all of you here tonight. God bless you, America, and God bless President Donald J. Trump. I love you, guys. Thank you. Thank you. [19:10:01] BURNETT: Kari Lake, former television anchor, of course, for a couple of decades, slamming the news media. Let's go to Daniel Dale, our fact checker, of course, here. Daniel, what did you just hear in that brief address from Kari Lake? DANIEL DALE, CNN SENIOR REPORTER: A lot of subjective claims, a lot of opinion, but also one significant false claim. She claimed that her opponent in this Senate race, Democratic Congressman Ruben Gallego, voted to allow undocumented immigrants to vote in this upcoming election. That did not happen. There was no such vote. Undocumented immigrants, like all immigrants who do not have U.S. citizenship are not permitted to vote in federal elections already. What happened recently, this month is that the Republican controlled House, how to vote to add proof of citizenship for voter registration. Now that passed along party lines. Democrats said it's not necessary because the -- all the data shows there is a tiny smattering of instances in which an undocumented people and other non-citizens vote. It is already punishable by prison time, by fines, by deportation, severe penalties. So it essentially does not happen on any significant scale, and they said this legislation was redundant and unnecessary, certainly did not allow anyone who has come over the border during the Biden administration to go vote in 2024. BURNETT: All right. Daniel Dale, thank you very much. All right. Maggie, interesting, 20 years as a news anchor. She presents, she knows how to do that and slamming the fake news as she called it, just interesting in light of her resume, but that was a red meat MAGA speech. MAGGIE HABERMAN, CNN POLITICAL ANALYST: Yeah. And it's important to bear in mind that what we have not seen play out so far in this convention. There's not a ton of cohesion and the speech was from last night, right? You had Amber Rose speaking and then you had Sean O'Brien, the head of the Teamsters speaking and he was delivering a message that whatever people heard through their television sets, the delegates in the hallway heard him denouncing corporate America, which is I think they were pretty surprised by this reaction. (CROSSTALK) I mean, that said, it was smart politics for Trump in terms of he will say, I had this head of labor here and that's the top line he's looking for, but that was the reality of the speech. This is much more, I think what people were expecting, they would see out of this convention. Prior to the attempt on Donald Trump's life on Saturday, they expected there to be lots of fake news and sort of slashed and burned, and I don't know what this means in terms of what we will hear from some other speakers. But this is authentic to who she is. This is the way she's running. This is the red meat that she has been running on. This is also why, according to some Republicans, who would like to see the Senate become that seat, become a Republican seat in Arizona she is struggling in that race because this turns off a lot of moderates. BURNETT: She is struggling. JAMAL SIMMONS, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: She is struggling. I was just looking at the Real Clear Politics average, and she's right now about three points down. And the last YouGov poll had her seven points down. So she has been trending down. But I will tell you there are Democrats in Arizona who I've talked to about this, right? They're worried about the top of the ticket. They are worried that of Joe Biden actually is not competitive with Donald Trump, and he begins to slide in Arizona too far low that it might be too much of a weight for Ruben Gallego to make up in the end. So this is -- some of the pressures on the White House to show that they can actually be competitive in some of these battleground . BURNETT: It is a bit whiplash, Jonah, okay, because last night, we had Marjorie Taylor Greene ensuring -- telling the world that there's two genders, right? And then you've got Kari Lake, right? You've got the MAGA MAGA. But then tonight, you're going to have Marco Rubio and Nikki Haley. We're going to be doing something very different. It is at least -- we believe that they will certainly from what they stand for and foreign policy and others, they will, it is whiplash. It is two very different messages. JONAH GOLDBERG, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: Yeah. No, it's at least two. I think it's a potpourri. It's a smorgasbord of messages. And I think some of that is intentional. I think -- I don't think there are. I haven't looked at the ratings. I don't know, but my hunch is that a lot of people aren't watching this thing glued to their TVs for tuning in and out all that. But what these speeches do sort of getting to Maggie's point is they provide ammo to cut up into direct -- to marketing materials. We will see little clips of the Teamsters guy that only saying stuff that's good for Trump. BURNETT: Micro, micro targeting. GOLDBERG: Micro-targeting or on TikTok or whatever to try to do with her viral way. And this is just basically the raw footage for what are going to be a whole bunch of diced up things. On Nikki and Marco and all that, I should point out that my wife used to work for Nikki, I'm telling you in the last hour, I'm very concerned about this. I think that some of the signals that came out last night spell the end of Reaganite foreign policy and a really dangerous turn in American foreign policy. And if Marco Rubio and Nikki Haley, who both believe basically in an assertive, strong national defense and maintaining our allies, with -- and NATO, if they're allowed to say that, that means that people oh, who were against it, including David -- including J.D. Vance, that that is the actual official voice of the Republican Party now. [19:15:03] BURNETT: Right. GOLDBERG: And I just -- that's what I'm tuning in. BURNETT: I mean, build a wall has become not just a literal thing. It has become the figurative reality of the party, at least for what Trump stands for in terms of America's role in the world. That is the opposite of what Nikki Haley or Marco Rubio believe, they're speaking shortly. KRISTEN SOLTIS ANDERSON, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: Well, the other thing that I think she talked about that is related to things like build the wall was the issue of fentanyl. So while there were a lot of different topics you touched on briefly, fentanyl is one that I don't think actually gets a ton of coverage outside of the conservative media ecosystem. But it draws together threads of crime and lawlessness, a feeling that the border is not secure, China, the opioid crisis, it pulls a lot of different threads altogether that are very powerful for Republicans, but also where they think they have the ability to talk to voters in the middle who are not being spoken to by the media. SHERMICHAEL SINGLETON, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: And to that point, there is 1.5 million new independent voters in Arizona as of July of last year. President Biden won the state by 10,457 votes, that's a very, very slim margin. So this idea -- so this idea of immigration, is not only an important issue nationally, but its an important issue in a state such as Arizona, or there was one famous Democratic who once said immigration is not a right guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution for anyone to come into this country whenever they I so choose. That was Barbara Jordan, a Democrat out of Texas, who chaired the immigration committee. So I think her point on immigration was proper. You just have to figure out a way, just tone it down a bit for those independents. BURNETT: All right. All stay with us, as our rolling coverage continues. So much more ahead tonight, including that must-see moment when Donald Trump's bitter rival turned supporter, Nikki Haley, will address that crowd and the foreign president will be in the room. Our special coverage continues after this brief break. (COMMERCIAL BREAK) [19:20:47] BLITZER: Welcome back. We're back with our very special coverage of the Republican National Convention here in Milwaukee. Night two is clearly underway. It's a huge moment for the party as Donald Trump's onetime rival for the GOP nomination rally behind him. We're standing by to hear more for speeches from various individuals including Ron DeSantis, Vivek Ramaswamy and perhaps his fiercest critic of all during the campaign for the Republican nomination, Nikki Haley. Kaitlan Collins is on the floor for us getting new information. What are you learning, Kaitlan? KAITLAN COLLINS, CNN CHIEF CORRESPONDENT: Yeah, Wolf, I'm standing outside of the Illinois delegation now as were listening to each of these speakers take the stage, obviously, everyone will be in their seats when the primetime speakers come on, including Ambassador Nikki Haley. And, Wolf, just to give you some insight into how unusual it is that Haley was actually invited to deliver this primetime address and how closely everyone else will be watching her and what is considered to be a coveted speaking slot at the convention. I am told that Nikki Haley and Donald Trump have not spoken. It was the Trump campaign that reached out to Nikki Haley's team and extended that invitation on Saturday for her, but Trump himself and Nikki Haley have not spoken. So it'd be fascinating to watch her speak, and also his reaction, Wolf. BLITZER: Looking forward to it myself. All right. Kaitlan, thank you very much. As we hear from various GOP Senate candidates, right now in the key battleground, let's take a closer look at the fight for the U.S. Senate and how potentially it could figure into the 2024 map. John King is still with us. He's over at the magic wall. Give us a sense, John. JOHN KING, CNN CHIEF NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Worth remembering, Wolf, let's go back to where we stand right now. Democrats have very narrow control of the senate, in part, because the four independents, declared independents in the Senate caucus with Democrats. But as you see, it's Mike Rogers of Michigan behind you now, a few minutes ago, it was Bernie Moreno of Ohio. Republicans believe this is a great map for them, anyway. They believed this for months and they think with Trumps strength in the election right now, the Senate map is improving for them even more. So, 51-49 for the Democrats. Now come forward to this map here. You see Manchin state, West Virginia. We've already turned it red. He's not running for reelection. That's a big state for Donald Trump. That seat is almost guaranteed to go Republican and to go red. So then you see why are Ohio and Montana, why are they yellow? Well, these are big Trump states. Ohio, Sherrod Brown, Democratic incumbent, great personal brand back home. But Donald Trumps going to win that state or at least he has in the past by six or eight points. He just picked Republican Senator J.D. Vance as his running mate. So Democrats think they're in more trouble. You see Sherrod Brown raising money all the time. So what if that happened? What if this went over to red? We'll try to click it over, there you go. That would give right there. Jon Tester, again, a Democrat with a great personal brand back home, Donald Trump won by 16 points last time in Montana. If Joe Biden's numbers are down even more, can Jon Tester hang on? So this is what Democrats have been thinking about for months, that these would be the two surfaces. But as you see, these speakers come to the stage tonight, here's what they're worried about now. Let's just come back and make those toss-ups. They're also worried about Pennsylvania. They're worried about Michigan. They're worried about here in Wisconsin. You just heard Kari Lake. She's losing in the polls right now, but they're worried about Arizona. They all worried about Nevada as well. You can make a scenario here, a reasonable scenario, the Republicans not only get 50 in a majority, but they get 51, 52, 53. Now, Democrats watching are saying, you know, you're being overly pessimistic. Most of the Democratic candidates, I want to make this clear, most of the Democratic candidates right now are leading in these races, narrowly in most of them, but they're leading in these races. The Democratic Senate candidates are outperforming Joe Biden in these states. But ticket-splitting in presidential elections, one party for president, the other party for Senate has become almost non-existent, used to be very common in American politics, Wolf, it has become almost non-existent. This is Manu's day job, David runs these numbers all the time. You don't -- if you talk to Republicans now, compared to six months ago, fair, right? They are even more optimistic. They're not only going to get a majority, but more. BLITZER: All right, John, hold on because I want to listen to it. Another one of the Republican Senate candidate, Dave McCormick from Pennsylvania. He was in the front row Saturday at that assassination attempt where the former president was hit with that bullet in his ear. I spoke with him Saturday night, but let's listen to hear what he has to say. DAVID MCCORMICK, GOP SENATE NOMINEE: -- forty-seventh president? [19:25:04] Are you ready for that? And who's ready to make J.D. Vance our new vice president? And who's ready to send Chuck Schumer packing? I'm ready. I'm ready. My name is Dave McCormick and I'm running to be the Pennsylvania's next United States senator, the great commonwealth of Pennsylvania. And I want to first acknowledge what transpired just a few days ago in my home state where I witnessed firsthand from a front row seat in Butler President Trump's remarkable strength and resolve in a terrifying, terrifying, and unpredictable moment. The president rose brilliantly to the challenge, but what a sad, sad, and frightening day for the families of those who were injured or lost and for our great country and we all thank God, that President Trump is okay. I'm a seventh generation Pennsylvanian from the great Keystone State, born and raised, a West Point graduate, a former Army wrestler. I'm a combat veteran of the 82nd Airborne Division, all right, 82nd. And I'm a business leader who helped create hundreds of jobs in western Pennsylvania. But most important, I'm a dad to six daughters and I'm a husband to the love of my life, Dina, wherever she is. Now, my opponent's name is Bob Casey. But you probably don't know him because he does nothing. For 18 years, Bob Casey has been warming a chair and drawing a paycheck, he is a do-nothing, out of touch liberal career politician and when he votes, he votes for Joe Biden's tired old ideas. Casey has been around so long, so long that the number one song when he was first elected was the Macarena, right? Remember that Macarena? But sadly, this is no joke because politics is about choices and the policies of Biden and Bob Casey are dangerous for Pennsylvania and America. They won't keep us safe. Drugs have poured across the Biden-Harris-Casey wide open borders, killing 100,000 Americans, including 4,000 Pennsylvanians last year alone. Illegal immigrants have victimized innocent young women who could easily be your daughter or mine. And time and again, Casey has voted for pro-criminal judges who have made our streets across Pennsylvania more dangerous. Biden and Casey's failed policies have crushed working families with sky-high prices for gas and groceries and rent and regulations to kill Pennsylvania natural gas. Under President Trump, America was -- future was strong and prosperous, and our adversaries feared stepping out of line. My friends, the choice this November is clear, it's a choice between strength and weakness. A choice between America's greatness or its sad disgraceful decline. This is my friends, the most important election of our lifetimes and we deserve a president and a Senate that will go to the mat to fight for America, a president and a Senate that will unite America and in Pennsylvania, that means voting for Trump and McCormick in November. Thank you all for leading the charge. God bless our United States of America. BURNETT: All right, and you saw Dave McCormick, their Senate candidate for Pennsylvania. There's cutting away there to his wife, Dina Powell, who had served, of course, in the Trump administration for a period of time. And now, as we take a brief break here, the top House leaders will be on stage soon. We are also standing by to hear from Donald Trump's one onetime bitter rival, Nikki Haley, along with Marco Rubio, Vivek Ramaswamy and others. Governor Ron DeSantis, also speaking tonight. And Nikki Haley specifically, can she make the case to her voters who are still skeptical of Trump? (COMMERCIAL BREAK) [19:33:52] BURNETT: The West Virginia governor and Senate candidate Jim Justice speaking now with his popular dog. Let's listen in. GOV. JIM JUSTICE (R-WV): Now, as the world watches, you didn't really expect that, did you? But with that being said, let me just say just this, she makes a smile and she loves everybody, and how could a message possibly be anymore simpler than just that. Now, I got to tell you just this, the foundation of my life is the truth. I've got to tell you just see us and tell you this right now, I challenge the media all the time, to find something that knowingly I've told them it's not to truth and they cant do it because I'm not going to do that. Now I want you to listen to this and pay really close attention. The bottom line to why we're here, the bottom line to every single thing that's going on in this great country today is one thing, we become totally unhinged if Donald Trump is not elected in November. [19:35:09] I want to talk to you tonight about my relationship with President Trump. I want to talk to you about an incredible man. I want to tell you the truth about him and his family. He's tough. He's super smart. He's a business guy. But maybe they're something that you've missed. And that is he genuinely cares. He cares about all of us, every last one of us that he loves this nation beyond good sense. He has amazing kids, have hunted and fished with Don Jr. He's an incredible outdoorsman and are really treasured friend. Now imagine this, Eric and I have been so far back in the woods on top of a mountain and I blew the tire out on the back of my four by four. And who was under the vehicle right then? Eric Trump. Eric Trump changed the tire. Donald Trump has taught his kids the very best. He's talked them absolutely to respect the military. He's -- he's taught them to respect our first responders. He's taught him absolutely to treat our working men and women with love and respect all across this land. And let me tell you just this, I was in the green room with President Trump and there was a MAGA hat laying there affected up. We've just had our first grand baby, a boy named JC (ph). JC absolutely was just -- just not -- not old at all, and all of a sudden, I asked President Trump if he would sign that hat for our grandbaby JC. He took it. You know what? He wrote on it. He wrote JC, always work hard. Now, let's review. Donald J. Trump, my friend, my close friend, he's tough. He's super smart. He's a business guy. He loves America. He taught his kids, the right values and he's a hard worker. Sure sounds like a leader to me. (APPLAUSE) JUSTICE: Sure sounds like a president to me. Then ask yourself why does Donald Trump fight every day for us and continue to take this senseless persecution? Why? And I know the answer, because we're worth it. Now, Babydog's got a prediction for everybody here. And here's the prediction, Babydog says we'll retain the House, the majority in the House. (APPLAUSE) JUSTICE: We're going to flip the United States Senate. (APPLAUSE) JUSTICE: And, overwhelmingly, we're going to elect Donald J. Trump and J.D. Vance in November. (APPLAUSE) JUSTICE: And baby says -- Babydog says what is the reason that she knows while we're going to win and the answer is one thing, because we're worth it. God bless you. God bless this great country. And God bless Donald J. Trump. BURNETT: All right. That's the governor of West Virginia running for that Senate seat that Joe Manchin is vacating. Okay. Obviously, political theater there and who doesn't like the dog? ANDERSON: How can you not love that? Look, if you're going to talk to a chair next to you far better for it to have a cute dog in it than for it to be empty, with all due respect to Clint Eastwood, that was -- that was adorable. I'm sorry. It makes people happy. It makes people feel uplifted. And the good news for Republicans is that even though that was a delightful little speech, West Virginia is actually in pretty safe hands for the party, too. He did not need to bring out the dog as a great wringer to help him. West Virginia is likely to be a GOP seat. There are a lot of states like that. States that are going to vote for Donald Trump or Republicans believe they're going to unseat Democrats that are holding the seat right now and build their majority. [19:40:08] BURNETT: Right. That's what he was talking to. And then, of course, but to be clear, that wasn't at one point, Democratic seat Joe Manchin. All right. Delegates eagerly awaiting Donald Trump's return to the convention hall and what his face will look like as he watches Nikki Haley, and Ron DeSantis's former rivals speak. Much more ahead on night two of the Republican National Convention. (COMMERCIAL BREAK) BURNETT: And we are back with our live coverage of the Republican National Convention on a night devoted to GOP unity. The hot button issues of crime and immigration speech just by the top Republicans in Congress are straight ahead. A night of unity, but you will hear very different messages this evening, and let's get to Kaitlan Collins on the floor -- Kaitlan. COLLINS: Hi, Erin. Yes, we are standing here with Dave McCormick who is a Senate candidate for Pennsylvania. He is not ready to talk to us yet, but we are here right by the Pennsylvania delegation. He just spoke on stage a few moments ago. And, of course, he was at that rally on Saturday night in Butler, Pennsylvania, which is why we are going to speak to him because he was there. [19:45:04] He was slated to go on stage and it just speaks to the moment of what we all saw on our coverage, but also what we saw during that -- during that rally. Mr. McCormick, can I grab you for a few seconds? We're live on CNN right now. We're live on CNN right now. This is, of course, Pennsylvania Senate candidate Dave McCormick who's at that rally with Donald Trump. And I just wonder, you just spoke on stage a few moments ago. How did that experience and seeing that attempted assassination of the former president change your speech that you just gave? MCCORMICK: Well, I didn't change it much. But the experience I think changed my view a bit of how important it is that we ratchet back the rhetoric. And I want to make clear, we have huge differences in ideas. And so, we have to have conflict, a lot of conflict about the direction of the country. I'm running because I think the country is going in a bad direction. But we need to resolve that conflict at the ballot box. We need to resolve it with civic discourse. We need to resolve it with policy, and we need to make sure that we're not talking in ways that dehumanizes people and ultimately contributes to an environment where violence going to happen across the board. COLLINS: Well, and we've heard that that people want to take down the rhetoric here, the temperature on stage, still be able to criticize your political opponents, but take down the temperature. You're running to be in the Senate. What did you make of Kari Lake, who is also running to be in the Senate who was kind of castigating the media and getting everyone to kind of boo them in a telling that was different? MCCORMICK: You know, I'm going to give you an honest answer, which is I was only worried about myself. I wasn't watching, so I can't even comment on her remarks. But as a general rule, I think we got a really focus on contrast. We got big differences and there is conflict. But we need to resolve the debate around ideas with elections, and that's what I'm trying to do in Pennsylvania. COLLINS: A lot of questions have been raised about the security at that event. Obviously, the Secret Service is facing major questions. CNN's John Miller is reporting that that gunman enter the security perimeter and then left and then came back, obviously, when he carried out that shooting. What questions as someone who was there, do you have for the director of the Secret Service and others? MCCORMICK: I don't know anything other than being someone there. But when I went through the security and when I saw just as a participant, it seemed tight to me. And when the Secret Service responded to the shot, I mean, they were on the president almost immediately. But the idea that a shooter could be within 130 yards of the president, it seems inconceivable. It's such a failure beyond imagination that, you know, we've got to get to the root cause of it. It seems unthinkable to me, honestly. I used -- I worked for President Bush. I've been around, you know, this business for a while. I've seen security. Inconceivable that that could have happened and so, I'm horribly disappointed by it and we got to get to the bottom of it. COLLINS: Dave McCormick, thank you very much for taking the time to speak with us. Erin, back to you. BURNETT: All right. Thank you very much, Kaitlan. And, you know, talking to Dave McCormick as Kaitlan just was, the Senate is crucial here. And this is what I know as you talk as a Democrat a concern about what happens all the way down ticket that this could be right now, I know a lot of Democrats are very worried that it's a full sweep of both houses of Congress as well as the White House. SIMMONS: People are worried about it. There are some tough Senate races out there in Montana as why don't we just heard from Jim Justice in West Virginia. We're going to lose that one probably, maybe not, but probably. But there are some ones that are more on the bubble, Pennsylvania, Montana, those mothers. Listen, I think as long as the Democrats are able to keep competitive, we ought to be able to hold on to the Senate at least a 50/50 Senate. But if you don't win the White House, a 50/50 Senate gets you a minority. And that is the challenge about why President Biden and Kamala Harris have to win? GOLDBERG: Yeah, I trust like if the Republicans are held to a majority of two or three, this probably room for some of the -- he won't be there anymore, but like the Mitt Romney caucus, you know, the people who are not going to go along with the craziest of appointments for Trump's cabinet and that kind of thing. But if they get to 56 or 55, you know, if they even by the second year of a Trump presidency, Trump can run away with a lot of stuff. BURNETT: All right. Hold on for one second. I just want to jump in here because Phil Mattingly is with the West Virginia -- West Virginia Governor Jim Justice, who, of course, is running for that seat. Go ahead, Phil. PHIL MATTINGLY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yeah, Erin, look, I'm going to be honest, the governor's well-received speech. There's no question about that, but right here, I think you probably have the number one star of the convention up to this point. Maybe it's not looking at camera right now, but we'll try and get him over there. Governor, just wanted to ask how critical is this dog to your political success at this point? JUSTICE: Well, I don't know. To tell you the honest truth, it wasn't meant to be really and truly. You know, on Christmas eve four years ago, our son and daughter just handed his ten-week old bulldog puppy to us and I thought, oh, my gosh. She's going to grow 60 pounds brown watermelon to tell you the truth. And she did and everything. But with all that being said, that she started to go with me, COVID, lots and lots of sadness. [19:50:04] Lots of folks dying and everything, and I noticed so many times, she made people smile, and she made absolute people laugh. And more than anything, and a bulldog and I supposed to do this, but she loves everybody. And so I said, that's it. How could the message be any better? And so, so she's really good. She's really good. She just loved everybody. MATTINGLY: And asking those of us that cover politics have so stated you with Babydog for a while now, since the COVID years. What do people who maybe don't recognize a politician with a really nice dog, think when they first met you? JUSTICE: Well, to be perfectly honest, we've done unbelievable things in the state of West Virginia. When I took over, it was really tough. We bankrupt beyond belief. And we're really going right now. And there are so many accomplishments and everything, but I really, really -- I'm the guy that wants to say, all of us pulled the rope together, the legislature, all the people of West Virginia, you know, I'm the guy that would say, let's be professional about what we do in life and be respectful to one another and move the ball forward. And we really have. MATTINGLY: That's an important message, particularly these days. I appreciate your time. I appreciate Babydog's time. Erin, back to you. BURNETT: All right. Phil, thank you very much. All right. So when you look at the West Virginia governor and we talk about that seat, right. And that seat, Joe Manchin, who had had was originally Democrat, right? And that it is now you feel a safe Republican seat for Governor Justice. But when we talk about this and Jamal is talking about the fear on the Democratic side, about how important the top of the ticket is down- ballot. Why is this such a year that is so Republican-friendly? The folks that are up for election this year in the Senate are the folks that won six years ago, in the 2018 election, it was very favorable to Democrats. You had Democrats over-performing in some states that are red states or at least red states these days, places like Ohio, places like Montana. And so, you have Democrats holding these Senate seats, but these are states that are likely to break for Donald Trump at the presidential level, possibly by double digits. So if you are Senator Sherrod Brown, if you are Senator Jon Tester, you are looking at this year and you're thinking, I have to appeal to a lot of people who are going to check a box for Donald Trump. But I need them to check a box for me further down their ballot. And that puts them in a really tough -- SINGLETON: It definitely does. I mean, I'm looking at Pennsylvania. I'm looking at Michigan in particular. We have two great candidates, Dave McCormick, Mike Rogers, and I think Democrats have a real problem in both of those states. You look at Michigan, for example, I believe in 2020, President Biden received around 60 percent of the Muslim population vote there. His approval is now, or in the teens, that's a problem. His approval a young Black voters, that's a problem. Again, shifting back to Pennsylvania, that's now a competitive state. So I think Republicans could potentially, Erin, get to at least 51, 52 seats. BURNETT: All right. Okay, all staying with us. Let's go now to Jake Tapper with some breaking developments -- Jake. All right. Sorry, we obviously having some audio difficulties with Jake's mike. So when we get that back up, we'll go to Jake in just a moment. Maggie, let me just ask you when we talk about this issue of the Senate, that's what we're seeing tonight because you're going to see a lot of senators, people up for election. And in the ones we've heard so far, whether it's Kari Lake or Jim Justice or Dave McCormick, you're hearing about their races. HABERMAN: You are. You're hearing about their races differently though, right? I mean, it was very struck by how different those speeches were. I mean, Kari lake was largely red meat, fake news, and so forth. Jim Justice was really a Donald Trumps speech. I mean, it was -- it was almost entirely, I love him. He's wonderful and I'm running for Senate. And Dave McCormick, who is running in a swing state, is speaking a true swing state, a battleground, is speaking a little differently. But it all does speak to the fact that this is a good map in Republicans' minds for them, for the Senate, going into November, Democrats already had challenges. This is part of why there is such anxiety among Democrats about President Biden remaining at the top of the ticket. It is how it impacts all of these down-ballot races. Really, the House is now seen as the main frontier by a lot of Democrats. The Senate is seen as a very, very difficult terrain. But, this is why. BURNETT: And can I just say in that speech from Governor Justice, what stood out to us all as we were sitting here other than Babydog, but this got lost and under Babydog's voluminous self, sitting in the chair, was that Governor Justice said, vote for Trump because I went hunting with his son Eric, and he changed a tire. GOLDBERG: Yeah. I mean, I think it's -- BURNETT: Trying to humanize him. GOLDBERG: Yeah. It was silly fan service trying to make it sound like there's a closer connection between Donald Trump, the man and actual rural voters and Donald Trump. [19:55:07] But I am very confident he never changed a tire and did not teach his sons that. BURNETT: That was the implication, yeah. All right. SIMMONS: He said it. BURNETT: All right. All, thank you. Let's hand it over now to Jake Tapper. JAKE TAPPER, CNN HOST: Thank you so much, Erin Burnett, and we do have some breaking news right now. There is an op-ed that has been published in "The New York Times" from former New Jersey Republican Governor Chris Christie, who is -- has been quite critical of Donald Trump. In fact, one of the only people to run against Donald Trump for president in this last election cycle, and not turn around and endorse Donald Trump in that he criticizes the harsh rhetoric that is out there in the debate in America today. He says, Mr. Trump has the opportunity -- opportunity to rein in some of the worst rhetorical impulses of the Republican Party. At its convention this week, he can point to the party and its leadership in a new direction in the wake of an assassination attempt against him. But Mr. Christie writes, early indications are less than promising. Chris Christie goes on to say that the selection of Senator J.D. Vance of Ohio as Mr. Trumps running mate, quote, doubles down on the portion of the party already completely devoted to him rather than reaches out to the broader party and beyond. Mr. Vance's first reaction to the assassination attempt against Mr. Trump was to turn directly to the current flawed playbook, demonize the other side and lay the blame at the feet of the Democrats as if they had pulled the trigger themselves. Clearly, this is not a message of unity in the face of what could have been a national tragedy. But Mr. Christie goes on. Mr. Trump, President Trump can demonstrate the will to change, not just how we speak to one another, but also how we act. And it goes on from there. Dana Bash quite something for Chris Christie on the second night of the convention to publish an op-ed criticizing the selection of the running mate for Donald Trump. DANA BASH, CNN CHIEF POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: It sure is. As you mentioned, unlike Nikki Haley or Ron DeSantis, who are going to be speaking tonight and some of Donald Trump's 2016 rival, who will also be speaking tonight, Chris Christie, who was the first to endorse -- first former rival to endorse Donald Trump in 2016 is not only not here, he is not on board at all. And the fact that he wrote this not only about J.D. Vance and criticizing J.D. Vance as the pick as a decidedly from his perspective, uninspired choice because it doesn't expand the base and it doesn't expand the party. But on the notion of violence we have heard so many Republicans go after Democrats for their criticism of Republicans using language that perhaps now that some Democrats regret using, but what he's saying in here is, come on, everybody he didn't write this, but I'm trying to speak Chris Christie, stop clutching your pearls, everybody does it. Republicans do it. Democrats do it. Republicans, perhaps even more. He pointed specifically to January 6, made a connection between January 6 and the violence they are and the assassination attempt on the former president. And he is trying to get this perspective which has not been heard at all or voiced at all. Not only here in the hallway, but in the discussions and the echo chambers in and around conservative media. ABBY PHILLIP, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: For so many republic look ends right now, which are, there are many who are wondering if they should reconsider, perhaps not supporting Donald Trump. There are many Republicans -- never, never Trump Republicans, former Chris Christie voters, former Nikki Haley voters who are wondering what to do and they're seeing Nikki Haley and they're seeing Ron DeSantis tonight come on this stage and endorsed Donald Trump. Chris Christie is saying, what happened this weekend doesn't erase Trump's role in the political climate, the language that he uses against his political opponents which is over the top to say the least, but in some cases, points directly to violence, and in one case actually led directly to violence. So, he -- Christie seems to be very aware that this is a critical moment for all of those people, maybe it's some 25, 30 percent of the Republican Party. They're not thrilled with Donald Trump. He's sending a message to those people tonight that there is still an option to not back Trump even in this moment. TAPPER: Well, he's certainly sending the message that there's an option for Donald Trump to rise to this moment. PHILLIP: Yeah. TAPPER: I mean, I think that's one of the things that I'm taking away from this the Donald Trump can rise to this moment based on what I know Governor Christie thinks about Donald Trump. … CNN Live Event/Special Aired July 16, 2024 - 20:00 ET THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED. JAKE TAPPER, CNN HOST: …I don't sense that there's a lot of optimism about it. ABBY PHILLIP, CNN HOST: Yes. That's right. TAPPER: But he does seem to do it, but as Dana points out, Chris Christie not only refused to endorse Donald Trump, he refused to endorse Nikki Haley against Donald Trump because he thought Nikki Haley would ultimately come speak at this convention for Donald Trump, which is - PHILLIP: And he was - TAPPER: -- actually happening. The news continues right now. [20:00:23] TAPPER: Welcome to Milwaukee where this evening's convention program is already in full swing at 8:00 PM Eastern here. Delegates anticipating Donald Trump's expected return to the arena tonight with his running mate, Senator JD Vance of Ohio. We're watching it all from our anchor position above the convention hall. This is CNN's Special Live Convention Coverage. I am Jake Tapper, along with my friend and colleague, Anderson Cooper, and Anderson, and former trump rival, Nikki Haley is among the most highly anticipated speakers this evening. ANDERSON COOPER, CNN HOST: Yes, without a doubt she was Trump's last and most bitter primary opponent and took her time before finally supporting him, we are told she'll make the case to uncertain voters about why she's now voting for Trump. The Republicans are aiming to present a united front offering a stark, and perhaps intentional contrast to the Democrats' frayed public divisions over President Biden's candidacy right now. Jake, before Haley's remarks, there are some closely watched speeches coming up, of course, in this hour as well. TAPPER: Hi Anderson, we're starting -- standing by to hear from another former Trump rival who has become one of his biggest cheerleaders, businessman, Vivek Ramaswamy. Also, this hour, the House Speaker Mike Johnson, along with other top Republican leaders in Congress, among Donald Trump's most first fervent defenders on Capitol Hill. CNN's Boris Sanchez is just off-stage as those primetime speakers head to the podium. We also have Phil Mattingly and Kaitlan Collins on the convention floor. They're getting reaction from the delegates -- Anderson. COOPER: Jake, a lot to get to. We are waiting for Elise Stefanik, the House Republican Conference Chair to speak. We'll bring you her remarks here with the team. Scott, obviously, Nikki Haley -- probably the biggest speaker for tonight. SCOTT JENNINGS, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: Yes. Well, both of Trump's most successful rivals in the Republican Primary, Haley and Ron DeSantis and I think it's wise for them to be there. I think it was smart for Donald Trump to reach out. I don't think there's a lot of undecided Republicans left. But I do think this, what we saw last night and what we saw tonight with a continuation here is, Donald Trump's willingness to display the Republican Party is a big tent party, big enough for people that he has feuded with in the past, big enough for people that he has different policy ideas from, heck, even big enough for a union boss to stand on a stage and say, we may not agree on everything, but as the leader of this party and as the next president, I'm willing to invite you into a conversation. I think this juxtaposition of Trump, the convener versus Biden who is sort of campaign in chaos right now, to me, big picture, that's what I'm looking for tonight. VAN JONES, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: Well, last night was a little bit more fun than tonight is going to be. Last night you had Amber Rose, you had the leader that Teamsters talking about workers of the world unite, Florida Black congressman. Last night was great, tonight is going to suck because it's going to be all bashing immigrants and pretending like every blue city is just overrun by terrible people. And it's all going to be mostly false or exaggerated, and divisive and terrible. So, I hope yesterday was good. JONAH GOLDBERG, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: You really -- so stay tuned. JENNINGS: To give you an idea of how immigration is going for the Democratic Party, we present Van Jones, ladies and gentlemen. ALYSSA FARAH GRIFFIN, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: But keep in mind. So -- COOPER: Do we cue the Debbie Downers? GRIFFIN: But the theme tonight is Make America Safe Again and obviously, immigration is going to be front and center, but there's the National Security element, there's the international stage. And of course, the choice of JD Vance having someone like David Sacks kind of leaned into this isolationism. Are we going to stand with NATO? What is our position on the war in Ukraine? I'm going to be interested to see -- I do think that Nikki Haley is going to make the case for why Donald Trump is stronger in her mind on foreign policy than Joe Biden. But I'm curious if there is some specific tone she takes around NATO standing with allies and what the Republican Party should stand for, and how it will be received by the audience. This because this is Trump's Republican Party. it's not Nikki Haley's. So, if you're making the case for why America's leadership on the world stage matters, we'll see how this convention hall receives it. COOPER: Jonah? GOLDBERG: Yes, so, I agree entirely about Nikki Haley, if she's not allowed to make the forceful case for NATO and for America's role on the world, but David Sacks and those guys were allowed to do that on top of JD Vance being picked, who says he personally just doesn't care what happens to Ukraine, then that is a sign that the party is actually has -- is kind of a much smaller tent on foreign policy and stuck with this MAGA stuff. There is also a really interesting challenge for Vivek and for DeSantis, both of those guys wanted to be the sort of next generation MAGA guy, the heirs to Trumpism. [20:05:10] DeSantis ran in the primaries as the guy who was going to give you the Trumpism without Trump. He was going to deliver on the policy stuff. They've both just been supplanted by JD Vance as the heirs apparent and the guy who pushed JD Vance to get -- to become that person is Donald Trump, Jr., who also has some sort of scheme of being that. So, these guys need to figure out a way to reassert themselves as leaders of something in the party and how they do that is going to be interesting. COOPER: You think Donald Trump, Jr. is pushing JD Vance is also something Donald Trump, Jr. wants to be in politics? GOLDBERG: Yes, very much so. I think Donald Trump, Jr. has come to the conclusion probably rightly, that there is no political future for him in a party that isn't Vance-fied. It doesn't become a MAGA party and Vance is the way to secure that. I don't think Donald Trump, Jr. actually has a great political future ahead of him, but he doesn't know that yet. JENNINGS: I don't know. I just take the other side of that I -- of all the Trumps, I actually think Donald Trump, Jr. is the one who most authentically speaks, sort of the current language of Republicanism right now, on the sportsman stuff, on Second Amendment stuff, on -- I mean, he -- you know, his father was not a Republican. GOLDBERG: Yes. JENNINGS: For a long time, but Donald Trump, Jr., I think speaks the language and sort of exudes the modern Republican ethos, maybe better than any of them. I agree with you. He may not be long for elective politics, but in terms of being a kingmaker inside the Republican Party, I hear you. GOLDBERG: Yes, that's fair. KATE BEDINGFIELD, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: I think in some ways tonight is probably also a test of kind of, not just the unity message that Trump and the Republicans have been -- were trying to put on display last night. But also, I think we'll see a lot of tension tonight I would imagine between -- you know, Trump is kind of the dark vision of the contrary that he often paints, particularly on issues of immigration and crime. There's a lot of echoes of, you know, you remember from his first inaugural, the sort of carnage in America language. And I think their effort tonight is clearly going to be to try to paint the Biden administration as a failure on these issues, that people are feeling less safe. And so, how do they thread the needle in doing that in a way that doesn't sound like you're rooting against America, which is what winds up happening a lot when kind of the heart of Trumpism is on display. So, I think it will be -- it'll be interesting to see tonight how they navigate that talent. COOPER: It seems that though we're going to be hearing from Elise Stefanik so early on in the night. I mean, just as the sort of primetime coverage begins. She was actually a big critic of Donald Trump's back in 2016, even early on in his presidency. JONES: Well, she rose above it. BEDINGFIELD: You can put it that way. GRIFFIN: That's one way of framing it or she submitted to it. JENNINGS: I think we treat these people who were once critics who have come around like it's some bad thing. Isn't this a testament to Donald Trump's ability to bring people around? BEDINGFIELD: Or political ambition being a strikingly a motivating thing. JENNINGS: Everybody acting like this is a terrible thing for Donald Trump that people used to criticize him and now they are for him, and now they're helping him. And if you're trying to build a coalition to win an election, this is what you do. You bring in former rivals and you put them in the tent. JONES: You can see it that way and I think that that is in an abstract way of the truth. But the reality is, people are scared to be against Donald Trump because Donald Trump will smush you like a bug and be unfair and horrible to you and sic people on you on Twitter and every place else. And so, people are kind of forced to come along. GRIFFIN: Yes, his former vice president is nowhere to be seen, somebody who are loyally served him for four years and was arguably the most loyal person to him, because he broke with him on one thing. There is not a whole lot of room for dissent within the party, but one thing I keep an eye on that I think is so fascinating is this is also people gearing up for 2028. JONES: Yes. GRIFFIN: So, when people give speeches, when do they mention Trump or is it a lot about their record? I noticed Kristi Noem -- COOPER: Kristi Noem. GRIFFIN: -- noted dog killer having to make -- to really - JENNINGS: Baby dog. Baby dog. GOLDBERG: Notice they have the West Virginia governor on - JENNINGS: Yes. GRIFFIN: Yes. But that will be interesting, with DeSantis, how much of this is about Trump and his leadership versus what I did in Florida, especially with the governors that is interesting to watch. COOPER: Yes, also what you are looking at tonight? JENNINGS: Well, honestly, the Senate candidates that they have been -- and we've talked a lot about the presidential, but earlier tonight, we've already seen a couple of Senate candidates and it was alluded to by Adam Schiff, Democrat in California today that if we stick with Joe Biden, we are going to lose the White House for Democrats and the Senate and the House are gone and you're seeing this group of Republican Senate candidates at the convention, all of them have an excellent chance to win. They had a good chance to win, now they have an excellent chance to win, and you think about what it portends if Trump can get this thing and Republicans get control of both chambers, you could see major policy changes in this country and for Republicans on that floor, that will be thrilling for them. BEDINGFIELD: But it is interesting to see the divide though. I mean, you have, obviously we heard from Kari Lake, you have Bernie Moreno. I mean, you have a lot of these candidates who really represents the most extreme wing of Trumpism sort of out front here. [20:10:10] I think for Democrats in some of these races, like yes, the map for Democrats in the Senate is tough this year. They're defending redder states, purple states, and in some cases, very red states. There's no question the map is challenging, but I think what you will see on display, what you have seen tonight, and will continue to see is some of the most fervent element of Trumpism, which I think is -- it continues to be off putting to some of these moderate and swing voters. And I think that as this campaign plays out over the next three-and-a- half months and that sort of, that kind of most aggressive, most extremist wing of Trumpism is on display in these states, I think that's a little bit of a tougher climb than perhaps is being given credit for right now in this moment where the race is admittedly very volatile given a lot of the things that have happened over the last couple of weeks. JONES: I think -- COOPER: Elise Stefanik is walking out now. So, let's listen to what the Congresswoman is going to -- REP. ELISE STEFANIK (R-NY): Good evening, Milwaukee. (CHEERING AND APPLAUSE) We always say that this is the most important election in our lifetime, but we know deep down, this one truly is, our Constitution and the soul of our very nation are on the ballot. Under Joe Biden, the American people have suffered crisis after crisis. From the Biden border, the most wide-open border in our nation's history, to Bidenflation the highest rate of inflation in my lifetime, devastating. Hardworking families with skyrocketing prices for groceries, gas, and utilities, to Biden's violent crime crisis fueled by Democrats pro- criminal sanctuary cities, and defund the police policies like we have seen in my home state of New York. All while, corrupt Democrat prosecutors and judges wage illegal and unconstitutional lawfare against President Trump in an effort to do Joe Biden's political bidding. And around the world, the feckless and failed Joe Biden has caused chaos, weakening our National Security. From the catastrophic withdrawal from Afghanistan to Putin's invasion of Ukraine, to Hamas' terrorist attack against our most precious ally, Israel. And let me ask you a question, what has been the response from the radical left on our college campuses, vile antisemitism, chanting "Death to Israel, Death to Jews, Death to America." This is Joe Biden's Democratic Party. Who saw that congressional hearing with the college presidents of so- called elite universities? Oh, wait, they are former presidents. (CHEERING AND APPLAUSE) You know, I asked one simple question at that hearing. It was not a political question, it was a moral question and that was this: Does calling for the genocide of Jews violate your university's Code of Conduct? And one after the other, after the other, said it depends on the context. Let me tell you, America knows, it does not depend on the context. (CHEERING AND APPLAUSE) President Trump will bring back moral leadership to the White House, condemning antisemitism, and standing strong with Israel and the Jewish people. (CHEERING AND APPLAUSE) President Trump will once again deliver the most secure border in our nation's history and unleash the American economy and he will bring peace through strength as commander-in-chief, standing with our allies and causing our enemies to fear us. President Trump has done it before and he will do it again. (CHEERING AND APPLAUSE) This November, we are counting on you, we the people to save America by electing President Donald J. Trump. (CHEERING AND APPLAUSE) It is clear for the whole world to see nothing, absolutely nothing will stop President Trump from standing and fighting for our great country, and I have been proud to always stand in the breach during the toughest moments for President Trump. [20:15:05] From leading the charge against illegal impeachments, to standing for election integrity to unifying House Republicans to proudly being the first member of Congress to endorse him for re-election. And as we embark on the difficult path ahead to save America, call upon Galatians 6:9 "And let us not grow weary of doing good for in due season, we will reap if we do not give up." We the people will never give up on President Trump and we will never give up on the United States of America. God bless you. God bless President Donald J. Trump and God bless the United States of America (CHEERING AND APPLAUSE) COOPER: Elise Stefanik, the Republican from New York. Just ahead, we are awaiting remarks from more top House Republicans, including Speaker Mike Johnson. Awesome question, can Nikki Haley persuade any skeptical Republicans to vote for Donald Trump? Standing by her remarks for the most important speeches of the night. (COMMERCIAL BREAK) [20:20:10] TAPPER: We are live in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where the second night of the Republican National Convention is underway. We are awaiting Donald Trump's arrival here at the convention hall. Let's listen in to top House Republican leaders on the convention stage. Right now, we are hearing from the house majority with Congressman Tom Emmer from Minnesota. Let's listen in. REP. TOM EMMER (R-MN): We are going to make America great again. God bless you. May God continue to bless Donald Trump and his family and God bless America. (CHEERING AND APPLAUSE) ANNOUNCER: Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome the Majority leader of the United States House of Representatives, Congressman Steve Scalise of Louisiana. (CHEERING AND APPLAUSE) (PEOPLE CHANTING "USA") REP. STEVE SCALISE (R-LA): God bless each and every one of you. I'm House Majority Leader Steve Scalise from the great state of Louisiana. (CHEERING AND APPLAUSE) I was born in New Orleans, so, I've seen some crazy things in my time. But New Orleans has nothing on Washington, DC these past four years. Joe Biden and Kamala Harris have spent your tax dollars trashing America's finances in ways no sane or sober-minded person ever would. Let's talk energy, they have eroded the American energy dominance that President Trump delivered. Joe Biden approved the Nord Stream pipeline for Russia, but he killed the Keystone pipeline here at home. Thousands -- thousands of American jobs gone. (BOOING) It doesn't end there. Biden let Iran and Venezuela export their oil, but he stopped liquefied natural gas exports here in America. President Biden is not done. President Biden waived taxes on Chinese solar panels, but he raised taxes on Americans. When we elect Donald Trump as our next president and expand our Republican House Majority, we will end the Democrat's assault on American energy once and for all. (CHEERING AND APPLAUSE) Now let's look at taxes. Biden and Harris want a $5 trillion tax hike. In our first hundred days, President Trump and the Republican majority will make the Trump tax cuts permanent. (CHEERING AND APPLAUSE) And yes, we will end taxes on tips and deliver another tax cut for working families. On the border, Biden and Harris opened it up to the entire world. Prisons are being emptied, President Trump and the Republican majority will re-pass HR 2, the strongest border security bill in decades. We will lock down the border, and yes, we will finish building the wall. (PEOPLE CHANTING "BUILD THAT WALL") On voting, our most sacred right as citizens, voting. Biden and Harris want illegals to vote now that they've opened up the border. Republicans will repass the Save Act to block illegal aliens from voting in our elections. On foreign policy, Biden and Harris brought us weakness and war. President Trump and the Republican Majority will begin rebuilding our military and will end the woke indoctrination in its ranks. We will restore American power and peace. On education, Biden and Harris oppose school choice. They actually investigated parents at school boards. [20:25:03] President Trump and the Republican majority will pass legislation expanding school choice and will repass the Parents' Bill of Rights. Parents should be free to choose what their children are taught and where. Now lastly, I need to say something about Saturday's attempt on President Trump's life. Many of you know I was the survivor of a politically motivated shooting in 2017. Not many know that while I was fighting for my life, Donald Trump was one of the first to come console my family at the hospital. (CHEERING AND APPLAUSE) That is the kind of leader he is -- courageous under fire, compassionate towards others. Let's put Donald Trump back in the White House this November, so we can make America great again. God bless you. (CHEERING AND APPLAUSE) May Donald Trump continue to receive God's blessing and God bless this great United States of America. (CHEERING AND APPLAUSE) ANNOUNCER: Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, Mike Johnson of Louisiana. (CHEERING AND APPLAUSE) REP. MIKE JOHNSON (R-LA): Good evening, my friends. What an amazing crowd and what a great time it is to unite our party and to send President Donald Trump back to the White House. That's what we're going to do. (CHEERING AND APPLAUSE) But we're not just uniting as Republicans, we are uniting today as Americans, in the wake of the assassination attempt on the life of President Trump. Everyone hear me clearly and listen to me at home and make no mistake, the House is conducting an immediate and thorough investigation of these tragic events. (CHEERING AND APPLAUSE) And that work has already begun. The American people deserve to know the truth and we will ensure accountability, I promise you that. I promise you that. This has always been an important principle to us. We, in the Republican Party are the law-and-order team. We always have been and we always will be the advocates for the rule of law and we all know that that principle as well as many others is in serious jeopardy today. So, we've come to a moment in America, where the basic things that we once took for granted, are being openly challenged like never before. My friends, we are no longer just in a battle between two opposing political parties. We are, but it's not just Rs versus Ds anymore, we are now in the midst of a struggle between two completely different visions of who we are as Americans and what our country will be. The Republican Party stands for the foundational truths that made America the greatest nation in the history of the world. We are the most free, the most powerful, the most benevolent nation that has ever been, it is not even close. It's not even close. But we have no guarantee that this grand experiment itself governance can endure, unless we respond to the call to keep it. Two hundred forty-eight years ago, we boldly proclaimed in our Declaration that all men are created equal, not born equal, created equal, and that were endowed by our creator with certain inalienable rights. See, we understand that our rights do not come from government, they come from God. (CHEERING AND APPLAUSE) There's another thing that we recognize. We recognize that we are made in His image and because of that, every single person has inestimable dignity and value and your value is not related in any way to the color of your skin, what zip code you live in, where you come from, what your talents are, or what you can contribute to society. Your value is inherent, because it is given to you by your Creator. That's what we stand for. (CHEERING AND APPLAUSE) I speak a lot about what I call the seven core principles of American conservatism. What do we stand for as Republicans they want to know? I think it boils down to a few things, individual freedom, limited government, the rule of law, peace through strength, fiscal responsibility, free markets, and human dignity. Indeed, those are the seven core principles of American conservatism. But they're actually the -- the core principles of our republic itself. [20:30:15] And while they resonate in our hearts and in the hearts of most Americans, listen to me. The radical woke progressive left has disdain for those principles, all right? They have a very different vision for what America should become. They want to tear down those foundations and remold us into some sort of borderless, lawless, Marxist, socialist utopia. We're here to say, not on our watch. We will not allow that to happen. (CHEERING) (APPLAUSE) JOHNSON: It was just three weeks ago that Kelly and I dropped off our oldest son at the Naval Academy. (CHEERING) (APPLAUSE) JOHNSON: And -- that's right. (CHEERING) (APPLAUSE) JOHNSON: And in four years, he'll graduate. And he'll join the 1.3 million active duty service members who bravely defend our country. (CHEERING) JOHNSON: We're so proud of Jack and all our children. But like most parents today, we're concerned about their future. America can't risk four more years of Joe Biden's weakness that has invited so much aggression by our enemies. We can't survive the dramatic increases in violence, crime and drugs that the Democrats policies have brought upon our communities. And we cannot allow the many millions of illegal aliens they've allowed to cross our borders to harm our citizens, drain our resources, or disrupt our elections. We will not allow it. (CHEERING) (APPLAUSE) JOHNSON: My friends were watching the principles of faith, family and freedom that wants to find our nation now being trampled underfoot by the radical left. As President Trump raised his fist and gave a rally cry on Saturday. Now is our time to fight and we will. (CHEERING) (APPLAUSE) (CHANTING) JOHNSON: We're in a fateful battle of ideas, my friends, and we have to recognize that. But in this battle, and in November, the American people will reject the party of self-destruction. And they will elect the party of peace and prosperity and opportunity. The GOP will grow our House majority. We will take back the Senate and we will return Donald J. Trump to the White House. (CHEERING) (APPLAUSE) JOHNSON: And standing arm in arm, we will make America safe again. (CHEERING) (APPLAUSE) JOHNSON: Listen, we -- we reach out tonight to everyone watching at home, we invite all Americans who believe in the promise of our great nation to join us in this fateful battle. We can, and we will reverse this current decline. We can restore our founding principles, and we can preserve this exceptional nation that God has entrusted to us. And what Abraham Lincoln referred to as the last, best hope of man on the earth. Thank you so much. God bless you. God bless our troops. And God bless America. (CHEERING) (APPLAUSE) UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Ladies and gentlemen, now please welcome businessman, Vivek Ramaswamy of Ohio. (CHEERING) (APPLAUSE) VIVEK RAMASWAMY (BUSINESSMAN): I Love it. Thank you guys. Thank you for the warm welcome. It's good to be back in Milwaukee. This time last year, I was the candidate for U.S. president, and I'm proud to say that I achieved the impossible, which is that most of you actually know how to say my name by now, so. So thank you for that. (CHEERING) (APPLAUSE) RAMASWAMY: It's good to be back. We're in the middle of a national identity crisis right now. Faith, patriotism, hard work, and family have disappeared, only to be replaced by race, gender, sexuality and climate. But we're not going to win this election just by criticizing the other side. We're going to win this by standing for our own vision of who we really are. What does it mean to be a Republican in the year 2024? What does it mean to be an American in the year 2024? [20:35:09] It means we believe in the ideals of 1776. It means we believe in merit that you get ahead in this country, not on the color of your skin, but on the content of your character and your contributions. (CHEERING) (APPLAUSE) RAMASWAMY: It means we believe in the rule of law, and I say this as the kid of legal to this country. That means your first act of entering this country cannot break the law. That is why we will seal the Southern border on day one. Thank you. (CHEERING) (APPLAUSE) RAMASWAMY: It means the people who we elect to run the government ought to be the ones who actually run the government, not unelected bureaucrats in the deep state. These are not Black ideas or White ideas. They are not even Democrat ideas or Republican ideas. They are American ideas that we fought a revolution to secure. And the man who will revive these ideals in the United States of America is your next President, the 47th President of the United States, Donald J. Trump. (CHEERING) (APPLAUSE) RAMASWAMY: If you want to seal the border, vote Trump. If you want to restore law and order in this country, vote Trump. CROWD: Vote Trump. RAMASWAMY: If you want to reignite the economy in this country, vote Trump. CROWD: Vote Trump. RAMASWAMY: If you want to revive national pride in this country, vote Trump. CROWD: Vote Trump. RAMASWAMY: If you want to make America great again, vote Trump. CROWD: Vote Trump. RAMASWAMY: But there is one more reason I'm going to ask you to vote Trump, and it's the most important one. It's the one the media won't talk about, but it's the truth. Donald Trump is the President who will actually this country, not through empty words, but through action because you know what? Success is unifying. Excellence is unifying. That's who we are as Americans. That's who we've always been. To those of you watching this at home tonight, I'd like to deliver a message that the media doesn't want you to hear from the Republican Party. Our message to Black Americans is this. The media has tried to convince you for decades that Republicans don't care about your communities, but we do. We want for you what we want for every American, safe neighborhoods, clean streets, good jobs, a better life for your children, and a justice system that treats everyone equally, regardless of your skin color and regardless of your political beliefs. (CHEERING) (APPLAUSE) RAMASWAMY: Our message to every legal immigrant in this country is this. You're like my parents. You deserve the opportunity to secure a better life for your children in America. But our message to illegal immigrants is also this. We will return you to your country of origin, not because you're all bad people, but because you broke the law, and the United States of America was founded on the rule of law. (CHEERING) (APPLAUSE) RAMASWAMY: Our message to millennials, speaking as one myself, yes, it's true. Our government sold us a false bill of goods with the Iraq war and the 2008 financial crisis, loading up our national debt that falls on our generation's shoulders, telling us that if we took out college loans, we'd somehow get a head start on the American dream when it hasn't worked out that way. But we can't just be cynical about our country because the United States of America is still the last best hope that we have, and we deserve a better class of politician, one who actually tells us the truth, even if it comes with some mean tweets from time to time. (CHEERING) (APPLAUSE) RAMASWAMY: Our message to Gen Z is this. You're going to be the generation that actually saves this country. You want to be a rebel? You want to be a hippie? You want to stick it to the man? Show up on your college campus and try calling yourself a conservative. (CHEERING) (APPLAUSE) RAMASWAMY: Say you want to get married, have kids, teach them to believe in God and pledge allegiance to their country because you know what? Fear has been infectious in this country, but courage can be contagious, too. That, too, is what it means to be an American. (CHEERING) (APPLAUSE) [20:40:03] RAMASWAMY: And you know what? If you're at home and you disagree with everything I just said, our message to you is this, we will still defend to the death your right to say it because that is who we are as Americans. (CHEERING) (APPLAUSE) RAMASWAMY: We are the country where we can disagree like hell and still get together at the dinner table at the end of it. That is the America I know. That is the America we miss. We do not have to be ancient Rome. We don't have to be this nation in decline. We can still be a nation in our ascent, a nation whose best days, not in some fake politician way, but in a true way, a nation whose best days are actually still ahead of us, still on our way to that shining city on a hill, that country where no matter who you are or where your parents came from or what your skin color is or how long your last name is -- (LAUGH) RAMASWAMY: -- that you will still get ahead in this country with your own hard work, your own commitment, your own dedication, and that you know what? You are free to speak your mind at every step of the way. That is the American dream. That is what won us, the American Revolution. (CHEERING) (APPLAUSE) RAMASWAMY: That is what reunited us after the Civil War. That is what won us, two world wars and the Cold War. That is what still gives hope to the free world. If we can revive that dream over group identity and victimhood and grievance, then nobody in the world, not a nation, not a corporation, not a virus, not China, is going to defeat us. That is what American exceptionalism is all about. (CHEERING) (APPLAUSE) RAMASWAMY: And that is what we will revive this November when we send Donald J. Trump back to the White House. Thank you all. God bless you and your families. And may God bless our United States of America. Thank you. Thank you. (CHEERING) (APPLAUSE) COOPER: Vivek Ramaswamy, briefly a Republican presidential candidate. He talked about millennials. He talked about Gen Z. Jonah Goldberg is the correspondence for Generation X. What now? What do you make of his speech? GOLDBERG: I find Vivek Ramaswamy exhausting. I think he is, you know, Jesse Jackson once said of Bill Clinton that the problem with him is, he says, I think I can work with him, but when you look into him, all you see is appetite. And I think that's an unfair comparison to Vivek -- to -- to Bill Clinton compared to Vivek Ramaswamy, because Vivek Ramaswamy seems like appetite with a very large forehead to me. And I don't believe his sincerity on anything. And -- but he's very good at telling people who want to like him what they want to hear. And he's -- he's -- he's another one of these younger guys who is a very old person's idea of what they want young people to be like. And he's mastered that shtick, and I do think it's shtick. JONES: You know, I -- he's a demagogue. He's just a demagogue. He's good at it, though that whole vote Trump, vote Trump. I mean I was taking notes. That -- that -- that works, you know. You're going to, you know, try to -- UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Getting persuaded? JONES: I -- I was not. But I mean look, he's -- he's -- I don't like the patronizing stuff about black folks. They -- they're trying hard to reach black folks, and I just think they don't understand. We didn't miss the fact that the Republican Party, the Party of Lincoln, a party that started as a radical anti-slavery party, became a safe haven for some white nationalists that have not been aggressively shown the door yet. We didn't miss that. African-Americans are one of the most politically sophisticated and engaged populations in the country. When people say, act like we're dumb, we just somehow missed that there are people in the Republican Party who have been unfriendly. You just lose the audience from the -- from the door with that. There's a whole bunch of other stuff that he said that it just sounds like he's reading stuff out the crackerjack box that he thinks somebody's going to like. But there's no prize in the bottom because it's all shallow to me and being soulless, but that's just my view. BEDINGFIELD: I think to that point a little bit, I mean there was a lot in there about rule of law. There was this constant hammering of rule of law, and, you know, he talked about, you know, the border. And if you break the law, we're sending you back, rule of law, rule of law. I don't -- that is an incredibly rich message coming from a party that has spent the last year, you know, essentially like tearing down the justice system in this country, saying it's politicized, saying, you know, Trump shouldn't be -- Trump should be above the law has really been their argument. So I think there is a fundamental -- COOPER: Plus, the insurrection. BEDINGFIELD: There's -- well, plus, the insurrection. So I actually think there's a fundamental tension there in that argument that's -- it -- it's -- it not particularly well delivered from the Vivek there, but also I think it's going to be a problem for Republicans if that's where they're hanging their hat. [20:45:06] COOPER: Scott, quickly, then we go. JENNINGS: There's a reason he finished a distant fourth in the Iowa caucus, because the more he talks, the less people like him. And so I'm glad the speech was relatively short. BEDINGFIELD: Still felt long, though. COOPER: Expect Donald -- Donald Trump and J.D. Vance to arrive in the Convention Hall soon as we head into a critical hour with two of the most anticipated speakers on stage, Nikki Haley and Ron DeSantis, promoting the man they fought hard to defeat during the primary. Don't go away. (COMMERCIAL BREAK) TAPPER: Milwaukee, the center of the political universe for Republicans right now. Convention goers are waiting for the arrival of their nominee, Donald Trump, as well as his running mate, freshly announced Senator J.D. Vance. We expect to see both of them soon, along with some of the other top speakers this evening, including former Trump rivals such as Governor Nikki Haley and Governor Ron DeSantis. Phil Mattingly is on the convention floor right now. Mayor Eric Johnson of Dallas is speaking right now. Phil, what do we know about the arrival of Trump and Vance? [20:50:02] PHIL MATTINGLY, CNN CHIEF DOMESTIC CORRESPONDENT: Well, at this point, Jake, we know the former President is on his way to the convention, on his way to the arena. We expect to see him shortly. We also expect to see his vice presidential candidate, J.D. Vance, expected to come in one after the other. And we have a sense of that right now. We're seeing the security ramp up in the entryway that he came through last night, and also the people that are filling the VIP box. Right now, you have Eric Trump, who just walked in. Corey Lewandowski, his former campaign manager, is up there. Congressional allies like Elise Stefanik and Matt Gaetz are up there as well, all awaiting his arrival. And it's fascinating decision to be here, to watch what's coming up in the course of the next hour. As you mentioned, Nikki Haley, Ron DeSantis, former 2024 rivals, will be speaking, late invites to speak on the stage. But also Senator Ted Cruz, who, Jake, as you remember quite well, in Cleveland, eight years ago, refused to endorse the former President in his speech. There was also some type of fight on the floor, short-lived, got a fight on the floor. And it's a full in terms of turn towards what this moment is for the Republican Party, which is a very different moment, fully unified behind the former President, pushing forward to what they believe will be a victory in November. But we do after a very, very big moment last night where vice presidential candidate was named and sat with the former President as he was seen for the first time by a large crowd since that attempt on his life. He will have another one of those moments tonight as the former President watches two of his fiercest rivals from 2024 and one of his fiercest rivals from 2016. TAPPER: All right, Phil Mattingly, thanks so much. Chris Wallace, it is one of the most fascinating parts of covering conventions to see people who once used to tell voters how incredibly ill-equipped their nominee was to be president of the United States to come up there, whether it's Hillary Clinton extolling Barack Obama, George H. W. Bush, who called Reaganomics voodoo economics, or tonight, Nikki Haley and Ron DeSantis talking about what a wonderful, wonderful candidate Donald Trump is. CHRIS WALLACE, CNN ANCHOR: It's just politics, Jake. And, you know, in the case of Nikki Haley, during the course of the campaign, she called Trump diminished, unhinged, that he was a chaos agent and stayed in the race a lot longer than Donald Trump wanted her to. She dropped out in March. One of the reasons I think she may be the most important speech tonight is because she has a real following, even after she dropped out in what people call a zombie candidacy in March, she continued to pick up a lot of voters. I know that you're interested in the state of Pennsylvania. TAPPER: Commonwealth. The Commonwealth -- WALLACE: Oh, my gosh. I'll never say it again. I've been practicing that all night, and I screwed it up. But in any case, she got 158,000 votes. TAPPER: Yes, yes. WALLACE: He got 16 percent of the vote there. And in some of the collar counties, I did a deep dive in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. TAPPER: Nice. WALLACE: In the collar counties, suburban counties around Philadelphia, she was picking up 20, 25 percent of the vote. Those are votes that one would think might be up for grabs between Joe Biden and Donald Trump. If she comes out here tonight and supposedly is going to give the reasons why, yes, even Nikki Haley voters should support Donald Trump, it'll be helpful to it. DANA BASH, CNN ANCHOR: And I'll just add, just quickly, a source with knowledge of -- of Haley's speech says that she will address the voters who are uncertain about voting for President Trump and make the case for why she is voting for him. KASIE HUNT, CNN ANCHOR: Yes. Well, and as someone from the suburbs of Pennsylvania -- Philadelphia, originally. And -- WALLACE: The Commonwealth. HUNT: Once made the mistake of writing in a script for Jake Tapper's show, The State of Pennsylvania, which was a mistake I never made it. There are a ton of people I grew up with a lot of them. It is an area, and -- and these are the kinds of voters, and they are -- they are not just in the suburbs of Philadelphia. They are also in the suburbs of Atlanta, and the suburbs of Phoenix, and the suburbs of Chicago, and other places obviously -- TAPPER: The suburbs of Milwaukee, where we are right now. HUNT: The suburbs of Milwaukee. These are people that have relatively traditional small sea conservative tendencies. They have trouble voting for Democrats, and, yes, they cannot stomach, have not been able to stomach Donald Trump. And this is exactly where President Biden's troubles collide with what Trump has experienced over the course of the last -- DAVID AXELROD, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: You know, if this is the a real question about whether these votes were totally an affirmation for Nikki Haley or protest votes against Donald Trump. TAPPER: By the way, just to interrupt -- just to interrupt for one second, David, and I'm coming back to you. It's just on the floor. People see the vice presidential nominee, Senator J.D. Vance, a Republican of Ohio, only about 18 months into his first term as an elected official, coming in the crowd, obviously excited about him and giving him a hero's welcome. I'm sorry, Axe. Go ahead. AXELROD: That's okay. No, the -- I mean, the predicate of her campaign was about fiscal discipline and robust internationalism and -- and particularly support for Ukraine. All the things that she ran on have been trampled over at this convention. So she's got some explaining to do when she comes here tonight, if she is addressing those people who are supporting her in those primaries. [20:55:21] JOHN KING, CNN ANCHOR: I think it's fascinating to wait to see how specific she is about that, because Speaker Johnson also came up for aid to Ukraine, was a key player to get to Ukraine through, was briefed by the White House, and came around on that issue. He didn't mention it. AXELROD: He didn't mention it. KING: But -- but here's the point about Nikki Haley. That man right there on your screen, J.D. Vance, that is proof the Trump people think they will get enough of those voters. They will get the Republican DNA voters in the Pennsylvania, Philadelphia suburbs, but they are more concerned we're turning out MAGA voters. They made a choice in their vice presidential pick. They made a choice in the tone of this convention. They've made a choice in who's in the box right now, Sarah Sanders, Marjorie Taylor Greene -- TAPPER: Yes. Look at that, Sarah Huckabee Sanders, the governor of Arkansas, former Trump communications director. Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene, the firebrand -- KING: Matt Gaetz is down there as well. Let -- let's not overcomplicate this. The Trump team has made a choice that they can win their way. And if Haley helps, great. If DeSantis helps, great. That's a little bit of math on the margins, but they think they're going to do it their way. AXELROD: And let -- let's be clear, this is not -- this convention that is the Unity Convention it's really more, and Tim Alberto from "The Atlantic" and I were talking about this, really more about surrender than unity. And tonight, several of the former President Trump's opponents are coming here basically to surrender. Scott Jennings talked earlier about the big tent. Well, his mentor, Mitch McConnell stood up under this big tent yesterday and got roundly booed. HUNTL He is not welcome in the tent anymore. DAVID URBAN, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: So the question I have is -- is -- and I guess the answer you guys will say, no. If Nikki Haley didn't run that zombie campaign, if she would have dropped out much, much earlier and -- and kind of, you know, supplicated and supported former President Trump, do you think that the decision yesterday, announcement yesterday might have been different? HUNT: Maybe. URBAN: I think it might have been different. I think she might have been the -- she might have been the -- the vice presidential pick. HUNT: I'm very skeptical of that. TAPPER: Let me just -- I want to go down to the floor. Kaitlan Collins has an update on the attempted communication between Vice President Kamala Harris and vice presidential nominee J.D. Vance. They did not overlap in the U.S. Senate, we should note. But Kaitlan, I know the vice president reached out to J.D. Vance to congratulate him. She was not able to reach him. Do you have an update? KAITLAN COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: Yes, Jake, obviously, they finally have spoken now. Obviously, to -- to the point that you were making, they did not overlap in the Senate. J.D. Vance is a relative newcomer to Capitol Hill. But this is notable because these two will come face to face on the debate stage. That is something that we are told Senator Vance and Vice President Harris agreed to during a brief, but as he described it, cordial and gracious call that he had with Harris. He talked about the fact that we reported yesterday, Harris had been trying to get in touch with him after it was announced that he was going to be Donald Trump's running mate. And he said that he essentially was getting so many phone calls right when that was announced by Trump on Truth Social a little over 24 hours ago, Jake, that it was one unknown number, and he did not recognize it, did not answer it. It ended up being Vice President Harris trying to get in touch with him. He later described to "Newsmax" their phone call saying that he did believe it was cordial. Obviously, these are two people who pretty much disagree on policy issue, Jake. But it does stand out that today they were able to have that phone call this afternoon. They did agree to have that debate, that vice presidential debate that is scheduled for September, which will obviously be notable. And I'll just tell you, Jake, from my reporting that when Trump was looking at his prospects of vice presidential nominees, Marco Rubio, Doug Burgum, and J.D. Vance, he was told by multiple allies that they believe J.D. Vance would likely fare the best against Harris in a debate. Obviously, she's a former prosecutor, former attorney General of California. We saw her debate Mike Pence, and now it will be her and J.D. Vance on that stage if things go as expected, Jake. TAPPER: All right, Kaitlan Collins, thanks so much. John King? KING: I just want to make one more point about this is Trump's party, and he is sending a message to Nikki Haley and everybody else. He's grateful for her speaking tonight. Don't get me wrong. But Monday night, if you go to the traditional platform, Monday night is the keynote speech. They let a union leader stand there and give the longest speech of the light, and he trashed the Republican Party. He trashed the establishment of Republican Party. He trashed the chamber of commerce. He trashed the business roundtable. He trashed the traditional foundational elements of the Republican Party. And Trump sat in the box with Vance, loving it, loving it. That's a message to the party, and it's a message to anyone speaking tonight. I'm in charge. You're welcome. Be nice to me. WALLACE: Can we talk a little bit about what we're seeing right here? On the left, you see the vice presidential nominee, J.D. Vance. On the right, you see Elise Stefanik. Vance, a graduate of Harvard law School -- [21:00:00] … CNN Live Event/Special Aired July 16, 2024 - 21:00 ET THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED. … KASIE HUNT, CNN HOST: Yale. Yes. WALLACE: Yale Law School, rather. Yeah. And Stefanik, a graduate of Harvard. HUNT: Not that far apart, in fact, in time. WALLACE: Stefanik, was a George W. Bush, Paul Ryan, Mitt Romney Republican who couldn't have been more moderate. She was the head of a group called the Thursday Group, which was a very much a moderate House Republican group. She came to power as the head of the House Republican Conference when Liz Cheney was, in effect, drummed out of the party and she took it over and then fully took on. [21:00:00] DAVID AXELROD, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: There isn't anybody, there isn't anybody who represents the transition of the Republican Party more fully than her. Because she started off, she worked in the Bush White House. WALLACE: Right. AXELROD: She started off as a moderate and then realized she might lose a primary. And then she saw some, you know, potential profit in being a Trump advocate. (CROSSTALK) AXELROD: only person in the House -- WALLACE: -- would be JD Vance, David, because he was -- (CROSSTALK) HUNT: She is definitely back in the stage there, this is phenomenon. WALLACE: -- a Yale Law school graduate who couldn't have been more critical of Donald Trump in 2016. HUNT: Yeah. And I'm sorry, Chris, I didn't mean to talk over. I'm just having trouble hearing you. There is this phenomenon of people -- I mean, if you look at the Ivy League, particularly the Ivy League law schools at this period of time, the age of Elise Stefanik and JD Vance, there are a number of them. And Joe Biden will be the first person to say that people come out of the Ivy Leagues and they go on to run the United States of America. They have kind of collectively had this transformation. DANA BASH , CNN CHIEF POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: Sorry, Kasie , we're just missing a -- HUNT: Oh, the dance video, oh, no. WALLACE: This is something that they've been showing quite a bit, is Donald Trump's interesting -- BASH: Playlist. JAKE TAPPER, CNN HOST: -- interesting choreography. It's been described in various -- HUNT: He's obsessed with this BASH: This is a rally staple. HUNT: Yes. BASH: This is Trump rally staple. HUNT: He is obsessed with this "Village People" song, which may be -- (CROSSTALK) WALLACE: And we're not -- UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's a great mashup. You got to tell. WALLACE: An entire floor of the Republican conventions doing what Billy Crystal called the "white man's overbite" when Harry Met Sally. TAPPER: It used to be, I think, that Bruce Springsteen's "Born in the USA" was the most misconstrued song played at a Republican convention. AXELROD: Yeah. TAPPER: But I think possibly YMCA by the Village People might actually take the crown away. BASH: It's not even close, Jake. This is number one right now. AXELROD: Can I just take a minute? Sometime during this week, I wanted to applaud your cultural fluency. You have interpreted every song for us. UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Don't butter it above that. (CROSSTALK) TAPPER: We used to work at VH1. David Urban, you were making a point before when I had to interrupt -- DAVID URBAN, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: Yeah, I was just going to say where you were talking about who's in the box. We missed a little kerfuffle today. Matt Gaetz is in the box. TAPPER: Hold on one second, David, I promise I'll come back to you. But here he is himself, the nominee, still wearing the bandage from the assassination attempt. URBAN: And Jake, I just say, look, it's like a Dana White walking down the UFC. That's what it -- that's what it -- that's the vibe it gives off. Right? Like a fighter coming to the gate -- TAPPER: I don't think that's an accident David. URBAN: -- coming to the octagon. Right? TAPPER: I don't think that's an accident. URBAN: I don't -- I don't think it is. TAPPER: Let's listen to him. BASH: All right, Jake, go on this song. Jake? "R.O.C.K. In The U.S.A." TAPPER: I thought this is, "What I Like About You." BASH: Oh, you're right, "What I Like About You." You are right. TAPPER: By the Romantics. URBAN: Look at that right to the camera. WALLACE: Can I say, it's a different Donald Trump than it was yesterday. Much less sober, much more Donald Trump as we have seen him over the years. URBAN: A little more energized. WALLACE: Absolutely. TAPPER: David. OK, back to you, and I promise not to interrupt this time. URBAN: I was going to say, with Matt Gaetz had mentioned that Matt Gaetz was in the box. Earlier today Matt Gaetz and Kevin McCarthy had a kerfuffle on the floor, for lack of a better word -- TAPPER: In the middle of Kaitlan Collins interviewing Kevin McCarthy. URBAN: Yeah. I'm not sure that everybody got to see. But Matt Gaetz went up to Kevin McCarthy during his interview and screamed at him and said, what is your speaking slot tonight? Kind of mocked him. It was a -- it was kind of a moment if people didn't get to see it. I'm sure it lives on the -- on the Internet. AXELROD: This would be so difficult, you know. TAPPER: It was a pretty ugly moment between McCarthy and Gaetz. BASH: I mean, look at these two men together. I agree with you, Chris. A very different vibe last night. AXELROD: Yeah. Tonight. Yeah. BASH: It was intended as a hero's welcome. He was very subdued. Now it's, it's party time. That's what they're -- HUNT: Its celebratory. BASH: Yeah, celebratory. That's what they're trying to give off. WALLACE: And this is the vintage Donald Trump that either people had no one love or no one don't love. URBAN: And it's interesting who's in the box, right? It's mostly House members you can see there. Not a lot of Senators. I didn't see Senator Scott. BASH: But it's also lot of the firebrands. TAPPER: Yeah. BASH: Which is -- URBAN: But Tom Emmer -- Tom Emmer, you know, and Elise are more mainstream firebrands. You have Matt Gaetz and Marjorie Taylor Greene, of course there. BASH: Yeah. AXELROD: By the way, one of the interesting things about Emmer's remarks earlier was he zeroed in on Kamala Harris. And it felt to me a little bit like, you know what, maybe we better hedge our bets just a little bit. BASH: And he also -- TAPPER: Yeah, that was interesting. That was an interesting note. Yeah. [21:05:00] BASH: Sorry. Quickly talk about why the president is here tonight. The former president is here tonight. He's here tonight because he wants to make a point to be in the hall when his former rivals, particularly Nikki Haley, give their speeches. AXELROD: This goes back to the surrender notion. TAPPER: So the theme of the night is "Make America Safe Again." And so we're going to hear a lot about crime, we're going to hear a lot about -- we're going to hear a lot about the border. We're going to hear a lot about illegal immigration. These are issues that are bread and butter issues for the Trump campaign as far back as 2015 and even before then, before we ever actually entered elected office. And some of the people that we're going to hear from, coming up, Senator Ted Cruz, obviously a big rival turned convert to the Trump cause. We're going to hear from Nikki Haley, Governor Ron DeSantis. We're also going to hear from some real hardliners in the Senate, including Senator Eric Schmitt of Missouri and Senator Tom Cotton of Arkansas, that in addition to a number of attorneys general and police officers. A clear theme. URBAN: I'm going to say in '16, Dan and I, I was helping run the convention and kick Dan off the floor at that point because Ted Cruz and Ken Cuccinelli were attempting to unseat Donald Trump on the floor of the Senate. Ted Cruz was leading the charge. And it's kind of bizarre to have him here tonight, kind of praising Caesar. TAPPER: Not only that, he, he refused to endorse Donald Trump in his convention speech. URBAN: It was not a great speech. TAPPER: He said he told people to vote their conscience. It's not what we're going to hear. HUNT: Another Ivy league -- (CROSSTALK) BASH: What a completely different -- different vibe. Look, the fact that the Trump campaign, maybe the former president himself, arranged to have all of these individuals who opposed him with very, very direct, aggressive, ugly language, in many cases, particularly that of Ron DeSantis, and even more so, of course, of Nikki Haley. That he decided to have them all on one, at one night. Yes. David Axelrod, it is the surrender evening, but it is also his attempt to also give the nod to the unity that he's trying to give off. AXELROD: Yes, absolutely. I get that. BASH: Yeah. AXELROD: I get that. But he'll favor the surrender point. URBAN: But the message is the Republican Party is united, right? And the Democratic Party going to -- TAPPER: Yeah. Let's listen in. URBAN: That's the vibe. TAPPER: We're going to hear from a number of former rivals, including his biggest rival in 2016, Senator Ted Cruz. Let's listen in. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) (CHEERING & APPLAUSE) SEN. TED CRUZ (R-TX): God bless, Donald J. Trump. (CHEERING) CRUZ: And let me start by giving thanks to God almighty for protecting President Trump. (CHEERING) CRUZ: And for turning his head on Saturday as the shot was fired. Together, we lift up in prayer all of our leaders for protection. And our prayers are in particular with the family of Fire Chief Corey Comperatore and the others injured on Saturday. (APPLAUSE) CRUZ: Never before has an election mattered so much. We are facing an invasion on our southern border. Not figuratively a literal invasion. 11.5 million people have crossed our border illegally under Joe Biden. (BOOING) CRUZ: Look around you. This arena holds about 18,000 souls. Now imagine 639 arenas just like this filled to the brim. That is 11.5 million people, larger than all but eight states in the nation. But the numbers don't show us the true price that our country is paying. Every day Americans are dying, murdered, assaulted, raped by illegal immigrants that the Democrats have released. Teenage girls and boys wearing colored wristbands are being sold into a life of sex slavery. This is evil and it's wrong, and it is happening every damn day. [21:10:00] Think of Kate Steinle. She was 32, walking with her father on a San Francisco Pier when a bullet tore through her heart. The man who fired that gun, he'd been deported five times. Every damn day. Think of Laken Riley, just 22 years old, a nursing student with dreams of healing others. She went for a jog and never came home, her life taken by someone who should have never been here. Every damn day. Or Rachel Morin, a beautiful mother of five, raped and murdered in suburban Maryland by an illegal immigrant the Democrats released, every damn day. Or Jocelyn Nungaray, only 12 years old. It was just one month ago today that she was brutally raped and murdered in Houston by two men who were supposed to be detained and monitored, but instead released and allowed to roam free, every damn day. (CROWD: EVERY DAMN DAY) CRUZ: These aren't just stories or statistics. They're our daughters, our sisters, our friends. The families don't care about the empty numbers. They care about the empty chairs at the dinner table, about the voices they'll never hear again. About the laughter lost and about the dreams that will never be fulfilled. I've sat with these families in living rooms where the silence is so loud that it hurts, where photo albums are opened with trembling hands. How did we get here? It happened because Democrats cynically decided they wanted votes from illegals more than they wanted to protect our children. (BOOING) CRUZ: Today, as a result of Joe Biden's presidency, your family is less safe. Your children are less safe. The country is less safe. But here's the good news. We can fix it. And when Donald Trump is president, we will fix it. (APPLAUSE) CRUZ: We know this because he's done it before. I know this because I worked hand in hand with President Trump to secure our border, and we achieved the lowest rate of illegal immigration in 45 years. (APPLAUSE) CRUZ: It's real simple. He's done it before, and he'll do it again. So tonight, I speak for Kate and Laken and Rachel. Tonight I speak for Jocelyn. And let us go forward together and keep our sacred oath to defend the constitution and to protect the American people. Let us secure our borders, enforce our laws, protect our children, and restore the future. (APPLAUSE) CRUZ: Because when we do that, but when we remember who we are and who we love, and we act to protect them, then and only then will we truly make America great again. [21:15:00] (APPLAUSE) CRUZ: Thank you. God bless, Texas, and God bless the United States of America. (APPLAUSE) (END VIDEO CLIP) TAPPER: Republican Senator Ted Cruz of Texas giving a rousing address eaten up by the delegates here at the Republican National Convention on the dangers of criminals who have crossed the border illegally and come to this country. A real low light list of some of the worst offenders of the past several years. And keeping in theme with tonight's program, which is Make America Safe Again. But Donald Trump, there we see him right there, he's making sure he's in the convention hall tonight to hear what his former primary opponents, Nikki Haley and Ron DeSantis have to say to delegates and to voters who have come. We're just minutes away from those pivotal speeches. We'll be right back. (COMMERCIAL BREAK) [21:20:43] ANDERSON COOPER, CNN ANCHOR: About to hear one of the most important speeches at the Republican National Convention, Nikki Haley, perhaps Donald Trump's fiercest critic during a bitter GOP primary, is set to make the case to voters who are still skeptical about sending the former president back to the White House. It's going to be fascinating, Scott Jennings, I mean, to hear what she has to say to watch President -- former President Trump watching her. He clearly, I don't think it's a coincidence that he wants to be there to see this. SCOTT JENNINGS, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: Yeah, this is a big macro party unity moment. I'm told by a source familiar with Trump's thinking and actions today that he personally changed his schedule to ensure that he would be in the arena for both Haley and DeSantis. And I think the message they're trying to communicate is that we've got a functional, unified political party and we're running against the dumpster fire of a political party right now. And I -- you know, politics is a team sport. And right now, the Republican team pretty well together, Democrat team, I don't know guys. I don't know. ALYSSA FARAH GRIFFIN, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: I see it a little differently from the Republican side. So this invokes 2016 when Ted Cruz didn't quite endorse on the floor and Donald Trump showed up while he was speaking and it was this moment of kind of, you heard the noise, the kind of shuffling a pin could drop that Ted Cruz was on the stage and he was watching, saying, I dare you. Now, Nikki Haley could do one of two things. She could continue to litigate the case of why we need to be involved on the international stage, why NATO matters, or this could purely be a groveling to secure continued place in the Republican Party, where it's just an outright defense of Donald Trump neglecting, everything that she said on the campaign trail. I guess, there's a world in which she could do both. But this is vintage Donald Trump, to have those who once opposed him have to face him and kiss the ring. JENNINGS: But why can't it just be that she says, look, maybe we don't agree on everything, but we do agree on the most important thing, Joe Biden is worst president of our lifetime, and I'm going to help Donald Trump defeat him. Wouldn't that be the smartest thing for her and the best thing for Trump? VAN JONES, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: Well, it might be -- might be the best thing for her or Trump. But I don't think it be the best thing for the world. In other words, this is a party that matters, Republican Party matters. And having somebody who believes in our role in the world, you got people in Ukraine who should be terrified right now, because you have a Republican Party that has a standard bearer. And now a vice presidential pick that doesn't give a damn about it. And Nikki Haley stood in the breach in that party, and she spoke for them, and she spoke for a role in the world that is a benevolent role and a strong role. Now, if she abandons that post, that's a terrible outcome. What that would say is, you cannot be in this party and deviate from Donald Trump one inch on this sort of extreme MAGA agenda. And I think that makes the whole world a less safe place. KATE BEDINGFIELD, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: Wholeheartedly agree with that. And there are obviously significant policy differences that were litigated during the campaign, that we'll see, as you guys have pointed out, whether she deviates from. But, you know, also, don't forget, there was a really personal element to her criticism of him. I mean, she called him unhinged. She called him diminished. So I think, you know, in addition to these very important questions about where she substantively is going to drive the conversation, there's -- I think there's also a question of whether she's going to try to paper over any of that. Is she going to attest to his character in some way? Is she going to -- I mean, there's a difference between having a, you know, healthy and aggressive policy debate in a primary process and then ultimately endorsing the eventual nomination and coming out in support of somebody who you described as unhinged and diminished. So there's that personal element here too. It's going to be interesting to see where she goes. JONAH GOLDBERG, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: I mean, Kamala Harris said some unkind things about Joe Biden's racial record, and she ended up on this ticket. So, I mean, like, people do bury the hatchets from time to time. That said, look, and I think I've said it before. I'll say it again. My wife worked for Nikki Haley. I like Nikki Haley. I know Nikki Haley. I'll be really disappointed if she doesn't plant the flag on some of the issues that I know, think are very important to her. She's now at the Hudson Institute where she oversees a lot of those issues. But I just want to say something -- and I don't want to hurt Scott here. But -- JENNINGS: That's OK. After 7 years, Jonah -- GOLDBERG: I know. But -- JENNINGS: -- I'm the chief spear catcher. GOLDBERG: You you've been going full kumbaya for the last, you know, 36 hours saying how this is post the assassination attempt Trump has changed. He wants to signal that he's a conciliator and all these kind of stuff. It doesn't feel like there was a possibility that was true last night. There was a big tentish feel, a little bit. Tonight, it doesn't feel like Representative Scalise rewrote his remarks to fit the moment. Here's a guy who was shot in political violence, and it felt like a bit of a throwaway at the end of a lot of red meat. Kari Lake, Elise Stefanik, none of these -- it felt pretty much business as usual. Hail Comrade Trump, he will deliver the greatest wheat harvest we've ever seen. He's got the urals kind of stuff. And, so I just don't think the tea leaves are going your way, my friend. [21:25:00] JENNINGS: Buddy, I'm over here practicing gratitude. I am manifesting abundance, and I am trying -- COOPER: You're sitting with us. He's sitting with Marjorie Taylor Greene. JENNINGS: I'm trying to will into existence. GOLDBERG: I understand. You're the change you want to see in the world. JENNINGS: Yeah. And here's the thing. Here's the thing. If he takes advantage of this moment, he'll just end this campaign this week. So I guess, what I'm trying to do is will into existence the end of this campaign. GOLDBERG: But if Lucy just holds the football. GRIFFIN: Yeah, I mean, GOLDBERG: -- just once. (CROSSTALK) BEDINGFIELD: By the way, is this the week he's going to become presidential? GRIFFIN: Yes. This is the week -- it's important to note Nikki Haley, unlike a lot of politicians in the Trump era, actually has core convictions, and they're mostly around foreign policy and America's role in the world. This is a massive opportunity. It's not just us domestically watching this. World leaders, especially European leaders, are on edge about what's going to happen after the JD Vance pick. Someone who, to Jonah' point said, I don't really care about Ukraine. So a huge moment for her to show this can be a big party. There can be conversations about the direction we go. And I think a lot of folks that she -- she got more votes than anyone other than Trump in the Republican primary. There's a lot of people who are looking to her for leadership. JENNINGS: She's not the only Republican who supports Ukraine. OK? Mike Johnson, who spoke tonight, was the linchpin -- (CROSSTALK) JONES: He said nothing about it. That's why -- JENNINGS: He was the linchpin in getting the -- (CROSSTALK) GOLDBERG: He said nothing about it tonight. BEDINGFIELD: Also after scowling at for months JENNINGS: OK. Would you rather him make a speech now or get the funding then? GOLDBERG: Well, I'm grateful of Mike Johnson for what he did. JENNINGS: OK. GOLDBERG: My point is if -- JENNINGS: You all act like Nikki Haley's the last Republican. She's not. There's the first two members of congress that are. GOLDBERG: And none of them have said anything about this stuff. Right? JENNINGS: It's not a foreign policy election. It is a domestic election, and it's about -- (CROSSTALK) GRIFFIN: This theme tonight -- JENNINGS: -- to not going to run the race on Ukraine. GOLDBERG: But if it was OK for David Sacks to say last night that Joe Biden -- JENNINGS: I don't care what he says. GRIFFIN: Also -- JENNINGS: I don't care. GOLDBERG: They put him in the -- they put him in the lineup. That's my only point. JENNINGS: But the people who have positions of governing responsibility have acted, and a huge number of Republicans supported Ukraine. They're not going to run a Ukraine foreign policy election. (CROSSTALK) BEDINGFIELD: But also -- but also the idea GRIFFIN: Appointments are going to matter in the second Trump term, and I think the JD Vance, VP pick signals what he's leaning into. COOPER: Absolutely. GRIFFIN: I don't know that we should expect the Secretary of State Nikki Haley. I think this is a moment to show why she would matter for that. You may see some real isolationist in those roles. That's very different. That's markedly different than the first term. JENNINGS: I don't disagree with the rise of isolationism. I'm just disputing that Nikki Haley is the last human Republican alive. GOLDBERG: That's not what I've said. No. No. But she ran on those issues. She's known for those issues. It's her night to speak. If you want to say -- (CROSSTALK) JENNINGS: I don't see she brings it up. I do. GOLDBERG: If it's a big tent, she will. If she doesn't bring it up, it really is a signal. COOPER: Nikki Haley is about to be introduced. Let's listen. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) (APPLAUSE) (CHEERING) NIKKI HALEY (R) FORMER PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: My fellow Republicans, President Trump -- President Trump asked me to speak to this convention in the name of unity. (CHEERING & APPLAUSE) HALEY: It was a gracious invitation and I was happy to accept. (CHEERING & APPLAUSE) HALEY: I'll start by making one thing perfectly clear. Donald Trump has my strong endorsement, period. (CHEERING & APPLAUSE) HALEY: Our country is at a critical moment. We have a choice to make. For more than a year, I said a vote for Joe Biden is a vote is for President Kamala Harris. After seeing the debate, everyone knows it's true. If we have 4 more years of Biden or a single day of Harris, our country will be badly worse off. For the sake of our nation, we have to go with Donald Trump. [21:30:00] (CHEERING & APPLAUSE) HALEY: But there's more to it than that. We should acknowledge that there are some Americans who don't agree with Donald Trump a 100 percent of the time. I happen to know some of them. And I want to speak to them tonight. (APPLAUSE) HALEY: My message to them is simple. You don't have to agree with Trump a 100 percent of the time to vote for him. (CHEERING) HALEY: Take it from me. I haven't always agreed with President Trump, but we agree more often than we disagree. (CHEERING) HALEY: We agree on keeping America strong. We agree on keeping America safe. (CHEERING) HALEY: And we agree that Democrats have moved so far to the Left that they're putting our freedoms in danger. (APPLAUSE) HALEY: I'm here tonight because we have a country to save, and a unified Republican Party is essential for saving her. (CHEERING & APPLAUSE) (CROWD CHANTING U.S.A) HALEY: For those who have some doubts about President Trump, I want to tell you a few things about the commander in chief I know and worked with. As ambassador to the United Nations, I had a front row seat to his national security policies. We sure could use those again. (CHEERING & APPLAUSE) HALEY: Think about it. When Barack Obama was president, Vladimir Putin invaded Crimea. With Joe Biden as president, Putin invaded all of Ukraine. But when Donald Trump was president, Putin did nothing. No invasions. (APPLAUSE) HALEY: No invasions. No wars. That was no accident. Putin didn't attack Ukraine because he knew Donald Trump was tough. A strong a strong president doesn't start wars. A strong president prevents wars. (CHEERING & APPLAUSE) (CROWD CHANTING Trump!, Trump!, Trump!) HALEY: Then look at the Middle East. Every problem in that part of the world can be laid at the feet of Iran. The dictators who chant death to America are the bank rollers and weapons suppliers for Hamas and Hezbollah. They're behind the barbaric massacres and the hostage taking. Once again, compare Trump and Biden. Trump got us out of the insane Iran nuclear deal. (CHEERING & APPLAUSE) HALEY: He imposed the toughest sanctions ever on Iran, and he eliminated the arch terrorist, Qasem Soleimani. (CHEERING & APPLAUSE) HALEY: Iran was too weak to start any wars. They knew Trump meant business and they were afraid. And then there's Joe Biden. (BOOING) [21:35:00] HALEY: He lifted the sanctions. He begged them to get back into the nuclear deal. He surrendered in Afghanistan. He sent every possible sign of weakness. Even now, while Hamas is still holding Americans hostage, Biden is pressuring Israel instead of the terrorists. (BOOING) HALEY: Between Israel and Hamas, Donald Trump is clear about who is our friend and who is our enemy. (APPLAUSE) HALEY: Then look at the border. It's the single biggest face -- it's the single biggest threat Americans face. Under Joe Biden, migrants are coming into our country by the thousands every day. We have no idea who they are, where they end up, or what they plan to do. And let me remind you, Kamala had one job, one job, and that was to fix the border. Now imagine her in charge of the entire country. (BOOING) HALEY: Under Donald Trump, we didn't have the border disaster we had today, and we won't when he is president again. (CROWD CHANTING U.S.A) (CHANTING) HALEY: I was proud to serve America in President Trump's cabinet. And I'll tell you something you won't hear from the critics. He appreciated advice and input. Americans were well served by his presidency, even if they didn't agree with him on all things. Now, to my fellow Republicans, we must not only be a unified party, we must also expand our party. (CHEERING & APPLAUSE) HALEY: We are so much better when we are bigger. We are stronger when we welcome people into our party who have different backgrounds and experiences. And right now, we need to be strong to save America. This is a defining moment, not only for our party, but for our country. Our fellow Americans are fearful right now. Families are suffering from inflation and wages that don't keep up with prices. Young people are being indoctrinated to think our country is racist and evil. The Jewish community is facing an obscene rise in anti-Semitism. Too many minorities are trapped in communities devastated by crime. Our foreign enemies win when they see Americans hate each other. They see that today whether it's on college campuses or in a field in Butler, Pennsylvania. (APPLAUSE) HALEY: But we can conquer those fears with strength and unity. No president can fix all of our problems alone. We have to do this together. America has an amazing ability to self-correct. In this moment, we have a chance to put aside our differences and focus on what unites us and strengthens our country. (CHEERING & APPLAUSE) HALEY: Let us join together as a party. Let us come together as a people, as one country, strong and proud. Let us show our children and the world that even on our worst day, we are blessed to live in America. (CHEERING) HALEY: God bless you. Thank you. God bless the United States of America. (CHEERING & APPLAUSE) ANNOUNCER: And now ladies and gentlemen, please welcome the governor of Florida, Ron DeSantis. (CHEERING) GOV. RON DESANTIS (R-FL): My fellow Republican, let's send Joe Biden back to his basement and let's send Donald Trump back to the White House. (CHEERING) [21:40:00] DESANTIS: Life was more affordable when Donald Trump was president. Our border was safer under the Trump administration, and our country was respected when Donald Trump was our commander-in-chief. (CHEERING) DESANTIS: Joe Biden has failed this nation. As a veteran, I was appalled when 13 of our service members were killed in Afghanistan due to Joe Biden's dereliction of duty. As a citizen, as a husband, and as a father, I am alarmed that the current president of the United States lacks the capability to discharge the duties of his office. Our enemies do not confine their designs to between 10:00 AM and 4:00 PM. We need we need a commander-in-chief who can lead 24 hours a day and 7 days a week. America cannot afford 4 more years of a weekend at Bernie's presidency. (CHEERING) DESANTIS: But let's be honest. Let's be honest here. Biden is just a figurehead. He's a tool for imposing a Leftist agenda on the American people. They support open borders, allowing millions and millions of illegal aliens to pour into our country and to burden our communities, but just don't send any to Martha's Vineyard, then they get really upset. (CHEERING) DESANTIS: They have unleashed progressive prosecutors across our nation who care more about coddling criminals than about protecting their own communities. They use the unelected bureaucracy to impose their will on us without our consent, and they weaponize political power to target their political opponents, like they've done to our own nominee. They want to ban gas automobiles, eliminate Second Amendment rights, and impose gender ideology on everyone from our infantrymen to kindergartners. (BOOING) DESANTIS: They stand for DEI, which really means division, exclusion, and indoctrination, and it is wrong. (CHEERING) DESANTIS: They mandated that you show proof of a COVID vaccine to go to a restaurant, but they oppose requiring proof of citizenship to cast a vote. (CHEERING) DESANTIS: They can't even define what a woman is. Now Donald Trump stands in their way, and he stands up for America. Donald Trump has been demonized. He's been sued. He's been prosecuted, and he nearly lost his life. We cannot let him down, and we cannot let America down. (CHEERING & APPLAUSE) DESANTIS: It is the values of this Republican party that reflect our nation's founding principles. We believe schools should educate, not indoctrinate. We stand for parents' rights, including universal school choice. (CHEERING) DESANTIS: We support law and order, not rioting and disorder. We seek a strong, focused United States military, not one distracted by a social agenda. We reject entrenched political class, and we demand term limits from members of Congress. (CHEERING & APPLAUSE) DESANTIS: We stand for fiscal sanity, for low taxes, and for reduced debt. We seek to reclaim the constitutional government as envisioned by our founding fathers by bringing the administrative state to heel once and for all. (CHEERING) DESANTIS: We believe that you must be a citizen in order to vote and that photo ID should be required before casting a ballot. (CHEERING & APPLAUSE) DESANTIS: We stand for strong borders and believe that our nation must have a shared civic culture, and we oppose any immigration that stands apart or in contrast to our American values. [21:45:00] (CHEERING) DESANTIS: We believe in the principles articulated in the Declaration of Independence that our rights come not from the generosity of the state but from the hand of the almighty, including the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. (APPLAUSE) DESANTIS: Now none of this is easy, but it can be done. For decades, my home state saw elections determined by razor thin margins. Today, due to bold leadership, the Democratic party lies in ruins. The Left is in retreat. Freedom reigns supreme. The woke mind virus is dead, and Florida is a solid Republican state. (CHEERING & APPLAUSE) DESANTIS: Now electing Donald Trump gives us the chance to do this all across America, and we have a responsibility to step up and make it happen. We have a responsibility to preserve what George Washington called the Sacred Fire of Liberty. This was a fire that burned in Independence Hall in 1776 when 56 men pledged their lives, their fortunes, and their sacred honor to establish this nation. It's a fire that burned at a cemetery in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, when our nation's first Republican president pledged this nation to a new birth of freedom. It's a fire that burned at the foot of the Berlin Wall in 1987 when our nation's 40th president stood in front of that wall and said, Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall. (CHEERING & APPLAUSE) DESANTIS: This is not a responsibility we should fear. It's a responsibility we should welcome. After all, if not us, who? And if not now, when? Let's make the 45th president of the United States the 47th president of the United States. (CHEERING & APPLAUSE) DESANTIS: Let's elect Republicans up and down the ballot, and let's heed the call of our party's nominee to fight, fight, fight for these United States. Thank you. God bless you. Let's win in November. Thank you so much. (CHEERING & APPLAUSE) (END VIDEO CLIP) COOPER: Ron DeSantis, governor of Florida, following, Nikki Haley on the stage. Alyssa Farah Griffin? GRIFFIN: Well, listen. Donald Trump is loving this. You could see the smirk. He likes to see his former opponents coming and, you know, giving their full throated endorsements. Listen. Nikki Haley gave a great speech for this convention hall and for Donald Trump's ears and for the hopes of having a future in the MAGA Republican Party. I think there were tremendous missed opportunities around the issue of NATO and Ukraine. She briefly alluded to it. This is someone who, when campaigning herself, called Donald Trump out on saying he would let Russia invade NATO countries. That could have been a moment. I think that her thought was, she needs to stand by the guy who's very likely going to be the next president. COOPER: Trump did not seem as pleased with her as he did. He seemed to like Ron DeSantis' speech more than Nikki Haley's. GRIFFIN: Yeah, the thing that's remarkable is there are certain things Trump just won't let go with certain people, and I don't see a world in which he's going to forgive Nikki Haley for calling him unhinged and diminished and many of the attacks on the campaign trail, even with a full throated endorsement like this. So if it was an audition for a future cabinet post, I don't see that happening. Whereas, Aron DeSantis was quick to drop out to endorse and not really criticize him in his harsh of a way. I think he was much happier with that. But what I also, to the point Jonah made earlier, these were 2 people who were thinking, oh, they might be the 2028 contenders. They're really not now. JD Vance is the future of the party and those who try to replicate him are. BEDINGFIELD: I think for her to -- can I just say, for her to argue that, you know, Putin didn't invade when Trump was president because somehow he was strong. But then to glide over the fact that Trump has said repeatedly in this campaign that he would allow Russia to do whatever it wants with our NATO allies if they aren't -- you know, if they aren't paid up. I mean, first of all, I think you can make an argument that part of the reason that Putin didn't invade when Trump was president is because, he saw Trump pulling away from our allies. He saw Trump separating the United States from Europe, and that is part of his larger goal, anyway. So to me, that's an argument of -- from a position of weakness, not strength. And I think for her to glide over that, is it's, you know, troubling that she's not, I think, willing to speak truth in this moment. The other thing I would say is, you know, just to go to what Ron DeSantis was presenting there. I mean, it seems like our national moment of unity is over. He spent the entire, you know, speech going at all of these cultural war issues, trying to be divisive. I mean, if this was -- if this was sort of a test -- [21:50:00] COOPER: He laid off Disney this time. BEDINGFIELD: If this was -- yeah. If this was a test of, you know, kind of to, you know, Scott's suggestion, the new direction of the Trump Republican Party, that sounded a whole lot like the old Trump Republican Party to me. JENNINGS: OK. I'm trying to put the springs back in my ears about what Nikki Haley said is objectively true about what Russia did on Obama's watch and what they've done on Biden's watch. That's number one. Look. She did what she had to do. This is how it's supposed to work. GRIFFIN: But does it work? Does it move any votes? JENNINGS: You run, and when you don't win, you go to the convention, and you give a speech -- GRIFFIN: Then you growl shamelessly. JENNINGS: No, she did not. She gave a strong speech. She talked about the issues that she cares about. This is how it is supposed to work for her, for Donald Trump, and for the Republican Party. For Ron DeSantis, he tickled every pleasure center a Republican could have. Believe me, I got them all. I know. COOPER: Wow. (CROSSTALK) JENNINGS: And it was great, and you could hear it in the convention hall. So compared to somewhere else in America tonight where your people are huddling in dark corners, trying to figure out how to overthrow the president of the United States. This is preferable political -- GRIFFIN: Scott, I thought we were in the moment of my people. I thought we were in a moment for all Americans. COOPER: We're going to get a break. GOLDBERG: So very quickly. GRIFFIN: Come on. GOLDBERG: I'm glad she basically put markers down on her issues. I agree with that. Right? I wish that we could've heard something nice about alliances. My theory though is what she was doing was it was actually kind of clever. She was getting the audience to cheer at moments where Trump had an assertive, interventionist, engaging the world foreign policy to sort of remind the audience and Donald Trump that the Vivek Ramaswamy swivel that he was paddling earlier isn't actually where the Republican Party is. Would I have liked something -- as a someone who cares more about conservatism than the Republican Party, would I have liked something a little more forthright? Yes. But I agree with you that for a convention speech where it's supposed to be boilerplate, you know, team spirit stuff, I think she -- JENNINGS: I accept you apology. COOPER: There, there. JONES: Nikki Haley looked miserable, but she did what she had to do. GOLDBERG: A bit of a hostage [ph]. COOPER: She'll have a Republican showcase -- sorry, we got to go -- showcasing Senator Marco Rubio on a prime, the hour after he was passed up for the VP slot. Also, coming up, Laura Trump, the RNC Co- Chair and daughter-in-law of the former president of state. (COMMERCIAL BREAK) [21:57:09] TAPPER: It is Prime Time at the Republican National Convention night 2, and there's much more ahead including speeches by two of Donald Trump's opponents back in 2016, Senator Marco Rubio of Florida and Dr. Ben Carson who served in Trump's cabinet. I want to bring, back, my panel. And, Kasie Hunt, the theme tonight is Make America Safe Once Again, and you really have heard, lots of, discussion about ways that Republicans here think that President Biden is failing. HUNT: You did indeed, including from Nikki Haley, who, of course, centered her speech around the foreign policy issues that have been at the heart of her sort of reason for being, in in recent years. And, you know, one of the things that I kept turning over my head as I was listening to our colleagues talk about Nikki Haley is, that there -- to a certain extent, was a pretty naked political benefit to her for being here and that, you know, the events and the unity that the party has tried to display over the course of the last few days, made it much simpler for her to be here, much easier to explain. And also on the flip side, made it harder if she had decided not to show up ultimately in the wake of that assassination attempt. That's something that if she really does want a future in Republican politics, and it's clear she does, she wouldn't have been able to explain it away. AXELROD: I don't think those two -- I don't think DeSantis and Haley are necessarily signed on to the, Vance for President campaign in 2028. HUNT: Absolutely not. AXELROD: And they're paying -- they're going through the toll booth here just to make clear that they're still on the road. I mean, that's what's happened here. TAPPER: And you know what? You know what? You can -- all the people talking about -- I hear this, especially on the other panel about how, like, Vance is now the heir apparent. I mean, you can talk to President Quayle about how those calculations go. URBAN: That's true. UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: But I think they will have to go through Vance to get to -- TAPPER: We'll see. URBAN: You know, I think it's going to be tough. Listen, what I thought was interesting is, Nikki Haley got a lot more votes than Ron DeSantis in the primary. Yeah. When they both entered this arena, they entered it differently. The speech by the governor of Florida much more well received by the red meat crowd. A lot of cheers, much louder. TAPPER: It's also a red meat speech. URBAN: But I'm saying it was a much better -- (CROSSTALK) UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It was delivered at very high volume. URBAN: -- the dynamic, the vibe of -- the vibe of this arena -- BASH: This speech was for the TV audience. URBAN: Yeah. No. But the vibe of this arena is much more Ron DeSantis than Nikki Haley. UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: And she had a pretty mixed reaction when she came onto the floor. I mean, it wasn't -- (CROSSTALK) URBAN: You get that from --. UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It wasn't universally -- yeah, it was a little hard to tell, but there were some boos in the room for Nikki Haley. But let's be honest. I mean, I don't -- no one should be surprised that Nikki Haley is here tonight. She ran a race that was very clearly leaving a window open to eventually endorse Donald Trump, because she knows that that is what has to happen if she ever wants to run again. I mean and this has always been part of the plan for her. The delay was only about trying to gain some kind of leverage. And, actually, it it's really about Donald Trump completely denying any leverage whatsoever. … UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yeah. CNN Live Event/Special Aired July 16, 2024 - 22:00 ET THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED. [22:00:01] ABBY PHILLIP, CNN HOST: He gave her nothing, he gave her supporters nothing, and she's still here. DANA BASH, CNN HOST: She gave that speech through gritted teeth. PHILLIP: Yes. BASH: And he had a pretty blank look on his face. As one of her big supporters texted me during the speech, she did not kiss the ring the way he expects and it's going to take a while for that to -- DAVID URBAN, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: But I'd still say to echo what Scott said earlier, big tent night here, big tent, GOP is happy. JAKE TAPPER, CNN HOST: Yes, so more high profile speakers and big convention moments are still right ahead. This is CNN's live coverage of the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Donald Trump in the house as his party comes together for a second night making the case that voters should send the former president back to the White House. Let's bring in CNN's Kristen Holmes, who covers the Trump campaign for us. Kristen, what was the reaction from the Trump campaign to the speeches a short while ago by former Trump rivals Nikki Haley and Governor Ron DeSantis? KRISTEN HOLMES, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, Jake, when it comes to Nikki Haley, Donald Trump and his team got exactly what they needed from her, which is a full-throated endorsement. I spoke to one person asking them what they made of the speech. They said, I stopped listening after I heard the word, endorsed. Another senior adviser told me, Ron and Nikki made it clear, it is DJT, Donald Trump Jr.'s -- excuse me, I think Donald John Trump's party. They needed Nikki Haley to come out here and endorse him tonight. Remember this, she only won two primaries, but she continued to get tens of thousands of votes from Republicans even after she had dropped out of the race. Those votes, many of them in critical battleground states, like Arizona, like Pennsylvania. They were thrilled at the fact that she had directly addressed those supporters and that she told them to go vote for Donald Trump. They were thrilled at the fact that she made it a binary choice. That is something Donald Trump and his team have tried to do, and that is something that Nikki Haley did tonight, and that is why they wanted her on that stage tonight. TAPPER: All right. Kristen Holmes, thanks so much. Let's go to Phil Mattingly now, who's getting more reaction to the Haley and DeSantis speeches on the floor of the convention hall. Phil? PHIL MATTINGLY, CNN CHIEF DOMESTIC CORRESPONDENT: Yes Jake, it was fascinating not just to listen to delegates here on the floor, the audience up in the sands, but also to watch the VIP box where the former president is sitting, and sitting once again next to his vice presidential candidate, J.D. Vance. After Nikki Haley's speech was over, Vance looked over to Trump and said, that was good, you could see him mouth it, and Trump seemed to agree. In the audience, in the crowd, there was some combination of kind of ambivalence and unsure necessarily what to do for at least the opening portion of Ambassador Haley's remarks. But I think there was also a recognition of the importance of the message that she was delivering, that kind of got there towards the end. DeSantis, Ron DeSantis, governor of Florida, very different. The crowd response from the very beginning was very enthusiastic. You kind of saw almost the Ron DeSantis before his presidential campaign when he was so central to the Republican Party and its perceived future before the former president steamrolled him in the primary. The former president's face as he stood up to welcome Ron DeSantis in, it changed a pretty wide smile when DeSantis made clear how effusive he planned to praise Trump and the endorsement for that. As you look into the VIP box, I've been going back and forth between delegates, VIP boxes, I sit just under the box, just under you guys, as well as I stare at your back, Jake, is the people that are coming in and out and what they necessarily mean for the inner circle. Trump's obviously sitting next to the vice presidential candidate, J.D. Vance. We've also seen Jim Jordan, his close ally at Capitol Hill, Ben Carson, who's about to speak in just a little bit. As we've seen them kind of cycle in and out, allies, throughout the course of the day, it's very clear unity is the message they wanted to get across. They're definitely doing that, and the former president seems to be welcoming it. Just one last point I want to make. The most interesting thing I've been watching throughout the course of this night, it's a little bit like a Catholic mass in terms of when people are standing and when they are sitting. When the former president stands, everybody in the VIP box stands with him. When he sits down, they all sit down as well. So, if you're wondering with the standing ovation, where it came from, what they're taking their cues from, it's a little bit like a priest in church, it's Donald Trump. TAPPER: All right. Phil Mattingly, thanks so much. Let's bring back the panel. URBAN: I'd say Phil's analysis is probably correct, right? Trump rallies are a little, a little religion, a little rock -- we're missing the rock tonight, but it's a little bit of everything. CHRIS WALLACE, CNN ANCHOR: Another way you could compare it is to the Kremlin, and when the leader of the Kremlin stood, everybody stood, and when he sat down, everybody sat down. But it is -- I've been watching right over our shoulder, and it is absolutely true when Trump stands up, which he did, for DeSantis, everybody stood up. And, in fact, at one point he sat down and Vance hadn't seen it, so he kept standing down until he saw the Trump hat. [22:05:02] TAPPER: Just so you know what's going on, just to let our viewers know what's going on right now, one of the things that the convention's doing is sprinkling with what is called Everyday Americans, EDAs, Everyday Americans giving their stories. I'm sorry? KAITLAN COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: I didn't know EDAs was a thing. TAPPER: What says it on my -- it says on -- URBAN: From the commonwealth of Pennsylvania. COLLINS: I think you just invented something. TAPPER: EDAs, so these EDAs are speaking right now, people who have been touched in many ways by President Biden in a negative way is the theme. And since tonight's theme is specifically make America safe once again, some of the people that we're hearing from are individuals whose families have been wrecked by opioids or fentanyl, one individual speaking who's had a family member killed by an illegal immigrant, somebody else a violent crime testimonial, and this is, again, very much in keeping with the theme of the evening. And, Kaitlan Collins, I mean, this has been something that has been a theme of Donald Trump's public life, talking about crime way back when he took a full page ad erroneously faulting the Central Park Five for crimes that they actually did not do. But this is certainly since he came down the escalator in 2015, the idea of crime, of illegal immigration, a big part of Trump's political DNA. COLLINS: It is a big part of it because they're trying to tap into something with voters, even though when you look at the numbers of crime in big cities that Trump always talks about and rails against, Washington, New York when he was there for his trial, you've actually seen the numbers taking a different trend. I mean, we've seen Daniel Dale talk about that a lot, but they think it's effective. I will say that each day of this, this convention has a theme to it. Obviously, that's the theme for today, but it does seem overshadowed by what else is happening on each of these days. Yesterday, was obviously the Vance pick and seeing Donald Trump walk out with that bandage on his ear. I was just down there. I was by the South Carolina delegation when Ambassador Haley was speaking. I ran over to the Florida delegation when governor DeSantis was speaking. It was interesting to watch. The delegations of these two figures who both castigated Donald Trump said he was unfit for office. Ron DeSantis said he doesn't think that Donald Trump could beat Joe Biden, and then making that argument on stage. And I talked to the governor of South Carolina briefly. He's a big Trump ally. And he was pushing Nikki Haley's speech, saying that he thought that she did a good job of basically trying to invite those Nikki Haley voters into the Trump tent. Do they actually come? Obviously, we know the Biden campaign has been trying to lure them as well, so we'll see. TAPPER: Let's listen in to Anne Fundner her family, she's an everyday American, her family has a very moving story to tell about opioids and fentanyl. Let's listen in. ANNE FUNDNER, SON DIED FROM FENTANYL-LACED PILLS: Hi, my name is Anne Fundner, and I am the wife and mother of four children. I'm standing here today to share the tragic reality of open borders. I'm here to share the story of my first born son, my everything, my Weston. My family and I were living in Southern California when President Biden took office and opened our borders. My Weston was 15. He was an amazing big brother to his three younger siblings. Weston attended church twice a week, played football and hockey, and he loved to surf. He had a big heart and he lived to make people laugh. He had so many good friends. And I was always vigilant to be the best mother that I could be. I was room mom, school ambassador, and I attended all of his sports. We had family dinners and barbecues at the beach. And like most teenagers, Weston wanted to fit in. And in a moment of peer pressure, he tried something that someone gave to him and it took my baby's life. We did everything right. I had those conversations with him and fentanyl still found my son. And on February 27th, 2022, our lives were shattered, and our baby was gone. This was not an overdose. It was a poisoning. His whole future, everything we ever wanted for him was ripped away in an instant, and Joe Biden does nothing. I hold Joe Biden, Kamala Harris, the borders are, what a joke, and Gavin Newsom and every Democrat who supports open borders responsible for the death of my son. [22:10:00] (CHEERING AND APPLAUSE) FUNDNER: Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. And the tens of thousands of American innocent children, for that alone, they should be voted out of office. Yes, Joe must go. Yes, he must. Joe must go, absolutely. We have seen the highest number of fentanyl deaths during the Biden- Harris administration and fentanyl is now the number one killer of Americans ages 18 to 45, and it is quickly becoming the leading cause of death for teens 14 and under being the fastest growing demographic. We need President Trump back in office. (CHEERING AND APPLAUSE) FUNDNER: We need a president who will seal the border, aggressively prosecute drug dealers and stop Communist China from poisoning our children. (CHEERING AND APPLAUSE) FUNDNER: This is not a red or blue issue. This is a red, white, and blue issue. And fentanyl doesn't care if you're black or white. It does not discriminate. This is an American issue. We need a president who will call the drug cartels what they are, terrorist organizations. (CHEERING AND APPLAUSE) FUNDNER: This fight is not for me. My son is gone. This fight is for your children. We owe it to our children to elect a president who will win the war against fentanyl once and for all. (CHEERING AND APPLAUSE) FUNDNER: It's too late for my son, Weston. Say his name, Joe Biden, Weston. Thank you. (CHEERING AND APPLAUSE) FUNDNER: Thank you. But we can change this for your children. We need President Trump back to save the lives of our kids. Thank you. Thank you. God bless America. ANNOUNCER: Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome the Morin family from Maryland. MICHAEL MORIN, RACHEL MORIN'S BROTHER: Last year, we lost my beloved sister, Rachel. She went for a walk in one of our family's favorite places. This beautiful trail was to us a safe place where we pushed our babies in strollers, where we walked together as a family, where my wife and I got married, near what would later become the spot where my sister's body was found. Rachel, a joyful, accomplished athlete and mother of five, was raped and murdered by a suspected illegal immigrant. [22:15:15] This was described as among the most brutal and violent offenses that has ever occurred in Harford County, Maryland history. Open borders are often portrayed as compassionate and virtuous. But there is nothing compassionate about allowing violent criminals into our country and robbing children of their mother. (APPLAUSE) MORIN: My sister's death was preventable. The monster arrested for killing Rachel entered the U.S. unlawfully after killing a woman in El Salvador. Joe Biden and his designated borders are Kamala Harris opened our borders to him and others like him, empowering them to victimize the innocent. Yet, to this day, we have not heard from Joe Biden or Kamala Harris. (BOOING) MORIN: They never apologized. But when Rachel was killed, President Trump called my family to offer his condolences. (CHEERING AND APPLAUSE) MORIN: He wanted to meet with us. He cared. That is leadership. (CHEERING AND APPLAUSE) MORIN: And we need real leadership back in the White House. What has gotten us through this unthinkable loss is our faith in Jesus Christ. (CHEERING AND APPLAUSE) MORIN: And as brutal as the murder of my sister was, I pray that her killer will find Jesus Christ. (APPLAUSE) MORIN: For all the affected by senseless tragedy, I pray for peace, knowing that all things work together for good, to those who love God, to those who are called according to his purpose. (CHEERING AND APPLAUSE) MORIN: I pray that we hold worldly leaders accountable for safety and justice for innocent people. I pray that we make our country safe and secure in the memory of my sister, Rachel, who loved life. Thank you. God bless America. Good night. ANNOUNCER: Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome Madeline Brame from New York. MADELINE BRAME, CRIMINAL JUSTICE REFORM ADVOCATE: Good evening, everyone. My son, Sergeant Hassan Korea, an Afghanistan war retired veteran, he received enemy fire from the Taliban only to be murdered with a knife on the streets of New York City. The four assailants responsible for his death initially were facing justice, but that changed when District Attorney Alvin Bragg was elected. (BOOING) BRAME: Suddenly, two of the homicidal maniacs responsible for my son's death had their gang assault and murder charges completely dismissed. (BOOING) [22:20:00] BRAME: One of them received 14 months time served. Alvin Bragg charged her with assault with a shoe (ph). And another one was sentenced to seven years. I later learned that Alvin Bragg often dismisses and reduces dangerous criminals. He wants to clear the jails and return violent felons on to our streets every day. The injustice was devastating for me and my family. I don't want anyone else to experience the senseless pain that many other victims across this United States of America have to live with every day. So I decided to use the voice that God gave me to be the voice for the voiceless across America. (CHEERING AND APPLAUSE) BRAME: We need justice for victims and we need accountability for prosecutors who failed in their duty. Soft on crime prosecutors like Alvin Bragg in New York, Kim Foxx in Chicago, and George Gascon in Los Angeles have turned our great country and cities into war zones. Poor and neglected communities like mine are suffering. And who else in here is sick and tired of being sick and tired? (CHEERING AND APPLAUSE) BRAME: The Democratic Party that poor minorities have been loyal to for decades, including myself, all right, they betrayed us. They stabbed us in the back. Joe Biden and Kamala Harris, who claim to represent us, have abandoned us. They neglected the poor minority communities across America. (CHEERING AND APPLAUSE) BRAME: But my eyes have been opened, just like so many other poor minorities across America. Donald Trump shares our values, love of God and family and country. He's been a victim of the same corrupt system that I have been and my family has been. He is committed to providing economic opportunities, helping those suffering from addiction with long-term inpatient drug programs, rolling back deadly bail reform policies that are getting our children killed every single day and supporting our police. We back the NYPD. We back the blue. (CHEERING AND APPLAUSE) BRAME: Back the blue, NYPD, back the blue. Trump was right when he said, they're after us. He's just standing in the way. (CHEERING AND APPLAUSE) BRAME: And guess what? He always will. That's why I'm standing with him today. Let's make America safe again. (CHEERING AND APPLAUSE) BRAME: And re-elect our Donald J. Trump. (CHEERING AND APPLAUSE) BRAME: Thank you and good night. [22:25:00] ANNOUNCER: Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders. (CHEERING AND APPLAUSE) GOV. SARAH HUCKABEE SANDERS (R-AR): Thank you. What a powerful story to follow. Good evening. I'm Sarah Huckabee Sanders. (CHEERING AND APPLAUSE) SANDERS: And before I get started, I want to say I have always been proud to stand with President Trump. But never have I been more proud than to stand with him right now, tonight. (CHEERING AND APPLAUSE) SANDERS: Not even an assassin's bullet could stop him. (CHEERING AND APPLAUSE) SANDERS: God Almighty intervened because America is one nation under God, and he is certainly not finished with President Trump. (CHEERING AND APPLAUSE) SANDERS: And our country is better for it. I am here tonight as America's youngest governor, the first -- (CHEERING AND APPLAUSE) SANDERS: The first woman to lead the great state of Arkansas. (CHEERING AND APPLAUSE) SANDERS: And most importantly, a mom to three amazing kids, Scarlett, Huck, George. (CHEERING AND APPLAUSE) SANDERS: When I was President Trump's White House press secretary -- (CHEERING AND APPLAUSE) SANDERS: -- the best job, I got the chance to take my four-year-old son, Huck, to Bring Your Kid to Work Day much like Jill now drags Joe to Bring Your Husband to Work Day. (CHEERING AND APPLAUSE) SANDERS: And while I was briefing the president on the upcoming event in the Oval Office, all of the kids who were attending that day gathered in the Rose Garden, getting ready to meet him. And we were walking out onto that beautiful, perfect colonnade. And I saw out of the corner of my eye that my son, Huck, was running full speed directly at the president of the United States. Being the gracious person he is, President Trump bent down to give him a big hug. And right in front of everyone, Huck sidestepped the president, completely ignoring him in front of everyone, and ran straight into my arms. (CHEERING AND APPLAUSE) SANDERS: For my four-year-old son, the most powerful man in the world had nothing on his mom. (CHEERING AND APPLAUSE) SANDERS: But because he's the amazing man he is, President Trump didn't mind at all. After all, he's a dad to five unbelievable kids and a grandfather to ten. (CHEERING AND APPLAUSE) SANDERS: And while that story is certainly a special memory for my family, it's an even greater reminder why I support President Trump, not for me, not for him, but for my kids and for yours. (CHEERING AND APPLAUSE) SANDERS: Under President Trump, America was safer. The world was safer. And it felt like the next generation would have a chance at the American dream. President Trump did the job that Kamala won't and Joe Biden simply can't. [22:30:12] (APPLAUSE) When we're honest, every American knows that we were so much better off under President Trump. (APPLAUSE) So tonight, I don't want to just speak about President Trump's successful policies, while there are many, I want to talk about the man that I know. When the President hired me, I was the first mom and only the third woman to ever serve as the White House Press Secretary. (APPLAUSE) And in that role, I endured relentless attacks from the left. I was insulted as a guest at the White House Correspondents' Dinner. My family was denied service and kicked out of a restaurant. (BOOING) And a parent at my three-year-old son's preschool spit on my car. And in those moments, it was President Trump who defended me. And when an MSNBC host, the author of several books on empowering women, said I was unfit to be a mother, and another MSNBC host said I was vile, not even human, and that I should be choked. (BOOING) MSNBC again did nothing. But our President pulled me aside, looked me in the eye, and said, Sarah, you're smart, you're beautiful, you're tough, and they attack you because you're good at your job. Never let them stop fighting. (APPLAUSE) Thank you, Mr. President. Thank you. That's the Donald Trump that I know. And that's the Donald J. Trump I will always respect. The left doesn't care about empowering women. Biden and Harris can't even tell you what a woman is. (CHEERING) They only care about empowering themselves. But we have a President who believes in empowering every American and that our country is worth fighting for. (APPLAUSE) For the last four years, Republican governors have been leading that fight and doing what Joe Biden refuses to do. We've deployed the National Guard to the border. We've cracked down on crime and drugs. We cut taxes to give hardworking Americans a break from Bidenflation. And we empowered parents with universal school choice across the country. (APPLAUSE) Donald Trump was the very first President in my lifetime to take a hard line against China. And I'm proud to be the first and only governor in the country to kick Communist China off our farmland and out of my state. (APPLAUSE) President Trump is a leader. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yeah. SANDERS: And he's the leader our country needs. And if ever there was a doubt, earlier this week, we saw just how tough, resilient, courageous, and daring this man is that we can't get him back in the White House fast enough. [22:35:00] (APPLAUSE) Ladies and gentlemen, we are not called to stand still in the face of great danger. You and I were put on this earth at a moment in time to charge boldly ahead. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes. SANDERS: We cannot know what the future holds, but we know damn sure who holds the future in his hands. (APPLAUSE) God spared President Trump from that assassin because God is not finished with him yet. (APPLAUSE) And he most certainly is not finished with America yet either. (APPLAUSE) With God as our guide and President Trump back in the White House, we will show the world that America is the place where freedom reigns and liberty will never die. (APPLAUSE) Ladies and gentlemen, -- CROWD: USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! SANDERS: Tonight, let us not leave here just excited about a great few days, but let us leave here energized and committed to making sure that we protect our freedom and we have the ability to pass it on to the next generation because America is the greatest country that the world has ever known and our kids and our grandkids deserve to enjoy it the way each of us did and we will with President Trump back in the White House. Thank you so much. God bless the great state of Arkansas and the amazing United States of America. Thank you very much. Thank you. (APPLAUSE) UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome former United States Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, Dr. Ben Carson. (APPLAUSE) BEN CARSON, FORMER UNITED STATES HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT SECRETARY: Thank you. Thank you. Thank you so much. Thank you. You know, Sarah Huckabee always says to me, I hate to follow you, but I think she turned the table on me tonight. I want to thank you all for being here and for being involved. Like many of you last week, I watched with horror as the events unfolded in that Pennsylvania field. I saw President Trump, a dear friend, escape death by mere inches and my thoughts immediately turned to the book of Isaiah that says no weapon formed against you shall prosper. (APPLAUSE) Well, let me tell you the weapons that they used. First, they tried to ruin his reputation and he's more popular now than ever. (APPLAUSE) And then they tried to bankrupt him and he's got more money now than he had before. (APPLAUSE) And then they tried to put him in prison and he's freer and has made other people free with him. (APPLAUSE) And then, and then last weekend they tried to kill him. And there he is over there alive and well. (APPLAUSE) [22:40:00] You know, I have no doubt that God lowered a shield of protection over President Trump. CROWD: Yes. CARSON: And I join millions of Americans in thanksgiving for President Trump's safety. And I encourage you to join me in praying each day for his continued protection. You know, our hearts -- our hearts go out to the victims in the audience. Let's also pray for them and their families. These events have brought unusual clarity to the times we are living in. We have all harbored the nagging feeling that everything we love is slipping away. All you have to do is turn on the television. The free press, a pillar of any free society, has abused the public trust and resorted to lies, deception, and disinformation. (BOOING) They divide us along lines of race, class, and gender, rather than uniting us around our shared bond as Americans. Our government has been no better, shredding our constitution and upending the rule of law. We have a wide-open border, a broken education system, and chaos breaking out around the world. And on top of it all, we have a president who, well, if you can't say anything good, don't say anything at all. (APPLAUSE) But ask anyone around the world, what does it mean to be an American? Most will tell you that it means unlimited opportunity, that where you begin in life doesn't dictate where you will end. That's the America I grew up in, and no other country could a poor inner-city kid raised by a single mom make it to an Ivy League school, then to medical school, become a successful neurosurgeon, run for president, and eventually become a member of the president's cabinet. (APPLAUSE) You know, and as a member of his cabinet, I had a chance to work closely with him. And I got to tell you, this is a man who is a gift to us as a nation. He is very gifted, he is very smart, he is very compassionate, he cares about people. And I'll tell you, the first time I met him was before either of us got into the political arena. And someone, we were at Mar-a-Lago, and someone came up to him and said, Mr. Trump, Rod Stewart just walked in. And he said, I don't care, this is Ben Carson. (APPLAUSE) But I feel blessed that I've been able to live the American dream. But my story is moving further out of reach in America today. The lessons my mother taught me, like hard work and the value of well-rounded patriotic education and faith in God above all else, are being forced out of the public square. But we're all here today because we know we can bring these things back. (APPLAUSE) By God's grace, we live in a country where the people rule. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes. CARSON: We have the power to choose the kind of nation we will be and the kind of men and women that will lead us. And today, the choice could not be more clear. The most repeated phrase in the bible is this, do not be afraid or fear not. It appears 365 times in scripture, a reminder to live each day with faith, hope, and joy as joyful warriors for Christ. (APPLAUSE) And when God is with us, nobody can stand against us. With this assurance from the Almighty, even the face of evil itself cannot shake our resolve. We will keep fighting. We will keep praying. And by the grace of God, we will save our country and reelect President Trump together with Vice President Vance this November. And I want you to remember this. In 1831, Alexis de Tocqueville came to America to study our nation because the Europeans were fascinated. They wanted to know how could a nation barely 50 years old already compete with them on virtually every level. [22:45:04] So, he looked at our government. He was duly impressed by our checks and balances and separation of powers. And then he looked at our business environment. He was duly impressed by how we encourage entrepreneurship and innovation. And he looked at our educational system. And he was blown away by the fact that he could find a mountain man in the middle of the woods who could read, who could tell him about the Declaration of Independence. But the thing that impressed him the most was when he went to our churches and he heard those inspirational sermons from the pulpits that inspired a ragtag bunch of militiamen to defeat the most powerful army in the world and gave the American people a moral base. (APPLAUSE) And he concluded his two-volume set, Democracy in America, with these words. He said, America is great because America is good. And if America ever ceases to be good, she will cease to be great. It is our job to make America good. And let's do this by re-electing President Trump so we can make America great. Thank you very much. (APPLAUSE) UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome United States Senator of Florida, Marco Rubio. (APPLAUSE) SEN. MARCO RUBIO (R-FL): Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. CROWD: Marco! Marco! Marco! Marco! Marco! Marco! Marco! RUBIO: Thank you. Thank you. Don't say Polo. Don't say Polo. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. The last few days remind us that the life of every living thing and the breath of all mankind is in the hands of God. (APPLAUSE) We were brought to the precipice of the abyss and by the hand of God, reminded of what truly matters in our lives and in our country. This thing we do called politics, it matters. It's not unimportant. But it is our people who must always matter the most in everything we do. (APPLAUSE) By giving voice to everyday Americans, President Trump has not just transformed our party. He has inspired a movement. (APPLAUSE) A movement, a movement of the people who grow our food and drive our trucks. The people who make our cars and build our homes. The people whose taxes fund our government and whose children fight our wars. Americans like Corey Comperatore. He was a former fire chief and a loving husband. He was described as the best dad a girl could ever ask for. As a man of God who loved Jesus fiercely and looked after members of his church. Corey was one of the millions of everyday Americans who make our country great. He wasn't rich. He wasn't famous. And the only reason why we know his name and story now is because last Saturday he shielded his wife and daughter from an assassin's bullet and lost his life the way he lived it. A hero. (APPLAUSE) For those still wondering who are in the press and many watching at home, these, these are the Americans who wear the red hats and wait for hours under a blazing sun to hear Trump speak. [22:50:04] And what they want, what they ask for, it is not hateful or extreme. What they want is good jobs and lower prices. They want borders that are secure and for those who come here to do so legally. They want to be safe from criminals and from terrorists. And they want for our leaders to care more about our problems here at home and about the problems of other countries far away. (APPLAUSE) There is absolutely nothing dangerous or anything divisive about putting Americans first. (APPLAUSE) CROWD: USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! RUBIO: Those who are offended, anyone who is offended about putting America first has forgotten what American is and what American means. American isn't the color of our skin or our ethnicity. Americans are people as diverse as humanity itself. But out of many, we are one. Because as the life story of our next Vice President, J.D. Vance, reminds us, we are all descendants of ordinary people who achieved extraordinary things. (APPLAUSE) Who do we come from? We come from pioneers who ventured west to chase their dreams and slaves who overcame bondage to claim their right to the promise of America. We come from exiles who fled tyranny in search of freedom and of immigrants who left behind all they had and knew because they could not be or achieve God's purpose for their life in the nation of their birth. That is an American. (APPLAUSE) And putting Americans first must be what this election is about. When President Trump was in the White House, Americans had more money and lower prices. Our borders were secure and our laws were enforced. Iran was broke. The Taliban stopped killing Americans, and Putin didn't invade anyone. (APPLAUSE) Now under Biden, high prices devour paychecks. Criminals and drugs are allowed to flood into our country and terrorize our people. And Iran has money to support terrorists, the Taliban humiliated us in Afghanistan and not one but two major wars have broken out. My fellow Americans, the only way to make America wealthy and safe and strong again is to make Donald J. Trump our president again. (APPLAUSE) Our country has been injured. Injured by the bad decisions of weak leaders. But now, though bloodied by our wounds, we must stand up and we must fight. Fight not with violence or destruction, but with our voices and our votes. Fight not against each other, but for the hopes and dreams we share in common and make us one. And fight for an America where we are safe from those who seek to harm us on our streets and from abroad. And we will not be alone in this fight. For leading us in this fight will be a man who, although wounded and facing danger, he stood up and raised his fist and reminded us that our people and our country are always worth fighting for. (APPLAUSE) [22:55:00] It is time. It is time to put our country and our people first again. And if we do, together, we will make our people wealthy again. (APPLAUSE) If we do, together, we will make our country safe again. (APPLAUSE) Together, we will make Donald Trump our president again. (APPLAUSE) And together, we will not just make America great again. We will make America greater than it has ever been. (APPLAUSE) Thank you. God bless you. (APPLAUSE) UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome Lara Trump. (APPLAUSE) LARA TRUMP, RNC CO-CHAIR: Whoa! I don't feel like I actually have to ask this question, but is anybody in this room ready to send Donald Trump back to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue? (CHEERING) Well, it may not be a surprise that I actually had a very different speech that I was prepared to give up here tonight. That all changed at 6-11 on Saturday evening. Nothing prepares you for a moment like that. Our family has faced our fair share of death threats, mysterious powders sent to our homes, tasteless and violent comments directed towards us on social media. But none of that prepares you as a daughter-in-law to watch in real time someone try to kill a person you love. None of that prepares you as a mother to quickly reach for the remote and turn your young children away from the screen so that they're not witness to something that scars the memory of their grandpa for the rest of their lives. The prayers and well wishes we've received over the last 72 hours have been overwhelming, to say the least. (APPLAUSE) And my heart goes out to the family who lost a husband and a father because of this senseless act. All of you here tonight and watching at home mean the world to all of us in the Trump family. (APPLAUSE) If Donald Trump has shown us anything, it's that when it feels impossible to keep going, those are the times we must keep going. (APPLAUSE) I don't know how many people here or watching at home have ever been to a Trump rally, but if you've never been, let me tell you about them. Oh, some of you have been. Oh! (APPLAUSE) Regardless of how the media have painted these rallies, you would be hard-pressed to find and to join a happier group of people coming together over their love for the greatest country on earth, the United States of America. (APPLAUSE) I dare anyone trying to leave a Trump rally without leaving with some new friends. You always make friends at a Trump rally, right? Veterans, teachers, blue-collar workers, white-collar workers, active- duty military, police officers, firefighters, small business owners, Latino supporters, Christian supporters, Jewish supporters, Black supporters, white supporters, Asian supporters, gay supporters, Republicans, independents, and yes, even Democrats. (APPLAUSE) [23:00:03] … CNN Live Event/Special Aired July 16, 2024 - 23:00 ET THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED. [23:00:00] LARA TRUMP, CO-CHAIRMAN OF RNC: At a Trump rally, you're not viewed as your profession, your religion or the color of your skin. You're viewed as one thing: An American. (APPLAUSE AND CHEERING) Last Saturday was a jarring reminder that we as Americans must always remember, there is more that unites us than divides us. (APPLAUSE) We all want this country to be great even if we don't always agree on the best way of doing that. And with every bone in my body, I can tell you that all Donald Trump wants to do and has ever wanted to do is make this country great again for all of us. (APPLAUSE AND CHEERING) Proverbs 28 reads, the wicked flee though no one pursues, but the righteous are as bold as a lion. (APPLAUSE AND CHEERING) And that truly epitomizes Donald Trump. He is a lion. (APPLAUSE AND CHEERING) He is bold, he is strong, he is fearless, and he is exactly what this country needs right now. (APPLAUSE AND CHEERING) Let's not forget what life actually looked like under President Donald Trump. Trade deals across the world that benefited our economy, allied countries paying their fair share -- (APPLAUSE AND CHEERING) -- a safe and secure southern border -- (APPLAUSE AND CHEERING) -- record low unemployment rates for African Americans, Hispanic Americans, Asian Americans and women, record investment in historically Black colleges and universities, the creation of the United States Space Force -- (APPLAUSE AND CHEERING) -- the most comprehensive prison reform in decades. How about the peace agreements in the Middle East that they said would never happen? (APPLAUSE AND CHEERING) The largest tax cuts in American history, our energy independence -- (APPLAUSE) -- massive amounts of red tape cut, and no new wars when Donald J. Trump was president. (APPLAUSE AND CHEERING) Maybe, most importantly though, you could actually feel it in your everyday life. Now you didn't have to love everything that he tweeted, but you cannot deny you were better off when Donald Trump was in office. (APPLAUSE AND CHEERING) Americans were finally able to start saving money, home prices were affordable, and gas hit a low of $1.87 a gallon. (APPLAUSE AND CHEERING) As I speak here tonight, many of our fellow Americans don't know how they'll pay for their next trip to the grocery store, new clothes for their children or this month's rent. Many of our fellow Americans worry that we are on the verge of a major terror attack here on American soil. Many of our fellow Americans don't think their own children will be able to establish a better life than they themselves currently have. Many of our fellow Americans are right now sitting and wondering how on earth this country could have moved in the wrong direction and so quickly. The Democrats and the media know that they cannot convince you, the American people, that your life is better off now, because it's not. So, what will they do? They'll try to sell you on some outrageous narrative about the terrible things that Donald Trump will do if he becomes president. But you don't have to imagine what it would be like. All you have to do is remember what it was like. (APPLAUSE AND CHEERING) I know. Oh, yeah. CROWD: Trump! Trump! Trump! [23:05:00] TRUMP: I know what you hear out there about Donald Trump. I know what you read, what the media tells you, and what out-of-touch celebrities on the left say about this man. But when I look at Donald Trump, I see a wonderful father, father-in-law and, of course, grandfather to my two young children, Luke and Carolina. (APPLAUSE AND CHEERING) I know that I'm lucky enough to get to call him my father-in-law and see him a little differently than all of you. But it's through that lens, that I sometimes wish more people could see him. This is a man who has sacrificed for his family, and a man who has truly sacrificed for his country. (APPLAUSE AND CHEERING) Donald Trump didn't need to run for president for fame or money. Trust me, we all know he already had plenty of that. I'll tell you why he did it, and why he continues on, even in the face of the unthinkable, because he loves this country. (APPLAUSE AND CHEERING) CROWD: USA! USA! USA! TRUMP: He did it for his grandchildren, for your children and grandchildren, and for the generations to come. I have seen this man dragged through hell and back, in and out of courtrooms, indictments, impeachments, mugshots, and even an assassination attempt. And yet, he has never backed down. (APPLAUSE AND CHEERING) CROWD: Trump! Trump! Trump! We love Trump! We love Trump! We love Trump! TRUMP: I'll never forget watching my two children run up to him with their drawings and hugs for grandpa, just moments before he took the elevator down in Trump Tower to address the media the day after his wrongful conviction. Despite everything else he had going on, he had no other focus in the entire world, just a man relishing time with his grandchildren. It's a side of Donald Trump that not enough people get to see. Maybe you got to see a side of Donald Trump on Saturday that you were not sure existed, until you saw it with your own eyes. Martin Luther King, Jr. once famously said, the ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of convenience and comfort, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy. (APPLAUSE AND CHEERING) There's no doubt that Saturday was one of the most frightening moments of my father-in-law's life. Millimeters separated him from life and certain death. And yet, it was in the midst of it all, as he was jostled off stage by Secret Service, that he knew how defining that moment would be for our country, and he hoisted his fist in the air. (APPLAUSE AND CHEERING) CROWD: Trump! Trump! Trump! TRUMP: It was not just for the audience at the rally, not just for his supporters tuning in, but for all of America. And as a signal to the world that no matter what, America will always prevail. [23:10:05] (APPLAUSE) Though it has been strained and attacked, no enemy, no force, not even a bullet is strong enough to break our American grit and our American soul. (APPLAUSE) We are the country whose founders gave their fortunes, freedom, and lives to pursue the dream of a free society. We are the country of Thomas Edison, Susan B. Anthony, Henry Ford, and Harriet Tubman. We are the country who fought and won two world wars. (APPLAUSE) And we are the country who always rises to meet the moment, no matter how insurmountable the task. And in that split second on Saturday, Donald Trump reminded us all of that very history and who we are at our core as a nation. That is the Donald Trump that I know. (APPLAUSE AND CHEERING) He is an American. An American who conquered the business world. An American who made himself a household name. An American who was beloved by politicians and fellow celebrities for decades, until he ran for office with an "R" next to his name. An American whom even Barack Obama admits people consider the American dream. (APPLAUSE) And instead of sailing off into the sunset after an illustrious real estate and television career, he decided to give back. He decided to bring some of the things that had made him so successful in life to all of you, in order to improve the lives of all Americans, Black, white, brown, gay, straight, all Americans, because that's the man that Donald Trump is. (APPLAUSE) I can tell you that my personal experience with Donald Trump has shown me his heart. There wasn't a second that he made this small-town girl who was way out of her element in New York City feel anything but welcomed and part of the family. And if not for the support and encouragement of my father-in-law, I wouldn't be where I am today. It has been said by many that Donald Trump sees things in people that they don't even recognize in themselves. In 2016, when he asked me to help him win my home state of North Carolina -- (APPLAUSE AND CHEERING) (LAUGHTER) I'll be honest, I was terrified. I had no idea how I would make it happen, but he knew I would, and I did. When I was given an opportunity to join a television network as a commentator, it was the push and support of my father-in-law that gave me the confidence to take that job. Always the first one to call or text me after a TV hit and tell me, great job, keep going. (LAUGHTER) Not bad, right? (LAUGHTER) Or even a few months ago, when he called and asked me to be the co- chair of our party. (APPLAUSE AND CHEERING) (LAUGHTER) He showed me potential in myself that I couldn't yet see. So, tonight, to my father-in-law, I want to say thank you. (APPLAUSE AND CHEERING) Thank you for your resilience, thank you for continuing on, thank you for raising wonderful kids, thank you for being an amazing grandfather, thank you for never giving up on me, and thank you for never giving up on our country. (APPLAUSE AND CHEERING) CROWD: USA! USA! USA! TRUMP: Tonight, I come to you not as the co-chair of the RNC, not as the daughter-in-law of the candidate. [23:15:00] Tonight, I come to you as a mom and as a citizen of this country. For those of you watching who have never voted for Donald Trump, I know what the media and his political opponents have tried to tell you about this man. Believe me, I have seen and heard it all. But I have also seen the truth. I am proud to know Donald Trump, to campaign for him, to vote for him, and to raise his grandchildren. (APPLAUSE AND CHEERING) He will do what is necessary to protect you, protect your family, and protect this country, because Donald Trump wants us all to be successful, to be safe, to be happy, to be strong, and to be great again. (APPLAUSE AND CHEERING) Tonight, I'm asking you to vote, not for the Donald Trump you see flashed on your TV every day, splashed across the headlines. Tonight, I'm asking you to vote for the Donald Trump that Luke and Carolina called grandpa. I'm asking you to vote for the Donald Trump that my husband, Eric, calls dad. I'm asking you to vote for the Donald Trump that I call my father-in-law. I'm asking you to vote for the Donald Trump who can and will make America great once again for all of us. (APPLAUSE AND CHEERING) Thank you. God bless you. God bless the United States of America. We love you. (END VIDEOTAPE) JAKE TAPPER, CNN HOST: All right, Lara Trump, wife of Trump's son, Eric Trump. She is the co-chair of the Republican National Committee, former TV producer for "Inside Edition" and former Fox News contributor. John King, we've heard from a lot of individuals tonight. Lara Trump, Senator Marco Rubio, obviously heard from Nikki Haley and Ron DeSantis as well. Your thoughts? JOHN KING, CNN CHIEF NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, number one, as you mentioned them, Cruz and Rubio, opponents in 2016. DeSantis and Haley, opponents in this past campaign. Trump has a history of isolating, punishing, shoving his opponents out, blocking them out, and yet he sat there tonight and listened to all their speeches. Why? Look around this hall. He does not have to fear them anymore. He doesn't have to worry about them anymore. There is no one in the Republican Party that is a threat to his leadership. So, he sits there and listens to them say vote for Donald Trump. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) We've talked about this before. If you have any doubts, anybody out there thinks the takeover is somehow incomplete, you're wrong. This is Donald Trump's party. (END VIDEO CLIP) Fascinating for them in the sense that they still have national political aspirations. And, you know, Trump has picked J.D. Vance, about to be 40 years old. It doesn't mean he's the automatic heir. It doesn't mean the voters will agree with that. But if Donald Trump keeps the hold over the party that he has in this room, number one, right now, he's on a path to winning. The other point I would make about that is that, you know, the president's party always goes last. The president of the United States also decided to have an early debate. The calendar of this campaign may become Joe Biden's enemy. KAITLAN COLLINS, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Also -- KING: The debate put him in such a horrible position. And now, he has to wait a month for his convention, and all of the numbers say he is in deep trouble. COLLINS: The other thing, too, when you watch Lara Trump, Jake, as you mentioned, she is not just the daughter-in-law, she is now the co- chair of the Republican National Committee. To think back to 2016 when we were at the convention then, the RNC was one of the biggest things standing in Trump's way, in his view. That is how he felt in the 2016 campaign, that they were against him, that they abandoned him after the Access Hollywood tape came out. And so, to see her getting a 21-minute speaking slot, when Senator Rick Scott of Florida, who wants to be the majority leader, should they retake the majorities in that race, he got four minutes earlier, it speaks to the weight that they give her and the emphasis and the standing that she has. DAVID URBAN, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: I was going to say, to your point about the RNC, the night before the election, the chair of the RNC and the leadership of the RNC went to New York, to the networks, to explain how Trump's loss was not their fault. TAPPER: You're talking about in 2016. URBAN: In 2016. TAPPER: Yeah. URBAN: That is the difference between the party today -- DANA BASH, CNN CHIEF POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: Yeah. URBAN: -- and the party in 2016. Completely at odds, as you're saying. BASH: Can I just say something else about the Lara Trump speech and connect it to another speech that really held this room in a way that we haven't seen a lot of, and that is Sarah Huckabee Sanders? (APPLAUSE AND CHEERING) And the connection is that they are both women who know the former president well and are trying to do something that certainly the J.D. Vance pick didn't do, the Marco Rubio speech, the Ted Cruz speech, and the above, which is to try to humanize him -- TAPPER: Yeah. [23:20:00] BASH: -- to try to dispel all of the things that we have seen on his social media and other very well-reported incidents that he has had. TAPPER: In fact -- let me just interrupt for one second. We have a clip from Sarah Huckabee Sanders. I'd love to get your response. BASH: Okay, great. TAPPER: Here's a little clip from Governor Sanders of Arkansas. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) GOV. SARAH HUCKABEE SANDERS (R-AR): He pulled me aside, looked me in the eye, and said, Sarah, you're smart, you're beautiful, you're tough, and they attack you because you're good at your job. Never let them stop fighting. (APPLAUSE AND CHEERING) (END VIDEO CLIP) TAPPER: That was a story she told about President Trump backing her up after, apparently, she had been criticized by some MSNBC anchors. BASH: Because of -- because of her appearance, and the juxtaposition of that story with the Donald Trump that we saw when he first came on the political scene, his fights with Rosie O'Donnell, his fights with other women, which put him in not very good stead with a lot of female voters. He still struggles with those voters, and those voters are going to once again determine. TAPPER: Just to give a little back story, I don't want to get too much into the Donald Trump versus MSNBC bit, but I think he insulted Mika based on -- Mika Brzezinski based on her physical appearance. BASH: Exactly, that's my point. TAPPER: But -- I mean -- BASH: They're trying to inoculate that -- TAPPER: Yeah. BASH: -- and tell a different version of the story. I'm totally agreeing with you. I mean, we can't forget all of the comments that we heard from him about women. And what was so clearly intentional with that Sarah Huckabee Sanders story, saying he pulled her aside privately and said, don't let them -- don't let them upset you, that was a very clear, intentional way to try to show another side of him. I don't know that suburban women or even men who find the previous behavior repugnant are going to buy that, but it certainly was an attempt to try. ABBY PHILLIP, CNN ANCHOR: And that is -- look, this is a convention. This is what they're supposed to do, is to paint the best picture of the candidate. But with Donald Trump, it's not -- I mean, frankly, he's a public figure, he's a political figure. It's really not about what he's like when nobody is looking. It's also about what he is like when everyone is looking. That has been his problem consistently on the political stage. I thought that the juxtaposition of this picture of Trump as this sort of soft, loving person, parent, grandparent, was so interesting on the very same night that they're also painting an extremely dark picture of the country on crime, on immigration, on all of these other issues. And those two things going hand-in-hand, maybe it was intended to sort of soften the effect of some of the harsher stories on crime, but I'm not sure what to make of it. I also think that the American people -- I think it was Sarah Huckabee Sanders who said this herself. They have lived through Donald Trump. They remember those years. They remember his candidacies in 2016 and 2020. And I think it's going to be hard for them to just tell people that he is, you know, a kind gentleman in private when they have seen him in public doing quite the opposite. CHRIS WALLACE, CNN HOST: Jake, one of the other things that struck me about this evening is that there was a lot of talk in the aftermath of the shooting on Saturday that there was going to be unity and there was going to be an effort to take down the temperature, and it really lasted until tonight. And there were -- over and over again, there were efforts. First, DeSantis said, Donald Trump has been demonized, he has been sued, he has been prosecuted, and he nearly lost his life. He didn't make a direct connection there. But later on, former HUD Secretary Ben Carson did. He said, first they tried to ruin his reputation, then they tried to bankrupt him, then they tried to put him in prison, and then last weekend, they tried to kill him. DAVID AXELROD, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: Yeah. WALLACE: Uh, I don't know who "they" is, but there was the sense of victimization, the sense of us against them. There was a lot of media bashing tonight. AXELROD: Yeah. WALLACE: This was very much a different tone than what we were hearing about in the immediate aftermath of the shooting on Saturday. AXELROD: From a clinical standpoint, having been involved in trying to put these things together, this was a well-orchestrated night. They did a lot of business tonight. (COUGHING) They spent part of the night trying to scare the hell out of people, and in some very disingenuous ways at times. And, you know, I'm still getting my arms around the back the blue thing, and I'm wondering what the families of the officers who were killed on January 6th were thinking when they watched that. But setting that aside, the speakers at the end, Sarah Huckabee Sanders, certainly Lara Trump, but even Marco Rubio, they -- this was a -- they were sanding down the sharp edges on Donald Trump, who is seen by a lot of people as crass and cruel and vengeful. [23:25:08] And this was designed to take that down, some. And the fact that he had -- that he comes under these circumstances and is clearly subdued and somber because of what happened, has created an environment in which -- I thought it was pretty effective tonight. URBAN: Well, I just want to say, to your point on the back the blue piece, Madeline Brame, who was the speaker, who talked about backing the blue, whose son in the combat was the military veteran, the army veteran who was stabbed, I think she was the highlight of the night. I mean, her speech was incredibly compelling, incredibly powerful. You can hear a pin drop in here, I think. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) And I think that they should have, Abby and I talked about this, they should have let -- maybe have played a little music, let that sit in a little bit -- PHILLIP: Yeah. URBAN: -- because that was such a powerful moment. And it really, I think, affected people here. I don't know how it affected people on television. It affected me. I think she was a really great messenger. Her message was great. PHILLIP: And look, all of those stories were -- URBAN: Very compelling. PHILLIP: -- super powerful. URBAN: Those everyday people. PHILLIP: The mother who lost her son to fentanyl. URBAN: Yup. PHILLIP: I think it's always a good call at these conventions to lean on real people. However, it's incumbent upon us to point out that crime is down in this country. That immigrants are not more likely to commit crime in this country. That fentanyl, David pointed this out, fentanyl is not mostly coming over from the border. So, the stories are important, but so are the actual facts behind the argument that's being made. And ultimately, um, you know, the families are entitled to feel how they -- how they feel about the tragedies that happened to them. But from a factual perspective, some of those things are not trending in the same direction as they were painted on that stage behind us. URBAN: But those are the top issues. Immigration, crime in this campaign. Those are the top issues as identified by voters. PHILLIP: Well, they were -- I think they were the top issues. The economy is still one of the biggest issues. And again, crime is down like 30%. TAPPER: So -- PHILLIP: So, it's a significant drop and it's improving in people's lives. It matters. TAPPER: As we -- as we hear the beautiful song by Creed, I want to throw it back to you. (LAUGHTER) COLLINS: Jake's favorite band. You have Shazam, right? (LAUGHTER) TAPPER: Anderson? ANDERSON COOPER, CNN HOST: A lot to talk to, a lot to digest. Alyssa, what stands out to you? ALYSSA FARAH GRIFFIN, CNN CONTRIBUTOR: So, watching Trump just -- (END VIDEO CLIP) -- take this all in, kind of reminded me of his old cabinet meetings where he would kick them off, and everyone would go around the horn and just praise him for a while, because I was thinking, like, is he bored watching these speeches? No, he loves seeing people line up, talk about his accomplishments and why they're with him. And to John King's point, he was not threatened by a single person out there because the remaking of the party into the Trump party has happened. He can have Ruby out there, he can have Haley out there, and that was -- that was shown tonight. But these are also nights -- conventions are a time for stars to rise and potentially stars to fall. And I think in some ways, the Rubios, the Rick Scotts, they didn't -- they kind of just -- they fell a little flat tonight. And those are from the before times before Trump. You see someone like a Sarah Sanders. That was what a Trump -- you know, a 2028, somebody with a national profile. That's the kind of speech you're going to see. So, a little bit of kind of the separation of the old guard and the new guard. COOPER: Is time now going to be divided between B.T. and A.T.? (LAUGHTER) GRIFFIN: Yes, that's how we'll measure it. COOPER: Shermichael? SHERMICHAEL SINGLETON, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: Look, I think you can break this down to three different themes. We heard a lot about continuity. People who are tired of broken promises. You heard the one mother whose son was an army veteran who lost his life to an illegal immigrant. We heard a lot about stability, if you want economic stability for the working class, for lower end workers, low wage workers. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) We heard a lot about opportunity, if you want a future that's better than the past. And you contrast that with Joe Biden. You have an economy that, frankly, is hard for most people. The idea of a middle class is almost something of a healthy in days, to be quite frank. You think about an open border where the doors are saying, come on into America. And Americans are asking themselves, Anderson, what about me? Well, the Republican Party is answering that question. We have the solutions for you. COOPER: Um -- well -- KATE BEDINGFIELD, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: Well, actually, I didn't hear a lot of solutions tonight. I mean, look, conventions are about storytelling. And I think there were a lot of really effective moments -- (END VIDEO CLIP) -- for the Republicans tonight. I think a lot of the personal stories that we heard from some of those speakers, no doubt they were powerful. There actually wasn't a whole lot of -- there weren't a lot of solutions put on the table. There was a lot of criticizing Joe Biden. There was a lot of focus on crime and immigration. And, again, kind of painting this picture of America as a dark place where crime is running rampant. I think, you know, Abby Phillip was rightly saying, you know, crime is actually, in fact, down. And I would expect we're going to hear the Democrats make that case. [23:30:01] I mean, again, this is the thing about conventions. They are a, you know, a moment where you get to put forward your message. COOPER: Let's look at some facts. Let's just look at some facts right now because we have a lot of prominent Republicans taking the stage tonight, including members of the Republican House leadership. I want to bring in our fact checker, senior reporter Daniel Dale. Daniel, you listened to all of tonight's speeches. Talk a little bit about what stood out to you. DANIEL DALE, CNN SENIOR REPORTER: Yeah, Anderson, there was a lot of stuff you can't really try to fact check. There were personal stories, general praise of Trump, broad denunciations of Biden, subjective accusations that Biden was personally responsible for drug overdose deaths, which I think we should note rose under President Trump as well. But there was also some significant inaccuracy we can check. Arizona U.S. Senate candidate Kari Lake made a wildly false claim that her Democratic opponent, Ruben Gallego, voted to allow illegal immigrants to vote in this election. That's a brazen distortion of a recent House vote on voter registration requirements. Senator Ted Cruz of Texas claimed with no evidence at all that Democrats deliberately let in illegal immigrants to somehow get their votes. Non-citizens cannot legally vote, and the data shows almost never do. And I thought it was notable that some of the most significant false or misleading claims tonight came from members of the House Republican leadership. Listen to what GOP Conference Chair Elise Stefanik and House Speaker Mike Johnson said about violent crime. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) REP. ELISE STEFANIK (R-NY): Biden's violent crime crisis, fueled by Democrats, pro-criminal, sanctuary cities, and defund the police policies like we have seen in my home state of New York. MIKE JOHNSON, SPEAKER OF THE UNITED STATES HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES: We can't survive the dramatic increases in violence, crime and drugs that the Democrats' policies have brought upon our communities. (END VIDEO CLIP) DALE: Well, I'll do it again. This claim that there have been dramatic increases in violence and crime under Biden is false. In fact, both violent crime and property crime have fallen under President Biden, and there have been big declines over the last year and a half. Preliminary figures from the FBI show that violent crime is down roughly 6% in 2023, and then it dropped by a staggering 15% in the first quarter of 2024. The declines in murder in particular were even bigger. And so, now, key fact here, murder in particular and violent crime in general are both below where they were in 2020, Trump's last year in office. Now, Congresswoman Stefanik's claim of a Biden violent crime crisis is subjective, I guess, but she certainly did not note that Trump had a violent crime crisis when he had worse numbers. I'm going to cough. Now, I'll caution again, this is preliminary data. A big chunk of local communities have not submitted their numbers yet, so the precise extent of the decline in violent crime is to be determined, but it's clearly falling and not rising. And I also want to address, Anderson, a claim from House Majority Leader Steve Scalise on the Biden administration's record on U.S. energy production. Take a listen. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) REP. STEVE SCALISE (R-LA): Let's talk energy. They've eroded the American energy dominance that President Trump delivered. We will end the Democrats' assault on American energy once and for all. (END VIDEO CLIP) DALE: This claim about a Biden-era democratic assault on American energy is misleading at very best. While it's true that Biden is pushing for a transition to renewables, the U.S. under Biden is producing more crude oil than any country ever has. It is a fact the U.S. is setting fossil fuel world records under this administration. The U.S. produced a global record 12.9 million barrels of crude oil per day in 2023, easily beating the Trump-era high of about 12.3 million barrels. And Scalise also spoke of U.S. energy exports under Biden. Well, U.S. crude exports in 2023 were also the highest on record for anybody. Now, we should be clear here not to suggest these records are being set because of President Biden, who certainly has taken a bunch of steps the fossil fuel industry oil companies don't like. These are market-driven increases, a lot of them caused by improvements in fracking, horizontal drilling technology. But nonetheless, Republicans, including former President Trump, keep pushing this notion that Biden has crushed U.S. oil and gas production. Trump sometimes says Biden has ended it entirely. And all this stuff is not close to true. Anderson? COOPER: Daniel Dale, thank you so much. For more CNN fact checks, you can visit cnn.com/factsfirst. Van? VAN JONES, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: Look, I am -- we saw a lot of -- a lot of speeches. I'll talk about three. Ron DeSantis, he was terrible. Ron was terrible. (LAUGHTER) He sounded like -- he just sounded like ChatGPT for mean people. I mean, just every mean thing a Republican could say, he said it. It really fast and it didn't really work very well. Nikki Haley looked like somebody who had to go to her ex-husband's wedding and give a toast. (LAUGHTER) She was miserable saying it, and Trump was miserable hearing it. So, all that stuff just did not work at all. But Sarah Huckabee Sanders, she was incredibly compelling to me. She told a -- she told personal stories that landed. There's a sense of aggrievement, I think, that conservatives feel, that liberal culture demeans them, attacks them, cancels them. She didn't use rhetoric. [23:35:00] She told a personal story, and it was moving and it was powerful. I think having a southern storyteller to bring that stuff home worked really, really well for them. So, I think she -- she gave the speech of the night. Obviously, the mother who lost her son to the stabbing, also very powerful. Two very powerful women telling stories, personal stories that landed. But I have to say something. I felt very badly about the way that the immigrant community was portrayed. It is not true that immigrants are responsible for crime. Not only are they not more likely, they're much less likely to commit crime. People come here because they want to work, and they come here because they want a better life. They're often afraid of getting in trouble. And so, if you want to know where the real trouble is coming from, it's coming from U.S. born men who don't have high school -- who have not finished high school. That's the real source of our challenges. And so, to blame this group that's actually less responsible for crime, for all the crime, I think is unfair and is unwarranted. And lastly, I lost a friend to fentanyl. Fentanyl deaths went up under Obama. They went up under Trump. They're going up under Biden because this is a very addictive, horrible substance that's killing Americans in very, very large numbers. I don't blame President Obama or President Trump or President Biden. And I think to take the pain of people, I don't like people pimping funerals, to take the pain of people and say this is all Biden's fault, that's not true. This is a national crisis. We've got to get our arms around it. But to blame immigrants for those deaths, to blame Biden for those deaths, I just think is in poor form, and I just think it's not fair to a community that's actually doing a lot better when it comes to crime than most of us are. COOPER: Scott Jennings, how do you see it? SCOTT JENNINGS, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: I was looking at Trump tonight and thinking, like the great Petey Pablo, he was taking in requests on the request line, and he got everything he wanted tonight. UNKNOWN: Uhh. JENNINGS: Sarah Sanders, I agree with you. COOPER: Brilliant. JENNINGS: I mean, Lord have mercy. That would have made a bishop kick out a stained-glass window, what she did tonight. COOPER: Yeah. JENNINGS: Delivery, message handling. COOPER: Yeah. JENNINGS: Haley and DeSantis hit their marks, did exactly -- delivered the product they needed to deliver. Disagree with you on DeSantis, but you're not the audience for that. JONES: Fair enough. JENNINGS: But that convention hall was and Republicans were. Rubio, good as always, delivers an inspirational sort of look at what the American story can be for different kinds of people. Baby dog -- (LAUGHTER) -- from West Virginia managed to come to the convention on a night that Kristi Noem was not there -- (LAUGHTER) -- and avoided any kind of unfortunate interaction. (LAUGHTER) But she stole the hearts of the whole convention tonight. JONES: Puppy dog. JENNINGS: The everyday Americans did a good job. Look, the bottom line tonight is the RNC delivered hit after hit and the entire thing was aimed at unity, unity. And the party is unified and it's functioning and it's against the backdrop of an -- of an opposing party that is stuck with an unpopular incumbent who cannot find his way out of a wet paper sack right now. Two nights of this convention are done, both of them have been a success, and now we're going to hear from the candidates for the next two debates (ph). COOPER: The unity message, though, I think a lot of people thought going into this, was a unity of the country. You're talking about unity of the Republican Party. JENNINGS: It's a Republican Party convention. (CROSSTALK) JONES: No. Unity for Trump. Unity in service of Trump. Unity in surrender to Trump. Unity in servile obedience to Trump. But not unity for the people in the country who felt insulted and left out by a lot of this stuff. Listen, if this is the unity you're talking about, it's the unity that scares me. BEDINGFIELD: Can I just say quickly that -- I mean, the test I think you were laying out earlier in our conversation was, you know, Trump can put this race away if he reaches out to the country and he displays unity. And you had -- I mean, the DeSantis speech couldn't have been farther from an attempt to do that. I mean, that was like red meat, the most divisive kind of language. SINGLETON: This is a political -- BEDINGFIELD: So, I don't buy your own standard. JENNINGS: Last night, you were saying that we got to start calling Trump Hitler again because J.D. Vance didn't take it. Now, it's Ron DeSantis. BEDINGFIELD: I said no such thing. Don't put words in my mouth. I absolutely did not. JENNINGS: Look, it's a political convention and somebody is going to make a political speech. The thing that will matter is what Trump says Thursday. I'm hopeful. I hope I'm right. Maybe I won't be, but I hope I'm right. But so far, the political party is delivering a political convention. GRIFFIN: And let's be clear. No one at this table has said anything as offensive about Donald Trump as J.D. Vance has. But I do want to note one thing. Donald Trump was not threatened by everyone tonight. There were strong performances. There were some that were less strong. In about a month, we're going to see a democratic convention where you're going to see young, rising talent, left, right and center of the Democratic Party, and then you're going to see a president who is less popular than most of those people, who's able to perform less well. [23:40:00] That, to me, is a big juxtaposition because people are watching. But they're watching for the big-ticket item, which is the Donald Trump show. JENNINGS: Yeah. GRIFFIN: That's where the Republican Party is. I think that's going to be a challenge for Democrats. SINGLETON: But, Anderson, I want to bring it back to the voters. The voters are yearning for recognition for their daily plight. When you say that there isn't a crime issue in this country -- JONES: I didn't say that. SINGLETON: No, no, not you. You mentioned crime is going down. BEDINGFIELD: That is demonstrably true. SINGLETON: Go to Washington, D.C. We're here in New York City. Go -- talk to people who live in impoverished areas or poor white areas, and ask them about crime. Talk to those people about the economic instability that we have under the Joe Biden-Kamala Harris administration. Talk to those people about immigration. And it's not about demonizing immigrants, Van. I agree with you that immigrants come to the country assuming for a good life. But people want an ordered process. People want to make sure that their plight is addressed first before the plight of other people. JONES: We didn't talk about an orderly process. SINGLETON: That's what Republicans answered over the past two days. JONES: We didn't talk about an orderly process. We call people rapists, murderers, and we said that they were bringing drugs here and killing people. (CROSSTALK) COOPER: We've got to take a break. Still ahead, more of our live coverage from Milwaukee. How Democrats are dealing with their own disarray as Republicans unite. What it all means for the Biden-Trump rematch, ahead. (COMMERCIAL BREAK) [23:45:19] TAPPER: Republicans wrapping up the second night of their convention here in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, putting on a carefully choreographed show of party unity as the Democrats remain divided over the future of President Biden's candidacy. Let's bring in CNN's Jeff Zeleny who has more on the Democrats in, as I said, Democrats in disarray. Jeff, what are you picking up? JEFF ZELENY, CNN CHIEF NATIONAL AFFAIRS CORRESPONDENT: Jake, we heard throughout the evening the democratic disarray and disunity really was the subject of punchline from Republican speaker after speaker, but it's anything but amusing to Democratic officials who are still dealing with this anger and alarm and panic that is coursing through the Democratic Party. Yes, the attention this week is focused on Republicans, but inside the Democratic Party, there are party leaders who are even more worried by the day as time is running out, who believe that President Biden is a drag on the democratic ticket. So, talking to a variety of Democratic officials here in Wisconsin and other battleground states as well as nationally, they are concerned that A, these punchlines about the president's age, his fitness for office, his command of the office, will become a fait accompli in the general election campaign. And it is sort of ironic here, Jake, that one year ago, right here in this very hall, Republicans had their first debate. So, it was thought at the time that the republican primary would be messy and divisive. And Democrats thought they sort of dodged a bullet, if you will, by not having a primary on the democratic side. Now, it looks considerably different. There is disunity in the Democratic Party and division. So even as President Biden is vowing to stay in the race, senators and House members we are speaking with are still very concerned about this. So, look for all that to continue. And one other Democrat was watching Nikki Haley very carefully as well for a time. They thought that her voters may be open to them. That is unclear. I talked to one Haley voter tonight who lives in the suburbs of Milwaukee. She told me, I'm voting for President Trump. Not her first choice, but she said the choice she'll make in November. Jake? TAPPER: All right, Jeff Zeleny, thanks so much. And let's talk about what Democrats are doing behind closed doors because I was able to get my hands on some polling from the firm Blue Labs. This is a polling funded by some Democratic donors. And this kind of project is going on all over the country right now. It looks -- it's a survey of 15,000 voters in several battleground states. And it shows, first of all, there's an early July polling that has already been reported on, showing that President Biden is losing ground to Donald Trump in 14 key states across the country. This includes not only the five that Biden flipped against Trump in 2020. That's Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin. But in addition, post-debate, it's like Waterloo. He's vulnerable in Colorado, he's vulnerable in Minnesota, he's vulnerable in Maine, he's vulnerable in New Mexico and Virginia and New Hampshire. Now, what this poll did was look at alternatives. First of all, it found that nearly every tested Democrat that this polling firm looked at performs better than the president. This includes Vice President Harris. But the top four in these seven battleground states, Senator Mark Kelly of Arizona, Wes Moore of Maryland, Josh Shapiro of Pennsylvania, Gretchen Whitmer of Michigan, they have a whole complex way of looking at it and whether or not these people can take votes from Trump that Trump is currently winning and bring them back, and those are the top four. And, again, this is just one poll, but this is really indicative of where the Democratic Party is, with the exception of maybe two or three of President Biden's aides and, I assume, his immediate family. The Democratic Party is really looking for an alternative. KING: And so, polls like that, other internal polls I've looked at, all the public polling is being forwarded to the White House every day, forwarded to the president's top advisors saying, please read this, because it shows how deep trouble you're in. TAPPER: Taken right to the shredder. KING: So, let's just look at some of it. Let's just look at some public polling now, again, to reinforce what Jake was just talking about. This is where we were just after the debate. This is the CNN projection. But because of all that polling, Donald Trump at 272. The light red is lean Republican. The dark red is solid Republican. The gold are toss-ups. Right now, we know, though, that Donald Trump is actually leading here as well. And he's leading here well. Maybe not by a lot. Democrats watching might be complaining. And that he's leading here as well. And he's going to get the congressional district. If the vote was today, he would get all of Nebraska's electoral votes at two. So, there's 302. As Jake just noted, you come over here, there are people who think New Hampshire right now is in play. There are people who think Virginia right now is in play. Arizona is blue here. That's my mistake. [23:50:00] Donald Trump is leading there as well. So, there's 330, right? Jake also mentioned Colorado. The governor of New Mexico has warned the White House. The governor of Minnesota has warned the White House. Why? Why? Let's look at just some. This is new public polling battleground -- seven battleground states released just today. Forgive me for turning my back. I want to turn this out. Look at the incumbent president's vote share. Arizona, Georgia, Wisconsin, Michigan, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Nevada. Forty-two is the highest the incumbent president gets in vote share in these battleground states. That's a path to big loss, even if Donald Trump can't get to 50 because of the third-party candidates. Look how closely it correlates to the president's approval rating. This is the president's approval rating, 36%, 37% in Arizona, 42% in Georgia, 40% of the vote. You get it. You follow it through. If he cannot get his approval rating to go that way, he can't move that. And that number has been stuck or getting worse since the debate. That's one way to look at it. The other question is, voters are asking, is Biden up to the job? Again, forgive me for turning my back. I just want to stretch this out. Is he too old to be president in these seven battleground states? Seventy-two percent in Arizona say yes, 67% in Georgia, 70% in Wisconsin, 70% in Michigan. Same in Pennsylvania, close to that 68%. In North Carolina, 70% again. That's a lot of Democrats and a lot of independents. That's not just Republicans. You get into the 60s and 70s, you're talking about a lot of the president's own party saying they don't think he is up to the job. How do you change that? And then there's this. What's the number one issue in the country right now? One more time. Sorry again. I just want to stretch this out so you can see it. The percentage of registered voters rating the economy as fair or poor. He's the incumbent. He wants four more years. Seventy-three percent in Arizona, close to 70% in Georgia, 74% in Michigan, 74% in North Carolina, just below 70% in Nevada, and 73% and 72% respectively in Pennsylvania and Wisconsin. He's the incumbent president saying stay the course, Jake. That's what people in these battleground states think about the economy. That's a tough sell. That is an incredibly hard sell. And these numbers, many Democrats say, this poll was taken over a long period of time. Most Democrats will tell you they're actually worse now. They're worse now. They expect Donald Trump to get a bounce because of what happened in this hall tonight and what will happen for the next two nights in this hall. And the Democratic convention is a month away. You want to know why Democrats use the term disarray, panic, worried, nervous? Look at that. TAPPER: Yeah, and you said, how do you turn that around? And I know you meant that as a rhetorical question because the answer is it really hasn't ever been done. KING: It has never been done. David knows this. Both Davids know this. There has been no incumbent president in our lifetime. Again, Democrats will argue, well, wait, the national polls are a point or two. Some of these state polls are only three or four points. It's underneath the polls. It's the approval rating. It's is he up to the job? Is he too old? What people think about the direction of the country and the state of the economy? You need some magic potion to change people's minds on six or eight fundamental questions. AXELROD: I think the question is whether the president can accept this verdict. But he says it's early. People will focus in September. It's not early. People are going to start voting in September. And what's very clear is that these concerns have been hardened, that they've been there for a long time. They were hardened by the debate. He's in a situation that is, in my mind, irreversible. And I believe him when he says the stakes are huge of this election. If he believes it, he needs to take into consideration what the stakes are and make the best decision, not just for himself but for the country. TAPPER: And Abby, one of the things that the Democrats are trying to do right now, the Democratic National Committee, you said the voting takes place in September. That's voter voters. The delegates, they're trying to get the delegates to start voting next week in days. They want the train to leave before the convention. PHILLIP: Yeah. TAPPER: They want to lock this in because they know -- they know that Democrats are really trying to push him out. PHILLIP: And party officials privately are pushing back on that hard. The reasoning that they've used is this Ohio ballot situation that Ohio officials say has been resolved -- TAPPER: It's a lie. It's a lie. PHILLIP: That has been resolved. TAPPER: The DNC is lying about that. PHILLIP: But the DNC is saying -- their lawyers -- their lawyers are telling them that that's not the case. But here's the other thing that I've been paying attention to. Privately, there has been a lot of great reporting about what Speaker Emeritus Nancy Pelosi is doing. And she's hearing from front-line members. She's hearing from all kinds of House members. She's concerned about control of the House and concerned that control of the House is going right out the window as well. And it has been interesting to see so much reporting about the concern, it seems, almost shifting away from Biden toward the down- ballot issues. I'm not even sure that people who want Biden to step aside believe that it is still possible to completely turn this around. [23:55:04] But they do believe that it might be necessary to prevent the House and the Senate from being taken away. AXELROD: Money is going to shift from Biden to those congressional races. And the candidates are going to start arguing, we need to be there to be a bulwark against Donald Trump. COLLINS: Look at why he's suggesting all these changes to the Supreme Court that he's expected to come out and call for, which we know he has been having these discussions behind the scenes. When Joe Biden was running in 2020, he was facing a lot of pressure from more liberal members of his party who ran against him to make changes to the Supreme Court. He resisted that. Commissioned a study when he was in office. I remember when it came out. It was 300 pages. It was December of 2021. He never acted on that study. And now, he's preparing to come out and call for maybe a constitutional amendment or changes to the Supreme Court. It's because look who stood by him in these days when other more moderates are calling on him to get out. It's the progressives. BASH: Can I connect what John was showing us with these new polls and specifically the key states to what we saw here tonight? And that was the first really big speech by Nikki Haley. Wisconsin. We're in Wisconsin right now. And if you look back at the Wisconsin primary, which she was still on the ballot for April 7th -- April 2nd, even though she had already dropped out, she got more than 76,000 votes in that primary. And what she did here tonight was she said, go ahead, please go and vote for Donald Trump. It was like more than 20,000 votes. That made the difference in both the general election in 2016 and 2020. TAPPER: All right, stay with CNN as the republican convention heads into its third night. Laura Coates picks up our coverage after this break. (COMMERCIAL BREAK) CNN Live Event/Special Aired July 17, 2024 - 00:00 ET THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED. [00:00:55] LAURA COATES, CNN ANCHOR: I'm Laura Coates, and we're live from the CNN Grill in Milwaukee. We're on night two of the Republican National Convention. And, you know, if there was an unofficial theme tonight, it's certainly foes apparently can become your best friends and critics, well, they can become your champions. It's not your father's flip- flop, though, it's political evolution. Donald Trump appearing for the second straight night, just three days after surviving an assassination attempt and sitting next to his now announced running mate, Senator J.D. Vance. But the headlines, they belong to his former rivals, and rivals certainly was the right word. Just a few months or years ago, they took to the stage to now sing his praises, including four, count them, four of his previous primary opponents. And two of them he battled in the past just, what, six months? And their tunes, they certainly have changed. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) SEN. TED CRUZ (R-TX): This man is a pathological liar. He doesn't know the difference between truth and lies. God bless Donald J. Trump. The country is less safe. But here's the good news we can fix it, and when Donald Trump is president, we will fix it. SEN. MARCO RUBIO (R-FL): We will not allow the party of Lincoln and Reagan to fall into the hands of a con artist. By giving voice to everyday Americans, President Trump has not just transformed our party, he has inspired a movement. GOV. RON DESANTIS (R), FLORIDA: I don't think Donald Trump ultimately can win an election. My fellow Republicans, let's send Joe Biden back to his basement and let's send Donald Trump back to the White House. NIKKI HALEY (R), FORMER SOUTH CAROLINA GOVERNOR: He is unhinged. He is more diminished than he was. Just like Joe Biden is more diminished than what he was. We have to see this for what it is. I'll start by making one thing perfectly clear. Donald Trump has my strong endorsement. Period. (END VIDEO CLIP) COATES: Joining me now, David Polyansky, Ashley Allison, Tara Palmeri, and Mark Preston. OK. First of all, I need a neck brace because I have a little bit of whiplash from standing back and forth. I know people can evolve. They can change their mind. Everyone is entitled to their epiphany. But this is pretty significant to have this happen right now. I mean, you've got Nikki Haley, you've got Ron DeSantis endorsing him fully. I mean, this was a very contentious primary. Were you convinced? Will the voters be convinced by the speeches tonight? DAVID POLYANSKY, CHIEF STRATEGY OFFICER, AXADVOCACY: Absolutely. Look, tonight was about unity and that's what was delivered here. You saw I think five of President Trump's -- former president Trump's primary opponents from 2016 and this cycle. And look, I mean, whiplash is part of politics. You saw the takedown that Vice President Harris had on President Biden during their primary. And frankly, I think all the Democrat House members who are pushing letters in Washington that have asked President Biden to step down are going to be in the convention probably in Chicago in a couple of weeks, cheering him on. That's just politics. But what I think we saw tonight was a united front from conservatives. And they came from all directions. Foreign policy to domestic policy, to immigration and everything in between. And I think the stage is set for Donald Trump to grow into the fall now, with the full backing of the entirety of the party, which is something that his opponent doesn't have today. COATES: You know, you mentioned the idea of mentioning Kamala Harris and we are all remembering that. This little girl with me comment and everything else that happened. And of course her statements to him providing a number of things. But this felt qualitatively different to me in terms of the times the criticism that they gave Donald Trump versus what they gave to Biden. Is it for you? ASHLEY ALLISON, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: Yes. They were calling Donald Trump a con artist, a liar. That's different than having a policy distinction, which Kamala Harris had with Joe Biden on the presidential stage. POLYANSKY: I'm not sure that was -- COATES: You don't that -- MARK PRESTON, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL ANALYST: I mean, it was a little bit more than politics. [00:05:01] POLYANSKY: Saying hurtful and that he was a part of two racist U.S. senators isn't policy. That's pretty, that's actually as personal as you can get. ALLISON: Nonetheless, tonight, tonight, you saw -- TARA PALMERI, SENIOR POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT, PUCK: This is why we love you, Ashley. ALLISON: I mean, I didn't have to say it. They said it. Con artist. Liar. Diminished. And then -- there's a song by Deborah Cox said, we can't be friends if we can't be lovers. And tonight, Nikki Haley -- well, Vivek was always over there, but Nikki Haley, Ron DeSantis, you name it, became Donald Trump's lovers and they don't want to just be his friend. They want to be in love with Donald Trump so they have a future in the Republican Party. I think it is politics, but I think that's what the American public are sick of. They're sick of it on the Democratic side and they're sick of it on the Republican side. They want people to be genuine. And I just don't feel like tonight we saw people who really are genuine. You don't switch -- and also, like, Nikki Haley wasn't saying this four years ago. She said four months ago. PRESTON: Don't go into politics if you're looking for genuine people because you're not going to find them. It's just the reality. We were talking about this earlier. A friend of mine and myself were talking about this earlier and we were just talking about politics in general, and where we are now in this, in this strange environment. And people might go into politics with all the greatest intentions. You come to Washington and it does become very, very corrupt. COATES: But what are the voters make of that? I mean, that's the part of it, right? You want voters to consistently vote for the candidate you tell them. But then there's an inconsistent message, and again, everyone has had their epiphany. But politics makes you feel heavy a lot of times, right? You make you think to yourself, well, hold on, who do I believe and will you have that same opinion tomorrow? PALMERI: This is what goes back to the whole idea that the voters are just feeling gaslit right now, right? So you've got these people that have been on the campaign trail vicious. This has been particularly brutal last primary. Donald Trump did not think that any of these people deserve to be primarying him at all. He went and called Ron DeSantis De-Sanctimonious. He had to have an -- there had to be an intervention, a brokered intervention for the two men to sit down together just a month ago so that this could be a moment of unity. So that Ron DeSantis could have a primetime speaking spot, so that he could go out and campaign for him. Literally as of Thursday, I wrote a column and I reached out to Nikki Haley's people, she was waiting for an invite, but she was not going to ask for one. So we're talking about just a few days ago -- COATES: Oh, is that where we are? PALMERI: Yes. That's two days ago. (CROSSTALK) PALMERI: This has been -- the whole thing has changed. So, I mean, it's very brutal and yes, I think people feel gaslit and I think on the other side as well where people have come out and said, OK, you know, Joe Biden, he is in great health. The guy can run, he can kick, he can -- you know, and then you see a totally different person on the debate stage. What is real? What is true? Do you hate this man? Is this man in, you know, is this man in good physical and mental shape? They're tired of being lied to and that's why they don't trust the government and that's why conspiracy theories are just going wild right now. COATES: Well, you know, you make a good point in terms of -- we know we're at the Republican National Convention so people who are here are already all in on this ticket, right? We're pretty clear on that. PALMERI: Right. COATES: But all of the politicians are trying to appeal to the undecided and those who are trying to -- POLYANSKY: That's right. COATES: Granted. So when you're talking about the people who've spoken tonight, did they convince those undecided voters? POLYANSKY: Well, I think there's another part of tonight that I think we can all appreciate in this business. This wasn't just about the '24 election. This was in fact the start of the '28 election that we saw tonight. COATES: Is that why Nikki Haley said immediately, just so we're clear, I'm paraphrasing here, I support him? POLYANSKY: Well, look, they're going to support the nominee. The folks that were on the debate stage just go around signed the pledge and committed to support the nominee. And you have to do it. You have to prove that commitment to the voters, to the party. That is the commitment you made to be on that stage into every primary voter that participate in the process. But make no mistake. There were a lot of speeches tonight that were the start of the '28 race and so this isn't going to be a slam dunk for, you know, Senator Vance and probably Vice President Vance. We saw a whole group of folks that are probably going to be on the ballot against him. PRESTON: Two things can be true in this, right? There is unity in the Republican Party. Are they besties? Not a chance. POLYANSKY: That's right. PRESTON: But do they have this common goal of trying to have Joe Biden serve one term? Absolutely. And what David said is absolutely right as well because they had their own personal interest at heart. If any one of them came out and did what Ted Cruz had done eight years ago, eight years ago? COATES: Yes. Eight years ago. (CROSSTALK) PRESTON: My god, he said eight years ago. COATES: We're doing math at midnight. This is CNN. PRESTON: I know, crazy. So seven years ago, I was never good at math. But seriously, if that would have happened, they probably wouldn't have gotten out of that arena tonight. ALLISON: Yes. PRESTON: I mean, that's where the party has moved so far into Donald Trump's corner that if you want to be part of the party, you better be part Trump's. COATES: Mitch McConnell was booed. You reminded us yesterday, right? [00:10:01] ALLISON: So, on Sunday, many of us were doing television and we've used the word that we have used tonight and it was unity. I felt like tonight we're talking about a different kind of unity. Tonight we're talking about unifying the Republican Party. We're no longer talking about unifying the country after tonight's speeches. It was -- there were speeches to like red meat to the base, attacking immigrants, the culture wars. And I think that's the skepticism, back to Tara's point, that voters are having. It's like, you show us one thing and then you do something else. And it makes me worried not that people won't show up and vote because of who is on the top of the ticket, but because people are losing faith in our institutions, in our parties. And so we have that to really be true with the words that we're saying. Look, if on Sunday you don't want unity, just say you don't. I mean, just be honest with me. Let me know what I'm working with so I know how to engage you. But to put a 24-hour facade on that we want to bring this country together, and then tonight to hear what Sarah Huckabee Sanders is saying, I'm like, that's not the unity I'm looking for. POLYANSKY: It wasn't their job. It will be the president's -- former president's job on Thursday to do that. And I think if we're all sitting here, or some of us are sitting here on Thursday night, I think that's going to be a fair critique. COATES: Let me tell you this on this very point because Chris Christie actually wrote an op-ed in "The New York Times" today addressing what you've just raised, calling the moment an opportunity to rein in some of the worst rhetoric, rhetorical impulse to the Republican Party. He wrote this, "Mr. Trump can demonstrate the will to change not just how we speak to one another but also how we act. This moment can confirm that our country is greater than any political party, but only if we work for it." Well, we're going to hear from the president -- former president on Thursday. Have Republicans met the moment given what Ashley is talking about? This 24-hour seems to dissipate already. PRESTON: Well, let me just say this about unity. I think there's a lot of talk -- we've had this talk about unity. It's not about the Republican Party agreeing with the Democratic Party. It's about whether or not Donald Trump can just rein himself in. That's where the unity starts. It's not about unifying the whole country. It's -- COATES: That's a whole different definition of unity, right? PRESTON: Well, I'm sorry, but that's the reality. I mean, it's can Donald Trump go out there -- can Donald Trump go out there and not give into his greatest demons, which is just to let it all loose and allow J.D. to do that for him, to allow some of these other surrogates to do that for him? That's going to be a win of unity for Republicans. PALMERI: I've got to say he seems sedated to me. Just seeing him in the stands. You know, he didn't come out. He went on -- he was on a stage on Monday, he didn't speak. I have never seen Donald Trump walk up to a stage and not say a word. I know there's a big moment on Thursday, but there was no real fanfare around the announcement of the VP. He put it out on Truth Social, and he made us wait a long time for it. Granted it was probably going to leak once they told, you know, Doug Burgum and Marco Rubio that they were out, but still, I mean, he seemed sedated. His Truth Socials, I don't follow them day-to-day, but they haven't been quite as vicious. And yes, maybe he has his football for now and he's trying to meet the moment, and thinks that he can expand his voters, his base. But he maybe doesn't think he needs to be attacking when he's this far up in the polls. COATES: Sedated or strategic? POLYANSKY: Strategic for sure. Look, I think we're all going to be surprised by what we see on Thursday night. I think, not just the politics of the moment, but the moment that happened to him has to change him first. I mean, that was as close as you can get in a circumstance like that. And I think that puts a lot of things in perspective. And I think whether you're a candidate or just a human being, it's going to color the way you view things. Policy, politics, your personal well-being and your personal life. And so I think on Thursday night, you're going to see that come out and I think we're going to see the type of unifying speech that the party and frankly the country is looking forward. COATES: You know, we're talking -- I'm sorry. I will (INAUDIBLE) you up, Ashley. We're talking a lot about unity and the role of a vice president. But first ladies have often played a role as well in being a front-looking person for a campaign. We know that Melania Trump in the past has played a very key role in his initial 2016 campaign and trying to redirect the conversation surrounding the "Access Hollywood" tape and locker room talk. We're learning tonight that Melania Trump, the former first lady, will be in attendance on Thursday as well, and we know that she has spoken in the past. I wonder what role you think that Melania Trump could possibly play in this particular convention? ALLISON: Whatever Melania wants to play at this point. PALMERI: Be best. (LAUGHTER) ALLISON: You know what I mean? Like where has she been? This is her husband. I mean, she put out a really good statement the other day, but she has been a ghost. You know, like so if she wants to speak, I'm sure they would give her a platform, but she doesn't seem to want to be particularly engaged with this campaign and quite honestly the candidate. COATES: What do you -- how do you see it? PRESTON: I -- look, I'm of the belief that I don't care what she does, meaning if he wants to run for president, it doesn't mean that she has to go along for the ride. [00:15:05] I mean, clearly they haven't -- they have some kind of arrangement worked out and I don't understand nor do I want to understand. But I'm sure that you wouldn't understand the relationship that I have with my wife and I don't know. COATES: You want to talk more about it right now? ALLISON: I know. Tell us more. PRESTON: Well, OK. Well -- (CROSSTALK) PALMERI: You know, I -- PRESTON: This is really frustrating sometimes. No. No, no, but honestly -- COATES: Just fold the clothes and put them away, Mark Preston. That's it. PRESTON: Easy. Get dinner on the table. COATES: Do it. Do it. PRESTON: No. I mean, look. POLYANSKY: He's not going home tonight. ALLISON: I know. PRESTON: I'm just not going home. I'm in Milwaukee. But regardless, I think 10 years ago, it's an issue. I think in 2024, people's private lives, I don't think people care. I really don't. PALMERI: Yes. I -- PRESTON: It's fun to talk about, but. PALMERI: I have some reporting, too, that Melania has thought about not taking a real like official type of role in the White House. It's like she's kind of thinking about doing more of a hybrid and staying in Florida and spending a little bit less time. But, you know, that obviously opens up a vacuum for the first daughter, Ivanka, but yes, I mean, listen. It's his second term. He's not going to serve after that. There's no need to really keep up appearances. She had her anti- bullying initiative, be best, every time she's gone out there, she'd been mocked. Why would she do it again? COATES: A very important point. We'll continue. Everyone, please stand by. And up next, Chris Christie, who we talked about, is also weighing in on Trump's VP pick. Hear why he thinks the selection of J.D. Vance is a mistake. Plus there's news tonight about Donald Trump's opponent. There is a revolt happening behind the scenes among Democrats as some in the party continue to want President Biden out. And disturbing new details tonight about Trump's would-be assassin and what his plans were the day after that shooting. (COMMERCIAL BREAK) [00:20:52] COATES: Tonight there's news on the other side of the aisle. As Republicans celebrating their candidate at convention, Democrats apparently still aren't sure if the president should be their candidate. And new tonight, Jake Tapper is reporting on some polling from the firm Blue Labs, funded by some Democratic donors, that show post-debate President Biden is losing ground to Donald Trump in 14 key states across the country, including the five that Biden flipped against him in 2020. I'm talking about Arizona and Georgia, Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin, where we are right now. But in addition, he has also post- debate vulnerable in Colorado, Minnesota, Maine, New Mexico, Virginia, and New Hampshire. The data also found four Democrats outpaced President Biden in a matchup with Donald Trump in battleground states. We see them right there. None of whom are the vice president of the United States, Kamala Harris, according to his data. Now those Democrats are Arizona Senator Mark Kelly, Maryland Governor Wes Moore, Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro, and Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer. And this is where the Democratic Party apparently is right now and it appears to be a big scramble and we are, what, about 110 days away from the presidential election? A little over a month away from the Democratic convention. And tonight the president made it clear that once again, he is not planning to go anywhere. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) JOE BIDEN, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Quite frankly, I think the only thing age brings a little bit of wisdom and I think I've demonstrated that I know how to get things done for the country in spite of the fact they told me we couldn't get it done but there's more to do. And I'm reluctant to walk away from that. (END VIDEO CLIP) COATES: Well, you know what, half of my panel is back and I've added other people as well. We got CNN's Harry Enten and pollster Frank Luntz is also here as well. This is pretty significant news. I mean, here we are in Milwaukee right now where people are celebrating the complete now Republican ticket. Democrats are still talking about the post-debate aftermath and this new polling about 14 states, including five that he previous flipped. This is very dangerous for Democrats. HARRY ENTEN, CNN SENIOR DATA CORRESPONDENT: None of this is surprising. I mean, you look at the internal polling that was out a few weeks ago. It showed the exact same thing. Joe Biden's position is garbage. I mean, that is really what it comes down to. His approval rating is south of 40 percent. Donald Trump is putting states on the board that have no business being on the board. And it's not just in the private polling, right? It's in the public polling as well. I mean, we have seen consistently throughout this year, Sienna College put out numbers from New York in which the race is single digits, a state that Joe Biden won by over 20 points last time around. Virginia, we just had a "New York Times"-Sienna College poll that had that race below single digits. A state that Joe Biden won last time around by 10 points. It's not much of a surprise that the internal polling is matching what we're honestly seeing in a lot of the public polling as well. And it's not so surprising we're seeing it when Joe Biden's approval rating is the worst for any president at this point since George Herbert Walker Bush back in 1992. COATES: Well, Fred, what's the why? Is this age? Is this something else? And why also aren't we seeing Kamala Harris, the vice president of the United States, in one of those slots as somebody who could outpace Donald Trump? FRANK LUNTZ, POLLSTER AND COMMUNICATION STRATEGIST: Well, in fact, the key to me is not what the overall numbers are because that's just intent. What matters is intensity. Are you a supporter or an actual voter? And the biggest change since you and I last talked, it's only a week ago. COATES: Right. LUNTZ: Is that Donald Trump's supporters, every one of them is going to the polls. Joe Biden's supporters, they are alienated, they're disappointed. Trump's voters are activated. And this convention, the level of intensity, and I've been doing this now for 35 years. I have never seen a level of intensity like it is right now. The Republican Party normally tears itself apart at conventions like this. It's the Democrats who's doing it. Republicans are unified. And so you can even see a bigger swing on election day than what these polls are showing. [00:25:03] COATES: You know, Democrats, in talking to voters, are frustrated by these ongoing conversations. They're hearing it and they're saying either let it go or get in front of a camera and tell me how you really feel, right? You've asked for a chance to lead, different, you know, members of Congress, but I'm only hearing about what's happening behind the scenes. That could lead possibly to a couch vote. ALLISON: To quote another great R&B female singer. COATES: I'm here for it. Let's do it. ALLISON: India Arie says get it together. OK? So, Dems, we don't have a lot of time. The graphic that you showed earlier in the segment was the up and coming bench of the Democratic Party. What would have been a fine graphic to put up. In 2023 when Democrats should have been having this conversation. And quite frankly, Joe Biden's approval rating wasn't great then either. So the scenario hasn't really shifted that much. I guess I just wonder why now? I respect the people and I've been saying this. I respect the people who are concerned because they are concerned with the fact that Donald Trump can win. But here's the deal. I've been working on campaigns for 20 years now. I know I don't look it, but I have. OK. ENTEN: You look fantastic. COATES: That's the whole -- (CROSSTALK) ALLISON: OK. OK. I have, though. And the reality is, is that at some point you have to go full throttle and we're losing our opportunity to go full throttle. And you know why people will sit home met at the couch? If they continue to see that people on your own party don't think you should get off the couch and go vote. And that's what Democrats are portraying right now. COATES: Is that what we're seeing in terms of -- we're talking about unity. I mean, are Republicans saying themselves, I got a (INAUDIBLE) analysis. I'm going to go all in because I might be able to see a vulnerability? POLYANSKY: Well, again, you couldn't paint a sharper contrast today. You had Nikki Haley, Ron DeSantis, Ted Cruz, Marco Rubio, Vivek, the whole crew coming out and talking about their support for Donald Trump tonight and entire arena cheering. And frankly, the entire Republican electorate cheering at home. In contrast, you had House Democrats circulating a letter to ask the incumbent, sitting Democrat president to drop out of the race. And that's been going on for three weeks for Democrats. So, look, Joe Biden was at a deficit heading into the debate. ENTEN: There you go. POLYANSKY: He left the debate in a terrible position and frankly what happened over the weekend we really won't know -- I'll leave it to you guys -- for a few more days. ENTEN: Look, the greatest mystery to me is not that Joe Biden is trailing now and that Democrats are saying maybe he should get out of the race. The biggest mystery to me is why were they not saying this a year ago? His numbers were weak, weak, weak in 2023. There were many Democrats who were very lukewarm in the polling on him staying in the race, running for another term. Most Americans thought he was too old to be an effective president a year ago. COATES: But the answer the question, why do you think it is? Is it matter that people have plenty time to course correct or his statement has been he was the one to beat Donald Trump? Why don't you think they -- ENTEN: Why weren't Democrats -- COATES: Yes. ENTEN: It's probably because he was the incumbent president. He runs the Democratic Party for better or for worse, and they, in my opinion, had this belief somehow that even though he wasn't going out and doing the Super Bowl interview, that's the biggest gimme. That is the biggest gimme and he didn't do it. A lot of folks should have said at that point, hmm, why is he not doing that interview? And in fact, they weren't willing to do anything about it. LUNTZ: He said it. He actually said it in closed doors, House meetings, Senate meetings. They told me, and the problem was the administration would sit on them. They would get punished for their -- for bringing this up that the decision was made to circle the tent, circle the wagons, and that was a very bad decision. And I know I was speaking to some of them as recently as 60 days ago and I was told shut up, it's done. He's going to be the candidate. And when you got that White House pressure, you have to understand how bad it gets if you challenge Trump, you die. If you challenge Joe Biden, you die. And they decided to put their own careers ahead of understanding that the public across the country was turning against Biden. In the end, there was no courage. There is no willingness to sacrifice. And that's why they're in this situation they're in now. COATES: I want to go back one second. Because I am still curious, Frank, as to why -- I mean, Vice President Kamala Harris is Vice President Kamala Harris, and normally people look at a vice president as a kind of heir apparent in an incumbent situation. She's not on this list for some reason. If Biden were to not be the top of the ticket, she still has the delegates as being a part of the Biden- Harris ticket. What would happen if she was on the top? Where do the polling suggest then? LUNTZ: It does. It suggests that she's at least as good a candidate as Joe Biden, which is a complete change. By the way, from six months ago, from three months ago, Harris was the worst polling vice president at the beginning of this year. She has really increased her credibility, really increased her level of support behind her. And Joe Biden could have gotten credit if he had said the person I chose for vice president is now ready to step up and fill my shoes. They would have embraced her, but he didn't. [00:30:21] HARRY ENTEN, SENIOR WRITER AND ANALYST, CNN POLITICS: You got it exactly right, Frank. You know, I remember doing a segment with you where I said Vice President Harris was the worst polling vice president since Dan Quayle back in 1992. But now if you look at the polling, again, it's not just the private polling, which of course, is very important, but it's also the public polling, as well. You look at those "New York Times"/Sienna College polls. She does better in Virginia than Joe Biden, who's doing considerably worse there. And she does better in Pennsylvania, which of course, is a state, the commonwealth of Pennsylvania, if Joe Biden, the Democrats don't win there, they're simply not going to win the presidency. ASHLEY ALLISON, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: I have a little bit on Kamala here. But you guys finish. DAVID POLYANSKY, REPUBLICAN STRATEGIST: Now that's a great point. I think we have to look and be reminded of who initiated that polling. It was donors. The donors that put that polling forward are trying to drive their own agenda. And clearly, they, for one reason or another, they want to move past this entire administration. I don't think that's where the polling's at today. I tend to agree. I think if they made a substitution, and Kamala Harris was on the ticket, you've got a puncher's chance at that point. I don't -- as I said last night, I don't think they do with Joe Biden. But clearly, some of the donor community on your side doesn't want to see her in that position. ALLISON: So, I think there's a little bit more complicated nuance happening in this conversation that's beyond polling. One, 14 million voters did go out and say that they wanted Joe Biden to be their nominee. LUNTZ: True. ALLISON: So, we can't just talk about wanting to embrace democracy and save democracy, and then you disenfranchise 14 million voters. The other thing, though, is that a lot of people who are -- and I love the vice president, and I will support her as a black woman, as an excellent vice president, as an excellent senator, as an excellent attorney general. But a lot of the people who are now calling for her ascension were the same people throwing darts at her -- ENTEN: That's right. ALLISON: -- when she got into office. And so it's not that I don't believe in people's redemptive ability, but I'm like suspect on people who, four days ago were saying crucify him, crucify him, and then the next day they're not. So, I just -- I just think that there's -- LAURA COATES, CNN ANCHOR: Oh, but that's -- that's the theme of this RNC night. What do you mean? Did you miss the memo? That's what's going on tonight. (UNINTELLIGIBLE) ALLISON: And I think that's why, when you talk to some voters, particularly black voters, there's a question mark, too. And I said this a couple of nights ago, you'll have to look at who is calling for Joe Biden to step down, and it is not the base of the party. ENTEN: True. ALLISON: And it's not the people that you're worried are going to be couch voters. It or -- it's the people who are maybe the double- haters. And if you put your whole campaign bet -- if you bet on double-haters, I think that's a winning [SIC] -- losing strategy. I do. LUNTZ: Here's the consequence right now, which did not exist as recently as seven days ago. You could see Donald Trump getting elected, the Republicans taking the Senate, and the Republicans taking the House. That was not really under discussion as recently as a week ago. And the donors are looking at this, and they are freaking out. POLYANSKY: And Frank, can I just -- in addition to that, it's not just taking the Senate and the House. It's putting states into play. COATES: Yes. POLYANSKY: As Harry talked about at the beginning, New Mexico, Minnesota, Virginia, holy cow. I mean, it's -- ENTEN: It's -- it's -- COATES: What -- what are these hands motions you're doing right now? What is happening? Oh, OK. ENTEN: It's about widening out that Senate majority instead of getting a Senate majority of a seat or two, it's maybe five, six. It's about talking about 2026, 2028, ensuring these safe majorities, building them out. This is what we're talking about. And the other thing I should note in this entire conversation, what Joe Biden perhaps should do electorally to help Democrats have the best chance in November is a separate discussion of what he will necessarily do. You're 100 percent right. He's got the delegates. The Democratic voters have spoken. That is a very different discussion about what is necessarily best for Democrats to put their best foot forward. COATES: Well, you know what, everyone? There is the polls, and then there are the polling actual locations in November. Everyone, thank you so much. We'll see what happens. Next, tonight's RNC focus was on crime in this country. And my next guest, she spoke about her personal experience. I'll talk with Madeline Brame next. (COMMERCIAL BREAK) [00:38:37] COATES: Well, we are back at the CNN Grill right here in Milwaukee. I'm now down -- joined by Madeline Brame. She spoke tonight in a powerful speech at the RNC. In 2018, her son, Hason Correa, was stabbed to death in New York. She's been speaking out against the prosecutors, who she says, and she blames for the defendant's light sentences, including Alvin Bragg. I know that this was your beloved child, and of course, mother to mother, I was just heartbroken to hear you speak from the heart about the impact this had on your life. And I know millions of people were leaning in throughout your entire speech. BRAME: Yes. COATES: And I just -- I wonder what was so important that you want the American people to take away from what you had to say to them? BRAME: First of all, thank you so much for having me. Second of all, the second picture that you have of the soldier, that's of my youngest son, Ayumi, who is currently 82nd Airborne paratrooper. So, the first picture that you are showing is of Sergeant Hason, the one who was murdered, all right? That's my youngest baby, who is not -- he's alive. COATES: Thank God. BRAME: OK. He's alive. Thank God for that. COATES: -- for that. Thank God. BRAME: Yes. So, the takeaway -- COATES: I'm sorry if that picture was shown and not in the way that we were expected to do. BRAME: Yes. COATES: But I am grateful so that you are a mother of two -- BRAME: Yes, two. COATES: -- people who have served honorably. Thank you. BRAME: You're welcome. Thank you so much. It's an -- it's an honor and a privilege to have sons that, you know, are not falling through the cracks of systems, that they are actually -- have the mindset to want to do something productive and positive with their life, to get out of the hood, you know, both of them born and raised in the South Bronx. [00:40:18] And they graduated high school. And they said, Mom, I'm going into the Army. You know? And so that's -- that's what they did, you know. COATES: And it's so important thing. My husband's from the Bronx, as well. BRAME: OK. COATES: I find kinship in that and thinking about it. But I do wonder, I mean, the frustration that you expressed. And the night's theme was about crime. I mean, the frustration that you expressed, particularly with respect to the prosecutors -- BRAME: Yes. COATES: -- in this matter. That was so impactful for people. Tell me why that part of it was so important for you to share. BRAME: Well, you know, because in the beginning of the case, we had old-school prosecutors. You know, in New York at that time, the district attorney was -- was Cyrus Vance, and we had old-school ADA's who prepared this case and put this case together, built this strong trial-ready murder case against all four of these individuals. The entire murder was captured on video. So there's no mistaking in what they did and their part that they played, all right? All four were in -- you know, in custody. COATES: Yes. BRAME: You know, first-degree gang assault, second-degree murder. All four. Never any plea deals, never any bargains, never any offers on the table. Nothing. Soon as Alvin Bragg came into office, the -- and he was handed that case, the entire case fell apart. All right? It unraveled. Two of them, dropped completely gang assault and murder charges against two of them, right? If one is guilty of murdering my son, all four were guilty of murdering my son. How he was able to slice that, slice and dice that, and dismiss those murdering gang assault charges against two and not against all four, you know, or convict two and not convict all four, I don't know how we did it, except for prosecutorial misconduct. All I can think of. COATES: You -- you attribute this to why you are now supporting Trump. Were you always a supporter of him, as somebody who -- BRAME: No. No. COATES: -- would be able to (UNINTELLIGIBLE)? This is what changed your mind? BRAME: Yes. I'm 40-year, 40, 45-year Democrat, loyal. Voting Democrat because I'm black, you know? Not any real reason. You know, not any real reason. That there was no particular reason, what they do with our community. You know, nothing. But we didn't -- I didn't look at it as being anything wrong with it. It was normal, all right, until my son was murdered, and the entire Democratic and progressive apparatus of New York City ostracized me, because my son was stabbed to death and not shot to death. OK? So, they made a difference. COATES: But what was the difference between it? I mean, he still was passed. BRAME: The difference was, because the narrative was gun violence, OK? Credible messengers. Valus interruptus (ph), Moms Demand Action. You know, change your gun laws. All the money was being flooded into gun violence initiatives, all right? So, there was no -- there was no, you know, avenue. There was no voice for me to talk about the knife violence. You know, my son was killed by stabbing. He wasn't shot to death. So, they made a difference in that. You know, even Moms Demand Action. COATES: Didn't come back to you? BRAME: No. They made a difference in it. You know, and it's like that's when the Republicans picked up the story. You know, and they embraced me. And they gave me a platform, from Lee Zeldin to Rudy Giuliani, to John Catsimatidis, to all those -- all those Republicans, all right, who had media outlets. FOX News all them guys. Newsmax, all those guys. They embraced me. You know, I went out with them, you know, and let me tell my story. They let me tell my story. That's how it got out there. That's how Trump got wind of the story. COATES: And in turn, that has motivated your decision now. BRAME: Exactly. COATES: Now, you mentioned -- I've been a prosecutor, and I don't know all that went into decisions of whether to prosecute and why to not do it in the way you spoke about. And certainly, I feel the weight of any accusation of misconduct, but I also feel the weight of a mother who loves her son. BRAME: Yes. COATES: And certainly would want justice for him. I thank you for joining us. BRAME: Absolutely, you know. And there are -- there are hundreds and thousands of mothers just like me in New York City, all across the country, big cities, that are not getting any justice or closure for the murders of their boys. COATES: And you think Trump would change that? BRAME: I think that Trump would be -- would do what he needs to do to restore law and order. COATES: How so? [00:45:00] BRAME: By changing the policies, all right? Changing the policies that -- he had the criminal justice reform policies in place when he was in office. Biden came and undid those policies, all right? And then, we have the bare (ph) reform policies that were put in place in cities like New York and Chicago what removed discretion from judges; where it -- prosecutors, you know, were no longer prosecuting crime; where they were just letting people go, you know, like the revolving door. Instead of sending people to jail, they were, you know, just releasing them straight from precincts. Don't get mee wrong. Don't get me wrong now. All right? Not everybody belongs in jail. People with drug and alcohol problems, where their -- their crime is driven by their addiction, all right? They need to be in a long-term in-patient drug treatment facilities. COATES: I was going to say -- BRAME: Yes. COATES: -- there's a very broad stroke, a brush to paint. The idea of, I think you're alluding to so-called progressive prosecutors in matters of this. BRAME: Yes. COATES: And there are different ways in which to approach and attack different crimes. But certainly, the point is not lost on people in that there needs to be a recognition of what has happened to people like your son -- BRAME: Yes. COATES: -- and families like yours. And I -- I'm so sorry that are meeting this way. BRAME: Thank you. COATES: But I'm very glad to have an opportunity to understand your position better. Thank you. BRAME: Exactly. And you know, murder. There should be no plea bargains in a murder. Somebody's charged with murder and you got the -- they have the evidence to prove that that person is guilty of that, that should be life without the possibility of parole. It's done in states all over the country. Why is it not done in New York? COATES: Well, certainly, if the prosecution has proved their burden, which I know due process is important to all of us, then indeed, the sentencing should reflect the crime. Thank you so much, ma'am. BRAME: Exactly. You're welcome. COATES: Thank you. Well, tonight, new reporting on the moment that law enforcement saw the gunman who tried to shoot Donald Trump, watching them. (COMMERCIAL BREAK) [00:50:53] COATES: While the investigation into Saturday's shooting at the Trump rally intensifies tonight, new CNN exclusive reporting: Secret Service had actually increased security around former President Trump in the recent weeks. You may be asking why? Well, multiple people briefed on the matter are telling CNN it's because of intelligence on an Iranian plot to try to assassinate him. For more, I want to bring in CNN national security analyst and former director of national intelligence, James Clapper. Director Clapper, thank you for joining me. I do wonder, what is your reaction to this intelligence we're finding about, that Iran had a plot to assassinate Trump? JAMES CLAPPER, CNN NATIONAL SECURITY ANALYST: Well, Laura, there's been a general threat posed by the Iranians ever since General Qassem Soleimani, who was the commander of the Republican Guard Corps in Iran in 2020. So, since then, the Iranians have posed a threat to the -- a general threat, not only to former President Trump but to other officials in the Trump administration, notably national security advisor John Bolton and former secretaries of state, both of -- both of those still -- and they still both get protection -- detail protection. So, this threat, and it's -- you know, there's no detail about it in public. And of course, the questions that come to mind are, was this a specific threat that's current? Was it corroborated? What is the reliability of the threat -- of the -- of the source? And we don't know the answers to all those questions. So, to use a cliche, an abundance of caution. The intelligence community -- and I would imagine that meant CIA -- passed a warning to the Secret Service, just to be sure. Now, what's interesting about this, and unfortunate, is if there was heightened alert, more resources, whatever applied because of the Iranian threat, it makes what occurred at Butler on Saturday even more inexplicable. COATES: It's such an important point that you raise, because if there is this heightened security, and this predated -- the intelligence predating what happened on Saturday, I can't help but wonder. All of us are scratching our heads to think that this has happened. Why do you think the Secret Service still ended up with such -- what can be described as a major security lapse, to have this grave threat to a former president? CLAPPER: Well, first, I -- I have a great respect for and admiration for the Secret Service. They have a really tough job, and we saw the bravery of the special agents right on live television Saturday evening. But what -- this obviously needs a pretty quick investigation. What I do wonder about -- and I'm not an -- not expert here, but I do wonder about what was the division of effort between the Secret Service itself and the local police, meaning the Pennsylvania state troopers and any local -- local police that were involved? And it is disturbing that people saw the gunman almost two minutes before he took -- he took his shots, and nothing happened. So that has to be wrung out, and we've got to learn a lesson from that real quick. COATES: I've got to tell you something, but there is still an ongoing investigation of what has taken place. And of course, Congress is champing at the bit to have investigatory hearings and beyond, to flush this out. But it's also a concern of the FBI and the DHS. They're warning of possible retaliatory attacks or even copycats after an assassination attempt. [00:55:04] What concerns you, thinking about what has happened, from your perspective in your former role? CLAPPER: Well, obviously, and I've raised this point before, one of the first things that the intelligence community would be concerned about is, is there a possible foreign connection here? Some foreign nexus? It doesn't appear there was, but that -- that certainly is a concern. And then, in turn -- COATES: Director, hold on. CLAPPER: -- does this mean -- COATES: Does that -- excuse me, does that change the inquiry, if it's a domestic versus -- if they're investigating as a domestic? Does it change the way that you navigate the investigation, if you think it is strictly domestic? CLAPPER: Well -- well, that's what I don't know. And of course, the thing that you do concern yourself about, and you wonder about, is that foreign inspiration for a U.S. -- U.S. person in the United States to take some action, by way of, as you suggested, a copycat operation. And you know, and the question is, is this going to inspire others domestically, either -- either as lone wolves, or inspired by some foreign entity to take a similar action? So, the Secret Service -- and they know this, obviously. They're kind of on the spot right now. COATES: Indeed, they are. Director Clapper, thank you so much for your insight this evening. So invaluable to hear from you. Thank you. CLAPPER: Thanks, Laura. COATES: Well, we'll have more on day two of the Republican National Convention right here in Milwaukee. That's all coming up next. (COMMERCIAL BREAK) CNN Live Event/Special Aired July 17, 2024 - 01:00 ET THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED. (COMMERCIAL BREAK) [01:01:45] LAURA COATES, CNN ANCHOR: All right, night two of the RNC is officially in the books as the clock strikes midnight here in Milwaukee. Welcome to our viewers. If you're just tuning in, I'm Laura Coates. And we are live at the CNN political grill with another full hour of coverage ahead. Special guests include former governor, Asa Hutchinson, Ohio Congresswoman Shontel Brown and comedian, Matt Friend, who is ready to debut a new J.D. Vance impression. Yes. Now, by all accounts, it was an evening defined, well, but really, these images on the screen. You had former rivals of Donald Trump and one by one walking on that stage deliver flattering speeches in full support, period, of a man they all use to insult. Donald Trump came out to watch them speak, making another UFC style entrance to another round of cheers. His ear still bandaged of the assassination attempt. One source says that Trump personally changed his schedule to make sure he was there to hear from these speakers, particularly Nikki Haley. (BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) NIKKI HALEY, FORMER GOVERNOR OF SOUTH CAROLINA: You don't have to agree with Trump 100 percent of the time to vote for him. (CHEERING) (APPLAUSE) HALEY: Take it from me. I haven't always agreed with President Trump. If we have four more years of Biden, or a single day of Harris, our country will be badly worse off. For the sake of our nation, we have to go with Donald Trump. (END VIDEOTAPE) COATES: I want to bring in former Republican presidential candidate and governor of Arkansas, Asa Hutchinson. He endorsed Nikki Haley after ending his own presidential bid. Governor, it's so good to see you today. How are you? ASA HUTCHINSON (R), FORMER ARKANSAS GOVERNOR: Well, I'm great. It's been quite an experience seeing two days to the convention. And, you know, it's -- I've been to six Republican conventions in my lifetime. And this is probably as cohesive of one and as united as one as I've seen. And you contrast that really 2016 whatever you had Ted Cruz that did not give a full endorsement. I think Nikki Haley learned from that experience. And while -- and so the convention has been extraordinary, I think this year is off to a good start. COATES: You know, it's funny you mentioned both of those individuals, Ted Cruz, Nikki Haley, both speaking tonight on the second day. And Nikki Haley, someone who ran fiercely against Donald Trump and him and she and others have tried to speak to you about maybe getting you to now endorse the former President of the United States. I mean, you had previously said you were not going to do. Have they made a compelling case for you now to endorse them? HUTCHINSON: Well, they make a compelling case for unity. But I didn't come to the convention for that purpose, you know. And I -- I, you know, I'm a Republican, and I want to support a Republican. But let me talk about the message that Nikki Haley did tonight. One, she was smart because she disarmed the audience very quickly by saying I'm endorsing Donald Trump, and that -- that set them at ease. And then she made it comfortable to say you can have differences with Donald Trump and that's a very important point. And my differences are significant. I outlined those in my campaign. And that's the reason I ran. But we recognize that we're going to have debates within the Republican Party. There's going to be disagreements on Ukraine and support a global leadership on protectionism. And -- and so I want to see how that plays out. So I didn't come here to do it endorsement. I want to wait and see how this plays out in the coming months. [01:05:32] COATES: You know, it sounds as if your mind is more malleable or perhaps thinking that you might want to consider the future that you had not wanted to do in the past. So the idea of unity, how are you defining that for a party knowing obviously, no Republican is a monolith. But we talked about unity, does that require a full throated response and -- and support of the candidate now? HUTCHINSON: Well, that's a -- a good question. Of course, whenever you look at the Republican Party, the, you know, there's some good Republicans that aren't here at the convention. I think about Mike Pence. I mean, he was the vice president for Donald Trump. COATES: Right. HUTCHINSON: You know, I -- I think about the former governor of -- of New Jersey. And so you've got an element that's not here. But the message has been significant. And what has really warmed you and made you give a second thought to Donald Trump is, first of all the strength that he showed, at the attempt -- attempt on his life. That was a spontaneous. It was a recognition of responsibility and leadership, that strength is compelling for our country. And then secondly, what's changed is the weakness that Joe Biden has demonstrated in the most recent debate and his struggles. So right now all the momentum is that direction. And Nikki Haley preserved her political future. And that's important for our party and a showcase tonight to so many great leaders, including the for -- the current governor of Arkansas. COATES: Well, yes, speaking of Nikki Haley, I want you to listen tonight to some of the praise that she was giving to the former president. And it does compare quite strangely to her earlier critique of him after he said that Putin, quote, could do whatever the hell he wanted to any NATO member country that doesn't pay their dues. Listen to this. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) HALEY: Putin didn't attack Ukraine, because he knew Donald Trump was tough. (CHEERING) (APPLAUSE) HALEY: A strong -- a strong president doesn't start wars. A strong president prevents wars. (CHEERING) (APPLAUSE) HALEY: Putin has made no bones about the fact that he wants to destroy America. And Trump is going to side with him over our allies who stood with us after 9/11. (END VIDEO CLIP) COATES: I mean, that's quite the evolution. We're seeing a theme this week of those who have evolved thoughts on Trump. What do you make of that? HUTCHINSON: Well, this was watch it very carefully. I was really hoping that Ambassador Haley would make the case for Ukraine. She did that during the campaign, America's support for it. She shied away from that tonight. COATES: Why do you think she did that? HUTCHINSON: Well, because even though she recognizes we're going to have differences, it was Trump's night. And so she did not emphasize the differences. She emphasized how we have to come together to win in November. And so minimize differences. And in contrast, what she did in the campaign. COATES: But minimize differences is -- is one vehicle. But then there is the aspect of voters who remember not too long ago, her making the statements that she has, does it seem like it's pandering? HUTCHINSON: Well, it -- it seems like we don't have a whole lot of integrity, whatever we're running, whatever we flip positions that quickly. And I don't think that Nikki has flipped positions. She just didn't it -- did not emphasize those positions tonight. I hope that she'll continue to be a voice in the party, or America's leadership, and the necessity of being good partners with our allies. That's important to me. I know that's important to Ambassador Haley as well. You know, you asked me about myself, you think about it. It was almost one year ago in this same arena, that I said I was not going to support a convicted felon for President United States. A lot has changed since then. The convictions almost sort of diminished in and of -- in and of themselves because of the -- the attempt on his life and then secondly, some of the court decisions. But it's still important to me, whatever I'm a former federal prosecutor, I believe in the rule and law of our country. And so I'm -- I'm not there yet. And I -- I, Nikki Haley makes it persuasive case. But I want to make sure that we have the right leader for America and I want to be able to support a Republican. But Donald Trump has some flaws that I hope has changed because of what happened to him. And I'm looking forward to his speech and seeing where he wants to take this country. [01:10:13] COATES: Governor Asa Hutchinson, thank you so much for joining me this evening. HUTCHINSON: Thank you. COATES: Well, another Trump rival is speaking out tonight about Haley's speech. Governor Chris Christie said what America saw was, quote, tortured ambition. Christie, not mincing words. He said not only will Haley voters not be persuaded to back Trump but that those voters will be, quote, ashamed that they supported her in the first place. We'll continue the conversation with Republican strategist Liam Donovan, CNN political commentator Ashley Allison, CNN, senior political analyst Mark Preston and Washington correspondent for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Tia Mitchell is here as well. I mean, first of all, Liam, I wonder what do you make of that assessment by the former Governor Chris Christie, who himself at one point was aligned with the Trump campaign and also thinking about being the president. We all remember that history. But let's all have amnesia for a second. What do you think about his assessment of -- of how Haley will be read by voters? LIAM DONOVAN, FORMER NATIONAL REPUBLICAN SENATORIAL COMMITTEE AIDE: Look, I think we have to be serious about the fact that this is the most united Republicans have been behind a ticket in 20 years. It has not been this feel of a convention since 2004, when George W. Bush was running for a second term. If you think about any of those in between the goal of the -- of the ticket at this point was trying to pin down the base. Right now that's not -- that's not what's happening. This is the Baskin Robbins night. This is featuring all the flavors that are welcomed party, trying to build a permission structure to come home in the fall and really appeal to maybe moderate voters or Republican leaning voters who have turned away from the party in the Donald Trump era. I think they've done a decent job. Nikki Haley hit the right tone. Whether Chris Christie speaks for a meaningful segment of the population, I'm skeptical of that. But it's all relative. This is a situation where Donald Trump is in the driver's seat. Republicans have not been in this position, again, in 20 years, and taking a step back. It's impressive how unified this ticket is. And tonight was the night to really consolidate that. COATES: I mean I think they are all saying something similar. But I do wonder if voters believe them to be truly unified or was it tortured ambition that Chris Christie spoke about when it came to them? Because I mean, we're not talking about, in some categories it's been years, that they've had this discrepancy or disagreement. Others like DeSantis or Haley, it's been months. TIA MITCHELL, WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT, ATLANTA JOURNAL-CONSTITUTION: Yes. I think that most people, a lot of people watching these speeches today believe that these former rivals of President Trump, A, are showing party unity. And that's what you would expect in a convention. But the other part is the ambition part that Chris Christie mentioned, is that we know that DeSantis, Nikki Haley, even Rick Scott, they all have ambitions to continue to be leaders in the party to possibly rise in higher leadership positions. And so they have to still play the party politics, if you will. And that means you get behind the nominee. And so I think they're showing that they're willing to play the long game, and that is what is required of them right now. COATES: Well, you know, also not for nothing. I mean, they know that if Trump becomes the president, they might want an appointment or two. So they're may be auditioning for other roles in the administration. But we'll have to see. I want to ask you actually about this, though, because Haley also went after Vice President Kamala Harris tonight and took couple shots at the division with the Democratic Party as well, we know that's still happening behind the scenes, even comparing them to what they see as the now unified GOP. Listen to this. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) HALEY: A vote for Joe Biden is a vote for President Kamala Harris. (BOOING) HALEY: After seeing the debate, everyone knows it's true. (END VIDEO CLIP) COATES: Well, what do you make of this and all that she went on to talk about Harris having one job and that was to solve the border and imagine if she had control the entire country. What do you make of her statements? ASHLEY ALLISON, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: Well, a couple points. One, Nikki Haley did that -- the entire campaign go after Kamala Harris and we saw how well that played out for her. It wasn't resonating with the voters of the Republican Party. The other thing is, I -- I hear what you're saying, Liam, in terms of the unity of the party. Here's the question to Chris Christie's point, there still are Nikki Hayler -- vote -- Nikki Haley voters out there. And they may be disappointed. Maybe not all of them, but they may be disappointed. The question is, is one night speech going to erase the four years that got them to the point where they didn't want to support Donald Trump in the first place? And I think the answer is honestly no, I don't think one speech even one week or even an assassin -- assassination attempt is enough to erase the policies of Donald Trump that got people to say, I'm a Never Trumper or I don't want to be I mean, look at Governor Asa Hutchinson, he still says he's not there. And I guess I -- [01:15:01] COATES: Although he was seemingly more receptive to the idea of thinking about it and talking about -- ALLISON: Yes. COATES: -- how the convictions were more diminished in light of the attempted assassination. ALLISON: Yes. But I think that the part of the Biden campaign and Democrats will have to be, you can't forget, like, it is awful what happened on Saturday, but it doesn't change a person's policy positions. It doesn't change a person's character. And if it does, I need more than one night of teleprompter speech for you to prove that to me. And so again, this is why campaigns matter. This is why Democrats need to go on offense at this point, and not just be bickering amongst themselves. COATES: Preston? MARK PRESTON, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL ANALYST: Criticism from Chris Christie and -- and Asa Hutchinson, they're talking about a party that no longer exists, though. They are -- they were leaders, people forget that Asa Hutchinson was the lead impeachment manager of the Bill Clinton impeachment, right? People forget, you know, that Chris Christie was the rising star and was very, you know, a lot of people thought he was going to be the Republican nominee, you know, at one point, however, they're talking about a party that doesn't exist. Eight years ago, Donald Trump was trying to unify a party was successful, but it was difficult. This week, Donald Trump comes into Milwaukee, the party is unified. And by the way, when I say unified, they're not all best friends, but they have a common goal of trying to knock out Joe Biden. But Chris Christie, Asa Hutchinson, other Never Trumpers, that Republican Party no longer exists. COATES: Fascinating to think about the messenger and who will be taken seriously and heated at this point. Stand by everyone. We're going to talk more about this. J.D. Vance is preparing to give his big speech tomorrow night as the Biden campaign is now going on the offensive, calling him MAGA mini me. Ohio Democratic Congresswoman Shontel Brown joins me on that, next. (COMMERCIAL BREAK) [01:20:10] COATES: Now tomorrow night, the spotlight turns to vice presidential nominee and running mate, Ohio Senator J.D. Vance. We're going to talk to voters sharing how he overcame his own personal struggles. But the Biden campaign is trying to paint Vance as the extreme younger version of Donald Trump calling Vance MAGA mini me on this Biden-Harris campaign X account and sending out no fewer than 14 posts just today on Vance's record on abortion on foreign policy. The Biden team is also highlighting Vance's previous comments about Trump, like these. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) SEN. J.D. VANCE (R-OH), VICE PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE: There is definitely an element of Donald Trump's support that has its basis in racism, xenophobia. Definitely some people who voted for Trump or were racist. And they voted for him for racist reasons. (END VIDEO CLIP) COATES: Joining me now Democratic Congresswoman Shontel Brown who is from the same home state as Vance, Ohio. Congresswoman, thank you for joining me this evening. Good to see you. I do wonder if somebody from Ohio what you make of this pick? REP. SHONTEL BROWN (D-OH): Well, thank you for having me, Laura. I think you can tell that we have a candidate on the -- on the -- on -- from the state of Ohio that is duplicitous, dangerous and really a disaster for women. You can tell from Ohio that I am very, this is very personal for me because I know that he is -- he is a supporter of a national abortion ban. And we're the state where we have the 10- year-old, great victim that had to flee the state to get the care that she needed. And this is a no exceptions, no exceptions national abortion bans. So that just gives you a taste what we can expect from a J.D. Vance vice presidency. COATES: And yet, Donald Trump has been touting him and the idea that he has populous positions to win over places like Ohio, obviously and other Rustbelt states. Do you think that his positions from the people you speak to in your own constituents could be swayed by his inclusion on the ticket in places like Ohio or Pennsylvania, Michigan, Wisconsin, all key battleground states that Biden has to win to get reelected? BROWN: What I know about Ohio voters is when they test drove project 2025 in August of last year when they tried to suppress and silence the voices of the voters by removing the simple majority. And when they tried to push an initiative issue one to take away women's reproductive rights. The voters in Ohio showed up in record numbers. So we'll keep in the voters get the information and they find out who J.D. Vance really is and what he represents. They will show up and they will vote but they will be voting for President Biden and Vice President Harris. COATES: You know, the -- the theme today has been many but one of the words I keep hearing time and time again has been unity, Congresswoman. And tonight, Republicans are trying to put on display of unity. They even brought out people who we all remember were fierce critics of Trump as recently as a few months ago who are now endorsing him. And they're now making the point that look at us versus them. The Democrats are not united around Biden's nomination. Are you worried about debate about whether Biden should remain on the top of the ticket will hurt the Democratic Party's chances come November? BROWN: Well, I'm reminded of Clinton's famous expression is that there's only two ways to run and that's unopposed or scared. And we're certainly seeing that this is a scary time in the country when you have candidates like Donald Trump and J.D. Vance pushing their project 2025. So that is what worries me more than anything that President Biden has done. When I look at these two candidates, what we know is at the top of the ticket, we have individuals that have records and the best indicator of future behavior is past behavior. So when I think about what we withstood when we were under the presidency of Donald Trump, where it was chaos and confusion, where he denied the pandemic and led us into a state where we lost millions of lives and people were shuttered in their homes, and businesses were closing compared to the Biden-Harris administration, who got shots in arms, opened up businesses, made investments in roads, rip roads, railways and bridges and making sure people have access to high speed broadband internet, all of the things that are going to continue to help make progress. The choice is crystal clear to me. So yes, I think the voters are smart. I think when they are given the information, they will be able to see that this is more than about a person who is a great but more so about an administration that has been a great deliver and I can show certainly say with confidence as a person who had the privilege of voting for that bipartisan infrastructure law that's delivering for people and will continue to deliver for decades to come, that the Biden Harris ticket is the best ticket to choose from. [01:25:19] COATES: You have been consistent, Congresswoman, about the choice being quite clear that who should be on the ticket, the Biden-Harris ticket and the support that should be extended to Democratic voters and -- and those who are incumbents. But there are still some lawmakers even tonight, we're learning reporting that they're urging the DNC to maybe even slow down the virtual nomination process and set the start in just a few days. And continue the discussions around Biden's candidacy. Would you support maybe pausing a beat or you think, look, we're going straight, this is the ticket. BROWN: This is definitely the ticket and what -- what I trust is I trust our chairman, Jaime Harrison. I -- I know that we have processes and protocols in place looks and no one is promised tomorrow, God forbid something should happen to President Biden, we do have a plan B, and it's called the vice president and her name is Kamala Harris. And so the people that are panicked and the people that are having this -- this illusion that we should be looking at another nominee at this hour, just does not make sense to me. It is impractical. But what I will say is that we have to run our own ranks here. There's going to be 435 of us up for reelection. And we have to focus, you know, the expression all politics is local. So we got to get on the ground. Stop worrying, start working, stop whining so we can start winning. COATES: Congresswoman Shontel Brown, a pleasure to have you on tonight. Thank you. BROWN: Thank you Laura. COATES: Ahead, new polling shows major problems for President Biden in multiple key states. And the question now is, is that going to call and he will new calls for him to step aside? (COMMERCIAL BREAK) [01:30:17] LAURA COATES, CNN HOST: We're here at the CNN Political Grill in Milwaukee where the RNC just held Day 2 of their convention. Ashley and Liam are back with me and joining us Olivia Beavers congressional reporter for "Politico" and CNN senior data reporter Harry Enten also here today. I mean first of all, this is a huge moment in time that we're having this discussion, that we're talking about the RNC convention. And then meanwhile, Democrats are still talking about maybe who should be on the top of the ticket. First of all, I want to ask you because Biden is going to have to campaign against a very different Republican Party than yesteryears, isn't he? OLIVIA BEAVERS, CONGRESSIONAL REPORTER, POLITICO: He is, and I mean, I've covered Republicans who have wanted to be this united for a long time. They saw leadership fights, they saw clashes with Donald Trump. Now they're seeing a new hybrid improved version which is Donald Trump is not going after, doing these revenge tours, doing sort of petty fights. He's at least -- he's listening to congressional leaders when they say please don't endorse this guy or please support this guy. We need them to win the House or to win the Senate. And they think because he's sort of shifted, he's held back, he's got a team around him that's really sort of reined-in some of the worst instincts in their minds. They think that they have a stronger chance heading into November. COATES: Well, we'll see if that's actually the case. And Harry on the polling, you know, you have been looking at these issues. There's a new reporting on funding and polling funded by some Democratic donors that shows there's some pretty big trouble for Biden. What do you know? HARRY ENTEN, CNN SENIOR DATA REPORTER: I mean, look, we look at that internal polling that, you know, we've been looking at. And it essentially shows a few things. Number one, that Joe Biden is in deep trouble and not just in those traditional swing states that we're talking about. You know, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Wisconsin, you go now to the Sunbelt, Arizona, Georgia, and Nevada. We're talking about the sort of light bluish states, right? Like New Hampshire, Virginia -- states that in the olden days might have been thought of as more swingy but states that Joe Biden easily carried in 2020. And that I think is the big issue that Democrats are sort of looking at is they're saying, wait a minute, if Joe Biden is not just in trouble in these traditional battleground states, but he's in trouble in these states where Democrats have carried, at least during the Trump era, what are the down-ballot effects? And then also, are there other Democrats who could potentially do better? And you know, some of this internal polling has tested a number of these different candidates. And some of them do in fact, do better than Joe Biden. Interestingly enough, in the internal polling that was released, Kamala Harris's name wasn't tested. COATES: Right? ENTENT: What are we doing here because at the end of the day if Joe Biden in this magical world that some Democratic donors are hoping where some candidate comes down from the ceiling as if propelled by an angel and comes and saves the Democratic Party. If it's going to be anyone, it's going to be the vice president, ok? And the fact that she's not included in this makes me think that this is more fantasy than perhaps actual realism. COATES: That gave me real "Grease Beauty School Dropout" vibes didn't it, with the guardian angel? I got to tell you, that was a good rendition of what's going on. ENTEN: Thank you very much. I love "Grease". COATES: I do too. ENTEN: I feel like I'm John Travolta. COATES: All right. Well, I would've said Kenickie, but that's fine. ENTEN: Whatever. COATES: I'm good with it. Let me ask you this though, Ashley, because the goalpost was he's got to get out there more. Biden's got to get out there more. He's got to show people that it was a one-off from the debate. He has been out there. He is out there a lot. He's been interviewing. He's been talking to people. He's actually been meeting and campaigning. And here he (INAUDIBLE) interview with CBS and also BET. Listen. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) JOE BIDEN, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Look, I originally ran, you may remember that I said I was going to be a transitional candidate. I thought that I'd be able to move from this, just pass it on to someone else. But I didn't anticipate things getting so, so, so divided. (END VIDEO CLIP) COATES: Does this help make his case or help for the Republicans. ASHLEY ALLISON, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: I don't know. I mean, I think -- look -- COATES: Here only honest at 1:00 a.m. here on CNN. But I do love it. ALLISON: But I get -- ok. I don't actually know and I don't think anybody knows, right. COATES: I trust you more because you've said that. ALLISON: I'm honest. I mean, here's the thing. The last four to five years of politics, it has been less -- it's been indicators and there've been outcome. In 2022, everybody -- Joe Biden's polling numbers were low. His approval rating was low. Everybody said there were going to be there was going to be a red wave. All the indicators said Dems were going to have a really bad night. The outcomes proved the indicators wrong. [01:34:55] ALLISON: In 2023, Joe Biden had a terrible approval rating. His numbers were low. The indicators said that we shouldn't have been able to get the House and the Senate in Virginia, that Ohio shouldn't have been able to pass a constitutional amendment on abortion, that Kentucky shouldn't have kept Democratic Governor, that Kansas shouldn't have had an abortion ban. So the indicators were saying Dems are going to lose and the outcome, Dems are winning. So the reason why I think the Biden ecosystem and Joe Biden himself are saying I'm not really paying attention to the indicators right now because the outcomes have proven wrong over and over again. Is he going to be right? Time will tell, but that is what I think is actually playing out. And I think some folks are not really -- some folks are having a little amnesia about what has happened over the last couple of years as well. COATES: Liam. LIAM DONOVAN, FORMER NATIONAL REPUBLICAN SENATORIAL COMMITTEE AIDE: Well, just to capitalize on what Ashley said, not only have the indicators in recent years been contradictory with the outcomes, Joe Biden deeply in his bones feels that it has been in his destiny over the last half-century. He feels that he has to prove people wrong at every he turn. So the idea that you're going to appeal to him with polling and models suggesting that he can't do it is -- (CROSSTALKING) ENTEN: This to me is the interesting thing. You have pundits appearing on television networks, not that I'm saying any of us are like that, saying one thing and then perhaps you have the polling that says another thing, right? If you go back to 2022, there were a lot of pundits who were saying red wave, red wave -- ALLISON: I did not. ENTEN: Red wave. I'm not saying you, but I'm saying some of us -- ALLISON: Just saying. ENTEN: -- some of us. But if you look at the national generic congressional ballot, it always indicated a relatively tight race for the House of Representatives. And that's exactly what we got. Yes, in some Senate races, it did tend to underestimate some of the Democratic candidate, but the higher-quality polling actually did pretty gosh darn good. What we're seeing this time around is the pundits are saying one thing that actually for the most part lines up with the polling, not perfectly. I will say that I think the polling is a little less bearish on Joe Biden than the punditry is. But it's still pretty gosh darn bad. BEAVERS: This is a very different situation than we've seen in recent past. So we can compare them, but it's apples to oranges. Just last week when I was leaving a bar after having dinner, a member I ran into a House member, a Democrat, and he was sitting with some other House Democrats and he said we're just talking about when we're going to be releasing our statement saying we no longer support Joe Biden, sort of in a pre-baked, we have made our decision, we're scared about where the party is heading. And so whether what he says in a certain interview helps or hurts him, gaffes don't hurt, but there's been some decisions that are being made. I think the attempt on Donald Trump's life put that on pause, but I don't think it has gone away. COATES: We'll have to see. Everyone, please standby. We've got more questions tonight for the Secret Service. New reporting revealing that a sniper team saw the Trump shooter looking at them through a rangefinder in the lead up to the shooting. It's unbelievable. We'll talk about it next. [01:37:57] (COMMERCIAL BREAK) COATES: Well tonight, a warning from the FBI and Department of Homeland Security. The agency saying in an intelligence (INAUDIBLE) obtained by CNN, they are concerned about follow-on or retaliatory attacks in response to the attempted assassination of the former president Donald Trump. And on the investigation front, we're learning more about the shooter's movements before the attack occurred. Law enforcement sources telling CNN that he requested off time from work to attend the Trump rally on Saturday, telling his boss he had set, quote, "something to do". Those sources all say the shooter first raised suspicion when he passed through a magnetometer at the rally carrying a rangefinder. Security personnel then kept an eye on him until he left the secure area. Now from there, investigators are unsure of where the shooter went, but the operating theory is that when he did that, he left, he went to his car, then retrieved the rifle. Later one of the counter sniper teams observed the shooter looking at their position through the rangefinder. A law enforcement saying, quote, "they were looking at him while he was looking at them." Direct to Daniel Brunner, a retired FBI special agent. Daniel, this is pretty unbelievable to think about how this is unfolding. With everything we know so far, do you believe Secret Service made some serious mistakes here? DANIEL BRUNNER, RETIRED FBI SPECIAL AGENT: Yes. Good evening, Laura. Thanks for having me on. Absolutely there were mistakes that were made. Of course, there were holes in the -- in the investigation, there were holes in the security and that's what the investigation that the FBI is leading will determine. Find out what the gaps, where the holes were. If it's true that he was looking at the sniper, the counter sniper teams with a rangefinder that should have been quite alarming activity that these snipers should have been zeroed in on him, and keeping an eye on him, and continue to tracking him. Most sniper teams have a spotter and a person on the rifle, those two individuals could have at least called it out and moved in ground units to go interview him, go vet it -- the threat, figure out what the suspicious person is doing and seeing what their activity is and mitigate the threat. Fortunately, obviously mistakes were made and whether it be communication errors, those are things that need to be determined. COATES: I mean, the idea of a rangefinder alone, it's not just binoculars, that should have sent up a red flag in and of itself going through a magnetometer, I would imagine. But Secret Service director is also answering the key question from the events on Saturday. I want you to listen to her explanation for why there wasn't any law enforcement on the roof where the shooter attempted the assassination. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) KIMBERLY CHEATLE, SECRET SERVICE DIRECTOR: That building in particular has a sloped roof at its highest point. And so, you know, there's a, safety factor that would be considered there that we wouldn't want to put somebody up on a sloped roof. And so, you know, the decision was made to secure the building from inside. (END VIDEO CLIP) COATES: But here's one of the sniper teams protecting the former president on what seems to be a slope roof. So what is she saying. Does that make sense to you? BRUNNER: It really doesn't make sense to me. Saying that it has a slightly sloped roof in any of their photograph right there with those sniper teams are on a sloped roof as a much sharper upturn. I think that there's lots of questions that need to be asked. And one of the things is ok, so if you can't have somebody on the roof, why weren't the accesses to that roof secured? Why weren't the ladders secured? Why wasn't there someone posted to the areas surrounding the area? [01:44:52] BRUNNER: There's lots of questions, lots of gaps. If there's a ladder there, why wasn't it wrapped up? Why wasn't there a local police officer marked on it? But I think that the response that the director gave was a -- caused more -- created more questions when you see that counter-sniper teams, as you pointed out, Laura. COATES: Daniel Brunner, it's so important to hear your perspective and have those questions raised. Will they be answered, though? Thank you so much for joining us. BRUNNER: Thank you. COATES: Well, JD Vance, that newly-named VP running mate will talk tomorrow on Day 3 of the RNC. But we're about to hear an impression of Trump's VP pick in just a moment. The man of many voices, comedian Matt Friend is here with a beard and a big debut, next. (COMMERCIAL BREAK) (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) PASTOR JIM ROEMKE, MESSIAH LUTHERAN CHURCH, KENOSHA: And if I may, before the benediction, give you this promise. You're going to be so blessed, you are going to be tired of being blessed. I guarantee it. (END VIDEO CLIP) [01:49:51] COATES: Well, we heard that Trump impression last night. But so far, no one has done Trump's VP pick Senator JD Vance. That is until tonight, because comedian Matt Friend is here to debut -- oh wait, is that Senator Vance. Come on. MATT FRIEND, COMEDIAN: Yes. Well, it's an honor to be with you. I was just finishing putting my eyeliner on. Now, it's just a thrill to be the first Republican candidate for vice president with a real beard unlike Tim Scott, who has a different type of beard. But anyways I just wanted to say that I know people are frustrated. COATES: Oh no. FRIEND: They're frustrated that I compare Donald Trump to Hitler. And the real -- the reality is, I did that because the three of us are all authors. The holy trinity of literature, "Mein Kampf", my book "Hillbilly Elegy" and "The Art of the Deal". So there you go, America. Are you a racist? There you go. That's my ad. Thank you. COATES: Well there you go. Well, that beard is coming off of -- FRIEND: It's coming off. This is the worst -- COATES: -- Senator Mitch McConnell -- FRIEND: -- tape job. COATES: -- I mean he actually got booed. He got booed last night. Did you see that? FRIEND: Well, listen, I did. I did see the booing. There it is. You're going to rub it in my face, CNN, aren't you. Well, that's enough. COATES: That's a little uncanny. FRIEND: The reason -- the reason I got booed, Laura is because simply for my whole career, I have only done what is best for the people of America. And to President Biden, I would offer this simple advice. you're too old for the -- COATES: Oh my goodness -- you got -- my panel is here right now looking at this right now, and they're laughing on the side of me. You're not getting out of this, people, thank you very much. FRIEND: I'm sorry. COATES: There's a footage of a phone call between presidential candidate RFK Jr. and Trump that leaked today. Did you see that? COATES: Well -- well, Laura, I saw that call and frankly, it's a total disaster that it got leaked because I spoke to RFK and RFK would be a fantastic secretary of state maybe. But RFK told me to tell you that -- I actually didn't leak it. It was my son who leaked that. It wasn't me. I had nothing to do -- But RFK told me he should really never have done that. Bobby was a supporter. I actually never formally endorsed you. But anyways, Bobby, stop talking. It never should have been leaked. There's way too many leaks, not the kind of Russian leak I like in the shower. That's a different type. COATES: Oh, my gosh. FRIEND: But we're going to -- let's talk about something else, Laura. Let's keep it respectful ok. COATES: Do you want to because I mean, Lara Trump -- speaking of Lara is also -- we had our own impression of the former president, and we listened and she is -- FRIEND: Yes, I saw it. (CROSSTALKING) COATES: Here she is. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) LAURA TRUMP, CO-CHAIR, REPUBLICAN PARTY: When I was given an opportunity to join a television network as a commentator, it was the push and support of my father-in-law that gave me the confidence to take that job. Always the first one to call or text me after a V hit and tell me, great job. Keep going. Not bad, right? (END VIDEO CLIP) FRIEND: Well, I would say -- COATES: How'd she do? FRIEND: Well, excuse me, ok. I would say in fact, it was pretty terrible mild at best. I've always said that perhaps if Laura weren't my daughter-in-law I'd be dating her, she's a looker. She looks fantastic. Little too much work, but I will tell you she looks great. She's a beautiful woman and she never should have done that because I don't try to do her like that. It's very rude but I support it. I'm appreciative. And she fights for our country. Thank you very much. COATES: I want you to know the world at the exact moment of that impression someone spoke in my ear as a producer, so if you said something untoward, I did not hear it. Thank you very much. Matt Friend, nice to see you again. FRIEND: I love doing -- I love doing 2:00 a.ma. comedy. It's really ideal, isn't it. COATES: Is there any other type? Thank you very much. Panel -- FRIEND: You're the best. COATES: -- come back in just a moment here. You're the best -- besides what happened just now, what was your best moment of the night? Let's go in order. You, Liam. DONOVAN: I thought Rubio did a really good job. Well, Haley hit the tone right on the nose, but I think the story that Rubio was able to tell in personal terms about the victim of the assassination on Saturday was probably the peak of the night. COATES: I'm sorry, I wasn't clear. All of you must do the impersonation of who you actually speaking about. DONOVAN: Oh my dear. COATES: Go ahead, Ashley. ALLISON: My favorite was baby dog -- the bulldog because I have a bulldog and so I just thought it was cute. I couldn't -- I had actually never seen that governor with their dog like that. And so I was like, oh my God, there's a bulldog and I feel like it's an underrepresented dog breed in a politics. So I was sad to see it. COATES: Why are you smiling, Harry. ENTEN: I'm smiling because I'm a dog afficionado myself. I love dogs. In fact, it was my girlfriend's birthday just ended, I guess, two hours ago on the East Coast and I got her a whole bunch of Cavalier King Charles paraphernalia. She loves King Charles. And I love you. [01:54:55] COATES: Oh my God, do we have a good moment happening? Ok, top that. MARK PRESTON, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL ANALYST: I speak on behalf of America. I speak on behalf of everybody on this panel. And if I don't, I speak on behalf of me. Thank God. They gaveled out tonight. It was the end of the night. We can all go home and go to bed. ENTEN: There you go. Good night. COATES: Matt Friend, thank you. And thanks to everyone on the panel, we even got to kiss blown from Harry Enten. Wow, what a night. Thank you for watching. CNN's coverage of the RNC continues, next. [01:55:27] (COMMERCIAL BREAK) CNN Newsroom Aired July 17, 2024 - 02:00 ET THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED. (COMMERCIAL BREAK) [02:00:34] JOHN VAUSE, CNN INTERNATIONAL ANCHOR ANALYST: Ahead here on CNN NEWSROOM. And on day two, those defeated and humiliated by Donald Trump took to the seats to pledge their loyalty and support to the Republican nominee for president. New questions over Secret Service protection for Donald Trump, which had been elevated before the weekend shooting after intelligence revealed a possible separate plot by Iran to kill the former U.S. president. And Joe Biden goes off to the Supreme Court using a code of ethics and term limits for the nine justices. ANNOUNCER: Live from Atlanta, this is CNN Newsroom with John Vause. VAUSE: Day two of the Republican National Convention was a showcase of party unity, with Donald Trump's former primary rivals and critics giving their full-throated endorsement for relating the four times indicted, twice impeached, convicted felon. Notably, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, nicknamed Ron Desanctimonious Trump praised the former president for his economic and border policies. There was also a strong endorsement from former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley. The last challenger left standing in the race for the Republican nomination. The same Nikki Haley who described Trump as unhinged, diminished and unfit for office during the Republican primary race. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) NIKKI HALEY, FORMER SOUTH CAROLINA GOVERNOR: We should acknowledge that there are some Americans who don't agree with Donald Trump 100 percent of the time. I happen to know some of them. And I want to speak to them tonight. My message to them is simple. You don't have to agree with Trump 100 percent of the time to vote for him. (END VIDEO CLIP) VAUSE: Trump and his V.P. pick, Senator J.D. Vance of Ohio seemed joined at the hip Tuesday night with the theme there Make America Safe Again. Thanks. We'll take center stage Wednesday with a speech to delegates which one source says will emphasize his life story. Another former rival and one-time V.P. contender Florida Senator Marco Rubio referenced the answers personal story in his remarks today, saying this election is about putting Americans first. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) SEN. MARCO RUBIO (R-FL): These are the Americans who wear the red hats and wait for hours under a blazing sun to hear Trump speak. And what they want, what they asked for, it is not hateful or extreme. What they want is good jobs and lower prices. They want borders that are secure. And for those who come here to do so legally. They want to be safe from criminals and from terrorists. And they want for our leaders to care more about our problems here at home than about the problems of other countries far away. There is absolutely nothing dangerous or anything divisive about putting Americans first. Anyone who was offended about putting America first has forgotten what American is and what American means. American isn't the color of our skin, or our ethnicity. (END VIDEO CLIP) VAUSE: CNN's Kristen Holmes has more details now on day two of the RNC reporting in from Milwaukee in Wisconsin. KRISTEN HOLMES, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: The second day of the Republican Convention could have been called Donald Trump's rival night. We saw a number of Donald Trump's previous rivals in various elections and Senator Marco Rubio who now of course, this cycle was a V.P. contender as well. Senator Ted Cruz and Donald Trump face down in 2016. But perhaps the most critical rivals that spoke tonight in support of Donald Trump were those he faced in the primaries this cycle. Former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis backed the former president emphatically. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) HALEY: I'll start by making one thing perfectly clear. Donald Trump has my strong endorsement period. GOV. RON DESANTIS (R-FL): Let's send Donald Trump back to the White House. (END VIDEO CLIP) HOLMES: I asked a number of Trump advisors what they thought about that speech. One of them talking about Nikki Haley specifically said I stopped listening after I heard the word endorse. Now Haley's endorsement was critical for a number of reasons. Despite the fact that Haley only won two primaries during the cycle. [02:05:02] She continued to win tens of thousands of voters in critical battleground states like Pennsylvania and Arizona even after she had dropped out of the presidential race. Those are voters who purposely did not vote for the former president. Tonight, Haley reached out to them specifically called on them to back the former president in this election in November to not sit on the sidelines and to not vote for President Joe Biden. Something the Trump campaign was not only hoping she would do but was thrilled that she did on that Tuesday night. Kristen Holmes, CNN, Milwaukee, Wisconsin. VAUSE: Live now to Los Angeles and Ron Brownstein, CNN, senior political analyst and senior editor for The Atlantic. Good to see, Ron. Thanks for staying up. RON BROWNSTEIN, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL ANALYST: Hey, John. VAUSE: So, day two is all about Unity Day at the RNC. And what better way to show unity than a public display of sucking up from some of your defeated rivals like Nikki Haley, who said the race for the party's nomination longer than anyone else? Because he says she saw Donald Trump back in January. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) HALEY: I do think that he is in decline. And I think that he needs to know to step away. I do think that he surrounds himself in chaos, and we can't be a country in disarray and have a world on fire being chaos. I do think that these court cases are distracting, not just to the American people, but to him himself, which is keeping him from talking about what really matters. That's exactly why I don't think he should be president. (END VIDEO CLIP) VAUSE: Despite all that, here is Governor Haley speaking just a few hours ago. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) HALEY: We'll start by making one thing perfectly clear. Donald Trump has my strong endorsement period. (END VIDEO CLIP) VAUSE: It happens all the time on both sides of the -- of the major parties, but it seems especially hypocritical given the low blows and personal attacks from both Haley and Trump during that primary campaign. So, how important is it for Trump to have his vanquish rivals, you know, turn up on stage and publicly kiss the ring? BROWNSTEIN: Yes. Well, as you -- as you know, in fairness to Haley, the tradition of having to eat your words at the convention after running a losing primary campaign against the eventual nominee is a long and storied bipartisan tradition. But it does feel like there is something more here, especially when seen in context of all of the Republican big donors who said they would never give to Trump again after January 6, kind of crawling back into the fold. And, you know, the broad silencing of any dissent in Congress, this is Trump's party, and anyone who wants to ascend in the party has to essentially not only preach loyalty to him, but largely adopt the agenda. J.D. Vance, another great example. Someone who was, you know, more of an -- more of a Trump critic than Nikki Haley in 2016 and is now the vice president. I look at this convention and the choice of Vance as a real indication that win or lose Trump has reset the direction of the Republican Party for the foreseeable future. And those Haley-type voters who are uncertain whether they belong in this party are being given a clear message that they are the subordinate wing. And the future belongs to kind of Vance-like -- Trump-like national -- nationalist populism. VAUSE: You mentioned J.D. Vance, a former never-Trumper who has seen the light. Here's how Politico described Vance. He is the embodiment and one of the most articulate defenders of a belief system that has gradually taken hold of the Republican Party. One that prizes cultural and ideological warfare and rewards the warriors who are most effective and taking the fight to non-believers. It goes on to add that Vance doesn't deliver a lot in terms of electoral advantage, it's more about a plan for the future. You know, I guess the dreamer vision, it's four years from now could be Vance- Trump, as in Trump, Jr. You know, eight years after that Trump and Trump, who knows? This is what the ultimate plan could be? BROWNSTEIN: Yes. Well, I think -- I totally agree. Vance brings very little in conventional political gains. In fact, he is a target rich environment, for Democrats with things he has said of an authoritarian nature, praising authoritarians abroad, support for a national abortion ban, and doesn't really, you know, add a geography that they know Ohio is a safe state for Trump. But this is all about sending a message about the direction of the party. And as I said, I mean everything we are seeing this week, really kind of confirming what we saw during the primaries and really, you know, the kind of tottering the -- falling of the walls that the people tried to put up after January 6. It all points in the same direction. This is a Trumpian party at this point. It depends on the voters but Trump excites. It has driven away the voters who are most uneasy with him. And if you want to succeed in the Republican party going forward, you mostly have to cater to that new coalition that Trump has built. [02:10:03] And the obvious opportunity that creates for Democrats is what we saw with the Haley race. What we saw in 2022 where it was the Democrats residual strength in white collar communities that largely blunted the expectations of a red wave. And certainly, if Biden is going to -- or a successor Democrat is going to have any shot in November, it's going to be by expanding margins. And a lot of those white-collar places that feel left out of this new party, even after Haley kind of, you know, bent the knee. VAUSE: Well, day two was also image makeover for Donald Trump, a speaker after speaker insisting going from cares. Cares a lot about everyone. Here's his daughter, Lara Trump. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) LARA TRUMP, REPUBLICAN NATIONAL COMMITTEE CO-CHAIR: But when I look at Donald Trump, I see a wonderful father, father-in-law, and of course, grandfather to my two young children, Luke and Carolina. Through that lens that I sometimes wish more people could see him. This is a man who has sacrificed for his family and a man who has truly sacrificed for his country. (END VIDEO CLIP) VAUSE: We had this sort of speaker after speaker, how do you get to meet the real Donald Trump? If only people could sit down and find out who he really is? Who are they talking to? BROWNSTEIN: Well, you know, Donald Trump leads Biden on most personal attributes, you know, who you think is tougher, more energetic, better record of accomplishment, empathy and compassion is one where Trump trails, you know, and this is a guy who -- whose personal life is kind of littered with stories of him stepping over people both, you know, in his immediate circle and beyond loyalty being a one-way street. You know, the picture they painted of him there, you know, I don't -- I don't know what his relationship is like with his kids or grandkids. So, it may be true, you know, in that sense but it has not been his persona or modus, you know, his modus operandi, either in business or in politics that kind of gives selfless loyalty or sacrifice. I was struck by all of that language as you were. I also thought the quote that you ran from Marco Rubio may have been the most interesting of the night and it was in the same vein, it was basically saying, you know, to all those voters, whose communities have a kind of a real antipathy toward Trumpism and the MAGA movement that is really OK, you know, that you can -- you can come over and not be seen as a racist or as, you know, a nativist. That all was part of the same messaging that, you know, kind of softening the edges of Trumpism from what has been understood to be to this point in American politics without really softening the policy. VAUSE: Yes. It just, you know, it seems at this point, you know, images of Trump are pretty much locked in in any way, you know, whether you're Trumper or not. Ron Brownstein, as always. Good to have you with us, sir. Thank you. BROWNSTEIN: Thanks for having me, John. VAUSE: Most pleasure. Well, the first Trump rally since this past weekend's assassination attempt will be held indoors. campaign officials say Trump will appear on stage with his running mate J.D. Vance in Grand Rapids, Michigan Saturday, a week after a 20-year-old father Trump gracing his right ear. Authorities are investigating possible security lapses at that outdoor event and Pennsylvania last Saturday. The FBI and U.S. Department of Homeland Security a warning of possible follow up attacks after the assassination attempt on Trump. And a joint bulletin, the agencies noted chatter in some online communities either threatening or encouraging violent follow up attacks. Officials fear further violence could target other campaign events throughout the election season. Authorities are also concerned about hoax bomb threats. Reports of fake crimes could trigger a law enforcement response or doxing of election officials in an attempt to disrupt political rallies as well as other events. And the director of the Secret Service tells CNN they are solely responsible for security at Donald Trump's rally last week. Still questions are being asked over how the shooter gained access to the roof of a nearby building. And from there tried to kill the former president. CNN's Danny Freeman has more now on the details of the investigation. DANNY FREEMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: On Tuesday, we started to get some answers to some of the biggest questions that we've been wondering about this investigation and this attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump but there are still many things that we don't know. But let me walk through what we do know at this point. Let's start first with Thomas Matthew Crooks. That's the 20-year-old shooter from Bethel Park, Pennsylvania. We do know that on Friday before the shooting, we believe that he went to his sportsman's club and actually practice shooting on that rifle range at the sportsman club not too far from his home. We then know on Saturday morning, the shooter went to Home Depot and purchased a ladder. Not long after that we know that the shooter then went to a gun shop and purchase 50 rounds of ammunition. Then law enforcement sources have been telling CNN the shooter drove to Butler, Pennsylvania to the Trump rally that occurred behind me back on Saturday, and the shooter actually was spotted by law enforcement at one point looking suspicious near the metal detectors but then went relatively undetected as far as we understand until later on when he ultimately fired those shots towards a former President Donald Trump. [02:15:07] But here's what we still don't know. We still are no closer to understanding what may have motivated this particular shooting, the FBI saying that it has done over 100 interviews of witnesses at the scene, law enforcement officers, family and friends of Mr. Crooks. They also searched the home and the car of the shooter. They also looked at the past internet search history of the shooter, and they actually were able to crack into the shooters phone. Still, though no evidence pointing to any ideological reasons that would have led him up to that rooftop to fire those shots at the former president. And now I want to turn to the investigation and this back and forth between U.S. Secret Service and local law enforcement agencies that were on the ground here as well. We have learned from law enforcement sources that there was a sniper team actually inside of the complex where the shooter Crooks was on top of the roof. But these snipers, they were actually looking through second-storey windows towards the crowd, not actually on what was happening above them on the roof. This comes a Secret Service told us that they were not responsible for sweeping and clearing the area that contain this particular building because it was outside of the perimeter that they were focused on where the Trump campaign event was happening. The Secret Service said that was law enforcement responsibility. However, we have heard from a number of local law enforcement agencies here in this particular area, including the Pennsylvania State Police, who not only said that they gave Secret Service, all of the resources that they asked for, but specifically said in these types of situations during these types of events, Secret Service is the lead agency. Then 48 hours after the shooting on Saturday evening, we finally heard the first comments on the record in immediate interview from the director of the Secret Service who said explicitly, the buck stops with me. So, it's unclear if we're going to see more back and forth between local law enforcement and between secret service but we still don't have an answer to the question of why that particular roof was left unattended. Danny Freeman, CNN, Butler, Pennsylvania. VAUSE: It seems security for the former president was already elevated before last weekend, after intelligence revealed an alleged Iranian plot to assassinate Donald Trump a separate plot altogether. CNN's Kylie Atwood has details reporting and mail from the State Department. KYLIE ATWOOD, CNN NATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: In recent weeks, U.S. authorities obtained intelligence from a human source of Iranian assassination plot attempt against former President Trump. Now we are told that there is no connection between this threat and what occurred over the weekend with that assassination attempt against the former president in Pennsylvania. But, of course, this raises questions as to the security footprint that was around the former president on that day. Now national security official said that when this threat came into the U.S. government, they shared it with Secret Service, we shared it with Trump's detail and of course shared it with the Trump campaign. And that official also said that in response, Secret Service, "surge resources and assets for the protection of former President Trump." Now the Trump campaign for their part is not commenting on this saying they don't comment on Trump's protective detail. The Iranian Mission to the United Nations is denying it calling accusations unsubstantiated and malicious. And the NSA spokesperson is making very clear what I've said previously that there is no connection at this moment between what occurred over the weekend and this threat from Iran saying at the time, there has not been identified ties between the shooter and any accomplished or co-conspirator foreign or domestic. That's according to NSC spokesperson Adrienne Watson, of course the investigation into that assassination attempt against the former president continues on. Kylie Atwood, CNN, the State Department. VAUSE: We'll take a short break. When we come back, U.S. President Joe Biden goes after the untouchables pushing for major reform of the U.S. Supreme Court. (COMMERCIAL BREAK) [02:21:11] VAUSE: U.S. President Joe Biden looks set to back major reforms of the Supreme Court, which would make him the first sitting president in generations to do so. Sources tell CNN that term limits for the nine justices who currently serve lifetime appointments is top of the list. Also under consideration is the new ethics code, which would contain an enforcement mechanism. The court has been under intense scrutiny following a series of controversies surrounding some of the justices, including conservatives, Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito. That along with several highly charged rulings have led to dismal public approval ratings. Present Biden has this warning about the future of the Supreme Court should Donald Trump be reelected? (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) JOE BIDEN, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: There's going to probably be two more appointments to the court. There's probably two people who are going to resign, resign, retire. Just imagine quarter of course if he has two more appointments on that, what that means forever. (END VIDEO CLIP) VAUSE: During that interview, President Biden also talked about the growing calls need to step aside from the race following his dismal debate performance last month. He says he's reluctant to walk away because there's more to do for the country and only a medical condition diagnosis might convince him to drop out. This comes as a growing faction of the House Democrats are calling on the Democratic National Committee to ditch plans to virtually nominate Mr. Biden before the party convention in Chicago next month. A clear sign some are concerned about the President staying at the top of the ticket. The NAACP convention, President Biden spoke about the need to address political violence following the assassination attempt on Donald Trump. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) BIDEN: Our politics has gotten too heated. I've said the Oval Office on Sunday night, as it made clear throughout my presidency, we all have a responsibility to lower the temperature and condemn violence in any form. Just because we must lower the temperature in our politics is very divisive doesn't mean we should stop telling the truth. Who you are, what you done, what you all do. That's fair game. Where's the truth about why Donald Trump's presidency was held for black America. He tried to repeal Obamacare to kick millions. I mean, millions of black Americans off their health insurance. And a $2 trillion tax cut overwhelmingly benefited the super wealthy, the biggest corporation and exploded the federal debt larger than any one president has been one term. He left no room for us to do what we should be doing. Invest in things that affect people's lives, like child care, elder care, and so much more that grow the economy and help people. (END VIDEO CLIP) VAUSE: Live down to Los Angeles and Caroline Heldman, democratic strategist and professor at Occidental College. Good to see you. CAROLINE HELDMAN, DEMOCRATIC STRATEGIST: Great to see you, John. VAUSE: So, I want you to listen to President Biden talking about why he is now pushing for a code of ethics for the Supreme Court as well as term limits for the nine justices. The he who he refers to is Donald Trump. Listen to this. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) BIDEN: The next president is likely to have two new Supreme Court nominees. Two more. Two more. He's already appointed to that or been very negative in terms of the rights of individuals. The idea that if he's reelected, he's going to appoint two more flying flags upside down. The Supreme Court has never been as out of kilter as it is today. Look, the fact of the matter is that this has never been a court that has been this far out of step. (END VIDEO CLIP) VAUSE: In many ways, it seems to have come out of nowhere. It's been described as Biden pandering to progressives, a desperate move at a low point of the campaign. Well, this is clearly political. But anyways, does that matter? Reforming the Supreme Court is really badly needed right now. HELDMAN: It absolutely is needed. But the odds of either of these getting through is slim to none. So even getting, you know, an ethical requirement are some actual mechanisms of accountability in place was dead on arrival. [02:25:04] It -- earlier this year when allegations came out, right, against Clarence Thomas and Justice Alito, because Republicans in the House put a stop to that. And then if he wants term limits, the Constitution says these are lifetime appointments. That's a really intensive multiyear process to get a constitutional amendment. So, this is sort of kind of smoke and mirrors, and it doesn't actually address the two major concerns that are really dragging on Biden, which are the economy and his age or his fitness for office. VAUSE: And the attempted assassination of Trump seems to have taken some of the focus away from those calls to replace Biden as a Democrat nominee. But behind the scenes, CNN is reporting the calls from within the party continue to grow, for him to step down and get out of the race. So, it seems to stand in really stark contrast to what we saw at the RNC in Milwaukee, especially on Tuesday, Trump ratings defeated rivals on stage. Pledging their loyalty to the new King. So, if Democrats cannot unite at this moment, either for or against Biden, then what hope do they have holding on to the White House and the Senate? HELDMAN: Well, not much of a shot at this point in time. So Biden, just looking at the polls and the evidence here. Since that disastrous debate, he's lost ground in 14 states, he is behind in all seven swing states now according to the latest CNN polls. No president, incumbent president in our lifetime has been able to overcome the challenges of Biden has in front of him as numbers look like Carter in 1980, George Herbert-Walker Bush in 92 and Trump in 2020. Only 23 percent of Americans think he has the fitness and mental and physical fitness for the office. So, looking at all of that Biden appears to be digging in his heels. But my thought would be that whatever is -- Biden is saying he's going to say that until he steps out if he chooses to do that. And power doesn't give up power. But wow, Donald Trump, I mean, that assassination attempt to be crass about the politics here, it's that visual images. Really going to help them in November. And also, this ruling from Aileen Cannon that dismisses his documents case, it'll be appealed. But he's -- Biden -- the calls for him to step down, are likely growing louder behind the scenes, given the advantage that Trump has right now. VAUSE: We saw on Tuesday from President Biden, he seemed a lot more alert, he seemed much more engaged. You know, the speaking wasn't so slurred. He was sort of very articulate. If he has more days like that, you know, in the coming weeks or in the coming months. You know, can he pull this campaign out? Turn it around? HELDMAN: Well, John, that's a great question. And Nancy Pelosi brought this up, right? She said, Is it episodic or is it a condition? I think for a lot of voters, regardless of whether it's episodic, or a condition, if you know, Carl Bernstein's reporting on this, if he has 15 to 20 of these episodes a year is accurate, or at least the perception is that that's what's happening with Biden, I think it's a hard sell. Again, three out of four Americans think that he is does not have the mental and physical fitness for the office. So this is a really difficult time for the Democratic Party. But one silver lining perhaps is every other major top Democrat polls higher than Biden against Trump at this point in time. VAUSE: He's a little more down from President Biden on why he decided to run for a second time, despite giving every indication back in 2020, that he would not. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) BIDEN: Look, when I originally ran, you may remember it. I said I was going to be a transitional candidate. I thought that I'd be able to move from this just pass it on to someone else. But I didn't anticipate things getting so, so, so divided. (END VIDEO CLIP) VAUSE: You mentioned this. The poll saw that, you know, other Democrats would be Trump. And one reason for the division that Biden is talking about is Biden. HELDMAN: Well, the fact of the matter is, the man has a huge ego. Anybody getting into that office has a huge ego, and they hold on to power, they want to hold on to power. So, the idea that, OK, so let's say it is more divided which we know that it is and that division really started in 2016. That's when we started to see massive partisan division under Donald Trump's presidency that continued into Biden's presidency. But even if that's the case, why does Biden think he's the only one who can address that? I mean, this is -- this is an office that really attracts people who love power. That's why Donald Trump is trying to get back into this office. That's why we have two candidates 178, 181 years old who have not stepped aside. You know, it really is about ego and power. And of course, that's what the presidency is about for many people. VAUSE: It's blinding at times. It seems, Caroline, thank you for being with us (INAUDIBLE) Caroline Heldman there in Los Angeles. HELDMAN: Thanks, John. VAUSE: But Iran was outraged when Donald Trump ordered the killing of the top general Qasem Soleimani back in 2020 and then went on to brag about it. Now alluding to Iran maybe flooding his own revenge. The response from Iran ahead on CNN. (COMMERCIAL BREAK) [02:32:20] VAUSE: The U.S. Republican Party was in a very different place six months ago, which would have made a for a very different Tuesday night at the Republican National Convention. Still one-time rivals, outspoken critics, direct competitors for the party's nomination, all took to the stage, including former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis. They threw their support behind Donald Trump, now the official nominee of the party. And the choice of J.D. Vance as Trump's running mate has given the party a chance to show unity, a united front. Tuesday's speakers also found common ground on something else, the disapproval of President Joe Biden. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) KARI LAKE, (R-AZ) U.S. SENATE CANDIDATE: Americans are waking up to the truth about the disastrous Democrat policies pushed by Joe Biden. REP. ELISE STEFANIK, (R-NY): Under Joe Biden, the American people have suffered crisis after crisis. REP. STEVE SCALISE, (R-LA) MAJORITY LEADER OF THE U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES: Joe Biden and Kamala Harris have spent your tax dollars trashing America's finances in ways no sane or sober-minded person ever would. SEN. TED CRUZ, (R-TX): As a result of Joe Biden's presidency, your family is less safe. GOV. RON DESANTIS (R-FL): Joe Biden has failed this nation. (END VIDEO CLIP) VAUSE: And the battle to control the U.S. Senate is also featuring highly at this year's Republican Convention. The GOP needs either one or two seats to flip the chamber. We have CNN's John King break down the state of the race and how Republicans are thinking about the fight for control of the U.S. Senate. (BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) JOHN KING, CNN U.S. CHIEF NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Republicans believe this is a great map for them anyway, they've believed this for months, and they think with Trump's strength in the election right now, the Senate map is improving for them even more. So, 51/49 for the Democrats. Now, come forward to this map here. You see Mansion's state, West Virginia; we've already turned it red. He's not running for re-election. That's a big state for Donald Trump. That seat is almost guaranteed to go Republican and to go red. So then you see why are Ohio and Montana -- why are they yellow? Well, these are big Trump states. Ohio, Sherrod Brown, the Democratic incumbent, great personal brand back home. But Donald Trump's going to win that state or at least he has in the past by six or eight points. He just picked Republican Senator J.D. Vance as his running mate, so Democrats think they are in more trouble. You see Sherrod Brown raising money all the time. So what if that happened? What if this went over to red? We'll try to click it over. There you go; that would give right there. Jon Tester, again, a Democrat with a great personal brand back home. Donald Trump won by 16 points last time in Montana. If Joe Biden's numbers are down even more, can Jon Tester hang on? So, this is what Democrats have been thinking about for months, that these would be the two suffer seats (ph). But as you see these speakers come to the stage tonight, here's what they're worried about now, let's just come back and make those toss-up. They're also worried about Pennsylvania. They're worried about Michigan. They're worried about here in Wisconsin. You just heard Kari Lake; she's losing in the polls right now, but they're worried about Arizona. [02:35:00] They are worried about Nevada as well. You can make a scenario here, a reasonable scenario, the Republicans not only get 50 in a majority, but they get 51, 52, 53. Now, Democrats watching are saying, you know, you're being overly pessimistic. Most of the Democratic candidates -- I want to make this clear -- most of the Democratic candidates right now are leading in these races, narrowly in most of them, but they're leading in these races. The Democratic Senate candidates are outperforming Joe Biden in these states, but ticket-splitting in presidential elections, one party for president, the other party for Senate has become almost non-existent. (END VIDEOTAPE) VAUSE: Hungary's prime minister says Donald Trump is ready to act as a peace broker between Russia and Ukraine if he is re-elected. Role of Trump the peacemaker comes amid concerns that if president, he might try and force Kyiv to cede territory to Moscow in return to some kind of peace deal. European Council President Charles Michel hit back with a letter to Viktor Orban saying this, "The most direct way to peace is for Russia to withdraw all of its forces from Ukraine and respect Ukraine's territorial integrity and the U.N. Charter." Meantime, Ukraine and dozens of other nations accused Russia of hypocrisy on Tuesday, presiding over a U.N. meeting on global cooperation. CNN has learned that U.S. authorities obtained intelligence in recent weeks, about alleged plot by Iran to try to assassinate Donald Trump. There's no sign of any link between Iran and Saturday's shooting at the Trump rally in Pennsylvania. Iran is denying the allegations altogether. CNN's Fareed Zakaria sat down with Iran's foreign -- acting foreign minister on Tuesday and pressed him about those claims. (BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) FAREED ZAKARIA, CNN HOST, "FAREED ZAKARIA GPS": My first question to you is relating to the news that CNN has broken about information that the U.S. government received, the national security council and passed on to the secret service, of a plot, an Iranian plot to assassinate the former President Donald Trump in retaliation for the assassination of Qasem Soleimani, the senior Iranian general that happened during the Trump Administration. What can you tell us about this? ALI BAGHERI KANI, ACTING IRANIAN FOREIGN MINISTER (through translator): As you know, the Islamic Republic of Iran immediately following the assassination of General Soleimani tried to judicially and legally follow the assassination at Iranian courts and at the same time, we have tried to make use of the international judicial and legal procedures in order to prosecute the perpetrator and advisers who helped this assassination. Accordingly, the Islamic Republic of Iran will make use of all legal potentials inside the country or at the international level in order to bring the perpetrators to the justice. ZAKARIA: Let me just be sure I understand what you're saying. Are you categorically denying that Iran had any plans or any element of Iran, the Revolutionary Guard and Iranian-backed militia had any plans to try to assassinate Donald Trump? BAGHERI KANI (through translator): As I put it very blatantly and openly, I told you explicitly that we will resort to legal and judicial procedures and frameworks at the domestic level and international level in order to bring the perpetrators and military advisers of General Soleimani's assassination to justice. ZAKARIA: But, that means not violent measures? When you say legal and judicial measures, you are talking about international courts and things like that? BAGHERI KANI (through translator): As I told you, we will only resort to Iranian and international legal and judicial procedures. Till now, we have done it, and this is our right and of course, we will continue. And the Americans openly said that they assassinated the senior Iranian military commander, so it is our natural right in order to follow these issues and those who are accused in this case, they should be brought to justice in a just court. (END VIDEOTAPE) VAUSE: For a full interview with Iran's Acting Foreign Minister, Ali Bagheri Kani, coming up this Sunday on "Fareed Zakaria GPS" at 10:00 a.m. in New York, 3:00 p.m. in London. When we come back, Elon Musk betting big on Donald Trump, the head of Tesla and SpaceX announcing a massive donation to the former president's re-election campaign. Details on that when we come back. (COMMERCIAL BREAK) [02:42:15] VAUSE: Attorney for U.S. Senator Bob Menendez vowing to appeal his conviction in federal corruption trial. Jurors found Menendez guilty of bribery, acting as a foreign agent to Egypt, obstruction of justice, extortion, and conspiracy. CNN's Kara Scannell has more. (BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) KARA SCANNELL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Senator Bob Menendez is defiant as he left court after being convicted of 16 criminal charges, including bribery and extortion. He said he was deeply disappointed and would appeal. Here's what he said. SEN. BOB MENENDEZ, (D-NJ): Obviously, I'm deeply, deeply disappointed by the jury's decision. I have every faith that the law and the facts did not sustain that decision, and that we will be successful upon appeal. I have never violated my public oath. I have never been anything but a patriot of my country and for my country. I have never ever been a foreign agent and the decision rendered by the jury today would put at risk every member of the United States Senate in terms of what they think a foreign agent would be. SCANNELL: The jury deliberated for 13 hours before returning their verdict on Tuesday afternoon, finding the Senator guilty of 16 charges including bribery, extortion, obstruction of justice, and acting as a foreign agent for the government of Egypt. Prosecutors signed (ph) the jury that Menendez sold the power of his office in exchange for gold bars, nearly half $0.5 in cash, and a convertible that Menendez took steps to try to interfere in the prosecutions of a co-defendants and a business associate of another, and that he also tried to help the government of Egypt, including by giving them sensitive information about staffing levels at the U.S. embassy in Cairo. U.S. Attorney Damian Williams I spoke to reporters after the verdict. Here's what he said. DAMIAN WILLIAMS, UNITED STATES ATTORNEY, SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF NEW YORK: This case has always been about shocking levels of corruption, hundreds of thousands of dollars in bribes in the form of cash, gold bars, a Mercedes-Benz. This wasn't politics as usual; this was politics for profit. And now that a jury has convicted Bob Menendez, his years of selling his office to the highest bidder have finally come to an end. SCANNELL: There are growing calls for Senator Menendez to resign his seat, including from Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer. There's no automatic expulsion from the Senate, even with a conviction, it would require a two-thirds vote by Senators in order to push him out. Senator has said he will appeal. He is expected to be sentenced in late October. The sentence will be up to the judge, but given that he's been convicted of numerous serious crimes, he could face up to 20 years in prison. Kara Scannell, CNN, New York. (END VIDEOTAPE) VAUSE: Elon Musk is going all in on Donald Trump or so it seems. On Monday, "The Wall Street Journal" reported the head of X and Tesla plans to commit $45 million a month to Trump's re-election campaign. [02:45:00] Musk tweeted his endorsement of Trump shortly after Saturday's assassination attempt. Musk has given money to candidates from both parties in the past, including $5,000 to Barack Obama's campaign in 2011 -- $5,000/$45 million -- OK. For years, he was mainly a Democratic donor but those amounts pale in comparison to what he is now reportedly giving to Donald Trump. Natasha Lindstaedt is a Professor of Government at the University of Essex. She joins us now from Colchester in England. Thank you for getting up early and taking time to be with us. NATASHA LINDSTAEDT, PROFESSOR OF GOVERNMENT, UNIVERSITY OF ESSEX: Thanks for having me. VAUSE: So, Musk didn't actually come up directly on that "Wall Street Journal" report and said he posted a meme suggesting it wasn't quite accurate. Either way, what do you make of this endorsement and his support for Trump, because it's where the rubber meets the road where your money goes, right? LINDSTAEDT: Right. Well, there have been indications that Elon Musk and Donald Trump have become cozier, that they've gotten to be better friends, that Musk and Trump were talking about electric cars and Musk said that he's very persuasive and I think he feels that he'll have more political sway with Trump in the White House. Elon Musk was supposed to be this big crusader for fighting climate change. But just in December, we could see that he has been changing his tune a bit, talking about not demonizing oil and gas, and claiming that climate change is a little bit more of an exaggerated threat, at least in the short term. I don't think he has liked the fact that Biden has offered subsidies for other car companies to support making electronic vehicles and he feels that he has a better chance of doing well under Trump. He has other friends in high places in the tech world that are getting on board with this, cryptocurrency entrepreneurs and other financial leads, and so he's going to likely support Trump threw this big Super PAC and the main goal of the Super PACs, of course, are to provide political ads that could be damaging to Biden who's already facing trying to the tacks from both sides. VAUSE: You mentioned that Elon and Trump have had a history, not quite a bromance, but they do have sort of Venn diagram of overlapping interests in some ways. But, does that explain what will essentially be $180 million in political donations to get Trump re-elected? LINDSTAEDT: It's a really good question, as to how someone would make such an extreme change to being sort of a small donor for Democratic Party to possibly being one of the biggest donors ever for a single candidate. And part of the mystery may just be Elon Musk is unpredictable; it's often hard to predict what he's going to do. But since he took over Twitter, he's been moving more to the right, and he just feels that his views are more in lockstep with Trump and the Republican Party at the moment. VAUSE: And the big picture here is that Trump is being supported not only by Musk, there are other tech billionaires involved here. A prominent venture capitalist Marc Andreessen and Ben Horowitz reportedly intended to make to PACs supporting Trump. "New York Times" says this on (inaudible) donors to that Super PAC. (Inaudible) contributions include $1 million from Antonio Gracias, a private equity mogul and a board director at SpaceX; $1 million from Ken Howery, an early executive at PayPal; $500,000 for Shaun Maguire, an investor at Sequoia Capital who is close to Musk. Silicon Valley was once a pro Democrat, so what's driving the sudden switch? Is it simply a case where Elon goes, others will follow? LINDSTAEDT: It's hard to say. I think to some extent, once you start making a lot of money, you don't want to face taxation, you don't want to face regulations. And so, that would be the appeal of Trump to some of these billionaires. But of course, there have been billionaire supporters on both sides. There is big money behind both candidates, and it's kind of interesting to see whether or not it matters. I mean, in the past three election cycles, having the support of big donors hasn't necessarily mattered, I think with the exception of the case of Biden. If you look back to the Obama-Mitt Romney matchup in 2012, Mitt Romney had $145 million in support from big donors compared to only $75 million for Obama. But Obama outraised Romney almost two-to-one with small donors. So, it's often these small donors that matter a lot more because it's evidenced a real grassroots court and that's something that of course, Biden needs, but I'm not sure that he has this. He's really running a party that is incredibly fractured, not very motivated, not energized, and that's going to be one of the issues, in addition to the fact that he is not funding as well as Trump was when he had a huge the advantage back in earlier this year. [02:50:00] VAUSE: It seems (inaudible) where he had the Koch Brothers who've been hesitant about supporting Trump and they are traditional Republican big donors, where they (ph) now have these -- the new money, if you like, the tech billionaires jumping in to almost replacing the traditional Republican donors. LINDSTAEDT: Exactly. And I think that's also just the way the Republican Party looks, if you were to look at the national -- the Republican Convention last night, you don't see any of the old figures in the Republican Party. You don't see Dick Cheney; you don't see George Bush Jr. You see these newer Republicans and they really molded the party around Trump, and he has attracted newer types of wealth as well. So, this is all part of a huge shift, I think taking place in the Republican Party that has become firmly under Trump. VAUSE: Natasha, thank you for being with us. We really appreciate your time and your insights on a very early morning there in London. Have a good day, thank you. LINDSTAEDT: Thanks for having me. VAUSE: Always a pleasure. Thank you. When we come back, more violence on the streets of Kenya, protesters calling for their president to step down. In a moment, how crowds reacted to forceful efforts by police to end the protest. (COMMERCIAL BREAK) VAUSE: Authorities in Thailand say six people found dead in a hotel room in Bangkok were likely poisoned with cyanide. The victims include three men, three women, including two Vietnamese Americans, and a married couple. Investigators say the room was locked from the inside, cyanide was found in mugs and teacups inside the room. Police believe the killer is also among the dead. They say the incident was linked to a personal matter and a dispute over money. At least six people, including one police officer, are dead after a shooting near a mosque in Oman. This happened at the Imam Ali Mosque during Ashura, the tenth day of the Islamic month of Muharram, which holds particular significance for Shiite Muslims. More than two dozen people of various nationalities were wounded in the attack, among them, four Omani first responders. Police say three gunmen were identified and killed during the exchange of gunfire. Clashes continue on the streets of Kenya as police confront protesters demanding that President William Ruto step down. CNN's Larry Madowo has details. (BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) LARRY MADOWO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Kenyan President William Ruto is a man under siege. These young people don't want him leading them anymore. They are shouting right now, Ruto to must go. They have largely organized on social media, many of them are Gen Z, young people, as young as 18, protesting for the first time, disillusioned with his government. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We are in a mess, so we are trying to straighten up things. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We don't have the (inaudible), it is just Gen Z power and power for the people. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Ruto, you must resign. You must resign. MADOWO: Protesters want Ruto to go and the police want them to go from the streets. So they have been using water cannon trucks all day to clear them from the streets, and they keep coming back. UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Police are not here to protect us. They are here to actually cause violence. We are here to peacefully protest. But the police are here to fight us. MADOWO: They are -- they are throwing water cannon at us. We are clearly marked -- we are clearly marked as journalists. But they're doing this indiscriminately. [02:55:00] This is not responsible. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Stop killing the youth. That is the information we are sending to the government. You can't kill us, at the same time, lead us. That is something we are not going to accept. MADOWO: There is tear gas everywhere. These young people getting pushed back by police, just keep saying they want Ruto to go. They are tired of corruption; they are tired of the high cost of living. Many of these people are also out here on the streets to honor those dozens who have been killed in protests in the last few weeks, that they feel the government has not fully acknowledged. (END VIDEOTAPE) VAUSE: France is in political limbo following the results of the snap parliamentary elections earlier this month. President Emmanuel Macron has accepted Prime Minister Gabriel Attal's resignation. But with no clear successor in line, Macron has asked Attal to stay on until a new cabinet is appointed. In a stunning result, the left-wing New Popular Front alliance won the most seats in the election. But the alliance consists of several parties and still has not put forward a candidate for prime minister, more than a week after the vote. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer says his government will take the brakes off Britain, with details unveiled in the first King's Speech when King Charles will read out the new Labour government's plans, marking the state opening of parliament for the year. The government is set to introduce more than 35 bills and draft bills aimed at improving living standards and driving economic growth. Well, Kyle Gass, part of the comedy rock band Tenacious D, has issued an apology for comments he made about Donald Trump at a concert in Australia. Video from the Sunday show in Sydney shows Gass blowing out the candles on a birthday cake and wishing "Don't miss Trump next time." He posted on Instagram in part, "The line I improvised was highly inappropriate, dangerous and a terrible mistake. I don't condone violence of any kind, in any form, against anyone." Gass has been dropped by his Hollywood talent agent. As a result, his bandmate actor Jack Black has also canceled the remainder of their tour and put further creative plans on hold (inaudible) <didn't go so well>. Thank you for watching. I'm John Vause. Please stay with us. Our Newsroom continues with our friend and colleague, Rosemary Church, after a short break. (COMMERCIAL BREAK)