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Bernie Sanders Speaks to Supporters; Convention Opens Amid Committee Controversy. Aired 1-1:30p ET
Aired July 25, 2016 - 13:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR: Hello, I'm Wolf Blitzer. It's 1:00 p.m. here in Philadelphia. Where ever you're watching from around the world, thanks very much for joining us.
We start with opening day of the Democratic National Convention. But I want to take you -- I'll show you these live pictures right now. These are live pictures of Hillary Clinton in Charlotte, North Carolina. She addressed the veterans a little while ago.
Now, she's meeting with volunteers. She's obviously very excited about opening day, day one of this Democratic National Convention here in Philadelphia. Let's listen in briefly and hear what she's saying.
HILLARY CLINTON (D), PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE (live): I came here a few hours before our convention opened. I want to thank -- I want to thank Kelly McKinnon (ph) for those really wonderful words of introduction and for being a public schoolteacher right here in Mecklenburg County.
I want to thank your wonderful mayor, Mayor Jennifer Roberts. I want to thank members of your city council who are here from Charlotte, members of the North Carolina House and Senate. And I want to give a shout out to your young chair of the county Democrats, Matt Newton.
And I also just want to mention my friend and your congresswoman, Representative Alma Adams, who will be -- who will be on the ticket with me in November. And we need to keep electing Democrats to the U.S. House and Senate.
Well, my friends, I'll tell you, we're going to have a very different kind of convention than they had last week. Watching the divisiveness, the finger pointing, the fear mongering. Whew, I'll tell you, it is a sight to behold, talking about building walls, a very different vision about bringing Americans together.
Well, I'll tell you what, you're going to hear from some great Americans at our convention this week who represent not only the diversity of the Democratic Party but the diversity of the United States of America.
I am very excited about contrasting our vision and values with what we saw from Donald Trump and the Republicans, because this election poses such stark choice, doesn't it? I mean, we always believe our elections are important. That's at the heart of our democracy. It's how we make decisions. And people have fought and died for the right to vote and to express themselves.
But I think it is fair to say, this election, boy, it puts everything into such a stark difference. Donald Trump wants to take his dark, divisive, dangerous campaign to a new level. He offered a lot of fear, bigotry and smear during his convention. But I listened really hard to hear any specific plans about anything that would help any American get ahead and stay ahead in our economy.
I listened really hard about how we're going to bring people together in our nation. I listened really hard to hear anything that I thought would make a difference in the future we're trying to build together.
Instead, what we heard from Donald Trump, after his litany of everything that he said is wrong with America -- which personally I took offense at. I don't know how you run for president of the United States if you spend all of your time trash talking about the United States.
[13:05:0] But then, I was particularly struck after this long list of everything that was wrong with our country, some of which just offended me, calling our military a disaster, raising doubts about whether or not we're still the strongest country, the best economy in the world? Do we have challenges? Of course we do. But we're not going to solve them by talking us down. We're going to solve them by rolling our sleeves up and getting to work together.
BLITZER: Hillary Clinton in Charlotte, North Carolina, going after Donald Trump on this, the first day, of the Democratic National Convention here in Philadelphia. We're going to continue to monitor her words.
The Democrats, by the way, they have a long list of heavy hitters set to speak this week. From the first lady of the United States, Michelle Obama, to Bill Clinton to President Obama. Finally, Hillary Clinton accepting the presidential nomination Thursday night.
The first lady will take the stage tonight. She's expected to speak about the legacy of President Obama and about the future with Hillary Clinton as president of the United States.
Also on tonight's prime time speakers' list, New Jersey Senator Corey Booker is there, Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren, Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders. Elizabeth Warren, by the way, tweeted a photo of herself prepping for her big speech tonight. We'll show it to you, there it is right there.
But it's the Bernie Sanders' supporters that will be key to the convention whether Hillary Clinton gets a post-convention bump in the polls. A bump that has given Donald Trump a lead in the polls right now, based on our latest CNN-ORC poll.
Our Senior Political Correspondent Brianna Keilar is following the Clinton campaign. She's in Charlotte, North Carolina right now. Brianna, we saw Donald Trump each day of the Republican convention. Will Hillary Clinton make an appearance at the Democratic Convention tonight? BRIANNA KEILAR, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: Wolf, we're not
expecting for her tonight. As we understand it, she's going to let those big names that you just mentioned, Bernie sander, Michelle Obama, Elizabeth Warren, speak on her behalf tonight and make her case for her. It's not unusual, of course, for a candidate, even if they are away from the convention, to have some sort of a video address. But we believe she's not doing that tonight.
BLITZER: All right, Brianna, I want you to stand by for a moment because we're going to get back to you. But there's a cloud hanging over this Democratic convention in Philadelphia as it begins. I'm talking about the controversy swirling around the outgoing Democratic National Committee chair, Debbie Wasserman Schultz, who's stepping down after damaging hacked e-mails were released. Here is what greeted her at the Florida delegations' breakfast here in Philadelphia this morning.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CROWD: Boo.
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BLITZER: But while there were boos, and they were very loud, there was also a fair amount of support for the congresswoman.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CROWD: Debbie, Debbie, Debbie, Debbie, Debbie.
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BLITZER: Here with me now is the Reverend Leah Daughtry. She's chief executive officer of the 2016 Democratic National Convention. The second time, I think, you've done this, right?
REV. LEAH DAUGHTRY, CEO, DEMOCRATIC NATIONAL CONVENTION COMMITTEE: It is.
BLITZER: 2008, you did it the first time.
DAUGHTRY: Yes.
BLITZER: How much of a problem is it, this -- the hacked e-mail, this controversy, hovering over and will Debbie Wasserman Schultz appear later today on the convention floor and hit that gavel formally opening the convention?
DAUGHTRY: Well, you know, it's -- the e-mails are certainly a distraction from what is the real message of this convention which is that the Democratic Party is unified. We've spent -- done the hard work of bringing the Sanders campaign and the Clinton campaign together. You see that through our platform process that we were able to come up with unity amendment. And we saw that yesterday in the Rules Committee where we were able to deal with the issue of super delegates. So, we have come together. We are looking forward to moving forward. And so, the e-mails come as a bit of a distraction. And, you know, you got to ask where they're coming from and why they're appearing now. It seems to me that that's a part of the challenge and we're going to find out how that's happened.
But we're focused on moving forward. We're focused on winning in November.
BLITZER: So, will she make an appearance, Debbie Wasserman Schultz, at the start of the convention --
DAUGHTRY: That's her --
BLITZER: -- with that gavel?
DAUGHTRY: -- that's her decision to make.
BLITZER: Do you know if she will?
DAUGHTRY: That's her decision to make. At this point, she will. But, you know, that's for her to decide. What we know is that she has served the party with exemplary service for the last five years. And she's made a tremendous move toward party unity by choosing to step down now at this time.
You know, it's certainly appropriate, I think, if she wanted to gavel the convention in but I'll leave that decision to her to make.
[13:10:03] And we'll -- regardless, we will have a fantastic convention tonight. And what you will see will be a stark contrast to the Republicans. We've got all our leadership in the House. There's no one that's going to get up and not endorse. Senator Sanders is going to speak tonight. He's already endorsed. And so, you will see the broad diversity of the Democratic Party from where they come from and will be together and on stage tonight. And we're united to win in November.
BLITZER: But you saw some of those Bernie Sanders' supporters this morning really aggressively booing her. I assume the same thing would happen if she shows up inside the convention hall.
DAUGHTRY: Well, you know, I would hope those people would respect the office of the chair and respect the service that she has given to the party over these past five years. And keep focused on the -- keep our eyes on the prize which is to win in November and keep focused.
You know, people are entitled to their opinions. That's part of being in a Democratic Party. We've got a lot of diverse opinions and that's OK. But I'm confident that tonight, we will be able to focus on what's really important which is bringing our party together, demonstrating our unity and getting ready for November.
BLITZER: It's a huge challenge right now. I also noticed when Nancy Pelosi, the Democratic leader in the House, was at a speech this morning and some of Bernie Sanders' supporters started heckling and booing her as well. Is this something -- you're the CEO of this convention. Is this going to go on for four days with Bernie Sanders' supporters interrupting various speakers that they don't like?
DAUGHTRY: You know, I think -- I don't think so. I actually think that, you know, folks are expressing their opinions right now. But when you get in the hall and then the pageantry and the ceremony starts -- and Senator Sanders will have addressed his delegates early today. And I think they'll come in and ready to be focused.
The real issue here is winning in November. We have got to defeat a Trump candidacy and that's what we've got to unify about and we understand that. So, you know, the differences of opinion about various speakers, you know, it's the Democratic Party, have on. But we know what we've got to do I November and we're going to leave here to do that.
BLITZER: Good luck, Reverend Leah Daughtry.
DAUGHTRY: Thank you.
BLITZER: Thanks very much for joining us.
DAUGHTRY: Thank you. Thanks, Wolf, appreciate it.
BLITZER: Coming up, the FBI says it's looking into the DNC e-mail hack. The latest on that investigation, Russia's potential role, the political fallout here in the United States, and much more from the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia right after this.
[13:12:19]
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SEN. BERNIE SANDERS (I), VERMONT: Let me -- let me -- let me begin by thanking all of you for being here today, and for the incredible support you have provided our campaign and the political revolution over the last year.
(APPLAUSE)
You have heard me say a million times that this campaign is not just about electing a president -- as important as that is -- it is building a movement to transform this country.
(APPLAUSE)
Election days come and go, but the fight for social economics, racial and environmental justice continues.
(APPLAUSE)
The support we have received from every state in this country has been extraordinary, and the grass roots activism is unprecedented in modern American history.
(APPLAUSE) Make no mistake about it, we have made history.
(APPLAUSE)
As all of you will recall, when we began this campaign over a year ago, we were considered to be fringe players by the establishment and the corporate media. Well, a year has come and gone. We're not fringe players anymore.
(APPLAUSE)
We have shown -- we have shown the entire world that our ideas are not some crazy, wild utopian fantasies, they are ideas supported by working people from one end of this country to the other.
(APPLAUSE)
We showed the American people wants a bold, progressive agenda that takes on the billionaire class, that fights for racial, social, economic and environmental justice and that -- and that will create a government that represents all Americans and not just a handful of wealthy campaign contributors.
(APPLAUSE)
[13:15:11] SANDERS: We won 13 million votes across this country, and more importantly, in virtually every state that we competed, we won by a considerable margin the young people of this country.
(APPLAUSE)
We won -- we won the votes from young people who are white, who are black, who are Latino, who are Asian-American, who are Native American.
(APPLAUSE)
Young people by definition are the future of America. We have set the agenda for the future of America.
(APPLAUSE)
We won 23 Democratic primary and caucus contests.
(APPLAUSE)
We won over 1,800 pledged delegates. Welcome to Philadelphia.
(APPLAUSE)
And by the way -- and by the way, while it is true we did not get many super delegates, we won 46 percent of the pledged delegates.
(APPLAUSE) Our campaign put together hundreds of thousands of volunteers across the country, people were out knocking on doors, making phone calls, making the contacts that a progressive movement has to make.
(APPLAUSE)
And we show -- we showed in a way that will change how politics in our country forever that you can run a competitive national campaign without begging billionaires for campaign contributions.
(APPLAUSE)
All of us are proud that we are the only campaign not to have a super-PAC. (APPLAUSE)
In an unprecedented way, we received eight million individual campaign contributions, averaging $27.
(APPLAUSE)
We focused on issues the establishment has pushed under the rug for too long. Our people participated in writing the platform in meetings held in St. Louis a few weeks ago and in Orlando last week, and I want to thank them for their great work.
(APPLAUSE)
Despite the fact that our people were a minority on the Platform Writing Committee, we came out of that committee with by far the most progressive platform ever written in the history of the Democratic Party.
(APPLAUSE)
Just the other day, the Democratic Rules Committee met, and once again, we won a major victory in transforming the Democratic Party.
[13:20:01] In the next presidential election, instead of having 715 superdelegates, there will be 250.
(APPLAUSE)
A 60 percent decline.
(APPLAUSE)
There will also be commissions working to end closed primaries and bring about other needed reforms.
(APPLAUSE)
As I think all of you know, Debbie Wasserman Schultz resigned yesterday at chair of the DNC.
(APPLAUSE) Her resignation opens up the possibility of new leadership at the top of the Democratic Party that will stand with working people.
(APPLAUSE)
And that will open the doors of the party to those people who want real change.
(APPLAUSE)
In addition, as a result of our political successes in a number of states, there are now at least five chairs of state Democratic Parties who were elected as part of the political revolution.
(APPLAUSE)
This is some -- just some of what we have accomplished. The question now is where do we go from here; how do we build on our successes; how do we continue the political revolution.
(APPLAUSE)
Number one, in my view, and this is not easy stuff, given the nature of corporate media in America. But number one, we have got to be strong and consistent in making it clear that what we want to achieve is nothing less than the transformation of American society.
(APPLAUSE)
That means -- that means ending the 40-year decline of the American middle class and creating an economy that works for all of us, not just the one percent.
(APPLAUSE)
That means ending the immoral and grotesque level of income and wealth inequality in this country today.
(APPLAUSE)
It is wrong. It is not sustainable when the top 1/10th of one percent owns as much wealth as the bottom 90 percent. We will change that.
(APPLAUSE)
In the midst of massive income and wealth inequality, yes, the wealthy and large corporations will start paying their fair share of taxes.
(APPLAUSE)
When millions of our brothers and sisters here in Philadelphia and Vermont and all over this country are working for starvation wages, yes, we will raise the minimum wage to $15 an hour.
(APPLAUSE)
Whether it is Flint, Michigan or hundreds of other communities around this country, we will rebuild our crumbling infrastructure and create millions of decent-paying jobs.
(APPLAUSE)
SANDERS: Yes, we will end our disastrous trade policies, including the TPP.
(APPLAUSE)
[13:25:16] And starting today, we are going to do everything we can to make sure that TPP does not come to the floor of Congress during the lame duck session.
(APPLAUSE)
We will proudly continue the fight for a single payer Medical- for-all health care system.
(APPLAUSE)
Health care is a right for all people.
(APPLAUSE)
We understand what Donald Trump does not understand -- climate change is real, and it is already doing devastating harm to this planet. Yes, we are going to transform our energy system away from fossil fuel to energy efficiency and sustainable energy.
(APPLAUSE)
Yes, we are going to reform a broken criminal justice system.
(APPLAUSE)
We want our young people at decent jobs or at school, not rotting in jail cells.
(APPLAUSE)
And yes, we are going to achieve comprehensive immigration reform and a path towards citizenship.
(APPLAUSE)
Those are some -- some of the ideas that we must continue fight for every single day.
Secondly, immediately, right now, we have got to defeat Donald Trump.
(APPLAUSE)
And we have got to elect Hillary Clinton and Tim Kaine.
Brothers and sisters -- brothers and sisters, this is -- this is the real world that we live in. Trump is a bully and a demagogue. Trump -- Trump has made bigotry and hatred the cornerstone of his campaign.
Throughout this campaign, he has insulted Mexicans and Latinos, he has insulted Muslims, he has insulted women and African-Americans.
Thank you. Thank you.
Trump does not respect -- Trump does not respect the Constitution of the United States or civil liberties.
[13:30:04] That is not just my opinion; that is what many conservative Republicans believe. Trump is a danger for the future of our country, and must be defeated.
And I intend to do everything I can to see that he is defeated.
