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Democratic National Convention Day Three Continues With Obama Nominated and President Clinton to Speak

Aired August 27, 2008 - 21:00   ET

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

GLORIA BORGER, CNN SENIOR POLTICAL ANALYST: So I guarantee you, Anderson, we'll be talking about that at the Republican convention.
But, you know, this is the whole new game right now. These people want to win. And you had to kind of do the passing of the torch one way or another. And that's what Bill Clinton is going to do tonight. And he's going to pass it to Barack Obama. And then they'll go together and try and beat McCain.

ANDERSON COOPER, CNN ANCHOR: And is that narrative, that Clinton narrative of which we have been partaking for the last several days, is that done tonight?

JOHN KING, CNN CHIEF NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: It's not done completely. If you look at our polling data or go to these communities, there are still Hillary Clinton voters out there who are having a hard time with this. We need to deal with that issue.

Or they -- I think maybe we're not being articulate enough.

Do you need me to stop, Wolf?

WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR: Yes.

I want to go to Kendrick Meek, the congressman from Florida, who is introducing Bill Clinton.

REP. KENDRICK MEEK (D), FLORIDA: I'm also proud to introduce my good friend, the 42nd president of the United States, Bill Clinton.

(APPLAUSE)

MEEK: His two terms as president show that when a Democrat is in charge of our country and what America can accomplish when a Democrat is in the White House is a wonderful thing.

President Clinton presided over the longest economic expansion in U.S. history -- more than 22 million new jobs, the lowest unemployment rate in 40 years, the lowest poverty rate in 20 years, the lowest crime rate 26 years and the highest homeownership in U.S. history.

(APPLAUSE)

MEEK: He did all of this while inheriting a deficit from the previous president and leaving a record surplus for the president we have now. As commander-in-chief, President Bill Clinton presided over the military to be able to prepare it to be able to win wars; at the same time, making the peace in Africa, Europe, Asia, the Middle East. And he left a legacy of national strength and common national purpose on which President Barack Obama is going to rebuild.

My fellow Americans, I give you one the greatest presidents of the United States of America, William Jefferson Clinton.

(APPLAUSE)

BILL CLINTON, FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Thank you. Thank you. Ladies and gentlemen...

(APPLAUSE)

Thank you. Thank you very much. Thank you. Thank you. You all sit down. We've got to get on with the show here. Come on.

(APPLAUSE)

Thank you. Ladies and gentlemen, I am honored to be here tonight.

(APPLAUSE)

Sit down.

(APPLAUSE)

Thank you. Thank you very much.

(APPLAUSE)

Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

(APPLAUSE)

I am honored to be here tonight. Please, stop.

AUDIENCE: Bill! Bill! Bill!

CLINTON: Please stop. Sit down. Sit down. Thank you.

AUDIENCE: Bill! Bill! Bill!

CLINTON: Please sit. Please sit.

You know, I -- I love this, and I thank you, but we have important work to do tonight. I am here first to support Barack Obama.

(APPLAUSE)

And, second -- and, second, I'm here to warm up the crowd for Joe Biden... (APPLAUSE)

... though, as you will soon see, he doesn't need any help from me.

(LAUGHTER)

I love Joe Biden, and America will, too.

What a year we Democrats have had. The primary began with an all-star line up. And it came down to two remarkable Americans locked in a hard-fought contest right to the very end. That campaign generated so much heat, it increased global warming.

(LAUGHTER)

Now, in the end, my candidate didn't win. But I'm really proud of the campaign she ran.

(APPLAUSE)

I am proud that she never quit on the people she stood up for, on the changes she pushed for, on the future she wanted for all our children. And I'm grateful for the chance Chelsea and I had to go all over America to tell people about the person we know and love.

Now, I am not so grateful for the chance to speak in the wake of Hillary's magnificent speech last night.

(LAUGHTER)

But I'll do the best I can.

(APPLAUSE)

Last night, Hillary told us in no uncertain terms that she is going to do everything she can to elect Barack Obama.

(APPLAUSE)

That makes two of us.

(APPLAUSE)

Actually, that makes 18 million of us...

(APPLAUSE)

... because, like Hillary, I want all of you who supported her to vote for Barack Obama in November.

(APPLAUSE)

And here's why. And I have the privilege of speaking here, thanks to you, from a perspective that no other American Democrat, except President Carter, can offer. Our -- our nation is in trouble on two fronts. The American dream is under siege at home, and America's leadership in the world has been weakened. Middle-class and low-income Americans are hurting, with incomes declining, job losses, poverty, and inequality rising, mortgage foreclosures and credit card debt increasing, health care coverage disappearing, and a very big spike in the cost of food, utilities, and gasoline.

And our position in the world has been weakened by too much unilateralism and too little cooperation...

(APPLAUSE)

... by a perilous dependence on imported oil, by a refusal to lead on global warming, by a growing indebtedness and a dependence on foreign lenders, by a severely burdened military, by a backsliding on global nonproliferation and arms control agreements, and by a failure to consistently use the power of diplomacy, from the Middle East to Africa to Latin America to Central and Eastern Europe.

(APPLAUSE)

Clearly, the job of the next president is to rebuild the American dream and to restore American leadership in the world.

(APPLAUSE)

And here's what I have to say about that. Everything I learned in my eight years as president, and in the work I have done since in America and across the globe, has convinced me that Barack Obama is the man for this job.

(APPLAUSE)

Now, he has a remarkable ability to inspire people, to raise our hopes and rally us to high purpose. He has the intelligence and curiosity every successful president needs. His policies on the economy, on taxes, on health care, on energy are far superior to the Republican alternatives.

(APPLAUSE)

He has shown -- he has shown a clear grasp of foreign policy and national security challenges and a firm commitment to rebuild our badly strained military.

His family heritage and his life experiences have given him a unique capacity to lead our increasingly diverse nation in an ever more interdependent world.

(APPLAUSE)

The long, hard primary tested and strengthened him. And in his first presidential decision, the selection of a running mate, he hit it out of the park.

(APPLAUSE)

With Joe Biden's experience and wisdom, supporting Barack Obama's proven understanding, instincts, and insight, America will have the national security leadership we need.

And so, my fellow Democrats, I say to you: Barack Obama is ready to lead America and to restore American leadership in the world.

(APPLAUSE)

Barack Obama is ready to honor the oath, to preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States.

(APPLAUSE)

Barack Obama is ready to be president of the United States.

(APPLAUSE) As president, he will work for an America with more partners and fewer adversaries. He will rebuild our frayed alliances and revitalize the international institutions which helped to share the cost of the world's problems and to leverage the power of our influence.

He will put us back in the forefront of the world's fight against global warming and the fight to reduce nuclear, chemical and biological weapons.

(APPLAUSE)

He will continue and enhance our nation's commendable global leadership in an area in which I am deeply involved: the fight against AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria, including -- including -- and this is very important -- a renewal of the battle against HIV and AIDS here at home.

(APPLAUSE)

A President Obama will choose diplomacy first and military force as a last resort.

(APPLAUSE)

But, in a world troubled by terror, by trafficking in weapons, drugs and people, by human rights abuses of the most awful kind, by other threats to our security, our interests, and our values, when he cannot convert adversaries into partners, he will stand up to them.

(APPLAUSE)

Barack Obama also will not allow the world's problems to obscure its opportunities.

CLINTON: Everywhere, in rich and poor countries alike, hard- working people need good jobs, secure, affordable health care, food and energy, quality education for their children and economically beneficial ways to fight global warming. These challenges cry out for American ideas and American innovation. When Barack Obama unleashes them, America will save lives, win new allies, open new markets, and create wonderful new jobs for our own people.

(APPLAUSE)

Most important of all, Barack Obama knows that America cannot be strong abroad unless we are first strong at home.

(APPLAUSE)

People the world over have always been more impressed by the power of our example than by the example of our power.

(APPLAUSE)

Look...

(APPLAUSE)

Look at the example the Republicans have set.

(AUDIENCE BOOS)

In this decade, American workers have consistently given us rising productivity. That means, year after year, they work harder and produce more.

Now, what did they get in return? Declining wages, less than one-fourth as many new jobs as in the previous eight years, smaller health care and pension benefits, rising poverty, and the biggest increase in income inequality since the 1920s.

(AUDIENCE BOOS)

American families by the millions are struggling with soaring health care costs and declining coverage.

I will never forget the parents of children with autism and other serious conditions who told me on the campaign trail that they couldn't afford health care and couldn't qualify their children for Medicaid unless they quit work and starved or got a divorce.

Are these the family values the Republicans are so proud of?

What about the military families pushed to the breaking point by multiple, multiple deployments? What about the assault on science and the defense of torture? What about the war on unions and the unlimited favors for the well-connected?

(AUDIENCE BOOS)

And what about Katrina and cronyism?

(AUDIENCE BOOS) My fellow Democrats, America can do better than that.

(APPLAUSE)

And Barack Obama will do better than that.

(APPLAUSE)

Wait a minute. But first...

AUDIENCE: Yes, we can! Yes, we can! Yes, we can! Yes, we can! Yes, we can! Yes, we can! Yes, we can! Yes, we can! Yes, we can!

CLINTON: Yes, he can, but, first, we have to elect him.

(APPLAUSE)

The choice is clear. The Republicans in a few days will nominate a good man who has served our country heroically and who suffered terribly in a Vietnamese prison camp. He loves his country every bit as much as we do. As a senator, he has shown his independence of right-wing orthodoxy on some very important issues.

But on the two great questions of this election -- how to rebuild the American dream and how to restore America's leadership in the world -- he still embraces the extreme philosophy that has defined his party for more than 25 years.

(APPLAUSE)

And it is, to be fair to all the Americans who aren't as hard- core Democrats as we, it's a philosophy the American people never actually had a chance to see in action fully until 2001, when the Republicans finally gained control of both the White House and the Congress.

Then we saw what would happen to America if the policies they had talked about for decades actually were implemented. And look what happened.

They took us from record surpluses to an exploding debt; from over 22 million new jobs to just 5 million; from increasing working families' incomes to nearly $7,500 a year to a decline of more than $2,000 a year; from almost 8 million Americans lifted out of poverty to more than 5.5 million driven into poverty; and millions more losing their health insurance.

Now, in spite of all this evidence, their candidate is actually promising more of the same.

(AUDIENCE BOOS)

Think about it: more tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans that will swell the deficit, increase inequality, and weaken the economy; more Band-Aids for health care that will enrich insurance companies, impoverish families, and increase the number of uninsured; more going it alone in the world, instead of building the shared responsibilities and shared opportunities necessary to advance our security and restore our influence.

They actually want us to reward them for the last eight years by giving them four more.

AUDIENCE: No!

CLINTON: Now, let's send them a message that will echo from the Rockies all across America, a simple message: Thanks, but no thanks.

In this case...

(APPLAUSE)

In this case, the third time is not the charm.

(APPLAUSE)

My fellow Democrats, 16 years ago, you gave me the profound honor to lead our party to victory and to lead our nation to a new era of peace and broadly shared prosperity.

Together, we prevailed in a hard campaign in which Republicans said I was too young and too inexperienced to be commander-in-chief.

(APPLAUSE)

Sound familiar?

AUDIENCE: Yes!

CLINTON: It didn't work in 1992, because we were on the right side of history. And it will not work in 2008, because Barack Obama is on the right side of history.

(APPLAUSE)

Now, Senator Obama's life is a 21st-century incarnation of the old-fashioned American dream. His achievements are proof of our continuing progress toward the more perfect union of our founders' dreams. The values of freedom and equal opportunity, which have given him his historic chance, will drive him as president to give all Americans -- regardless of race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, or disability -- their chance to build a decent life and to show our humanity, as well as our strengths, to the world.

We see that humanity, that strength, and our nation's future in Barack and Michelle Obama and their beautiful children.

We see them reinforced by the partnership with Joe Biden, his fabulous wife, Jill, a wonderful teacher, and their family.

Barack Obama will lead us away from the division and fear of the last eight years back to unity and hope. So if, like me, you believe America must always be a place called Hope, then join Hillary and Chelsea and me in making Barack Obama the next president of the United States.

Thank you, and God bless you. Thank you.

(APPLAUSE)

BLITZER: All right. So there he is. I think, by all accounts, the Democrats could not be happier right now. The Barack Obama supporters heard exactly what they wanted to hear from the former president of the United States. He completely echoed what that woman right there that you're seeing, Senator Hillary Clinton, said last night.

He went one step further and left no doubt that Barack Obama is qualified to be commander-in-chief and should be the next president of the United States. And in the process, he minced no words. He made it clear that John McCain would simply be a third term of President Bush's administration.

That's what the Democrats wanted to hear from Bill Clinton. That's what they got.

You heard the news here from our own James Carville earlier. You're going to see Bill Clinton campaigning with -- actively campaigning with Barack Obama, as this crowd just goes forward.

Anderson, I don't know if anybody among these Democrats could complain about what Bill Clinton had to say tonight.

COOPER: Bill Clinton was asked weeks ago if Barack Obama was ready to be president and he didn't answer the question then. He certainly answered it tonight -- John King.

KING: I spent a lot of time covering Bill Clinton and Carville used to call him a hoss (ph) back in 1992. For those who don't speak Cajun, that's horse with an R in it.

There's nobody like him. Maybe Barack Obama is the passing of the torch to a generation of a politician.

But whether you love Bill Clinton or whether you've been on the opposing side of Bill Clinton in campaigns, what you saw there tonight was the gift that so frustrated Democrats -- so frustrated Republicans and made Democrats so happy.

And he did it in a very interesting way. The big question for Barack Obama, is he ready to be commander-in-chief?

That is the big question this election.

And Bill Clinton said remember 1992, same argument they tried on me. Don't listen to it this time.

COOPER: James Carville? JAMES CARVILLE, CNN CONTRIBUTOR: Well, I have the greatest job in the world. CNN pays me and I sit here and predict that a Clinton is going to give a great speech and I look like a genius.

(LAUGHTER)

CARVILLE: I mean how can you beat this?

(LAUGHTER)

CARVILLE: I mean I knew what was going to happen last night. I knew what was going to happen tonight. And, as I said, it's -- all of this, I knew that this party was going to leave here unified. I knew that the (INAUDIBLE)...

COOPER: Does this put to rest all of that narrative of disunity?

CARVILLE: You know, you never put -- after a hard fight like this, I've always said that there's a healing process. This went a long way toward healing that. And I think that as they go on -- I think as President Clinton is guided, you know, takes the -- he likes relationships and stuff. And I think he and Senator Obama are building a relationship right now.

I think that's very important. I think -- I think this week is an important step on that.

But I'm not surprised at all that he gave, as I said last night from Senator Clinton, you saw a Major League fastball. Well, you saw another one.

COOPER: We're going to take a quick break.

We have a lot more speeches coming up.

John Kerry is coming up very quickly.

Also, of course, Joe Biden the big speech tonight.

But let's take a short break.

Our coverage continues.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: So we just heard from Bill Clinton, the former president of the United States, give a very rousing endorsement of Barack Obama. The most-important point he made, and he made it very enthusiastically, is that Barack Obama is qualified to be commander in chief, should be the next president of the United States. And he said that, you know, they made the same argument against me back in 1992, when he was running against an incumbent President George Herbert Walker Bush. They said that Bill Clinton was too young, too inexperienced, yet, he says, he proved them all wrong.

Anderson Cooper, that will be a highlight. We've had several highlights of this convention, on the first night the tribute to Ted Kennedy, Michelle Obama's speech, last night, Hillary Clinton's speech. Today, Bill Clinton stepped up to the plate and he hit it.

COOPER: And it's interesting when you consider that Saturday, Sunday, the talk was of what the Clintons were going do. What was Bill Clinton going to say? What was Hillary Clinton going to say? They certainly, in the minds of many people at least in this hall, said what needed to be said, and are leaving here, they hope, fully unified. And you hearing from James Carville, they'll be out on the campaign trail campaigning for Barack Obama.

BLITZER: Jessica Yellin's down on the floor right now. Jessica, you have a special guest.

JESSICA YELLIN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I do, Wolf. I'm with David Rainy, who is from Arkansas. Mr. Rainy, before the speech we spoke. You were frustrated with Bill Clinton and some of the things that he had said during the campaign. Has he made up for it tonight?

DAVID RAINY, ARKANSAS: Absolutely. What we heard tonight was a Clinton who is resolved. He understands that -- and he loves America. And he has resolved himself to do what is in the best interest of America. During the primary, the issues related to his wife running for president, and he had to support that initiative. Now, there's no question in my mind that he's completely behind Barack Obama, understands that this is the best promise for America's future.

And the alternatives with the Republican administration is simply unacceptable. He had to communicate to a lot of people who are sitting on the fence across this country and in Arkansas. So I think he did an excellent job of really getting rid of those issues that would cause people not to believe that Barack Obama is the president for our future.

YELLIN: Thank you, Mr. Rainy.

RAINY: You're welcome.

YELLIN: And Wolf, I'll add that -- and Anderson, before the speech, he had said that there were some issues he brought up, race- related, that bothered him, and now he thought he really addressed what he needed to address. And, in essence, he said Bill Clinton's forgiven. Back to you.

COOPER: We have a lot of longtime Bill Clinton watchers on the best political team on television. I want to check in with David Gergen, who worked with the Clinton administration, also worked in many Republican administrations. David, you've heard a lot of Bill Clinton speeches. How did it rate?

DAVID GERGEN, CNN POLITICAL ANALYST: I have, Anderson. I must tell you, in my judgment, this was the best speech Bill Clinton has delivered, the best, the most effective and the most important speech Bill Clinton has delivered since he left the White House. It was not only that he embraced in a rousing way the candidacy of Barack Obama, and very importantly, Joe Biden. Not only that, he validated both of them, and said that the country would be in good, safe hands under their leadership. He really said, I'm going to be supporting them all the way until November. But I think that he also advanced the argument in ways we've not yet heard in this convention. We've had three remarkable speeches so far, Monday by Michelle Obama, last night by Hillary Clinton, and tonight by Bill Clinton. Bill Clinton has done the best job of all three of them in framing the argument about why Democrats must win in November, why it's important to the country, by focusing on both of the message in the international, delivering that stinging indictment of the Bush administration, saying that, you know, the third time's not the charm with John McCain.

You know, I think, for the first time, you saw it really spelled out in ways that are much more effective than what we've heard in the other speeches. And it really is a springboard now for Barack Obama to deliver the fourth speech. If the fourth one is the charm, the Democrats can walk away, saying, you know, we've had a good convention. This is a springboard toward November. And it's going to give the Republicans a lot to think about going into next week.

BLITZER: It stands in stark contrast to some of what we saw of Bill Clinton on the campaign trail during the primary. Do you have any doubt that on the campaign trail, he's going to be an effective advocate for Barack Obama?

GERGEN: None at all. And as you know, Anderson, I some time again began arguing that Barack Obama ought to choose Hillary Clinton, because he would Bill Clinton and Bill Clinton fighting with him in his campaign. I thought he needed that help. Now, as it turns out, I think the Clintons -- let's put this to rest now, finally. The Clintons are just about the Clintons and are just selfish about themselves. That was again just like Hillary, a very generous speech.

And I think now, in fact, Obama may have the best of all worlds. He has Joe Biden on his side, but he has the Clintons too. And this is still going to be a hard-fought campaign. It's extraordinarily close. It's going to come right down to the wire probably. But Barack Obama tonight now is gathering the forces that he needs for this big, big push through the fall.

COOPER: And does that narrative now change of disunity, of what are the Clintons going do? Does that now move forward? Is that -- are we done with that?

GERGEN: I think it's behind us now. I -- listen, there's going to be some small carping. There will be some small things. But I most of us will think those are fairly trivial compared to what he delivered tonight. And, you know, the reason that Bill Clinton is so good -- and it's such an interesting thing now. We have these -- Bill Clinton and Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama, probably three of the orators best in the country. Hillary's come up to that standard. That is ammunition the Democrats need at a time there are doubts about Barack Obama. There are doubts about his readiness.

I think that he's definitely changed the narrative and moved away from are the Clintons for them or not, and moved towards let's move forward, let's fight together in November.

COOPER: Let's check in with John Kerry and his comments.

SEN. JOHN KERRY (D), MASSACHUSETTS: -- against the smears of Karl Rove, when he was the target, has morphed into candidate McCain who is using the same Rove tactics, the same Rove staff, the same old politics of fear and smear. Well, not this year, not this time. The Rove/McCain tactic are old and outworn. And America will reject them in 2008.

So remember -- remember, when we choose the commander in chief this November, we are electing judgment and character, not years in the Senate or on this earth. Time and again, Barack Obama has seen farther and listened harder and listened better and thought harder. And time and again, Barack Obama has proven right.

John McCain stood on the deck of an aircraft carrier just three months after 9/11 and he proclaimed next up, Baghdad. The judgment immediately from Barack Obama was to see an occupation of undetermined length, undetermined consequences, undetermined cost, that in his words, would only fan the flames of the Middle East. Well, guess what? Mission accomplished.

So -- so who can we trust to keep America safe? When Barack Obama promised to honor the best traditions of both parties and talk to our enemies, John McCain scoffed. George Bush called it the false comfort of appeasement. But today, Bush's diplomats are doing exactly what Obama said, talking with Iran. So who can we trust to keep America safe?

When democracy rolled out of Russia and Russia and the tanks rolled into Georgia, we saw John McCain immediately respond with outdated thinking of the Cold War. Barack Obama responded like a true friend of Georgia and a statesman of the 21st century. So who can we trust to keep America safe?

When Democrats called for a timetable to make Iraqis stand up for Iraq and bring our heroes home, John McCain called it cut and run. But today, even President Bush has seen the light. And he and Prime Minister Maliki agree on, guess what? A timetable. So who can we trust to keep America safe?

The McCain/Bush Republicans have been wrong again and again and again. And they know they will lose on the issues. So the candidate who once campaigned on the promise of a campaign of ideas not insults, now has nothing left but personal attacks. How -- how insulting to suggest that those who question the mission question the troops. How pathetic to suggest that those who question a failed policy doubt America itself? How desperate to tell the son of a single mother, who chose community service over money and privilege, that he doesn't put America first?

No one -- no one can question Barack -- no one can question Barack Obama's patriotism. Like all of us -- like all of us, he was taught what it means to be an American by his family. His grandmother, who worked on a bomber assembly line in World War II, his grandfather, who marched in Patton's army, and his great-uncle, who enlisted in the army right out of high school at the height of the war. And on a spring day in 1945, that great uncle helped liberate one the concentration camps at Buchenwald.

Ladies and gentlemen, Barack Obama's uncle is here with us tonight. Please join me in saluting this American hero, Charlie Payne. Charlie -- Charlie, your nephew, Barack Obama, will end this politics of distortion and division. He will be a president who seeks not to perfect the lies of Swift Boating, but to end them once and for all.

This election -- this election is a chance for America to tell the merchants of fear and division, you don't decide who loves this country. You don't decide who is a patriot. You don't decide whose service counts and whose doesn't. Four years ago -- four years ago, I said and I say it again tonight, that flag that hangs from the rafters and that you have waved here this evening, that flag doesn't belong to any ideology. It doesn't belong to any political party. It is an enduring symbol of our nation. And it belongs to all of the American people.

After all -- after all, patriotism is not love of power or some trick. Patriotism is love of country. Years ago, when we protested a war, people would weigh in against us, saying, my country, right or wrong. Our answer, absolutely, my country, right or wrong. When right, keep it right. And when wrong, make it right.

Sometimes -- sometimes loving your country demands that you must tell the truth to power. This is one of those times. And Barack Obama is telling those truths. In closing, let me say, I will always remember how we stood together in 2004, the largest number of Democrats in American history. Not just in a campaign, but for a cause. Now again, we stand together in the ranks, ready to fight. The choice is clear. Our cause is just. And now is the time to make Barack Obama president of the United States of America. Thank you.

BLITZER: So there he is, Senator John Kerry. He was the Democratic presidential nominee four years ago. Delivering a very powerful message tonight, reinforcing what we heard earlier from Bill Clinton, going directly after John McCain as well, and the Republicans. Saying if you like eight years of Bush, you will love another four years of John McCain.

We're standing by, by the way, for a video that's going to be played here before these Democrats, a video of a salute to the U.S. military. Steven Spielberg prepared the video. We're going to play it for you. In fact, we'll show it to you when the -- when all of the delegates see it here at the convention.

But right now, I want to go down to the floor. Suzanne Malveaux is standing by with another special guest.

SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: Senator Evan Bayh of Indiana joining us, Wolf, here. First and foremost, this evening is all about national security. Why do you believe that Barack Obama is ready to be commander in chief? SEN. EVAN BAYH (D), INDIANA: Suzanne, he's consistently demonstrated the kind of judgment we want in commander in chief. He was right about not going into Iraq. He has the right plan to get us out of Iraq. Even the Iraqis, and now President Bush, have embraced the concept of a time line. He was right to focus on Afghanistan and he's been right to engage with Iran so consistently.

He's had the right kind of judgment and that's really what you want in a commander in chief.

MALVEAUX: What did you make of President Bill Clinton's speech here? Hillary Clinton, as you know -- you campaigned side by side with her -- used a line, as well as Bill Clinton, talking about questioning Barack Obama's readiness to lead this country. It was clearly a message that he delivered tonight exactly the opposite.

BAYH: Well, I think he pointed out when he ran for president, people questioned his readiness, that he was too young. Those were eight pretty good years for the economy, and we had peace and prosperity. So, look, we can't afford four more years of we've had economically, Suzanne. We just can't, particularly out in my part of the country. And overseas, we need to restore our credibility and world leadership. And I think that Bill Clinton made a pretty good case of that.

You see that the Democratic party is coming together, with Bill and Hillary Clinton leading way for Barack Obama.

MALVEAUX: Senator Joe Biden is about to come to the stage and accept the nomination. Your feelings about him being in the number two spot?

BAYH: Joe's a great guy. I mean, he's just a good human being. He's got in-depth foreign policy experience. And I think, as we'll see later tonight, he's got a fighting spirit, which of course you need in a tough political campaign.

MALVEAUX: Obviously, Indiana, a critical state, a critical win for the team Obama. What will be your role going forward.

BAYH: I told him that I would help him any way I could. So I think -- particularly getting to Hoosiers the message that economically, we're not doing nearly as well as we should. John McCain is truly a good person and I have enjoyed working with him in the Senate. But he's embraced President Bush's economic policies. And that's causing our middle class to struggle. And we just can't afford four more years of that. So getting that message out in my state, I think, is the best think I can do.

MALVEAUX: Senator Evan Bayh from Indiana, thank you so much for joining us. Back to you, Wolf.

BLITZER: All right, Suzanne, thanks very much. Evan Bayh, one of the four or five finalists for the vice presidential spot. But Barack Obama selected Joe Biden. And we're getting ready to hear from Joe Biden. He's going to be nominated. He's going to be approved. Joe Biden, the Democratic vice presidential nominee. He's the next major speaker here. But before that, there will be a video tribute to the men and women of the United States military, a tribute prepared by Steven Spielberg. They'll play that video here. You'll see it live as we continue our special coverage from the Democratic National Convention.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: The next big moment here will be a video tribute to the men and women of the United States military, a special video prepared for the Democratic National Convention by Steven Spielberg. That's coming up. We'll show it to you. That will be followed by Joe Biden, the vice presidential nominee. It will be official and he will speak. Anderson Cooper, a lot to digest on this night. It was only a couple or three hours ago when it became official, the first African-American in our history would lead a major political party in this race to the White House. It seems like a long time ago, doesn't it?

COOPER: A lot has happened in between there.

BLITZER: But Bill Clinton spoke in between, and sort of that change of the subject to a certain degree.

COOPER: You also think back to Monday night, when James Carville was very critical of the first several hours of this convention, saying they were off message and kind of distracted. You can feel the pace quickening. You can feel things becoming tighter and certainly a lot more message discipline, if you will, we have seen on this evening. I'm curious to hear from some of our folks in New York. Ed Rollins, from a Republican standpoint, how do you see this evening progressing?

ED ROLLINS, REPUBLICAN STRATEGIST: Obviously, Clinton is a nightmare to us Republicans, and he gave a great speech. He laid out certainly the fall campaign. But I have to say that by him saying he's going to be a good commander in chief does not make it so. Equally important, at the time people were criticizing him when he was running, he had been governor of a state, chairman of the National Governor's Association, governor for 12 years. He had a very strong resume and was a very significantly nationally known Democrat.

So I think the bottom line is he gave great lines. Certainly the fall campaign very aggressive. But Barack himself -- that does not give Barack the commander in chief credibility. He has to go out and prove it himself.

COOPER: David Gergen.

GERGEN: It's absolutely true. Ed is right. Barack has to prove this himself. I think what he has had now is the kind of reinforcement he needed. For the last several weeks, since he won the nomination, Barack Obama has been in this almost alone carrying this battle. He's had very, very few surrogates. This convention, for the first time, has given full-throated support in helping people see from other perspectives why an Obama/Biden ticket would be a good one. The Republicans will have the public stage back next week and they're going to advance some very strong tough arguments against Obama and Biden. But this week, the Democrats have the stage. And I have to say that at the end of the evening, I still don't think they choose the first part of these evenings very well. But at the end of each evening, I think they have used this public stage extremely well and done a lot to help themselves for the fall.

COOPER: Carl Bernstein, to David Gergen's earlier point that they have advanced new arguments moving Barack Obama forward.

CARL BERNSTEIN, CNN POLITICAL ANALYST: This has all been about witnesses. Barack Obama has produced the best witnesses possible over these nights. And we're going to see more. When he gives his speech, we're going to see some generals up on the stage with him to answer again this question of his credibility, in terms of national security.

Bill Clinton also went to the interrelated notion of national security and economic security. And that's a big part of Obama's message. We've heard in the past from Republicans, a kind of litany, who lost China, let's be tough on communism, tough on terrorism. The slogans have worked. They never worked against Bill Clinton. And Obama is running a similar kind of nuanced campaign.

And Bill Clinton is going to go out there and Hillary Clinton is going to go out there, as I said last night, and Carville has said. In key states, that is going to mean a lot. The Clintons can really help deliver for this ticket in a place like Florida, battleground states, Colorado, elsewhere. It can make a hell of a difference.

COOPER: Amy Holmes, from a Republican standpoint, should Republicans be concerned tonight?

AMY HOLMES, REPUBLICAN STRATEGIST: I think the Republicans should definitely pay attention to the fact that Bill Clinton delivered a terrific speech. Bill Clinton, not only did he do a lot of good for Barack Obama, he did a lot of good for himself. And, Anderson, I would call the viewers' attention to a Gallup Poll that found that Bill Clinton's favorability had really taken a hit during this election season. It went from 60 percent to 51 percent. While the public still gives him the same marks for his legacy, his personal favorability went down. I think that was interesting.

Also, in Bill Clinton's speech, there was a lot of question, would he be walking down memory lane, would he be trying to talk about the glory years of the Clinton administration. What you heard was him focus on Barack Obama and the future. I think that was terrific message for Barack Obama.

BLITZER: Amy, we're getting ready to see a video, a tribute here to the military at the Democratic National Convention. Steven Spielberg has put this together. Over the years, as many of our viewers know, Republicans have been very successful in painting the Democrats as weak on national security, weak in supporting the military. This is a legacy, to a certain degree, of the Vietnam War and the Republicans have played it very successfully. As a result of that, the Democrats, Anderson, have been anxious, at least on this evening, to make it clear that this is a party that strongly supports the men and women in uniform, strongly is committed to a national security that is robust and vibrant. But as Bill Clinton said earlier, one that should be used only after all diplomacy has been exhausted.

COOPER: We're also starting to hear word -- we'll bring you this video as soon as they start to air it. We're also starting to hear word, various people, Dana Bash, John King doing some reporting, Gloria Borger, that John McCain has decided?

BORGER: Yes. I think all of us heard word informally from folks familiar with the process that McCain has made up his mind.

BLITZER: About the vice presidential --

BORGER: Exactly.

COOPER: Has he informed the person he has chosen?

BORGER: I cannot confirm that he has informed the person at this point. There are other reports that he has. I don't know whether John or Dana can do that.

COOPER: We're also hearing he will announce this on Friday. But we're still trying to --

BLITZER: That's when he's supposed to be delivering a speech at Dayton, Ohio, on Friday, the day after this Democratic convention, to formally appear with the vice presidential running mate, although there was a lot of speculation that he might let word go out on Thursday to try to upstage a little bit Barack Obama and his big speech.

COOPER: I would be shocked, shocked that he would try to do that.

BLITZER: There was some suggestion that he might do that, let the word go out and maybe take a little bit away from Barack Obama's big day, try to steal some of the media spotlight. We don't know if he's going to do that or not do that. But whether or not he has already made up his mind, that's a subject that we can clearly explore.

COOPER: Something else that we'll be following throughout this evening, if any other word or we find out any more information about it. The big speech we are waiting for is Joseph Biden, again on this theme of national security, foreign policy and the Democrats' plan to keep America safe.