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Campbell Brown
Democratic National Convention Day 4
Aired August 28, 2008 - 21:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
(MUSIC)
BLITZER: And welcome back to this historic night here in Denver, Colorado.
Barack Obama will accept the presidential nomination. It will be historic. This is the first time an African-American will go forward as a major political party's leader for the White House. It's also the 45th anniversary of Dr. Martin Luther King's "I Have A Dream" speech.
Welcome to our viewers in the United States and around the world.
I'm Wolf Blitzer reporting.
Anderson Cooper is here, the other thing with the best political team on television.
John King is here, Gloria Borger, Donna Brazile, Paul Begala. We have excellent analysts standing by at the CNN Election Center in New York, as well.
Let's show a picture of them, including our own
Jeff Toobin and Amy Holmes and Alex Castellanos, Carl Bernstein and David Gergen.
We want to make sure we get the right order for all of them. All of them are going to be weighing in.
And, you know, we -- as we go forward, the big event tonight is going to be this speech. And we've been setting the stage for Barack Obama's -- I think it's fair to say -- the most important speech. He'll have 80,000 people inside this stadium, plus millions more listening to them. And he has to reassure those undecided voters that he is ready to be president.
COOPER: It will, no doubt, be the largest audience he's had, not perhaps in this stadium, but certainly watching on televisions around the country and literally around the world.
It's interesting, as we walk -- as -- the last couple of hours, I've just been walking around talking to people in the crowd. This has none of the feeling of a traditional -- I mean I -- there -- for all of you who have been to political events, this is unlike any I've certainly ever been in.
Have you ever seen anything like this?
JOHN KING, CNN CHIEF NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: It is part celebration, part nomination, part history and part organizing, in the sense that they're using the extra crowd in here to try to get more e- mail addresses, more text messages, more phone numbers to help them organize. And I think the former vice president, Al Gore, just hit it right on the head when he said I know something about close elections and they need to do everything.
And I think the Obama campaign, with this event tonight, is showing that they are going try to do everything, whether it's put Al Gore out there, both of the Clintons out there, anyone else in the Democratic Party they can get, try to incite huge African-American turnout by paying tribute to the history of this day, the 45th anniversary of the "I Have A Dream" speech, and using every piece of technology they can find, Anderson, to try to sign up new voters and get them ready.
BLITZER: John, hold on one second, because you were just speaking with some sources. There are people waiting out -- this place is full. Eighty thousand people or so have packed in. But there are still thousands more with tickets waiting outside.
KING: Still thousands more. And some of them may not get in, although just in the last five minutes, I received a more optimistic update from a law enforcement source than I had about a half an hour ago.
They will have more than 85,000 -- perhaps more than 90,000 people in this stadium by the time Barack Obama speaks. The local fire marshal, we are told, is working with the local police and the Secret Service to find as many nooks and crannies as they can.
There is a concern that the Obama campaign may have issued, I'm told, as many as 20,000 more tickets for this event than they thought they could put people in this stadium. But they're going to try. And I'm told the mags will stay open -- the magnetometers at the security line will stay open throughout the event and they will try to get everybody in.
But they are worried, Wolf, they may have to turn some away -- perhaps several thousand people away.
COOPER: For our viewers who are just joining us, maybe, Wolf, we should run down what we are going to see and hear over the next two hours or so. The number one speech, of course, Barack Obama. That is going to be in the next hour, in the 10:00 on the East Coast hour for prime time audiences.
We just heard from Al Gore.
We're also going to hear a lot throughout this next hour -- I'm not sure is coming to the stage right now.
BLITZER: I think Michael McDonald, the singer, is going to be singing "America The Beautiful." And I want to -- once he starts singing, I want to make sure we hear it. There you see him, right in the middle, behind the keyboards. He does a really, really fabulous job.
KING: Wolf Blitzer himself an old keyboardist.
BLITZER: I did play the keyboards. That was a long, long time ago, Anderson.
(LAUGHTER)
But, you know what, I appreciate good music and I know you do, as well. All of our -- all of our people do. They're -- this crowd -- they're going to -- you know, and...
(CROSSTALK)
BLITZER: It's really -- it's really good that they can -- that our viewers in the United States and around the world, they can feel what's going on here on this what normally is a football field. But it's turned out to be a huge, huge rally.
BORGER: This is the Obama campaign's way of saying we just don't want to let the delegates, the professional politicians, in on this convention, we want to let more people come and see Barack Obama speak -- the kind of people who have been supporting him all along.
COOPER: They planned to do this back in July, before Barack Obama was criticized for addressing some 200,000 people in Germany.
From a political standpoint, Donna Brazile, you have planned a lot of campaigns, a lot of events -- probably nothing like this, though.
Has the gamble paid off thus far?
BRAZILE: Absolutely, Anderson. Look, they are getting people online. We have 50,000 house parties taking place tonight. They are organizing at this moment.
BLITZER: All right, here's Michael McDonald singing "America The Beautiful."
MICHAEL MCDONALD: Everybody say hello to Ray Chu (ph).
We'd like to dedicate this song to the many, many, many Americans who want their country back. It's a song entitled "America The Beautiful."
(MUSIC)
BLITZER: All right. Michael McDonald singing "America The Beautiful," and doing a magnificent job in the process.
This is a convention -- and it will be similar, Anderson, at the Republican Convention in St. Paul next week -- where they combine the political speeches, the entertainment and the rally, if you will.
COOPER: Yes.
BLITZER: Because they want to really get their base going. They want to make sure that they emerge from this convention not only with a bounce in the polls, but they really emerge with an opportunity to get their candidate elected.
COOPER: It's interesting, you hear from a number of the people in the crowd -- just people I've been talking to unscientifically, who will say that they feel part of a larger movement. And they get that sense in this crowd tonight.
Is there a danger in that, though, I mean, that it becomes something bigger?
BEGALA: There's no danger of the campaign getting too big. No. But the people who are going to fall in love with Barack Obama have already fallen in love with him. Tonight is a night to, yes, excite that base, but then to reach out to Independents and Democrats. And you have to say, this is a phenomenal event, when 80...
COOPER: So you think this sends a good message to Independents and undecideds?
BEGALA: Yes, I do, because at least it will open their minds.
Why are 85,000 people going see a politician speak?
Why are people offering thousands of dollars to get in?
Most times, people would offer thousands of dollars to get et out from a politician's speech.
(LAUGHTER)
BRAZILE: (INAUDIBLE) campaigns. This is a grassroots movement. Barack Obama has started something. You have millions of people all over the country tonight who feel that they can be part of it because they can download a button, a bumper sticker and have a house party.
COOPER: Lest we be accused of drinking the Kool-Aid, I just want to check in with some of our folks in New York to see how this is playing -- who are only watching it -- I'm told we shouldn't be going to New York.
BLITZER: Actually...
COOPER: We're having some technical problems.
BLITZER: No, it's because Susan Eisenhower is about to speak.
COOPER: OK.
BLITZER: It's not every day where you have the granddaughter of the late president of the United States, a Republican -- there she is -- a Republican president and a war hero, obviously. She's decided that she's going to come here and deliver this speech in support of Barack Obama.
And I think it's going to be interesting. It's not going to be a long speech. But I think it's going to be interesting to hear what she has to say.
COOPER: And we'll bring that speech to you live, as well.
KING: To Paul's point, I think this is what you would have heard -- at least from some of the people in New York -- is that he has started a grassroots movement. Look around. It's just -- the evidence is right in front of your face.
The question is, can it get him to the finish line?
And to Paul's point about the point he has to make tonight, there are a number of Americans out there -- just read our polling data, visit certain places in the country -- who have what they believe to be profound and legitimate questions about is he ready to be commander-in-chief, does he share my values.
That's part of the challenge tonight.
He has built something, but is it enough to get him to the finish line is the big question.
(AUDIO GAP)
BORGER: ...has been doing.
BLITZER: All right.
BORGER: They say they are appealing to those people.
BLITZER: And here she is. She's going to be speaking.
And let's listen in.
SUSAN EISENHOWER, PRESIDENT EISENHOWER'S GRANDDAUGHTER: I stand before you tonight not as a Republican or a Democrat, but as an American. The Eisenhowers came to this great country in the 18th century, settling first amid the hills of Pennsylvania and later on the plains of Kansas.
Like many of your ancestors, they built our nation and served it in times of national crisis and war.
I grew up in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, where my parents and grandparents, Dwight and Mamie Eisenhower, chose to live after Ike's retirement as Supreme Commander Europe and as president -- after president of the United States.
It was also in Gettysburg where Abraham Lincoln gave his historic address.
On the killing fields of Pickett's charge, our country came of age and assured that our nation would survive as one.
Yet today, the divisions in our are deep and wide. Our cohesiveness as a nation is strained by multiple crises in finance and credit, energy and health care. And we have knowingly saddled our children and grandchildren with a staggering debt. This is a moral failing, not just a financial one.
Overseas, our credibility is at an all-time low. We must restore our international leadership position and the leverage that goes with it. But rather than focus on the strategic issue, our nation's discourse has turned into a petty squabble. Too many people in power failed us. Belligerence has become a substitute for stubbornness, stubbornness has been a substitute for leadership and impulsive action has been -- has replaced measured and thoughtful response.
(APPLAUSE)
EISENHOWER: Once during the Eisenhower administration, Ike was under fire from his critics for moving too slowly in responding to political pressure. After a visit to the Oval Office by Robert Frost, the famous American poet sent the president a note of support. "The strong," he wrote, "are saying nothing until they see."
I believe that Barack Obama has the energy, but more importantly, the temperament to run this country and to provide the leadership we need.
(APPLAUSE)
EISENHOWER: He knows that we can either advance on the distant hills of hope or retreat to the garrisons of fear. He can mobilize and inspire us all to show up for duty.
The task before our next president will be overwhelming, but no undertaking can be more critical than bringing about a sense of national unity and purpose built on mutual respect and bipartisanship. Unless we squarely face our challenges as Americans together, we risk losing the priceless heritage bestowed on us by the sweat and sacrifice of our forbearers.
If we do not pull together, we could lose the America that has been an inspiration to the world.
On December 1, 1862, in his annual message to Congress, Abraham Lincoln immortalized this thought when he said: "We shall nobly save or meanly lose the last best hope of earth."
Let us respond this November to President Lincoln's challenge. Let us restore the hope and bring the change that our nation so desperately needs.
Yes, we can!
(APPLAUSE)
BLITZER: All right. It's interesting, an Eisenhower speaking at a Democratic convention. It's almost as if at the Republican convention next week they get a Kennedy to speak at the Republican convention, Anderson. It's pretty unusual.
COOPER: We'll see if they're able to, huh?
BLITZER: Yes. That would be -- that would be something. I suspect they won't be able to.
Let me get some insight from David Gergen right now. Susan Eisenhower speaking at this convention.
What do you make of it, David?
DAVID GERGEN, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL ANALYST, FORMER PRESIDENTIAL ADVISER: Well, I must say, Wolf, that as much as all of us enjoy the music, I'm really glad that we've had Al Gore and Mrs. Eisenhower out here speaking so we have some substance to this, too on an evening.
And what was -- I think the Gore speech, he -- while it was way too rushed in delivery, had an awful lot to offer and was one of the first times anybody in this campaign has spoken seriously to the nation about the potential catastrophe coming from global warming.
I don't think any -- either one
one of these candidates has really seriously addressed what has to be done, how much sacrifice is going to be required, how rapidly this is moving in on us.
But it was also interesting to me to hear both Gore and Susie Eisenhower tonight -- and Susie is a long-time friend -- go back on a night when we're all talking about Martin Luther King and remembering that Martin Luther King stood that historic day at the feet of Abraham Lincoln. Both of them tonight have gone back to Lincoln in their speeches and to -- and have evoked memories of what Lincoln faced -- his brief time in politics before he became president, only eight years in the state legislature in Illinois, just one two year term in the Congress. That's all the experience he had before he got to the White House and yet became one our, you know, perhaps our most historic president.
It was interesting that both went back to Lincoln through -- on a night we honor King, went back through King to Lincoln, and helped us to frame these choices tonight.
So I thought both speeches were memorable and I think it's really was worth a lot of people going back and actually reading the text of Al Gore's speech, because a lot of it went by so quickly.
BLITZER: Yes. He did rush through that speech.
Ed Rollins, let me tell our viewers what we're seeing right now. There are 24 retired U.S. generals up on the stage. Each one of them is going to be speaking very briefly to endorse Barack Obama, to underscore that, I guess, the point they want to make, the nation's military, at least these retired military officers, want Barack Obama to be the next president of the United States.
ALEX CASTELLANOS, REPUBLICAN CONSULTANT: Well, there's a -- Ed had to take a -- I think he was drafted, actually.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Identify yourself.
CASTELLANOS: But Alex Castellanos is here.
BLITZER: All right. Never mind. Let me ask Alex -- Alex Castellanos is a Republican strategist.
Talk about this -- this is a symbolically important step that these Democrats are doing to try to show that the military is behind Barack Obama and that, when it comes to national security, he won't take anyone's backseat.
CASTELLANOS: You know, this is -- this is the brand new product on the shelf that you've never tried. And you're wondering whether to buy it or not.
And so what do you want?
You want endorsements. You want other people who have seen the show to tell you how good it was. And so he's surrounding himself as much as possible with credibility.
You know, the danger, I think, tonight, for the Democrats -- and I think Republicans are looking for is are the Democrats gift wrapping air here?
Is this a great sight, a great spectacle, great colors, but is there enough substance to it?
You know, Barack Obama still has the challenge of just a few years ago, he was a state legislator. He was a community activist. He was voting present a few hundred days in the Senate. And the next thing you know, he's running for the president of the United -- the presidency of the United States, when, you know, a four year job when he's never held a job that long in his life.
So, he's trying to surround himself with as much credibility and with as much popularity as he can.
COOPER: Certainly, the same kind of arguments that were made against John F. Kennedy, who is the other Democratic presidential candidate who decided to take his acceptance speech outside the convention hall in Los Angeles to the coliseum.
BEGALA: Just days before Kennedy's election, Susan Eisenhower's grandfather went out and spoke to enormous rallies. And he said that. He said Kennedy was too young and untested. He said, who is this young genius who thinks he can do so well? That's how he described JFK. It's a very close parallel.
And I think the credibility that these generals -- that Ms. Eisenhower provides -- she looks the part of the Republicans. She does not look like she stepped out of a Black Eyed Peas video, you know?
(LAUGHTER)
BEGALA: You know, she -- so this is terrific for Barack. But I think those historical parallels are there.
BORGER: You know, I think Al Gore also made the case very well. He said, look, Barack Obama is not a career politician. And Al Gore speaks as someone who's a recovered career politician. But he said he's not a career politician, but maybe that makes him see more clearly.
That's an argument that I haven't heard before.
KING: I just found it interesting, Susan Eisenhower, a Republican, but also speaking, if you look at the polling data, Barack Obama does not enjoy the support among senior citizens that most Democrats do. That's one of the things holding him down from building a bigger lead in this race.
She is speaking as the granddaughter of the former supreme allied commander. Older Americans out there remember Ike. Many here -- many of these young people here are probably sitting here going who?
And, again, if you want to hear all of these speeches, they're being streamed live at CNNPolitics.com. That's the place for that.
Jeff Toobin in New York, is there a difference between how you in New York watching it just on television are perceiving the meaning, the subtext of all of these 80,000 some people gathered here?
JEFFREY TOOBIN, CNN SENIOR LEGAL ANALYST, "NEW YORKER" MAGAZINE COLUMNIST: Well, I just have to say, it's the largest group of people I have ever seen assembled at a political rally.
You know, I'm a football fan. I have seen that stadium filled before. But I have never seen a political event on this scale.
And I think it is worth noting that John McCain is having an event in Dayton, Ohio on Friday with his vice president. And his team is struggling -- is going from state to state trying to fill buses, trying to get 10,000 people there. And they haven't yet succeeded.
And here they're worried that 80,000 isn't big enough.
Now, the McCain campaign is trying to present that as a problem...
COOPER: Jeff...
TOOBIN: ...for Obama. I don't think that's a problem for Obama. I think that's a problem for McCain.
COOPER: John King, did you have some other information?
KING: Well, the Hamilton County Republican Party near Cincinnati says that issued more than 15,000 tickets for the Dayton event. I do think they may not have as big a crowd on the second stop, in Pennsylvania -- Washington, Pennsylvania, I think, is being a bigger issue.
The Republicans say they will have a full house and they're turning people away in Dayton, Ohio. Obviously, we will get proof tomorrow afternoon. And that's where John McCain is supposed to be with his running mate.
So, if they can't get a big crowd for that, that would be a sign of that enthusiasm gap we've talked to much about in this election.
COOPER: Carl Bernstein in New York, we heard earlier in the week from Barack Obama, who said that this was going to be a kind of a different speech that he is planning to giving tonight. It's not to be the sort of the usual soaring rhetoric that we are used to hearing. Some people in his campaign have been saying it's going to be more workmanlike, they're going to put some meat on the bone, trying to define what change really means.
Is that what you see him doing tonight?
And is there a risk in doing that in such a grand setting that he disappoints people?
CARL BERNSTEIN, CNN CONTRIBUTOR, AUTHOR, "A WOMAN IN CHARGE": He's going to try. And we've seen some of his remarks already. He is going to try and build on the themes that have been established at this remarkable convention.
This is one of this great modern conventions. And he's got what he wants out of it thus far. He has a unified party. He's going talk about that unity and how it needs to go out and take this message to the rest of the country.
Key words we heard from Gore -- abuse of power. That theme we're going to hear more of again tonight. We're going to hear about the real message of post-partisanship, which really goes to the heart of who Barack Obama is. He's serious about it. He doesn't want just red meat out there.
And a really important thing. We were watching Al Gore, this terrific speech that Gore gave. And he didn't have Bill Clinton to...
BLITZER: All right, Carl. Hold on a second.
BERNSTEIN: I'll stop.
BLITZER: This is a surprise. Joe Biden -- Joe Biden has just walked on the stage, the Democratic vice presidential nominee. This was not announced. It's a surprise to the 80,000, 85,000 people that are here.
Let's listen in.
SEN. JOSEPH BIDEN (D), PRESUMPTIVE VICE PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE: Hello Democrats!
Ladies and gentlemen, thank you.
(APPLAUSE)
BIDEN: Thank you.
(APPLAUSE)
BIDEN: Thank you.
(APPLAUSE)
BIDEN: Hello, Harry Reid.
Ladies and gentlemen, I always dreamed I'd stand in this place, but I was hoping I'd be standing next to my friend, Floyd Little. You don't know who he is. He played for the Denver Broncos.
And ladies and gentlemen, when we talked about an open convention, this is what Democrats meant -- an open convention.
(APPLAUSE)
BIDEN: Friends, we all know why we're here tonight. We're thank you. Thank you. Millions of Americans who have been knocked down, to send a message together that we're going to get back up as a nation. We're thank you. Thank you. Cops and the firefighters, the teachers, the assembly line workers, the folks whose lives are the very measure of whether the American dream endures, for the soldiers who serve with honor and courage and deserve serve to be treated with dignity when they return home.
(APPLAUSE)
BIDEN: We're thank you. Thank you. Mothers and fathers who are raising families and struggling just to get to the next day, for our children and grandchildren, whose tomorrows are determined by what we do here tonight and tomorrow. We're thank you. Thank you. Next president of the United States of America, Barack Obama.
(APPLAUSE)
BIDEN: In a little bit -- in a little bit we're going hear from Barack. But before we do, I want you to hear from the people he has heard from as he's traveled across this great country.
We're going hear from a teacher, a business owner, a trucker, a factory worker, a mother who, like millions of Americans, has never been actively involved in a political campaign before, but was inspired to join this campaign because she believes -- she believes that this time we can really, really change the country.
Ladies and gentlemen, these are the people who are teaching our children, raising our families, caring for our loved ones. People who love this country so much that they're willing to die for it. The everyday heroism you see if this country is just incredible and these people are going prove it tonight.
So tonight, we will listen to them. And I promise you this, that when we're in the White House, Barack and I, we will make sure they are always heard.
Ladies and gentlemen, go get them.
Thank you very much.
(APPLAUSE)
BIDEN: Love you, Harry.
(APPLAUSE)
BIDEN: Thank you.
BLITZER: All right, there he is, the Democratic vice presidential nominee, Joe Biden. He accepted the nomination last night. He's here. He's warming up the crowd, getting ready for Barack Obama's acceptance speech. And that's coming up.
Much more of our covering from the Democratic National Convention at INVESCO Field in Mile High Stadium in Denver.
Remember, CNNPolitics.com. You can always get more information there and see everything happening up on the stage -- CNNPolitics.com.
We'll be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BLITZER: Welcome back to the convention here in Denver. We're watching what's going on. Very soon, Barack Obama will get up on the stage and deliver his acceptance speech. We now know, because we've seen him, he's actually in the stadium. He arrived just a little while ago. He's going to do the finishing touches, getting ready to walk out that platform and deliver a speech.
I want to go to Dana Bash right now, because she's getting some new information on when John McCain will be releasing word of his vice presidential running mate. What are you learning, Dana?
DANA BASH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Wolf, we do know that John McCain has made his decision on who his running mate will be and that he will appear with that person tomorrow morning here in Dayton. What I'm told tonight by a senior McCain adviser is that they have made a decision not to leak the name of who that running mate is tonight. Why? According to the senior adviser, this is Barack Obama's night. This is word we're getting from the McCain campaign. They're hoping to keep this under wraps tonight and not let it out, perhaps until tomorrow morning.
We know from experience that campaigns don't always have control of that. Of course, our own John King broke the Biden news last week. The Obama campaign didn't want that to happen. But campaigns lose control when they let information out, perhaps when they call the running mate or they call those who didn't get it. From reporting tonight and talking to sources close to the top contenders, we don't have any indications that they have gotten any calls now. In fact, our indications that this is still a very close hold, a handful of McCain advisers and the McCains themselves.
So headline is, we're told, at not officially, we're not going to hear who John McCain's running mate is tonight. Wolf?
BLITZER: Thanks very much. As soon as we learn, obviously we'll share that information with our viewers. Very interesting, Anderson, because John McCain and his campaign released a commercial, an ad tonight. Some of our viewers may have seen it, because they bought commercial time her on CNN, congratulating Senator Obama, a very gracious ad. "This is truly a good day for America," he says. "Too often, the achievements of our opponents go unnoticed, so I wanted to stop and say congratulations."
It's not every day you hear a rival issuing an ad like that.
COOPER: It's very elegant, a very sweet ad. It is in your -- in the history of politics, and the wide knowledge of our panel, does anybody know of any other time this has been done before?
GLORIA BORGER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Today, it is today. Look at the anniversary that it is today. Look, this is the moment an African-American is being nominated. I think they were very smart to do it. And I think you're right, very gracious to do it.
JOHN KING, CNN ANCHOR: They're going to spend a little more than 100,000 dollars if they air this as often as they say they will tonight, on CNN and other networks. The alternative would be either to go dark, with no ads up, or to run a negative ad. They have made the calculation, with so many people watching tonight, why not try to improve John McCain's image a little bit and pay tribute to Barack Obama, give him the congratulations in this historic moment, that he is due.
As that ad says, back at it tomorrow.
COOPER: No doubt about. You're saying, it makes him more likable as a person and more relatable?
PAUL BEGALA, CNN POLITICAL ANALYST: It's a part of McCain. He's got a famous temper. They call him McNasty. His nickname in high school was Punk. So there's a bid of hey, you kids get off my lawn when he's campaigning. This negates a little of that. I think it's a very smart move by Senator McCain.
DONNA BRAZILE, CNN POLITICAL ANALYST: They played a very important role in helping to break the tie on civil rights legislation. Many Democrats were filibustering civil rights legislation. C. Everett Dirksen and many other leaders stood up and helped Lyndon Johnson pass the famous '64 Civil Rights Bill. So Republicans have a lot to celebrate at this moment as well. BORGER: John McCain is a candidate who has reached out to constituencies that are not traditionally Republican. He went to New Orleans. I think this is all a part of that.
COOPER: It's also -- the conversation we've been having about how this is being perceived among television audiences around the country. There are people assembled in cities around the country watching this. We've actually assembled a crowd in Times Square. We showed you it a little bit earlier. We're going to show it to you there on the wall.
There's also crowds which are gathered on their own, groups which have gathered together in Columbia, Maryland, Times Square, a group in Harlem there, New York, on the lower left hand side of your screen. You see Times Square on the right hand side. Also in Pasadena, California. Those are groups which have assembled on their own to watch this. It will be interesting to see how -- what the feedback is from people around the country, the people who are not here soaking up the atmosphere, as Ed Rollins said last night, drinking the Kool Aid.
BLITZER: I don't think we can over-emphasize the historic importance of what is about to happen. We keep saying it, but I just want to hit home. This is really a truly historic moment that people will want to remember throughout the years. They'll say, where were you when Barack Obama accepted the Democratic presidential nomination? I think people are tuning in. They're gathering in various places, like Times Square in New York right now. They're seeing it live on our screen.
COOPER: Even those who wouldn't support Barack Obama in an election or don't even like Barack Obama would acknowledge the history making night that we're about to witness.
BLITZER: Given the racial tensions in our country, the history of what has happened, this is one of those moments that people will always remember and they'll look back and say, you know what, I was here and I remember listening to Anderson Cooper and Wolf Blitzer talking about it that night.
COOPER: And the folks in Harlem there just realizing they are on CNN and waving to us. We can wave back to them. This is another gathering.
BLITZER: That's the Columbia, Maryland one.
COOPER: The gentleman here in the room watching marched on Washington back on this day, August 28, 1963.
BLITZER: This is a moment they will never forget. You know, this scene in that living room in Columbia, Maryland is being amplified in millions of homes around the country. This is Pasadena, California, where folks have gathered to watch on television what's going on as well. So it's a moment in our history that we will never forget.
KING: Forget the politics for a moment. I got chills earlier today when John Lewis was up there talking in his deep, distinctive voice, talking about being there with Dr. King 45 years ago and those who were beaten, in fact, those who were murdered as part of the struggle for civil rights. Just set aside all the politics for a moment, that was a moment --
COOPER: John Lewis who, himself, was almost beaten to death by police trying to cross a bridge. John Lewis, the only surviving member of the ten who spoke on this day in 1963.
BRAZILE: There was someone else who was there. The only woman on that stage, Dorothy Height. She is 96 and she's somewhere here in this stadium, because Dr. Height wanted to be here. She leads the National Council of Negro Women. Back during the day, it was hard for even black women to be part of the civil rights leadership. Yet, through determination, she really spoke volumes for black women.
COOPER: I was reading the Times today, John Lewis still has scars on his head from the beating that he received. What he did is just truly heroic, true American hero.
BEGALA: He leads a group through that era of civil rights to pilgrimage. He stopped in a museum in Birmingham. And he saw a photograph of the angriest face you'd ever seen, really a vicious, racist man with his fist clenched. And he lit up. He said, I know that man. He beat me. The Christian love in his heart, a deeply religious man, his capacity to forgive and to resist non-violently is inspirational.
BLITZER: All right, these people who are watching in these little parlor meetings in their living rooms, Times Square, Pasadena, elsewhere, if they're excited now, get ready, because coming up, we're only moments way. There will be a video tribute. We're told it's a really magnificent video tribute to Barack Obama. That will precede his address to these delegates here, to his supporters here, 80,000, maybe 85,000 people, who gathered, maybe 90,000 who have squeezed into this Invesco Stadium here, Mile High Stadium in Denver, Colorado.
It's an unbelievable sight when you think about what's going on. We're going bring all of that to you. We're told his speech, if there's not much applause, is 40 minutes. With the applause, I anticipate it will probably be about 50 minutes of Barack Obama accepting the Democratic presidential nomination. Want to see what's happening on the stage right now? Go to CNNpolitics.com. We're streaming it for you. Our coverage continues from Denver right after this.
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BLITZER: And welcome back to the Democratic National Convention, here in Denver, Colorado. We're only minutes way from a video tribute to Barack Obama. And then, Barack Obama himself will be speaking. Anderson Cooper, we're hearing some, I suspect that's a little bit of Bruce Springsteen.
COOPER: Flexing his musical muscle, "Born in The USA."
BLITZER: I don't think he's here, though, is he?
COOPER: No, there were rumors that he might be performing here, but no, this is not Bruce Springsteen performing live.
BLITZER: We can only dream, right?
COOPER: Certainly, this is a song that is getting the crowd ready. The minutes counting down until Barack Obama comes on stage. That, of course, is what everybody -- look at that picture. Look how crowded this place, even all the way up there. And as we have heard so many different kinds of speeches from Barack Obama, we're so used to the soaring rhetoric. We anticipate a very different speech tonight.
BORGER: I think you're going to get a very different kind of speech from Barack Obama. He knows that he's got to talk about what he's going to do for America. His advisors are saying it's going to be much more programmatic than thematic. It's going to be a very partisan speech. He's going to take on John McCain. He's going to let those independent voters who are watching and those undecided voters who are watching know exactly what he intends to do if he is elected. A very different kind of speech.
KING: A clever line in the excerpts they released about where he tries to link McCain to Bush by saying, "John McCain has voted with George W. Bush more than 90 percent of the time. If that's the case, I'm not sure I'm willing to take a 10 percent chance on change." Trying to make the case for change.
To Paul's point earlier, he specifically says, if you're out there watching and you're worried about health care, here's what I mean when I say change. If you're out there and you're worried about energy prices, here's what I mean when I say change. To add some specifics to people who are saying, I want change too, but I'm not sure what you mean to me.
BEGALA: First, why change? That seems like -- and then what change? What are you going to do for me?
COOPER: Jim Acosta is standing by in Times Square with a group of people we have assembled watching on a monitor. Jim, what are you hearing from them?
JIM ACOSTA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Anderson, you see Barack Obama can fill a stadium. He can certainly fill Times Square. We have a few hundred people out here at this convention watching party hosted by CNN. I'm joined by two Obama supporters here in Times Square. Sire, tell me your name and exactly why you are here tonight? Obviously you're here to support Barack Obama.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I love Barack Obama. I'm William Norman from Atlanta, Georgia. I liked one of the famous lines from Barack Obama's speech, "we're not red states, blue states. We're the United States." I hope he continues on that theme.
ACOSTA: Very good. I'm joined by this other gentlemen right here, sir. What does this night mean to you to see Barack Obama take the stage and officially accept the nomination to become president?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It means that it's finally being accepted by someone with grass roots support. For instance, I donated 50 bucks for the first time in my life. More of the half of the contributions are from people like me. For the first time --
ACOSTA: You feel included.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, I feel included. I think the White House is going to be controlled by people like us that are contributing, rather than the special interests.
ACOSTA: Thank you very much for joining us. Anderson, if I can just share a moment that we saw here earlier; when Stevie Wonder was on stage there in Denver, I could see two African American ladies standing behind me wearing Barack Obama t-shirts. Anderson, they were having a good time. Obviously, no matter what your political stripe, to see this kind of support out here. Obviously, New York not a toss up state. But as Barack Obama might say, they are fired up and ready to go here in New York City. Anderson?
COOPER: Jim Acosta, thanks very much. As we come back here to Mile High Stadium, you look at the crowd, you look at the wide shots of this crowd. If you were flying over this in an airplane, you would never believe that this is for a political rally.
KING: I want to say quickly what that gentleman just told Jim Acosta is actually -- might have sounded like another guy for Obama. But it's so critical to his success this year, especially the fund raising success, that he used to beat Hillary Clinton. I just gave 50 bucks for the first time. You heard that gentleman say that. Well, thousands, hundreds of thousands of people gave 50 bucks, 100 bucks, 20 bucks for the first time, which is why Barack Obama has revolutionized politics, because of his Internet based and other based text messaging fund raising. That's part of his grass roots and financial muscle.
BRAZILE: Traditional campaigns, Paul and I noted, is organized from the top down. This is a campaign where ordinary citizens really just go out there and run the campaign at the grass roots level.
BLITZER: They're doing some text messaging alerts right now. They're trying to get more people to sign up to support Barack Obama. They've done an amazing using text messaging and all sorts of new technology to bring in, as we just heard, a lot of people who have never given any money to any political candidate at all. All of a sudden, they're raising incredible sums of money.
All right, we're standing by to hear from Barack Obama. This is the speech that all these Democrats have been waiting for. He's been working on it. If you go back 19 months, he began his unlikely quest for the White House and he is here, the first African American to accept the nomination of a major political party. Our special coverage from Invesco Field at Mile High Stadium in Denver will continue after this.
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BLITZER: Welcome back to Denver. We're watching an incredible, incredible sight here in Denver, about 80,000, 85,000 -- I have no idea how many people are in there. I know for a football game, this stadium seats about 75,000. But look at all these people on what would normally be a 100 yard football field. they've packed them in. All the delegations have surrounded this amazing set that the Democrats have established. You know what, as soon as this event tonight is over, they're breaking it all down because the Denver Broncos are playing the Green Bay Packers this week.
COOPER: I was talking to a lot of folks in the Louisiana delegation, also Mississippi delegation. A lot of them are concerned about the storm that may be coming. So I know tomorrow --
BLITZER: Are you heading to New Orleans?
COOPER: I'm going to be heading to New Orleans tomorrow. We're going to be broadcasting on 360 tomorrow night at 10:00 pm Eastern from New Orleans. I'll be there all throughout the weekend covering whatever happens. A lot of these folks, I know, tomorrow are going to be getting back down on a plane, trying to see what happens to their homes.
James Carville, as well, Donna Brazile is very concerned. I know you have family there. But on this night, the focus is squarely on Barack Obama. A lot of the folks I know from New Orleans, Mississippi and all throughout Louisiana who are here would not have missed this night for the world.
BRAZILE: Anderson, many of them are on the last flight out tonight, because they want to get home and take precautions to ensure that their families get out safely. I'm doing the same thing. But the hour is upon us. This is one of the most -- I guess, if there's any place I could be tonight, I want to be right here this moment. My dad is 78 years old. He served in Korea and I called him and I said, are you packing? And he said, right after Obama's speech.
So this is so very special for so many people who have not only served our country in war time, but now tonight they finally get to see a dream that they never thought would ever come true.
COOPER: For people who served our country in the social wars of the '60s and the civil rights movement, this is also a remarkable evening. As an African-American, Donna Brazile, as someone who got into politics early on, even though you've been involved in politics, did you ever anticipate this in your lifetime?
BRAZILE: You know, I saw Ron Brownstein. He's the late chairman of the Democratic National Committee -- Michael Brown, and I said to him -- I said Michael, could you imagine this moment? I saw Doug Wilder, the first black elected governor. This is a tremendous moment. There's been small steps, big steps, but tonight, this is a giant step for our country.
BLITZER: I want to go to Candy Crowley. She's down there closer to the stage. Candy, you got a bird's-eye view of what's going. But give us some thoughts as we await -- and I want to alert our viewers, Dick Durbin, the senator, senior senator from Illinois, will introduce Barack Obama and the video tribute. But go ahead, you're right there.
CANDY CROWLEY, CNN CHIEF POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, we just saw Michelle Obama come in. And she was put up on one of these big screens. So they are -- this is a very happy crowd, as you might imagine. These are the true believers. Surrounding me here in these cat bird seats, if you will, although they're lower than cat bird seats, are volunteers, people who opened their homes to Barack Obama. A couple from each state, I'm told, ringing this entire podium, who have come here. They're all grass roots people, no elected officials, no state officials, just all kind of normal Joes, as they now like to call them in the Obama campaign.
So obviously waiting for what, as Donna put it, is a huge moment. I just sort of go back 19 months. What seemed like such an improbable campaign when it launched in Springfield, Illinois, I mean, just tons and tons of people for blocks and blocks in frigid weather. But it was more -- you know, it seemed like an impossible journey at that point. We knew that he was electric. We knew that he could draw crowds. But there was that Clinton juggernaut. And nobody thought that it would happen.
And I think one of the reasons that reporters and pundits and a lot of people missed the appeal of Barack Obama is that we didn't see that kind of subterranean need for something new. We just totally underestimated what it was. As this went on and on, and we began to see things like this, although this is the biggest one domestically, it began to sort of take on this sort of movement feel to it. It was more than a campaign. It was a movement. And they have made it that.
So it just has been a long time, 19 months. But it has been a totally surprising campaign. We don't have many of those, we really don't. Where -- usually you can predict these things, because we've done so many of them. You know what's going to happen. And we didn't know what was going to happen.
We didn't know what was going to happen on the Republican side either, because everybody counted out John McCain. so two tremendous stories for an election season like no other I have covered. Again, it started 19 months ago. I don't think any of us saw this sort of thing happening in the Democratic party or, for that matter, in the Republican party, where we'll go to their convention next week.
So quite a journey. Quite something to witness, I have to tell you, Wolf.
BLITZER: Yes, I think you're right, Candy, an improbable journey for this 47-year-old politician. Only in the Senate for what -- this is his first term. It's not even all that long. But I want to go and listen to the man who introduced Barack Obama at the Democratic Convention four years ago in his keynote address, the senior senator from Illinois, Dick Durbin, who has been outspoken, very supportive of Barack Obama from his day one on the campaign trail.
