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Bill Clinton To Speak At DNC Tonight; Hillary's Nomination History In The Making. Aired 3:30-4p ET

Aired July 26, 2016 - 15:30   ET

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


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[15:32:35]

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BROOKE BALDWIN, CNN HOST: Just about the bottom of the hour here on this Tuesday afternoon. Pretty pictures outside the CNN Grill where we are hanging out before the action of course begins inside the Wells Fargo Center for day two of the Democratic National Convention.

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BALDWIN: Great to be with you, I'm Brooke Baldwin live here in the city of Brotherly Love where in just a matter of hours we will hear from the star speaker of this evening's show, former President Bill Clinton.

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BALDWIN: He will take to the stage to essentially make the case for his wife's election. It is a key role he has played multiple times in the past. Our CNN's Sunlen Serfaty has a look back.

SUNLEN SERFATY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Tonight, Hillary Clinton is calling on her biggest advocate.

BILL CLINTON, FORMER U.S. PRESIDENT: She is a walking, breathing change agent.

HILLARY CLINTON, DEMOCRATIC PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE: Pretty good warm-up act, don't you think?

SERFATY: As Bill Clinton embraces his supporting role.

MR. CLINTON: She's got the best ideas. She's got the best record of working with Republicans. She'll be the grown-up in every room and she'll keep us safe and give us space.

SERFATY: The former President taking personal ownership of his address tonight planning to make the case for his wife's role as a change agent throughout her life.

MR. CLINTON: I believe she is the best qualified person for this moment in history that I've ever had a chance to vote for. SERFATY: An effective messenger for the party with a unique ability to

fire up the base. Bill Clinton remains a beloved figure among Democrats with 79% viewing him favorably. But the former president's favorable rating stands at 50% among all Americans, falling from 65% in March of 2015 just before his wife launched her campaign. As GOP nominee Donald Trump has seized on Bill Clinton's past.

DONALD TRUMP, U.S. REPUBLICAN PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE: Have you ever read what Hillary Clinton did to the women that Bill Clinton had affairs with? And they're going after me with women? Give me a break, folks.

SERFATY: Attempting to blame Hillary Clinton for her husband's personal failings. While also hammering Clinton era policies.

TRUMP: She doesn't understand trade. Her husband signed perhaps in the history of the world the single worst trade deal ever done.

SERFATY: Hillary Clinton has tried to make clear she's running on her own record.

MRS. CLINTON: I'm not running for my husband's third term.

SERFATY: But having to clean up for him at times, most recently when Bill Clinton held an impromptu meeting with Attorney General Loretta Lynch who was overseeing an ongoing investigation into Hillary Clinton's use of a private e-mail server while Secretary of State.

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SERFATY: Still, Hillary Clinton sees her husband as an asset pledging to give him a role in a potential second Clinton administration.

MRS. CLINTON: My husband who I'm going to put in charge of revitalizing the economy. Because you know he knows how to do it.

SERFATY: Beyond just pioneering a new title.

MR. CLINTON: My Scottish friends say I should be called first laddie, because it's the closest thing to First Lady.

MRS. CLINTON: First dude, first mate, first gentleman, I'm just not sure about it.

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SERFATY: And aides to President Clinton described this as being an incredibly personal speech for President Clinton where he will talk about his wife's character and her values. And he wrote the speech himself, Brooke, apparently writing out the first draft by hand on a legal pad of paper. Brooke.

BALDWIN: By hand. Old-fashioned. Kicking it old fashioned, President Clinton. All right, Sunlen, thank you very much.

Now during this campaign the President did have a confrontation with some protesters, some Black Lives Matter protesters. Remember this? (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MR. CLINTON: I heard it. Can I answer? No, you see, here's the thing. I like protesters. But the ones that won't let you answer are afraid of the truth. That's a simple rule. Be afraid. Be very, very afraid. I talk to a lot of African-American groups, they thought Black Lives Mattered. Said take this, because our kids are being shot in the street by gangs. Because of that Bill we had a 25-year low in crime, a 33-year low in the murder rate, year low murder rate and listen to this, because of that and the background check law, we had a 46-year low in the deaths of people by gun violence. And who you think those lives were? That mattered? Whose lives were saved that mattered?

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BALDWIN: Let's look ahead to this evening with CNN's political commentator and host of "Smerconish," Michael Smerconish. Thanks for having us in your city.

MCIHAEL SMERCONISH, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: Yes, I hope you're having fun so far.

BALDWIN: I am having fun so far. So on Bill Clinton, and we'll get more to him in a moment but I love talking to you because you host this radio show and you get passionate people calling in. And the issue this morning for you wasn't Bill Clinton, but was mothers of the movement, these are mothers who have lost you know children to either police violence or gun violence. What was said?

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SMERCONISH: Well, so the propriety of their speaking is the issue that we were debating. Because the police union here in Philadelphia is really upset about this. As a matter of fact, they put out a statement saying they are shocked and saddened by the fact the DNC and Hillary Clinton would want these moms to speak, and in particular their objection is where are the police widows? Where are the widows of cops who have been lost in violence and why aren't they be afforded the opportunity to speak at this convention?

So you're right, we debated this for more than an hour on my radio program today. And the audience was evenly divided. Those who saw benefit from these appearances and those who thought it was patronizing and given the lack of representation of police officer widows, should not be taking place.

I should point out that Charles Ramsey, who is former chief in Philadelphia, former chief in Washington, D.C., Co-chair of the President's 21st Century Task Force, he will be speaking. There is another New York City detective who will be speaking as well but not a widow of a police officer.

BALDWIN: No, I had someone come up to me on the floor yesterday and said, Brooke, you know, I know you were at Cleveland, I know at the RNC there was much emphasis on "Blue Lives" and about law enforcement protecting our men and women in uniform and he was asking me, he was an officer himself in Virginia, he was asking me who is going to be on the stage representing us. And I wasn't entirely sure.

SMERCONISH: Well you heard Donald Trump stand up last week in Cleveland and say I am the law and order candidate. And Rudy Giuliani sounded a number of those same themes. So too did Chris Christie. And so now you're getting the flip side.

And frankly, I'm wondering what's Trump's attitude about that which will play itself out tonight? We'll have to see what's said, most importantly. But I bet he likes the fact that this is the audience that they're trying to reach because he is going in a different direction. And whether the two shall ever overlap, I'm not so sure.

BALDWIN: But quickly, 30 seconds, Bill Clinton tonight. How much of it is prompter versus ad lib? How long does he go?

SMERCONISH: Well, I hope a lot of it is ad lib. I think he is best when he ad libs although it makes I think it makes some of those folks who support his wife a little nervous. He's the big dog. That speech that he gave in 2012 for Barack Obama was the high point for the Obama team in that campaign in my view. If he can do three-quarters of that for his wife, she'll be in good shape tonight.

BALDWIN: Michael Smerconish. Thank you very much.

SMERCONISH: Nice to see you.

BALDWIN: And make sure you tune in for him when he's not on T.V. or the radio late at night or early in the morning on CNN hosting his show, 9:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. Eastern, right here on CNN.

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BALDWIN: Coming up, the countdown to this role call.

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BALDIWN: The official process of nominating Hillary Clinton for President this afternoon. What can we expect from this historic moment? You're watching CNN.

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BALDWIN: All right. Just a short time from now, history in the making. Democrats will officially nominate the first woman to the top of a major ticket, but there could be maybe a little bit of drama.

Let me bring in my friend, Brianna Keilar, who by the way, we're never in the same city, so I can't believe I'm actually sitting here in Philadelphia with you

BRIANNA KEILAR, CNN CORRESPONDENT: So nice to be here in Philadelphia with you. BALDWIN: Just talk about what to expect. What's going to happen?

KEILAR: Because it is going to be a little different than what we've seen in the past. Every delegate from every state or territory is going to get every -

BALDWIN: -- all 57.

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KEILAR: That's right, that's what's we're expecting. So 57 states and territories and what we're hearing from the Bernie Sanders folks is that they've asked the Clinton folks if they can go through this process. And that's why we think it's going to take about an hour and a half for every delegate from every state and territory to have their say.

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KEILAR: Now what they've asked for is that once you get kind of towards the end, actually don't end where you would end on Wisconsin or -

BALDWIN: -- (inaudible).

KEILAR: Yes, end on Vermont. So the idea being at the end it gets to Vermont. And then - and we don't know this for sure but I think an expectation is that Bernie Sanders may move to nominate Hillary Clinton by acclamation.

Back in 2008 it was a little different. What you saw happen was the delegates had their say once they got to Illinois and then it was essentially handed off to New York, to Hillary Clinton's home state. And then she is the one who moved to nominate Barack Obama by acclamation. It was seen as this moment where you know she's the one there doing this in her voice, making this key move. It was sort of a healing process. So we're waiting to see if that happens.

BALDWIN: You know I could see some folks when we had this conversation a minute ago where unlike eight years ago this year it seems like that you know the Hillary Clinton campaign is almost bending over backwards to placate the Bernie Sanders folks. Do you see it that way or?

KEILAR: Well, I see it two days. I do see it that way and that's because a lot of his delegates and a lot of his supporters they have a lot of power. There's a lot of them and they have a lot of enthusiasm for Bernie Sanders. But it also speaks to his philosophy throughout this whole process. Where he said I'm going to go the very end right on all of these -

BALDWIN: -- Right through to July.

KEILAR: -- big primary night, and people thought is he really going to do that? You know, is he going to.

(END VIDEO CLIP) KEILAR: But he said I want everyone who wants to have a choice in this primary process to have a vote. And so I think it sort of follows with the same philosophy. It is something that he promised to his folks, to his supporters and he is making good, it appears, at delivering.

BALDWIN: All right, Brianna, thank you

KEILAR: Of course.

BALDWIN: Very much.

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BALDWIN: Coming up -- I can't wait to talk to these ladies. I'm looking at them (inaudible) - have you seen these hats they're wearing over in the golf cart? Stand by for this.

They are separated by 76 years. We'll talk to the youngest and the oldest delegates at the convention here in Philadelphia and the unique moment they shared on stage together. Do not miss these two phenomenal women -- next.

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[15:51:15]

BALDWIN: OK, so we did -- we crunched some numbers here. More than 75 years separates my next two guests. They took to the stage together here in Philadelphia to recite the Pledge of Allegiance just yesterday.

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BALDWIN: They come from very different backgrounds, very different political perspectives. But together they will help make history tonight. Here with me, the youngest and shall we call you the most mature ? -- that would work, right?

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RUBY GILLIAM, DEMOCRATIC DELEGATE FROM OHIO : I can accept that.

BALDWIN: Ruby Gilliam, 93 years young from the great state of Ohio. And Clarissa Rodriguez, 17 years of age, of Texas, turning 18 just shy of November 8th, so you get to vote.

Ladies it is an honor and a privilege. Thank you so much for spending some time with me.

GILLIAM: Well, thank you for having us.

BALDWIN: You have seen a little in your lifetime.

GILLIAM: I've seen a lot in my lifetime. BALDWIN: I mean did you ever think, no matter who you are supporting,

and I know who you are supporting, it's clear on your hat, that it's Hillary Clinton. But the change you have seen over decades, did you ever think you would see this day? To see a woman on the ticket?

GILLIAM: Well I knew I would when I broke the barrier and joined the Navy in World War II. So I think that was the beginning when I really realized that someday I hoped to live to see a woman President.

BALDWIN: And what does that feel like?

GILLIAM: It is very exciting. It's very exciting that Hillary is a woman running for President. But it is more exciting that she is the only qualified person to be President of the United States.

BALDWIN: Clarissa is nodding along.

GILLIAM: Of this great United States.

BALDWIN: of this great United States. And we thank you for your volunteering and service in the Navy. I'm a big Navy fan myself, my great - my grandfather was in the Navy for 50 years. To you though, what is this like? You are 17 and taking an active role in the political process?

CLARISSA RODRIQUEZ, DEMOCRATIC DELEGATE FROM TEXAS: It's crazy. It's every turn it's something like political and it's political discourse every other sentence, and --

BALDWIN: Why do you care?

RODRIQUEZ: Because this is me. This is everything that happens here, and at these conventions, in the polls, it affects me. And I have come to acknowledge that. And I want to take part in it. And it was very important for me this election to find my place in it, and I found my place here in Philadelphia with Ruby.

BALDWIN: With Ruby.

RODRIQUEZ: Yes.

BALDWIN: Dynamic duo.

RODRIQUEZ: Yes.

GILLIAM: Yes, we just met yesterday and you know what? We're buddies.

RODRIQUEZ: Yes, we are.

GILLIAM: And this is what we should have done on that stage yesterday.

RODRIQUEZ: Yes, that's what we were saying before we came on.

GILLIAM: Last night I thought about it, Ruby you really didn't do everything that you should have done.

BALDWIN: I'm feeling the love. I'm feeling the love between the two of you.

GILLIAM: Oh, yes - oh yes.

BALDWIN: We can all hold hands, I'm good with that. But can I just - let me - you know I was in Iowa in January, February, and I remember talking to a lot of young folks like you who were huge Bernie supporters and they said to me Brooke, the notion of a woman president, it's like no bigs. They thought in their lifetime they'd see it so a lot of them were Bernie supports.

What do you make of that that these young folks think it's no big deal.

GILLIAM: Well you know, I'm telling them that they are the future of the Democratic Party and I am the past.

BALDWIN: You're the present and the future by the way.

GILLIAM: No, that I am depending on them to run this country the Democratic way, and I'll be watching them every day.

BALDWIN: You're watching them every day. This is the last 30 seconds, what do you, just Ruby, you being here, and the roll call coming up.

[15:55:05]

RODRIQUEZ: I think I'm excited for the roll call. I'm hoping to keep it civil. I'm hoping that we can eventually together, but it does need to be equal. It needs to be equal representation.

BALDWIN: Everybody's voices need to be heard.

RODRIQUEZ: And Ruby, oh my God, it has been such a pleasure to meet you and I'm so glad I get to see you again today.

GILLIAM: Yes, I feel the same way about you, honey. I really do.

BALDWIN: You ladies have made my day, seriously, seriously. We saved the best for last.

GILLIAM: And we have really bonded.

RODRIQUEZ: Yes, we have, we really have.

BALDWIN: Ruby and Clarissa, thank you so much, it has been an honor to meet you.

GILLIAM: Well thank you.

BALDWIN: I'm not finished, I just have to say goodbye right now, but I'm not finished with you two. I'm Brooke Baldwin, thanks so much for being with me. Obviously we're watching and waiting for this all important roll call. Hillary Clinton will be officially nominated for President of the Democratic Party. You're seeing this special live coverage continue.

They're hugging, we're hugging. Thank you.