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Early Start with John Berman and Zoraida Sambolin
Big Push For Unity At Democratic National Convention; Trump Hits The Road - And Clinton - Hard; Trump To Address North Carolina VFW. Aired 3-4a ET
Aired July 26, 2016 - 03:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[03:00:00] (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SARAH SILVERMAN, COMEDIAN: Can I just say to the Bernie or bust people, you're being ridiculous.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHRISTINE ROMANS, EARLY START SHOW HOST: A big push for unity on day one of the Democratic National Convention. Bernie Sanders supporters urged to get on board and support Hillary Clinton. But speaker after speaker with glowing endorsements, did it work?
Good morning, everyone. Welcome to Early Start at the Democratic National Convention. We are here in Philadelphia. I'm Christine Romans.
JOHN BERMAN, EARLY START SHOW HOST: And I'm John Berman. It is Tuesday, July 26, it is 3 a.m. in the East. We are at the CNN Grill. We want to welcome our viewers here in the United States and around the world.
Wow. Night one of the Democratic Convention, it was like an entire season of Downtown Abbey without the big house of the accent. There was intrigue, there was tension, back stabbing, humors, tears, euphoria, reconciliation.
And, of course, Paul Simon just like Downtown Abbey. Now, to the concern of the Clinton campaign, the day began with a sense that it might be dominated, even over-shadowed by disgruntled Bernie Sanders supporters.
But it ended with a stirring speech by Michelle Obama that some are already placing in their convention halls of fame. And then there was Bernie Sanders himself.
Joining us now, CNN's Phil Mattingly. Phil, it was like a roller coaster of political emotions.
PHIL MATTINGLY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, no question about it, John. If you think just about 24 hours ago, nobody thought that the democrats were going to actually embrace the unity that they planned on the theme of the day actually being. But the Clinton campaign choreographed the evening very closely. And
speaker after speaker, democratic star after democratic star praising their nominee. Take a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MICHELLE OBAMA, U.S. FIRST LADY: What I admire most about Hillary is that she never buckles under pressure.
(APPLAUSE)
She never takes the easy way out. And Hillary Clinton has never quit on anything in her life. I'm with her.
(APPLAUSE)
CORY BOOKER, NEW JERSEY GOVERNOR: Together with Hillary Clinton as our president, America, we will rise! God bless America. Let us rise together.
ELIZABETH WARREN, MASSACHUSETTS SENATOR: A woman who fights for children, for women, for health care, for human rights. A woman who fights for all of us. We're here today because our choice is Hillary Clinton. I'm with Hillary.
BERNIE SANDERS, VERMONT STATE SENATOR: Any objective observer will conclude that based on her ideas and her leadership, Hillary Clinton must become the next president of the United States.
(APPLAUSE)
Hillary Clinton will make an outstanding president and I am proud to stand with her tonight.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MATTINGLY: And, guys, quite a contrast from just a week ago in Cleveland where you had a lot of big name republican speakers come out and talk about republican ideals, republican orthodox not even talk about their nominee.
And obviously, you heard Bernie Sanders. He's probably the most important speech of the night. But the real tipping point when you talk to democrats, most notably, Clinton campaign officials was Michelle Obama.
In the lead up to Michelle Obama's speech, while there had been big speeches, a lot of promising words about Hillary Clinton. There still spattering of boos and chanting. Bernie Sanders supporters in packets throughout the convention center look kind of causing problems for the speakers.
That stopped when Michelle Obama started speaking. She's the unquestioned star of last night's show. And one thing to note about that speech, well, it was very personal and through the lens of a mother. It was also very closely coordinated with a television ad campaign
that the Clinton campaign has running in battleground states about what type of role model you want in the White House. That was exactly the message Michelle Obama was trying to get across, as well last night.
A powerful speech, but one that's very in line with the message that the Clinton campaign is also trying to get out, guys.
ROMANS: Oh, interesting. All right, Phil, thank you so much for that. And again, she's getting rave reviews this morning for that speech.
So, let's discuss the first night of the Democratic Convention here. We have our sort of dream team of morning after coverage. CNN political analyst, Josh Rogin, he is the columnist for the Washington Post.
Also, with us here on the set a trio bred of CNN political commentators, Angela Rye. She is the former executive director for the Congressional Black Caucus.
[03:05:01] Also Amanda Carpenter, former communications director for Ted Cruz, and democratic strategist, Bob Beckel.
Welcome, everyone. I want to listen first to a -- we've cut a nice chunk of sound from Michelle Obama. It was a moment, one of the many moments in her speech last night, but a moment that gave chills to almost everybody in that room. Listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
OBAMA: Leaders like Hillary Clinton who has the guts and the grace to keep coming back and putting those cracks in that highest and hardest glass ceiling until she finally breaks through.
(APPLAUSE)
Lifting all of us along with her. That is the story of this country. The story that she has brought me to the stage tonight. The story of generations of people who felt the lash of bondage, the shame of servitude, the sting of segregation but who kept on striving and hoping and doing what needed to be done. So that today, I wake up every morning in a house that was built by slaves.
(APPLAUSE)
And I watch my daughters, two beautiful, intelligent black young women, playing with their dogs on the White House lawn.
(APPLAUSE)
And because of Hillary Clinton, my daughters and all of sons and daughters now take for granted that a woman can be president of the United States.
(END VIDEO CLIP) ROMANS: I'm just going to say three little letters. Wow. Angela Rye.
ANGELA RYE, DEMOCRATIC STRATEGIST: I am, you talked about having chills. Watching it again, I got chills again. I was on the convention floor and when she said it, I felt like crying. And part of it is because I think that it's part of American history that oftentimes gets forgotten.
People sometimes particularly when you don't relate to the history of the slave trade and what the -- the consequences of the slave trade and what it means in this country. It's oftentimes, it swept under the rug.
She put it right in your face and she did it in a way that wasn't angry. That it was just like, this is just a matter of fact, this is just what it is.
(CROSSTALK)
ROMANS: And then tied it altogether with her daughter and with Hillary Clinton.
RYE: So, she tied in the historical moment of the Barack Obama presidency for 2018 and 2012 and just created this amazing bridge. And you also saw that shot of John Lewis right there, then Attorney General Eric Holder right there, you know, that catches and supervising and it was a part, it was amazing.
BERMAN: Bob Beckel, you've been to some conventions. There are moments when a convention speaker knows that he or she has the room. I mean, Michelle Obama, I think there was a point in that speech where she knew she had them. She had that audience.
And what she did with them was something that the Clinton campaign had to be jumping up and down with joy during the speech. Because Michelle Obama framed the country in a way which puts Donald Trump or tries to put Donald Trump in a box. This seemed to be the speech that they really wanted to have.
BOB BECKEL, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: You know, there's something about conventions that I've been to 20 of them now and when the room gets quiet when you know you've got it. And what she was able to do in a speech that as big her husband's speech was in 2004, for John Kerry.
She was able to vote, be very positive about Hillary Clinton, bring her own narrative into it and take on Donald Trump in a subtle but serious way, as most speeches did.
I mean, you could not walk away from this convention and say this was a dump Trump night. It was not. But there was enough there for people to understand what the comparisons were. I like she was actually brunt.
ROMANS: Go ahead, Josh.
JOSH ROGIN, CNN POLITICAL ANALYST: Yes, I was going to say, it was a good chance for her to tell America's story because they should heard her personal story last week when Melania Trump told it in her speech.
So, I think what we see here is you really have the power of the first lady. She has an opportunity. She's not touched by politics, she's really hard to attack. She's pretty much got clean hands and you want to use that power very strategically and very sparsely. And just show you -- you see the contrast.
BERMAN: She didn't mention Melania Trump, by the way.
ROGIN: She didn't mention and that's why I brought it up.
BERMAN: Buy I wouldn't have had that restraint. I mean...
(CROSSTALK)
AMANDA CARPENTER, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: When they go low, she goes high. I thought that was the best take away of the night. It kind of explain their approach to things especially contrast to Donald Trump.
But listen, this wasn't the speech of the night of the convention. I think that was probably the political speech at the entire 2016 election. Because it was so beautiful. It was an intensely political speech. She made the case for Hillary. I think the line that will continue that was laid in that speech is that Hillary Clinton is not a quitter.
[03:10:02] That sort of turns to republican argument, well, she's been around the long time but she hasn't accomplish anything. Michelle Obama once said she just doesn't quit. That almost made that into a positive which is why I think the speech is so good because it was so political. But you felt good listening to handle the delivery.
ROMANS: Let's be honest you can write -- you write speeches, you can write a beautiful speech, but it has to be delivered beautifully.
CARPENTER: Yes.
ROMANS: And you call -- what did you call it? Whitney feed?
(CROSSTALK)
RYE: Oh, yes, earlier. As she got closer to the end.
CARPENTER: Yes. Whenever Michelle gets into a speech she start shifting and you can tell that she's like into it and she's feeling the energy of that and that's when you know she's coming in for a strong close.
ROMANS: Watch out Bill Clinton he's got big shoes to follow.
(CROSSTALK)
CARPENTER: And that is exactly -- yes.
BERMAN: Bernie Sanders actually gave the final speech of the night. It was highly anticipated after a wacky day here in Philadelphia with the Sanders supporters, versus the Clinton supporters, versus the democratic establishment.
But he gave a full thwarted endorsement to Hillary Clinton. And he also talks about a lot of policy. We have a little bit of sound we can play.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SANDERS: She understands that we must raise the minimum wage to a living wage.
(APPLAUSE)
And she is determined to create millions of new jobs by rebuilding our crumbling infrastructure, our roads, bridges, water systems and waste water plants.
(APPLAUSE)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BERMAN: So, Josh Rogin, everything Hillary hopes it would be more from Bernie Sanders.
ROGIN: Yes. Listen. He -- it's both basically his endorsements speech that he already gave refashioned with some additional details about what he got from the Clinton camp in the platform negotiations.
He's touting the impact that the Sanders movement has had on the Democratic Party and then using that as a reason to bring his supporters along that way. You alluded to was the big story today, which is that behind the scenes all the day long.
The Bernie people and the Hillary people are conspiring how to keep Bernie supporters from raging protest all over the floor and all over the city. And they had mixed success, right?
They're combining their whip operations to go around to all the delegations to tell them not to protest against Hillary at her own convention. And that's something they're going to have to do for the remainder of the week, although Bernie did what he could and he was a loyal soldier today.
BERMAN: All right, guys. Stick around. A lot more to discuss.
ROMANS: Absolutely. Democrats on stage not only -- not only singing Hillary Clinton's praises, but also leveling new attack on Donald Trump. Our panel breaks it all down. We talk about it more, next.
[03:15:00] (COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
WARREN: Well, I've got news for Donald Trump. The American people are not falling for it. (APPLAUSE)
We've seen this ugliness before. And we are not going to be Donald Trump's hate-filled America. Not now, not ever.
(APPLAUSE)
BERMAN: OK. Welcome back to the CNN Grill. John Berman here along with Christine Romans.
The democrats came into this convention saying they would portrayed an optimistic vision for the contrary or contrast to what they called the darkness of the republicans last week their view.
But the democratic version of sunny and bright apparently includes a full frontal gloves off throw the sink at him assault of Donald Trump. Sunny in kind of that way.
Let's get back to our panel. Josh Rogin, Angela Rye, Bob Beckel. I want to bring in CNN political commentator John Philips, talk radio host at KABC and a Donald Trump supporter.
Bob Beckel, you know, they went after Donald Trump early and often.
BECKEL: Yes, they did. But keep in mind they balanced it. I mean, it was on the one hand, they said wonderful things about Hillary, and then took up and they take on Trump.
And in the Trump, in the Republican Convention was all anti-Hillary. I think this is sort of a brilliant balance. You got to do that. I mean, whoever had a convention and not take on the opponent? It's going to get worse, by the way before its over.
BERMAN: Worse -- listen to Cory Booker, I mean, worse than this, listen to Cory Booker.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BOOKER: We've watched Donald Trump, our children, our daughters, our nieces and grandkids have watched Donald Trump and heard him calling women degrading and demeaning names. Dog, fat pig, disgusting animal.
It is a twisted hypocrisy when he treats other women in a manner he would never ever accept from another man speaking about his daughters or his wife.
(APPLAUSE)
BECKEL: You haven't seen anything yet.
ROMANS: That's just the beginning?
RYE: Yes. It would have been -- I think if he would have said when he said wife or he could have said wives are the same.
ROMANS: John Phillips. JOHN PHILLIPS, KABC TALK RADIO HOST: Well, when you speak for eight and half hours, eventually you get on every subject. He'll get on Trump, he'll talk about the Lindbergh kidnapping, all of that.
I thought it was a little bit schizophrenic, though. Because you had Michelle Obama go out there and talk about how great the country is and American exceptionalism. And then you had Elizabeth Warren come on right after and say, and you're getting screwed.
You're getting screwed by corporate America, you get screwed by the banks, you get screwed by politicians, mind you she's saying this in an event that's sponsored by corporations that is named after a bank, the building that's named after a bank. And you're talking about a person who was on the board of directors at Wal-Mart.
ROMANS: But she's using that as an example of income inequality in America why you have to raise the minimum wage. She use that to pivot to what she thinks -- well, what is in the democratic platform.
Let's talk a little bit more about Elizabeth Warren. Because she talks about that income inequality and how she said America is still great, America is rich but people aren't sharing in that. And she also, again, pivoted to this attack of Donald Trump. Listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
WARREN: Here is the really ugly underside to his pitch. Trump thinks he can win votes by fanning the flames of fear and hatred.
[03:20:02] By turning neighbor against neighbor. By persuading you that the real problem in America is your fellow Americans, people who don't look like you or don't talk like you or don't worship like you, even pick the vice president famous for trying to make it legal to openly discriminate against gays and lesbians.
(CROWD BOOING)
That's Donald Trump's America.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROMANS: Josh Rogin, was she effective in both attacking Donald Trump but then also lifting up Hillary Clinton? What they tried to do they try to show unity and they tried to attack last night.
ROGIN: Right. So, here is my take. On the attacks on Donald Trump, I think the democrats all night were pretty consistent, right. They hit big themes they pointed out the same anecdotes where Trump may have alienated Muslims or Hispanics or people with disabilities.
They reinforce the messages that you see in the ads. During the -- if you're watching CNN you saw the ad that the children are watching Trump say all these things. That came up in the speeches. That's not an accident.
But when it comes to the positive messaging there is a little bit of dissidence here because you have people like Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders trumpeting what they think they had to deal with, you know, breaking up the banks, putting in a new Glass-Steagall, universal health care and public auction.
Is Hillary going to do any of those things? It's not clear. So, when it comes to the agenda, they're still far apart. When it comes to what they're saying against Trump, they're pretty much on message.
BERMAN: All right. Stick around. A lot more to discuss. Donald Trump and Mike Pence on the road. The republicans on the campaign trail. As running mates, we'll discuss where they're heading today and Donald Trump's new comments about Hillary Clinton, that's next.
[03:25:00] (COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BERMAN: Donald Trump hitting the road and hitting Hillary Clinton pretty hard. This morning, Donald Trump will be in North Carolina addressing the VFW. Hillary Clinton was there yesterday.
On Monday, Donald Trump was with his running mate, Mike Pence. They were in Virginia. Trump is debuting a new nickname for Hillary Clinton. Listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP, (R) U.S. PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Why did Hillary get rid of her middle name, huh? Hillary -- no, but why did she get rid of it? Hillary rotten Clinton, rotten Clinton? Hillary rotten Clinton, right? Maybe that's why. It's too close. No, no, it's too close. It's too close. You think Mike Pence would say this, I don't think so.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BERMAN: Now Trump also, Hillary Clinton is low energy and needs naps, which is kind of an attack line he used against Jeb Bush during the primaries.
ROMANS: All right. Twenty eight minutes past the hour. A stunning display of unity on night one of the Democratic National Convention. This was the goal, right? To portray a party not in disarray but united behind Hillary Clinton from the First Lady, to Bernie Sanders on why they trust Hillary Clinton to be the next president. That's next.
[03:30:00] (COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
OBAMA: There will is only one person who I trust with that responsibility. Only one person who I believe is truly qualified to be president of the United States. And that is our friend, Hillary Clinton.
(APPLAUSE)
(END VIDEO CLIP) BERMAN: Michelle Obama, she says she trusts Hillary Clinton. A stirring speech on night one of the Democratic Convention. Can she convince Americans to feel the same way?
Good morning, everyone. Welcome back to Early Start, live at the Democratic Convention in Philadelphia.
I'm John Berman.
ROMANS: That's the outside of the grill. We are inside. I'm Christine Romans. It's 30 -- 33 minutes past the hour. We welcome all of our viewers here in the U.S. and around the world.
Impassioned calls for party unity. And enthusiastic endorsements last night for Hillary Clinton on night one of the Democratic National Convention. So, the concern of the Clinton campaign the day began with a sense it might be dominated, even overshadowed by disgruntled Bernie Sanders supporters.
But it ended with this stirring speech by Michelle Obama that some are already placing in their convention halls of fame. And then there was Bernie Sanders himself endorsing the candidate.
Joining us now CNN's Phil Mattingly. Good morning, Phil.
MATTINGLY: Good morning, Christine. There was no hemming or howling, there was no talking about voting your conscience. It was just endorsement after full throated the endorsement. And that's an important thing not just because broadly in polling Hillary Clinton has character issues. At least according to voters.
Inside the Wells Fargo arena here in Philadelphia there are plenty of delegates who believe the same exact thing. Because of that the Clinton campaign rolled out a star studded lineup of top democrats to vouch for their nominee. Take a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
OBAMA: What I admire most about Hillary is that she never buckled under pressure. She never takes the easy way out. And Hillary Clinton has never quit on anything in her life. I'm with her.
(APPLAUSE)
BOOKER: Together with Hillary Clinton as our president, America, we will rise!
(APPLAUSE)
God bless America. Let us rise, together.
WARREN: A woman who fights for children, for women, for health care, for human rights. A woman who fights for all of us.
(APPLAUSE)
We're here today because of choice is Hillary Clinton. I'm with Hillary.
SANDERS: Any objective observer will conclude that base on her ideas and her leadership Hillary Clinton must become the next president of the United States.
(APPLAUSE)
Hillary Clinton will make an outstanding president and I am proud to stand with her tonight.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MATTINGLY: And guys, obviously, no shortage of importance attached to that Bernie Sanders speech. But it was Michelle Obama's remarks, the whole throated endorsement and kind of n implicit attack throughout the entire speech on Donald Trump.
There was really tipping point for the evening, Christine pointed out, throughout the course of Monday. It was not a pleasant scene for the Clinton campaign, the Bernie Sanders delegates causing a lot of problems on the floor, interrupting a lot of speeches, chanting, booing every time Hillary Clinton's name was mentioned. That stops when Michelle Obama started speaking.
[03:34:59] Guys, it's also worth noting that Michelle Obama, clearly the highlight of the evening. You look at the New York daily news cover today. And, Christine, as you mentioned possibly heading into the hall of fame of convention speeches.
I talked to a couple of Clinton campaign aids afterwards and they made very clear, it wasn't just that it was a very good speech for a convention. It was that it also echoed some of the Clinton campaign attack lines.
They've got a television ad right now running in battleground states, called rolled models. Where basically placed the worse of Donald Trump's comments on the campaign trail in front of children.
That was essentially the message in Michelle Obama's speech last night, guys, something to keep an eye on going forward. And also, tonight, two big-time speakers to keep an eye on going forward, Bill Clinton, Michael Bloomberg. So, it's not just stopping after Monday. A couple more headliners tonight, guys.
ROMANS: All right. Phil, thank you so much for that. Joining us to discuss the first night of the Democratic Convention we've got our team back here, folks. CNN political analyst Josh Rogin, a columnist for the Washington Post, also we've got three CNN political commentators this morning, Angela Rye, she is the former executive director of the Congressional Black Caucus.
Also Amanda Carpenter, former communications director for Ted Cruz, and democratic strategist, Bob Beckel. Welcome, everybody. Let's to a little bit more to Hillary Clinton because she talked about trust. How she trust Hillary Clinton, and how she --the trust again and again we heard. That's clearly what they're trying to hammer home last night. Listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
OBAMA: I trust Hillary to lead this country because I've seen her lifelong devotion to our nation's children. Not just her own daughter, who she has raise to perfection.
(APPLAUSE)
But every child who needs a champion. Kids who take the long way to school to avoid the gangs, kids who wonder how they'll ever afford college. Kids whose parents don't speak a word of English, but dream of a better live.
Kids who had look to us to determine who and what they can be. You see, Hillary has spent decades doing the relentless, thankless work to actually make a difference in their lives.
(APPLAUSE)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROMANS: Bob Beckel, you've been to a convention or two and I'm sure you want your speakers to always rise to sort of the Michelle Obama standard here. How does she do?
BECKEL: Oh, I thought to say a plus, plus. But, you know, in conventions I was a campaign manager two presidential campaigns and we were looking everyone's speeches. And my guess is they did not look at hers last night. They were not going to tell her how to given a speech.
But I have an interesting thing to give you. A friend of mine did focus groups in Toledo, Ohio last night for a candidate out there. With 50 blue collar workers who were anti-Hillary or had a negative opinions on her. I'll give you three comments after it was over. I feel better about her, if Bernie is there, I'm there. She's less crooked than I thought. Not bad.
BERMAN: Bob, less crooked than I thought thing in theory because based on what we just heard from Michelle Obama and I'm not sure that they did look at this speech beforehand because it was loaded with these, like hook words. I trust Hillary to -- dot, dot, dot. They looked at it.
(CROSSTALK)
CARPENTER: And I'm with her.
BECKEL: Oh, they looked at it.
BERMAN: Well, that's a good point. But Amanda Carpenter, when trust is the issue, and that is the issue and that is the issue for Hillary Clinton.
CARPENTER: Yes. BERMAN: She had 68 percent say they don't trust her or believe her basically. To have Michelle Obama go out there and say I trust her to do anything is helpful.
CARPENTER: It was a big deal. That was my number one question going into the convention. How are their -- her surrogates, her other speakers going to help her on the trust question. Michelle Obama went there. And not necessarily on issues, the political issues. But in a broader, I think more important way.
She position Hillary as the protector of the next generation. Coming from Michelle Obama as a first lady, as a beloved, that's a really big deal.
ROGIN: I would just say like if we look at the polls that have been coming out it can help us understand what the Clinton campaign strategies here, right. We saw the Pew poll, it said that 90 percent of people who are consistently with Bernie plans to vote for Hillary Clinton.
So, they can conclude that those people are probably OK. Now we look at the CNN/ORC poll it shows that Trump is gaining with independents, right. So, it seems that independents are where they need to gain ground and the trust in -- trustworthiness and honesty is the big issue with those independents as we see in all cycle.
ROMANS: Also in the lineup last night Elizabeth Warren. And she is somebody who's been sort of an attack dog for Hillary Clinton against Donald Trump, you know. And last night, Elizabeth Warren tried to sort of talk about Hillary Clinton's values and weave it into what is in progressive things that are in this party platform. Listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
WARREN: Hillary will fight to make sure discrimination has no place in America and we're with her. Hillary will fight for raising the minimum wage, fair scheduling, paid family and medical leave. And we're with her.
We believe every kid in America should a chance for a great education without getting crushed by debt. Hillary will fight for refinancing student loans and debt-free college. We are with her.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
[03:40:10] ROMANS: Some of these things, Angela, are things that Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren have really been pushing for a long time. And now Hillary Clinton is with them on some of the more progressive parts of the platform. How do you think she did last night?
RYE: So, absolutely I agree with you on Hillary being more with them. But I also think it's important to note over time, Hillary Clinton has been there. These just haven't necessarily been issues that she's touting.
BERMAN: As the women's issues in the workplace she's really been there for a long, long time, you know, fair scheduling and...
(CROSSTALK)
RYE: And on college affordability as well. The one thing that I think is interesting about Elizabeth Warren's speech, is it depends on where you were how you receive this speech. So, for example, I was in the arena and I'm listening to her on the mic, she was just not landing this thing. Like, where is the fighter Elizabeth Warren? Like I cannot believe she's taking this, you know, a primetime opportunity and this is not...
(CROSSTALK)
BERMAN: You think she was subdued.
RYE: So, interesting though, when I watch the clips now and earlier and I'm like, this is actually great. So now I feel like it's just different. I think that she did hit hard on policy priorities and that was very important for Elizabeth Warren to do that.
She's very professorial and does that very well. I do think she's still going to land in some things a little puncher, a little harder. Hit Donald Trump a little harder, but I think it landed much better.
ROMANS: Yes.
BERMAN: Amanda?
CARPENTER: I don't think -- it wasn't a convention speech. If you had watched that's an outside political observer, you would have not toggle Elizabeth Warren as the leader of the populist insurgency inside the Senate. That was a very professorial speech. It didn't have the majesty.
You know, it's really hard when we compare to Michelle Obama, but even Cory Booker. You would think that Cory Booker is the guy fighting, not Elizabeth Warren. And so, I'll be interested to see how they use her going forward as a surrogate because I just do not think she was risen to the level needed to defend Hillary.
BERMAN: Well, first of all, she was right after, she did follow directly Michelle Obama. So that was emotionally, it was a very hard place to be.
ROMANS: Yes. Exactly.
BERMAN: I talked to the Clinton campaign yesterday about what they wanted from Elizabeth Warren and they said her job is to target those rust belt voters you were talking about who Donald Trump was targeting with his economic message. That's what the Clinton campaign said.
Now she did that exactly. I wasn't expecting her to use Donald Trump's language. She kept on saying the systems is rigged, Josh Rogin.
ROGIN: Right.
BERMAN: I thought that's a dangerous line there.
ROGIN: Right.
BERMAN: To sort of take on his frame of the entire election.
ROGIN: Right. Right. What we know is a lot of the themes for the Trump campaign have been putting forth and a lot of theme that the Sanders Warren has been putting forth. They beaten the back, OK? They have some commonalities. But that doesn't mean they actually agree with the policies for what we should do.
ROMANS: Right.
ROGIN: But I think what Hillary -- what Elizabeth Warren is doing is not really risking leaving the Bernie and Warren people over to the Trump campaign. That's really not going to happen, it's not the real thing.
But what she is trying to do is she's trying to take the narrative away from Trump. And then if you notice she also didn't have any of her trademark Trump zingers. Like, where were the zingers?
ROMANS: Exactly.
ROGIN: Because she doesn't want to give Trump any opportunities to take over the news cycle to take over the conversation. All Trump is doing is waiting for those opportunities to tweet something and then we'll talk about him instead of them. So, she's -- that's the needle she's trying to thread. I thought she did it great.
BERMAN: I also don't think that the Clinton campaign cares. I think they much rather have Michelle Obama as the headline today than anyone gives her...
(CROSSTALK)
BECKEL: Yes, sure.
RYE: As demonstrated by their e-mail I received the campaign contribution from Michelle Obama at 1 o'clock in the morning. They were like, quick accounts on that, donate debate.
ROMANS: All right.
BECKEL: Just one quick point. The Democratic Party moved very far to the left last night. And any of you that's probably not a good idea. But in the populist year and Donald Trump right thing to do.
BERMAN: Hang on to that thought. A lot more to discuss. Bernie Sanders is certainly part of that populist progressive wing. He came forward with his strongest endorsement yet of his former primary component. But can he convince the Bernie or bust folks who have been in force here in Philadelphia. Can he get them on board? That's next.
[03:45:00] (COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SANDERS: I want you all now is to see that strong democratic platform implemented by a democratic controlled Senate.
(APPLAUSE)
By a democratic House and a Hillary Clinton presidency.
(APPLAUSE)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROMANS: Bernie Sanders last night calling for his fellow democrats to unite behind Hillary Clinton. Well, not his fellow democrats. He's an independent but for the democrats to. The party opened its convention facing divisions sharpened by an e-mail link that appears to show party officials trying to help Hillary Clinton and hamper Sanders.
Now the outrage of Sanders supporters, that was palpable at Wells Fargo center last night. But after night of soaring endorsement of Hillary Clinton and some tough attacks on Donald Trump, are the democrats there yet? How close are they to achieving the unity they are hoping for?
Let's return to our panel this morning. And I want to talk more about Bernie Sanders and sort of his speech last night because it took him a while, guys, to get to Hillary Clinton. He talked about his own supporters and his own movement first. And I want to -- I want to play a little bit of that about he acknowledged that his supporters are disappointed. Listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SANDERS: I understand that many people here in this convention hall and around the country are disappointed about the final results of the nominating process. I think it's fair to say that no one is more disappointed than I am.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROMANS: Bob Beckel, you know, for a while there, you had people with blue tape over their mouth, saying they were silence, they were chant -- what were they chanting, "cheaters, cheaters?" You know, there were some chant. What percentage of the Bernie supporters do you think were the -- were the sort of the rabble rousers last night?
[03:50:01] BECKEL: Fifteen, 20 percent. But, you know, I think he had to do it that way. He had to talk to his supporters first. He had to make the case for why he was coming over. If he jumped in a sudden and Hillary Clinton is thrown in, it wouldn't have had the impact of it.
So, I thought he stage it exactly right. Because it is a tough sell. It's not just getting the vote. Donald Trump is going to get these people to vote for Hillary Clinton. The question is, are they going to get the energy behind it? And that's the issue. And I think Bernie did. I mean, look, the guy has surprises all night long. And that was a surprise I think the speech for me.
BERMAN: He, one of the reason that it took so long for him to get to endorsement is because he was getting such loud applause.
ROMANS: Yes.
BERMAN: So long he couldn't speak because he was getting for the loudest applause of the year. Forget this convention or any convention. I was struck about what we're talking about Michelle Obama. She covered a lot of ground in her speech, including, in a way, you know, chastising the Bernie Sanders supporters for what they've done.
Let's listen to what Michelle Obama said there.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
OBAMA: When she different win the nomination eight years ago, she didn't get angry or disillusioned.
(APPLAUSE)
She -- Hillary did not -- Hillary did not pack up and go home. Because as a true public servant, Hillary knows that this is so much bigger than her own desires and disappointments.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BERMAN: So, John Phillips, it's interesting, you know, you have a talk radio show and you're a conservative and a Trump supporter. And I know a lot of conservatives are kind of stirring the pot right now saying look at the, you know, look at the unrest and the chaos in the Democratic Convention.
Yet, compared to the Republican Convention where you had Ted Cruz, the runner up, not endorsing Donald Trump. Yes, there's a lot of shouting here, but people are on board.
PHILLIPS: Yes. The goal last night was to turn Debbie Wasserman Schultz's name into Debbie what's her name Schultz's name, just turn the page and move on. And I thought Michelle was very effective last night.
Look, she's a lethal weapon in this process because she hasn't drawn blood yet. She didn't get involved in the primary, she wasn't on team Bernie, she wasn't on team Hillary.
And she went out there and said essentially, Hillary is an honest person capable of running government. And Hillary needs that right now. You need co-signers when your credit is bad.
ROMANS: Let's talk about the Sarah Silverman moment.
BERMAN: Don't I know that.
(CROSSTALK) ROMANS: OK, don't lend...
RYE: John Berman don't want to get.
ROMANS: Let's talk about the Sarah Silverman moment. Because a lot of people were like kind of scratching -- this was kind of a moment people which not a central moment of the night, but an interesting moment about the Bernie upstart. Listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SILVERMAN: I will vote for Hillary with gusto. And I -- as I continued to be inspired and moved to action by the ideals set forth by Bernie, I am proud to be a part of Bernie's movement and a vital part of that movement is making absolutely sure that Hillary Clinton is our next president of the United States.
Can I just say, to the Bernie or bust people, you're being ridiculous.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROMANS: Josh?
ROGIN: Yes. Well, listen, I think she's a point that a lot of democrats are sympathetic to. The bottom line is here, at some point, these Bernie holdouts are working against their own interests, OK? It's clearly in their interests to have Hillary beat Trump. And yet, they can't come around to that.
I thought what's really interesting was what Bernie said to delegates when he was talking early in the day. And he ask them to vote for Clinton, came in they started protesting and he said, listen, guys, this is the real world that we are living in, OK?
And I can tell you from personal experience talking to some of the Bernie or bust people in and around the convention today, they -- some of them don't realize that reality, OK? They're living in this sort of alternate universe where Bernie could really speak this out if they just put this long enough and that's not the case. And I think that's what Sarah Silverman is trying to...
BERMAN: Yes.
RYE: The only thing is, in this moment, I empathize with the Bernie supporters a little bit and here's why. You had a broken heart, and then you were starting to mend it and then these e-mails thing comes about. And it's like someone taking your heart just breaking it again.
It's frustrating. It feels like, you know, they were robbed even if Bernie Sanders was not ever going to win the nomination. And we do have to be a little bit compassionate given where they are right now. This is a 72-hour thing, right? So, this is still really fresh. And I had to remind myself (AUDIO GAP) they're really frustrated, though, a little bit...
(CROSSTALK) BECKEL: You know, if you had to be on the floor of the Democratic
Convention in 1980 and listen to the candidate people and the Carter people go at each other. That was real serious division. This is not all that bad.
RYE: I agree.
BECKEL: You've got to remember, these people went through a battle. And it's not easy after you've been through one of these things to sort of say, OK, fine, I'm ready to go. It's a process that comes along and it will take some time.
In fact, there's probably a larger percentage of people saying they were Sanders people saying they are going to vote for Hillary than they were say, for example, people who were build, probably people they got core.
[03:55:07] ROGIN: That's 90 percent, actually, according to the Pew poll.
ROMANS: Exactly.
ROGIN: I mean, I get it. You've got denial, anger, bargaining, depression, acceptance, OK? But we've got to speed this along because the election is coming up quick.
BERMAN: Sarah Silverman is the 13th step...
(CROSSTALK)
ROGIN: Ridicule.
BERMAN: All right. Democrats pushing for union on night one of their national convention. We've been talking about it all morning long. Did it work? Much more on Early Start from the CNN Grill, next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
MAX FOSTER, CNN NEWSROOM SHOW HOST: Another horrific attack, this time in Japan. At least 19 people are stabbed to death at a facility for disable people.
We'll get the latest from the scene.
Day one of the Democratic National Convention brought out some heavy hitters including former candidates Bernie Sanders and First Lady Michelle Obama.
[04:00:02] It was an all-out effort to try to show united party fronts.
And just days from the Rio's summer games. A sneak peek from what residents and fans will see and enjoy in the Olympic city.
Thanks for joining us.
