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Don Lemon Tonight

Day Four of Democratic Convention; Speeches Examined. Aired 1- 2a ET

Aired July 29, 2016 - 01:00   ET

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


(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[01:00:20] DON LEMON, CNN ANCHOR: Well, this place is jumping tonight here at the CNN Grill. Hillary Clinton let see here people ...

That is a CNN Grill. Dispense with all of these. This is a Special days with CNN Tonight. We are live here in the CNN Grill.

ANGELA RYE, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: Wow.

DAVID CHALIAN, CNN POLITICAL DIRECTOR: Oh, wow.

RYE: Wow. Tell us how you really feel.

LEMON: Oh, there you go. We're going to dispense with the formalities. The writers spent all their time back in New York writing this beautiful introduction for us which included Hillary Clinton and, of course, Chelsea Clinton giving her introducing her mother tonight.

But we're going to discuss all of it with my political dream team here, Bakari Sellers is here. Angela Rye is here, Kevin Madden is here, Maria Cardona and Mr. David Chalian. So speaking of that as they say, "Hillary". Let's listen to a little bit of Hillary Clinton tonight.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

HILLARY CLINTON, (D) US PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE: None of us can raise a family, build a business, heal a community, or lift a country totally alone. America needs every one of us to lend our energy, our talents, our ambition to making our nation better and stronger. I believe that with all my heart. That's why stronger together is not just a lesson from our history. It's not just a slogan for our campaign. It's a guiding principal for the country we've always been and the future we're going to build.

A country where the economy works for everyone, not just those at the top where you can get a good job and send your kids to a good school no matter what zip code you live in. A country where all our children can dream and those dreams are within reach. Where families are strong, communities are safe, and yes, where love Trumps hate. That's a country we're fighting for. That's the future we're working toward. And so my friends it is with humility, determination and boundless confidence in America's promise that I accept your nomination for president of United States. (END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: I mean this in the best way possible. I think tonight was ladies night.

MARIA CARDONA, CNN POLITICAL CONTRIBUTOR: Yeah.

LEMON: Especially when she said, you know, what is it, sign me up if you're ...

RYE: Deal me in.

CARDONA: Deal me in.

LEMON: Deal me in. So what did you think? How did she do?

RYE: I thought she did very well. My favorite moment of the night was her walking out. You could see her just soaking it all up. And it completely made me tear up. I thought her speech was very good. I will say I would have preferred reading this. And the reason why I say that is because the text was just on point. There was no -- there was no flaws in this text. Hillary Clinton does not execute on delivery always. There were some one liner she got Donald Trump so well.

One of my favorites was you have to stand up to bullies and the reason why is not because it was one of the punchier ones. It was damning because the Republican Party nominated someone that we have to go all the way elementary with. We have to say, you have to stand up fully. That's a lesson you learn as a small child.

LEMON: OK. All right. What's your reaction, Maria?

CARDONA: I thought she did incredibly well. I thought she knocked it out of the park. She did what she needed to do. I thought her delivery was good because we know she's not an exceptional orator, right? And she wasn't really trying to outdo all the other exceptional orators and speakers that we have seen this whole week.

LEMON: Yeah.

CARDONA: But she did what she needed to do. The things that she talked about, I really felt like she was wrapping herself around and this is kind of ironic in American patriotism and American exceptionalism. And she was doing it in way that was bringing everybody together, everybody being a part of it.

LEMON: Bakari?

[01:05:00] BAKARI SELLERS, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: I think she realized how high the bar was. I mean this week we had Michelle Obama. We had Barack Obama. We had Bill Clinton, her husband. She understood the challenge before her and she did extremely, extremely well.

One of the things that Hillary Clinton has down that a lot of people don't give her credit for is she fully embraces who she is. She embraces her limitations. She embraces what she does well. She is actually in this contest not only the best orator because Donald Trump sometimes rambles and goes this way and that way. I mean that she's not running against Marco Rubio by any stretch but she is just phenomenal when she's in that moment, the crowd was cheering her name. She enveloped herself in that moment.

And listen, this was history, she was great ...

LEMON: I do have to say part of the time when the crowd was cheering her name. That was a drown out that one delegation in California ...

SELLERS: And that made it even more difficult because what you saw when you were in there are people popping up in these very, very neon colors that she had to move through that. Now ...

LEMON: Yeah.

SELLER: Now, it was ...

CARDONA: She handled it well.

SELLER: I think, you said the best. She did what she had to do.

LEMON: Kevin Madden?

KEVIN MADDEN, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: Well, first of all, I feel like I'm crashing a family picnic here. So thank you. Thank you for you offer.

LEMON: That's why I save you for last.

MADDEN: Yes, thank you for having me. A couple observations, first, I think the historical nature of the moment was very apparent. Not only did the candidate herself soak it this, but I think everybody in the room felt it. And think that probably transformed, I think, over to a lot of the folks that were watching at home. I think she did what she needed to do. I don't think -- I agree she's not the best orator. So they, they -- what they want to is exceed expectations or really you know, blow a little of things but just meet expectations.

LEMON: OK.

MADDEN: In that sense, I think she did. And I think also, the contrast that they tried to draw which was a very positive, a very optimistic message against what you saw last week from Donald Trump which was a very, you know, dark depiction of America, I think that was very apparent. Yeah.

LEMON: I always wonder how it plays in the hall and outside the hall. In the hall, I thought he played -- I thought she landed some really good lines. People were really with her in the hall. I wasn't watching from home, so I'm not sure how it played but that's why we have David Chalian here because people who watch and it was that heavily watched Democratic audience. So the results are going to be more ...

CHALIAN: Yes, so we did this instant poll of people that watched the speech, and you do have to add those two notes of caution. This is not a poll representative of America or the state of the race. It's about people who tuned in and so the second note is, will people who tune in to a Hillary Clinton Democratic nomination acceptance speech are going to skew overwhelmingly pro-Hillary and pro-Democrats.

But that being said, you do get a measure to Maria's point. Did she hit her marks? So take a look at the positive reaction that she got tonight from speech watchers, among those that watched the speech very positive was 71 percent.

RYE: Wow.

LEMON: Yeah.

CHALIAN: Somewhat positive, 12 percent -- 15 percent and negative, 12 percent.

LEMON: How does that compare to last week?

CHALIAN: We're going to get to that in a moment and so, that take a look at how people before the speech thought favorably of her to after watching the speech what her favorbility is. So 73 percent had a favorable opinion of Hillary Clinton before the speech, again, showing you what a pro Hillary audience this was but she bumped up her favorable among these supporters by five points. So after watching the speech, she did some improvement of ...

LEMON: Does that mean she hit her mark?

CHALIAN: It certainly hit one of her marks, no doubt.

LEMON: Right.

CHALIAN: And now you want to compare to how Donald trump did with his speech watching audience last week and she did better. So, 71 percent you saw had a very positive reaction. His was 57 percent very positive a week ago among his speech watching audience. Now, one thing we saw is that this audience that watched the speech tonight was more Democratic, more pro-Hillary than was a Republican pro-Trump audience last week.

LEMON: But both audiences' were pro?

CHALIAN: Both were skewed obviously in the direction of their candidate. Hers was even more so.

LEMON: So that's just watching. OK, this is how she ended her speech and then we'll discuss that, look..

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CLINTON: And though we may not live to see the glory as the song from the musical "Hamilton" goes, let us gladly join the fight. Let our legacy be about planting seeds in a garden you never get to see. That's why we're here, not just in this hall, but on this earth. The founders that showed us that and so have many others since. They were drawn together by love of country and the selfless passion to build something better for all who follow.

That is the story of America and we begin a new chapter tonight. Yes, the world is watching what we do. Yes, America's destiny is ours to choose. So let's be stronger together, my fellow American.

[01:10:01] Let's look to the future with courage and confidence. Let's build a better tomorrow for our beloved children and our beloved country. And when we do, America will be greater than ever. Thank you and may God bless you and the United States of America.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: So to Kevin Madden's point, this was a very inclusive speech, right? Try -- look on the bright side of America. America is great because America is good was one of her lines, Angela Rye.

RYE: Right. And I think the one thing that she did very, very well, we talked about some of the one liners, some of those zingers. Again, the fact that she could say just plainly, Hillary's way, you know, there is no other Donald Trump. This is it. She drew contrast without throwing tremendous amounts of shade. She made it very, very clear what we're dealing with, what we're up against ask why she's the better candidate.

LEMON: And she also talked about temperament. I let you respond Kevin when we play this, temperament, look at this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CLINTON: A president should respect the men and women who risk their lives to serve our country. Including, including Captain Khan, and the sons of Tim Kaine and Mike Pence, both Marine.

So just ask yourself, you really think Donald Trump has the temperament to be Commander in Chief? Donald Trump can't even handle the rough and tumble of a presidential campaign. He loses his cool at the slightest provocation. When he's gotten a tough question from a reporter, when he's challenged in a debate, when he see sees a protester at a rally, imagine, if you dare, imagine, imagine him in the Oval office facing a real crisis. A man you can bait with a tweet is not a man we can trust with nuclear weapons.

I can't put it -- can't put it any better than Jackie Kennedy did after the Cuban missile crisis. She said that what worried President Kennedy during that very dangerous time was that a war might be started not by big men with self-control and restraint, but by little men, the ones moved by fear and pride.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: Well, Kevin, Angela said she didn't throw shade. We know what that means. I thought, though, that was pretty ...

RYE: Looks suggestive.

LEMON: For what it really are. MADDEN: Look, Angela hit on something I think is important. What's very unique about the presidency is the way that people look at it as a rostrum from which you can unite the country, particularly in times of crisis, but also just overall and bringing -- and using elections to bring people together I think is a pretty powerful notion.

So I think that attempt for Clinton to appeal to that was a smart one. I think probably one of the most devastating critiques that she laid out during his speech was that temperament one, because even some of Donald Trump's most ardent supporters do have great question about his temperament -- in being in office.

And that, I think is something that right now, even if you look at the polls, you know, David could probably back me up on this. The question on, who has the better temperament? Hillary Clinton wins like 2 to 1 on that question. So I think you'll see much more of that. The question now I think going on in the campaign is, Hillary had this relate ability and she was serving as uniter in this particular speech and she did so in this moment.

The question is whether or not she can continue to do that throughout this campaign because oftentimes some of her worst instincts comes out and she can get very divisive and she can start to get very reactionary about Republicans that criticize her and attack her. And that will be interesting to watch him right now.

LEMON: So the other side, when we come back, more here live from the CNN Grill, right here in Philadelphia. Tonight for this morning, don't forget its morning time.

[01:14:33] You're watching CNN's live coverage of the Democratic National Convention. We'll be with right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LEMON: Yes this is happening right here at the CNN Grill. Check it out, look.

Brianna Keilar is leading on this floor.

Just happening live on CNN.

Is somebody going to start the way to wave?

[01:20:17] By the way, and we're on live T.V. By the way this is not just Democrats in there. There are Republicans as well I can (inaudible).

LEMON: Woah, I cannot believe this happened. OK. Where were we?

RYE: Temperament.

LEMON: That happened on CNN.

RYE: Temperament.

LEMON: Wolf Blitzer.

RYE: Yes.

LEMON: Brianna, thank you.

RYE: Thank you, Brianna.

LEMON: Thank you, Wolf Blitzer. Thank you, crowd. And we're good night everybody. No, we're kidding.

CARDONA: Yeah right.

LEMON: Back now with my political dream team. What were we discussing?

CARDONA: Hillary Clinton.

RYE: Temperament.

LEMON: Maria Cardona still here, Kevin Madden is here, Angela Rye, Bakari Sellers and also David Chalian, CNN's David Chalian with us as well. So now, let's get back to business and talk about one of the most, I thought important moments for the crowd that in Atlanta really well was when she talked about guns. Let's listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CLINTON: America's strength doesn't come from lashing out. It relies on smarts, judgment, cool resolve and the precise and strategic application of power and that's the kind of Commander-in-Chief I pledge to be.

And if we're serious about keeping our country safe, we also can't afford to have a president who's in the pocket of the gun lobby. I'm not here to repeal the second amendment. I'm not here to take away your guns. I just don't want you to be shot by someone who shouldn't have a gun in the first place.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: Maria Cardona, that's been a big talking point where conservative saying she wants to take the second amendment right the way she wants to take her guns away. That moment landed well in the crowd. How do you think it played with Americans Democrats?

CARDONA: Well, we'll see. But I think one of the ways that she did this so brilliantly is that it was an absolute direct, you know, she was refuting very directly what Donald Trump has been saying about her which has been a complete lie. She didn't do it angrily. She didn't do it loudly. She did it very methodically and she did it in a way that I think gave Americans -- it gave them a way not to worry about what she was talking about. If you are one of those Americans who owns a gun and was worried about having her come and take it away.

MADDEN: I think the reason Maria said we'll see is because there is a genuine worry by Democrats strategist that that talk that is seen as anti-second amendment, that it alienates some of these voters that they need, and some of these beget in forth swings state like Pennsylvania, like rural parts of Ohio, the northern part of Florida.

So I think one of them -- one of the other mistakes and how she argue that was using a negative declaration which is saying here is what I won't do because I think a lot of voters that animate (ph) on those issues worry that she will do exactly that.

RYE: I think yeah. That's why she kept his secret.

SELLERS: I really disagree with Kevin Madden but that's just not -- that's not the case. In fact, Hillary Clinton did something today that I wish Barack Obama would have done. But just take this head on.

RYE: Yeah.

SELLERS: But the preface of this is that and what she said was that maybe Hillary Clinton may -- people hedge on that. Maybe she will take away your guns. This is 7-1/2 years and we're still waiting on Barack Obama to show with the ATF to take away your guns. That's not happening, people.

CHALIAN: His term is almost over and he didn't take anybody's guns away.

RYE: What about ...

SELLERS: I am -- I'm sorry. I'm a concealed weapons permit holder and a Democrat from South Carolina. This is a very, very big deal, yes, in the top part of Florida, in Virginia, in North Carolina, in Georgia. This is a very real issue. And that's my favorite line because, I saw her taking it somewhere else. I really want it Barack Obama did literally look at the camera and say "I'm not trying to take away your guns."

RYE: Yeah.

[01:25:01] SELLERS: I don't want to do that. What I do want are common sense solutions.

RYE: Yeah.

LEMON: All right, Angela.

RYE: She said very clearly what I don't want are for people who shouldn't have guns in the first place to have them.

LEMON: But what about to Kevin's points when she says I'm not going to do it. They think well that's exactly what she's going to do.

RYE: But my point is that she came and proactively and affirmatively refuted it so that they could get rid of that lie. It is a lie as Maria said in a lot of Trump supporters go on air and say that. I think it's -- that the common threat there is that most people, regardless of what ideological -- where you are on the ideological spectrum. You know that there are some people who should not have access to guns.

CARDONA: And the reason I think (inaudible).

LEMON: Well, let me say this. Kevin is not a Trump supporter. And he's very -- Kevin is very I would say very thoughtful in his thinking and delivery when it comes to these

things. He seems to think that it may not play so well with voters, and that voters may think she's going to do exactly that. What do you think?

CHALIAN: Well, certainly her saying that she's not going to -- his not going to stop her political opponents from saying she will. So that, that will go on. What I think is fascinating about the politics of what she said is where the Democratic Party has come on this issue now because there is -- none of her predecessors as Democratic nominees would have taken that issue on, straight on like that.

But because her path to the White House is, the Obama coalition and making sure that all these Democrats turn out, it's a whole different calculation. There's no more fear on her part about turning off -- you disagree with me Bakari.

SELLERS: I disagree with you. This is not try angulation. This is not a calculation and in fact the reason I disagree with you ...

CHALIAN: You don't think for the party has moved on this issue?

SELLERS: Because the President in United State, his presidency is going to be dictated through the lens of the fact that he speaks 12 times. He's spoken 12 times after mass murders in this country. It's not that the party is moved, it's that the country has moved. Because of the simple fact that every other time you look, you have Dallas, where you have officers gunned down who were shot through bullet proof vests, where you have in Orlando. We have somebody who should not have that artillery or in Charleston where you have a loophole ...

LEMON: People who were very conservative and very pro-second amendment and, you know, the NRA has a lot of influence over. They don't believe that ...

CARDONA: They're going to say anymore.

LEMON: ... those are countries here.

CARDONA: No, they don't but , you know ...

LEMON: They believe that is ...

MADDEN: But then why can't we pass a law.

CARDONA: But those are people that Hillary Clinton has never going to get anyway. And so, that's right. And so, but to David ...

MADDEN: That is true ...

CARDONA: Hang on. To David's point about the party has moved but the country has moved, and the reason why Democratic strategies are not really all that worried about this, I was just talking about let's see what Republicans do, let's see what is talked about this, 90 percent of Americans are where the Democratic Party is on common sense solutions.

LEMON: But it does. It will always move that way ...

CARDONA: And so one that it did is most talked about.

MADDEN: The thing is most powerful about this issue is that those they believe it's a fundamental right. It's not a question of whether or not we're voting for or

against legislator. Whether or not you believe in that fundamental right and the second part of this would takes a tough Democratic strategies and why they're worry, is that the voters that are the most animate on this issue are in favor of the second amendment.

CHALIAN: Without a doubt.

LEMON: OK, so what we will be singing after this break you never know. That's why you have to stick with us through the break and throughout the morning here at CNN tonight, this morning, this afternoon with Don Lemon. Live from the CNN Grill at the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia. Is it over yet?

MADDEN: That song, by the way, were everybody out. They got quiet ...

LEMON: I know.

RYE: Yes, it is.

(CROSSTALK)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

DON LEMON, CNN ANCHOR: Aaaaah.

ANGELA RYE, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: No. Not today.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Oh.

RYE: Not today.

UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKERS (in unison): I'm so in love with you.

RYE: And you are my (inaudible).

(CROSSTALK)

UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKERS (in unison): It's all the time (ph) we need. Do make me ...

RYE: Oh, go ahead faster (inaudible).

(OFF-MIC)

LEMON: I love that. What is going on here? You didn't know we were on? (CROSSTALK)

KEVIN MADDEN, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: Even in the new kids on the black ahead ...

(CROSSTALK)

RYE: And it's after hours.

(CROSSTALK)

RYE: That was funny. You can turn (inaudible).

LEMON: Oops, I did it again. Oops, I did it again.

RYE: You know, that's funny.

LEMON: So, we're back here in Philadelphia. I don't know what is going on. We're just so happy that it's almost over, we're down to the dirty 30 when it comes to this hour then we have another hour after this.

But I do want to talk about it. I thought this was very important. Chelsea Clinton was very low key, right? We're going to get to Chelsea in a moment. But her mom, before she -- after she came on, talked about breaking that glass ceiling which I thought was a big moment for everyone, not just for women, but for everyone. Here it is.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

HILLARY CLINTON, U.S. PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE: And with your help, I will carry all of your voices and stories with me to the White House.

And you heard, you heard from Republicans and Independents who are supporting our campaign. Well, I will be a president for Democrats, Republicans, Independents. For the struggling, the striving, the successful. For all those who vote for me and for those who don't. For all Americans, together.

Tonight -- tonight, we've reached a milestone in our nation's march toward a more perfect union. The first time that a major party has nominated a woman for president.

Standing here -- standing here as my mother's daughter and my daughter's mother, I'm so happy this day has come. I'm happy for grandmothers and little girls and everybody in between.

[01:35:03] I'm happy for boys and men, because when anybody barrier falls in America, it clears the way for everyone.

After all, when there are no ceilings, the sky's the limit.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: So, Kevin, after -- to your own admission, you say that last week was a little doom and gloom, I don't know if a lot doom and gloom. Many people didn't see if that was about inclusion. This is a very inclusive message. Should Conservatives -- should Republicans be worried or concerned?

MADDEN: Well, look, I think the goal of the Trump campaign was to tap into what they believe there's a lot of anger and anxiety that's taking place in the country, right? The fact that they kept saying over and over.

70 percent of the country believes that we're on the wrong track, and they wanted to offer a diagnosis of a lot of the problems and align themselves with some of that anxiety. What this speech ought (ph) to do was draw that contrast in a way that offers -- like, accept some of the challenges that the country faced but offer solutions. Offer ...

LEMON: This is the more positive way to ....

MADDEN: No, I think -- this was very distinct strategy that they had here which is to draw this contrast, to seize the mental (ph) of optimism, to be the more aspirational candidate and that choice will work more favorably for them on November.

LEMON: I wonder -- let me -- I want to get this to David, sorry. I wonder if how much Chelsea Clinton, if at all, helped her mother. Here is Chelsea Clinton and I think telling why she's going to vote for Hillary Clinton.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CHELSEA CLINTON: HILLARY CLINTON'S DAUGHTER: This November, I'm voting for a woman who is my role model as a mother and as an advocate. A woman who has spent her entire life fighting for families and children. I'm voting for the progressive who will protect our planet from climate change and our communities from gun violence.

Who will reform our criminal justice system and who knows that women's rights are human rights, and who knows that LGBT rights are human rights here at home and around the world. I'm voting for a fighter who never, ever gives up and who believes that we can always do better when we come together and we work together. I hope that my children will some day be as proud of me as I am of my mom.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: So, Maria, you have a daughter. As a mom, what were you thinking? Did she help?

MARIA CARDONA, CNN POLITICAL CONTRIBUTOR: I do think she helped.

LEMON: And it related. You ...

CARDONA: It absolutely related. My daughter is so excited about this whole moment. She was watching this.

(FOREIGN LANGUAGE) CARDONA: But it was very special because what we saw, I saw, it was a very intimate moment where Chelsea -- it was kind of like she was talking to one of her best friends about why she was so proud of her mother. She was subdued. She was quiet. But I think that drew in the audience to really listen to what were her reasons to -- as to why she really wanted America to agree that her mother was going be the best person -- not just the best commander-in-chief, but the best person to take care of America's children.

LEMON: OK.

CARDONA: And I thought for moms everywhere that was very powerful (ph).

LEMON: OK, so quickly, she wasn't boring? No?

CARDONA: I don't think she was.

SELLERS: No, no, no, no, no ...

CARDONA: I don't think she was boring at all. And you can't compare her to Ivanka, which I know a lot of people are trying to do.

LEMON: All right.

DAVID CHALIAN CNN POLITICAL DIRECTOR: Well she's not a stellar performer.

CARDONA: No. Because -- She wasn't trying to be.

CHALIAN: No, no, she wasn't trying to be.

CARDONA: Right.

LEMON: And you're on camera, by the way, Angela.

SELLERS: You (inaudible) or not. I mean, I think that in the room with the energy level because of her voice and the way that she delivered the speech. But again, she wasn't delivering the speech ...

LEMON: Feeling swell (ph).

(CROSSTALK)

SELLERS: And I think that anybody anywhere -- I mean, you're talking to adults, many of which have children.

CARDONA: Right.

SELLERS: They want their children to just appreciate their mother or father the way that she did. And I think people would be proud of that.

MADDEN: That's a good point. I think every parent sitting at home watching that wishes one day they could have their kid give a speech to them. LEMON: Yeah.

(CROSSTALK)

CHALIAN: The most fascinating part during that speech was the backstage picture ...

MADDEN: Yeah.

CHALIAN: ... of Hillary Clinton (inaudible) looking at the monitor backstage watching Chelsea make these remarks.

LEMON: We'll get that.

CHALIAN: That is something every parent can understand.

RYE: Yeah, that's right.

LEMON: Let's get that up, before we go to break. We're trying ...

CHALIAN: Oh, sorry. I didn't mean that.

LEMON: No, that's all right.

(OFF-MIC)

[01:40:01] LEMON: Let me know, soon (ph). Anyways, when we come back, Bakari -- there it is. Oh.

RYE: Oh.

UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKERS (in unison): Oh.

LEMON: That's what I'm talking about.

CARDONA: Every parent can relate to that.

LEMON: But it would've been great if she was like peeking out of the side, you know, when no one knew. And it's a great picture. Bakari is going to moon walk when we come back and do his Michael Jackson impersonation, thriller.

(CROSSTALK)

RYE: Oh, you're doing it, too?

(CROSSTALK)

LEMON: Live from Philly.

(CROSSTALK)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Right.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK) LEMON: We're back now live from the CNN Grill. The final night of the Democratic National Convention where one of the most powerful moments of the evening came when the father of a Muslim-American. Back now with me, my political dream team, also Peter Beinart joins us for this segment.

This is a very touching moment. I want to take a look now and listen as the father of Captain Humayun Khan, a Muslim-American who was killed while serving in Iraq.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

KHIR KHAN, FATHER OF DECEASED MUSLIM U.S. SOLDIER: Hillary Clinton was right when she called my son "the best of America". If it was up to Donald Trump, he never would have been in America.

Donald Trump, you're asking Americans to trust you with their future. Let me ask you, have you even read the United States Constitution?

[01:45:06] I will -- I will gladly lend you my copy.

In this document, look for the words -- look for the words "liberty and equal protection of law." Have you ever been to Arlington Cemetery? Go look at the graves of brave patriots who died defending United States of America. You will see all faith, genders and ethnicities. You have sacrificed nothing and no one.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: So, Peter, I was in -- on the floor. There were people crying. There was a woman next to me wearing a hijab who was very enthralled by this. Do you think this moment stands out and people will remember it?

PETER BEINART, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: I think it was the most important moment of the convention. I was crying. I think it was the most important moment because the most fundamentally un-American thing, the most dangerous thing that Donald Trump has done is to take a vulnerable religious minority and make it as scapegoat for America's name (ph).

I have to say as an American-Jew listening to that man with his thick accent saying that he understood America better than Donald Trump does, better than that blustering billionaire who claims that people aren't of his religion and people who kind (ph) for America recently, they're not real Americans, they are -- that man showed Donald Trump what America really is

And for all of us who can identify with people who have been made scapegoats because they have the wrong religion and people who said they don't belong, it was an incredible powerful man (ph). And the fact that the Hillary Clinton campaign put his wife on with a hijab, I give them enormous, enormous credit for that. That said a lot.

LEMON: It was a stark contrast to the message we heard last week from Donald Trump. MADDEN: Well, look, this is one of the most politically persuasive messages that we've seen in any of the conventions -- either of the conventions. And it was delivered by somebody who wasn't a politician.

SELLERS: Amen.

MADDEN: Other -- the other part of this is, the four pillars -- the four pillars of his message, patriotism, sacrifice, you know, liberty, the constitution. Those are Republican messages being delivered at a Democratic National Convention. That was why I think it was a particularly effective moment and it was one that I think everybody agree with, it's probably one of the highlights of this particular convention.

LEMON: What did you think of that as a conservative? As a conservative for Republican ...

MADDEN: As a conservative, I think one of the most disqualifying things aspects of Donald Trump is what he said about having a Muslim man. It's one of the most disqualifying things because it is countered everything we believe as a party and it's also countered to the fundamental tenants of our constitution.

And to have that -- so I think to have that delivered by somebody like that gentleman in a way that was -- it was very effective ...

CHALIAN: Kevin, it not -- it wasn't countered to the party overall, though, because in the Republican primaries in our exit polls, it had overwhelmingly -- overwhelming support state after state after state by Republican primary voters. So, it's actually not counter to the modern day Republican Party.

MADDEN: I would -- the distinction I would make there is that that there is -- there are very strong differences within the party, though ...

CHALIAN: That's right.

MADDEN: All right.

LEMON: We'll be right back from Philadelphia.

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LEMON: Back to now live at the CNN Grill in Philadelphia. The message tonight has been really one of conclusion -- of inclusion, I should say. And making history tonight, a woman, for the first time, speaking at a convention, a transgender woman and that's Sarah McBride to spoke tonight. She joins us now with the political dream team.

The message has been one about inclusion. How do you feel after your speech tonight getting up there?

SARAH MCBRIDE, NATIONAL PRESS SECRETARY, HUMAN RIGHTS CAMPAIGN FOUNDATION: Well, it's a huge honor to be able -- to have that opportunity to share my story and try to educate the country a little bit more about what it means to be transgender and what is like to be transgendered. But I think this entire historic convention has been about inclusion and the equality for America, which I think stands in stark contrast with Republican convention in Cleveland which was about division, discrimination and fear.

LEMON: Yeah. I you were -- I thought it was very important (ph) because in your message you talked about who eventually became your husband as a transgender man who you fell in love with, you guys thought for a transgender, right? But then he had developed cancer ...

MCBRIDE: Yes.

LEMON: ... and then died a couple of weeks after you got married?

MCBRIDE: Four days after we got married.

LEMON: Four days after you got married.

MCBRIDE: Yeah.

LEMON: Yeah. How are you doing? That was just in 2014?

MCBRIDE: Yeah.

LEMON: And ...

MCBRIDE: No, it -- I think about Andy every day and I am so lucky to have had him in my life. I'm a better person, I'm a better advocate, I'm a better family member, and friend to people because of the lessons that Andy taught me.

But more than anything else, when I talked about this in my speech, his passing demonstrated to me that every day matters when it comes to building a world where every person can live their life to the fullest. He came out at a young age. He was supposed to have three quarters of his life, has this authentic cells (ph). Because of circumstances out of his control, he had less than a quarter and a lot of people have even less time on that.

LEMON: There's so many questions that I want to ask you but I -- do you have world state where you were talking to people, right, give your speech? What do you want people to know about transgender? I remember being in Orlando speaking to a transgender woman, and I said, you know, I don't want people to take it the wrong way, but if there was any good that came out of it is that people saw the diversity within the LGBT community and I think had a platform. What do you say to people about transgender people?

MCBRIDE: Well, I think one of the things I wanted to do and particularly one of the reasons why I included the story about Andy was, I wanted to demonstrate that behind this national debate about transgender rights are real people who hurt when they're mocked, who hurt when they're discriminated against and who just want to be treated with dignity and fairness. And I think so often in this conversation, transgender people have been reduced to caricatures.

[01:55:14] LEMON: There are many people who -- someone just wants to put on a dress or someone just wants to dress like a man ...

MCBRIDE: Yeah.

LEMON: ... and it's not what it is.

MCBRIDE: It's much deeper to mad (ph). It's about a deeply held sense of your own gender. And for me, my gender identity was a fact that I thought about every single waiting (ph) hour of every single day growing up. It was a product -- that might coming out was a product of incredible soul searching ...

LEMON: Put this picture up while she's talking. This is your parents. Tell us about this picture.

MCBRIDE: Well, once I got off the stage, I met up with my parents and I think when I saw my dad, I just burst into tears. And I think the reason why that happened was because when I came out, my parents were so afraid. They were so worried that my professional life was over that I'd be rejected by people.

And I think for them to see an entire arena full of people stand up and applaud and affirm my dignity, I think it sent a message for them that for me, at least, everything is going to be OK. And knowing that, as I walk out to my parents, I just -- I broke down.

LEMON: Thank you.

MCBRIDE: Thank you.

LEMON: Thank you for being so brave.

MCBRIDE: Thank you.

LEMON: That you're coming on here. I'd really appreciate it. It such an honor to meet you.

MCBRIDE: Thank you so much for having me.

LEMON: Sarah McBride. We'll be right back in the grill.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Thank you.

LEMON: Yeah.

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