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Special Coverage of the Congressional Black Caucus Dinner. Aired 8-9p ET
Aired September 17, 2016 - 20:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[20:00:31] DON LEMON, CNN ANCHOR: Hello, everyone. Top of the hour. I'm Don Lemon. Thanks so much for joining us. Welcome to our very special coverage of the Congressional Black Caucus dinner tonight. From red hot politics to a black tie gala. We're going to discuss all of it.
The Congressional Black Caucus Foundation is holding its annual awards dinner tonight and President Barack Obama will deliver his final keynote address to this group.
There you are, we're taking you there live now. You're looking at pictures from this glitzy celebration in Washington, D.C. tonight. It looks like a beautiful room. It comes a day after members of the Congressional Black Caucus tore into Donald Trump over the birther controversy.
It sounds a little bit like Bakari Sellers, but I'm not sure. I can't see from this -- one of our contributors here on CNN. But, again, the Congressional Black Caucus blasted him for delivering only a terse statement admitting that President Barack Obama was born in the United States after years of leading that birther movement.
We'll be waiting to see if the president addresses this issue here. He is going to talk about. Not sure how substantive really. How long or how much he will talk about it. But we will bring you the president's entire speech live here on CNN this evening.
You'll also going to hear from the Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton. As you know Hillary Clinton has been suffering from pneumonia and has been keeping her schedule to a minimum, but she has been up, gotten out on the campaign trail starting Thursday of this week. Hillary Clinton is one of the -- one of the honorees tonight, I should say. She will be receive the Trailblazer Award for becoming the first woman presidential nominee of a major party.
So let's get to our preview of what we can expect from President Barack Obama, his remarks tonight, and from Hillary Clinton and on and on and on. Our senior Washington correspondent is Mr. Jeff Zeleny. He joins us now live from outside of this dinner.
Jeff, I see that you're -- you're outside or you're in the room there?
JEFF ZELENY, CNN SENIOR WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT: Good evening, Don. I am in the room here.
LEMON: Yes.
ZELENY: I can see everyone seated right behind me. I can tell you, this is a celebration. A celebratory dinner really marking the end of President Obama's eight years in office. But it is also of course coming up to the moment as you said in this red-hot -- red-hot election campaign. And boy, the timing of this dinner, given Donald Trump's comments yesterday certainly is poignant.
I am told by a senior administration official that President Obama is going to directly address Donald Trump's birther remarks, but likely in a lighthearted way, likely as he did yesterday in the Oval Office when he said I'm not surprised to know where I was born. But he is going to turn it, I'm told, to more of a serious conversation, even a call to action to Democrats, to African-American leaders in this room and across the country to rise up and motivate voters in their communities to stop Donald Trump.
Don, I'm told he is also going to talk about voting rights. There of course have been so many voting right cases across the country. Of course in North Carolina and other key battleground states. The president is going to talk about that, as well as talk about a lot of the accomplishments of his eight years in office. And the fact that the work is yet to be done, which is why he is calling on these voters and others to pass the torch to Hillary Clinton.
But, Don, it is such an interesting moment here in time that the president is indeed addressing this. At the end of this birther controversy which had been put to rest, but Donald Trump managed to revive it yet again. And now that could fire up the Obama coalition which Hillary Clinton desperately needs to be energized if she's to beat Donald Trump -- Don.
LEMON: Yes. You're exactly right about timing. This is coming just yesterday and after Donald Trump gave such a -- sort of a terse statement, a very short statement just saying yes, President Obama was born in the United States. Let's move on, let's make America great again. Really members of the CBC, the Congressional Black Caucus, all coming out, many of them yesterday and blasting Donald Trump.
Donald Trump is not going to be in that room tonight. It would not be a receptive room for him. But many see this as, you know, a gift to Hillary Clinton as you said and enthusiasm, especially among African- Americans, and young African-Americans as well -- Jeff.
ZELENY: They certainly do, they certainly believe that this is a wake-up call to some of those young voters in particular who may not have been paying attention.
Don, you're right. We saw member after member of member of the Congressional Black Caucus coming out yesterday rising up after Donald Trump made that very short statement here and they're saying, look, his acknowledgment that the president is indeed an American citizen does not undo all the damage he has done over the last five-plus years here.
[20:05:11] So, Don, I can tell you talking to people in this room, again, a moment of celebration, but also an urgent moment to get Democrats and other voters to pay attention to this election. As we know it is tightening in battleground states and across the country. Hillary Clinton has enjoyed a lead coming out of the convention. That has fallen a bit. It is a very tight race. And we are just now nine days before that first debate here between Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton. So we say the stakes are high a lot. But, Don, it's true, the consequences of this election are steep. And that is what the whole tone of this dinner here tonight is in Washington -- Don.
LEMON: Jeff, don't go anywhere, because I want to continue to discuss what is happening in that room, and then we have a whole lot of guests that we're going to get to this evening. As you see there now, they're just starting up. And the president going to be speaking in a short time. Also Hillary Clinton will be speaking as well. She is a recipient of one of those Awards.
It's being hosted tonight, Jeff, by Trevor Noah of "The Daily Show." Also Kelly Rowland will be there speaking, and also Sanaa Lathan. You can say it is, of course, a star-studded affair when it comes to Washington and especially with the CBC here. This Phoenix Awards that they have every year, the highest honor for the Congressional Black Caucus. And among the many roles of the Congressional Black Caucus, women have a high role and a very strong agenda with that caucus. Hillary Clinton is very aware of that. The president as well. They see this as a galvanizing force for her in the upcoming 52 days left. Jeff?
ZELENY: Without question, Don, they do see this as a galvanizing moment. Without question, Don, they do see this as a key moment. And we are seeing the members of Congress being introduced right now. And really, as you said, this is a star-studded lineup, I mean, from John Lewis to Bobby Rush and others. But this is a -- Hillary Clinton made the point yesterday in Washington. She said that African-American women vote in a higher demographic -- a higher percentage than any other demographic in the electorate.
And she was calling on them to really control the wheel of history here, in her words. It is no understatement that black voters can rescue her candidacy, can pull her over the finish line and that is what she is -- will be asking for. And that is what -- you know, we've seen President Obama on the campaign trail. Michelle Obama out in Virginia yesterday. Perhaps the most, you know, forceful campaigner inside this party or any political party here. So it is very critical for Secretary Clinton and her campaign to have this same level of support from African-American voters as President Obama did.
And Don, I can tell you I've covered many of these dinners over the president's eight years in the White House and even before when he was a senator from Illinois. And there is a deep sense of nostalgia here as his term comes to a close. But it will not be fully completed unless Hillary Clinton is re-elected. That is the message I'm getting from a lot of supporters here.
It won't all be for naught, but these Congressional Black Caucus Foundation members realize and know that they have work to do here to carry on the president's legacy and elect Hillary Clinton -- Don. LEMON: You're correct, this is also -- this is about President
Obama's legacy. This is the seventh time that he will speak at this annual dinner. This evening foundation dinner. This is the 46th annual dinner and you can see members of -- prominent members of Congress up on that stage tonight. You can see civil rights leader there, John Lewis. Icon John Lewis and many other very prominent African-American representatives.
We're going to continue on here on CNN and discuss what is happening here in Washington. Of course this is coming at a very pivotal time. The election of the next president of the United States just 52 days away. African-Americans, black voters in this country will play a key pivotal role in who becomes the next president. If you don't believe me, that is why Donald Trump is reaching out or appearing to reach out to African-American voters because he knows that could take him over the top. Hillary Clinton doing that as well, trying to get voter enthusiasm up.
The president will address this crowd shortly, Hillary Clinton will address the crowd as well. We'll continue on here on CNN right after a very quick break.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[20:13:27] LEMON: You're looking live now at pictures of Washington, D.C. This is the Phoenix dinner. It is a culminating event for the Annual Legislative Conference here at the Congressional Black Caucus. This honors the achievements and the remarkable individuals who positively impact the African-American experience. This is their 46th Annual Phoenix Dinner that they are having this evening.
The current candidate for president, Democratic candidate, Hillary Clinton, secretary of state, will be speaking. And President Barack Obama will be speaking as well. This will be his seventh time speaking at this event.
This event very important not only for President Obama because of his legacy, but for Hillary Clinton because Hillary Clinton needs those black voters to get her over the top in the next few weeks when the election is held in November. She needs the enthusiasm and she needs that Obama coalition to come out and vote for in order for her to win. So African-Americans very important. Women very important. Every key demographic in this election very important.
Tonight we're talking about the African-American vote. And as we look at members of Congress being introduced on stage now, let's get some perspective now from our panel, Jason Johnson is here. He is a politics editor for TheRoot.com and a professor at Morgan State University. Julian Zelizer is a historian and a professor at Princeton University and the author of the "Fierce Urgency of Now." Farai Chideya is a senior writer of 538.com. and the author of "The Episodic Career." Also Errol Louis is here, CNN political commentator and political anchor Time Warner Cable News, and CNN senior Washington correspondent Jeff Zeleny, still with us. Jeff Zeleny is in that room in Washington, D.C. [20:15:04] So let's talk to the panel now. What is President Barack
Obama likely to do tonight? Is -- take off the gloves? Will the gloves come off?
FARAI CHIDEYA, SENIOR WRITER, 538.COM: Yes. Absolutely. You know, he will take off the gloves. But I also feel as if, you know, he will defend his own legacy. So I think that there is two separate missions. You have to remember that when President Obama was in his first term he was widely critiqued by members of the Congressional Black Caucus for not speaking directly enough to African-American concerns. And that's partly because there is sort of a game of keep- away in American politics where if you're dealing directly to black concerns you're seen as somehow being too specific and not being in the interest of all Americans.
So he is going to do that. Defend his legacy. He is in a good place with black voters right now. But Secretary Clinton is not. She is showing some weakness among black voters, especially young black voters who are 30 percent less likely to support her than older African-Americans. So he is going to make that case for why she is --
LEMON: Let's talk about that. I was discussing it with the pastor the other day. And it was interesting because the pastor was saying young people don't have the experience that older people have. They didn't go through the civil rights movement. The struggle for them is different. The struggle for older people was they couldn't go to school -- to the same schools. My mother even said to me recently, what did we get cattle prodded for and tear gassed for and water-hosed for is to -- you know, to have to deal with this crazy election cycle? Young people don't know what's going on. They don't know their history. Is she wrong, Errol?
ERROL LOUIS, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: No, no, she's absolutely right, and in fact you don't even have to do it in such a broad generational sense. The reality is, somebody who's in their early to mid 20s, this is the only president they even remember, is Barack Obama. And so there's a theory, I think somebody is going to probably write it up as a sociology thesis or a political science piece at some point, that a lot of the Black Lives Matter movement, a lot of what millennial, black millennials are thinking about these days, is kind of a shock.
The shock of realizing that what they saw happened with this interesting, amazing historical sort of move where you have a black president there is the exception and not the rule.
LEMON: Yes.
LOUIS: You step outside of the university, you start to see things a little bit differently. It's not such a kind world out there.
LEMON: Yes.
LOUIS: That the people who elected Barack Obama don't necessarily show up on the police force in their local town. LEMON: A shock to them but not a shock to -- you know, you said it's
not so generational but not a shock especially to the people on the stage. The people who are on the stage were the reason that there could be a Barack Obama, or, you know, reason -- one of the reasons that all of us can sit here on the stage including you, Julian, because they fought for civil rights for everyone.
It's surprising that it's a shock to young people. They so -- they think that the world was, you know, as it is, Barack Obama as a black president has always possible, has always been possible?
JULIAN ZELIZER, HISTORIAN AND PROFESSOR, PRINCETON UNIVERSITY: Well, I think, look, you have two narratives, one was the narrative that started in 2008. The possibility of transformation and improvement in American history. But then you have the reality of what's happened. You had the resistance to President Obama, you had the resurgence of racism either explicitly or implicitly in politics. And you had everything from the issues of policing to voting rights front and center. And that all culminates with Donald Trump and some of the support he has received from nationalist groups. And I think that's what's on the mind of many young voters.
LEMON: So in the vein of what's going on -- going on right now, as we look at the pictures now from the Congressional Black Caucus dinner this evening, their goal -- I'm sure most people in that room -- is to get Hillary Clinton elected. Correct?
ZELIZER: Right.
LEMON: So then in that vein, when, and especially needing the enthusiasm of young voters and beyond, how do you get them on board, Jason?
JASON JOHNSON, POLITICS EDITOR, THEROOT.COM: So you remember in 2008, it was all about young white kids telling grandma it's OK to vote for the older black guy?
LEMON: Right.
(LAUGHTER)
JOHNSON: So now it's the reverse. It's older black people saying look, we know what it would be like to live under a President Trump. It's time for black boomers and black seniors to talk to young black people and say look, I know you're not in love with this lady but you need to get involved and you need to get active in voting. So it's almost we've come full circle and that's what a lot of the Congressional Black Caucus is doing right now. They're trying to tell people look, your vote for -- your vote for Jill Stein, your vote for Gary Johnson, that could be a problem.
LEMON: So, Jeff Zeleny, who's in the room, the interesting thing is that on the other side, as we're paying attention to this, but on the other side, the talk has been, and the strategy has been to say that many of those people up on that stage, the Democrats, they haven't fought for you. They are not looking out for your best interests. The reason that, you know, they want you -- they just want your vote. They haven't done anything for you financially, politically when it comes to criminal justice or social justice and beyond, and that is how they're looking to capture the vote.
ZELENY: Right, Don. And Donald Trump made that exact argument just a month or so ago in Michigan when he addressed an audience of black voters, and he said, what the hell do you have to lose by voting for him? By leaving the Democratic Party.
[20:20:12] I am told that President Obama is going to address that directly. Address that pessimism directly. We've heard Hillary Clinton do sort of a litany of what voters have to lose, but the president will also do so tonight, I'm told, Don.
And so interesting that Donald Trump has been trying to reach out to some African-American voters, expand his coalition, if you will. He was in Flint, Michigan, this week. That trip didn't go so well for him. But yesterday the birther comment that he made here in Washington certainly interrupted any of that progress if he had indeed made any at all.
So tonight Donald Trump will not be in the room certainly but he will be sort of present here in an underlying respect and the president's remark, particularly addressing that "what the hell do you have to lose?" President Obama, I'm told, tonight will tell people what they have to lose if they vote to Donald Trump.
LEMON: So it's going to be a mixture, Jeff, of sentimental and political? Is it going to lean in either director or probably an equal combination of both?
ZELENY: I think almost all political, Don. I am told by a senior administration official that this will be largely almost entirely a political speech. The president, of course, is sentimental in the final months here but he has told his advisers that there is a lot of work to be done. The time for sentiment is after election day because in fact, his work will not be complete if he is replaced in the White House by Donald Trump. That will erase a lot of his legacy. So not as much time for sentiment at this point as there is for politics, and an argument for why he believes Hillary Clinton should be his successor in the White House.
And she will also be speaking here tonight. Don, we do not believe that they will appear on stage together. She'll be speaking before him accepting that award as you said. And then he'll be speaking after her. Again, giving somewhat of a call to action to these African-American leaders as well as others listening across the country, Don.
LEMON: All right, Jeff. Jeff is inside the room. There is Trevor Noah and there's Sanaa Lathan, both there, and they will be hosting tonight. They will be hosting this evening. And we will see many of -- that is Kelly Rowland. Many prominent African-Americans up on that stage tonight. And of course members of Congress and iconic members of Congress, and iconic civil rights leaders as well. The people who have gotten us, helped get to us in many ways to this moment where we are. Now where African-Americans had, you know, so many rights and privileges that they did not have.
We're not perfect. Social justice is a big issue this election season. And we were talking about this being a legacy for President Obama. This is about legacy because Donald Trump has said that he wants to dismantle Obamacare and many of the -- you know, much of what -- that's his, that's President Barack Obama's signature legislation.
CHIDEYA: Yes. Absolutely. And one analysis of Donald Trump's proposal say that 21 million Americans would become uninsured as a result of Donald Trump's plan. So it's not only a reversal of a specific president's policy. It's a rollback of access. And I think a lot of times people -- Donald Trump, there is a reason that he is still competing very strongly with Secretary Clinton. It's not a fluke. He is a really powerful orator in his own style. But once you start breaking down his own policies -- I wrote a piece basically on how African-Americans are sometimes called a captured group in American politics because most don't see anything that they want to vote for on the GOP side, but they are dissatisfied with being only offered one party in a two-party system.
So someone named Paul Frymer at Princeton did this analysis of captured groups and this is a real problem for all Americans, I would argue, not just black Americans.
LEMON: It has been said for a while that African-Americans -- that some people believe that Democrats take African-Americans' vote for granted. And that, you know, Donald Trump, the Republicans may have, you know, a point when it comes to that. But the question has been lately if you talk to members of Congress, they'll say yes, every party should have to fight for your vote. But is Donald Trump the one at this point in time? That's the issue.
ZELIZER: Yes, I mean, I think part of the point of the speech I'm sure is to suggest that even if this is the case there are differences. There are differences between the parties. If you look at an issue like voting rights Democrats and Republicans have been pretty much on different sides of this debate. And I think President Obama wants to remind voters of that.
And I think the third party issue is very much on their mind. They do not want to start to lose votes to a third party, through a protest that give you Donald Trump and the GOP.
LEMON: As we wait for the president to speak and for Hillary Clinton to get this award, let's talk about something that you said.
[20:25:03] You said that the president is a great orator, right, and he is a great speaker. And so let's talk cosmetics and -- you guys remember Kennedy, Nixon, you know, if you listened to it on the radio, Nixon won it, if you saw it on television, Kennedy won. So as we're sitting here watching, and just -- I'm just talking about the reaction from the audience and from people I speak to.
There is a clear distinction between a President Obama who's very comfortable, who sort of leans into the podium, and he talks and moves a way, and he said, come on, you all, whatever. CHIDEYA: Yes.
LEMON: And then there is his wife, who is the closer who can do no wrong, you know, among many and is a great speaker. And then Hillary Clinton who admits I'm not a great candidate, she's not a great speaker, she's certainly not her husband, Bill Clinton. How does she capture that? How does she -- does she need to loosen up? Is there something that she needs to do to pull in those young voters that's beyond policy. That's beyond criminal justice reform? Is there something that she needs --
(CROSSTALK)
LOUIS: She has to be herself. This is the --
LEMON: Does she come off as herself?
JOHNSON: No, and that's the problem. Everything Hillary Clinton does it seems so scripted, it seems so forced, it seems so difficult. This is somebody who was extremely popular when she was at the State Department. This is somebody who galvanized women in the 1990s when she was a progressive first lady who's like I don't have time to bake cookies.
LEMON: Yes.
JOHNSON: She needs to be that women.
LEMON: Yes.
JOHNSON: With black voters. That will be her success.
LEMON: She needs more swag. That's right. How does she do that?
(LAUGHTER)
LOUIS: When people say she's not being herself, you know, I -- we have to remember her days with the Children's Defense Fund.
LEMON: Yes.
LOUIS: You have to remember her days in Arkansas. You know, I mean, one of the things when I was on the campaign trail in 2008, one of the special moments was being in Memphis. And watching her go through the Civil Rights Museum around the site of the assassination at the motel. And she was living -- reliving memories.
LEMON: Right.
LOUIS: She wasn't just kind of passing through, shaking hands and making a perfunctory political stop. This is her life.
LEMON: Yes.
LOUIS: This is what she chose to do with her life. If she reminds people of that, I know for this crowd. LEMON: Yes.
LOUIS: That will really resonate.
LEMON: I think it says nothing about what kind of commander-in-chief or how she can govern and legislate. This is just, you know.
CHIDEYA: Yes, and --
LEMON: But what's going to get her there, what will help her in some way with voters. Every little bit counts in this campaign.
CHIDEYA: And I would add to that. There was the internal report that was done by Democratic strategist Cornell Belcher talking about how to attract these very ambivalent young African-Americans and things like the fact that Clinton has been meeting with the Mothers of the Movement who are the black women whose children were killed by police and she's been doing it consistently. When young black voters understand that then they have a different perspective because one of the big divides is over whether or not she really stands for criminal justice reform.
LEMON: Yes. OK. I've got to take a break. But this is great. You're some very smart people. I'm enjoying this conversation, so make sure you stay with us at home because it's going to be a very interesting night, as we await the president to speak and also Hillary Clinton looking at live pictures now from the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation, the 46th Annual Awards Dinner.
Again, President Barack Obama will be addressing this event in just a few minutes from now. Hillary Clinton also being honored with the Inaugural Trailblazer Award.
Our live coverage continues right after this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[20:32:18] LEMON: All right, we're going to get back now to our special coverage of the Congressional Black Caucus. The foundation dinner. There is Charlie Rangel on the stage. The New York congressman Charlie Rangel. Charlie Rangel receiving one of the awards there. Let me just make sure which one he is getting. Anyway, he is getting one of the awards there this evening. So he is going to be speaking for a while.
We're awaiting President Obama. He's going to speak in just moments and it's going to be his last address in front of this group as president. Seventh time that he's doing it. Not sure how much if any that he's going to talk about -- he's getting -- Charlie Rangel, by the way, getting the Congressional Black Caucus Founders Award. It's not clear just how much the president is going to speak out about the whole birther movement that Donald Trump has raised over the last five years. But again he's going to be speaking.
And Hillary Clinton will be speaking as well. The only reason she is allowed to speak is because she is getting an award this evening. She's getting the Trailblazer Award. But the members of the Congressional Black Caucus have plenty to say themselves about Donald Trump, the Republican nominee. This is them yesterday.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Donald Trump is nothing more than a two-bit racial arsonist.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Donald Trump is doing everything that he can to divide. He's a hater, he's a bigot, and he is a racist.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Trump has acted in a way that suggests he is a bigot.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: By any definition, Donald Trump is a disgusting fraud.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We will not elect a cheap bigot of the United States of America.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LEMON: Joining me now from Washington, the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation Dinner is Angela Rye. She's a CNN political commentator and a former executive director of the Congressional Black Caucus and a frequent guest on my show.
Angela, give us -- before we go into this whole birther thing, give us some behind the scenes details of what is going on there. As a matter of fact, is that a big topic?
ANGELA RYE, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: You said is what a good topic?
LEMON: Is that a big topic, the whole birther thing?
RYE: You said is that a good topic, Don?
LEMON: Big. Big.
RYE: It hasn't -- I got you. It hasn't come up yet. I'm sorry, Mr. Rangel is cronk, he wasn't doing a rallying cry for that award, for that acceptance speech. It has not been a big topic. It has been a little bit of take conversation. But as you saw the members were just introduced and went back stage. They're all still backstage right now waiting to shake hands and take their annual picture with President Barack Obama. This year, of course, their spouses also joined in. And there's going to be a CBC chief of staff group picture with the president. So that's what's happening right now. There's no table conversation because they're waiting for those photos, Don.
LEMON: They're waiting. So let's talk about -- let's talk about some of the table conversations. I know there have been behind the scenes talk about this, we discussed it. I had the Representative Greg Meeks and Bonnie Watson Coleman, both members of the Congressional Black Caucus. [20:35:05] They were on my show last night. They both spoke out about
this crucial time for this country. What are the attendees saying tonight about that?
RYE: Well, this has been about celebrating President Obama's final speech to the caucus, where he was once a member, right? So there hasn't been a whole lot of conversations about Donald Trump. He doesn't get to control everything, Don. He can run press 24/7 but he's not controlling this very, very special moment.
This is the 46th Annual Legislative Conference. It's a big deal. It's a fundraiser also for the CBC foundation. For those -- the folks who's come to me and said, as they see me on CNN from time to time, or they watch you, they said that they're just glad that there's somebody there fact-checking for all the lies that Donald Trump tells. So there is definitely not a warm reception here. I have seen some of his surrogates around. Probably only a couple.
Of course you know there was an event that Donald Trump held, a black outreach event, around here this week. I heard there were only 50 people in attendance, if that. But this is a crowd that is not very receptive to Donald Trump. And I would say perhaps they're bipartisan. But these are mainstream kind of commonsense Republicans and he doesn't have a warm audience here at all.
LEMON: So that happened yesterday, the outreach that you said that happened. But also what happened yesterday is that Donald Trump --
RYE: The event.
LEMON: Yes. Donald finally admitted that president -- at least in his mind, that President Barack Obama was born in the United States. Something everyone knew. Here is the moment and then we'll discuss.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: Hillary Clinton and her campaign of 2008 started the birther controversy. I finished it. I finished it. You know what I mean. President Obama was born in the United States. Period. Now we all want to go back on making America strong and great again.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LEMON: Here is Hillary Clinton's response to Donald Trump.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HILLARY CLINTON (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: For five years he has led the birther movement. To de-legitimatize our first black president. His campaign was founded on this outrageous lie. There is no erasing it in history. Barack Obama was born in America, plain and simple. And Donald Trump owes him and the American people an apology.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LEMON: Donald Trump started off his statement by falsely saying that Hillary Clinton started the birther movement. Hillary Clinton responding saying that he needs to apologize. He did not go that far. I know you said tonight it's a celebration, but as people talk, do they think that Donald Trump owes the president of the United States an apology?
RYE: And people think that Donald Trump owed Barack Obama an apology when he first got on this birther train some time ago, and he's now a day late and a dollar short, frankly. Donald Trump, when he really believes something, Don, we know he tweets about it. He's not tweeting about that, he's too busy talking about CNN and his rating today. He is not saying anything about apologizing to the president.
But what was really interesting is you saw that he was reading that particular speech. I think it was tremendously disrespectful and some of the CBC members have talked about this. He chose to not apologize, to do an apology press conference yesterday during again this 46th Annual Legislative Conference of this CBC Foundation. That was not a mistake. And of course we know that he went on a tour of the hotel in D.C., he was in D.C., and still not at this conference.
So I think that's also very, very interesting this terms of timing. The members think it is disrespectful, of course, because Barack Obama was once a CBC member, but also because this is their biggest annual legislative conference. Of course as a foundation. But I think that the -- the messaging is very clear and it's one that they don't take kindly to.
LEMON: Let's talk about voter enthusiasm. There has been an issue concerning that when it comes to Hillary Clinton. Democrats are concerned. Her campaign is concerned as well. The first lady was out yesterday trying to, you know, get voters enthused. Get some enthusiasm from voters, African-American voters, that Obama coalition. Take a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MICHELLE OBAMA, FIRST LADY OF THE UNITED STATES: It's not enough to just come to a rally. It isn't. It's not enough to just get a few selfies.
(LAUGHTER)
M. OBAMA: It's not enough to just get angry. And just speak out. We also have to work and make that change and take action. And that starts with electing folks who will stand with you and fight with you. And that's why you need to get yourself and everyone you know registered to vote today.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
[20:40:04] LEMON: So this is yesterday, Angela, with CNN, just the beginning sort of the united front of the Obama administration and the Hillary Clinton, you know, folks campaign. This is a united front. Will the first lady, the current vice president, the sitting president and members of Congress, do you think that will make a difference in voter enthusiasm especially among black folk? RYE: Well, if you look at the approval rating, Don, I think it's
telling not just for black voters but also voters throughout the country who may be decided. Younger voters, women voters, we know that Hillary Clinton campaign is making another big push for millennial voters. She certainly needs the help. But we also saw during the Democratic National Convention, this was not Michelle Obama's first trip to the rodeo. She also did -- made an amazing speech at the DNC that was also very, very helpful to Hillary Clinton.
She made it clear where her allegiance lies and where she would be campaigning over the next couple of months. So I think we're now starting to see her get out on the trail. And she is certainly someone who also has very, very high approval ratings and very well -- very beloved in this country. So it's very -- it's really good timing, in part also I don't know if you saw that SN's cover, with Barack Obama and the first lady on it. So they're a beloved couple certainly in this community and I think it will be very, very helpful if you look at those approval ratings.
LEMON: She certainly does get high marks among young people and millennials. She is beloved.
Thank you, Angela Rye.
RYE: Absolutely.
LEMON: You look very nice and you come back after the president's speech.
RYE: Thank you, Don. Thank you.
LEMON: After Hillary Clinton's speech and you can let us know how they were received in the room because sometimes it's different in the room than, you know, what you see on television. We appreciate it, Angela. See you in a bit.
RYE: You got it.
LEMON: Make sure you stay with us at home for our continuing coverage of the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation dinner. President Barack Obama take the podium in a couple of minutes so we're going to carry that for you live.
Donald Trump was invited to attend tonight's event or at least he would have been welcomed there, they say, but he decided to skip it. We'll talk about that, why, after a very quick break.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[20:45:57] LEMON: Welcome back, everyone. This is our special coverage of the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation dinner. President Barack Obama slated to speak soon, and we're also going to hear from Hillary Clinton who is getting an award there this evening in Washington, D.C.
I want to bring in now, though, Symone Sanders, to discuss. This is a former press secretary for Bernie Sanders -- Bernie Sanders' campaign. Now a Hillary Clinton supporter. And also Bruce Lavelle here is the executive director of the National Diversity Coalition for Donald Trump.
Thank you very much for joining us. A little bit of confusion here because some of the Congressional Black Caucus members said yesterday that Donald Trump was invited to speak at one of the events and did not. But, Bruce, was Donald Trump invited to tonight's dinner, and if so why did he decide not to?
BRUCE LAVELLE, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, NATIONAL DIVERSITY COALITION FOR DONALD TRUMP: I don't know, Don. I don't know -- I can't speak for the campaign, however, I've been busy running the largest diversity coalition in a Republican candidate's history so I don't know to answer that.
LEMON: Do you think he should have gone? Because they said he would have been welcomed?
LAVELLE: Well, I mean, I don't know. I don't -- like I said, I don't know if he was invited. I'm sure. You know, there is a lot of times that, you know, all you have to do is just invite Mr. Trump. It's not so much that he doesn't to attend, or whatever, just invite him. Like you would invite anyone else.
LEMON: I know, but if you are the head of the coalition, wouldn't you want your candidate --
LAVELLE: Well --
LEMON: -- at an event this big and is so important to voters, to people of color?
LAVELLE: I am head of the largest national diversity, meaning we represent Korean-Americans for Trump, African-Americans for Trump, Muslim Americans for Trump, Hispanic Americans for Trump, which you can go on NDCTrump.com and click on who we are. We represent all different types of facets, especially a lot of the minority bases across the country. So, you know, our Web is bigger. We're not just one small group. We're a larger group of Americans from all different ethnic background.
LEMON: But the larger -- the larger groups of Americans that you're speaking of are made up of smaller groups. And this is a big group of African-Americans.
LAVELLE: Right.
LEMON: Big enough and powerful enough to be carried live on CNN and 230,000 countries around the world. Your candidate is not there. That's my question.
LAVELLE: Yes. Well, like I said, I don't do the scheduling. You know, I run the diversity coalition, NDCTrump. But, you know, I -- you know, it is a great event. It is a great venue.
But, Don, I do want to make one point if I might, if I might add.
LEMON: Sure.
LAVELLE: One thing, I had time to really watch yesterday and kind of digest and, you know, kind of sleep on it and watch what the -- you know, the press conference that the CBC had. You know, I'd like to have a press conference for NDC Trump, you know, and bring all the different cultures to the forefront, to all the American people to see from all the different ethnic backgrounds who support Donald Trump.
But one thing that really bothered me that was -- it kind of hurt the fact that every -- when every Congress person went up there and had a chance to speak, the only thing that came out was hate, you know, racists, you know, fraud, all these things. If I were a voter in my district and my congresswoman or congressman went up there, I would be wanting them to fight for, you know, real policies and issues that relates to trying to, you know, help our HPCU colleges get bigger and stronger. You know, fight to bring a company in our district for jobs.
LEMON: OK.
LAVELLE: Not sit up there and say hateful, racist comments.
LEMON: I get your point.
LAVELLE: But, you know -- but, Don.
LEMON: I want to get Symone in because she hasn't had time to speak. And I just have a short time left for the segment.
LAVELLE: For possibly --
SYMONE: So, Don -- so, Don, what I want to say in response to that is.
LEMON: Let him finish, Symone. Let him --
SYMONE SANDERS, CLINTON SUPPORTER: OK.
(CROSSTALK)
LAVELLE: One second. For possibly respectfully for the next president of the United States. That is not really fair for the American people, for them to say that.
LEMON: OK, we get your point. Go ahead, Symone.
SANDERS: So, Don, I think to kind of help Bruce understand why member after member got up in that press conference yesterday and said what they had to say about Donald Trump was because, when the Dredd-Scott decision happened, the Dredd-Scott decision way back when, said that an African-American, whether he or she was a free black person or someone that was, you know, recently enslaved or whatnot, was not a citizen, and that is why we had to have the 14th Amendment to the Constitution to submit that African-American people in this country, black people in this country are citizens.
[20:50:10] So when you have someone like Donald Trump and many folks that carried the conspiracy of this birther movement, bringing that up, that's opening up an old wound, an old wound that says black people in this country aren't citizens, that questions if we belong here. So that's why those CBC members got up there and said that.
And so one has to wonder, you know, did Donald Trump believe what he was saying? And CBC members responded to that. Or, you know, was he playing on the feelings of voters, some people in the Republican base and some people in his own base, and he knew that this would get them riled up and propel him to where he is right now.
LEMON: It was -- it was also that the tone, Bruce, of his comments yesterday on birther, the brevity of those comments. And for also -- for comments like this one. Play this of Donald Trump, please.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SANDERS: It is time for a change. What do you have to lose by trying something new? I will fix it. Watch. I will fix it. You have nothing to lose. Nothing to lose.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LEMON: And some of those "what do you have to lose" has been your -- you know, your schools are failing, your neighborhoods are unsafe, you don't have jobs, sort of casting African-Americans in a role as being always the victims of crime, unemployed, uneducated. Many African- Americans found fault in that and many of those African-Americans were CBC members and they were voicing that concern yesterday.
LAVELLE: Well, I disagree. You know, that is not -- that is only applicable, Don. You know, we have situations in a lot of our cities across the country, you know, Detroit, you know, Los Angeles, here in Atlanta, a lot of places but, you know, in all due respect, in most of these cities that we're talking about under the same old Democrat regime.
So the question is do you want to try something different? Do you want to have an opportunity to bring school choice in to some of these schools and not say, well, the federal government has mandated that you have to go here, to give a black child an opportunity to get a voucher and let that mom and dad choose another school?
These policies have been failing, though, Don. This is not a broad brush around -- remember, I'm a black person, too.
LEMON: OK. Yes.
LAVELLE: So, you know, this --
LEMON: We can see that. We can see that. But here's the thing.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We know.
LEMON: The issue is --
LAVELLE: I know, right?
LEMON: The question -- and there are people -- that's not me laughing. There are other people in the room. But here's the thing. That people see the campaign and not just the candidate as tone deaf. That, you know, they're saying, listen, some of that may be important, yes, school choice may be important, maybe it will help out, but your candidate and your campaign is tone deaf when it comes to speaking with and to African-Americans and not at African-Americans and not insulting them by your language.
Symone, am I wrong with that?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: No, I think that's absolutely right. And I'd also add if Mr. Trump would like to come and make that case to African-American voters then he has had many opportunities. He's missing one right now. Maybe not at this dinner, but all this week he was in D.C. a couple days ago. He could have spoke to members of the Congressional Black Caucus and people who are attending the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation Annual legislative conference. So I think voters really do have questions if Donald Trump is actually sincere in his outreach because every single opportunity it seems that he's had to address African-American voters. He's either declined, been busy, or just, you know, couldn't be bothered with an invitation.
LEMON: Mm-hmm. Bruce?
LAVELLE: Well, this is what I do know. Donald Trump has out- campaigned Hillary Clinton 2-1. His rallies command 20,000 40,000 people minimum at his venues from all over the country. He takes the entire news -- we're averaging 20-plus million plus viewers every time.
The word is getting out, guys. It's not something that people of color from all over the country don't see what's going on. So that's an unfair statement to say that, you know, Donald Trump's message is not getting out to black communities --
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: No, what I said -- I want to be clear, Bruce. What I said was is Donald Trump is not going to African-American voters to speak to them. And I'd also note as someone who was a staffer on the Bernie Sanders campaign, where we garnered the most people in attendance of any presidential candidate now -- then or now, that attendance is not an indication of if you're winning or if people are going to come out to the polls and support you.
LEMON: Well, it also -- in those rallies, too, he's also made a concerted effort over the last couple of weeks to reach out specifically to African-Americans to get him over that threshold that he needs for electoral votes in this country. So make sure you guys will be with us next hour. Bruce. Thank you. I've got to get to a break. But stay with us. Hillary Clinton expected to take the podium at any moment. We're going to be back after a quick break. The president of the United States will speak after that.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[20:58:56] LEMON: Hello, everyone. Don Lemon here. We want to welcome our viewers joining us from around the world this hour.
What you're looking at now, I want to tell you, as we are watching these pictures from the Congressional Black Caucus as we await the president of the United States to speak and also the presidential candidate, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, to speak at this.
You're looking at this is Jennifer Pinkney. She is the widow of Clemento Pinkney who died at the Emanuel AME church in January 2015, it's awful, where nine people were killed. She was actually in the church when her husband was killed. Again she is getting an award this evening. There she is up at the podium with her children.
Again, President Barack Obama is going to speak here, deliver his final keynote address before the Congressional Black Caucus foundation dinner. The president is expected to issue a call to action to stop Donald Trump here. And at any minute now, Trump's main moment is going to go take the stage and that is Hillary Donald. She's going to be accepting the organization's Trailblazer Award. main opponent is going to take the stage. She is Hillary Clinton. She's going to be accepting the organization's Trailblazer Award.
CNN's senior Washington correspondent is Jeff Zeleny. He is inside the room. He is watching this very closely, Jeff, as we look at Jennifer Pinkney leaving the stage, accepting this award. Her husband being killed, the pastor of that church being, in January of 2015 inside the Emanuel AME Church.
