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The Lead with Jake Tapper
Live Coverage of the Democratic Convention; Tim Kaine Nominated as Vice President. Aired 4:30-5p ET
Aired July 27, 2016 - 16:30 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[16:30:02]
REP. MARCIA FUDGE (D), OHIO: Senator Tim Kaine.
(APPLAUSE)
FUDGE: Representative...
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
FUDGE: Representative Bobby Scott from Virginia has placed Senator Kaine's name in nomination. Seconding the nomination is Doris Crouse- Mays, the president of the Virginia AFL-CIO, and Walter Tejada, a community leader and advocate from Arlington, Virginia.
There being only one person nominated, the chair will entertain a motion to suspend the rules and nominate Tim Kaine by acclimation as the vice presidential candidate of the Democratic Party.
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
FUDGE: Is there a second?
All in favor of the motion to suspend the rules and nominate by acclimation Tim Kaine as the Democratic Party's vice presidential candidate, please say aye.
AUDIENCE: Aye!
FUDGE: All opposed?
Two-thirds -- two-thirds of the delegates having voted in the affirmative, the motion to suspend the rules and nominate by acclimation is adopted.
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
FUDGE: Pursuant to our convention rules, Senator Tim Kaine has been invited to make an acceptance speech. I am pleased to inform you that Senator Kaine thanks you and he will deliver his speech later tonight.
JAKE TAPPER, CNN ANCHOR: Tim Kaine, the senator from the Commonwealth of Virginia, his name has been placed into nomination to be Hillary Clinton's vice presidential pick.
Van Jones, what are the chants that we were hearing just there?
VAN JONES, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: It sounded like they were saying roll call, roll call, probably good some Bernie holdouts hoping that maybe Bernie could get it.
And I guarantee you, if you offer dogcatcher, they're going to want him to have dogcatcher. They love Bernie Sanders.
TAPPER: Let's go to Jeff Zeleny right now. He's on the floor and can bring us an update to what is going on down there?
Jeff Zeleny? Jeff Zeleny on the convention floor?
Well, while we're waiting for that to happen, let's go back to our conversation.
Mayor Nutter, I wanted to give you a chance to respond to something I said that you took a little bit issue with. I went to South Philadelphia, and all I said was I don't -- look, I do not think Donald Trump is going to win the Democratic bastion of the city of Philadelphia.
MICHAEL NUTTER (D), FORMER MAYOR OF PHILADELPHIA: Right.
TAPPER: But I found voters there, Democrats, people who I think voted for you twice, people who I think voted for Donald Trump twice, who I think seemed to be leaning towards voting for Donald Trump, at least right now in July.
NUTTER: Well, it just means we have more work to do. Look, it's a free country. It's a big city.
People have all kinds of things on their minds. And this is a quite unusual election year. But I will be sure to convey the word down to South Philadelphia we need to tighten up a little bit.
(LAUGHTER)
TAPPER: Sure.
But, Van, this is a concern you have, white working-class voters, blue-collar voters, and what they think of Hillary Clinton and whether they think Donald Trump will fight for them better than she will.
JONES: And I got to say, look, I love this convention. This is a convention designed for me to be happy, too much popcorn, to grow my nose and to feel great.
But if the only people who like the convention are people like me, the Democrats are in trouble. Donald Trump sells exclusion. And it just makes everybody upset. I'm going to exclude the Muslims. I'm going to exclude the Mexicans. But he gets something for doing that.
What he gets is the opportunity to make an argument national security. I'm excluding the Muslims to give you national security. I'm excluding the Mexicans to give you economic security. We're talking about inclusion, but we have not yet rounded the bases
to talk about the economic security or the national security.
GLORIA BORGER, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL ANALYST: Well, but that is going to happen tonight. And that is Leon Panetta. That's Barack Obama.
(CROSSTALK)
JONES: Let me say something about it, though.
I think, if that happens, then great, and everybody will get a cookie and we will all be happy. But I think that to go two days and not scratch that itch is a risk.
(CROSSTALK)
[16:35:05]
S.E. CUPP, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: Actually, eight months, one could argue.
I think the problem with these two candidates we have is one seems insufficiently informed, and the other has seem insufficiently outraged. It's a little tough to make up for that in two hours on one night. I think that is what Trump has tapped into consistently, this insufficient outrage over the anger, the fear.
His policy answers are wrong, but he is right that people are angry and afraid. And when President Obama comes up, Hillary Clinton comes up and says we're above this anger, we're above this division, why all the fear-mongering, I think that strikes a lot of people as out of touch.
TAPPER: David?
DAVID GERGEN, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL ANALYST: It seems to me that in these two nights, the Democrats have had a very good feel-good kind of quality to this convention.
And I thought Michelle Obama and Bill Clinton both gave wonderful speeches. I don't think they have yet framed the choice for voters. And Bill Clinton tried to go there last night, want to choose the real one or the fictitious Hillary. But they need to get to a choice.
And somehow Trump continues to define the race. And the Democrats need to take that away from him. What is this race about? What is her presidency all about? What is the reason for her wanting to be president? That I think is the challenge of the next two nights.
TAPPER: Let's go to Jeff Zeleny, who is on the floor and can bring us more.
Jeff, you're with the Virginia delegates. Tell us what is going on.
JEFF ZELENY, CNN SENIOR WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT: I am, Jake. I am here in the Virginia delegation, where there were cheers here for
Tim Kaine when he was nominated by voice vote, but behind me over there in the Louisiana, Colorado, and Delaware delegations, as well as elsewhere, there were chants of roll call, roll call. They wanted there to be a roll call vote on Tim Kaine's nomination to be vice president.
The reality here is that some liberals, yes, are upset. But the other reality here most Clinton people and others have not yet taken their seats here. They were momentarily overwhelmed. They turned up the music loud at that moment to kind of drown out the roll call votes.
But there is still a sense of question about Tim Kaine. But I was just talking to a woman from Virginia who had a Bernie Sanders hat on and a Tim Kaine button. She said they just need to get to know him. He actually is a moral progressive, in her words. But when he is introduced here tonight on this floor, Jake, it will be interesting to see his reception.
TAPPER: All right, Jeff Zeleny, thanks.
On the stage right now, Neera Tanden, a friend of THE LEAD, but we're cruelly not taking her speech right now.
We're going to take a very quick break. When we come back, we will have much more live coverage from the Democratic National Convention.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[16:42:06]
TAPPER: Texas Congressman Sheila Jackson Lee is speaking right now. Let's listen in.
REP. SHEILA JACKSON LEE (D), TEXAS: And no hope for the researcher who might find a cure for cancer.
We cannot elect a leader who is willfully ignorant to the outcry of young people who want real criminal justice reform and responsible gun safety legislation now, not another Newtown, Charleston, Orlando, Baton Rouge, or Dallas.
The Republicans' nominees of fear are not for our America. So, Democrats, what our mission is today, we must be determined in our fight, demanding of each other, discerning of the facts and demonstrative of our movement.
The universe is sometimes dark, but there are bright, bright, bright stars that light our way. And they will guide us to a safer, more prosperous and more equitable America. The winds of change are at our backs, Clinton and Kaine, and we must march on, march on, march on. And together, together, we can elect Hillary Clinton.
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
JACKSON LEE: So stand up, Democrats. Stand up and see those stars, that lightness. Stand up, Democrats, and see the light.
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
TAPPER: Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee, Democrat of Texas, who has been in the House since 1995.
I'm joined here in the suite by the panel.
Mayor Nutter, you wanted to make a point.
NUTTER: Going back to something David said, David, I understand the nature of your concern about how things have progressed along.
I would only suggest that we all know the first rule in politics is secure the base, make your case, define yourself. And so we saw what happened on Monday. It was a little rocky of a start. And through yesterday, we have now seen, I believe, a very different sense of environment in the Wells Fargo Center here.
And now the Democrats are united and ready for a message and then to go on and define who we are and what we're going to do.
(CROSSTALK)
GERGEN: Where does that message come from? Does it come from President Obama on from Hillary Clinton?
NUTTER: I think it started last night with the redefining of Hillary Clinton by President Clinton in, as you said, a very personal kind of way, this lineup of speakers, the president, the vice president, the vice presidential nominee, Michael Bloomberg. That starts the message. And then you get to tomorrow.
TAPPER: Let's go to Andre.
LT. GOV. ANDRE BAUER (D), SOUTH CAROLINA: I think they're missing it.
NUTTER: Well, of course you do.
BAUER: Look, people are frustrated. They're frustrated.
It -- Donald Trump did it with the Republican Party too. They are fed up, not with the Republicans, Democrats. They're fed up with all of them. They want to oust everybody in Washington. The Federal Reserve is not raising rates. Caterpillar worldwide is down 12 percent. Apple, stocks were down.
The message is out there that things haven't gotten better and you've got 13 of the 18 people speaking tonight that are either politicians or former politicians.
If they want to get that working class people, they ought to have Bill Gates. They ought to have Warren Buffett. They need a businessman saying here is why the Democrat can do it better than the businessman.
(CROSSTALK) BAUER: You still have politicians making all the deliveries, almost all of them and people are sick of politicians. Why do you think Donald Trump beat up an unbelievable field of Republicans?
GLORIA BORGER, CNN CHIEF POLITICAL ANALYST: This is the problem with incumbency. You have a two-term Democratic president. You have to make the case that things have come a long way, but they have a long way to go.
BAUER: So you don't load the stage with more of them --
BORGER: But you are an incumbent president and unlike, you know, with Donald Trump, nobody wanted to show up. Here, everybody wants to speak.
BAUER: Yes, they are fighting out beside the gate still mad about Bernie.
MICHAEL NUTTER, CNN POLITICAL CONTRIBUTOR: I appreciate advice from Republicans about how Democrats should do their business, but --
BAUER: I criticize Republicans, too.
JAKE TAPPER, CNN HOST: Let me ask a question that builds on what Andre is arguing, which is I think that one of the most effective speeches, not the biggest crowd pleaser, not the longest, not the most fiery.
But one of the most effective was the woman who was in one of the towers on 9/11, had burns over 80 percent of her body, and Hillary Clinton actually went to the hospital, spent time with her, and she talked about Hillary Clinton as a human being, as a person.
And she was not a politician, she was a real person, it is still stuck in my head. I don't know that Andre is wrong, but there haven't been -- I don't think there's exactly been an excess of people like that.
BORGER: And there should be more, but you talk to the mothers -- you heard from the mothers that Hillary Clinton met with -- what they're trying to do is say there is a difference between career politician and public service, and that what she did was act as a public servant. Yes, they want to hear that.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's a hard sale.
TAPPER: We have to take another quick break as the third day of the Democratic National Convention is now under way. We are going to have more live coverage after this break. Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[16:51:23]
TAPPER: Welcome back to THE LEAD. I'm Jake Tapper. We're live from the Democratic National Convention in the city of brotherly love, beautiful Philadelphia. Joining me now is Congressman Xavier Becerra of California. Congressman, thanks so much for joining us. Appreciate it.
REPRESENTATIVE XAVIER BECERRA (D), CHAIRMAN, HOUSE DEMOCRATIC CAUCUS: Of course, Jake.
TAPPER: So let me ask you a question, Van Jones, who are sitting to, on Sunday told me that the selection of Tim Kaine was a big disappointment to African-American and Latino supporters of Hillary Clinton who were hoping that this would not be yet another all-white ticket. Was this a missed opportunity by Hillary Clinton?
BECERRA: Did you really say that?
TAPPER: I paraphrased it.
BECERRA: Look, I think Tim Kaine is one of the greatest role models you can have. He is certainly someone who can communicate to people in English or in Spanish. He has made a mark in the state of Virginia. He has done a number of things that would impress anyone from whatever community especially his commitment to social justice. So I think once people get to know who Tim Kaine is, they will love him as vice president.
TAPPER: Respectfully you didn't answer my question.
BECERRA: No, I think Tim Kaine was a marvelous choice. I think most people would have said to you a year ago Tim Kaine would be the person that Hillary Clinton would pick. The fact that there were other names, I think is good. It just shows that our bench is deep, but Tim Kaine is as qualified as they come. And he is going to impress a lot of folks.
TAPPER: You were one of those names so I'm going to drop it because I recognize you're being quite chivalrous right now in your comments. This convention has been some marked by some moments of disunity.
I understand that the emphasis right now is on the unity, but there has been some disunity. In fact, you yourself have been interrupted by passionate Sanders supporters. It was a moment from yesterday's California delegation breakfast.
(VIDEO CLIP)
TAPPER: The Sanders supporters, will they ever get on board you think?
BECERRA: They will. I think a number of them will. Some will never, but that's OK. We're not going to get 100 percent of the vote for Hillary Clinton. We are going to try. What is important is that on the Democratic side, we have a lot of energy.
You can see sometimes it is aggressive, but it is energy. I would rather have energy than couch potatoes, or folks like Donald Trump who are advocating things that are crazy. So we are going to do well. You can see from day one how we progressed and now we are starting to hit our stride. When Michelle Obama finished on Tuesday night it was like "wow."
TAPPER: One of the criticisms of this convention is there has not been much direct appeal, many direct appeals to white working class voters, who obviously are key demographic in states like Pennsylvania, states like Ohio. There's been a lot of outreach to Latinos, African- Americans, to progressives, but not so much to white working class voters, are you concerned about that criticism? Is it on target?
BECERRA: I would disagree completely. Raising wages, white working class voters, that is exactly down their sweet spot. Making sure they can afford the health care so they could take their kid to a hospital, a sweet spot.
Making sure that violence on the streets isn't committed by some foreign terrorist or some crazy guy from the United States of America, that is their sweet spot. I think we are hitting the spots, just that you can't classify folks that way.
TAPPER: All right, Congressman Becerra, always good to see you. Thanks so much. Have a good convention.
I want to go to Jeff Zeleny right now who is on the floor and has some breaking news for us. Jeff, I understand that at one point there was a congressman who was supposed to officially give a speech nominating Tim Kaine, and yet his speech was pulled and you have more reporting on that.
[16:55:02]JEFF ZELENY, CNN SENIOR WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT: That's right, Jake. Congressman Bobby Scott, a Democrat of Virginia was scheduled to speak for 3 minutes to place Tim Kaine's name into nomination. It's a formality, but also an introduction of him here.
That speech was pulled because convention officials, the Clinton campaign was afraid of boos from Sanders supporters and other progressive groups. So they simply mentioned his name and then they called for a voice roll call vote.
And then turned up the music instantly like we said earlier, there were some shouts of roll call, roll call, but not having a formal speech to place Tim Kaine's name into nomination formally by Bobby Scott.
An African-American congressman from Virginia certainly is a sign that all wounds here have not healed between Sanders and Clinton supporters.
TAPPER: Much more live coverage of the Democratic National Convention right after this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
