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Biden Picks Senator Kamala Harris as Running Mate; Rise of Kamala Harris to National Prominence; Trump: Harris was Nasty, Horrible to Biden in Debates; Anti-Government Protests Erupt for Fourth Night in Beirut; Volunteers Help Neighbors Through Lebanon's Crisis. Aired 4-4:30a ET

Aired August 12, 2020 - 04:00   ET

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

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ROSEMARY CHURCH, CNN ANCHOR: Our viewers here in the United States for this hour of CNN NEWSROOM. I'm Rosemary Church.

And it is now official, Democrat Joe Biden has selected U.S. Senator Kamala Harris as his running mate in the race for the White House.

[04:05:00]

Biden's choice perhaps the most important one of his political career caps his months long search for a partner to challenge President Donald Trump in November's election. Biden's figures also historic. Harris is the first black and Asian-American woman on a U.S. major party ticket. In a tweet Biden called her a fearless fighter for the little guy and one of the country's finest public servants. The Democrats will appear together for the first time as running mates later today during a speech in Delaware.

Here's Jeff Zeleny with a closer look at the Biden-Harris ticket.

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JEFF ZELENY, CNN SENIOR WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT: Joe Biden's decision to pick Kamala Harris as his running mate is history in the making. Senator Harris from California will only be the third woman in U.S. history to be on a major party's presidential ticket as a running mate.

Certainly, other history-making factors as well. Her father was Jamaican. Her mother was Indian. She's the unique American story. She grew up in California a product of the civil rights movement as well.

But more important to this search the former Vice President I am told had his eye on a variety of candidates. He vetted nearly a dozen specific candidates. But it was Senator Harris in the end he kept coming back to. I'm told by his advisors one of the central reasons why is she had been tested in a national campaign. Of course she had run against him in the Democratic primary campaign but knew the rigors of that campaign.

And Joe Biden, of course, knows how difficult can it be on the national stage running for president. Of course this is his third time running for President and he knew that, you know, the potential of throwing in someone who had never been on a national stage as they try and do something very difficult in U.S. politics, that's defeating a sitting president. He knew he wanted someone with campaign experience.

But it's also this moment in time. This moment in the U.S.'s history here, with calls for racial justice, police reform, the coronavirus crisis. Certainly, she fits the moment at least in his view. So this is something that is going to be a fascinating dynamic going forward here.

President Trump already immediately went after Senator Harris called her nasty. He uses that word a lot to talk women he doesn't like to disparage. So this certainly injects history and energy onto the Democratic side of the ticket. But it also is interesting on the Republican side of the ticket really this is less than three months until the general election campaign here. The President has pledged to leave Mike Pence on the ticket as Vice President. But that's certainly is something that will be discussed going forward.

But we do know that on Wednesday in Wilmington, Delaware we will see Senator Harris for the first time next to Joe Biden. They will have an event and then have a fundraiser in the evening. So in this very unusual campaign, essentially a virtual campaign they will come together face-to-face. One we prefer the Democratic convention and then voting begins, early voting at least about one month from now.

Jeff Zeleny, CNN, Washington.

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CHURCH: Well, many top Democrats are rallying behind Kamala Harris' selection. Former President Barack Obama says she's more than prepared for the job. He goes on to say her own life story is one that I and so many others can see ourselves in. A story that says that no matter where you come from, what you look like, how you worship, or who you love there's a place for you here.

Hillary Clinton tweeted. I'm thrilled to welcome Kamala Harris to a historic Democratic ticket. She's already proven herself to be an incredible public servant and leader and I know she'll be a strong partner to Joe Biden. Please join me in having her back and getting her elected.

And this from Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms who was also in the running for the VP slot.

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KEISHA LANCE BOTTOMS, ATLANTA, GEORGIA MAYOR: I immediately thought of my 9-year-old daughter and what this will mean to her to look at television and to see someone who reflects all we encourage or girls to be and that's someone who is courageous, someone who works hard, someone who is, obviously, intelligent and well-studied and someone who cares and is willing to put themselves out to serve others. And so, it makes me proud. But I think more than that it should make our country proud that there will be representation at the highest office that represents who we are as a diverse people and what we value as a country.

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CHURCH: As we mentioned President Trump wasted no time slamming Kamala Harris as CNN Jeremy Diamond reports.

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JEREMY DIAMOND, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, it took less than two minutes into President Trump's first comments on the historic pick of Kamala Harris as Vice President Joe Biden's running mate the first black woman to be on a major party ticket for the President to refer to her as nasty and mean and disrespectful. Watch.

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DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Plus she was very, very nasty to one of the reasons that surprised me, she was very -- she was probably nastier than even Pocahontas to Joe Biden. She was very disrespectful to Joe Biden.

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And it's hard to pick somebody that's that disrespectful. When she said things during the debates, during the Democrat primary debates that were horrible.

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DIAMOND: Now those attacks play directly into racist and sexist stereotypes about black women. But the President making that he is not going to shy away from his divisive political playbook. One he used during the 2016 campaign when he referred to Hillary Clinton during a debate as a nasty woman and one, of course, that he has used since during his time as President.

Now despite the fact that the President insisted that Senator Harris was his number one draft pick in terms of someone who Vice President Biden would pick as his running mate Trump campaign advisors making very clear to me that Kamala Harris was by no means their number one pick. They would have much rather seen someone much more divisive, much more controversial like the former National Security Adviser Susan Rice or California Congresswoman Karen Bass. Those people, the Trump campaign advisors feel would have been able much more easily to brand them as part of this radical left.

But nonetheless the Trump campaign making very clear in a statement on Tuesday that they will continue with that strategy to tie both Senator Harris and former Vice President Joe Biden as part of this radical left despite the fact that Senator Harris is viewed as much more of a moderate within the Democratic Party, so much so she was even attacked by progressives as not progressive enough during the Democratic primary in 2020.

Jeremy Diamond, CNN, the White House.

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CHURCH: Some political watchers say Kamala Harris rose to national prominence within the Democratic party several years ago when she interrogated Trump nominees during Senate hearings like Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh and former U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions.

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SEN. KAMALA HARRIS (D-CA): Do you have any communication with any Russian businessmen or any Russian nationals?

JEFF SESSIONS, FORMER U.S. ATTORNEY GENERAL: I don't believe I had any conversation with a Russian businessman or Russian nationals.

HARRIS: Are you aware of any --

SESSIONS: Although a lot of people were at the convention. It's conceivable that somebody.

HARRIS: Sir, I have just a few --

SESSIONS: Will you let me qualify -- if I don't qualify, you'll excuse me of lying.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH: Well, as you heard, President Trump mentioned earlier, Harris made headlines when she attacked Joe Biden during the Democratic primaries last year. During the debate she criticized his work with segregation as senators and highlighted his fight against bussing Tuesday desegregate schools decades ago. And here's part of that exchange.

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HARRIS: Vice President Biden, I do not believe you are a racist. It was hurtful to hear you talk about the reputations of two United States Senators who built their reputations and career on segregation of race in this country. And it was not only that but you also worked with them to oppose bussing. And, you know, there was a little girl in California who was part of the second class to integrate her public schools and she was bussed to school every day. And that little girl was me.

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CHURCH: Well, some members of Biden's vetting team reportedly resisted choosing Harris but ultimately, he defended her and picked her as his running mate.

So let's talk now with CNN political commentator, Bakari Sellers. He's also a former South Carolina state representative. Good to have you with us.

BAKARI SELLERS, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: Thank you so much for having me.

CHURCH: So why do you think Joe Biden selected Kamala Harris? Was she always the clear choice to meet this moment given her political and legal credentials and her background?

SELLERS: I don't think she was a given. I don't think she was a slam dunk. I think that one of the benefits she had over some of the other candidates who by the way were more than qualified, Karen Bass more than qualified, Val Demings, Susan Rice, and Tammy Duckworth. The list goes on and on and on. There were a vast list of qualified women of color.

So let me start there. But Kamala Harris did have a relationship with Joe Biden. It dates back to her time as Attorney General and her relationship with Joe Biden. She's also never lost a race, a lot like Amy Klobuchar, to be exact. But she's been district attorney in San Francisco. She's been statewide elected official as Attorney General. And now she is, again, a statewide elected official in the largest state of the union by being a United States Senator. And so, she brought all of these qualifications to the table.

And at the end of the day I think it was not only history because she's not only the first African-American female to be at the top of the ticket, she's also the first person Indian-American descent to be at the top of the ticket.

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So today is a big day in our country's history. I mean, it's kind of weird that we're here so many centuries after our country's founding but I'm very proud of today. I'm proud of the Democratic party and we'll see what happens between now and November.

CHURCH: Indeed, and of course, the Trump campaign immediately attacked Kamala Harris, excusing her of embracing the left's radical manifesto. And then President Trump called her nasty. His catch phrase for most women. So how will Harris likely strike back against these and other attacks that will inevitably keep coming?

SELLERS: Well she's tough. And I think that's one of the things that Joe Biden recognized. She's actually been through the gauntlet, the political gauntlet. Remember she did run for president of the United States and so she's been somebody who has been on the stage before.

But she's not out there be to an attack dog by any stretch. And these attacks by Donald Trump are going to really fall on deaf ears. I mean, he's having a really difficult problem. Donald trump has never dealt with black women particularly well. Whether or not it's April Ryan or Eunique, or Jemele Hill and the list goes on and on and on and now, Kamala Harris.

And so, they're having a great deal of trouble trying to figure out how they deal with the future of this country. And I said it earlier and I'll say it again. The Republican Party is going backwards. I mean, while they're embracing confederate monuments and confederate flags and what the country once was, you now have a ticket and a party that is representing the future. And that's why people are excited about what Joe Biden has done today not only being the Vice President to the first black President, but now actually running for president and bringing along the first black, especially female who is the vice- presidential nominee.

CHURCH: And Bakari, one of the first big tests that Kamala Harris will face is a vice presidential debate with her counterpart Mike Pence. How will that likely go given what we already know about both of them, and their debating skills?

SELLERS: Yes, that's not going to be anything. I mean, we're not worried about that. I mean, I think that there are a lot of people like myself who -- and when you look at it, if all things were even between Kamala Harris and the rest of the individuals who were in the running to be vice president, you know that she by far is the person who you want on the debate stage. She's not only excelled in the courtroom but here we are, I mean, there's nobody who can tell you how hard a Kamala Harris punch is other than Joe Biden. Right?

So, we're here, and Mike Pence really doesn't stand a chance on the debate stage with Kamala Harris. He might even be prepared. And somebody who is going to be able to effectively run circles around him. That's going to be a good day. Get your popcorn ready. I refer to the great American (INAUDIBLE).

CHURCH: Will be watching very closely. Bakari Sellers, thank you so much as always.

SELLERS: Thank you for having me, Rosemary.

CHURCH: And Kamala Harris' nomination means one thing for sure, comedic actress Maya Rudolph is going to be busy. She garnered an Emmy nomination for her portrayal of the California Senator on "Saturday Night Live". Just take a look.

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UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We'd also would like to welcome California Senator Kamala Harris.

Maya Rudolph, comedian, Saturday Night Live: Now, Erin that little girl you just introduced, that little girl was me.

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CHURCH: Rudolph was participating in an "Entertainment Weekly" panel when the news brook Tuesday. She said she was surprised and that the news of the VP pick was spicy.

Still to come on CNN NEWSROOM a fourth day of unrest in Beirut. Protesters are furious over the catastrophic explosion at the port and we'll have the very latest. That's next.

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CHURCH: Now to Lebanon where thousands of people held a solemn vigil for the victims of last week's massive explosion in Beirut. More than 170 people were killed, 6,000 were wounded, and hundreds of thousands are now homeless. Later protesters returned to the streets facing off against police who responded with tear gas. The demonstrators aren't satisfied with the resignation of Lebanon's government, they want the ruling elite stripped of power. And with the government apparently falling short in the cleanup and aftermath of the explosion people of Beirut are literally taking matters into their own hands. CNN's Ben Wedeman has our report.

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BEN WEDEMAN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Aya Fakhouri car is loaded with bread and other supplies. She and her friends are part of a massive volunteer effort filling the void left by a government and political elite that on the ground appear to have done very little.

AYA FAKHOURI, VOLUNTEER: They're not doing anything. They are sitting in their houses, spending our money. It's ridiculous.

WEDEMAN: The state in the form of (INAUDIBLE) is present in the streets of the badly damaged neighborhood of Mar Mikhael, sitting and watching.

Store owner Elie Latouf hasn't ruled out government aid will eventually come.

Not yet. Not yet, it's still early. It takes seven or eight years he says.

No one from the state has come to check on us. No one never says his wife Leila. We thank the people who have helped us.

Fellow shop keeper, Salah Kamoua, is looking beyond Lebanon's borders for assistance.

SALAH KAMOUA, SHOPKEEPER: No, no, no, if we don't have support from outside Lebanon, they can do anything.

WEDEMAN: The governor of Beirut says the cost of the damage will total at least $5 billion. The government has allocated $66 million in disaster relief and for reconstruction.

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(on camera): Over the weekend donor nations agreed to provide Lebanon with almost $300 million in emergency aid but that aid comes with a very pointed condition. It must not be channeled through the Lebanese government presumably to ensure it doesn't fall into the pockets of corrupt officials. (voice-over): Even a group of South Korean residents has set up a tent

where they provide snacks, refreshments and facemasks. The streets here team with volunteers helping however they can. Among them Nareen Kambejian.

NAREEN KAMBEJIAN, VOLUNTEER: Everyone cares for each other. But we have a government that doesn't even care about us.

WEDEMAN: The many short coming of the Lebanese state are well-known to the people here and that familiarity has bred nothing but contempt.

Ben Wedeman, CNN, Beirut.

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CHURCH: Well, dramatic new developments in Belarus where the opposition candidate in the presidential election says she fled to Lithuania to protect her children. After claiming Sunday's vote was rigged, a video of her surfaced Tuesday calling for an end to anti- government protests and saying the nation has made its choice. But her supporters fear she was forced into saying that and threatened into hiding by the longtime President. Her husband is in jail and several members of her campaign have also been detained.

Meanwhile the tense protests over the election continue on the streets of Minsk. The EU is now threatening sanctions on Belarus calling the election neither free nor fair.

In Hong Kong, a pro-democracy newspaper owner arrested under the national security law has posted bail. Jimmy Lai was detained Monday on suspicion of colluding with foreign powers and police raided the headquarters of his "Apple Daily" newspaper. Critics called his detention an attack on press freedom. Authorities claim they are targeting individual offenders not entire media organizations.

Well, Russia says it has the world's first vaccine for COVID-19. But experts question whether the vaccine is safe and effective. We'll look at that on the other side of the break. Stay with us.

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