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Tim Walz Accepts Nomination as Vice President During Night Three of the DNC; Search Efforts for the Remaining Passenger onboard a sunken Superyacht is Ongoing; Indian PM Visits Poland and Ukraine; Celebrities Shed Light at Night Three of the DNC to Support Harris- Walz Ticket; Taylor Swift Addresses the Vienna Terror Plot for the First Time After the Eras Tour-Europe Leg. Aired 3-4a ET
Aired August 22, 2024 - 03:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[03:00:00]
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KIM BRUNHUBER, CNN ANCHOR: Hello and welcome to all of you watching us around the world. I'm Kim Brunhuber. This is "CNN Newsroom."
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
OPRAH WINFREY, AMERICAN HOST AND TELEVISION PRODUCER: Together, let's all choose Kamala Harris!
GOV. TIM WALZ (D-MN), U.S. VICE PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: And as the next president of the United States always says, when we fight--
(CROWD chanting We win!)
WALZ: When we fight--
(CROWD chanting We win!)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BRUNHUBER: Kamala Harris' running mate and a superstar endorsement, we've got all the highlights from day three of the Democratic National Convention.
Search efforts continue for the last missing passenger from a sunken superyacht while on a live report from Sicily.
And Russia under attack, the latest on the Ukrainian incursion including mass drone strikes.
UNKNOWN (voice-over): Live from Atlanta, this is "CNN Newsroom" with Kim Brunhuber.
BRUNHUBER: Democrats have wrapped up the third night of their national convention in Chicago, hearing from the number two person on the ticket, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
WALZ: It's the honor of my life to accept your nomination for Vice President of the United States.
(CHEERING)
(APPLAUSE)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BRUNHUBER: Walz introduced himself to voters, including anecdotes about his 24 years in the Army National Guard. He leaned into his career as a school teacher and a football coach, and he contrasted his progressive accomplishments as governor against those of his Republican rivals Donald Trump and J.D. Vance.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
WALZ: Some folks just don't understand what it takes to be a good neighbor. Take Donald Trump and J.D. Vance.
(BOOING)
WALZ: Their Project 2025 will make things much, much harder for people who are just trying to live their lives. They spent a lot of time pretending they know nothing about this. But, look, I coached high school football long enough to know, and trust me on this. When somebody takes the time to draw up a playbook, they're going to use it.
(CHEERING)
(APPLAUSE)
WALZ: And we know if these guys get back in the White House, they'll start jacking up the costs on the middle class. They'll repeal the Affordable Care Act.
(BOOING)
WALZ: They'll gut Social Security and Medicare
(BOOING)
WALZ: And they will ban abortion across this country, with or without Congress.
(BOOING)
WALZ: Here is the thing. It's an agenda nobody asked for.
(CHEERING)
WALZ: It's an agenda that serves nobody except the richest and the most extreme amongst us.
So, I don't know about you. I'm ready to turn the page on these guys. So, go ahead. Say it with me, "we're not going back."
(CROWD chanting We're not going back!)
WALZ: We've got something better to offer the American people. It starts with our candidate, Kamala Harris.
(CHEERING)
(APPLAUSE)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BRUNHUBER: Walz's speech moved his 17-year-old son, Gus, to tears. At one point, he stood up and pointed at the stage saying, that's my dad. Walz told delegates, this election is all about freedom.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
WALZ: When Republicans use the word freedom, they mean that the government should be free to invade your doctor's office.
(BOOING)
WALZ: Corporations free to pollute your air and water.
(BOOING)
WALZ: And banks free to take advantage of customers.
(BOOING)
WALZ: But when we, Democrats, talk about freedom, we mean the freedom to make a better life for yourself and the people that you love.
(CHEERING)
(APPLAUSE)
WALZ: Freedom to make your own healthcare decisions.
(CHEERING)
(APPLAUSE)
WALZ: And yeah, your kids' freedom to go to school without worrying about being shot dead in the hall.
I believe in the Second Amendment, but I also believe our first responsibility is to keep our kids safe.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BRUNHUBER: And the third night of the convention featured a surprise appearance from Oprah Winfrey, who urged voters to choose common sense over nonsense. Delegates also heard from former President Bill Clinton, former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, and the current House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries.
[03:05:04]
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BILL CLINTON, FORMER U.S. PRESIDENT: So in 2024, we got a pretty clear choice, it seems to me. Kamala Harris for the people.
(CHEERING)
(APPLAUSE)
CLINTON: And, the other guy who's proved even more than the first go- around that he's about me, myself, and I.
REP. HAKEEM JEFFRIES (D-NY), U.S. HOUSE MINORITY LEADER: Kamala Harris and House Democrats will protect Social Security, protect Medicare, protect Medicaid, protect the Affordable Care Act, protect working families, protect small businesses --
(CHEERING)
(APPLAUSE)
JEFFRIES: -- protect the middle class, protect free enterprise, protect our children, protect our seniors, protect our veterans, protect our unions, protect our Dreamers, and always protect a woman's freedom to make her own reproductive health care decisions.
(CHEERING)
(APPLAUSE)
GOV. JOSH SHAPIRO (D-PA): -- you all have the power. So let's use that power. Let's do the hard work necessary to win this election and write the next chapter in our American story. So, are you ready to protect our rights?
CROWD: Yes!
SHAPIRO: Are you ready to secure our freedoms?
CROWD: Yeah!
SHAPIRO: And are you ready to defend our democracy?
CROWD: Yeah!
SHAPIRO: And are you ready to elect Kamala Harris and Tim Walz?
CROWD: Yeah!
SHAPIRO: America, let's get to work.
WINFREY: -- soon and very soon, we're going to be teaching our daughters and sons about how this child of an Indian mother and a Jamaican father, two idealistic, energetic immigrants, immigrants.
(CHEERING)
(APPLAUSE)
WINFREY: How this child grew up to become the 47th president of the United States.
(CHEERING)
(APPLAUSE)
WINFREY: That is the best of America!
(APPLAUSE)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BRUNHUBER: Now CNN has learned Oprah Winfrey volunteered to appear at the convention and help Kamala Harris with her presidential campaign. One advisor said she's all in. We have more now on day three in Chicago from CNN's M.J. Lee.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
M.J. LEE, CNN SR. WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Minnesota Governor Tim Walz delivering the keynote speech of the evening, the third night of the Democratic National Convention, accepting the vice presidential nomination from the Democratic Party as we knew he would do.
He leaned into his biography knowing that this was going to be one of the biggest audiences he would have for certain before election day. And he wanted to introduce himself fully knowing that most people across America simply do not know who he is. He brought on stage people who have known him for years who could speak to his character and testify to the Tim Walz that they have known for many years. Here's a little bit of what he had to say about his background.
WALZ: You know, you might not know it, but I haven't given a lot of big speeches like this. But I have given a lot of pep talks.
It's the fourth quarter. We're down a field goal, but we're on offense and we've got the ball. We're driving down the field.
And boy, do we have the right team.
LEE: Now one person who was not in the arena tonight was of course Vice President Kamala Harris. Her team really kept her schedule light today knowing that she would take all of the time that she wanted today to really focus on her own speech, accepting the presidential nomination from her party tomorrow evening, the final night of the Democratic National Convention.
We know from speaking to her advisors that she has been spending the day really honing in on the delivery of that speech. I was told by one advisor that she has wanted to sort of think through how every sentence of that speech tomorrow night would land to the audience here in the United Center. But one thing that she did make sure that she did tonight was to give a call to her running mate Tim Walz and wish him luck before he made the speech.
This speech, of course, was the speech that the vice president herself was supposed to give to accept her party's nomination for the vice presidency. But that all, of course, changed a month ago.
MJ Lee, CNN in Chicago.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BRUNHUBER: For the second night in a row, the Democratic convention featured speeches from Republicans supporting Kamala Harris. Wednesday's guests included former Georgia Lieutenant Governor Geoff Duncan and former advisor to Vice President Mike Pence, Olivia Troye.
[03:10:06]
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GEOFF DUNCAN (R), FORMER GEORGIA LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR: Look, you don't have to agree with every policy position of Kamala Harris. I don't. But you do have to recognize her prosecutor mindset that understands right from wrong, good from evil. She's a steady hand and will bring leadership to the White House that Donald Trump could never do.
Republicans are being intellectually honest with ourselves. Our party is not civil or conservative. It's chaotic and crazy. And the only thing left to do is dump Trump.
Let me be clear to my Republican friends at home watching. If you vote for Kamala Harris in 2024, you're not a Democrat. You're a patriot.
(CHEERING)
(APPLAUSE)
OLIVIA TROYE, FORMER ADVISER TO MIKE PENCE: Those values made me a Republican. And they're the same values that make me proud to support Kamala Harris.
(CHEERING)
(APPLAUSE)
TROYE: Not because we agree on every issue, but because we agree on the most important issue, protecting our freedom. So to my fellow Republicans, you aren't voting for a Democrat, you're voting for democracy.
(CHEERING)
(APPLAUSE)
You aren't betraying our party. You're standing up for our country. (END VIDEOTAPE)
BRUNHUBER: Meanwhile, the Republican vice-presidential candidate is sounding off about the DNC. J.D. Vance spoke earlier with CNN's Jake Tapper, and he said Democratic attacks, along with their warnings about a second Donald Trump presidency, are at odds with their efforts to deliver a joyful convention message. Here he is.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. J.D. VANCE (R-OH), U.S. VICE PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: What you see from the Democrats is instead this argument that if you want to vote for Donald Trump because you want to change the direction of this country, you're somehow a bad person. And I really think that dark message really doesn't gel at all with the idea that somehow the Democrats are the joyful party. There's a lot of attacks on Donald Trump, a lot of criticisms of what he's done and what he said. Not a whole lot of positive vision for how Kamala Harris is going to fix the problems that plague the country.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BRUNHUBER: Trump and Vance campaigned in North Carolina Wednesday. They've been making their way through several swing states this week, trying to draw attention away from the Democrats' party in Chicago. In Asheboro, Trump made it clear he's been watching the DNC, calling it a charade, and accusing Democrats of talking more about him than the economy or the southern border.
Go to Los Angeles now, and Michael Genovese, the president of the Global Policy Institute at Loyola Marymount University. Thank you so much for being here with us again. So this was Waltz's opportunity to introduce himself on a national stage. How do you do?
MICHAEL GENOVESE, POLITICAL ANALYST AND PRESIDENT, LOYOLA MARYMOUNT UNIVERSITY-GLOBAL POLICY INSTITUTE: We did very well judging by the crowd at the arena, but I think he also did well nationally. He came off as the kind of common man hero, a Frank Capra kind of character, very genuine, relatable, likable, plain spoken and clear spoken.
His touching moment with his son, you mentioned it, his son Gus, who has learning disability, the young man tearfully stood up and going, that's my dad, that's my dad, the kind of open love that you saw between father and son was actually the most touching part of the whole the last three days.
BRUNHUBER: Yeah absolutely I mean you could see by the reaction that's really resonated with people. You know we saw Oprah Winfrey another moment that resonated with people, another star-studded night as we've seen all week. It seems that the democrats are really leaning into celebrity and pop culture, maybe hoping to target young voters who often don't vote. So do you think that will bear fruit?
GENOVESE: You know you're right, all put out the wild factor, and you know, she's really double kind of like Walz is very relatable people like both of them and, I think in part, Democrats are really focusing on young people, they have a little social influencers that the at the convention and really trying to focus a lot of that. They need to bring them back into the fold the way Obama did, and make that part of the old Obama coalition revisited.
She talked about decency, use the line you use common sense versus nonsense was very effective, optimism versus cynicism, spoke values in character and one of her great lines but the sweet promise of tomorrow over the bitter return to yesterday.
[03:15:01]
She was a great cheerleader for the -- for the Democrats. Also a great cheerleader was Stevie Wonder who was there singing "Higher Ground". I mean that to me was one of the highlights he brought down the house.
BRUNHUBER: Yeah, you touched on sort of the themes that they've been really hammering on, sort of that idea of the future going forward, the idea of hope and joy versus that sort of darker, you know, idea of the future that the Republicans have been looking at. Let's compare the two. I mean, so far in terms of viewers, the Democratic convention has so far outdrawn the Republicans by quite a bit. Contrast sort of the energy the humor and so on with what we've seen at the Republican convention so far, what do you see?
GENOVESE: We know the Democrats brought in a lot of heavy weights and they have the heavyweights to bring in you've seen both Clinton's, both Obama's star quality figures. Pink will be singing tomorrow night.
The Republicans don't have that kind of bullpen to draw on and so they went for, surprisingly, a bunch of wrestlers, kind of, make believe macho guys. And there was this great contrast between that sort of Republican version of wounded masculinity and a new version that the Democrats are trying to present Walz as the regular guy, the guy who was neighborly and will help you.
And the Democrats have used a lot of humor to try to get at that. There's nothing, nothing that hurts Donald Trump more personally than to be laughed at. And the democrats to the great job with a lot of laugh lines. Last night, Michelle Obama was great, Barack Obama was funny tonight, again a lot of joking and this congressman Jeffries and a number of them is hit a lot of laugh lines and words can have impact and humor used effectively can puncture the pompous in the puffed up and that's Donald Trump. So they were really going right after Trump.
BRUNHUBER: I want to ask you about something that's an issue that's sort of been percolating on the side, sort of off the stage. The pro- Palestinian group Uncommitted is now staging a sit-in because they say they've been denied a speaking spot at the convention. They're demanding a Palestinian-American voice be featured on stage. Considering how much passion this issue generates, especially among young Democrats, I mean, is that a mistake here from the party?
GENOVESE: I think the Democrats are worried about that such a thing might backfire on them. And modern conventions are heavily staged. They're infomercials more than they are anything else. And if you don't control the content, you run the risk of something collapsing.
And so I think the Democrats are very conscious of that and don't want to take the risk that something might be said, some conflict might brew, some trouble might ensue. And so the question is, is it -- is more beneficial to have them in the tent or out of the tent? And Democrats apparently have not yet decided that whether they will have a spokesperson available tomorrow night to speak.
BRUNHUBER: Speaking of tomorrow night, Kamala Harris, I guess this is tonight since were Thursday in the east. Kamala Harris is going to make that the keynote speech, so what are you expecting from her? I mean in the contest that we've already see the context of what we've seen, how, what does she have to do here?
GENOVESE: We know they have paved the way and smoothed the path for her so the doors wide open for her. What she needs to do is reintroduce herself to a country that knows her but doesn't know her well. And so she needs to set the narrative and basically explain to the American public who she really is. This is our best opportunity to do that.
Donald Trump will try to do a counter version of that by criticizing her and attacking her. But this is her chance. She'll have center stage. And if she can pull a big win over in the speech tomorrow night, she might be able to sustain that for quite a while. There's only 75 days left before the election. And so momentum is gonna be a big thing. She can really boost her chances if she does a great job tomorrow night, or tonight actually.
BRUNHUBER: Yeah. All right, we'll leave it there. Again, good to talk to you. Michael Genovese in Los Angeles. Thanks so much.
Crews have resumed their search for the last missing person from the luxury yacht that sank off the coast of Sicily. Emergency workers recovered the remains of four missing people on Wednesday and another body was brought back up a short time ago. The latest victims' names haven't been released. A body recovered earlier this week is thought to be that of the onboard chef. 15 people were rescued.
CNN's Barbie Latza Nadeau is live in Porticello, Sicily. So first, Barbie, what is the latest on the recovery mission behind you?
[03:19:58]
BARBIE LATZA NADEAU, CNN REPORTER: Yeah, you know, we just witnessed them bring that fifth body bag here to the staging area behind us. Now they're putting it in an ambulance and they'll take it for an autopsy. You know, we're waiting to have the official coroner's report in terms of the actual names. There's a lot of speculation who's been discovered, who's been brought, who's still on the ship.
We do know that there is still one missing person they're searching for a week. After they are finished with this process here behind me, they'll go back out to the debris field and try to locate that last missing person and bring that person back to shore. We haven't heard yet if they've actually located that person within this very large luxury yacht at the bottom of the Mediterranean, Kim.
BRUNHUBER: And then, Barbie, so to the investigation into what happened, what more can you tell us?
LATZA NADEAU: Yeah, we do know there is a criminal investigation ongoing. Now this is very normal in the context of Italian accidents like this, especially when it involves a foreign-fledged ship. We do know that they interviewed the captain for a couple of hours yesterday. They are said to be interviewing the rest of the survivors, of course, all, the 15, except all, the one-year-old girl obviously not.
And then after that they're going to have to make some determinations on whether or not there is criminal culpability or whether or not this was just an act of nature. But we expect that those interviews will continue on through today. You know the survivors, the 15 survivors are staying at a hotel right here on the shoreline with a direct view to this search and ongoing rescue operation. We do know of course this crew would have worked together and we know these passengers all knew each other so it's probably a very difficult situation for them Kim.
BRUNHUBER: Absolutely. All right. Barbie Latza Nadeau live in Porticello, Sicily. Thank you so much.
Still to come, how Ukraine is responding to Russian forces ramping up the pressure in both eastern Ukraine and in Kursk.
Plus, deadly Israeli strikes in Gaza amid the ongoing ceasefire talks. We'll have the latest from the region ahead this hour. Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BRUNHUBER: Russian defense officials say Ukraine has launched another mass drone attack on Russian territory with a military airfield in Volgograd in southwest Russia among the targets overnight. 28 drones were reportedly shot down overall and Russia says it has repelled a new Ukrainian incursion attempt in the border region of Bryansk. It neighbors the Kursk region where Ukraine's military is still advancing. The Ukrainian battalion commander tells CNN the Russian troops there are putting up more of a fight. They're ambushing Ukraine's forces and quote, "no longer surrender by the hundreds." He also says Russian forces have brought in more artillery and are using it more frequently, but aren't hitting their targets.
Meanwhile, Ukrainian troops are trying to defend a key city in Eastern Ukraine with Russian forces advancing faster than expected. Thousands of civilians in the city of Pokrovsk are being urged to leave now while they still have a chance.
[03:25:01]
CNN's Salma Abdelaziz joins me now from London. So Salma, first, what is the latest on the Ukrainian incursion, or should I say incursions?
SALMA ABDELAZIZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, absolutely. So in Kursk, you know, of course, that surprise offensive, that shock assault had Russian troops struggling to respond.
It's now been two weeks since that time and it appears they have been able to regroup, rearm and redeploy. U.S. officials said last week that Russian forces were being moved around to try to defend Kursk and now we're hearing from Ukrainian forces that say yes, they are facing heavy resistance. That these troops, as you mentioned, are being attacked are not surrendering in the same manner. They're also, Moscow is also, hitting Ukraine hard away from Kursk.
You mentioned what's going on in eastern Ukraine, in the Donetsk region, where Russian troops are advancing quickly, and hundreds of Ukrainians are being forced to flee their homes every day. President Zelenskyy spoke about this last night. Take a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY, UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT (through translator): The frontline, our positions, primarily in the Pokrovsk direction, our Donetsk region. We understand the enemy's moves and we are strengthening our defenses. A review of ammunition supplies has been conducted. It's very important that our partners fully meet their commitments regarding every package and all our agreements. This is fundamental for defense.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ABDELAZIZ: You heard there again, President Zelenskyy, pleading for more Western support, for more Western aid and help in that Russian advance that is coming quickly into Eastern Donetsk, again forcing those many people out, has local officials extremely alarmed and worried. I just want to read you a quote from one local official who was telling residents, don't wait, it will not get better, only worse, leave. A very stark warning for those living in that region.
Meanwhile, of course, you mentioned those tit-for-tat drone attacks that continue between Russia and Ukraine, Russia accusing Moscow in particular, the city of Moscow accusing Ukraine of launching its largest drone attack ever on the capital, Russia also accusing Ukraine of attacking a military site, a Russian military site near the border of Volgograd overnight and Ukrainians also. It's tit-for-tat drone attacks again here.
So Kyiv saying that overnight Russia hit Kyiv with dozens of drones. You continue to have that playing in the background while these front lines continue to move, shift in shape as Russian forces move around to try to meet this Ukrainian advance in Kursk.
BRUNHUBER: All right. Thanks so much. I appreciate that.
India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi is in Warsaw and will meet his Polish counterpart, Donald Tusk, next hour. But the next stop on Modi's trip is Ukraine. He's headed there on Friday, just weeks after a very friendly visit to Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow. Modi has called for a ceasefire, denouncing Russia's invasion.
So for more, we're joined now by CNN's Marc Stewart from Beijing. So Marc, take us through what we can expect and the importance of this visit to Poland and to Ukraine, especially in the context of the war.
MARC STEWART, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Right, Kim. Well, let's first talk about this visit to Poland because Prime Minister Narendra Modi has arrived. I believe we have some pictures of him getting off his aircraft in Warsaw.
This is a relationship between these two nations that actually dates back 70 years. In fact, in a statement from the prime minister's office, he refers to the Indian community in Poland as vibrant. This is very much a ceremonial visit in addition to some of these political meetings that he will be taking place.
But he's also spending time with the Indian community in Poland. And he gave some remarks today talking about some of these bigger issues facing the region, saying that he is stressing this idea of diplomacy and dialogue, adding that India in particular has been an advocate of permanent peace in this region. So very much a message of trying to create some kind of political stability because, you know, Poland, while on its own, also does share a border with Ukraine. So this is very much an issue facing Poland as well as the whole of Europe and the prime minister's presence in Poland and then going on to Ukraine.
It's obviously going to be very symbolic and the hope, Kim, especially when it comes to this visit to Ukraine, will lead to some substantive conversation between the two nations.
BRUNHUBER: Yeah we'll see. I mean Marc, a balancing act obviously from Modi trying to maintain relations with Ukraine on one hand and Russia on the other.
STEWART: It's a balancing act, as I was describing earlier. It's a very complicated relationship. And from what we are hearing from New Delhi is that really everything will be on the table when it comes to these discussions with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who did indeed personally invite Narendra Modi to Ukraine.
[03:30:00]
This will include economic discussions and of course, political and military discussions.
But I think a big point of discussion will be India's position on this Russian invasion of Ukraine. I mean, as you mentioned, Modi has called for a ceasefire in Ukraine, but has not condemned Russia's attacks and has not necessarily denounced this invasion.
It is also abstained from all votes in the United Nations when it comes to these matters. So this is going to be a very big talking point, especially after some of these images that we saw with Prime Minister Modi and Vladimir Putin embracing, while on that trip, it called for a lot of condemnation.
And, you know, there's also the economic factor involved. India has been getting cheap fuel from Russia, as it basically has been cut off from the West. But in addition, Ukraine and India over the years have had an economic relationship. India has supplied pharmaceuticals to Ukraine. Ukraine has helped with food such as grains which of course is been a staple of the Ukrainian economy. These two men have met before, Kim, on the sidelines of the G7 but this is going to be a face-to-face meeting at the invite of Volodymyr Zelenskyy so the thought is maybe that will have more prominence indeed.
KIM BRUNHUBER, CNN ANCHOR: We'll see you whether anything that comes out of this. Marc Stewart, live in Beijing. Thank you so much
The leaders of the U.S. and Israel talked by phone as Gaza ceasefire talks reach a critical juncture. We'll look at the sticking points in reaching an agreement when we come back.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GOV. TIM WALZ (D-MN), U.S. VICE PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: -- in Minnesota, we respect our neighbors and the personal choices they make.
(CHEERING)
(APPLAUSE)
WALZ: And even if we wouldn't make those same choices for ourselves, we've got a golden rule. Mind your own damn business.
(CHEERING)
(APPLAUSE)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BRUNHUBER: Democratic Vice Presidential candidate Tim Walz brings down the House in Chicago. We'll have that and more convention highlights, plus other stories we're following. Please stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
REP. HAKEEM JEFFRIES (D-NY), U.S. HOUSE MINORITY LEADER: Trump failed our country during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Trump is a chaos agent who is focused on himself, not the American people.
Trump tried to destroy our democracy by lying about the election and inciting a violent mob to attack the Capitol.
[03:35:01]
Trump put three extreme justices on the Supreme Court who destroyed Roe v. Wade.
We broke up with you for a reason.
Donald Trump can spin the block all he wants, but there's no reason for us to ever get back together.
(CHEERING)
(APPLAUSE)
JEFFRIES: Been there, done that, we're not going back.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BRUNHUBER: That was U.S. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries going on the attack against Donald Trump and helping set the tone for Wednesday night's main event at the DNC. Minnesota governor Tim Walz who formally accepted the democratic nomination for Vice President. Walz is a former congressman and two-term governor but leaned into his earlier roles as a high school teacher and football coach. Here he is.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
WALZ: -- we got 76 days. That's nothing. There'll be time to sleep when you're dead. We're going to leave it on the field.
(CHEERING)
(APPLAUSE)
WALZ: That's how we'll keep moving forward. That's how we'll turn the page on Donald Trump. That's how we'll build a country where workers come first. Healthcare and housing are human rights.
And the government stays the hell out of your bedroom.
(CHEERING)
(APPLAUSE)
WALZ: That's how we make America a place where no child is left hungry, where no community is left behind, where nobody gets told they don't belong. That's how we're going to fight.
And as the next president of the United States always says, when we fight --
(CROWD chanting We win!)
WALZ: When we fight --
(CROWD chanting We win!)
WALZ: When we fight --
(CROWD chanting We win!)
WALZ: Thank you. God bless.
(CHEERING)
(APPLAUSE)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BRUNHUBER: And there was also a surprise appearance from talk show host, author, actress, and media magnate Oprah Winfrey. She called Kamala Harris the best of America and urged Americans to choose joy. Here she is.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
OPRAH WINFREY, AMERICAN HOST AND TELEVISION PRODUCER: -- Kamala Harris and Tim Walz can give us decency and respect. They are the ones to give it to us.
(APPLAUSE)
WINFREY: So we are Americans. We are Americans. Let us choose loyalty to the Constitution over loyalty to any individual.
(CHEERING)
(APPLAUSE)
WINFREY: Because that's the best of America. And let us choose optimism over cynicism because that's the best of America. And let us choose inclusion over retribution, let us choose common sense over nonsense.
(CHEERING)
(APPLAUSE)
WINFREY: Because that is the best of America. And let us choose the sweet promise of tomorrow over the bitter return to yesterday. We won't go back. We won't be sent back, pushed back, bullied back, kicked back, we're not going back.
(CHEERING)
(APPLAUSE)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BRUNHUBER: And millions of people have been tuning in to watch the DNC this week and the Republican presidential nominee apparently is one of them. Donald Trump has kept up a stream of complaints about the convention on his social media platform.
CNN anchor Kaitlan Collins is in Chicago.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
KAITLAN COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: We've all been watching this convention very closely. I can tell you that also the former president has been also watching very closely. He just posted an incredibly lengthy Truth Social post a few moments ago, ranting about the speech you heard on stage from the Pennsylvania governor, Josh Shapiro.
He was saying that even though Trump is claiming he is the best friend of Israel and saying that Vice President Harris hates Israel, even though just last night, about 24 hours ago on that stage, we were listening to her Jewish husband, Doug Emhoff, talk about how she makes brisket for them on Shabbat. But what it really does tell you, regardless of what Trump said in that post, is that he is watching this convention just as closely as everyone else.
And one thing I'm told that has irked him and his campaign are the constant references that you've seen almost every day of this convention to Project 2025. You saw one of a state senator from Michigan brought out an entire book that she had supersized about the proposals from the Heritage Foundation. We saw it referenced by Kenan Thompson, the SNL star, as he was making fun of what a second Trump term would look like.
Trump has repeatedly tried to distance himself from Project 2025, even though dozens of his former staffers helped him play a big role in crafting it, but they have been watching very closely. They're irritated by that and also just watching to see the enthusiasm, the excitement that has been generated by this convention about a month after his own convention.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
[03:40:05]
BRUNHUBER: Now, amidst all the euphoria, the war in Gaza wasn't forgotten. The parents of an American Israeli hostage spoke about their son. 23-year-old Hersh Goldberg-Polin was wounded and kidnapped by Hamas from an Israeli music festival, and his mother became emotional as the crowd chanted their support. Have a look.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
RACHEL GOLDBERG, MOTHER OF HERSH GOLDBERG-POLIN: We live on another planet, anyone who is a parent or has had a parent can try to imagine the anguish and misery that John and I and all the hostage families are enduring.
JON POLIN, FATHER OF HERSH GOLDBERG-POLIN: In an inflamed Middle East, we know the one thing that can most immediately release pressure and bring calm to the entire region, a deal that brings this diverse group of 109 hostages home and ends the suffering of the innocent civilians in Gaza.
GOLDBERG: Hersh, if you can hear us, we love you. Stay strong. Survive.
POLIN: Bring them home.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BRUNHUBER: And outside the convention in Chicago, a coalition of pro- Palestinian protesters continued their march against the war in Gaza on Wednesday night. Chicago police say there were no arrests or violence, which was in stark contrast to Tuesday night when dozens were arrested, including three journalists. Two officers and two protesters were slightly injured in clashes on Tuesday.
Mediators are still trying to push for a Gaza ceasefire and hostage release deal with more talk expected in Cairo this weekend. The White House says U.S. President Joe Biden and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke on the phone Wednesday on the ongoing diplomatic efforts to de-escalate tensions in the region. Vice President Kamala Harris also joined the call.
Now, a key sticking point in the negotiations is the Philadelphia corridor along the Gaza-Egypt border, which Israeli forces seized in May. An Israeli strike on a house in northern Gaza killed 12 people, including six children, among them 16-month-old twins. That's according to the director of the hospital. The Israeli military says they're looking into the incident.
Meanwhile, Gaza officials say two people were killed and 15 wounded, 10 of them children, in an Israeli airstrike on a school in central Gaza on Wednesday. The IDF claims Hamas was using the school as a command center but didn't provide any evidence.
Thousands of people are fleeing southern Gaza after Israel's military ordered new evacuations. A CNN analysis shows that in the past month, the IDF has reduced the humanitarian zone in Gaza by 38 percent. And it's now only about 10 percent of the enclave's total area. That has left many Palestinians with nowhere to go.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNKNOWN (through translator): That is so scary. We are defenseless people. Why are they fighting us? We are not Hamas. We are simply people staying put in our homes. They displaced us not once, but ten times. Why? What have we done? The whole world is complicit against us.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BRUNHUBER: Doctors in India are vowing to continue protests as outrage grows over the brutal rape and murder of a junior doctor. More details on the investigation after the break. Please stay with us.
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[03:45:00]
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BRUNHUBER: More heavy rain is forecast for parts of eastern Bangladesh and India for the next few days. Heavy flooding and landslides in one Indian border state have already killed at least eight people and forced tens of thousands from their homes. India is denying accusations on social media that the flooding in Bangladesh was caused by the opening of a river dam which flows across the border.
(VIDEO PLAYING)
The outrage over a trainee doctor's rape and murder in India earlier this month is growing with thousands of doctors vowing to keep on protesting and demanding justice. India's Supreme Court has set up a hospital safety task force for recommendations to make medical establishments safer, but junior doctors say it's not enough and sweeping reforms are needed. Medical associations are calling for the case to be fast-tracked through the courts. So far a police volunteer has been arrested and India's federal police have taken over the investigation.
Dr. Amisha Maroo, a junior doctor at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences, joins us now live from New Delhi. Thank you so much for being here with us. I know you've just finished working. I want to get your -- just how you reacted when you heard about the murder of this young doctor.
DR. AMISHA MAROO, JUNIOR DOCTOR, ALL INDIA INSTITUTE OF MEDICAL SCIENCES, NEW DELHI: Good greetings, everyone. So this is not a new thing for us because we listen. We have listened to this in news every now and then. And for us, the thing which has extended to the murder and rape was a very serious thing.
We have often heard about harassment cases on doctors and assault cases on doctors. But this was something which has shaken us from inside. And we all are very sad and disappointed. And we are feeling very demotivated and helpless for our future.
BRUNHUBER: Yeah, you yourself have joined the many doctors who have been on strike over this issue. You've just gone back to work for certain things, but there have been marches and protests. It seems to have really galvanized so many in the country. What do you make of the reaction that's followed this?
MAROO: Yeah, we had to tell everyone about the case and then the need for the Center Protection Act for doctors. And now it's high time that we need to ensure proper safety and proper security in the workplace environment for doctors. And I think we have gained enough support from all of the citizens and all the doctors are united today in India for this cause.
BRUNHUBER: You touched on this not being a new phenomenon, but you yourself are a fairly new doctor. So take us through sort of how it is exactly for a young doctor, a female doctor in India to work in these conditions. I mean, you spoke of harassment, for instance. Take us through what people are experiencing.
MAROO: Yeah, so exactly, see, I work in anesthesia and ICU critical care. So we are bound to break some bad news to the patient and you, the patient attendants, have to have trust in us that we have done our very best work to save the patient.
But then there are instances in which we are not able to save the patient and we have to break the -- break the bad news. But then sometimes the patient are not able to take it or whatever that is the emotional outburst is presented in form of some violence or assault or throttling in workplace on duty doctor and that is not right at all. So that's what has happened and yes.
BRUNHUBER: One of the guidelines issued by the West Bengal government calls for minimizing night duty for women but many people fear that will just even further reduce women's participation in the workforce in India, which is already very low.
[03:49:57]
MAROO: Exactly, exactly my point that something like these measures will not help anyone. Today, since women are in a developing country like India, the women are day by day increasing in many sectors of work like science and by doctors and reducing the work hours in night and restricting their duties will only lead to, will not lead to any development of India.
So we need to protect the -- instead we need to protect the environment in which the doctor has to work and that is the basic right of every doctor, be it female or male. That should not be the case that if a female has to work in night shift, then they have to be restricted because of we cannot provide safety. You should provide safety, we are ready to work.
BRUNHUBER: So let's talk about what needs to be done. India's Supreme Court created a hospital safety task force to help make hospitals and medical establishments safer for staff. Many doctors say they're not satisfied with that. So why is that not enough and what else needs to be done, do you think?
MAROO: I am studying in AIMS, which is a premier central institute in India. But this is not the case with every institute or every hospital in India. We have many levels of healthcare like state healthcare, district healthcare and even in villages we have many hospitals. But if we are bound to work there then we have to be provided proper security as in proper doctor duty room should be there, CCTV camera should be there, security personnel should be there, in daytime, in nighttime.
And if at all some violence or harassment is taking place at workplace, then prompt punishment should be taken and prompt execution of the offender should be taken. We just want that.
BRUNHUBER: Yeah, sounds like the very least that you deserve. I really appreciate hearing from you, Dr. Amisha Maroo in New Delhi. Thank you so much.
Self-proclaimed misogynist influencer and former kickboxer Andrew Tate is in legal trouble again. Police in Romania raided the homes of Tate and his brother Wednesday over new allegations of human trafficking and sex with a minor. They were indicted on charges for similar accusations last year and are awaiting trial. The brothers were reportedly questioned on Wednesday by an agency in charge of fighting organized crime. They deny any wrongdoing.
Chicago rolled out the red carpet on Wednesday. Still to come, the celebrities lending their support to Democrats in the U.S. at their national convention after the break. Please stay with us. (COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BRUNHUBER: Night three of the Democratic National Convention featured plenty of stars, musicians, actors and celebrities showed up to support the Harris-Waltz ticket. Here are some of the highlights.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ANNOUNCER: Please welcome Oprah Winfrey.
(CHEERING)
(APPLAUSE)
WINFREY: Let us choose truth. Let us choose honor. And let us choose joy.
(CHEERING)
(APPLAUSE)
(JOHN LEGEND AND SHEILA E. live performance)
[03:55:05]
KENAN THOMPSON, ACTOR AND COMEDIAN: You all remember this big old book from before?
Well these are the terms and conditions of a second Trump presidency. You vote for him, you vote for all of this. Let's take a look.
STEVIE WONDER, SINGER AND SONGWRITER: Are y'all ready? Are you all to reach a higher ground?
CROWD: Yeah.
(STEVIE AND THE BAND live performance)
MINDY KALING, ACTRESS AND COMEDIAN: For those of you who don't know me, I am an incredibly famous Gen Z actress who you might recognize from "The Office."
(CHEERING)
KALING: Thank you. The Mindy Project.
(CHEERING)
KALING: Or as the woman who courageously outed Kamala Harris as Indian in an Instagram cooking video.
(MARREN MORRIS live performance)
WINFREY: Because that's the best of America! And together, let's all choose Kamala Harris!
(CHEERING)
(APPLAUSE)
WINFREY: Thank you, Chicago. Thank you.
(CHEERING)
(APPLAUSE)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BRUNHUBER: Singer Taylor Swift is opening up about the thwarted terror plot in Austria, which forced the cancellation of multiple concerts earlier this month. Police arrested three teens in connection with the planned attack on the venue where Swift was set to perform, finding one of them to be an ISIS sympathizer who'd been radicalized online.
Swift released a statement online saying in part, quote, "the reason for the cancellations filled me with a new sense of fear, and a tremendous amount of guilt because so many people had planned on coming to those shows, but I was also so grateful to the authorities because thanks to them we were grieving concerts and not lives. My priority was finishing our European tour safely and it is with great relief that I can say we did that."
Thanks so much for joining me here on "CNN Newsroom." I'm Kim Brunhuber, in Atlanta. The news continues with Christina Macfarlane in London.
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