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Parents of American-Israeli Hostage Share Agony on All Sides; DNC Speakers Highlights Trump's Action on Jan. 6; Republicans Speaks in Support of Harris at DNC; RFK Jr. to Support Trump; The Chicks to Sing National Anthem at DNC. Aired 10:30-11a ET

Aired August 22, 2024 - 10:30   ET

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

[10:30:00]

RACHEL GOLDBERG-POLIN, MOTHER OF ISRAELI-AMERICAN HOSTAGE: -- something that gets lost when someone has a very specific reason to create a narrative a certain way. And we also very much are constantly saying we are extremely concerned and heartbroken for the innocent civilians in Gaza and the innocent civilians in Gaza who were dragged there on October 7th, you don't have to choose one or the other. This is a humanitarian issue.

JIM ACOSTA, CNN ANCHOR: Absolutely. And everybody's feeling it. Everybody's feeling it. And, Jon, Hersh lost part of his left arm.

He did.

ACOSTA: When he did text. We -- do we know any idea how he's doing, how he's holding up.

JON POLIN, FATHER OF ISRAELI-AMERICAN HOSTAGE: 120 days ago, we saw a video that Hamas released of Hersh. It was the first sign of life we had on him in 201 days and the last sign that we've had since, but that video is something that no parent would ever want to see of their kid with a limb missing, bruising on their face, looking pale. But at the same time, when that's what you get after 201 days. It just gave us strength to see him, to hear him. And it continues to carry us now that he's a fighter and a survivor, and he's going to keep on going and we need him to know and all the hostages to know that we are not stopping until we get them all out.

ACOSTA: And, Rachel, I know I was asking this during the commercial break, but do you have any sense -- I mean there are these talks that are going on right now, do you have any sense as to where they're going? Are they finally going to get to some kind of resolution so we can bring your son and the rest of those hostages home?

GOLDBERG-POLIN: Well, we're not any more privy to what is going on behind the scenes than any regular person watching the news or following. We are always hopeful and optimistic. We know that many of the people who are participating in the negotiations and in everything that's happening are really trying to lean forward. At the end of the day, this is up to two men from the two primary parties.

ACOSTA: Yes. GOLDBERG-POLIN: Prime Minister Netanyahu and Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar. And I think until each of them decide that it's time for our children, our loved ones, the whole entire mass of people who are caught in the crosshairs of this conflict, no longer should be pawns in this game, it won't end.

ACOSTA: And it's so important, and I do want to go back to that moment last night, that people understand the human element of this. They're real families suffering, real families in the dark. And to have that outpouring of support, it just must have meant so much. It's still there, despite everything that's in the political, you know, spectrum right now, the dialogue that's happening and so much bitter opposition to what's taking place. It's still there.

POLIN: I mentioned in my remarks last night that, really, one of the things that has carried all the hostage families to get up every morning and keep on pushing and keep fighting is the tremendous support, strength, prayers we get from literally all over the world. And last night was a microcosm of it. I don't know, 20,000, 25,000 people in the building. Not only were they supporting us as we spoke, but afterwards, just people stopping us. And as we walked out shouting, we're with you, we're supporting you, our prayers are with you, keep going. It was really strengthening.

ACOSTA: None of the reaction that you were prepared for --

GOLDBERG-POLIN: Correct.

ACOSTA: -- that they told you might receive?

GOLDBERG-POLIN: Correct.

ACOSTA: That's -- it's so important.

GOLDBERG-POLIN: Yes.

ACOSTA: It's so important, and I'm sure it sustains you, to some extent. Not -- it doesn't do everything.

GOLDBERG-POLIN: Right. But it's obviously helpful, and I think it is really important. We don't all have to agree, and that was a big theme last night, that a lot of the different speakers discussed, but we have to try to understand. We don't have to agree. We just have to try to understand those with whom we don't share the same opinions, that's all right, but we have to try to understand each other.

ACOSTA: Yes, there was a lot of talk about looking out for your neighbors, you know, and that crosses boundaries --

GOLDBERG-POLIN: Right.

ACOSTA: -- you know nations.

POLIN: We honestly did not even know that we were speaking on the night that was under the freedom theme.

ACOSTA: Interesting.

POLIN: But it makes sense, right?

ACOSTA: Yes.

POLIN: That's what we're pushing for. That's what we've been pushing for 321 days and are going to continue to fight for it.

ACOSTA: Well, thank you very much to both of you. Really appreciate it. I know we say it time and again, but we are thinking of you and praying for you.

GOLDBERG-POLIN: Thank you.

ACOSTA: Thank you very much.

POLIN: Thank you.

ACOSTA: Really appreciate it.

POLIN: Thank you. Appreciate it.

ACOSTA: Rachel and Jon, thanks so much. We'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ACOSTA: For years, Former President Donald Trump's allies have downplayed the events of January 6. Now, they're arguing that the attempt to overturn the will of the people won't be at the top of voters' minds in November. Last night, Republican Vice Presidential nominee, J. D. Vance, claimed Trump, quote, transferred power peacefully. Of course, that is not true.

Democrats, on the other hand, aren't letting voters forget. They played this video last night, highlighting the assault on democracy and Trump's role that day. We also heard from some of the men and women who nearly lost their lives and the police officers who helped defend the capital.

[10:40:00]

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

AQUILINO GONELL, FORMER U.S. CAPITOL POLICE SERGEANT: I took an oath to defend the constitution. To Donald Trump I ask, why don't you?

REP. BENNIE THOMPSON, (D-MS): I dedicated my career to protecting the votes against violence and discrimination. You can imagine what I felt on January 6th, when I saw with my own eyes those insurrectionists trying to take that away.

REP. NANCY PELOSI (D-CA): Let us not forget who assaulted democracy on January 6th. He did. But let us not forget who saved democracy that day. We did.

(END VIDEO CLIP) ACOSTA: All right. We've got a lot to talk about this morning. Let's discuss with CNN political commentators Bakari Sellers and Alyssa Farah Griffin.

Bakari, I mean, your thoughts on the fact that January 6th even came up at this convention.

BAKARI SELLERS, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR AND FORMER SOUTH CAROLINA STATE REPRESENTATIVE: Well, I think it had to, and part of it, it's somewhat two-fold. One of the things that this convention is about is turning the page. And earlier this morning, I found myself quoting Nikki Haley about, whichever party kind of --

ACOSTA: It doesn't happen often.

SELLERS: It turns -- not really.

ACOSTA: Yes, yes.

SELLERS: It turns the page first will be the party that's successful. And one of the things that Donald Trump and I'm sure that Twitter and my right-wing trolls are going to go apoplectic about this. But Donald Trump is forever associated with political violence. That is the definition of what we saw. And so, it's not just the chaos, it's not just the buffoonery, but it's also that political violence that Donald Trump will forever be associated with. And so, yes, it's not the whole argument, but it's an ingredient in the pie that we're trying to bake.

ACOSTA: Yes. I mean, Alyssa, what do you think? I mean, this attempted -- they're still trying to whitewash this.

ALYSSA FARAH GRIFFIN, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR AND FORMER TRUMP WHITE HOUSE COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR: Well, and listen, something that I think doesn't get enough attention in this political moment is the fact that Mike Pence is not supporting Donald Trump. His own former vice president, who served loyally for four years, because of January 6th and a number of other things.

But I think they handled it right. What Biden, in my opinion, got wrong and how he ran around January 6th was making it kind of highfalutin and about democracy and our values. This is much more -- this is an unfit person. It is an anti-law enforcement person who allowed this chaos to take place.

And by the way, Geoff Duncan, former lieutenant Governor of Georgia Republican, who enforced yesterday powerful remarks. And I think he pulled at the heartstrings of so many Republicans who have a hard time with the idea of voting for a Democrat. But they have an incredibly hard time with the idea of supporting Donald Trump, and I think it will resonate.

ACOSTA: Yes, we have some of that video. Let's play that and talk about it.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) OLIVIA TROYE, FORMER ADVISER TO VICE PRESIDENT MIKE PENCE: So, to my fellow Republicans, if you aren't voting for a Democrat, you're voting for democracy.

EOFF DUNCAN, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR, (R) FORMER GEORGIA LT. GOVERNOR: If you vote for Kamala Harris in 2024, you're not a Democrat, you're a patriot. To my fellow Republicans at home that want to pivot back towards policy, empathy, and tone, you know the right thing to do. Now, let's have the courage to do it in November.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ACOSTA: Yes, that was a big moment. And, Bakari, last night felt like it was an appeal to the middle. And it feel to maybe even the center right, just trying to -- is there something there? Can we pull some folks in?

SELLERS: You know, the first two nights you would hear David Urban and Scott Jennings say that, that wasn't for me, right?

ACOSTA: Yes.

SELLERS: And they were -- you know, there was a message there. There were a lot of people saying that maybe we're not doing messaging towards, you know, white men, for example, or the middle of the country. Well, last night, we hit that nail on the head.

Geoff Duncan, I saw him in the hallway a minute ago and just thanked him for his courage and the fact that his speech was rhythmic. It was powerful. Like he was handsome. It was just -- it was --

GRIFFIN: Central casting.

SELLERS: Yes, it was central casting.

ACOSTA: Guy's got a good tan.

SELLERS: It was everything you wanted to be. And just to have him -- just to have the crowd chant down USA was just amazing for him. And my -- I spoke to my senior political adviser this morning on the way over here, is my 80-year-old mother-in-law, Ruby Rucker, and she was just telling me about our vice president last night and how the vice president just kind of brought all of that home and said that, you know, this is a -- it's a feel good moment but it's about true values and it's OK to be happy and joyful in the future of this country.

ACOSTA: Yes, I mean Oprah was having a big night last night, Alyssa. I mean, she did everything but, say you get a car, you get a vote, you get a vote. It was one of those kinds of thing. But I mean, the other thing that -- and I wonder if this resonated with you, Alyssa, as a Republican, seeing coach -- so-called Coach Walz there with his family the way his son was just tearing up in the audience. They brought the football players. It had -- I don't want to say it had an RNC kind of feel to it, but it kind of did.

GRIFFIN: Oh, and I lost it when we saw Gus out there, Gus Walz. He's a national treasure.

SELLERS: Everybody did. Don't play the clip.

GRIFFIN: I don't play the clip.

SELLERS: Yes.

GRIFFIN: Listen, Democrats did something incredibly smart that I think they waited too long to do, but it is resonating, which is flipping the script on some things Republicans claim we own, patriotism, pro-family, supporting Israel. This convention hall was chanting, bring them home last night. So, this notion that only one side supports Israel, supports bringing home the hostages, they knocked that down. And I think it's a powerful place to be.

[10:45:00]

But also Tim Walz, there's long been a rural urban divide in our politics and he was a smart selection and that he helps bridge, that he helps speak to the middle of the country to the issues they care about. And I mean, a very successful night for Democrats.

ACOSTA: Yes. I mean, a guy that you would find at the Bass Pro Shop kind of thing, you know, the flannel and everything. Yes.

SELLERS: It is. It's the -- this thing -- there are two things that we take for granted a lot. One is vibes, right? And I think Democrats are kind of winning the vibes argument right now. And second, it's that age old George W. Bush question. Because I think substantively, on every policy point, Al Gore was just a better candidate than George W. Bush. But the American public wanted to have a beer with him, right?

ACOSTA: Yes.

SELLERS: And nobody wants to have a beer with J. D. Vance. Everybody wants to have a beer with Tim Walz. I mean, Republican, Democrat, middle of the country. We had this problem of being coastal elites, and it's refreshing because we kind of forgot about the south, forgot about the middle of the country.

ACOSTA: No more flyover country.

SELLERS: No more flyover country. We had Pete Buttigieg up there yesterday, and Tim Walz. And so, I love it. And as a father, if you have a moment where your child says, I love you, dad, and that big hug --

ACOSTA: I don't care which party you're from.

GRIFFIN: Yes.

SELLERS: That's it.

ACOSTA: When you see that, that's the real stuff right there.

SELLERS: That's the stuff, yes.

ACOSTA: And Oprah -- I mean, we talked about Oprah. We got to play over. Let's play over.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

OPRAH WINFREY, HOST: Well, I'm calling on all you independents. You know, I'm telling you the truth that values and character matter. Most of all, let us choose inclusion over retribution. Let us choose common sense over nonsense, because that's the best of America. And let us choose the sweet promise of tomorrow over the bitter return to yesterday. We're not going back.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ACOSTA: Yes. Alyssa, I mean, and we should mention as we're talking about independence, I mean, there is something that's going to happen tomorrow. RFK Jr. is going to, apparently, throw his support to Donald Trump. That's the way it looks right now. I mean, do you think that's going to have any impact on this race?

GRIFFIN: Listen, 10,000 votes here and there does matter in this race. It's probably the best news Donald Trump's gotten in a few weeks. But listen, I think the Democrats are going to make Trump and Vance own every crazy thing RFK said, whether it's dumping the bear in Central Park, maybe eating dog or goat, the brain worm and so on. But last night, Oprah --

SELLERS: A hell of -- that's three tele pot sentence.

GRIFFIN: That's just three.

ACOSTA: Yes.

GRIFFIN: Oprah, one of the biggest pop culture --

ACOSTA: It broke my bingo card.

GRIFFIN: Just a huge pop culture icon. I work in daytime TV. This is a person who means so much to so many Americans and doesn't often get into politics, and that she made it more about the character of the nation. That is a surrogate they need to have out there, because that resonates with folks.

SELLERS: I agree. I would say that Oprah Winfrey last night, would you -- which independent would you rather have? RFK or Oprah Winfrey, we take Oprah Winfrey every day of the week. And don't forget last night, we haven't mentioned them, but the big dog got on stage last night, Bill Clinton.

ACOSTA: Bill Clinton.

SELLERS: You got to let the big dog eat. We're going to put him out there on the campaign trail.

ACOSTA: He ate up some time. SELLERS: That's what he's known for. He's earned it.

ACOSTA: That's what's he's known for. He's earned it.

SELLERS: He's earned it.

ACOSTA: All right. Guys, thank you very much. Bakari and Alyssa, really appreciate it. Still to come, they made waves for speaking out against Former President George W. Bush and CNN is now exclusively learning The Chicks used to be known as the Dixie Chicks, now, they're The Chicks, are set to make another political statement. Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[10:50:00]

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

(MUSIC PLAYING)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ACOSTA: All right. Does that song sound familiar? Yep, that is The Chicks' famous hit "Not Ready to Make Nice." It came out back in 2006 after the group faced backlash for publicly criticizing then-President George W. Bush. We've learned exclusively that the band will be making another political statement when they take the stage tonight at the DNC. CNN's Elizabeth Wagmeister joins me now with the details.

Elizabeth, this is big stuff. I mean, I used to call them the Dixie Chicks, that's how they were known back in the day. They are still making waves, making songs. Tell us more.

ELIZABETH WAGMEISTER, CNN ENTERTAINMENT CORRESPONDENT: Yes. Now, they are known as The Chicks. And one of the bestselling female country groups of all time. Sources telling me and our colleague, Samantha Waldenberg, that The Chicks are set to perform the national anthem tonight. So, they will be kicking off the big night, Kamala Harris' night at the DNC.

Now, as you see, said there, Jim, it was back in 2003 that the group faced intense backlash for their comments about then-President George W. Bush. The backlash was so bad that they were pulled off many country radio music stations. Now, fast forward to 2024, and things have really changed in the country music genre. Of course, country music historically has been aligned with more conservative views and conservative fan bases.

But if you look at who the convention has brought out this week, it's not just The Chicks tonight. On Monday night, they had Grammy nominated country music star, Mickey Guyton. Last night they had Maren Morris, who is one of the most liberal country stars. So, the genre is shifting as we're getting younger up and coming, more progressive artists in the country music scene.

[10:55:00] Now, I have to tell you, they are not going to be the only stars that we are going to see tonight. Yesterday, we exclusively broke the news that Pink is also performing tonight, Jim.

ACOSTA: A lot of stuff all this week. I mean, John Legend doing Prince last night. That was amazing. I think there's going to be a couple of Spotify lists coming out of this DNC. Elizabeth Wagmeister, thank you very much. Really appreciate it.

Coming up, his impressions of politicians are downright uncanny.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MATT FRIEND, COMEDIAN: American patriots who fought like hell for their favorite president who really won. Barack, will not (INAUDIBLE). It has been proven time and time again that Joe Biden did, in fact, win it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ACOSTA: Comedian Matt Friend just hopped on the set here. He's going to join me next from the Democratic National Convention. No one is off limits. Stay tuned. I hope I'm off limits, but probably not.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

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