Return to Transcripts main page
Erin Burnett Outfront
Clinton to Accept Historic Nomination Tonight. Aired 7-8p ET
Aired July 28, 2016 - 19:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
ERIN BURNETT, CNN ANCHOR: Bakari, you -- having just spoken yourself, you understand what that high, an endorphin high almost.
[19:00:02] But, you know, this is not her forte, but is the best thing tonight to do is try to say, forget all of those speeches, those rousing speeches and do what she does?
BAKARI SELLERS, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: But this isn't Hillary Clinton's first time on this stage. She's been on this stage many, many times before.
So, although, it's probably unfair to say she's going to come out and give a Barack Obama-type speech or Joe Biden-type speech because as Dan said, she's in there working, she's fine-tuning and she's doing everything she has to do because yes, this is the most important speech of her life.
And more importantly, I think she doesn't want to let down Chelsea and her two granddaughters. I think that's where she's going to go. Whenever she gets nervous she will go to the fact that she has an amazing daughter that's introducing her.
BURNETT: Tat is a crucial and emotional moment. Chelsea Clinton kind of said (ph), I feel like my heart may burst when my mother accepts this.
One of the themes we'll be hearing when we count down to that crucial speech from Hillary Clinton is going to be from -- about immigration and also about the DREAMers. In a moment, we'll hear from young woman Lorella Praeli, went to Quinnipiac University and was undocumented at the time, ended up being sworn in as a citizen of United States by President Barack Obama, a person she'd been very critical of in the past, but this is going to be a crucial theme. We will hear her story and we'll hear from Congressman Joaquin Castro, twin brother of the brother who was on the V.P. short list.
Let's listen in right now.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HILLARY CLINTON (D), PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE: I want to thank someone very special who I'm sure is going to embarrass her, Lorella Praeli, who was born in Peru and came to the United States for medical treatment. Lorella excelled all of the way through school. When it came time for college she found out she was undocumented, but she decided she didn't want to live in fear or secrecy. She was convinced that this was her country, so she came forward publicly as undocumented. And listen to this because this is really amazing. Tomorrow, President Obama will swear her in as a citizen of the United States of America!
BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: What a remarkable journey all of you have made and as of today, your story is forever woven into the larger story of this nation.
LORELLA PRAELI, SWORN-IN AS CITIZEN BY PRESIDENT OBAMA (translated): Hi, Mom. Everything is great. I'm on my way to vote for the first time. I'm thinking of you and everything we've gone through and all of the sacrifices you have made. You all know that the flight continues. I'm carrying you all in my heart.
It's everything, right? It's first-time voting. It's voting for the candidate you believe in. So I feel an incredible privilege and a responsibility to continue to fight, and I hope that everyone who knows that they have the power to vote and that so many people don't, but wish they could and so much is on the line that they remember that it's in us to also represent them.
I decided to be a part of this campaign because I said it's too important, and I don't want to be on the sidelines. I want to continue to fight. To support everyone who is fighting, but I want to fight to make sure the next president of the United States is the absolute best person for our community.
CLINTON: Lorella's story, like so many other American stories, remind us of who we are as a people. We are a country where people of all background, all nations of origin, all languages, all religions, all races can make a home.
PRAELI: Where else would I want to be? I only want to be with the people who are fighting for this and Hillary Clinton's fighting for it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANNOUNCER: Please welcome, Lorella Praeli.
PRAELI: Good evening. My name is Lorella Praeli, and I'm an American.
(CHEERS AND APPLAUSE)
As you saw in the video, I recently became a U.S. citizen, but for 14 years I was undocumented. At the age of 2, I was hit by a car and lost my leg.
When I think about our American story, I believe it was born in the hearts of my parents that night as they stood over my hospital bed because my parents were determined that I would reach my full potential and not be limited by my disability, and eventually, the only place that could contain such a vision was here in America. [19:05:08] Because -- because this is a country that was made for
people with the courage to believe in their dreams. Back in Peru, my mother Chela was a psychologist, but here in America, she worked cleaning houses for 17 years. From morning to night, carrying the American spirit in her heart, she, just like so many millions of parents across this country, worked so hard so that my sister and I could have a full life.
She has taught me to never give up, to believe in my dreams, and to fight to achieve them. In short, it was my undocumented mother who taught me what it is to be an American.
(CHEERS AND APPLAUSE)
That's why I'm fighting for Hillary Clinton because she never gives up, because she believes in our dreams and because she will fight to achieve them.
(SPEAKING SPANISH)
So let's go out, my friends, knock on doors, talk to our friends and family, register new voters and make sure that no one, no one stays home this November. And together, let's make some history.
(SPEAKING SPANISH)
Thank you and God bless the United States of America.
(CHEERS AND APPLAUSE)
BURNETT: And applause there for Lorella Praeli.
ANNOUNCER: Please welcome, Representative Joaquin Castro from Texas.
BURNETT: And now, Joaquin Castro, a rising star in the Democratic Party. His twin brother is the secretary of Housing and Urban Development. This is an important speech for Representative Castro, and let's listen in.
REP. JOAQUIN CASTRO (D), TEXAS: In 1922, the only grandparent that I would ever know came to Mexico, came to the United States from Mexico. She wasn't a rapist or a murderer. She was a 6-year-old orphan.
But as a girl, she walked past storefront signs that read "no dogs or Mexicans allowed". Her life wasn't easy, and she didn't always feel welcome, but she never stopped believing in America's sacred promise that her sacrifices would be rewarded with opportunity for herself and her family.
She kept up her part of that promise by working her whole life baby- sitting, cooking and cleaning houses. And the fact that her grandson is standing here on this stage tonight is proof that America kept its promise, too.
(CHEERS AND APPLAUSE) Four years ago, my brother Julian stood on this stage in Charlotte. He and I know that our story is not unique. This room is filled with many proud Americans who can tell similar stories about their own families. Great-grandchildren of Irish immigrants who came to cities like New York and Boston and saw signs that read "no Irish need apply" and just worked harder.
Grandchildren of Americans who suffered in World War II internment camps, the same camps that Donald Trump has defended, and grew up to be business owners, war heroes and public servants. Children of immigrants who have contributed to our country as doctors, police officers and guess what? Even impartial judges.
(CHEERS AND APPLAUSE)
Their story is our story. It's America's story. And make no mistake: the hero of that story is never the one who sides with hate. The hero of that story will never be Donald Trump.
Americans know that the choices he offers are false ones. See, in America, prosperity is not a zero sum game. We can create millions of new jobs and still raise the minimum wage. National security is not a zero-sum game.
[19:10:02] We can keep America safe and still welcome the next generation of immigrants without a religious litmus test. And justice is not a zero-sum game. We can back our brave men and women in blue and still believe that black lives matter.
(CHEERS AND APPLAUSE)
These aren't zero-sum games. In fact, they aren't games at all.
Do you know how many plans Donald Trump has to accomplish these things? Zero. While Donald Trump is talking about building walls, Hillary Clinton is working to build an infrastructure of opportunity. A way for Americans to get to where they want to go in life. Great schools to prepare us for college and career, a strong health care system.
And I don't care what Donald Trump or Ted Cruz or anybody else says, the Affordable Care Act is here to stay because it saved millions of American lives. And an economy where no one who works full time and works hard lives in poverty.
Republicans would have you believe that creating opportunity means giving tax breaks to corporations and the super wealthy. Well, I've met a lot of Americans in my life and no one has ever told me that their ancestors came here looking for the lowest corporate tax rate.
The promise of America, and there's room here for everyone. Donald Trump isn't going to keep that promise. He's not even going to try, but Hillary Clinton and Tim Kaine will.
That's why I'm asking all of you to go to Iwillvote.com. Make sure you're registered to vote. Make sure that the next chapter of our great American story is written by us.
My grandmother believed that America was the greatest nation in the world, and I'm with Hillary so that our grandkids will believe the same thing, too.
(CHEERS AND APPLAUSE)
BURNETT: The stakes for Hillary Clinton, she will formally accept her party's presidential nomination tonight and Chelsea Clinton is going to introduce her. Obviously, that's reminiscent of what happened last week with the Trumps and the bar set high by Ivanka Trump. We'll be right back with our special coverage from Philadelphia.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[19:16:40] BURNETT: Democrats are getting ready to hear from the woman set on breaking the ultimate glass ceiling tonight. Hillary Clinton personally going to make her case to elect her president of the United States.
David Chalian, you have a bit of a sense of what is going to be in this speech. Obviously, she has some very tough acts to follow, but she has very specific goals.
DAVID CHALIAN, CNN POLITICAL DIRECTOR: Well, she has two big goals here, which is to make sure in front of this very large audience. Remember, a lot of folks are tuning in now the first time and she wants to explain why she's running for president, and she wants to tell them what she's going to do as president.
According to the campaign person, they want to draw a contrast from what they saw in Cleveland last week because Donald Trump was about diagnosing the problem and identifying a big problem, but that, according to them, he didn't offer a ton of solutions. I'm sure Kayleigh has another point of view to that.
So, they want to make sure that she talks about what she should we do as president. But I t think one of the key challenges for Hillary Clinton and something the campaign seems keenly aware of is they don't want Donald Trump from now until November to be the person that owns the anger and frustration vote entirely. They want to be able to show that she gets that a little bit so expect her to talk through some of the economic and social forces, very powerful forces that are at play right now in our society.
BURNETT: Yes.
CHALIAN: And how she would address those so that she can acknowledge that she's aware that that exists.
BURNETT: And, Kayleigh, you're going to be watching closely for that, because obviously, in addition to trying to do that, Donald Trump has tapped into something a lot of people weren't aware of were there.
She goes in there and she now has Tim Kaine, white male on her ticket and does this enable her to become a bigger threat to Donald Trump and that group?
KAYLEIGH MCENANY, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: I don't think so because Donald Trump has very effectively put his finger on the pulse of the nation. He's spoken to American suffering in a very potent way and the numbers out of the convention reflect that.
Look, a "Wall Street Journal" poll came out and it showed that there are two really effective lines of attack against Hillary Clinton and one is trust and one is the fact that she is not an agent for change. The last three days, we've heard a lot of character witnesses come out and say, you're the reason we need to trust Hillary Clinton. We have not seen a case for change.
When she embraced Obama on that stage last night, that was not only an embrace, but also a theme as I'm embracing his agenda as she's done throughout this entire campaign. We've heard continuity. We have not heard change.
BURNETT: And continuity, Dan, though, is that a bet she has now made on some level? She knew that we're going to get that picture on the front page of every paper.
PFEIFFER: Right, and as she should, because President Obama today is more popular he was on the day he beat Romney on a large landslide. His approval rating is much higher than it was that day.
So, he does not need Trump supporters. Donald Trump has put his finger on the pulse of 40 percent of the Republican base, right? That is not who is going to decide this election, and so she is betting with a popular president on a different vision, and what's important tonight is understand that people aren't satisfied, but do not accept Trump's premise that we are living in some sort of Mad Max-style dystopia. That's not what this is.
BURNETT: But, Bakari, in order for her to win, some people don't like her and some people who currently think she's dishonest to vote for her, right? Those numbers are close to 70 percent to both and she's better than Trump. What did she do tonight to do that?
SELLERS: I agree with you, but I think you have to take one step further.
[19:20:00] She has to get those people who may not like her and who may not trust her. Those people aren't necessarily Republicans. Those people aren't necessarily independents. I think what she needs to do is build on the Obama coalition. Look, Barack Obama became president of the United States, winning 330 and 350 electoral votes respectively.
BURNETT: Yes.
SELLERS: If she hones, if she brings out and turns up this base, and if she turns up tonight, it's a chance to be a magical night.
BURNETT: This is going to be a very crucial night for her and, of course, for Chelsea Clinton, as well. Next, as we count to that, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo will be
speaking and, of course, then Hillary Clinton's speech to many millions across this country and around the world who will be watching tonight.
Also this evening, a special performance by pop superstar and vocal Clinton supporter, Katy Perry. All of that coming up. We'll be right back OUTFRONT.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BURNETT: We are back live at the Democratic convention on Hillary Clinton's big night. She's about to make history accepting her party's nomination for president. Now, a close Clinton family friend, the governor of New York, Andrew Cuomo, a part of a family political dynasty himself is getting ready for an important speech her as we count down to Hillary Clinton.
[19:25:03] Here is Governor Cuomo of New York.
GOV. ANDREW CUOMO (D), NEW YORK: Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
Good evening, Democrats! Is this a great convention or what?
I would like to begin -- with your permission, I would like to begin this evening by acknowledging my father who we lost last year. He was a 12-year governor of the great state of New York, Mario Cuomo.
(CHEERS AND APPLAUSE)
He gave a keynote speech at the 1984 Democratic convention that for many people defined the values and the principles of the Democratic Party and instructed me on how to lead my professional life as an elected official, and he loved being a Democrat.
(CHEERS AND APPLAUSE)
He spoke about the 1984 election. And the 1984 election was important because it was about two opposing philosophies, more than two people. Even more profoundly at stake this November is not which person or party wins or loses. At stake in this election, my friend, is the very soul of America.
Now, last week, we heard the Republicans lay out their strategy. Unfortunately, it offered no new solutions, but it's clear that their plan is to fan the flames of fear and to offer a scapegoat for all our problems.
The Trump campaign -- the Trump campaign is marketing a great distraction using people's fear and anxiety to drive his ratings. Their message comes down to this: be afraid of people who are different. Be afraid of different religions and different colors and different languages. Stop immigration, and they believed the nation would automatically rise.
It's not right. It's divisive. It's delusional, and we must expose the truth to the people of this nation.
Now, Republicans -- Republicans are suffering from short-term memory loss. Unless Republicans are all Native Americans, then they are immigrants, too.
(CHEERS AND APPLAUSE)
If we listen to the Republicans, they would cut this nation in half and turn one against the other. It would take our greatest strength which is our diversity, and it would make it a weakness, and we are not going to let that happen to our America!
Now, my friends, fear is a powerful weapon. It can excite and motivate, and it can get people to yell and to scream. Fear can even bring you into power, but fear has never created a job and fear has never educated a child, and fear has never built a home, and fear has never built a community, and fear will never build a nation.
(CHEERS AND APPLAUSE)
And let them remember when they sell fear, fear is not strength. Fear is weakness and no matter how loud you yell, our America is never weak.
Republicans -- Republicans say they want to make America great again. They say they want to take us back to the old days, the good old days.
[19:30:02] I want to know what good old days do the want to take us back to. Do they want to take us back before the Civil Rights Act? Do they want to take us back before minimum wage and worker protection laws? Or do they want to take us back before Roe v. Wade?
Well, we have a different vision. We're not going back. We're going forward!
(CHEERS AND APPLAUSE)
They say -- they say they want to make America greater than ever before. We say you haven't seen anything yet. You watch what we're going to do with America!
You think America is great now -- you think America is great now, imagine how great America can be when every child, rich and poor is fully educated to their God-given talents.
Let's be honest, right now in this country we have two education systems, not public and private, but rich and poor. And you go to a school on the rich side of town, and they will show you how in the first grade, all the children are on laptop computers, and you go to a school on the poor side of town, and you will see the most sophisticated piece of electronic equipment is the metal detector that you walk through on the way to the classroom. That is not educating every child equally!
You think -- you think America is strong. Imagine how strong we will be when we truly heed Martin Luther King's wisdom and we judge people by content of character and not color of skin. Imagine how strong we will be when we understand that the greatest feast is the one that is enjoyed by the most people at the table.
Imagine how strong we will be when our government has the strength to fight for freedom, but the intelligence to know that the strongest four-letter word is not hate, but love.
(CHEERS AND APPLAUSE)
Now, we know -- we know what the Republicans will say. The Republicans will say, well, those Democrats, they're just dreamers, that they can't make it happen. Well, maybe we are dreamers, but we are also doers.
FDR lifted a nation from depression. JFK launched our mission to the moon. LBJ enacted voting rights for all Americans. President Obama delivered healthcare coverage for 20 million uninsured Americans.
(CHEERS AND APPLAUSE)
And Mario Cuomo was a dreamer, too.
But our progressive government is working in New York. We raised the minimum wage to $15, the highest in the nation because we insist on economic justice! We enacted paid family leave because all workers deserve dignity!
We are rebuilding our middle class and we're working hand in hand with organized labor because the middle class is the backbone of this society!
(CHEERS AND APPLAUSE)
We are protecting the environment by banning fracking because this is the only planet we have.
(CHEERS AND APPLAUSE)
We fought the NRA and we won and we outlawed assault weapons to keep them from the hands of mad men who are killing innocents.
(CHEERS AND APPLAUSE)
And we passed marriage equality agenda, and we did it not because the Supreme Court said we must legally, but because people believed we should morally.
(CHEERS AND APPLAUSE)
Now these are not dreams.
[19:35:00] These are realities. Progressive government works and we proved that progressive government works, and we did it together without leaving anyone behind and without leaving anyone out because we believed that we are all interconnected, and we are all interrelated. We say somos uno, we are one. We there is a cord that connects you to
you to you to me and that cord weaves a fabric, and when one of us is raised, we are all raised, and when one of us is lowered, we are all lowered.
The Republicans say our vision of community can't work, but we know it can, and we know it will, and we've seen it happen. And we've seen it up close.
Fifteen years ago on September 11th, we saw death and we saw destruction, and we saw unimaginable horror and cruelty, but we also saw something else, my friends. We saw this nation come together like it had never come together before.
We were not Texans and Californians or New Yorkers. We were Americans. We weren't Democrats, and Republicans and independents. We were Americans. We weren't Muslims and Christians or Jews, we were Americans. We weren't black or white or brown. We were red and white and blue, and those are the only colors that matter in the United States of America!
(CHEERS AND APPLAUSE)
Ad in that moment, in that moment we were one, and we achieved community, and we were there for each other, and we were there the way a family is there. We cried together. We mourned together, and then we got up and we rebuilt together and that was America at its best.
Today -- today the Freedom Tower stands taller than ever before, and it is a monument to the fact that when this country comes together, there is nothing we can't accomplish, and there is nothing that we can't do.
(CHEERS AND APPLAUSE)
We say e pluribus unum, out of many, one, that is our founding premise, it is our enduring promise and that is our goal for this nation. And Hillary Clinton is the person to make that goal a reality!
(CHEERS AND APPLAUSE)
Now I spent eight years in the Clinton administration. I worked with Hillary Clinton every day. I've been all over the world with her. I've seen her in the trenches. I've seen her in the good days. I've seen her in the bad days.
She stood on the world stage, and she declared that human rights are women's rights and women's rights are human rights. She fought for health care for all Americans. As secretary of state, she repaired America's reputation worldwide.
And my friends, she won't just shatter the glass ceiling for my daughters and your daughters and provide a new role model for an entire new generation of women. She also has the vision and qualifications to be a transformative force for this nation. She will unify, not divide, and she will move us forward together as one. That's why we must make Hillary Clinton the next president of these United States of America!
(CHEERS AND APPLAUSE)
And last point, my friends. That was the essence of my father's message in 1984, and that message is timeless. My father was the keynote speaker for this nation's better angels, and he was beautiful.
And tonight, pop, wherever you are, and I think I know where, at this time of fear, please help this country remember what truly makes it great.
[19:40:07] That we are one nation, under God, indivisible with liberty and justice for all! Thank you and God bless you! Thank you!
(CHEERS AND APPLAUSE)
BURNETT: And that was Andrew Cuomo, the governor of New York with a well-received speech here as we're getting ready for Hillary Clinton, the main event tonight.
Still ahead, Republicans at this Democratic convention here to support Hillary Clinton. That's the crucial part of it. More on that as we count you down to Hillary Clinton taking the stage, and perhaps closely, almost as awaited event, Chelsea Clinton will introducing her. We predict she'll be holding back tears.
We'll be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BURNETT: And we are back awaiting Hillary Clinton's big moment on this final night of the Democratic convention here in Philadelphia. Can she electrify this crowd as she accepts the nomination and kicks off her general election battle with Donald Trump?
It is going to be the most important speech and night of her life.
[19:45:02] And before she speaks, her daughter, Chelsea Clinton, going to be introducing her. That crucial spot that Ivanka Trump held last week when she introduced her father to wide praise from people on both sides of the aisle when it came to Ivanka Trump's introduction.
David Chalian, that is a crucial role for Chelsea Clinton for tonight.
CHALIAN: And not one that she's familiar to. She introduced her mother at a previous Democratic convention as well back in 2008, but obviously now is going to speak as a daughter and as a new mother. Both the personal and why, you know, she wants her mother to serve as president for everyone, not just for her own personal family reason.
But it is a whole new spotlight for Chelsea Clinton, although she works for her mother's effort, there's no doubt that she's behind it, she's not been front and center in a big way, and this is her biggest moment of the entire campaign. BURNETT: Dan, what should we expect from her? You know, one of the
things that Bill Clinton did was talk about Hillary Clinton as a woman and as a wife. There were some who were frustrated by that because some said why can't he talk about her and her policy strength and why does he have to try to make her feminine? But Chelsea Clinton, her job as daughter seems to be that. Talk about her as a mother.
DAN PFEIFFER, FORMER OBAMA SENIOR ADVISER: Right. I think Bill Clinton in this case knew Joe Biden and Barack Obama were going to come out here and play that other role, and he in a unique role as a spouse.
Chelsea Clinton will speak to what is so important to Hillary Clinton, her identity and her motivation for running as a mother and a grandmother. I think it's very important. It's very similar to the role that Ivanka Trump played in the last convention which I think people -- certainly many would believe was the highlight of that convention and I expect we're going to see emotional, powerful moments from Chelsea Clinton tonight.
BURNETT: I mean, Bakari, she may be very emotional. She herself has said she thought her heart would burst with pride, which is a lovely thing to hear someone say, whether you agree with her mother's politics or not, to hear a child say that about her parent.
SELLERS: Yes, I don't think she'll start off with the 1971 I met a girl, per se, because that is now a legendary line in talking about your family in political speeches, but I do think she has a different standard. The standard that Eric Trump, Donald Trump Jr., and Ivanka is the same standard Chelsea Clinton has. We don't hold them to the same standard as a Barack Obama or Mitt Romney or Tim Kaine or anybody else, because they're opening up their heart to the world.
It's like me being on TV or me being on TV and saying, "I love my mom. I love my dad because I want to be like them when I grow up because they're awesome. When I'm sick, they're there and they baby sit the children." I mean, that is the speech is going to be about. It's going to be a very emotional speech because you've heard Hillary Clinton say this for a long time and it's true, she is the most famous person in the world that no one knows.
And I think right now, what they're trying to do is attempt to let people into that Hillary bubble. And one of the keys to doing that is going to be Chelsea Clinton.
BURNETT: Which would make her speech, if that is what she does what we heard from Ivanka. It was more a speech to reach out to women and say why women should think about the Republican Party. It was not a personal plea about her father.
MCENANY: There were two parts to it. We heard the personal side, as you mentioned, playing under my father's desk and she heard him ripping out articles of newspapers and called up the people who are the center of the articles, victims of accidents and bring them and talk to them and help them. So, we heard that part. We also, as you mentioned, we heard the part about reaching out to
women, the wage gap. We heard about having child care services for working women, so I wonder if Chelsea Clinton, not only will she personalize Hillary, but will she touch on any millennial issues. She was on the trail in 2007 and 2008, talking on college campuses. This is an area where Hillary Clinton struggles with millennials. So, I wonder if there will be a dabbling of policy like what we saw with Ivanka.
BURNETT: What do you think about the chances of that, David, that that she would go into policy at all. Certainly, she's a woman of great intellect and ability and she is certainly able to do so if she chooses.
CHALIAN: I think her love for her mother is what we will expect her advocacy for her mother's candidacy to be, right, and I think she's just try to translate that to the country at large.
BURNETT: And, Dan, in terms of their relationship, what role do you think Chelsea is then going to play? Is this the beginning of a bigger role for her in the campaign trail?
PFEIFFER: I think so. It was not front and center in 2007 and 2008, but she was very effective in talking to Barack Obama's base and making the case for her mother and she will be out there as much as her parents prefer her to do, I think she will -- as much as she's out there, she'll be great.
I think to the question of policy, the best speeches take the policies on the values and character of the politicians. So your policy will be in service about what her mother is fighting for and why she's fighting for.
BURNETT: And again, the big hurdle that Hillary Clinton has tonight, Bakari, is to have more people walk out of here thinking that she is an honest person and that they like her. Her two biggest problems, right? The people think she's dishonest if they don't like her.
Chelsea Clinton is uniquely positioned to tackle both of those things.
SELLERS: Yes, and I think that if we try to discount Chelsea Clinton's policy then we're probably doing a disservice because she still is the daughter of Bill and Hillary Clinton, two policy wonks and they passed it on to their daughter.
[19:50:12] But she has a very, very difficult task. I mean, I don't think anyone would sit here and say this is easy. This is the biggest night of either one of their careers, but I do think they're strong enough to do it. I think you're going to see two strong woman come on stage and show -- after Katy Perry, of course, show why they're running to be president of the United States.
One of the things that Hillary Clinton has to say tonight, though, even as a Hillary supporter, is the reason why she's running. I feel like I know that, but oftentimes when I'm talking to the world and talking to other people, sometimes they don't know that. So, I believe Hillary Clinton will come out and tell the world why she wants to do it because I still think that's a looming question for many Americans.
BURNETT: Very fair point. I like how you say Katy Perry. You're throwing that in there. I know --
SELLERS: That's why I'm here for Katy Perry.
BURNETT: You're so excited about Katy Perry.
Coming up, a tribute to the fallen police officers and we're just getting excerpts from Hillary Clinton's speech tonight. We will share them with you and we're starting to get a sense of what this crucial night may bring. We'll be right back.
(COMMERICAL BREAK)
BURNETT: And welcome back here in Philadelphia at the convention hall for the Democratic National Convention on this crucial night, the biggest night of Hillary Clinton's political life. We are now finding out a little bit about what is going to be in this all important speech.
Jeff Zeleny is with the Clinton campaign.
And, Jeff, what are you learning about what we will hear tonight?
JEFF ZELENY, CNN SENIOR WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT: Erin, we are getting our first look at this speech tonight, which is really going to be a defining choice here, framing the choice in the election, and this is some of what she's going to say.
She says, "The choice we face is just as stark when it comes to our national security. Anyone reading the news can see the threats and turbulence we face. From Baghdad and Kabul to Nice and Paris and Brussels, from San Bernardino to Orlando, we are dealing with determined enemies that must be defeated. No wonder people are anxious and looking for reassurance and looking for steady leadership. Every generation of Americans has come together to make our country freer, fairer and stronger. None of us can do it alone. That's why we are stronger together."
And, Erin, that is the theme of this speech, "stronger together" which we've been hearing all day, and I am right next to this aide as you can see here, and there is a group of chairs set up right below the stage. That's where the family is going to sit on either side.
[19:55:02] Not in a skybox at the top of this arena, but right down on the floor as close as they can get to Hillary Clinton when she delivers the most important political speech of her career, Erin.
BURNETT: All right. Jeff, thank you very much.
David, we're going to talk about the excerpts, but first, the seating that Jeff was laying out, that they're not going to be sitting in that box as is traditional that they'll be right up as close as they physically can. What's the significance of that?
CHALIAN: I think that's giving her support in physical proximity and she can check it and look down at them as needed and she sees her peeps. I mean, these are the people she's taken her entire life journey with until now the biggest moment of her career.
BURNETT: Dan, that's an unusual thing to do.
PFEIFFER: It is unusual but it makes a lot of sense, right? To be able to, when you're up there, it's a sea of faces that you don know and you can't make out and if she can look down and it gives her strength to see Chelsea, or President Clinton and her friends and family I think it's great. Whatever works for her is what they should do tonight.
BURNETT: And, Bakari, these speeches as Jeff Zeleny was just sharing, she's going to talk about a stark choice when it comes to national security. She's going to say, "My primary mission as president will be to create more opportunity and more good jobs with rising wages right here in the United States." So, her primary mission making an economic case and an American case.
SELLERS: Well, I mean, I think that's where her weakness is, and weakness is making that economic case to middle America, to the voters in Ohio, Pennsylvania, Michigan. That is where she has to target a good bit of it. But in terms of style, just briefly after listening to it, I think what Hillary Clinton is going to do is take a note from Barack Obama and Michelle Obama, and I have a feeling that she's going to find a rhythmic cadence in her voice tonight, something that we might not have heard, because this crowd in here is electric. And if you can hit those notes, if the crowd comes with you, you can take the country to another place.
BURNETT: That's a very crucial point, Kayleigh. If she can succeed in that, there are millions of people watching tonight who are not in the Democratic base who maybe giving her, a woman they have strong opinions of, a new look, a fresh look and this is a huge opportunity for her.
MCENANY: It is, but I think Americans are critical and they watched -- last week, they watched Donald Trump bring home a message of kind of anti-globalization or, you know, reassessing globalization and having jobs here at home, essentially just what you read. You mentioned the ISIS points and that is just what Donald Trump said.
So, if she tries to mimic Donald Trump's populism, I'm not sure that will resonate with voters who looked at Donald Trump presenting those messages for all of the campaign.
BURNETT: David, that's a line she has to walk. She has to appeal to some of the people who have been brought into this process by Donald Trump to find something appealing in this message or by Bernie Sanders and give them a different outcome. She's going to reach out, but then put them over here. That's hard to do.
CHALIAN: Yes, but listen, I think you've seen all week long here at this convention and the idea of saying, yes, here are some pockets of issues that we need to work on, but I think they were trying to present a less gloomy vision of it and more let's build on successes that have already happened.
So, just in tone and tenor, I think it's different than Donald Trump, and it's clear with Donald Trump's speech of what's resonating in the electorate right now.
BURNETT: Right, it is a packed convince hall. Everyone is here and, of course, with the unconventional moment when her family will be sitting right in front of her, as we count down to that crucial speech, let me hand it off now to "AC360."
(MUSIC)
ANDERSON COOPER, CNN ANCHOR: In this arena tonight, Hillary Clinton will talk about her life's journey and share her vision for the future, a critical speech, no doubt about it, at a pivotal moment for her campaign and for the country.
I'm Anderson Cooper. Welcome to a special edition of "AC360" as we head into the final hours of the Democratic convention.
Immense pressure on Hillary Clinton right now as she prepares to formally accept her historic presidential nomination. She's facing the most important test yet of her ability to connect with voters and she has to follow powerful speeches by some of the most popular speakers of her own party.
Her daughter Chelsea Clinton will introduce her. We're told her remarks will be very personal, speaking as a daughter, as a mother herself. Our political team is in place all across this hall right now.
Let's go to Wolf Blitzer who is on the convention floor -- Wolf.
WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR: Anderson, we expect some emotional tributes to fallen police officers, to veterans as well as an appeal by Republicans, Republicans who are supporting Hillary Clinton. Another highlight tonight, a performance by music superstar and Hillary Clinton supporter, Katy Perry.
Jake Tapper is with us.
Jake, what does Hillary Clinton need to accomplish tonight?
JAKE TAPPER, CNN ANCHOR: Well, first of all, let us just take a moment to contemplate the historic importance of this moment. This evening, a woman for the first time in American history will accept the nomination from a major party for the presidency of the United States. This has been a long time coming in this country.
We saw a delegate, a 102-year-old delegate from Arizona, born before women were given the right to vote in this country, cast her vote, cast her support for Hillary Clinton. So, let us first take a moment to acknowledge it.
