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Laura Coates Live
"Laura Coates Live" Tackles V.P. Kamala Harris' Qualifications As A Presidential Candidate; Rep. Wiley Nickel Talks About Possible V.P. Picks; UFC President Dana White Talks About Trump; Opening Ceremonies For Olympics Kick Off Today In Paris. Aired 11p-12a ET
Aired July 26, 2024 - 23:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[23:00:00]
MATT WELCH, EDITOR-AT-LARGE, REASON: It just cut by two-thirds. Then where did those three million people go? They voted predominantly for Joe Biden. If you look at Donald Trump, he's going to get 46 percent, a little less than 47 percent no matter what.
Those voters went there after Biden was inaugurated. All of those voters immediately soured on Joe Biden. They became double haters. Kamala Harris might have attracted some of those double haters to come back to the tent, as you were saying before.
ABBY PHILLIP, CNN HOST: All right, a quick last word for Joanna.
JOANNA COLES, CHIEF CONTENT OFFICER, THE DAILY BEAST: Well, I'm obsessed by a report we have in "The Beast" today that Melania's memoir finally is coming out in September. You can preorder it now. And if you want a signed copy, it will cost $150.
PHILLIP: All right, everybody, get your checkbooks out. Thank you for being here at the table. And thank you for watching Newsnight. "State of the Race Laura Coates Live" starts right now.
LAURA COATES, CNN HOST: Well, the lessons and questions from a wild week, and I do mean wild in American politics, tonight on "Laura Coates Live". Well, what a year this week has been, am I right? Forget all that you heard about the Biden Trump rematch. That's all in the rearview mirror. In just the last six days, the race for president is back at the starting blocks. And it looks like it could be anyone's race to win or lose.
And just in that short amount of time, we have learned a lot about the race ahead. For one, we all may be holding our breath until the very last minute. It's quite the nail biter, because, yes, Harris had made some early gains to close the gap. But it is razor tight.
Look at the new polling that came out tonight. I mean, neck and neck at some of the key swing states that will decide this election. I'm talking Michigan and Wisconsin and Pennsylvania. They're all in a dead heat.
We also found out the Trump campaign is going to launch a two-pronged attack against Harris, hitting her not just on her ties to Biden's agenda, but also on her record dating back to her days as a prosecutor in San Francisco. Perhaps not as obvious. Here is Trump's earlier comment tonight.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP, FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES AND CURRENT PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE (R): She was a bum three weeks ago. She was a bum, a failed vice president and a failed administration. But if radical liberal Kamala Harris gets in, Harris will appoint hundreds of extreme far-left judges to forcibly impose crazy San Francisco liberal values.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COATES: Was she a bum or was she the vice president? I think that was the title three weeks ago. It's still the title right now, as well. Then we also learned a thing or two about Donald Trump's running mate, J.D. Vance. Mainly that he is the Democrats' new poster child for that guy.
His comment about childless people and not having a stake in the country, that has set off quite a firestorm and it is not abating. And Democrats, they have more than seized on it. They're branding him and Trump with a new line of attack. The word, weird.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. CHRIS MURPHY (D-CONNECTICUT): We're using this fake living room to talk to you about a super weird idea from J.D. Vance.
UNKNOWN: Yeah, it's not, I mean, it's quite weird, but it's also offensive.
UNKNOWN: These are weird people on the other side.
SEN. BRIAN SHATZ (D-HAWAII): What was weird was him joking about racism today and then talking about Diet Mountain Dew. Who drinks Diet Mountain Dew?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COATES: Okay, well, that is weird, actually, right? Diet Mountain Dew. Diet Dr. Pepper, fine. And with that, let's get going right now with my Friday night panel. Tia Mitchell, Washington correspondent for "The Atlanta Journal-Constitution". Antjuan Seawright, a Democratic strategist. And Bryan Lanza, former deputy communications director for Trump's 2016 campaign.
Glad to have you all here. I won't ask you about your drinks of choice, although it's Friday night. Instead, let's launch into, Bryan, this new polling. I mean, you got Fox News looking at swing states, Michigan, my home state of Minnesota, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin. There's no clear leader except in Minnesota, where Harris leads by six points now. Is a Trump campaign a little nervous about this dead heat?
BRYAN LANZA, FORMER DEPUTY COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR FOR TRUMP'S 2016 CAMPAIGN: Listen, I would say no, primarily because it's really not a dead heat. If you, that's one poll, but if you look at other polls that came out, the Redfield-Wilton poll actually showed that Donald Trump's pulling away in some of these states already.
So, polls are going to be all over the place. I think the better understanding of where the polls are going to be in probably another week or two, where we'll see where they ultimately land. But this is very early in the campaign for Kamala Harris.
Donald Trump's already beaten one Democrat for president. He's knocked out Joe Biden. I suspect we're going to do the same thing because she still has to defend the same record. And the record is a failure on inflation. It's a failure on immigration. It's a failure on these two wars, possibly a third. That's a tough way to defend.
COATES: He didn't beat him. He stepped down out of the race, but go ahead.
LANZA: No, he beat him, guys. Let's be clear. He dropped out of the race because Biden wanted a debate because he was trailing in the polls. He needed a moment to change it. He had the debate and he knocked himself out.
ANTJUAN SEAWRIGHT, DEMOCRATIC STRATEGIST: That may be just a classic example of misrepresenting the facts.
[23:05:00]
First of all, I agree with you on the polar coaster that we all are going to go through over the next four or five months. Look, the polls are going to be up and down. I want to be consistent that polls are a snapshot of the time. They will never define the time, particularly polls in June or July.
As relates to Kamala Harris and the Kamala-mentum, the world is feeling, because we are feeling the momentum of her entering into the race. What we're starting to see is her unify the base quicker than we've ever seen the base unify before in our party, at least in modern-day history. And so, there's some weight to that notion.
However, any poll right now that says Donald Trump is running away with the race, it's just a -- it ain't worth the papers printed on. Why? Because we have not leaned into who Donald Trump really is.
LANZA: He's been there for seven years.
SEAWRIGHT: It doesn't matter. It doesn't matter.
LANZA: What do you mean it doesn't matter? He's been here for seven years.
SEAWRIGHT: It doesn't matter. It doesn't matter.
LANZA: How do you mean it doesn't matter? He's literally been there for seven years.
SEAWRIGHT: Kamala Harris, our candidate, has not defined the prosecutor versus the prosecuted.
LANZA: Because you believe that it's a long race, I guess.
COATES: Wait, I want to hear both of you. Don't talk over each other. Go ahead.
SEAWRIGHT: The prosecutor versus the prosecuted. The prosecutor gets to convict the felon. Kamala Harris, a qualified candidate for the office of presidency of the United States against Donald Trump and J.D. Vance Project 2025. Those cases have not been laid out just yet. And so --
COATES: Speaking of --
LANZA: Oh my goodness.
SEAWRIGHT: -- you can laugh it off. But truth be told, we're going to have real debate about the record.
LANZA: Let me say this about Project 2025.
COATES: Well, I think it's not -- hold on.
SEAWRIGHT: We're going to have a real debate about the record.
LANZA: Well, let me say this about Project 2025.
COATES: I think -- with women. I want to hear from Tia Mitchell.
TIA MITCHELL, THE ATLANTA JOURNAL CONSTITUTION, WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT: I just want to say, speaking of these polls, I think it's important to note that one of the reasons why Joe Biden started catering in the polls wasn't necessarily about policy. It was about how he was presenting himself. It was about people concerned about his age and his mental fitness.
You had lots of Democrats who don't want to vote for Trump. His policies aren't appealing to them. But they began to worry about Biden being able to serve another four-year term. And that's the reason why he was cratering in the polls.
Now, I do agree that the Harris-Trump campaign, the Harris-Trump rivalry is still being defined. Trump is figuring out how he's going to try to define Harris. We're seeing these new lines of attack. Harris is figuring out, quite frankly, how she wants to represent herself to the world.
We've got to remember that she's on day five, essentially, of a presidential campaign. So, yes, this polling is not necessarily where things are going to end up. But I also think you can't read too much into any of the polling.
LANZA: Yeah, I would argue the case that Donald Trump needs to be defined. He was President of the United States. There's thousands of hours of covering him. He is already defined.
SEAWRIGHT: That's not true.
LANZA: Kamala will be defined. She will be defined by him.
COATES: But she's also been our vice president.
LANZA: Sure, she ran -- but let's remember, when she ran for president the first time, she garnered, what, one percent of the polls. She raised nearly $100 million. And she couldn't sort of move forward because she didn't know who she was as a candidate.
In San Francisco and California, she ran as a true liberal. She ran against the death penalty. She ran starting sanctuary cities.
SEAWRIGHT: Can I just remind you?
LANZA: Sure, but let me finish my sentence. So, she ran against the higher taxes. Those are true liberal positions. And to win any seat in San Francisco, which is the most liberal state -- liberal city in the union, you're almost borderline socialist. So, those issues that Kamala championed in California, they're not consistent with American values. You know, San Francisco is not American values.
COATES: Excuse me. We're not going to over talk each other. When I interject, allow me to speak. When you talk about her characterization as a liberal, I would think she took a great issue with the notion that anyone who is liberal in San Francisco is bordering on socialist.
But I have heard this conversation and in fact, the notion of trying to define her as a candidate, listen to what has been said, pointing back to her statements when she ran the first time about an area that's been a really big minefield for many a candidate. That's the issue of defunding the police. Listen to what was said.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: Radical, liberal Kamala Harris, the most incompetent, unpopular, and far left vice president in American history. She said, let's defund the police. She was the first one to start it. But now, of course, she's tough. She's not. You can say Kamala. You can say Kamala. I said, don't worry about it. It doesn't matter what I say. I couldn't care less if I mispronounce it or not. I couldn't care less.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COATES: On that issue, this idea of trying to define her and attach her to this particular statement, and if you go back and listen to what she said, she seems to be talking about budget priority, which is not what's being relayed. And yet it's a very toxic issue for a lot of people. What do you say?
SEAWRIGHT: She's going to have to be firm about where she stands today. And she certainly is going to have to give a true, I think not explanation, but she's going to have to give her position of where she stands going forward.
Because truth be told, she stood on the right side of law and order in comparison because the elections are a contrast when you have a candidate who incited an insurrection where police officers were hurt, injured. Some were killed. I mean, Trump has a deep history when it comes to the police and being on the wrong side of history. And I think those are the things that will be debated in the campaign.
[23:10:00]
But one thing you missed -- one thing you missed in your commentary about Trump being defiant, he is the oldest candidate running for the office.
LANZA: Ain't just the issue. It's cognitive -
SEAWRIGHT: Running for the highest office in the land. We know he struggles with cognitive decline. There's questions about his mental acuity, particularly when he rambles and scrambles on the stage. And so, when you say he is -- let me finish, let me finish.
COATES: Hold on, gentlemen. Hold on. Excuse me, both of you. The cameras are here. The audience desperately wants to hear from both of your intellectual minds. Wait for each other to speak. Everyone will be benefited by hearing each of what you have to say. I certainly will be. Continue.
SEAWRIGHT: When those things are brought into the conversation, he is defined as a candidate. The conversation will obviously change. He has certainly not been defined based on his four years in the White House and the campaign that she's going to run against him, not the one that Joe Biden ran against him four years ago.
LANZA: So, here's what I would say to the pundit, please.
COATES: Talk to me about J.D. Vance, because I think that's even really where this conversation's going, Bryan, in many respects. Because we're talking about her as a candidate, but the ticket for her is not yet complete. For the Republicans, it is complete. It includes Trump and it includes Senator J.D. Vance.
There has been a lot of commentary this week alone about Senator J.D. Vance. Can you speak to the feelings within the campaign in terms of how they're viewing him as an additive or somebody who's subtracting from that ticket?
LANZA: Let me add one to go back. I mean, Kamala's statement to praising Mayor Garcetti of actually removing funds from the police department, that's called defunding the police. You can try to say it any way you want.
When Bill Clinton wanted to increase community services, he increased money with community service and he increased money with police. When Kamala wanted to do it, she supports cutting of the fence of funding to the police, but also supports it for the other. Now getting to your question about J.D. --
COATES: I'll let you talk instead of me on that point. MITCHELL: To the other point, though, how is Trump going to make a
straight-faced argument about Vice President Harris wanting to defund the police when he backed the insurrection on January 6th where police officers not only were injured, there were police officers who died in relation to what happened that day. So, how is that now a strong argument? It just seems like Republicans don't have as much.
LANZA: The Democrats and Joe Biden had tried to sell that talking point and that dog just didn't hunt.
SEAWRIGHT: Or else, or else --
LANZA: - Absolutely, it's true. The polls showed that Donald Trump was beating Joe Biden after years of Joe Biden saying insurrection, after the media of years of saying insurrection, after potential prosecutions of everybody saying insurrection. What did the voters choose ultimately before the debate? They said those issues didn't matter.
The issues that mattered the most were immigration, inflation, and the two wars. That's what voters choose. I get what we want to say. We want to sort of protract what's important, but the voters are going to make this choice. And the voters have said those issues don't matter to them.
SEAWRIGHT: But again, just because you say it does not make it true, just you are reimagining --
LANZA: I'm just going what the voters have said.
SEAWRIGHT: You're reimagining facts. The conversation around democracy was a top issue in every single poll that we've seen in the past couple elections, including --
LANZA: It was not a top issue.
SEAWRIGHT: Including Fox News polls.
LANZA: Sorry, sorry. I read polls every day. Y
COATES: You have to let him finish talking so I can hear his point, as well. It's strong.
SEAWRIGHT: Again, democracy and freedom have been top-tier issues for the voters. That's why the lion's share of independent voters who voted for Democrats in the midterms, it was reproductive freedom, but it was also democracy as a top issue.
When we talk about democracy and freedom, January 6th certainly bubbles up in that conversation. We ran ads around January 6th defining the narrative. That's not a person. Even Republicans agree with the idea of democracy.
LANZA: Why wasn't Joe Biden doing better in the polls? If he'd been talking about it since 2000 and saying it was a threat to democracy, why that he was so desperate to seek a debate so early at a record time? Because it clearly wasn't working.
Now, I get we want to say it worked, but voters have made the decision what's important. They said immigration, inflation, and the two words are the most important things to voters. It's not January 6th anymore.
COATES: Well, man, I'm working late because I'm an anchor. And that was some espresso conversation. Thank you so much. I'll leave it there for now. But don't worry. It's only been six days. It's now the mystery of the moment, as well.
Who is Vice President Kamala Harris going to pick as her V.P., particularly after all the news about Trump's pick? Might it be North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper? Or one of his allies is going to make that case that it should be, next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[23:18:46]
COATES: The clock is ticking for Vice President Kamala Harris to choose a running mate by August 7th. And among the names reportedly on the short-list is the governor of North Carolina, Roy Cooper. Now, they know each other from their days when they were attorneys general. Democrats have had their eyes on this state and its 16 electoral votes for months now.
But here's a bit of a reality check. It has not elected a Democrat for president since Obama back in 2008. That may be why the prospect of having someone like Cooper, who was a two-term governor, by the way, is so enticing.
Joining me now to make the case for Cooper as V.P. and the running mate of V.P. Harris is Democratic Congressman from North Carolina and Cooper's friend, Wiley Nickel. Congressman, good evening. So, good to see you. How are you?
REP. WILEY NICKEL (D-NC): I'm doing great. It's great to be with you tonight.
COATES: Glad you're here. And I have to ask you, I want you to read some tea leaves for me and maybe do a little bit of a pitch on your own. If you were before Vice President Kamala Harris right now, what would be the kind of elevator pitch on why you think Governor Cooper from your home state should be her pick?
[23:20:00]
NICKEL: Well, you know, I've made this pitch already to the Harris campaign privately, but -- and I've been making it publicly, too. And I'm a little biased, of course, as you know, because I'm from North Carolina.
But, you know, Roy Cooper is number one, someone who has the right stuff. You mentioned -- you mentioned North Carolina. We are the closest state that Trump won in the last election. Biden only lost by a point and a half. It was incredibly close. But Roy Cooper, a popular two-term governor, he has won twice on the
same statewide ballot as Donald Trump. Very few people across the country can say that. And frankly, the road to the White House runs through North Carolina.
There's no math where Trump can get to the Oval Office if he doesn't win North Carolina. So, getting Governor Cooper on the ticket, I think would bring North Carolina, you know, in Vice President Harris's column.
But also, I think, as you said earlier, you know, they know each other. They worked together as attorneys generals. They have that chemistry that is so important with the choice for a vice president. So, I'm really excited. I'm optimistic that the folks around the country are going to get to see the Roy Cooper that I know from North Carolina.
COATES: There has been so much conversations around the swing states. People talk about Ohio and Pennsylvania and Michigan and Wisconsin, Arizona. As you talk about that electoral college math, I mean, many people might be surprised to know 16 electoral votes, quite significant given the rest of the map.
But there are those who look at the math that you're talking about, and there is the personal relationship the two of them have. But what do you say to people who might think that Governor Cooper wouldn't necessarily excite the base, at least not as much as somebody who's more in the public eye lately, like Michigan's Governor Gretchen Whitmer or even Secretary Pete Buttigieg. What do you say to that?
NICKEL: Well, I think the good thing about electing and choosing a vice president as soon as Vice President Harris makes that choice, folks are really going to get to know whoever she picks. And when they do, as I can tell you, I know Governor Cooper, they're going to really like what they see. This is a governor who has been there for Democrats, Republicans, and Independents.
This election is going to be decided by folks in the center. And you need someone who's going to amplify the incredibly good work that Vice President Harris has done over her career as an attorney general, as, you know, a prosecutor, as a senator, and as vice president. And Governor Cooper is someone who's uniquely qualified to make that case, and he'd be a great partner for her as vice president.
COATES: You mentioned that they know each other as attorneys general, and there's a familiarity in terms of perhaps debate prep or otherwise, because if he is chosen, he would go against Senator J.D. Vance, the running mate of Donald Trump. What kind of message would Governor Cooper take against Donald Trump's running mate?
NICKEL: Well, I think he would clean his clock, but I'm not very convinced that J.D. Vance will still be on the ticket by then.
COATES: Really? I think what we've seen in the last week is the choice has just been a disaster for Donald Trump. It's just one story after another about J.D. Vance and his extremist views. And frankly, people are now looking at this ticket and saying, gosh, we would elect the oldest person ever to be president with Donald Trump.
And, you know, having J.D. Vance next up with his far right extremist views, people are taking a real good look. And I've seen, I've heard Donald Trump with what seems to be a very tepid amount of support for Vance. So, you know, I don't know if it's a done deal, but if it is J.D. Vance, you know, Governor Cooper would do very well in that debate, and I think he would clean his clock.
COATES: If Senator J.D. Vance would no longer be the running mate, we'll have to start handing out neck braces for the political whiplash that everyone will be experiencing day in and day out. Congressman, so glad to have you here. Thank you.
NICKEL: Hey, it was great to be with you.
COATES: Well, former President Barack Obama has now made it official. He's with Harris. But does Obama still have the same star power in a 2024 political America? And might Harris want to take a page out of his '08 playbook? The perfect voice for that conversation, I've got Michael Eric Dyson, and he is next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[23:28:44]
COATES: Well, Vice President Kamala Harris closes out a whirlwind, and I do mean whirlwind week with her biggest endorsement yet from former president Barack Obama and former first lady Michelle Obama.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MICHELLE OBAMA, FORMER FIRST LADY OF THE UNITED STATES (on the phone): I can't have this phone call without saying to my girl Kamala, I am proud of you. This is going to be historic.
BARACK OBAMA, FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES (on the phone): We call to say -- Michelle and I couldn't be prouder to endorse you and to do everything we can to get you through this election and into the Oval Office.
KAMALA HARRIS, U.S. VICE-PRESIDENT AND CURRENT PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE (D): Oh my goodness. Michelle, Barack, this means so much to me.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COATES: A part of me wonders like I would, tell them first, am I on speakerphone in case I said anything odd? But that's a moment we'll have to talk about. That was an historic moment, wasn't it? America's first Black president endorsing the candidate who could very well become the country's first woman president and second Black president. The Obamas saying Harris has the resume, has the vision, the character and the strength that the moment demands.
Here to discuss this endorsement, renowned scholar on race, culture and politics and a friend, Michael Eric Dyson. He's also a distinguished university professor at Vanderbilt University and author of "The Black Presidency: Barack Obama and the Politics of Race in America".
[23:30:01]
Michael, your resume is getting longer and longer by the day but I'll read it all and I haven't even captured most of it there. Let me ask you, friend, it's been nearly a decade since Obama left the White House. Will his endorsement carry the same political influence and weight in a 2024 America?
MICHAEL ERIC DYSON, PROFESSOR: Well, thanks for having me. Obviously, it's a very changed time. And Barack Obama's memory has faded for some younger people remain persistent for those who are old enough to appreciate his historic legacy.
But you know, he's like the third wheel on the big three of a superstar team. He's still got juice. He's still amazing shooter. But we've got, you know, Joel Embiid and Maxie. So, Paul George, welcome to the game.
And I think that look, a good word from Barack Obama is always a beautiful thing. But think about it this way. The best endorser for Kamala Harris is Kamala Harris. I mean, within 24 hours of having announced that she was running for the presidency, she raised $100 million. And within 48 hours, she had locked down enough delegates to win the nomination potentially for the presidency of the United States of America from the Democrats.
The biggest booster of Kamala Harris is Kamala Harris. Good to have these other assorted people to support you. But she has done an extraordinary job. And look, in one sense, that phone call was Jackie Robinson calling Willie Mays, potentially. Jackie Robinson was the -- was the forerunner. He was the one who was judged, able to be the person to be the first one in because he could take all the nastiness and the negativity, with his tremendous talent. That was Barack Obama.
But potentially, as an AKA, as a graduate of a historically Black college, as a woman who has forged connection between multiple communities and done so with zest, zeal and intelligence, she stands on the precipice of a historic legacy of a Black woman moving forward to lead a nation for which Black women have given so much of their blood.
COATES: And yet, after all the things that you have listed that would define assets and things that she could hold and tout out, there are some who are particularly Republicans who have called her a DEI hire. Now, Obama famously gave a speech about race during his first run for president back in 2008.
I'm wondering what you think Vice President Harris, as the candidate, ought to do. Should she respond to these attacks? Should she take a page out of the former president's book or should she take the path of the former First Lady, when they go low, we go high?
DYSON: Well, she is DEI, determined, engaged, and inspiring. So, she lives up to those letters, to be sure, that acronym, but she's changed it. Look, she ain't got to do what they did back then. What she has to do is to respond with the integrity of her work, the excellence of her vision. Should she have the opportunity to debate Donald Trump, she will clean his clock, as was said earlier.
She will engage him in some of the most powerful, beautiful rhetoric that the debates have ever seen. She is a prosecutor, so she has a legal background and a jurisprudence at her hand to be able to call him on his lies and to show that if you think this is DEI, you better get some of that DEI, because that's what's going to lead America.
We know the true recipients of those who have gotten stuff for stuff they didn't deserve are many white men in history who didn't earn it, who didn't get it because of hard work. They got it because it was transmitted to them. It was handed on to them.
So, in one sense, it's a kind of guilty conscience projecting onto the bodies of this Black woman, but she will handle it, I think, with aplomb and with tremendous sophistication, and she won't be caught up in their own race baiting.
COATES: I do wonder, and we have a short amount of time left, and I always love a conversation with you about music, and one of the songs that are being chosen by the Kamala Harris campaign has been the song "Freedom" by Beyonce.
DYSON: Right.
COATES: You teach a class on her. Were you surprised by this choice, and what's the significance of it?
DYSON: Not at all. Now, that's the endorsement everybody wants, right? When Queen B signs on and says, you good, ask Teyana Taylor. You know, ask people who have been the recipients of the praise of Beyonce. That was extraordinary. I'm not surprised at all.
That song about freedom was opening up barriers, tearing down obstacles and impediments that prevent us from flourishing and to embrace the freedom to be. As Kamala Harris said in her first ad, it's freedom from and freedom to.
Freedom from the history and legacy of white supremacy, freedom to pursue whatever your ambition is able to carry you to. So, I think that song is beautiful. That endorsement of Beyonce is great. It's energy, energy, energy.
COATES: Well, we have rejected the monarchy in this country, but all hail the Queen. Michael Eric Dyson, thank you so much.
DYSON: Thank you so much for having me.
COATES: Well, up next, he introduced Donald Trump at the RNC a week ago, but a lot, and I do mean a lot, has changed since then.
[23:35:03]
UFC's Dana White joins me next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[23:39:16]
COATES: Well, tonight, Donald Trump entering the political octagon and turning his full focus on the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee, one Vice President Kamala Harris.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: The Harris agenda is an agenda for national destruction. The Trump agenda is an agenda for national renewal and greatness.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COATES: Joining me now, a stong supporter and friend of former President Donald Trump, the president of the UFC, Dana White. Dana, good to see you again. How are you doing?
DANA WHITE, PRESIDENT, UFC: I'm awesome. Thanks for having me.
COATES: Last time many people saw you, you were at the RNC on the stage and it was you, not the first lady, not his kids that introduced the former President of the United States.
[23:40:03]
And it came at a time when he had just had an attempt on his life. I wonder what that experience was like for you and what has been the reaction to you being in that very political space?
WHITE: Yeah, no, it was, obviously, I was very honored and the family was very supportive. And the family was very supportive of me being the person to introduce him. So, it was an honor. And the response to me has been incredible. You know, people I haven't talked to in 10, 15 years, everybody's reaching out to me and, you know, obviously responding on the speech.
COATES: You've known him for decades. And many people who are pundits and talking about it, they were looking at that assassination attempt and they were expecting it to change who he was as a person. When you spoke to him, did you see any change or reaction about what that experience was like for him to have an attempt on his life?
WHITE: No, and you're so right. I mean, I've known people that have had those types of experiences before and it definitely changed them. This is the most resilient human being I've ever seen. And, you know, I was flying to Italy when it happened and I was so freaked out, but I was freaked out by it. How he couldn't be, you know, how he couldn't be, like you said, changed by this attempt on his life.
He's one of the strongest, most resilient human beings that I've ever met in my life. And, you know, everybody thinks they're a tough guy until it's time to do tough guy things. The way that he reacted to that attempt on his life was, you know, my respect level has gone even higher for him, the way he handled that. And as far as the American people, everybody should be outraged that
this happened to him. If it happened to Clinton, if it happened to Obama, if it happened to Bush, if it happened to, you know, Biden, every American should be enraged by an attempt on a former or sitting president's life. And the way that he handled it, I have so much respect for him.
COATES: Well, Secret Service's director has resigned as a result of the outrage that is collected bipartisanly, but there were many who thought that it would change his approach to politics and improve the approach he would take. But this campaign has already gotten pretty nasty. I think people expected it to get nasty now that there is a new head of that Democratic ticket.
It's the vice president, Kamala Harris. You know, you have joked before that politics is way nastier than sports or the UFC, but what we're seeing, I mean, there's a labeling of the vice president as a DEI hire. You yourself have prided yourself on giving both men and women opportunities at your organization. What do you think of this message that attacks the race and gender of an opponent?
WHITE: Yeah, I don't judge people by their politics and, you know, who they vote for or any of that stuff. And listen, I don't know Kamala. She seems like she's a nice person. You know, I have nothing against her whatsoever. And like I said, I'm not political, but do I think that she is fit for the job? I do not, personally.
COATES: But it's not necessarily about the policy. It's the approach to attacking one. I mean, I know that you are very well-versed in what it' s like to have a matchup, and people are going to go at each other for the sake of the sport and entertainment.
But when it comes to attacks particularly, I mean, there was that quote from J.D. Vance, who is his running mate, talking about childless cat ladies. I mean, these are not things that are in line with enveloping perhaps women into the fold, which is the thing you have always stood for, you say, in your sport. Why shouldn't that be the same in politics?
WHITE: Yeah, well, listen. Politics are the most disgusting, nasty, it's atrocious what is said in politics. And the things that are being said on one side are being said on the other side, too, about Trump and about, you know, his choice for vice president. It goes both ways.
This isn't like, oh my God, look what's being said about Kamala. It goes both ways. They're both saying it. And like you said, it's already heated up and gotten nasty. And like you said earlier, it's only going to get nastier. That's politics. It is what it is. And it definitely goes both ways.
COATES: I don't know that it's going both ways to have the childless cat lady comment or address.
WHITE: Oh, come on.
COATES: A DEI hire, who's calling, you think that vice president Kamala Harris is calling J.D. Vance a DEI hire, Dana? Come on.
WHITE: But either way, she's going to say other nasty stuff about both of them. It goes both ways. And as voters, as voters, what we need to do is cut through all the B.S. and you have to look at who do you think is best fit to run the country for the next four years?
[23:45:01]
That is our job as voters. All of this stuff is a bunch of nasty B.S., all of it. Who's best fit to run the country? You as a voter, that's what you need to decide. Not, oh my God, he said this and oh my God, she said that. There's going to be a lot of that over the next several months.
And especially the media. All the B.S. that the media on both sides. You guys, you guys are really bad. Fox is bad. Everybody's bad. Cut through the B.S. and vote for who you think is the most fit to run the country. That's our job as voters.
COATES: Well, look, I don't wear pearls. I don't pretend to clutch them and pretend that I'm shocked by every nasty insult that is waged against another person. But I think your point, though, about the American people wanting to know who's best for the country, this is the issue.
When people are focusing not on policy positions but personal attacks that have nothing to do with what voters want to hear about, that detracts from the experience of voters making a decision, and that's the problem. And I'm going to just know when you say you guys are terrible, you clearly don't mean Laura Coates.
But Dana, let me go on to one other point here because there is, of course, a fight that's taking place. It's in Manchester. And this is right in your wheelhouse and your bread and butter, and it's between Leon Edwards and Bilal Mohammed.
And everyone is talking about this. There were rule changes. There were things going on. The 12-6, I mean, everything people are talking about right now. Give me what the voters, I mean, not the voters, but the viewers are going to see this weekend.
WHITE: Yes, it's a great fight, the main event. Two guys in their prime, two of the best in the world. Leon Edwards, who is the champion, this guy hasn't lost a fight in nine years. He is facing Bilal Mohammed, who hasn't lost a fight in five years.
So, when you talk about, you know, the best versus the best in their prime, that's what this main event is. And the co-main event are the heavyweights. Tom Aspinall, what makes this fight interesting, he is the interim champion right now, right? This guy has 100 percent finish rate, 11 knockouts, three submissions. And this is what I find fascinating.
He, right now, he has the least time ever in the heavyweight division on bottom. He's been on the bottom for one second. And he is facing Curtis Blades, who has the most control time, which means he's been on the top or in control for an hour and 20 minutes in his heavyweight career, which is number one in heavyweight history. So, when you look at styles, styles make fights and both the main event and co-main event could not be better stylistically.
COATES: I mean, you're going to rival the Olympics. I mean, that's happening, by the way, right now. And you've got this fight that everyone is actually talking about, not in Paris, but now in England. They might be a little mad at you these days, Dana.
WHITE: Everybody's mad at me these days, and in the past, so I'm used to it.
COATES: No wonder you get along with politicians. Dana White, nice to talk to you. Thank you so much.
WHITE: Always a pleasure. Have a great day.
COATES: Well, it's a foggy morning in Paris already as the Olympic Games get underway after an incredible opening ceremony. We'll take you there live next with the standout moments and the storylines to track for Team USA.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[23:52:49]
COATES: Well, opening ceremonies for the Olympics kicking off today in Paris with most of the festivities taking place on or around the River Seine. This is the first time the opening ceremony has not been held in a stadium. So, lucky for us because much of Paris was on full display.
Celebrities and athletes from all around the world carrying the Olympic torch. You can see there is an elated Snoop Dogg representing for America. We also got to see the proud American flag bearers, superstars LeBron James and Coco Gauff, just to name a few.
And then there was a dazzling performance by Lady Gaga on the stairs and a breathtaking return to the stage for Celine Dion. It's her first performance since announcing her diagnosis with stiff person syndrome two years ago.
But while we love the pageantry, we really can't wait for the competitions to begin. So, let's bring in CNN sports analyst, Christine Brennan. Christine, it's so exciting to have this happen again. You were covering the opening ceremonies. Talk to me about the moment. Seeing LeBron, seeing Coco, even Giannis for Greece and Snoop. Take me there.
CHRISTINE BRENNAN, CNN SPORTS ANALYST: Laura, it was the most elaborate thing I have seen, most elaborate entertainment or show that I have ever seen. And you mentioned the river, one of the most famous, probably the most famous river in the world, the Seine River on display.
As President Macron said to a group of journalists, including me on Monday, he said, it is Paris and France and open theater. The city has become an open theater. What a beautiful way to say it. And it was breathtaking. You know, it was almost like there's more and there's going to be now more and then more. And it just kept going and going and going.
I think people have already said Los Angeles has the next summer Olympics in four years and they're going to have to send people to the moon or something to have any way to compete with this. I almost like -- that's the last opening ceremony. Just retire the entire event, spectacular energy.
And of course, it was pouring down rain, the whole time, which was so unfortunate, but shows how much people enjoyed it, that they stayed. And of course, the performers all in that driving rain, truly an extraordinary moment.
[23:55:03]
COATES: You could not tell that the rain was actually pouring because everyone was so excited to be there. And all eyes are on so many of the Olympians, but there are two who have practically reshaped their sports. I mean, gymnasts, Simone Biles, swimmer Katie Ledecky. They've got 11 gold medals between them. So, what do you expect to hear and see from those two legends?
BRENNAN: Katie Ledecky actually swims in, if I'm doing the math right, five hours. And so, she's probably close to getting up and getting ready. This is the 400 freestyle. I think will probably win the bronze in this, but don't be worried folks, that this is the toughest race for her, the 400 freestyle.
The longer she swims, the better she does, Laura. So, she'll probably win two golds later on in the games in the 800 and the 1500. And then Simone Biles. You know, this is so interesting. These two women, Laura, were born in the same week, three days apart in March of 1997.
COATES: Wow.
BRENNAN: Katie Ledecky, Simone Biles. What a week, huh? And Simone.
COATES: Wow.
BRENNAN: I know, you know, we all love gymnastics. I know you love gym -- and your family loves gymnastics. And Simone Biles is so classy, just like Katie Ledecky. But Simone has also gone through the mental health issues, the twisties, and she is, it's so horrifying, but she is the most famous survivor of the worst sexual assault and sexual abuse scandal in sports history -- the Larry Nassar gymnastics horrors. And the way she's spoken out for survivors.
So, I could make a case that there is no more a complete human being than Simone Biles in terms of the way she's handled everything. And she could win, let me count them, one, two, three, four, five.
She could win five gold medals. She certainly should win five medals of some kind in leaving the U.S. to the gymnastics team competition victory, which they did not get three years ago. Also, I think she will win the individual all around again.
COATES: I took my daughter, as you know, to the Olympic trials in my home state of Minnesota. I may have cried when I saw her come on. I'm just saying that. But let's turn to track and field at this point in time. You've got phenoms like Noah Lyles, who just broke a P.R. in the 100-meter dash, Sha'Carri Richardson. This is going to be incredible.
BRENNAN: It is, it's the second week of the Olympics. So, don't expect to see it today. The track and field happens after the swimming. And, you know, for Sha'Carri Richardson, this is truly, again, one of the stories of the games. You remember, of course, I think we talked about it. The drug test, the positive test for marijuana, it broke everyone's heart. And she couldn't compete in Tokyo.
She's stuck with it. She is back three years later. She is the favorite or one of the favorites to win the 100 meters. And you know, those sprints, Laura, that's the marquee event. That's what Americans care about. Going back to Jesse Owens and Florence Griffith Joyner and Wilma Rudolph, the names that are so legendary. Carl Lewis, who was on the boat last night with Nadia Comaneci and Serena and Rafa Nadal.
I mean, so Sha'Carri Richardson is in this event that Americans and people around the world care so much about, the 100, and then Noah Lyles, the 100 and the 200 on the men's side. So, don't blink or you'll miss them. That's for sure, as they go for gold.
COATES: I can't wait. Christine, merci beaucoup, as they say in Paris. Thank you so much.
BRENNAN: Thanks, Laura, my pleasure. Thank you.
COATES: You know, while Paris is home to some of the world's most famous chefs, this week, CNN hero salutes one big hearted amateur with a tiny kitchen. His name is Manu Solidaire, and he cooks and delivers free meals by the dozen on his bike to people living on the city streets and struggling to afford food.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MANU SOLIDAIRE, PARISIAN HOMELESS ADVOCATE: I'm not a real chef. When I wake up in the morning, I'm thinking about, what do you want to make today? Okay, kitchen tour. I cook on my kitchen, and it's really, really tiny. I'm allowed cooking between four hours and eight hours. I go on the streets with my bike, with all my meals, and I deliver it for free to honest people.
The first time I go on the street to deliver food, the first reaction was surprised. Some of them look at me like, huh, who are you? First sentence is not, oh, are you hungry? But the first sentence is, I deliver free food for you. Do you need it?
For the Olympic Games, the police are moving homeless people, but the problem is we can't just hide the poverty of the country without any solution. If I can't find them on the street, if needed, maybe I will take the train to continue to deliver my food. I know this population since a lot of years. [00:00:00]
When I see the smile I give on the street, thank you for that.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COATES: Well, go to cnnheroes.com right now to see Manu's full story and nominate someone who you think should be a CNN hero. Thank you for watching. "Anderson Cooper 360" is next.
