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CNN Live Event/Special
Night Three Of Historic Democratic National Convention Under Way, Sen. Chris Murphy Speech; Olivia Troye, Geoff Duncan, Bennie Thompson And Aquilino Gonell Addressed The DNC Tonight; Stevie Wonder And Kenan Thompson Performed At The DNC Today. Aired 8-9p ET
Aired August 21, 2024 - 20:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[20:00:00]
(MAREN MORRIS LIVE PERFORMANCE "BETTER THAN WE FOUND IT")
ANDERSON COOPER, CNN HOST: Our special coverage continues live from Chicago on this third night of the Democratic National Convention. Inside this arena, the party taking another critical step in the fast- track launch of its history making presidential ticket.
Taking center stage tonight, the vice presidential nominee, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz. We're following it all from our CNN skybox with our teams on and near the convention floor.
I'm Anderson Cooper along with Jake Tapper.
And Jake, this is certainly Governor Walz's best opportunity yet to share his story with voters and show them why Vice President Harris chose him as her running mate.
JAKE TAPPER, CNN HOST: That's right, it was a very truncated vetting process, Anderson, and Democrats are right now touting the regular guy Midwestern dad energy that they believe Governor Walz brings to the ticket.
We expect to see some of that on display in his speech tonight. The campaign says that Walz will highlight the small town values he grew up with in the Nebraska along with his experience outside of politics as an assistant coach for football, and a teacher, and a National Guardsman.
Democratic insiders describe the governor's speech as positive and patriotic.
Tonight's other top speakers include former President Bill Clinton, who will be delivering his 13th convention address.
Also, we'll hear from former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, an excerpt for his speech suggests that he will describe the choice between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump as. "We the people" versus "Me, myself, and I".
And in a huge get for the DNC, CNN has learned exclusively that Oprah Winfrey will take part in the program this evening. CNN's Jeff Zeleny is just off the stage as the convention program takes it to higher gear and CNN's John Berman and Kaitlan Collins are getting reaction from the delegates on the convention floor here at the United Center in Chicago. Let's go to Berman right now.
John, set the scene for us on the significance of this night for Governor Walz and for Democrats in general.
JOHN BERMAN, CNN HOST: It is a huge night for Governor Walz to really introduce himself to everyone in this audience, and I can tell you, this stadium filled up more quickly than it has all week.
I think after that roll call last night, these delegates realized, they better get here because you never know what you might see on this stage. Now, I will say over the last several minutes, the incredibly emotional speech from the parents of the Israeli hostage, Hersh Goldberg-Polin.
This place was completely silent, you could have heard a pin drop. I saw tears streaming down everyone's face. Everyone is very emotional already and I do think they're very much looking forward to everyone else will come on this stage.
I actually walked over here to the Illinois delegation because after Jamie Gangel reported the news that Oprah would be speaking, I wanted to get reaction from some of our hometown crowd here so I came over and I bumped into the speaker pro-tem of the Illinois House Jehan Gordon-Booth.
So Oprah is coming?
STATE REP. JEHAN GORDON-BOOTH (D-IL): Oprah is here. We're excited for Oprah. Oprah is our hometown girl and we know that she is going to bring it.
BERMAN: I mean, what more could you ask for if you are from Illinois here. You've already got the convention.
GORDON-BOOTH: Yes.
BERMAN: You've had both Obamas, you know J.B. Pritzker is up there and now you have Oprah.
GORDON-BOOTH: Listen, in Illinois we do things really big here. We dream big and we execute even bigger.
Having this convention on the backdrop of what is one of the most beautiful cities in the world and transposing that with what the Republican Party is saying about places like Chicago.
When you think about the vision that we have here in Illinois the way that we have been able to work together. We want to show the world that the Illinois we do things. We put people first and we get things done.
[20:05:18] BERMAN: Speaker Pro Tem, thanks so much for being with us. Enjoy the rest of the night. Enjoy Oprah Winfrey. I'm glad I got to report to the delegation that she would be coming. All right -- Jake.
TAPPER: Thanks, John. Let's check in now with Jeff Zeleny on the floor -- Jeff.
JEFF ZELENY, CNN SENIOR WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT: Jake, we are learning of course that John Legend will also be paying tribute tonight to Prince and Governor Tim Walz we're told as one of Prince's biggest fans, of course, Prince, a native of Minneapolis and just last year, the Minnesota governor signed in the law, a stretch of highway in Minneapolis for the Prince Memorial Highway.
So, I am told that John Legend will be paying tribute with the singer Sheila E. as well to Prince of course of "Purple Rain" and those highway signs are purple in color, signed by Governor Walz -- Jake.
TAPPER: All right, Jeff, thanks so much. Let's talk right now with my colleagues, Dana Bash and Abby Phillip. What do you think Governor Walz needs to do tonight because while -- especially, comparatively his rollout has been successful, there are some questions out there about alleged embellishments and obvious embellishments that he's made. He's still kind of an unknown quantity among the American people.
DANA BASH, CNN CHIEF POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: Absolutely, I mean, Kamala Harris, people have said brightly is somebody who is famous but not well known. He is not famous nor well known. And so, he has an opportunity to introduce himself and the people who know him well are going to introduce him
Look, he is going to put forward the whole reason why he was picked -- because he is a Midwesterner, because he is a military vet, he is a teacher, he is a football coach, he is a White male, and that is particularly the White male, when you look at the demographics, that is part of the electorate that Democrats are going to be reaching out to with him but also with Bill Clinton and his speech tonight.
TAPPER: Abby.
ABBY PHILLIP, CNN POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes, I mean, I think that that is the cultural contrast that they want to paint, is between what's the "Real America". I mean that's been the battle in American politics for so long and Tim Walz kind of ethos is that real America looks more like me than it looks like Donald Trump and JD Vance.
The task tonight, I think is going to be for him to make plain what the Harris-Walz message is. Put it in terms that are simple and easy for people to understand, that are relatable. That is another big reason he was picked on the ticket is actually his ability to convey ideas.
When he came up with the idea of, weird, it came to encapsulate a lot that Democrats are trying to say about their political opposition. So, I expect that to be the main thing that he does tonight. I also think, Jake, the other part of the reason why this stadium is so full, is that I think people learned last night that there is a convergence of celebrity power and energy and excitement and the unexpected that has been happening in this arena.
I was talking to a lot of delegates so, as I was going about today and some of them are questioning whether they would come tonight compared to last night and tomorrow night. They are here.
BASH: Yes, you'll never know.
PHILLIP: Because I think they know something could be happening.
BASH: And you know, last night we saw the megawatt star power of the Democratic Party with the Obamas with those electric speeches. Tonight, I don't know that Tim Walz is expected to be electric, but he is going to try to portray what everybody who knows him, and particularly knew them in the House where I covered him is his super power that he is normal.
TAPPER: All right, Democrats are getting deeper into tonight's convention program. Teeing up their introduction of Governor Tim Walz to the nation.
Also, ahead, speeches by former President Bill Clinton, former Speaker Nancy Pelosi, other big name Democrats. Stay with us, we're going to squeeze in a quick break, we'll be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[20:13:04]
COOPER: Welcome back, night three of the DNC is already underway as the excitement builds for the headline speech, Governor Tim Walz officially accepting his party's nomination for vice president.
Also speaking tonight, Kenan Thompson, also, Oprah Winfrey is going to be speaking as well, and singer, John Legend will also be performing. So there is a lot here ahead.
We just heard from the parents of Hersh Goldberg-Polin an American citizen who's being held hostage right now in Gaza. It was very emotional here.
Let's check in with Kaitlan Collins who is on the floor as we wait for Senator Chris. Kaitlan, I believe senator Chris Murphy is just about to come out. So, we'll probably take in, Kaitlan I'm sorry, let's go to Chris Murphy.
SEN. CHRIS MURPHY (D-CT): So, I just want to let you know that everything you just saw in that video that's exactly what happens. I know because I was a Democratic senator who negotiated that bill to secure the border with President Biden and Vice President Harris.
I want to tell you this, as well. Donald Trump's allies weren't just in the room and they helped us write a whole bill. It was a bipartisan bill. It was a tough bill, $20 billion in new border security, gave the president the emergency power to shut down the border, made compassionate but serious reforms to our asylum system.
One Republican said, it would've had almost unanimous support if it weren't for Donald Trump. Trump killed that bill and he did it because he knew that if we fixed the border, he would lose his ability to divide us. His ability to fan the flames of fear about people who come from different places.
[20:15:23]
You guys know this, right? Hate and division that's Trump's oxygen, right? People like Trump and JD Vance, they need it to survive in politics. People are saying that they are weird, that they are creepy, and they are weird and creepy. But, even worse, they are weak.
[CHEERS AND APPLAUSE]
Kamala Harris is not weak.
For 20 years, Kamala Harris has been tough as nails when it comes to securing our border. When she was the California prosecutor she went after drug smugglers, human traffickers and she put 100 gang members away in a single sweep.
Trump says that a safe nation can't be an immigrant nation. That is flat wrong and Kamala Harris knows it.
[CHEERS AND APPLAUSE]
She knows this, too. Engraved on the statue of liberty is a poem. The last line reads, "I lift my lamp beside the golden door".
For generations that lamp has called people to start a brave, new life in America. My ancestors , your ancestors, and the parents of the next president of United States of America.
Kamala Harris knows that we can be a nation of proud immigrants and a nation of strong immigration laws. That is why when she is president she will bring that border bill back and Kamala Harris is going to pass this.
How do I know this? Because in this race there is only one candidate who has ever been willing to do the worthy, redeeming work of making our country better, of recognizing that we do not have to choose between celebrating our heritage and enforcing our laws, right?
The beautiful thing about America is that we can be both. We can be a nation of immigrants who love their country and a nation with a secure border.
And there is only one candidate, there is only one candidate who can deliver that vision of America and it is Kamala Harris. Thank you very much Democrats.
[APPLAUSE]
EVENT HOST: Please welcome Bear County Sheriff , Javier Salazar.
JAVIER SALAZAR, BEAR COUNTY SHERIFF: On the other side of the border the traffickers, they pack migrants into 18-wheelers like cattle, fifty, a hundred at a time, then they seal the doors. That is where the 911 calls come. We hear them, desperate, terrified , gasping for air.
Sometimes, we get there in time. Sometimes, despite our best efforts we can't.
When Donald Trump comes down to Texas and stands next to officers in uniforms, just like mine, he is not there to help us. Don't think that, not for a second. He is a self-serving man. I mean look, just like when he killed the border bill, he just made our jobs harder.
Kamala, on the other hand has been fighting border crime for years. She has gone down to Mexico and worked to stop the traffickers. When the traffickers didn't stop, she put them in jail. Now, down in my neck in the woods we call that fooling around and finding out.
I may be paraphrasing a bit. We protectors -- the border sheriffs that I know and I, we're like Kamala. We protect and serve, we enforce the law. We show compassion and we fight like hell to protect our border. Because that's what's all we've always known in Texas.
Cuando peleamos ganamos. When we fight we win.
[APPLAUSE]
[20:20:16]
COOPER: Javier Salazar the sheriff of Bear County, Texas.
Coming up, the convention focus turns to January 6th and the fight for democracy, including speeches by Republicans now supporting Kamala Harris. A quick break first, we'll be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COOPER: Welcome back to our special live coverage of the Democratic National Convention in Chicago. Tonight, the parties are just starting to rally the base, but also reach out to Independents and Republicans who might be open to voting for Kamala Harris.
Van Jones, very shortly we are going to be hearing from Olivia Troye, former Homeland Security and Counterterrorism advisor to the Vice President Pence and also to Geoff Duncan a former Republican lieutenant governor of Georgia who is also a CNN political commentator.
VAN JONES, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: Yes, well, I mean, what we're seeing tonight is broadening out that coalition, bringing in law enforcement voices, Republican voices and also, the voices of the hostage families. We heard, I think, a very powerful testimony from the mother of Hersh, an American hostage being held by the terrorist organization, Hamas.
[20:25:09]
This is an attempt tonight to show that we're bigger than just a dance party. It's a serious party and bringing more and more voices.
COOPER: I've got to say, it was Rachel and John, the parents of Hersh Golberg-Polin, his left hand was blown off. We have been covering his story from October 7th on. This room was on their feet. It was incredibly emotional. And the silence --
SCOTT JENNINGS, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: This was a powerful and important moment. Remember at the RNC convention, there was a "bring them home" chant and there were people who wondered if you could get that kind of reaction in the Democratic convention.
People were asking that out loud. And the fact that this place was on its feet and cheering for that family was an important moment.
I hope the message is that we don't have to kowtow to very online people or people who are trying to divide us, that there is a broad majority in this country that absolutely supports the idea that we've got to get these hostages back, especially the Americans that are still being held.
Those parents having to give that, I can't imagine having your heart torn out every single day giving that speech. But their bravery in doing that and the crowd responding I thought was a huge moment.
DAVID AXELROD, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: Yes, listen, I don't know how anybody with a heart could not have been moved by that presentation and I think this thing about it was that this isn't a political issue.
JENNINGS: Yes.
AXELROD: They talked about the innocent victims of Gaza as well as their own.
There are so many people whose lives have been torn apart by that conflict. They were speaking as parents. There are parents involved on both sides of this fight who have had their hearts broken.
So, I think that encapsulates the way most Americans feel, which is there was a horrendous deed on October 7th. These hostage takings are outrageous and the suffering of innocent people in Gaza is also heartbreaking and they summed it up.
COOPER: Yes, John and Rachel spoke about the pain on both sides.
AXELROD: Both sides, yes.
AUDIE CORNISH, CNN HOST: It is also a reminder that the dissension in the ranks has been quieted in the room. There are still protests outside and the unaffiliated delegate movement is still on the floor, but there has not been some big stage moment for them and this issue has not come to the forefront the way a lot of people all thought it would back and stray.
COOPER: We are going to go back to convention programming. We should know that the people about to speak, you'll hear from is former Georgia Lieutenant Governor, Geoff Duncan, who as I mentioned he is a CNN political commentator. He is going to be speaking as well as Olivia Troye.
You're also going to hear from Bennie Thompson, the Mississippi second congressional district congressman since 1993, who was the chairman of the Select Community January 6th. Let's listen in.
EVENT HOST: Former Homeland security and counterterrorism adviser to Vice President Pence, Olivia Troye.
OLIVIA TROYE, FORMER MIKE PENCE ADVISOR: Four years ago I resigned from the Trump administration.
[CHEERS AND APPLAUSE]
As a Republican who dreamed of working in the White House, it was a hard decision. But, as an American it was the right one.
[CHEERS AND APPLAUSE]
I saw how Donald Trump undermined our intelligence community, our military leaders, and ultimately, our Democratic process.
Now, he is doing it again. Lying and laying the groundwork to undermine this election. It is his MO to sow doubt and division. That is what Trump wants because it is the only way he wins and that is what our foreign adversaries want because it is the only way they win.
As a national security expert and (SPEAKING IN FOREIGN LANGUAGE) -- being inside Trump's White House was terrifying. But, what keeps me up at night is what will happen if he gets back there.
The guardrails are gone. The few adults in the room, the first time, resigned or were fired.
TROYE: I grew up in the kind of working family that Trump pretends to care about -- conservative, catholic, Texan. July 4th was our most sacred holiday. Those values made me a Republican and they are the same values that make me proud to support Kamala Harris -
[20:30:27]
(APPLAUSE)
TROYE: -- not because we agree on every issue, but because we agree on the most important issue, protecting our freedom.
(APPLAUSE) TROYE: So to my fellow Republicans, you aren't voting for a Democrat, you are voting for democracy.
(APPLAUSE)
TROYE: You aren't betraying our party. You are standing up for our country. Thank you. Love you.
(APPLAUSE)
ANNOUNCER: Please welcome Former Georgia Lieutenant Governor, Geoff Duncan.
GEOFF DUNCAN, (R) FORMER LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR OF GEORGIA: Good evening. Good evening. I bring greetings from the great state of Georgia.
(CROWD CHEERING)
DUNCAN: So, let's get the hard part out of the way. I am a Republican.
(APPLAUSE)
DUNCAN: But tonight, I stand here as an American.
(APPLAUSE)
(CROWD CHEERING)
DUNCAN: An American that cares more about the future of this country than the future of Donald Trump. My journey started to this podium years ago, when I realized Donald Trump was willing to lie, cheat, and steal to try to overturn the 2020 election. I realized Trump was a direct threat to democracy and his actions disqualified him from ever, ever, ever stepping foot into the Oval Office again.
(APPLAUSE)
(CROWD CHEERING)
DUNCAN: I could spend my time revving up this crowd, but I am certain I don't have to talk anybody out of voting for Donald Trump here. So, I will focus my attention on the millions of Republicans and independents that are at home, that are sick and tired of making excuses for Donald Trump.
(APPLAUSE)
(CROWD CHEERING)
DUNCAN: If Republicans are being intellectually honest with ourselves, our party is not civil or conservative. It is chaotic and crazy, and the only thing left to do is dump Trump.
(APPLAUSE)
(CROWD CHEERING) DUNCAN: These days our party acts more like a cult, a cult worshiping a felonious thug. Look, you don't have to agree with every policy position of Kamala Harris, I don't. But, you do have to recognize her prosecutor mind-set that understands right from wrong, good from evil. She is a steady hand and will bring leadership to the White House that Donald Trump could never do.
(APPLAUSE)
(CROWD CHEERING)
DUNCAN: Let me be clear to my Republican friends at home watching. If you vote for Kamala Harris in 2024, you are not a Democrat. You are a patriot.
(APPLAUSE)
(CROWD CHEERING)
DUNCAN: In our family, my wife Brooke and I are raising three boys, and we have a family motto. And it says doing the right thing will never be the wrong thing.
(APPLAUSE)
DUNCAN: During 2020, during the lowest of lows when we had armed officers outside our house protecting us from other Republicans, Donald Trump had targeted us. My son came downstairs and he handed me this coaster that I had given him years before at a father-son retreat for our church and he said, 'Hey dad, doing the right thing will never be the wrong thing. Stay strong.'
(APPLAUSE)
(CROWD CHEERING)
[20:35:00]
DUNCAN: 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. Thank you and god bless you.
(CROWD CHEERING)
(APPLAUSE)
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DONALD TRUMP, (R) FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES AND PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: We will never give up. We will never concede. It doesn't happen. You don't concede when there is death involved.
CROWD: Fight for Trump. Fight for Trump.
(CROWD CHEERING) TRUMP: And after this, we are going to walk down and I will be there with you. We are going to walk down to the Capitol --
(CROWD CHEERING)
TRUMP: -- because you will never take back our country with weakness. You have to show strength and you have to be strong.
CROWD: We love Trump. We love Trump.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Cruiser Fifty, it does look like we are going to have an ad hoc march stepping off here. There's a crowd surge heading east.
TRUMP: Mike pence, I hope you are going to stand up for the good of our constitution and for the good of our country. And if you are not, I am going to be very disappointed in you, I will tell you right now.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Cruiser Fifty, we are going to give riot warnings as soon as (inaudible). We are going to give riot warnings. We are going to try and get compliance but this is now effectively a riot.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: One forty nine hours, declaring it a riot.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (Inaudible) be advised, they are trying to breach and get into the Capitol.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Hold the line. Hold the line. Hold the line.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We have a breach of the Capitol. Breach of the Capitol from the upper levels.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Mike Pence didn't have the courage to do what should have been done to protect our country and our Constitution.
CROWD: Bring him out. Bring out Pence. Bring out Pence. Hang Mike Pence. Hang Mike Pence. Hang Mike Pence. Push forward.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We can't hold this, we are going to get too many fucking people. Look at this vantage point man, we're fucked.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We are trying to hold the upper deck. We are trying to hold the upper deck now.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We need an area for the House members. They are all walking over now through the tunnels.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We need to move now.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Copy.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: If we lose any more time, we may lose the ability to leave. So, if we are going to leave, we need to do it now.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We've lost the line. We've lost the line. All MPD, pull back. All MPD pull back into the upper deck, ASAP. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: H208 with four members. The door is barricaded. There's people flooding the hallways outside. We have no way out.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Officers still remaining on the House floor. So we can secure the members on the other side, copy.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Officer's down. Get him up.
CROWD: Heave ho. Heave ho.
TRUMP: And if I win, I will be looking very, very strongly about pardons. And I mean full pardons with an apology, to many an apology. They were peaceful people. These were great people. The crowd was unbelievable. And I mentioned the word love, the love -- the love in the air, I've never seen anything like it.
CROWD: USA. USA. USA.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANNOUNCER: Please welcome Mississippi Representative Bennie Thompson.
REP. BENNIE THOMPSON, (D-MS): On January 6th, like most of my colleagues, I had one goal, to uphold the votes of the American people, the cornerstone of our American democracy.
[20:40:00]
But, as what you just witnessed, let me remind you that the members of that violent mob had another goal. They wanted to stop the peaceful transfer of power for the first time in American democracy. Thank God they failed.
(APPLAUSE)
B. THOMPSON: Because in this country, we settle our differences at the ballot box, not through violence. It took a long time to get here and we are not going back.
(APPLAUSE)
B. THOMPSON: Because I remember that dark history, it is my own history. In this life, my father never cast a vote because of Jim Crow. So, 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. They did it to rob millions of Americans of their votes. They did it because Donald Trump couldn't help losing.
He lied about the election fraud. He called his conspiracy-led mob to Washington. He would rather subvert democracy than submit to it. Now, he is plotting again. His campaign proclaims that elections won't end until the moment of inauguration. We will win or it was rigged. We win or else -- this is Donald Trump's America.
Elections are about choice. Choose democracy not political violence. (APPLAUSE)
B. THOMPSON: Choose the America we always taught our children to love. Choose Kamala Harris.
(APPLAUSE)
(CROWD CHEERING)
ANNOUNCER: Please welcome Former United States Capitol Police Sergeant, Aquilino Gonell.
AQUILINO GONELL, FORMER UNITED STATES CAPITOL POLICE SERGEANT: Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
(APPLAUSE)
(CROWD CHEERING)
GONELL: Thank you. Before I begin, I need to acknowledge the sacrifices of five officers who died as a result of January 6th (inaudible) on that day.
(APPLAUSE)
GONELL: My name is Aquilino Gonell. I immigrated to the U.S. from the Dominican Republic when I was 12.
(APPLAUSE)
GONELL: I became an American citizen. I was a sergeant in the U.S. Army and a Capital Police officer. I had seen violence while serving in Iraq, but nothing -- nothing prepared me for January 6th. We officers risk everything to protect innocent people. We were beaten and blinded. I was assaulted with a pole attached to the American flag. President Trump summoned our attackers and sided with them. He betrayed us.
When I joined the Army and the Capitol Police, I took an oath to defend the Constitution. I did so with duty in my soul and I still feel it.
(APPLAUSE)
(CROWD CHEERING)
GONELL: To Donald Trump I ask, why don't you?
(APPLAUSE)
GONELL: On January 6th, I nearly died protecting the Capitol and I would do it again for our democracy.
(APPLAUSE)
(CROWD CHEERING) [20:45:00]
GONELL: The way to preserve it is to elect Kamala Harris, our first female commander-in-chief.
(APPLAUSE)
(CROWD CHEERING)
COOPER: Still ahead, we are closing in on one of the big musical performances of the night, legendary Stevie Wonder. We will be back in a moment.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
STEVIE WONDER, AMERICAN SINGER-SONGWRITER AND MUSICIAN: I love you. I just want to say, I love you. I love you.
(APPLAUSE)
(CROWD CHEERING)
WONDER: Every song that I have sang, every song I have written is because of my love for you right here. But, this year -- this year, I have prayed very hard for peace to come to our world's nations, but also to each one of our hearts.
[20:50:00]
Even though our hearts have been beaten and broken, beyond prayer, I know the importance of actions and now is the time to understand where we are and what it will take to win. Win the broken hearts. Win the disenchanted. Win the angry spirits. Now is the time.
(APPLAUSE)
(CROWD CHEERING)
WONDER: This is the moment to remember when you tell your children where you were and what you did. As we stand between history's pain and tomorrow's promises, we must choose courage over complacency.
(APPLAUSE)
(CROWD CHEERING)
WONDER: It is time to get up and go broke.
(APPLAUSE)
(CROWD CHEERING)
WONDER: Listen, the choice is clear -- clearer than anyone else is saying. Do you hear me? Clear than anyone else is saying. Do you feel me?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yeah.
(APPLAUSE)
WONDER: We need to choose joy over anger, kindness over recrimination, and peace over war every time.
(APPLAUSE)
WONDER: We must choose to be above the ugly words, the hateful anger, and the division those words and anger create. We must keep on keeping on until we truly are a united people of this United States.
(APPLAUSE)
WONDER: And then -- and then, we will reach our higher ground.
(APPLAUSE)
(CROWD CHEERING)
WONDER: Are you all ready? Are you all ready to reach your higher ground?
CROWD: Yeah.
(APPLAUSE)
WONDER: Are you ready to reach a higher, higher, higher ground? Tell me.
CROWD: Yeah.
(APPLAUSE)
(CROWD CHEERING)
WONDER: I want to hear you again. Are you ready?
CROWD: Yeah.
(APPLAUSE)
(CROWD CHEERING)
WONDER: Are we ready because you know we need Kamala Harris.
CROWD: Yeah.
(APPLAUSE)
WONDER: Yes we do. And we need a great man as we do have as our future vice president. You know that. So, you know what? I am depending on you to do as I believe we (ph) would say, the right thing.
(APPLAUSE)
(CROWD CHEERING)
WONDER: Are you all already? Are you ready? Mousy (ph), are you ready?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I am ready, Steve.
WONDER: Kansas (ph), are you ready?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I am ready.
WONDER: Clap your hands everybody. Clap your hands like this. Everybody, clap your hands. Clap, clap, clap. Now, somebody scream. Here we go.
(STEVIE WONDER PERFORMANCE)
(CROWD CHEERING)
[20:55:45]
COOPER: Stevie Wonder in the hall tonight. A lot more ahead from the Democratic National Convention. We got here -- we are with Jones, the whole team. Van, you have seen Stevie perform, a lot of these, haven't we (ph)?
(LAUGH)
JONES: Look, it is amazing. I don't know. First of all, he speaks from his heart. He is a spiritual guy. He could have kept talking if he wanted to, but he brought the performance (ph), he brought the sing and I love it. And people here love it as well.
COOPER: David, the January 6th, I mean, having Geoff Duncan, having Olivia Troye speak, obviously, an important part of tonight.
AXELROD: Look, first of all, the video they put together was incredibly powerful and disturbing. And you know, we have forgotten it in some ways just how horrible that day was and what the president's role was in that. And this brought it all back in very stark relief. But I think there are a lot of Republicans out there who clearly are uncomfortable with that and are struggling, and in some ways having someone like Geoff Duncan come and make a powerful speech gives them a permission structure to say, yes, there are others out there who feel the same way. And sometimes party -- sometimes you have to subjugate party to the larger good of the country.
CORNISH: I think sometimes though, I am confused at how the excommunicated and alienated lawmakers of their party can be helpful in a conversation like this when they never actually are able to convey what it is you can say to, literally, their friends and family that would bring them around to similar thinking because a Democrat can get up there and say, this was bad, this was a threat to democracy. And in that way, it doesn't feel like they are bringing in more people.
COOPER: Kenan Thompson is coming up. Let's listen in.
KENAN THOMPSON, COMEDIAN AND ACTOR: All right. All right. All right. What's up DNC?
(CROWD CHEERING)
K. THOMPSON: All right, do you all remember this big old book from before? When Colorado Governor Jared Polis ripped a page out of it? This is 'Project 2025', the Republican blueprint for a second Trump term. It is a -- yeah, yeah, boo.
It is a real document that you can read for yourself at kamalaharris.com/project2025. Have you ever seen a document that could kill a small animal and democracy at the same time?
(CROWD CHEERING)
(APPLAUSE)
K. THOMPSON: Here it is. Do you know how when you download an app and there are hundreds of pages there that you don't read, it is just the terms and conditions, and you just click 'Agree', right? Well, these are the terms and conditions of a second Trump presidency. You vote for him, you vote for all of this. Let's take a look.
All right, we got Matt here with us tonight. It's Matt here. Hey, there he is. Matt, how are you, sir? All right, Matt. Now Matt, I understand that you work as an AV tech in Nevada and you make a decent hourly wage, is that right? Oh, I don't know if we can hear Matt. Can we hear Matt?
CROWD: No.
K. THOMPSON: So, who is going to fix it? Keep speaking, Matt, so we can hear you. OK, that's good. I guess, we are going to move on from Matt. And this is Becky. Becky, can we hear you?
BECKY: Hi Kenan, it is great to be here.
K. THOMPSON: Yeah.
BECKY: Yeah.
K. THOMPSON: Thank you. All right, good. Now Becky, you are married, correct?
BECKY: I am, me and my wife have been together for about eight years.
K. THOMPSON: Oh.
