Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Live Event/Special

Fourth in America, Celebrating 250. Aired 3-4p ET

Aired July 04, 2026 - 15:00   ET

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

[15:02:03]

BRIANNA KEILAR, CNN ANCHOR: The party is really just getting started here on CNN. We're bringing the start of the party as we are here on the National Mall, celebrating America's 250th. But we have people on the ground who are covering the country's festivities from coast to coast.

LAURA COATES, CNN ANCHOR: We're going to check in with CNN's John Berman shortly to make sure he's not too lost with his Dunkin' on a scavenger hunt in Boston. But, you know, Donie O'Sullivan hinted at a possible costume change earlier as well. A lot to see.

I have to know. I mean, first of all, it's hot out here.

KEILAR: Yes.

COATES: But you know what's really cool? People still come out. There are a lot of people who are still milling around who really want to be a part of today, and they recognize the impact of America's 250. And it's so cool. And of course, my number one question is just how hot is it out in outer space? Because reaching for the stars and exploring new frontiers and pushing the boundaries of what's possible, well, that is space exploration and NASA represents America's unbeatable spirit of courage, wonder, and of course, innovation.

KEILAR: Of course. And today, as we celebrate 250 years of this great nation, we're also honoring the remarkable achievements of a group of astronauts that made history this year with their incredible journey around the moon, the Artemis II crew. Commander Reid Wiseman, pilot Victor Glover and mission specialists Christina Cook and Jeremy Hansen are with us. They're joining us now live from the NASA pavilion at the Great American State Fair on the National Mall.

Talk to us a little bit, Captain Wiseman, having traveled now to the moon and back, what is this 250th anniversary mean to you personally?

REID WISEMAN, ARTEMIS II COMMANDER: Well, first, it's hot out there. I'm so impressed that our nation has showed up for this 250th celebration. And they have showed up in force. There's so much energy out there. We were around the Capitol last night. We've been on the mall today, and we'll be there tonight. It's very powerful for the four of us.

But I think after the four of us just went -- four North Americans just went out to the moon and back, I just think about American leadership as far as we possibly can, and then bringing the world along with us to do this exploration. It is very powerful.

COATES: It is. And the uniforms you wore actually included a rockets red glare emblem to commemorate America's 250th birthday. That line, of course, part of the national anthem, but bringing a whole new meaning to them. Of course, with this historic rocket launch.

Pilot Glover, how did you feel wearing that uniform and representing the very best of America?

VICTOR GLOVER, ARTEMIS II PILOT: You know, it is an honor. It is an honor to wear the colors of your nation wherever your nation is. And so I think being able to just represent humanity, you know, we wear our flag of our country on our uniform, but when you leave the atmosphere -- get some. There's a flyby going on right now. That's also American greatness.

But when you represent your countries and you leave the planet, then you actually get to do something that is holy and special. And we get to represent humanity. And that is amazing.

COATES: These flybys are great, aren't they?

[15:05:00]

KEILAR: Oh, they never get old for me. We had the NASA Review I think earlier.

COATES: Yes.

KEILAR: So we got -- we saw the Coast Guard. It's very cool. And obviously it went by us right before it went by you. You can see here that.

Christina Koch, little girls, also big girls like myself, all across this country. I mean, you are doing something that's just so incredible. You're doing something that so many of us will never get to do. You're doing something that I think some of the youngsters out there hoping, yes, look at her. She's doing it. I can do it, too. You're this reminder to reach for the stars.

Tell us about what you're hoping remarkable women in the future are thinking about this 250th anniversary, and what was your huge contribution to this year?

CHRISTINA KOCH, ARTEMIS II MISSION SPECIALIST: It is such an important thing and an exciting thing to think about. I know when I think about the things that I've had the honor of doing, I think about it's not about any one person's accomplishment. It's not about an individual accomplishment. It's about the fact that we as a country have decided that anyone who is willing to work hard to achieve a dream is welcome at the table to contribute.

I had the chance to meet someone that's inspired me. The CEO of Northrop Grumman introduced us at an event earlier today. She studied computer science at a time when that was extremely rare for someone. She is an inspiration to me, and even though it's hard for me to believe that I might be that for others, I have to hear the people telling me that representation does matter. And I think we're all happy to be able to be that for people and to be able to show what kinds of things you can accomplish when you come together.

COATES: Such a beautiful sentiment. I mean, Jeremy, you are, of course, part of the Canadian Space Agency, but you're also a powerful reminder of the importance, the significance of America's partners and allies all around the world in achieving the impossible or the said to be impossible. What does it feel like to be a part of this celebration today?

JEREMY HANSEN, ARTEMIS II SPECIALIST: Well, it's quite an honor. I'm glad that I get to talk to you today because on behalf of Canada, your neighbors to the north, we would just love to wish you an amazing Fourth of July. You have a lot to be proud of as a country of what you have accomplished in 250 years. Reid touched on it. The leadership you provide in space, for example, is something to be truly celebrated.

You obviously have the capability to do this on your own, but you intentionally carve out space for others to bring their gifts and contribute to something that's bigger than any single country. That's extraordinary leadership, and I hope you're proud of it as Americans.

KEILAR: Yes, we are so proud of it.

COATES: So proud of you all as well. My goodness.

KEILAR: Yes.

COATES: Can you imagine?

KEILAR: It's unbelievable. And listen to all of you. Thank you so much. This is incredible to get to chat with you on this important day.

COATES: Yes.

KEILAR: You took us along for the ride of your lives. It became the ride of everyone's lives as we were there every step of the way with you, living vicariously through you. So thank you so much for being with us.

HANSEN: Thank you.

KOCH: Thank you.

WISEMAN: Thank you very much.

KEILAR: That's the amazing, Artemis II crew. Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch and Jeremy Hansen joining us there.

What a moment with them.

COATES: They're so cool. They're so cool. I didn't want to sound dumb like, was it cold or hot in outer space? But I had a question for them. KEILAR: Yes. And I think --

COATES: I'm not going to ask them.

KEILAR: They won't act like it's a dumb question. They're cool like that.

COATES: I know, but that only makes you feel dumber. OK, we'll move on. We'll move on from Washington, D.C..

KEILAR: You're smart. Very, very smart.

COATES: We're heading out to CNN's Bill Weir is live from Prescott, Arizona's, Fourth of July festivities. The community has gathered for the city's annual 100-yard dash. There's a catch, though. If you're going to run, you got to wear cowboy boots.

Bill, what's going on there?

BILL WEIR, CNN CHIEF CLIMATE CORRESPONDENT: Laura, you're so well- researched as usual. Howdy, welcome once again to home of the world's oldest rodeo. 1888, this was the Lonesome Valley, and a bunch of cowboys said, let's have a tournament, sell tickets, give away prizes. The winner of that, the first winner of the world's oldest rodeo was an indigenous from a Mexican tribe, full blooded. So there's some poignancy there.

But then for the last 44 years, they've had the boot race down Montezuma Street, down here in Prescott. And right now we're about to see these 6 to 8-year-olds. Are you ready for this? They tell me you can't decide which is more entertaining. The 3-year-olds or the over 50-year-olds. But here we go.

Come on, kids. Go, go, go, go, go, go! Run, girl! Run! Yes! Yes, yes! Oh, that -- we got to check the birth certificate on the winner. He looked big for the rest of them. Here's another lovely bit of Prescott, Arizona, trivia. In the '80s, when the game Trivial Pursuit came out, hugely popular. One of the clues was, what is the world's oldest rodeo? And the answer was Prescott, Arizona. Pecos, Texas, says no. We had a rodeo before them. We will sue unless you change it to Pecos.

Prescott said, no, we will countersue if you take us off the court -- that card, so Trivial Pursuit said investigators to determine that this is the longest, oldest running rodeo.

[15:10:10]

So once again, proof that America was built with cowboys and ropes and letters from lawyers like threatening lawsuits is what made this country great in so many ways. But later, we're going to take you to the rodeo. We'll see maybe with some mutton busting where they put these kids on sheep and see how long they can hang on, or maybe it'll be the grownups riding bulls and whatnot, but just thought we'd offer up a little slice of Western Americana from a truly, truly colorful place. KEILAR: Love it. I saw one girl with a boot.

COATES: I love it.

KEILAR: Did you see that?

COATES: I mean, look, she's riding her heart out. I will admit, though, finally, to my family from the 1980s, that it was me who got that Trivial Pursuit piece stuck. Putting it in upside down. After all this time, I finally admitted it.

WEIR: Oh, no.

KEILAR: Listen, you got to have your moment.

COATES: Yes, it was me. It was me. Thank you for that. Bill, you gave me a safe litigious space to talk about it.

WEIR: That happens.

COATES: Thank you.

WEIR: You would have done well.

KEILAR: Hold on, they're running. Oh, here they come.

WEIR: Go, kids, go, kids! Go, go, go, go!

KEILAR: Oh, no, we've lost one.

COATES: Get up! You got it! I'm rooting for you.

KEILAR: Come on, kiddos.

COATES: Let's go finish the race. Yes!

KEILAR: Oh, I think you know what it is. They buy the boots so that they can grow into them. Doesn't serve them so well for the race, though.

WEIR: That's right.

COATES: You know what?

KEILAR: I don't think.

COATES: They wear socks, I wonder?

KEILAR: Well, maybe some bigger socks. Some tube socks.

COATES: Well, these boots are made for walking, not running. She told you that. Nancy Sinatra told them. I don't know. Is she big out there? I don't know. Nancy Sinatra, maybe.

KEILAR: I don't know. I'm not as big as Bill Weir.

COATES: No.

KEILAR: He's the man right now. What an assignment.

COATES: He is. Are you not going to run, Bill Weir? Are you not running? You got cowboy boots.

WEIR: Actually, I'm wearing my Vans today, so I would smoke these kids. I would crush you. But they do say that when you get later in the day when the adults race and there are a few beers in, that's when the entertainment really kicks in, they tell me.

KEILAR: All right.

COATES: I love it. Well, coming up, a lot more celebrating, games and special performances and a whole lot of fireworks, everyone. Bill Weir going to challenge them in his Vans.

KEILAR: I will smoke these kids, says Bill Weir.

COATES: In the Willie Nelson shirt. Something about that was perfect.

KEILAR: I love it.

COATES: Perfect. That was hilarious.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

STAFF SGT. MITCHELL NYMAN, U.S. ARMY: Hi, I'm Staff Sergeant Mitchell Nyman, a 92 Mike fatality management specialist assigned to the 21st Theater Sustainment Command in Kaiserslautern, Germany. I want to wish my friends and family in Las Vegas, Nevada, a happy Independence Day. God bless America.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[15:17:19]

KEILAR: Hello from the National Mall. Throughout the day, we've been checking in on the celebration that is taking place not too far down the river at Mount Vernon, the historic home of America's first president, George Washington.

That is where CNN's Donie O'Sullivan is.

Little smoke, what's going on behind you there?

DONIE O'SULLIVAN, CNN SENIOR CORRESPONDENT: We're firing some cannons here with some reenactors right now, Brianna. Let's see. You know, it is live television, so let's see if they can fire one -- of our live. But I tell you what is going on here today is, you know, learning a lot about this reenactment community. You see people who are dressed up from the Revolutionary War.

I really will say a lot of folks who, instead of golfing on retirement, they've told us, you know, they go to events not just like this on July 4th, but, you know, every weekend of the year all across the country. We spoke to some of those folks and take a quick listen to some of them that we spoke to.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GLENN MOSS, HISTORICAL REENACTOR: For about four years now after I retired, this is something that I've really taken up and it's really helped me find more about my heritage, too, because I had ancestors who actually fought in the American Revolution. So this gives me an idea of what they went through. And my ancestors are Virginians. So here I am.

O'SULLIVAN: Beats golf.

MOSS: Yes, yes.

(LAUGHTER)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

O'SULLIVAN: And of course, during that taped piece of sound, Bianna, is when all the cannons went off. But we're having a great time here in the heat. There's still lots going on. We're just a few miles away from you, as you said. There's also going to be fireworks here tonight, so there'll be people hanging out here all day, and maybe we'll get a cannon going, but --

KEILAR: I think maybe we can. I see some action behind you.

O'SULLIVAN: There we go. Manifesting. We're manifesting here.

KEILAR: We're manifesting our cannons.

O'SULLIVAN: Oh, here we go. Hey, hey.

KEILAR: That's a sound.

O'SULLIVAN: Back to you, guys.

KEILAR: Yes, that is -- that's dramatic. I'm glad we waited for that, Donie. Thank you so much. Really appreciated you. Earlier you brought us the daytime fireworks. And I have to say, that was spectacular. This was phenomenal.

O'SULLIVAN: Just a lot of things going bang here today. Yes. Yes.

KEILAR: A lot of things going bang. Donie O'Sullivan live for us from Mount Vernon, Virginia. Thank you so much.

Next, we're going to check in with John Berman, who is on a very special Fourth of July scavenger hunt.

[15:20:06]

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) UNIDENTIFIED CHILDREN: Happy birthday, America, from Girl Scout Troop 1048, Central Illinois. Yehey.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We are? We are from Coeur Dalene --

UNIDENTIFIED CHILDREN: Idaho.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Thank you for your service.

UNIDENTIFIED CHILDREN: Aloha from Maui, Hawaii. We are 2356. Happy 250th birthday, America.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[15:25:05]

KEILAR: Over the last 20 days, runners have carried the U.S. flag more than 3,000 miles coast to coast, arriving here in Washington, D.C. just this morning. Thousands of runners signed up for the "Relay for America." Organizers trying to bring Americans together and do something really special.

And we're joined now by two of those organizers, Joe Nail and Wyatt Moss.

Joe, this is great. Obviously, this is about uniting people. We see that. We see them passing this off to each other. Life is a relay after all. Tell us about how you wanted to bring people together here and how that worked out.

JOE NAIL, ORGANIZER, "RELAY FOR AMERICA": Yes, absolutely. Well, the idea first came two summers ago when both of us were chasing the same goal, which was to run a marathon in all 50 states. And we ran one of those marathons together in South Carolina, where it was about as hot as it is today in Washington, D.C. but when you're running solo the entire time it's all about you. That's a very different thing from it being about a relay and inherently having to depend on other people.

And so the idea -- I ran one of those marathons with an American flag, and the response was overwhelmingly positive. So we thought this might actually be a really incredible tool if we can just put together a giant relay. And as we look forward to America 250, we thought, what better opportunity to put politics aside and just focus on a simple message, which is uniting Americans one mile at a time.

KEILAR: Yes, we're seeing how people were able to do that coast to coast. They're coming across the Golden Gate Bridge here in San Francisco in these pictures. And we saw the pictures of them coming into Washington this morning.

I mean, that's really the thing, Wyatt, here is that this was a relay that was day and night. Many different climates across the country, many different terrains, finishing in this sweltering heat. How did you deal with this extreme weather? WYATT MOSS, ORGANIZER, "RELAY FOR AMERICA": I mean, I feel our team

was just a very flexible team when it came to any adversity that came our way. All together, we had the attitude that we would work through it no matter what happened. And so I think going into that, those situations with that confidence is what allowed us to be flexible in all those different situations. And as well, when route changes would come up, we'd be able to hop on those really quick and move forward to give the best experience to the runners.

KEILAR: Yes. And this is looking like a scene out of "Forrest Gump" here. We're seeing some beautiful pictures there going across the desert.

Joe, it is also, speaking of, it's about honoring veterans, right? More than 4500 names were submitted here. Talk to us about that aspect of the relay and why that was so important.

NAIL: Yes, a lot of my extended family has served in the military. I've served for over five years in Army National Guard, and I'm currently pursuing becoming a chaplain in the Army Reserves. And I think that there's a lot of ways to show that you love this country. But arguably the most profound is being willing to give your life in service of this country. As much as there are organizations and initiatives that recognize veterans and service members, I think we can always do more.

And I think that as we had something that was celebratory, we also wanted to remember the people who made that celebration possible. So as you mentioned, the response has really been overwhelming. Our original goal was just to cover the 3,000 miles with a nomination. And really just over the last week in particular, we went from something like 300 nominations about a week ago to now almost 5,000. Again, a testament to the power of not just media, but the American people to rally around an important cause.

KEILAR: Yes, it really is an important cause.

Wyatt, what did you learn coming out of this?

MOSS: I've learned so much. I mean, Joe is very operationally sound. He's 30. I'm 24. So I'm very much new to the game of business. And just watching Joe operate has been an absolute honor. You know, I was -- I moved into Joe's dorm room at Stanford, he's a graduate student right now. I was sleeping on a couch cushions on the ground as we planned this thing out over 12 days. And just seeing how he operates really encourages me that the future of this organization is very positive with this, you know, all the things we've achieved over the past two weeks. It's also very encouraging so I just learned so much about business, life and about human spirit.

KEILAR: Yes.

NAIL: I went to -- I paid him a lot to say that, but we started out this journey with zero dollars in sponsorship. So that was volunteered. Let the record show.

KEILAR: Well, listen, it's an amazing race for an amazing cause. Just watching people come together.

Joe Nail and Wyatt Moss, thank you so much to both of you.

MOSS: Thank you.

NAIL: Thank you. We appreciate it. Live from the Great American State Fair.

KEILAR: Yes, you are.

And we are live from the National Mall with a lot more fun to come. So stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[15:34:19]

COATES: Celebrating the Fourth of July on D.C.'s National Mall is incredible, but we've also got some friends in high places. I do mean very high places because Sara Sidner and Victor Blackwell are joining us from the Empire State Building.

And, you know, it's something, we're hearing so many stories of proud Americans today, my friends, and we all got a story.

Victor, I want to hear yours. Tell me.

VICTOR BLACKWELL, CNN ANCHOR AND HOST, "FIRST OF ALL": Yes. We all have a story. I mean, some viewers may have seen this a couple of years ago, and this really is a holiday where we should be sharing our stories. I thought I knew my story about how my family's -- my family is place in this country being a black man with roots in the Deep South.

[15:35:03]

But really, this story that we told a couple of years ago showed me that my family's roots here go before the Declaration of Independence. My 10 times great grandmother, a woman named Mary, who was a Mattaponi Native American, was first recorded coming into northern Virginia. Her granddaughter eventually was enslaved and sued her slave owner for her freedom. Now there was a law in Virginia at that time that said every person was in the condition of their mother. Right?

And so this was a way for those children who were born of the non- consensual sex, the rape between slave owners and their property, the female slaves then, that the children would be slaves. But my great -- seven times great grandmother, Sara, said, my mother was a free woman and she sued her slave owner and won. And I have that copy. That's in my home. A copy of the lawsuit from 1791, where she won her freedom and the freedom of all her descendants.

Now, I have never asked your story, but I hear it's interesting as well.

SARA SIDNER, CNN ANCHOR AND SENIOR CORRESPONDENT: It is. But let me just tell you, when I saw your story, I was both crying and so proud because we are a nation of laws and that was, in your family, such an important law that was upheld when she sued and won her freedom. It's such a beautiful story.

My story is really complicated, but I think a lot of our stories are really complicated, right? My mother is a British woman who came to this country and became a U.S. citizen. My father is African-American. We have slave roots as well. So my mother would have been the people that we were fighting against back in 1776.

BLACKWELL: Yes, yes, yes.

SIDNER: And so she has an interesting view of this country and the way that things work here, but recognizes that this country has so much opportunity. I am the American dream. She knows that. She saw, as she raised me on her own with a village, but she saw how many times I could have fallen down and how many times opportunity was afforded me through the people that I knew, through working hard.

And my father and my father's family, you know, they struggled. They really struggled and managed to get themselves to college. My grandmother was a nurse and she worked until she was like 78 years old. She was like, we don't sit down, we work. That's what we do. Right?

BLACKWELL: Right.

SIDNER: So it's just been a beautiful life that I have watched both sides of my family work out together. Black and white, British and American -- Laura.

COATES: It's so beautiful to hear both of your stories. I mean, you're just both my dear friends. So to be able to hear it and see you in the way that I see you and know about your legacy that you're leaving for your descendants is so beautiful. And you know, we have a story here in the Coates household. It makes you emotional to think about being able to say the names of people who are your ancestors.

My fourth time great grandfather was born in 1735 in the Hudson Valley area. He was born enslaved. He became a free man, had a family. He died at the age of 107 years old, had ties to the fighting of the American Revolution. And we actually have seen his gravesite in Vergennes, Vermont. You're seeing photographs of some of his grandchildren as well. And it's just amazing to think about having that slice of history. And when anyone asks about how American you are, I have to just smile and say, how about 1735, baby?

Victor, Sara, so good to see my friends. And by the way, you two look too good to be on the top of the Empire State Building right now. I mean, first of all, what are you drinking out there?

SIDNER: Hold on a second.

COATES: It better be water because you guys look great.

SIDNER: Look at this. BLACKWELL: This is -- you all are going to see, I don't know what the

exact temperature is, Laura, but it feels like 102 damn hot. And so I've got my towel here. We've both got red cups.

SIDNER: Cheers.

BLACKWELL: For hydration.

SIDNER: You don't want to know what's in this cup.

COATES: Oh, hydration. OK.

BLACKWELL: Anymore than hydration is none of your business. But we will stay cool.

COATES: OK. All right, well, I love it. Well, in honor of Primus Storms, my fourth great, great grandfather, stay cool, everyone, and thank you. So good to see you both at the top of the hour, just not at the top of that Empire State Building.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[15:44:04]

COATES: All right. I want to check in with the birthplace of revolution. I'm talking, of course, about --

KEILAR: Blah, blah, blah.

COATES: The heat, people.

KEILAR: There we are.

COATES: I'm talking about Boston and John Berman, the man with the great head of hair. Of course, here he is.

What's been going on out there?

JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: I am standing, Laura, inside the Old North Church in Boston's North End. And if the walls could talk here, they would say liberty, freedom, revolution. This building was central to the American Revolution. It was once the tallest building in Boston and played a crucial role at the very beginning. To learn how crucial I have a special guest to explain, and that guest here, please come on, is Paul Revere. Paul Revere is with us now. This was a very tough booking.

Mr. Revere, please tell us what happened in this church and what did you learn from it?

[15:45:02]

MICHAEL LEPAGE, "PAUL REVERE": Well, I can tell you that the lanterns that were hung in the steeple of this church were not from me, were -- were to me. They were from me. I had left Dr. Warren's office and made my way to meet friends, Robert Newman, for one, who hung the lanterns with two others. I went home to prepare for my ride and was rowed across to the Charlestown Shore.

The most important thing to remember is that I was alerted that they had seen the lanterns on the other side.

BERMAN: The British. The redcoats saw it, and the message was, one if by land, two if by sea. The redcoats, those damn British, they were coming by sea, and they were going after our friends at Lexington and Concord.

LEPAGE: Well, my friends in Charlestown saw the lanterns, and they sent other riders. So the lanterns were from me, not to me.

BERMAN: Got it. But the important thing is, you went off riding to Lexington and Concord to tell them the redcoats are coming.

Paul Revere, thank you.

LEPAGE: I did.

BERMAN: Thank you very much for the work that you've done.

Now I'm on this scavenger hunt through Revolutionary Boston. We're calling it "Red, White and Clue." I'm getting a clue every stop we get. I don't know where I'm going next.

Joining me now, (INAUDIBLE), from the Massachusetts Historical Society. This is my clue. Let me read it aloud. It is -- it's the oldest still standing building in the city, easily confused with another nearby. The Declaration of Independence was read aloud here near the future birthplace of Parker House Rolls and Boston Cream Pie. It's the south, it's the old south something or other?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's old or something.

BERMAN: More hints.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: OK. Well, there's a lion and a unicorn on top of it. And they tore it down after Independence.

BERMAN: More hints.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: OK. It's out -- right outside is where a bloody battle took place.

BERMAN: Is it the site of the Boston Massacre?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's near it. Yes, you got it.

BERMAN: And it's the South Meeting House or?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's the old statehouse.

BERMAN: It's the old statehouse. Thank you very much.

Laura and Brianna, next time you see me, I will be there. But I'm going to leave you by ringing this bell. KEILAR: Ring it away. I'm just amazed --

BERMAN: Maybe.

KEILAR: Come on. Oh, bring it. He's interviewing Paul Revere today. He interviewed John Adams yesterday.

COATES: I'm just saying, all I heard was Parker House Rolls and Boston Cream Pie. I'm hungry. Good luck, Berman.

KEILAR: Look at him. He's so happy.

COATES: Right now people in Philadelphia, speaking of bells, they got a cracked one out there. They are braving the heat to see some big performances at one of the largest free concerts in the country.

KELAR: CNN's Danny Freeman is there in Philly.

All right, Danny, who should we expect to see?

DANNY FREEMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: You know what? I can tell you who we're going to expect to see at this concert in just a few hours, but I'm actually going to turn over to one of our special guests here, the mayor of Philadelphia, Cherelle Parker.

Mayor, you've put a lot into this concert to make it great for this 250th. What are we going to expect tonight?

MAYOR CHERELLE PARKER, PHILADELPHIA: You're going to expect Philadelphia, the birthplace of American democracy, to kick off the largest concert commemorating our independence in this nation. We're super excited.

FREEMAN: And we got, this is Scott Mirkin. He's with ESM Productions, who's helping put this whole thing on. Who are we going to see tonight?

SCOTT MIRKIN, ONE PHILLY UNITY CONCERT: Well, we have a lineup that's got a bunch of genres. We have Christina Aguilera, we have the Roots with a very famous Roots jam. We're going to see DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince for the first time on stage here in a really long time. Jilly from Philly, Jill Scott, right? We got country. We got Jordan Davis.

FREEMAN: Oh, man.

MIRKIN: And because we've gotten over it, right, it's been 250 years, we had to bring Seal over from the U.K., who was very happy to be here.

FREEMAN: People heard him rehearsing and it's going to be fantastic.

Last thing, Mayor, how are you keeping cool? Because it's been hot out here. How should people be keeping cool tonight?

PARKER: Listen, unity tonight, we're going to be one Philly, a united city and one America, a united nation. What a way to bring people together than music. We're super excited. We have unfinished business in this nation, and we're going to make it a more perfect union together.

FREEMAN: Thank you, Mayor. Thank you, Scott.

And I got to say, I've been taking your advice and using fans to keep cool. Thank you, Mayor. Thank you both. We'll toss it back to you. This is the place to be tonight.

KEILAR: Yes, it is.

COATES: Yes.

KEILAR: Danny Freeman, thank you so much for that in Philadelphia. We do appreciate it.

COATES: Look, Nashville is -- oh, another flyover. You hear that? That is so cool. Well, Nashville is the unquestioned capital of honky tonks, rowdy bars, but with live country music.

CNN's Andy Scholes, fresh from some hot chicken, joins us from Robert's Western World now.

Andy, what's going on in there?

ANDY SCHOLES, CNN SPORTS ANCHOR: Well, I'll tell you what, guys. It's packed in here. I still got a little indigestion from that Nashville hot chicken I had in the last hour. But don't worry, I'll be fine.

[15:50:00]

I'll tell you what. Nashville, it's got to be one of the coolest places to celebrate July 4th. I mean, they're expecting more than 300,000 people on Broadway here tonight. And we're in one of the coolest places. This is Robert's Western World. This is one of the oldest, coolest honky tonks there is on Broadway. And you can see this place is packed. People are already having a grand old time.

They got all these boots on the wall here and this place back in the Civil War was actually a hospital. That's how far this building goes back. But they keep it intentionally old school, you know. As all these big new buildings go up on Broadway, this place, it stays the same. That's one of the reasons it's so popular. You see, they got a live band going on right now in the honky tonk.

This is actually Robert Moore right here to the side of me. He founded this place. Today, his 90th birthday, July 4th. How cool is that? But here at Robert's Western World, they always serve the recession special, $6, guys. It's never changed. Price is always the same. It's a fried bologna sandwich with chips and a moon pie. And then you also have a Pabst Blue Ribbon. What's more American than this recession special?

I'm not sure, but that's something that they always have. Watch out, Stu. We got some patrons trying to come through here. This, of course is a bar, but guys, I'll tell you what. Nashville, this is my first trip here. I'm having a blast. It's an amazing spot to be for July 4th. Robert's Western World, certainly one of the coolest honky tonks there is in the entire country.

COATES: I love fried bologna sandwiches and a moon pie. I got to tell you.

KEILAR: And a PBR? Yes, please. Sounds great.

COATES: Andy Scholes with the plum assignment. Thank you so much.

And hey, everyone, thank you for joining us on this toasty afternoon. I've been with my girl Brianna. We've got so much more ahead, right?

KEILAR: We have had so much fun and there is so much more ahead because up next, you have CNN's Dana Bash and Boris Sanchez, who are going to be here.

Happy Fourth of July, America.

(MUSIC)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)