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The Situation Room
Democratic National Convention Day Two; Hillary Clinton Wins Democratic Nomination. Aired 6-7p ET
Aired July 26, 2016 - 18:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[18:00:02]
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Maine has not voted for a Republican in nearly three decades.
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: As Maine goes, so goes the nation. And so goes tonight for a Democratic president. Maine casts 18 votes for Senator Bernie Sanders and 12 votes for Secretary Hillary Rodham Clinton.
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
STEPHANIE RAWLINGS-BLAKE (D), MAYOR OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND: Thank you very much, Maine. You have cast 12 votes for Secretary Clinton, 18 votes for Senator Sanders. Again, thank you.
Maryland, my Maryland!
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
RAWLINGS-BLAKE: You have 120 votes. How do you cast your vote?
REP. ELIJAH CUMMINGS (D), MARYLAND: Madam Chair Lady, the great state of Maryland, the birthplace of the great Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall, Francis Scott Key, the author of our nation's "Star-Spangled Banner," the home of the United States Naval Academy, the home of the Chesapeake Bay, the largest estuary in the United States and the third largest in the world, the home of the great, great Senator Barbara Mikulski.
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
CUMMINGS: Who in 1986 became the first woman elected to the United States Senate from Maryland and the first Marylander and woman to chair the United States Senate Appropriations Committee, and, of course, the leader of the chair tonight, the home of Stephanie Rawlings-Blake.
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
CUMMINGS: We -- Madam Chair, we are elated to cast 36 votes for a truly great man, Bernie Sanders.
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE) CUMMINGS: And we are excited and we are happy to vote -- cast 84 votes for the next president of the United States of America, Hillary Rodham Clinton!
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
RAWLINGS-BLAKE: Maryland, you have cast 84 votes for Secretary Clinton and 36 votes for Senator Sanders. Thank you again.
Massachusetts. Massachusetts, you have 115 votes. How do you cast your votes?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Madam Secretary, I am honored to stand here today representing the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, where, since the colonists dumped tea in Boston Harbor, we have worked for the common good, because we know that we are stronger together.
We were first in public education, first in universal health care, and the first state in the nation to pass equal marriage rights for all.
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: From John Adams to John Kennedy and beyond, we have fought for those without a voice, for those in need and for all Americans.
Just as we were in 1775, we are ready to fight for our nation, our liberty and the rights of every American to have its -- the country and the future they deserve.
I'm honored on behalf of Massachusetts to cast 46 votes for Senator Bernie Sanders and 68 votes for the next president of the United States, Hillary Rodham Clinton!
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
RAWLINGS-BLAKE: Massachusetts, you have cast 68 votes for Secretary Clinton and 46 votes for Senator Sanders.
Thank you again.
Michigan, Michigan, you have 147 votes. How do you cast your votes?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Madam Secretary, Madam Secretary, on behalf of the hardworking men and women of the Great Lakes State, who make things and grow things for America, and who created the middle class of this country, we cast 66 votes for a great senator, Bernie Sanders, and 81 votes for the next president of the United States, Hillary Clinton!
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
[18:05:00]
RAWLINGS-BLAKE: Thank you very much, Michigan. You have cast 81 votes for Secretary Clinton and 66 votes for Senator Sanders. Minnesota, Minnesota, you have 93 votes. How do you cast your vote?
SEN. AMY KLOBUCHAR (D), MINNESOTA: Madam Secretary, I am Amy Klobuchar, the senator from the great state of Minnesota, the state of Prince's "Purple Rain" and the birthplace of Tim Kaine.
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
KLOBUCHAR: The state of Governor Mark Dayton and Senator Al Franken, the state of Walter Mondale, the first person in American history to put a woman, Geraldine Ferraro, on a national major party ticket.
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
REP. KEITH ELLISON (D), MINNESOTA: And Minnesota is the home of Hubert Horatio Humphrey, who at the 1948 convention in Philadelphia, called on delegates and to the nation to get out of the shadow of states' rights and walk forthrightly into the bright sunshine of human rights, casts 47 votes for Bernie Sanders.
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
KLOBUCHAR: And -- and, Madam Secretary, the great state of Minnesota casts 42 votes for the next president of the United States, Hillary Clinton!
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR: The roll call continues. We will take another quick break. Much more right after this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[18:11:40]
BLITZER: You're watching the historic roll call for the Democratic presidential nomination. Hillary Clinton now has maybe 1,500 votes. She needs 2,382 to officially become the Democratic presidential nominee.
Let's listen in, Nevada coming up next.
RAWLINGS-BLAKE: Nevada, you have 43 votes. How do you cast your votes?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Madam Secretary, the fabulous Silver State, Nevada, from Lake Tahoe to the Las Vegas Boulevard, with a population as diverse as its landscape, also, we are delighted to welcome all of our delegation here with us.
You have seen some of them on the stage of this great convention. And with the spirit as wild and free as our Mustangs, we are proud to cast...
AARON FORD, NEVADA STATE SENATOR: Madam Secretary, I am Aaron Ford, the minority leader of the Nevada State Senate. And on behalf of Nevada state, whose capital is actually Carson City,
hereby cast 16 votes for Bernie Sanders and 27 votes for the next president of the United States, Hillary Rodham Clinton.
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
RAWLINGS-BLAKE: Nevada, you have cast 20 votes for Secretary Clinton and 16 votes for Senator Sanders.
New Hampshire, New Hampshire, you have 32 votes. How do you cast your votes?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: New Hampshire, where we bring Democrats together, home of the town of Unity, where Hillary Clinton endorsed Barack Obama in 2008, and home of the city of Portsmouth, where Bernie Sanders endorsed Hillary Clinton in 2016, New Hampshire, the greatest state, proud of electing Democratic women leaders, we celebrate senior Senator Jeanne Shaheen, Congresswomen Annie Kuster and Carol Shea- Porter, and this fall, we look forward to sending Greenwich-strong Governor Maggie Hassan to the U.S. Senate, and winning our governor's race for the seventh straight election.
And we will turn blue in the presidential race. And reading the numbers will be Curt Erinburg (ph) from the Bernie campaign and Donna Suzie (ph) from the Hillary Clinton...
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: New Hampshire proudly casts 16 votes for the great Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont.
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: New Hampshire proudly casts 16 votes for the next president of the United States, Hillary Clinton.
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
RAWLINGS-BLAKE: New Hampshire, you have cast 16 votes for Secretary Clinton and 16 votes for Senator Sanders.
New Jersey.
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
RAWLINGS-BLAKE: New Jersey, you have 132 votes. How do you cast your votes?
[18:15:00]
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Madam -- Madam Secretary, New Jersey, home of the Garden State, the home of the only state in this great union with two great United States senators, in Senator Bob Menendez and our Cory Booker.
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I stand before you with our congressional delegations and others, again, a state that is as diverse as they come in America, to tell you, we are the state that started the revolution, and we want to be the state to continue the revolution again.
We proudly cast our votes for the great senator of Vermont, 45 votes for Senator Sanders, and for the next president of the United States of America, the first female, and history will be made, 90 votes for Hillary Rodham Clinton.
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
RAWLINGS-BLAKE: New Jersey, you have cast 90 votes for Secretary Clinton and 45 votes for Senator Sanders.
New Mexico, New Mexico, you have 43 votes. How do you cast your votes?
REP. TOM UDALL (D), NEW MEXICO: I am Senator Tom Udall from the great state of New Mexico.
Our state has two great national labs which spin ideas from the lab bench to the private sector. Entrepreneurs, come join us. We are so proud of our brave and courageous veterans, including the Navajo code talkers.
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
UDALL: And now our state proudly, our first party chair, the first Native-American state party chair, Deb Haaland.
DEBRA HAALAND, NEW MEXICO DEMOCRATIC PARTY STATE CHAIR: Madam Secretary, the state of New Mexico, also known as the Land of Enchantment, home to 23 Indian tribes, including 19 Pueblos, three Apache nations and the great Navajo Nation, Madam secretary, New Mexico is home to the once mighty Rio Grande, where in homage to our great agricultural history, which was begun by the Pueblo Indians, our state question is red or green -- chili, that is.
In a testament to the fierceness of our Democratic state legislators, our state remains union strong and AFSCME workers union and "Breaking Bad," the show, Madam Secretary, as the first Native-American Democratic state party chair in our country, and on behalf of our diverse citizenry, our delegation proudly casts 16 votes for Senator Bernie Sanders and 27 votes for the first woman president of the United States, Hillary Rodham Clinton!
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
RAWLINGS-BLAKE: New Mexico, you have cast 27 votes for Secretary Clinton and 16 votes for Senator Sanders.
New York, you have 291 votes. How do you cast your votes?
GOV. ANDREW CUOMO (D), NEW YORK: Madam Secretary, the great state of New York, the Empire State, the birthplace of women's rights at Seneca Falls, the state with a proud legacy of progressive leadership, enacting a $15 minimum wage, paid family leave, passing marriage equality, proud of our partnership with organized labor, and a proud supporter of Puerto Rico.
We are the proud home of dean of our congressional delegation, Congressman Charles Rangel, who is retiring.
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
CUOMO: We are the proud home, proud home of the former great president of the United States who brought this nation to new limits, William Jefferson Clinton.
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
[18:20:09]
CUOMO: And the proud home of the next president of the United States, Hillary Rodham Clinton!
New York state!
CROWD: Hillary! Hillary! Hillary! Hillary! Hillary! Hillary! Hillary!
CUOMO: Madam Secretary, the state of New York pledges 108 delegates to Senator Bernie Sanders and applauds him for his call for unity for all Democrats.
And New York state pledges 181 delegates for the next president of the United States, Hillary Rodham Clinton!
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
RAWLINGS-BLAKE: New York, you have cast 181 votes for Secretary Clinton and 108 votes for Senator Sanders.
BLITZER: Let's take another quick break. We will continue this tally. You will see it at the bottom of the screen.
We will be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[18:26:10]
BLITZER: Welcome back, Ohio now voting.
They're just under -- Hillary Clinton is just under 400 shy of the 2,382 that she needs to make history and become the first woman to be nominated for the presidency by a major party.
Let's listen in to Ohio.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And 98 votes for the next president of the United States, Hillary Clinton!
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
RAWLINGS-BLAKE: Ohio, you have cast 98 votes for Secretary Clinton and 62 votes for Senator Sanders.
Oklahoma, you have 42 votes. How do you cast your vote?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The great state of Oklahoma is proud to be here at the Democratic Convention. I am proud to recognize Isabelle Baker, the matriarch of the Cherokee Nation in Oklahoma.
ISABELLE BAKER, OKLAHOMA CHEROKEE NATION: Greetings from the great state of Oklahoma, the 38 tribal nations.
I was born in 1929, only nine years after women were granted the right to vote. I never thought that I would live to see this day. So, tonight, I am deeply honored to help cast our state's votes for the first woman president of the United States, Hillary Clinton.
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Recognize Cedric Johnson (ph), a Korean war vet.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Eight years ago, I was glued to the television in my home in Muskogee, Oklahoma, as the first African-American accepted the nomination for the presidency of the United States.
I watched that moment on TV, and I knew that our world had changed forever, and it changed for the better.
Tonight, eight years later, we are taking a step forward for equality.
The late Jake Simmons, Clara Luper, and the recently departed Emile Vanporter (ph) would be equally as proud of tonight. May God continue to bless the United States of America.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Casting votes for Senator Sanders as the head of his delegation...
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I am proud to announce that Oklahoma, where our state motto is Labor omnia vincit, cast 22 votes for Senator Bernie Sanders.
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And Oklahoma casts 20 votes for the next president of the United States, Secretary Hillary Clinton.
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
RAWLINGS-BLAKE: Thank you. Oklahoma, you have cast 20 votes for Secretary Clinton and 22 votes for Senator Sanders.
Oregon. Oregon, you have 74 votes. How do you cast your votes?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Madam Secretary, from the mighty Columbia River, to the Wild Rose River, from the high desert to the crashing waves of the Pacific Ocean, Oregon, home to the Timbers and the Trail Blazers, Oregon, home to nine tribal nations and four million of the most wonderful people on the planet.
SEN. JEFF MERKLEY (D), OREGON: Madam Secretary, from the mighty Columbia River to the wild Rouge River, from the High Desert to the crashing waves of the Pacific Ocean, Oregon, home of the Timbers and the Trailblazers.
[18:30:08] Oregon, home to nine tribal nations and 4 million of the most wonderful people on the planet. Oregon ready for Hillary cast 34 votes for Secretary Hillary Clinton. And madam secretary, Oregon, feeling the Bern, cast 38 votes for Bernie Sanders.
(APPLAUSE)
MAYOR STEPHANIE BRAWLINGS-BLAKE (D), BALTIMORE, MD: Thank you, Oregon. You've cast 34 votes for Secretary Clinton and 38 votes for Senator Sanders.
Pennsylvania! Pennsylvania, you have 208 votes. How do you cast your vote?
GOV. TOM WOLF (D), PENNSYLVANIA: Madam Secretary, I am Tom Wolf, governor of the commonwealth of Pennsylvania. And on behalf of all Pennsylvanians, welcome to our commonwealth. Along with Senator Casey, I am honored to announce that Pennsylvania awards 82 votes to Bernie Sanders whose fight for inclusion, justice and fairness has invigorated our party.
And I am honored to announce that Pennsylvania awards 126 votes to the next president of the United States, Hillary Clinton!
(APPLAUSE)
RAWLINGS-BLAKE: Thank you. Pennsylvania, you've cast 126 votes for Secretary Clinton and 82 votes for Senator Sanders.
Puerto Rico, you have 67 votes. How do you cast your vote?
PUERTO RICO DELEGATION: Madam Secretary, the delegation of Puerto Rico, the only all Latino delegation at this convention. (SPEAKING SPANISH) Ricky Martin, Jennifer Lopez and many more. And we are very grateful to Governor Cuomo and our brothers and sisters from New York for all their help and all the assistance. We salute the delegation of New York from here. We also stand at the forefront of this new era, ready to be part of history.
And we proudly cast 23 votes for the senator from the Green Mountain State of Vermont. Senator Bernie Sanders. And we salute the energy and spirit of change. Also cast 44 votes, Hillary Clinton.
RAWLINGS-BLAKE: Puerto Rico, you have cast 44 votes for Secretary Clinton and 23 votes for Senator Sanders.
Rhode Island.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Madam Secretary --
RAWLINGS-BLAKE: How do you cast your votes?
NICHOLAS MATTIELLO, RHODE ISLAND DELEGATION: My name is Nicholas Mattiello, speaker of the house of the great Democratic state of Rhode Island. Proud home of the great Senators Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse, and Congressman David and James Lavengin, home of outstanding beaches and coastlines, some of the best in the world, great companies such as CBS, Hasbro and now GE.
A state that has recently proudly elected the first female governor, Gina Raimondo. The smallest state in the union with one of the biggest hearts, home of the best restaurants in the country, great quality of life, great people, Rhode Island, Rhode Island proudly cast 13 votes for Senator Bernie Sanders and 19 votes -- and 19 votes for the next president of the United States, Hillary Rodham Clinton.
RAWLINGS-BLAKE: Rhode Island, you have cast 19 votes for Secretary Clinton and 13 votes for Senator Sanders.
[18:35:04] South Carolina. South Carolina, you have 59 votes. How do you cast your votes?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Madam Secretary, the Palmetto State, the home of the first in the south primary, it is a state with a rich history of progressive struggle, so many slaves disembarked at the wharf in Charleston, South Carolina, that it is known as the African-American Ellis Island.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Home of the first African-American to serve in the U.S. House of Representatives, Joseph Rainey, and the highest ranking African-American currently serving, Democratic leader, Jim Clyburn and before there was a Board of Education, there was Briggs versus Elliott. And home of one of the ten best cabinet secretaries of the 20th century, former secretary of education.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: South Carolina is also home of the Emanuel AME Church which has remained strong from the darkest of times from 1822 to the Charleston Nine of 2015.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Home of Coastal South Carolina, the national college World Series champion. We south Carolinians have lived by our state motto, "While I breathe, I hope." And in that hopeful spirit, and because our Democratic primaries break glass ceilings, South Carolina is proud to cast 13 votes for Bernie Sanders and 46 votes for the next president of the United States, Hillary Clinton.
RAWLINGS-BLAKE: South Carolina, you have cast 46 votes for Secretary Clinton and 13 votes for Senator Sanders.
South Dakota. South Dakota, you have 25 votes. How do you cast your votes?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE)
Hello, family and friends. I extend my hand to you from my heart with good feelings in our beautiful language.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: From the great state of South Dakota, land of Mt. Rushmore. Land that brought us George McGovern, who in 1972, the first convention that practiced affirmative action and changed the face of the Democratic Party delegates forever, half were women and all minorities were represented.
We proudly cast our 25 votes, 10 for the Senator Bernie Sanders, who inspired us all, and 15 for the 45th president of the United States and the first one who will be called Madam President, Hillary Rodham Clinton.
RAWLINGS-BLAKE: South Dakota, you have cast 15 votes for Secretary Clinton and 10 votes for Senator Sanders.
WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR: And history has just been made. Hillary Clinton gets more than the 2,382 she needs on get nomination. She will become the first woman in American history to lead a party into a presidential election.
She now, Jake, has done it. It is official. She's gotten more than 2382. Even though people in this hall are waiting for more.
JAKE TAPPER, CNN ANCHOR: It is a moment in American history. The first woman to head a ticket, a major party presidential ticket. It is a moment. Women have been trying on run for president in this country since 1872, and it is an historic moment.
I don't know that the delegates on the floor quite realize it yet, but one of the things that's going on is that there is, if last night was in many ways about letting Bernie Sanders have a night and letting progressives have a night, today is about uniting the party, bringing everyone together, letting the Sanders delegates cast their votes for Sanders, letting the Hillary delegates cast their votes for her.
And I suspect, Wolf, that the Democrats have something in mind to bring this in mine to a big, momentous close.
BLITZER: They're deliberately not showing the tally because they're all waiting for Vermont, they're all waiting for something special to occur, and Senator Sanders to do something to unify this party going into the election.
TAPPER: And it has been very moving in many ways. You had Bernie Sanders' brother come and talk about losing their young is that what a moment this would be for them. You had a delegate from Arizona who is more than 100 years old. That means with she was born, women did not have the right to vote. Much less be president of the United States.
BLITZER: We saw Bernie get so emotional when his brother Larry was talking about how proud their parents would have been had they been here. They were Jewish immigrants who came to Brooklyn, New York. Didn't have anything and raised a son who grew up to be a United States senator, and did very well in this presidential election.
TAPPER: We have talked in the last couple days about all the emotions that we've seen from Sanders supporters. We need point out that there is a lot of emotion from Hillary Clinton supporters, especially for women like Nancy Pelosi, the first female speaker of the House.
BLITZER: This is Texas right now. Then Utah. I'm anxious to see the Vermont delegation, who makes their announcement.
Let's listen in.
RAWLINGS-BLAKE: And 72 votes for Senator Sanders.
Utah. Utah, you have three votes. How do you cast your votes?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Madam Secretary, the great state of Utah, the industrious and beautiful beehive state, adventures' first stop as home to five national parks, the greatest snow on earth, and the number one state for volunteerism, casts 29 votes for Senator Bernie Sanders. And eight votes for Secretary Hillary Clinton.
RAWLINGS-BLAKE: Thank you very much, Utah. You have cast eight votes for Secretary Clinton and 29 votes for Senator Sanders.
Vermont, how do you cast your 26 votes?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Vermont passes.
RAWLINGS-BLAKE: Virgin Islands. You have 12 --
BLITZER: Vermont passes. Clearly, Vermont is going to be the last state to announce how it is voting and I suspect we're going to be hearing directly from Senator Bernie Sanders.
TAPPER: That would be my suspicion as well. Why would Vermont pass unless they wanted to make some sort of point at the end?
BLITZER: And Bernie Sanders wanted the roll call to have all the states announce their votes. That's why Vermont wants to be the last.
TAPPER: It is a way for the Vermont, a way for the Bernie Sanders delegates to voice their preference for him and it is also been a well choreographed way for the Democrats to display unity, at least so far. We thought there was the potential for demonstrations for Sanders supporters, especially in the California delegation. That hasn't happened. The party has been remarkably unified.
BLITZER: So smooth. Almost an hour and a half since this roll call has been going on. And it is almost over. And you can only imagine what will happen at the very end, if in fact Bernie Sanders does what we anticipate. Announces Vermont's votes and then does something even more to try to underscore unity for this party.
RAWLINGS-BLAKE: Virginia.
TAPPER: We know that Sanders is in the hall, after all. I think this is all an educated guess as to what might happen. Remember, eight years ago, there moment when Hillary Clinton nominated Barack Obama. It allowed people to see her enthusiastically supporting him even though they had such a contentious primary battle.
BLITZER: I am looking at the Vermont delegation, Jake. It's right over us and you can see a lot of people anticipating. I don't know if Bernie Sanders is already there. Maybe we'll get a shot of that Vermont delegation. But presumably, Bernie Sanders will be walking out there and he'll want to make, I suspect he will make a statement.
But in the meantime, let's go back to the roll call.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Home to our beloved first daughter and first lady, Anne Holton, and home to the next vice president of the United States, Tim Kaine.
[18:45:00] Virginia casts 33 votes for Senator Sanders. And Virginia casts 75 votes for the next president of the United States.
BLITZER: Here comes Bernie Sanders. Vermont will be last. Vermont will be last, clearly, Jake. Bernie Sanders is going to make a statement. Not only to explain Vermont's vote but also explaining to everybody here, 20,000 plus people in the Wells Fargo Center but to the nation and the world where he stands and hopes the Democratic Party will be.
TAPPER: It has been a contentious and fractious primary and getting Sanders supporters on board has been a big goal of Senator Sanders. It became clear that he would not be the nominee, and he is, his speech last night was a very strong speech in favor of Secretary Clinton and we obviously see Vermont passing earlier, and now about to give their delegates, Bernie Sanders, again about, to express strong support for his one time rival.
BLITZER: It is such an emotional moment for him. And earlier when we saw his brother speak briefly, talk about his parents. You saw he start to cry. You saw the tears coming out of his eyes.
TAPPER: He is not a particularly emotional guy.
BLITZER: I've never seen his cried before.
TAPPER: You and I have interviewed him several times. He is not a particularly emotional guy. He is a passionate guy about his issues. Obviously, his brother Larry invoking their brother who died young was very, very moving. It was moving here in the hall for those of us watching.
BLITZER: And let's not forget, eight years ago, it was Hillary Clinton who did something very similar at this Democratic convention to promote the possibility that the first African-American would be elected president of the United States. Now history is being made potentially. There could be the first woman president of the United States. We've got three more states to go. Let's listen in.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And 42 votes, and 42 votes for the exceptional and ground breaking next president of the United States, Secretary Hillary Rodham Clinton!
RAWLINGS-BLAKE: Washington, you have cast 42 for Secretary Clinton and 74 votes for Senator Sanders.
West Virginia. West Virginia, you have 37 votes. How do you cast your votes?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Madam Secretary, "Almost heaven, West Virginia," home of the most compassionate people in the world when disaster strikes and proud to put people first, cast 19 votes for the next president of the United States, Hillary Rodham Clinton. And 18 votes for Senator Bernie Sanders.
RAWLINGS-BLAKE: West Virginia, you have cast 19 votes for Secretary Clinton and 18 votes for Senator Sanders.
Wisconsin. Wisconsin, you have 96 votes. How do you cast your votes?
SEN. TAMMY BALDWIN (D), WISCONSIN: Madam Secretary, I am Senator Tammy Baldwin from the great state of Wisconsin. And I am so proud to represent the Badger State and our 11 sovereign tribes here tonight.
Wisconsin is a state where workers still make things from ships, tools and paper to cheese, brats and beer. We are home to the Bucks, the brewers, and America's team, the Green Bay Packers. And we are home to future Senator Russ Feingold.
Tonight, we cast 49 votes for Senator Bernie Sanders and we cast 47 votes for the next president of the United States, Secretary Hillary Clinton.
RAWLINGS-BLAKE: Thank you very much, Wisconsin. You cast 47 votes for Secretary Clinton and 49 votes for Senator Sanders.
Wyoming.
BLITZER: All right. Wyoming will be the last state before Vermont. Let's listen in.
RAWLINGS-BLAKE: How do you cast your votes?
ANA CUPRILL, CHAIRWOMAN, WYOMING DEMOCRATIC PARTY: Madam Secretary, my name is Ana Cuprill.
[18:50:02] I am the chairwoman of the Wyoming Democratic Party.
Wyoming, the equality state and the home of many firsts. The first national park, the first national monument, the first state to guarantee women woman governor. Today we are proud to be the last to cast our state votes. Seven votes for Senator Bernie Sanders and 11 votes for the next president of the United States, the first woman president of the United States, Hillary Rodham Clinton.
RAWLINGS-BLAKE: You have cast 11 votes for Secretary Clinton, and seven votes for Senator Sanders.
And now to Vermont. How do you cast your 26 votes?
DOTTIE DEEM, VERMONT DEMOCRATIC PARTY: I'm Dottie Deem, chair of the Democratic Party, on behalf of the great state of Vermont, a state that helped fight and win revolution that gave birth to our United States of America, the state that helped fight and win the political revolution of 2016 thanks to our Senator Bernie Sanders!
(CHEERS AND APPLAUSE)
DEEM: A state whose leaders denounced the demagoguery of Joseph McCarthy and today whose leaders like Howard Dean, Peter Welch and our own Senator Leahy speak out against the modern-day McCarthy, Donald Trump. On behalf of the home state of Senator Bernie Sanders who has changed the trajectory of this country in a way that will make the lives of working Americans better for generations to come!
(CHEERS AND APPLAUSE)
DEEM: Vermont, casts our votes. Vermont casts our votes, 22 votes for our beloved Senator Sanders. And four for the next President Hillary Clinton, it is now my honor to present our Senator Bernie Sanders.
(CHEERS AND APPLAUSE)
SEN. BERNIE SANDERS (I), VERMONT: Thank you.
Madam Chair, I move that the convention suspend the procedural rules. I move that all votes, all votes cast by delegates be reflected in the official record, and I move that Hillary Clinton be selected as the nominee of the Democratic Party for president of the United States.
(CHEERS AND APPLAUSE)
BLITZER: What an exciting moment for these Democrats that have gathered here in Cleveland. History has now been made. Hillary Clinton is the Democratic nominee. The crowd here is so excited. I want to listen in.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Thank you, Senator Sanders.
Senator Sanders has moved in the spirit of unity to suspend the rules.
(CHEERS AND APPLAUSE)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: To suspend the rules and nominate Hillary Clinton by acclimation as the presidential candidate of the Democratic Party.
(CHEERS AND APPLAUSE)
[18:55:07] Is there a second?
(CHEERS AND APPLAUSE)
All in favor of the motion say aye.
(CROWD SAYS AYE)
Those no? The ayes have it!
(CHEERS AND APPLAUSE)
(MUSIC)
BLITZER: Jake, a really important gesture by Bernie Sanders. Bernie Sanders trying his best to convince his supporters and there are many of them, he did remarkably well in the primaries to go ahead now and move forward in the United Democratic Party against Donald Trump and this crowd really is feeling the excitement right now.
TAPPER: It feels much more unified here than it did last night. It is a remarkable achievement. It has been hard fought, well- choreographed, carefully negotiated, but the movement of having the delegates have their night last night, the Sanders delegates, letting Bernie Sanders have his speech last night and allowing the delegates to voice their support for him, which obviously climaxed with him asking for all the delegates to go for Hillary Clinton. A remarkable moment, a very, very well-choreographed display of unity.
BLITZER: And in a marked contrast to what we saw in Cleveland when we had the roll call and Ted Cruz who came in second on the Republican side, you didn't hear him do what Bernie Sanders has done here.
TAPPER: No.
But let us turn now to what Hillary Clinton has achieved because this is an amazing moment in American history, a major party presidential nominee who is a woman, many, many people in the arena here very emotional.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The convention rules of procedure, Secretary Clinton has been invited to make an acceptance speech. I have been asked to inform you that Secretary Clinton thanks you and will deliver her acceptance speech at the fourth session of the convention Thursday night.
(CHEERS AND APPLAUSE)
BLITZER: It's official, she will accept this Democratic presidential nomination to become the first woman in American history to lead a major party to the presidential election. This is a moment that a lot of people have been waiting for. Terry McAuliffe, a good friend of the Clintons, the governor of Virginia, will now speak.
GOV. TERRY MCAULIFFE (D), VIRGINIA: Hello, Democrats! Thank you! Thank you!
(CROWD CHANTING)
This is an extraordinary day. This is a day that will change the political history of our country. It is the end of one chapter and the beginning of another, and it's a day that I guarantee you will remember forever because you will be able to say I was there when we nominated Hillary Clinton to be the next president of the United States of America. (CHEERS AND APPLAUSE)
And more importantly, when we made history, when we selected, and I am so proud to announce it for the first time, the first woman nominee in American history to lead our party to the White House! When we selected a nominee who fought her whole life for greater justice, equality and the opportunity for every single American, when we selected a nominee who doesn't just talk about making America stronger around the world, she's the only candidate with a special plan to work with our allies and to fight ISIS all over the globe.
My friends, Hillary Clinton is the nominee who is ready to stand up to the hatred and the fearmongering and send Donald Trump back to his bankrupt casinos where he belongs!
Of course, I would be remiss if I did not praise Hillary for her excellent judgment in selecting my friend and fellow Virginian Tim Kaine to be the next vice president of the United States.
