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Hala Gorani Tonight
Clinton's Historic Crack In The Glass Ceiling; Bill Clinton Gets Personal In Speech; France Responds After Priest Killed At Church; Syrian Army Rebel Routes Into Eastern Aleppo Cut; Pope Francis: "The World Is At War"; Trump Urges Russia To Hack Clinton's Email; Trump, Clinton's Differing Foreign Policy; Kareem Abdul-Jabaar's Take On U.S. Elections Aired 3-4p ET
Aired July 27, 2016 - 15:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
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[15:01:33] HALA GORANI, CNN INTERNATIONAL ANCHOR: Hello, everyone. I'm Hala Gorani. We are live once again from the Democratic National
Convention in Philadelphia where there are bands and singers rehearsing behind me. This is THE WORLD RIGHT NOW.
Well, now that Hillary Clinton has officially cracked the glass ceiling, some of the biggest heavyweights in U.S. politics will go to bat for her
this evening.
President Barack Obama, Vice President Joe Biden will be the headline speakers on day three of the Democratic National Convention. Clinton made
a dramatic appearance via satellite last night after changing the history books forever.
She thanked delegates for officially nominating her making her the first woman ever to lead a major party's presidential ticket.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HILLARY CLINTON (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: This is really your victory. This is really your night and if there are any little girls out there who
stayed up late to watch, let me just say, I may become the first woman president, but one of you is next. Thank you all. I can't wait to join
you in Philadelphia! Thank you!
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GORANI: Well, you saw some emotional supporters there. It was a historic moment. We were on the floor of the convention center. We'll have that
report later.
Now, Clinton is well-known for her toughness, but we heard about her softer side when her husband took to the stage. Former President Bill Clinton
told a love story recounting how they met, dated, and married.
It was all about humanizing the candidate. He said Hillary was dedicated to improving people's lives right from the start. Listen to Bill Clinton.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
FORMER PRESIDENT BILL CLINTON: From the time I met her, she had already been involved in the law school's legal services project and she has been
influenced by Marion (inaudible). She took a summer internship interviewing workers in migrant camps for Senator Walter Mondale's
subcommittee.
She had already begun working in the Yale New Haven Hospital to develop procedures to handle suspected child abuse cases. She got so involved in
children's issues that she actually took an extra year in law school, working at the Child Study Center to learn what more could be done to
improve the lives and the futures of poor children.
So she was already determined to figure out how to make things better. Hillary opened my eyes who a whole new world of public service by private
citizens.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GORANI: Bill Clinton, as we mentioned there, trying to bring out the softer side of Hillary Clinton. But this probably one of the most
emotional moments of the night, even for people who were not Bernie supporters there.
Bernie Sanders teared up when his own brother said their parents who died young would be proud of his accomplishments. Sanders later made it a
critical gesture for party unity announce that Clinton should be the Democratic nominee.
Now, this is all supposed to be Hillary Clinton's big week of course, but her Republican rival is doing his best to steal back some of the spotlight.
Listen to what Donald Trump said just a few hours ago in Florida.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Russia, if you are listening, I hope you're able to find the 30,000 e-mails that are missing. I think you
will probably be rewarded mightily by our press. Let's see if that happens.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
[15:05:00]GORANI: Well, that was Donald Trump. I'm joined now by CNN political analyst, John Avlon. He's editor-in-chief of "The Daily Beast"
and CNN political commentator, Margaret Hoover is also here with us. She is a Republican consultant and host for Sirius XM Radio and special bonus,
they are a married couple. Thanks to both of you for being with us.
Margaret, first I want to ask you about what Donald Trump said. It stole some of the spotlight. Certainly many of the headlines. It was the lead
story in U.K. papers. They're now following the election as closely as U.S. journalists are. Donald Trump is saying, Russia, go ahead, be my
guest, try to find the 33,000 deleted e-mails.
MARGARET HOOVER, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: Well, I mean, this is an extraordinary incursion at any presidential election that you have a
leading contender for the presidency of the United States, the leader of the free world inviting a hostile actor, a non-friendly government of the
United States to participate in the American electoral process, to help him win the presidency. I mean, it's extraordinary.
There is a question of whether this blurs the line of treasonist, frankly, and the speaker of the House, third in line of the presidency, Paul Ryan,
that leading contender, the leading person in the Republican Party has disavowed this immediately as have every elected Republican. People have
to distance themselves from Donald Trump once again.
GORANI: But this is not the first time this has happened. As always, John, I ask you, what impact this will have because he has diehard
supporters who don't seem really to care whether or not he says something, you know, as -- in the minds of many of the allies of the United States, as
outrageous as this.
JOHN AVLON, CNN POLITICAL ANALYST: No, this will not affect his hard core supporters. You can't reason someone out of something they reasoned into.
As Margaret just said, every Republican elected official and certainly former CIA directors and others, immediately said, this is not within the
normal bounds of American discourse.
You know, inviting a foreign nation to commit espionage is probably its own shady legal area but it's unprecedented. Russia, can you hear me. This is
unhinged candidate. Even his own vice president quickly put out a statement saying, no, no, no, that's not what my candidate meant to say.
GORANI: Newt Gingrich said it was a joke and the media is basically playing a joke very high in headlines instead of looking into the actual
server itself. What about here? I mean, the Democrats and Hillary supporters are not going to be happy that this is taking attention away
from what's going on here in Philadelphia.
HOOVER: You know, that's exactly right. Donald Trump is stealing the headlines, right? This is a tug of war of who can say the most outrageous
thing in order to get -- I mean, Donald Trump is consistently trying to best himself in terms of stooping lower and lower and lower to try to steal
the headlines from Hillary Clinton because he can't stand not being in the spotlight.
AVLON: But this doesn't help. This is a major distraction. He's trying to counter program the convention. Let's be very clear about that. He's
successful in the context of a news cycle.
All he does is double down on his own existing negatives that he's manifestly irresponsible man, which is making the Democrats point for them
and by the time we're on this evening the attention will be back to the folks on stage.
And Bill Clinton, you know, gave I think a very strong performance last night. Did the things he needed to do to humanize his wife, make the case
she can bring change and draw contrast to Donald Trump, in terms of service to others as opposed to serving one's self.
But tonight, you've got the heavy hitters coming on board. This will be an unwelcome distraction but speaking badly of Trump not taking away from the
Democrats.
HOOVER: Yes. Look, what I think you saw Bill Clinton try to do about his wife last night was personify her and show the softer side of Hillary
Clinton because in a way she's one of the most unknown known people in the United States.
GORANI: There were many stories in there that even people who followed and covered Hillary Clinton for a long time hadn't heard before.
HOOVER: So getting a sense of who she is as a person because there's clearly a disparity about people who know her well and her caricature as
Bill Clinton actually pointed out, but frankly the change maker seemed doesn't buttress the argument her campaign is trying to make.
Frankly her campaign in trying to say that Donald Trump is erratic and she can be a steady hand at the tiller. Donald Trump's erratic actions today
make that point for them.
And so I think what we hear tonight is President Obama, Vice President Biden, coming in and saying Hillary Clinton was with me during this chaotic
time when we led the free world and she can continue.
GORANI: But, John, we had this speech by Bill Clinton undeniably folksy, entertaining, charming like he was talking -- like he was selling stories
at a dinner table, right? I mean, in fact, it was quite silence in the stands and people were listening very intently.
Then you had Hillary Clinton appear via satellite, but wasn't there something just in stark contrast to that idea that he's warm and loveable
because she appeared all of a sudden back in that sort of -- I don't know, quote/unquote, "kind of more rigid posture."
AVLON: Sure. I mean, look, Bill Clinton is the natural and Hillary Clinton is the professional. She is a policy wonk. She does not delight
in the poetry of campaign. She's in the pros of governing. You're not going to get a woman of the people in that same authentic way.
Her pitch ultimately is saying, look, I can be a steady hand. I care about people. I care about policy, I think I can get government to work again.
That is a direct contrast with what Donald Trump is facing.
GORANI: I get that. But I mean, this anti-establishment fever that's catching on not just in the United States but in Europe, you saw Brexit,
that was unthinkable a year ago.
[15:10:04]Is that going to work, the fact that I'm steady, you know, I'm going to keep things the way they are but slightly better? Is that going
to work?
HOOVER: None of us know exactly what the dynamics are that are going to influence the election eight weeks, ten weeks, 12 weeks from now.
Unforeseen events and variables that we can't contribute to --
AVLON: But you make a really important point because one of the underlying things, whether it's Brexit or a lot of things is this is a debate and even
in the United States over globalization. Are we looking in and are we looking outward? Are we building walls or bridges?
And for her with all that populist anger fueling Bernie Sanders supporters and Donald Trump supporters railing in the same language against the rigged
system and the big money there is no worst candidate to capitalize off that emotion than Hillary Clinton.
So that's why Bill Clinton last night was trying to make the case she can be a change maker. That is a subtle but important signal.
GORANI: Absolutely. John Avlon, Margaret Hoover, thanks to both of you. Really appreciate your time. We will have a lot more from the convention
in a moment, but for now, other news.
There is shock and anger in France as it tries to come to terms with yet another horrific attack on Tuesday in a church in Normandy. In the last
few minutes, we`ve received a new picture of the two attackers.
Now, you'll remember 86-year-old Reverend Jacques Hamel (ph) was brutally killed as he said mass in Saint-Etienne-du-Rouvray on Tuesday morning. The
past few hours we've heard from a man who said he was a friend of Adel Kermiche. He told CNN affiliate, BFMTV, didn't take seriously his threat
to, quote, "do something."
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): He told us that he was going the do something at the church. We said, what do you mean, something at the
church? He said, I'm going the do something. You'll see. We laughed at him. We thought it was a joke.
Adel is 19. He's a kid. He isn't going to do anything, but unfortunately he did. I regret not telling the police. At first we thought it was a
joke, but now we see what really happened. We me and my friend regret it. We should have warned the police. It could have maybe changed something.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GORANI: Let's get the very latest from Saint-Etienne-du-Rouvray in Normandy Phil Black joins me live. What more are you learning from
authorities on the investigation, Phil?
PHIL BLACK, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, Hala, we are standing close to the church where the attack itself took place. It appears the
police have largely concluded their investigative forensic work inside the church. They've lifted their cordons. So now we can stand here.
This is pretty much where the final confrontation took place between the attackers and the police. The attackers had murdered that priest. They
led their hostages out into this area in front of the church and this is where they were shot and killed.
Now, the police responded very quickly and got here because one of the hostages, a nun, who was in the church managed to escape and called them.
She has described her experience. Take a look.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BLACK (voice-over): Sister Danielle knows how it feels to watch a life brutally taken.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (through translator): He was at the foot of the altar. They forced him to kneel and then not to move.
BLACK: She witnessed Father Jacques Hamel's final moment as he was attacked by two men with knives.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: He tried to fight. He tried but while he was 86 years old, he felt what was happening, he felt what was coming.
BLACK: Father Hamel was murdered moments later. His throat cut. He died in the church he had served for decades. In this small community he was a
beloved figure, a constant presence, who touched the lives of many. Beatrice and her family knew Father Hamel in times of pain and happiness.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (through translator): My little girls, my granddaughters, he baptized the last two and gave them first communion.
When I was in a car accident, he came to see me in the hospital. He listened to me when I needed it. This was a painful act of hatred. Who
would do such a thing? Who would do this?
BLACK: In front of the church where the attackers were eventually shot and killed by police, people left flowers and messages, some stopped and
prayed. There is grief here, but also peer fear about what this means for the future of France.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (through translator): It is affecting many French people and they are very shocked. What can we do? What we are already
doing is not enough. We have to find other solutions to avoid future young people doing this kind of things. It's completely barbaric what they've
done.
BLACK: This attack proved terrorism is no longer just a frightening reality for those in big cities and a house of worship is no sanctuary from
the violent actions of those determined to tear apart the French republic.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BLACK: So, Hala, you can see this is a community that is very much trying to come to terms with what took place here. An unexpected horrific event
and it is one where people are still daily really trying to deal with that grief. And you can see that just here behind us, a growing tribute to a
man who is such a beloved and respected part of this community -- Hala.
[15:15:09]GORANI: Just an absolutely terrible murder. And when you ask people in France, in Normandy, as you mentioned, this is important. This
isn't the big city. It's not Paris where people sadly have come to think that possibly they will become targets again. It's a small village in
Normandy.
But when you ask them what would you like authorities to do in order to keep you safe from similar attacks in the future, what do they say?
BLACK: They don't have any clear answers at all and I think for obvious reasons. It's not immediately obvious how you could prevent an attack like
this from taking place.
Even though as we've been talking about one of the attackers, the one that has been identified Adel Kermiche was clearly known to authorities, was
held in jail, was held effectively under house arrest apart from those morning hours when he was allowed to leave the house.
It's not clear here and people, I think they haven't necessarily come to that point to try and determine what could, as I said, still really dealing
with the grief. It is still really that raw.
That's what people here are still talking about. And just to note very quickly, it is just this evening that tonight the ISIS media wing amok has
released a video, which it says shows the two attackers responsible for what took place here, swearing allegiance to ISIS and its leader.
The French authorities have not commented on the authenticity of the video. They only officially identified one of them. The other person is yet to be
identified by the French investigators here just yet -- Hala.
GORANI: It's just hard to understand when these brainwashed murderers commits acts like this. It's hard for my reasonable person to wrap their
brain around it frankly. Thanks very much, Phil Black in Saint-Etienne-du- Rouvray. We'll get back to Phil when -- with more of his reporting from Normandy.
This is THE WORLD RIGHT NOW. Coming up, Pope Francis is in Poland for World Youth Day. These are live pictures of that event. But it is what he
said in the wake of the murder of the priest in Normandy that has people talking.
But first, new airstrikes leave more devastation in the besieged Syrian city of Aleppo. The Syrian Army is moving to cut off the city entirely.
And we'll have much more from the history making Democratic National Convention when THE WORLD RIGHT NOW continues. These are live images from
inside the arena. We'll be right back.
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GORANI: Well, more desperation for the people of Aleppo. Rebel held parts of that city facing increasing desperation after the Syrian Army says it
cut off supply lines to the east.
At least 12 civilians in Aleppo were killed, 30 others wounded on Wednesday in yet another series of devastating airstrikes. Aid group says people in
Eastern Aleppo are weeks away from running out of food.
[15:20:03]As CNN senior international correspondent, Nick Paton Walsh, reports the carnage is not limited to Aleppo in Syria.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
NICK PATON WALSH, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: A devastating day that really epitomizes the crisis Syria is under right now in two parts
of the country. First in the northeast in the Syrian Kurdish stronghold city, that devastating bomb that ISIS says was driven by a man in a truck
and targeted security forces that are gathering there.
The video showing the utter devastation that women and children are among the victims. Death toll rising to 50 or so as they began to pull further
bodies out of the rubble. Dozens more injured. Really an area where the Syrian Kurds often get to feel safe.
It's very far inside their territory, very far away from the front line. They seem to be notching up more and more victories when fighting is with
U.S. support.
In fact, closer to the border with Turkey than anywhere else and Kurds trying to work out quite how was it possible ISIS got so much explosive so
deep inside one of their strongholds to inflict such damage.
But substantially to the country's worst potentially yet more troubling development in terms of the months ahead. The rebel held eastern enclave
of Aleppo where the U.N. says 300,000 people are almost besieged by the Syrian regime forces.
They've been working very hard to encircle that area for the past month. That siege may well be complete. That's according to the Syrian regimes'
news agency. They say the main supposed polite route and in out of the area is under their control now.
Similar claims to be made in the past weeks and progress by the regime has been undone by rebels. But talking to aid workers inside they say they are
effectively under siege. That road is impassable. You can't go through it without being shot up.
They can't take casualties out, evacuate them for better medical treatment in Southern Turkey. They says they're low on medicine, food, water. Deep
concerns among aid workers that that besiege could lead to intense starvation.
There are so many people inside. Other aid workers are making comparisons with (inaudible), one of the massacres of the Balkan war. Something which
the world said could never happen again, that they fear may be about to begin again here in Aleppo.
Hard to exaggerate what a terrible chapter in Syrian civil war this could be if Aleppo's eastern enclave is, in fact, fully besieged by regime
forces. They've been texting residents saying get out, come towards areas where they control.
Hard for those same civilians who simply today were bombed with 16 dead in that area to trust the same regime that's bombarding them. A very perilous
time ahead for that very fragile part of Aleppo. Nick Paton Walsh, CNN, Beirut.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
GORANI: Now Pope Francis is in the polish city celebrating World Youth Day. Live pictures of that event. It is comments he made on his way there
that have people talking though, addressing the murder of an elderly priest in Normandy on Tuesday. The pope said the world is, at quote, "at war."
He did go on to explain his remarks.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
POPE FRANCIS (through translator): To be clear, when I speak of war I talk about real war. Not a war of religion, there's a war of interests, there
is a war for money, there is war for natural resources, and there is war for domination of people. This is the war. Anyone who thinks I'm talking
of a religious war, no. All the religions want peace. Others want war.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GORANI: Well, let's go live to Poland. Our Vatican correspondent, Delia Gallagher joins me now. Is this unusual for Pope Francis to bring up these
types of themes that the world is at war? What is he trying to achieve as the leader of the Catholic Church by saying something like that?
DELIA GALLAGHER, CNN VATICAN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Hala, the pope made the comments on the plane coming over here to Krakow from Rome. I was on the
plane with him. He was speaking specifically to the question of the brutal murder of Father Hamel in France.
He said he was a holy man, but he said he was just one of many Christian, innocent people and children who are killed all around the world in what
the pope calls a piecemeal war. He has said this before.
He believes this is a war that is the not like World War I or World War II, but it is a war, nonetheless. And he said today on the plane we should not
be afraid to call it a war.
However, Hala, he was very clear that it is not a war between religions. You heard that in the clip and the pope wanted to make that point. He said
all religions are for peace. It is the others who want war.
So the pope being very clear that he does believe that this is a kind of a war, a war which is happening in different places around the world, gives
us the sense of being at war. But it is unlike wars in the past.
[15:25:00]Now, what he said, Hala, was that hopefully here in Krakow the young people will have something to say about this, will be able to give us
hope. You see him there at the window. His first opportunity to salute the hundreds of thousands of young people who have come here for World
Youth Day.
I can tell you they are on the streets singing, dancing, and cheering. It is essentially a big party for Catholic youth around the world. It happens
every two or three years in a different country around the world.
And no better time than right now for youth from around the world, this new generation, to come together, to hear the pope's message of hope and the
pope as he said on the plane wants to hear also their message. The pope is passing the torch to this younger generation at this very critical time --
Hala.
GORANI: All right, Delia Gallagher in Krakow, Poland. Thanks very much. I can only imagine the security headache there for the pope's detail in
Krakow at that pope mobile driving through the crowds. But he's very much someone, a pope, a pontiff who wants to be in the middle of the crowds.
He's proven that many times in the past.
Still ahead, much more from right here in Philadelphia including expert reaction. Some extraordinary comments by Donald Trump. His message for
Russia is next.
Plus, I was on the floor of the Democratic convention last night. I'll bring you all the historic and emotional moments.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SENATOR BERNIE SANDERS (I), VERMONT: I move that Hillary Clinton be selected as the nominee of the Democratic Party for president of the United
States.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
GORANI: Welcome back, everybody. We continue to broadcast live from Philadelphia, Wells Fargo Center and the Democratic National Convention.
Just a few hours from now, the American president, Barack Obama and the vice president of this country, Joe Biden, will take the stage here behind
me in Philadelphia.
Hillary Clinton yesterday made a dramatic appearance at the convention last night via satellite. There she is. She appeared a little star trekky
after her husband Bill Clinton's speech and this is a big moment in history whether you support Hillary Clinton or not, it is the first woman ever to
lead a major party's presidential ticket.
Hillary Clinton has just touched down in Philadelphia. These are live images coming to us here at CNN. She is expected to walk off this plane
any moment now. She hasn't done so yet.
Also among the top stories as always our eye is on Aleppo and devastated and disputed Syrian city. Twelve civilians were killed. Thirty wounded.
Wednesday in the latest round of punishing government air strikes.
Syrian forces also say they have cut off all supply routes into the rebel held part of the city where aid groups say civilians may be weeks away from
running out of food.
[15:30:00] Also in the headlines, all charges against the three remaining Baltimore police officers in the Freddie Gray case have been dropped.
Gray, you might remember, died after being in police custody, but three officers already have been acquitted.
And the states' attorney says there's little chance of convictions against the remaining three. Gray's death became a rallying symbol for African-
Americans who do not trust the police and set off days of rioting.
Several Russian athletes are still awaiting decisions on whether they will be able to participate in the Olympics in Rio. They're set to leave for
the games on Thursday, but for some they're not quite sure if they will participate at all.
At least 104 Russians have been banned from competing because of alleged doping and that had Russian President Vladimir Putin upset as he met with
them.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
VLADIMIR PUTIN, RUSSIAN PRESIDENT (through translator): This is a blow to the whole of world sport and the lack of Russian sports persons and leaders
in many disciplines reduces and will reduce sporting competition and maturity in sport.
I would like to say to a large extent that we cannot agree with this disqualification of our athletes. Absolutely want to emphasize this, that
we have an absolutely clean doping history.
You cannot reconcile with, we will not reconcile with what in essence is discrimination that does not comply with the ethics of the Olympic
movement.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GORANI: Well, there you have Vladimir Putin addressing Russian athletes, frankly, it looked more like a wake than a celebration there. Now speaking
of Russia, U.S. officials say there is, quote, "little doubt" that that country is behind a recent hack of Democratic National Committee e-mails.
For his part, Donald Trump says it's farfetched to think Russia is trying to help his campaign, but it wasn't farfetched enough to keep him from
issuing this eyebrow-raising appeal today to Russian hackers.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Russia, if you're listening, I hope you're able to find the 30,000 e-mails that are missing. I think you
will probably be rewarded mightily by our press. Let's see if that happens.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GORANI: All right. Trump referring there to thousands of e-mails missing from a private server that Clinton used when she was secretary of state.
The Clinton campaign says that Trump's comments amount to encouraging espionage by a foreign power. Former CIA Director Leon Panetta spoke
exclusively to CNN.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LEON PANETTA, FORMER CIA DIRECTOR: I find those kinds of statements on the totally outrageous because you've got now a presidential candidate who is,
in fact, asking the Russians to engage in American politics. And I just think that that's beyond the pale.
There are a lot of concerns I have with his qualities of leadership or lack thereof. And I think that kind of statement only reflects the fact that he
truly is not qualified to be president of the United States.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GORANI: The president of the Eurasia Group, Ian Bremmer, is here. So Ian, what do you make of what Donald Trump said?
IAN BREMMER, PRESIDENT, EURASIA GROUP: Look, I do think this is consistent with his world view. Never mind the fact that he just generally likes
Putin and Russia and a lot of question about why that is, but also he's not interested in values.
When you talk about alliances answers, he thinks of them as very transactional. Am I getting something out of this? Am I cutting a good
deal? It's like real estate for him.
He said don't criticize the Turks who just today posed a few dozen newspapers and television stations. No, we can't criticize them. Look,
what we're doing at home.
GORANI: Well, he actually praised Erdogan for his management of the coup.
BREMMER: Indeed. And the Russia story is the same. He wouldn't view this as the Russians are doing something evil against the America. He would be
saying, look, Secretary Clinton was doing something illegal with her e- mails. They're out there. She never should have done it. Irresponsible.
She lost them. Obviously didn't really lose them from his perspective. So saying, well, if someone has them, if the Russians have them, let's see if
those 30,000 come out.
What of course is problematic is the fact that the Russians clearly were involved in the DNC hack and clearly there was a political intention to
have an impact on the U.S. You know, that is not necessarily new for the world, but it's really new for the Russians against the U.S.
GORANI: This is unprecedented, isn't it? In a U.S. political campaign that one of the major candidates would say to a foreign rival power, hey,
if you could help me out here, uncover some of these deleted e-mails that would hurt my opponent in this race, go ahead.
BREMMER: That's unprecedented. The DNC hack and making it public is unprecedented. But you know if you're Russia, the funny thing is that
they've claimed that the Americans have been behind sort of the undermining of elections in the past both in Russia, also the Ukraine revolution, they
claimed the CIA Georgia revolution.
[15:35:10]And certainly America's very engaged in offensive cyber capabilities against these countries. Why would the Russians not do the
same thing against us? The surprising thing is that Trump has no interest in the sanctity of U.S. alliances and the values behind them.
It's a completely new ball game. His world view of America first is truly something we've never seen before from another nominee. And when you look
at other countries around the world and you ask them what do you think about Trump versus Clinton?
It's not like the U.S. where they're polling evenly. Every country in the world that's polled strongly prefers Hillary Clinton except --
GORANI: Except the adversaries of the United States.
BREMMER: Except Russia and the Russians strongly prefer Trump. That has to tell you a lot.
GORANI: Also supported Brexit which we believe would support Brexit when Donald Trump also congratulated the U.K. for exiting the E.U., et cetera,
et cetera. But it is not of course, we, the United States, has meddled before in other country's affairs. That's all known.
But in this particular case it's a candidate saying to a foreign power help me internally uncover these e-mails in order to potentially damage my
rival.
BREMMER: I think there are many things we can point to that Trump says that is appalling. In this case it sounded like a blustery, well, sure,
let the Russians do it because we know what these 30,000 e-mails are not ever going to come out otherwise. The people have a right to know.
True, most American people would like to know what happened to those 30,000 e-mails. Going the extra step and say the Russians who have just hacked
the Americans, the DNC, and made it public, who are meddling in our affairs that they should do it for Trump's benefit? In his tweet he said they
should give it to the FBI, but reality is it's for Trump.
GORANI: By the way, Newt Gingrich, a fervent supporter of Donald Trump tweeted, "The media seems more upset by Trump's joke about Russian hacking
than by the fact that Hillary's personal server was vulnerable to Russia.
Newt Gingrich called it a joke, but then Donald Trump himself tweeted, softening his original statement saying it should be Russia or any other
nation that should look into recovering these e-mails.
BREMMER: One of the reasons people like Trump is precisely because he's not been stage managed and handled. So frequently he will do these things
and drive attention away from President Obama, who is speaking here in a few hours' time, but then he has to dial it back.
Having said that, I do agree with the notion that, you know, there's not been as much outrage about the DNC and the forced firing of their
leadership over the hacks as what we're discussing with Trump and the Russians. That is interesting.
GORANI: Briefly, do you think this is going to take away from President Obama's speech here in Philadelphia? Do you think it will dominate the
headlines into tomorrow?
BREMMER: I don't know that it will dominate. I think it will share. In other words, right now, we've heard from members of the U.S. government,
the Russians are behind this hack, unprecedented hack. That Clinton and her campaign are calling on the Americans to actually -- the government, to
make that public and say what they're going to do.
They're reluctant to do that because they don't know how they want to respond to the Russians. What I know is that the U.S. administration have
been talking to the Europeans trying to get them onboard with the Americans because the Russians have done things like fund the (inaudible) in France.
Europeans don't want to touch this. They want to move away from sanctions. That is a major news story. The White House doesn't know what to do with
this. While Obama's giving this speech. I guarantee you this is on the front page together with Obama of the "New York Times" tomorrow. Let's
watch.
GORANI: All right, let's watch. It was in fact the top story in the U.K. Some French papers also had it as second story even though they're dealing
with the terrorist attack.
There you have it. Ian Bremmer as always, thanks very much of the Eurasia Group. It was historic and emotional. I was on the floor of the
convention last night as delegates officially nominated Hillary Clinton. Here's a look at what we saw here at the Wells Fargo Center.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
GORANI (voice-over): History was made Tuesday night in Philadelphia. At the Democratic National Convention, Hillary Clinton clinched the number of
delegates needed to become her party's nominee for president. The first woman ever to do so for a major party in America. Her supporters,
delighted.
(on camera): Are you infused with enthusiasm because of your support for Hillary or because of your distaste for Donald Trump?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Support for Hillary. She's proven herself. She has experience as secretary of state. She served in the Senate. She's an
attorney. She's very well educated. She's very likable person.
GORANI (voice-over): Even Bernie Sanders supporters, some of whom booed their candidate for calling on them to support Clinton say their focus now
is on defeating Donald Trump like this Arab-American Democrat from California.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We will be supporting the nominee of our party because we are Democrats before being for Hillary or being for Bernie Sanders.
It's not about the candidate. It's about the race and we are Democrats first.
[15:40:08]GORANI: Also on the floor some celebrities like singer Lance Bass. He supported Bernie Sanders at first but now --
(on camera): What is at stake, do you think, in this election?
LANCE BASS, MUSICIAN: My gosh, so much is at stake. One, my marriage is at stake. I just got married a year and a half ago and, you know, you have
a Republican nominee that wants to strip that from me. It's just scary. You know, equal rights is at stake.
GORANI (voice-over): To make sure Bernie Sanders supporters came onboard, it was the Vermont senator himself who symbolically announced Hillary
Clinton's official nomination.
SENATOR BERNIE SANDERS (I), VERMONT: I move that Hillary Clinton be selected as the nominee of the Democratic Party for president of the United
States.
GORANI: Rising Democratic politician, Cory Booker, rumored to have been considered as VP nominee says he's not worried about party unity but has
concerns about one thing.
(on camera): What is your biggest concern going into November? What could derail this for Hillary Clinton?
CORY BOOKER, U.S. SENATE DEMOCRAT: Low voter turnout. If America speaks in a chorus of conviction of participation, of engagement, we're going to
put Hillary Clinton in the White House. If it's a low voter turnout, that's when I worry.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I cast my vote for Bernie Sanders.
GORANI (voice-over): Among Bernie supporters the man who has known him his entire life, older brother, Larry Sanders, was able to witness the historic
event in person.
LARRY SANDERS, BERNIE SANDERS' BROTHER: Well, I feel a mixture of sadness and great joy. Sadness that Bernard hadn't won the nomination that he came
so close to because I think that he would have been a really great president. But great joy because he has changed America and he will
continue to do so.
GORANI: And no matter who voters support in November, change in America has become unavoidable.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
GORANI: It certainly has. History making moment and it was quite something witnessing it firsthand here at the Democratic National
Convention and also our coverage at the Republican National Convention as we continue to bring you the very latest in U.S. politics.
Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump have very different views of the world on how to tackle its problems. We'll look at their foreign policy platforms
after the break.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
GORANI: Welcome back, everybody. We continue to broadcast from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the Democratic National Convention. This time
next year, will it be President Donald Trump or will it be President Hillary Clinton.
Depending on who is in the White House, we'll see some very different foreign policy priorities. Here's a sampling. Donald Trump has famously
called for a wall to be built along the U.S./Mexico border.
He proposed a temporary ban on Muslims entering the United States without getting into how he would actually implement it. And Trump suggested that
the U.S. might not automatically defend its NATO allies if they don't pay their bills.
[15:45:12]Meanwhile, Clinton says she will double down on diplomatic efforts to end the war in Syria. She calls NATO, quote, "one of the best
investments America has ever made," unquote. And Clinton pledges to use diplomacy to stand up to Russia and China.
Joining me now is Jamie Rubin, the former U.S. assistant secretary of state. Thanks for being with us, Jamie. Let me ask you first about the
big difference in terms of how Hillary Clinton and Trump, their big world view now.
Trump, the Muslim ban, what he proposes doing to deal with ISIS and killing the families of terrorists and what Hillary Clinton would do. How
different are they?
JAMES RUBIN, FORMER U.S. ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF STATE: Well, I think they are fundamentally different. One is kind of a cartoon approach. You talk
about how you're going to slaughter the families of terrorists and think that's going to decrease terrorism.
You don't deal with the fundamentals which is that the Muslim world has to be our partner and you want to ban all Muslims from coming to the United
States.
So I think the big difference on the issue of central importance to Americans and the world is how do you defeat Islamic extremists groups who
would kill innocent men, women, and children?
And it has to be multi-facetted and it has to be complex and it can't be one of these cartoon approaches like Donald Trump has. What it has to do
is defeat ISIS on the ground, make sure they don't have a place from which to recruit and train.
Donald Trump has said nothing about how he will do that other than, I will do it. Hillary Clinton has talked about how you need to step up, the steps
Obama has taken, and also work on the war in Syria.
GORANI: I wonder, what would Hillary Clinton's approach be to Syria because Barack Obama, even after 2013 when he famously said there's a red
line beyond which we will be compelled into action, if the Assad regime uses chemical weapons. They did, nothing was done. How would Hillary
Clinton be different?
RUBIN: Well, I think had Hillary Clinton's advice been taken, she wanted to arm their rebels in Syria originally when there was really a chance to
defeat Assad in the early days. That those days are passed. We're now five years into the war. What she has said is that we need to have a no-
fly zone and a protected area --
GORANI: She would support that and help convince other allies that might be against it because Russia is heavily involved in Syria, it might be
difficult.
RUBIN: But you need a space, a protected space within Syria where the opposition groups, where the refugees can make a place safe from Assad and
safe from ISIS. Unless you do that, the war is going to go on forever.
And what she understands is that the United States can't play a role in promoting peace there unless we have leverage, unless we have involvement,
unless we do some real things. John Kerry has been struggling, the current secretary of state, because he has no leverage.
Hillary Clinton wants to marry diplomacy with the use of carefully constructed military options and that's how you can make a difference.
GORANI: I want to get your reaction on what Donald Trump said about the DNC e-mail hack and inviting Russian hackers to uncover these 30,000 plus
Hillary Clinton deleted e-mails from her private server. What did you make of that?
RUBIN: Well, you know, the words, look, at a minimum this is the most irresponsible statement a presidential candidate has ever made, to invite
not just a hacker -- these are intelligence services.
We know now with high confidence U.S. government has made clear that this is the Russian intelligence service that is doing this. To aid and abet an
intelligence service, offer them a new target, not the Dnc e-mail, Donald Trump is invited them to do intelligence operations against another target,
at a minimum, it's irresponsible.
GORANI: And a maximum?
RUBIN: Well, it verges on treachery.
GORANI: OK. And do you think this is going to take attention away from what's going on here though because that's the big issue for Hillary
Clinton now?
RUBIN: I think Donald Trump hoped that by trying to divert attention back to Hillary Clinton's e-mails he somehow is being clever. It backfired big
time because people in the Republican Party including the leaders of the Congress, the House of Representatives, his own vice presidential candidate
have realized that this is an act of treachery if you're calling for your own country to be spied on by an adversary.
GORANI: Newt Gingrich said it was a joke.
RUBIN: It wasn't a joke. Newt Gingrich will say anything to suck up to Donald Trump.
GORANI: Jamie Rubin, thanks very much. Always a pleasure having you on the program.
Coming up --
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KAREEM ABDUL-JABBAR, BASKETBALL LEGEND: I support Hillary Clinton.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GORANI: Hear why basketball legend, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is behind the Democratic nominee and what he really thinks of Donald Trump. We'll be
right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[15:51:38]
GORANI: Well, Hillary Clinton is not lacking for celebrity endorsements. Even had the A-lister Meryl Streep and others. But I sat down with one of
them, basketball hall of famer, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.
Abdul-Jabbar was 19-time all-star and 6-time most valuable player. Since retiring Abdul-Jabbar has become an activist. I asked him why he supports
Hillary Clinton for president.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ABDUL-JABBAR: I support Hillary Clinton because I want somebody with experience and sound ideas running the country. I don't want somebody
that's coming in with some just -- it's my personality and me that's really the solution. I want someone that has some real solutions. That have with
stood some -- a few tests, the test of time being the most important one.
GORANI: You don't think Donald Trump is qualified clearly. You've written things about him. You think he's dangerous. You think he's -- able to see
in the Republican National Convention his speech there. What did you make of that?
ABDUL-JABBAR: I thought it was totally all about him. Why does the Republican Party have to offer someone that their whole concept is fear and
loathing? Why can't they come up with some ideas that make sense and we can discuss these ideas and see how much -- how much potential they have to
do a better job for our country.
ABDUL-JABBAR: You're a Muslim-American as well. What are some of the things that have offended you that Donald Trump has said? There's the
Muslim ban, idea that immigration should be entirely shut down or limited from countries like France because they've been victims of terrorist
attacks.
ABDUL-JABBAR: We have reasonable standards to vet people that come into our country. People that come into this country have to go through a
really good vetting process. It's not like we've abandoned this idea. So you know, the whole idea of him trying to get everybody to fear people just
because they're different I don't think that makes sense.
You know, people get involved in their religion to improve their own lives and to make it possible for them to communicate with other people in
harmony and, you know, reasonable discourse. I think this is what we should be trying to effect.
GORANI: Have you felt personally offended at times?
ABDUL-JABBAR: Yes, sometimes it's offensive to me personally just because it makes no sense and it's all about the fact that Muslims are in some ways
different.
GORANI: You have a speaking role on Thursday evening here at the convention. What are you going to say? What's your main message?
ABDUL-JABBAR: I'm going to try to emphasize the whole idea of tolerance and reasonable expectations that we need to have for each other.
GORANI: The big issue has been on day one that you have some Bernie Sanders supporters who are unhappy that their candidate didn't make it even
when he called on them to vote for Hillary Clinton. He got booed by some of his supporters. Do you think there's unity in the party?
ABDUL-JABBAR: I think we're going to have to get to that point. We can't have two candidates for president. We can only have one and we had to pick
one. And so the other side of the issue, they have to accept someone else maybe taking over that responsibility.
But the thing about -- and what I enjoy about the Democratic Party don't forget about the people who don't win. We going to listen to them. We're
going to let their needs and their concerns affect how we deal with things. And that should be the way it goes.
GORANI: You've known Hillary Clinton for a while. In fact, she gave you a role at the State Department, an ambassadorial role there. What can you
tell us or tell international viewers about Hillary Clinton?
[15:55:07]ABDUL-JABBAR: You know, as the first woman candidate for this office, Hillary is kind of like Jackie Robinson. She's the first one
that's ever done this. She's made some mistakes.
GORANI: What mistakes, do you think?
ABDUL-JABBAR: Well, just in the way that you go about your job. You can't do everything right 100 percent the first time. You know you're going to
make some mistakes. What can you do about that accept learn from them and do a better job next time.
GORANI: I want to bring up this book that you wrote "Writings on the Wall, Searching for a New Equality Beyond Black and White." Why do you think
this book was needed? What did you want to say in it?
ABDUL-JABBAR: I think it was needed because we're getting too much to the point where we can't hear each other. If we want to establish a dialogue
and find some solutions for the problems that we have we have to talk to each other. People of like minds in the same party and people across the
aisle. We got to talk to them. Got to understand what their concerns are. They have to understand what our concerns are. And that's how we make
progress.
GORANI: Lastly, what response have you gotten from what you've said in support of Hillary Clinton? You're also speaking out very much against
Donald Trump.
ABDUL-JABBAR: Well, I'm getting hate mail from the people who like Donald Trump and I get people stopping me in the street and encouraging me on what
I'm saying and what I'm doing because we need to raise awareness and get people involved.
GORANI: It's hard to imagine you getting hate mail. Sorry to say.
ABDUL-JABBAR: I'm getting it, yes.
GORANI: And your reaction is?
ABDUL-JABBAR: Hey, it's, you know, it's not about fear. I mean, you got to talk to me. We can't just throw stones. You got to talk to me.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
GORANI: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, basketball legend, American legend, speaking to us a bit earlier. Don't forget you can check us out on our Facebook
page, facebook.com/halagoranicnn.
That's going to do it for me. I'm Hala Gorani. Thanks for watching. I'll see you here tomorrow. "THE LEAD" with Jake Tapper is up next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
END
