Real Clear Politics

Intro there which is usually miserable except in this case it was like oh people to watch your kids will be work so here I am with Eli stokel he's White House reporter at Politico author author of The westwing Playbook at Politico you can follow him at Eli stal I greet you sir nice to be with you in person one of these one of these times I I only ever see you on TV but I feel like we're friends I feel like we're friends just from you know coming on your show it's a real friendly Vibe around here even though like many of us have never been in studio with you so this is the first what does political have like 46,000 people here you know I think most I mean there's 15,000 journalists here so every every contingent feels like a little much um we have and there's only 5,000 delegates yeah we have right three reporters one um no we're uh we've got a lot of programming at the CNN political Grill and um there are a lot of reporters here our White House team is here our politics team is here a lot of our Hill team is here just because you know the entire party is in one place and this is um one of those opportunities to really you know pin people down in the hallway who sometimes I mean I guess the Congress supporters get to do that every day but we don't so um it's exciting to you know just see all these folks running around and and be able to Pepper them with questions question give us the palace Intrigue what is the what is the atmospheric like in the Harris campaign you know I think it's stressed but pretty upbeat um obviously this is nuts right this isn't done to just take over a campaign at the end of July it sets up great for her and I think they are aware of that there's there's a lot to do they're bringing in new new people sort of you know fitting them in with the old team and there's senior advisor layered on top of that and there's just there's a lot of activity but it feels like everyone is pulling in the same direction they recognize that they have changed the trajectory of the race for the better for the Democratic ticket um that down ballot is impacted I mean this just a lot of enthusiasm and I think relief um among the party to have a a viable A viable nominee nominee um when again we got into Late July and it didn't seem like that was going to be the case so I think the campaign is hoping to ride this wave as long as they can at the same time trying to be you know under the hood tweaking the engine and and changing things and making sure um that they are doing all the things they need to do I think organizationally this was a campaign that was built to really out organize the Republicans to get people who are not enthused about the president seeking another four years to figure out a way to get those people mobilized and now Organizationally that infrastructure exists but they have a candidate that people are actually excited about M and so I think there's some optimism that look we built this campaign to maybe drag people to the polls to vote for a president they picked her wasn't running again now they have a a nominee and a Vice Presidential nominee that people are actually excited about the the drama the surprise element of this just happening a month ago I think is also part of the excitement like people still can't believe it um and so I think the campaign is really just trying to capitalize on the enthusiasm to strength in the operation to make sure the vice president has people around her she trusts uh who can execute but this is um I I won't say they're making it up as they go but there's a lot that is happening on the Fly improvisational campaign interesting because it does from the outside it does seem quite professional it has it is professional but there's also a sense that like you know year one of this Administration I think a lot of people watched uh vice president Harris publicly and said I don't know if that looks like a person who's super confident in their role who knows how to how to how to be yet how to do the interviews what what role to play where she stands with Biden and his aids would been around for 40 years I think now she's just a much more confident person Confidence in her being in this position well she got so much grief at the beginning and I feel like it really put the zap on her head I mean when an entire nation is telling you you suck that'll get to you right and I feel like she's now out of her own head and trusting her instincts and trusting the people that she has around her the drama in her office really kind of dropped off in year two and you know there she's she's sought out a lot of media coaching and she's worked on things that were perceived as deficits but she also has a team around her that she trusts now um and I think they are listening to their own instincts and she also has some issues I mean the the do's decision really gave her right this was something that talking about Reproductive Rights President Biden was never comfortable in that space this gave her an issue or Reproductive Rights something to go out and own and to kind of build relationships around and she's done that and so there's a lot that she's done in the last couple years that I think have given her more confidence to be in this position um and the Building Relationships relationships that she's just built with people around Washington people in the media people in Congress um donors activists that takes time that takes time and I think that you know she is at a point now where she feels like okay A Shared Mission these people know me a little bit I know them I know what I'm doing let's go do it and there was such a shared sense of mission too like the imperative to defeat Trump sort of seems to Galvanize um happily for her in a way that you know with with Biden there was a reluctance as you described but with her there there there much more enthusiasm even as they confront that I mean it's night and day and I think what's interesting is you know she doesn't need to make it explicit that I mean right when Trump attacks her and say she just became black she just kind of shrugged it off and said had the same old stuff from him again right she's not getting too up and arms Biden for a long time was just trying to to almost scare people into like you can't vote for Trump trump so terribly you have to vote for me and she's not needing to do that convincing right people are W are excited to vote for her and so she doesn't have to be kind of she doesn't have to press so hard in talking about um you know Trump as a threat to democracy you don't have to speak about it in those grave terms she could make history as the first woman president first you know black and Asian-American woman president she's not really centering that in her campaign e that's obvious that's understood why not well wouldn't that be a benefit my colleague and wife El Schneider just wrote about this this morning um you know I think that what that story says is that they know that um the people who really care about that they're already with her the people she needs that's not going to be the thing that that gets them to support KL Harris over a basically three-month campaign at this point they need to focus on telling those voters what she wants to do who she is and present a picture of her that convinces them that A Positive Vision she will be a credible president they can see her in the office after this week after her speech they can see her in this job and feel like okay I trust her she knows what she's doing that's what they need to do they don't need to remind people that she can make history um they don't need to remind people who Donald Trump is everyone knows who Donald Trump is at this point and so I think they are just you know that that's um an advantage she has and I think that they are just trying to um make this as much as they can about um her vision and a positive sort of upbeat vision of her and that's not the darker tones About lose democracy I don't want to be too high minded about our politics right but it does seem to me like that shows a certain amount of uh cultural progress on our part but the fact that she is a woman of color is noted and but there are other things to discuss and you know we've come a long way since 2016 when Hillary ran and she was you know there's a white pant suit in the glass ceiling of the javet center that night and and it was you know I'm with her right and with um with Harris it's more sort of like you know we're we're working for you and it's more of what Obama did in ' 08 when obviously his candid candidacy was historic but he didn't need to underline that for people and I think you know 2016 was a moment in time a long time ago now we've had the me to movement since then we've had dos right we all these things that have galvanized women um Donald Trump is already out there doing further damage to his standing with women the gender gap in this election is huge already it's not something where she's going to gain much more ground by saying oh don't you know don't forget about this people know it um and Women Voters and sort of Swing voters they have other reasons that are going to motivate them to come out I just these these uh Errors By The Republican ticket I just don't even understand the way they talk about women do they women vote so JD Van's comments No SelfControl are wild um and you just sometimes you know we heard for a long time about well this is a a very professionalized Trump campaign and maybe they did show some restraint in like skipping the primary debates and just acting like this was a coronation because it was um and Trump was able to sort of stay off that debate stage and not take the incoming from Republicans but he cannot at this point now I mean you know maybe he was somewhat Serene at the RNC when they were running against Biden but this is the same guy he's always been and when he feels threatened and he's frustrated he's going to lash out there's no self-control there never has been and seeing the race switch on him where now he's running against someone younger someone who's generating the kind of enthusiasm and crowds that he generated eight years ago when he's now on his third run saying the same stuff um it is kind of stale and I don't think he knows what to do with that um and how to change that and how to get the attention back on him right he craves attention more than anything his entire presidency was just wear the cameras come into the oal office talk to me like he was always performing for the Med and he's struggling at this point to get the focus back on him and I think that just tells you a lot about the dynamic in the The New Exciting Thing race and how it changed so drastically when Harris replaced Biden because now she is the new exciting thing she is the focal point in this race the way he was in the race 8 years ago and you know I I just he's frustrated he's kind of flailing and generally when he gets into these places where he's he doesn't know how to fix it um he he can spiral he can wallow and that doesn't produce the a better version of him um it generally reminds people of what they um they don't want and I just think you know the echo chamber right that gets him to pick a person like JD Vance who's like a little mini me but doesn't help him expand the the electorate much you know you're seeing the you're seeing some of the um problems of that when Vance's past comments and then Vance's current comments and all these things I mean what was he saying future comments what was he saying last week about the ethnic enclaves and The Gangs of New York and like a police union he was talking about Irish and crime me it's just it's it's sometimes shocking how they just don't seem to have any either Staffing or knowledge to like like maybe don't say this at this um it's it's sort of remarkable to watch and that's not to say that things can't change in this race and that it's not still a close election but um the day-to-day events have just for a month now they have not been working to the Republican tickets Advantage things have been trending towards this new Democratic ticket and and we'll see how that continues after this week and if you know what point that that can change or maybe it won't Eli stles White House reporter and author of The westwing Playbook at Politico you can follow him excuse me at Eli stokel you're the best thank you for joining me thanks for having me fun to be with you real pleasure coming out congresswoman janakowski I'm jie Mason you're listening to and enjoying Serious Chicago Looks Beautiful XM thank you so much no no it's perfect and he's campaigning all week like [Music] [Laughter] lunatic chug yeah yeah yeah theine what it is good to see you have a good week take care yes okay as loud as possible well here's volume if you need it and a cough button what do I do your volume right here that's the volume yeah this is your volume right here so you can turn it up I think I can what I hear now is like oh I'm good you're good okay so nice to see you so nice to see you too man Chicago looks beautiful Chicago is beautiful it is oh okay picture I lie to people and say well of course that's why I live in Chicago the weather is so czy but this is a beautiful week thank you so much for being with me my guest congresswoman Jan chikowski is a Democrat of Illinois presenting the state's ninth Congressional District Welcome ma'am well thanks so much for having me it's nice to see you close up right personal Julie in Chicago in Chicago My Places man I mean I it's beautiful all the time all the time yeah you come any season and you will love Chicago any season well remember in the summer though we have um 25 beaches no shops no sh great um but they uh so it's always beautiful here but they really screws upu it's it's absolutely extraordinary how great the city looks I mean it's just every Vista gorgeous it is it is a beautiful city it really is and the people are super nice because you know being in DC we're we're it's not always nice oh people are down to earth you know yes and that's why you know the the uh theme for today is is for the people we get that we are always willing to give instructions if you get lost we can send you to the best restaurants we can just be nice to you if you need help imagine that for the people uh things to discuss what what is your job at this convention what do they have you doing well I'm doing a lot of things I'm I'm talking about um what's happening right now how people are feeling what my constituents are saying what are they saying there are so happy they really really are and we're doing something really special we have operation swing state.com so we are going to Wisconsin and to Michigan people are signing up by the hundred volunteers to go stay in another state right if you're from a non- swing state to go to a swing state and talk to people knock on doors yeah that's how we win this is not rocket science we just have to get out and do the it is rather quaint though isn't it that that still works in a country that's big 330 million people and knocking on doors is an effective policy I think the most really that personal contact is the way people you know start thinking about it yeah no it's great yeah yeah and effective all right um so and the delegation how's the Illinois delegation you knowy no the Illinois delegation is fantastic all ready to be in the majority and I want to tell you I The Trifecta believe in the trifecta the house the Senate and the White House that's what I'm going for are you jinxing it you're going to jinx it no we can do this I'm telling you we are in a position you know the pundits and the and the posters are all saying about oh it's the margin of error you know what I say it's the margin of effort seriously we can build that um uh and you're feeling good about prospects in the house for the Democratic party I feel really really confident this has been the least effective uh session of Congress ever and really it hasn't been because rights between Republicans and Democrats it's Democrat it's Republicans and Republicans yeah they can't get their act together right but I'm excited about today because I want the proper thanks to Joe Biden you know when we say this today's theme is for the people that's all he was he did you know he was the most proor he's still with us no no I know and and he's got time yet to go but I'm saying that yes absolutely because we still have time and I'm hope we're going to yeah but Joe kind of defined that what Ordinary People really need Ling the cost of prescription of drugs um all the jobs that were created more jobs than anyone um it's been amazing what he has been able to accomplish and also because he actually meant it oh totally and all his years in the Senate and all the years in the you know knowing what can be done he did it and so I I just think that this night is going to be a great night I really look forward to just so much thanks to him including I think what was an amazing Act of just generosity to turn it over and announce that it was camela Harris um I think has been absolutely terrific and I know my folks are are very excited but still very grateful to Joe Biden it's hard to read that he still has bitterness about having to step aside well I hope not and I hope that he sees how grateful we all are and not just for turning it over to Kam but the Legacy that he he is leaving right now for you know so many people the environment among other things I mean he has been such an remarkable leader we're going to be looking at that agenda and asking C Harris to extend it now you know he has set the stage so I I hope he doesn't I stuck with Joe um you know all the all the way through but when he made that decision he named her and I think that was a great thing to do Congress I think a lot of us were surprised by how quickly the party Coes behind her we thought there'd be more of a fight or more of a question of what was she capable was she up to it but the the rapidity with which everything came together was astonishing I think it's also that it's not just this historic thing which of course is great um a woman a woman of color that she was ready and we're really finding out more and more about that and about her not just her background but what she wants to do moving forward um I I I really feel that she surprised people at that that she was so ready to take the mantle right now Andrea Mitchell was a guest on on this show earlier before you got here and she was talking about watching KLA Harris at the Munich security conference first year not quite knowing what her role what she needed to be doing not a lot of confidence but then over the years seeing her grow and mature into the role where she knew what she was doing and what she was there to talk about and she said you could see it before your eyes imag maturation of our political Persona when you say maturation what we're looking for is the sense of confidence she's exuding right you know she is um you know ready to take on Donald Trump she's ready to take on anybody um she feels that sense of confidence that's what women need more of and I think she will be a role model for that well and that's another thing too just chatting about this with Eli stokel that the fact that she's not playing up gender and race issues to me is a sign of progress right I totally agree with that it's like I'm but not Central no but it's also pretty obvious right stated exactly it's there um no exactly and the kinds of things that she is talking about uh on the economy on um going after people who are raising the businesses that are raising prices right now that she wants to do for the uh child tax credit which you may remember reduced child poverty in half I have you know she's ready to go with that agenda and I am hoping that in the tney meeting that Joe will lead the way too with her and the kinds of things that she should be brave and strong and move ahead on with him um and her husband also um Doug mhof seems uh quite an asset you you know dog mhof is the only male who ever spoke at my Ultimate Women's power launch uh yes because we wanted him because we have men come too to kind of tell people how to be a really good partner to a woman and I saw him yesterday at the airport because we welcomed both of them that couple home and he said you I thank you cuz you really believed in me that was so sweet because it's all it's a politics kind of newish to him certainly at this level but he just seems to have a ball with it he's good at it he's going to be a great first first gentleman um you know and um the relationship seems Seems good and he's comfortable don't we all wish that our men and mine is um you know really cheering for his wife and being a great supporter that's what he talked about to my women and to the men in the audience when I had them I got got to get my husband to listen and my husband says that all feminists are just ugly women who can't get a boyfriend she you see someone with the JD Vamp I mean come on just trolling I think he's just trolling but that that mindset does exist out there you know there's still uh I don't know I don't have to tell you plenty of sexism and agism and everything else a foot and to think of kamla Harris Sim Jeff and Chuck Schumer leading this country is this are we there yet it's just yeah in America are We There Yet to have kamla Harris Hakeem Jeff Chuck Schumer leading the country you know I absolutely think so when I have seen this turnout of energy and hope you know um I I will say before Joe turned over to to cam we were we were afraid and so the idea was we have to win because we have to beat Trump it's really different now we have to win because when we do we can change the country you know this triti man can change everything right now if we do it all so I think people are ready certainly young people are ready for it women are ready for people of color women were ready 10 years ago yeah we've been ready and we've been waiting yeah but it's good when you think back to Geraldine Ferraro right and what I was at that convention you yeah but and just and now here we are just a culture change in America yeah and I do think people are ready for that and lets me number two Reproductive Rights is on the ball literally in eight states right now so you know don't write off Florida people are working hard in these states we want on that issue in ruby red Kansas so I I just think that uh well and and and black women are beside themselves they're going to be all out I'm telling you when can save women can save the day but we're g to get our brothers out there too yes amen yes congresswoman Jan chikowski she's a Democrat of Illinois representing the state's ninth congressional district thank you so much for joining us it's been such a joy thank you so wonderful to see you hope you have a great week thank you you too I'm Julie Mason this is Serius XM Stay With Me [Music] definitely hi 10 seconds Ted 10 seconds uhhuh pull it together come on Influencer Lounge well I'm so delighted to welcome my good friend Ted Johnson back he's a reporter for deadline you can follow him at Ted stew I'm just looking at your IR here Ted you've been busy of course what have you filed like 146 stor since you got here this morning it has been uh quite busy quite busy since I've been I always see you running around but I never see you writing where do you there's a secret layer you go to to type I my in the secret blog BL said I'm really worked up about the influencers and I'm mad about it and I'm going to get into you know I was on the floor yesterday and I saw this big area for the influencers and Julie not Julie's gonna have something to say about this I have a lot to say about it everywhere you look it's like an influencer lounge and they're streaming this thing vertically for the influencers and really okay I'm going to remember that I was just up in the Press area and we're just we're fighting we're fighting over uh little um uh power strips yes exactly right power strip just my phone and you just can't and but the influencers have like bean bag chairs and special lighting and snacks but I mean it's not it's not I like that sound it's not a terrible idea for them to do it and then that makes me angry yeah yeah that's right it's funny because you know as annoying it probably can be for the mainstream media because we're in we're here J good seats I mean How to become an influencer I have to say they're good seats but it's just for a lot of journalists especially for Publications that have cut back on the budget uh it is a logistical challenge you know and those parasites just take our work right and then put it on Tik Tok and it's like I'm an influencer um how do you become I guess my question is how do you become an influencer do you just wake up and you want know influencing so many people aspire to it because it doesn't seem like real work but man there's a lot of hustle to it Theres a lot of hustle yeah yeah that is the that's the definitely the secret about it is that there's a lot more work uh I actually I have spoken to people who said I want to be an influencer and then they kind of realized you know the commitment you only about the people who've made you know a fortune uh but those are far in Fe between I mean it's like becoming a star I mean it's it's different from journalism and journalism is that you you can still make a living I wonder about the durability of it though Ted if you become like a really successful influencer at age 26 right and you're making a bank but then you know the next new thing comes along then what do you do you got to go get a job the next new thing comes along and then the next new platform comes along I mean what's what's it going to be 5 years from now you know F at the last convention or Platforms can change 2016 the last in-person convention uh no one was talking about Tik Tock we were all they were still focused on Facebook and Twitter and getting content and so the platforms can change and that changes you know who who has the best talent no it's not about who's best Ted because we're the best we're professionals we have apprenticeship we have rigors we have rules and standards they just have like streaming and Dean Phillips glitter I did see the blue carpet walking here uh that is uh just right around the corner and uh Dean Phillips was on the blue carpet there is the blue carpet is like the red carpet but it's meant for the influencers to get good video and good interviews with different lawmakers what are you wearing Dean Phillips uh do you think he looks like Dukey you know kind of a mix between dney and uh Harrison Ford really Harrison Ford yeah I remember the first time I saw him a Harrison Ford book interesting Beyonce yeah um so what are you covering here and the most important question Beyonce what well it's still a rumor right now that being very Cy as to whether she makes an appearance but I mean it's what a lot of people are talking about that by the end of the week uh you know it it makes sense she gave permission uh for k Harris to use the own Freedom uh and in the same way that fleetw Mack appeared at the 20 1992 DNC for the Clinton campaign I think that you know which was a very you know Turn the Page election you know moving from one generation to the next so there would be a lot of symol I confess I really enjoy seeing like clips of Al Gore right from back then oh sure so funny when he doing the Al Gore Macarena Just him staring Straight Ahead that there is a clip of uh that has been on social media for like two years of the DNC this that was in 96 where everyone was doing the marara people don't know what the macarina was it was this dance craze that was very popular for about six weeks in the summer of 1996 and then it disappeared blessedly it did not be need a longer of course Democrats want to keep it going I feel like they're going to do it here this week I think we're going to hear the opening strains of Macarena and half the room is going to rise to their feet they will do yes I would I wouldn't doubt it right I wouldn't doubt it can be thinking about you and I think a lot of people are wondering about Taylor Swift but I don't see that no I I think that that um that if she were to endorse and I have my my doubts uh you know uh if she were to endorse uh I I would think that they would do it as their own special event so further in the fall when perhaps it might pack her a little more punch this you're competing with you know all sorts of things not that you know that'll be the new the the problem with her coming and endorsing kamla Harris at the convention especially if she did it on Thursday as it upstages else right speech I mean to do a standalone no you're absolutely right I I always think back to 2012 and uh when CL Ewood spoke broke before the Republican convention and he went on right before Mitt Romney's convention speech yeah and as people were coming out of that convention news reporters were not asking delegates anything about Romney's speech they were just asking about country the chair the chair the chair yeah that was really strange you you've written about um the celebrity hosts at the convention um how how Democrats going to like strike a balance you know without getting too overwhelmed like I which I believe they did for years ago yeah four years ago and uh Carrie Washington was also one of the hosts four years ago Tony Goldwin is a host Tonight uh these are all uh micing the these are all figures that I would say are non-controversial uh no one's going to watch them and say that's a polarizing figure and I can't believe they put that person on stage so I think um I think it's going to be they're trying to strike a balance of having some celebrity quoti but making it somewhat lowkey mild and likable mild and likable no one's going to James Taylor performing tonight No One's Gonna Come come away and say oh my God I can't believe that James Taylor was before me I mean I he's gonna play You've Got a Friend I think because it was just rehearsing in United Center I just heard him uh so I mean I I just I think that um uh I think that there is Awareness on a part the part of the planners that you know as much as Hollywood is supporting KLA Harris the breakdown I would estimate as about 80% to 20% in Hollywood uh as much as that is happening uh you can't overdo it um because all the um you know honestly progressivism of this ticket there's not a lot of gay stuff there is not uh it's funny I was just uh earlier today at the lgbtq plus caucus and and uh uh Tim W actually addressed them uh this afternoon um and I think that uh the the LGBT movement is going through an interesting period where there's not like one figure who is the lead organizer there's also not one main threat other than Trump and the sort of anti-trans per se yeah yeah and it's so it's a very different environment from the conventions of 2008 and 2012 when gay marriage was still very much on the table but trans issues obviously very very important uh especially because Trump in his uh convention speech attacked uh trans rights uh and at this convention you know there is a obvious contrast where that is a part of the platform but it's not being it's not being highlighted so far yet and Tim Walls actually has a really good story about this he uh in 1999 when he was football coach at that High School in Mano uh uh they wanted to start a uh gay straight Alliance and he says I will be the faculty adviser uh this was in 1999 before uh St sex marriage was a big deal before acceptance and he said I think it's important for you to have a football coach who's your faculty adviser so it's a story he has told uh several times I think on the on the campaign trail and I that'll probably be highlighted uh uh at various moments throughout the campaign well I know that polling for gay marriage has dropped and I I would hate to think I would hate to think that Democrats were being Leary of the issue because it was losing public support yeah I think it's um it's it's almost like this this kind of backlash has been uh they've rolled up trans rights and and gay marriage is one thing um it's just kind of oh that's that's the other that's the the traditional family we it's happened before we've seen it before uh and uh it's uh but I think you're right it's kind of interesting how that hasn't been highlighted uh so far by uh Harris or Tim Waltz we'll see if it's highlighted at the convention at the convention all thisly because Harris herself as a very strong track record uh she was among the people who officiated uh one of the weddings of the the Spring Court plays back in 2013 and she's already a gay icon T she already is Ion she really is really is Ted Johnson is a reporter for deadline you can follow him at Ted stew I hope you have the best convention ever time you too you to thanks every convention is the best convention it's a lot of fun it's a lot of fun thank you so much for joining me really appreciate it take care take care coming up in just a few Jennifer grandhome I got to take a little break I'll be back with the secretary stay with me you're listening to Sirus XM to you last time I interviewed you I had pink hair and you laughed the entire time I did not you did it oh yeah can you hear the buz the excitement the excit the ground treving beneath our feet you look fabulous how are you I am so great great GL to he it yeah no I mean this is super exciting Democrats seem reborn they really do yep we we feeling very energized also grand home weighs in what am I weighing am I uh DNC Harris walls Grand home visits Michigan okay 10 seconds secretary be live yeah you always live Jennifer Grandhome well in her day job she's Energy Secretary but for our purposes just hanging out at the convention just a just another Democrat feeling good about things Jennifer grandhome welcome thank you great great to be here great to be hanging out with you right so what's your job here at the convention what's what's what's your task well obviously my task I want to be here as part of this history making thing and watch my watch the president obviously tonight pass the torch but also just really get the feel for this incredible sense of energy that has uh has been born uh in the Democratic in the Democratic space I'm so excited by how much activity is happening how much enthusiasm there is how many volunteers have raised their hand how many people on the ground ground there are across the country that have said they're going to knock on doors or make phone calls I mean it's it's really palpable um and also that it all seems working out you know that it came together we always count on Democrats to sort of blow things up to make a mess you know it's part of the process but this was just like these pieces just snapped into place yeah I think one of the reasons why I think there is such an incredible sense of excitement is that it this is you know we should arguably be having campaigns that are much more condensed you know concentrated not two years long but having uh you know having something that's going to happen within a few months I think is very exciting and the freshness of the of walls bringing to his perspective to this as well as of course kamla Harris and people hadn't really been paying attention as much to her and now they are and they like what they see and they feel like you know I feel I've known her for a long time I went to her wedding I've known her since she was in Califoria um she and I were part of a women get elected thing and I I'm a little older than je and so I was one of the sort of mentor persons that were part of this and back then she you could just tell you know she has she obviously is charming Etc but she had something something else you know sometimes she's she's got the IT thing and um I think people are just starting to see that now they're seeing and it's not just that she's Charming it is that she's got substance and seriousness and that prosecutorial experience gives her a sense of Gravitas on many things so the speech that she gave on Friday for example on the economy you know she wasn't it wasn't a you know it was serious she had a series of policy proposals that she was going to give and she can be tough you know she can be really uh smart ask the toughest questions but she's she's able to prosecute the case not just on policy but against Donald Trump as well feel like we've really seen her grow in confidence in the office it seems that way doesn't it I mean I think she's been confident but I think putting her out there more and more gives people the notion that hey she is confident so that perhaps lends itself to the impression that she's grown and I think she has of course because you know when you're put into a new position as vice president and you haven't done it before you haven't served on theal level you got a lot to learn right so that that it does create a level of confidence the longer you've been there but she is really in she's come into her own and when I was first elected I remember somebody saying to me who knew me from way back like wow you know youve you've really taken on this position and you know I was like you know sometimes you grow into the boots that you that you were given and I think she's really she's really been amazing now even though she's from California and very closely associated with that state I think just because of the conventions and wals it's just a Midwestern flavor I love that you say that that soy seems that way doesn't it you know Michigan yes I was just talking with somebody about this because whil he brings this sense of like No Nonsense uh you know mind your own damn business I feel like that mind your own damn business you know when we're talking about like reproductive Freedom right get out of my my doctor's office get out of my uterus mind your own damn business you know let me choose the kind of when and whether I'm going to have children and that notion of Freedom too that she has chosen I love the Beyonce song as a sort of undergoing for that because we know that Republicans have sort of wrapped themselves in the flag and for claim Freedom when in fact when you are making choices on behalf of other people you're not letting them to be free when when I have to worry about my you know my grandchild in the classroom being shot down I don't feel a sense of Freedom about that I feel like it's really Ser so that you know your freedom ends you know where my nose begins but there's there's just been such a a push on the Republican side to intrude on people's life choices this project 2025 as an example it's really heavily Laden with you know religious I don't anything you know religious in the sense that well the imposition of a religion on people it's not American right it's not American and I don't think it's what Jesus would do either no but anyway I think that that notion has been really uh declining people to have freedom freedom of worship Freedom of Choice freedom of you know freedom of movement freed the freedom I love the idea of using Freedom as an undering to be able to provide child tax credits I mean it's you know I was just at Wendy's yesterday I ha to say uh my favorite fast food of choice and the woman at the counter who was it was just driving through and she said I said Glen you look you look tired I hate it when people say that to me but she did look tired she said I'm tired this is I I've been working for 14 hours is my second shift I can't do it without because I have kids I mean really the ability to give somebody who's working two jobs at fast food the ability to have some breathing rooms the president would say that's Freedom well she has that line in her ad about working one job to pay the bills I think that resonated with a lot of Americans yeah 100% people feel like I should be able to make a good wage this is why honestly because having been governor of Michigan the idea of the inflation reduction act and what it has done from a policy perspective I know you're a policy nerd but the fact that it's actually been having positive results across the country thousands of factories opening up this you know lowest unemployment rate in 50 years all of that stuff there more jobs created than under any term of any president in the history of the United States because of policy she cast a deciding vote for that and the fact that she can claim that and say I'm you know in providing people good paying jobs especially manufacturing jobs which tend to be better paid and tend to have benefits that gives people Freedom as well so you've rested Freedom back from Jennifer Granholm the Republic taking it so you going to get the eagle next Eagle I'm we're taking it off flag flag eagle Freedom you name it the color red you're wearing it look at Beyonce's claiming country music we're taking it all back the name Jennifer Grand home your secretary of education what a personal capacity in her personal capacity it's wonderful to see you thank you so much for joining me thank you uh okay yeah oh okay yeah so hey um I I've been so busy doing all these interviews I Comments haven't even had a chance really to look at Blue Sky so I'm looking now at some of your comments let's see Jonathan with an h and an O says we saw Comm in City Hall where we got gay married before Prop 8 passed popularity should not interfere with our rights but we've seen how that goes yeah that's I I'm not I'm not accusing the Democrats 100% not but I but there is a definite lack of gay flavor at this convention you know the non-gender prayer room notwithstanding um but there it's and I and I I wonder about that so I'm going to be keeping an eye on that all this week and I will report back and speaking of report got to tell you guys the scandal of the convention so far day one day one is that most of the press are out here in these Pavilions and there's um those giant portapotty restrooms and they are also gender neutral but the walls between the Stalls are basically transparent like it's not you can't just actually see through it but you can see figures and shadows and stad people are not happy people are not happy uh by which I mean my friends but um yeah anyway that's that's all that's all the hype here at the at the at media row they call it media row not radio row I don't like that I like radio row um let's see ej8 says hope you'll uh check again with the secretary that the nukes are safe and secure that's such a great little sound clip she you know there are not a lot of government officials who have that kind of self-confidence where you can just ask them like a funny like off the top that was my first interview where they're like how are the NES and she just rolled over and laughed and then I was reminding her the next time I interviewed her it was over zoom and I had pink hair and she laughed the entire time and she said she wasn't laughing she was in tribute and she liked it so Democrats like the pink hair but you know I couldn't get away with it interviewing Chris Christie and ASA Hutchinson and those guys be not because they wouldn't be cool with it but because whenever someone wanted to make fun of them they would haul out the picture of them being interviewed by the lady with pink hair and how do I know that because we used to do it to Obama so so I know all right B says gay marriage doesn't need to be conflated with t trans rights it's hurting both issues how that's that's interesting you know I never I that's an issue that I feel unqualified to question so I just never questioned it but bar raised a really good point they're separate things separate communities um and uh and yeah all right I'm gonna I'm GNA put some thought into that uh Matt R says today I learned that Taylor Swift is named after James Taylor oh yeah I didn't know that either okay yeah and actually I'm not a huge Taylor fan I'm really not but I think Ted made a really good point of that if Taylor Swift shows up here on Thursday and endorses that's going to be the story and it's not going to be L coma Harris so I think that it's not going to go in that direction but a standalone event on a separate day sure Harry Hawkins with the sad news that they have influencer agents now seriously I you know you guys know how I feel about all this no need to belabor it um Matt Argan says if I am sent to hell my job there will be influencer who are you gonna influence in hell nowt that's what I'd like to know uh Marcy Christopher says loving your coverage I hear a little enthusiasm in your voice enjoy the food there in Chicago you know what I love is having in-person guests for three hours it's such a mood lifter it really is and Patrick always says that I gather energy by doing it and I really do but I'll be in sobs in half an hour um and just a reminder that I will be back on the air where Scully is taking the first two hours I'm taking the second so all of the programming tonight will be live from the arena it's going to be really good huge list list of speakers very powerful very important they're going to do a little project 2025 presentation that's fine Gina Mundo uh Governor hok AOC HRC cly burn Jamie Rasin Jasmine Crockett rapael warau Chris Coons Dr Jill and the man himself Joseph robinet Biden Jr he's going to be uh finishing out the evening so that's I mean and there's a bunch of other people in there but those are just those are the highlights for you um let's see uh Harry Hawkins says I want more information on the Turning Point canvasing operation I've dealt with them professionally and they do not have that infrastructure or they just getting canvases from college Republican chapters it seems strategically questionable to me yet turning points is one of three three there's April Ryan one of three uh outside groups that's going to be doing apparently to get out the vote for the Trump campaign so I will keep an eye on that for you and I think yeah I think it's basically just because turning points is a young a young conservative group and I think that's what they're doing is just getting their members to go out and knock on doors uh supine Jenning says I believe I speak for most so that we would happenly listen to for hours to you and Amy parns people watching some great chemistry there that's nice thank you very much um uh okay glitter gezer says if you are Patrick get a chance photos of you and your guests at the DNC would be fun I think he's been posting them on the on the Twitter page so yeah I'm going to go and steal them and post them on Blue Sky so we'll definitely have those in the meantime just want to remind you that I will be back on the air what time Patrick is it is it 800 p.m. East no8 800 p.m. East pm. East I'll be back on the air Scully precedes me so keep it here I got to turn it over to real clear politics in the meantime huge thanks to Patrick fice and a Johnny Foster I'm Julie Mason you're listening to SiriusXM live from the convention in Chicago okay sorry if I screwed you up there a Johnny your way thanks for chilling at the end there oh yeah yeah um you taking that Radio Time charger I don't know I'm just thinking I my Hi how are you is there a show coming up here outles and you sure okay I'll be right here yeah oh yeah baby let's go here we go it's radio time St right into the camera say hello look at these guys on okay it's the 19th correct yes August 19th I'm doing this with a uh how we looking Charlie iPad we're on the front page we are live on the front page we're live on the front page uh okay well we'll give them a little behind the scenes look yeah they which one M for make the radio magic I think you're this one dude you're plugged in here so I have a producer in my year is anyone there player is live on the homepage right now guys and so um I just want to make sure so we're going to do four segments and uh how long is each segment yeah okay okay okay perfect and and and who was in my ear who is that oh hi Jennifer I didn't know you were in DC how are you oh good oh you know what take off your uh take these things off me on on TV you should not have your [Music] I'm just going to wear credentials around like for the rest of my life just because it makes me feel important be walking down the street and people be like what's that okay so if there's anyone watching on the homepage of real politics right now we are starting the show in about two minutes we're currently siries XM is running uh news at the top of the hour and we will start our show momentarily with limited commercial breaks and we'll probably be live even during the commercial breaks so no hot mik nors people yeah I just did okay welcome to real politics for Monday August 19th I'm Andrew Walworth and I'm joined by RCP president and co-founder Tom beavon Washington bureau chief call and White House reporter Phil wman and we are coming to you live from the Democratic National Convention in Chicago so Tom the big event tonight is President Biden's speech there's a great Jackson Brown song called my opening farewell so this is kind an odd moment uh what do you think we'll hear from uh Joe Biden tonight well first of all I'd like to welcome you all to my hometown uh we'll see how it goes this week hopefully Chicago shows her best side and there's not too much chaos and and you know destruction I did here the protesters broke through the security perimeter and are confronting police now did they really okay well so it's off to that turn well anyway um listen it is odd that Joe Biden the incumbent president of the United States who was being lionized last weekend by Nancy Pelosi's needing to be on Mount Rushmore is on Monday and that's not typically uh where an incumbent president would be sloted wanted to give them the full s of treatment of visibility uh so nevertheless I think Biden will I mean he's he's he's getting introduced by Jill so he will get I'm sure they're GNA have some video tribute I'm not sure you know we'll see how his speech goes and how rousing it is but I'm I'm sure he's going to get a very warm welcome from the crowd and this is like his what Carl third farewell so far and third of 12 scheduled this might be the Jordan's fwell to who retired for over a 20e period or the Rolling Stones justwell I don't think you know what stepping down now under the Constitution he could run in 2028 he's not he's not precluded from running but he is going to be president for the next few months so it's not like he's going away away riding off into the sunset necessarily although there's a rumor he's going to California have you heard this still from I I heard this the CNN grill that they're banishing him for the rest of the week to Santa Barbara I do not know if that's true or not I do know that the president is going to be going on a vacation yeah and he is going to be withdrawing from the convention to go spend time with family and we uh we're exhausted by the end of the week perhaps we'll all envy him yeah well this is how Gerard Baker uh put it in today's Wall Street Journal he said the ruthless dispatch of the former president was less Brutus and cashes and more Jack kavor not not a hail of knives in the back but a soft word in the ear a gentle squeeze of the singe and Farewell My Lovely pretty good Pros love Jerry Baker Jer he's a good writer still got a FAS ball yeah but you know what I I'm gonna have to I'm gonna have to take Biden's side I can see on this battle um listen he he's he's he's 81 he's going to be he's going to be 82 the week of the election he would have been 86 that's two terms it made never made sense for him to run for president he yes he was the last person in America to realize this but he finally did realize it and he's this this is a seamless transition instead of focusing on instead of looking at a glass half empty he's this guy has managed to hand off the Baton to KLA Harris he agreed to do it couldn't have happened he's been lionized by the people that Jerry Baker says were trying to stick a syringe in his arm um this this Pelosi comment about we've had a lot of fun with it about Mount RAR it reminded me that she's 84 I mean maybe someone ought have that talk with her but Joe Biden is going to be this is going to be a sustained Applause tonight these people you're to you're a bad word about this guy and he's much more popular now than when he before he made that announcement his numbers have flipped he's now he's got he's got the best numbers he's had now that typically happens to former presidents when they leave office this guy didn't even have to leave office to do it it happened to lvj in ' 68 so look this you look at this the Democrats have done this really the right way well well it does set up the uh question how does they committed a coup in the right way there's a right way of doing a coup they've done it bloodless but it does raise the question of how she runs as the change agent when tonight she has to sit there and celebrate all the things that uh went right in her view under uh the administration she served in for the last three and a half years I mean that is kind of a an interesting dance she has to do isn't it it's a heck of a needle for the vice president to try and threat here because on on the one hand she wants to take credit for all of his popular successes and on the other she wants to avoid some of the blame for the ongoing challenges like inflation like the economy one thing that has been interesting thus far is if you ask the white house uh for instance what does the president see as her greatest accomplishment their response is it's not just one thing it's a comprehensive whole she was here for all of it as we get closer and closer to the election and as she tries to distance herself from the previous president um excuse me the current president interesting that we sort of already feel that he is a past president um I think going to become more Daylight but for now uh you know as they pass the torch they want to Har guy as Cincinnati someone who was uh selfless in handing off power and uh forget about uh Love Now is sort of reconsidering it and look the only people who have hard feelings about Lan uh Donan and I need it done okay six that's it the six people who are in the bunker at the end yes they are still angry and will I think you know hold a grudge until the end of days about the way this went down but look there there was evidence in the polling from early on that Democrats they liked Biden right but they wanted to move on and they got what they got their wish although you know they wanted to hand him a gold watch and have him Usher off the stage well he wouldn't go so he had to get the knife syringe whatever whatever violent but nevertheless Democratic voters got what they wanted so I don't think they really care about how it went down they're not worried about that anymore the only people who are worried about that are the ones that I mentioned earlier and I think moving forward the part's unified behind Harris right now well and I think that the message eventually got to President Biden himself and I was speaking with a um official on his campaign earlier today he realized that he lost to Donald Trump feing had any hand in in returning him to to power that would be his legacy but if on the other hand he can catapult haris and play a hand in that history making presidency making um the first uh not only African-American but Asian Pacific American um female president then that that lionizes him very very quickly and so um this has been a tremendous turnaround in less than a month he went from a drag to potentially someone who could help make history happen and I think that was the appeal to him at the end where it was Democrats were saying you can't win this but you can salvage and improve your own legacy yeah well we're going to have to move on but Tom mentioned the polls when we come back we can talk a little bit more about the polls you're listening to whe C Politics on Ser like Sam I'm Andrew Walworth and we will be back right after this I'm GNA have to file another grievance with somebody for being censored by our host I got this one I got the grip it's like the Grim Reaper we four segments got I want this on the record this is going live to rot their topics right now you need to take all of our readers to know you take it up with the Department the HR department I'm the HR department the reason griev denied listen we can play back the tape you will see Andy reach over and and touch me on the arm it doesn't matter the sil has already ruled so you want to do polls first you want to the the uh yeah po do the polls quickly but let's go through the polls because I I want to talk about the uh the Biden thing as well I mean the Trump rally oh I I got a good segue to that on the PO okay Char just peaked out and was like you guys are live as if I didn't know that right so like oh okay we're this is the behind the scenes b-roll stuff that you can only get if you live stream it you watch the live stream on RCP it's a good thing or bad thing oh man okay when more shushing me I I wasn't shushing you I was giving a Small's the pr that we were're going to move on PR I'm triy to remember there was there was a uh show that I was on where the host the the producer said when the when the forget who it was gosh but when they when they like tap the desk with their hand that was the signal like you you end what you're doing like that wasn't our show you got elbow the guy very hard the throat I had looks whipped that you hece out of her his ear because we were telling him that we had to move on wow yeah so you can do that just rip off the head that no I won't say because you do live stream it was recently the uh anniversary of the death back I saw posted a picture of him on as a as a I don't know how in his 20s probably young reporter cigarette hang a little Dart hanging out of his go great great American which is you know kind when I think of Bob Novak that's not the picture that you know I think of him with the you know he always wor the vest and had sort of the belly sticking out my favorite Bob Novak is the one that crushes heaters and uh bile Scoops soly 30 seconds this welcome back to real Politics on Sirus XM I'm Andrew w and I'm talking with Tom Bavon Phil Wegman and Carl Canon and we are live at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago Tom let's talk about the polls for a minute uh what came out this weekend that uh this back interest well so uh two national polls came out Washington Post ABC News and CBS uh showing KL Harris up four points and three points I believe respectively uh she's up 1.4% in our real CL politics national average in the two race and listen she's she's clearly um that's about a four and a half Point swing from where Biden was when he exited the race on July 21st I think the interesting thing is that in both of those polls the number one issue you know on the minds of Voters is the economy and inflation and Trump has leads on both of those issues and yet he's still falling behind right so that's clearly not the full story right if it was just about the issues uh Trump would be winning but he's not and I think that speaks to the fact that a she's energized different parts of the democratic Coalition and brought them home just purely on their partisanship right irrespective of of issues and whatnot and the other pieces obviously that Trump is on those intangibles where voters ask you know his favorable rating you feel favorably towards him do you think he's honest do you think he um you know is trustworthy and those sorts of things and that's where Trump is struggling because you know he'll give a 45 minute speech you know 40 minutes of it or maybe less are about the issues right where he's talking and making actually some some good points against Harris on those and then I'll spend five minutes talking about her Identity or her looks or whatever and that becomes the headline and and and that turns off more voters than it brings in and so um unless he gets more disciplined in the very near future I think it's you know I I don't know that he's going to I might quible with your time ratio there seems to me like he spends 30 seconds on issues and four or five hours attacking these oh no no I may be exaggerated maybe but but in in all seriousness that Washington post pole I think it was 49 45 if I recall in the two-way and but 47 45 in the 5way it was close and uh Dan boss who leads up who heads their polling unit right the senior and one of the most knowledgeable political writers in the country Dan had an interesting column on page two that that paper I still get the paper you know newsprint but on the inside on page two he had an interesting column about Trump and he pointed out that Donald Trump's had real trouble since Harris became the nominee he was he was just beating byting like a drum he had it down cold he clearly was relishing running against Biden and he was doing well and he's struggled with Harris he's called her names he's attacked her identity he's tried out different things on her he's had trouble and but but Dan sort of almost aide like addressing Democrats said but you know what I mean Trump trump had an August like that in 2016 and what happened was he got his seage in October he became suddenly very effective on the stump in October 2016 surprised the Democrats and then they were back on their heels and they didn't quite know what to do and he won that election and Dan's piece his whole piece was this thing is close he wasn't saying 4945 it's over he was saying this is within the margin of error and we have to remember how Trump performed eight years ago he got better as the thing went on and so uh Trump was in uh Pennsylvania today which probably is the most important Spring State right now it looks like Butler uh Pennsylvania I believe um giving his speech and uh again sort of as we said it was a mix of sort of Economic Policy stuff and then a a lot of attacks from Tom haris still on Joe Biden as well right yeah it's clear that the former president misses Biden he wanted to run against the guy he doesn't get a chance because you know it's appropriate to note this at the beginning of the democratic convention when we were at the Republican convention the GOP felt like they were in the middle of a dream they had never had it this good there was a Unity moment they saw several different path ways to 270 now to back on their heels and one of the things that Trump has struggled with is he has been unable to switch gears from Biden to Harris now he's tried um you know by arguing that you know she's a communist that price controls are going to ruin the economy um but even then if he's on the stump and not reading from a telor he he goes back to Biden um we saw a little bit more discipline today in Pennsylvania where the former president was talking about how um she was on a I believe the phrase was regulatory Jihad against American power plants and we'll see if if he catches his stride but uh you know what I'm hearing from folks close to the Trump campaign is that there's a real frustration that uh he didn't immediately give it to Harris um we'll see if uh Dan balls is corrupt and he can do that in October and the interesting thing about that too is in that speech if you watch him because you can tell you can tell when he's on prompter and when he's gone off prompter and a lot of those attacks on Biden were on prompter he was sort of like just reading through them um which I thought was interesting um but the other thing I'd say is I think K Harris may have given him an opening to get his sea legs and sharpen his attacks with her economic proposals because he's now you know before he called her cackling kamla now he calls her comrade kamla and I think comrade kamla might actually a it's it's much more effective it's much more issues based as opposed to cackling and making fun of laugh um talk about that ad that he ran that Trum where he just quotes it's a it's a very brief ad and he has Comm Harris talking about what she do the economy and then you cut it to Trump and he says I how much the price of bread and ground beef has gone up right since the pandemic since the pandemic but which means since Biden became president that's right and Trump just cuts in says I have this it was very effective yeah so look I think I think he may be on to something that will be more more uh fruitful for him in terms of attacking and being more focused but we'll see I mean he could come out tomorrow with another nickname that makes he keep setting the bar for Harris very low though we see this from the former president to his campaign they're making an issue of the fact that the vice president will not Meet the Press and of course you know our bias here is towards transparency we want more access we want more press conferences not less but that's pretty easy to do if Harris answers a few questions that our softballs then she can check that box and say I answered your tough questions Donald move on um so I think that the the economic attack uh is you know the one that will be the winner because he can point to both the failures of the Biden Administration in his opinion and then also pin that on Harris yeah you know the butler uh Speech the new thing which seemed new to me at least was she she he attacks her father as a Marxist Professor which is sort of a new line of attack we make that you know what it would have been perhaps more effective had he not said eight years ago that um um Ted Cruz's father killed K after par you know what heate you know what he's like he sounds you know Hulk Hogan was at the Republican convention and Trump's got he got his attitude remember All-Star wrestling when hul Hulk first started they had these tag team wrestlers and one guy just be the crap beat out of him he could barely walk and he'd limp over somehow and then tag the guy and then the new guy would come in fresh bigger and the crowd favorite that Trump acts like that wrestler like it's not fair he had Biden down and out and then suddenly it's this taging and there's Harris muscles beaming fresh candidate doesn't seem pared TR well uh JD Dan I think was in Pennsylvania as well today in Philadelphia um Tom are they smart to be sort of focused right now on that state is that that really the key swing state at this moment it is although I think the polling shows that a lot of these other states that were kind of off the board when Biden was the nominee are back in play uh with Harris and I'm thinking specifically of Arizona and Georgia Nevada um Trump still leads in Nevada by one point but I mean listen this race to me this race is back to 2016 I mean got con Harris leading by point and a half of the national polls but if you take if you look at those big seven Battleground States uh the biggest lead of all of them K Harris is two points in Michigan one point Wisconsin everything else is less than a point right I think Trump has a one point2 lead in in Nevada but um you know four four of the seven states or three of the seven states are one1 of a percent two10 of a percent um really really really close and so um Pennsylvania is obviously important 19 electoral votes I mean if you look at the map and the the swing States it's the biggest you know Georgia's 16 Arizona's 11 so if you can win uh Pennsylvania if you don't win Pennsylvania you have to win two states to replace surise yeah that's why it's so important um so I think it is a huge a hugely important state and I think whoever wins Pennsylvania is going to win this election and Carl you know you're always trying to get us to expand the map Beyond these same uh swing STS you talking about you see anything there uh she's doing better in Florida and in Texas from what you see Tom's chling but I I wanted to expand the map when Joe Biden was the candidate um the qu I mean will K Harris carry Virginia I would assume so Minnesota is now out of play as far as I newshire I wouldn't I don't know about New Hampshire but it's only three electoral votes but I thought I thought M I thought Minnesota was in play before I certainly don't think it is now and the selection of Tim Walls probably cemented that so I I I'm almost back to seven I hate to say that because in a country this big you're not a Florida believer that Florida's in play it it might be um I you know I I I'm a I like to expand the map I like to cover the whole country I I wish California was in play I grew up there and it used to be a swing state I guess it isn't anymore Hawaii may be a swing state I am willing to go there for several months on the ground make the sacrifices necessary you're listening to R fa Politics on SiriusXM I'm Andrew Wallace we're going to take a quick break and we'll be right back after this with Juan Williams don't go away you're out how we doing how we look yours EX So Co I'll go ahead I'll do the I'll do the quick I'm just they're gonna honor Jesse Jackson tonight so maybe should I start with that you think and then or do you want to inro the whole them whatever you want to do up you no let me do I'll do Jess Jackson and then you do the I'll just have quick yeah yeah time what time did you [Music] come you got move down just a little bit I got I got a bar right here something so Jennifer just in terms of breaks if I to 645 is that right and then we'll have like 12 minutes left to the end or do do we go right to 7 o'cl 56 5650 okay okay so that's good so I'll go um if I want to just have the two I go go 44 45 okay then that would give me a bad St speaking to me Steve ker no no no because I want to do I want to do two segments so uh and he's got to leave so we'll go to I'll go to 44 I'll go out look ahead and smile laugh 8m yeah surprised they didn't put him after Biden papic man they moved Biden into the 7:30 slide and then have Steve C when B 9:00 I think so time Biden speaky somebody said it was really late like 10:50 Easter I hope not welcome back to Real Clear Politics on sirusxm I'm Andrew Walworth and I've got with me Tom beavon call Canon and we're joined by Juan Williams uh old friend of the show and uh watching Team reporter so um Juan tonight they're going to honor uh Jesse Jackson he's 82 years old he's suffering from Parkinson's um they had a big uh tribute to him last night as well as part of the rainbow push event um this is Chicago this is his town what do you make of the uh Jesse Jackson um what's his role and you know what did he really sort of help set the stage for some of what we're going to see tonight that's a very rich question andw uh you know you think about Jesse Jackson 1988 was Atlanta convention uh and one of the keys there was Jackson conceding um and part of the concession was to change the rules for delicate allocation um to make it possible for minorities to be better represented among the delegates the voting delegates who would choose the candidate that really is a precedent for what subsequently happened with Barack Obama in 2008 um and it has changed the whole way in which we think about Democratic Party politics especially as you posi it in contrast to Republican Party politics and the way delegates are selected there I apologize are going into something it's a little tedious but I think it's really historically important the second thing to say is sh Jackson Lee recently died and uh at the funeral there was Jesse Jackson next to Bill Clinton on stage and I don't know if you saw this but he was in a wheelchair uh they had him recline kind of head back and it just looked like you know this is uh not the man that I knew covered argued with for so long it's a you know you just it makes your heart sag he was a viral strong yeah this is a guy a high school quarterback you know kind of too yeah man let me ask you a question about this because I was thinking about Jesse Jackson then it got me thinking about 1972 Shirley chisel runs for president African-American congressman from New York that's the year Willie Brown the mayor of San Francisco the head of the California delegation there's a big fight over the delegation the McGovern convention and he famous shouts give me back my delegation and since then you've had this steady progression every year Jesse Jackson ran in 84 he ran again in 88 Barack Obama run successfully 10 years later and now KLA Harris is here um except for Donald Trump who had that flight of fancy about her ethnic the weird comments about her ethnic background this is this fact to me is a real Milestone and a sign you know of how amazingly far America's come just in the time you and I have been you know since we're in college absolutely you know so I wrote a book about the first civil rights movement called eyes on the prize America's civil rights years and you stop and think about it Carl the benchmarks there were 54 the brown decision to 65 the Voting Rights Act and I think the Voting Rights Act really Define that period in other words if you're thinking about racial equality let's go to the politics you think about what even President Kennedy going back to Kennedy uh was very clear and Robert F Kennedy was very clear if we can deliver on the vote we can try to change some of that southern in time Democratic uh obstructionism with regard to uh maintaining segregation in American society I've just finished another book comes out in January I hope you guys will have me on to discuss it at that time it's called new priz for these eyes and I'm saying we're in a second Civil Rights era right now because if you think about Obama and and his speech in 04 in Boston uh when he talked about you know not Black America not a white America not red not blue but one America he opened the door not only to his election but to talk of a post-racial America that we were somehow going to be into this new phase then after his election we get a huge backlash beginning with the tea party and then you get lots of anger and arguments about police enforcement remember Trayvon Martin got right and then you get Trump beginning the birther thing Trump's election and the backlash is very real and now as we sit here in 2024 you have the possibility of a black woman yeah this is a new era of activism based on new a new premise so previously it was about let's try to end segregation and bring in equal voting rights and that if black people have the power to vote then we can have a white politicians black politicians will not be pushing kind of hard right politics like that and now we're in a period where well are those politicians able to deliver lots of black people had arguments with Obama you know about well Obama got more more larger share of the white vote than Bill Clinton did but you know that and I say that where we're in the United Center we're in the atrium United Center where one of the great crossover Stars Michael Jordan there's a statue to him right behind us I thought that was you wasn't oh okay but I'm going to say what the thread for me being sort of I mean I grew up in Seattle but I've now lived in Chicago longer than anywhere in my entire life right and we talk about uh Jesse Jackson right and his his legacy here you know rainbow push Coalition Barack Obama being from here Bill Clinton being here in 96 for that convention um Chicago's been Central to a lot of these stories which which is great and interesting and I just I think um it's fun to be in back in Chicago and um and listening and and and you know seeing this stuff all play out well you know I was telling someone I remember when I was a young reporter at the Washington Post and this is probably a trip that I took to Chicago in the late 70s early 80s and just being struck by the rank segregation you know those huge Towers uh BR projects yeah and they were filled with violence and degradation it was an awful thing like and they were literally a mile from some of the swankiest richest that was what I was going to say and it it scared me you know as a young black guy I mean I I like boy this is a tough town I don't know and the politics of it was pretty strict in terms of the segregation it wasn't only segregation in terms of black and white but if you were Greek and Italian and Jewish I me you could go down the line I mean the alderman you know how the whole situation work so now I mean boy this on this trip the place just looks so brilliantly beautiful Chicago is having a beautiful week for this convention and I think there's a variety of people here at the convention again I just think uh people from the even from the 9s with Clinton would be shocked yeah well I the one segregation that still exists is the Cubs and the socks fans do get along but but U because I know you've written about this um I mean are you bothered At All by what people call identity politics and the rise of that within the Democratic uh party party in particular because we do see a lot of today just for instance they seem to be like a lot of the seminars are sort of divided out by race or gender or sexual orientation you get the feeling these fundraising uh events that they've done online sort of seem to be very funnel and I'm wondering how you view that and how that squares with you know when you're talking about Barack Obama and that idea that there was not a red America not a Black America not a white America not a blue America I mean a little bit of a conflict don't you think yeah I think we lots of people were disappointed people do not think that we entered into a post-racial America I think the reality is demographically we are much more diverse America and that gives voice to people who have different opinions and different life experiences and then the way in which people organize and again we here at a convention you can see the politics of that organization often times is quite separatist and this is your point the point of your question I think but is it the Pace that people are now I think evolving it's almost like you know the Cocoon is breaking and you see people say you know it's okay to be gay Americans and to be out about it and I I turned 70 this year I've never it's never never in my lifetime have I seen the acceptance of gay people like I've seen now but now you know I I think the voters though are usually ahead of the politicians and certainly ahead of the Press on this I I went to Richard Nixon's funeral Bill Clinton spoke there and it was in Orange County California Orange County was famously very rightwing place a place where a guy who elected to this Congress John smid was act John Russo was asked you you've been at John berer were your kid he said yeah I was asked for the middle of the road vote in Orange County that that Orange County where where where Nixon grew up where Reagan ran up these huge majorities and sent into the governorship um the the line for Nixon was a mile long and I walked the whole line interview every third couple was a mixed race couple every other person was Hispanic or Asian these were people a lot of them immigrants and I said they weren't they weren't white birchers I said why why do you hear they said well he was the president of the United States it's important to show respect to the president unit States I I think the American people maybe maybe for maybe spending this way a while are kind of ahead of the political class and the academics and the the the race identity people I I think what most Americans see when they see Comm Harris is a a woman who's whose father who had a black father who came to this country from the islands from the Caribbean to study married a woman whose parents are from India had this kid she she goes to public schools in Oakland California excels goes to University goes into politics wins every election she's ever been in I mean it's it's a hell of a success story really I think it's incredible yeah you're listening to real Politics on Serious XM I'm with Tom and Carin we've got Juan Williams with me here and we've got just a few minutes left ju I'm just wondering what's your expectation what are you looking for over the next couple days what how would you gauge this as a success or not a success in terms of the convention what do the Democrats have to accomplish in order to walk out of here feeling good well the simple answer is Define Cara Harris in a positive manner that people will say you know yeah she was vice president but I didn't know what to think about her or some people might say I thought she was negative given the way that conservative media often portrayed her um but now I like her you know I like who this person is what Carl was talking about you know um that's number one item but number two would be I think the unified front for the party there's been a rupture and some people Meen Dow wrote yesterday in the times about the idea that there was a coup but you know ex actually Biden got stabbed in the back you know so if there's any kind of resentment or anger there that has to go away because they're now in for a fight this is a really close race and they've got to come together if they hope to win yeah well thanks so we've been talking to Juan Williams I've got Tom bin and Carl Canon with me you're listening to Real Clear Politics on sirusxm and we're live here at the uh Democratic National Convention in Chicago and we're going to take a quick break and we'll be right back after this uh you got like a minute you have time to I we're bringing Alex last we are yeah yeah okay what are we talking about uh prot getting better oh yeah break the internets want me to go to you first or second what was your maiden name McKenzie McKenzie no just kidding you could but the people don't know he is that anymore they know me as McKenzie wallworth yeah I could do it I don't no don't worry about it I a kid no you got to be besides we love we believe in nepotism netism right hopefully you will after we do this pay attention I am what are you doing and they don't feel you have to wait for me to say something never does can you hear not doing a fact based thing here you know you got your little cough button too so thanks one's Great's not GNA speak till 10:30 Eastern it's way past his bedtime can stay awake past my bedtime I won't be watching it I'll be sleeping it's only not I did get up at 9:30 4:30 this morning so and I haven't gotten my nap we crank you you're you're fine what are we talking about in this segment uh protests sectes and anti Palestinian I mean Pro Palestinian did the Palestinian did they break through with Phil soon they did they did yeah through one perimeter but there were like three more to go so yeah so we've got about 10 minutes for this guys okay thank you that would be good yeah you know AOC has a spot tonight I didn't know welcome back to real fa Politics on sirusxm I'm Andrew Walworth and we're coming to you live from the Democratic National Convention in Chicago I've got Tom bevon with me I've got Carl Cannon with me and joining us for this segment is Alex McKenzie Walworth happens to be my wife Chicago native and a producer at Grace Greek media so Alex welcome to the better half is arriv thank you very much and uh uh to let's start with the protests uh we have really two Brands it seems to me we have the pro Palestinian protesters out there and then we have these sort of pro um what would you call them um Pro masectomy Pro protion um uh and so uh what do you make protest uh well I mean we'll see what happens with the the pro Palestinian Pro Hamas anti- Israel whatever we're going to call them you know they had said they were going to be 100,000 year I don't think that's true I think that was overstated from what I've seen um but they are here there are there are a lot of them I don't know what the actual number is but they are trying to uh you know this has been a fight that's been ongoing for for weeks and months with the city trying to figure out you know they were filing petitions and and applications that they could be somewhere near the United Center within sight and and sound of the United Center initially I think they were placed over by the mccor place which is three miles away so um they're definitely here they're close and I think they've even as as some people were saying broken through like the initial perimeter so uh we'll see how much attention they get the other stuff the you know the pro-choice Pro abortion like marching through the streets with the as abortion pills Megan Megan Kelly said 18 foot high uterus IUD an IUD Carl an IUD outside is there a van a van where they were performing giving yes that was the one earlier today so if you haven't made it there you probably missed your your opport get a free one a book mobile where get a free I haven't missed my chance this is Chicago this is where the Booze Brothers film was made and if there's a vasectomy like a bookmobile vasectomy they just better hope John balushi doesn't run into it in the car while you're having a vasectomy that would not be well that would be news if John balushi I guess he's long gone God bless him so Aon France press reported that this current um Palestinian slash everything else demonstration Drew about less than 10,000 people today they were expecting up to 100,000 people so maybe it's a thing that will grow as the convention goes on but today I would caution people when they're reading about and looking at these demonstrations because often they can make it seem a lot bigger and more powerful than it is not saying it isn't but right now this coalition to march on the DNC is Reproductive Rights free Palestine black re Liberation immigrants rights so it's kind of like a salad bowl of different causes and I will be very interested to see what messaging breaks through Alex let me ask you a question about that because a week ago or so comml Harris was giving a speech and was heckled by some of these anti-israel types and she just cut them off said you know what you want keep talking you can get if you want Trump elected yes otherwise be quiet and let me talk right I I wonder that if that message has gone through into the precincts of the left because it's a pretty pretty blunt Point well I think it could be that partly they're saying go do these demonstrations go to me I grew up in Chicago I saw I was very young during the 68 riots but that was so organic I mean that was just rage in the streets and by the police what right but what I feel what I'm seeing here it just feels very performative so I'm kind of wondering if they're go ahead have your performance get the message out but we're really not changing anything yeah until that point um Alex and I we we arrived uh uh couple days ago and we were downtown on Michigan Avenue uh and the police presence was amazing we were walking down and there was like a block and a half of tightly packed policemen and when you got to the end of it you saw the protest that they were prepared for the protest was Tiny it was like a quarter of a block of people yeah and yet I saw the some of the photographs from that today and of course this is just something people probably know but they should be aware of that the photographs made it look like it was a much bigger protest thing well not only that we were talking about this earli because you know I live in Evon which is 30 minutes away to the north and we were getting alerts on our phones about you know the the security and the rolling you know security going on on Michigan Avenue for these protests and it made it seem like if you just looked at this aler on your phone oh my gosh there's just massive protests that are happening so yeah it's a you know I think that it was a little bit of clickbait the media's often falls into that trap right they'll Elevate the the you know squeakiest wheel or the smallest minority of voices because it allows them to sort of you know portray it as a bigger deal and therefore get more views and clicks and whatever there are um stores that are boarded up however I mean there are and the sure like I said the police peasants uh that we've seen so far has been pretty pretty impressive un unscientifically at least for this protest that we saw was three to one police to protesters and it was a very impressive show by the police it was it was really something so Alex let me ask you what I've been asking other people which is and what do you when you look at this convention for this week what do you expect or what do you what do you think the Democrats have to do to sort of walk out of here feeling good about what they've accomplished I think that they will do a very good job of creating a sense of democratic unity and the idea that there are all of the democratic really power Brokers are here and bestowing their um Grace upon kamla Harris so I think that if that all goes according to plan she'll walk out and it will be love and a field of Po a good Jo back there's no reason there's no reason to believe that Joe Biden won't be able to rise the occasion tonight it's a little late for him it's late in the evening I'll late for me late for you but he's got he's got a tele a proper there he proven he knows how to read it he he he has to like what they've been been doing maybe he didn't like being replaced maybe he didn't like being shoved out but he has to like how they're lionizing him and making him into the new second coming of Franklin Roosevelt and if he reads that script and he and he's gracious and he doesn't give any kind if he's got any kind of second thoughts he keeps them to himself I think he'll have pass the test and these people are going to be happy and they'll be on their way yeah well you know I started the show by cing Jackson Brown the opening St well James Taylor will be playing tonight so it is a also a 70s uh kind of throwback for those of us who enjoy that c music Tom's too young to remember all that but I'm a Jackson Brown fan James Taylor too so they do have some star power uh well that's the one thing the Democrats always have had star power you know they they they have these luminaries that um you know Hollywood stars and music John Legend and they get Lee Greenwood and Hulk Hogan the pretty much everybody Rock It for You Beyonce or whatever um look I think the Democrats they know how to put on a good show this will be a good show I don't expect there will be and I I I think the fractures within the party are overblown it looks like the protests aren't going to be huge or hugely disruptive and so um I think the Democrats are poised to have a good week and then the question is well what do they get out of it you know um because at the end of the day you know KLA can take her sort of vibe campaign out of this but she still has to come up with policies she still has to you know at some point she's going to have to face the Press you'd think I mean I just don't see she can well and she's also gonna have to face Donald Trump in a debate at some point which is currently scheduled for what September 10th in in Philadelphia so um you know we this will be a nice sort of send off for her Into the Wilderness of the campaign because it's going to get into law yeah exactly it's going to get real very real very fast and it's going to be a a very I think bitter tumultuous campaign for the next how many days we got left like 70 something something like that yeah not that many and voting starts uh exactly first second week in September that's the other thing to remember the the vibes from this convention May carry over and and help with early voting with mail voting so yeah well you've been listening to real Politics on Series XM I'm Andrew wwith I've been talking with car can and Tom B and Alex WTH it's great to have her here with us today she fired she thank you for having me good we'll be back tomorrow night have a great evening that