Chelsea Clinton to Introduce Her Mother at DNC; Hillary Clinton Prepares DNC Nomination Acceptance Speech
JOE JOHNS, CNN SENIOR WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT: Hillary Clinton expected to be introduced this evening by Senator Barbara Mikulski of Maryland. So we're not expecting, at least it's not likely right now, that we will see Hillary Clinton. There had been some expectation earlier that she might do a walkthrough. The campaign tells us that's not likely. As far as the speech goes, we know it's still a work in progress, as they say. She's still working on that speech. It is expected to include, among other things, some biographical anecdotes. Hillary Clinton delving a bit into her personal life. Which we know is sometimes hard for her. Both she and her husband have sort of been against the notion of personal disclosures throughout their careers. Now we also expect her to delve into her book, the 1996 book, "It Takes A Village." And move that all the way forward to the current campaign theme. One of the big questions, of course, is the extent to which she'll get into not only Donald Trump, but her issues of trustworthiness which have dogged her on the campaign trail. Carol, back to you.</s>CAROL COSTELLO, CNN HOST, "NEWSROOM": All right, Joe Johns reporting live from the convention floor. Thanks so much. Actually, Hillary Clinton's daughter, Chelsea, will introduce her mother right before her big speech. Chelsea Clinton was on The Today Show this morning. And she talked a little bit about what she might say.</s>CHELSEA CLINTON, FORMER FIRST DAUGHTER: Well I hope to convey even just a small sense of why I'm so proud and grateful to be her daughter. Why I'm grateful for the example she's set for me as a mom. I hope that people will just get a sense of why I'm so proud to be standing ...</s>MATT LAUER, HOST, "THE TODAY SHOW," NBC: So it's going to be a deeply personal speech. This is not going to be a speech that's going to try to separate her from Donald Trump?</s>CLINTON: No. I mean, I'm going to talk as her daughter. I'm an only child so it's a unique position that I have. And I just hope that people understand even a little more when I'm done than when I started, about why I love her so much and admire her so much.</s>COSTELLO: So let's talk about Hillary Clinton's big speech tonight. With me now is Michael Gerson, former Speechwriter for George W. Bush. Michael Waldman, former Chief Speechwriter for President Bill Clinton. And David Litt, former Chief Speechwriter for President Obama. Well I'm surrounded by power. Thanks to you all for being with me this morning. Michael Waldman, I will start with you. So Hillary Clinton still working on her speech. How does that work? Is she sitting at a table with all of her speechwriters around her and just making edits?</s>MICHAEL WALDMAN, FORMER CHIEF SPEECHWRITER FOR BILL CLINTON: Well it really depends on the individual. Different people do it different ways. I know she's got a team of trusted folks who work with her. She's been very loyal to her campaign staff in this campaign. She's got a lot of outside friends and advisors. Not as many as her husband had weighing in. But I'm sure it's a bit of a work in progress still. And this is a big moment for her, as for any candidate accepting it. So I'm sure she wants to get it precisely right.</s>COSTELLO: Exactly right. OK so David, we saw a bunch of women senators on the stage, going through a walk-through. I would think that Hillary Clinton is going to talk about history tonight, as well her own history.</s>DAVID LITT, FORMER CHIEF SPEECHWRITER FOR PRESIDENT OBAMA: Yes I would think so. One of the things that I thought has been really striking this convention is before Hillary was nominated, it was almost like an afterthought that she was the first woman to be nominated for President. And all of a sudden it happened and history was made. And I feel like in the -- yesterday and I think today, people are realizing what that means. And every time someone's bringing that up on the floor, you hear these huge cheers in a way that maybe people were taking for granted on Monday or 6 months ago.</s>COSTELLO: Yeah, absolutely. So Michael Gerson, you're a Republican, you're a speechwriter for George W. Bush. So Hillary Clinton wants to attract those moderate Republicans to her side. What does she have to say to do that?</s>MICHAEL GERSON, FORMER SPEECHWRITER FOR GEORGE W. BUSH: Well I think she needs to follow the example of President Obama last night. He made the case that Donald Trump is an aberration from Republican ideology and history. Not the culmination of Republican ideology. A lot of liberals argue that Trump is the Party. Last night Barack Obama argued that, put him on an island. Said, this is different from the Republicanism I know -- knew growing up. I think that that's a very effective approach rather than an ideological combat.</s>COSTELLO: And, Michael Waldman, USA Today wrote this speech for Hillary Clinton. Their editorial board wrote it -- and I'm paraphrasing here. But they said that Hillary Clinton should directly address her issues with trust with the American people. And say, you know what? I know you don't trust me. I know a lot of you don't like me. Here's why you should. She should just like face it head-on. Would that be a good idea?</s>WALDMAN: Everybody wants to get in the act. I don't know that she should do that. I think she should address people's skepticism about politics working for them at all. I agree with what Michael Gerson said that there's a tremendous opportunity to speak to the great middle. And one of the things that was remarkable about President Obama's speech last night was, he didn't only cite Lincoln, one of the greatest moments was when he cited Teddy Roosevelt -- another Republican President -- called her, "the woman in the arena." I think she can address, and should address this trust issue but not say, "I know you hate me, why do you hate me, I don't understand." Not -- I just think it's not really true and it's not a standard that any other politician, especially not other men, accepting their nominations have ever been asked to do. Often candidates come in limping a bit. George H. W. Bush did, lots of presidential candidates have come in, and if they give a forceful speech that makes people think, "you know, I can see this person as my president," the trust issues get washed away.</s>COSTELLO: So do you want to appear only strong and not recognize your vulnerabilities?</s>LITT: Well I think the best way to address those vulnerabilities is not to -- as Michael was saying -- not to talk about those vulnerabilities. But to prove through how you speak and what you talk about, that you're not necessarily the caricature that's been painted for you by the other party. And that's what you've seen, all of these speakers kind of setting the table for her, saying, "the Hillary that you've heard about, the Hillary you've heard all these horrible stories about, that's not the real Hillary." And so now she has an opportunity to show us all who is the real Hillary. And we get to see that tonight.</s>COSTELLO: So who is the real Hillary? Michael Gerson, Hillary Clinton is following some gifted speakers. Joe Biden's speech last night was emotionally powerful. President Obama's speech, many -- even some Republicans -- said it was a great speech. So how does Hillary Clinton follow that?</s>GERSHON: She's always lived with comparisons to her husband who is one of the greatest politician of our times. And she does not fall in that category. But she's going to have to define her own message. And I completely agree, this is a matter of show not tell. You can't go out there and say, "I'm honest and trustworthy." You have to tell stories that make you vulnerable, and credible, and transparent. She needs to show her deepest motivations. I think people are not certain about that. So she has her own moment. This is the main stage. It's going to be a great speech, in and of itself. And I -- so I don't think the comparisons will be there. This is the main stage of American politics she's on.</s>COSTELLO: Well, Michael Waldman, you don't think there'll be any comparisons?</s>WALDMAN: I think there'll be comparisons. But I think it would be a mistake and I don't expect her to try to raise the roof the way Barack Obama did last night, the way Bill Clinton in other convention speeches has. She's at her best when she's in a debate or when she's giving an interview. When she's talking quietly ...</s>COSTELLO: Actually she's at her best when she's on the defensive.</s>WALDMAN: Well, but it's actually -- she gave a very well-received convention speech in 1996. She gave a very well-received convention speech in 2008. It's a lot easier when you're not the candidate. Even Barack Obama's speech last night was better than when he was accepting his own nomination. She needs to find a way to not try to rouse the crowd, but actually talk to the people at home and make her case directly to them. And it may not feel as cathartic in the room as last night did. But probably would be more effective.</s>COSTELLO: All right. Thanks to all of you, thank you so much. Michael Gerson, Michael Waldman, and David Litt. Still to come in the Newsroom, Trump says he was only joking when he asked Russians to hack Hillary Clinton's email. But Democrats say it's no laughing matter.