is going to take us to in a hand basket there is the answer to how do you address the energy? how do you address the connection? 70,000 republicans got on a zune call last week for kamala harris. that is something, if i am a national chairman -- >> it freaks you out! >> we have all had so much fun but we have to wrap this up for the moment. thank you all so much. that does it for me tonight. keep your thoughts, we will have more the rest of the week. special coverage of day two starts at 6:00 p.m. eastern tomorrow. for now we will give steve kerr the last word. >> i will be getting out every day to help people get out and vote on november 5 and elect

kamala harris and tim walz is the next president and vice president of the united states. states. and, and, after the results are tallied that night, we can't, in the words of the great steph curry, we can tell donald trump night night. welcome back to msnbc special coverage of a heartfelt, full first night of the democratic convention. tonight was a celebration of so many aspects of the democratic party.'s celebration of its diversity. different from the republican

convention a few weeks ago of its history, its luminaries, and also of its rising stars. lot of people are googling jasmine crockett right now. one thing was abundantly clear, the party is as excited and energized as it's been in a long time. let's be clear. this is not where the party was one month ago. in a few short weeks, excitement has swung toward kamala harris and tim walz in the democratic party. on this night of all nights, it's important to remember that this newfound momentum is thanks to the selfless decision of one person, tonight, president biden graciously and courageously passed on the torch to a new generation of leadership into his vice president kamala harris. >> about five months left in my presidency. i've got a lot to do. i intend to get it done.

it's been the honor of my lifetime to serve as your president i love the job. i love my country more. [ cheers and applause ] i love my country more. all this talk about how i'm angry and those people said i should step down. >> we love joe. we love joe. we love joe. >> i love my country more and we need to preserve our democracy. in 2024, we need you to vote. we need you to keep the senate. we need you to win the house of representatives. and above all, we need you to beat donald trump ! [ cheers

and applause ] elect, lott and tim. president and vice president of the united states of america. selecting kamala was the very first decision i made before i became, when i became the nominee. it was the best decision i made in my whole career. we've not only gotten to know each other but we become close friends. she is tough. she is experienced. she has an enormous integrity. enormous integrity. her story represents the best american story. and like many of our best presidents, she was also vice president. that's a joke.

[ cheers and applause ] she will be a president, our children can look up to. she would be a president and respected by world leaders because she already is. she will be a president we can all be proud of. she will be a historic president who puts her stamp on america's future. the song is called american anthem. there's one verse that stands out and i cannot sing worth a so i'm not going to try. i will just quote it. the work and prayers of centuries that brought us to this day, what shall are like a cb? what will our children say? let me know in my heart when my days are through, america, america, i gave my best to you. [ cheers and applause ] >> i can't imagine this was an

easy speech to make nor was it one that was easy for dr. jill biden his wife or his daughter to make because we all know it was not an easy decision to bow out of the race, but joe biden, like a true leader and a patriot and somebody who served the country for 50 years put his country before himself. and made what may be them consequential decision for the course of american history. the first night of the dnc was a showcase of the newly invigorated democratic party. many moments of joyful celebration, its coalitions and values, and a celebration of one of its pillars and great leaders that helped bring them to this hopeful moment, joe biden. the cohost of msnbc of the weekend is here with me. they are very lively. michael steele, symone sanders townson and alecia menendez and also with this presidential historian michael beschloss. we've been watching the speech

thinking and chatting about this moment in history. it's never happened before. how should we feel about it? the good news is you are here. actual historian. >> thank you. >> and somebody who is watched these conventions so closely. tell us what you were feeling as you were watching president biden give that speech tonight? >> yeah, glad to be with you. i've watched a lot of the speeches and i usually don't get is choked up as i was tonight. those words, america, america, i gave my best to you. this is someone america was lucky to have as president and he will be one of the great one term presidents and one of the great consequential transformational presidents in american history. with 2020 hindsight to follow donald trump. i think i would want a president who had the ability

and the motive and the character to restore our democracy after it had been vandalized for four years. restore our economy. restore our alliances. restore public health after this debt -- dreadful pandemic and restore ethics and decency. he did all of those things and he did it in one term. what more could we ask for? >> he accomplished a great deal which he talked through in that speech and it reminded me of all the things he had done and i'm sure many people watching. watching vice president kamala harris and we were talking how when they got on stage you could read their lips and she said, i love you. honestly i think that >> i heard her say that and i saw that to. >> there is a projection here to the many people who have

served overtime and the connection. alicia was talking about this, you have barack obama. john kerry picking barack obama to speak in 2004 then you have barack obama picking joe biden, getting elected. there's a connection among all of them and it's a reminder the importance of these conventions. what else will you think of history will remember from tonight? >> there is a connection if you have a leader of character and heart and spirit. you don't always have that. harry truman in 1952 passed the torch to adlai stevenson and was angry that stevenson did not praise his administration enough. the two men were barely on speaking terms by election day. lyndon johnson, 1968, past the torch to hubert humphrey and was so annoyed that humphrey would not be 3000% for his awful vietnam war that he actually was secretly in many

ways for richard nixon, and data most everything until the last weeks to undercut hubert humphrey. to have someone as large as joe biden was tonight praising kamala harris, giving her full credit for all of her contributions to his administration, and like to be able to tell you that that is something we've seen in american history, but that's better than what we have seen in some pretty big examples. >> that is very true. let me come back to the table. this moment was about joe biden but there were other people who really were shining in this moment, tonight as well. i mention that i think people are googling jasmine crockett. we know who she is and we have talked to her. she is remarkable and she gave a powerful speech. that moment where she talked about her interaction with vice president kamala harris was one i will remember from the night. it was very personal. what did you think? >> i like to call that i quintessential kamala harris story.

if you end up in a photo line around this lady and you're going through something, she will ask you then she will take you aside dash i remember i saw her somewhere and i was speaking and having a rough two weeks, and she said what's wrong? i was like, [ crying ], she had a white suit on. there was a photo line and people waiting to take a picture. she said my suit is white. but, collect yourself. she gives you the advice. that's a quintessential kamala harris story. i'm glad the congresswoman told that story because some of the narratives out here would have you believe that vice president harris is a shrewd, navigating, calculated politician with no soul and doesn't care about people to work for her and the people around her. that's opposite of the truth. >> that the characterization of

women in our politics by men in politics. a woman is viewed in those frames when they have nothing else to say about her. they can't comprehend the fact that she is able to move in a space that they move in and quite frequently, do it better. move better. it's that fred astaire, ginger rogers line, did everything fred did but backwards in heels. it's the same concept that america will have to come to grips with a woman sitting in the white house behind the resolute desk with the nuclear codes. people already, why is she saluting the military? she's a vice president of the freaking united states. that's why she saluting and that's why they are saluting her. when she's president, they are going to do the same thing. it's going to be interesting from a historic perspective to watch america adjust to this

moment. i think a lot of women are ready for it, but the country as a whole, it will be interesting to see how we move into this moment because what you said is correct. she will show empathy that men would not dare show. people will treat that as weakness when in fact it is strength. that's a very difficult attribute to carry as a leader, as a chief executive, is the commander in chief, to show empathy. all the best general state though. they always paid attention to their troop morale. and to the men, mostly men, in their service. i am looking for that story to unfold over the next few months. >> i love the michael steele feminism. >> we are going to get him a shirt. >> looking at the moment we are

living in, some of the speakers tonight, as a lot of the people who spoke tonight have been very underestimated over the course of time. i'm thinking of aoc four years ago she only had 90 seconds to introduce bernie sanders and tonight she gave this rousing, riproaring speech. gist of pulled up to what michael is saying about women in politics, as the changes, kamala harris has handled this with tremendous, not just grace, but strategic brilliance that she was hugging joe biden on stage. >> whispering sweet i love you. i think it's interesting. a lot of easter eggs in the hillary clinton speech. she said the future is now which is a grid of, talking about the cracks in the glass ceiling, without ever being very explicit about what those

cracks were or what the future was that she was envisioning. i also thought it was interesting that when they brought on everyone who wanted to share their story about having lack of access to reproductive care, that in addition to amanda and in addition to haley and caitlin, you had him to say it's an issue affecting men too because men are going to have to continue to be brought into this conversation, into the fold. we know tim walz will do a lot of that were, but tonight, you saw them doing that balancing act. >> that was a powerful part of this whole moment. we have to sneak in another quick break. we have more to talk about in our late-night coverage of the dnc. the dnc. >> there was 2016 when it was the honor of my life to accept our party's nomination for president.

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from joe biden. he had some good ones and funny ones as well. we have a couple of new friends joining the conversation, anthony is a veteran of many democratic campaigns of the biden administration. ben smith founder and editor of semaphore. in chicago, special correspondent, molly. i saw you wandering around the convention, i know you were there. you were on our coverage walking around. let me start with you because you were there for all the speeches. joe biden got a sustained man named minutes of applause in there. well was the feeling in the room? what were people saying you were talking to around that speech? >> you know, it was sort of amazing convention. there were people they were delighted. there was a sense, biden has made an enormous sacrifice we are not used to in public life

seeking a president do this and handed over to his vice president in such a generous way. you saw them tonight. even during the speech he kept saying, don't just think me but think kamala too. that, you can't fake that level of friendship or whatever it is. i did think you saw a lot of that today. people were in good moods. i talked to a lot of people, a lot of senators and congress people. i would say that was definitely, it's melancholy, right? he made this huge sacrifice and i think there was really a feeling that this was the night to honor joe, and he gave it to forceful speech. i was impressed and i think, it's hopeful. it is joyful but also a little bit sad. payment yeah, many emotions happening at the same time as people were watching.

i said, it was a bit of a pool starting with jasmine crockett all the way through hadley devol and then it continued. i want to ask about the messaging lines. he's going to be on the campaign. i mentioned one that i thought was pretty good, putting debt give me your sense. >> what is interesting to me about tonight is it really served to humanize kamala harris in no way -- we know she was a lawyer, many people don't know why she became a lawyer. >> story telling about her. >> she became a lawyer because her high school best friend was molested by her best friend's stepfather. that's what inspired her. what we sought -- it wasn't just that humanizing, it was the playground, playground bully who picked on her best friend and she still has a scar today above her forehead

because she stood up to the bully. that's the art of storytelling, and that's why i think tonight, they can replicate this over the next four days, it's going to help move the needle and put more wind in her sale going to the last days. >> one of the things that struck me tonight is regardless of people's politics if they were watching, the bench of the democratic party is enormous. you had senator warnock. he gave a rousing speech that would've been the best speech of the republican convention of best, a couple of weeks ago. i will stop there with hulk hogan. aoc who four years ago, one of the things that struck me, four years ago she had 90 seconds to introduce bernie sanders. tonight, she gave a pretty powerful riproaring speech.

she made an entire transition through the worlds of politics in many ways. she's a person people knew and looked at and thought, that's a person is a little different that what i thought. jasmine crockett i think people are googling. what did you think of people who spoke that maybe they are not household names necessarily. >> i am struck by aoc's speech. you're seeing a democratic party that cannot believe it's like at this moment but how unified it is. there is a scenario where aoc was on the street with a mass of protesters. they were barely any protesters there. unused protest signs lying around because not enough protesters showed up. the oppositional parties are -- i would not have predicted and i think, who knows how long that can last? probably three months. >> democrats know the

assignment. there's one assignment and to keep donald trump from the oval office and create an a fireman where we can secure our future, the future that we want for ourselves and our families. they're not going to let anything distract from that one solitary goal. that's why i think we saw joe biden move so quickly to shut down any notion. sometime, we talked about this, how there were this notion there should be regional town halls to pick the democrat. shut it down. >> i was looking forward to that. we on the press. >> i'm sure we will. we have to take another break. she joins us next after addressing the convention earlier tonight. earlier tonight.

okay. we've been talking a lot lately about the dangers of project 2025 and there's a lot in there but few have summed it up as well as michigan state senator mallory mcmorrow tonight. she even brought a prop. a very large prop. >> i am michigan state senator mallory mcmorrow , and this, this is project 2025.

now, over the next four nights you are going to hear a lot about what is in this 900 page document. why? because this is the republican blueprint for a second trump term. that is right. they went ahead and wrote down all the extreme things that donald trump wants to do in the next four years. then they just tweeted it out. putting it on the internet for everybody to read. so, we read it. whatever you think it might be, it is so much worse. tonight, i want to tell you about one aspect of project

2025. it is a plan to turn donald trump into a dictator. >> joining me as michigan state senator mallory mcmorrow. still awake, amazingly. it seems you were having a really good time out there with that big book. what was going through your head as you were describing this to huge convention hall? >> i was. huge kudos to the team we work with on bringing this to life. i was having fun with how we could express, this thing is 923 some odd pages long, and it's dense language, but to break it down visually and tell people what it actually does, it is fun but it's also important and dangerous, and i think i did week great job. i am proud of expressing what this actually means. >> you also said tonight it's

the first of four knights of the convention, but also the first of four treatments for project 2025 will be featured. what should we expect the next couple of nights? a breakdown of it each night is something people should be alarmed about? >> it is. it's one aspect of project 2025 highlighted each night. tonight was about the abuse of executive power. the ability for donald trump to become a dictator. tomorrow night is a previewed, it will be what it means for people's pockets books and breaking it down into bite-size pieces. it's something that's important for people to understand what it is and what it does in plain english. >> no question. everybody is not going to read it although they should. it's on the heritage website. let me ask you, you were in the hall when president biden spoke. you from a very important state. i don't have to tell you. what was the reaction among

your delegation? what were people saying or thinking? or people crying? >> just the energy of not even tonight but the entire atmosphere leading up to today and the start of this convention. a deep sense of gratitude. it is starting to sink in with people how incredible what president biden has decided to do is. it will go down as one of the most patriotic decisions a president is ever going to make, and someone who truly puts america first unlike the other guy who claims america first but only is out for himself. it felt waves of emotion crippling to this arena of everybody feeling these emotions at once. it's a counter to how horrible so many of us have felt over the past many years with the pandemic and insurrection and everything donald trump has

unleashed. this felt like is rallying together to turn a page, and it was beautiful. >> looking forward to it. we will see if there's more big bucks to come. i consider you one of the big rising stars in the democratic party. people so you tonight. i knew of you before. people were probably googling you and wanting to know more about you. what's it like for you to watch jasmine crockett, aoc, raphael warnock. everybody learn more about them tonight. >> i think this first night is a great indication of a democratic party that is wildly diverse. you had new voices. you mention aoc being center stage on the main stage. you've got maxine waters. you had all of the party, the generations, all of the factions, not in disarray but coming together with one unified message. it was exciting being backstage

and seeing everybody get up and get ready to speak. it sunk into me what a powerful group of people and what a powerful party this is. it is representative of the entire country, and what a stark contrast that was to what we saw at the rnc. >> even the visual was a stark contrast. i thought about that all night. mallory mcmorrow, thank you for staying up way late for us and i hope your arms are not sore from the book. we have more late-night coverage of tonight's, the first night of the democratic national convention, when we come back. ion, when we come back. "paint the bathroom, give baxter a bath, get life insurance," hm. i have a few minutes. i can do that now. oh, that fast? remember that colonial penn ad? i called and i got information. they sent the simple form i need to apply. all i do is fill it out and send it back.

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as a prosecutor, kamala's locked up murderers and drug traffickers. she will never rest in defense of our freedom and safety. donald trump fell asleep at his own trial and when he woke up, he made his own kind of history. the first person to run for president with 34 felony convictions. >> okay. so, that was, of course, everybody know who that was.

secretary of state hillary clinton, the last woman before vice president kamala harris to be the democratic nominee, broke many glass seasonings and she got a rousing response in the room. she gave a speech in their that wholly embraced, lifted up vice president harris. she passed a different kind of baton. michael, i want to ask you about, there were people chanting in the back, lock him up. we don't know what was going through her head. >> it was probably the most rich, ironic moment in political history. you could see it in her face. she was kind of like getting in the groove of it, and i don't blame her. you listen to what people said about this woman from the time she was u.s. senator onward, especially. republicans, she's always been the bogeyman for a lot of republicans for a long time.

this whole idea of locking her up because of crimes she never committed, and wrongdoing she was never involved with, and to have someone who is not sitting there running for president with 34 convictions, yeah, it's a little bit ironic to have that moment unfold. i watched to see what the reaction would be. democrats, you need to get a grip. go with the flow. it's okay if you shout lock him up because he gets sentenced in three weeks. all right? >> harris and walz , the ticket, have kind of been tamping it down when they are asked about it. >> the court system will deal with trump's legal issues. i know you are not saying the opposite. democrats were having a little fun tonight.

i'm putting on my doj hat. i think it should be, they should be separate. let the jury of the american people deal with donald trump the politician. about hillary clinton, the speech, it was hopeful, optimistic. it reminded me of the theme of her husband's first campaign. do you remember that? don't stop thinking about tomorrow. she was optimistic. she had every reason to be bitter and air her grievances, and she did none of that. she was a class act. i have to say this, she was the most qualified person to ever run for president of the united states. it was america's loss that she never took office. >> ben, you covered her for how long? >> half of my life.

and she was not always that good, actually. is a politician. i think the most impressive thing, one of the things about kamala harris the folks you work with raised questions about her political abilities. could she pull it together? i think it was happening behind the scenes where she was working people very hard over a period of years so when this moment happened, when she got her chance, she called up the clintons and they rushed an endorsement of her. >> they were so fast. >> she had very skillfully lead of behind-the-scenes groundwork for a presidential, whether now or in four years. i hadn't seen, and you are seeing it at this convention. >> the story of kamala harris. we got a glimpse of it and i jasmine crockett talked as she was going through a moment and kamala harris came in and gave her advice so much so that she

cried. kamala harris got to this moment because of the behind the scenes work and relationship building and grassroots that people never saw an abortion. she traveled the country speaking day in and day out, and she got exceptional local media coverage. people at the national level, god bless them, didn't pick up what we are seeking now. the world -- >> (and molly. i want to bring in molly. we have to bring in molly. she always has smart, good thoughts. i want to play a part of clinton's speech that what struck me and i'm sure it struck you, and it's a little different from how vice president harris is talking about running as a woman. let's play it and talk on the other side. >> together we put a lot of cracks in the highest, hardest glass ceiling.

[ cheers and applause ] tonight, tonight, so close to breaking through once and for all. i want to tell you what i see through all those cracks and why it matters for each and every one of us. what do i see? i see freedom. i see the freedom to make our own decisions about our health, our lives, our lives, our families. the freedom to work with dignity and prosper. to worship as we choose or not. to speak our minds freely and honestly. i see freedom from fear and

intimidation from violence and injustice, from chaos and corruption. i see the freedom to look our children in the eye and say, in america you can go as far as your hard work and talent will take you and me it. you know what? on the other side of back glass ceiling is kamala harris raising her hand and taking the oath of office as our 47th president of the united states. >> so, molly, what i was thinking about in that moment is, and so many women and men perhaps too were thinking, hillary clinton normalized seeing a woman at the top of the ticket. she also did that through many issues, she's building, experienced and she's been a fighter for justice through her

whole career, but by wearing her first, the first woman on her sleeve. she did tonight in part too. vice president harris doesn't do that exactly. she doesn't talk about being the first asian-american woman, the first black woman, the second woman or maybe the first woman president as much or hardly -- she doesn't lead with it. what do you make of that strategy? is it a smart strategy for the moment? >> i think there's more available to harris because of clinton. it's many years later although donald trump is still running for president so that has not changed. seeing a woman going to the top job has been more normalized. harris is a much more comfortable or reader then clinton was than hillary clinton was. part of that is because we have seen hillary clinton before, but i also think part of it is harris has, again, i have been watching her intently,

interviewing her, writing about her, and the thing i have been struck by is how much people do not want to give her the benefit of the doubt, and how incredibly underestimated she was at every point. so much so that i would go on television and say she's really good and people would be like, no. you are partisan. the truth was i have to wonder how many black women have been so underestimated like this. she gets out there and she is excellent. she has galvanize the party in ways that none of us could have even imagined. there were so many pundits, so many pundits being they should swapper out. she can't do this. it's been one month and she has been beyond anyone's expectations. in my mind, wonder how many black women have had the experience of being told that they are not appropriate for this job and in fact, they are

better than anyone else who would have gotten the job. i am really struck by that. >> so striking. she has been absolutely fearless. it's going to be a journey and a grind the next couple of months, but she has been fearless and effective. we have to sneak in a quick break. that's how this goes. michael steele is chomping at the bit to talk how republicans reacted to what we saw tonight at the democratic convention. it was not entirely consistent.

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we are back with michael, anthony, and ben. one of the things we have been talking about during commercial break is the republican reaction. it's, they haven't figured out how to go after the harris/walz ticket. tell us about your consumption

this evening and how they are reacting? >> i was flipping all over twitter and tiktok. i was playing at. >> we can hear it. still playing it. >> i don't understand -- >> you want to share it with everything -- everybody. >> it was part of the reaction to what the president was saying. it's funny. it ran from the sublime to okay, where are the policies that kamala's is supposed to be doing to the stupid which was he doesn't want to leave. he's trying to hold onto power. it said to me in those moments that even after 4.5, five weeks, the gop has not moved on from joe biden. number 1. the comments about hunter biden were hysterical. >> what are we doing? >> they can't let go of the

meat they held onto for so long because now the landscape has shifted that just under their feet but across the country. more importantly, in backyards, they didn't think they would have to play in. north carolina, georgia, arizona. nevada. shall i say the f word, florida? >> really? >> voice -- abortion is on the ballot in florida and there's a lot of voters in florida that are in an interesting space, let's put it that way. from folks i talked to in florida, the dynamics are shifting. i'm not going to say democrats will win florida, but if you're making debt republicans have to play in the backyard? >> they have to spend money. >> that's what i'm talking about. it speaks to a broader question that chairmen like me in the

party right now are figuring what do i do? congressional races they once thought they could hold onto are now looking a little hanky in the senate races are looking questionable in some states. you see all of that reflected in some of the comments tonight. the which casting about the implosion of the democratic party. how kamala will take us to hell been a handbasket. throughout all of that, there's no answer to how do you address the energy. how do you address the connection? 70,000 republicans on a soon call last week for kamala harris. that is something, if i may national chairman -- >> it makes you freak out. >> yeah, i need a cup of coffee. >> we have had so much fun but

we have to wrap this up for the moment. michael steele, anthony coley, ben smith, thank you so much. that does it for me tonight. we will have more the rest of the week but we are just getting started. special coverage of day to starts at 6:00 p.m. tomorrow. we will give steve kerr the last word. >> i will be getting out every day to help people get out and vote on november 5 and elect kamala harris and tim walz as the next president and vice president of the united states. and, and, after the results are tallied that night, we can, in the words of the great steph curry, we can tell donald trump, night night.

welcome back to msnbc special coverage of an eventful, heartfelt, full first night of the democratic convention. tonight was a celebration of so many aspects of the democratic party. it was a celebration of its diversity. it looked different from the republican convention a few weeks ago of its history, its luminaries, and also of its rising stars. a lot of people googling jasmine crockett right now. through it all, one thing was abundantly clear. the party is as excited and energized, as it's been in a long time. this is not where it was one month ago. in a few short weeks, polls and excitement of swung toward kamala harris and tim walz and the democratic party. on this night, of all nights, it's important to remember that this newfound momentum is thanks to the selfless decision of one person.

tonight, graciously and courageously passed on the torch to a new generation of leadership and to his vice president kamala harris. >> i've got five months left in my presidency. i've got a lot to do. i intend to get it done. it's been the honor of my lifetime to serve as your president. i love the job. but i love my country more. i love my country more. all this talk about how i'm angry at all the people who said i should step down. it's not true. >> we love joe. we love joe. we love joe. we love joe.

>> i love my country more and to we need to preserve our democracy. in 2024, we need you to vote. we need you to keep the senate. we need to to wingette back the house of representatives. and above all, we need you to beat donald trump ! [ cheers and applause ] elect kamala and tim president and vice president at the united states of america. selecting kamala was the very first decision i made before i became, when i became our nominee. it was the best decision i made in my whole career. [ cheers and applause ] we've

not only gotten to know each other but we become). she is tough. she is experienced. she has enormous integrity. enormous integrity. per store presents the best american story. like many of our best presidents, she was also vice president. [ laughter ] that's a joke. [ cheers and applause ] she will be a president our children can look up to. she will be a president and respected by world leaders because she already is. she will be a president we can all be proud of. she will be a historic president who puts her stamp on america's future. the song is called american anthem. there is one verse that stands out, and i can't sing worth a so i'm not going to try. i will just quote it.

the work and prayers of centuries have brought us to this day. what show our legacy be? what will our children say? let me know in my heart when my days are through, america, america, i gave my best to you. [ cheers and applause ] >> i can't imagine this was an easy speech to make nor was it one that was easy for dr. jill biden, his wife, or his daughter to make because we all know it was not an easy decision to bow out of the race. joe biden, like a true leader and a patriot and somebody who is served the country for 50 years, but his country before himself. he made what may end up being a consequential decision for the course of american history. the first night of the d&c was a showcase as well of the newly invigorated democratic party.

many moments of joyful celebration, the coalitions and values, and a celebration of one of its pillars and great leaders who help bring them to this hopeful moment. joe biden. the cohost of msnbc's the weekend or here with me. they haven't had snacks or coffee but they are lively. michael steele, symone sanders- townsend, and alicia menendez. and historian michael beschloss. we have been watching this speech, thinking between the brakes, about this moment in history. it's never happened before. how should we feel about it? the good news is you are here, an actual historian. and somebody was watched many of these elections, these convention so closely. tell us what you were feeling as you were watching president biden give that speech? >> yeah, glad to be with you. i watched a lot of the speeches and i usually don't get as choked up as i was tonight.

those words, america, america, give my best to you. i can reset them verbatim and will for years. this is someone america was lucky to have as president and he will be one of the great one term presidents and one of the great consequential transformational presidents in american history because, what would we want with 20/20 hindsight to follow donald trump? i want a president who had the ability and the motive and character to restore our democracy after it had been vandalized for four years. restore our economy and our alliances. restore public health after this dreadful pandemic and restore ethics and decency. he did all of those things and he did it in one term. what more could we ask for? >> he accomplished a great deal which he talked through in that speech too. he reminded me of all the things he has done and i'm sure many people watching.

watching vice president kamala harris and symone was talking before about when they got on stage, you could read their lips and she said, i love you. honestly. >> i saw that too. >> there is such a projection here through the many people who've served overtime and the connection. alicia was talking about this. you have barack obama. john kerry picking barack obama to speak in 2004. then barack obama picking joe biden and getting elected. there is a connection among all of them, and it's a reminder the importance of these conventions. widows do you think history will remember from tonight? >> there is a connection if you have a leader of character and largeness of spirit, and you don't always have that even with some pretty good presidents. here german and 1952 passed the torch to at the stevenson and

was angry that he did not praise his administration and the. the two men were barely on speaking terms by election day. lyndon johnson in 1968 passed the torch to hubert humphrey and was so annoyed that humphrey would not be 3000% for his awful vietnam war that he actually was secretly, in many ways, for richard nixon and did almost everything until the last couple weeks to undercut hubert humphrey. to have someone as large as joe biden was tonight praising kamala harris, giving her full credit for all of her contributions to his administration, i'd like to tell you that that is something we've seen in american history, but that's much better than what we have seen and some pretty big examples. >> that is very true. that may come back to the table. this moment was about joe biden but there were other people who were shining in this moment

tonight. i mentioned, i think people are googling jasmine crockett. we know who she is. we have talked to her and she is remarkable. she gave a powerful speech and that moment when she talked about her wind direction with vice president kamala harris was one i will remember from the night. it was very personal. what do you think? >> that is what i like to talk as a quintessential kamala harris story. if you end up in a photo line around this lady, she will ask you. she will take you beside -- i remember vividly about a year ago, i saw her somewhere and i was speaking to her and i was having a rough two weeks, and she said, what's wrong? i was like -- and she had a white suit on, and there was a photo line, people waiting to take a picture. she said my suit is white, my suit is white, but she said collect yourself. she gives you the advice.

that's a quintessential kamala harris story and the story i'm glad the congresswoman told. some of the narratives out here would have you believe that vice president kamala harris is a shrewd, navigating, calculating politician with no soul and doesn't care about people who work for her or around her. that's not true. >> that's a characterization of women in politics by men in politics. a woman is viewed in those frames when they have nothing else to say about her. they can't comprehend the fact that she is able to move in a space that they move in. quite frankly, quite frequently, do it better. move better. it's that fred astaire ginger rogers line, did everything fred did but backwards in heels. it's the same concept that america will have to come to

grips with with a woman sitting in the white house behind the resolute desk with the nuclear codes. people are already, why is she saluting the military? she is the vice president of the freaking united states and that's why she saluting. guess what. when she's president, they will do the same thing? this will be interesting from a historic perspective to watch america adjust to this moment. i think a lot of women are ready for it, but the country as a whole, it will be interesting to see how we move into this moment. because what you said is correct. she will show empathy that men would not dare show. people will treat that as weakness when in fact it is strength. that's a very difficult attribute to carry as a leader, as a chief executive, as the commander in chief to show

empathy. all the best generals did though. they always paid attention to their troop morale and to the men, mostly men at that time, and their service. i am looking for the story to unfold the next few months. >> i love the michael steele feminism. >> we are going to get him a shirt. >> the other theme, looking at the moment we are living in with some of the speakers tonight, as a lot of people i spoke tonight have been very underestimated over the course of time. i am thinking of aoc who four years ago, she only had 90 seconds to introduce bernie sanders. tonight, she gave this rousing, riproaring speech. i want to ask you, a build up to what michael was saying, women in politics, you look at kamala harris, she has handled this with tremendous not just

grace but strategic brilliance, that she was hugging joe biden on stage. >> whispering sweet i love youse into his ear. i think it's interesting. there were a lot of easter eggs in the hillary clinton speech. she said the future is now which is a on, talking about the cracks in the glass ceiling without actually ever being very explicit about what those cracks were or what the future was that she was envisioning. i also thought it was interesting that when they brought on everyone who wanted to share their story about having lack of access to reproductive care that in addition to amanda and in addition to haley and caitlin, you also had him to say it's an issue affecting men too. men are going to have to continue to be brought into this conversation, into the fold, we know tim walz will do

a lot of that work, but tonight, you saw them doing that balancing act. >> that was a powerful part of it and the moment we are living in. we have to sneak in a quick break. we have more to talk about in our late-night coverage of the dnc. dnc. >> there was 2016 when it was the honor of my life to accept our party's nomination for president. nearly 66 million americans voted for a future where there are no ceilings on our dreams. and afterwards, we refused to give up on america. millions marched. many ran for office. we kept our eyes on the future. well, my friends, the future is here. ow? good thing you don't need to fingerstick.

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violent crime has dropped to the lowest level in more than 50 years. crime will keep coming down when we put a prosecutor in the oval office instead of a convicted felon. [ cheers and applause ] >> that was a pretty good line from joe biden. he had some good ones and funny ones as well.

we have a couple of new friends join in the conversation. anthony coley is a veteran of many democratic campaigns and of the biden administration. ben smith is founder and editor in chief of semafor. in chicago special correspondent for vanity fair, molly. i saw you wandering around the convention hall. you were on some of our coverage walking around. let me start with you. you were in there for all the speeches. joe biden got a sustained many minutes of applause in there. what was the feeling in the room. what were people saying who you were talking to around that speech? >> you know, it was sort of amazing convention, i think. there were people, people were delighted. there was a sense, biden made an enormous sacrifice we are not used to in public life, seeing a president do this and handed over to his vice president in such a

generous way. you saw them tonight. even during the speech he kept saying, don't just think me but thank kamala too. you sort of can't fake that level of friendship or whatever it is. i did think you saw a lot of that today. people who were in good moods. i talked to a lot of people, senators and congress people, and i want to say there was, it is melancholy. he made this huge sacrifice and, i think there was a feeling that this was the night to honor joe. he gave a pretty forceful speech. i was impressed. i definitely think, it's hopeful , it's joyful, but it's a little bit sad. >> yeah. many emotions happening at the same time as people were watching. i said it was a bit of a pool starting with jasmine crockett

all the way through hadley devol and then a continued. i wanted to ask about some of the messaging lines. he will be on the campaign. i mentioned one i thought was pretty good. give me your sense? >> what's interesting to me about tonight is that it served to humanize kamala harris and no way, we know she is a lawyer. we did not know, many people do not know why she became a lawyer. we learned that. >> storytelling about her. >> she became a lawyer because her high school best friend was molested by her best friend's stepfather. that is what inspired her. what we saw, and it wasn't just that bit of humanizing, it was the playground bully who picked on her best friend and how she still has a start today above her forehead because she stood up to the bully.

that's the art of storytelling and that's why think tonight, they can replicate this over the course of the next four days, it will help move the needle and put more wind in her sales going into the last days. >> one of the things that struck me as regardless of people politics if they were watching, the bench of the democratic party is enormous. you had senator warnock, he gave a rousing speech that would've been the best speech by far of the republican convention. we were talking trash -- i will stop there with hulk hogan. aoc, who four years ago and this struck me, four years ago, she had 90 seconds to introduce bernie sanders. tonight, she gave a pretty powerful, riproaring speech. she has made a transition through the world of politics

in many ways but she is one of those people people, that's a person a little different than what i thought. jasmine crockett at the people are googling. what did you think of some of the people spoke a word necessarily household names. >> i guess i'm struck by aoc's speech. the democratic party to cannot believe it's log at this moment but also how unified it is. there's a scenario where aoc was on the street with protesters. that's her dna but there were barely any protesters. unused protest signs lying all over because not enough protesters showed up. oppositional voices are fully inside the tent. i would not a predicted it. who knows how long that can last? it can last three months. >> democrats know the assignment. that's to keep donald trump from the oval office and to create an environment where we

can secure our future, the future that we want for ourselves and our families. they're not going to let anything distract on that one solitary goal. that's why i think we saw joe biden move so quickly to shut down any notion. sometime, we talked about this, how there were this notion that there should be regional town halls to pick the democratic -- he shut it down and that was everything. >> i was looking forward to that, we in the press. >> we have to sneak in another quick break. mallory mcmorrow who held up the big project 2025 book. she's joining us next. next.

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okay. we have been talking a lot lately about the dangers of project 2025 and there's a lot in their if you have summed it up as well as michigan state senator mallory mcmorrow did tonight. we had to talk to her about it and she even brought a prop. a large prop. >> i am michigan state senator mallory mcmorrow and this, this is project 2025.

now, over the next four nights, you are going to hear a lot about what is in this 900 page document. why? because this is the republican blueprint for a second trump term. that is right. they went ahead and wrote down all the extreme things that donald trump wants to do in the next four years. and then they just tweeted it out. putting it on the internet for everybody to read. so, we read it. whatever you think it might be, it is so much worse. tonight, i want to tell you about just one aspect of project 2025.

it is a plan to turn donald trump into a dictator. >> joining me knows michigan state senator mallory mcmorrow. still awake, amazingly. thank you for being with us. it seemed like you were having a good time with that big book. what was going through your head as you were describing this to a huge convention hall? >> i was. huge kudos to the team we worked with on bringing this to life. i was having fun with how we could express, this thing is 923 some odd pages long and its dense language but to break it down visually and then tell people what it actually does, it's fun but it's important and dangerous. i think we did a great job, i'm proud of, of expressing what this means. >> you also so tonight this is the first of four knights of the convention but also the forest of four nights where

project 2025 will be featured. what should we expect the next couple of nights? a break down each night and something people should be alarmed about? >> it is. it's one aspect of project 2025 highlighted each night. tonight was about the abuse of executive power. the ability for donald trump to effectively become a dictator. tonight/tomorrow it's what it means for people's pocketbooks. then breaking it down into bite- size pieces. it's important for people to understand what it is and what it does in plain english. >> everybody is not going to read it although they should. it's on the heritage website. anybody can read it. you were in the hall tonight when president biden spoke. you are from an important state. i don't have to tell you. what was the reaction among your delegation?

what were people saying or thinking? where people crying? >> just the energy of not even tonight but the entire atmosphere leading up to today and the start of this convention . it's all the excitement we have seen building about kamala harris and a deep sense of gratitude. it's starting to sink in with people how incredible, what president biden decided to do really is. i think it will go down in history as one of the most patriotic decisions a president is ever going to make, and someone who truly puts america first, like the other guy who claims america first but only looks out for himself. felt, you felt waves of emotion rippling through the arena is everyone feeling these emotions at once. it's a counter to how horrible so many of us have felt over the past many years with the pandemic and insurrection and everything donald trump has unleashed. this felt like is rallying together to turn a page and it

was beautiful. >> looking forward to it. we will see if there are more big books to come. i consider you one of the big rising stars in the democratic party. people saw you tonight. people saw you tonight probably work googling you and wanting to know more about you. what's that like for you to watch jasmine crockett and aoc. people we know but everybody learn more about them tonight watching them. >> i think this first night is a great indication of the democratic party that is wildly diverse. you have new voices. you mentioned aoc being an outsider now center stage on the main stage. you have maxine waters. you had all of the party, all the generations, all the factions not in disarray but coming together with one unified message. it was exciting being backstage and seeing everybody get up and get ready to speak.

it sunk into me what a powerful group of people and what a powerful party this is that is representative of the entire country and what a stark contrast that was to what we saw in the rnc. >> even the visual was a stark contrast. i thought about that all night. mallory mcmorrow, was love talking with you. thank you for staying up late with us. we have more late coverage of tonight's, the first night of the democratic national convention, when we come back.

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as a prosecutor, kamala locked up murderers and drug traffickers. she will never rest in defense of our freedom and safety. donald trump fell asleep at his own trial and when he woke up, mowkind of history. the first person to run for president with 34 felony convictions. >> okay. so that was, of course, everybody knows who that was, secretary of state hillary clinton. the last woman before vice president harris to be the

democratic nominee, broke many glass ceilings. she got a rousing response in the room. no question. she gave a speech the fully embraced, lifted up vice president harris. she passed a different kind of a time. i wanted to ask you michael because you mention it earlier, there were people chanting in the back, lock him up. we don't know what was going through her head. >> it was probably the most rich, ironic moment in political history. you could see it in her face at one point. she was getting in the groove of it, and i don't blame her. you listen to what people said about this woman from the time she was u.s. senator onward, especially. republicans, she's been the bogeyman for a lot of republicans for a long time. this whole idea of locking her

up because of crimes she never committed, and wrongdoing she was never involved with, and to have someone who is not sitting there running for president with 34 convictions, it's a little bit ironic to have that moment unfold. i wanted to router to see what the reaction would be. democrats, you will need to get a grip. go with the flow. it's okay if you shout lock him up because he gets sentenced in three weeks. come on. >> harris and walz, the ticket, have kind of been tamping it down when asked about this. >> the court system is going to deal with trump's convictions. i know you're you are not saying the opposite. democrats were having a little fun tonight. i am putting on my doj hat. >> he is going full doj.

>> they should be separate. let the jury of the american people deal with donald trump the politician. about hillary clinton, this speech, it was hopeful. it was optimistic. it reminded me of the theme of her husband's first campaign. don't stop thinking about tomorrow. she was optimistic. she was forward-looking. she had every reason to be bitter and air her grievances. she did none of that. she was a class act. i have to say this, she was the most qualified person to ever run for president of the united states. it was america's loss that she never took office. >> ben, you covered her for how long? >> half of my life. and she was not always that good, actually. is a politician. i think the most impressive

thing is, one of the things about kamala harris the folks you worked with raised questions about her political abilities. could she pull it together? i think it was happening behind the scenes where she was working people like the clintons very hard over a period of years so when this moment happened, when she got her chance, she called up the clintons and they rushed out and endorsement of her. >> they were so fast. >> she had very skillfully lead a behind the scenes groundwork for a presidential campaign whether now or in four years. i hadn't realized i hadn't seen and you were seeing it at this convention. >> we got a glimpse of this one jasmine crockett talked about how she was going three moment and kamala harris came in and gave her advice so much so that she cried. kamala harris got to this moment because of the behind the scenes work and

relationship building and grassroots that people never saw . on abortion, she traveled the country speaking, day in and day out and she got exceptional local media coverage. people in the national level, god bless them, didn't pick up what we are seeing now. the world is -- >> let me bring in molly. we had to bring in molly. she always has good thoughts. i want to play also a part of clinton's speech, and what struck me and i'm sure it struck you, it's a little different from how vice president kamala harris is talking about running as a woman. let's play that. >> together, we put a lot of cracks in the highest, hardest glass ceiling. tonight, tonight so close to

breaking through once and for all. i want to tell you what i see through all those cracks and why it matters for each and every one of us. what do i see? i see freedom. i see the freedom to make our own decisions about our health, our lives, our lives, our families. [ cheers and applause ] the freedom to work with dignity and prosper. to worship as we choose or not. to speak our minds freely and honestly. i see freedom from fear and intimidation, from pilots and injustice, from chaos and corruption. i see the freedom

to look our children in the eye and say, in america you can go as far as your hard work and talent will take you and mean it. you know what? on the other side of that glass ceiling is kamala harris raising her hand and taking the oath of office as our 47th president of the united states. [ cheers and applause ] >> molly, what i was thinking about in that moment is, and so many women i think and then perhaps too were thinking, hillary clinton normalized seeing a woman at the top of the ticket. she did that through many issues, she's brilliant, experience, she's been a fighter for justice her whole career, but by wearing her first, the first woman on her sleeve. she did tonight in part too.

vice president harris does not do that exactly. she doesn't talk about being the first asian-american woman, the first black woman, the second woman or maybe the first woman president as much or hardly, she does not lead with it. how do you make of that strategy? is it a smart strategy for the moment? >> i think there's more available to harris because of clinton. it's many years later although donald trump is still running for president, so that has not changed. seeing a woman going for the top job has been more normalized and harris a comfortable or greater than clinton was, hillary clinton was, and part of that is because we have seen hillary clinton before. i think part of it is harris, and again, i have been watching her intently, interviewing her

and writing about her, and the thing i have been struck by is how much people do not want to give her the benefit of the doubt and how incredibly underestimated she was at every point. so much so that i would go on television and say she's really good. people would be like, no, you are partisan. the truth was i have to wonder how many black women have been so underestimated like this. she gets out there and she is excellent. she has galvanize the party in ways that none of us could have even imagined. there were so many pundits, so many pundits being like, they should swap her out. she can't do this. it's been a month and she has been beyond anyone's expectations. in my mind, i wonder how many black women have had the experience of being told that they are not appropriate for the job and in fact, they are better than anyone else who would've gotten the job.

i am struck by that. >> so striking. she has been absolutely fearless. it will be a journey. it will be a grind the next several months but she has been fearless. we have to sneak in a quick break. k break. michael steele is chomping at the bit to talk about how republicans were reacting tonight. tonight.

we are back with michael, anthony, and ben. one of the things we've been talking about during commercial breaks is the republican reaction. it's pretty consistent, they don't know how to go after the harris/walz ticket. tell us about your consumption this evening. >> i was flipping all over twitter and tiktok.

>> we are playing it. still playing it. >> i don't understand -- >> you want to share it with everybody. >> it was part of the reaction to what the president was saying. it's funny. it ran from the sublime to okay, where are the policies that kamala is supposed to be doing to the stupid which was, he doesn't want to leave. he is trying to hold onto power . it said to me in those moments that even after 4.5, five weeks, the gop has not moved on from joe biden, number 1. the comments about hunter biden were hysterical. they can't let go of the meat that they have held onto for so long because now the landscape

has shifted not just under their feet but across the country. more importantly, in backyards they didn't think they would have to play in. north carolina, georgia, arizona, nevada, shall i say the f word? florida. >> really? >> abortion is on the ballot in florida and there's a lot of voters in florida that are in an interesting space. from folks i talked to in florida. the dynamics there are shifting. i am not seeing that dems will win florida. if you are making, republicans have to play in the backyard? >> and spend money. >> that's what i'm talking about. it speaks to a broader question that chairmen like me in the party right now are figuring out, oh, hell, what do i do.

congressional races they once thought they could hold onto are looking a little hanky, and the senate races are looking questionable in some states. you see all of that reflected in some of the comments tonight. though wish casting about the implosion of the democratic party. how kamala will take us to hell in a hand basket. throughout all of that, there's no answer to how do you address the energy. how do you address the connection? 70,000 republicans got on a zoom call last week for kamala harris., right? that is something. if i may national chairman it kind of makes me go, i need another cup of coffee. >> or something else. we have had so much fun but we have to wrap this up for the moment. michael steele, anthony coley, ben smith, thank you all so much.

that does it for me tonight. we are just getting started. special coverage of day two of the democratic convention starts at six p.m. eastern. for now we will give steve kerr the last word. >> i will be getting out every day to help people get out and vote on november 5 and elect kamala harris and tim walz is the next president and vice president of the united states. [ cheers and applause ] and, after the results are tallied that night, we can in the words of the great steph curry. reat >> welcome back to msnbc's

special coverage of an eventful heartfeltful first night of the democraticul convention. tonight was a celebration of so many aspects of the democrat party. it looked very different from the republican convention just a few weeks ago of its history, of its luminaries and also its rising stars and through it all one thing was abundantly clear, the party is as excited and energized as it has been in a long time, but let's be clear. this is not where the party was a few months ago. in a just a few short weeks polls have swung towards kamala harris and the democratic party. but on this night of all nights it's important to remember this newfound momentum is thanks to the decision of one courageous

person. and today president biden passed onto the torch to kamala harris. >> i've got five months left in my presidency. i got a lot to do. i intend to get it done. >> it's been the honor of my lifetime to serve as your president. i love the job, but i love my country more. i love my country more. and all this talk about how i'm angry at all those people who said i should step down, it's not true. i love my country more and we

need to preserve our democracy. in 2024 we need you to vote. we need you to keep the senate. we need you to win back the house of representatives. and above all, we need you to beat donald trump. and elect kamala and tim. president and vice president of the united states of america. selecting kamala was the very first decision i made when i became our nominee, and it was the best decision i made in my whole career. we've not only gotten to know each other, we've become close friends. she's , tough,be she's experien and she has enormous

integrity -- enormous integrity. her story represents the best american story. and like many of our best presidents, she was also a vice president. but she'll be a president our children can look up to. she'll be a president respected by world leaders because she already is. l she'll be a president we can all be proud a of, and she will be historic president who puts her stamp on america's future. the song is called american anthem. there's one verse that stands out, and i can't sing worth a damn so i'm not going to try. i'll just quote it. the work of prayers of centuries have brought us to this day, what shall our legacy be?

what will our children say? let me know in my heart when my days are through, america, er america, i gave my best to you. >> i can't imagine this was an easy speech to make nor was it one easy for dr. jill biden, his wife, or his daughter to make. because we all know it wasn't an easy decision to bow out of the race. but joe biden like a true leader and a patriot and someone who served the country for 50 years put his country before himself and made what may end up being an incredibly consequential decision for the course of american history. this first night of the dnc was a showcase, as well, of the newly invigorated democratic party, many moments of joyful celebration of its coalition and values and a celebration of one of its pillars and great leaders whore helped bring them to this

hopeful moment, joe biden. the coco-hosts of msnbc's the weekend are here with me. they haven't had snacks or coffee but they're still very lively. michael steel, simone sanders-townsend, and also with us presidential historian michael beschloss. we've been chatting about this moment in history. this has never happened before, how should we feel about it? and the good news you're here, an actual historian. tell us -- and someone who's watched many of these elections, conventions so closely. so tell us what you were feeling as you werewe watching presiden biden give that speech tonight. >> yeah, jen, and everyone glads to be with you. i watch a lot of these speeches, and i usually don't get as choked up as i was tonight. you know, those words "america, america i gave my best to you," i can recite them verbatim and will for years.

this is one america was lucky to have as president. he's going to be one of the great consequential president and transformational presidents in american history, because what would we want with 20-20 hind sient to follow donald trump? i think i'd want a president who had the ability and motive and character to restore or democracy after it had been vandalized for four years, restore our economy, restore our alliances, restore public health after this dreadful pandemic and restore ethics and decency. he did all of those things and he did it in one term. what more can we ask for? >> it's very -- he accomplished a great deal which he spoke about in this that speech, too. it reminded me of everything he's done and all the people watching. simone was talking about earlier when they got on stage you could read their lips and you could

hear her say i love you. >> i saw that too. >> and there's such a sort of projection here throughh the my people who have served over time and the connection. aleashia was talking about this earlier between you have barack obama, you have john kerry picking barack obama to speak in 2004. then you have barack obama picking joe biden, getting elected. there's a connection among all of them, and it's just a reminder of the importance of these reconventions. what else do you think history will remember from tonight? >>em well, you know there is a connection if you have a leader of character and large missive spirit. and you don't always have that even with pretty good presidents. harry truman in 1952 passed the torch to adly stevenson and was angry that stevenson did not praise his administration enough. the two men were barely on speaking terms by-election day.

lindenel johnson in 1968 passed the torch to hubert humphrey and was so annoyed humphrey would not be 3,000% for his awful vietnam war that he actually went in many ways for richard nixon and did almost anything in the last weeks to undercut hubert humphrey. so to have someone as large as joe biden was tonight, praising kamala harris, giving her full credit for all her contributions to his administration, i'd like to be able to tell you, jen, that's something we've seen in american history, but that's much better than what we've seen and some pretty big examples. >> that is very true. let me come back to the table here because this moment was about joese biden, but there we other people who really were shining in this moment tonight as well. and i mentioned earlier i think people are googling jasmine crockett. we all know who she is. we talked to her.

she's really powerful. that moment she talked about her interaction with vice president harris is one i'll remember from the night.om it was very personal. what did you think? >> can i say that is what i'd like to call a quintessential kamala harris story. if you end up in a photo line with this lady she's going to ask you's about. i remember vividly about a year ago i saw her somewhere and went and speaking to her and i was having a very rough two weeks. and she asked, and she was like what's wrong, and she had a had a white suit on and there was a photo line and people waiting to take a picture. and she was like, okay, my suit is white. and then she gives you the advice. that is a quintessential kamala harris story and a story i'm glad the congresswoman told because some of the narratives

out here would have you believe that vice president harris is a zru cal cltive politician with no soul and doesn't care about the people who work around her. >> that is a characterization of women in our politics by men in our politics. >> come on, mr. chairman. >> so a woman is viewed in those frames when they have nothing else w to say about her. and they can't comprehend the fact she's able to move in a space -- it's that concept that i think america's going to have to come to grips with, with a woman sitting in the white house behind the resolute desk with the nuclear codes people are

already why's she saluting the military? guess what? when she's president, she's going to do the same thing. this is going to be interesting from a historic perspective to watch america adjust to this moment. i think a lot of women are ready for it, but the country as a whole it's going to be interesting to see how we move into h this moment. what you said is t correct. she's going to show empathy that men would not dare show, right? and people are going to treat that as weakness when in fact it's strength because that's a very difficult attribute to carry to show empathy. all your best generals did, though. they always -- they always paid

attention to their troop morale and to the men -- mostly men at that time in their service. so i'min looking for that storyo unfold over the next few months. >> i love the michael steele feminism. >> he is a blazing feminist. we're going to get him a shirt. >> the other theme just looking at the moment we're living in, too, with some of the speakers tonight is a lot of the people who spoke tonight i think have been very underestimated over the course of time, right? i'm thinking of aoc who just four years ago she only had 90 seconds to introduce bernie sanders. and tonight she gave this rousing,ga rip roaring speech. and i want to ask you, elise, kamala harris, she's handled this with such grace and strategic brilliance that she was hugging president biden on

stage. >> and whispered i love you. i think it's interesting there was a lot of easter eggs in the hillary clinton speech and talking about the cracks in the glass ceiling without actually ever being very explicit about what those cracks were or what thebo future was that she was envisioning. and i also thought it was really interesting that when they brought on everyone who wanted to share their story about having lack of access to reproductive care that in addition to amanda zuravskr you should josh to say this is an issue affecting men, too, because men are going to have to continue to be brought into this conversation, into the fold. we know tim walz is going to do a lot of that work, but tonight you saw them doing that balancingyo act. >> that was such a powerful part of it and the moment we're living in.

>> okay, we have to sneak in another quick break. weave a lot to talk about in our d.c. late night coverage of the dnc. don't go anywhere. >> it was 2016 when it was the honor of my life to accept our party's nomination for president. nearly 66 million americans voted for a future where there are no ceilings on our dreams. and afterwards, we refused to give up on america. millions marched, many ran for f office. we kept our eyes on the future. well, my friends, the future is here! here i'm out here telling peope how they can save money with experian. you got subscriptions? yeah, netflix. hulu. the free trial forgot to cancel it, that whole thing? that's actually me. what if i told you that experian has subscription cancellation, where you can just cancel them with a click of a button? boom. it's that easy to cancel.

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violent crime has dropped to

lowest level in more than 50 years, and crime will keep coming down when we put a prosecutor in the oval office instead of a convicted felon. >> that was a pretty good line there from joe biden. and he had some other lines, some funny ones. we have a good friend joining us. anthony coley. and ben smith is founder and editor ipchief of semafor. and special correspondent from vanity fair, molly jonfast. i saw you wondering around the convention hall, so i know you were there. let me start with you, molly, because you were in there for all the speeches. joe biden got a sustained many minutes of applause in there. what was the feeling in the room? what were people saying who you were talking to in the room

around that speech in. >> you know, it was a sort of amazing convention, i think. there were -- just people were delighted, and there was this sense, look, biden has made an enormous sacrifice that we're not used to in public life, seeing a president do this, and really hand it over to his vice president in such a generous way. like, you saw them tonight. i mean and even during the speech he kept saying, you know, don't just thank me, thank kamala, too. and that i think is really -- you sort of can't fake that level of friendship or whatever it is. so i did think you saw a lot of that today. and people were in good moods. i talked to a lot of people -- a lot of senators and congress people. i would also say, though, there was definitely like -- you know, it is melancholy, right? he made this huge sacrifice, and, you know, i think there was really a feeling this was the night to honor joe. and he gave a pretty, like,

forceful speech. i was impressed. and i definitely think there is -- it's hopeful. it's joyful. but it's also a little bit sad. >> yeah. mixed -- like many emotions happening at the same time, i think, as people were watching. i said earlier i was like a bit of a pool starting with jasmine crocket all the way through hadly deval, and it continued. give me your sense what you think. >> here's what's so interesting to me tonight, jen, is that it really served to humanize kamala harris in a way -- like we all know that she's a lawyer, but we did not know -- many people did not know why she became a lawyer. >> you mean the story telling about her tonight. >> the story telling ability her. i mean she became a lawyer because her high school best

friend was molested by her best friend's stepfather. that's what inspired her. it wasn't that bit of humanizing, it was the playground bully who picked on her best friend and how she still has a scar today above her forehead because she stood up to that bully. so that is the art of story telling, and that is why i think tonight -- they want to replicate this over the course of the next four days, it really is going to help move the needle and put more wind in her sails going into these last 78 days. >> i mean one of the things that struck me watching tonight regardless of people's politics if they were watching, the bench of the democratic party is enormous. i mean you had senator warnock, i mean he gave a rousing speech that would have been the best speech by far of the republican convention a couple weeks ago. >> don't sell hulk hogan short.

>> there you go. i'll stop there with hulk hogan. aoc who four years ago -- and this is one of the things trat struck me. four years ago she had 90 seconds to introduce bernie sanders, and tonight she gave a pretty powerful rip roaring speech. i mean she has made an entire transition through the world of politics in many ways, but she's one of those people people knew but maybe they looked at and thought, oh, that's a person i looked at. jasmine crocket, what did you think, ben, some household names, or at least some of them are. >> i think you're seeing this democratic party who can't believe its luck at this moment but also how unified it is. there was a scenario where aoc was out in the street with a huge mass of protesters. that's sort of her dna. and there are unused protest signs all over the park because

not enough protesters showed up. and core oppositional forces in the party are fully the intent -- and who knows that kind of things can last. it can probably last three months. >> democrats know the assignment, and that is to keep donald trump from the oval office and create an environment where we can secure our future, a future we want for ourselves and our families. so they're not going to let anything distract from that one solitary goal. and that's why i think we saw joe biden move so quickly to shutdown any notion of -- you'll remember some time, michael, we talked about this how this notion there should be regional town halls, right, to pick -- >> how is that going to work exactly. >> he shut it down. >> i was looking forward to that. we and the press. >> i'm sure you were. we do have to sneak in a quick

break. michigan senator who held up the big project 2025 book she joins us next after addressing the convention earlier tonight. we'll be right back. sing the convention earlier tonight we'll be right back.

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to her about it. and yes, she even brought a prop, a very large prop. >> i'm michigan state senator malory mcmorrow, and this -- this is project 2025. now, over the next four nights you are going to hear a lot about what is in this 900-page document. why? because this is the republican blueprint for a second trump term. that's right. they went ahead and wrote down all the extreme things that donald trump wants to do in the next four years. and then they just tweeted it out. putting it out on the internet

for everybody to read. so we read it, and whatever you think it might be, it is so much worse. tonight i want to tell you about just one aspect of project 2025. its plan to turn donald trump into a dictator. >> and joining me now is michigan state senator malory mcmorrow, who's still awake, amazingly. thank you for being with us. first of all, it seemed like you were having a really good time out there with that big book. what was going through your head as you were describing all of this to a huge convention hall? >> i was. huge kudos to the team that we worked with on concepting this and bringing it to life. i think i was having fun with how we could express this thing is 927 pages long, and it is dense language.

but to break it down visually and then tell people what it actually does, it is fun, but it's also important and dangerous. and i think we did a great job, and i'm proud of expressing what this actually means. >> i mean, you also announced tonight or said tonight this is the first of four nights, of course, of the convention but also the first of four nights where project 2025 will be featured. so what should be expect over the next couple of nights? is it going to be a kind of breaktop down of it each night and something people should be alarmed about? >> it is. it's going to be one aspect of project 2025 highlighting each night. so tonight was about the abuse of executive power, the ability for donald trump to effectively become a dictator. tomorrow night, as i previewed, it's going to be what it means for people's pocketbooks, and then breaking it down into bite sized pieces, because i think this is something really important for people to understand what it is and what it does in plain english. >> no question. everybody's not going to read it, although they should. it's on the heritage website.

anybody can read it is the thing. in addition to you. let me ask you, you were in the hall tonight, i know when president joe biden spoke. you're from a very important state. i don't have to tell you, but what was the reaction among your delegation? what were people saying or thinking? were people crying? what was the reaction basically? >> i mean just the energy of not even just tonight but the entire atmosphere leading up to today and the start of this convention. it is all of the excitement that we've seen building about kamala harris but also just a deep sense of gratitude. i mean, i think it is just starting to sink in with people how incredible what president biden has decided to do really is. i think this is going to go down in history as one of the most patriotic decisions a president is ever going to make, and somebody who truly puts america first unlike the other guy who claims america first but only looks out for himself. so it's just -- you felt waves

of emotion rippling through this arena of everybody feeling all these emotions at once. that's such a counter to how horrible so many of us have felt over the past many years with the pandemic and an insurrection and everything that donald trump has unleashed. this really felt like this is us rallying together to turn the page, and it was just beautiful. >> looking forward to it over the next couple of nights. we'll see if there are more big books to come. i would consider you one of the big rising stars in the democratic party. people saw you tonight. i knew of you before. people saw you tonight probably were googling you, wanted to know more about you. but what was it like for you to watch jasmine crocket, watch aoc, watch senator warnock, people we know but everyone learned a lot more about them tonight watching at home. >> i think this first night is such a great indication of a democratic party that is wildly diverse. you had new voices. you mentioned aoc kind of being

an outsider now being center stage on the main stage. you've got maxine waters. you had all of the party, all of the generations, all of kind of the factions not in disarray but really coming together with one unified message, and it's just -- it was really exciting being backstage and seeing everybody kind of get up and get ready to speak. and it really just sunk into me what a powerful group of people and what a powerful party this is that is really is representative of the entire country and what a stark contrast that was to what we saw in the rnc. >> even the visual of it was quite a stark contrast. i kept thinking about that all night. mallory mcmorrow, always good to talk to you. hope your arms aren't sore from the book, but we'll see this week. we have more coverage of the first night of the democratic national convention when we come back, so don't go anywhere. back, so don't go anywhere [dog whining] is your dog telling you they may have allergic itch?

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because it actively shields the enamel to defend against erosion and cavities. i think that this product is a gamechanger for my patients. try pronamel mouthwash. why do couples choose a sleep number smart bed? i need it a little cool and i need it a lot of cool. a gamechanger for my patients. we're both cool like that. sleep number does that. actively cools and warms on each side. during our biggest sale of the year, save 50% on the sleep number limited edition smart bed shop now at a sleep number store near you. as a prosecutor, kamala locked up murderers and drug traffickers. she will never rest in defense of our freedom and safety. donald trump fell asleep at his own trial. and when we woke up, he made his own kind of history -- the first person to run for president with 34 felony convictions.

>> okay, so that was, of course, everybody knows who that was. secretary of state hillary clinton, the last woman before vice president harris to be the democratic nominee. fully, embraced and lifted up vice president harris. she passed a different kind of baton tonight. but i want to ask you, michael about, because you mentioned this earlier because there were people chanting in the back there "lock him up." and we don't know what was going through her head. i'd love to know the thought bubble. >> it was probably the most rich, ironic moment in political history. you can see it on her face at one point. she was kind of like getting in

the groove of it. and i don't blame her. you listen to what people said about this woman from the time she was u.s. senator onward, especially i mean there was a lot of republicans that she's always been the boogeyman for lot of republicans for a long time. but this whole idea of locking her up because of crimes she never committed and wrongdoing that she was never involved with, and to have someone who's now sitting there running for president with 34 convictions, yeah, it's a little bit ironic to have that moment unfold. and i watch and immediately went to twitter to see what the reaction would be. and democrats, y'all just need to get a grip. go with the flow. it's okay if you shout "lock him up" because he gets sentenced in three weeks, all right? so come on, let's understand. >> harris and walz have been --

harris and walz, the ticket, have kind of been tampering it down when they're asked about this, right, anthony? >> the court system is going to deal with trump's legal issues. and i know you're not saying -- you're not saying the opposite. democrats were just having a little fun tonight. i'm putting on my doj hat. >> i know he's going full doj right now. >> i think it should be -- they should be separate. and let's just let the jury of the american people deal with donald trump, the politician. now, about hillary clinton, this speech herself. it was hopeful. it was optimistic. it reminded me the theme of her husband's first campaign. you remember that theme? don't stop thinking about tomorrow. she was optimistic. she was forward looking. she had every reason to be bitter, to air her grievances. she did none of that. she was a class act. and i have to say this, she was

the most qualified person to ever run for president of the united states. and it was america's loss that she never took the office. >> ben, you've covered her for how long. >> gosh, half my life. and she was not always that good, actually, right? as a politician. honestly, i think the most impressive thing is one of the things about kamala harris that folks raised questions about her political abilities, could she in a moment like this pull it together? and i do think something actually happening behind the scenes where she was working things like the clintons very hard for a period of years when this thing happened and she got her chance, she called up the clintons and they rushed out an endorsement of her. >> i mean they were so fast. >> yeah. so she had really like very skillfully laid a kind of behind the scenes groundwork for a presidential campaign whether it was going to be now or whether

it was going to be in four years that i hadn't realized and hadn't seen. you're really seeing it in this convention. >> that's the untold story of kamala harris. we got a glifls glimpse of this when crocket talked about the moment when she came in and gave her advice so much that she cried. kamala harris got to this moment because of the behind the scenes work and relationship buildings and grassroots reports people never saw. on abortion, she traveled the country speaking day in and day out, and she got exceptional local media coverage. people in the national level -- god bless them, didn't pick up what we are all seeing now, the world is seeing. >> let me bring in molly. i want to bring in molly -- we have to bring in molly. she always has smart, good thoughts. molly, i want to play also a part of clinton's speech that

i -- it struck me and i'm sure it struck you, and it's a little different from how vice president harris is talking about running as a woman. so let's play that and we'll talk about it on the other side. >> together we put a lot of cracks in the highest, hardest, glass ceiling. and tonight -- tonight so close to breaking through once and for all, i want to tell you what i see through all those cracks and why it matters for each and every one of us. what do i see? i see freedom. i see the freedom to make our own decisions about our health, our lives, our loves, our families. the freedom to work with dignity

and prosper, to worship as we choose or not, to speak our minds freely and honestly. i see freedom from fear and intimidation, from violence and injustice, from chaos and corruption. i see the freedom to look our children in the eye and say in america you can go as far as your hard work and talent will take you and mean it. and you know what? on the other side of that glass ceiling is kamala harris raising her hand and taking the oath of office as our 47th president of the united states! >> so, molly, what i was thinking about in that moment

is -- and so many women i think and men perhaps, too, were thinking in room is hillary clinton kind of normalized seeing a woman at the top of the ticket. she also did that through many issues. she's brilliant, experienced. she's been a fighter for justice for her whole career, but also by wearing her first -- as the first woman on her sleeve. and she did tonight in part 2. now, vice president harris doesn't do that, exactly. she doesn't talk about being the first asian american woman, the first black woman, the first -- the second woman or maybe the first woman president as much or hardly -- she doesn't lead with it. what do you make of that strategy? is it a continuation, a smart strategy for the moment? what do you think? >> i think there's more available to harris because of clinton. right, it's many years later, though, donald trump is still running for president, so that has not changed. we have -- seeing a woman going

for the top job has been more normalized, and harris is a much more comfortable orator than clinton was -- than hillary clinton was. and i think part of that is because we've seen hillary clinton before, but i also think part of it is that harris has, again, i have been watching her really the intently, interviewing her, writing about her. and the thing i have always been struck by is how much people do not want to give her the benefit of the doubt and how incredibly underestimated she was at every point, so much so i would go on television and say she's actually really good, and people would be like, no, you're just a partisan. and the truth was i just have to wonder how many black women have been so underestimated like this, right? i mean she gets out there and she's excellent. she has just galvanized the party in ways none of us could have even imagined.

and there were so many pundits like they should swap her out, she can't do this. and this been a month and she's gone beyond anyone's expectations. in my mind i wonder how many black women have had the experience they are told they are not appropriate for this job, in fact they are better than anyone else who would have gotten the job. so i'm really struck by that. >> so striking. and mean she's been absolutely fearless. it's still going to be a journey. it's going to be a grind over the next cup of months, but she's been fearless and effective how she's run her campaign. okay, we to sneak in a very quick break. michael steele is chomping at the bit to talk about how republicans reacted to what we saw tonight at the democratic convention. it wasn't entirely consistent. that's my little tease for you. we'll be right back. we'll be right back. i'm out here telling people how they can save money with experian. do you have a lot of subscriptions? like the streaming services, music, fitness apps? probably like 6 or 7 around there.

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we are back with michael, anthony, and ben. and one of the things we've been talking about a little bit during commercial breaks is the republican reaction. it's pretty consist they haven't figured out how to go after the harris-walz ticket. tell us your consumption this evening of how they're reacting. >> i've been flipping over tiktok and twitter. >> oh, we're playing it.

still playing it. that's all right. you want to share it with everybody. that wasn't a republican reaction. that was joe biden. >> that was joe biden's speech, but it was part of the reaction to what the president was saying, and it's funny. it ran from the sublime to, okay, where are there the policies kamala's supposed to be doing to the stupid which is, oh, he doesn't want to leave, he's still trying to hold onto the power. and it said to me in those moments that even after 4 1/2, 5 weeks the gop has not move on from joe biden, number one. the comments about hunter biden were hysterical. they just can't let go of the grist and the meat that they've kind of, you know, held onto for so long because now the landscape has shifted not just under their feet but across the country. and more importantly in back yards that they didn't think

they'd have to play in. north carolina, georgia, arizona, nevada. shall i say the "f" word? florida. >> really? okay, say the "f" word. >> abortion is on the ballot in florida. and there are a lot of voters in florida that are in a very interesting space -- let's just put it that way. from folks i talked to in florida, the dynamics there are shifting. i'm not saying dems are going to win florida, but your point is if republicans have to play in that backyard -- >> they have to spend money and that's a big deal. >> that's what i'm talking about, right? so it speaks a broader question that a chairman like me in the party right now are figuring out, oh, hell, what do i do? because congressional races that they once thought they could hold onto are now looking a little hanky, and the senate races are looking questionable in some statements.

so you see all of that reflected in some of the comments tonight, the wish casting about the implosion of the democratic party, you know, how kamala's going to take us to hell in a hand basket, all the crazy stuff. and throughout all of that there is no real answer to how do you address the energy, how do you address the connection? 70,000 republicans got on a zoom call last week for kamala harris, right? that's something if i'm -- if i'm a national chairman -- >> kind of freaks you out. >> yeah, it kind of makes me go i need another cup of coffee. >> or something else. we've all had so much fun, but we have to wrap this up for the moment. michael steele, anthony coley, ben smith, thank you very much. that does it for me tonight. keep your thoughts. we're just getting started this week. special coverage of day 2 of the

democratic convention starts at 6:00 p.m. tomorrow. for now we'll geefb basketball coach steve kur the last word. >> i'll be getting out every day to help people get out and vote on november 5th and elect kamala harris and tim walz as the next president and vice president of the united states. and -- and after the results are tallied that night, we can in the words of the great steph curry, we can tell donald trump, night night. folks, i've got five months left in my presidency. i've got a lot to do. i intend to get it