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Prosecutor Drops All Charges in Freddie Gray Case; Incoming DNC Chair Discusses E-mail Leaks, Discord at DNC; Clinton Thanks Supporters in Surprise Video Appearance at DNC Close. Aired 1:30-2p ET

Aired July 27, 2016 - 13:30   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[13:34:00] WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR: Welcome back. We're live here in Philadelphia at the Democratic National Convention. We'll get back to all the dramatic moments unfolding.

But there's been breaking news we're following, a very surprise announcement from Baltimore state's attorney, Marilyn Mosby, in the Freddie Gray death case.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MARILYN MOSBY, BALTIMORE STATE'S ATTORNEY: After much thought and prayer, it's become clear to me that without being able to work with an independent investigatory agency from the very start, without having a say in the election of whether our cases proceed over a state or jury, without communal oversight of policing in this community, without real substantive reforms to the current criminal justice system, we could try this case a hundred times, and cases just like it, and we would still end up with the same result.

(APPLAUSE)

MOSBY: Accordingly, I have decide not to proceed on the case that --

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLITZER: Marilyn Mosby says she stands by her decision to charge those six police officers in the April 15th death of Freddie Gray. But after three officers were acquitted, she saw the remaining cases ending with the same result.

Joining us now is Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake. She's here at the convention. She's the secretary of the Democratic National Committee and the convention.

Mayor, thanks very much for joining us.

[13:35:14] STEPHANIE RAWLINGS-BLAKE, (D), BALTIMORE MAYOR: My pleasure to be here.

BLITZER: This is the first time we'll get your public reaction to what we just heard from Marilyn Mosby. Were you, A, surprised by her decision?

RAWLINGS-BLAKE: If you take a look at the facts and you actually read what the judge has said in the previous cases, it's not a surprising announcement. I think the way she made the announcement is surprising. I said all along justice is not a verdict, it's a process. The process allows a defendant to choose whether they go before a judge or a jury. It's no different in a police case. If any one of use were charged with a crime, that doesn't make it unjust and it doesn't make the system rigged. That is our justice process. And to talk about an independent prosecutor, when she made her initial announcement, she said that she worked with -- I mean, independent investigatory practice. She was very clear that she said she used outside investigation to make the determination. So, I've taken a look at what the judge has said, and I think she made a wise decision, because the judge has found in the past that the cases were thin.

BLITZER: She basically indicted the entire criminal justice system in this particular case, saying you can't believe the police in an investigation like this.

RAWLINGS-BLAKE: She said you can't believe the police, you can't believe the judges. And I think we have a very big responsibility, as elected officials, to uphold the law, to participate in the process. And when the process is wrong, we fight to change it. Just like I have with the Law Enforcement Officers' Bill of Rights. Way before the death of Freddie Gray, I've been fighting to include accountability and transparency in the police department and fighting for reforms. And the Law Enforcement Officers' Bill of Rights has been a bane. Members in the community believe that police proceed by a different set of rules. This was a very lonely fight I was in trying to reform those things. After the tragic death of Freddie Gray, everyone is on board with these things. But, you know, the fight is sometimes lonely, but it's ongoing.

BLITZER: The Fraternal Order of Police just issued this statement moments ago. Let me play it for you.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GENE RYAN, PRESIDENT, BALTIMORE CITY FRATERNAL ORDER OF POLICE: The comments made today about our officers by Ms. Mosby were outrageous and uncalled for and simply not true. The detectives assigned to the case conducted a very thorough investigation into the tragic death of Freddie Gray. But the state's attorney could not -- simply could not accept the evidence that was presented. She had her own agenda.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLITZER: You still have confidence in the state's attorney?

RAWLINGS-BLAKE: Yeah. I do, and I'm optimistic that everything that we do in, whether it turns out whether we want it or not, is an opportunity for growth and learn. I have certainly learned from the challenges I've faced. But I have never and will never use my position to give -- to give the impression to the community that they should not have confidence in the people who have sworn to serve me.

BLITZER: We as got reaction from Freddie Gray's stepfather to this really important decision by the state's attorney. Listen to this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

RICHARD SHIPLEY, STEPFATHER OF FREDDIE GRAY: What can I said that Marilyn hasn't already said, except that we're pissed about the decisions of the trails and the outcome of all the trials that happened in the city. We're very proud of the prosecutors who handled the case, and did their best to their ability. (APPLAUSE)

SHIPLEY: We stand behind Marilyn and her prosecuting team.

(APPLAUSE)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, we do.

SHIPLEY: And I'm very proud to have them represent us. Thank you.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLITZER: What do you -- I know you're here in Philadelphia, not very far away from Baltimore. What's been the reaction so far in the community?

RAWLINGS-BLAKE: Well, I think despite the efforts of many of your peers that want to portray Baltimore as a city on the edge, that's not been the case. The community has been patient. They understand that justice and the reforms that we want to see take time. They've been protesting and they've been peaceful throughout the trial, whether people agreed with the verdicts or not. And I anticipate that to continue.

BLITZER: I want to also play one quick reaction we got early this morning at the Donald Trump news conference in Doral, Florida. He was asked about his decision in Baltimore. Listen to this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE & CEO, TRUMP ORGANIZATION: I do have a reaction to the prosecutor in Baltimore who indicted those police officers. I do. I think she ought to prosecute herself. OK. That's my reaction. I think it was disgraceful.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

[13:40:11] BLITZER: Do you want to react to Donald Trump?

RAWLINGS-BLAKE: No. Donald Trump is -- you know, sometimes, I don't know if he believes the things that he says. You know, he's good for grabbing the headlines and becoming part of the story. But, no. No reaction. BLITZER: You'll pass on that?

RAWLINGS-BLAKE: I'll pass.

BLITZER: The mayor of Baltimore, Stephanie Rawlings-Blake.

Mayor, you've got a lot of work over there. Thanks very much for joining us.

RAWLINGS-BLAKE: Thank you.

BLITZER: Good luck.

Coming up, I'll speak live to the incoming interim chair of the Democratic National Committee, Donna Brazile. She's here. How she's trying to mend fences after a rather embarrassing e-mail leak that has threatened party unity. It's all part of live special coverage from Philadelphia. Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[13:45:00] BLITZER: Hillary Clinton takes the stage tomorrow night here in Philadelphia to accept the nomination as the Democratic presidential candidate, the first woman to lead the ticket for a major American political party. But even as the Democrats prepare for that momentous historic occasion, it appears there's still discord in the party.

Let's talk about it. I'm joined now by the incoming interim chair of the Democratic committee, Donna Brazile, someone very familiar to our CNN viewers.

You're no longer a CNN contributor. You're going to be the interim chair of the DNC. What do you expect, first of all, to hear from the president tonight?

And you know what, let me play a clip. This was the president of the United States when he was a little-known state Senator --

DONNA BRAZILE, INCOMING INTERIM CHAIR, DEMOCRATIC NATIONAL COMMITTEE: Yes, I remember.

BLITZER: -- from Illinois, at a democratic convention 12 years ago.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

(CHEERING)

BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: There is not a black America and a white America and Latino America and Asian America. There's the United States of America.

(CHEERING)

OBAMA: The pundits, the pundits like to slice and dice our country into red states and blue states, red states for Republican, blue states for Democrat. But I've got news for them, too. We worship an awesome God in the blue states and we don't like federal agents poking around in our libraries in the red states.

(CHEERING)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLITZER: That was his introductory speech to millions and millions of Americans who had never heard of him before. We know what happened only a few years later. What do you expect to hear from him tonight?

BRAZILE: Well, first of all, he's very excited about coming tonight. The president wants to not only thank Democrats but thank the American people for the enormous opportunity he's had over the last seven and a half years. He's going to talk about his accomplishments. There's no question. This is a president who took office when the country was still facing a really difficult economic challenge, 800,000 jobs being lost. Almost 14 million new jobs created over the last few years. He's going to talk about the 20 million Americans with health care. The president is proud of the record that he has achieved. And I believe, tonight, he's going to say, we've come so far, we still have a distance to go. And the best person to lead us to the next stage is Hillary Clinton. That's what I expect to hear from him tonight.

And also, I'm very excited to see the vice president. Because Vice President Biden, who has been there every day, every moment of this remarkable administration, is also going to talk about the steps ahead.

BLITZER: I know they'll strongly endorse and support Hillary Clinton. But what will they directly go after Donald Trump?

BRAZILE: You know, given what Donald Trump did today -- you know, every day we have new breaking news about Donald Trump. But let me just tell you, as the incoming chair of the party, I'm appalled at Mr. Trump encouraging a foreign power to interfere in the election, but more importantly, to interfere in the affairs of the Democrat National Committee. I would be just as appalled if someone would suggest to interfere with the Republicans. This is a matter of national security. And we need make sure that the leader of the Republican Party is not encouraging foreign, you know, operatives to hack into our system. I am someone with a clearance, a federal clearance, and as a result of some other hackers, I am on protect status with regards to my own identity. So to suggest that a foreign power, it's appalling, and Donald Trump should condemn -- the Republican Party, condemn those states. And we need to encourage, you know, better protection of our cyber security.

BLITZER: Are you bracing for more embarrassing leaks of DNC e- mails? They say there's more that's about to be released?

BRAZILE: You know, the party was hacked. This is no longer a curiosity or political theater. This is something that we all take seriously. We want to make sure that our system is safe. We have put in place a very, very good cyber team to ensure that. But beyond that, I am going to sit down with staff, I'm going to sit down with everybody to ensure that our system is safe. And we will make sure we have an accountable and transferable system, internally. But more importantly, we want to make sure that our security is maintained.

BLITZER: You're becoming interim chair right at the end of the convention.

BRAZILE: Sometime on Friday, at 12:00, I'll turn into a princess or diva, and then I won't see you as often.

BLITZER: We'll miss you. We love you.

BRAZILE: Love you, Wolf.

BLITZER: Donna, thank you.

BRAZILE: Thank you.

[13:49:43] BLITZER: Coming up, an emotional night of testimonials from mothers who have lost their children, to 9/11 survivors. Will their personal stories about Hillary Clinton help sway voters who say they have trouble trusting her? California Congresswoman Barbara Lee and Nashville Mayor Megan Barry, they are here to discuss. That's coming up.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: Hillary Clinton embracing history as the first woman to lead a major party ticket here in the United States. Last night, she made a surprise video appearance at the close of the convention to thank her supporters for putting the biggest crack yet in that highest and hardest glass ceiling. Watch this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

HILLARY CLINTON, (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE & FORMER SECRETARY OF STATE: If there are any little girls out there who stayed up late to watch, let me just say I may become the first woman president, but one of you is next.

Thank you all. I can't wait to join you in Philadelphia! Thank you!

(CHEERING)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

[13:55:08] BLITZER: Joining us now, the Democratic Congresswoman from California, Barbara Lee; as well as the first female mayor of Nashville, Megan Barry.

Ladies, thanks for coming in.

MEGAN BARRY, (D), MAYOR OF NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE: Thank you. BLITZER: Mayor, what was your reaction when you saw that Hillary

Clinton appeared via satellite at this convention?

BARRY: I loved every minute of it. When she talks about the fact that she's going to be the first, that many will come later is always so empowering.

BLITZER: Congresswoman, you were late in endorsing her. How do you feel about her now?

SEN. BARBARA LEE, (D), CALIFORNIA: My first election and campaign was with the Honorable Shirley Chisholm, when she ran for president as the first woman and first African-American. For me, last night was just phenomenal. I know Shirley Chisholm is smiling. She paved the way.

Also, let me also just say I did not endorse in the primary because I wanted to be on the drafting committee for the platform so that we could embrace many of Bernie Sanders --

BLITZER: How do you feel about her now?

LEE: Well, I endorsed her. I endorsed her right after I completed my work.

BLITZER: Are you enthusiastic for Hillary Clinton?

LEE: I'm an enthusiastic Hillary Clinton supporter, in spite being booed at the California delegation, because I think she is the most qualified and a great person.

BLITZER: Why are her numbers on honesty and trustworthiness so bad? In our last poll, 68 percent believe, nationally, she is not honest and trustworthy.

BARRY: I don't know because I will tell you the one thing that she speaks so highly about is unity. When we're talking about unity and we're talking about, as a mayor, it is about bringing people together in a city and getting things actually done. That's what she's going to be able to do.

BLITZER: What's your answer to that question, why she rates poorly on that very sensitive question?

LEE: Well, think when you've been around a long time in politics, you have a history. I think we need to focus on her history of service and what she has done. I think after this convention this week, which is a phenomenal convention, telling the stories of ordinary people and why they support her, I think people will recognize that she is the most qualified, the most experienced, and she deserves to be elected because the thought of Donald Trump being in the White House, first of all, is a thought that we don't need to even consider.

BLITZER: The vice president, Joe Biden, was asked today why Donald Trump seems to be resonating more with white working class voters, and he said this

I'll read it to you: "I think the Democratic party overall hasn't spoken enough to those voters. They've done the right thing for the voters, but haven't spoken to them."

You agree with the vice president?

BARRY: I would say that there is definitely a feeling in this country that there are folks who have been left behind, and folks do feel that way. I think that Donald Trump has captured a little bit of that. But I think Democrats win when we are progressive and when we are pro-business. Those two together are what I know mayors in cities look for.

BLITZER: Polls show this is very close, nationally. In fact, in our most recent poll, he got a little bounce out of the Republican convention, slightly ahead. But in key battleground states, it is neck and neck right now. He potentially could win this election.

LEE: I think in key battleground states we need to put forth our platform and what we stand for. We recognize there's a lot of pain, a lot of suffering, a lot of inequality. People have lost their jobs. We have to remember the Bush-era tax cuts, three wars, fought off budget. We also have to accept the fact and realize that the Democrats have a plan. You look at our platform and we talk about making sure there are good paying jobs for everyone with benefits for everyone.

BLITZER: Mayor Barry, you are the mayor of Nashville. How is Hillary Clinton going to do in Nashville, but in Tennessee in general?

BARRY: She's going to take Nashville. And Tennessee's a little bit of a red state. So I'm not sure that that is going to resonate in the whole state but in Nashville she is wildly popular.

BLITZER: What's the biggest message that you want to hear from Hillary Clinton in the coming weeks?

LEE: The biggest message that I want to hear from Hillary Clinton is -- and I know she's communicated this already -- that she wants unity and she wants to make sure the people understand that she is the most experienced, most qualified, and has a history of service --

(CROSSTALK)

LEE: -- and wants to make sure that the change that we are all fighting for is there and becomes real.

BLITZER: Will the Barack Obama coalition that got him twice elected be on board for her?

LEE: We're going to activate and make sure the Barack Obama coalition, as well as Senator Sanders, wonderful, progressive coalition, come together, the Reverend Jesse Jackson, Rainbow Coalition, bring it together. Everyone's going to come together to make sure Hillary Clinton is elected as our president. She stands for equality of opportunity for everyone in the country, even in states that are red state and blue states.

BLITZER: Congresswoman Barbara Lee, thanks very much for joining us.

LEE: Thank you.

BLITZER: Mayor Megan Barry, of Nashville, Tennessee, thanks for coming in as well. BARRY: Thank you.

BLITZER: You'll be watching tonight, I am sure.

That's it for me. Thanks very much for watching. I'll be back 5:00 p.m. eastern in "The Situation Room." And all night long, we'll be bringing you the latest from the Democratic National Convention.

Our special coverage continues right now.