A story could only be written in the greatest Nation on earth. I
accept your nomination to be president of the United States
of America. >> I'm Frederica Freyberg.
Tonight on "Here& Now", our one hour special focusing on
Wisconsin's key place in the presidential election, as we
report from the Democratic National Convention, interviews
with the party chairs and a former GOP adviser, plus team
coverage from Chicago. It's here. And now for August 23rd.
>> Funding for here and Now is provided by the Focus Fund for
Journalism and Friends of PBS. Wisconsin.
week of high profile speakers, heartfelt stories and momentum
building culminated in the final words of the official Democratic
presidential nominee, Kamala Harris, Zac Schultz gives us
this summary of the week. >> But America, we are not going
back. We are not going back. >> We are not going back.
>> Vice President Kamala Harris took the stage Thursday night
and put an exclamation point on one of the most dramatic shifts
we've seen in a presidential race this century.
>> America, the path that led me here in recent weeks was no
doubt unexpected five weeks ago in Milwaukee.
>> Donald Trump wrapped up the Republican National Convention
with a lead in the polls. A United GOP and a weakened
opponent in President Joe Biden. Two days later, Biden dropped
out, and since then, Kamala Harris has energized Democrats
raised more than $300 million and made the race a dead heat.
Heading into the stretch run. Fellow Americans this election
is not only the most important of our lives, it is one of the
most important in the life of our nation. Wisconsin could very
well decide the election, and Democrats know it.
>> We're going to make it or break it for the for our
country. I do believe that the Democrats have to win in
Wisconsin in order to have this great team go across the finish
line. >> The Wisconsin delegation saw
a parade of high profile senators, governors and leaders
from around the country speak to them each morning, none bigger
than vice presidential nominee Tim Walls, who made the
Wisconsin delegation his first stop of the week Monday morning.
Hey, good morning Wisconsin. The Minnesota governor made clear
enthusiasm is great, but the election will only be won with
hard work. >> Hope is the most powerful
word in the universe. It's not a plan, though. It's not a plan to
hope that we beat these guys. >> Everything's riding on
Wisconsin. in the week by former House
Speaker Nancy Pelosi. >> We must own the ground. We
must mobilize. Because if you don't mobilize, everything else
you do is just a conversation whether it's on TV or in the
mail and blah, blah, blah, own get out that vote.
>> A message repeated again from the main stage Thursday night.
So let's get out there. >> Let's fight for it. Let's get
out there. Let's vote for it. And together, let us write the
next great chapter in the most extraordinary story ever told.
>> Thank you. >> The word of the week. Energy.
Democrats are flying high following their party convention
in Chicago. Now they look toward their push to November. We check
in now with Democratic Party of Wisconsin Chair Ben Wikler.
Thanks so much for being here. >> Thanks so much for having me
on, Fredricka. >> So how do you maintain the
energy of that convention and translate it into votes for your
candidates? >> Well, for all the Democrats
that were here, their first step is to drink some tea and recover
their voice after cheering hearts out for the last four
nights for Democrats across the country. I think you can think
of this convention as almost like a bolt of lightning that
went directly into a weather vane connected to a giant
battery, and that battery now has to power us to zoom through
the next 73 days. We have this tiny window of time to take
everything that we learned over this last week about who Kamala
Harris is, the daughter of the middle class, the daughter of
immigrants who loves this country so much and has seen
what it can do, the opportunity that it can offer, and wants it
to offer that opportunity to everyone of Tim Walz, who
embodies his his small towns value for being a good neighbor,
for looking after everyone, and for as a coach, making sure
people know that they have the power to make things better. He
gave a pep talk to the entire audience at the convention, and
we're ready to run through a wall. That's essentially what we
have to do. It's called the Blue Wall, and Wisconsin is the
centerpiece of it. money advantage to work to win
in November? >> Well, in a funny way, money
is an indicator of enthusiasm. There are less, as far as I can
tell, millions of people who've chipped in at Kamala Harris comm
and made small donations and big donations over the course of
this convention, just in an extraordinary clip. The key
thing that the campaign has to do that the Democratic Party of
Wisconsin has to do, is make sure that that money translates
into clear communication that connects with people's values,
and that can come in the form of hiring organizers to connect
with the 42,000 volunteers who've signed up in Wisconsin
since Kamala Harris became our nominee, to connect with those
volunteers and make sure they're ready to go and knock on doors
and talk to undecided voters, it can be TV ads that I'm sure
people are going to see, not on on, on, on. Well, on just about
every screen that they can turn on, including their phones,
probably at gas stations when you're filling up your tank. We
know that the other side in this campaign is already investing
millions of dollars in Wisconsin and across the country. We
cannot be out communicated. We can't be outworked. We can't be
out organized. We have to deliver in the same way that we
just saw vice President Harris do from the convention stage
last night. in Wisconsin?
>> Well, Wisconsin is a 50 over 50 state. We're the only state
where four of the last six presidential races has come down
to less than one percentage point. And that's not just
presidential races. Our Senate race in 20 21, governor's race
in 2018, 1.1. I'd love to get to that extra 1.1. This is a state
where there's just a lot of Democrats, a lot of Republicans,
a lot of people who think through with each election which
party they're going to vote for, and some people who think
through whether they're going to vote for all of those voters. It
is critical that they hear on a regular basis very clearly, that
Vice President Harris is going to fight for them, that she
wants them to be free. She doesn't think the government
should be interfering in their personal lives, and she thinks
the government should be ensuring that big companies like
Big Pharma can't price gouge, can't, can't force up costs for
people that want to be able to afford their medicine and their
groceries at the same time, which shouldn't be that tall of
an order in the wealthiest country in the world. She's here
to give a middle class tax cut and ensure that the wealthy pay
their fair share. And she laid out a vision at this convention
of really a country that lifts everyone up, whether you live in
a rural area or a city or a suburb, she's lived in lots of
different places, including in Wisconsin as a kid, and she
brings that life experience to bear. She thinks about the kind
of president that she's ready to be.
polling over her challenger, Eric Hovde, for the U.S. Senate.
Can she count on that polling? >> Well, again, this is
Wisconsin. >> I remember a poll in 2020
that said that Joe Biden was 17 points ahead. He won by 6/10 of
a percentage point. So if you're running or if you think it's
important that someone win, if you think that you want Tammy
Baldwin to get to the United States Senate and keep fighting
special interests and working to pass the Women's Health
Protection Act to make Roe versus Wade the law of the land.
Don't trust any poll that says this is a landslide work, work
as though it's not within the margin of error, that it's
within the margin of effort. And that means pulling out your
phone and thinking through and finding which friends of yours
might not have voted before, who might have moved and not updated
their voter registration, who sometimes votes Republican,
sometimes votes Democrat. Go call them and talk to them about
why they might care about Tammy Baldwin defeating Eric Hovde.
And while they're at it, vote for state legislative races,
House races, and for vice President Harris.
Wikler, thanks very much. >> Thanks so much for having me
on. >> Kamala Harris continues to
focus on Wisconsin voters. Earlier this week, with the
convention in full swing, she broke away to rally a record
crowd of supporters in Milwaukee in her third visit in four weeks
to the state Murv Seymour has been on the campaign trail and
has this report. Hello, Milwaukee. How are we doing?
>> For a few hours this week, as vice president, Harris says, the
road to the white House runs through this very state. In one
night, only a piece of the Democratic National Convention
heart of downtown Milwaukee, with the official convention in
full swing, 90 miles away inside Chicago's United Center. Vice
President Kamala Harris and her running mate, Minnesota Governor
Tim Walz, fill two arenas at the same time in two cities with
fired up voters in Chicago and Milwaukee, which lights up with
excitement no matter what. Terrence Burkett is one of an
estimated 18,000 people who have come to the Fiserv Forum Arena
to cheer, chant and support what he calls the Harris Walls
political movement, even if it is from the so-called cheap
seats. ran, I got a chance to
experience that, and I did not think we would get to experience
something like that again. In my lifetime.
world is already very divided as are this many people that have
the same sort of core beliefs and values and morals that you
do feels good. two twin rallies takes place in
the same space where Republicans held their convention, barely a
month ago. Today, two blocks away, a huge Trump billboard
sits high in the sky, offering voters a contrast between
Republicans and Democrats. Democratic campaign officials
hope this convention style campaign stop in Milwaukee has
the same effect. >> The vice president leaving
her own convention and coming here, is saying to voters on the
ground in this city and in this state in Wisconsin, to say, we
see you, we value you, and we're going to pass the mic from state
to state so that all our voices are heard all around the nation.
>> At one point, a feed of the ceremonial roll call of
delegates from Chicago played out live on the big screens
inside the forum. Illinois. How do you cast your vote? Suddenly,
out of nowhere, Governor Tim Walsh, the vice presidential
hopeful Tim Walz walks out and stuns this crowd.
>> By the way, they got a little party going over in Chicago.
They didn't know the big party was here in Milwaukee tonight.
So this is where it's at. >> He wastes no time in talking
about the elephant in the room. Their opponent, Donald Trump.
>> They left here riding high. They were feeling good. This
thing was over. Well, trust me, Milwaukee a hell of a lot can
change in four weeks when it's time for the Wisconsin
delegation, this Milwaukee audience erupts into a Wisconsin
Badger football tradition meant to give the team a last quarter
push towards victory. >> I am thrilled to reaffirm
Kamala Harris as the Democratic nominee for president of the
United States. Tweedle dum I can't move after the Minnesota
and California roll calls, vice president Harris's message from
Milwaukee is live streamed for those at the convention in
Chicago and the rest of America. >> They have nominated coach
Walls and me to be the next vice president and president of the
United States of America. Surrounded by the people she
hopes to represent, using the one word that represents her
campaign candidate, Harris reminds this enthusiastic crowd
that her campaign is about freedom.
freedom to be safe from gun violence. The freedom to love
who you love openly and with pride.
>> Now that Kamala Harris is the official Democratic nominee,
she's hoping to ride the momentum from this week's
Democratic National Convention Reporting from here. Now, I'm
Murv Seymour. >> Donald Trump's running mate,
Republican vice presidential again hot on the trail of his
opponents visiting Kenosha on the same day. Harris and Walls
were in Milwaukee. Vance claimed Trump, when he was president,
was responsible for controlling the riots in Kenosha in 2020.
However, Governor Tony Evers did deploy the National Guard to the
city before the protests turned violent.
>> Now we know what happens when we don't have leadership who
support our law enforcement. We saw it in Kenosha just a few
years ago. You all know this better than I do. That four
years ago, Kenosha had terrible violent riots after a police
shooting. And who was it? Who was the president of the United
States that promised that he would send in law enforcement if
asked? That was Donald Trump. Who was it that pacified the
streets of Wisconsin and ensured that those riots didn't spiral
out of control and burn down the entire city? That was President
Donald J. Trump And of course, we know the governor didn't
initially want the support from President Trump. But after a
couple of days of those riots, he relented and did the smart
thing and allowed President Trump to support to send federal
support. Without that, without that, I really think that
Kenosha would still be recovering from those terrible
riots today. >> Donald Trump and his
supporters have a long track record of racist and
misogynistic statements, and with Kamala Harris taking the
lead in most polls, Democrats expect to see even more racist
and sexist statements between now and the election "Here& Now"
Senior political reporter Zac Schultz spoke with several
Democrats in Chicago to see how they would advise people to
respond. >> In July, Donald Trump was in
the middle of a hostile back and forth with a black female
journalist when he questioned the ethnicity of vice President
Kamala Harris. until a number of years ago,
when she happened to turn black, and now she wants to be known as
black. So I don't know, is she Indian or is she black?
>> This came just a few days after old and now infamous clips
resurfaced showing Trump's choice for vice president. Ohio
Senator JD Vance had said the country under Democrats was
being led by childless cat ladies.
country via the Democrats, be it via our corporate oligarchs, by
a bunch of childless cat ladies. >> As these comments and others
that are far worse echo throughout conservative social
media and into real conversations, we wanted to know
what Wisconsin delegates think is the best response. Some say
the most powerful thing is to not let it go unchallenged.
>> If something is racist, then we should say that it's racist.
If something is sexist, then we should say what the thing is. We
should say that it is sexist. And there certainly are those
things that are coming out on the Republican side towards Vice
President Harris and her candidacy to be the first woman
and the first black woman to be president of the United States.
>> I would never suggest ignoring anything racist or
sexist when you're talking to somebody, call it out. Indicate
that that is not acceptable for you to be hearing that.
>> I think, number one, you got to call it out when you see it.
Pretending it's not there doesn't make it go away. It
gives it power. So we have to talk about it and recognize it
for what it is. >> Wisconsin's two members of
Congress have a different approach, having dealt with
Trump while he was president. >> That's the only tool in this
toolkit. You know, it's fair racism, sexism, I would say just
let Donald Trump be Donald Trump, because I think right now
he's an asset to the Democrats. >> Congressman Mark Pocan says
engaging with Trump just amplifies the message that
focuses on Donald Trump again. >> And that's what he loves. No
matter. Like I said, how crazy or stupid of something he says,
he just wants to be talked about.
it only makes sense to engage if you think the person is willing
to listen. >> You got to reach out to the
reachable people. decency in Wisconsin is a state
that prides itself on decency. >> Well, you can do both right?
You can call it out, but do it in such a way where you're not
being disagreeable. Like you don't have to be engaged in a
race to the bottom. >> Wisconsin delegate Thelma
Sias says the best response is to go to work.
>> None of these sounds and expressions or things we have
not heard the most critical way we can respond to these acts of
racism being hurdled is to put our shoes on, put our boots on,
and began to walk and knock on doors and ask for voters to come
to the polls and vote. >> And the way that we combat
that is showing up and using that energy for good.
>> Call me any name you want to call, but just know I'm a voter.
I'm going to the polls. I'm voting for the first African
American woman on the ballot to become president of the United
States of America. That's my story. And I'm sticking to it.
>> Fourth District Democratic U.S. Representative Gwen Moore
joined Harris at her convention week rally in Milwaukee Tuesday.
Representative Moore was the first black person in Wisconsin
elected to Congress back in 2004. Now she's looking to
welcome the first woman and the first woman of color as U.S.
president. We're joined now by Congresswoman Moore. And thanks
so much for being here. >> Oh, thanks so much for having
me, Fredricka. It's always great to be with you.
>> So what is it like to see Kamala Harris possibly ascend to
the highest elected office in the nation?
>> Well, you know, let me just say it's awesome. However, when
you stop and think about what America has become, it's the
melting pot and there are and Kamala Harris looks more like
what an American looks like these days. Person of mixed
heritage. And I think that when we look at the difference in the
messaging of the Democratic Party and the Republican Party,
the Republican Party, Donald Trump pushing fear of the other
fear of immigrants and people of color, of gaining power and
influence in the country, and the rise of a Kamala Harris. We
know that demographically, we have been on this trend for a
while. So while it's awesome, it's about time.
>> How important is Milwaukee and its potential turnout to the
outcome of this election? >> I think that the Kamala
Harris and the DNC made it perfectly clear that Milwaukee
was important. They started their tour, I think, in in
Pennsylvania. And instead of bypassing Milwaukee and heading
straight to Chicago for their convention, they made sure that
they filled up the very same stadium where Donald Trump and
the RNC had been a month prior, filled it up, as well as having
all of the delegates nationwide be in Chicago at the United
Center. So I do think that Milwaukeeans love to be asked
for their vote. They love to be respected for their vote. And
the fact that Kamala Harris and Tim Walz, you know, took time
away from the main stage, as it were, in Chicago, to come to
Milwaukee, really was rewarded with a packed stadium in
Milwaukee. It was absolutely thrilling.
>> Well, what do voters there most want from a candidate? And
in your mind, does Kamala Harris deliver that Kamala?
>> Or like her stepchildren, call her mama has a very female
centered, in my opinion, agenda. When she talks about down
payment assistance or the rent is too high. She's speaking
directly to women who go to the store, who put the food on the
table. You talk about cutting the cost of health care, going
after the pharmaceutical industry. It's a lot more clear
and not abstract, like saying, oh, we're going to have the
Inflation Reduction Act. No, your medication is going to be
dropped to $35 a month, if you need insulin, we're going to
spread that throughout the population. That is when you
talk about that and education and of course, when you talk
about the right to choose to have an abortion, you're bowling
right down the alley of family oriented child tax credit, paid
family leave, right down the alley of the kind of people we
need to bring to the table. Women. Frederica 46% of women
are heads of households these days. And if you look at a black
household, we're talking over 50%, 52, 53% of households are
held by women. We talk about the numbers of younger people who
are becoming homeowners that that would be women. And so she
is she is speaking to, I think the constituency that is most
open to hearing about the difference in her administration
than any other administration that we have had in their
lifetimes. >> All right. We leave it there.
Congresswoman Gwen Moore, thanks very much.
>> Thank you, Fredricka. >> Was it hard to keep up with
the glitz and energy of the Democratic Party convention? And
what about campaign messaging out of it? We turn now to
Republican Party of Wisconsin chair Bryan Schimming. And
Bryan, thanks very much for being here.
>> Thanks for having me. >> So speaking of the
convention, was there a sting when Kamala Harris held a
capacity crowd rally at the Fiserv the same place that the
RNC held its convention? Yeah. >> No, not for me. There's not.
I didn't really talk to a lot of folks who were too uptight about
that. But Wisconsin is a swing state, no doubt about that. And
there's a reason they have to come back here. And that's
because the polling traditionally, at least in the
last several months, was not good for them. Here in
Wisconsin. But Wisconsin is a purple state, and we expect that
for the next 70 plus days. >> How worried are you that the
energy tips to big Democratic turnout in Wisconsin?
>> Not very worried. I mean, we've been planning all along
that it would be a big turnout on both sides. You know, look,
conventions are four day shows. And so we had a lot of energy
coming out of ours. They had some energy coming out of
theirs, but they have to come back to for Wisconsin a reason.
And that's because really, the top three issues by almost any
poll, the top three issues out there, and certainly here in
Wisconsin are the economy and inflation. The open border and
violent crime. We see that in every single survey. You see it
in the Marquette survey, a fair bit. So those are issues where
the Democrats right now are upside down and they're upside
down in double digits. So the fundamentals of the race aren't
the same different candidate. Right. But the fundamentals of
the race are not that different in Wisconsin.
reproductive rights. According poll. So what about that?
>> I think what you will see, I think the Republicans ran away
from that issue, too much. I've said this publicly. Maybe it
sounds critical of my own party, but they ran away from the issue
too much in 2022 and didn't deal with it. There you know, for
women who that is their issue and is their only issue, they're
probably not going to vote for a Republican necessarily. But
really the vast majority is that is an issue among other issues
that are important and those issues are not ones that are
helpful to the Democrats. Right now.
and turnout, Democrats are talking about picking up the
state assembly under the new maps. What's your reaction to
that? on to both houses. I think the
Assembly, probably the more competitive of the two, no doubt
about that. But I think the Republicans hold on to both
houses and, you know, new maps. It was kind of a second
reapportionment, right? I mean, it was almost like we were doing
reapportionment all over again. But in this case, with dramatic
changes, thanks to the liberal Supreme Court in Wisconsin. But,
you know, everywhere I've been in the state, you know, I'm on
the road a lot. I'll be on the road as this program airs. And
it's the feel is very good out there.
Republicans have over Democrats in Wisconsin?
of key issues are very, very important. I think across the
country. The number one issue is the economy and inflation. Right
now, you see that certainly in the big seven target states,
states like Wisconsin, Arizona, New Mexico, Georgia. So we have
a lot of people are upset. Working people in the state have
been hurt by the Biden-Harris administration. And that is
very, very helpful because we have people who may not have
voted Republican before that are doing it.
>> How do you overcome the Democrats money advantage?
>> Yeah. What's interesting about that is they shop their
money advantage all the time. And yet in 2022, while we fell
short in the governor's race, they dumped $100 million in
against Ron Johnson and lost. They lost a congressional seat
in western Wisconsin. They dumped millions into they lost
seats in the Assembly in the Senate, in courthouses. In this
past April, they lost on the two zuckerbucks referendum and the
Democrat mayor of Wausau lost. So they they talk a big game
about money, and they outspent us 4 to 1. In Wausau. They talk
a big game about money, but they keep losing in these critical
contests. this opportunity a little
earlier in our program. We reported on accusations of
racism and misogyny coming from the Republican side and asking
people, voters, Democratic voters, how they should respond
to those things. How do you respond to those things? Things
like, Harris, Kamala Harris turning black and the childless
cat lady's remarks, listen, those things to those most
voters, most voters aren't looking at that.
>> And frankly, you want to talk about that issue, talk about the
state Democratic Party convention, where they could not
pass an anti-terrorism because of the hostility within the
Democratic Party against Israel. They couldn't pass a tough
resolution on violence in the Middle East. In Congress, AOC
and the liberals in Congress couldn't bring themselves to
condemn members who had said, frankly, flat out anti-Semitic
comments. Democratic party has got nowhere to go on those
issues. thanks very much.
>> Great to be here. >> As with the Republican
National Convention in Milwaukee last month, there were protests
outside the DNC in Chicago. This week. But as “Here& Now”
reporter Steven Potter explains, the DNC protests were not only
different and bigger, they carried a stronger, more direct
message. Free, free Palestine. >> Free free Palestine.
>> While some 50,000 attendees gathered at the Democratic
National Convention inside the United Center this week, a few
patients shut it down. Several thousand protesters, including
many from Wisconsin, marched through the streets of downtown
Chicago. happening on a national stage.
If Chicago is really just a short walk away from Milwaukee,
there's no reason why people should not be here if they have
a conscience. organizer who was one of the
protest leaders in Milwaukee last month during the Republican
National Convention. Back at the DNC in Chicago, protests over
ending U.S. aid to Israel are larger and louder.
>> There's currently a genocide happening that the U.S. is
supporting. giving Flores and others from
Wisconsin hope that their voices are being heard.
>> The Democrats are really feeling the pressure. They can't
just ignore a movement like they used to. It gives me a lot of
encouragement knowing that we are going to win an end to the
genocide. organization listened to
Wisconsin, also made the trip to Chicago.
>> We are one of many busses that rode down from Wisconsin.
It's a whole range of folks who are interested in this. There
are Palestinians on the bus. Of course, peace advocates who've
been doing this work for decades now. Young folks, students who
are all coming together to send the same message to the nominees
to the Democratic Party. >> And that message, Mohammad
says, is crystal clear. The United States needs to stop
supporting Israel financially and force a weapons embargo that
would bring an end to the Israeli-hamas conflict in Gaza.
>> We're sending billions of dollars abroad to murder people.
We're neglecting our communities at home. That money could be
better spent here. While the majority of protesters attending
the two major permitted events in Chicago this week kept things
peaceful. >> Others who participated in
smaller, unsanctioned protests in the city did clash with
police, leading to dozens of arrests. Hold the line and
everyone back. >> Down on the floor. Put your
hands behind your back. >> Today's war opposition is
different, but deeply held. Behind the line now. And it
tears at Democratic Party unity. >> DNC Malvitt Terrence Flores
and Mohammad say if the United States does not respond to their
demands, there could be a major impact on the presidential
election during April's presidential primary in
Wisconsin, nearly 50,000 voters marked Uninstructed on their
ballot, meaning they voted for no presidential candidate at all
to send a message to then Democratic primary candidate Joe
Biden. because in the 2020 election,
Joe Biden only beat Donald Trump by just more than 20,000 votes
in Wisconsin, and those voters who feel so strongly in their
support of Palestine could refuse to vote again unless they
enact a ceasefire through an arms embargo immediately.
>> We cannot guarantee our votes for them in November for Halah
Ahmad also from listen to Wisconsin the changing tides in
the Democratic presidential election could pave a new way
with the new nominee. >> Do you think common ground
can be found for those Uninstructed voters before
November? You know, I think the
Biden-Harris administration has had one policy, but Vice
President Harris has the opportunity to stake out a
different path. >> Ahmad says if the Harris
Walls ticket listens and acts on the protesters demands, it will
give the Democrats an opportunity to really, meet
voters where they're at and secure a win in November by
unifying the party under a pro-peace agenda.
>> Free, free, free. >> One of the groups that has
been most energized since Joe Biden dropped out of the race
includes younger Democrats "Her& Now", senior political reporter
Zac Schultz met with the future of the Democratic Party to talk
about how the race has changed and how they're looking to
change the party. >> If you've watched the nightly
programing at the Democratic National Convention, you've seen
some of Wisconsin's youngest delegates enjoying their brief
moment in the spotlight, reacting to the speeches.
>> It's been awesome. And all the Wisconsin delegates have
been pumped up. >> So Ana Wilson is entering her
sophomore year of college, and she's making the most of her
introduction to national politics as a Wisconsin
delegate. opportunity for me. So I thought
that was, you know, very exciting. And I'm excited to
obviously represent Wisconsin. >> Ana spent her freshman year
with the College Democrats, learning how to organize voters.
>> A lot of college students that I've talked to have been
like, oh, my vote doesn't matter. And I'm like, it does.
It really does. We're outside canvasing, calling, knocking on
plenty of doors. >> Landiran Kern just graduated
high school and started doing field work last year in fond du
Lac. He wants to use his seat at the table to make sure Democrats
don't take the youth vote for granted.
>> I feel that so often when it comes to the youth voice and
seeing someone young, we're not taken as seriously as we
probably should be. >> Roman Fritz would agree with
Kern on that. >> I want to see more young
people in the Democratic Party. Pretty much everyone here is,
you know, 30 plus. >> They've all felt the surge in
enthusiasm that came with Kamala Harris replacing Joe Biden at
the top of the ticket. >> I have so much respect for
Joe Biden, and I think it was a very selfless act that, you
know, he did, and I thought it was you know, a good decision
when it comes to the youth voters and turnout, I believe it
has risen heavily. >> Ultimately, I think people
would have still came out and voted with President Biden. But
people are excited about Harris Walls ticket.
than Biden, but still refused to vote for her nomination.
>> I'm planning on, you know, supporting her in the fall, but
at the same time, I'm not going to be remarkably enthusiastic
about it. >> He's a college student and
one of the few Wisconsin delegates to attend the protests
and call for a military embargo with Israel.
>> In the DNC, it's celebratory, but outside with the protests,
they're concerned about Kamala Harris's policy in Gaza.
>> Fritz thinks more Young Democrats are concerned about
the plight of Palestinians, but are afraid to speak up. He's
received national attention this week for his views. Kern says
most young people he knows care more about issues like the
potential TikTok ban. >> You have to meet them exactly
where they are and it doesn't matter the policy, they're not
going to care about what country we're going to war with or who
we're helping or who we're allied with. And I hate to say
that, but it's true. >> Ana Wilson says the questions
about Israel and Palestine are difficult.
>> Honestly, I tend to stay away from that just because I'm not
as educated as other people are. >> No matter the policy
differences in Chicago, in a few weeks they'll each be in college
and drawing on this experience as they campaign in the fall and
encourage young voters to support Democrats in November.
>> I will definitely be drawing back and remembering this. You
know, the opportunity to each morning sit down and talk with
members of my own party and people of my own delegation.
>> I think that young people and young progressive people
especially should get involved in politics, because when they
get involved in the Democratic Party, the Democratic Party will
become full of young, progressive people.
motivated before to, you know, obviously get out there and
canvass and things like that. But I think after this I will be
even more pumped and I'm ready to get things done because we're
obviously not going back. So I'm ready.
>> Wisconsin Democratic U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin had a
speaking spot at the DNC on its final night. She's running for
reelection against Republican political reporter Zach Schultz
caught up with Senator Baldwin last week.
>> Give me a sense of how much the race has changed in the last
five weeks since Kamala Harris has been promoted to the top of
the ticket. new beginning for the party and
a new beginning for our nation. And you feel that energy? I felt
it when I was able to join Vice President Harris in West Allis,
Wisconsin, in her first public appearance after becoming the
presumptive nominee. And I saw that in Eau Claire when she
introduced her running mate to the swing states on her second
stop. And I can just tell from all the Wisconsinites that I'm
talking to, and this isn't necessarily in partisan, but
just that people feel a new energy. And so that's very, very
exciting. schedule during a week like this
when your party's in Chicago, but you're choosing to travel
around Wisconsin for the first part of the week?
>> Absolutely. Well, I'm engaged in what we're calling the In
Your Corner tour and going to every corner of the state really
wanted to take the energy that we were watching at the
convention, but bring it to the grassroots of the state. And as
you know, when I travel, I don't just go to blue counties. I'm
going to red counties, deep red counties. I'm going to rural
areas, suburban areas, urban areas. But really to meet people
where they are and bring the energy that we're all feeling to
our communities across the state.
the Walls and Harris ticket in combined with your campaign and
new legislative districts for the Assembly and some of the
state Senate, will mean when it comes to Democratic turnout up
and down the ballot. >> Yeah.
new maps. I am so delighted that we now have fair maps, because
I've seen the consequences of gerrymandered, especially deeply
large parts of Wisconsin there hasn't been a competitive race
for state assembly or state Senate in years. And what that
means is that there's not a Democrat doing the doors, and
that's how you win local races. You actually knock on doors, you
have the face to face conversations. You ask people
what they're concerned about. platform is. And so there's a
lot of voters who may have chosen in past elections to stay
home because they see only one choice on the ballot for state
Senate and for state Assembly. That's changed this year. So
there's a part of the energy in Wisconsin that's bubbling up as
well as of course, this energy that you're seeing, bubble down.
And I just think that that's a great combination to get people
really engaged as voters. >> How will the U.S. Senate and
congressional races shape up in Wisconsin, and how will the top
of the ticket inform those elections? We turn to Trygve
Olson, Wisconsin native, former senior Republican advisor, and
now with the anti-Trump organization, The Lincoln
for being here. >> Yeah, thanks for having me.
>> So you are a former GOP advisor, but no more. Why not,
>> you know, I still consider myself, a conservative, but I
don't really recognize the Republican Party today. And I
know Ronald Reagan used to say that the Democratic Party had
left him, I feel in many ways like the Republican Party has
left me. I had the chance coming out of Wisconsin, to get to
travel and work and live around the world. And, you know, things
like in places like Ukraine and Russia with those fighting for
democracy. And, you know, that piece of the Republican Party
has left that Reagan peace through strength, sort of
bipartisan. The Republican Party is no longer that. So that was
really a big piece of it for me. >> So you know a lot about
Wisconsin politics and our electorate here that makes
Donald Trump run so even in this state, which elected a
Democratic governor and one of its U.S. senators.
>> Yeah. So I think one of the things that I say often to
people when we talk about Wisconsin, and I can tell you
since, really since 2020, when we founded the Lincoln Project
and we, we started we've been talking about Wisconsin a lot
because it's ground zero. You know, Wisconsin tends to be a
right of slightly right of center state, you have a lot of
people. My best friends are all a bunch of my buddies are all
still up in River falls, and a lot of them voted for Tony Evers
and Ron Johnson. A lot of them voted for Trump in 16 and voted
for Biden in 20. And, a lot of them will vote for Tammy
Baldwin, some of them for some of them, Tammy Baldwin is the
first Democrat they ever voted for. They tend to be, you know,
traditionally more to the right of center. They don't like a lot
of government interference in their lives. They don't want
government telling them what kind of shotgun they're going to
own. Although more recently, post Dobbs, quite frankly, the
ones who have daughters don't want some theocrat from the
state legislature telling their daughters what they can and
can't do, so I just think it's the nature of Wisconsin. I will
say to you, though, one of the things from from all my
experiences traveling around the world, I am glad that if the
decision about what happens with democracy in the United States
is going to be made anywhere, I'm glad it's going to be made
with people in Wisconsin who take that kind of thing very
seriously. >> As for the U.S. Senate race,
of which we just spoke, what do you make of Tammy Baldwin's
>> Oh, you know, I mean, Tammy Baldwin is probably, And
granted, I'm partial since I came out of Tommy Thompson
world, I think she's the most sort of organically talented
politician we've had in the state of Wisconsin since Tommy
Thompson, you know, up where I'm from, Tammy Baldwin has lots of
support amongst Republicans and sort of those right of center
Evers Johnson voters who who determine elections in the state
in large part because she's out there working constantly and
quite frankly. And this might this might embarrass Tammy
Baldwin, but quite frankly, a lot of the guys know that she
came by Jonny's bar during a Packer game and drank a beer
with a bunch of them. Right. What could be more Wisconsin
politician than that? So, yeah, I think Tammy Baldwin's
prospects are pretty strong, you know, and I think Eric Hovde is
not only is he, maybe out of step with the state of Wisconsin
in terms of his politics being too MAGA, but in addition to
that, you know, I think you know, people in Wisconsin catch
somebody who's from the outside and I just think he was he's
been in in Orange County probably too long to fully get
it. Whereas no one's going to question Tammy Baldwin being a
wisconsinite. does, Tammy Baldwin help Harris
in this state and potentially down ballot as well,
>> I certainly think that she can help Harris and the top of
the ticket and quite frankly, that's something you know, in my
Lincoln project capacity, I really end up spending a lot of
time focused on four states, Wisconsin being one of them,
Michigan, Pennsylvania and Arizona being the others, in all
of those, you have Democratic Senate candidates. Tammy
Baldwin, probably the strongest of the bunch, who are running
ahead of the National Democratic Party ticket, I think, in the
last Marquette poll. You know, Tammy might be a couple points
ahead. I think what Tammy Baldwin, Slotkin, Casey and
Gallego, who are the Democrats and the others? What they all
represent is the ceiling, really for Democrats, and so, you know,
one of the things I was saying to some reporters at the
convention, I was getting asked about a convention bounce
because Harris Walls has had a couple of, you know, has had
weeks in terms of bounce, I think there's still some room to
grow in states like Wisconsin because, you know, they can get
closer. Harris Walls can get closer to that 52 that Baldwin
is at. I think that's the ceiling.
>> All right. Well, Trygve Olson, thanks very much for your
expertise. Appreciate it. >> Yeah. You're welcome.
>> Nearly 100 Wisconsin residents served as delegates at
the DNC in Chicago this week. For many of them, this wasn't
their first Democratic National Convention. Here and now,
reporter Steven Potter met up with a longtime Portage County
delegate for his perspective on the experience for democracy.
>> This is the most important election, and I want to go and
talk with my veteran's friends there, get the veterans out
doing doors and everything possible to make sure that
Harris and Walz win. So that's that's why I'm going.
>> Earlier this week, Gary Hawley and his daughter Kim
packed up their bags to head to Chicago. What we Hawley is
attending the Democratic National Convention as a
Wisconsin delegate from Portage County.
>> And the small village of Whiting, just outside Stevens
Point. >> This is my eighth convention,
probably my last, but I'm lucky that my daughter came again. She
came 24 years ago with me, but she got so enthused about vice
President Harris that she asked if she could come along again.
And that's the best thing for me to have my daughter along again.
>> Michelle Hawley has just one word to describe the DNC in
Chicago so far. >> Energetic. It's just so many
great speeches. Last night. Every one of them were just
energized you and you just kept getting more and more energized.
Lasted until pretty late because we have to party afterwards, you
know. So but it was a good time. >> Hallie's first Democratic
National Convention was also in Chicago 28 years ago, back in
1996. Over the years, he's learned to take advantage of the
face time he has with politicians to explain to them
what's happening in rural Wisconsin.
hall here and talking to the governor. It gives you a better
chance to get your ideas out or Portage County ideas. That's
important. If you don't get your county party's ideas and issues
and stuff out to these elected officials, they don't know about
it. as delegate isn't just to spread
information, but to gather it and bring it home.
>> There's a lot of caucuses to go to learn what's going on,
meeting with other Democrats just to get all the information
and bring it back to our county parties and help our county
parties discuss what's going on. >> Conventions are also a place
to network and get support, even from across state lines and
that's important for Portage County, which is a Democratic
island. We got to get the rest of the
counties around us blue, too. I have talked with the Minnesota
veteran Caucus. They're willing to come over. One of the reasons
is their governor could be vice president. If we get to ten
points from Wisconsin. So I'm starting to set up where they're
going to start coming across the border and do doors for us. And
here Hawley, who's also a veteran, says there are a few
things that have stuck with him as the most important through
the years. >> Okay.
places. We're improving on women getting their rights, and we got
a long ways to go, but at least we're trying to improve on it.
>> Beginning as a volunteer with the Portage County Democrats
decades ago and rising to the position of county party
co-chair, Hawley, who's a retired carpenter, says he also
agrees, appreciates and relates to President Joe Biden's
decision to step out of the race.
>> I'm 75. I've been very active. I've been going to a lot
of conventions. I realized I have to step down to, I mean,
not completely. I'll still be out there, but not I can't keep
up with the younger people running around here.
>> Reporting from the DNC in Chicago for "Here& Now". I'm
Steven Potter senior political reporter, Zach Schultz brought
live analysis from Media Row at the convention all week.
>> And tonight wraps it up with our political panelists,
Democrat Scot Ross. >> Zach, thanks, Fred. And I am
joined here. Scot Ross, Bill McCoshen, it's been a great
week. Thank you for coming back one more time. A little shorter
today. Yeah that's all we that's all we have the energy for.
After the whole week. Let's start first reactions to the
speech last night Kamala Harris came out Scott did she hit her
marks? Did she do what she needed to do?
>> Well, Kamala Harris needed to give the remarks of her career
and instead she gave the inauguration speech for the
ages. I mean, I don't think we've ever seen so much
enthusiasm. I actually talked to somebody who had been in
convention since 1984. They said they've never heard a reaction
quite like that. You know what we get with Kamala Harris and
Tim Walls is the most experienced, most energetic,
most qualified ticket in American presidential history.
In our 248 years. >> What's your surprise? Yeah, I
saw it a little bit different. I think we all agree that the vibe
down there, the energy Monday through Wednesday was was off
the charts and I was starting to get worried about that as a
Republican. And so the extremely high. I don't think
she met the mark. And let me tell you why. There were three
segments of her speech. The first part was about her
childhood. I thought that was very, very good. The second part
was really about all about Donald Trump. I don't think that
was in her best interest or very good. And then the last part was
high level platitudes, but without any specifics. So there
was a lot of Steil this week. She spent more time talking
about the John Lewis Voting Rights Act than she did about
inflation for gas prices or rent or groceries, and those are the
things that voters care about. So I don't think she hit the
mark. out to me was about foreign
policy, which she really went into, and she got a big reaction
from the crowd talking about support for Ukraine, talking
about support for Israel, and support for the Palestinians to
have some level of self-determination. Do you think
that's a C ty? Does she needed to hit that mark? We haven't
really addressed the Palestinian protest down in Chicago during
the week, but did she do enough for her own party there?
>> Oh, absolutely, I think so. And I think again, and with the
conversation about Donald Trump, this was about showing the
difference that you have compassion, dignity, fairness.
Those words aren't even in Donald Trump's vocabulary. He
doesn't even know those words. And again, on foreign policy,
you're going to get what Donald Trump gave us or you're going to
get what Kamala Harris laid out last night, which is a reasoned,
responsible understanding, compassionate, compassionate
>> I the part I like best about the speech is what she said
about Israel. I think that was very important to let our
strongest ally in the region know that regardless of how this
election turns out, the United States of America is going to
stand with Israel. I think that was critical, and I was glad she
said that. The part about Ukraine, I think she could have
gone into a little bit more detail there, but overall, they
wanted this to be about freedom, about America and flag waving.
In some ways, it felt like a Republican convention, to be
honest. So I did enjoy that part.
we've been talking about because after the GOP convention we
talked about that didn't feel like your your grandfather's GOP
convention. That felt different. This didn't feel like your
grandfather's Democratic mean, we know realignment is
real. Are they are we seeing it in policy and on the stage at
the same time? >> Yeah, I think we are. It you
know, a lot more working people which I like, because that's how
I grew up. That's what attracted my dad to Ronald Reagan back in
1980. So I like that. I hope we continue down that path. I don't
want to be the country club party. I want to be the party of
the people. >> I think that the Republican
Party has regressed into a very small, very cynical, very
bitter, divisive party. And I think the Democrats, again, you
saw from, you know, you saw from the stage independent Oprah
Winfrey, Republican Adam Kinzinger, this is going to be
the biggest coalition to deliver the biggest victory for a
Democratic candidate in American history.
blowout or closer to a nail biter in your estimation?
>> I mean, I want to say it's going to be a nail biter because
everybody's got to do every piece of work they need to do.
But I think that Kamala Harris will win Wisconsin by more than
Obama. Barack Obama did nail biter.
question about it. And I think the debate on September 10th
could be decisive. Let's not forget the last debate ended Joe
Biden's political career. >> And I think the prosecutor
versus the 34 year convicted, 34 time convicted felon might end
that 78 year old's career. >> So we have seen some massive
twists and turns in just the last few months with the
assassination attempt, with Biden dropping out with this
huge resurgence in enthusiasm among Democrats, are there still
more to come, or do you think the race is kind of leveled off
and this is what we're going to get?
Swift get involved in the race number one. Number two, does Joe
Biden step aside and make her the president of the United
States during the race? >> I don't think the second
thing is going to happen. I don't know if the first thing is
going to happen. I hope not, but I do think this I think we have
a better, a better chance of seeing Beyonce and Taylor Swift
teaming up for a duet on the campaign trail for Kamala
Harris. Then we see Melania Trump coming out to campaign for
Donald. Little John. He's already made
his decision. He's with Kamala. Yeah.
coming out. Is Harris leading in the next Marquette poll in
Wisconsin? And by how much in your eyes?
Harris isn't leading that poll, everybody should start ignoring
that poll once and for all, because it's very clear every
single indicator from inside and outside of the state is that the
momentum is on Kamala Harris and Tim Walz's side and Democrat
side, and freedom side. And there's a reason for that. It's
the policies abortion, you know, democracy and such.
>> The last one had Trump leading by one with registered
voters. It had Harris leading by one with likely voters. If there
is one next week, which is traditional for Marquette, I
would imagine she'd be up by a couple points. All right, Bill
Scott, thank you for a wonderful week.
>> We appreciate you coming back. Absolutely.
the Republican convention. If I'd feel welcome, bill, I think
is the same way with the Democratic convention. I just
want to say the reason that we of the PBS Wisconsin team. You
know, you, Frederica, Cynthia, Andrew, the other Zach, Ethan
Steven and Ana Marissa, you guys, a phenomenal job. Thank
you so much. Thank you. And thanks to your viewers. And
thank you for more on this and other issues facing Wisconsin,
visit our website at PBS Wisconsin.
>> Org. And then click on the news tab to see all of our
election coverage. Visit Wisconsin Vote.org. That's our
program for tonight. I'm Frederica Freyberg. Have a good
weekend.
>> Funding for "Here& Now" is provided by the Focus Fund for
Journalism and Friends of PBS.