you'll have a bunch of monitors and we'll have a bunch of monitors and computers where we can see the conversations you're talking about, what interests, what you think thought was important, what you think is important. that will happen before and after the debate. there you have it. the cnn democratic facebook debate spin room and cnn facebook democratic lounge. elections usa. i like to call this facebook usa. it is 11:00 on the west coast, 8:00 p.m. here in las vegas. this is cnn tonight. i'm don lemon. thank you so much for joining us, everyone. and the candidates getting ready to join us on the las vegas strip. tonight, a senior hillary clinton adviser says the candidate hopes to use the debate to turn the page on her e-mail troubles. meanwhile, bernie sanders' camp

paints him as the revolutionary. i want to bring in jeff selney, brianna keilar and neila malik ka henderson. hillary clinton has some 25 debates under her belt. what is her strategy with this one? >> well, i think -- and i do think that's interesting that you point out, she has 25 debates under her belt, but she hasn't done one for years. so i think she's trying to really prepare and come out and show some prowess certainly in her ability to debate. but what i've been told by a top campaign aide is that she wants to -- and this is her main objective, to cut through the politics. this campaign has not gone as scheduled. i think her aides would tell you, i think hillary clinton would tell you, she has seen so much focus on this e-mail controver controversy. it's brought her poll numbers down in terms of trustworthy ps. and i think she sees this as a moment when people are paying a

lot of attention, there are more eyeballs and she wants to connect in a way you can cut through some of that stuff that she doesn't want to -- really, the stuff that she wants to turn the corner on. >> is that why -- because they're paying more attention now, because of the number of people who will be watching, do you think that's why she went to the trump hotel tonight to side with those union workers, brianna? >> i think part of that was rallying her base to try to get them to pay attention. that sort of announced, you know, she was doing something that was obviously going to grab some attention. she's there on donald trump's territory. she's there with union workers. she and her team knew that was something that was going to get headlines, that was going to get eyeba eyeballs. and ahead of this debate, what she wants is people watching because she wants to seize this moment and use it as an opportunity. >> yeah. bernie sanders has been the insurgent candidate as we have seen in this contest so far. how does he convince voters,

though? he's not just the insurgent candidate, but he can actually go the distance. >> and in talk, his advisers, they very much see this debate as sort of the opening argument in terms of arguing that he is, in fact, an electable candidate. if you look at what he was able to do in vermont, all sorts of questions about his electability there, he's a socialist and eventually he was able to climb to become a u.s. senator. i think they have to sort of start to frame bernie sanders as less of a sort of prophet who is bellowing in the wilderness and more as someone who the democratic party is finally coming around eye to eye with. he sort of has to be more of an establishment candidate and show that his sort of appeal isn't just about aging hippies or millennial, that he has a much more broad based appeal. that's what barack obama had to do when he ran, right? he had to convince the country

if they were ready for an african-american candidates. bernie sanders has to convince democrats first and then the country that they're ready for a socialist president. won't be easy. i think we'll see him start to make this first opening argument tonight on stage with hillary clinton. and that argument of itself is an implicit presentation and argument that he has kind of arrived and that he is a legitimate contender. >> he's up on the stage with the front-runner, the so-called -- with the front-runner. so mr. zelney, we have learned that bill clinton is here, but he won't be at the debate. do you think that's a mistake? >> i don't think it's a mistake. he would overtake the event. that camera shot would always be on bill clinton. there would always be how is he reacting to this? how would he react to someone attacking his wife? we know he is very -- whenever she has been attacked in xaps if she's running for the senate or the white house, she -- he

definitely sort of gets angry at that. so i remember from all those dpts debates in 2008, some 25 of them, as you said, i don't recall bill clinton ever being at these debates. she would usually bring chelsea clinton. so he is not going to be in the room. he is here in las vegas with her. you can bet he sis advising her. but in terms of being in the room, i think he could be a distraction. >> you know when thetsdz it was a bad move for al gore to use bill clinton in the campaign and that hurt him. also, you saw last time, president obama bringing him in for the clutch, for the democratic convention. she has to appear, though, as her own woman, but does she risk looking like she's sidelining the most pom popular democrat there is? >> it is a potential of a risk. that is why he is being used more and more and more. in the last month or so, he has ramped up his appearances, largely at fund-raisers. and i can tell you he has stepped up the time he's

spending at the campaign headquarters in brook lip. we are going to see more and more of him. he will be out there campaigning in a lot of rural communities in south carolina and innew hampshire. you don't always get a hundred percent positives from bill clinton, but the good far outweighs the bad. >> hillary clinton has commanded the issues, no doubt about that. but she falls short quite frankly on likability, on trustworthiness. will she have to bring -- are we going to see a warmer hillary clinton tomorrow night, brianna keilar? >> i think part of -- well, there's sort of a lot of different appearances that hillary clinton has been making recently where she's trying to connect more with voters. we've seen her on ellen, we've seen her on late night tv, we saw her more recently on a buzz feed pod cast. i think you saw a side of hillary clinton that was different than you might see from her in one of sthes television introduces that she's

doing. i think certainly there is an attempt by hillary clinton and her team to bring out some of her authenticity. we know that's been part of their effort lately. but in terms of trying to be likable, i think what they're trying to focus on is the issues. and i think trying to show that she has a command of the issues and that she is on the issues where most of the -- where most of the democratic party is. >> jeff, she can't look like she's trying too hard, though. >> definitely not. she is so practiced at this debate, she has more time preparing for debates than anyplace else on the stage. she's done so much of them. and i think this is a time when she is going to try to show people, look, you may not love me the most, but i'm the fighter for you. that's why she's been in all these town meetings all summer long for the last six months or so to get up to speed on this. i expect her to have a good debate performance tomorrow. >> she has to fight back, though, if she's attacked. >> yeah, that's right. she has too fight back.

we've heard from sanders, that he won't lob personal attacks. but let's face it, when he talks about the only candidate who doesn't have a super pac, he's talking about hillary clinton, the other candidates on there and, of course, we know if he says her name, she gets 30 seconds to fight back. but we know in talking to hillary clinton's advisers, they don't really want to engage with bernie sanders. they feel like that's sort of a battle she can't win. if you flashback to 2008, she didn't come across as likable when she would go after barack obama. so they feel like her on the attack will not be good. >> nia-malika henderson, thank you very much. first, we have some breaking news we need to tell you about last night. playboy magazine, they are going to stop publishing pictures of

naked women. this story first reported in the "new york times." the change will be unveiled, was it were, in the march issue. senior media correspondent brian stelter has been extensively researching this story. brian, what can you tell me about this? >> i did go to the news stand and buy the magazine for the first time. it's $9 a month. but that's really why this is a big story. playboy is an american institution, as you said. people have known it for decades. but it's still in that plastic wrap. you know, it still is treated as this product that is separate from everything else on the news stand. well, they say that by removing these pictures, billioning more like maxim or esquire or gq, they had broaden their audience and appeal to readers. but the bottom line is, sex sells, but not as well as it used to. we all know the internet has changed everything when it comes to pornography. so playboy is essentially throwing in the towel here saying they know what they were

doing is now obsolete. in fact, their website removed all the sort of dirty pictures last year and it's found a lot more traffic, a lot younger audience. essentially now the print magazine is doing the same thing. and i think a lot of people are going to wonder what is playboy without those pictures. i suppose that idea about how you only read it for the articles will soon be more believable. >> yeah. i'm old enough to remember when they said, you know, oh, i read it for the article or it's all about the article. back then, people would laugh, but i guess it's going to be true now. >> i have to tell you, there are some pretty interesting articles in here. >> yeah. they do win a lot of awards for the articles. but, brian, how old are you? you've never bought a playboy magazine? come on, even i bought one. >> don, i was born in the age of the internet. have fun in the city of sin. >> we shall move on. speaking of, thank you, brian selter. >> thank you. >> here in las vegas, we are

counting down to the first democratic campaign. when we come back, the activists making their campaign voices heard on the trail. black live matters, you who they're shaking things up for the candidates. more data means more freedom to do..whatever. that's why at&t is giving you 50% more data. that's 15 gigs of data for the price of 10. because the more data you have, the better. and right now at at&t get $300 credit for every line you switch when you trade in a smartphone and buy any smartphone on at&t next. you wouldn't take medicine

without checking the side effects. hey honey. huh. the good news is my hypertension is gone. so why would you invest without checking brokercheck? check your broker with brokercheck. the wolf was huffing and puffing. like you do sometimes, grandpa? well, when you have copd, it can be hard to breathe. it can be hard to get air out, which can make it hard to get air in. so i talked to my doctor. she said... symbicort could help you

breathe better, starting within 5 minutes. symbicort doesn't replace a rescue inhaler for sudden symptoms. symbicort helps provide significant improvement of your lung function. symbicort is for copd, including chronic bronchitis and emphysema. it should not be taken more than twice a day. symbicort contains formoterol. medicines like formoterol increase the risk of death from asthma problems. symbicort may increase your risk of lung infections, osteoporosis, and some eye problems. you should tell your doctor if you have a heart condition or high blood pressure before taking it. symbicort could mean a day with better breathing. watch out, piggies! (children giggle) symbicort. breathe better starting within 5 minutes. call or go online to learn more about a free trial offer. if you can't afford your medication, astrazeneca may be able to help.

we're live in las vegas for the first democratic debate of this campaign just hours away. we're going to carry it live for you on cnn. there are other candidates taking black votes for ganted. how does the black lives matters movement work into this? good evening to you, gentlemen. thank you so much for joining me this evening. bakari, i'm going to take another look at this new poll out of your home state of south carolina. it says african-american's choice for a nominee, likely democratic voters is hillary clinton by 84%. bernie sanders by 7%. why such overwhelming support for clinton and such a low number for sanders? >> well, hillary clinton started out with an advantage. that can't be understated.

but from her first speech in the campaign to the infrastructure she's built on the ground, to amazing women throughout the state that she's brought together to work on the campaign, she's put the product in place not just in south carolina, but in other states where the primaries more resemble the democratic party in south carolina where she's building a fire wall. bernie sanders had a huge gab to overcome. he came out of the block stumbling and many people are still waiting to see what bernie sanders are about. his plan looks great on paper when it comes to criminal justice reform. tomorrow night, he gets a chance to tell us stories relevant to today. we'll all be sitting and waiting and watching. but hillary clinton right now is running laps around the rest of the field when it comes to african-american voters and we look forward to that continuing. >> quite frankly, all three candidates have had trouble with black lives matters. hillary clinton, bernie sanders, martin o'malley, hillary clinton, they've sort of cleaned it up a little bit now.

take ta listen. this is martin o'malley this summer. >> every life matters. and that is why this issue is so important. black lives matter, white lives matter, all lives matter. black lives matter. white lives matter. all lives matter. >> and, deray, activists went on the stage with bernie sanders this summer in seattle. do you expect that this issue will come up tomorrow night in the debate? >> it must come up. this issue around the importance of issues for blackness are really primary now. i'm interested to say what hillary clinton will say given that she doesn't have a platform now. we had a strong conversation with her. but, again, i left that conversation unclear about where she stands on a host of issues. with sanders, we had a tough conversation with him, as well, and he came out afterwards and

his language, it clearly changed. i'm hopeful. like bakari said, many people don't know bernie sanders well. tomorrow will be an important night for him to get his message out. i do think i know very well where he stands on issues, especially around race and that matters to me in a way that i don't know about clinton given, you know, that there's no platform. and o'malley does have a strong platform. one of the most comprehensive. his challenge, though, is explaining his time as mayor which doesn't seem to be as progressive. his legacy is not as progressive as his platform would suggest to so many people. >> if i may, don, we can't say that hillary clinton doesn't have a platform. i mean, from the -- >> bakari, she doesn't around race. she doesn't. that's not a critique of her. i -- >> she literally -- >> she's giving speeches that are powerful. >> let bakari finish. go ahead, bakari. >> i agree with deray that it needs to go on paper. i don't doubt that. i do agree the strongest

platform on criminal justice is martin o'malley and hopefully he has the time tomorrow and he's able to articulate that idea and he's able to stand up strong and proud and deal with those issues in baltimore. i don't think it's fair to say that she doesn't have a platform when it comes to building out from the ferguson project and dealing with that. i, like did he ray and van, want to talk about the issues that matter. and i think this black lives matter issue is pushing candidates to talk about these issues in a just and sincere fashion. >> hang on, van. here is the interesting point to me. stand by, deray. deray is saying she doesn't have a platform when it comes to those issues. if you talk to donna brazil, dawn na said that she had a sister, that she was married to the first black president. if you look at her support among african-americans, it ranks up there in the 80%. it's interesting black lives matters is saying she doesn't have a platform, but she's polling very high when it comes to african-americans.

>> why is it so important? why should anybody care about this? if you have a democrat, african-americans have to vote for the democratic nominee for that person to win the general election. not 50%, not 60%, not 70%, not 90%. 94%. so you're talking about nearly unanimous black support in order for a democratic nominee to win. >> she almost has had has that. she almost has unanimous -- >> but my point is, that is why it's so important that a bernie sanders, a martin o'malley or others take this seriously. no longer can democrats just assume that african merps are going to get up here and go over all these hurdles to voting. so much voter expression. turn out historic numbers. give a party 96% of the vote and nobody mention black people at all except trickle down jumts justice. >> i am going to continue on with you, but on the republican side, ben carson makes the case that democrats take black voters for granted.

what you're talking about now. rand paul is talking about equal sentencing and other issues that affect african-americans. if the nominee is not hillary clinton with all of her african-american support that she has, is there a window for the gop here? >> i think the big danger for democrats is that you have an enthusiasm gavm gap and an intensity gap. that's why it's so important that black lives matters pushes the candidates. we don't want trickle down justice. we speak about issues directly. >> deray, are you pushing republican candidates as much as you're pushing the democratic candidates? >> yes. hoping to get inroads can them and want to push anybody who wants to be the president of the united states because black lives matters, these issues

matter across the board. >> first i'm going to get to deray and then we'll go to bakari and van. today, hillary clinton tweeted this about the case in cleveland. she said sending support to tamir rice's loved oneses. too many black families are mourning the loss of a child. we need to change that reality, signed "h." deray, you met with hillary clinton and met with her on friday. do you think that meeting affected her and that's part of the reason she tweeted today? >> i want to believe the meeting affected her. i do have a better understanding of her approach and perspective about race. what is hard, after having been in that meeting, is i'm not clear where she stands on a set of important issues. bakari would say she has a platform and i think she's given some powerful speeches, but i don't think how she stands from a policy perspective about demilitarizing the police, about body cameras, about a hoet of things we've been talking about for a year.

so i appreciate the tweet she did about racism being america's original sin is important. but tomorrow will be our first indication where she stands about a host of issues regarding blackness. >> bakari. >> i thought it was important. i thought what we saw in ohio today was an example of if it's not prosecutorial misconduct, it's prosecutorial negligence by leaking out reports. i'm just glad hillary clinton showed some empathy today. tomorrow, she has to come to the stage and the danger for the democrats tomorrow is if on these issues they are lackluster, on these issues that they're not precise and show some excitement and energy, then they risk african-american voters not jumping over and vote republican, but staying at home. >> all right, van. >> first of all, i think it was a very important tweet. i also think leaders like alicia

garza, black lives matter, i want to make sure they get their voices heard, as well. >> how do you think joe biden would do? >> i think joe biden would do type. but right now, hillary clinton's biggest opponent is not on the stage tomorrow night. it's joe biden. she has to show she could keep this black vote. >> joe biden, how would he do with the black vote? >> joe biden has a huge mass inkargz ragz issue that he has to do with. he's uncle joe to most of us and many of us, but he has questions to answer and he needs to get in and start answering them now. >> bakari, van and did he ray, thank you very much. we're going to continue on this conversation here on cnn and much, much more. up next, a democrat tells us what to wavp for in last night's debate and who has the most to lose when we come back.

♪ the way i see it, you have two choices; the easy way or the hard way. you could choose a card that limits where you earn bonus cash back. or, you could make things easier on yourself. that's right, the quicksilver card from capital one. with quicksilver you earn unlimited 1.5% cash back on every purchase, everywhere. so, let's try this again. what's in your wallet? ♪ ♪ (singing) you wouldn't haul a load without checking your clearance. so why would you invest without checking brokercheck? check your broker with brokercheck. when i was sidelined with blood clots in my lung,h. it was serious. fortunately, my doctor had a game plan. treatment with xarelto®. hey guys! hey, finally, somebody i can look up to... ...besides arnie. xarelto® is proven to treat

and help reduce the risk of dvt and pe blood clots. xarelto® is also proven to reduce the risk of stroke in people with afib, not caused by a heart valve problem. for people with afib currently well managed on warfarin, there's limited information on how xarelto® and warfarin compare in reducing the risk of stroke. you know, i tried warfarin, but the blood testing and dietary restrictions... don't get me started on that. i didn't have to. we started on xarelto®. nice pass. safety first. like all blood thinners, don't stop taking xarelto® without talking to your doctor, as this may increase your risk of a blood clot or stroke. while taking, you may bruise more easily and it may take longer for bleeding to stop. xarelto® may increase your risk of bleeding if you take certain medicines. xarelto® can cause serious, and in rare cases, fatal bleeding. get help right away for unexpected bleeding, unusual bruising, or tingling. if you have had spinal anesthesia while on xarelto®, watch for back pain or any nerve or muscle related signs or symptoms. do not take xarelto® if you have an artificial heart valve or abnormal bleeding. tell your doctor before all planned medical or dental procedures. before starting xarelto®,

tell your doctor about any kidney, liver, or bleeding problems. you know xarelto® is the #1 prescribed blood thinner in its class. that's a big win. it is for me. with xarelto® there is no regular blood monitoring and no known dietary restrictions. treatment with xarelto®... ...was the right move for us. ask your doctor about xarelto®. it's more than it's multi-layered security and flexibility. with centurylink you get advanced technology solutions. including cloud and hosting services - all from a trusted it partner. centurylink. your link to what's next. ♪ ♪ grow old with me ♪ let us share what we see ♪ just you and i ♪

♪ grow old with me ♪ let us share what we see ♪ and oh the best it could be ♪ just you and i ♪

we're live tonight in las vegas. just hours now until the first democratic debate of this campaign. joining me now is congresswoman debbie wasserman who also happens to be the chair of the democratic national committee. i appreciate you joining me here. >> great to be here. >> pleasure to meet you finally in person. >> thank you. i know. >> so the republican debate, that's a hard act to follow with donald trump and all the sniping on stage. are we going to see fireworks tomorrow night? >> i think we're going to see a very clear contrast between our five candidates who are talking about the issues that are important to the american people, particularly those that want to make sure that they can help them reach the middle class. the cornerstones of the middle class life, making sure that we close the wage gap. making sure we can get equal pay for equal work. access to quality affordable housing. >> issues? you want to hear about issues? >> that's what i think we will hear about instead of the back fighting and sniping and the 15 candidates or other side trying

to win one another talking about kicking immigrants out of the country and taking people's health care away and trying to have a contest on who can be worse for women on that stage. so it's going to be a dramatic contest. >> let me ask you about one of those issues which has to do with income, with unions, about people organizing. she went over to the trump hotel today and went in front of the unions, stood with the unions folks. >> she being secretary clinton? >> yes. pardon me. is that a good move? >> well, i think focusing on workers and making sure that we can highlight that you need a good job with a decent wage, a living wage, is important for any presidential candidate and all of our candidates on that stage tomorrow night embrace that notion. >> she is probably the one with the most experience when it comes to debating. she's had a lot of experience when it comes to governing as is he the secretary of stage. does she have the most to lose on that stage? >> you know, i think the republicans have a lot to lose tomorrow night? >> why so? >> because there's such a

dramatic contrast. the last two debates have been a snipe fest. they spent a lot of time shooting at each other, trying to outright wing one another, jout trying to outtrump trump. the focus of their debates has been donald trump. the more extreme they were, the higher in the polls he rose and he stayed atop their field because that is where unfortunately their base is today. our base is about the middle class. >> yeah. >> and that's the -- a huge contrast. so the republicans, i think, are going to be -- showed up and just like we did in 2012 when we had our convention right after theirs, the american people will see what the 45th president of the united states will look like. >> you know one like healthy competition among the democratic candidate. bernie sanders has revved up the left wing of your party. he has trouble when it comes to minority voters. what does he need to do to improve that? >> well, all of our candidates need to talk about making sure that everybody has an opportunity to succeed in this

country. and there is, of course, when it comes to african-americans and other minority groups a disproportionate impact when it comes to that wage gap, when it comes to educational opportunities and health care access. so focusing on the issues, whether it's african-americans or hispanic americans or any of the minority demographic groups, their priorities are a difference and that is to make sure if you work hard .play by the rules -- >> you can make a living wage. >> and raise your family and make sure your kids grow up and lead that middle class life. and that you have a job. that's important. >> and when you're sick, you can go to the doctor. contrasting with the republican candidates in their field, they want to take away all of those things and make things worse. >> you want to see enthusiasm behind the person who is going to be your nominee. >> sure. >> so hillary clinton is at the top of the polls now. she looks like she is going to be the nominee at this point. but we don't know.

we have a long way to go. >> it's my job to make sure i manage the primary nominating contest and get our party ready to support our nominee. >> the people who are behind her are not enthused. what do you do to rev that up? >> oh, i think there is -- if you look at the turnout and the crowds and the support that our candidates have, there's tremendous enthusiasm. i beg to differ. there is enthusiasm for all of our candidates and, you know, as opposed to the reality tv show that is playing out in front of the american people on the other side. this is -- this is for the presidency of the united states of america. this is not a reality tv show. the reality that americans are facing -- >> it certainly has been -- it seems like there's a lot. >> on the other side, it sure does. but the reality that americans are facing, that they want to hear about on that stage is what is the candidate for the president of the united states going to do to make sure my life is better. if you look at someone like jeb bush, when he was asked about what he would do for african-americans when he ran for governor in florida, he said

probably nothing. that's the attitude that most of the republican candidates have on the other side. >> let's talk about joe biden. is he going to do it or is it not going to do it? do you think he's going to get into this race? and you would welcome him, i'm sure. >> of course we would. but, you know, that's an incredibly difficult decision for any candidate to make. and i know it's one that he's going through with his family and, of course, has been through a really difficult tragedy, the worst that any parent can face. i don't know whether he's ultimately going to see it. but at the end of the day, we have to make sure our party is ready to support our nominee. we have 236 debate watch parties all across the country tomorrow night. we had a training in neff negative today to make sure that our volunteers and our activists are gearing up and getting ready to support our nominee. that's the dnc's roll. >> 236 parties, all tuning in to cnn. look at that. >> just to look at that. isn't that exciting? so you've got those parties.

i think there are six debates this time around versus 25. some people are clamoring 25 in 20308. some people are clamminger, we want more. six, is that enough? >> we have not only the six debates that are sanctioned by the dnc, but we have a number of candidate forums. we have four of the five candidates coming to our women's leadership forum to talk about issues important to women. so there are going to be a variety of opportunities all while allowing our candidates to be able to make sure that in the early primary states, like nevada, like new hampshire, that our voters can kick the tires a little bit. they get that retail opportunity and we want to make sure they have that. >> this is from the dnc vice chair woman. she said she was disinvited from tomorrow night's debate by you, by your office, because she disagreed with you on the number of debates. is that true? >> no. let me just say that the candidates need us to have our undivided attention on -- and what congresswoman gabbard was

asked to do was to make sure we're a big ten party. everyone is entitled to their opinion. we embrace a lot of wide variety of opinion. but she was asked to keep the focus on our candidates. i saw her interview with wolf blitzer earlier today. she decided she would be a distraction and chose not to come. >> she said her chief of staff was told by your chief of staff that she shouldn't go to the debate, that she was no longer welcome. did that happen at all? >> what congresswoman gabard's staff was told was that the focus needed to be on our candidates. >> through that, did you tell her not to come to the debate? >> her staff was told that we needed to make sure that our focus was on our candidates tomorrow night and as she said on your network, she decided that she would be a distraction and chose not to come because we have to make sure that that contrast is clear. >> okay. sglts a clear contrast and we need to make sure we're getting people focused on those candidates. >> i understand what you're

saying. we need you to be focused on what are, that seems like it would not be -- >> this ask is our first debate. we have strong candidates presenting a contrast with the republicans. and she decided that she was going to away distraction and chose not to come. >> thank you for being candid and answering that question. >> sure. no problem. >> it's a pleasure to meet you. >> you, too. coming up, we'll talk about president barack obama, hillary clinton, her e-mails. we'll be right back. [ screaming ] rate suckers! [ bell dinging ] your car insurance goes up because of their bad driving. people try all sorts of ways to get rid of them. [ driver panting ]

if you're sick of paying more than your fair share... [ screams ] get snapshot from progressive, and see just how much your good driving could save you. where their electricity comes from. they flip the switch-- and the light comes on. it's our job to make sure that it does. using natural gas this power plant can produce enough energy for about 600,000 homes. generating electricity that's cleaner and reliable, with fewer emissions-- it matters. ♪ ♪ ♪ (charge music) you wouldn't hire an organist without hearing them first. charge! so why would you invest without checking brokercheck? check your broker with brokercheck.

those diagnosed with cancer who explored their treatment options by getting a comprehensive second opinion at cancer treatment centers of america. call today or go online to schedule your second opinion here. learn more at cancercenter.com

it's gotten squarer. over the years. brighter. bigger. it's gotten thinner. even curvier. but what's next? for all binge watchers. movie geeks. sports freaks. x1 from xfinity will change the way you experience tv. welcome back to our coverage. debate coverage in las vegas, counting down to tomorrow night's big democratic debate. joining me now is david brock, author of "killing the messen r messenger." he's founder of media matters for america and dan pfeiffer,

cnn political commentator and former senior adviser to barack obama. the rnc released a new ad today focused on hillary clinton. let's watch it. >> please join me in welcoming hillary rodham clinton. >> hillary clinton has some explaining to do. >> recent relations with russia. >> not really working out well. >> potentially catastrophic move for hillary clinton. >> taking millions of dollars from foreign governments. >> sniper fire. it was a total -- it was a lie. >> what difference at some point does it make? >> this is just par for the course for the clintons. they're always a little bit secretive. >> david, what's your reaction? >> well, i think two reactions. one, this ad is disingenious. it couldn't have basic fact checks. they're citing news reports that were retracted later.

so it doesn't have credibility. but the more important thing is the republicans can't give up character attacks on hillary clinton. that is because they don't want to run against her in the general election and they have nothing to offer her in the country. we know what the republican platform is going to be no matter who gets the nomination and i think it reeks of desperation on their part. >> dan, the e-mails, i know it's two separate issues and, you know, rightly so. michael said they've become conflated. but if benghazi comes up, the e-mail issue comes up, what does hillary clinton need to say? >> first, i would agree with david that that is a disingenuous ad. it is also a stupid ad. it's a waste of money. i think any democrat would make a mistake if they brought up the e-mails or benghazi in this debate. this is a -- democrats should not recite gop talking points in a debate. i think the question is going to come from the moderatetory secretary clinton and she's going to have to answer it not

defensively, forthrightly and this is her best chance to show millions of people around the country her best answer, not an answer interpreted through the press which has always been challenging for her. >> dan, you know, i'll be asking the questions from viewers around the country or voters through facebook. and that question could certainly come up from one of the voters and how does she answer an average american who has some questions about the e-mails or about benghazi. i think as it relates to the e-mails, i think it's important for her to continue to be, as she has been -- done a good job, i think, in recent weeks about apologizing for it, being nondefensive about it, explaining the decision she made and what she would do differently and begin to then turn the discussion to the future because this election is not going to be part of hillary clinton's e-mails e-mail practices. it will be over a choice for the direction of the country. the sooner she can get off the e-mails and on to the direction of the country, the better off

she'll be. >> on the heels of kevin mccarthy's comments about benghazi, an intelligence officer told us yesterday that the benghazi committee exclusively targeted hillary clinton and it was politically motivated. do you expect that that is going to change this benghazi conversation at all? >> oh, yeah, i think it changes it entirely. this whole thing has now blown up in the face of the republicans. some of us, for two plus years, have been saying this is a partisan charade. now we have republicans, someone who was going to be the speakers of the house and a republican investigator saying this was a part january charade. so i think when hillary goes into the hearings next week, the republicans have to justify their continued existence, the squandering of taxpayer money and i don't think hillary will be on the defensive in that case. i think the tables are totally turned. >> so, dan, what is the bigger

problem here, that the e-mail scandal measures with a lot of the negative things that some people may already believe about the clintons or that they are secretive and that they break the rules, they play by their own rules? >> look, i think it's important to recognize, hillary clinton is running for the democratic nomination. democrats love hillary clinton. they also like bernie sanders and i think if they get to know martin oh molly and these other candidates, they will like them. i think the challenge is, one, it's created this press storm where all you've heard about from hillary clinton for the last four or five months now is the e-mails, bad polls and how the e-mails have caused her to have bad polls and that's a negative feedback loop that's hurt her. i think she has an opportunity start, this debate, as i said, pivot to something else and move forward. i think she can do that. it's going to take a lot of work and being transparent and

nondefensive in how she answers the question, but the best opportunity she has is tomorrow night. >> but, david, whether it's -- dan, back to you. let's follow up on that. whether you think it's a real issue or not, or if you think it's something that is orchestrated by the republicans, it has become a talking point. she is being questioned about it. it has affected her in the polls and has affected this campaign. so you have to treat it as a real issue. >> oh, absolutely. i think she would be -- she would make -- & she and her campaign would make a mistake to minimize how they deal with it. right now, hillary clinton is being treated as the de facto encouple bent in this case. do you trust hillary clinton? eventually this race is going to become a choice. where a clinton campaign wants the race to be is do you trust hillary clinton more than jeb bush or donald trump to fight for the economy or to fight immigration and to get to the m

referendum? when you get to a general election, if she can get there, then i think the tables will turn on this discussion. >> okay. david, real quickly, because i've got to get to a break, but bill clinton, the most popular democrat in the country, do you think that he should be sidelined? is it going to look like he's sidelined tomorrow if the campaign doesn't use him? should they use him more? >> no. i don't think he'll be sidelined. bill clinton is an incredibly effective surrogate. look back to the democratic convention in 2012. he gave that amazing speech. so we'll see more of that as time goes on. but tomorrow night it is time for americans to see hillary clinton. it's the first democratic debate for her to make her case as to why she's the real progressive champion in this case. and i think she'll do that. >> dan, david, thank you very much. i appreciate it. gentlemen, coming up, you can't come to vegas without cruising the strip and i'm doing it in style with a former las vegas

mayor, oscar goodman and that is next. ♪ ♪ (singing) you wouldn't haul a load without checking your clearance. so why would you invest without checking brokercheck? check your broker with brokercheck. when you're not confident your company's data is secure, the possibility of a breach can quickly become the only thing you think about. that's where at&t can help. at at&t we monitor our network traffic so we can see things others can't. mitigating risks across your business. leaving you free to focus on what matters most. when a moment turns romantic why pause to take a pill? or stop to find a bathroom? cialis for daily use is approved to treat both erectile dysfunction and the urinary symptoms of bph, like needing to go frequently, day or night.

tell your doctor about all your medical conditions and medicines, and ask if your heart is healthy enough for sex. do not take cialis if you take nitrates for chest pain, as it may cause an unsafe drop in blood pressure. do not drink alcohol in excess. side effects may include headache, upset stomach, delayed backache or muscle ache. to avoid long-term injury, get medical help right away for an erection lasting more than four hours. if you have any sudden decrease or loss in hearing or vision, or any symptoms of an allergic reaction, stop taking cialis and get medical help right away. ask your doctor about cialis for daily use and a free 30-tablet trial. ♪ ♪ the beautiful sound of customers making the most of their united flight. power, wi-fi, and streaming entertainment. that's... seize the journey friendly.

♪ the wolf was huffing and puffing. like you do sometimes, grandpa? well, when you have copd, it can be hard to breathe. it can be hard to get air out, which can make it hard to get air in. so i talked to my doctor. she said... symbicort could help you breathe better, starting within 5 minutes. symbicort doesn't replace a rescue inhaler for sudden symptoms. symbicort helps provide significant improvement of your lung function. symbicort is for copd,

including chronic bronchitis and emphysema. it should not be taken more than twice a day. symbicort contains formoterol. medicines like formoterol increase the risk of death from asthma problems. symbicort may increase your risk of lung infections, osteoporosis, and some eye problems. you should tell your doctor if you have a heart condition or high blood pressure before taking it. symbicort could mean a day with better breathing. watch out, piggies! (children giggle) symbicort. breathe better starting within 5 minutes. call or go online to learn more about a free trial offer. if you can't afford your medication, astrazeneca may be able to help. digestive core.r so choose ultimate flora by renewlife. it has 30 billion probiotic cultures. feel lighter and more energized. ultimate flora. more power to your gut. we are less than 24 hours away from our cnn democratic

debate right here in las vegas. in a lot of ways, this town is america's melting pot. but to really see vegas, you've got to cruise the strip. and one of the best guys you could have is former mayor oscar goodman. hi, mayor. >> hi. >> do you want to hot in with me? >> i sure do. >> come on, get in here. beautiful. when you come out of the office, it has to make you proud when you see that. . >> i'm ready proud of what we did downtown because when i took it over, it was rubble. >> tell me about old las vegas. because the mob played a big role. >> las vegas was basically founded as a watering hole. they used to travel going across the country and stop off downtown where we'll be going where they had springs. >> right. >> and they would water the cattle, they would feed the cattle and then they would go on earth to las vegas or if they're going the other way, up to salt lake city. >> what people don't realize, they think they come to vegas and it's all fun. this is a city where people live.

it's normal rush hour traffic. >> 2 million people living in the valley here. and it's a place to do serious business, of course. but at the same time, we're a tourist destination, so we tell people, do your serious business and have a good time. >> now we're on las vegas boulevard. right here. we're going this way, hard right. this is all las vegas. >> so, mayor, this is the perfect place for a debate. it's the ideal place for a debate because we have people that are cross-section of the entire world living here and certainly of the united states. so their input is necessary in order to evaluate the position of the candidate. >> so tell me what is important, what do you think nevadans want to know from the candidates. >> well, you know, nevadans are practical people. they want to be able to keep up the quality of life that we enjoy here and we want to make sure that the economy is a booming economy so people will take the time to come out and engage in their meetings out

here, their conventions out here and their enjoyment out here. >> this mop museum you bought for a dollar? >> we bought it for a dollar. used to be a post office. we had to restore it to its mint condition. >> mayor, we talk about not just the strip, you got the museum. what is this? >> this is phenomenal. it's a frank gary designed building. working on experiment from alzheimeres. they come from all over the world to be treated here. studying concussions for athletes, anything to do with the brain. >> i feel like this is a gimungous times square. times square on steroids. >> but every time you turn around, there's something new happens. that's what's so wonderful. >> that's it for us tonight. thank you for watching and don't miss our cnn democratic debate tomorrow night beginning at

8:30. our live coverage continues in just a minute with john boss here in las vegas and aisha in los angeles. that's why at&t is giving you 50% more data. that's 15 gigs of data for the price of 10. because the more data you have, the better. and right now at at&t get $300 credit for every line you switch when you trade in a smartphone and buy any smartphone on at&t next.

this is "cnn newsroom." i'm in los angeles. >> i'm john vause in las vegas with the clock is counting down to the first democratic debate. hillary clinton and bernie sanders face to face for the first time during this campaign and he has a podium, there's lots of talk about a run, but still no decision if vice president joe biden is ready to make a third bid for the white house. >> now major airlines are changing their flight plans after being warned about russian missiles being fired over iraq and iran. we're live in north korea where thousands have been prepare for a spectacular military par rid. one of the biggest the