Kellyanne Conway on leaving the White House, relationship with President Trump

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Kellyanne Conway on leaving the White House, relationship with President Trump

Kellyanne Conway, counselor to the president, joins Martha MacCallum with insight on 'The Story.'

This is a rush transcript from "The Story," August 26, 2020. This copy may not be in its final form and may be updated.

MARTHA MACCALLUM, FOXS NEWS ANCHOR: Hey, there Brett thanks very much. We will see you at 10:00. All right, everybody breaking tonight, Hurricane Laura now bearing down on the Coast of Louisiana and Eastern Texas. It's now a category four hurricane and it is expected to make landfall in the coming hours.

The warnings going out to residents in danger that the storm surge could be un-survivable as the word that they are using obviously they're encouraging everybody to get out of there. So almost 15 years to the day since Katrina, roared into the Gulf at the end of August that year so we are keeping close eye on that situation we will take you there live.

We're going to update you throughout the hour. So stay with us for that. Meanwhile, the police shootings of Jacob Blake triggering more killing in Kenosha, Wisconsin tonight. Two people were shot to death in the third night of unrest.

Now, a 17 -year-old suspect is in custody on suspicion of first-degree first degree homicide. A reporter for daily caller interviewed the young man he says as the alleged suspect before the shot rang out. Watch this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Obviously, you're armed, and you're front of this, is this we saw burning last night. So what's up?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: People are getting injured. Our job is to protect it. Part of my job is when there is somebody hurt; I'm running into harm's way. That's why I'm - that's my job obviously.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MACCALLUM: My next guest is media reporter at "The Daily Caller" and was also on the scene last night Shelby Talcott joins me us now. Shelby, obviously this is a very disturbing development in this story. What else do we know about what happened?

SHELBY TALCOTT, MEDIA REPORTER, THE DAILY CALLER: Right now we pretty much know what everybody else knows. I think that the main thing is that there is so much chaos last night when this whole thing happened. There were multiple gunshots, there were it seems to be coming from different directions.

There was the first shooting where a man was shot in the head and my coworker Richard - actually helped carry him to a car and transported him to a hospital. Then I remained out in the street, and there was a second shooting where a man was shot in the arm, and there was a third victim.

So we do know that a 17 -year-old suspect has been arrested, it appears that this person in this video is this aspect. Of course, we are still waiting for more details to come out because the scene was so chaotic. It was in the middle of a night of riots in Kenosha so we are still learning details hour by hour.

MACCALLUM: Shelby you know you just watched this video, and we first of all - one of my questions is just how frightening was this for you, to be in the middle of this and shots start ringing out here?

TALCOTT: The first thought that I had was you know I had just actually just gotten off the phone with Richie because we were trying to meet up again because we'd gotten separated. I was sort of across the street pretty close to where the gunshots rang out, and as soon as they started firing, my first thought was I have to make sure that my coworker is okay.

So, after the gunshots stopped, I ran towards where the shooting had occurred and, I put myself into the middle just to make sure because it seemed this scene seemed fine. I had seen the shooter, or the alleged shooter run past me.

People were chasing him saying this is the shooter, so they went the opposite direction, I went towards where the first victim was and that's where I saw Richie, literally take the shirt off his back to apply pressure to this man's head wound, and picked him up, carried him across the street with some other men and loaded him into a car.

So I think the adrenaline was pumping at that point and I was just more concerned for the safety of the team. And likely come out we were all totally fine and definitely a scary situation but, these things are it gets out of control sometimes.

MACCALLUM: Shelby, I'm looking at this video, and I don't see any police officers or any National Guard, and I know that President Trump says they are going to send in federal help to this situation. Was there any law enforcement on the scene there?

TALCOTT: Officers arrived after all of those shooting. So the first shooting occurred and it probably took me about five seconds to get to the actual scene of the shooting and it probably took the boys I would say two or three minutes or so to get this man across the street, loaded into the vehicle and take into the hospital.

About a minute after that, there was another round of gunshots police arrived after all of that, so I would guess it took police about five or six minutes to arrive, which was surprising because as far as I knew, they were just down the street and they had been out all night sort of trying to disperse these rioters.

MACCALLUM: I mean, it is shocking to watch that video and to hear all that gunfire and to know that they must be not too far away given the fact that there is all this protest going on, and they are very aware that this is the Kenosha Sheriff today David Beth, listen to this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SHERIFF DAVID BETH, KENOSHA COUNTY, WI: I had a person call me and say why don't you deputize citizens who have guns to come out and patrolled patrol the City of Kenosha? I'm like oh no. What happened last night was probably the perfect reason why I wouldn't.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MACCALLUM: Yes, I mean, here you have a 17 -year-old out in the streets with a gun, and it's understandable that people want to protect their businesses, but this just looks like total chaos and anarchy.

TALCOTT: Of course. And I actually noted that earlier in the night, when there was a fairly substantial group of, I would say at least a dozen of these armed individuals, and a lot of them were younger and you know, I did question to myself sort of how would they react in these intensely stressful situations?

17 -year-old kid in a riot with a weapon, is it going to make things worse? And I think last night showed that it will make things worse.

MACCALLUM: Shelby Talcott, on the scene last night reporting for "The Daily Caller" with - thank you very much. Good to see you tonight what the situation.

TALCOTT: Thanks.

MACCALLUM: All right, so the Former Governor of Wisconsin Scott Walker joins me now with his thoughts on all of this. We're also joined by Chris Hahn Former Aide to Senator Chuck Schumer and a Syndicated Radio Host.

Governor, let me talk start with you. Did you ever imagined that you would see in your home state, this kind of total anarchy where you've got a 17 - year-old walking down the street with a gun, all of these other anarchy as to who have been burning buildings, you can see the baseball bats in their backpacks. They're ready to smash out more stuff in the streets. This is unbelievable in the United States of America.

SCOTT WALKER, FORMER WISCONSIN GOVERNOR: Well, it is just tragic. I look at it and say it's tragic obviously initially for Jacob Blake and his family it's tragic for the Kenosha Police Department. Increasingly it's tragic for the people who live in Kenosha who now three nights in a row have had to live through fired scum of riots, and mayhem on the streets.

I've got to tell you they have got to take quicker swifter or action there. We went to a situation like this several years ago and we called that we brought the Wisconsin State Patrol and, we brought the National Guard and we did it immediately.

The other thing that actually helped is at times was clergy coming to try to defuse that situation in Milwaukee. And it never even got close to escalating into something like this. But sadly, the Governor and other officials haven't acted as quick enough.

Thankfully they try and retook the advice from the president accepting his help and I don't know why it took Joe Biden three days - three nights of rioting in the violence into desk before speaking out against the violence.

You can be upset about what you saw in the videotape, there is no doubt about that, but at the same time you have got to call out the violence. Unfortunately that's been a pattern we've seen there in Portland, Seattle, Chicago and elsewhere across the country.

MACCALLUM: Well, it's unfortunate that the Governor didn't call in for extra help yesterday. It was offered is my understanding. Now it is on the way, federal help. Chris Hahn, the question raised by Governor Walker, we went through an entire week of the Democratic National Convention with these stories being all over the place, and now they're just getting worse prayed we watch this go from New York City, Washington, D.C., Chicago, Portland, Seattle, now we're in Kenosha, Wisconsin. It's not like this is just an isolated bad situation.

CHRIS HAHN, FORMER AIDE TO SENATOR CHUCK SCHUMMER: Yes, and very Democrat in America has called out against the violence in the street, especially Joe Biden and Kamala Harris.

MACCALLUM: We didn't hear much on that at all at that I remember Chris at the Democratic National Convention, to be fair.

HAHN: I think there was very little violence going on during the Democratic Convention. And Joe Biden has spoken--

MACCALLUM: No I was telling about what happened before that.

HAHN: Joe Biden spoke out against the violence happening before that, he spoke out against this violence and it should be a--

MACCALLUM: Can you point me to when and where that was? Can you point me to when and where that was?

WALKER: He didn't do it. That is actually false lie Joe Biden did not--

HAHN: He did it today.

WALKER: --violence today, three days, three nights after the riots, to deciliter, he the Democrat Attorney General, the Democrat Governor with today, assumable, presumably after the polls came out.

MACCALLUM: In fact, one second, guys. Let me play this because I think this is what has prompted a bit of a change of tune here let's play this, this is John Kasich, and then we have Don Lemon in this as well watch this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOHN KASICH, FORMER OHIO GOVERNOR: Joe Biden needs to be very, very strong on the fact that while protests are okay they are a positive thing, they are America, this violence need to be deeply condemned.

DON LEMON, CNN HOST: Joe Biden may be afraid to do it; he has got to do a speech like Barack Obama did about race. The rioting has to stop. Chris, as you and I know, it showing up in the bulls. It showing up in focus groups.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MACCALLUM: Chris, what do you say to that?

HAHN: I agree. I think he did today and he's got to do more. Obviously in the middle of the Republican National Convention isn't the time from the given major address. But he did speak out against this as he should.

That said saying that the Governor of Wisconsin excepted help from the feds is not entirely accurate. We still haven't had confirmation that actually happened. And Scott Walker should know he was a guy who sued Obama many, many times over states rights. This is a situation where if the Governor wants that help, he'll get it. He's calling out the National Guard.

(CROSS TALK)

MACCALLUM: I want to offer him a chance to respond. Chris hold on. Governor responded and then I have got to go.

WALKER: --if anyone listening is Donald Trump.

MACCALLUM: Governor? People on the ground are calling out for help, instead of sending 100 or to when you've got hundreds of not thousands of people on the ground causing these riots, anybody that knows anything about law enforcement needs to know you need the kind of support for us, if you have a small group like a small group of National Guard.

HAHN: That's what the National Guard is for, Governor.

WALKER: That's the problem.

HAHN: The Governor started that.

MACCALLUM: You know what sadly - I have got to leave it there gentleman we got to go. Thank you very much to see you both. Chris Hahn and Governor Walker, good to see you both.

HAHN: Thank you.

WALKER: Thank you Martha.

MACCALLUM: Thanks. Kellyanne Conway joins me in her first interview since announcing that she will soon depart the White House and ahead of a Republican National Convention address tonight, that is next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

MACCALLUM: Kellyanne Conway has been at the president side through thick and thin.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: There is no dance, you will not go into. When my men are petrified to go at a certain network, I say Kellyanne we give to absolutely no problem. Then she gets on and she just destroys them.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MACCALLUM: Tonight she will address the convention before leaving her post at the White House. She is here to talk about that publicly tonight for the first time. She was a Campaign Manager in 2016 the first one to lead a successful presidential campaign. She had a long and successful career in conservative politics and bowling before that.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

KELLYANNE CONWAY, COUNSELOR TO PRESIDENT TRUMP: I think what you need to do is getting ready for a - President-Elect Donald J. Trump.

(CROSS TALK)

CONWAY: One piece of advice I would give is don't pay attention to each other, don't pay attention to the politicians, don't pay attention to the elite, pay attention to the people this as a victory by the people.

We don't need Ukraine to help big Joe Biden or any of the rest of them. Anymore than we need Russia to beat Hillary Clinton. Two new trade deals, two Supreme Court Justices, two dead terrorist that is two terms.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MACCALLUM: Kellyanne Conway welcome. Good to have you here tonight, Kellyanne. So I want to start with your thoughts on your departure and also what your message will be for the convention tonight.

CONWAY: Thank you so much for having me Martha. I wasn't aware we were going to talk about me, but let's do it. I have posted my message publicly and have gotten tremendous support from people right, left, and center and non political people because they understand that we are mother's first most important best job most wonderful job ever.

And it has been such a wonderful ride for a boss and the president that has been so good that let me know he has been elevating women in business and government on his campaign and his corporation and his cabinet for a decade. And it's just been very natural he lets us - he confides us consults us and whether the man knew it or not or liked it or not President Trump has always made sure that I and the other women here have been on equal footing with the men.

But I told him on Sunday night in the Oval Office what I was doing and I said you know for the next two months, you have to focus on winning, and I have to invest leisure wear and hover over my kids as they hover over their computers doing school from home.

So what I'm doing is what millions and millions of parents across this country are doing Martha, which is trying to navigate this new not so normal where the kids are learning from home. I want to be there for them.

During the spring I was here every day seven days a week when COVID-19 first hit, and when we were working around-the-clock. I didn't have the same opportunity that I want to have now to be there for them.

But when the history books are written I want people to remember its Donald J. Trump who plucked me out of plain sight. I'd been working for decades at this and it was passed over by many people in the old boy's network and frankly the new boy's network and lots of those candidates lost.

But he saw in me somebody who he wanted to help with his team, and it was a big team effort. He and Vice President Pence won that election by going across this country. But when people are you know - we have these handbooks that say women's empowerment, but it's only real if somebody lives it, if they walk it, if they actually promote women and not just talk about it. He has done that.

MACCALLUM: I think that's a great point. You know when I look back at the administration thus far, I think of you. You have outlasted every single wave of people leaving. And I think of people leaving, and I think you know people want to know why that is? How did you outlast everyone, and what does that say about the relationship that you have with the president, your boss?

CONWAY: I do have a good relationship with the president. And it is one that is very personal and hands-on meeting. I see these people leave the White House and write books about they were in this meeting and the president said that and now they believe this the time to do that is when you are here because the president not just accept, but expects dissenting opinions and different backgrounds.

He once said two years ago that's absolutely which I like to watch them fight it out right in front of me. And we have done that because this is a man who wants people in front of him who come from different points of view, but then he weighs the consequences and advice and eventually makes the decision.

So for me I think I've just always known that first of all I am as staffer, I'm not the principal, not everybody understood that. And also there are two people in the building with their name on the ballot, it is Donald Trump and Mike Pence, they ultimately will make the decisions.

But also I think that in Washington D.C. Martha that people often overestimate how much you can or should get done by this Friday and they totally underestimate how much you can and could have get done in the next two weeks or two months.

So I've also tried to be organized and planned that out. Also I know this sounds very simple but the truth is I love my job. And I always thought it was a blessing not a burden to work through this great nation and this great country.

You don't come here for the money. I use to make - what I make here in a year I used to making a few speeches. You don't come here for the money; you come here for the love of country to think that you can be one molecule that's a positive force for change.

I did put on my statement that I wanted to thank the right people, the president, the First Lady, and the Vice President Mrs. Pence, but I also want to thank the people I met along the way. Because this is a beautiful country filled with amazing people.

For all of our political differences and cultural grievances cleavages, the promise that of America belongs to us all. And what I put in there is that the people have re-affirmed my later in life believe that public service can be meaningful and consequential.

I entered this job on my 50th birthday. I literally turned 50 the day he was inaugurated. Later in life, and I tell young people, you can put public service as part of your vocation and your career. I highly recommend it. Boy, the president did it in his 70s.

MACCALLUM: That's for sure.

CONWAY: I think it's made a difference.

MACCALLUM: I want to play something that you said to me on January 30th 2017. Watch this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CONWAY: I do feel like I have vaulted platform if you will and a special responsibility to America's women particularly those who write to me email me call me text me. Stop me on the streets or anywhere I really am. Martha just to say thank you so much for standing up to four other women other people who are trying to diminish the President of the United States.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MACCALLUM: Kellyanne, I have to ask one of the people who has diminished the president very, very publicly is your husband, George Conway. I know he said he's also stepping back from the public statements that he makes. So I think a lot of people who feel like they have gotten to know you over the years just want to know what you want to say about that.

CONWAY: I'm going to say very little about that. I did release my statement and George released a tweet as well saying he was going to step back. We're doing that for our kids there is no question. You know Martha for all my public facing responsibilities and roles; I've worked on policy here most of all.

But I will say this I really very rarely mentioned my kids. I kept our lives very private, that's why people usually use the picture of the six of us from the Yankees game five years ago because I never had a Facebook account or Instagram account believe it or not.

I don't post pictures of my kids every day. I want them to think I'm a good mom, I don't need the whole world to think I'm because I'm posting pictures and maybe one day I will get an Instagram account and you will see you know Kellyanne and their kids after the White House.

But I've tried to keep them out of the spotlight and out of the limelight quite a bit all the while showing them the value progress. Isn't that I tried to teach them also as they matured, now in middle school and high school four of them that this is what mommy does at work.

This is what I'm working on I tried to tell them I'm doing adoption and foster care, we're working on healthcare today. Or I was just in a meeting about the economy. Or I can't believe missing murdered indigenous women has been ignored for so long of the drug crisis or people are languishing in prison long after they paid their debts to society.

So I tried to be them bring them along as best I can all the while letting them be kids. But what I would say is that I don't let anybody define me and nobody can make you feel badly without your permission. That is my message to people.

And I think that American couples can disagree and all of that, but I prefer to - you know we made much more private about that and try to use my social media platform to not attack people, to not attack me.

My speech tonight, to the RNC to the country is much like the First Lady's last night in that she said hey, if you haven't noticed, I didn't use my precious time here didn't tonight to attack the other side. We had to do Former First Lady's last week doing exactly that, attack, attack, attack.

And I think for all the talk of unifying the country and coming together there is so much more that unites us and divides us. And some of us are trying and had tried to appeal to these better angles. But I think very consistent about coming here and doing the job. I didn't change my mind, and I haven't changed my beliefs at all. I have grown tremendously. I didn't win every debate with the president.

MACCALLUM: I want to ask you one - you know he did me know that. You know I don't want to press you on the personal things. So much of it has been so public and I think that you know me as a mom I believe that your family is off-limits, and whatever is out there is out there, but you are a mom and I am a mom, and I don't think that would be right of me as a person.

But I do want to ask you, do you think that you should be getting more support from some women out there who might be giving someone in your shoes making the incredibly difficult decision that you have just made who is on the other side of the aisle; do you think that person would be treated differently?

CONWAY: I've gotten a ton of support from people on the other side of the aisle I have to tell you. And people in the media who otherwise weren't nice to me or my boss, they really see this for what it is which is that we all make our decisions and we can't have everything all at once.

And I also told the president on Sunday night you are really well- positioned in this White House and at your campaign to win a second term. And I think that's because of all those stuffs that he has done while he has been here.

The progress report the vision piece for the future. But also I have to say, us as mothers aren't term limit. I've always been there for my kids, but now I can be there more with them. I only went on one foreign trip Martha because I really didn't want to go away for six days, seven days, eight days at a time, five days at a time and leave the kids here while I did that.

So I did put limits, I didn't just run around and say and I didn't go on a foreign trip. You just make your decisions quietly. But, I'm not leaving the arena forever. I will announce my plans in the future. But as I said and I see it is also a T-shirt now somebody made it and it's selling it on FC that's says less drama more mama.

It only comes in at kid's sizes, so I think that that is somebody probably took them and said you know what kids like that slogan. And but you're right, I do want to say you know George has sent out a tweet a while ago saying our kids are off limits, we don't give you consent to speak to our minor children who are 15, 14, 12, and ten.

And most people did lay off, but some didn't. And they shouldn't have done that Martha for lots of reasons. And they should respect you know for ticks and clicks you got to think about this, a minor as a minor and you got to think about that. And you're absolutely right that things are off-limits. Thank you so much Martha. I didn't realize you were doing that tonight. Thank you so much.

MACCALLUM: Thank you very much. We will be watching tonight.

CONWAY: Take care and God bless.

MACCALLUM: A quick break and we will be right back. Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CHRIS PETERSON, DAIRY FARMER: President Trump took the necessary action knowing that agriculture is our backbone and strength, critical to our national security, our entire economy, and dairy farming are once again roaring back.

ERIC TRUMP, DONALD TRUMP'S SON: To our farmers who work daunted desk to keep our plates full, my father will fight for you.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MACCALLUM: A direct appeal to rural America on night two of the Republican National Convention. The message expected to continue when Iowa Senator Joni Ernst speaks tonight. As Politico points out President Trump may face more of a challenge this time around when it comes to Midwestern battleground states.

Writing, quote, "Convincing farm state voters to give Trump another four years could be trickier in 2020. Unlike other industries upended by the coronavirus, agriculture has been in a downturn for years. Trump's fate in November could largely depend on how much backlash he faces in key places like Pennsylvania and Wisconsin from voters feeling the ripple effects of weakness in agriculture and the economy at large."

Here now, Mollie Hemingway, senior editor of The Federalist and Fox News contributor. Mollie, great to have you with us tonight. What is -- what's your take on --

(CROSSTALK)

MOLLIE HEMINGWAY, FOX NEWS CONTRIBUTOR: Great to be here with you.

MACCALLUM: -- the agricultural vote in the Midwest given both of those dynamics.

HEMINGWAY: I don't think Donald Trump needs to worry too much about losing the agricultural vote, these were people who came out to support him in 2016, some people might have even been reluctant in doing it and in the intervening four years the case for voting for Trump in their minds has likely strengthened, not just because of a strong economy.

It is true that there have been rough times for certain farmers and certain states, but the economy has performed very well under President Trump particularly before the coronavirus. And more than that, there is not a particularly good case being put forth by the opposing party in terms of Joe Biden recently said that he would reinstitute the -- or he would -- he would take away that tax cuts and tax reform that had been passed previously, which is not going to be a message that they want to hear.

But farming isn't really the big issue here even though it has been something that's been focused on at the convention. More interesting, I think, is that the Trump campaign is working very hard to expand the voting base in some of these states like Michigan and Pennsylvania.

Tremendous outreach to the black community and not just that kind where they focus on someone who's black, speaking at the convention, but basing it in policy decisions that the Trump administration has made over the previous term whether that's support for historically black colleges and universities, criminal justice reform, or job growth.

And these are the types of things that don't just appeal to black voters, but to the middle-class voters in general. And that's going to make a difference in Michigan, in Wisconsin, in North Carolina, Florida, and throughout the country.

MACCALLUM: Yes. I think about what's going on in Wisconsin right now, in Kenosha, and obviously a lot of people taking to the streets. Their initial reason of course is the death of Jacob Blake at the hands of police officers and we have a number of games postponed from the -- with the NBA, players boycotting.

First, they sat in the locker room and then they said we are not coming out. Baseball games also postponed. The Brewers and the Reds game is postponed. This is a scene from sports coverage on TNT tonight when there was a walkout by one of the anchors. Watch this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

KENNY SMITH, NBA ANALYST: As a black man, as a former player, I think it's best for me to support the players and just not be here tonight. And figure out what happens after that. I just not feel (Inaudible) to that.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And I respect that.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MACCALLUM: That was Kenny Smith, he walked off the set. Shaq and Charles Barkley were among those who stayed on the set in those moments, obviously a protest that is getting some traction in some of these athletic circles, Mollie.

HEMINGWAY: It is. And I'm -- it's a little unclear what what's the entire goal of walking off or boycotting one's own game is, but politically speaking, this is a serious challenge for the Democratic Party.

You've had violent protests and riots going on for months in cities across the country. The violence is deeply alarming to a lot of voters, and at the Democratic National Convention there was not one word of condemnation of the violence in response to some of these shootings which always turn out to be a bit more complicated than first presented by the media.

And it is, you know, there is a lot of pressure on Democrats as polling numbers show that this, that violence in cities across the country are starting to hurt Democrats. There's a lot of pressure on Democrats to finally speak about it, but it might be too little too late.

And the fact that you have walkouts happening right now also means it's going to be harder for them to speak against some of these violent riots that are going on because their own base has some -- does not want them to speak against some of these protest movements.

MACCALLUM: Yes. No doubt. This on a different topic, President Trump has said that he's -- you're talking to Byron York, and he's calling for a drug test for Joe Biden before the debate. Let's look at this. He says we're going to call for a drug test by the way, because his best performance was against Bernie. It wasn't that he was Winston Churchill, because he wasn't, but it was a normal boring debate, you know, nothing amazing happened.

And we're going to call for a drug test because there is no way. You can't do that. What do you say about that, Mollie?

HEMINGWAY: Donald Trump is the master troll in chief there. But it does speak to this issue. A lot of people say well, see Joe Biden performed all right in his speech last night. He stood up right for 20 minutes so there are no questions about his energy or acuity.

And I think that it is a legitimate question about how well he would handle the daily pressures of the presidency. But probably people should be aware that he can handle a debate fine as he did in that last debate or may be even in the last two debates within the Democratic primary, he actually handled himself fine and he did fine in the speech.

MACCALLUM: Yes.

HEMINGWAY: It's more a question that voters have about the longer term.

MACCALLUM: Mollie Hemingway, always good to see you. Thank you very much.

HEMINGWAY: Thanks.

MACCALLUM: So, the GOP unleashing a massive effort this week to court African-American voters and there are reports of concern about that leverage with the Biden camp. RNC chair Ronna McDaniel is here on that and the massive lineup for tonight that's in-store. We'll talk to her when we come back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DANIEL CAMERON, KENTUCKY ATTORNEY GENERAL: I also think about Joe Biden who says, if you aren't voting for me, you are not black, who argued that Republicans would put us back in chains, who says there is no diversity of thought in the black community. Mr. Vice President, look at me. I am black. We are not all the same, sir. I am not in chains. My mind is my own, and you can't tell me how to vote because of the color of my skin.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MACCALLUM: Strong moment the other night from Daniel Cameron, the Kentucky attorney general as the Republican Party has made a concerted outreach this week in order to try to chip away at Joe Biden support among black voters and that's reportedly got some in his camp a bit concerned. Watch this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CHUCK TODD, HOST, MSNBC: Both campaigns, guys, tell me that there is a chance that a Donald Trump could overperform with African-American men, it's a concern of the Biden campaign, and it's a focus of the Trump campaign.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MACCALLUM: Ronna McDaniel, chair of the Republican National Committee joins me now. Ronna, good to talk to you this evening.

So, Chuck Todd pointing out that his reporting indicates that there is concern that there may be an increase in interest in voting for President Trump among black males in the United States of America. Is that what you see in your numbers?

RONNA MCDANIEL, CHAIRWOMAN, REPUBLICAN NATIONAL COMMITTEE: Absolutely. That's what we've seen with President Trump from the very beginning. Listen, I was chair of Michigan in 2016. And then candidate Trump not only did he come to Michigan, he came to Detroit, he came to Flint, things that Republicans never did as candidates. Not because he was trying to court their vote, he was coming to say I care about you and I'm going to be a president that represents every American, and you deserve better because the Democratic Party has let you down.

And you've seen that with his policies. He is the one who passed criminal justice reform. Joe Biden and Obama could have done it. They didn't. He's the one who's expanded economic opportunity zones and put that into the tax cuts and Jobs Act. He's the one who's given loan forgiveness for HBCUs, and he is the one that under his administration took black unemployment to the lowest level in history.

This is what President Trump is proud of and this is what he's done.

MACCALLUM: Yes. So, I mean, when you look back, according to Pew's Research of the 2016 election, black males voted for Hillary Clinton, 81 percent, and for President Trump 14 percent, which I believe was an increase over Mitt Romney. And then you've black women at 98 percent for Hillary Clinton in the last election.

They seem to be gravitating more towards Joe Biden in this election as well. What are your numbers? Are you about 14 percent? Can you give us a sense of the internal polling? Where does that number lie right now, do you think?

MCDANIEL: It's definitely higher than 14 percent, its different state-by- state, so we are looking at states like Michigan and Pennsylvania and we see him making ground up in those states with black voters because he is taking an economic message to them, but he's also taking a message of results.

And the party, and the Trump campaign, we are opening offices in urban communities and we're reaching out to black voters. And we are saying it is time for the Republican Party to fight for your vote, we want you in our party, we want your voice heard in our party because the Democrat Party just takes you for granted.

Look at what Daniel Cameron said last night. Joe Biden said if you don't vote for me, you are not black. Talk about something demeaning and dismissive. He says there's no diversity of thought in the African-American community.

That is not how the Republican Party views black America, and that's why we've launched black voices for Trump and we are absolutely making up ground in these communities who are finally saying you know what, we've been with the Democrats long enough, maybe it's time to look at the Republican Party.

MACCALLUM: Well, you know, it's interesting. I mean, you do over time see shifts in electorate whether it's demographic or sometimes it's geographic over the course of history. And it's going to be very interesting to watch if that effort that you are making and the Republican Party is making, whether or not it pays off.

One area that is difficult for your party and for President Trump's election is suburban women. He's down about 13 percent in the polls right now with suburban women. We've obviously seen a big effort over the last few nights to try to speak to those women. Hillary Clinton, he ended up in about the same spot, so he really has not budged since 2016 with that group, Ronna.

MCDANIEL: You know, I do think what we're seeing in Kenosha though, and Portland and Seattle and Chicago, and in cities across the country with Democrat run cities, with mayors, with Democrat governors is refusing to protect the communities that they are elected to serve, it's really resonating with suburban women.

Because they are saying why are Democrats standing back as stores are being burned to the ground, as people's livelihoods are being destroyed. It's one thing to have a peaceful protest, but it's transformed into this violence. And the Democrat Party is sitting on their hands silently. And we're starting to see a shift with suburban women who recognize that President Trump stands for law and order.

MACCALLUM: We will see. Polls tightening. It's going to get interesting. Ronna McDaniel, thank you very much. Great to see you again.

MCDANIEL: Thanks for having me.

MACCALLUM: So less than an hour from the start of tonight's RNC where Vice President Mike Pence will deliver his acceptance speech. More on that and what to come tonight when we come back. Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

MACCALLUM: Before Vice President Pence steps into the spotlight tonight, a look back at some of his predecessors for our quote of the night. Watch this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

EARL WARREN, FORMER CALIFORNIA GOVERNOR: Before you change your mind, I want to say that I accept the nomination.

FORMER PRESIDENT GEORGE H.W. BUSH: I accept your nomination to serve as our party's candidate for vice president on a ticket headed by the leader of our party and the next President of the United States, Ronald Reagan. I accept.

FORMER VICE PRESIDENT DICK CHENEY: I am honored by your nomination and I accept it.

(APPLAUSE)

FORMER PRESIDENT RICHARD NIXON: In this great contest, we can never relax. We are dealing, as I know from experience, with a dedicated enemy, quick to pounce on any weakness or resolve on our part.

FORMER SEN. HENRY CABOT LODGE, JR., R-MA: In that spirit, I will give this campaign everything I've got and I'll fight because I believe in Richard Nixon, I believe in our cause, and I believe in America.

FORMER VICE PRESIDENT SPIRO AGNEW: This time when some people seem determined to put labels on people, and in the process to turn American against American, it would be well to remember that this kind of behavior is not progressive, but regressive.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: With your help, the help of the American people, and with the help of Almighty God we shall succeed.

FORMER VICE PRESIDENT DAN QUAYLE: They don't like our values, they look down on our beliefs, they are afraid of our ideas and they know the American people stand on our side.

JACK KEMP, FORMER U.S. SECRETARY, HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT: Father Theodore Hesburgh said the reason we have to close the backdoor of illegal immigration is so that we can keep open the front door of legal immigration.

(APPLAUSE)

CHENEY: A senator can be wrong for 20 years without consequences of the nation.

FORMER ALASKA GOV. SARAH PALIN: I was just your average hockey mom, and signed up for the PTA. I love those hockey moms. You know, they say the difference between a hockey mom and a pit bull? Lipstick.

(APPLAUSE)

PAUL RYAN, FORMER UNITED STATES SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE: Let's give this effort everything we have. Let's see this thing all the way through. Let's get this done.

VICE PRESIDENT MIKE PENCE: They all keep telling each other that the usual methods work against them. They keep thinking they've done him in only to wake up the next morning and find that Donald Trump is still standing and running stronger than ever before. The man just doesn't quit.

(APPLAUSE)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MACCALLUM: Always -- always good to look back. Did you spot Karl Rove in the Dan Quayle video? I did.

That's “The Story” on Wednesday, August 26. But we're going to be back tonight at 10 o'clock for our live coverage of the Republican National Convention. Join me and Bret. We will see you then. Have a great night, everybody.

END

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