[Baldwin:] Tonight, a moment in history, Hillary Clinton, the first woman ever to be nominated for president by a major party. A lot of people pointing out, you think about little girls across the country and really around the world waking up today and thinking about what this might mean for her or her future, her goals. Listen, whether you are left, right or somewhere in between, it does set a long-awaited precedent. One woman is reminding us that Hillary Clinton is standing upon the shoulders of generations who came before her. Mayor Lovely Warren, the first woman to serve as mayor of Rochester, New York, placed this sign in her city at the grave of Susan B. Anthony. She was, of course, a crusader for woman's rights, and above all, the right to vote. Let me read the sign for you. It reads: "Dear Susan B., we thought you might like to know that for first time in history a woman is running for president. 144 years ago, your illegal vote got you arrested. It took another 48 years for women to finally gain the right to vote. Thank you for paving the way." Mayor Warren joins me. Also with us, Doug Elmets. He, too, is focusing on the significance of this moment. He is actually a Republican, served in the Reagan administration, and he is speaking tonight at the DNC. So tonight is special for two very different reasons. So nice to meet both of you.
[Lovely Warren, , Mayor Of Rochester, New York:] Thank you for having us.
[Doug Elmets, , Former Reagan Administration Official:] Thank you.
[Baldwin:] Ladies first. Let me just ask you, what propelled you to put this sign next to her grave and what kind of what have people written on it?
[Warren:] Well, we just put it up on Tuesday after on the day that we cast our vote. I cast my vote.
[Baldwin:] As a delegate.
[Warren:] As a delegate. For me, it was really about the fact that I have a daughter, 6-year-old daughter, and my grandmother instilled in me that we always had to pay it forward, that we always never forget where we came from. Susan B. Anthony paved the way for me to become the first female mayor in Rochester. And I wanted her to know that she also paved the way for Hillary Clinton to now be the designated candidate for the Democrats. Also it is my sincere hope that she will be the next president of the United States, and the first female. I think that that's so very, very important for all of us.
[Baldwin:] Your 6-year-old daughter. Does she understand what's happening? Does she understand why mom has to be in Philadelphia?
[Warren:] We with be she does. I take her with me to different events in our community because I want her to understand what public service is really all about, the sacrifices of people that came before us, people like Susan B. Anthony, people like Shirley Chisholm, like my grandmother, who took us back to South Carolina, my family and my cousins and I to let us know we can never forget where we came from, the fact that some were share croppers. And the fact that allowed me to be the first attorney in my family and first politician in my family as well. Coming up in the next week, my little cousin will be the first doctor getting his white coat.
[Baldwin:] My goodness!
[Warren:] Coming from share croppers to that.
[Baldwin:] Your family! How about that? How about that? To you, sir. You are an "R" in a sea of "D"s. You're like a unicorn around these parts. You first voted for Ronald Reagan. This is the first time in 40 years you are voting for a Democrat. Why?
[Elmets:] When one looks at the options, the options are clear. Hillary Clinton is more prepared to be president than probably anybody in a generation. Compared to Ronald Reagan who, frankly, I believe is a petulant, unbalanced reality TV star
[Baldwin:] Donald Trump.
[Elmets:] Donald Trump. There's no question about it.
[Baldwin:] Before tonight and you'll be speaking to everyone you'll be watching around with your Republican friends saying, I'm voting for Hillary?
[Elmets:] That's the reality. There are many Republican friends I have who believe that it is party over country, that they're willing to really go to the grave with that orthodoxy. I just don't buy in to that. I think that at this point in history, we have two options, and Hillary Clinton is the best of the two.
[Baldwin:] We're just watching on the other side of the screen, Carole King rehearsing. She's performing as well. Is it just because it is Trump? Because a lot of people I'm wondering are just going to sit this one out. Republicans who just can't check that box for him but can't check the box for Hillary Clinton either.
[Elmets:] Well, I candidly think that Hillary Clinton is well qualified to be the ambassador the world, for the United States, and really to our children as well. My hope is that I will be able to convince other Republicans that it's OK. Even if they aren't willing to get out in front like I am, that it's OK to support Hillary Clinton because, in reality, her positions are much closer to many of the Republican Party positions than Donald Trump's are. Frankly, the Republican Party has been hijacked by Donald Trump. It's become the really party of Trump. When one looks at the platform from the Republican Party last week, you've got to be astonished by the anti- gay, anti-immigrant, anti-women positions. Those are positions that the American people hold.
[Baldwin:] Doug and Lovely, thank you so much. We'll look for you on the big stage tonight. Thank you so much.
[Elmets:] Thank you.
[Baldwin:] Coming up next here, legendary Grammy-winning R&B star, producer, writer, Baby Face. He co-wrote a special song for the Hillary Clinton campaign that they are rolling out. We'll talk to him live, next.