[Lemon:] All right, pay attention, everyone, because new polls are out in key states ahead of next week's CNN Democratic presidential debate. That as Joe Biden is signaling that the gloves are off as he prepares to go up against Kamala Harris and Cory Booker. Joining me now to discuss Joe Trippi, Angela Rye, and Tara Setmayer. Angela, why aren't you here in D.C.? Everybody is here in D.C. and you're off in Lalaland in
[L.a. Angela Rye, Cnn Political Commentator:] I didn't get the invite. I've been working with my working with my guys since I haven't been a lot of times with my guys.
[Lemon:] Well, good. Well, I hope to see you in person soon. So, let's talk about this.
[Rye:] Me too.
[Lemon:] Good evening. Hello, everyone. Tara, this new poll out in Ohio may strengthen Joe Biden's case heading into the debate. Let's put it up. In a head to head matchup Biden is the only candidate that clearly beats Trump. The others show no clear leader in the matchup against Trump. Give me your reaction.
[Tara Setmayer, Cnn Political Commentator:] Well, obviously as someone who is supporting Joe Biden I'm happy about this and it goes to the argument that he really is the person out of the field right now that can connect with voters that the Democrats need to win back in order to win back the White House in 2020. Ohio, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Joe Biden has consistently polled well there because those are the people he speaks to the most and those are the Democrats lost. The Obama coalition, the lost those folks which allowed Donald Trump to win. So, I'm glad to see that, and you know, he's got to have a strong performance or he has to have a strong performance not one like he had last time in the debate coming up. And I suspect it'll be a different Biden.
[Lemon:] So, Joe, the polls also show that in this matchup between Trump and Biden, independents break for Biden by a wide margin as well. Do we there it is. How strong of a case do these numbers make for Biden to be the nominee?
[Joe Trippi, Cnn Political Commentator:] Well, I mean, it's look, we're way off.
[Lemon:] It's early. Yes, it's early.
[Trippi:] Things are going to change.
[Lemon:] I mean right now in this time at this time.
[Trippi:] But Biden is doing two things. One, he still continues to lead with the African-American and with the black vote, that's a big deal in our party. And then at the same time to be able to do that and still maintain this lead with independents. You know, when you see this and he's doing it with better than Republicans with a Republican than everybody else in the field that's a prescription for winning in November, that's the case he's going to keep making.
[Lemon:] Yes.
[Trippi:] And that's why he's going to have a target on his back in the debates.
[Lemon:] Angela, a new poll out in South Carolina shows that Biden way ahead with African-American voters there. He has a 51 percent and a 39 percent edge over Senator Harris. I mean, he maintains a very, very solid lead there which so far, it's been durable. Do you agree with that?
[Rye:] I think that it is really far-out. To echo Joe, I think the reality is Joe Biden spent two terms with the first black president who has sky high approval ratings not just with black voters but with voters across the country especially now, in case you missed it. So, when you think about Joe Biden and how he's performing of course he's going to do very well. A lot of these folks don't even know who Kamala Harris is yet. And I think that they'll soon be surprised. She's wonderful, she's great. This is going to be a competitive Democratic primary, and again we're not even at the second debate yet, Don, of which you are co-hosting.
[Lemon:] That is all true. Did you want to say something?
[Setmayer:] Well, I wanted to say something.
[Lemon:] Go on.
[Setmayer:] Coming up with the debate I think that Biden and Booker I mean Harris and Booker need to be careful not to keep honing in on racial issues from 40 years ago or things that happened all these years ago because you do not want to depress the black vote
[Lemon:] Let me just say this.
[Rye:] I disagree with that.
[Lemon:] And then hold on, hold on.
[Setmayer:] Because the guys the votes that you need
[Lemon:] You guys can you guys after this because you know this whole thing about Biden changing his tone, this is senior campaign official telling CNN, quote, and then I'll let you guys hash it out. "He isn't going to take hits from any of the candidates sitting down. He won't personally attack anyone, but he will be very clear about the contrast between he and other candidates in this race. Discuss.
[Setmayer:] Right. Right. And the reason why I'm saying this is because Joe Biden was his commitment to Civil Rights and his commitment to issues that affect the black community have never been in question when he was asked to be the vice president of the United States for eight years under Barack Obama. It wasn't a problem then. It wasn't a problem when Senator Harris ask him to come introduce her at the California convention. It wasn't a problem for the Democrats when he was asked to go for 24 states and campaign for 65 candidates during the midterm election. So now all of a sudden, he's someone out of touch with what Democrats want?
[Lemon:] All right. Angela?
[Setmayer:] I think that's the wrong the wrong tactic for the Democrats to say.
[Lemon:] Go ahead, Angela.
[Rye:] And I definitely appreciate you, Tara, saying that. But I think the reality of it is times have changed. That we have been through a hell of a lot since 2008. And so, what you're seeing is there's a new cadre of black voters who now, maybe some of them are voting for the first time. And they are saying, listen, there are some issues that didn't matter to you all that matter to me now. The very people who were locked up under the crime bill in 1992, not just at the feet of Joe Biden but certainly one of the leaders at the forefront of it were my parents, was my uncle, was my aunt, was my big brother, was my big sister and these are things that we care about and it's top of mind. Wages are at the top of mind. And so, Joe Biden is going to have to make a case but it absolutely is a different ball game than it was in 2008, in 2012, in 2016
[Setmayer:] But he's acknowledged his mistakes. But he acknowledged his mistakes with that. It could have a new criminal justice.
[Rye:] I understand that. But that doesn't mean that it's sufficient.
[Setmayer:] So why are we hammering things that happened 20 and 40 or 30 years ago?
[Rye:] Because they never had a voice, Tara, they're first time voters.
[Setmayer:] OK, great. And Joe Biden is going to have the opportunity to show what the future is going to be.
[Rye:] Exactly.
[Trippi:] But this is the
[Setmayer:] Instead of talking about what happened
[Trippi:] This is actually the split that you are seeing in the African-American community, though. It's a generational divide.
[Rye:] It's not just in the African-American community.
[Trippi:] No. It's a there's a generational divide in the party writ large for sure.
[Rye:] Yes.
[Trippi:] But you're also seeing it in the African-American community where Joe Biden, the voters that have lived through life with him saw you know, grew up with him, saw him make his mistakes, saw him become vice president to Barack Obama. He's got a goodwill with those people. And I agree, that then when you get down into the generation, he'll be voting for the first time or the younger generation across the board, they're not they're not really they're up for grabs and Joe Biden needs to win them.
[Lemon:] I'm out I'm out of time. Thank you all. I appreciate it. Don't miss the CNN Democratic presidential debates next Tuesday and Wednesday nights. Dana Bash, Jake Tapper and I are going to moderate. July 30th and 31st beginning at 8 p.m. Eastern. OK. Caught on camera. A white woman calls a group of black women at a North Carolina restaurant the n-word, and she insists she'd say it again. That story next.