英语访谈节目:民主党大会第二晚,美国前总统力挺拜登

JUDY WOODRUFF: It is night two of the Democratic National Convention, and a night of ultimate triumph for Joe Biden. After waiting for decades, he's just hours away from formally claiming the party's presidential nomination. Amna Nawaz begins our coverage.

AMNA NAWAZ: Tonight, former Vice President Joe Biden will go from presumptive to official Democratic presidential nominee.

WOMAN: We cast 49 votes.

AMNA NAWAZ: But the traditional roll call vote to nominate him, going state by state to announce delegate counts will instead be reimagined for this now all-virtual affair.

BARACK OBAMA, Former President of the United States: We must pledge once more to march into the future.

AMNA NAWAZ: Tonight's convention theme is "Leadership Matters" and will feature speakers including former Secretary of State John Kerry, also the party's 2004 nominee, progressive Democratic Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York, former second lady Jill Biden, and two former presidents, Bill Clinton and Jimmy Carter, who, at 95, will be making his first appearance at a nominating convention in eight years. Democrats already began making a case for leadership change when their first ever virtual convention kicked off yesterday. The opening night was a jam-packed two hours of slick, highly produced segments, with a mix of prerecorded and live remarks, emceed by actress Eva Longoria. The first night's theme was "We, the People," highlighting the breadth former Vice President Joe Biden's coalition. That included some lifelong Republicans making the case against their party's incumbent, President Trump. The program also paid tribute to victims of racial injustice and police brutality, like George Floyd.

PHILONISE FLOYD, Brother of George Floyd: It's up to us to carry on the fight for justice. Our actions will be their legacies.

AMNA NAWAZ: As well as the more than 170,000 Americans who've lost their lives to the coronavirus. In one of the most poignant moments of the night, Kristin Urquiza spoke about losing her dad to the virus in June, after the president's assurances the pandemic was under control

KRISTIN URQUIZA, Daughter of Coronavirus Victim: My dad was a healthy 65-year-old. His only preexisting condition was trusting Donald Trump. And, for that, he paid with his life.

AMNA NAWAZ: The night's keynote speakers included former Biden rival Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders, who urged his supporters to turn out for the Democratic ticket.

SEN. BERNIE SANDERS (I-VT): Our movement continues and is getting stronger every day. Let us be clear. If Donald Trump is reelected, all the progress we have made will be in jeopardy. At its most basic, this election is about preserving our democracy.

AMNA NAWAZ: And it was former first lady Michelle Obama who capped off the night with a passionate plea to the American people.

MICHELLE OBAMA, Former First Lady: Donald Trump is the wrong president for our country. He has had more than enough time to prove that he can do the job, but he is clearly in over his head. He cannot meet this moment. He simply cannot be who we need him to be for us. It is what it is.

AMNA NAWAZ: Today, at a White House event celebrating women's rights, President Trump responded to Mrs. Obama.

DONALD TRUMP, President of the United States: She was over her head, and, frankly, she should have made the speech live. She gets these fawning reviews. If you gave a real review, it wouldn't be so fawning. I thought it was a very divisive speech, extremely divisive.

AMNA NAWAZ: Democrats will continue to make their case against the president and for the Joe Biden/Kamala Harris ticket direct to the American people tonight. For the "PBS NewsHour," I'm Amna Nawaz.