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Ted Haggard Forced to Step Down; The Campaign Trail
Aired November 04, 2006 - 22:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
ANNOUNCER: A major force in the pulpit, now forced to step down.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We know that all of us, except for the grace of God, are just one step away from that darkness.
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ANNOUNCER: A major force in the pulpit now forced to step down. The preacher, the prostitute, the message, and the meth. Is there any saving grace?
Plus, same message, different messenger.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We were hearing a growing chorus of voices within the military saying this just isn't working with this guy in charge.
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ANNOUNCER: A prominent newspaper aimed directly at military personnel wants to give Donald Rumsfeld the pink slip.
And...
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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We understand he's distancing from you lately. We're here to make sure that doesn't happen. We're going to take you to see him.
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ANNOUNCER: Trying to stay away? Youtube connects the party disconnect.
Who's running from whom on the campaign trail? You're in the CNN NEWSROOM.
CAROL LIN, CNN ANCHOR: Welcome to the NEWSROOM, your connection to the world, the Web and what's happening right now. I'm Carol Lin. You've been busy today, so let's get you plugged in. Starting with the headlines, guilty or not guilty. In just a few hours, a judge in Baghdad will hand down the first verdict in Saddam Hussein's trial. Our John Roberts says Iraqi police and U.S. troops are bracing for a possibly explosive reaction.
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JOHN ROBERTS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Nobody is clear at this point. It could be that if Saddam Hussein is given the death penalty, that the Sunnis could erupt. Some people are warning, and not to say that this would happen, but some people are warning that the country could tip into all-out civil war because of that verdict.
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LIN: Donald Rumsfeld must go. It's not an uncommon stance. But this time it's appearing in the pages of "The Army Times," an unofficial military newspaper. We'll have reaction from the Pentagon and the White House in just a minute.
The picture isn't getting any rosier for Pastor Ted Haggard, make that former pastor. Today, the 14,000 strong New Life Church ejected Haggard as their leader. He's been caught up in a growing sex scandal. A full report in 10 minutes.
And more church news. 500 years of Anglican history rewritten today. The new head of the U.S. Episcopal Church is Katherine Schori. She is the first woman to hold that post. She now leads about 2.5 million people.
Election Day just two days away. And the president is stumping for GOP candidates all weekend. He hits 10 states before the polls open Tuesday morning. Sources tell the Associated Press the White House is planning for possible Democratic gains in the House.
And now we want to hear from you. Iraq, gay rights, the economy, what issue is sending you to the polls? Give us a call at 1-800-807- 2620. We're going to air some of your responses later this hour.
And happy birthday, Madam First Lady. She and the Bush family are celebrating at their Texas ranch tonight. The president playing it safe, refuses to tell reporters his wife's age. But he did say, "we're born in the same year, and I turned 60."
Now it's your turn to choose the news. Is there a particular story that you want to hear more about? All you have to do is e-mail us at weekends@CNN.com or send us your video or webcam suggestion at CNN.com/exchange. And we are going to get you the answer within the hour.
Now in just four hours, a Baghdad court opens session for an historic announcement, a verdict in the trial of Saddam Hussein. Security is tight. A curfew is now in place. If Hussein is convicted, prosecutors want the death penalty.
Now right here in the United States, polls show Iraq is the top issue as people get ready for Tuesday's election. Democrats say it's all about the war. Republicans disagree.
Meantime, there's a new call for Defense Secretary Rumsfeld to go. This time from a source read by virtually everyone in uniform.
The latest call for President Bush to fire Donald Rumsfeld comes from the Military Times Media Group. It publishes "The Army Times" and other periodicals covering the armed forces.
In an online editorial, the editors write, "Rumsfeld has lost credibility with the uniformed leadership, with the troops, with Congress and with the public at large."
Well, the president is said to have just shrugged off the editorial. But it seems just about everyone else has something to say.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
LIN (voice-over): The managing editor of "The Army Times" says the timing of the editorial has nothing to do with Tuesday's election, and everything to do with Rumsfeld's performance and the president's latest promise to keep Rumsfeld on the job.
ROBERT HODIERNE, ARMY TIMES PUBLICATIONS: We were hearing a growing chorus of voices within the military saying this just isn't working with this guy in charge.
LIN: The White House was quick to disagree. Press Secretary Tony Snow called the editorials "a shabby piece of work". As for the timing, just two days until the election? "You've to be kidding me," Snow said. "I mean, if they didn't want it to influence the elections, they could have published it Wednesday.
"The Army Times" publisher insists his staff simply responded to what reporters are learning.
And I think that we hear things that we suspect that Rumsfeld -- Secretary Rumsfeld also hears. The difference is that I think that we're paying attention to them.
LIN: The military sharply disagrees. According to a Pentagon statement, the new chorus of criticism noted by the editorials is actually old news, and does not include commanders in the field who remain committed to the mission.
The editorial offered a new argument for Rumsfeld's critics. A top Democrat pounced on it.
SEN. EDWARD KENNEDY (D), MASSACHUSETTS: When we have a uniform statement and a comment that is applicable to all the services, that they've lost confidence in the Secretary of Defense, it's really time for that Secretary of Defense to go.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
LIN: All the services? Well the Military Times publishes "The Army Times", "Navy Times", "Air Force Times", and "Marine Corps Times".
Now the editorial is already on all four websites. The media group is owned by Gannett, the same company that owns "USA Today." The papers have no official ties to the military, but that's their only beat. The papers are distributed on bases worldwide with a circulation of about 250,000.
Now we are going to have complete coverage of the Saddam Hussein trial from Baghdad in about 25 minutes. Also, my conversation with CNN's John Roberts, and a report from our Aneesh Raman at the bottom of the hour.
In the meantime, a top church leader out of a job and in the middle of a scandal.
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UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: And did you ever have sex with him?
TED HAGGARD, FORMER PASTOR: No, I did not.
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LIN: Ted Haggard's denial leads to his dismissal. We're following all the new developments live from Colorado next.
Also, candidates shunning their own party leaders. The push and pull of politics as only our Bill Schneider can tell it. And from bloggers...
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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What the big change is that it forces a candidate to always believe that they are now on live TV.
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LIN: To bloggers, campaign trail videos available on your computer. It's all in this hour right here in the CNN NEWSROOM.
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LIN: Here's what you are checking out on CNN.com tonight. You know, he always is going to be known as Doogie Houser, M.D., but now Neil Patrick Harris wants everyone to know that he's "a very content gay man". The actor says he's coming out about his sexuality after recent speculation about his private life.
There are grounds for concern at Starbucks. The company is looking for four laptop computers. Two of them contain private information on 60,000 current and former employees. Starbucks says there's no signs the data has actually misused yet.
And a Philadelphia man is accused of raping eight women he met online. Police say that he slipped something in their drinks and then assaulted them. His lawyers says the sex was consensual. Visit CNN.com for details on these stories and a whole bunch others. You're back in the NEWSROOM in just a moment.
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LIN: Shocking allegations, an investigation, and now a resignation from a prominent evangelical leader. The Reverend Ted Haggard has been forced out of the church he started more than 20 years ago.
CNN's Sean Callebs is following the story from Colorado Springs, Colorado. Sean, we were talking with Delia Gallagher, our faith and values correspondent. She says evangelical sources are absolutely shocked about this story.
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SEAN CALLEBS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Shocked that it unfolded so quickly as well. Just think about it. A matter of days ago, Ted Haggard was at the pinnacle of his profession. Someone who even have the ear of the president of the United States.
Now for years, preacher from the pulpit here at the New Life Church in Colorado Springs, he routinely warned against the dangers of lying, drug abuse, and infidelity. Well, matter of hours ago, an oversight committee ruled that "Haggard's moral failings led to his undoing."
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CALLEBS (voice-over): The end came in a six paragraph statement from the New Life Church overseer board that the Reverend Ted Haggard created himself. The four members saying, "Our investigation and Pastor Haggard's public statements have proven without a doubt that he has committed sexually immoral conduct."
Later saying, "We have decided the most positive and productive direction for our church is his dismissal and removal."
Rob Brendle worked as an associate pastor here for 10 years with Haggard.
ROB BRENDLE, ASSOCIATE PASTOR, NEW LIFE CHURCH: Our senior pastor has willingly and humbly submitted himself to the authority of the board of overseers. They conducted an investigation into the alleged indiscretions and have come to a conclusion in a -- promptly. And we're grateful for them.
CALLEBS: The accusations that brought Haggard down came Wednesday from a former male prostitute in Denver, Mike Jones. After first denying he knew Jones, Haggard later admitted buying crystal meth through Jones.
Haggard says he never used the drugs, insisting he threw them away. Jones also alleges he and Haggard had a three-year sexual relationship, but he failed a lie detector test on the subject.
TED HAGGARD, REV., FMR. PASTOR, NEW LIFE CHURCH: We're so grateful that he failed the polygraph test this morning.
CALLEBS: The person who administered the polygraph test says Jones was exhausted at the time, and he wants to retest him.
Haggard denies a sexual relationship. The evangelical minister says he did contact Jones for a massage after a Denver concierge recommended Jones as a masseuse.
MIKE JONES, HAGGARD ACCUSER: You know, look at the position he's in. What I think is unfortunate is the more denial that he gives, the messier it looks. I think what would be best is if he just admit it, and move on.
CALLEBS: Before being ousted from the New Life Church, Haggard was forced to resign the politically powerful position as president of a National Association of Evangelicals, a group that represents some 30 million Christians nationwide, who routinely form a strong and solid voting block.
Haggard was at the top of his profession, one of a handful of ministers taking part in a weekly conference call with President Bush or top White House officials.
Jones chose the timing just before Tuesday's midterm election to show what he calls the hypocrisy of Haggard and others in the religious right.
The issue of gay marriage is on the ballot in Colorado and several other states. Haggard and evangelicals are fighting gay marriage tooth and nail, but it's a battle now that will go on without Haggard in the pulpit.
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CALLEBS: And Haggard's problems may not be over. The Denver police say they are looking into the allegations to see if any crimes have been broken.
A church leader has told us yesterday they plan to show a videotaped message from Haggard at Sunday services. Well that plan has been scrapped. Instead, now they will read what they are calling a letter of explanation and apology from Haggard.
And Carol, we should tell you we tried to reach Reverend Haggard this evening. We were unsuccessful. We're told by the church that he's going to make no comment. And the first people who will hear from him, that letter tomorrow morning.
LIN: Sean, do you know if he's hired lawyers yet?
CALLEBS: Don't know if he has hired lawyers. It is a very good question. It wouldn't surprise me. Denver police, as I mentioned, looking into this.
We also talked to the D.A.'s office, which is keeping abreast of the situation, but they are not investigating. But clearly, the fact that Haggard admitted to buying crystal meth in Denver has got their attention.
All right, Sean Callebs live in Colorado Springs, thank you. Staying on top of this story.
In the meantime, we're also accessing stories across America right now. A second gruesome discovery in Colombia, South Carolina. Police have arrested a man suspected of killing three people at an apartment. Their bodies were found last night. This triple killing comes just days after another triple homicide in the same area. Police say, though, they are not connected.
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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Unreal, unreal, that they give that boy two years to murder my daughter.
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LIN: A father's anguish in Carrolton, Georgia. He just learned that the teen charged in his daughter's death would spend two years behind bars at most if convicted. The suspect will be tried for involuntary manslaughter in juvenile court because he was 16 at the time of the killing. Tom Yates had to be subdued after the hearing.
Now the body of that eight-year-old, Amy Yates, you might recall was found more than two years ago.
Heartbreak and mourning in California. Hundreds of people gathered today to pay their last respects to the longest-serving firefighter to die in that huge wild fire last month. There will be more tears tomorrow. Thousands are expected at a public memorial for all five firefighters killed in the blaze allegedly set by an arsonist.
And the Baltimore landmark's facelift is complete. The Basilica of the Assumption is open again after a two year restoration. Crews gave it a fresh paint job, restored the skylights and a stone, and removed heavy stain glass windows. The nation's first Roman Catholic cathedral marks its 200th anniversary this year.
Now up next, Canada is moving away from their party. Is history repeating itself? Our senior political analyst Bill Schneider joins us live from New York, next. Hey, Bill.
And don't forget, tonight's last call. Iraq, the economy, healthcare, what is the issue sending you to the polls on Tuesday? Give us a call, and you're going to hear some of your responses later in the NEWSROOM.
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LIN: Putting his foot firmly in his mouth, Senator John Kerry tried to make a joke about the president, but he flubbed it and made it sound like he was calling people who joined the military dumb.
Well now, just two days before the election, Kerry's fellow Democrats are trying to avoid him. It's a case of political distancing you might say. And we've seen it a lot lately.
Let's bring in CNN's senior political analyst Bill Schneider. Bill, you know, just a couple of days you would think the party faithful would stick together, but no, huh?
BILL SCHNEIDER, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL ANALYST: Well, Carol, it was the gaffe of the week and maybe the campaign when John Kerry made what he called a blundered joke about President Bush, which came out as an insult to U.S. soldiers in Iraq. And he apologized.
Senate Democratic candidate Bob Casey quickly cancelled plans to campaign with Kerry in Pennsylvania. Kerry? Kerry who? No hard feelings, Kerry said, I don't want to be a distraction.
And speaking of distancing, a lot of Republican candidates are keeping their distance from President Bush this year, especially if they're in a tight race. Like Senator Jim Talent of Missouri. Who welcomed President Bush to a fundraiser, but declined to campaign with him.
You know, a recent poll by CBS News and "The New York Times" asked whether it was helpful or harmful for President Bush to campaign for candidates. And the answer is, harmful, by better than two to one.
LIN: Bill, also in Pennsylvania, Republican Congressman Jim Gerlach is distancing himself from Bush. And now there's some video on youtube.com that you shared with us earlier. Tell us more about it.
SCHNEIDER: Well, Jim Gerlach of Pennsylvania has publicly stated his disagreements with President Bush on issues. So two transport worker union members made a youtube video that tries to link the Republican candidate with President Bush.
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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We're in the neighborhood. We thought we'd bring President Bush by to say hello.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: OK.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Understand you guys have been distancing yourself from him. And he's feeling a little dejected.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: OK, we'll take it.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We understand it's a - (INAUDIBLE) 79 percent at a time?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No, not the case.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Not the case.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LIN: That was a paper cut-out of President Bush.
SCHNEIDER: I think so.
LIN: That these guys, this is a pretty popular clip, too. You know, Bush is hardly the first president to experience this kind of distancing. What other presidents have also been kind of dissed by their own?
SCHNEIDER: Well, not a president, but Al Gore kept his distance from President Bill Clinton in 2000. Gore called Clinton's behavior in the Monica Lewinsky affair "inexcusable". And a lot of Democrats think Gore made a big mistake distancing himself from Clinton.
In 1994, President Clinton was so unpopular, Republican candidates ran ads morphing their Democratic opponents into President Clinton. Message, a vote for the Democrat is a vote for Bill Clinton, the same point Democrats are trying to make about Republicans and President Bush this year.
Now President Bush's father found himself distanced when he was running for reelection in '92. Some Republican candidates like Senator Al D'Amato of New York portrayed their views as closer to Clinton's than to Bush's.
And when Jimmy Carter ran for re-election in 1980, most Democratic members of Congress chose not to attend their party's national convention. They kept their distance.
You know, the campaign manager of a very unpopular presidential candidate tells the story of how he telephoned a candidate from his party in Ohio and said "I have wonderful news for you, we are coming to campaign in your district." "Well, that is wonderful news," the candidate replied. "But I'm afraid I'll be in Florida visiting my mother." "Wait a minute," the campaign manager said, "I haven't told you when you're coming." "Doesn't matter", the candidate said, "whenever you show up, I'm going to be in Florida visiting my mother."
LIN: Well, you got to wonder which party is going to say the dog ate my home work come Wednesday morning. Bill Schneider, pleasure to have you tonight.
SCHNEIDER: Pleasure.
LIN: As everybody knows, Bill Schneider's part of the best political team in television. Now you can get all your America Votes 2006 information by logging onto CNN.com/ticker.
Well, clearly Iraq is a major issue in Tuesday's U.S. elections, but are the U.S. elections a big deal in Iraq? Coming up, John Roberts hits the streets of Baghdad to find out.
Also, lawyers killed, the chief judge changed, and a host of other courtroom dramas. As we wait for a verdict in Saddam Hussein's first trial, we're going to take a look at all the twists and turns. Stay with us right here in the NEWSROOM.
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LIN: We're right here in the NEWSROOM with your headlines tonight and tomorrow. Election Day looming and President Bush is whipping up Republican crowds in 10 states just this weekend alone. His focus is in Colorado today. Traditional family values, the gay marriage debate dominates the political talk in that state.
And the sex and drug scandal swirling around the Reverend Ted Haggard has cost him his job. The New Life Church board removed Haggard as pastor of the 14,000 strong congregation just hours ago. Haggard is accused of using drugs and having sex with an alleged male prostitute. He denies both.
Harsh words aimed at the Secretary of Defense from a newspaper dedicated to military coverage. Army Times Publications is running a Monday editorial urging Donald Rumsfeld out. The White House is "shrugging it off."
And a spokesman says that the editorial is Election Day timed.
Listen up Big Bird, organizers of the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade want to make the traditional event safer than ever. Those big balloons will be more restricted. And spectators will be moved to safer areas off the route. Two people were hurt by falling debris during last year's parade.
And did you really think Lance Armstrong could stay away from competition? Well tomorrow, the seven-time Tour de France winner will be in the pack for the New York City marathon. It's his first race of that distance on foot, at least. He's using the event to raise awareness and money for his cancer foundations.
And now it's your turn to choose the news. You know, just 30 minutes ago, we asked you to send us your questions regarding stories you haven't seen covered in the media.
Well, John Berry wants to know more about a man who was led away in handcuffs at today's rally for Senator George Allen. Well, the man who was taken away was Mike Stark, the same guy who was forced out of a hotel earlier this week after he heckled Senator Allen.
Stark is a liberal blogger, and he's been shadowing Allen. An Allen supporter accused Stark of pushing him to the ground today...
LIN: Stark is a liberal blogger, and he's been shadowing Allen. An Allen supporter accused Stark of pushing him to the ground today. And police say Stark was being held in detention in case Allen supporters want to press charges. Want to thank you for that.
OK, so when Americans go to the polls Tuesday, the world watches. That includes Iraq, where people believe a change in the American Congress will mean change in their own backyards.
Well, earlier, I spoke with CNN's John Roberts, who's in Baghdad.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) LIN: John, have you been able to talk to Iraqis about their sense of whether they really care about what happens here in the United States here on Election Day?
ROBERTS: You know, it's not getting the same sort of saturation attention here a half a world away that it is in the United States.
But what happens on Tuesday could have a significant impact, Carol, on what happens on the ground here in Iraq. So people are paying attention to it, even if they're not completely clear on exactly who the players are.
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ROBERTS (voice-over): Though neither is up for reelection, the Iraqis we talked to today still associate the Republican and Democratic parties with George Bush and John Kerry.
This man, a Christian says it doesn't matter who wins. If it's Bush, it might be better, but least we know him.
Abu Ferat, who wouldn't tell us whether he is Shiite or Sunni says the most important thing for us is that U.S. forces leave Iraq. So any government that takes power, Democrat or Republican, we want them to do us a favor and get the Americans out of Iraq. That's what we're hoping. And we hope John Kerry, Democrats, he means, wins the election. He's better than Bush because Bush destroyed Iraq.
And Basean Gazi, a Shiite told us it doesn't matter who wins, but the old whole policy towards Iraq, we hope it changes and that the occupation ends, and there is democracy in Iraq. What's important is the American policy towards Iraq, that the occupation leaves, and that Iraq has peace.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ROBERTS: So you can see from that, Carol, that even though they are aware of the differences between Republicans and Democrats, really what's important for these people is that U.S. troops eventually leave Iraq, leave it to Iraqis.
LIN: So how are they planning on monitoring these elections?
ROBERTS: Well you know, Carol, they've got all kinds of ways that they can monitor the situation around the world. There's all kinds of television channels here. There's satellite channels that come in. They even get CNN International. So they can watch all of that, even though they might not understand the language at CNN.
But really, what's on their radar screen immediately isn't the November 7th elections. It's the first verdict - or it's the verdict in the first Saddam Hussein trial, which is expected to come out tomorrow. That's something that they really care about.
LIN: All right. And whatever that verdict may be, how do you think that it might be expressed on the streets? ROBERTS: Well, you see this is the open question. The Iraqi government certainly believes that there could be an uptick in the violence among Sunnis if Saddam Hussein were to be given the death penalty. That's why they've ordered all leave canceled for the Iraqi army, ordered them back to their barracks.
And there's been a curfew declared for tomorrow between 6:00 in the morning, 6:00 at night. 12-hour period. You lump that together with the regular overnight curfews, and literally nothing will move in this city for about 36 hours or so.
They're hoping, as in the past when these curfews had been declared, that it'll keep a lid on the violence. But nobody's clear at this point. It could be that if Saddam Hussein is given the death penalty, that the Sunnis could erupt. Some people are warning, and not to say that this would happen, but some people are warning that the country could tip into all-out civil war because of that verdict.
LIN: John, a lot at stake in the next few days. Thank you, very much.
Well, it's already Sunday in Iraq. Judgment day for the former president. The crimes against humanity trial against Saddam Hussein began more than a year ago. And a few hours from now, the verdict that may mean the death penalty. A little background now from CNN's Aneesh Raman.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ANEESH RAMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): With a future in doubt, Iraq's bloody past is coming back into focus.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Good-bye, Saddam!
RAMAN: Saddam Hussein, the toppled dictator, the president- turned prisoner, the defendant on trial for crimes against humanity now faces judgment, and potentially the death penalty.
It's been just over a year since this, the first of perhaps 12 trials against Saddam was called to order. This one, for the execution of at least 148 men and boys, for mass torture for the deportation and imprisonment of thousands after a failed assassination attempt on Saddam back in July 1982.
It's a trial that's seen a change of the chief judge, the killing of three defense lawyers, a string of boycotts by Saddam and his seven co-defendants. Walkouts by their lawyers, multiple breaks and multiple reasons for legal doubt.
MALCOLM SMART, AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL: Everybody has a right to fair trial. And this is a landmark case. This was the opportunity to turn the page. And it's an opportunity that really has an opportunity that's been missed.
RAMAN: It was also meant to be an opportunity to move on. The first witness in court stood as the first Iraqi victim to publicly confront the former tyrant, detailing gruesome stories of torture. There were documents bearing Saddam's signature. Evidence, prosecutors claimed, proving command responsibility and prompting a dramatic statement from Saddam himself.
UNIDENTFIED MALE: Saddam Hussein is telling you that he is responsible.
RAMAN: Saddam's been combative from the start, fueling chaos in the court, challenging the legitimacy of the process, and claiming abuse by his captors. It's never been lost on the defendants that this trial is being watched by a country divided in war. And defense lawyers are warning of the consequences.
ZIYAD KHALEEL ANNAJDAWI, DEFENSE ATTORNEY: This tribunal could end by death penalty of the president and his comrades, believe me, the doors of the hell will be open in Iraq and the neighbors of Iraq.
RAMAN (on camera): Even if Saddam Hussein is sentenced to death, when that would be carried out is anyone's guess. There's an automatic appeals process and no time limit for how long that could take.
Aneesh Raman, CNN, Baghdad.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
LIN: The Saddam Hussein verdict is expected to begin at 2:00 a.m. Eastern. Stay tuned to CNN for continuing coverage throughout the morning. As soon as we have the news, we'll be on it with reaction from Baghdad.
Meantime, 45 hours and counting. Will the dead rise on Election Day? We're going to tell you about a very unusual kind of voter fraud.
Plus, in the spotlight, or in a bad light? A closer look at what some of the candidates are doing to put their opponents where everyone can see them. You're in the NEWSROOM.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
LIN: This year, tight races can turn on almost anything. That's why there's so much concern about electronic voting fraud. But in New York state, they're also concerned with a more low-tech type of voter fraud.
CNN's Mary Snow takes a look.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MARY SNOW, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): It's a suspicion that's halted elections past but could the names of dead people potentially be used in the present elections? That's a question posed by "The Poughkeepsie Journal of New York". It did its own analysis of the state's new database of 11 million plus registered voters. JOHN FERRO, POUGHKEEPSIE JOURNAL: We found that in New York state in its voter registration database, there were as many as 77,000 people who were deceased, but were still registered to vote.
SNOW: Reporter John Ferro says make no mistake, the analysis is not an exact science. And he says he did not find any fraud, but says his investigation points to the possibility of it.
FERRO: Our report quantifies, if you will, or gives an estimate, for the first time of the potential for fraud involving deceased registered voters in this brand new database.
SNOW: That database is only three months old. A spokesman for the Board of Elections was unable to appear on camera for an interview, but told us that he was concerned by the papers results. He added that the board will complete its own analysis by May of 2007. Doug Chapin of the Nonpartisan group Electionline.org says he's not all that surprised by the findings.
DOUG CHAPIN, DIRECTOR, ELECTIONLINE.ORG: It's worth looking carefully at, but I don't think all 77,000 of those people are going to rise from the dead and descend on the polls on Election Day.
SNOW: Chapin says suspicions about dead people voting are nothing new and swirled in Chicago following the election of John F. Kennedy. Chapin says more often than not it's more fiction than fact.
CHAPIN: You hear stories about perhaps in the 1960 election whether or not there were some dead voters who turned out to vote on Election Day. Rarely proven, often repeated.
SNOW: And it's being repeated again in an election year with so many tight races, where everything is coming under scrutiny.
To illustrate the point that every vote counts, analysts look to the 2004 governor's race in Washington state that had two recounts. Democrat Christine Gregoire was ultimately named the winner with a 133 vote victory.
Mary Snow, CNN, New York.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
LIN: Stay with CNN throughout Election Day. We're going to bring you live updates from 7:00 to midnight Eastern. Wolf Blitzer, Anderson Cooper, Paula Zahn and Lou Dobbs are all part of the best political team on television.
Then at midnight, election coverage continues with a special edition of "LARRY KING LIVE." Hear from the winners and losers across the country.
Meantime, it's time for i-report, your chance to join the world's most powerful news team. And we have an award-winning edition to share with you tonight. Jacqui Jeras has been tracking all these details. Some viewers are really submitting some terrific photos and videos.
JACQUI JERAS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: It's been unbelievable, Carol. What a week we've had. You know, everything from Halloween, to politics from war to weather.
Our i-report of the day, this is a great photo. And this was just taken just this morning in California at Vanderburg Air Force base. This was sent in from Anthony Galvan III. I know you can see. This was a military satellite, which was launched on the Delta 4 rocket. And it's going to be used for global forecasting.
Our next, this is the award winner we were talking about here from Tom Kenney. You might have recognized this picture from last week, the northeastern storms. Tom Kenney sent in like 10 different pictures, along with some video.
This is from Dartmouth, Massachusetts. About six boats from the strong winds lost their mooring and washed on the shore. So a big thank you to Tom Kenney. He wins our gratitude. And he also wins an i-report T-shirt.
And if you want to be part of the CNN i-report team, logon to CNN.com/exchange. Send us your photos. One idea, perhaps, Veterans week. That's coming up on the 11th, one week from today.
LIN: That's right. I think we're going to have some big and special coverage on that day. And we'll be sharing a lot of the i- news reports. So hopefully, lots of people will be sending things in. Even family photos would be terrific. All right, thanks, Jacqui.
Well, unassuming video blogger or political assassin? One misstep can end a political career, but only if someone sees it. So we're going to show you how some candidates make sure they don't miss their opponents gaffes. That's next in the NEWSROOM.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
LIN: In the past, when political candidates said or did something embarrassing, they might have gotten away with it. But now, every little thing they do is watched and reported on the blogs.
For example, take a look at this. A liberal blogger gets into a scuffle with staffers for incumbent Republican Senator George Allen. This video was taken Tuesday by an affiliate in Richmond, Virginia, and has been posted on some 186,000 blogs.
Today, the same blogger was taken away by police after an Allen supporter claimed the man pushed him at a rally.
Video blogs are the newest weapons in politics. And the so- called vloggers, that's vlogger with a 'v', are changing the landscape of the election season.
Gary Tuchman shows us how.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) GARY TUCHMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Conrad Burns is campaigning fiercely to try to keep his U.S. Senate seat.
CONRAD BURNS, SENATOR, MONTANA: I know how contagious it can be whenever everybody gets together...
TUCHMAN: And when the Montana Republican hits the trail, he is shadowed by this man with a video camera, a man who comes faithfully to Conrad Burns' events, but he does not come with good intentions.
KEVIN O'BRIEN, JOHN TESTER CAMPAIGN: I definitely want John Tester as the next senator from Montana.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think we should talk about taxes a little bit here.
TUCHMAN: John Tester is the Democratic challenger, but Kevin O'Brien keeps his camera on Conrad Burns, hoping the three term incumbent says something wrong or embarrassing, so he can put it for the world to see on the immensely popular video sharing website, Youtube.
This campaign event took place in Eason, Montana.
BURNS: Hugo is a nice little grown up man, who's doing some painting for me in Virginia.
TUCHMAN: Terrorism was a topic at this picnic in Mile City.
BURNS: To fight this enemy that's a taxi cab driver in the daytime, but a killer at night.
TUCHMAN: And more of the same two days later in Butte.
BURNS: Our kids can go to bed at night and not worry about a guy that drives a taxi cab in the daytime, kills at night.
TUCHMAN: Campaign operatives are taking advantage of this new technology to try to politically harm their candidates' rivals as Virginia Senator George Allen learned.
GEORGE ALLEN, FORMER GOVERNOR, VIRGINIA: Let's go over here with the yellow shirt, macaca, or whatever his name is. He's with my opponent. He's following us around everywhere.
TUCHMAN: To some, the word macaca is racially insensitive. Allen issued an apology.
Kevin O'Brien is paid by the Tester campaign. He says he's put nearly 17,000 miles on his car in less than half a year following Conrad Burns.
O'BRIEN: Sometimes I'm stunned, and you know, have to go back to the videos to make sure that my eyes and my ears weren't tricking me.
TUCHMAN: His eyes weren't tricking him when Conrad Burns started nodding off in an Agriculture hearing held in Montana.
This clip with music dubbed in has been downloaded more than 90,000 times, according to Youtube. But is this below the belt politics? John Tester doesn't think so.
A lot of people fall asleep. I fall asleep, and I'm sure you've fallen asleep before. Isn't that a little unfair?
JON TESTER (D), MONTANA SENATE CANDIDATE: Well, that meeting was about Ag policy. Montana's number one industry is agriculture. I wouldn't be falling asleep when we're talking about Ag policy. It's pretty doggone important to our economy.
TUCHMAN: Not surprisingly, Burns campaign workers don't enjoy seeing their candidate ridiculed.
BURNS: It looks like a big lunch.
TUCHMAN: But at this campaign event at a senior center, the senator and the renegade camera man take some time to say 'hi' to each other.
BURNS: I'm hungry. I'll get over here in this calories and cholesterol.
TUCHMAN: Senator Burns, it seems, likes O'Brien.
BURNS: We love him. He's really a nice guy. And we have to feed him at our picnics and our dinners because I don't think the Democrats are paying him very much.
TUCHMAN (on camera): In the last congressional election year of 2004, Youtube did not exist. So this is new territory for politicians like Conrad Burns, who's opinions about it may be shaped by whether they win or lose.
Gary Tuchman, CNN, Bozeman, Montana.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
LIN: So what kind of an impact are these video bloggers really having? Well, I asked Garrett Gaff, editor at large for "The Washingtonian Magazine," the first blogger to be credentialed by the White House.
GARRETT GAFF, EDITOR-AT-LARGE, WASHINGTONIAN MAGAZINE: What the big change is is that it forces a candidate to always believe that they are now on live TV.
LIN: Yes, but you would think a man like John Kerry, all right, you know about his speech last Tuesday?
GAFF: Mm-hmm.
LIN: OK, you would think a man like John Kerry would watch himself then that much more carefully. Let's show the audience right now the clip of what he had to say before these college students.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. JOHN KERRY (D), MASSACHUSETTS: You know education, if you make the most of it, you study hard and you do your homework, and you make an effort to be smart, you can do well. If you don't, you get stuck in Iraq.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LIN: OK, now you know the fallout from that, right?
GAFF: Exactly, yes.
LIN: I mean, the Republicans are making a heyday out of this that here he is, a former Vietnam vet, you know, dissing the American troops in Iraq as if their job wasn't good enough. So you have a clip like that. With what kind of speed does it travel on the Internet?
Well, I mean, that's the really revolutionary part that we're seeing with Youtube and other sites, is that thanks to cell phone video and cell phone photos, literally people could be watching it on the Internet, on Youtube or other sites like that, before the candidate's speech is over. But you can upload it directly from your phone to the website even as it's happening.
LIN: Yes, but if it's a candidate, OK. Maybe not someone with the stature of a John Kerry, but say a candidate tripping, or you know, in the case of Gary Tuchman's piece, a candidate falling asleep at an agricultural hearing. I mean really is that the so bad?
GAFF: Well, it depends on the candidate. And it depends on the circumstances. You have a situation where you can capture a very small moment, and have it play into people's larger fears.
If you are John McCain looking to run in 2008, you have to be very wary of any trip, any fall, any stumble, anything like that that could get captured on video.
LIN: OK.
GAFF: Because all of a sudden people will begin to see him as old. I mean, this is what happened to Bob Dole in 1996. So it doesn't -- if you're John Edwards and someone catches you falling or tripping going up onto a stage, that doesn't matter. But if you are John McCain, it could have a very big impact on your presidential hopes.
LIN: But Garrett, do you ever think that just on the issue of fairness, I mean, people can take a moment like that, right? One trip. OK, a moment like that, and it gets twisted to the nth degree. And millions of millions of people see it on the Internet outside the context of, dare I say, conventional media?
GAFF: Right. LIN: And the so-called experts to parse that moment and give it maybe a reality check. Is that fair? I mean doesn't that actually rob the public of getting at the truth?
GAFF: Well, that's the big question here, is sort of how much faith people should put in these moments. But from a campaign standpoint, the great thing is that you don't have to rely on CNN or any of the other sort of mainstream media gatekeepers to get a moment like that. You can get that moment without anyone helping you.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
LIN: Stay with CNN throughout Election Day. We're going to bring you live updates from 7:00 to midnight Eastern. Wolf Blitzer, Anderson Cooper, Paula Zahn and Lou Dobbs are all part of the best political team on television.
Then at midnight, election coverage continues with a special edition of "LARRY KING LIVE." Hear from the winners and losers across the country.
And now it's time for you to choose the news. Brian Wilbert and several other viewers are asking for more background on the Bishop Katharine Jeffords Schori. Glad to do it, Brian.
Schori made history today when she assumed leadership of the Episcopal Church. That's the American branch of the worldwide Anglican Communion.
The former bishop of Nevada was invested today at the National Cathedral in Washington. Bishop Schori is a private pilot who holds a PH.D. in oceanography. Her elevation to the head of the church is widely seen as a triumph for women and a positive step for gay priests and same-sex couples, both of which she supports.
Bishop Katharine Jeffords Schori is the first woman to lead the Episcopal church in its 520-year history. Thanks for the question, Brian.
And a check of the hour's headlines after the break. But first, your response to our last call question. What issue is sending you to the polls on Tuesday? Here's what you had to say.
CALLER: There are many issues sending me to the polls. I want lower taxes, I want to put a ban on late term abortions, and I want to end homosexual marriage.
CALLER: I'm going to the polls this year to protest the Iraq War and the lack of leadership.
CALLER: The issue that's definitely sending me to the polls on Tuesday is the pro-life issue, the respect for the unborn.
CALLER: It's all just focused on gay marriage and all these minor issues, when children are starving, and wars are going on, and I think we need fresh breath and leadership. CALLER: I'm going to the polls to make America stronger, back our troops, keep the country safe from terrorists, and vote for people who back our troops in the Army.
CALLER: Certainly the war in Iraq. And most definitely just all the corruption and scandals that have gone on.
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