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Ballot Bowl '08

Aired January 20, 2008 - 16:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

JOHN KING, CNN CHIEF NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Welcome to the CNN Ballot Bowl. I'm John King reporting live from New Port Richey, Florida to continue the football metaphor, we are in the second half of today's ballot bowl. Two more hours of our extended coverage of the campaign for president. A chance for us to share with you as you assess your choices in the fantastic race for president. It's a fascinating race underway.
We'll give you the Democrats and the Republicans in their own words. As the race moves on for the Democrats, the focus is now on the state of South Carolina. For the Republicans, this state where I am today, the state of Florida, the next big battleground.

In the hour ahead, Senator John Edwards campaigning at Zion Baptist Church in Columbia, South Carolina, on the Martin Luther King birthday memorial weekend. Senator Edwards among the Democrats now trying to court the critical African-American vote in the state of South Carolina in advance of the Democratic primary there.

Republican candidates out campaigning as well. Mike Huckabee in Texas raising money. Some controversial remarks by one of his top supporters Chuck Norris to come to you over the next two hours here in the Ballot Bowl.

But let's focus first on the Democrats this hour. Again, as the campaign moves to South Carolina, more and more critical in the Democratic contest between Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama and John Edwards is the African-American vote. Earlier today in New York City, Senator Hillary Clinton picking up a key endorsement from an African- American minister, Dr. Calvin Butts who outside of his church in New York City was talking to reporters and noting to them that after he made clear his plans to endorse Senator Clinton, he received telephone calls from some angry congregants wondering how he can support Senator Clinton over the African-American candidate Barack Obama.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CALVIN BUTTS, PASTOR: She said that she couldn't understand why on earth, as a black man of this country, I had chosen to announce my support for a white woman. Well, beloved, I received several of those calls and I'm sure I will receive others. But I would like to make one thing very clear, this was not and is not and will not become a race-based decision for me. And I hope that it has not and will not become a race-based decision for you either.

(END VIDEO CLIP) KING: Reverend Calvin Butts there outside the Abyssinian Baptist Church in New York earlier today delivering his endorsement to Senator Hillary Clinton of New York. Again, the competition for the African- American vote now critical among the Democratic candidates as the race moves on to South Carolina next and then so many states on Super Tuesday, many of them with significant African-American populations in the Democratic electorate as well. You heard Dr. Butts outside the church. Let's listen now to Senator Clinton as she addressed the congregants earlier today.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SEN. HILLARY CLINTON (D-NY), PRESIDENTIAL CANIDIDATE: We are about to once again commemorate Dr. King's birthday, but more importantly, his holiday. To reflect upon his legacy and his continuing challenge to all of us. We celebrate and often hear repeated in many different settings his words, his extraordinary ability to communicate. The "I have a dream" speech is one of the great speeches that has ever been delivered in the history of the world, I think. I was in Compton, California, last week and a little 9-year-old boy was reciting it at an event that I was attending. And that will happen all over America.

I want to just underscore though what Dr. King was doing when he was murdered. He was in Memphis, Tennessee. He was marching with striking sanitation workers. He was leading the charge for economic justice. He understood that we can push the limits of our laws, we can eliminate on paper so many of the discriminatory practices that have unfortunately marked and marred our history.

But we have to do so much more. Standing up for people who were paid, I believe, $1.70 an hour with no benefits, who had no ability to organize and bargain collectively, that was recognized and respected. He made it very clear that the civil rights movement is about economic justice. Abyssinian has always understood that. The work that this church has done, the models it has created have been so important to the ongoing struggle for justice across all aspects of human endeavor. That is what I believe has to remain our principle focus today.

Injustice anywhere, as Dr. King said, is injustice everywhere. We all suffer when people are not treated with respect and dignity. This is not only a struggle here at home but it's a struggle around the world. And I hope that our country can once again lead that struggle, demonstrate clearly that we are on the side of both, get up every day, do the best they can, and deserve more than what they receive. It is for me - (APPLAUSE) -- at the core of what I believe politics is supposed to be about.

There are a lot of people who feel like they can get along just fine without politics. They don't need a bright, innovative young lieutenant governor. They don't need a very vigorous and dynamic minority leader in the Senate. They don't need, they think, members of Congress who stand up for their constitutional rights or stand up for justice at every turn. They don't even think they really need a president because they're doing just fine. Well, anyone who has that frame of mind, I hope you will quickly disabuse them of it because we have a lot of work to do here in New York and America. And we need everyone to understand that we are in this together. We have a tremendous opportunity to do so much more to realize that more perfect union that Dr. Butts referred to.

Now, does it get discouraging from time to time? No doubt about it. Does it feel that lots of days it's one step forward and two steps back? No doubt about it. But we are called upon to keep moving forward. And when we flag or falter, there are so many to remind us to keep moving. Certainly the yearly commemoration of Dr. King's life and legacy should do that. We really should think about it every single day, not just once a year.

But there are so many others that are right around us who should help us keep moving. Think about all the teachers we know who reach into their pockets and spend money on supplies for their classrooms because the resources aren't there for them to do the job they want to do for the children in their care.

Think about the doctors, the nurses at North General and elsewhere who could go to perhaps an easier place to work. A hospital that didn't have to struggle every year to keep going, but they show up every day because they, too, have a mission. Think about all of those who wake up every morning and go to jobs where they work hard and then they come home and maybe grab a bite to eat and go to another job where they work hard. How many people do you know who have two jobs? Some even have three jobs. These are people who are doing the very best they can and they deserve more than a pat on the back. They deserve a living wage. They deserve universal healthcare. They deserve good schools for their children. They deserve justice.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KING: The Democratic candidate for president, Senator Hillary Clinton speaking earlier today at the Abyssinian Baptist Church in New York City. Senator Clinton among the candidates for president increasingly courting African-Americans as the Democratic contests moves on to the state of South Carolina. Live in our Ballot Bowl coverage in the hour ahead, you will hear and see Senator John Edwards doing the much the same at the Zion Baptist Church in Columbia, South Carolina. Senator Edwards preparing to address the congregants there in the hour ahead. We will bring you that live as part of our Ballot Bowl coverage. There you see the church in Columbia, South Carolina.

This, the Ballot Bowl, our opportunity to give you a chance to listen to the candidates in their own words, unfiltered, in extended speech settings as they discuss all the issues in this remarkable presidential campaign.

Also ahead as our Ballot Bowl coverage continues over the course of the next nearly two hours, Senator John McCain, a big win for John McCain last night in the state of South Carolina. That is the state where his Republican campaign ran off the tracks eight years ago. You will hear Senator McCain celebrate that victory in South Carolina as he prepares to move on here to the state of Florida as the Republican race continues as well.

Again, much more from the presidents, much more from our presidential candidates, excuse me, much more of our extended coverage coming up ahead. Stay with us in the CNN Ballot Bowl.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KING: Welcome back to the CNN Ballot Bowl. I'm John King live in New Port Richey, Florida. We should thank our hosts here at the Spartan Manor for their gracious hospitality today. We were here earlier today for a Rudy Giuliani event. He one of the many candidates now concentrating on the Republican side here in the state of Florida. We are also going to show you Democratic candidates in our extended coverage here in the Ballot Bowl. As we just noted, we are waiting to hear from John Edwards. He is at a church service this hour in Columbia, South Carolina, where the Democratic campaign focus is next. We are told he will speak at the end of that service. We will try to bring that to you live.

We are also focusing again on the changes in the Republican race. The Republican race has now moved past South Carolina. But last night when the results came in, it was vindication for John McCain. His campaign went off the trail, you might say off the tracks in South Carolina eight years ago. Soundly defeated by then Texas Governor George W. Bush.

Senator McCain knew coming into this campaign, South Carolina would be critical to his chances. You see he and his wife Cindy there celebrating that victory last night in Charleston, South Carolina. Senator McCain now leaves South Carolina to come here to Florida. For a little bit more on his message to his supporters last night and his strategy coming ahead, we're joined now by my colleague Dana Bash. She is in Charleston for us this afternoon and was at that McCain celebration last night. Dana?

DANA BASH, CNN CORRESPONENT: And it was quite a celebration for all the reasons you just laid out, John. Primarily the fact that this was eight years coming for John McCain. He had such a bitter, bitter defeat to George W. Bush eight years ago after a pretty nasty campaign. This campaign was very, very different. The campaign that he ran and that he ran against his rivals here. It was very fascinating to watch John McCain leading up to the primary yesterday. Tried to essentially inoculate himself from some of the negative attacks, some of the so-called dirty tricks that came against him eight years ago.

And you know, also, tried to sort of get on the right track with South Carolina voters when it comes to veterans issues, when it comes to a war in Iraq. That was a big part of his pitch here in South Carolina that he is somebody who was on the right track when it comes to the war. Criticized the Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld at a time when it was not cool to do that in Republican circles. And the fact that the war is doing better, John McCain says, certainly helps him in this veteran-rich state.

Also, of course, talked about fiscally conservative issues. So at the event last night, it was all smiles for the candidate who certainly had a comeback in New Hampshire and a comeback here in South Carolina yesterday.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SEN. JOHN MCCAIN (R-AZ), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you, my friends. Thank you, South Carolina. Thank you, South Carolina for bringing us across the finish line first in the first in the south primary.

You know, it took us a while but what's eight years among friends? What it really did, what it really did, it gave us the opportunity to spend more time in this beautiful state, to talk with you and listen to you. And have come to admire all the more the deep patriotism of South Carolinians who have sacrificed so much to defend our countries from its enemies.

My friends, it's a great privilege to have come to know so many of you and I'm very grateful for and humbled by the support you have given our campaign. Thank you. Thank you especially for having the very un-South Carolina-like weather today. And you came out to exercise the first responsibility of an American, not just those South Carolinians who voted for us but all of you who voted today for the candidate you believe is best and is suited to lead the country you love.

I think I can speak -- I think I can speak for all the Republican candidates when I say South Carolinians are never just fair weather friends. You know, I'm very grateful to our South Carolina team and to the many dedicated volunteers who gave so generously of their time and labor and kept us competitive in some pretty challenges times, my friends.

There's a lot of people we want to thank, so many. But among them are my dear and beloved friend Lindsey Graham, the senior senator from South Carolina. My beloved friend -- my dear -- my dear and beloved friend, the great, great, great attorney general of the state of South Carolina, Henry McMaster. And the leader of the South Carolina legislature, a leader in the fight to reduce taxes, less government, less regulation, has made South Carolina a wonderful place to work and to live, the speaker, Bobby Harrell. Bobby, thanks, thank you very much. I hope you know, I hope you all know how much your friendship means to me. The debt I owe you is a privilege and an obligation which I promise you I will faithfully discharge.

I want to thank my wonderful wife Cindy. The best campaigner, my daughters Meghan and Sidney who are with us tonight as well as my son Doug, and our children who couldn't be here and, of course, my friends, and of course my mother, Roberta McCain.

It's obvious to me and to all who know me we wouldn't be here tonight and where we are but for your love and encouragement and your faith in me. Thank you, mama, thank you very much.

My friends, in the course of this campaign I've tried as best I could to tell people the truth, to tell them the truth about the challenges -- about the challenges facing our country and how I intend to address them.

As I've said before, and you've heard me, before I can win your vote, I must earn your respect. And the only way I know how to do that is by being honest with you. I've tried to do that throughout this campaign and put my trust in your willingness to give me your fair consideration.

So far, it seems to be working pretty well. You and I are aware that for the last 28 years the winner of the South Carolina primary has been the nominee of our party of president of the United States.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KING: That was John McCain at his victory speech last night in Charleston, South Carolina. Dana Bash was at that McCain rally last night, has been spending a lot of time with the senator of late, including an exclusive one-on-one interview this morning. Dana will join us shortly for some analysis. But first, we need to take a quick break. You're watching the CNN Ballot Bowl, the candidates unfiltered and in their own words. Please stay with us. We'll be back after a short break.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KING: John McCain at his victory rally in Charleston, South Carolina last night. John McCain has now won the South Carolina Republican primary. He responds to voting, the winner of that primary in a contested Republican campaign in the past 28 years has gone on to be the Republican nominee. This campaign though unlike those traditional campaigns of the past.

Dana Bash rejoins us now from Charleston, South Carolina. She was at that McCain party last night. Also had some time one-on-one with the senator today for an exclusive interview.

Dana, noteworthy watching that rally last night, not only the senator's great mood in exercising the ghosts if you will of eight years ago when his campaign was derailed in South Carolina but delivering a speech in an un-McCain way.

BASH: It was un-McCain. You know, John McCain is known for a lot of things. I think even John McCain would admit one of the things he's not known for is his oratory. You saw Mike Huckabee last night give this speech off the cuff. You even see people like Mitt Romney do it without notes.

John McCain likes to have a prepared text and he has a speech writer who he has been very close with for a very long time who knows him well, so he can prepare those texts for him.

Remember in New Hampshire he had a prepared speech and he was looking down and reading it. I was in the room and it sort of looked OK, but apparently you talk to some of his aides they were not -- they were a bit concerned about the way it looked on television.

Last night I happened to be sitting next to the teleprompter. John McCain had a teleprompter in delivering his speech last night. He wanted to give it right. You can see him locking in the back of the room to make sure he got all of his words right and got his message across the way he wanted to get it across. So it was a little bit of theatrics, a little bit of color from being inside that room last night, John.

KING: Dana, Senator McCain leads South Carolina with momentum. He is hoping to win here in the state of Florida. He believes two victories in a row would give him considerable momentum and the title of Republican front-runner.

But of course one of the things you watch when somebody starts racking up victories is to how their opponents react. We've seen Rudy Giuliani already tougher here in Florida on the tax issue.

But a very interesting moment today in the state of Texas. Mike Huckabee, the former Arkansas governor, went there to raise money with his close friend and supporter Chuck Norris. And we hope to have the tape for this event a bit later in the Ballot Bowl. But Chuck Norris during a meeting with reporters raised the issues of Senator McCain's age. He is 71-years-old. He would be 72-years-old if inaugurated. And we should note, the inauguration would be one year from today of the next president of the United States. Chuck Norris saying John McCain is too old to be president, in his view. How is the McCain campaign likely to react to that?

BASH: Not very well. This is the soft spot for John McCain. There's no question about it. John McCain, as you just said, if he were president he would be by far the oldest president. Much older than Ronald Reagan who at the time was a lot of questions about his age going into it.

John McCain likes to try to inoculate himself on his age. You saw the picture there from last night. He likes to have his mother with him. His mother is 95-years-old. One of his favorite stump lines is the fact that his mother tried to rent a car when she was traveling around Europe. They wouldn't let her because of her age so she just went out and bought one.

So he likes to talk about his good genes and that gives him a sense -- tries to calm the fears of people who think he's too old. Chuck Norris, the actor, of course, who has been on the campaign trail with Mike Huckabee said this morning, and I was just looking at my BlackBerry to make sure I have the quote here, and again, we should have the tape soon. He said, "If John," speaking of John McCain, "takes over the presidency at age 72, he ages three to one, how old will he be in four years? 84-years-old. And can he handle that kind of pressure in that job? That's why I didn't pick John to support because I'm just afraid the vice president will take over."

The other interesting part of that is that Mike Huckabee was sort of asked whether or not he agrees with that. He basically didn't answer the question. He said in general the best between John McCain and his barber, so didn't really, you know, distance himself from those remarks. Pretty tough and pretty much going after one of the -- until now -- unspoken questions about John McCain and his viability as a nominee, and his viability as a candidate because of his age.

KING: It will be interesting to watch as the campaign goes on, whether the attacks sharpen even more. I suspect Governor Huckabee will be asked that question again and will be asked to answer it without his trademark sense of humor.

Dana Bash for us in Charleston, South Carolina. She'll be with us over the next hour of the Ballot Bowl. And when we continue, we're waiting for more events as the presidential campaign spread out across the country. John Edwards at a Baptist church now in Columbia, South Carolina. He will speak after the services. We will try to bring you those remarks live.

We'll also give you an update on where we are so far. These candidates campaigning in these early contests, why? To get delegates. You need enough delegates to win the nomination. We'll give you a look at the early delegate map when the Ballot Bowl continues. Please stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KING: Welcome back to the CNN Ballot Bowl. I'm John King live in New Port Richey, Florida. This is our chance to give you an opportunity to listen to the presidential candidates, the Democrats and the Republicans, in extended settings, long excerpts from their speeches, some live events, some taped events, to give you a chance to hear the presidential candidates beyond the sound bites talking about the big issues in this contested campaign for the presidency.

And one of the many story lines we are pursuing on this day is whether the former Tennessee Senator Fred Thompson, a Republican candidate for president, will continues his quest for the nomination or whether he will bow out after a disappointing finish in last night's South Carolina primary. Senator Thompson had skipped most of the early contests to focus on South Carolina. And heading in, many of his own aides said he needed a first place finish or perhaps a very close and competitive second place finish to continue on. Senator Thompson did not get that, finishing way as back in third place. But no word as to yet as to whether Senator Thompson will continue or not. Aides say he will deliberate over the next several days.

Let's listen to a little bit as Senator Thompson addressed his supporters last night in Columbia, South Carolina.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

FRED THOMPSON (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Our founding fathers had it right, right off the bat. They understood the wisdom of the ages. They understood that there's a certain thing called human nature, both the good side and the not so good side sometimes. They understood that in this old changing world there are some eternal truths. They stated them in the documents right from the very beginning. They reminded us in the Declaration of Independence that our basic rights come not from any government but from God. They set forth in the Constitution of the United States, the way we were going to separate power out in this country, both at the Washington level and throughout the country, the system called federalism.

Not many people talk about it much but it just kinds of underpins everything else we do because our founders understood that a government big enough and powerful enough, centralized enough is big enough and powerful enough to take anything away from you. And we're not going to go down that direction in this country and we never have.

We understood, they understood the dangers of having too much power in too few hands. This is the foundation on which we're built. This is the reason we're here tonight. Free people in a free country. These are institutions on which we built a country. And what a country it's turned out to be.

This is what it's all about, keeping it that way, doing our part, stepping up to the plate, stepping up for service, stepping up to try to do the right thing, even when the right thing is not easy. Institutions such as the rule of law. There wasn't any democracies around when we started out on our little experiment in this world. Most people are governed by democracies now. Now the rule of law is the norm, which everyone wants to emulate. It's based on the propositions that judges will follow the law of the constitution and not make it up as they go along.

It's based upon the value of a market economy and free people doing free things in a free society, unafraid to trade with their neighbors. Based upon the notion that we don't tax and regulate our people to death. Based upon the notion that we don't spend money that we don't have and we sure don't borrow against our grandchildren's future.

It's a kind of country that a small town boy from Lawrenceburg, Tennessee grew up knowing that if he behaved himself and pretty much played by the rules, that he had a chance to achieve the American dream. Where I grew up, it wasn't about dividing up the pie and rich versus poor and boss versus employees and all that kind of stuff. It was about making the pie bigger and going out there and enjoying a free country.

That's why we talk about the Reagan coalition so much, my friend. These are the tenants on which the Reagan coalition was built. And they're just as alive and strong today as they have ever have been. They are alive in the hearts and minds of the American people.

Those are the principles that have made us a successful party over the years and those are the principles that made us the freest, most prosperous, most powerful country in the history of civilization and when we stood for those principles, when we stood strong the way many of us had an opportunity to do in 1994 and came down. And were able to pass welfare reform and find major tax cuts, balance the budget four years in a row, stand tall for the second amendment, stand tall for the rights of the unborn. People haven't changed their minds about those things. We need to convince them we haven't changed our minds about them either.

My friends, we live in the country that sacrificed more blood for the freedom of other people than all other countries in the world combined. We are proud of that tradition. It's a tradition of honor and it's a tradition of sacrifice for the greater good. Now most Americans are not called upon to shed blood, but we are called upon from time to time to make our own sacrifices. We are called upon from time to time to make our own contribution and my friends, that's what you have done. That's what you are doing.

I'm so proud to stand with you in that regard and we will always stand strong together in that regard. We will always stand strong together. I can't thank you enough for that.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KING: Former Senator Fred Thompson of Tennessee, a Republican candidate for president, addressing his supporters in Columbia, South Carolina, last night after a disappointing distant third place finish in the state where many believe he need to win or come in a very close, competitive second to have the viability continue on.

Dana Bash rejoins us from Charleston, South Carolina. And Dana as you know, in the final days of the New Hampshire primary campaign about two weeks ago, Thompson has given up and moved on to South Carolina. Most of his senior staff in Washington went from Washington to join the fight in South Carolina. They defined it as quote, "going Custer," essentially laying out South Carolina as Senator Thompson's last stand. I know you had a chance to talk with him about that characterization.

BASH: I did. I asked him about that last week here in South Carolina in an interview and I told him that his advisers were calling his attempt here going Custer. And he said Custer? It didn't turn out very well for Custer. I said, no, it didn't. And he said, well I prefer to think of myself, think of this as Wellington at Waterloo. And for history buffs, they know that Lord Wellington beat Napoleon in the battle of Waterloo. So that is the way he said he saw this fight here in South Carolina. It certainly didn't seem to turn out that way.

But you know, it sort of reminds me at that time when I interviewed him, it was right after a debate, again, last week in South Carolina, just as everybody was turning their focus to this primary here in South Carolina and he had this at the debate, this sudden burst of energy. In fact even Mike Huckabee who was on the receiving end of the energy he said, well, it looks like Fred finally woke up. And it certainly did seem that way and even after that debate there was a new buzz about Fred Thompson here in South Carolina.

People seemed to go at least in the beginning to his events. They wanted to listen to what he was saying. And you know, there was the same dynamic in Iowa when Fred Thompson at the very end, the last push in Iowa, I went to start - I was with him when he started his bus tour in Iowa. And he had sort of a new sense of purpose at the beginning of the bus tour. He seemed a bit sharper, he seemed a bit sharper, more energetic than he had been.

But you know what? Even in Iowa and South Carolina it didn't seem to catch on. So it was one of the really interesting and most fascinating questions about this campaign, is why Fred Thompson, who came in as a candidate who the conservatives all were hoping would the man that they could finally rally around, simply didn't do that at all.

And just one other anecdote I can tell you, John, perhaps telling to that is that when I was in Iowa, a lot of times I would go around and talk to voters about who they're going to support and why they were going to support them. I was actually at a John McCain event and I talked to one voter and he said I told Fred Thompson a long time ago personally that I would sign on with him, that I would vote for him.

After hearing John McCain, she came and found me, this voter and said, you know what? I'm going to have to write Fred a letter. I can't go with him anymore. I'm going to have to go with John McCain. So it just shows you kind of the dynamic behind the scenes of people early on thinking that they really wanted to go for Fred Thompson but as they heard him and as they saw other candidates, it just didn't turn out that way. John?

KING: Dana Bash for us in Charleston, South Carolina. And as we await word as to whether Senator Thompson will continue his campaign, we should note that we are told by his aides that he went home to be at the side of his ailing mother. So our thoughts and prayers are with Senator Thompson as he deals with a difficult personal time in his life as we await word on whether or not to see the campaign will continue.

And our Ballot Bowl will continue. On the other side of the break, you will hear from John Edwards. He's in Columbia, South Carolina. He just attended services at Zion Baptist Church, spoke after those services. Stay with the CNN Ballot Bowl. You will hear from Senator Edwards and other presidential candidates as they make their case in South Carolina for the Democrats, here in Florida for the Republicans, and beyond. Please continue to spend your afternoon with us. You're watching the CNN Ballot Bowl.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KING: Welcome back to the CNN Ballot Bowl, our extended political coverage of the presidential campaign. Just before the break you heard former Tennessee Senator Fred Thompson After the results came in last night in the Republican presidential primary in South Carolina.

Well the Democrats will be in the state of South Carolina throughout this week, next weekend is their primary. The Democratic presidential primary in the state of South Carolina. Among the contenders with considerable stakes in that election, former North Carolina Senator John Edwards. He was born in South Carolina, won its Democratic primary back when he was seeking the Democratic presidential nomination four years ago in 2004. He of course ended up as the vice presidential nominee that year. He has been struggling to make his mark in this year's campaign. He spoke just a short time ago outside the Zion Baptist Church in Columbia, South Carolina.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JOHN EDWARDS (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: A few months ago, I the chance to do a poverty tour which went through Mississippi among other places, which is a place that Dr. King described as an island of poverty in a sea of affluence. And we saw much of what he saw. Some things had changed, but much remained the same. And it's a huge moral issue that Dr. King spoke about repeatedly facing this country, what will we do to end poverty? What will we do with the 37 million Americans that wake up every day literally worried about feeding and clothing their children?

These are the two Americas that I've spoken about in the past and we have a responsibility in the nation to create one America and to honor the extraordinary leadership and work of Dr. King in this area. And I had the privilege about a year ago to speak at Riverside Church in Harlem, a place where Dr. King spoke many years ago about this the betrayal of silence. In his case, he was speaking about the war in Vietnam.

But silence, people not speaking up when we see injustice, of course. It is injustice to have millions of Americans who are literally worried about survival in the richest on the planet. Which is why I've devoted so much of my work and my life and this presidential campaign to work to end poverty in America, to end the economic inequality and economic injustice that exists in this country.

We need to create opportunity for every American. And that's what this cause is about. This is the cause of my life, this cause is not stopping. It's not going away. I am extraordinarily honored to be here today, to be able to honor the legacy of Dr. King, whose legendary work in this area is very difficult for any of us to try to emulate.

But we do the best we can in very difficult circumstances. So we're proud to have Leon here with me. We're proud to be here at this event to honor the legacy of Dr. King. Tomorrow we will be at the capitol where I will be able to speak again about this issue of economic justice and ending poverty in America, which I will continue to fight for as long as I'm alive and breathing. So thank you all very much. It's a pleasure to be with you today.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KING: Former Senator John Edwards of North Carolina, Democratic presidential candidate speaking a short time ago outside of the Zion Baptist Church in Columbia, South Carolina. South Carolina, the next contest for the Democrats, a critical contest for the Democrats. The first chance to see how a state with a significant African-American population weighs in on the Democratic presidential race.

Now the candidates have been moving around, beginning three weeks ago in Iowa, then to the state of New Hampshire. We've had caucuses out in Nevada. The Michigan primary on the Republican side, the South Carolina primary on the Republican side already. All of this of course in the hunt for delegates to the Republican and the Democratic national conventions. It is reaching the magic number in the delegate count that gets a candidate their party's presidential nomination.

Let's take a look at the scorecard so far. First among the Democrats. So far, CNN's estimate of the delegate math, Hillary Clinton, senator from New York, the Democratic candidate, has 210 delegates according to our early projections. Senator Barack Obama, second in the Democratic race with 123 delegates estimate so far. Senator Edwards who you just heard from there, 52 delegates. Congressman Dennis Kucinich, one delegate and Mike Gravel the former senator from Alaska, shut out so far in the delegate chase. You see at the top, 2,025, the magic number. A Democratic candidate who reaches 2,025 delegates will be the next Democratic nominee for president.

Now let's look in on the Republican side, a fewer number of delegates needed to clinch 1,191 is the magic number on the Republican side. The early winner based on his wins in Michigan, in Nevada and in the Wyoming caucuses is former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney with 72 delegates we estimate so far. Last night's winner in South Carolina and also the winner in New Hampshire's presidential primary, Arizona Senator John McCain is second with 38 delegates. Mike Huckabee 29 delegates estimated so far. That largely from his victory in the Iowa caucuses. Senator Fred Thompson of Tennessee, the former senator, eight delegates so far. Ron Paul, the libertarian turned Republican congressman from Texas, six delegates so far. And Rudy Giuliani, the former New York mayor who has yet to win in these early presidential contest states, two delegates so far. Again, 1,191 the magic number for the Republicans.

A large number of delegates at stake here in the state of Florida. That is the next contest for the Republicans. Rudy Giuliani here today. The other candidates on hand here in the state of Florida today, much more from them and others seeking their party's presidential nomination coming up as our Ballot Bowl coverage, the presidential candidates in their own words, continues in just a moment.

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KING: I'm John King live in New Port Richey, Florida continuing our coverage of the presidential candidates in their own words, unfiltered. You get to hear from the presidential candidates, Republican and Democrats alike. We enjoy doing this and we hope you both enjoy it and get valuable information from it.

Before we continue our coverage of the candidates, though, we want to go to Fredricka Whitfield in Atlanta for the latest news. But before we do, I want to hold up these.

FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: I love that.

KING: There's one Fred on the Republican ballot. There's another Fred. I know who my choice for president is.

WHITFIELD: I'm the Fred right down the middle. Thanks to you, I love the collection of Fred '08 buttons and all things Fred '08. I'm a fan of Fred as well. All right, thanks so much John. KING: I'll put them in the mail.

WHITFIELD: Thanks so much. Got a great collection.

All right, well here are the top headlines right now. Police in Indianapolis have arrested four men in connection with a deadly crime that shocked and outraged the city. Two women, a newborn and a toddler were fatally shot in their home on Monday. Police haven't confirmed a motive but all the suspects face robbery charges with two of them charged in the murders.

A new development in the case of a little British girl who has been missing since last May. The family of Madeleine McCann have released sketches of a man who may be linked to her disappearance in Portugal. The sketches were based on description from a woman who was staying near the McCanns.

And in South Carolina, three prison inmates save a female guard from an attack by a convicted sex offender. Prison officials say George Salisbury trapped the guard in a locked room. The inmates heard her screaming for help and then they broke in and overpowered Salisbury. Well he is now being moved to a maximum security facility.

And about 200,000 people turned out for the pope Sunday appearance of the Vatican. The large crowd came to show support for the pontiff after a speech at the Rome University was cancelled. The visit was called off after students and faculty protested saying they were opposed to a religious leader speaking at a secular campus.

And bone-chilling, bitter cold or just plain brutal weather. However you say it, fans are bracing for sub-zero temperatures in Wisconsin for the NFC championship game later on today. The Green Bay Packers and New York Giants have been prefacing with frozen footballs and fans are being warned to bundle up and drink warm non-alcoholic, of course, beverages. That means a lot of hot cocoa. Jacqui Jeras in the Weather Center, you know all about that kind of weather.

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WHITFIELD: Brutal but, hey, that's the way it is. Thanks a lot, Jacqui. That's right.

All right, sad news out of Hollywood. Actress Suzanne Pleshette has died. She was best known as Bob Newhart's TV wife on his long- running sitcom in the 1970s. But she also appeared in movies and on Broadway. Pleshette died of respiratory failure last night in Los Angeles. She underwent chemotherapy for lung cancer in 2006. Suzanne Pleshette was 70-years-old.

I'm Fredricka Whitfield. Now back to the Ballot Bowl, right after this.

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