Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Newsroom

'Ballot Bowl '08'

Aired February 04, 2008 - 11:59   ET

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

DANA BASH, CNN CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: I'm Dana Bash in Hamilton, New Jersey, on the eve of Super Tuesday.
This is a special edition of "Ballot Bowl '08," where you hear from the presidential candidates on the campaign trail. In some cases, live.

John McCain will be here in Hamilton, New Jersey, during this hour. And in some cases, we'll play taped portions of the candidates on the campaign trail as they speak to voters, as they try to get their votes, and, of course, as they try to get their party's nomination.

Now, no matter how you look at it, it is absolutely crunch time for both sides of the aisle, for Democrats and Republicans. Today is the very last day that they have to spread out across the country for what amounts to a national primary with about two dozen states having primaries and caucuses tomorrow. They are trying to get your vote, and now this, today, is the last chance for them do it. And we at CNN have reporters all over the country covering the candidates and covering this historic day tomorrow.

Now, I, of course, am here in Hamilton, New Jersey. My co- anchor, Jessica Yellin, is on the left coast in Santa Ana, California.

We also have Mary Snow, who is going to be joining us from, Atlanta, Georgia. And just a little bit north of me, Jim Acosta is going to be in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

But before I continue with that, I want to kick it over to my co- anchor, Jessica Yellin, who is in California.

Hi, Jessica.

JESSICA YELLIN, CNN CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Dana.

I'm here where Bill Clinton just wrapped up a rally for his wife. California, as you know, one of the most delegate-rich states, and he is stumping hard for his wife because this fight is neck and neck here in California. Barack Obama has tightened up the race with Senator Clinton.

Now, up ahead, we have a busy hour. Checking out today's game plan, we will bring you a rally in East Rutherford, New Jersey, being held by Barack Obama. Republican Senator John McCain is going to hold one, as you've said, in Hamilton, New Jersey, right where you are. One of his rivals, Mitt Romney, making a campaign stop in Atlanta. And finally, Democratic Senator Hillary Clinton is holding a rally in Manchester -- sorry, in Worcester, Massachusetts.

All that's coming up, but first I want to go to our Jim Acosta, who is right there in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

Jim, you know, I think that's the home of a certain winning football team, but they're talking about another big day right now -- Jim.

JIM ACOSTA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That's right, Jessica. Barack Obama will be here within the hour in East Rutherford, New Jersey, in the Meadowlands, as they call it here. And he is campaigning in territory that is as close as it gets to Hillary Clinton's home turf. After all, we are standing in the shadow of Giants Stadium, and the speakers behind me who are warming up this crowd for Barack Obama have made notes of the fact that the New York Giants were the underdog last night, but came from behind and was victorious last night in the Super Bowl.

But Barack Obama comes here after campaigning across the country. It was a mad dash from big states to small states. And then the Super Tuesday race for delegate size doesn't always matter, which explains why Barack Obama was in Idaho over the weekend. He was in Wilmington, Delaware, yesterday.

And in Wilmington, in front of a crowd of about 20,000 people, he took aim at the issue of the war in Iraq, drawing the contrast between himself and Hillary Clinton, saying that he is the best candidate to run against John McCain, if he's the front-runner, if he's the nominee in November, because Hillary Clinton had supported the war early on in that conflict.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. BARACK OBAMA (D-IL), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Do you want a candidate who has similar policies to John McCain on the war in Iraq, or somebody who can offer a stark contrast?

See, when I'm the nominee, John McCain won't be able to say that you are for this war in Iraq, because I wasn't. He won't be able to say that I followed the Bush/Cheney doctrine of not talking to leads we don't like, because I don't. He won't be able to say that I went along and gave George Bush the benefit of the doubt on Iran, because I haven't. He won't be able to say that I was unclear about my position on torture, because I've been absolutely clear -- we never torture in this country.

I can offer a clear and clean break from the failed policies of George W. Bush. I won't have to explain my votes in the past.

The same is true on domestic policy. John McCain's basic approach is, more Bush.

You know, John -- I respected John, opposed Bush tax cuts early on. He said it was irresponsible to cut taxes at same time as we were going into a war. But now that the wheels have fallen off (AUDIO GAP) and he's starting to say, let's extend them. Well, we don't need to have a Democratic nominee who is not clear about the kind of fight that we're going into.

See, I'm not afraid to say that I don't mind raising the cap on Social Security so that wealthier Americans have to pay a little more so that ordinary Americans can count on Social Security, well into the future. I don't mind having that debate. I won't avoid that debate.

We need clarity in this campaign. And that is what I offer.

See, one of the things that happens when you're in Washington too long, you start talking Washington speak. I remember I had -- we were in a debate -- this was back in Las Vegas -- myself, John Edwards and Hillary -- and John Edwards ran a terrific campaign as well, and we are proud of how he lifted up poverty and lifted up working families.

But I was asked during the debate -- Tim Russert said, "What's your biggest weakness?" And I said, "Well, I'm always losing paper. So I always have to have somebody around me to help me file things and keep my desk clean."

So he asked, well, you know, "Senator Edwards, what's your biggest weakness?" And he said, "Well, I'm just so passionate about helping poor people.

And then he asked Senator Clinton, and said, "Well, I'm just so impatient to bring about change in America." And I wanted to say to Tim, can I do this over? Because when they said what's your biggest weakness, I thought they meant, what's your biggest weakness? But I haven't been in Washington that long, so I didn't understand that it meant you should start bragging about yourself.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ACOSTA: And so that was Barack Obama in Wilmington, Delaware, yesterday. He is expected to be here in the Meadowlands, in New Jersey, within the hour. New Jersey being one of the big Super Tuesday prizes up for grabs.

And earlier, just a few moments ago, we heard from the former senator from New Jersey, Bill Bradley, throwing his support behind Barack Obama. Bill Bradley didn't play basketball in this arena, he played over in Madison Square Garden, but knows this kind of terrain well. He told the crowd that Barack Obama's the kind of candidate who can unite the country, and that is another big theme for Barack Obama, heading into Super Tuesday, that he's the kind of candidate that will unite the country, not take the country back to the divisive politics of the 1990s, a case that he makes over and over again in all of his speeches -- Jessica.

YELLIN: Thanks, Jim.

And we heard him make a shout out there to John Edwards. Both Senator Obama and Clinton trying to eagerly to court his supporters.

We'll come back to Jim later when Barack Obama is there live, but we want to take now a look at some of big PR blitz that Barack Obama had yesterday, a big boost he got, when a power set of women came out for him in southern California. He had Oprah, Caroline Kennedy and his wife on stage, all endorsing him before a crowd of thousands. But the crowd went nuts when one woman, a surprise guest came out.

Maria Shriver decided to endorse Obama yesterday. An unexpected development. She said it was something she came to within hours of her appearance there, and here's what she told the crowd in southern California.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

OPRAH WINFREY, TALK SHOW HOST: I heard from some narrow-minded folks who said I was just voting for him because he was black. And I said, that, too, was insulting to me. Don't play me small.

(APPLAUSE)

WINFREY: I'm not that small. I'm not that small. Don't play me small.

I would never vote for anyone based on gender or race. I'm voting for Barack Obama not because he's black, I'm voting for Barack Obama because he's brilliant.

MARIA SHRIVER, WIFE OF ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER: I want to give a little shout-out to my daughter Katherine, who's a first-time voter. And I was at a horse show with her, which is why I'm attired like this. And I haven't brushed my hair, and I didn't do my makeup. And I said to her at 7:30, "I think I should be at UCLA."

(APPLAUSE)

SHRIVER: And she said to me, "Mommy, mommy, if you think you can help, if you think you can change just one person, if you think you can make a difference, then go."

(END VIDEO CLIP)

YELLIN: Now, Obviously that was Oprah and then Maria Shriver. The two women old friends going back to their days together in local news.

A major endorsement, because Maria Shriver obviously not only a member of the Kennedy family, but the first lady of the state of California. And she called on the audience to lead the nation in supporting Barack Obama tomorrow.

Now, we're going to have a lot more coming up. First of all, you're going to hear an interview exclusive, Wolf Blitzer and Barack Obama, at 4:00 p.m. today on "THE SITUATION ROOM" -- 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time.

And straight ahead in "Ballot Bowl," you're going to hear live from Barack Obama at that rally in East Rutherford, and also from Senator John McCain.

Stay with "Ballot Bowl." (COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BASH: Welcome back to a special edition of "Ballot Bowl '08."

I'm Dana Bash in Hamilton, New Jersey.

John McCain is expected here this hour, and we're going to bring that to you live as we try to present to you many -- in fact, most -- of the candidates as they are making their way across the country today, the even of Super Tuesday.

Now, for John McCain in particular, he is focusing on the Northeast today -- the state of New Jersey, he's going to be in New York later today. Earlier today he sort of made a curious stop, and that was in the state of Massachusetts. Curious because that, of course, is the home state of his chief rival in this Republican race for president, Mitt Romney.

Now, it was perhaps an in-your-face move for John McCain, something that he says might actually get him the votes to win the primary in Massachusetts. Mitt Romney's campaign says, not so fast, you're wasting your time in my back yard.

But nevertheless, what John McCain did in Boston this morning is sort of interesting in that what he's been trying to do is appeal to conservatives -- conservatives, many of whom are very skeptical of him right now, as crucial, of course, for the Republican vote tomorrow. But he also tried to reach across the aisle, perhaps with an eye toward the general election, an eye towards Independents that he might need if he were to get the nomination.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. JOHN MCCAIN (R-AZ), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I want to tell you and look you in the eye, my friends, as president of the United States, I will preserve my proud conservative Republican credentials, but I will reach across the aisle to the Democrats and work together for the good of this country. That's what you want us to do, is work the for the good of this country.

(APPLAUSE)

You're tired of the gridlock. You are tired of the frustration. And you will do that -- and I will do that.

(APPLAUSE)

Can I just mention my great friend from the state of Texas, 12 years, a professor of economics at Texas A&M University, started out as a Democrat, quickly, quickly, saw the light and became a Republican. And was a leader on literally the Reagan revolution, where we cut taxes, we reduced spending, we took -- when Ronald Reagan came into office, inflation was 20 percent, unemployment was 10 percent, and he was a great foot soldier in the Reagan revolution, my dear friend, Senator Phil Gramm from Texas.

(APPLAUSE)

And from great state of South Carolina, Senator Lindsey Graham. Senator Lindsey Graham...

(APPLAUSE)

After this meeting, if you would like to talk with senator -- either Senator Graham, we will provide translators for you that any of you that need to have -- find them hard to understand. I find them hard to understand.

Anyway, just a word, a brief word.

Senator Lindsey Graham is not only a United States senator, he serves as a colonel in the United States Air Force Reserve lawyer. When Congress votes themselves a pay raise and goes on vacation for a month, Lindsey Graham puts on his uniform as the United States Air Force lawyer, goes to Iraq in the summertime, in 120-degree heat, and tries to help, does everything he can to help the Iraqi people have the rule of law.

The important part of democracy. I'm proud of Lindsey Graham's work.

(APPLAUSE)

However -- however, do you know the difference between a lawyer and a catfish? One is a scum-sucking bottom dweller, the other is a fish. And so there goes the lawyer vote again.

But thank you all for -- I thank all of you for being here.

My friends, I'd like to discuss a few issues with you. But first of all, thank you again for coming out. Thank you for taking part in this exercise in democracy in this most historic place.

And I'm grateful that you would take the time this morning. I know everybody had something else to do besides dry their tears over last night's game. But the fact is, I think you can be proud of that football team. I think you can be proud of the record they amassed. And I think you can be proud of the courage they displayed on the field.

(APPLAUSE)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BASH: There's John McCain, standing in the city of Boston, obviously offering his condolences to the Patriots' fans in the audience about last night's Super Bowl. But also, you might be wondering why we just played for you a litany of thank-yous to some of his supporters with him. And, you know, it is interesting, and telling, and here's what why.

Because first of all, Senator Lindsey Graham is somebody he talked about. For those of us who cover Senator McCain in the Senate, we know that Lindsey Graham is his constant sidekick there. But on the campaign trail, both for Lindsey Graham and the other senator that John McCain just introduced, Senator Phil Gramm, what he's trying to do is tell conservatives who might not trust him very much right now is, you don't think I'm conservative? Look at the company that I keep. And that has sort of -- that's been the constant theme for Senator McCain, as he's been campaigning across the country in these crucial contest states, especially right now, where he really, really is trying to beat back Mitt Romney, who is campaigning as the conservative alternative to John McCain.

And on that note, I want to bring in my colleague, Mary Snow, who is with Mitt Romney, is actually in Atlanta, Georgia, one of the many, many stops that Romney is going to make as he crisscrosses the country today.

And Mary, I want to just read you a quote that I know you saw from Romney this morning in Nashville. He said, "We don't want Senator McCain, we want a conservative."

Ouch. That's pretty tough, but that is absolutely telling of what he's try doing today, isn't it?

MARY SNOW, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Absolutely, Dana. You know, that is the case he's been making in these final days up to Super Tuesday. He is trying to really tap into that discontent among conservatives who are upset with Senator John McCain, and he is trying to say that he is the real conservative.

He's here today in Georgia, he made a last-minute change of plans. He's going to head back to California. He believes that there is an opportunity there. He also said that, if he can win in California, he told reporters, you will see a conservative in the White House.

He has really been also naming Ronald Reagan several times in just about all of his stops, saying that this battle is a battle for the heart and soul of the Republican party, and really trying to paint Senator McCain, in his words, as a liberal, which, you know, among Republican circle is a nasty word to use. But that really has been the crux of his argument here.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MITT ROMNEY (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I'm planning on winning this fair and square by lining up more delegates than the other guy. And I can't -- I can't possibly forecast what's going to happen down the road.

I anticipate that I'm going to get the delegates I need, and I -- I just -- I just can't conjecture what might happen down the road. So we'll just wait and see what develops.

QUESTION: What's the main difference between you and Senator McCain?

ROMNEY: The biggest difference between us? There are probably two streams of difference.

One is experience. I spent my life in the private sector, 25 years, learning how jobs come and why jobs go. I lived in a sector where, if you don't get the job done, you get fired. I lived in the sector where talk is cheap and not very valuable.

And so, I have learned in that world, and I believe that real world experience is necessary to strengthen America and to build our economy. And at the base of our ability to lead the world is a strong economy.

If you don't have a strong economy, you can't have a strong military. If you don't have a strong economy, families don't have great jobs for their kids. And so that's something I know in my core.

Secondly, we disagree on a number of issues. And if you look at Senator McCain's position on number of issues, you have a hard time distinguishing him from Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama.

(APPLAUSE)

When it comes to -- not on all issues. Not on all issues, but on many.

So, if it comes to the Bush tax cuts, who was it that said that these were tax cuts for the rich? Hillary Clinton and John McCain.

When it came time to talk about drilling in ANWR, who thought that was a bad idea? Hillary Clinton and John McCain.

When it came town to talk about McCain/Feingold, a reaffirmation of our campaign finance system, who thought that was a good idea? Hillary Clinton and John McCain.

When it came time to think about amnesty for all illegal aliens in this country, who thought that was a good idea? Hillary Clinton and John McCain.

And this new -- and this new McCain/Lieberman bill, who thinks it's a good idea to add a 50-cent-per-charge to gasoline in this country? Hillary Clinton and John McCain.

So I think if we're going to win the White House, we're going to have to be different than the Democrat, because we don't win the White House by acting like Hillary Clinton.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SNOW: And that was Republican presidential hopeful Mitt Romney, just outside St. Louis, Missouri, last night, one of the states he campaigned in saying that he's being very strategic about where he's going to be campaigning, looking at where he can pick up the most delegates.

He is in Georgia right now, and in just a few minutes expected to speak to a rally here before heading back to California, where the campaign is really hoping that they'll have an opportunity there, because, Dana, as you know, all these national polls are showing Mitt Romney is behind. Some of the supporters here I've been talking to say, you know, they are still hopeful, but they are a bit concerned about those national polls. But they feel that perhaps he has a shot in California, and they're going to seize on that.

And Mitt Romney saying that this is an aggressive effort, that it's 24-hour nonstop campaigning from now until Super Tuesday -- Dana.

BASH: It sure is, Mary. Thank you very much.

And it's interesting. Mary points out the difference in the way John McCain and Mitt Romney are campaigning.

Mitt Romney, the businessman, by the numbers, methodical kind of approach, trying to pick up as many delegates, sort of cherry pick these key Super Tuesday states, while John McCain, he is really sticking, at least today, to the Northeast, running what his campaign says is a national campaign, trying to get national exposure, as much as possible. And we're going to actually take you to John McCain when he comes here, when he arrives in Hamilton, New Jersey. We're going to bring you that event live.

And we're also going to bring you just up north here in New Jersey, to the Democratic side of the aisle. Barack Obama is going to be campaigning in East Rutherford, otherwise known as the Meadowlands. We pointed out today but we should point out one more time that the Meadowlands, remember, is the place where the New York Giants are generally playing. So it is sort of an interesting dichotomy here of the Super Bowl and the "Ballot Bowl."

We'll be right back with a lot more "Ballot Bowl."

Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

YELLIN: Welcome back to "Ballot Bowl," where we bring you the candidates in their own words.

Right now, we are monitoring two events, waiting for the candidates -- Barack Obama in East Rutherford, New Jersey. You should be seeing Robert De Niro on the stage. I will skip a "forget about it" joke. That will be a little too weak.

And John McCain in Hamilton, New Jersey, waiting for him as well.

And also out on the campaign trail, of course, Senator Hillary Clinton. She's in Connecticut today.

She's just been attending a roundtable at Yale University, where she was once a law school student. And something's developed there.

While she was sitting at a roundtable, one of the members there said, "I remember back in the days when you were still in school, and I have to say I'm so proud that the woman who was wearing that sheepskin coat and those funky bellbottoms is now running for president."

And observes there said she started to tear up, she started to cry, and said, "You know I didn't plan to do this, I said no tears." Of course a lot of parallels to that moment she got emotional in Manchester, New Hampshire.

It was in New Hampshire before the primary -- I believe Manchester -- and a lot of attention at that time to folks who thought that maybe that personalized her to a lot of people, thought they could sort of relate to her in a new way. So, Senator Clinton apparently getting emotional again today.

But I should note that she's clearly exhausted and sick. Her voice wavering, in and out. She's clearly losing her voice as well.

So, we'll try to bring you that sound when we have it. But we also have Senator Clinton talking policy specifics.

You know, one of the points the Clintons have consistently made on the campaign trail is that, her campaign is offering more details about the plans and specifics of what she would do as president. She accuses Barack Obama essentially of offering broad themes of hope and promise, but not the kind of detailed, outlined plans that she's offering. And here we're going to hear her talk about her health care plan and what she would do to bring universal health care to Americans.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. HILLARY RODHAM CLINTON (D-NY), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: You know, we heard a lot about health care, about health care costs, and about mental health, which has to be part of any kind of health care plan. And about the needs for us to figure out ways that we can take health care off the bargaining table and have universal health care, because the story you told about, you know, the newly divorced, you know, single mom with breast cancer and a child with autism, you know, sometimes it's just hard to understand why so many people have double whammies, triple whammies, they just have so much that affects their lives.

So, what I have proposed is a universal health care plan, and I think that's really important. I mean, it's long past time for us to cover everybody with quality, affordable health care. And what I have suggested, and what I think will work, is that we take an already existing plan, because one of the things I learned back in '93 and '94 is that people are in favor of change generally, but specifically people get nervous because even if what they've got is not that good, or they feel like they're losing it but haven't lost it yet, they don't want to have to worry about having something that is less good for their family.

So what I've said is that we should open up the congressional health plan. Congress has a plan that covers, you know, 7 million or 8 million people and it has about 250 options. And these are mostly good options. They're all private health insurance options, but they can be regulated differently because they are such a big pool of people to cover that you can really get a better result by, you know, forcing the insurance companies to do more. And I would require they do even more than that. But it would be open up to anybody who is uninsured or has insurance that doesn't really cover them.

But if you have a policy that you're happy with, nothing would change because that way, you know, there are millions of people who have a good union policy, have a good policy through their employer. They don't have to do anything. Now if they lose their job or if their policy is cut back, then they will have this option that will be there for them. And we will make it affordable through a combination of tax cuts, that would be health care tax credits. In other words, you would get money to be able to afford to go into this plan, and we would limit the amount that anybody would ever have to pay for their premium to a small percentage of your income. So it wouldn't go up.

Now, why could we do this? Because when you have millions and millions of people, you can actually get lower costs. If you have just a small group, you're going to have to pay a lot. And that's why small business is so under the gun, you know, because insurance companies want to keep the unit small because then if one person working for you gets sick, everybody's supposed to pay for it. But if you're one of 50 million who gets sick, that's not going to increase the cost as much as you would on your own.

And the other reason is because, at the same time, we'll modernize the system to control costs and improve quality.

JESSICA YELLIN, CNN ANCHOR: And that's Senator Clinton getting in the weeds on health care reform. Coming up, we're going to bring you Mitt Romney speaking live at an event at Georgia Tech University in Atlanta, Georgia. Stay with BALLOT BOWL.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

DANA BASH, CNN ANCHOR: Welcome back to a special edition of BALLET BOWL '08. I'm Dana Bash in Hamilton, New Jersey, where we expect John McCain to be coming and speaking live to you soon. And that is what we try to do here on BALLET BOWL. We try to give you a taste of the candidates as they are speaking live to the voters in their particular states. And on a day like today, which is the eve of Super Tuesday, that means a lot of states. In fact, two dozen states about are at stake in tomorrow's Super Tuesday primary.

And as we speak, we have a couple of live events going on, on the Republican and Democratic side. First of all, we have Mitt Romney speaking in Atlanta, Georgia. And up north from where I am right now in East Rutherford, New Jersey, Barack Obama, I believe, is about to take the stage with his friend, his sidekick there, Ted Kennedy, the man who endorsed him just last week. But first, we want to go to Mitt Romney who is speaking, as I said, live in Atlanta, Georgia, and listen in to what he's telling voters.

MITT ROMNEY, (R) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: And I'd make sure that we took care of our veterans in the way they deserve. Now, so I'd strengthen our families and I'd strengthen our military and right now I'd strengthen our economy and make sure that we have good jobs. You know, a reason jobs report came out just a couple of days ago saying that, for the first time in a long time, America saw a reduction in jobs. A lot of people are concerned about what they're seeing in the stock market and the slide of the dollar. They wonder what our future's going to be. I think, at a time like this, when our economy is fragile, it actually would be helpful again to have a president who's had a job in the real economy.

Thanks you, guys.

I will do what it takes to strengthen our economy, to protect our industries and protect good jobs. I know how to do that. I spent 25 years in the private sector. I know why jobs come and I know why they go. And I'll fight to make sure we keep them here by making sure that, as we trade around with the world, we do it on a level playing field, that we keep our tax burdens down, that we make sure that we invest in our future by investing in technology and innovation and in our students and institutions of learning. And also make sure that we make immigration work for us by bringing in legal immigrants that can strengthen our country, but end illegal immigration.

Now, I know you've had the chance to watch Senator McCain. He's a good man. He said more than once that the economy is not his strong suit. Well, it's my strong suit. You know, in some respects, we do face a battle for the heart and soul of the Republican Party. And I heard one of the speakers here, I don't know which one it was, who was taking you through some of the differences between Senator McCain and myself. And I just want to underscore those again.

I mean, do we really want to have, as the leader of our party and our nominee, a person who voted against the Bush tax cuts?

CROWD: No.

ROMNEY: Do you want to have as our nominee, and the leader of our party, someone who voted against the amendment to define marriage as a relationship between a man and a woman?

CROWD: No.

ROMNEY: Do you want to have as our nominee, a person who voted to say no to drilling for oil in Anwar?

CROWD: No.

ROMNEY: Do you want a person as our nominee, somebody who fought for McCain/Feingold, which is this campaign finance bill that took powers away from the First Amendment and hurt our party very badly?

CROWD: No.

ROMNEY: Do you want, as our nominee, somebody who fought for McCain/Kennedy, which is an amnesty bill for illegals?

CROWD: No. ROMNEY: And how about this latest idea? It's called McCain/Lieberman. It puts a 50 cent per gallon charge on gasoline in our country. It raises utility rates by 20 percent. Do you want the nominee of our party to be the author of McCain/Lieberman?

CROWD: No.

ROMNEY: Do you want the leader of our party to be somebody who stands up from Republican principles, who live in the house that Reagan built, who makes sure that America stays strong and that our future is bright?

CROWD: Yes.

ROMNEY: It is a critical time. It is a critical time, folks. We're going to have a choice. We're going to have a choice tomorrow.

BASH: And you hear Mitt Romney there. Some very, very tough stuff from the former governor of Massachusetts for his chief rival in this Republican race for president, John McCain, making very clear, with a litany, a litany of issues that he says that John McCain supported and stands by, whether it's tax cuts, whether it is drilling for oil in Alaska, whether it is campaign finance reform, trying to make the point over and over, in very stark terms, that he does not believe -- simply does not believe that John McCain is conservative enough to be the Republican nominee for president. That, you just heard, is the core, is the core of Mitt Romney's argument for why he should be the Republican nominee right now.

Very, very different, as you can imagine, from what we've been hearing from John McCain. You can probably hear the speakers behind me. I am waiting for John McCain to arrive here in Hamilton, New Jersey. On the stump for the past couple of days, he has not really talked about Mitt Romney. He as somebody who has been very focused on the fact that he believes he is going to be the nominee, talking more about the fact that he is focused on Democrats and how to deal with or perhaps fight Democrats in the general election and not so much Mitt Romney. But with reports a short while ago, John McCain did, in some ways, go after Mitt Romney's record, whether it is his record on the economy or tax cuts in the state of Massachusetts and making the point that he believes that Romney has changed his position on many issues that are crucial to conservatives, from abortion, to gay rights on down the line. So we might hear from John McCain when he talks to reporters here about that in a short while to sort of give you the other side of that story.

But after the break, we are going to go back to the campaign trail. We're going to be hearing live from Barack Obama on the Democratic side. He is speaking just north of where I am in East Rutherford, New Jersey. You're going to hear that right after the break. Don't go away.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

YELLIN: Welcome back to BALLET BOWL. I'm Jessica Yellin in southern California. Right now we are monitoring a Barack Obama event that's taking place in New Jersey. Right now Senator Ted Kennedy is introducing him. We will bring you Barack Obama when he does take the stage.

But -- oh, there he is. Barack Obama. We will -- just taking the stage. We will bring you that shortly.

But for now, we're going to bring in our Dana Bash, who is also nearby in New Jersey. And also Bill Schneider, who is CNN's poll analysis guru, to talk about some of the latest numbers that are out.

Bill, the new numbers, especially on the Democratic side, show a wildly different race from what we saw even two months ago. Incredibly tight, isn't it?

BILL SCHNEIDER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It is incredibly tight. There's been momentum here in the Democratic race for Barack Obama. A couple months ago, even a month ago, Hillary Clinton dominated the national poll numbers.

Now this is a new, national poll that CNN has just carried out. And what they show is a race that's really too close to call with Barack Obama at 49 percent, Hillary Clinton at 46 percent. It's the first time we've seen Obama in the lead, although it is not statistically significant but it does suggest some real momentum for Obama, particularly among men, where he's about 17 point ahead of Hillary Clinton. She continues to lead among women.

On other polls -- there have been five national polls done in the last week or two. If you average all five, you still get a very close race. Clinton slightly ahead of Obama. But this looks like the race is going to go down to the wire.

YELLIN: Bill, and I think Dana has a question for you about the Republican race.

Dana.

BASH: That's right. Hey, Jessica.

You know, Bill, we've been talking during the BALLOT BOWL about the different approach that Mitt ROmney and John McCain have been taking. Mitt Romney's really been going after John McCain. But John McCain has sort of been looking towards the future a little bit and your poll there might suggest why that's happening.

SCHNEIDER: It may be happening because John McCain has also got some momentum, real momentum behind him. You know a couple of months ago the Republican race was a muddle. The Democratic race had a clear front-runner. Now the Republican race has a clear front-runner. John McCain has been steaming full speed ahead. He's now 15 points ahead of Mitt Romney in the Republican national poll, with Mike Huckabee third and Ron Paul in fourth place. If you average all the polls, you get also a McCain lead of over 20 points.

What this suggests is that the parties have traded places. McCain, the clear front-runner on the Republican side. The Democratic race getting very tight. The momentum is with Obama on the Democratic side, McCain on the Republican side. Two candidates who appeal to voter as candidates of change.

BASH: And, Bill, I want to ask you, it might be interesting for our viewers to note, obviously we've talking about a national poll. We've been talking about Super Tuesday as a sort of national primary, but it doesn't necessarily mean these polls -- that John McCain was doing that well in all of the states, of course, right?

SCHNEIDER: No. No, it doesn't. This is a national poll. Only about half the country votes tomorrow. What this suggests is where the momentum lies with Obama and McCain. But, of course, it varies very widely in different states. So that -- this should not be used to predict anything because there is no national race. It just suggests that McCain and Obama are picking up support as the days go along towards Super Tuesday.

BASH: OK, Bill, thank you very much. I'm sure we'll be talking a lot more about these polls and others in the days ahead. And, of course, the next 24 hours. I'm going to toss it back to Jessica over on the west coast.

YELLIN: Dana, those are some words of wisdom, don't use polls to predict anything, as we have well learned in this race. Just too close to call.

And coming up after the break, we are going to bring you Barack Obama live speaking from New Jersey. So stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

YELLIN: Welcome back to BALLOT BOWL.

Senator Barack Obama certainly has had some endorsement momentum on his side. A number of famous names coming out for him. Today in New Jersey, he was introduced by Senator Ted Kennedy and Robert De Niro, as CNN's -- let's take a listen to what he's saying there.

SEN. BARACK OBAMA, (D) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I stood on the steps of the old state capitol in Springfield, Illinois, the building where Abraham Lincoln served for most of his career before he entered the presidency, the city where I served for many years before I became a United States senator, and I announced this in unlikely journey to change America. And I have to say, that at the time some people asked me, why are you running now? Why are you running so soon? You're a relatively young man. You can afford to wait.

And I had to explain that I wasn't running just because of long- held ambitions. I know that people have been looking through my kindergarten papers, but that's not why I died to run. I explained that I was not running because I thought it was somehow owed to me. I thought it was somehow my turn. I decided to run because of what Dr. King called the fierce urgency of now. The fear urgency of now. Because I believe, New Jersey, that there's such a thing as being too late. And that hour is almost upon us. We are at a defining moment in our history. Our nation is at war. Our planet is in peril. And the dream that so many generations fought for feels like it's slowly slipping away.

You see it in your own lives, in your families, in your communities. People are working harder and harder just to get by. They've never paid more for college, never paid more for gas at the pump, never paid more for milk in the grocery store or oil.

It's harder to save. It's harder to retire. The health care system leaves 47 million people without health insurance. Those who have health insurance has seen their co-payments, their deductibles and premiums go up and up and up every single year.

Our school system, despite the slogans, leaves millions of children behind. Unable to compete in a global economy and all too often unwilling to engage as citizens.

In such a state, we cannot afford to wait. We can't afford to wait to fix our health care system. We cannot wait to fix our schools. We cannot wait to bring an end to global warming. We cannot wait to bring this war in Iraq to a close and bring our troops home. We cannot wait to bring change to America.

I was convinced we could not wait. And what I also knew was that the size of our challenges had outstripped the capacity of a broken politics, a divided politics, to solve. And I was convinced that the American people were hungry for something new. Hungry for a different kind of politics. A politics based not on tearing each other down, but on lifting the country up. A politics, a politics that wasn't based on ideology, but on practical, common sense. A politics that was not based on spin and PR, but a politics that was based on honesty and straight talk with the American people.

YELLIN: And that's Barack Obama speaking in New Jersey. Showing how bullish his campaign is feeling as they look to nab some delegates right almost in Senator Clinton's backyard.

We'll continue to monitor Barack Obama's speech. And you can always -- you can watch it on cnn.com and always monitor all political development there's on the countdown to Super Tuesday.

I'll toss it now to Dana Bash.

Dana.

BASH: Thanks, Jessica.

And just the fact that you are all the way in California, I am in New Jersey, it really illustrates the enormity of this day tomorrow, Super Tuesday. From coast to coast, states will be voting. And the enormity of the task that these conditions, Democrats and Republicans have, to campaign across the country and they've really just had a few hours left to do it. CNN will be there.

We will be bringing all of this coverage to you. So you don't want to turn the channel. John McCain, I told you, is going be here. He will be showing up in just a few minutes. We're going to bring that to you. But, first, we're going to have CNN "Newsroom" right after this break.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.voxantshop.com