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Following the Candidates on the Campaign Trail
Aired February 23, 2008 - 15:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
JIM ACOSTA, CNN HOST: Welcome to a new round of CNN BALLOT BOWL 08 from New York's Columbus Circle. I'm Jim Acosta. This is your chance to hear the presidential candidates live from the campaign trail in their own words. Unfiltered, taped, snip-it's of their speeches from the campaign trail.
I'm in New York where Mike Huckabee will be appearing on "Saturday Night Live" tonight. My co-anchor Suzanne Malveaux is in Akron, Ohio, covering the Barack Obama campaign. And the Obama campaign, Suzanne, must be feeling a little bit of heat all the way down at that Hillary Clinton event down in Cincinnati earlier today where she actually used the words shame on you, Barack Obama. Wow. That was -- that was something else.
MALVEAUX: Quite amazing. We have not heard those words before. We have not seen the kind of tone coming from Senator Clinton before. It is very, very heated. This rhetoric and this debate. What it's over essentially is whether or not they are misrepresenting each other's views.
There are a couple of fliers that have been sent out to Ohio voters in a press avail, a press conference. She lifted up the fliers and took issue with these fliers saying they misrepresented her views when it came to universal health care. That people would be punished because they would be mandated to have health care even if they can't afford it. That was one of the charges the Obama camp made.
The other was over NAFTRA, the North American Free Trade Agreement. There's a lot of back and forth over this. Clearly, a lot of union members labor who really are very critical of NAFTA. That was legislation that was signed under former president Bill Clinton. A lot of folks believe that their jobs were lost because of that. We've heard both of these candidates criticize NAFTA before. But Senator Clinton believes that this flier, this advertisement makes it seem as if she is praising NAFTA, which would certainly damage to a certain extent her credibility with those in the union. So he went after Barack Obama and she did so very harshly. Let's take a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SENATOR HILLARY CLINTON, (D) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Time and time again, you hear one thing in speeches and then you see a campaign that has the worst kind of tactics. Reminiscent of the same sort of Republican attacks on Democrats. Well, I am here to say that it is not only wrong, but it is undermining core Democratic principles. Since when do Democrats attack one another on universal health care? I thought we were trying to realize Harry Truman's dream. I thought this campaign finally gave us an opportunity to put together a coalition to achieve universal health care. That's what Senator Edwards and I fought for and talked about throughout the campaign. Just because Senator Obama chose not to present a universal health care plan does not give him the right to attack me because I did. So let's have a real campaign.
Enough with the speeches and the big rallies and then using tactics that are right out of Karl Rove's playbook. This is wrong. And every Democrat should be outraged because this is the kind of attack that not only undermines poor Democratic values, but gives aid and comfort to the very special interests and their allies in the Republican Party who are against doing what we want to do for America. So shame on you, Barack Obama.
It is time you ran a campaign consistent with your messages in public. That's what I expect from you. Meet me in Ohio. Let's have a debate about your tactics and your behavior in this campaign.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MALVEAUX: And, obviously, they'll get a chance to debate in Ohio. But Senator Clinton definitely laying down the gauntlet. Obviously the Obama campaign is not taking this lying down. We have heard numerous e-mails coming from Bill Burton, the spokesman for Barack Obama, as well as many others responding to Senator Clinton.
One of those responses. Everything in those mailers is completely accurate, unlike the discredited attacks from Hillary Clinton's negative campaign that have been rejected in South Carolina, Wisconsin and across America. We look forward to having a debate this Tuesday on the facts and the facts are that Senator Clinton was a supporter of NAFTA and the China Permanent Trade Treaties until this campaign began. And she herself has said that under the Clinton health care plan, she would consider going after the wages of Americans who don't purchase health care whether they can afford it or not. That from Obama campaign spokesman Bill Burton.
A lot of back and forth, very heated over this issue. Whether they are misrepresenting each other's views, it only underscores just how important these issues are to voters here in Texas and Ohio and those other states that are critical on March 4th. We have seen just over the last week or so both of the candidates really trying to fine tune that populist message. They are going after those working class voters, those union members, people who obviously have been affected in terms of their jobs, gas prices, health care. Let's take a listen to what both of the candidates had to say over the last week or so dealing with that populist message and how they are reaching out to those particular voters.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SENATOR HILLARY CLINTON: This is going to be a spirited election between now and March 4th. I am thrilled at the depth and breadth of support I have across the state. It is -- it is exciting for me to see, but what's more important is what it means to the people whom I have met as I have traveled across the state.
You know, I went door to door in San Antonio last week. Met a lot of people as they were coming home from work, finishing their jobs at the schools, at the, you know, construction sites, across San Antonio. And I met a man who was in the army. And he told me that he had been to Iraq four times. He said, you know, I've been ordered up for my fifth deployment. And I stood in front of his house and I just said, I will do everything I can to bring you home as soon as possible.
You know, when I was down in McAllen, I met a mother who said, I am working two jobs. I can't work any harder. I'm a single mom. Neither of those jobs, both of them together, gives me health care. And I make too much money to be eligible here in Texas for the children's health insurance program. It is a shame. Texas could do a whole lot better in taking care of the children of Texas. And she looked at me and she said, what am I supposed to do? I said, well, I want you to know this. That if you will give me not just your vote but your trust, I will work until you are taken care of and you do not have to worry about whether your children have health insurance.
And yesterday in Laredo, I met one of the many people I have encountered across America who is about to be foreclosed on. Because he wanted the American dream for his family. And he bought a house with a subprime mortgage with an interest rate that keeps going up which he now cannot pay. His wages haven't gone up, but the interest rate sure has. And he asked me, what sense does it make for me to lose my house? Nobody is going to buy my house. Nobody is buying houses right now. And I said, if I were president now, I would put a moratorium on home foreclosures and give you a chance to stay in your homes.
There is so much we can do together that will make our country better. And there are real differences in this campaign. You saw some of that last night. I have a plan to provide affordable health care to everyone. My opponent does not. And what that means is, we will continue to leave people out. The insurance companies will continue to be able to charge outrageous rates. We will not get the prevention that we need by covering everyone and any time someone goes to the emergency room for care because they don't have insurance that is like a hidden tax on everyone who does. There is no debate. We have to get to universal health care. I will deliver that if you give me your vote and your trust.
BARACK OBAMA, (D) PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN: Understand this. We cannot -- we cannot just stop and take satisfaction with how well we've done so far. We've still got a lot of work to do. We've still got a lot of work to do, not only because this is a tough campaign. And we've got focus on a lot of -- getting out the vote all throughout Texas. And we've got to focus a lot on mobilizing and organizing people who have been cynical and disaffected and been told for so many years that you can't trust politics. We've got a lot of politic work to do. This election is not over. We've got to finish strong.
But more importantly, we've got a lot of work to do because even after we win the primary, even after we win the general election; it's going to be hard for us to bring about change. Now change doesn't happen easily. And this is something that Senator Clinton and I have had a disagreement about. She thinks somehow that because I talk about hope that I am somehow naive about how hard it is to bring about change.
I fought on the streets as an organizer. I fought in the courts as a civil rights attorney. I fought in the legislature, and I've won some fights, but I've lost some, too, because I understand good intentions are not enough, if not fortified with political will and political power. But I also know that we start the process of bringing about change because of hope. Because each of us decide in our guts, you know what? I am not going to settle for what the cynics tell us we have to accept. We're going to reach for something higher. We're going to reach for something better. That's how every single important mist in this country has been made.
That's how women won the right to vote. That's how we brought an end to slavery and Jim Crow. That's how workers won the right to organize. Because somebody somewhere was willing to imagine and then fight for, then struggle for what didn't seem possible before. And that's the moment we're in right now.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MALVEAUX: And we're actually going to hear a lot more from Senator Barack Obama. He is going to be holding a press availability; he is going to be taking questions in Columbus, Ohio. Clearly, he is going to be taking on some of those questions, those accusations from Senator Clinton saying shame on you for some of those fliers. The advertisements that they've been handing out to voters which she says misrepresent some of her views when it comes to her health care plan as well as the free trade agreement and whether or not he is actually misquoting her.
All of that is coming up in this hour. Also, Jim Acosta out of New York handling the GOP side, the Republican race as well. All of this when BALLOT BOWL continues.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ACOSTA: Welcome back to BALLOT BOWL 08. I'm Jim Acosta in New York covering the Republicans. Suzanne Malveaux is in Ohio looking at the Democrats. Speaking of the Democrats we'll be hearing from Barack Obama. He's expected to address reporters live in a little while coming up hopefully within the hour. If so, we will get to that as soon as possible. Because, obviously, he will have something to say about Hillary Clinton's "shame on you" comment that she made today when talking about Barack Obama and some fliers, some mailers his campaign has been sending out to voters in that state.
First, we want to talk about health care and where the Republicans weigh in on the issue. With so much talk on the Democratic side about health care, a lot of people might be wondering, what are the Republicans promising and planning to do with this issue. It might come as a surprise to many voters out there that John McCain is a critic of the prescription drug plan that was passed and put into law during President Bush's term. And so there is some talk that he might scale that benefit back if he becomes president.
And Mike Huckabee is also talked about wanting to cover more Americans who don't have health care. So let's listen to Mike Huckabee and John McCain who also, by the way, had plenty to say about what Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama would do with health care in this country. Let's listen to both of these candidates right now on the critical subject of health care.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. JOHN MCCAIN, (R) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Government-run health care systems are not only inefficient, wasteful and too expensive, but many times they discriminate depending on people's income. Because when you are wealthy enough then you can afford the best health care and if you're not, then in many countries you wait a long time for routine medical care that we just take for granted.
I think there's going to be great debate between if I win our nomination, between myself and the Democrats on a variety of issues. Higher taxes, lower taxes, bigger government, smaller government, national security, et cetera. One of them will be on health care because both the Democrats want to have basically a government takeover of the health care system. I think the problem in America is not the quality of health care. The quality of health care is the best in the world.
The problem with health care in America is we all know the inflation associated with it. A few weeks ago, the front page of "USA Today" said inflation, Medicaid, was over 10 percent last year. When you have double-digit inflation in anything, my friends, whether it be food, whether it be housing, whatever it is, then it's going to become unaffordable over time. So we want to put the decisions in the hands of the family.
By the way, I'm not going to mandate that every American have health insurance, but I'm going to make it affordable and available. First thing is to give every American family a $5,000 refundable tax credit to go across state lines and have the health insurance of their choice. They've got money left over -- they've got money left over then put it into a health savings account. Is it enough money? No, it's probably not enough but it's a step in the right direction for those who have none right now.
We need outcome based payment for the five chronic diseases that consume 75 percent of the health care costs in America. Diabetes, obesity, et cetera, cancer. And instead of paying for every test, every procedure, every visit, pay the health care provider a certain amount of money for a year's care. If that patient is in good care at the end of that, then reward them with additional costs. Put incentives into it. Encourage community health centers. Encourage walk-in clinics. The most expensive part of health care today is emergency room care. And do a whole lot of things and I could go down a long laundry list. I've had health care forums that have lasted for an hour or two. Let me emphasize one final point if I could on your question, wellness and fitness. Wellness and fitness. Wellness and fitness. My friends, the most disturbing information we've had lately is amongst teens is that there's an increase in obesity, high blood pressure and diabetes.
Now you are not going to be able to care for an America that doesn't practice wellness and fitness. Have the insurance companies reward people for wellness and fitness. Let's give some great athletes, maybe the Manning brothers, just off the top of my head, who these young people -- who these young people look up to and respect and admire. Ask them to go around to schools and encourage wellness and fitness.
Let's fine out what the school lunch program is in your school. Let's find out what the physical education program is in your school. And let's get the school boards and others involved in it. We've got to emphasize wellness and fitness, and I'd like to see every insurance company in America say, OK, you are a member of a health care club. You get good physical exam. We're going to give you a cash rebate for practicing. So that's part of our answer.
But again, come full circle. Governments don't run anything very efficiently and I'm not prepared to have the government take over the health care system in America which is what the Democrats want to do.
MIKE HUCKABEE, (R) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Health care in this country is upside down because it's based on an intervention system. It needs to be prevented. I led the only state in the country that saw a reversal of childhood obesity because what we decided was that you can't wait until a problem is in its catastrophic stage and then ever find enough money to fix it. You have to deal with it at the prevention level. That's true not only for children but for adults, 80 percent of the $2 trillion in health care expenditures we have in this country are spent towards chronic disease.
We really don't have a health care crisis in America. What we have is a health crisis. And if we deal with the health of Americans, we can more than adequately afford the health care so that people can access a system. But if we don't change the model from an intervention base to a prevention based, simply trying to provide increasing levels of coverage for an increasingly sick and diseased population will absolutely bankrupt this country.
I'll give you a couple of figures. We spend right at 17 percent of our gross domestic product on health care. No other nation on earth spends more than 10.5 percent. That's Switzerland. If you consider that the difference between 11 percent, which is still more than anyone else and the 17 percent is about $700 billion a year, if we were spending less money because we were a healthy population, $700 billion a year would not only provide universal coverage for everything we have, but it would also lower our taxes and provide us with an extraordinarily robust economy and start reducing the national debt.
But the reason that we're in trouble is again because our system is completely upside down and it's based on waiting until people are truly desperately catastrophically ill and then trying to figure out how to spend enough money on them so that now the average American spends 85 percent of his or her lifetime health care expenses in the last 18 months of one's life. Doesn't cost much to make sure a child has health care. It costs a whole lot of money for end of life care because people don't run to the finish line or walk to the finish line. They are drugged to the finish line desperately sick and their cost is just astronomical.
So that's what we really have to do and, I'm the only candidate in this race with chief executive experience who actually has had to run a government, manage a health care system both the Medicaid system and that of state employees. And I'm prepared to bring that kind of leadership to America and actually address this and to change the system.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ACOSTA: So there is Mike Huckabee talking about health care and John McCain before him talking about this critical issue of health care. Mike Huckabee, by the way, we all know, lost more than 100 pounds being a healthier human being about the size of a campaign staffer there, 105 pounds. But Mike Huckabee talking about the need to lower the cost of health care in this country and John McCain talking about the dangers of having a national mandated health care system in this country.
And coming up after the break here on BALLOT BOWL, we'll be hopefully going out to Barack Obama's campaign event where he'll be talking to reporters coming up in just a few minutes. We'll get that to you just as soon as we can.
And also, we'll be looking at candidates' Websites and how they are a critical part of this campaign. So stick with us this is BALLOT BOWL, here on CNN.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
MALVEAUX: We are waiting for Senator Barack Obama from Columbus, Ohio, to address some of the accusations made by Hillary Clinton that he should be ashamed of himself. Those are her words, for some advertisements, some fliers distributed to voters which her campaign says are dishonest. So we are waiting for that bit of sound soon to be coming in very shortly.
In the meantime, I want to bring in Jim Acosta in New York. My colleague covering the GOP side of all of this. Josh Levs who is in Atlanta. Josh, I know you've been looking at the Democrats online and the money battle that's happening and, obviously, this is a critical two weeks leading up to those very big states. How are they battling it out when it comes to the finances?
LEVS: It is. There's a big part of the context of what we're talking about. These big votes coming in from Hillary Clinton and her concerns about getting her message out. I'm going to turn around. I have a camera focused on this computer. I want you to look at Hillary Clinton's Website. I've been following this all day. She is saying that Barack Obama has $2.2 million into an ad buy in Ohio and Texas. These two critical states. She's calling for her supporters to help her raise that much today. Now look at this. Right now, they are halfway there. I've been following this since 9:00 a.m. when they were at 400,000. They've pulled in $700,000 in a few hours. This is part of the history of this campaign. Massive sums of money in a short period of time.
Barack Obama has it going as well. He in a different way. His is 1 million people. They are calling on more individuals to give money. He wants a million people. They are at almost $964,000. So when we take a look at who is going on the Democratic side, that fund-raising today that is a big part of it. The battle for bucks in what could be the final showdown of this campaign.
ACOSTA: And Josh that 700,000 in one morning for Hillary Clinton can buy a lot of Dunkin Donuts. But we don't go into that. Let me ask you on the Republican side let me ask you about John McCain and Mike Huckabee. What are we seeing on their Websites because, obviously, that race is not as exciting or as pitched as it is between Obama and Clinton right now.
ACOSTA: What are we seeing on their Web ,sites because, obviously, that race is not as exciting or as pitched as it is between Obama and Clinton right now. Is there much activity on those sites?
LEVS: There is, there's actually something really similar. I'm going turn back around here and show you the Huckabee site, because, you know what? He's pushing for money, too and the fact is, you know, it is still a two-person race. Look at this. This is Mike Huckabee's site. Now, he's been leading this with for a long time. The goal by March 4, he wants to raise -- I know you can't see the numbers, I'll just tell you -- he's trying to raise $1.5 million by March 4. He's almost halfway there as of today. And I've been refreshing this, it keeps going up. So, he is still getting money. The one major candidate still in this race who is not leading with -- here's how much money I need or how many people, the one who seems to have the nomination secured. That's John McCain. He's leading with a lot more messaging. And look right there, "Ready to lead on day one" that is a Hillary Clintonism of this campaign. In way it suggests you think he might be taking on her eventually.
I am going to keep following this and also through the afternoon, throughout the BALLOT BOWL, we're going to keep telling you where the numbers stand, how they're doing in that fundraising.
Now, all these sites also have videos. Right? So, I've gone through the videos, picked out some of the more interesting parts of some of the hottest videos on these campaign sites, today. Let's take a look at that.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MIKE HUCKABEE (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: The IRS penalizes productivity. Small business owners face their toughest competion from their own government. Excessive taxation, regulation and litigation leads to job migration. Let's change this nonsense to common sense.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
(BEGIN GRAPHIC)
In the U.S. Senate, Barack has continued to work on issues that touch our lives.
(END GRAPHIC)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOHN MCCAIN (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I won't lack the courage to fix our toughest problems and let them become worse on someone else's watch. I didn't go to Washington to win the Mr. Congeniality award. I went to Washington to serve my country.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANNOUNCER: One candidate has put forth an American family agenda to make things easier for everyone who works so hard: universal healthcare, increased day care and help with elder care. She understands, she's worked the night shift, too.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LEVS: Worked the nightshift, too. OK, those are all videos directly from the campaign sites. In some cases these are just ads, in some cases not. You know the thinking behind BALLOT BOWL, here, we're giving you this information unfiltered. Obviously, we're showing you what the candidates say when they're out on the stump. But, another way that people are getting information directly to their supporters, especially when it comes to money and that kind of fighting is through online. Online videos and building up their sites, refreshing their sites, trying to get more and more people to show up every day. So, we are keeping a close eye on those for you, here, on BALLOT BOWL.
And Suzanne, I know that this is a big part of the context for there Democrats there, which you are following closely. And as they battle it out, they clearly, big part of what they're battling for here, is those bucks.
MALVEAUX: Absolutely, Josh. And really, as many people who can see those ads, the better for those campaigns and we know that money really is so important for this race and makes a difference between a lot of people getting a chance to see your message out there or perhaps missing it. Obviously, they are on the campaign trail, but they are also using the Internet to really try to get as many eyeballs as possible. So, Josh, thanks again for your report keeping us posted on all of the things that are happening online.
Jim Acosta, as well, in new York on the GOP side.
We are still waiting to hear from Senator Barack Obama out of Columbus, Ohio, to answer some charges from Senator Hillary Clinton, charges that she made, very emotional, very heated earlier today saying essentially that he should be ashamed of himself for several advertisements and fliers that they've been distributing to voters which her campaign say are dishonest. The Obama campaign says that is nonsense. So, we certainly hope to bring you that piece of tape and that sound as quickly as possible on the other end of this break when BALLOT BOWL continues.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
MALVEAUX: We are waiting to hear from Senator Barack Obama coming out of Columbus, Ohio, to address some of the accusations from Senator Hillary Clinton, accusations she made earlier saying that he should be ashamed of himself, "shame on you" is what she said regarding some fliers that have been passed out to voters in Ohio. Some fliers that they say misrepresent her views when it comes to her healthcare plan, as well as when it comes to her views dealing with the free trade agreement called NAFTA.
Many union members are very critical of NAFTA, they believe it has essentially cost them their jobs. Both of these campaigns and the candidates, in the past, have been critical of NAFTA, as well, but Senator Clinton now in a kind of emotional way accusing Senator Barack Obama of being dishonest in this campaign and misleapting her views. We expected Senator Barack Obama, obviously, is going to address all of that before the cameras just moments away.
In the meantime, both of these candidates are also stressing something that is very important for voters in Texas and that is all about education, education. Both of them putting out their own plans, the No Child Left Behind plan has definitely gotten criticism from both of these candidates, but they are also offering some alternatives, here. We've heard from Barack Obama on this in Houston and Senator Clinton out of Laredo, earlier the week. Let's take a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN BARACK OBAMA (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: If you are ready for change, we can assure that every child in America has the best education this country has to offer. From the day that child is born to the day that child graduates from college. The problem is not the lack of plans, the lack of good ideas. The problem is a lack of political will, a lack of urgency. We think that those children in inner city Houston, those are those children, those are somebody else's problem. We think that the young child in south Texas, that's somebody else's problem. That's not our problem, that's not our child. We think that that child in rural east Texas, where there's a low property tax base and they can't afford to buy new textbooks or put in computers, that's somebody else's problem. Houston, I am here to tell you that every child is our problem. Every child is our responsibility.
(APPLAUSE)
Every child needs to be nurtured and embraced. And so we are going to invest in early childhood education and close the achievement gap. And I won't just talk about how great teachers are. I will reward them for their greatness.
(APPLAUSE)
By giving them higher salaries and giving them more support. And I want the highest standards in our schools. We have to have high standards, standards of excellence in order to compete in this global economy.
But, I don't want our standards measured just by a single high stakes standardized test, because I don't want our teachers teaching to the test.
(APPLAUSE)
I want our students learning art and music and science and literature and social studies.
(APPLAUSE)
And I don't know about you, but I think it's about time we made college affordable for every young person in America.
(APPLAUSE)
So, we're going to provide a $4,000 tuition credit to every student, every year. But students, you're going to have to give back something in return. You are going to have to participate in community service. You're going to have to work in a homeless shelter or a veterans home or an underserved school or join the Peace Corps. We'll invest in you, you invest in America. Together we'll march this country forward.
SEN HILLARY CLINTON (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I know our country can do better. After the disastrous years of George W. Bush, isn't it time. And for me, this is not about me or my opponents, it is about you and your lives. It is time -- it is time we had a president again who was a champion for working people and middle class families, who understood that we are stronger as a nation when everyone is doing better, not just the wealthy and the well connected. They've had a president for the last seven years. I want to be a president for all of America, again.
(APPLAUSE)
And we will focus on education. There is nothing more important than to give our young people that passport to opportunity. So, let's start early. Let's be sure we help little kids get a good start. I want to have prekindergarten programs, Head Start program for young children who need extra help to be successful.
Let's focus on children who don't come from English speaking families. Give them the tools they need to do well in school. And I want to work with our teachers and our students to end the unfunded mandate known as No Child Left Behind, because we are leaving children behind, here in Laredo and across America. I know we can do better.
And let's have more programs like Gear Up and others that help kids stay in school and then let's make college affordable for every young person, again.
(APPLAUSE)
You know, to me, this is a work of my lifetime. I have spent all these years working to make life better for children and families, for working people, for those who get left out and left behind. And I know that education still is one of the most important issues in the Hispanic community because we still have too many young people who drop out of high school -- 50 percent. So, will you work with me? Will you help me? Because together, I will be a president who gets up every day and says, what can I do to help families prepare their children and help young people stay in school, so they can earn more and support themselves and their families better.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MALVEAUX: The Democratic candidates talking about their education programs, their plans as well as many other issues that voters are most concerned about as the upcoming contest just two weeks away. Everybody watching and waiting to see what kind of message actually pops out, stands out. It's obviously, a populist message. We are also just awaiting, as well, Senator Barack Obama's media availability. He's going to be talking to reporters, addressing some of the accusations made from Senator Clinton earlier today that she says he should be ashamed of himself regarding some ads that they say are dishonest. We're waiting for about Barack Obama's response to all of that and hopefully we'll have all of that very, very shortly. So standby when BALLOT BOWL continues.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ACOSTA: Welcome back to BALLOT BOWL on CNN. I'm Jim Acosta in New York covering the Republican side of the race of the race. My colleague, Suzanne Malveaux, is covering the Democrats and we are still waiting for that event from Barack Obama. He is expected to talk to reporters any minute now down in Columbus, Ohio. Essentially to respond to what Hillary Clinton said earlier this morning about some mailers that the Obama campaign has been sending out. She actually said the words "shame on you Barack Obama" in referencing those mailers. So, the senator from Illinois is expected to respond to that sharp attack from Hillary Clinton at any moment. So, as soon as that happens, we will get to that. But, in the meantime, we want to talk about the Republicans and Mike Huckabee, who is way back in the delegate count against John McCain. If you look at the numbers, they don't look pretty for Mike Huckabee, 870 pledged for John McCain, 48 superdelegates, giving him a grand total of 918. Mike Huckabee, 214 pledged, three superdelegates for a total of 217. But, as Mike Huckabee says, he majored in miracles, not in math when he was in college. And so he is saying he is in it, although some say he is running for vice president at this point, not president. But, he is in this race, nonetheless, and was down in Texas, of all places, earlier this week at the Alamo, no less, talking about where he may be taking a last stand, making a last pitch, last ditch effort here to pull out this -- pull this race around for himself and try to eke out some sort of victory as the nomination contest appears to be getting wrap up by John McCain. But anyway, without further ado, here is Mike Huckabee down in San Antonio, Texas.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HUCKABEE: What are my realistic expectations on catching senator McCain in the delegate count? It all happens here in Texas, quite frankly. Texas changes everything, if we win Texas. This is the largest single Republican state in America. It's the second largest state in the country. To not have an election in Texas is, frankly, incomprehensible. For me to pull out of the election before Texans get to vote is not only unacceptable, it would be inexcusable. It would mean the people of Texas would have their choices made for them by people in New York and California and Delaware and New Jersey. And I can't imagine that being acceptable to the people of Texas. And I can't imagine it being acceptable really to the rest of America.
If we win Texas and nobody by that time has received the 191 delegates, then the races will continue through other states and very possibly lead to a brokered convention in September in Minneapolis and St. Paul.
QUESTION: (INAUDIBLE)
HUCKABEE: You know, our attitude and everything I've said about that is the Senator McCain that I've known over the past 14 months in the campaign is that of an honorable man. He has denied anything in those stories, I take him at his word and would have no further comment on it at all.
QUESTION: Governor, the Republicans are debating -- the Democrats are debating, tonight (INAUDIBLE). What's your thoughts about the fact that there are no more Republican debates scheduled? That basically (INAUDIBLE).
HUCKABEE: I think we ought to have some debates. I think we ought to have elections. I think it's non-Republican and it's not American to shut off the discussion, the debate and the processes of an election. And the one thing that can happen is that people of Texas have a chance to force and insist that their voices be heard by giving me their votes on March the 4th. When that happens, then they will have made a statement to the rest of America that the election isn't over until Texas says it's over.
(APPLAUSE)
And if Texas says it's not over, it's not over yet.
QUESTION: Governor, what do you think your realistic chance is of winning Texas?
HUCKABEE: The question is what do I think my realistic chances are of winning Texas? I think we will win Texas, that's why I'm here.
QUESTION: (INAUDIBLE)
HUCKABEE: The question is, do I draw any lessons from the campaign, here? That courage is something that should mark every one of us in whatever we do. And that you don't engage in your battles only because you anticipate that you're going to win them. You engage in your battles because you believe they're right. And when you believe that what you are doing is the right thing, the outcome is less important than it is that you put your every moment and every ounce of energy into it.
One of the statements of Davey Crocket ring true, "Believe you are right and go forward." And I think that there is something to be said for even an election campaign that you don't listen to your critics, you don't listen to those who have already predicted the outcome, you listen to your conscience, you listen to those things which drove you into the process and you're not driven by the process itself, you're driven by the principles that led you into it. And the outcome is of less consequence than is the fact that you remain true and steadfast unwavering and unflinching to those convictions that are the basis of running for office in the first place.
When it becomes nothing more than the politics of the election and not the principles, then we've already lost more than the election, we've lost our national soul. And that's why we have to have the ongoing discussion. It's why I refuse to allow the establishment or the party bosses in Washington or anywhere else to tell us that this is over, because it's not over until people like these good folks have had a chance to say, wait a minute, we believe in some things, we believe in the sanctity of life, we believe in traditional family, we believe in a strong national defense, we believe in a tax structure that doesn't punish us for doing business and trying to raise our families. Those items still need to be talked about.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ACOSTA: So, there's Mike Huckabee at the Alamo in San Antonio, Texas. No musket in hand, but certainly ready for the battle coming up in the upcoming Texas primary in a little more than a week from now.
But, let's get to Fredricka Whitfield done at CNN Center in Atlanta, she has the latest headlines.
Hi Fredricka.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN NEWS ANCHOR: Hello to you, Jim. And much more of the BALLOT BOWL in a moment, but first, let's take a look at the headlines.
The U.S. Air Force is investigating its second crash in the last three days. A B-2 Stealth Bomber went down earlier today in Guam. Here's video of the aftermath. The plane crashed just after takeoff from Andersen Air Force Base. Air Force officials say both pilots bailed out safely, one is reported to be in the hospital, the other has already been treated and released. Air Force officials say it's the first ever crash of a B-2.
The Turkish military is stepping up its attack on Kurdish rebels in northern Iraq. Turkish sources claim the two-day death toll stands at 79 Kurds killed and seven Turks. Turkey's military says they are targeting the Kurdistan workers party, better known at the PKK, that's in Iraq based faction that wants autonomy for Kurds in southern Turkey.
Japan has just launched an experimental satellite meant to deliver super high speed Internet service faster than cable and DSL. If the new technology is successful, it will initiately provide service to the Asia Pacific region and eventually the world. Sponsors hope to spread the Internet to reach to remote areas and advance telemedicine and long-distance learning.
Excitement is building in Hollywood on the eve of the 80th academy awards. Producers expect a big TV audience tomorrow night after Tinseltown's earlier award shows were scuttled by the writers' strike. Well, leading the Oscar field, dark dramas "No Country for Old Men" and "There Will be Blood" with eight nominations each.
More BALLOT BOWL coverage straight ahead, here on CNN.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
MALVEAUX: Senator Barack Obama in Columbus, Ohio, answering charges from senator Clinton that he has distributed some ads, some fliers that were dishonest. Let's take a listen.
OBAMA: ...the degree to which his candidacy has not focused on those bread and butter issues that are of such deep concern to the people of Ohio and the rest of the country. So with that, let me take a couple of questions.
Mike, go ahead, since you -- I don't know if I should be rewarding you for your shouting out, go ahead.
QUESTION: As you know, (INAUDIBLE) video of Senator Clinton...
I haven't seen the video, but here it's very exciting.
It's a great video, you should watch it. Earlier today, Senator Clinton criticized you for using tactics that she said are right out of Karl Rove's playbook. Do you think that's a correct characterization of your campaign? And how would you respond to her characterization?
Well look, you guys have been following this campaign now for 13 months. We have been subject to constant attack from the Clinton campaign, except when we were down 20 points. And that was true in Iowa, it was true in South Carolina, it was true in Wisconsin
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