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This Week in Politics

Recounting the Political Events of the Week

Aired April 06, 2008 - 13:00   ET

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

TOM FOREMAN, HOST: Just weeks to go until the Democratic primary in Pennsylvania. The campaign road warriors are going full throttle and guess what they have in their tanks? The rush hour for undecided voters is roaring, and nothing is shielding the race more than worries about the economy. Both Clinton and Obama are mapping out their plans for happier times in the Keystone state, both promising to lead the charge like Philadelphia's fictional fighter, Rocky Balboa.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

HILLARY CLINTON (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Rocky and I have a lot in common. I never quit, I never give up.

BARACK OBAMA (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: We all love Rocky. And last time I checked, I was the underdog in this state.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FOREMAN: Problem is for all that fighting spirit, no one knows how low the Economy will go. Back in D.C., the head of the Federal Reserve uttered the "R" word.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BEN BERNANKE: Recession is possible.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FOREMAN: The response from the Dems?

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

OBAMA: We need to challenge the system on behalf of America's workers.

CLINTON: We're going to change the tax code, we're going to change the giveaways, and the special interests.

(END VIDEO CLIP) FOREMAN: Amid all that, their party boss weighed in to say he thinks the dispute over those disallowed delegates in Florida and Michigan can be solved.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

HOWARD DEAN, DNC CHAIRMAN: There's no reason that we shouldn't know who our nominee is by the first of July. (END VIDEO CLIP)

FOREMAN: No reason except the ongoing fight for the front seat between the candidates. True, they have tried to make a little nicer in public. But behind the scenes, the scramble for super delegate support appears to be getting very tough. Clinton suggests she is not saying Obama is unelectable. However...

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CLINTON: I can win, I know I can win.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FOREMAN: But what about McCain? Some Dems fear he could wind up the big winner. And even President Bush could regain some popularity if the Democratic road show keeps running rough.

So is the Clinton/Obama slugfest leaving Democrats up a creek without a paddle? With me in the studio, "TIME" magazine's Washington bureau chief Jay Carney. And in Memphis, CNN contributor Roland Martin at the Lorraine Hotel, an important place in this Martin Luther King Remembrance Weekend.

Let me start with you, Roland. When we look at the economy and these two candidates, do they have fundamentally different positions to sell in Pennsylvania?

ROLAND MARTIN, CNN CONTRIBUTOR: Actually, they don't, Tom. What it really boils down to is what's the comfort level that voters there have for each one of the candidates. You look at many of their policies, they're pretty much the same. And so it's also the Democrats. And so, you don't have any significant changes. Both want to deal with housing. Both want to talk about investing more into the infrastructure. It really boils down to who do the voters think will be able to get their policies through a divided Congress? That's the real issue.

FOREMAN: Well, they're certainly saying the right things. I want to take a moment and listen to what Senator Clinton had to say about the economy and then get your response, Jay.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CLINTON: I have consistently, you know, said what I thought needed to be done, you know, since last March. And I am continuing to sound the alarm. You know, I feel like, you know, Paulette Revere. The recession is coming, the recession is coming.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FOREMAN: Well, Paulette Revere aside, listen, here's the issue, I guess, can they really do anything about it? Everyone's sounding the alarm. She may have a valid point, but they're all sounding the alarm. JAY CARNEY, "TIME" MAGAZINE: Well, the federal government always has limited ability to affect the economy in the short term. But at the campaign level, it's really about who presents himself or herself as the most effective steward of the economy, you know, once they get to office. And I think while their plans are not dissimilar, that Hillary Clinton has some advantages here. She's a little more steeped in the rhetoric and details of policy, largely because of the time she spent in the White House and the time she spent in Washington. And because she comes with her bearing the record of her husband's presidency, which at the economic level was...

FOREMAN: Things went well. People liked it.

CARNEY: Unarguably, very successful. So I think that's an advantage to Clinton. And I think it's an advantage that works particularly well in a place like Pennsylvania, where the Democratic constituency can be working class. And that's obviously what she's hoping to do.

FOREMAN: Well, Obama is trying to talk up the specifics of his plan. Roland, take a listen to this and then I'll have your response.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

OBAMA: I will invest $150 billion over the next decade to establish a green energy sector, creating five million new jobs.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FOREMAN: Roland, is that kind of talk resonating with the voters that you meet out there? Or are they saying that's all a grand plan, but I need to know about my rent next month?

MARTIN: Absolutely, because look, one of the things that Obama has not done, he comes across as being a guy who went to Harvard, who's now in the U.S. Senate. He has to be able to talk about when his mom was on food stamps, coming from a single home, understanding, look, I've been in your shoes. And so, he has to discuss the pre Harvard Obama. So therefore, he has to connect. Clinton has been able to connect with the voters by saying, I understand your pain, I understand where you are, and I'm going to be fighting for you in the Oval Office. That's what he has to do. He has to mix more of the message of a community organizer as a part of his overall economic message.

He did some of that in Iowa. Effectively, he's not done it. He's trying to do more of that in Pennsylvania. To me, that's where they failed coming out of Iowa. Now they're trying to establish who he was prior to coming to the U.S. Senate.

FOREMAN: Jay, how much are the candidates hurting themselves on their talk about the issues with all this back door fighting that continues to go on, all the accusations, they're saying such bitter things in private?

CARNEY: Well, I think they're hurting themselves in the sense that they're hurting the Democratic brand. There's a lot of anxiety in Washington within the Democratic party about what a prolonged fight will do to the eventual nominee and to Democrats' chances of taking the White House in November.

Now there's a contrary point of view that I think also makes sense, which is that, you know, Barack Obama has led a charmed political life with the exception of his defeat in a Congressional race prior to his run for the Senate. He's basically never had a difficult campaign, not in his primary for the Senate in Illinois, not in the general election. And if he does emerge as the nominee, which I think is still likely, he will have been through the gauntlet a little bit and been toughened up in a way that I think will probably be useful as experience come November.

FOREMAN: Let's look really closely at one other thing they've been talking about this week. Interesting. It's like they're trying to tap in on the issues and experience to an old name around Washington. Both of them talking about Al Gore this week. Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CLINTON: I think that he can make a contribution in so many ways to our country and certainly to my administration.

OBAMA: I will make a commitment that Al Gore will be at the table.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FOREMAN: Roland, is this really about bringing Al Gore into advise on policy and actual plans? Or is this a matter of each one saying, let me just get him on my bench so he can't be on the other guy's bench?

MARTIN: No, I think what it is is able to recognize that he is still extremely popular in the Democratic party. He won the Oscar. He's a major, major force when it comes to global warming. And so, that's what it points to. And so, look, by talking about him, you also recognize that he is now a standard bearer. It's pretty interesting, normally that's reserved for former presidents. And so a lot of Democrats see him as the guy who really won in 2000, but never got to the White House. So it's really a smart move on their part, because with Bill Clinton on Hillary Clinton's side, who else do you have to be able to reach out to as a standard bearer of the party?

FOREMAN: And Jay, one last question here. Howard Dean is looking more and more like the Mad hatter of the Democratic party. He's talking about the Florida Democrats and the Michigan Democrats. And somehow, he's going to bring them back in. But the campaigns have to agree. And the campaigns haven't agreed, but he's confident they're going to be there. What do we make of this? Are they -- it looks like the Florida/Michigan situation may be getting worse, not better.

CARNEY: Well, I think that's true. And Howard Dean is in unenviable position. He simply does not have the stature to knock heads at the campaigns. I mean, he can't tell and wouldn't tell Senator Clinton to bow out. And he can't dictate behavior for either campaign or to the states. And then I think whether he is crossing his fingers that will happen is that there will be some sort of momentum coming out of both the Pennsylvania primaries and the primaries on May 6th that will lead to an earlier conclusion than June or July. And that will enable us to get to the finish line.

FOREMAN: Yes, no or maybe, as we go to the break here. Does Howard Dean keep his job with the party when this is all over?

CARNEY: I think he keeps it through the election. But I think if the Democratic candidate wins the White House, I believe he or she will appoint somebody new.

FOREMAN: Thanks so much, Roland and Jay. Appreciate you both being here.

Later this hour, playing political games with the Olympics. Plus, who really holds the keys to the White House? We'll have an insider's look at the preparations already underway to hand them over to the next president.

And straight ahead, John McCain looking for the right strategy to win the right. THIS WEEK IN POLITICS.

This weekend does mark the 40th anniversary of Martin Luther King's assassination. So of course, plenty of folks are remembering the loss and celebrating his legacy.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

OBAMA: Through his faith, his courage, and his wisdom, Dr. Martin Luther King moved an entire nation. He preached the gospel of brotherhood, of equality, and justice.

JOHN MCCAIN (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: He only seems a bigger man from far away. The quality of his character is more apparent. His good name will be honored for as long as the creed of America is honored.

CLINTON: Dr. King taught us everything we needed to know about his legacy and how to carry it forward. But in the end, it is up to each of us to walk that path. It is not an easy path. It was hard for him. It is hard for us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MCCAIN: I'm the son and grandson of (INAUDIBLE).

They expect me to get angry and I will get angry. I wanted to live the life of a daring, brash, fun-loving flier. I've been known to forget occasionally, the discretion expected of a person of my years and station. You look like a guy whose laptop would be seized by the authorities.

DAVID LETTERMAN: What?

(LAUGHTER)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FOREMAN: Senator McCain on the road again this week, reintroducing himself to voters and giving us the first look at his game plan for the fall campaign. And he has to pull off at least one trick play -- holding onto moderates while cozying up to conservatives. Let's talk it over with Jonathan Martin, who covers the McCain campaign for the Politico and Leslie Sanchez, a Republican strategist and author.

Leslie, let me start with this. This whole tour is not about issues.

LESLIE SANCHEZ, REPUBLICAN STRATEGIST: Yes.

FOREMAN: It's about the man.

SANCHEZ: Absolutely. The tour is a really smart idea because it's showing his service to America. That's basically what it's about. And it's a really good opportunity for John McCain to express leadership and that he's a proven commodity. It's going to come down to do you want somebody who's proven and tested versus somebody who's not. And also, he's showing he's independent enough for Republican that he's not George Bush.

FOREMAN: And yet he's being asked about issues while he's out there. Let's take a listen very briefly to a question about this notion that he is not terribly strong on economic issues.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MCCAIN: I said it wasn't my strongest because I spent 22 years in the military. And I've been a member of the Armed Services Committee and involved in every major national security challenge in the last 20 years. I've been involved as Chairman of the Commerce Committee. I've been involved as part of the Reagan revolution where we cut taxes and restrained spending and embarked on one of the strongest periods of economic growth in the history of this country. I know economics very well, certainly better than Senator Clinton and Senator Obama. So let's clear that up.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FOREMAN: Jonathan, on this issue of the economy, the same question we about asked the Democrats. What are the cornerstones that make him different from them at this point in the race?

JONATHAN MARTIN, POLITICO: Well, Senator McCain takes a much more conservative small government view, especially on issues like taxes and health care, for example. He tends to defer to markets and opposes regulation. So in that sense, he's more of a conventional conservative Republican.

Obviously different issues, he takes more of a maverick stance. But in that sound bite you just played, I mean, I think you see that what is the ever-present double-edged sword that is John McCain in the sense that what makes him so attractive and so appealing to a lot of Americans isn't issues. It's character. And namely, it's the fact that he's perceived as candid and more of a straight talker than most politicians.

The downside of that for his campaign oftentimes is that he says things that are so-called off message, they are not advancing exactly his campaign's preferred theme for that day. And so you take the good with the bad. And you know, when McCain said that he wasn't an expert on economics, well, last year, well, that's a quote that's going to live on and live on this fall.

FOREMAN: On another issue, the leader of Focus on the Family, James Dobson, a large conservative group out there, suggested this week that McCain is not successfully reaching the conservatives that he needs to reach. McCain responded to that as well. Leslie, take a listen and then give me your response.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MCCAIN: If Dr. Dobson wanted to speak to me, I'd be more than - I'd be glad to speak to him. I just feel that I'm doing what is necessary to keep our party united and to win in November.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FOREMAN: Everybody's talking, Leslie, about the idea that this rift with the conservatives is really an issue for McCain. Is it really or can he get enough moderate and middle support to offset that?

SANCHEZ: Definitely. And I do believe fundamentally, the conservatives are going to coalesce around John McCain. You're already starting to see that, especially on talk radio.

The bigger issues you've got constrictionist judges. How does he feel about the Supreme Court and the judges he would appoint? How is he on life issues? How's he going to, you know, take a stand on immigration reforms?

These are things conservatives wanted to hear. He's addressing them.

What you're not going to see John McCain do is deviate from who he is, his plan, and his 35 years of public service, and his leadership. He's not going to bend or kowtow to any type of, you know, naysayer. And I do fundamentally believe there are some in the party who are self-destructionists. They're not going to go with the party, but they're not part of the GOP base. I think overall, the base will come together.

FOREMAN: And Jonathan, we're going to continue hearing the war as a big issue for John McCain.

MARTIN: Yes, absolutely. But just real fast on that last point, the key element of that sound bite was when McCain said Dobson can call me, and Dobson can come see me, which is to say, I'm not going to go look him up and go and kiss that ring. And that's McCain for you right there.

Now look, of course, the war is an ever-present issue, especially now in recent weeks with what's happening in Basra and southern Iraq. And you know, McCain and his folks would prefer the war to be the dominant issue. Largely, the national security threats facing this country. That is safe terrain for him. If it's fought on that ground, John McCain, war hero, veteran senator is in better shape.

FOREMAN: And he spoke this week about this whole notion of the buildup and how it is working over in Iraq to make things somewhat better, particularly in recent months. Listen to this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MCCAIN: We waited too long to begin that buildup. Had we begun to do it right after 9/11, or even when it became clear to many of us that our flawed strategy and inadequate troop levels in Iraq were going to result in that conflict lasting far longer than anticipated, we would not be in the situation we are in today.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FOREMAN: Leslie, where he goes in this campaign about who is as a mean, it seems like he really takes these issues to him in a way that says, this is my identity. I'm not going to shift on anything.

SANCHEZ: To some extent, yes, that's the John McCain I think a lot of people know, but...

FOREMAN: That's the reason he's done well.

SANCHEZ: Incredibly well, straight talk express. It was all his idea. But fundamentally, he's saying I exude leadership. I know how to put a team together. I know when to be a contrarian. And that's something you didn't used to hear about a lot of - or get a lot of support for in Republican circles.

Now it's really a dominant issue. It's why he gets 16 to 17 percent of Democrat support. It's why Independents have always been drawn to him. And he's also pulling from 35 years of experience. I mean, when you contrast that to Hillary Clinton, you know, and Barack Obama, who are still neophytes politically, it's a very good contest for Republicans.

FOREMAN: And let me jump back to you very quickly, Jonathan. When he looks ahead, what is the biggest weakness, quick little laundry list, one, two, three things that the McCain people are concerned about in preparing for?

MARTIN: Well, I think that number one is certainly fundraising. Secondly, probably organization are sort of the top issues right now that they are preparing for. And then third, probably just the issue matrix, getting McCain up to speed on the wide variety of issues that are going to be discussed this summer and this fall and having him in a place where he can roll out some policy ideas here in April, May, and June. But I think it's really important, though, to recognize the huge fundraising deficit that McCain and the GOP are going to be facing. Barack Obama raised $95 million the past two months. That's a staggering amount. The McCain folks know that they're never going to match that. And so they're going to try and compensate in part by letting McCain be McCain, doing these town hall meetings, riding around on that bus that Leslie mentioned, and trying to get attention from us in the media that he's never going to be able to afford to buy on TV.

FOREMAN: We're out of time and attention right now. We have to move on. Thanks so much, Jonathan and Leslie.

MARTIN: Thank you.

SANCHEZ: Thank you.

FOREMAN: Still ahead, the secretive man that every candidate must meet before he or she can move into the White House.

And Oprah, Wheel of Fortune and the local news, that's the answer. What's the question, Alex? We'll have that.

Plus, running mates. But first, our weekly political side show. How many politicians does it take to change a lightbulb? None. They just blame each other for the darkness. Democrats want to swap out the old bulbs that illuminate the Capitol dome for more energy efficient ones. They call it important symbolism, but some Republicans call it a waste of your tax dollars.

Every four years, presidential conventions shine a light on our party system. And one Minnesota lawmaker wants the lights to keep shining a little longer this year.

Phyllis Conn wants to extend last call at local bars during the GOP convention by two hours because she told Minnesota public radio chasing people out of bars before they're ready to go is not a good image for a city to have.

And British reports say Vladimir Putin wants to build a tunnel under the Bering Strait, linking the United States and Russia. It sounds suspiciously like an April Fools' prank. But when we called the Kremlin to confirm, the only words we could make out were E-Z Pass.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

FOREMAN: The cherry blossoms are blooming here in Washington. It is such a lovely sight, it makes people turn their thoughts to love. And of course, that makes us think about running mates.

Consider this, in this election we have one of the oldest contenders, a woman, a black man, all with real chances of becoming the president, which means their choice of vice president could be critical. All the more reason to check out the word on the street.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) TOM FOREMAN, HOST: Do you think running mates will make a big difference in this election?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No.

FOREMAN: Why?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Because they never have before, as far as I know.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I think they do.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think it could make some difference. But I don't think it's a major factor in most cases.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The Democratic party, I fear, is going to become split because of the close race. And I think that the vice presidential running mate will make a big difference.

FOREMAN: What do you look for in a vice presidential candidate?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Somebody who can really handle the job if the president leaves us.

FOREMAN: So what do you think John McCain needs in a running mate?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Someone younger.

X Well, that's pretty much everyone, isn't it? Who in your mind is a great vice president?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: John Edwards.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Colin Powell.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Mitt Romney.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I would have liked Edwards.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I don't know, what do you think? What do you think?

FOREMAN: I don't know. I'm not in the business of thinking.

(LAUGHTER)

(END VIDEOTAPE)

FOREMAN: McCain indicated this week he's already shopping for a running mate with about 20 names on his list. Clinton and Obama have also batted around the idea a bit. It's still early for any of them to lock down a choice, but there is one man that the winner, whomever it may be, will have to consult before taking the presidency next January. And White House correspondent Ed Henry caught up with him.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) ED HENRY, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The three presidential contenders still standing have plenty of advisers trying to help push them over the top. But come January, the winner will rely on key advice from this man, a relatively unknown bureaucrat already prepping the presidential transition. So you're the man to see?

DAVID BIBB, DEPUTY ADMINISTRATOR, GSA: Yes, I suppose so.

HENRY: Months before the president-elect arrives here on inauguration day to take the reins from President Bush, he or she will first stop a few blocks down the street, picking up the keys to the government like Vice President-elect Dick Cheney did for his boss in December 2000 after the Supreme Court finally settled who was moving into the White House.

BIBB: I think the main lesson we learned was to start earlier.

HENRY: So David Bibb has been working on next year's transition for three years, mostly to find a massive amount of office space for the incoming president to work from November until January.

BIBB: It's about 120,000 square foot need. So it's not small. You can't just walk out normally onto the street and find that kind of space.

HENRY: Mr. Bush has budgeted $2.2 million for his administration to get packed up and $6.3 million for the new team to get ramped up, assemble a cabinet, and prepare a legislative agenda. No detail is too small, from security for the first post-9/11 transfer of power to these ubiquitous electronic devices for transition staffers working around the clock.

BIBB: We'll have Blackberrys for one and all.

HENRY: Bibb says it's a privilege to play a small role in a democratic process that's methodical and tidy, relatively speaking of course.

BIBB: Things do happen in an orderly way. And this is just a part of that process. Orderly. Of course, we've been watching the election returns. I don't know if that's orderly enough, but it's been kind of interesting. And maybe chaos is the right term to use.

HENRY (on camera): So the transition is ready. Now all we need is a new president.

Ed Henry, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

FOREMAN: Thanks much, Ed.

Later, we'll look at the real underdog in this campaign season. And straight ahead, breaking China over the Olympics.

But right now, this week in useless political trivia. We commemorate the anniversary of the death of a triple threat president, William Henry Harrison. He holds three unwanted presidential records, delivering the longest inauguration speech, serving for the shortest length of time, just one month, and being the first to die in office.

Harrison died of pneumonia on April 4th, 1841. Legend has it that he caught the death of cold from standing in a winter storm during a painfully long one hour and 45 minutes inauguration speech. Long- winded politicians, beware. We know who you are.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

FOREMAN: The Olympic Games bring the world's greatest athletes to compete on an international stage. And they bring medals and pride home to their countries. But what happens when politics gets in the way of the games? This summer is shaping up to be a showdown with Beijing.

And with me here is Mike Wise. He's a sports columnist for "The Washington Post." And he's covered five Olympic Games. The fundamental issue here, Mike, seems to be those who say other countries should not go to these games because of China's human rights record. How does the sports community respond?

MIKE WISE, THE WASHINGTON POST: Most of the amateur athletes, Tom, are infuriated. I mean, they've seen 1980 boycott, 1984 boycott by the Russians. And so we think to ourselves, at one point are you going to hold these athletes responsible for the political gamesmanship in other nations? I think there is some genuine angst among them.

FOREMAN: The genuine point of the Olympics in the first place was to say that there are things that are human, that we should strive to, that should transcend politics?

WISE: Well, and you're at the Olympics. And I know it sounds cliche, but the whole idea of sports bringing everyone together, I can't think of any place than in opening ceremonies where you get that feeling. And it really happens. And for the people involved in it, it takes everything out of it. Whatever is going on with the World Bank, whatever is going on in a war region, the Olympics supersedes all that at that time.

FOREMAN: It has been politicized many times in the past. Let's look through some of the highlights or lowlights of it, depending on how you want to talk about it, back before World War II. There were the Berlin Games where Jesse Owens did so, so well. People said that that slap down Hitler's dream of a master race as he talked about it.

WISE: Yes.

FOREMAN: Mexico City, you remember there's the famous black glove salute for black power concerns...

WISE: And the Australians came up with the idea to split their gloves because one of them forgot them.

FOREMAN: Unbelievable. So that's how they came up with it.

WISE: Yes.

FOREMAN: Munich, of course, the terrible events there with the Israeli athletes were captured and killed by terrorists.

Lake Placid, New York, we look back when the young American hockey team beat the vaunted Russians. And people said ah, this is a great Cold War victory. Does the sports community feel comfortable with this stuff happening? Or would the sports community, by and large, say let's not have any political talk during all this?

WISE: I think it falls on two levels. One, if you're John Carlos or Tommy Smith and you're raising your fists a few months after Martin Luther King was assassinated and you're trying to get people to understand human rights in your own country at that time and you're making a political statement at the event, it's a little different than an act of Congress or a government body saying, we're not going to send our athletes because we think you violate human rights in Tibet or wherever around the world.

FOREMAN: Well, and the argument has been that this should be taken very seriously. Listen to what Nancy Pelosi said on "Good Morning America." She said, "I think boycotting the opening ceremony which really gives respect to the Chinese government, is something that should be kept on the table. I think the president might want to rethink this later, depending on what other heads of states do in regard to all of this."

What about that idea? What about just saying ceremonially you make your point and then you get on with the Games?

WISE: Yes.

FOREMAN: Is that something that's acceptable to the Olympic community or a bad idea?

WISE: God bless the madam speaker, but no. Take away grain, produce, do some kind of other embargo. Take away their NBA athletes, but don't hold kids responsible for your ideals of what the Chinese government should do. I think the opening ceremonies, even though it's a small thing, it's a huge thing for a kid that's never been there.

FOREMAN: And yet to speak for those who criticize this, they say but there's something fundamentally wrong about going to play a game in a place where things are being done that we think are abhorrent?

WISE: And I'll buy that, Tom. But I also think you have to think deeper, if you're that concerned about it. Let's not leverage our athletes. Let's leverage our economic power, let's leverage our technology. But don't use the athletes as pawns.

FOREMAN: Well, we'll have to see how it plays out in these Olympics. Thanks for being here. Appreciate it, Mike. When we come back, Pat, Vanna, and the secret game called campaign bankruptcy. But first, a look at the best of the rest THIS WEEK IN POLITICS.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

FOREMAN (voice-over): To Russia with love or something like it, President Bush meeting for the first time with the newly elected russian president this weekend, Dmitri Mevedyev (ph) was backed by former President Vladimir Putin. And you may recall Mr. Bush once famously talked about having a soul connection with Putin. That connection may need resouling now, however. On this same trip, President Bush won endorsement from NATO for a missile defense system the U.S. wants to build in Europe, a system that Russia opposes. Putin scored his own points, though, blocking a call by the U.S. to expand NATO.

On the U.S.-Mexican border, the Bush administration appears to be sidestepping more than 30 laws and regulations to finish building hundreds of miles of border fence by this year's end.

MICHAEL CHERTOFF, HOMELAND SECURITY SECRETARY: Can we simply abandon the enterprise because it's a problem for a particular individual?

FOREMAN: Congress authorized the waivers, but environmental groups not happy.

And this little piggy went to Washington. According to the latest report from one watchdog group, Congress jammed $17 billion worth of pork into recent legislation, funding everything from olive fruit fly research to a lobster institute. Some lawmakers are defending the earmarks but their critics still say our little piggies are going to the market, but we'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ANNOUNCER: Pat Sajack and Vanna White.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FOREMAN: Those are some of the most important words in politics these days because all three presidential contenders are spending big money to advertise on the wheel.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

OBAMA: This is not like "Price Is Right." You're not going to get a big prize.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

Obama has dropped more than $1 million on wheel ads. Clinton, almost $815,000. McCain, more than $167,000. And it's not just Pat and Vanna. The campaigns are also buying up commercial time on sitcoms, Oprah, Jeopardy!, anything that airs close to local newscasts.

And the newscasts themselves are the real prizes. Collectively, the candidates have spent almost $37 million to reach local news audiences loaded with likely voters.

So here to shed some light on the candidates' ad blitz, the man who produced all those numbers, Evan Tracey. He's with the Campaign Media Analysis Group. We talk a lot about how important it is to have a lot of money. Obama has the most. How is he using that against Hillary Clinton right now?

EVAN TRACEY, TNS MEDIA INTELLIGENCE CMAG: Well, Tom, look, if money - if politics had a raw material, it would be money. Obama's got plenty of it. He's tapped into a really powerful vein here. He's putting that money to work in the form of ad buys in the state of Pennsylvania, because Hillary Clinton had a double-digit lead in the polls, if this were a general election, he wouldn't go near Pennsylvania. But because he can get delegates out of the state, he focuses almost $3 million into that state in a very short period of time. And what it does is it ties her down, it makes her resources going go into Pennsylvania instead of the states she's probably going to need it just as much, which is North Carolina and Indiana.

FOREMAN: So like poker, he's trying to sort of buy the pot on her and make her spend her resources now?

TRACEY: Yes, put the dollars to work in that state, make her have to defend that territory, protect her lead. Again, it ties her down, ties the campaign into one state into one strategy at this point.

FOREMAN: Let's look at some of the numbers that we're talking about here in terms of what's actually been spent. Obama in Pennsylvania has spent, as Evan mentioned, almost $3 million. Clinton, $830,000. That's not nearly as much. And look at one day of spending up there for these two campaigns, because the numbers are really quite impressive.

$375,000 for Obama on this past Tuesday. $121,000 for Clinton. She had money problems early on. She's raised a lot of money since, so you could argue she doesn't have money problems now. But this is shaking the foundation of her money as she runs on.

TRACEY: Yes, it's making what she brings in have to go that much further. The problem that she's got is Obama is not facing any issues with money. He can spend and lose in Pennsylvania and it doesn't matter because he's got plenty of money to do North Carolina, Indiana. She obviously has to do the best with what she has, which will not be enough to compete with him on a dollar-by-dollar basis. So she's got to put that money to work. And look, she'd much rather be spending that right now in North Carolina and Indiana, but she needs that big win in Pennsylvania. So it's really - it's putting the dollar focus, her ad focus into that state.

FOREMAN: She says she will run all the way through the convention if she needs to. If he keeps outspending her this way, does she have the money to run all the way to the convention? TRACEY: It's going to be tough to say because I think, you know, if she's not able to have big wins into Pennsylvania, if she's not able to translate those into wins in the following states, it's going to be very hard to keep this going because the money's going to dry up.

Money follows momentum. You can see that with Obama. His donors, the list grows, the dollars grow. People, I think, enjoy giving the money to his campaign just so they can see what record they can set the next month.

Without momentum, that money doesn't come in. Her money right now is being driven largely by his money. She can make appeals to her supporters saying, look, we need this money to do ad buys in Pennsylvania. We need this money to do ad buys in North Carolina. And we need this money now or there won't be a North Carolina and Indiana.

FOREMAN: We talk a lot about how John McCain is lagging far behind in money raising right now. They're raising so much money to run against each other right now. When you get to the general election, will he really be that far behind? Or would you expect a leveling of the field a bit?

TRACEY: Well, timing's going to be everything. It's a matter for John McCain as to when this really turns into a general election. It's very hard to see a story in the news about John McCain that doesn't start with "and in other news." So right now, McCain's doing what he can do to stay in the debate. And right now, look, Clinton and Obama are obliging him by attacking him. If they attack him, it puts him into the lead story. So at this point, he's getting the earn media that's offsetting the money that he's not raising to put to work as paid media.

FOREMAN: But will he get a bump when they finally get an opponent?

TRACEY: Well, it's -I think he's going to have -- at that point, they'll have somebody to shoot at. There will be somebody for the conservative donor base to get excited about defeating. And hopefully at that point for John McCain, then the money will start to flow in. Then he can put it to work in the form of ad buys.

But right now, he doesn't have an opponent. He doesn't have a battleground. So he's not really sure what to do with money even if he had it.

FOREMAN: Thanks so much for stopping by, Evan. We appreciate your input.

Coming up, our coast to coast correspondent Bill Schneider joins us from Los Angeles for fast track. Everything you need to watch for in the next week in politics.

But first, Obama's fans are also helping him pretty hard on the Internet. So you Clinton and McCain supporters, you better get busy out there. An Obama trifecta makes up this week's installment of our favorite viral videos for politicos. (BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

(MUSIC)

FOREMAN: Mama Mia, an old Abba hit, provides the background for this spoof, proclaiming that Obama has already won the White House.

(MUSIC)

FOREMAN: A little retro Pocemon action also lighting up the fight, with this video saying, I choose you, Obama. Popular with the college kids, we're told.

And with all of our talk of summer vacation, let's take it to the bridge with Barack Ohula. And we'll be dancing right back in just a moment.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Stupid old Barack got his own theme song. I could have my own theme song, too.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

FOREMAN: Time to take a look at everything you need for the next week in politics by hopping on the fast track. And who better to do that than our globe trotting Bill Schneider, our senior CNN political analyst, who's out in L.A. We've been looking at money. The Democrats are raising a lot. Elton John's going to step up to do a fund-raiser for Hillary Clinton. Where do we stand on that? And where are we headed?

BILL SCHNEIDER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, it's bust all the records. Barack Obama raised $40 million in the month of March. That's a record. Hillary Clinton raised $20 million, it is estimated. No official figures yet. That's still pretty good. He's raised $237 million for his campaign. That's close to the record set by George W. Bush in 2004. She's raised just under $200 million. Not too shabby. The only one who's not breaking records is John McCain with about $58 million.

FOREMAN: The Pennsylvania primaries creeping up. Hillary Clinton still has a solid lead there, but does she have it locked up? And how will Obama respond?

SCHNEIDER: She's been ahead in all the polls, which means she is really running not so much against Obama, but against someone called expected. She has to do better than expected to enjoy a significant victory. She's expected to win Pennsylvania by about ten points.

Worse than that, eyebrows will be raised. Why didn't she do as well as expected? Better than that, new momentum for Hillary Clinton.

A recent CNN/Essence magazine opinion research poll found that an awful lot of people in this country say they're ready now for a female president, ready for a black president. Should we trust those numbers? Is the country really ready?

SCHNEIDER: Well, actually, the interesting thing is African-Americans were more likely than whites to say they're not sure the country is ready for a black president. But look, overwhelming numbers, people say the country is ready.

Now if you ask people, would you vote for a woman or for an African- American, they say overwhelmingly, of course I would, I'm not prejudiced. But would they actually do it? We can't be sure. Polls are a very unreliable gauge on issues like this. People often harbor prejudices that they don't even admit to themselves.

FOREMAN: And of course, the Republicans have largely decided on their man. I'm going to put you on the spot here. Any bets on the running mate for McCain? Because that's the next big hurdle.

SCHNEIDER: Well, let's see. He needs someone young. He needs a conservative. He needs a governor. It's a very short list of those people. A lot of bets on Tim Pawlenty of Minnesota.

FOREMAN: Well, how about that? Thank you very much, Bill Schneider, for all the insights.

In a moment, an old face comes back to the trail for a new visit with campaign supporters out in the field. But first, let's take a look at our late night laughs.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DAVID LETTERMAN: John McCain, by God, has one of those 3:00 a.m. campaign commercials. In this one, it's 3:00 a.m., and he just gets up to go to the bathroom.

JON STEWART: While Barack Obama cannot attain the magic number of delegates needed to primaries and caucuses, he can get it. And this is a little known aspect of Democratic party rules. It's a technicality. Obama can get it if Clinton quits.

CONAN O'BRIEN: Hillary Clinton's campaign, I don't know if you saw this, has come out with another ad with her answering the phone at the White House at 3:00 a.m. Yes, she made another one. Yes. In this one, Hillary handles the crisis, then asks, by the way, have you seen my husband?

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

FOREMAN: Statistically speaking, Ron Paul has about as much chance of winning the Republican nomination now as Naomi Campbell has of snagging the Nobel peace prize. But that's not stopping him. The Texas congressman is still campaigning for president. He held a rally in Pennsylvania just this week. He has several more slated there later on this month. Although he's been largely dropped from mainstream media coverage, he's never dropped (INAUDIBLE). Many of his followers remain highly committed to the ideas he has promoted. Remember, he raised more money in a single day than any other contender. That says something about the dedication of this candidate and his fans. And you can still find them all out on the trail.

And that's it. Time for us to hit the trail. For THIS WEEK IN POLITICS, I'm Tom Foreman. Thanks for watching.

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