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Campbell Brown
Clinton Campaign Fights On; Myanmar Government Playing Politics?
Aired May 09, 2008 - 20:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR: Campbell is off tonight. I'm Wolf Blitzer at the CNN ELECTION CENTER.
Before we get the latest news from the campaign, this video just coming in the CNN right now. Take a look at this, a tornado plowing through the northwest parts of Alabama, the town of Leighton, specifically. This is surveillance video taken yesterday and recovered only moments ago: cars and trucks being thrown in the air like toys.
The storm system killed one person in North Carolina and damaged homes and buildings in at least five states -- coming up in the briefing, more details and how the South is right now bracing for more strong storms tomorrow and Sunday.
Now to the presidential race. After the week's primaries, a lot of Democrats simply said, it's over. But, tonight, as the campaigns head out west, we hear other Democrats say, let it play out, no hurry at all, quite a sudden change.
Here's what's happening tonight, the "View From 30,000 Feet."
Barack Obama says the May 20 Oregon primary is key for him. So, he's there campaigning right now in Beaverton, Albany, and Eugene. Hillary Clinton started her day in Portland, Oregon, before leaving to move on to Louisville to speak at the Kentucky Democratic Party dinner later tonight. We're waiting, by the way, for her speech. We're going to go there live once it begins.
Meanwhile, John McCain spent this morning in Jersey City, New Jersey. Then he traveled to Columbia, South Carolina. Obama continues to pick up support from superdelegates and other top party officials. Democratic bigwig Congressman Rahm Emanuel, a former senior adviser in the Clinton White House, said today, "I think we have a presumptive nominee." By that, he meant Obama, although he stopped short of formally endorsing him.
But the campaign, the Clinton campaign, does continue aggressively going after Obama. And there's a growing sense among some Democrats that she's the only one who can say when it's really over, and she's not ready to say that yet, by any means.
Our senior political, Candy Crowley, is following the Democrats tonight.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) CANDY CROWLEY, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Hillary Clinton arrived in Central Point, Oregon, last night, two hours late and pumped up.
SEN. HILLARY RODHAM CLINTON (D-NY), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Whoa!
C. CROWLEY: "My lord," said a top lawmaker, "I'm in awe of her grit."
CLINTON: I apologize that we were kind of flying against the wind. But, you know, that's the story of my life. Fly against the wind. You'll get there eventually.
C. CROWLEY: It boils down to this. Many Democrats are anxious for her to get out. Not many want to be seen as forcing her out, and she's not going.
CLINTON: People say to me all the time, well, are you going to keep going? Well, yes, of course I'm going to keep going.
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
C. CROWLEY: So, it is still going. And he's game, though showing signs of sleep deprivation.
SEN. BARACK OBAMA (D-IL), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I have been in 57 states, I think one left to go.
C. CROWLEY: For Obama, the game is dodgeball now, dancing around those "You're already the nominee" questions, like will you help her pay off her campaign debt?
OBAMA: I would want to have a broad-ranging discussion with Senator Clinton about how I could make her feel good about the process and have her on the team moving forward. But, as I said, it's premature right now. She's still actively running and we have got this to do here.
C. CROWLEY: Steadily now, the superdelegates are trickling his way, including a couple of crossovers from her list. But it's not a gusher, so Clinton powers on, trying to keep her superdelegates and convince the uncommitted to stay that way.
Her argument remains the demographics of electability. But in a year where race has been the most explosive issue, this is tricky. Clinton set off alarm bells when she made her case to "USA Today."
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
CLINTON: There was just an "A.P." article posted that found how Senator Obama's support among working, hardworking Americans, white Americans, is weakening again and how the, you know, whites in both states who had not completed college were supporting me.
(END AUDIO CLIP) C. CROWLEY: It's a true statement, but a number of Democrats contacted by CNN thought her remarks had a troubling racial overtone, gratuitous, one called it, especially in a party trying to pull itself together for the fall election.
For now, Clinton is being given wide berth to play the end her way. The bulk of uncommitted superdelegates are likely to wait until the last primary to declare. But there is concern that she not rough up Obama between now and then in a way that leaves scars for the general election.
(on-camera): One of the uncommitted who intends to eventually vote for Barack Obama says he is all for Hillary Clinton staying in this race, though there is a cautionary note. It depends, he says, on how she does it.
Candy Crowley, CNN, Washington.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BLITZER: Now something new in the ELECTION CENTER. We call it the delegate desk. Tonight, a hard look at the drip, drip, drip of superdelegates we have heard so much about. It looks like it's starting to pour, in fact, to a certain degree.
Jessica Yellin is doing the math on the delegate desk tonight.
What are you finding, Jessica?
JESSICA YELLIN, CNN CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, Wolf, right now, the spread between the two Democrats is very small. But while Obama's numbers are growing, Clinton's lead has vanished. Just a few months ago, her superdelegate lead was 100. Based on our reporting, there's a growing pool of superdelegates who now plan to endorse Barack Obama eventually.
But they are holding back out of respect for Senator Clinton or out of fear of the Clintons. But expect the tide to Obama to grow.
BLITZER: All right, so let's take a look at the specific numbers.
YELLIN: OK.
The numbers show that Obama has the support of 1,860 delegate, but Clinton has 1,697. That's a lead of 163 delegates overall for Obama. Now, that's according to CNN's count. A candidate needs 2,025 to secure the nomination.
So, let's look at how Obama's delegates break down. He has 1,592 pledged delegates and 2,006 -- sorry -- 268 superdelegates. Here are Clinton's numbers, 1,424 pledged delegates, 273 superdelegates.
BLITZER: Let's talk about these superdelegates. A few months ago, we began to hear all about these superdelegates. But now they will be the ones who will decide the Democratic presidential nominee. YELLIN: That's right, Wolf. And they can choose who they want to support. They can switch. And, today, one did.
So, let's look at the numbers again. Obama, he received seven new superdelegate endorsements today. So, Clinton leads in superdelegates by five. Just yesterday, she led by eight. Here's what's happened in the past 24 hours. New Jersey Representative Donald Payne was a Clinton supporter, but he announced today he's switching to Obama.
Now, that's the biggest headline of the seven superdelegates who declared for Obama today. Clinton picked up Pennsylvania Representative Christopher Carney. And just before we went on the air, Senator Clinton picked up one more superdelegate that we have already added to our total. That's Congressman Ciro Rodriguez of San Antonio. She won his district overwhelmingly.
And many of those we're in touch with, Wolf, say they are watching the tone of Clinton's campaign and, if she gets too negative, some of these undecideds, they could come out for Obama.
BLITZER: On our blogs, as you know, Jessica, we get tons of questions from viewers out there. They want to know why sometimes our delegate estimate is different than the estimate from other news organizations.
YELLIN: Right. Right.
And this is about how different organizations count. Or, as our research director, Robert Yoon, puts it, like snowflakes and blind dates, no two delegate estimates are necessarily alike. See, CNN conducts independent surveys of superdelegates.
Some other news organizations, they take the superdelegate counts directly from the campaign. But we don't take their word for it, because we have found some superdelegates may privately give the campaigns their support, but they refuse to confirm that support publicly to us. And since we work to give the best, latest information, we just don't take anyone else's word for it.
BLITZER: And that's the way it should be. Jessica, thanks very much -- Jessica Yellin reporting.
So, the question for Hillary Clinton's superdelegates is this: Should I stay or should I go?
When I return, I'll have one who, within the past 24 hours, switched to Obama and another who is staying in the Clinton camp. We will be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CLINTON: People say to me all the time, boy, you're a fighter. Well, yes, because, you know, there's a lot in life that is worth fighting for. And this country is worth fighting for. This campaign is going to determine the future of America for much of the rest of this century.
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BLITZER: Hillary Clinton up against some formidable odds at this point, but vowing to press on.
The official CNN delegate count, Clinton still leads in superdelegates, but by an extremely small margin of only five. The campaign saying today it picked up two, Obama claiming an additional seven, including one superdelegate who just abandoned Hillary Clinton. That would be the man on the left.
Congressman Donald Payne is joining us. I'm also joined by Ohio Representative Stephanie Tubbs Jones, a Clinton supporter, who's pledging to stay that way.
Thanks to both of you very much for coming in.
Congressman Payne, why did you switch to Obama?
REP. DONALD PAYNE (D), NEW JERSEY: Well, it was a decision that I have been thinking about over the past month or two.
I think that, at this point, Senator Obama is showing that he's the person that can best lead the Democratic Party into the November election. I think that he is a ray of hope to many people who are hopeless. I think that his vision is where America needs to go in the future. I think people are buying the fact that we need a change. And that's -- those are the reasons why I decided at this time to formally endorse Senator Obama.
BLITZER: Did -- was it hard for you? Clinton won New Jersey. Have you heard, for example, from either of the Clintons?
PAYNE: I called Senator Clinton yesterday a number of times. She was busy campaigning. I knew it would be difficult for her to get back to me. As a matter of fact, I wanted to wait until I spoke to her before I give my final decision to Senator Obama.
But it was a tough decision. She won New Jersey. There's no question about it. My district went with -- strongly for Obama in parts of it and also Senator Clinton. It wasn't so much the district itself, but it's that I think that the time is right for us to start bringing the party together. And that's where I think our move should be.
BLITZER: All right.
Congresswoman Tubbs Jones, what do you think? What's your reaction to what we just heard from Congressman Payne? REP. STEPHANIE TUBBS JONES (D), OHIO: All due respect to my senior colleague, Donald Payne, and my good friend, I think we need to wait until the primaries are over with.
Think about it like this. In Indiana in 2004, 341,000 people voted in the Democratic primary. On Tuesday, 1.2 million persons voted in the primary. That's significant. It shows that we are bringing our people who want to be engaged in the process. And it's my belief that the states like West Virginia, Montana, South Dakota, Puerto Rico, they ought to be heard.
Those people's voices ought to be heard and their votes should be counted. And, so, I'm with Hillary Clinton. Let's push through these primaries and let people be heard.
BLITZER: What are you doing to prevent other Clinton supporters, superdelegates, specifically, Congresswoman, from bolting and going over to the Obama camp?
TUBBS JONES: Well, I would suggest that they look at the candidate.
We believe that Senator Clinton is the best candidate to win the November elections, that she has the background, the experience, the tenacity. Nobody can say that this woman isn't hardworking and committed to the people of America.
And those are the kinds of things we look at. We look at the fact that she's won the large states. Barack Obama just won North Carolina, but, before that, the large states had gone to her. If you look at the numbers and do a count, if we counted as if the Republicans count, meaning that, if you win the state, the state is yours, she would have won.
If you count the electoral votes, she would be the victor. And, so, these are things that we suggest that other superdelegates take a look at. And I'm careful to use the term superdelegate, because there's no such thing in the Democratic constitution, bylaws or history.
BLITZER: All right, very quickly, Congressman Payne, I will let you respond.
PAYNE: Well, I think that it's pretty clear we need to bring the party together. I'm not suggesting that Senator Clinton drop out at this time. I think she should carry it through June the 3rd.
But I do believe that we need to start bringing the party together. I believe that Senator Obama will win those states that Democrats have traditionally won. And, as a matter of fact, I think that he will win others that we have lost in the past. New people are involved, people who have never been interested before, young people. And I think he has the vision to come up with solutions.
BLITZER: All right, Congressman Payne, Congresswoman Tubbs Jones, thanks to both of you for joining us. TUBBS JONES: Thanks, Wolf, for having me.
PAYNE: Thank you.
BLITZER: Thank you.
Hillary Clinton under attack for saying Barack Obama is having trouble winning over some white voters. We will discuss that and more when we come back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
OBAMA: I have not won this nomination yet. I think it would be presumptuous of me to suggest that she's going to be my running mate when we are still actively running.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BLITZER: Barack Obama answers the question that voters keep on asking.
And Hillary Clinton still has something to gain by not giving up, Tuesday's West Virginia primary, for one thing. She's way ahead in the latest poll in that state.
But what happens after Tuesday?
I have gathered a team of top political experts to help us better understand what is going on. Michael Crowley is a senior editor of "The New Republic." Joan Walsh is editor of chief of Salon.com. And Tara Wall is deputy editorial page editor of "The Washington Times" and a former senior adviser to the Republican National Committee.
Thanks to all of you for coming in.
And, Michael, I will start with you.
Look at this poll that just came in from West Virginia, Clinton 66 percent, Obama 23 percent, unsure, 11 percent. That's, what, a 43 percent lead right now.
What do you think? This is a mostly white blue-collar state. But if she wins by this incredible margin, doesn't that make it look sort of ominous for Barack Obama to carry West Virginia in the fall?
MICHAEL CROWLEY, SENIOR EDITOR, "THE NEW REPUBLIC": It does.
I mean, the timing here for Obama must be really frustrating, because, by a fluke of the calender, here's the state, right when Obama is trying to say, this is over, I have wrapped it up -- and the math shows that basically he has -- it's going to be really hard.
I mean, Hillary Clinton could win the state by 50 points. It doesn't really help her that much in terms of getting the actual nomination. But what's going to happen coming out of that vote is a lot of discussion about this lasting, lingering problem Obama has with this segment of the electorate, which is going to dog him going into the general election. And it's just not a story he wants right now.
He wants to be on a higher note. In fact, he deserves to be on a higher note, because it looks like he's pretty much wrapped this thing up. So, it's got to be frustrating.
BLITZER: All right, Joan, Hillary Clinton under attack today after saying Obama runs weak with white working-class voters.
Let me read to you this reaction from one her strongest, strongest supporters, Congressman Charlie Rangel of New York.
He said this. He said, "I can't believe Senator Clinton would say anything that dumb."
What do you think?
JOAN WALSH, EDITOR IN CHIEF, SALON.COM: I had the same reaction, Wolf. I honestly don't believe she meant it the way it sounded, but it sounded terrible, at a time when she's really, you know, lost a significant amount of support from African-Americans. And she can't afford to make mistakes like that.
I thought it was a little bit like Obama's bitter comments, where, again, he didn't mean it the way it sounded. But if people were predisposed to think he had issues, he was a little bit arrogant, they heard it that way.
But really she really shouldn't make such dumb mistakes this late in the game. She can't afford to.
BLITZER: All right, Tara, though, is there some truth behind Clinton's statement that she's won a clear majority of the white voters in these primaries? Is this going to be a big problem in the fall for Barack Obama?
TARA WALL, DEPUTY EDITORIAL PAGE EDITOR, "THE WASHINGTON TIMES": Well, absolutely, she does make a point.
While she may be expressing some last-minute desperation here, the fact is, what she said is true. He does have problems with white working-class voters. It's why he's struggled in the last few states. And it's why she's in West Virginia. That's no big surprise that she's leading there. She will probably win Kentucky as well.
That is to be expected. This is where her bread and butter is. This is her base. And I think that there will be a small segment of the white working-class voters who just won't vote for him, period. That's the reality of it, for whatever reason, whether it's racial, whether it's because he's elitist. That has a big part to do with it because of this elitist image.
I that, should he get the nominee -- and, likely, he probably will at this point -- it's more than apparent that he is the nominee -- it will be best for her to go ahead and rally some of those white working-class voters that voted for her to side with him.
And that's probably the little chit that she is holding on to at this point, to be able to say, superdelegates, see, there's a vote I have there that he doesn't. We can do something about this. There may still be hope for me left, although there really isn't.
BLITZER: All right, guys, hold on.
When we come back, Obama, Clinton and the hunt for a running mate. I will have some scathing words coming in from Senator Ted Kennedy, saying the so-called dream team, as some people put it, could end up a nightmare -- that and more when we come back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BLITZER: We're back at the CNN ELECTION CENTER with our panel, Michael Crowley, Joan Walsh, and Tara Wall.
Michael, Ted Kennedy, he said this. And I'm going to play the sound bite for you today.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. EDWARD KENNEDY (D), MASSACHUSETTS: I would hope that he would also give consideration to somebody that has and is in tune with his appeal for the nobler aspirations of the American people. And I think, if we had real leadership, as we do with Barack Obama, in the number-two spot, as well, it would be enormously helpful.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BLITZER: All right. He's saying he doesn't think that Hillary Clinton on the ticket with Barack Obama would necessarily be all that good of an idea.
His office later put out another statement -- and let me read it to you -- "Senator Kennedy thinks Senator Clinton is more than qualified to be vice president, but doesn't think it's likely, given the tenor of the campaign in recent weeks."
How much pressure is Obama under right now to at least offer the V.P. slot to Clinton?
C. CROWLEY: Well, look, I think there probably are a lot of Clinton supporters who have been behind her for a long time, who have worked very hard for her, and who frankly feel like she got a bum rap in this campaign, that the Clintons were not treated well.
So, it would probably behoove the Obama campaign at least to give her sort of a face-saving right of first refusal. Maybe they can kind of gin up a public transaction. But, frankly, I don't think it's actually going to work to have her on the ticket. I don't think Obama does want her on the ticket.
I think Senator Kennedy's comments reflect an annoyance on the part of Obama supporters towards the Clinton, who don't like the way they campaigned. And, frankly, at the end of the day, I don't think Barack Obama wants to have to contend with political powerhouses like Hillary and Bill Clinton on his ticket.
We saw that Hillary Clinton had trouble controlling her own husband in this campaign. I wouldn't want to be Obama having to worry about Bill Clinton down here helping Hillary in the number-two slot and what he is liable to say.
So, I don't think it's realistic, but I do think those comments reflect the degree of frustration and even anger between the two sides right now.
BLITZER: Joan, what do you think?
WALSH: Well, I agree with Michael. I actually thought that Kennedy's remarks were kind of unforgivable.
Just as Clinton has to be careful not to offend Obama supporters, especially African-Americans, Kennedy and the Obama camp really have to respect Clinton and the stature that she has with women voters. And that was really a disrespectful thing to say, that she's not appealing to the nobler interests of the country.
But I agree with Michael. It's really a long shot. There are a lot of reasons that it just wouldn't -- probably wouldn't be a good fit. But he has to appear to take it very seriously.
BLITZER: Tara, button this up for us.
WALL: I think so, but for a different reason.
I think that you have two very strong personalities who want to be number one very badly for many, many reasons. Neither one would be number two. So, I don't think it would happen for that reason alone. Neither can take or will take or would take a number-two position on the ticket.
BLITZER: Guys, thanks very much, Tara, Michael and Joan.
And there's a lot more new from the campaign trail tonight. Up next, a CNN reporter's harrowing tale, staying one step ahead of authorities in Myanmar, who didn't want him to show the horrible conditions after the cyclone.
And I will bring you up to date on the worldwide campaign to save Myanmar, when it's leaders would rather play politics.
Stay with us. We will be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR: Now, the latest on the terrible situation in Myanmar. As I speak, the government there is actually trying to hold a referendum on constitutional changes. They're playing politics with disaster. Meanwhile, relief organizations say hundreds of thousands of cyclone victims who need food, water, shelter and medicine are not getting it. In the Irrawaddy Delta, the worst hit area, thousands of square miles are still underwater. More heavy rain is expected there next week.
U.S. officials fear the death toll will rise above, above 100,000. CNN's Dan Rivers was one of the first international reporters to get into Myanmar after cyclone Nargis. For five days, Dan dodged authorities who didn't want him to tell this amazing, amazing, horrible story. In Bangkok right now, he's joining us.
All right. Give us a sense, Dan. You brought back some amazing pictures of what you went through, what you saw. Tell us about it.
DAN RIVERS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Wolf, we spent, as you say, five days sort of playing cat and mouse with the authorities who would do everything they could to try and catch us, and seemingly putting a huge amount of energy into stopping us filming rather than getting on and distributing food to the people that needed it.
And it was just so frustrating, a, because, you know, it made our job very difficult. But, b, it just felt, you know, why -- what do they got to hide here? Why are they so suspicious of the press going down there and showing what's happened in this natural disaster?
And I kept asking myself, you know, this cyclone is not their fault, so what are they trying to hide? And when we got to along town, Bacarle (ph), we saw, you know, perhaps why they wanted to keep us out. They were dumping bodies in the river. The soldiers were there, but they weren't distributing food.
They were just clearing trees. There were a lot of people standing around, seemingly not doing much. And I think the regime is scared of the judgment of the international community, if they have a lot of press in there, looking around about their response about the state of the country and about their apparent callous disregard for the welfare of their own people.
BLITZER: Dan, what happens in the next 24 or 48 hours if this brutal regime continues to forbid international relief organizations, the world from coming in to help?
RIVERS: Well, the World Food Programme, the U.N.'s World Food Programme, yesterday had two plane loads of supplies seized by the authorities at the airport. They were refusing to allow those World Food Programme stop to distribute it. And that turned into a sort of standoff with the WFP saying we're not going to put in any more supplies until we sort this out.
We now understand some sort of compromise has been brokered and a flight is resuming today. But, you know, there are a lot of people here in Bangkok, you know, pretty much tearing their hair out. The head of the WFP in this region was furious. I mean, he was, you know, livid, shaking with anger about the way his staff are being treated, about the intransigents of this regime. The U.S. authorities here have got two warships. They've got helicopters. They've got all sorts of supplies ready to go in, but the authorities in Myanmar just won't give them the permission. It's an incredibly frustrating situation.
BLITZER: Dan Rivers risked his life to get us these pictures, to bring us this story. Dan, thanks very much.
And right now, I want to bring in our CNN World Affairs analyst Fareed Zakaria. Fareed, as you take a look at this situation in Myanmar right now, it's an awful situation. But give us some perspective, some historical perspective. These generals who rule this country, what are they all about?
FAREED ZAKARIA, CNN WORLD AFFAIRS ANALYST: It's a very tight clique of officers, most of them poorly educated, with very little contact with the outside world. And they have often miscalculated in the past.
They held an election in 1990 that they assumed they would win. And in fact, of course, as we know, the opposition won. They then annulled the results of the election. They are right now trying to hold a referendum for a constitution that they have proposed, and they are so hell bent on doing it, Wolf, that the television images in Burma have nothing to do with what's going on, that the horrors, the famine, nothing.
It's all about cheerful pictures of how the government has done such a good job, and you should vote yes in the referendum.
BLITZER: And they are showing us some video, some pictures on Myanmar TV. And look at this. It's what's being described as a constitutional referendum in the middle of all of this disaster. What is this? An attempt to forestall some sort of mass uprising?
ZAKARIA: I think, you know, this was planned beforehand, but I think you and I, we have been trying to read into the minds of madmen. But what they are trying to do is to not allow the crisis to turn into an occasion for some kind of regime instability.
You know, many dictatorships in the past have suffered when there has been some kind of natural calamity. East Pakistan, which became Bangladesh, had a famine and then it precipitates the kind of resentment of the government. I think what they're trying to do is say, we're hell bent on showing that this is not going to derail our orderly plans.
Of course, it's crazy because as far as we can tell, the little reports we're getting that are dribbling out, it is causing enormous, enormous resentment of the government because it shows that they are completely indifferent to the plight of their people.
BLITZER: And let me briefly pick your brain on another crisis unfolding right now in Lebanon. The U.S. government clearly paying enormous amount of attention right now to what's going on in this battle between Hezbollah and the Lebanese government, which the U.S. supports. Tell us why the presidential candidates should be paying very close attention to Lebanon right now.
ZAKARIA: Oh, I think this is actually very serious. This is potentially the unraveling of Lebanon and potentially the next phase in the Shiite, Sunni strife that is potentially going to spread through the Arab world. What happened here is the Sunni government tried to reign in Hezbollah which is a Shiite organization, and they tried to reign them in by cutting off their control of the airport and their cellular phone network, which are the two ways that they communicate and get weapons, money and support often from Iran.
BLITZER: Fareed Zakaria, thanks very much for joining us. Farid is our World Affairs analyst, and he's also the author of "The Post American World," a very important new book that's just coming out.
Aid organizations around the world are still providing emergency relief to Myanmar, in spite of all the obstacles. You can support this effort through our Impact Your World page at CNN.com. You'll find links to many of these aid groups, CNN.com/impact.
And from what's happening around the world to violent tornadoes right here in the United States, there is more rough weather ahead. We're going to tell you where it might hit this weekend.
And later, a presidential wedding. The stagecraft behind Jenna Bush's big day. We'll be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BLITZER: The official CNN delegate count, the numbers keep adding up for Barack Obama. You've already heard that he's closing in on Hillary Clinton's lead in superdelegates. He has 1,860 total delegates. Clinton has 1,697. Obama needs 165 more to get the nomination.
And from the presidential race to a presidential wedding. We'll reveal the stagecraft behind Jenna Bush's big day tomorrow. That's coming up.
But first, Gary Tuchman has the latest news in tonight's "Briefing" -- Gary.
GARY TUCHMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Wolf, thank you very much. Let's begin with an update on that deadly storm sweeping across the country. Here's more of the video we showed you at the top of the hour.
A tornado's direct hit on a parking lot in Leighton, Alabama. The punching winds tossed around cars and trucks. Those storms caused damage in several states. This weekend's forecast, there is a chance of even more tornadoes, and they could strike several states in the south. The Severe Weather Center will bring you the latest updates all weekend.
Another record set today for the price of oil rising above $126 a barrel. And no surprise, the average price of a gallon of gas shot up to $3.67. And finally, a huge windfall for this man right here. He's a man who almost lost everything. Carl Hunter is a Hurricane Katrina survivor. Today, he's the latest Powerball Lottery winner, $97 million richer.
Interesting note, Hunter waited four months to claim his prize. Wolf, he lost two houses in Katrina. Now, he could build two $48 million houses.
BLITZER: Good for him. All right, thanks very much, Gary.
By the way, coming up later tonight on "AC 360," inside their home, an exclusive interview with a polygamous family. These are devoted followers of Warren Jeff's sect. See how they live and what they're saying about the child custody battle in Texas right now. In fact, here is a preview.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GARY TUCHMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Chris and Lydia Wyler and their six children are loyal members of Warren Jeff's FLDS church.
So how much longer do you think you have to do school?
LYDIA WYLER, FLDS MEMBER: Probably June 8th.
TUCHMAN: June 8th.
Like almost all families in this close society, the children are taught at home. Television programs are never watched, although the family does watch educational videos. Much of popular culture eludes them.
TUCHMAN (on camera): Do you know who Britney Spears is? Hannah Montana?
CHRIS WYLER, FLDS MEMBER: I've never met her. But, yes, I've heard of her.
TUCHMAN: Have you heard of Hannah Montana before?
C. WYLER: I've never heard of Hannah Montana or Britney Spears. Have you heard of Britney Spears?
L. WYLER: No.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BLITZER: Gary Tuchman has the fascinating and revealing story. You could see the entire interview later tonight on "AC 360" at 10:00 p.m. Eastern. I'll be hosting, filling in for Anderson later tonight. Please join us.
Up next, behind the scenes of Jenna Bush's wedding. I'll show you what the president probably doesn't want you to see. That's ahead on stagecraft.
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BLITZER: Tomorrow, the commander and chief becomes father of the bride, as President Bush walks his daughter Jenna down the aisle. It's a private wedding and the First Family is keeping most, most of the details under wraps.
There's a word for that. It's called stagecraft. Our Erica Hill has been working to find out what's going on behind the scenes. Erica, what are you learning?
ERICA HILL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, the most important thing, Wolf, as you mentioned is that they are carefully staging everything we see and everything we don't see, the all-important stagecraft there. Remember, too, this could have been a Washington wedding, but Jenna Bush will instead become a Mrs. at the western White House in Crawford, Texas.
Plenty of stagecraft happening behind the scenes of this wedding, but as you can see from this sign, 100 percent ID check. There's the patrol car. You're not getting in to see what's going on.
A police checkpoint here, plenty of Secret Service on hand in Crawford, Texas, this weekend and it's also a no fly zone overhead. So don't count on any pictures, especially pictures like this one. Look at this.
This is a 1971 White House wedding with a seven-foot tall wedding cake. Tricia Nixon right here. Her groom, Edward Cox. This was a huge affair. Hundreds of guests, plenty of media attention. That's exactly what Jenna Bush didn't want.
Now, the president actually arrived in Crawford yesterday. See, here he is, practicing that oh, so important -- we are going to see it again -- father of the bride walk. Perfectly placed hip and hands. There you go. All he needs is his youngest daughter, the bride to walk her down the aisle. She's younger by a minute, by the way.
So the closest airport, though, for everybody to get to this wedding, remember, it's not easy. This is a town of 700 people. Waco is the closest, 25 miles to get from the Waco Airport over to the Bush's ranch in Crawford, Texas.
Now, where this cross is, is where we think the ceremony may take place. And the reason you see that cross there is because the president actually had an altar, a limestone cross, made out of Texas limestone which is also used at the ranch, installed on the property. It's going to be a permanent fixture there, even after the ceremony by the lake on the property.
This, of course, is the engagement photo of Jenna Bush and her groom, Henry Hager, who comes from you may say, good Republican stock, Wolf. He is a former aide to Karl Rove who, of course, spent a little bit of time in the White House. His dad also a bigwig in the Virginia Republican Party. What everybody really wants to know, though, is what's the bride going to wear? Well, she's not telling us. She's keeping it under wraps so her groom doesn't know. But these are, in fact, the attendant dresses.
And I did say attendants, not bridesmaids. Apparently, there's a difference. The colors of these dresses inspired by Texas wildflowers, so something to look for.
The wedding, really, one of the best things to happen to Crawford recently. They've been suffering a bit of a tourism slump. They are selling mugs, mouse pads, key chains, all to commemorate the wedding of the First Daughter and Henry Hager, and also because this may be one of the last big hurrahs for the town of Crawford, Texas, because, of course, the president is leaving office very soon.
So, Wolf, one strong point as a carefully planned wedding though, as always, with an outdoor wedding, you have to worry about the weather. Today it's partly cloudy. In the 90s tomorrow, though.
It is expected to be a sweltering -- we're seeing 94. It actually could go as high as 97 degrees. But hopefully, it will cool down a little bit. That is why, Wolf, the ceremony is scheduled for 7:30 to account for the heat in Texas.
BLITZER: Congratulations to the bride and groom and their families. Appreciate it, Erica. Thanks very much.
Now, a quick check of our "Political Ticker" and a bit of stagecraft British style. Look at this. The tale of two mayors.
Today's meeting between Michael Bloomberg of New York and London's new CEO Boris Johnson. You might say Londoners are not abused. What's burning up the tabloids and the blogs today is the friendly exchange of gifts. Bloomberg gave Johnson a crystal paperweight shaped like an apple, of course. You can pick one up at Tiffany's, by the way, for about $100.
So what did Bloomberg get from Johnson? A shirt. To be fair, a little bit better than the common souvenir t-shirt. It's printed with the map of the London underground, aka "The Tube."
And Chelsea Clinton is inviting you to join her in sending mom a Happy Mothers Day card.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP, CLINTON CAMPAIGN)
CHELSEA CLINTON, FORMER FIRST DAUGHTER: Please write and let her know what you wish for most this Mothers Day. I know it's my mom's greatest wish that as president she can help all our children to feel safe, secure and loved, and give every boy and girl the opportunity that she's given me to fulfill their dreams.
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BLITZER: Very nice. You can find the card, by the way, on Hillary Clinton's Web site.
And for more up to the minute campaign news, log on to our "Political Ticker" at CNNpolitics.com.
Right now, Hillary Clinton is fighting for her political life for a battle for the Democratic nomination. The face of overwhelming odds is tonight's topic on "LARRY KING LIVE." Larry, who's with you tonight?
LARRY KING, HOST, "LARRY KING LIVE": You bet it, Wolf. We've got plenty of guests kicking it off with Terry McAuliffe. We'll toss around with supporters and political insiders and those opposed to her as well.
Where is Hillary going? That's a dilemma that we may not know until the middle of June, as I saw you say today on your program. By the way, your program is forever today, huh? You'll be with us later with "AC 360." You're out to take over, aren't you, Wolf?
BLITZER: You know, there used to be WB Network. But now, maybe there will be a little bit of a WB Network. Larry, thanks very much. We'll be watching you.
Up next, an eye on November and John McCain. I'll head over to the "War Room" for a closer look at Barack Obama's strategy if, if he wins the nomination.
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SEN. BARACK OBAMA (D-IL), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Senator McCain is running for president to double down on George Bush's failed economic policies. I'm running to change them, and that's what will be a fundamental difference in this election when I am the Democratic nominee for president.
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BLITZER: Barack Obama today in Beaverton, Oregon, sounding very confident, comparing himself to John McCain, not Hillary Clinton, who's still very much in the race. The next showdown, Tuesday, in West Virginia. Let's talk strategy.
In the "War Room" tonight, with me, Republican strategist Rick Wilson, and Democratic strategist Chris Kofinis. Guys, thanks very much for joining us.
Rick, let me start with you. And I'm going to play a little sound bite from Hillary Clinton from the campaign. She's being respectful, but she's, by no means, giving up. Listen to this.
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SEN. HILLARY CLINTON (D-NY), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: You have to have a seamless health care system which covers every single person. My plan does. My opponent's plan doesn't. How could anybody run to be the Democratic nominee for president and not have a universal healthcare plan?
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BLITZER: All right. If you're working for the Obama campaign, how do you engage Hillary Clinton right now? How do you respond to these kinds of criticisms?
RICK WILSON, REPUBLICAN STRATEGIST: I think you do what the Obama campaign is doing right now. They're rolling out a delegate a day, or superdelegate a day. They're overwhelming her in Oregon right now with TV. They're up, you know, five to one on TV there.
They're just going to crush her down one day at a time. And, you know, Obama's trick here is to not look like he's picking out curtains in the White House quite yet, but to start to make the pivot to where he's campaigning against John McCain and not against Hillary Clinton.
BLITZER: What's her main argument, Chris, right now, to try to win over those undecided superdelegates and maybe get some of these superdelegates to switch over from Obama to her? Does she have any major arguments left?
CHRIS KOFINIS, DEMOCRATIC STRATEGIST: It's tough, and it got a lot tougher after Tuesday. I mean, Tuesday I think more --
BLITZER: Why will it be tough enough to do this? She's supposed to do well in West Virginia.
KOFINIS: Well, no, last Tuesday.
BLITZER: Oh, last Tuesday.
KOFINIS: Yes, last Tuesday when everyone more or less presumed it was going to be a split decision. But they thought it would be kind of the opposite where she would have won big in Indiana. It was going to be relatively close in North Carolina.
Senator Obama won very big in North Carolina, add it to his pledged delegate count, add it to his popular vote. Basically she has one argument, and the argument is I'm more electable, and you've seen that argument again and again. The problem with the more electable argument is you can't be more electable if you're losing.
And right now, she's losing. She's losing the pledged delegate lead. She's losing the popular vote lead. She's lost more states. So that's a really tough argument. I think that's why you're seeing this increasing drip of superdelegates go Senator Obama's way.
BLITZER: What do you think, Rick?
WILSON: I think -- I think Chris has got a point here is that, you know, every day, Hillary Clinton is getting more and more bad news. I think what you see, though, is the electability argument is going to take a much sharper edge in the next few weeks because, you know, when Harold Ickes came out and said this guy is bait for an October surprise, you know, when the Clintons say something like that, you take it seriously and you got to wonder what other cards they've got left to play. Obviously, Obama is in a very strong position right now, but they're not going to go down without a fight.
BLITZER: Well, what do you think? That October surprise usually happens the October before November.
KOFINIS: Right.
BLITZER: Do you think that Hillary Clinton's campaign has something on Barack Obama, some sort of crazy thing that could knock him out?
KOFINIS: And they're waiting for October when he's the nominee?
BLITZER: No, they're waiting for June. Let's say waiting for June.
KOFINIS: No. I mean, realistically I think any cards that could have been played have been played. Any opposition research that was available or useful has been put out there.
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BLITZER: But they haven't used it yet. They're not using it.
KOFINIS: Yes. I mean, listen, at the end of the day, Senator Obama has done a remarkable job expanding the party. He's got 1.5 million donors. He's got an incredible amount of excitement.
It's been a tough race. Senator Clinton is a very strong opponent, but this is what happens in every campaign. Eventually, the movement and the tide goes towards one candidate and it looks increasingly to be Senator Obama.
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BLITZER: All right, hold on, guys. We have more to talk about. We now know what Obama may be planning, but what about McCain? We're going to see what his campaign has in mind for a possible showdown. That's coming up next.
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BROWN: Rick Wilson, what does John McCain have to do right now?
WILSON: John McCain has got to do this. He's got to raise money. He's got to start sending the predicates to get the media over their man crash on Barack Obama. He's got to start talking about the values that make him so appealing to voters, which is independence, clarity of thinking, and his maverick reputation.
BLITZER: Chris.
KOFINIS: He's got to differentiate himself from George Bush. If he does and looks like he's not going to be able to because he keeps bear hugging the president and his policies, he's done in November. The country wants to go in a new direction.
BLITZER: Guys, thanks very much, Rick and Chris.
(CROSSTALK)
WILSON: Thank you, Wolf.
KOFINIS: Thanks, Wolf.
BLITZER: Campbell we'll be back on Monday. That's it for me from tonight from the CNN ELECTION CENTER. "LARRY KING LIVE" starts right now.
