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Campbell Brown
Obama and Clinton's Unity Tour; McCain Adviser Apologizes For Controversial Terror Remark
Aired June 23, 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 Brown has the night off.
Tonight in the ELECTION CENTER: winning votes or stoking fear? John McCain's top strategist apologizes for saying another terrorist attack on U.S. soil -- and I'm quoting now -- "would be a big advantage for McCain." I will ask a panel of top political experts if that's a fireable offense or whether it plays to the politics of the campaign.
Also, the Democrats' unity tour. Wait until you hear the symbolic location Senator Obama and Hillary Clinton have picked for their first joint appearance since the primaries.
Plus, a reality check on which candidate's plan will really increase supply, hold down demand, and finally bring down gas prices.
Lots going on, but let's begin with politics, the politics of terrorism, specifically, and the very controversial remarks by one of John McCain's top aides. The chief strategist, Charlie Black, is quoted in a "Fortune" magazine interview as saying a new terrorist attack on America would benefit McCain's campaign.
The magazine quotes Black as saying -- quote -- "Certainly, it would be a big advantage to him."
Dana Bash is here. She has got all the details.
Dana, I want our viewers to know what's going on, so they can come up with their own independent conclusion of what was said and done.
DANA BASH, CNN CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: I think the first thing that we should do, Wolf, is explain that the McCain campaign really scrambled to get a correction, really an apology, out from Charlie Black.
So, let's read that to our viewers first. And this is what the campaign said about Charlie Black: "I deeply regrets his comments. They were inappropriate. I recognize that John McCain has devoted his entire adult life to protecting his country and placing its security above every other consideration."
Now, it was immediately clear to the McCain campaign they had absolutely no choice but clean up Charlie Black's comments, because they understand full well that this plays into the kind of thing that Democrats really have hit the Bush administration and specifically Bush campaigns for doing over the last -- last election cycle in 2004, which is playing to the politics of fear.
And it was even more urgent for the McCain campaign to clean it up, because the candidate himself, who did not know about Charlie Black's comments, he was asked about it, and he was clearly not happy.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. JOHN MCCAIN (R-AZ), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I cannot imagine why he would say it. It's not true. It's -- I have worked tirelessly since 9/11 to prevent another attack on the United States of America. My record is very clear. If he said that -- and I do not know the context -- I strenuously disagree.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BASH: Now, the frustration, Wolf, inside the McCain campaign right now is palpable.
They thought that they had a message that they could get back on track with today, particularly about energy. They had new some proposals out there, but they realize that this that we're talking about is something that blew that pretty much out of the water today.
BLITZER: Dana, in that same "Fortune" magazine interview, Charlie Black also talked about how last year's assassination of the former Pakistani Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto in December actually helped McCain politically. McCain talked about it at the time with you, didn't he?
BASH: He did.
That day, I was actually John McCain campaigning in Iowa the day that Benazir Bhutto was assassinated, and he really did try to talk about how he is somebody who is best in place to deal with something like that, talked about his experience in the region, in Pakistan and Waziristan. And I asked him on that day back in December if he thinks his campaign would benefit politically from that.
Listen to what he said.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MCCAIN: I'm the one with the experience, the knowledge and the judgment. So, perhaps it may serve to enhance those credentials.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BASH: So, there you heard John McCain saying that the Benazir Bhutto assassination did help to promote his kind of resume, his kind of credentials. And that's essentially when Charlie Black and some senior advisers at the McCain campaign were trying to clean up his comments today. It's what Black said that he was trying to get across, that the McCain campaign believes that his resume on terrorism, his resume on national security will help with voters, because he has an advantage on that issue.
Obviously, the way he said it, suggesting another terrorist attack would help McCain, he went way too far. And the McCain campaign, McCain realizes that.
BLITZER: All right, Dana, thank you.
So, how much political damage could these terrorism comments actually do to the McCain campaign?
Let's bring in our panel of top political experts. "TIME" magazine columnist Joe Klein is joining us in New York. Here with me in Washington, Republican strategist and CNN political contributor Leslie Sanchez. She's a former adviser to President Bush, and CNN senior political correspondent Candy Crowley.
Guys, thanks very much for coming in.
How damaging, Candy, is this?
CANDY CROWLEY, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, it plays into Democrats perfectly. There is no doubt about that, because what they like to do is say, that's the politics of fear. And of course we saw Obama coming out, his spokesman coming out and saying, this is why we need a whole new way of doing things in Washington because it's the same old thing over and over.
So, insofar as it plays into that, I think it's harmful. It's always a drip, drip, drip process. And this is a drip.
BLITZER: Here's what the Obama McCain said in response, Leslie, Bill Burton saying: "The fact that John McCain's top adviser says that a terrorist attack on American soil would be a big advantage for their political campaign is a complete disgrace and is exactly the kind of politics that needs to change."
Can the Obama camp make some headway here?
LESLIE SANCHEZ, CNN POLITICAL CONTRIBUTOR: It can try.
I mean, I have to agree with Candy's point in the terms of the drip, drip. You know, it's just another pounding. And there used to be an expression in Washington that -- that aides needed to have a passion for anonymity. And this shows you exactly why.
I think the series of repeated gaffes on the parts of not just the candidates, but the aides is fodder that I think campaigns can use politically to drive whatever their issue is, and not talk really about national security or energy or issues that I think Americans want to talk about, but use it as a tool to divert.
BLITZER: Joe Klein, he may have a point there, Charlie Black, because take a look at the latest "USA Today"/Gallup poll that just came out today.
When the voters, the registered voters, were asked who would do a better job on terrorism, Obama got 33 percent. McCain got 52 percent. It was one of the few categories where McCain did so much better than Obama.
Does Charlie Black, even if it is political awkward, embarrassing somewhat, does he make the correct point, though?
JOE KLEIN, COLUMNIST, "TIME": No, he does not.
Listen, my first reaction when I heard about this was, give the guy a break. These people are exhausted. They're in the midst of a very, very daunting campaign. People make mistakes. But this is part of a long-term Republican pattern. It goes back to Karl Rove saying that the war in Iraq would work to Bush's advantage. And I think it's a really heinous kind of thing to say.
I mean, I know a lot of people who were lost on 9/11. I'm sure you know some -- some as well. And to even talk about this in a political context is bad news. And, furthermore, if the argument is, who would be advantaged -- oh, God -- advantaged by a terrorist attack, Barack Obama can make the argument that, look, John McCain has been a huge supporter of the war in Iraq. A good portion of our intelligence community and military believes that the war in Iraq was a diversion from the real enemy, al Qaeda. And Osama bin Laden is still hanging out in Pakistan.
BLITZER: Leslie, you're shaking your head.
SANCHEZ: Yes, I'm shaking my head because I agreed with the first part of the statement. Yes, he misspoke.
I think Charlie -- you can't ignore the fact Charlie Black came out and said it was inappropriate. I'm saying that he misspoke, that Senator McCain has distanced himself from this comment. It's atrocious, what he said. Nobody is defending that. But to try to say it's a political move on the part of the Republican Party, a long-term strategy, is ludicrous. And I think it's off merit.
(CROSSTALK)
BLITZER: All right, guys, hold on. We are going to continue this conversation. We have got more to come. Guys, stand by.
We're going to also focus in on the Democrats. Somebody must have been working overtime to pick the place where Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton will start their unity tour this week. Where is it? You are going to find out next.
And a problem they both still need to solve, we will tell you what it is.
And, later, the candidates' energy plans and what you're paying at the gas pump.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BLITZER: Now we turn to the campaign trail and the return of the invisible woman.
Hillary Clinton, she has been keeping a rather low profile for the past couple weeks or so. But, this Friday, Senator Clinton will appear at a rally with Barack Obama. Picture that, Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton side by side under a unity banner. It's a picture the Obama campaign is hoping is worth more than 1,000 words, more like several million votes, votes from women who used to support Hillary Clinton, and men, too. And that's just a small part of the campaign's pitch to women.
Let's bring back Candy. She has got more on this story.
What are you hearing, Candy?
CROWLEY: You know, Wolf, one of the things I'm hearing, first of all, as they're getting closer and closer here to showing the world, OK, we're united, the two of them did talk last night, I'm told by a senior source in the Obama campaign. I'm told it was a warm conversation.
BLITZER: Phone conversation.
CROWLEY: Yes, phone conversation, warm conversation, the first, as far as we know, that they have had since they had that first meeting at Dianne Feinstein's house a couple of weeks ago.
So, what they're doing is kind of moving closer and closer. And of course what you know is, what Barack Obama wants is not only the support of Hillary Clinton, but the support of her supporters.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
CROWLEY (voice-over): Apparently, there's no time for subtlety.
SEN. BARACK OBAMA (D-IL), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: How's it going, New Hampshire?
CROWLEY: Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton will campaign together for at a Unite for Change rally in Unity, New Hampshire, a town where each won 107 primary votes.
OBAMA: Is this all low-fat?
CROWLEY: The details of the joint Obama-Clinton appearance came on a female-focused day, as Obama toured a bakery in New Mexico owned by women.
OBAMA: These are beautiful.
CROWLEY: He was introduced by a state official and former Clinton supporter now in camp Obama.
LT. GOV. DIANE DENISH (D), NEW MEXICO: We are angry. We haven't made any progress in the last eight years. And we might be angry, but we're really smart, too. CROWLEY: Obama spent over an hour outlining a litany of proposals aimed at home-and-hearth issues, including his $1,000 middle-class tax cut, up to a 50 percent tax credit for child care, double the funding for after-school programs, $10 billion more after early childhood education programs, and a requirement that employers provide seven paid six days a year.
OBAMA: What we spend a week in Iraq would fund all this stuff for a year, or two years, or three years, I mean, the magnitude, the scale of what we're spending at the federal government and what we're short-changing that would make a real difference in the lives of women on a day-to-day basis.
CROWLEY: As Obama spoke, his campaign put out a press release celebrating the 36th anniversary of Title IX, which, among other things, opened up college sports programs to women.
Despite the full-court press and the "Clinton women won't vote for Obama" chatter, the numbers tell a different story. "USA Today"/Gallup found Obama with a healthy 55 percent of the female vote. That is more support from women than exit polls showed for John Kerry and on a par with Al Gore and Bill Clinton.
In fact, Obama's more significant problem is among another key Clinton well of support, seniors. Obama draws about 43 percent of voters over 65 in a recent CNN/Opinion Research Corporation poll. That is well below that of previous Democratic contenders.
It's not small item. About one in five voters is over 65. And in the past quarter-century, every nominee who won seniors also won the popular vote.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BLITZER: Interesting.
Candy, I know you have been working your sources. A lot of negotiation, I take it, leading up to this unity event this week?
CROWLEY: Always.
But it seems to have been a staff-to-staff kind of negotiation, because, again, the two of them talked for the first time since the Feinstein meeting last night on the phone.
There are several outstanding issues. As you know, they are going to appear at a fund-raiser behind closed doors, but she's...
(CROSSTALK)
BLITZER: Here in Washington.
CROWLEY: Here in Washington. She is going to bring her fund- raisers in and introduce them to Obama. There has been some grumbling that I have heard from some of those major fund-raisers for Clinton, who feel like they really haven't been reached out to; they have been a little bit dissed. So, that's a really important session for Barack Obama.
Again, they need to work out the problem of her debt. She is willing, I am told, to take up her portion of the debt -- that is the money that she lent the campaign -- but, obviously, they would like some help with the roughly $10 million that is left over. As far as I can tell, at least as of yesterday, that had yet to be worked out.
BLITZER: I suspect that Barack Obama will be very nice to those Clinton fund-raisers when they get together on Thursday.
(LAUGHTER)
CROWLEY: You think?
BLITZER: Joe, Joe Klein, if you take at Hillary Clinton, she is doing all the things as far as the Obama campaign is concerned, but what about her husband? That would be the former president of the United States. He was asked yesterday about endorsing Obama, simply walked past some reporters.
He did offer a tepid statement about Obama when he met with the conference of mayors down in Florida yesterday. Listen to what he said.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BILL CLINTON, FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I think we will get better national policy next year. Because I believe so strongly in this, I favored Senator Obama's position, which is to go to 80 percent reduction in greenhouse gases, over Senator McCain's position, which is to go to 70. But the point is, that's lightyears ahead of where the Republicans have been.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BLITZER: All right, what do you think? What's taking Bill Clinton so long?
KLEIN: Well, I think he's pretty embittered.
He blew up at the end of the campaign at the press. He's very angry at us. But I think he's doing the right thing, which is staying out of the news. But you have got to say that those comments yesterday were pretty grudging.
BLITZER: I think you're right. I assume eventually he will do it. But let's see how long that takes.
Leslie...
KLEIN: Oh, he will give a stirring speech at the convention, no doubt. BLITZER: If he's invited. You assume he is going to be invited, right?
(LAUGHTER)
BLITZER: OK.
I'm being sarcastic.
(LAUGHTER)
BLITZER: All right.
Leslie, let's talk about McCain's efforts to reach out to some of those Hillary Clinton women who are so bitterly disappointed she didn't get the Democratic nomination. Does he have a shot, you think, of getting a significant number of them?
SANCHEZ: Oh, absolutely, for a lot of different reasons.
One, you have a lot of women who are very upset and feel bitter about the fact that maybe Hillary Clinton conceded and endorsed and is jumping on the bandwagon a little too soon. They haven't let a lot of those feelings heal. They're still sore about a lot of that.
But also look at the fact there's a "Cook Report"/R.T. Strategies poll that shows that Senator McCain has 13 percent of Democratic women. He was hovering at 16, 17 percent a year ago. He's still doing incredible well. You have a lot of weak Democrats who are looking at economic issues, health care, and really his stand on national security.
BLITZER: What do you think, Candy? Do you think he has got a shot at getting some of those women?
CROWLEY: They always have a shot.
But, look, female voters have been tough for Republicans. I mean, generally, white men vote for Republicans, and white women tend to vote for Democrats. So, it's always been an uphill climb. And I still think you look at those numbers, and Barack Obama is in a pretty good position, at least when you look at the arithmetic.
BLITZER: What do you think, Joe?
KLEIN: Well, I think that the real problems here for Obama aren't women.
As Candy said before, the bifurcation is between young and old. And I think he has a real problem with Latino voters.
BLITZER: I think you make a good point.
All right, guys, stand by. We have much more to talk about, including what Karl Rove said today about Barack Obama. You might be surprised to hear this and what the Obama campaign is doing to fight right back.
Also, more controversial comments from the shock jock Don Imus. He said something today that has got him in hot water all over again -- that story and much more coming up.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BLITZER: Let's turn to another hot topic right now from the campaign trail today, Karl Rove seriously blasting Barack Obama.
We have got some of the smartest people here to talk about that, Joe Klein, Leslie Sanchez, Candy Crowley.
Candy, here's the quote from Karl Rove at a breakfast, a Republican breakfast today -- quote -- "Even if you never met him, you know this guy. He's the guy at the country club with the beautiful date holding a martini and a cigarette that stands against the wall and makes snide comments about everyone who passes by."
That's a pretty tough statement.
(LAUGHTER)
CROWLEY: It is, and it's aimed directly at the people that vote the most.
This is a middle-class, sort of remember this guy. He's an arugula eating, Harvard law -- his problem really isn't -- I think if you look at Barack Obama's overall set of debits, it's not so much that he's an African-American. People seems to have -- for the most part seemed to have cleared that hurdle. It's not so much that he's a liberal Democrat. They seem to not care.
It is that he perceived -- what is settling in is, he's perceived as an elitist. You see him trying to go after that. But that's what is this is aimed at.
BLITZER: This isn't the first time he has been hit with that.
CROWLEY: Right.
BLITZER: How does the Obama campaign fight that?
CROWLEY: Well, they have been all over the place with him. He tours factories and talks to women. Today, he was at a bakery.
The only thing they can do is get him out there. And what they want to is get him out there saying, I understand your problems. I understand. Here's who I am.
You saw that bio ad. You know, I'm the son of a single mother from Kansas. I was raised by -- so, it's all about doing the bio and sort of lifting that up with, here are my policies. They're aimed directly at you and your needs.
SANCHEZ: But, you know, it just makes me think of him as a show pony. I'm sorry. It sound like you're putting him in all of these really contrived situations, when I think the question is going to come down to authenticity. Which Barack Obama is real? Is it the one that is this elitist image or is it the one who really does not connect with middle-class and working-class voters.
BLITZER: But John McCain is married, as you know, to an heiress some say worth $100 million, a beer distribution...
SANCHEZ: The biggest difference -- look, that's a great point, but the difference is, you have a legacy of Senator McCain. You know who he is. You know he's the maverick. And he's proven.
You don't have that matchup, not directly, with Barack Obama. You're not really sure what to...
(CROSSTALK)
BLITZER: You agree, Joe?
KLEIN: Well, I just think that the image is kind of hilarious when you think about it, Barack Obama at country club sipping a martini. It's kind of a parody of the Republican view of the world. Everybody belongs to -- since when do they start letting people like Barack Obama into Republican country clubs?
(LAUGHTER)
SANCHEZ: Oh.
KLEIN: But I think that the elitism argument has been a very fertile ground for Republicans in the last two or three presidential cycles. I think that they're going to try and work it.
And I think that what Candy mentioned is very true. In that bio ad, there's a picture of Barack Obama with his two white grandparents, who are not the sort of people you would find in country clubs.
BLITZER: And they're certainly not elitist. They were real working-class folks back in Kansas.
Let's talk a little bit about something else Candy reported, Joe. That's the trouble that Obama is having winning over some senior citizens.
KLEIN: Well, I think that -- I think, when you get older, a guy who's 46 years old looks kind of young.
And I also think that -- when I think of my children and I think of my parents, and I think of the way that they look at race, it's just different. I'm not saying that my parents are racist, but our kids don't see race anymore the way we do or our parents did.
And, so, there are hurdles for Barack Obama to get over. I think also, among Democrats, the fact is that they really love the Clintons, older Democrats do. And that's still a hurdle for him to get over as well. SANCHEZ: Yes. I would add one point. And Candy was talking about it.
This is going -- turning out to be very much about a generational election, one full generation between the two. It will probably split to more around 42 years between the two of them. If you're younger than that, you probably like a Barack Obama, older than that, probably not.
But the difference is also I think a lot of older individuals and voters might look at him and say, is he a flash in the pan or does he have consistency? And there's just not enough time there to determine which is correct.
BLITZER: And the fact is, at least until now -- we will see what happens this year -- older Americans vote in much larger numbers than younger Americans do. We will see if that changes. Guys, thanks very much for coming in, Candy, Leslie, and Joe.
And coming up: just what they don't need in a flood zone. But, this time, it's not a matter of who's to blame. It's FEMA. People in Illinois are outraged right now. We are going to go there live for that story and more when we return.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BLITZER: Now to the Midwest floods, the millions of sandbags, and the millions of acres of croplands underwater.
Surging water overflowed a levee north of Saint Louis, flooding riverside communities in Lincoln County, Missouri. The situation expected to get worse because the Mississippi River is expected to crest in a few days. So, volunteers are filling sandbags as fast as they can to limit the damage.
Not far away, in Gulfport, Illinois, property owners say they're victims of false promises.
David Mattingly is live in Gulfport, where people are pointing fingers at FEMA again.
David, what's going on?
DAVID MATTINGLY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Wolf, you would think that the people here in this community, living so close to the river, would be more prepared for a flood. But when this -- these floodwaters came in, one very strange fact came jumping out of us. It was that, of the 200 people who call this community home, only 28 property owners had flood insurance.
They say they were not required to have it, that FEMA told them they didn't have to have this flood insurance, even though it might be recommended. So, instead, they put their faith in a levee, a levee that was built to withstand a 100-year flood.
But now we want show you some video we got from Illinois Emergency Management today. This shows you what happens when a 100- year levee meets a 500-year flood. The water wins every time. It came rushing into this town, going right up to the rooftop, pushing buildings around, knocking down walls, collapsing roofs, doing an incredible amount of damage.
We talked to FEMA about why so few people had flood insurance, and they say they're only going by the rules. Because this was a hundred-year flood zone, FEMA could only recommend and not require that flood insurance.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TERRY REUSS FELL, FEMA FLOOD PLAIN MANAGEMENT: We do our best to advertise the availability of flood insurance and encourage people to purchase it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MATTINGLY: So now, look what happens. We've got this huge flood back here. These waters have been here for a solid week now. The buildings have managed to withstand the initial rush of water. A lot of them are starting to crumble just from being soaked for so long. Even people who have flood insurance may not choose to come back here and rebuild. This community could very well just disappear after this flood. We'll have to see what happens -- Wolf.
WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR: David Mattingly, thank you very much. And later tonight, you can see much more of David's report on the flood fiasco. For property owners in Gulfport, Illinois, you can tune in to "AC 360" 10:00 p.m. Eastern, right here on CNN.
Up next, the political drive to deal with the rising fuel costs. The grand plan to dramatically drop prices and confronting the pain at the pump through the eyes of McCain and Obama.
Later, stagecraft with sex appeal. The first lady of France and what the candidates wives right here in the United States could learn from Carla Bruni. That and a lot more when we come back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BLITZER: Let's move on to oil and gas prices. They're still hovering near record levels. The national average for a gallon of gas just over $4.07. Crude oil closed up more than a $1 today. It's creeping back toward $140 a barrel.
Both John McCain and Barack Obama have plans to try to bring down oil prices. And get this, on Capitol Hill today, experts told Congress there is a way to cut oil prices by as much as 30 to 50 percent in as little as 30 days. There's a lot to consider tonight. Let's get started with Dana Bash.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DANA BASH, CNN CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): John McCain wants to reduce America's dependence on oil with an age-old idea. A contest and the promise of a lot of cash.
SEN. JOHN MCCAIN (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: A $300 million prize for the development of a battery package that has the size, capacity, cost and power to leapfrog the commercially available plug- in hybrids or electric cars.
BASH: $300 million for a new battery that delivers power at 30 percent of current costs.
MCCAIN: $1 dollar for every man, woman and child in the U.S.
BASH: Throughout McCain's central California speech, a new tone that underscores the urgency of gas price politics. He pushed for stiffer fines on car companies that don't abide by fuel efficiency standards, and proposed something he usually shies away from, a tax credit.
MCCAIN: For every automaker who can sell a zero emissions car, we'll commit a $5,000 tax credit for each and every customer who buys that car.
BASH: These new ideas only deepen the divide between what John McCain and Barack Obama are pushing to help ease voters' pain at the pump. Obama's proposal centers around government investment.
SEN. BARACK OBAMA (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: It's $150 billion over the next 10 years in clean affordable renewable sources of energy, a policy that promotes realistic energy conservation.
BASH: Some specific differences, Obama supports a windfall profits tax on oil companies.
OBAMA: Taxing the record multi-billion dollar profits of oil economies and using some of that money to pay for a $1,000 middle class tax cut.
BASH: McCain opposes it, calling it a blast from the past that failed.
MCCAIN: If the plan sounds familiar, it's because that was President Jimmy Carter's big idea, too. And a lot of good it did us.
BASH: McCain says the country needs to increase oil production until alternative fuel is more accessible and in a reversal for him, now supports lifting a federal ban on offshore drilling.
MCCAIN: A broad federal moratorium stands in the way of energy exploration and production.
BASH: Obama disagrees.
OBAMA: It would have long-term consequences for our coastlines but no short term benefit.
BASH (on camera): When it comes to immediate relief, even more disagreement. McCain says the best short-term help is a gas tax holiday for the summer. Obama calls that a gimmick and wants Americans to get a new rebate check to help pay for gas. Dana Bash, CNN, Washington.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BLITZER: So today's headline is that $300 million jackpot for a new generation car battery. It's a bold idea but is it the solution to our energy crisis? Let's get the facts so you can make up your own mind.
Joining us, Stephen Moore is a senior "Wall Street Journal" economics writer and editorial board member. Tyson Slocum is director of Public Citizen's Energy Program. Public Citizen is a national consumer advocacy group, and Poppy Harlow is from CNNMoney.com.
Guys, thanks very much for coming in. Stephen, let me start with you. I think and correct me if I'm wrong, this scenario, this $300 million prize for a new car battery, would you disagree with John McCain?
STEPHEN MOORE, WALL STREET JOURNAL: Yes, it sounds like a bit of a gimmick and here's the problem. I think that this is one of the few issues that Republicans are on the offensive on is that, you know, attacking Democrats for not wanting to drill, not wanting to exploit our own resources, not drilling in Alaska or drilling offshore, and he's off message. He should be -- you know, this is a 70/30 issue, where the American public are behind more of the Republican plan of exploiting our resources. And that should be his message, not gimmicks.
BLITZER: Do you agree this is just sort of a gimmick, naive? What do you think?
TYSON SLOCUM, PUBLIC CITIZEN'S ENERGY PROGRAM: Oh, not necessarily. But I think I'd rather see investments to help American families afford access to alternatives. And I don't think that Republicans have necessarily been on the offensive. I've seen the Democrats in Congress spearhead initiatives to roll back subsidies that are currently going to big oil companies.
I think we can all agree that Exxon Mobil doesn't need billions of dollars in subsidies, but Americans families do. I'd like to see more money in the hands of folks to help them afford to install solar panels, afford to buy more fuel-efficient vehicles.
BLITZER: What are you talking about?
SLOCUM: That's the future of energy.
BLITZER: Let me get Poppy into this. Poppy, what do you think? Is this -- is this something for real? Does it have merit? What's going on?
POPPY HARLOW, CNNMONEY.COM: Yes, I think it does have merit on the surface, Wolf, but the timing is interesting. Isn't it we're jumping into this campaign for the general election full swing? It sounds really nice, doesn't it? $1 dollar for every man, woman and child in America. Small price to pay, says McCain, but the devil is going to be in the details here.
Does it actually work and is that really the price we're paying here? You know, this is incentive based. It is very, very American and at a time when the U.S. economy is struggling and, you know, funding -- from private funding for these ventures, for research and development for alternative energy sources, it's all but dried up. It does have some merit on the surface but, of course, again, we have to dig a little deeper. Both of them, both the men have points certainly.
BLITZER: All right. Hold on. You want to make another point?
MOORE: This idea that research, private research for alternative energy is drying up, it's just the opposite. I mean, Venture Capital is just pouring in to all sorts of alternative energy.
I don't have any problem with the prize, $300 million prize. I just don't like the idea that we're going to pay for it. I think it should be paid for --
(CROSSTALK)
BLITZER: If the taxpayer doesn't pay --
MOORE: Exactly.
BLITZER: But you got to agree that if it worked, if there were a new battery that eliminated the need for Saudi oil, that would be a huge bonanza.
MOORE: Right. And those people would make, you know, billions of dollars. I don't think they need $300 million investment.
SLOCUM: But the problem here, Wolf, is that the U.S. auto industry literally has a bankrupt business model. I mean, I see ads from Chrysler advertising subsidized fuel for the next couple of years to continue to put people in SUVs instead of investing in hybrid cars.
BLITZER: All right. Stand by guys, we're just getting started. Also, a brand new poll has what many people consider to be some surprising numbers when it comes to how voters feel about offshore drilling.
And still ahead, some first lady political stagecraft that both Cindy McCain and Michelle Obama may want to study.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
With me once again, Stephen Moore of the "Wall Street Journal," Tyson Slocum of Public Citizen's Energy Program, and Poppy Harlow of CNNMoney.com.
Look at the Zogby poll. And I want to get your reaction among likely voters, do you support offshore oil drilling? Seventy-four percent now say they support it. Eighteen percent say they oppose it. Eight percent say they don't know. That's a pretty lopsided number.
SLOCUM: Well, yes, it's because oil companies have been using the record profits to pour huge amounts of money into an advertising campaign. I think once you look at the facts, the facts show that more drilling is not going to bring down prices. All it's going to do is create risk for the environment.
The United States in 2008 is the third biggest crude oil producer in the world. Even if we produced as much oil as Saudi Arabia, we'd still be importing half of our oil, and the fact is the United States only sits on 2 1/2 percent of the world's reserves. That's a tiny bucket of oil in the entire global ocean of oil.
BLITZER: All right.
SLOCUM: This is not going to impact prices.
(CROSSTALK)
MOORE: This is about as close to a no-brainer issue I think for the American public. I mean, you might be right. It might be true that if we were to drill in Alaska and offshore, that it might not immediately lower prices but it would do is about two million barrels a day. Now, at $140 a barrel, that's about $250 million a day, a day, that we wouldn't --
BLITZER: But it would take at least five or 10 years to see that oil.
MOORE: But we wanted to do this -- we wanted to do this for 10 years. We wanted to do this for 20 years.
BLITZER: All right. Let me get Poppy to weigh in. Go ahead, Poppy.
HARLOW: I want something here because there's one thing we do know, and that is that we don't know. We don't know how much we will get if we drill in ANWR. We don't know how much we'll get if we increase offshore drilling here.
We could get 20 million barrels for a day and pretty much cover the consumption that we use here in the United States, but we can't speak to what India is using, what China is using, what Brazil and Russia are going to use. We're seeing unparalleled demand outside of the U.S. We have to think outside of the U.S., and we do not know how much we would get.
It's important that people focus on that. And Stephen and Tyson, I have a question for you. You know, we have a piece on our Web site today saying about 70 million acres of the 90 million acres that we have leases on, a lot in the Gulf of Mexico, are not being drilled. Some say five million barrels a day could come from that. What do you say to that?
MOORE: Well, Poppy, I mean, if you look at what the official forecast, we don't know exactly how much there are, but my many estimates we have more oil and natural gas offshore than Saudi Arabia has. That's a whole heck of a lot of oil.
SLOCUM: That's not true. We do not have anything close to what Saudi Arabia has.
MOORE: Offshore, I'm talking about.
SLOCUM: I am talking about offshore. The United States has 2.5 percent of the world's reserves. Saudi Arabia has 25 percent. The only think that we know for sure is that we risk environmental degradation of fragile eco systems if we continue to drill. We need to instead focus on reducing demand and putting more incentives in the hands of handlers.
(CROSSTALK)
MOORE: There were no --
BLITZER: That's it, guys. We got to leave right there, Poppy, unfortunately. We are all out of time. A very good discussion. Thanks to all three of you.
By the way, you can read a lot more about the gas crisis at CNNMoney.com. Go there.
Still to come here, Don Imus in hot water again. You're going to hear why.
And political stagecraft from a political spouse, the controversial path.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BLITZER: At the top of the hour, "LARRY KING LIVE," and a tribute to a legendary and unforgettable comic. Larry is standing by with the preview. You have some exclusive guests we know as well, Larry.
LARRY KING, HOST, "LARRY KING LIVE": Yes, Wolf, George Carlin. He was a good friend and he influenced generations of comedians -- Jerry Seinfeld, Bill Maher, Lewis Black and Roseanne Barr among them. And they and others will join me tonight to honor the man who really created a whole new kind of comedy.
We'll also hear from George's daughter on this very difficult day. Carlin remembered at the top of the hour next -- Wolf.
BLITZER: Wow. What a great lineup, Larry. We'll be watching. That's coming up in a few moments.
KING: Thank you.
BLITZER: "LARRY KING LIVE."
The first lady of France just happens to be a supermodel and a recording star. Up next, the art of political stagecraft as practiced by a real pro. (COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BLITZER: Now for tonight's stagecraft, we usually like to show you what goes into creating campaign events here in the United States. But tonight, we're talking about the candidates' wives and some stagecraft tips some people think they could learn from the first lady of France. The former supermodel, Carla Bruni.
Tom Foreman is here to show us what's going on -- Tom.
TOM FOREMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Wolf, there's been a big kerfuffle lately, all about what's been going on with Michelle Obama and with Cindy McCain. The big question being the things they said about each other and about America and you name it.
Now, however, some commentators including "The New York Times" Maureen Dowd, seem to be suggesting both should be looking overseas to supermodel and singer, Carla Bruni, who married French President Sarkozy about six months ago. This woman really knows her stagecraft.
First, she makes no attempt to equate her political ideas with her husband nor does she apologize for her views. He is on the right, she's on the left and proud of it.
She has publicly said she does not believe on monogamy. Her latest album references drug use and sexual promiscuity. That's the cover of it right there. She flirts wildly, dresses provocatively and grabs headlines, but -- and this seems to really matter -- she does not appear to be grabbing for too much presidential power in the process. To the contrary, she says, hey, I'm just a singer and that appears to be defanging many of her critics, Wolf.
BLITZER: You know, it's interesting she seems like such an unlikely political charmer. She's been romantically linked, as you know, to Eric Clapton and Mick Jagger, and years ago she even posed nude.
FOREMAN: Yes, she said a lot of things that you would think would be real negatives, but it all seems to work for her and for her husband, too. It's like misdirection in a magic act.
Look at this. He goes to Israel to talk about some very serious issues, and here is the picture that appears in the paper. What is the headline say there?
Well, nobody pays any attention because all they're looking at is this big picture of her here. Was the trip a success in these serious issues? Well, who knows. Nobody is paying attention.
Bruni seems to be remarkably adaptable. Always playing the part of a generally agreeable fun-loving sort no matter what the setting, so she can stand alongside England's Royal Family with great dignity and looked like she belongs there. Or she can pose with Rock legend Iggy Pop, one of my all time favorites, and look like she belongs there, too. And any good stagecraft master will tell you, if they can't see you sweat, you won't have to battle, Wolf. BLITZER: I knew you loved Iggy for many, many years.
Let's talk a little bit about how we know whether or not this is actually working for the French president and the first lady.
FOREMAN: It comes down to a simple thing, the same as it does here, Wolf. The numbers. The simple truth is not only has the public quite fallen under her spell but Sarkozy's approval ratings which weren't so hot, appear to be moving up, too. Yes, it's France but maybe madam has some stagecraft lessons that could cross the ocean -- Wolf.
BLITZER: Good point there, Tom. Thank you.
In a moment, radio shock jock Don Imus and his controversial remarks about a pro athlete made on the air. What Imus said and now his explanation.
And designer fashions dedicated to Barack Obama. Politics on the runway, next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BLITZER: Now, tonight's "Briefing." We give you a roundup of the top headlines tonight, headlines that everyone will be talking about tomorrow. Randi Kaye is joining us with that -- Randi.
RANDI KAYE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Thanks, Wolf.
Radio shock jock Don Imus has done it again. Tonight he's trying to explain some comments that some people think are in poor taste at best, and at worst, racist. We're going to play them for you and needless to say, you may find them offensive.
Imus was talking with sports announcer Warner Wolf on this morning's WABC radio show when the future pro football player Adam "Pacman" Jones came up. Take a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
WARNER WOLF, SPORTS ANNOUNCER: Defensive back Adam "Pacman" Jones, recently signed by the Cowboys. Here's a guy suspended all of 2007 following a shooting in a Vegas night club.
DON IMUS: Well, stuff happens. You're in a night club for God's sake. What do you think's going to happen in a night club. People are drinking and doing drugs, there are women there, and people have guns. So there, go ahead.
WOLF: Well, he's also -- he's been arrested six times since being drafted by Tennessee in 2005.
IMUS: What color is he?
WOLF: He's African-American.
IMUS: Well, there you go. Now we know.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KAYE: CNN's repeated calls and e-mails to Don Imus, his attorney and the radio station that airs this show have gone unanswered. However, in a response to an e-mail from the "New York Times" asking what he was trying to convey about "Pacman" Jones, Imus wrote, "I meant he was being picked on because he's black."
The "Times" says Imus told them he will address the issue on his show tomorrow morning when black activist and comedian Dick Gregory is his guest.
Turning now to political headlines, a top campaign adviser to John McCain makes a surprising admission about terrorism and the campaign. Charlie Black told "Fortune" magazine that another terrorist act on U.S. soil would help McCain's chances in November. Later Black said he deeply regretted the comment.
Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton are planning to campaign together this coming Friday in the town of Unity, New Hampshire. It will be the first joint appearance for the former rivals since Clinton suspended her campaign earlier this month.
You may have noticed a Band-Aid on John McCain's head today. McCain said he banged his head when getting out of his car during a trip to Canada last Friday. The car was smaller than the ones that are usually in his motorcade. The Arizona senator has suffered from skin cancer prompting a question today about that Band-Aid.
And finally, fashion designer Donatella Versace has dedicated her men's collection for next spring and summer to Barack Obama. Versace said her collection is for a "relaxed man" who doesn't need to flex his muscle to show he has power. When asked what advice she'd give Obama, Versace said I would get rid of the tie and jazz up the shirt. Wolf, some good advice?
BLITZER: Yes. I'm going to try it and see how it works for me. We'll see if it works here at CNN.
KAYE: All right. You do that.
BLITZER: Randi, thanks very much for that. Thanks to Donatella Versace as well.
That's it for the ELECTION CENTER. "LARRY KING LIVE" starts right now.
