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American Morning
Barack Obama Could Announce His Running Mate Choice; Polls Show Obama's Lead Narrowing Down; Obama Jumps on McCain Housing Gaffe; IOC Investigates China's Gymnastics Team; New Study Reveals Why Seven World Trade Center Collapsed; McCain Expected to Name VP Choice Soon
Aired August 22, 2008 - 07:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN CO-HOST: It's just about 7:00 Eastern Time. Here are this morning's top stories. Barack Obama on the attack after John McCain apparently lost track of how many homes he owns. A new TV ad from the Obama camp says the incident shows that McCain is out of touch with the housing crisis and the economy. The McCain campaign responded by saying Obama's tax and energy policies show he's completely out of touch.
Also breaking news this morning. U.S. troops could be out of Iraq by 2011. U.S and Iraqi negotiators have reached a proposed agreement calling for a complete withdrawal by then. The deal still needs approval from both sides' administrations.
The International Olympic Committee has asked for an investigation into China's gymnasts and whether they were old enough to compete. You have to be 16. Online records apparently show that one gold medalist who beat America's Nastia Liukin in a tie-breaker maybe only 14. The IOC said previously it had verified the passports of all Olympic athletes.
And it's back to business this morning at two of John McCain's campaign offices. The buildings in Denver, Colorado, and Manchester, New Hampshire, were evacuated yesterday because of two threatening letters, one containing a suspicious powder. Investigators say -- in Denver say the powder was not dangerous. A Colorado inmate is suspected of sending the letters. Authorities say he could face felony charges.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. BARACK OBAMA (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I did say that I've made the selection. And that's all you're going to get.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
JOHN ROBERTS, CNN ANCHOR: Breaking news this morning. Barack Obama could announce his running mate at any moment as you just heard. The candidate himself says he already knows who it is. He has settled on his running mate. Here's what we know at the moment.
The announcement is going to first come via text messages to supporters. Barack Obama is home in Chicago today with no public events on his schedule. He's going to appear with his running mate there tomorrow, actually in Springfield. And overnight, we learned that he called candidates on his short list. At least the ones who didn't make the cut. Don't know if he's called the person who made the cut just yet.
Everything Barack Obama is saying about a potential running mate is being dissected. On the trail in Virginia yesterday Obama said he wants a running mate who will challenge him and that he or she is prepared to be president.
To translate those hints for us this morning, here's CNN's senior political correspondent Candy Crowley.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
CANDY CROWLEY, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): A drop in the polls. A few bland remarks about what he wants in a vice president, and hula. Hillary Clinton's stock is on the rise.
SEN. HILLARY CLINTON (D), NEW YORK: We know we need every Democrat to rally behind Senator Obama's candidacy.
CROWLEY: Barack Obama says he wants a number two willing to challenge him if they think he's wrong. There are many who've had a lot of practice. One in particular comes to mind.
CLINTON: He's been saying there's no difference between our plans, but his plan would leave at least 15 million Americans uninsured.
CROWLEY: And Obama wants a vice president to help him steer the economy. Is there a clue in this?
OBAMA: I'm here because I want to wake up every single day in that White House thinking about you and how to make your lives a little bit better.
CROWLEY: The fact that he sounds now like she did back then.
CLINTON: I will wake up every single day thinking about and worrying about you.
CROWLEY: Still, there's no evidence Hillary Clinton was even fully vetted. Most of Washington would be stunned if he tapped her. And she's not the only one who fits the bill.
SEN. JOE BIDEN (D), DELAWARE: Let me tell you straight up, the truth, the truth of the matter is --
CROWLEY: Heavily credentialed in the foreign policy department, Senator Joe Biden of Delaware is tenacious and been around long enough not to say what he means. Biden remains under media surveillance as does Senator Evan Bayh of Indiana. And there is Virginia Governor Tim Kaine on the campaign trail with the top of the ticket. Master of the Ts.
OBAMA: I have made the selection. And that's all you're going to get.
CROWLEY: He and his campaign have fostered more than two weeks of nonstop chatter about the number two. All of it designed to reach a well-watched weekend crescendo. He is playing it like a fiddle.
OBAMA: You are not going to get anything out of me on the vice president. Nothing.
CROWLEY: Minimum information? Maximum attention. Candy Crowley, CNN, Chicago.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
COSTELLO: Oh, definitely. In the meantime, the presidential race remains very tight. CNN's new poll of polls shows Barack Obama with a two point lead over John McCain, 44 to 42 percent; 14 percent still unsure.
You know, after a rough month and a sudden slide in the polls, the Obama camp is getting a little more nasty. They've jumped on some of McCain's recent comments including the one on how many houses he owns. Some say it was a gift, but will it keep on giving?
Jason Carroll joins us now to tell us more.
JASON CARROLL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, I guess it is in some ways. You know, political analysts say August polls are notoriously wrong. But even so, slipping in the polls, heading into a convention is not the best position for a candidate to be in. So analysts say Obama has to be tougher on McCain in the coming days and he has to do more to define himself.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
CARROLL (voice-over): As work gets under way on preparing the Democratic National Convention, Senator Barack Obama also has a lot of work to do. Recent polls show Obama is losing ground to Senator John McCain. Political analysts say the convention could be the place for Obama to shake things up.
LARRY SABATO, UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA: The most important thing Obama can do during that convention is to show people who he is, where he came from, and where he wants to take the country.
CARROLL: Despite all of Obama's press coverage, there are voters who want to know more about him. And specifically, how he'll bring about his brand of change. And analysts say Obama needs to do more in the coming days to link McCain to President Bush.
"New York Times" political correspondent Jeff Zeleny says Democrats will use the convention to do just that.
JEFF ZELENY, N.Y. TIMES POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: They are doing sort of a rare step here of devoting an entire night on Tuesday of the convention week basically to defining John McCain. CARROLL: Some Democrats say Obama has been too slow responding to McCain's attacks and his mistakes. Obama's desire to run a positive campaign has faded a bit with this latest attack ad.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
NARRATOR: When asked how many houses he owns, McCain lost track.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CARROLL: Released just one day after McCain said, he wasn't sure how many homes he owned during an interview.
OBAMA: By the way, the answer is John McCain has seven homes. So there's just -- there's just a fundamental gap of understanding between John McCain's world and what people are going through every single day here in America.
SABATO: It's a tough, rough business. And for all the wonderful, positive ads you can air, it's the negative ones that people tend to remember.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
CARROLL: And Senator McCain's camp was quick to respond to the housing issue by releasing a new television ad questioning Senator Obama's purchase of his home and his ties with the disgraced Chicago businessman.
COSTELLO: You know how fast those attack ads came out?
CARROLL: Very quickly.
COSTELLO: It was amazing. Looks like a one-two punch.
CARROLL: And remember, this is just August. Imagine what it's going to be like when we start getting closer to the debates in September and beyond. Things, it looks like, are going to get even nastier.
COSTELLO: Yes. And we may have a record amount of attack ads produced by our candidates.
CARROLL: More news for us.
COSTELLO: Which would be kind of a sad thing. Yes, more news for us.
CARROLL: Yes.
COSTELLO: Thank you, Jason.
CARROLL: All right.
COSTELLO: A programming reminder for you. Live coverage of the Democratic National Convention in Denver begins on Monday right here on the "Most Politics in the Morning."
ROBERTS: And it's seven minutes after the hour. Here's what we're working on for you this morning.
China on the hot seat. How old are those gold medal gymnasts anyways? Now the International Olympic Committee steps in. We're live in Beijing this morning with the latest.
Inside the Democrats' convention. How CNN brings politics to you.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We're actually in the middle of the delegate floor.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROBERTS: A sneak peek behind the scenes in Denver. You're watching the "Most News in the Morning."
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ROBERTS: As we wait for Senator Barack Obama to introduce us to his running mate, he has launched a new offensive against John McCain. The campaign jumped into attack mode after McCain had trouble saying or at least recalling how many homes he owned.
CNN's Jessica Yellin is live for us in Chicago.
Jessica, not a problem most people have. But I guess a good one to have if you can afford them all.
JESSICA YELLIN, CNN CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: A good one to have if you're not running for political office, I guess, John. In this case, John McCain opened the door and Barack Obama is walking right through it hitting John McCain not just for that gaffe over how many houses he owns, but also for a comment he made over the weekend. When John McCain was asked how much money does it take to make a person rich, McCain said $5 million.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
YELLIN (voice-over): For Barack Obama, it's a gift from John McCain.
SEN. BARACK OBAMA (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I guess if you think that being rich means you got to make $5 million, and if you don't know how many houses you have, then it's not surprising that you might think the economy was fundamentally strong.
YELLIN: The Obama campaign is convinced this message is on the money, and they're taking it all the way to the bank. They've already released this ad.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP, CAMPAIGN COMMERCIAL) NARRATOR: When asked how many houses he owns? McCain lost track. He couldn't remember. Well, it's seven. Seven houses. And here's one house America can't afford to let John McCain move into.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
YELLIN: And top surrogates are hitting 16 states to mock John McCain for, in the campaign's words, losing track of his houses. Obama supporter and VP short lister Virginia Governor Tim Kaine made the case on CNN.
GOV. TIM KAINE (D), VIRGINIA: He couldn't count high enough apparently to even know how many houses he owned.
YELLIN: The Obama campaign believes this line of attack will persuade voters that McCain is out of touch with regular folks and can't fix what he doesn't know is broken. It could also diffuse charges that Obama is elitist. It's as if they're saying, who's the snob now?
OBAMA: And if you're like me and you got one house, or you are like the millions of people who are struggling right now to keep up with their mortgage so they don't lose their home, you might have a different perspective.
YELLIN: All this comes as Obama keeps everyone guessing about his running mate. Short lister Tim Kaine joined Obama on the stump with a joint appearance. A hint or a head fake? That's anyone's guess.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
YELLIN: And, John, the Obama campaign continues to hit McCain where he lives. Yesterday in Pennsylvania the Obama campaign says they had volunteers calling real people to see if they could find even one person who doesn't know how many homes they own.
Now, for balance, let me say that the McCain campaign insists that Obama is distorting the answer that McCain gave and that this gives the McCain campaign an opportunity to take on Obama over a questionable deal he got when he bought his own house.
ROBERTS: I'll tell you. A very, very fast and very aggressive back and forth between these campaigns these days, Jessica.
YELLIN: Yes.
ROBERTS: All right. Jessica Yellin for us this morning in Chicago.
YELLIN: It sure is.
ROBERTS: Still waiting, right?
YELLIN: Still waiting. But we'll bring it to you when we have it. ROBERTS: All right. Thanks. See you soon.
YELLIN: Got the Berry.
ROBERTS: All right.
COSTELLO: She's ready.
It is not just gold hanging over them. China now has the International Olympic Investigation looming. Are some of their little winners really underage? What's being done to find out the truth? You're watching the "Most News in the Morning."
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COSTELLO: The buzz is getting louder about the Chinese Olympic gymnasts and whether they were too young to compete. There is more than just pressure on China to tell the truth. There is now an investigation.
CNN's John Vause is live in Beijing to tell us more about the investigation. Good morning.
JOHN VAUSE, CNN BEIJING CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Carol. Well, that investigation by the International Olympic Committee, they say, it's more of an informal inquiry. But if allegations of age fixing are in fact very true, a long way to go before we get there, but it would almost certainly take a lot of the shine off China's record hold of gold medals.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
VAUSE (voice-over): As China's gymnasts proudly showed off their Olympic gold medals on Friday, officials went on the defensive over repeated questions that as many as half their women's team might be under the 16 year age limit.
HUANG YUBIN, CHINA'S HEAD GYMNASTIC COACH (through translator): Asians have different body shapes than people from the west so that's caused their suspicion. They shouldn't be suspicious, says China's head gymnastics coach.
VAUSE: The International Olympic Committee isn't accusing anyone of cheating. But it is asking for more evidence the girls are as old as China says they are.
GISELLE DAVIES, INTERNATIONAL OLYMPIC COMMITTEE: Could there have been questions that have been on the table and discrepancies that have been alluded to by certain parties, and the IOC is simply wanting to do its due diligence.
VAUSE: The are they or aren't they age debate is now almost a month old first raised by a "New York Times" investigation, and this week a blogger, reportedly a U.S.-based security expert claims to have found Chinese government cyber documents that one of their star gymnasts, He Kexin, was born in 1994, not 1992, making her 14, not 16. (on camera): The blogger also alleges that any reference to He's younger age on the Internet is being systematically deleted. There's no way to verify those claims. But we did find one Web site from last year's sixth National City Games here in China where the head of this country's sports bureau specifically referred to her as being 13 years old.
(voice-over): If He is in fact younger, it may be part of the reason why she beat American Nastia Liukin in a tiebreak on the uneven bars. 14-year-olds with their smaller, lighter bodies are more agile and flexible than older competitors.
Chinese officials say all of these questions are because the U.S. team lost.
LU SHANGHEN, CHINESE WOMEN'S GYMNASTICS COACH (through translator): It's because the Chinese women's team is such a strong competitor for the U.S. team. That's why there are such suspicions, he says.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
VAUSE: As for the girl that seems to be the focus of all of this controversy, her coach insists she wants to go to Hong Kong now, do a bit of shopping, have some fun. Perhaps just like most other teenagers who are 16 -- or maybe 14 years old, Carol.
COSTELLO: You know what I'm wondering these allegations have been around forever. So why is the IOC now investigating after the competition is over?
VAUSE: Well, the IOC doesn't like bad press and this story just won't go away. And so, this is their grudging for the concession to look into this. A lot of people have been calling for a more thorough investigation for a very long time. And so, today, finally the IOC budged.
This is a pretty big step by the IOC. What some people are now saying is that the IOC hopes that when the games finish on Sunday, all of the interest in this will go away and this whole issue will just go quietly into the night -- Carol.
COSTELLO: I'm thinking not. John Vause reporting live from Beijing, thank you.
ROBERTS: You know, Carol, we'll have to watch where she goes shopping. If it's Limited Too, she's 14. If it's Abercrombie, she's 16.
John McCain forgets how many homes he owns. And the Obama campaign jumps right on it. Is he out of touch or was it an honest mistake?
Republican Governor Tim Pawlenty joins us live.
COSTELLO: And after all the talk of planted explosives and secret conspiracy, why the experts say Seven World Trade Center, why it really came down. You're watching the "Most News in the Morning."
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ROBERTS: 22 minutes after the hour. For years the questions have refused to go away. Dark talk about planted explosives and a secret conspiracy. After all these years, experts say they finally now know the truth about why number Seven World Trade Center collapsed.
DEBORAH FEYERICK, CNN CORRESPONDENT: John, Carol, the report comes after three years of studying the collapse of Building Seven just across from the North Tower. It includes complex computer models, detailed analysis and eyewitness accounts. So why, then, doesn't everyone buy it?
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
FEYERICK (voice-over): It has been a mystery since 9/11. Why did World Trade Center Building Seven collapse nearly seven hours after the twin towers fell? Was it diesel fuel in the building or planted explosives? A control demolition of government offices as conspiracy theorists allege in films like "Loose Change."
A team of scientists and engineers authorized by Congress says there's only one answer and it's conclusive.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The collapse of World Trade Center Seven was primarily due to fires. This is the first time that we are aware of that a building over 15 stories tall has collapsed primarily due to fire.
FEYERICK: Shyam Sunder (ph), the study's lead investigator, says fires ignited by falling debris from the towers burned so hot they created a phenomenon in which steel and concrete floors failed, causing floors to buckle and a key column to cave.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: For the first time we have shown that fire can induce a progressive collapse.
FEYERICK: Officials say fires burned on at least 10 floors in Building Seven where New York City's multimillion dollar emergency command center had recently been built. And because the city's water main was cut when the towers fell, sprinkler systems in the building did not work. Still, conspiracy theorists and others were not swayed by the new findings.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I hear quite a number of bare assertions --
FEYERICK: Investigators said they did consider certain so-called conspiracy theories, but none held up.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Alternative theories are really -- none of them have been found to be credible.
FEYERICK: Fire expert Glen Corbin (ph) analyzed the Trade Center collapse and says the new report could be used to make high-rises safer.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm hoping that the next step will be to actually make changes to buildings to improve them for the future. And that's really what the most important thing out of this whole investigation is.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
FEYERICK: The lead investigator said if someone like a conspiracy theorist were to step forward with genuine signs to support another conclusion, he would consider it. But right now investigators are confident they have their answer -- John, Carol.
ROBERTS: Deb Feyerick reporting for us this morning. And although it was the last tower to fall on September 11th, number seven was the first to rise again. The 52-story Green Tower began leasing space in 2006.
Lights, camera, politics. CNN gives you the best seat in Denver.
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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We've got a great location to feel the presence and feel the electricity and the awe.
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ROBERTS: Convention coverage like none other. You're watching the "Most News in the Morning."
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ROBERTS: It's 27 minutes after the hour. New this morning, Barack Obama talking about the search for a running mate and the criteria for a vice president. Here's what he said moments ago on CBS's "Early Show."
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP, CBS'S "THE EARLY SHOW")
SEN. BARACK OBAMA (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Obviously the most important question is, is this person prepared to be president?
The second most important question from my perspective is, can this person help me govern? Are they going to be an effective partner in creating the kind of economic opportunity here at home and guiding us through some dangerous waters internationally.
And the third criteria for me, I think, was independence. I want somebody who is going to be able to challenge my thinking and not simply be a yes person when it comes to policy making.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROBERTS: Still waiting this morning to find out who that person is going to be. While all the buzz surrounds Barack Obama's running mate this morning, Senator John McCain is not expected to name his vice presidential running mate until next week, next Friday, probably.
One of those people on the short list is Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty, and he joins us now live this morning from Minneapolis.
Governor, it's good to see you. Thanks for being with us.
GOV. TIM PAWLENTY (R), MINNESOTA: Happy to do it. Thanks for having me on the show, John.
ROBERTS: So don't know exactly what this means, but our good friend, Mark Halperin, over at "Time" magazine quoting a couple of Republican sources this morning is saying John McCain has settled on Mitt Romney, though he has not offered the job to him yet. I guess that could change.
But would Mitt Romney be a good choice for a running mate for Senator McCain?
PAWLENTY: I think Senator McCain has a lot of people I'm sure he's considered and is going to weigh a lot of factors. But Senator Romney brings a lot of strength and assets to his own campaign. Plus, I'm sure he would bring it to Senator McCain's campaign. So he is certainly would be one of the strong candidates that I'm sure Senator McCain is considering.
ROBERTS: I guess some people are saying he could help in places like Michigan and perhaps help in Ohio. But if he needed help there in Minnesota, which has voted Democrat longer than any other state in the union, you have to go back to 1972 to find out the last time they voted for a Republican there for president, would Tim Pawlenty as a running mate help him out there in Minnesota? There are some polls that suggest John McCain would get a real bump of support there in your state.
PAWLENTY: Well, I just stopped talking about the VP stuff as it applies to Minnesota or elsewhere because it just leads to more speculation and so much of it is inaccurate or off on the wrong tangent.
But Senator McCain is going to have great people to look at. I'm sure he'll make a wonderful choice for our party and for our country, and we'll just have to wait till next Friday to find out the answer to those questions.
ROBERTS: Well, let me ask you, governor, about this point, if I could. This idea of a running mate who is pro-choice, which would be somebody like Senator Lieberman or former Governor Ridge of Pennsylvania. Would the party accept a running mate who didn't -- who didn't adhere to a strict pro-life platform?
PAWLENTY: Well, Senator McCain has said we don't have litmus tests for the party for key positions. But he also wants somebody who shares his values and visions and priorities for the country. The Republican Party has been, you know, predominantly a pro-life party and Senator McCain has suggested that we don't have litmus tests, but it is something that is important to him that the running mate share his vision and values for the country.
ROBERTS: As you probably heard, governor, over the last 24 hours the Obama campaign has really been hammering Senator McCain very hard on this idea of how many houses does he have. There's a brand-new advertisement out on that point. Let's listen to a little bit of it and I want to ask you about that.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: When asked how many houses he owns, McCain lost track. He couldn't remember. Well, it's seven. Seven houses. And here's one house America can't afford to let John McCain move into.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROBERTS: The McCain campaign says he owns four houses. That ad says seven. Some news organizations have apparently found eight. Is this a problem for him? Is this, as Senator Obama's trying to suggest, show him as being out of touch with middle America? This is his, if you go back to the 1992 campaign, George Bush's scanner moment?
PAWLENTY: Well, Barack Obama has gotten in trouble in the polls and now he's getting desperate. You have a situation where Barack Obama made over $4 million last year, has his own million dollar home in Chicago that involved some dealings with a pretty shady character, and now you have him saying he's more in touch with the common person in the United States than John McCain? I mean, give me a break. Give me a break.
As to Senator McCain, he was trying to be accurate. He has a home he lives in Washington, two in Arizona and one in California. But it gets more complicated than that because Cindy's family has family homes. And the question was how many homes do you and Cindy own. And some of those other homes are not for the exclusive use of Senator McCain. For Barack Obama -
ROBERTS: But for someone, Governor, to forget that, though, to not know how many homes they've got. I mean, I know how many I own. Do you know how many you own? I know you live in the mansion there.
PAWLENTY: I own one home, John. But I don't think he forgot how many homes he owns. He was trying to be accurate because of the involvement with Cindy's family and the number of homes, he was trying to be accurate. So he wanted to make sure he gave a good number on it.
ROBERTS: Hey, governor, we got some breaking news this morning that the United States has signed an agreement on removal of forces with the Iraqi government. The agreement calls for American troops to be out by the end of 2011. It looks at least on the surface as if this administration has agreed to some sort of timetable. Does that - at least that's the way the Iraqis are portraying it. Does that play in Senator Obama's favor and against Senator McCain?
PAWLENTY: Well, Senator McCain has said he's in favor of a schedule or a plan for drawing down troops in Iraq. But he wants to do it under the circumstances where we have victory and allows our troops to come home with honor. So he has not opposed a plan or time horizon for bringing the troops home. And he's even suggested a couple of timetables in the last few months himself for that. So that's not inconsistent with Senator McCain's approach. But he wants to be adamant and clear on this point. It has to be under a time and a time under circumstance that has our country in a position of winning the war and bringing our troops home with honor.
ROBERTS: All right. Senator, Governor Tim Pawlenty, sorry, from Minneapolis this morning. It's great to see you. And we'll see you out there in St. Paul for the convention in a week and a little bit from now.
PAWLENTY: All right, John. Thanks.
ROBERTS: Good to see you this morning.
COSTELLO: It is 7:33 Eastern time. Here are this morning's top stories. Tropical storm Fay moving over Florida for a third time right now. President Bush has declared a state of emergency in Florida. Rescuers are still going door to door picking up people stranded by the high water. Many roads totally under water. The storm claimed two more lives, both people drowning off the Florida coast.
Breaking news this morning. U.S. troops could be out of Iraq by 2011. U.S. and Iraqi negotiators have reached a proposed agreement calling for a complete withdrawal by then. The deal still needs approval from both sides' administrations.
And Barack Obama could announce his running mate at any moment. Obama already said he's made his decision. And overnight sources say he called candidates on the short list. In the meantime, until Obama shows his hand, the political poker game continues.
Workers are busy turning the Pepsi arena in Denver into a national showcase for Barack Obama and the democratic party. Most people won't get a look inside until Monday night. But Joe Johns is not like most people. He got an early look and joins us live with a sneak peek. John - Joe.
JOE JOHNS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hey, Carol, how are you doing this morning? Bright and early here in Denver, quite early, in fact. If you take a look from way back you'll come away probably with the impression that everything is in place. But for the most part, it is here at the Pepsi Center. The democrats are planning a carefully scripted extravaganza, one of the few secrets they've been able to keep is what the podium looks like, which is behind me. They're about to unveil that shortly. It's really quite extraordinary. Huge television screen, exactly three of them, that go from the floor of the stage all the way up to the ceiling. Hopefully we'll see it in a bit. Meanwhile, we here at CNN have taken it upon ourselves to put together a preview for you of how this thing here in Denver is going to get to the folks back home.
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JOHNS: A sneak peek behind the scenes in Denver where it's getting close to show time. Our guide, a veteran of many a national political conventions. So how many of these is this for you?
DAVID BOHRMAN, CNN DIRECTOR OF CONVENTION COVERAGE: Well, I've been doing conventions since 1980. In various roles.
JOHNS: David () is CNN's Washington bureau chief and the executive producer of convention coverage.
DAVID: This is my first look here of what they're doing.
JOHNS: We can only show you so much of this room. No pictures of the podium yet. It's off limits to photography until the democrats give the green light. But inside the Pepsi arena, the CNN set is located not in the sky boxes like the other guys. But right down on the floor. Which is a big deal, because, frankly, a national political convention is not just news and history. It's also a visual experience. The lights and sounds. The colors and pictures.
BOHRMAN: We're actually in the middle of the delegate floor. The delegates go all the way up to the - this full bowl on this side of the hall. But the CNN delegation is right here. And we've got a great location to feel the presence and feel the electricity and awe.
JOHNS: And if you think this is a lot of work, there's more. For the first time since 1960, the democrats will be convening at two distinct locations. Here at the Pepsi Center and then it all moves to Invesco Field just a few hundred yards away.
That last time democrats did a two-step like this was during the convention that nominated John F. Kennedy. A young Nancy Pelosi was in the audience. She, of course, is now Speaker of the House.
REP. NANCY PELOSI (D), HOUSE SPEAKER: In 1960, when I went to the convention with my parents in Los Angeles, John F. Kennedy spoke at the L.A. Coliseum. And so I saw that change then. This seems very natural to me.
JOHNS: A scene change this time from the Pepsi Center to Invesco Field may seem natural to some, but not so easy for the folks bringing the speech into your living room. It's about technology and logistics. And the art of television.
BOHRMAN: They put all this effort into here for three nights. And much of the technology that is in this room and all the people that are in this room a few hours later are going to be doing television from the other stadium. So the fiber connections -
(END VIDEOTAPE)
JOHNS: Back live now, we're waiting, of course, for the unveiling of the podium. That should come in just a little while. The governor of Colorado is expected to be here to flip the switch and hopefully we'll bring it to you right here on CNN. Carol, back to you.
COSTELLO: I'm sure you will. Joe Johns reporting live from Denver this morning.
A program reminder for you. Live coverage of the Democratic National Convention in Denver does begin on Monday right here on the most politics in the morning.
ROBERTS: And at 38 minutes after the hour, Ali Velshi is off today. Our Gerri Willis is with us "Minding your business." Good morning, Gerri.
GERRI WILLIS, CNN PERSONAL FINANCE EDITOR: Hey, good morning, John. Hey, what if you owed $9.5 trillion? Guess what? Uncle Sam does. More on the national debt right after the break.
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ROBERTS: well, Warren Buffet had some harsh words about the national debt and who wouldn't. I mean, it's huge. Our Gerri Willis here "Minding your business." That debt clock just keeps on spinning.
WILLIS: Yes, baby. It gets bigger and bigger and bigger. Let's talk a little bit about what the national debt is first. Yes, it's $93 billion higher than just last month at $9.5 trillion. And we're not even talking about the money that we still owe for Medicare and Social Security. So this is a very defined version of national debt. Buy hey, this is what the federal government owes. The government issues IOUs, treasury bonds, bills to raise money for its operations. You can see the definition right here. National debt is certain just the liabilities held by the government.
Now, last night a new documentary opened, "IOU USA." The big star in this film was Warren Buffet. Probably the most famous investor of his generation. And he had some very negative things to say about the national debt. Listen up.
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WARREN BUFFET, CEO, BERKSHIRE-HATHAWAY: I do think that piling up more and more and more external debt and having the rest of the world own more and more of the United States may create real political instability down the line and increase the possibility the demagogues come along and do some very foolish things.
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WILLIS: Well, now what he means by that is that our treasuries are bought by people all over the planet, all over the globe. So our debt sort of becomes everybody else's investment. And he's concerned about everybody owning that debt and then having a claim on us. So it's a big concern. Even the presidential candidates have been talking about it. But the national debt huge, growing, a cause for concern.
COSTELLO: Definitely so. Thanks, Gerri. WILLIS: My pleasure.
COSTELLO: As we wait for word of Barack Obama's vice presidential pick, we're taking a look at how the choice is made. We'll talk with former Florida Senator Bob Graham who went through the process three times. How he thinks Obama made the tough decision. But first here's Rob with a look at the weekend weather. Good morning.
ROB MARCIANO, CNN, METEOROLOGIST: Good morning, Carol. Somebody else is doing things in Florida three times. Three landfalls. That's Fay and it's not over yet. Still well put together as it tries to cross the northern part of the state. Live picture from Jacksonville where winds are still blowing there. Look at that surf. Complete weather coming up when the most news in the morning comes right back.
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COSTELLO: Top videos right now on CNN.com. Most popular, how old is she? The IOC says it will investigate the age of some Chinese gymnasts after a hacker says he uncovered proof that the gold medalist is under the minimum age of 16.
Also, one driver, five DUIs. Police say they arrested the man who stumbled to his car in a Georgia parking lot. He'd been - he had a beer resting between his legs when they got to him. The officer had to ask him to hand over the beer. And says the guy was so drunk he thought the breathalyzer was broken.
And when you wish upon a spud. A farmer from Maryland says he dug up a potato that looks like Mickey Mouse. Those are the most popular videos right now on CNN.com.
ROBERTS: So we talk about these Chinese gymnasts and how young they are. And talk about getting old. Something's getting awfully old. Tropical storm Fay. And our Rob Marciano down there in Atlanta tracking the storm. What do they got? Five days of Fay under their belt now in Florida.
MARCIANO: It's ridiculous. It feels more like two weeks. Doesn't? And the folks who live in Florida, especially the northern and central part of the state - they've been getting the brunt of it. The latest advisory from the National Hurricane Center, down to 45 miles an hour winds gusting to 65. But still very expansive. Winds of tropical storm force go well up over 100 miles out from the center. And of course, the rain fall is the larger issue.
Here it is. Rain band continues to swirl around to southern Georgia now. It scored some of the highest ones and then the southern half of the system continues to be pretty heavy as far as the rainfall goes all the way down to Mickey Mouse country, actually. Center of it to the north and west of Gainesville.
Here are some of the numbers as far as winds go. Still gusting well over 20 miles an hour across the coast. Let's take that live picture again of Jacksonville where just an hour and a half ago they had winds gusting over 50 miles an hour. There you see that camera atop that mass shaking in the breezes. High waves rolling in. Beach erosion going to be a huge issue. Obviously, dangerous surf conditions. Yesterday, we had two fatalities of people going out in the water when they shouldn't have done that. Of course, the rainfall on top of the surge, a big issue. Two feet or better across the central and eastern part of the state there. Certainly impressive amounts. And all this will be sliding off towards the west and southern Georgia at least will get a piece of the action as well. John, back up to you.
ROBERTS: Rob, thanks very much. 47 1/2 minutes after the hour. No word yet on a vice presidential running mate. Senator Barack Obama, though, says that he has made up his mind on who he's going to ask. What goes into choosing a right-hand man or woman, for that matter? We'll talk with one former senator who went through the process several times himself.
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COSTELLO (voice-over): That killing bacteria on vegetables with radiation. How effective is it and does it pose any health risks to you and your family? We're "Paging Dr. Sanjay Gupta" to find out. You're watching the most news in the morning.
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COSTELLO: In the wake of all the recent food poisoning scares, there's a new weapon to try and protect your food supply. The FDA approved it yesterday, but not everyone is pleased with it. Our chief medical correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta joins us now. And Sanjay, tell us what the FDA signed off on it and why so many people are kind of uncomfortable with it.
DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN CHIEF MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, it's irradiation. Irradiation of spinach, of lettuce, actually zapping the food to try and kill harmful bacteria. The FDA has signed off on it. And a lot of people aren't happy about it because it sounds a little sci-tech and a little futuristic. How safe it is. That's the concern.
But you know, Carol, as you mentioned, over the last decade, there had been at least 20 food outbreaks with some pretty harmful bacteria. We've reported on a lot of those. So this idea of irradiating food to try and prevent those food outbreaks has been something that's been out there for sometime. It's worth pointing out that it's already used for meat but it's designed to kill harmful bacteria, reduce spoilage. And again, it's been used for beef, it's been used for spices, and it can be used for food containers as well to try and make food a little bit safer.
Now, you know, again, this has been prompted by all these food outbreaks. This is not going to be a mandate that food out there has to be irradiated. But it's going to be an option. I've talked to a lot of people about this over the past several hours. The Grocery Manufacturers Association, for example, says they're not sure the public is ready for this. There's concerns about its safety, they say. There's concerns about whether or not it's actually going to taste any different.
We actually did our own taste test. We had one of our producers, Stan Wilson, go ahead and we gave them irradiated spinach and we gave them regular spinach as well and had him taste both. We had him do it, instead of me. I don't know why that happened but long story short. As he tasted both and he really notice no difference. It's obviously an anecdote of one but it seems to be emblematic of most people.
You really can't taste much of a difference here, Carol.
COSTELLO: And he's living to tell the tale.
GUPTA: You're watching right now.
COSTELLO: I have heard that when you irradiate spinach, some of the nutrients go away. I have heard that.
GUPTA: Yes, I mean, and I don't know if there's any proof of that. I think the larger concern right now, is it safe? And all the organizations, even the critical organizations, seem to say look there are safety studies out there. It does appear to be pretty safe. Some of the studies have been a little bit older than other studies. So that's been one concern. But enough of a badge right now that the FDA says you can have at it. It doesn't mean you're going to start seeing it on shelves anytime soon but this is going to be another option.
COSTELLO: All right. Thank you. Dr. Sanjay Gupta joining us this morning.
GUPTA: All right. Thanks.
COSTELLO: I think you should taste the irradiated spinach. And be sure to tune in this weekend for more of the week's medical headlines. "House Call with Dr. Sanjay Gupta" airs at 8:30 a.m. Eastern Saturday and Sundays.
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ROBERTS (voice-over): First look --
BOHRMAN: We're actually in the middle of the delegate floor. The CNN delegation is right here.
ROBERTS: The best political team on television shows you the stage where Barack Obama will accept.
And paying for the parties' parties.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The taxpayers are footing the bill for essentially four-day long campaign ads. $17 million times two. How did they get away with that? You are watching the most news in the morning. (END VIDEOTAPE)
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SEN. BARACK OBAMA (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I've made the selection and that's all you're going to get, all right?
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COSTELLO: Have you heard? In just three days, democrats head to their convention and facing a shrinking lead in the national polls, Barack Obama is actually aiming for a convention bounce. As John King reports, Obama isn't the first democrat trying to beat what's known as the August curse.
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JOHN KING, CNN CHIEF NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Barack Obama is about to take charge of a party with a mild case of the jitters.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: A lot of people look at a guy who was on "Harvard Law Review," taught at the University of Chicago and they wonder, is he going to be tough enough?
We will know in Denver. If he runs a convention like John Kerry did where we speak no ill about the party opposite, he'll lose just like John Kerry did. But if he gets up there in Denver and pick ups a 2 by 4 and starts hitting John McCain and George Bush over the head with it everyday, he's got a real chance to win this thing.
OBAMA: Let's go change the country.
KING: Democrats have every reason to be upbeat.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The democrats have all the advantages on the macro element - the direction of the country, the move towards the president, the sense of change.
KING: Yet veteran pollster Peter Hart says Obama is far from closing the sale.
HART: Voters are wading through who is more experienced, who's got the right set of qualities, who is going to be safe, and who is going to be able to deal as commander in chief?
KING: When democrats lose, they often speak of an August curse. 20 years ago, Michael Dukakis left his July convention up 17 points. But soon after, George H.W. Bush got what he liked to call his mojo. In the end, Dukakis won only ten states. Four years ago, John Kerry was up a little in the polls at the end of July. Down as many as ten points in one when August gave way to September.
This year, the numbers aren't as dramatic. The CNN poll of polls in mid-July gave Obama a six-point lead over John McCain. Now it's down to a two-point margin. While Obama excels at the big event, some democrats worry he's too professorial or too subdued in debate- style settings like last weekend's faith forum.
OBAMA: Now the one thing that I think is very important is for us to have some humility in how we approach the issue of confronting evil. Because, you know, a lot of evil has been perpetrated based on the claim that we were trying to confront evil.
KING: Pollster Hart says in many of the places where Obama needs to improve his standing, like in small town in rural America and among white suburban women, voters aren't sure how all his talk of change will specifically impact them.
HART: One thing Barack Obama has got to do is move from long paragraphs into simple sentences. Yes, we can is a phrase. Now there needs to be meat on the bones and simple sentences voters in rural areas and suburban areas can understand and say, that's my man.
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COSTELLO: CNN's John King reporting.
