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Democratic Friendly Fire Used by McCain; Obama Attacks McCain on Number of Houses; Congressman Talks About Energy Legislation; Former Olympians Celebrate 60 Years

Aired August 24, 2008 - 17:00   ET

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

SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Brianna, there's an awful lot of excitement, obviously, in anticipation of the convention. Now, behind us really is where the first three days are going to take place. They'll roll out their speakers, and then they're going to switch over to the Invesco Stadium, Mile High Stadium.
And we've just gotten a briefing from Obama campaign officials who explain that this is really going to be kind of an extraordinarily different type of convention, a different kind of event here. They say it's going to be a working convention. What they mean by this is essentially all of those people, and they say there are going to be tens of thousands of people that are going to line up, trying to get in to the final day, the final speaking day when Barack Obama speaks, they are going to be camped out outside and they are going to take advantage of all those folks that are out there and say they are going to put them to work, essentially.

They say they are going to have people who are out there working the lines, training these folks to use their phones, their text messaging, to actually text message, to get out the vote, essentially, to support Barack Obama, to register to vote. This is the way they say they won the caucuses. This is how they get the addresses, the e-mails, the phone numbers.

So, this is really what one convention campaign official put it, she said, 76,000 swing state, Rocky Mountain State voters are going to turn into a grassroots army, she said, that would make Karl Rove cry. So, they say Karl Rove has done a great job when in comes to grassroots organizations, organizing, that is the same kind of thing that they're going to be doing. They're going to put all of those folks to work -- Brianna.

BRIANNA KEILAR, CNN ANCHOR: And, Suzanne, tell us about these logistical changes, some changes that have been made now that we know Joe Biden is Barack Obama's number two.

MALVEAUX: That's probably the most interesting thing that happened today, actually at the convention when it took place. It was earlier in the in the afternoon, and basically what happened was Delaware, which was part of the delegation that Joe Biden represents, his home state, was in those nosebleed seats, it was way up in the back there.

Well, they moved the Delaware delegation front and center, up close to the stage, made some room for them, put Florida back just a little bit and then the state of Idaho was the one that got the switch and has the nosebleed seats now. It's a small group of electoral votes and delegates, likely, obviously, to go Republican for the general election.

So they made that switch. It is really about tradition here, about giving a nod to the vice presidential candidate and just a little bit of the drama perhaps before some of the major speakers and the major events that take place in the next couple of days -- Brianna.

KEILAR: Yes, but poor Idaho, Suzanne, poor Idaho. All right, Suzanne Malveaux for us in Denver.

MALVEAUX: Somebody had to get moved.

KEILAR: I know, I know. All right, Suzanne, thanks so much.

You know, it's the Democrat's worst nightmare, alienated Hillary Clinton backers refusing to support Obama and deny him the election.

CNN's Bill Schneider also is in Denver to tell us about what's happening on that front, Bill?

BILL SCHNEIDER, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL ANALYST: Joe Biden's on the ticket. Now, how do the Hillary Clinton supporters feel about that?

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SCHNEIDER (voice-over): Remember the "dream ticket"?

SEN. BARACK OBAMA, (D-IL) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I'm sure Hillary would be on anybody's short list. So...

WOLF BLITZER, DEBATE MODERATOR/CNN ANCHOR: All right, what about to Senator Clinton, what do you think about a Clinton/Obama, Obama/Clinton ticket?

SEN. HILLARY CLINTON, (D) NEW YORK: Well, I have to agree with everything Barack just said.

SCHNEIDER: That dream is over. Now, the Democratic Party has to pull together. Will Barack Obama's choice of Joe Biden as his running mate make that easier or harder? Just over half of Hillary Clinton's supporters in the primaries now say they intend to vote for Obama. About one in five say they will vote for McCain, and over a quarter are undecided or may vote for someone else. Neither Clinton nor her supporters seem to have a problem with Joe Biden.

HILARY ROSEN, CNN POLITICAL ANALYST: I think for Hillary Clinton supporters, they see somebody who's up here. They see somebody who has a similar amount of experience.

CARL BERNSTEIN, CNN POLITICAL ANALYST: My guess is she thinks that next to herself, Biden's probably the best choice.

SCHNEIDER: Clinton supporters are not complaining about the choice, but some are complaining about the process. PAUL BEGALA, CNN POLITICAL CONTRIBUTOR: I think there are a lot of Hillary voters who are going to say, "Hey, wait a minute, you said you were going to put her on the short list. You know, you didn't even vet her, you didn't call her, you didn't seek her advice?"

SCHNEIDER: Don't expect Clinton to express any resentment.

ROSEN: I think everybody wants to be asked, but I don't think that she's dwelling on it and I don't think she has dwelled on it. I think she's moving on.

SCHNEIDER: She and her husband are likely to be good soldiers and try to influence their supporters to be the same, because there's a larger principle at stake beyond personal ambition. There is a legacy.

BERNSTEIN: One of the things the Clintons have always been about and the Clinton presidency was about is stopping the march of the Republican right. Never forget that.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SCHNEIDER: Now, guess who is fomenting trouble between the Clinton supporters and the Obama supporters? The McCain campaign released an ad that features Hillary Clinton. The narrator says, she won millions of votes, but she's not on the ticket. Why? For speaking the truth. Then it has clips of Clinton criticizing Obama. When was the ad released? This morning at 3:00 a.m. -- Brianna.

KEILAR: Wow, quick turnaround there, Bill. We apologize, because we had some poll numbers over you, it was blocking our view of your hat. So I want to apologize to you for that. But, let me ask you, Bill, what strategy could be used here to unify Democrats?

SCHNEIDER: Talk about things they agree on, that's the best strategy. One thing they agree on is, get the Bush administration and all its supporters out of office. So, if they spend some time talking about what President Bush has done to our country, they can all agree on that and that would really unify the party.

KEILAR: All right, our senior political analyst, Bill Schneider. And, Bill, tip your hat to us this time, we missed it last time.

SCHNEIDER: Of course.

(LAUGHTER)

KEILAR: All right. Thanks, Bill. We'll be seeing you later.

Well, you know, John McCain has taken a day off from campaigning, but in an interview, we had some kind words from his opponent's running mate.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP, "FACE THE NATION" FROM CBS)

SEN. JOHN MCCAIN, (R-AZ) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Well, I think he's a good selection. Joe and I have been friends for many, many years and we know each other very well. And so I think he's probably made a very wise selection. I know that Joe will campaign well for Senator Obama. And so I think he's going to be very formidable. Obviously, Joe and I have been on different philosophical sides, but we have been, I consider him a good friend and a good man.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KEILAR: Well, as for the public's view of Biden, an early impression is in. This is a "USA Today"/Gallup Poll -- pardon me, a "USA Today"/Gallup Poll conducted, and this was done after Biden was named -- after he was named, pardon me, folks, I'm getting confused here.

But, anyway, this poll finds that about half of those questioned had not heard of the veteran senator from Delaware, then 34 percent expressed a favorable view, more than twice the percentage of those who view Biden unfavorably. And nearly 3/4 said that Biden's presence on the ticket is not going to affect their vote at all; 14 percent said they're now more likely to vote for Obama; 7 percent said they're less likely, and 7 percent said they don't know yet if Biden will sway them either way.

Well, Michelle Obama is giving Biden a thumb's up. She arrived in Denver today with the Obama's two girls and she tells "People" magazine, when she heard her husband's running mate pick, she snapped her fingers in approval and said, "That's the right choice."

The Democratic convention starts in one day, just one day, but you don't have to wait until tomorrow for your dose of politics. Tonight at 8:00 Eastern, get a preview of all the convention action live from the convention floor in Denver. You can join Wolf Blitzer and the best political team on television right there for a "CNN Convention Kickoff." That is tonight at 8:00 Eastern.

Tropical storm Fay has finally been downgraded, but not before causing some major flooding in the southeast -- Jacqui.

JACQUI JERAS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Yes, that's right. Fay, by no means, over and done with. We have additional flood problems that are just beginning for people in the southeast and we have a tornado warning right now in effect for parts of Alabama. We'll have all the details coming up in your forecast in just a minute.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KEILAR: Dozens of people are dead in a jet crash in Kyrgyzstan. A Boeing 757 went down about six miles from the airport in the capital of Bishkek. It was headed for Iran. There are conflicting reports about the death toll, but according to the latest government information, at least 65 people were killed. The crew had reported a technical problem just after takeoff, but the cause of the crash isn't yet known. The U.S. military sent emergency personnel from a nearby base to help with the response.

Eight climbers are missing after an avalanche swept down a mountain in the French Alps. A huge block of falling ice triggered the slide on Mont Blanc. Eight other climbers were hurt. The search for the missing climbers had to be suspended today due to rising temperatures. Rescuers feared they could trigger another avalanche.

The United States is now a visible presence in Georgia. A navy ship carrying humanitarian aid has anchored at the Georgian port of Batumi. This is the first of three American ships scheduled to arrive this week. The aid includes food, water, and diaper will be handed out to tens of thousands of Georgians. Many left homeless by the fighting between Russian and Georgian troops.

In a Georgian city to the west, thick, black smoke and flames pour out of this fuel train today. Georgian officials say the train exploded. Initially, they suspected it hit a Russian mine planted on the tracks, but the "Associated Press" says officials are now backing off of that claim pending an investigation.

Tropical storm Fay has been downgraded to a depression this weekend, but not before record flooding and 11 storm-related deaths in Florida. There was also a reported drowning yesterday in South Georgia. Much of the southeast still getting drenched today and the CNN severe weather team is deployed and ready.

The science and jaw-dropping statistics of the storm in a moment, but first, let's check in with CNN's Susan Candiotti. She's in Melbourne. She's been covering a number of people who are hit so hard by this storm -- Susan.

All right, unfortunately, I think that we have lost Susan Candiotti IFB connection, so she can't hear exactly what we're trying to check in with her about. But let's go now to the severe weather center here in Atlanta, where Jacqui Jeras is standing by to tell us more about where Fay is headed next.

JERAS: Nowheresville (ph) actually. Unfortunately, Fay's not moving. It's stalled out. Basically, it just drifting right here, just to the southeast of Jackson, Mississippi. You know, we might see a little bit of drifting down toward the south and to the west, but that's about it. We're talking 12 to 24 hours likely before we start to see Fay move again. And we're expecting it to pick up then, up towards the north and the east and make its way across to Mississippi, Alabama, and then head up through the Appalachians and then eventually get on out of here.

But we've got, maybe, a good week that we're still going to be dealing with Fay. And we hate it when we see stalling, especially when we've got so much moisture in place because, I mean, the flooding already has been so devastating in Florida. Well, unfortunately, we are very likely going to see some devastating flooding here across parts of the Deep South.

Now, the worst of the conditions today, while the center's over here, it's going to be over here. And a lot of that has to do with the wind circulation, right? So we're bringing in winds from the south to southeast. It's tapping into the Gulf of Mexico, bringing in all that moisture. We've got some breaks in the clouds in the southeast, so that brings in instability and helps bring in that threat of tornados.

So, we've got a reported tornado on the ground now southeast of Fayette, Alabama. This is moving up north towards the northwest. So, if you live in Belk, Bluff or Beaverton, you need to be seeking shelter right now. The rainfall totals, a good three to six inches on top of what you already have across the southeast.

So, flooding will be the major concern and these are just boggling totals, Brianna. Look at that -- 27.5 inches in Thomasville, Georgia. I mean, we're talking feet of rain for many people and it's going to take a long time to clean up from that.

KEILAR: OK. But folks near southeast of Fayette, Louisiana, need to sort of take cover because of that reported tornado, Jacqui, right?

JERAS: Absolutely, yes.

KEILAR: OK. All right, thanks, Jacqui Jeras. And as Jacqui just mentioned, 19.26 inches of rain in Melbourne, Florida. That is where -- let's go back now to Susan Candiotti, that's where she is. And she has been talking with a lot of folks who have just been devastated by this -- Susan.

SUSAN CANDIOTTI, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Brianna, Fay's flooding has been especially traumatic for senior citizens, many of whom live in parts of Melbourne, including this development behind me called "Lamplighter Village." Many of these people bought retirement homes and did not have money left over to buy homeowner's or flood insurance. So for them, Fay has spelled disaster.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It's so beautiful and so peaceful. We feel very blessed.

CANDIOTTI (voice-over): Teresa and Conrad Bissen (ph) in their 80s, married nearly 63 years, love living in their modest prefab home on a lake. Then Fay hit last week and the lake water rose to saturate their floor from below.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: This has a double floor on it.

CANDIOTTI (on camera): All right. So we'll walk on the right side, here and feel the floor go up and down.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Oh, yes, that there is no good.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I have an angel tree and all my things fell down. The dining room, the table is certainly off kilter.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This area is really bad.

CANDIOTTI: Now, they don't know what to do. In every room, the floor is close to sinking.

(on camera): If you step off side this wooden plank, you can really see how soft the floor is. And of course, very dangerous to walk on.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: And our TV room and our computer room. CANDIOTTI: And again, how are the floors in here?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The floors are all gone in here, too.

CANDIOTTI: Last week, their community watched in disbelief when the lake started rising. Many neighbors had to be rescued from their flooded homes.

(on camera): What was going through your mind?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: My husband was in denial. He said, "It won't come much more, it won't come much more," but it did.

CANDIOTTI: The worst of it is the Bissens (ph) have no insurance. Their old company pulled off stakes in Florida and now the Bissens (ph) cannot afford another policy. Many of their neighbors, including Frank Cassera (ph) are in the same boat or worse. He takes care of his disabled wife and hoped he wouldn't need insurance.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Destroyed, absolutely destroyed. Without FEMA's help, I have no idea with I'm going to do.

CANDIOTTI: FEMA is their best chance for help. Starting over won't be easy and they still won't be able to afford insurance. The Bissens have a small nest egg and this might drain it.

(on camera): What do you think will happen next?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Who knows? God is in charge. God is in charge. I'm not in charge.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CANDIOTTI: Of course, the Red Cross and the Florida National Guard has been giving some temporary help, but for now, FEMA seems the best way out for these people to try to get them back on their feet, many of whom want to stay here, and they also want to get through the rest of the hurricane season safely -- Brianna.

KEILAR: Yes, they sure do. Susan Candiotti for us in Melbourne, Florida, thanks for that.

You know, you can find almost anything at the mall. Yes, even thousands of dollars worth of marijuana plants. Of course, whoever was growing these wasn't actually keeping mall hours.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KEILAR: A relationship in a virtual world spills over into real life. This woman is behind bars in Maryland. Thirty-three-year-old Kimberly Jernigan charged with trying to kidnap her ex-boyfriend in the Web community "Second Life." He broke off the relationship after he met her in person. And that is when police say she broke into his apartment, intent on kidnapping him, and starting a new life together somewhere, quote, "out west."

Well, the pot at one Miami mall, nowhere near the kitchen section. More than 200 marijuana plants were found growing in a storage area.

Here's Shomari Stone with our affiliate, WFOR.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE, WFOR)

SHOMARI STONE, WFOR CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Shoppers at Mall of the Americas are in disbelief.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Weird. I don't know, really weird. I can't believe it.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I can't believe that.

STONE: Take a look for yourself. DEA agents found a hydroponics lab with more than 200 marijuana plants standing three to six feet tall in the air. The pot worth millions of dollars was found in a storage area on the second floor of the mall.

JEAN BECKERS, SHOPPER: It's awesome, it's incredible. How can it be that nobody finds out before?

STONE: Authorities say the electricity that powered the lab was diverted from the mall's main power supply. The DEA says the flimsy wiring is a fire hazard and could cause this room to explode at any minute. Fonsy Martinez worries about his son.

FONSY MARTINEZ, SHOPPER: That's why, actually (ph), I don't want my kids around that. I don't want nothing like, you know, well, that's a first.

STONE: Drug agents say it's a first time for them also. They won't tell us how they found the grow house, only to say the investigation is ongoing.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That's bad. I can't believe it. I can't believe it.

STONE (on camera): The DEA seized the marijuana for evidence. They haven't made any arrests. The investigation is ongoing. They tell us officials with Mall of the Americas are cooperating with the investigation.

In Miami, I'm Shomari Stone for CNN.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KEILAR: A day after Joe Biden was named Barack Obama's running mate, the GOP asks: Why not Hillary?

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP, MCCAIN CAMPAIGN AD)

NARRATOR: She won millions of votes, but isn't on his ticket. Why? For speaking the truth.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KEILAR: The ad wars are heating up. We'll have that story in a moment.

But first, don't let the weak dollar ruin your dream vacation. Melissa Long takes a looks how you can stay "On the Go" for less.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MELISSA LONG, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Americans are choosing less traditional vacation spots to get more bang for their buck.

BEN MUTZABAUGH, USATODAY.COM: High among the list for a couple years now has been Argentina. You can go out and eat at the country's best restaurants and even with a bottle of wine, your tab is still unlikely to run over $30 to $35 a person.

LONG: Other destinations include India, China, Thailand, and most of Central America. But if you have your heart set on Europe, you can still find deals.

MUTZABAUGH: Traveling to the countryside in Europe tends to be less expensive than spending your whole trip in a big city like London, Paris, or Berlin.

LONG: Another money-saving trick is grocery shopping.

MUTZABAUGH: Make your lunches, eat in your hotel room. That can really bring your cost of lunch time (ph) and you can save your money for other, of course, that attracts you (ph).

LONG: It's vacationing outside the box.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KEILAR: The Democratic National Convention is just one day away now, and tens of thousands of people will crowd into the convention center in Denver. We're talking delegates, party leaders, and a whole lot of journalists. But one group made an early appearance -- protesters.

Let's go live now to Denver and CNN's Joe Johns.

Joe, tell us about this gathering.

JOE JOHNS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Brianna. Well, we've been watching security for some time. And I have to tell you, the authorities have sort of an interesting situation here. They put up this perimeter around the area, they're going to have to sort of react when they find out what the situation is.

Some people are saying there are going to be tens of thousands of protesters. Some other people are saying, "Well, if you get 10,000, that will be a lot." We had one example right outside the CNN grill earlier today. This is right at the place where a lot of media people, as well as a lot of people who work on the convention complex actually have to come through and clear security. A bunch of protesters showed up. We're told that march, protest, what have you, was expected, it was permitted. No big surprises for the authorities or the Secret Service, but at the same time, they ended up having to close down that one location where people come through and the pictures you're looking at now essentially, it's very hard to tell whether those people standing on the sidelines or in the crowd are actually people just trying to get into the convention center area or whether they're actually protesters.

So it becomes kind of complex and it's going to get more so as we move toward the very beginning of this convention. By the way, there was another march, protest, what have you, in Washington -- I'm sorry, here in Denver. It was also pretty much permitted as well. That was by this group called "Recreate '68," which essentially is a group that wants to recreate the spirit of the '60s. They didn't do anything but protest, had some speeches including one by Cindy Sheehan and went merrily on their way.

So, we're watching all of this. A lot of people, of course, very concerned that things be safe here, because there are two different venues you have to deal with -- one, the Pepsi Center right behind me here, another at Invesco Field, which is just across the way. A lot of things to think about in the next week -- back to you.

KEILAR: At conventions -- protesters are as sure to show up as the delegates.

Joe Johns for us there in Denver.

JOHNS: You there? Hey.

KEILAR: Having some IFB issues, obviously. We're getting that fixed.

The Obama campaign is turning up the heat on John McCain. In fact, at a cookout today in Wisconsin, Obama grilled his opponent. Obama claimed John McCain is out of touch. Obama said his proposed tax cuts would benefit 95 percent of Americans.

John McCain taking the day off from campaigning today. He attended church in Phoenix. And in an interview, he had some Kind words for Barrack Obama's choice of running mate. McCain saying he's been friends With Joe Biden for many years and he says Biden will be an effective campaigner and a formidable opponent.

You know, McCain's campaign team, though, isn't quite being as charitable as that. Today they unleashed a new attack ad using Hillary Clinton's words to slam Barack Obama.

Josh Levs is here to talk about what you would call some Democratic friendly fire.

It's a good way to put it.

JOSH LEVS, CNN NEWS CORRESPONDENT: It is a good way to put it. They're grabbing the friendly fire and they're using it from the other side now. This is the kind of thing that happens all the time in campaigns. It has a unique nature this year because of the historic nature of the campaign and because the Democratic race was so historically, incredibly close.

Let's start off with a clip from this new attack ad.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

AD NARRATOR: On his plans...

SEN. HILLARY CLINTON, (D), NEW YORK: You never hear the specifics.

AD NARRATOR: On the Rezko scandal...

CLINTON: We still donate have a lot of answers about Senator Obama.

AD NARRATOR: On his attacks...

CLINTON: Senator Obama's campaign has become increasingly negative.

AD NARRATOR: The truth hurt and Obama didn't like it.

SEN. JOHN MCCAIN, (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I'm John McCain and I Approved this message.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEVS: So this ad is saying that's why he didn't choose Hillary Clinton to be his vice president because he was upset over that.

She put out a statement. Let's take a look at that. This is her response. This is from her office. Let's go to the graphic. "Hillary Clinton's support of Barack Obama is clear. She said repeatedly that Barack Obama and she share a commitment to changing the direction of the country. There you go. Getting us out of Iraq and expanding access to health care, John McCain doesn't. It's interesting how those remarks didn't make it into his ad."

There you go. That is what's going on now. Pretty much you're seeing two birds with one stone. They've got them reminding everybody of the attacks against Obama among some Democrats and reaching out to these disaffected Hillary Clinton supporters. And as we know, those are some of the key demographics that McCain wants to win in order to ultimately win this thing.

KEILAR: But you know this is what happens, especially when we saw a race like between Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton. Even when we saw them really taking these shots at each other in the final days of the race, the final weeks of the race, you were saying, OK, who's going to be using that against who? Because somebody's going to be using it as a campaign ad.

LEVS: And who will be using it in a week when McCain has announced who his V.P. pick is. If he were to choose Romney, there's no much tape of Romney and McCain attacking each other. We could see the same thing on that side. We don't know who he'll choose, but there's quite possible there's some negative stuff out there. KEILAR: But John McCain the Front-runner much more quickly than Barack Obama. Maybe he lucks out. I don't know. I guess we'll see.

LEVS: It's totally possible.

KEILAR: All right, Josh Levs, thank you so much.

LEVS: Thanks a lot.

KEILAR: So John McCain is trying to put recent comments about his real estate holdings into perspective. You may remember, he couldn't immediately recall how many homes he owns. Today in an interview, McCain added up his houses, saying that He and his wife are products of the American dream.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MCCAIN: Let me say that I am grateful for the fact that I have a wonderful life. I spent some years without a kitchen table, without a chair, and I know what it's like to be blessed by the opportunities of this great nation.

Cindy's father, barely finished high school, went off and distinguished himself in World War II in a B-17 and he came back with practically nothing and realized the American dream. And I am proud and grateful for that. And I think he is a role model to many young Americans who Serve in the military and come back and succeed.

So the fact is that we have homes and I'm grateful for it. We spend our time primarily in Washington, D.C., where I have a condominium in Crystal City. Here in this beautiful, I'm blessed every moment I can spend here; a condominium in Phoenix, Arizona, and a place over in San Diego. The others are also for investment purposes. So all I can say is, I am blessed to have the opportunity to continue to be part of a country where you can succeed and do well.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KEILAR: Of course, the democratic convention just hours away now. Going to take place right there in Denver.

CNN's senior political analyst, Gloria Borger, joining me now live from Denver to talk about what's going on.

Gloria, let's first talk about what we just heard from that interview with John McCain. As you know, of course, this all started when John McCain couldn't recall how many homes he has. We heard Joe Biden at the rally yesterday really take a shot, saying, when most Americans are sitting around their kitchen table worrying about their finances, et cetera, John McCain, which kitchen table, he can't even remember. And John McCain saying, he spent some years without a kitchen table, referring to when he was a POW. And if I understand right, the Obama campaign taking a shot at his age. This is getting really personal.

GLORIA BORGER, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL ANALYST: Yeah, it's getting really personal. It's going to continue to get personal. I mean, the Obama campaign is trying to use it to drive home a message about John McCain, which is that if you have a number of houses, you can't remember how many you have, how can you possibly care or understand the problems of folks in the middle class?

Obama's problem is that lots of Americans don't believe that he understands or shares his values, somewhere around four in ten. So what he's trying to do is say, I'm more in a position to understand and share your values because I feel your pain economically, like most Americans.

KEILAR: Let's talk a little bit about the Clinton factor, in particular, this McCain ad has come out using what we just heard Josh Levs describe as Democratic friendly fire against Barack Obama, using Hillary Clinton's words in the primary battle against Obama. How big of a problem is this for the Obama campaign?

BORGER: You know, look, at this point, obviously, there's a fight going on between some Clinton loyalists. And I would add, mostly people who were Bill Clinton loyalists, more so than Hillary Clinton loyalists, in fact. The Obama campaign has integrated some Hillary Clinton folks into their campaign. However, the issue that the Clinton people are talking about Is this. Not that they expected Hillary Clinton to become vice president, she did tell the Obama campaign that she did not want to be vetted seriously unless she was at the top of their list, but that Obama could have picked up the phone and called Hillary to consult with her about vice presidents, could have done the same with Bill Clinton, for example. So it's really more of a sort of graciousness that they say they weren't paid.

In the end, Hillary Clinton's going to give a great speech at the convention. Bill Clinton's going to give a great speech at the convention and the Obama people believe that they will pick up much of the support of the Clinton Folks. Also, the Clinton folks like the choice of Joe Biden.

KEILAR: Let's talk a little bit about Joe Biden. A lot of hubbabaloo (ph) around the fact that Obama picked him over Hillary Clinton. There's a poll out that says roughly a quarter of the people polled say they don't know who Biden is and more than a quarter of the people polled don't have an opinion of him. Is that a problem or just kind of expected when a candidate picks a running mate?

BORGER: It interesting, because Joe Biden has been a very visible Politician in Washington for the past 36 years and I think what he needs to do, and he started to do the other day, is reintroduce himself to the American people. And to let the American people know how he balances out this Barack Obama ticket. And I don't think it's a problem, because, you know, given 24/7 cable, YouTube, everything else, you kind of catapult into the American consciousness these days in a nanosecond. So people will know Joe Biden pretty quickly. What they're going to think of him is another matter.

And the Obama campaign wants People to see somebody who's from working class roots, who's not a wealthy guy, who's been a public servant his entire life, who has a life story to tell, who is Catholic, to help them with those all-important swing voters in battleground states, those Catholic voters.

KEILAR: All right. We'll get a sense, of course, in the coming weeks if voters do see him as the Obama campaign wants to present him.

OK, Gloria Borger, our senior political analyst in Denver. Thanks so much for joining us.

BORGIA: Sure.

KEILAR: Tonight at 8:00, you can get a preview of all the convention action live from Denver. Join Wolf Blitzer and the best political team on television for A CNN convention kickoff. That is tonight right here at 8:00 eastern.

When Congress left for break, you know they left a lot of unfinished business. And that is something they may have to deal wont campaign trail.

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KEILAR: Well, this programming note. Next month, CNN brings you "The Next President: A World of Challenges." It's a special look at what our next commander in chief will face. Our distinguished panel includes Madeleine Albright, Warren Christopher, Colin Powell, and Henry Kissinger, all former secretaries of state. And this is your chance to ask them a question about foreign policy and the country's role in the world. If you want to send in your video questions, log onto ireport.com/worldofchallenges or you can email a question as well to worldofchallenges@CNN.com.

When members of Congress headed home for august recess, they left behind a whole lot of unfinished business and at the top of that list, energy legislation.

CNN's Kate Bolduan checks the feedback one congressman is getting from folks back home.

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REP. JOE SESTAK (D), PENNSYLVANIA: You're on a fixed income, I'll tell you, $200 is a lot.

KATE BOLDUAN, CNN NEWS CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Democratic Congressman Joe Sestak says there's been no break from the energy crises this recess.

SESTAK: During the election, I heard all the time, they wanted the tone to change. I now hear, it's, can't you do something?

BOLDUAN: Sestak's office says they've been flooded with complaints and suggestions on the energy crisis. At least 2,500 calls and letters since March. Energy was definitely on the top of constituents' minds in this Florida suburb last week.

CHARLES HAUM, VOTER: I really think there's something in that oil speculation thing and I hope you can do something and get Republicans to agree on.

BOLDUAN: And nearly 100 people packed an energy town hall Sestak hosted.

DAVID LIPSON, VOTER: Nancy Pelosi doesn't want to drill offshore. We understand that, but no one's said why.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Why there is this pressure for more drilling.

SESTAK: I think it's the question here, how do you balance keeping oil prices decent?

BOLDUAN: Offshore drilling, wind, and nuclear power among the options voters brought up. But no matter their stance, they all demanded answers.

(on camera): You do accept some responsibility being in the majority?

SESTAK: I do. Do I? Absolutely. I put as much blame if not more on the Democratic Party because we're the majority party. We're the ones that can sit down and eventually compromise.

BOLDUAN (voice-over): Sestak says he's open to a compromise, but like many democrats remains skeptical of expanded domestic drilling. Something his Republican opponent Craig Williams is hoping to capitalize on. Williams recently visited part of Alaska banned from drilling.

Many other Republicans are also trying to use the issue to their advantage.

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AD NARRATOR: Feeling the pinch at the pump? Everyone is. Everyone, it seems, but Congress.

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BOLDUAN: And dozens of house republicans continue to mount a protest in Washington, calling for a vote on drilling.

REP. JOHN BOEHNER, (R), MINORITY LEADER: Put up or shut up. Make sure that you're saying the same thing at home that you're saying here in Washington, D.C.

BOLDUAN (on camera): There are compromise bills at work in the House and Senate, but the congressman isn't confident they can get anything done until Congress returns.

Kate Baldwin, CNN, Washington.

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KEILAR: It's one day until the Democratic Convention. And tonight at 8:00 eastern, you can get a preview of all of the convention action live from the floor there in Denver. Join Wolf Blitzer and the best political team on television for a CNN convention kickoff. Check that out at 8:00 p.m. eastern tonight.

The countdown to the 2012 London Olympics, now officially under way, but not everything's wrapped up in Beijing.

A look at the pageantry and personality of these summer games and some potential changes in the final medal count.

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KEILAR: Beijing takes a bow. From the glory and the heartbreak to the successes and the scandals, the 2008 Olympic Games are history. The torch has now officially passed to London, which is the host city for the 2012 summer games. And construction there has already begun on the Olympic stadium. It's actually designed so that it can be converted into a more practical smaller venue after the games.

So which nation can claim victory in the Olympic medal count? Well, it depends on how you look at it. The U.S. finished first overall with a total of 110, but China won the most gold medals, 51 gold medals. Russia rounding out the top three with 73. The USA basketball team helped add to the U.S.'s medal count. Living up to their nickname the redeemed team, they brought back men's hoops gold, defeating Spain 118-107.

As you know, the 2008 games not without its scandals, questions still persisting about the ages of China's gymnastics team. Beijing is asked to provide more proof that five of the girls on the team are at least 16. That's the minimum age, five out of the six girls. China insists none of the girls is under age. They're just naturally smaller than many of their rivals.

With the 2008 Olympic Games now in the books, there's one story here at CNN we cannot let go unreported, and that is the reunion of the 1948 U.S. Olympic team. They include medal winner Mal Whitfield, the father of our very own Frederica Whitfield. She and her video camera caught some golden moments you will only see here.

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FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN NEWS ANCHOR: Bye-bye Atlanta. Hello, Beijing. Finally, arriving in this sprawling, tree-lined city of tall buildings, my dad, marvelous Mal Whitfield, here to celebrate 60 years since his first medals, along with other Olympians.

Dad, what a way to celebrate 60 years, huh? How does it feel?

This is really just the beginning. What's about to happen here is perhaps more extraordinary and dependently more beautiful than this extraordinary place. This is Prince Yung Palace, in the center of Beijing, built in the 1800s for the Ching Dynasty. Tonight, it's reunion center.

Harrison Dillard, sprinter, hurdler. Ah.

Herb Douglas, long jumper.

When was the last time you were all together?

Stanley Lee and his wife, hello!

FORMER U.S. OLYMPIAN: I'm 88.

FORMER U.S. OLYMPIAN: I'm 86.

FORMER U.S. OLYMPIAN: I'll be 85.

FORMER U.S. OLYMPIAN: You guys are spring chickens.

FORMER U.S. OLYMPIAN: These are babies.

WHITFIELD: Mr. Dillard, why do you suppose you guys have that particular special bond?

HARRISON DILLARD, FORMER U.S. OLYMPIAN: I don't know. It's not only that we liked each other, but I think we had sort of a common cause back at that particular time. We were all trying to prove something.

HERB DOUGLAS, FORMER U.S. OLYMPIAN: Well, you take these old men here, when we were born 50-some years before we were born, slavery had just ended. And now this had is our 60th anniversary. So that puts everything in perspective. We've seen the good, the bad, and the ugly.

WHITFIELD: Does it feel like 60 years, Dr. Lee?

SAMMY LEE, FORMER U.S. OLYMPIAN: Yeah.

DICK FOSBURY, CHAMPION OLUMPIC HIGH JUMPER: Their contributions that they've made are really meaningful to me, and that's why they're models.

WHITFIELD: Did you have any thoughts about what this would feel like and then now that you're here, does it meet those expectations?

DOUGLAS: You never could dream this.

DILLARD: Unbelievable.

WHITFIELD: And Edwin Moses. What do you think of your Olympic days?

How often do you think about it?

EDWIN MOSES, FORMER U.S. OLYMPIAN: This time of year you think about it. Generally, you wake up in the morning and never think about it.

MAL WHITFIELD, FORMER U.S. OLYMPIAN: I'm fine with my group. I'm not home sick.

UNIDENTIFIEDMALE: I'm so happy to drink a toast to their health and continued great lives. See you in the next games. Cheers to everyone.

CROWD: Cheers. LEE: A wonderful afternoon with my comrades.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KEILAR: From Michael Phelps' gold to the (Inaudible)'s world record runs, it's been a thrilling 16 days in Beijing. Here's a look at the highlights.

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LARRY SMITH, CNN NEWS CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The 29th Olympiad began like many things in this vast country, with grand expectations put forth by an overwhelming number of people. It didn't take long for those expectations to be exceeded or for the numbers to become staggering.

Fire lit up the sky the first night of these games but it was water that dominated the opening week. A wondrous marvelous blue on the outside, the water cube was home to a true force of nature. Michael Phelps had a record-breaking performance for the ages, more impressive than the Forbidden City, more imposing than the great wall itself.

MICHAEL PHELPS, U.S. OLYMPIC SWIMMER: Coming into here, I thought anything was possible. It's just fun for me to have people say it's not possible and be able to come out and do it. It makes it ten times better.

SMITH (on camera): Nestled just behind the curious cube, the birds nest was struck by lightning three times by Jamaica's (inaudible) Volts (ph) lightening bolt. He electrified the night with three world record performances, introducing himself as the greatest star not named Phelps.

(?) VOLTS (ph), JAMICAN OLYMPIC ATHELTE: I'm the greatest. My personality, that's all I am. It's great to come here and put on a great show for myself and my family and the country.

SMITH: And if Phelps and Volts (ph) provided the jolt. It was the gymnasts who showed that grace also has a place. The host nation saw its greatest wishes granted with nine gymnastics golds, a part of the games' high 51 golds, which left the country proud, but the world questioning the age of China's gymnasts.

The only question about Nastia Liukin's five medals was whether hers was the greatest performance by a U.S. gymnast ever of.

NASTIA LIUKIN, U.S. OLYMPIC GYMNIST: Sitting here today I can say that I gave my all and walking away with five medals is more than I would ever have dreamed of.

SMITH: Finally, the games ended Sunday with redemption. Team USA proved once again it was the best basketball squad on the planet. Just as these Olympics helped China proves itself, too. Worthy hosts of the flame, the games, and the expectations of billions.

Larry Smith CNN, Beijing.

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KEILAR: Some breaking news here into the CNN NEWSROOM out of Denver. We're learning from CNN's Jessica Yellin, from a Democratic Party official, that Senator Hillary Clinton will be releasing her delegates on Wednesday, the third day of the Democratic National Convention. We'll have more on the significance of this with Rick Sanchez at the top of the hour.

I'm Brianna Keeler, in for Fredricka Whitfield. The next hour of the "CNN NEWSROOM" starts right after this short break.

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