Return to Transcripts main page
American Morning
More Talk About the DNC; McCain to Announce His Running Mate Today; Tropical Storm Gustav Strengthens and Heads Toward the Gulf Coast
Aired August 29, 2008 - 05:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KIRAN CHETRY, CNN ANCHOR (voice-over): History...
SEN. BARACK OBAMA, (D-IL) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I accept your nomination for presidency of the United States.
(APPLAUSE)
CHETRY: Barack Obama tells 85,000 people he's ready to beat John McCain.
OBAMA: On November 4th, we must stand up and say, "Eight is enough."
CHETRY: And breaking news: John McCain's V.P. pick could come out any minute, who won't be at the rally today. Live from Mile High, is "The Most Politics in the Morning."
JOHN ROBERTS, CNN ANCHOR: And good morning to you. It is Friday. It's the 29 of August. It's John Roberts. We are out in the parking lot of INVESCO Field at Mile High.
The scene morning is quite a bit different than it was just a few hours ago. They're tearing down the stage inside, folding up all of those chairs.
Senator Obama will be leaving Denver about 9:00 o'clock this morning. His first event will be in Pennsylvania -- Beaver, Pennsylvania at 7:30 this evening.
And, of course, between now and then, we're expecting that all- important announcement from Senator John McCain as to his running mate is going to be.
Ahead this hour, we have a ticket. Barack Obama accepts the Democratic nomination and could become the first African-American president of the United States. We're going to get context and perspective on his speech.
Also ahead, the V.P. buzz surrounding John McCain. We're going to know in just a few short hours who that person will be. Those stories and more -- straight ahead.
But first, let's take a look at what happened last evening. Eight-four thousand people witnessed the defining moment in country's history last night. But Barack Obama did not take much time to soak it all in. He challenged Senator John McCain and laid out the issues that will decide this election two months from now.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
OBAMA: I don't believe that Senator McCain doesn't care what's going on in the lives of Americans, I just think he doesn't know.
Why else would he define middle-class as someone making under $5 millions a year? How else could he propose hundreds of billions in tax breaks for big corporations and oil companies but not one penny of tax relief to more than 100 million of Americans? How else could he offer a health care plan that would actually tax people's benefits, or an education plans that would do nothing to help families pay for college, or a plan that would privatize Social Security and gamble your retirement?
It's not because John McCain doesn't care, it's because John McCain doesn't get. For over two decades -- for over two decades he subscribed to that old discredited Republican philosophy -- give more and more to those with the most and hope that prosperity trickles down to everyone else. In Washington, they call this the "ownership society." But what it really means is that -- you're on your own.
Out of work? Tough luck. You're on your own. No health care? The market will fix it. You're on your own. Born into poverty? Pull yourself up by your own bootstraps -- even if you don't have boots. You're on your own.
We'll it's time for them to own their failure. It's time for us to change America and that's why I'm running for president of the United States.
(APPLAUSE)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROBERTS: Barack Obama now is the official nominee of the Democratic Party. And, Kiran, regardless of your political stripes, you have to admit that that was a pretty amazing political event here at INVESCO Field last evening.
CHETRY: It certainly was. In fact, even his biggest contender, John McCain took the time last night to say to him, "Job well done. We'll be fighting. We'll be back at it tomorrow, but tonight, good job, Senator." So, yes, it sure was on bipartisan lines, really, an amazing thing to behold.
You know, we're also tracking tropical storm Gustav that could prove to be very troublesome for the gulf coast of this country. Here's a quick look right now at the satellite. This is still heating Jamaica, responsible for 60-plus deaths along the Caribbean. And now, it could strength and is looking to head into the Gulf of Mexico over the weekend, possibly making landfall along the Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama coast early Tuesday.
Of course, we are tracking this from the CNN weather center but in New Orleans they are taking it very seriously, three years to the week of hurricane Katrina caused so much devastation. We're going to look at how they're preparing along the gulf coast as well throughout the show -- John.
ROBERTS: All right. Kiran, thanks.
So, did Obama deliver last night?
Joining me now is John Avlon. He is an independent political analyst of not too "Independent Nation." Also with us this morning, Robert Zimmerman, Democratic strategist and CNN political contributor.
First time you've been with us this morning. Robert, working on about 90 minute sleep. Welcome to our world.
ROBERT ZIMMERMAN, CNN POLITICAL CONTRIBUTOR: It's great to be with you. It's 3:00 a.m. Mountain Time. So, it's, you certainly woke me up this morning. That's for sure.
ROBERTS: So many analysts said that the challenge for Barack Obama going into his speech last night was to define what change is and put some meat on the bone. The rhetoric is one thing but there needed to be some substance in the speech. What would you say?
ZIMMERMAN: Well, clearly, that was a very important issue. But also, it's important to remember, this was the moment where Barack Obama introduced himself to the American people.
And what made this moment so historic was not just because he was the first African-American to be a nominee of a major political party, but also because of the crisis we're living in as Americans, when 85 percent of America says we're moving in the wrong direction, who feel that crisis at home and worry about our standing abroad. He had to be very specific and clear with his message. And not only was he clear with his message, but it produced a historic response.
ROBERTS: John, looking at it from an independent perspective, what did you take away from that and do you think that he'll be able to woe any of those undecided voters?
JOHN AVLON, INDEPENDENT ANALYST: I do, absolutely. It was a powerful speech. Barack Obama mastered his momentum. He's showing himself to be a guy who sets the bar high and then clears it.
And last night, he did a number of things to answer the criticisms that people have been throwing at him. He did have a lot of substance to that style. There were policies, policies, policies in the speech but he directly related to real people's lives which is what he needed to do. He reached out in the field not only to Democrats but to Republicans and independents over and over. And there was a lot of centrist substance that I think is going to move over a lot of those independents.
ROBERTS: But what about theatrics, the presentation of last night, Robert? Republicans were trying to downplay by saying this is only going to reinforce the notion that he is a celebrity. They have 80,000 people there and there is a chance that when they take the big shot at the stadium, he's going to look very small.
ZIMMERMAN: That's the standard. That's the great Karl Rove's strategy that used great reproach around it. They attacked Al Gore's strength because he was intelligent, pull them (INAUDIBLE) so they would step (ph). They attacked John Kerry's strength as a war hero with the wiftboating tactics. And here, they are attacking Barack Obama because he inspired 85,000 people to come to the stadium, and he's inspired millions of donors and volunteers.
So, they're trying to minimize his strength which is to motivate people. Clearly, theatrics works beautifully.
ROBERTS: We got lots to talk about this morning. We'll get you back, gentlemen. We'll see you again, soon.
For now, let's take you back over to New York and here's Kiran.
CHETRY: John, thanks. And in just a few hours, we will know Senator John McCain's choice for a running mate. The top contenders: Former Massachusetts governor, Mitt Romney, as well as Minnesota governor, Tim Pawlenty, and independent senator, Joe Lieberman. Those were three of the big names out there that said to be on the short list. Also, a lot of buzz this morning around one of them, after he abruptly canceled his media appearances yesterday.
CNN's Bash is watching the McCain campaign this morning and joins us live from Dayton, Ohio.
We have them our show, but after that, the Minnesota governor left.
DANA BASH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: And pretty much disappeared, that's right. And that is one of the reasons why speculation is swirling perhaps some more around Governor Tim Pawlenty of Minnesota than others.
But let me just tell you, Kiran, what we know right now. What we know is that John McCain has made a decision on who is running mate is. He is going to appear -- we understand -- with that person here in Dayton in just a few hours. But we do not know is, of course, who that person is. And also, we don't know whether or not Senator McCain has actually notified that person.
It's very interesting, we originally has got that it was possibility, even a probability that the McCain campaign will let it be known who his running mate would be shortly after Barack Obama finished his speech last night. Well, I got a call from a senior McCain aide last night, a couple of hours earlier, saying, "You know what, we decided we are not going to do that, do it last night. We decided that it is because it was, quote, 'Barack Obama's night." But now, we are just -- pins and needles as you can imagine, working the phone. Even at this hour, it's pretty hard trying to figure out who it is but we are going to know in just a short while, Kiran.
CHETRY: All right. Dana Bash, keep us posted. Thanks so much. Well, the Republican National Convention again begins Monday in Minneapolis St. Paul. The Xcel Energy Center will be the home base for the 20,000 delegates and 15,000 members of the media as John McCain accepts his party's nomination. And again, the big question surrounding him this morning: Who did he pick to take the stage with him? As Dana said, we'll find out in a couple of hours if not sooner.
Stay with the most politics in the morning. On Monday, we kick things off with the best political team on TV. And a look now at our special guests, including first lady, Laura Bush; as well as independent Connecticut senator, Joe Lieberman; former candidate, Senator Fred Thompson; and, Hollywood conservative, Jon Voight.
Also happening now, tropical storm Gustav lashing Jamaica after killing many people as it made its way across Haiti and the Dominican Republic. The gulf coast is getting a jump on this one, trying to avoid a repeat as we approach three years since hurricane Katrina. Is New Orleans ready -- the big question this morning.
We're tracking the storm. You're watching "The Most News in the Morning."
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
CHETRY: Welcome back to "The Most News in the Morning." We're tracking tropical storm Gustav. It could strike into largest hurricane to hit the United States since hurricane Katrina three years ago. The storm has now killed more than 50 people in Haiti. Gustav is expected to make landfall on Monday somewhere along the Louisiana coast.
Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal has already declared a preemptive state of emergency and he said that some people living south of New Orleans maybe told to leave today. This time, New Orleans says there will be no shelters of last resort like the Superdome.
Right now, we're going to find out more about the track of Gustav. Reynolds Wolf is in the CNN weather center, with us this morning.
Boy, a lot of early warnings coming out from officials in Louisiana. You got to be concerned about this.
REYNOLDS WOLF, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Oh, absolutely. Everyone in the gulf coast sets their eyes wide open at this point and certainly, with good reason. This is a storm and is expected to get much stronger.
Here's a look at it. From high above, you can see it moving right through Jamaica, places like Blue Mountain, right near Kingston, has an elevation around 6,000 feet with that of a storm with this magnitude, you have over what we refer to as orographic lift. That's when we firmly squeezed a lot of that rainfall out of the moisture of the system.
They're going to see rainfall totals that could be anywhere from one to maybe, even two feet. We've got some video that we're going to share with you. That video is going to show just some of the wreckage this storm has caused in many places. Take a look at the trees, bending spots (ph), bending right on over as the winds are moving from say the east back to the west. The center of circulation is counterclockwise. The storm system turns to the gulf into the Caribbean. It is expected to weaken a little bit.
And then as we go back to the weather computer, I want you to notice this. The storm is expected to move a bit more to the west. As it does so, it is expected to strengthen going from a tropical storm with winds of 65 miles an hour, gust into 75, and then the nose of the track brings it just to the south of Cuba, right past the Caymans as a category one storm as we get in to Saturday, then into Sunday it moves back into the Gulf of Mexico. On Monday, with winds of 125 miles an hour, category three storm being a major hurricane. But then you'll notice, it is expected to veer a little bit more to the northwest west just to the south of New Orleans.
Now, keep in mind, you have that cone of uncertainty. The storm is certainly could veered off a bit more to the east, perhaps maybe back to the west say near Galveston, maybe even as far as south to Corpus Christi. The thing to remember, with the storm of this potential magnitude, you don't have to have a direct hit to cause a lot of the damage. In fact, the way this path lines up, the most damaging part of it would be the eastern half of the storm.
Keep in mind that New Orleans was affected by Katrina that actually hit on the western half, one of the weaker sides and still you had all the devastation back from Katrina. So, this storm, although it looks like it's going to be going a bit more to the west this time, certainly, New Orleans is not out of the woods just yet. But a lot can happen between now, tomorrow, certainly into Monday and Tuesday. So, we'll keep you posted.
Let's send it back to you in the studio.
CHETRY: Reynolds Wolf, thanks so much for that.
WOLF: You bet.
CHETRY: Levee experts and the Army Corps of Engineers insisting that New Orleans flood protection is stronger and better than ever. But officials are warning there are still gaps in the system that could actually help a storm surge get in. Eighty percent of New Orleans is flooded when Katrina smashed into the city's flood walls. And experts say the system is only a third of the way to where the corps once set by 2011, adding, quote, it's not worth putting your life at risk, if you have the means to get out, do so.
So, you really can't get a stronger warning from officials in New Orleans about whether or not they are ready to take a storm of this magnitude, John.
ROBERTS: Yes, certainly, it's something that everybody is watching very closely and I know a lot of people from Louisiana here in Denver, at this convention -- James Carville, Donna Brazile among them. All of them are very worried about what might happen in the next few days.
Spelling out change, Barack Obama is blasting John McCain during his acceptance and laying out his plans on the issues. How the Democratic nominee used the night to sell himself?
CHETRY (voice-over): Fighting back...
SEN. JOE BIDEN, (D) VICE PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE: Again and again, John McCain has been wrong.
CHETRY: Republicans ready their own big issue. Mary Snow with a look at how they might attack Obama.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The secret for McCain to win...
CHETRY: You're watching "The Most News in the Morning."
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
OBAMA: This country of ours has more wealth than any nation, but that's not what makes us rich. We have the most powerful military on earth but that's not what makes us strong. Our universities and our culture are the envy of the world, but that's not what keeps the world coming to our shores.
Instead, it is that American spirit, that American promise that pushes forward even when the path is uncertain, that binds together in spite of our differences that makes us fix our eye not on what is seen, but what is unseen, that better place around the bend.
That promise is our greatest inheritance. It's the promise I make to my daughters when I talk to them at night, and a promise that you make to yours -- a promise that has led immigrants to cross oceans, and pioneers to travel west, a promise that led workers to picket lines and women to reach for the ballot.
And it is that promise that 45 years ago today, brought Americans from every corner of this land to stand together on a Mall in Washington before Lincoln's Memorial and hear a young preacher from Georgia speak of his dreams.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROBERTS: Barack Obama invoking the dream of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. in his own historic speech last night.
CNN's Suzanne Malveaux joins us now this morning. Good morning to you. I know it's -- not a whole lot of sleep, about 45 minutes for you.
SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi, good morning.
ROBERTS: A pretty stunning political event last night on the 45th anniversary of Dr. Martin Luther King's "I Have a Dream" speech. What was the significance of that particular passage and did it have any personal resonance for you?
MALVEAUX: Certainly. Barack Obama really has never used race as something that he has highlighted particularly at his own race here. But obviously, as a young man, he really, he was 15 years too late for the civil rights movement to decide if he wanted to get involved in anti-apartheid South Africa movement, but he didn't have any role models, black male role models. So, he took the Martin Luther King and the civil rights movement.
I did a biography -- I talked with him about this and he really said that this is something that personally touched him and he wanted to be a part of something that was bigger than himself. So, he didn't talk to law school students that he went with, his buddies, and he used to quote Martin Luther King. Some guys said it was kind of odd and strange that he would do this, and others said, hey, they took the guy seriously because he really felt like he wanted injustice, that was something that was a part of him.
So, it resonated in a very personal way to use the anniversary the 45th anniversary of "I Have a Dream" speech to give this speech of his own. And really, the campaign, it wasn't lost on them, the symbolic importance of all because a lot of people believe that he, really, is the realization of that dream.
ROBERTS: Yes, but there's so many African-Americans who we have talked to over the course of the primary season and now going to the general election, who said, "I never thought I'd live to see this in my life time, that a first African-American nominee of a major political party in the United States." Other people have said, "Why did it take so long?"
MALVEAUX: There are a lot of people just being there last night and watching this unfold, that were so many emotions that people were going through and you saw tears just streaming down on a lot of people's faces -- a lot of African-Americans who really felt that they would never have seen that moment in their lifetime before. And I heard that from so many people. But there are also the realization here that this some kind of (ph) ways to go. I talked with a young man who was in the delegation, Florida delegation who said that he still feels racism in his life.
ROBERTS: Oh, that's correct.
MALVEAUX: Discriminate against him that there is a battle that ensues but he feels that this is a very significant stuff and so there was a lot of heartfelt emotion in the audience.
ROBERTS: Yes. (INAUDIBLE) you can't become suddenly a post- racial America over night but maybe just, you know, as Confucius said, "A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step." So, maybe another step along the line.
Suzanne, thanks for being with us so early this morning because I know that you are very late last night.
MALVEAUX: Thanks. ROBERTS: All right. We'll see you again soon.
MALVEAUX: Thanks, John.
ROBERTS: Sheryl Crow is singing the praises of Senator Barack Obama but like many other Democrats, she had a hard time making a choice between Obama and Hillary Clinton. I'll ask her what made the difference for her. It's the most politics in the morning, live in Denver.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
OBAMA: You don't defeat a terrorist network that operates in 80 countries by occupying Iraq. You don't protect Israel and deter Iran just by talking tough in Washington. If John McCain wants to follow George Bush with more tough talk and bad strategy, that is his choice but that is not the change that America needs.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROBERTS: Barack Obama took on John McCain directly in his speech last night. Did he deliver a serious blow or did he open himself to new attacks?
Here to give us some Republican perspective and to talk about McCain's expected running mate announcement later on today is Leslie Sanchez. She is a Republican analyst and CNN political contributor.
Before we get in to this aggressive compare and contrast that he engaged in last night, it's a very interesting way of characterizing, being here last evening.
LESLIE SANCHEZ, CNN POLITICAL CONTRIBUTOR: I would like being at a giant Obama snow globe. I mean, there's confetti everywhere and music and fireworks. That was really larger than life.
ROBERTS: So, you had talked yesterday about this idea that this was -- this big venue is going to make him look too much like a celebrity...
SANCHEZ: Right.
ROBERTS: ... and might actually diminish his statue because when you took that big wide shot, it looked very small on stage. And?
SANCHEZ: There were a lot of parts that you feel like you were in a Steven Spielberg movie. I mean, really, was. It was animated and music and theatrical. There was a set, (INAUDIBLE) they walked of a set. It was -- in that sense that it was beautiful and majestic, and he was masterful in his performance.
They cannot deny, there's so few people in the world that could have ever commanded that audience and really have them in the palm of their hands the way that Barack Obama did. It was quiet impressive. ROBERTS: I have a sense that overnight, aliens came down and abducted Leslie Sanchez and let somebody else in her place.
SANCHEZ: John, no. Oh, I think the pageantry of it. His oration fantastic, I give him an "A." On the substance, you know, once you removed the gloss, then it became a traditional, I think, that the Democratic minds that you heard for the last 30 years.
ROBERTS: All right.
SANCHEZ: That's probably the unfortunate part. But there's two things that are going to be very telling. One is it's going to force the Republicans to change something and the dynamic of their convention. Are they going to go with a different type of sleeper cell pick for their vice president or are they going to move the program around?
And secondly, what kind of bump is he's going to get out of this? I mean, that's really what people are going to be waiting for.
ROBERTS: Yes, it's difficult to really kind of get an idea of how much of a bump he'll get because first (INAUDIBLE) it's not until 7:30 tonight which will be up to John McCain's announcement. But, when I was in the Gore campaign in the year 2000, we flew overnight from Los Angeles to Wisconsin. We got in the riverboat and started a three-day trip down to Mississippi River, hitting all of those towns in the battleground states.
And then, there's a Republican convention next week. It's going to sift a lot of actions in and out of the room, too.
SANCHEZ: It really is but it's interesting. You know, Barack Obama's audience, he had a couple of things he had to do. He had to talk about his identity. Unfortunately, there are a lot of people that spoke in the first few days of this convention don't know him as well. You had the Clintons up there. They're far removed from knowing his identity, his personality, other than his wife. And maybe even John Kerry probably gave the best testimony of who he is.
But the second thing is we have to cover that. You have that beautiful video but he had to talk about his themes moving forward. In that case, he's talking about $150 billion for renewable fuels. He's talking raising the education bar but he doesn't want to look at school choice of taking on the education bureaucracies. He's talking about change in the sense that a change that you can believe in but he picked somebody for his running mate who is really a walking institution when it comes to Washington, D.C.
So, there's a lot of contrasting things and it's whether or not the people outside of this auditorium, those people who really didn't know who he was are sold on the idea.
I think he made some movement. I just don't know if it can stick.
ROBERTS: Lots to talk about because it was a long speech. We can deconstruct it and we'll also talk about going forward, and again, this aggressive compare and contrast with Senator John McCain.
Leslie, thanks for being with us.
SANCHEZ: Thank you.
ROBERTS: We'll see you back again soon -- Kiran.
CHETRY: John, thanks. It is 5:30 here in New York, 3:30 in Denver. Here's some of the top stories this morning.
In front of a packed house in INVESCO Field in Denver, Barack Obama accepts his historic nomination as the first black presidential candidate of a major U.S. party.
Obama, using some of the strongest language yet, tried to tie John McCain to the Bush administration, saying America is better than these last eight years.
And former vice presidential -- vice president Al Gore urged the convention to, quote, "seize this opportunity for change." Gore arguing that McCain would continue the policies of the Bush-Cheney White House, adding, "I believe in recycling, but that's ridiculous."
And breaking this morning, John McCain could reveal his VP pick at any moment. He said he has made his decision and is expected to appear with his running mate at a rally in Ohio later today.
Today is also McCain's 72nd birthday.
Speculation has grown that McCain will either choose Minnesota governor, Tim Pawlenty, or former Massachusetts governor, Mitt Romney as his VP.
But stay tuned. Again we should find out any minute now.
And Barack Obama launching a fierce attack on Republican rival John McCain last night and spelling out his vision of change for America.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. BARACK OBAMA (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: And to all my fellow citizens of this great nation, with profound gratitude and great humility, I accept your nomination for the presidency of the United States.
Tonight I'd say to the people of America, to Democrats and Republicans and independents across this great land, enough! This moment...
(CHEERS AND APPLAUSE)
OBAMA: This moment, this election is our chance to keep in the 21st century the American promise alive, Because next week, in Minnesota, the same party that brought you two terms of George Bush and Dick Cheney will ask this country for a third. And we are here -- we are here because we love this country too much to let the next four years look just like the last eight.
(CHEERS AND APPLAUSE)
OBAMA: On November 4th -- on November 4th we must stand up and say, eight is enough.
While Senator McCain was turning his sights to Iraq just days after 9/11, I stood up and opposed this war, knowing that it would distract us from the real threats that we face.
When John McCain said we could just muddle through in Afghanistan, I argued for more resources and more troops to finish the fight against the terrorists who actually attacked us on 9/11, and made clear that we must take out Osama bin Laden and his lieutenants if we had them in our sights.
You know, John McCain likes to say that he'll follow bin Laden to the gates of hell, but he won't even follow him to the cave where he lives.
(CHEERS AND APPLAUSE)
OBAMA: America, we cannot turn back. Not with so much work to be done. Not with so many children to educate, and so many veterans to care for. Not with an economy to fix and cities to rebuild and farms to save. Not with so many families to protect and so many lives to mend.
America, we cannot turn back. We cannot walk alone. At this moment, in this election, we must pledge once more to march into the future. Let us keep that promise -- that American promise. And in the words of Scripture hold firmly, without wavering, to the hope that we confess.
Thank you. God bless you. And God bless the United States of America.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROBERTS: Senator Obama last night, before a crowd estimated to be about 80,000.
Among the people who is in the crowd earlier, in fact on stage, Sheryl Crow. She rocked the house last night at the Democratic convention. Her lyrics go well with the theme here -- "a change would you good." She actually change it to a "a change would do us good."
But she told me that she first had trouble making her choice between Senator Obama and Senator Clinton.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SHERYL CROW, SINGER, OBAMA SUPPORTER: It was difficult for me to decide between Senator Clinton and Senator Obama. And I think the reason I went with Senator Obama was the very thing that draws all of us to him.
And those words that resonate like Bobby Kennedy's words, about being awake and about being conscious and about -- everything that springs forward for this nation starts within all of us.
ROBERTS: Are you concerned at all -- given the state of the economy, price of gasoline, global warming, two wars -- Iraq, Afghanistan -- that Barack Obama is not five, eight, nine points ahead at this point?
CROW: I am. In fact, I'm shocked because of the eight years that we've just had, there -- the margin should be so widely in his favor.
ROBERTS: So are you getting anxious like some Democrats are?
CROW: I'm anxious. And I want to tell people, one man doesn't run this country. I mean George Bush did not bring us to this point by himself. And I think that, with Senator Obama, I think he will align himself with people who are interested in walking the walk that he's walking, and doing the things that he's interested in doing.
And he'll surround himself with very, very experienced and intelligent people, and hopefully we'll head in the direction of what his -- what his direction is, which is what is resonating with all of us.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ROBERTS: Sheryl Crow there.
As Willie Brown told us last week, a little bit nervous about whether or not, in their minds, with this magic that they have seen with Barack Obama is going to continue, and whether or not he could make it all the way to the White House.
But as we found out by asking Michelle Obama that same question, she says we've had those questions -- those questions and that anxiety all along, look where we are now, compared to where we were before -- Kiran?
CHETRY: Very, very interesting. Good job with the Sheryl Crow.
We're also going to hear from Whoopi Goldberg a little bit later as well on her take about Hillary supporters who say they're not sure if they can behind Barack Obama. So that should be interesting as well.
John, thanks.
Well, drafting a game plane. What Republican strategist say John McCain needs to do to counter punch Barack Obama's attacks to win in November.
First, though, Sheryl Crow, with a little singing, take us to break. (COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
OBAMA: If John McCain wants to have a debate about who has the temperament, and judgment, to serve as the next commander-in-chief, that's a debate I'm ready to have.
(CHEERS AND APPLAUSE)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROBERTS: For four days, the Democrats have taken aim at the Republicans, but GOP strategist have an answer and are laying out a game plan for John McCain.
CNN's Mary Snow takes a look at the Republican's planned counterpunch. She's here with that now -- Mary?
MARY SNOW, CNN CORRESPONDENT: John and Kiran, Republicans have been taking note of the Democratic convention. They now plan to push back and they'll aim to draw a sharp contrast between John McCain and Barack Obama.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SNOW (voice over): Democrats have been united in one theme, as Republicans gear up for their convention in Minneapolis, St. Paul -- paint John McCain as a third Bush term.
SEN. HILLARY CLINTON (D), NEW YORK: It makes perfect sense that George Bush and John McCain will be together next in the Twin Cities because these days, they're awfully hard to tell apart.
SNOW: To counter that image, Republican strategist Kevin Madden says McCain will make the case he's not always towed the party line.
KEVIN MADDEN, REPUBLICAN STRATEGIST: It's important for John McCain to set aside a separate identity, to make a case to the American public that John McCain is not just about party. But instead, he's about putting America first.
SNOW: On the economy, Democrats have painted McCain as out of touch and the GOP hurting the working class.
BILL CLINTON, FORMER PRESIDENT: They took us from record surpluses to an exploding debt. From over 22 million new jobs to just 5 million.
SNOW: Republican strategist Scott Reed says McCain has to concentrate on the future.
SCOTT REED, REPUBLICAN STRATEGIST: Now the secret for McCain to win is to talk about his forward-looking agenda, and not talk about Bush and the Bush years, but talk about what he's going to do to create economic growth. SNOW: On foreign policy, Democrats stressed judgment.
SEN. JOE BIDEN (D), VICE PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Again and again, John McCain has been wrong and Barack Obama is right.
SNOW: Republicans will counter experience.
MADDEN: This is going to be a contest of candidates on the issue of readiness, on the issue of experience. Who's ready to lead from day one?
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SNOW: When it comes to swing undecided voters, a Republican strategist says John McCain will need to make a strong case for his economic plan, saying his national security record is already known -- John and Kiran?
ROBERTS: Mary Snow for us this morning -- Mary, thanks so much.
Next week, we're going to do it all over again. This time, with the Republicans, with John McCain accepts his party's nomination at the XL Energy Center in St. Paul, Minnesota.
Stay with the most politics in the morning. We kick things off Monday with the best political team on television.
Our special guest will include, First Lady Laura Bush, independent Connecticut senator, Joe Lieberman, former candidates, Senator Fred Thompson, Hollywood conservative, Jon Voight.
Avenging 2000. Former vice president Al Gore makes the case for Barack Obama last night and compares the Democratic nominee to another famous president.
Plus Reynolds Wolf this morning tracking extreme weather. It's headed for the Gulf of Mexico.
Good morning, Reynolds. We're talk about...
REYNOLDS WOLF, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Good morning.
ROBERTS: ... Gustav here. Where is it headed?
WOLF: That's right, John. Right now Gustav is in parts of the Caribbean but headed for, possibly, the Gulf of Mexico where it may brew into a major hurricane.
We'll have the whole story coming up in a few moments.
You're watching CNN, the most news in the morning.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
CHETRY: Breaking news now. The gulf coast getting ready for Tropical Storm Gustav. It could be the strongest hurricane that hit the U.S. since Hurricane Katrina three years ago.
Reynolds Wolf has been tracking the storm for us. He joins us now with more on the track of Gustav as it makes its way -- still hitting Jamaica this morning.
WOLF: It certainly is. Right now the island nation of Jamaica just getting rocked by this storm. This storm continues to spin, bringing heavy surf on the southern part of the island. Heavy rainfall possibly one to two feet of rain in parts of Jamaica before all is said and done.
The storm is continuing to drift and now beginning to move west- northwest but only ran eight-miles-per-hour winds, 65 gusts, up to 75, but you have to watch those sustained winds. That's what gives the storm its reading in terms of strength on the Saffir-Simpson scale.
This rating, by the way, is expected to increase going from a tropical storm to a category 1 storm as we get into, say, Saturday, then by Monday crossing just the western part of Cuba, then back on to the Gulf of Mexico where it will enter a minimal sheer environment with warm water.
Water temperatures is in the mid to low 80's which is perfect for these storms to intensify and then we're talking again a major hurricane, cat 3, as we get into Monday with winds of 125 miles per hour sustained.
Then the storm expected at least the latest path we have from the National Hurricane center brings the storm just due west of New Orleans. But still you have to remember, it's the east side of the storm that provide some of the heaviest wave actions so that the heaviest rainfall in -- of course the strongest winds.
So it looks, at this point, as though New Orleans may certainly deal with the worst of it. However, you have to keep in mind, you don't look just at that one particular line. You look into that corner of uncertainty which gives us an idea that the storm could actually move a little bit more to the east, perhaps a place like, say, (INAUDIBLE) Key, Florida, maybe in the gulf shores, Alabama, or perhaps as far south as, say, Galveston, maybe even out to the west, say, to south Padre Islands.
There's a lot of uncertainty with this storm system. A lot can happen between now and, say, into Sunday, perhaps into Monday, even Tuesday. So it's something that we need to watch minute by minute, hour by hour, and for the latest event and information -- for the information, you're going to want to keep it here at CNN, your hurricane headquarters.
Kiran, that's the latest. Let's send it right back to you in the studios.
CHETRY: OK, Reynolds, thanks so much and as we send it back out to John, you know, they want to make sure this is very different than what happened after Hurricane Katrina. We have -- we have state officials as well as local officials like Mayor Ray Nagin, making sure that they're meeting, of course, with -- federal FEMA officials. And they say they have a plan in place that they're prepared to move as many as 30,000 people who can't move themselves if indeed this track continues.
ROBERTS: And it'll be interesting to see what potential impact this could have on the Republican National Convention which gets under way on Monday as well.
President Bush and Vice President Cheney will be there and to have a storm headed toward the gulf coast at the same time that they're having their convention certainly is an interesting confluence of events.
Whoopi Goldberg. She has never been afraid to speak her mind. And this morning, she has a message for Hillary Clinton's army of supporters who are still lukewarm on Barack Obama. Hear what she has to say.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
CHETRY (voice over): Warm up act.
AL GORE, FORMER VICE PRESIDENT: Well, I know something about close elections, so let me offer you my opinion.
CHETRY: Al Gore in his own words. Center stage and back in the game.
GORE: The same policies? I believe in recycling, but that's ridiculous.
CHETRY: You're watching the most news in the morning.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ROBERTS: Fireworks last night in INVESCO Field, celebrating their first African-American nominee of a major political party in the history of the United States, as Barack Obama took center stage.
As he did that, another Democratic star addressed the throngs of delegates and supporters that were here in INVESCO Field.
Al Gore, presidential candidate in the year 2000, praised Obama and attacked John McCain and President Bush.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GORE: We can carry Barack Obama's message of hope and change to every family in America, and pledge that we'll be there for him, not only in the heat of this election, but in the aftermath as we put his agenda to work for our country. We can tell Republicans and independents, as well as Democrats, exactly why our nation so badly needs a change from the approach of Bush, Cheney and McCain.
After they wrecked our economy, it's time for a change. After they abandoned the search for the terrorist who attacked our, and redeploy the troops to invade a nation that did not attack us, it's time for a change.
After they abandoned the principle first laid down by General George Washington, when he prohibited the torture of captives because it would bring in his words, shame, disgrace and ruin to our nation, it's time for a change.
When as many as three Supreme Court justices could be appointed in the first term of the next president, and John McCain promises to appoint more Scalias and Thomases and end a woman's right to choose, it is time for a change.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROBERTS: Gore also compared (INAUDIBLE) to another Illinois politician, Abraham Lincoln, saying that Lincoln was able to inspire hope in the future in a time of impasse -- Kiran?
CHETRY: John, thanks.
Well, an accidental kiss is going viral in the Web right now.
Here's Jeanne Moos with another unconventional moment.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JEANNE MOOS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): It was a great night for kissing connoisseurs. There were tender husband-wife moments, tender father-son moments.
Tender mother and son moments. Tender -- wait a minute, was that a little too tender?
Already, YouTubers are jazzing versions of Barack Obama kissing his running mate's wife Jill on the mouth.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Michelle cannot be happy about this.
MOOS: Oh come on. Michelle's mouthing I love you to her guy.
This happened once before when Obama announced that Biden would be his running mate. This is no Al Gore lip-lock. Maybe it was just poor aiming.
Obama gives most women a peck on the cheek. Why get touchy about this when they all seem to be touchy feely tight.
With an unconventional moment, I'm Jeanne Moos, CNN, New York.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
CHETRY (voice over): Breaking news, John McCain settled on his pick and telling America his running mate this morning. So who's on their way to his side right now?
And seizing the moment.
OBAMA: I accept your nomination for the presidency of the United States.
CHETRY: In front of a packed house, Barack Obama says he's tough enough to beat John McCain.
OBAMA: Don't tell me that Democrats won't defend this country.
CHETRY: The best political team on TV fills out his report card.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
OBAMA: And we are here -- we are here because we love this country too much to let the next four years look just like the last eight.
(CHEERS AND APPLAUSE)
OBAMA: On November 4th -- on November 4th, we must stand up and say eight is enough.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHETRY: Well, there it is. Barack Obama delivering his best argument for change last night to Democratic delegates and to the nation. He pulled no punches in his acceptance speech in front of the crowd of 85,000, attacking John McCain and linking him to the Bush presidency.
So how is it playing with Republicans this morning?
Joining us for the GOP perspective, Ed Rollins. He's a Republican strategist, a CNN contributor who's always on Mike Huckabee's -- you were Mike Huckabee's campaign chairman.
You said you heard a lot of rhetoric in your life, and this speech in your opinion was?
ED ROLLINS, REPUBLICAN STRATEGIST: Extraordinary. He's one of the few people who could ever carry off something like that. It was very Reaganesque, obviously, I was Ronald Reagan's campaign manager in the White House, political director, and I heard him every day for many, many years. In front of an audience like that, I mean, there's an emotional attachment that he has with his audience that few other people can do. Now intellectually you can go through that speech and start looking at things and how do you basically balance the budget and give a -- you know, 95 percent of the people tax cuts and all the rest of it.
But for that night, for that audience, he really captured it.
CHETRY: It was interesting. Some of the criticism has been that he speaks in this, you know, soaring oratory and that he lacks specifics.
Half way through the speech, he said let me spell out exactly what change would mean if I am president.
Is that an example of him taking that to heart?
ROLLINS: He did. He absolutely -- he answered a lot of the challenges that were out there and -- once again, there are very few people who could do that. It sort of like this great Jamaican sprinter Bolt who won the 100 meters in world record in the Olympics.
I mean he's just -- he just soars. And an audience of 85,000 people, very few people could step in there and do what he did last night. So he's great, great talent.
CHETRY: He also had to counter some of the criticisms of being too elitist. More celebrity than substance. And he talked about his own roots and his own family background, living on food stamps, for example, and said, I don't know what kind of celebrity John McCain is talking about here.
He -- how - it seemed as though he did try to point by point pick apart some of the Republican arguments against him.
How are they going to counter that?
ROLLINS: Well, the celebrity argument is not what's going to stick. That's something they've been having fun with and at the end of the day, he is a celebrity. I mean who else could bring 85,000 people -- people standing in line for six hours to get in there -- six miles?
But at the end of the day, it's all -- it's going to be about issues and it's going to be -- is his resume thick enough and can he convince people that he really can be commander-in-chief? Can he do the change? Can he offset McCain long, long history?
And that's -- it's not going to -- you're not going to be able to beat him to death with a club. You're going to have to basically pick apart the things that he said.
CHETRY: What do you do if you're a Republican strategist trying to figure out what to do with this convention right now?
ROLLINS: You don't try and compete with that rhetoric. You basically -- and as I said, I would not try and beat him to death with a bat. I'd try and basically just issue by issue show the difference between the two parties and show that in time of national crisis, moving the economy, and the war, how you would move forward and how they would go back.
CHETRY: All right. Well, we're going to hear more from you in the 8:00 hour.
Ed Rollins, Republican strategist and CNN contributor, thanks for being with us.
ROLLINS: My pleasure. Thank you.
