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American Morning
Barack Obama Makes History; McCain's Expected to Announce VP Choice; Reaction to Barack Obama's Speech: Did He Deliver?; New Orleans Bracing for a Hurricane; The Return of Al Gore; Whoopi's View on Obama's Historic Election
Aired August 29, 2008 - 07:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. BARACK OBAMA (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: 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 are on your own.
Well, 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.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
JOHN ROBERTS, CNN ANCHOR: CNN's John King was inside INVESCO Field last evening watching it all unfold up late last night and up early this morning to join us. Give us a little context and perspective on all of this. That the goal was not only to satisfy the party faithful who were inside the field but to reach out beyond that. Did he do it?
JOHN KING, CHIEF NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Absolutely. You've been talking to Republicans this morning as well. In terms of crafting the speech politically, all the Republicans are saying it's an A plus.
He went through all of the arguments the Republicans have used against the Democrats in past elections and all these more specific arguments they're using against him, whether it's God and values, whether it's guns, whether it's gay rights, whether it's abortion, Barack Obama put down a marker.
He knows they're going to call him a liberal who can't pay for all these programs. He tried to address that by saying I pay for every dime. We'll hear a different story next week.
But most importantly, John, a big chunk of the speech was addressing his most glaring weakness. The American people aren't sure this guy is ready to be commander in chief. And to borrow words from a president we've both covered, George W. Bush, it was "bring it on." He got right at John McCain saying, I have the judgment, you don't. And he went through a litany of reasons why.
Again, we hear a very different story next week. But there's two schools in politics. You can hide from your weaknesses or you take them on. Barack Obama made a pretty bold decision to take them on. Risky but bold.
ROBERTS: Yes. And, of course, a line of attack is you attack your opponent's strengths. So what do you expect the GOP is going to do now that he has thrown down this challenge to say to John McCain, if you want to debate who's got the better skills to be the better leader and commander in chief, I'm willing to have that debate?
KING: Well, you're going to hear a lot about John McCain's story. Number one, Barack Obama has a very compelling personal story. John McCain is compelling as well. It includes military service. So that will be part of it.
He had a target in the Cuban missile crisis. He was a POW in Vietnam. You're going to hear a lot of that, and John McCain is going to rebut the argument that Barack Obama would be a better commander in chief. And they'll go through his record in the Senate and say, what did you learn about being commander in chief? In the Illinois Senate, where have you been in Washington? You've been running for president. Sure, you were elected to the Senate in Washington.
Also, they have a very different tone at the Republican Convention. They watch what happened here. All these very impressive speeches by the Clintons, by Joe Biden, by Barack Obama. The Republicans, I'm told, will have a more different tone saying that was great. That was a great show you saw in Denver, but the country's problems are very serious. Let's have a more serious discussion. They probably get to it, in part, that's because they don't think they can match what happened in that stadium last night.
ROBERTS: But one thing the Republicans don't need to do at the convention next week in St. Paul is spend the first three days of the convention in a catharsis to say goodbye to Mitt Romney and Rudy Giuliani and everyone else who is on the stage with John McCain during the primary season.
KING: No. But there is a question of saying goodbye to George W. Bush. Now, we still have this hurricane coming ashore. There's a question of whether President Bush will actually even be there, Vice President Cheney will even be there.
But let's assume they stick with the schedule as is. It'll be pretty low key by design. George W. Bush has been through a lot of elections. He knows how polarizing it is right now, how low his rankings are right now.
He has told the McCain people, even said, if we don't want me there I won't be there. But he will be there. That could be an issue. That will rile up the people with whom President Bush is so unpopular. But then it will try to move on. It's a question of whether John McCain will have a unity issue in his own hall could depend on what we learn in the next few hours.
ROBERTS: So let's look at the very first night of the Republican Convention. Vice President Cheney speaks. President Bush speaks. At the same time a hurricane looks like it could be threatening the gulf coast of Louisiana, maybe even New Orleans. What kind of a narrative does that create?
KING: Well, obviously that's a difficult narrative to sell because of the baggage of Katrina on the Bush administration. If that is the case, John, and if he can do it without affecting security concerns, do not be surprised if the Republican nominee John McCain is not in his convention city but is instead somewhere on the gulf coast packing sandbags or helping out with the storm effort, or taking a look at it. He's very sensitive of that concern, and we are told they have contingencies from A to Z about changing the program and the schedule of the Republican Convention if Gustav hits in a major way.
ROBERTS: Now, lastly, this BlackBerry is glued to your fingers this morning as we anxiously await the vice presidential announcement? Any idea when we're going to hear it?
KING: No. We expect to get it obviously in the next hour or two. The event is planned in Dayton, Ohio, in the noontime hour. And there's a lot of suspense about this. And you know, we've heard a lot of, it's this person, it's that person, it might be this person. Dana Bash in Dayton is working her sources.
ROBERTS: Yes.
KING: I'm working it from here. Also, we're told right now is stay tuned, don't follow the pack.
ROBERTS: Well, you broke the last one so you've set the bar, John. You've got to do it again.
KING: So I go to breakfast, John.
ROBERTS: No.
KING: Hitting 500 is pretty good.
ROBERTS: Not here. You got to hit a thousand. Thanks.
Kiran?
CHETRY: Well, first, we have some feedback on Barack Obama's speech. We went to a viewing party. Some of his supporters attended. It was in Times Square.
Here's our Jim Acosta's report on what they thought of his speech.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) JIM ACOSTA, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): For many viewers, this was much more than a political speech.
SEN. BARACK OBAMA (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: But he won't even follow him to the cave where he lives.
ACOSTA: It was a measure of how far a nation had come.
(on camera): And did you get a sense, because I think a lot of people felt this, too, that you're witnessing history?
AMBER LONG, NEW YORK OBAMA SUPPORTER: No question, it's history. There's no question about that. It's just -- there are no words that can really describe the historic moment that we all just witnessed.
DANIEL LETTERMAN, NEW YORK OBAMA SUPPORTER: I think it's great that it just seems normal now for a black person or for women to be president.
ACOSTA (voice-over): As millions of Americans tuned in to Barack Obama's speech, CNN welcomed hundreds more to watch from Times Square. Many of them tourists just walking by who couldn't stop watching.
WILLIAM NORMAN, GEORGIA OBAMA SUPPORTER: He talked about energy, health care, education, working poor, pulling the troops out of Iraq responsibly. All the issues that I had taking notes and wrote down on my paper.
ACOSTA: And you were ticking these off one by one? Is that it?
NORMAN: Here we go. This is my list.
ACOSTA (on camera): It wasn't just the people at the convention watching party keeping their eyes on Barack Obama. We saw taxicabs stopped in this intersection with passengers sticking their heads out of the window just to catch a glimpse of the screen. Not to mention people on the other side of the street who had stopped in their tracks. It was a scene you don't see too often in Times Square.
(voice-over): It wasn't just in the Big Apple. In living rooms from coast to coast, some just couldn't stay in their seats.
TEYANA VISCARRA-CRESPO, CALIFORNIA OBAMA SUPPORTER: (INAUDIBLE) I feel like it's raining, you know. And I really feel like we've come out of the wilderness and we are on our way to the promise land.
OBAMA: Thank you.
ACOSTA: It's usually New Year's Eve when there are cheers from this cross section of America at the crossroads of the world. Where better to take in some political theater than on Broadway?
Jim Acosta, CNN, New York.
(END VIDEOTAPE) CHETRY: He's back. He's green. And he's backing Obama. After Al Gore's passionate speech last night, we'll see how the former vice president recycles himself, so to speak, from the butt of jokes to a man respected all over the world.
And it's Whoopi's view. One on one with a comic legend. Why she's backing Obama and why she didn't do it right off the bat. You're watching the special edition of the "Most News in the Morning."
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. BARACK OBAMA (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: 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.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROBERTS: Nine minutes after the hour. Welcome back to the "Most Politics in the Morning."
A small sample of Barack Obama's history-making speech here at INVESCO Field. One of Obama's goals was to unite the Democratic Party and win over Hillary Clinton supporters. He has done that with my next guest.
Congressman Kendrick Meek is a former Clinton campaign adviser. He also introduced President Bill Clinton at the convention on Wednesday night. So after that speech last night, how are you feeling about all of this?
REP. KENDRICK MEEK (D), FLORIDA: Oh, it was great. I've been on board with the Obama campaign two days after the last primary. That speech was one of the best speeches I've heard. I think it's the best speech I've heard, a political speech.
ROBERTS: So from a perspective of your history, where is America as it wakes up this morning?
MEEK: Well, it's informed. They know exactly who Barack Obama is. He talked about his personal life. He talked about his upbringing. He shared with America his experience.
And he also, I think the best point that he made, he said this campaign is not about me. It's about you. It's always been about you. And I believe that's what the American people, they want to go.
Republican, independent, Democrat, they want the campaign to be about them. They want a presidency to be about them and not about personality.
ROBERTS: In fact, let's take a little excerpt from his speech last night...
MEEK: Sure.
ROBERTS: ... where he talked about that particular issue. Listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. BARACK OBAMA (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I get it. I realize that I'm not the likeliest candidate for this office. I don't fit the typical pedigree. And I haven't spent my career in the halls of Washington.
What the naysayers don't understand is that this election has never been about me. It's about you.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROBERTS: His opponent, congressman, keeps bringing up this issue of experience, and Hillary Clinton, who you originally supported, had a much deeper resume. Are you confident that he can get accomplished what he wants to get accomplished?
MEEK: He's been working on it all of his life. I mean, he hasn't been in Washington, D.C. for a lifetime. And I don't think that's necessarily a requirement to be president of the United States.
Coupled with Joe Biden, coupled with the advisers, the execution of this campaign, the newness, the things that they're bringing, the reason why Senator Obama's going to win this campaign and become president of the United States is that he is -- he executes well. Not just speaking, but the way this campaign has been operated goes to show you how the White House will proceed.
And it's diverse. It's using technology. They're talking about the issues that people care about. You walk the streets of U.S. cities and towns, you see shirts and buttons and all kind of enthusiasm about Barack Obama and his candidacy. And people are excited about it. And I think that we're going to see a very, very well-executed campaign. I think we're going to see a very, very well- executed presidency.
ROBERTS: No question that regardless of where your politics lies, America wakes up in a very different place this morning than it was just yesterday.
MEEK: Oh, absolutely. Absolutely. Paradigm shifts are happening in this country every day because of what's happening with this great campaign.
ROBERTS: Congressman Kendrick Meek, great to see you this morning.
MEEK: Thank you so very much.
ROBERTS: Thanks for dropping by. MEEK: Thank you. Thank you.
ROBERTS: All right. Take care.
Happening now, bracing for a hurricane. Tropical Storm Gustav tearing across islands, killing dozens of people and on a path to the gulf coast of the United States.
Reynolds is in today for Rob tracking the killer storm. He's got an early look at it for us this morning. Hey, Reynolds.
REYNOLDS WOLF, AMS METEOROLOGIST: Hey, John. Right now, Gustav is still a tropical storm. As you mentioned, winds at 65, expected to make its way into the Gulf of Mexico possibly making landfall along the United States gulf coast by early next week.
We'll give you the full scoop coming up in just a few moments right here on CNN, your "Most News in the Morning."
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
CHETRY: Breaking news and that's Tropical Storm Gustav which could strengthen into the largest hurricane to hit the United States since Hurricane Katrina. It's also unfortunately on track to collide with the gulf coast around the same time that Katrina made landfall three years ago. Gustav has killed more than 50 people in Haiti, most of them from flooding and mud slides.
Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal has already declared a preemptive state of emergency and New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin also saying that a mandatory evacuation is very probable, not to be called though any sooner than Saturday morning.
City officials said that they are prepared to move out as many as 30,000 people who can't get out on their own. They're also prepping shelters to be able to house thousands more. New Orleans hospitals are also trying to avoid the human tragedies that unfolded in the weeks after Katrina when at least 140 patients died after Katrina made landfall.
Some hurricane proof satellite dishes are now in place to improve communication. They've also canceled elective surgeries and some patients have already been moved.
Reynolds Wolf is following the latest track of this storm Gustav with a little bit more on where it's headed right now and where possibly we could see it going in the coming days.
Hi there, Reynolds.
WOLF: Hi, Kiran. You know, the big fear with this storm is not necessarily what it is now but as you mentioned, what it might become. Possibly a major hurricane.
Right now, it doesn't look all that impressive at least on satellite. The shear coming in from the north right now, affecting the top half of the storm, the northern half. But also it's interacting with the higher elevations, the eastern end of Jamaica. Some of the peaks near Blue Mountain right around 6,000 feet. That's going to have a detrimental effect on the storm.
The storm still producing heavy rainfall possibly one to two feet of rainfall in Jamaica. Then it is expected to veer off to the west/northwest. And notice the strengthening going from tropical storm to a Category one storm as we get into Saturday. Then into Sunday, the storm veers off the west coast of Cuba into the Gulf of Mexico where it's going to enter a minimal shear environment.
Shear referring to strong winds aloft. They could somehow tear -- sometimes tear the structure of the storm. We're not expecting much in terms of that. We are expecting plenty of warm water which will help the system intensify, possibly making landfall just to the southwest of New Orleans.
But if you look at that cone of uncertainty, this big white area that you see right in here, it shows you the storm certainly has the ability to pull a little bit more to the north near Bayou La Batre, maybe even Dauphin Island near Mobile Bay, or perhaps just to the south and southwest of Galveston maybe near Corpus Christi.
A lot is going to change over the next couple of hours. A lot of changes are definitely going to happen with the storm. It always happens with these tropical systems. And for the very latest information you'll want to stick with us, CNN, your hurricane headquarters.
Let's send it back to you in the studio.
CHETRY: Good enough. We will. Thanks a lot, Reynolds.
WOLF: You bet.
CHETRY: Gore the statesman.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DAVID GERGEN, CNN POLITICAL ANALYST: He's been on a personal journey. A personal odyssey, if you would.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHETRY: Alina Cho on the long road back to prime time politics.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
AL GORE, FORMER VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Hey, I believe in recycling, but that's ridiculous.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHETRY: You're watching the "Most News in the Morning."
(COMMERCIAL BREAK) (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
AL GORE, FORMER VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: In 2008, once again we find ourselves at the end of an era with a mandate from history to launch another new beginning. And once again, we have a candidate whose experience perfectly matches an extraordinary moment of transition.
Barack Obama had the experience and wisdom to oppose a popular war based on faulty premises. His leadership experience has given him a unique capacity to inspire hope in the promise of the American dream of a boundless future.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHETRY: He spoke passionately last night, praising Obama in that rousing speech. But how did the guru of global warming reinvent himself and earn respect all over the world?
Our Alina Cho joins me now with a look at Al Gore, the renaissance man, I guess you could say.
ALINA CHO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes. Absolutely. He has reinvented himself, if you will. Kiran, good morning. Good morning, everybody.
Those who know him say Al Gore has finally found himself, and it took losing the presidency to do it. He's more authentic now, they say. And despite lingering hopes among Democrats that someday he'll run again for president, Gore's answer has always been no, which makes last night's return to the political stage all the more dramatic.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
AL GORE, FORMER VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: If you like the Bush/Cheney approach, John McCain's your man. If you believe it's time for a change, then vote for Barack Obama and Joe Biden.
CHO (voice-over): Al Gore rallying the Democratic faithful at the convention, eight years after one of the most controversial losses in presidential election history. A loss many thought would push him out of public life.
GORE: And now, my friends, in a phrase I want to address to others, it's time for me to go.
CHO: But a funny thing happened on the way to becoming a political footnote, the man once mocked for being too wooden found a new voice.
DAVID GERGEN, CNN POLITICAL ANALYST: I think that he's been on a personal journey. A personal odyssey, if you would.
CHO: A journey of reinvention. After Gore lost the election, he grew a beard, gained weight and went green. Last year his documentary, "An Inconvenient Truth," won an Oscar. Seven months later, he was awarded a Nobel Peace Prize.
JEFFREY TOOBIN, CNN LEGAL ANALYST: Al Gore had a tremendous renaissance over the last eight years because he's gone from being seen as a loser to someone who's now seen as a prophet -- the prophet of global warming.
GORE: We're borrowing money from China to buy oil from the Persian Gulf to burn it in waste that destroy the future of human civilization. Every bit of that has to change.
CHO: It remains to be seen if the man many supporters consider the ultimate wronged politician can help make things right for Barack Obama on the campaign trail. Either way, you can bet we haven't seen the last of Al Gore.
GERGEN: I think in the end he feels he can have -- make more of a difference for the world doing what he's doing now than even as running for president of the United States again.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
CHO: Now, Gore has done a lot of things but it's his work on global warming that has gotten the most attention. And political pundits say the irony is that Gore, who always seemed a bit old before his time, is actually, Kiran, more popular than ever among young people because the environment, as you know, is a popular issue with the youth vote.
CHETRY: It sure is. And it's funny, Alina, because you always hear the pundits say if he would have given that speech back in 2000...
CHO: Oh.
CHETRY: ... but you know, when the pressure is off it's easier.
CHO: Well, it certainly is. And he often jokes to his friends and former advisers that if he had the presentation skills that he had now, he might be serving his second term as president. But you know, he says he's out and he's going to stay a private citizen. We'll have to wait. We'll have to wait till 2012.
CHETRY: All right. Alina, thanks.
CHO: You bet.
CHETRY: Whoopi's view.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
WHOOPI GOLDBERG, ACTRESS/COMEDIENNE: Neither McCain nor Obama knows how to be president.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHETRY: The comedian on Obama's historic nomination and why she originally went with Clinton.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
WHOOPI GOLDBERG, ACTRESS/COMEDIENNE: He was good-looking. Had a good-looking wife and cute kids. But I didn't know anything about him.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHETRY: You're watching the "Most News in the Morning."
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. BARACK OBAMA (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I get it. I realize that I'm not the likeliest candidate for this office. I don't fit the typical pedigree. And I haven't spent my career in the halls of Washington. What the naysayers don't understand is that this election has never been about me. It's about you.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHETRY: That was comedian -- well, comedian Whoopi Goldberg talking about Barack Obama once backing Hillary Clinton, now, though, solidly behind Barack Obama. She also has some questions though about his experience. Let's listen.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
WHOOPI GOLDBERG, ACTRESS/COMEDIENNE: Neither McCain nor Obama knows how to be president. It's not enough to run a state or run a battalion or run a city. When you step into that role, you are running a nation where the compromises are going to be a lot different than they're going to be in a state, you know.
So, in this regard, I don't think any of them are ready. When they say who has more experience, well, we've had guys with experience and for the last eight years. And so, experience does not necessarily mean that they're wise. And it doesn't necessarily mean that Barack coming in is going to be wise. He's going to learn. But he is open in a different way than I think the other guys are open. And this is what's exciting to me.
CHETRY: Did you think in your lifetime that you were going to see a black president?
GOLDBERG: Oh, yes. I believed in my heart that that was going to happen. I believed in my heart it was going to be a woman and a black and a Hispanic. Because I believe everything I was told when I was a kid that anybody in this country can be president. Male, female.
And I know there's all kinds of glass ceilings. I've never paid attention to them. So for me, it's like, oh, yes, this makes perfect sense. So I'm thrilled to see, you know, that more folks feel that this is their time. You can be anything in this country and run for its highest office. And maybe even get the nomination and win.
CHETRY: One last thing. Why did you initially support Hillary over Barack Obama?
GOLDBERG: Well, because I didn't know anything about Barack. You know, I mean, he was good-looking. Had a good-looking wife and cute kids and I liked him. But I didn't know anything about him.
And I knew Hillary. I know Hillary. I know Bill. And I know that they're -- they take a lot of heat, you know, because they were a presidential couple. But I think that's too easy. She actually has really great ideas and has those ideas on her very own. You know, people used to say, well, you know, if you get Hillary, you get Bill.
But, you know, that was a "diss" on women. As though a woman couldn't have her own political views without having to hold on to her husband. That was not the case. She knew what she wanted to and where she was going and I really liked her direction as I like Barack's direction. But Hillary was not the nominee this time, you know.
But she says that she's going to stand behind Barack as all candidates will with whatever party they're with. I just want to stress that. That the Republicans are going to do the same thing. Rudy Giuliani who was not a fan of John McCain, now they're going to be best buds. They're going to be, you know, huggy, huggy, we love him, he's the smartest guy.
CHETRY: I'd like to see that if that actually happens.
GOLDBERG: Well, yes. That would be funny. But you know what I'm saying. I'm saying that don't buy into this question of why are they supporting. Because that's what the party requires.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHETRY: You know, Whoopi went on to say, I asked her about the Hillary supporters, the percentage of them who say they're going vote for McCain over Barack Obama and she said if that's the case they're not true democrats. She says if you're a true Democrat you will get behind the party nominee. We should mention that Whoopi is also on Broadway until September 7th, she is in a show "Xanadu."
ROBERTS: It's 31 minutes now after the hour. And coming to you live from Denver, Colorado, and INVESCO Field at Mile High. Good morning, I'm John Roberts for the most politics in the morning as the democrats began their convention, we got word that Cindy McCain was on her way to Georgia with the U.N. World Food program suggesting that as first lady, she may keep up an active schedule traveling the world for charity. What about Michelle Obama? Would she conduct a similar global out reach? I asked her that question in Denver as she was helping to pack care packages for U.S. troops overseas.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ROBERTS: Cindy McCain recently announced that she's going on a trip to Georgia. I know that you've been to Africa. Are you thinking about doing things like that?
MICHELLE OBAMA, WIFE OF SEN. BARACK OBAMA: You know, I'm not going to do anything during the course of the campaign. But hopefully if Barack has the honor of becoming president and I'm first lady I, you know, plan to be doing many trips abroad. But right now my focus is going to be on my family and on the campaign here in the United States.
ROBERTS: You know, doing things like this for the troops, would you actually like to go visit them in the war zones?
OBAMA: I would love to. I would love to. You know, I just think we have to -- to see these things first hand, too. And I think it just means so much to the troops. I know when Barack did his trip abroad, just to see the faces of the troops light up when he came - came in, you know, those are the - those are the small things we can do.
ROBERTS: There's no question you get a different perspective on it.
OBAMA: Absolutely. And I think we just have an obligation to make sure we know what's going on, on the ground. So I would love to do that type of travel if Barack is in the White House.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROBERTS: Michelle Obama speaking with us the other day at Curtis Park here in Denver.
More than 84,000 people witnessed history here at INVESCO Field just hours ago. Barack Obama took the ball for the Democratic Party and said he is ready to take on and beat John McCain.
CNN's Suzanne Malveaux has been watching all week and she joins us now. So, he had to hit one out of the park. By many accounts, he did. And now the gauntlet has been thrown over to John McCain to respond.
SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Two things happened last night. Barack Obama made history. The first African-American nominee of major party to run for president obviously on the 45th anniversary of Martin Luther King's "I have a dream" speech. Significant moment. But also he made it very, very clear this is a turning point for the campaign. This is a time when he's going to get a lot tougher on John McCain.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MALVEAUX (voice-over): Barack Obama, now the nominee.
SEN. BARACK OBAMA (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I accept your nomination for presidency of the United States.
MALVEAUX: Walking on stage to a thundering crowd. After several minutes standing ovation, Obama took John McCain head on. On experience.
OBAMA: I get it. I realize that I'm not the likeliest candidate for this office. I don't fit the typical pedigree. And I haven't spent my career in the halls of Washington.
MALVEAUX: On patriotism.
OBAMA: We all put our country first.
MALVEAUX: On the economy. Not only a plan to fix it, but a way to pay for it.
OBAMA: I'll eliminate capital gains taxes for the small businesses and start-ups. I'll pay for every dime by closing corporate loopholes and tax savings that don't help America grow.
MALVEAUX: And the war on terror.
OBAMA: 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.
MALVEAUX: And Obama challenged McCain to a debate.
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.
MALVEAUX: But before the speech, the A-list entertainment.
A change would do us good.
MALVEAUX: And of course party superstars. But Obama said he was not the star tonight.
OBAMA: What the naysayers don't understand is that this election has never been about me. It's about you.
MALVEAUX: Hoping to turn those 84,000 attendees into a grass roots political army that in two months can deliver him the election.
Suzanne Malveaux, CNN, Denver.
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ROBERTS: All right. Suzanne Malveaux reporting for us this morning. We got some breaking news this morning. Dana Bash is with us from Dayton, Ohio, this morning. She's been following the hunt for a vice presidential running mate for John McCain. Dana, what have you got? DANA BASH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, we don't have any firm word on anything yet. Let's just start there. But we are working on it. But what we've been doing obviously is working sources and reading tea leaves. And here's something that's very interesting that we learned. And that is that a private plane, a Gulf Stream four, arrived here actually very close to here in Dayton last night. And it arrived from Anchorage, Alaska. It arrived from Anchorage, Alaska. Now, again we're reading tea leaves here. But this could be an interesting development in that it wouldn't seem that very many private planes would come from Anchorage, Alaska, to airports near Dayton, Ohio.
And one person who had been on a list of people who were being talked about for John McCain's running mate is actually the governor of Alaska. Her name is Sarah Palin. She's very young. She's 44 years old. She's actually a first term governor. She's only elected in December of 2006. So she's been there for just about two years. But she is somebody who is very much like John McCain. She's a reform-minded person. She is somebody who is - has been fighting corruption since she was a small-town mayor in Alaska. And obviously she is a she. She is a woman.
Now, again, we want to be very careful in pointing out that what - what we know right now is just that a plane from Anchorage, Alaska, did arrive, a private plane, did arrive last night here in Ohio and so we're looking in to see if there's anything more to that. Because as we were reporting earlier, we were being warned this morning that perhaps there is a dark horse candidate, somebody who we haven't been talking about much publicly lately. John.
ROBERTS: All right. Dana Bash for us this morning from Dayton, watching and trying to read the tea leaves. Dana, thanks very much. And of course, we're going to stay on that story for you this morning.
With his historic speech last evening here at INVESCO Field, Barack Obama becomes the first African-American to accept the nomination of a major party nomination for president. And it comes on the 45th anniversary of another historic speech, Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I have a dream". Joining me now is Michael Eric Dyson, he is a sociology professor at Georgetown University. So, where does America find itself today as it wakes up?
MICHAEL ERIC DYSON, SOCIOLOGY PROF., GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY: Well, I think that obviously the historic nomination of the first African-American presidential candidate of the Democratic Party is extraordinary. To see change, there's a facilitation of a transition from one set of people, the Clintons with their extraordinary legacy, to another, Barack Obama with a promising future to say the at least. And I think that America sees that this young man as competent, capable, intelligent, enthusiastic about his job. And I think it was an extraordinary event last night.
ROBERTS: You know, we have talked to so many people, Michael, over the last few weeks about Barack Obama's candidacy and so many people told us they never thought they would live to see the day. Other people say, why did it take so long? DYSON: Well, yes. Well, both of those are true, right. The reality is only 40 years after Dr. King's death when he spoke about not being able to get to the promise land but some day we as a people would get to the promise land, many see Barack Obama as man who embodies that hope and aspiration and that we're much closer to the promise land. Of course, this is the third anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, so you're always mindful of the fact that poor black people themselves are continuing to be vulnerable along with many other Americans without resources.
ROBERTS: So why did he succeed where other African-American candidates in the past did not?
DYSON: Well, his individual genius certainly is in part accountable for that. The times were right. His sense of organization was extraordinary. And he was able to seize, I think, the temper of the times, if you will, by knowing that new leadership could lead to new directions and new possibilities. And Barack Obama was a charismatic figure. Four years ago he's giving a speech at the Democratic convention not yet elected as a nationally-elected official. Now four years later he's the nominee of his party.
ROBERTS: But did he try to unite where other African-American candidates try to divide over the years?
DYSON: Well, I don't think that the other African-Americans tried to divide. I mean Jesse Jackson, the most prominent candidate, of course, spoke about the bitter divisions in American culture. Al Sharpton even further along, a couple of times ago, really tried to speak about something powerful and interesting in America. But yes, there's no question that Barack Obama himself speaks a different language and is a post, "civil rights generation figure." He has less of a sense of the historic bitterness that has characterized their particular quest. But make no mistake, without Jesse Jackson or Al Sharpton or Shirley Chisholm or Carol Mosley Braun, there'd be no Barack Obama.
ROBERTS: Everything is building blocks.
DYSON: Certainly. But he's taking it in gone leap, you know, he's gone leap years ahead and he's gone at warp speeds.
ROBERTS: It's a very interesting place we find ourselves in this morning.
DYSON: No question. He's an extraordinary man and this is going to be an interesting race.
ROBERTS: Michael Eric Dyson, thanks for being with us this morning.
DYSON: Thank you for having me.
ROBERTS: Good to see you, sir.
DYSON: All right. Thank you. (BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
CHETRY (voice-over): Killer in the Caribbean. More than 50 dead as Gustav churns toward the Gulf. The latest on the storm's track. You're watching the most news in the morning.
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CHETRY: News now, the Gulf Coast getting ready for a potential disaster. Tropical storm Gustav has already killed more than 50 people in Haiti and is expected to gain strength and hit somewhere along the Gulf Coast early Tuesday. It could be the strongest hurricane to make landfall there since Hurricane Katrina three years ago to the week. We're also learning more about how Louisiana plans to get ahead start on this storm. CNN's Deb Feyerick was at Katrina three years ago, since then she's been checking in with Louisiana officials about what their plan if the storm does indeed hit them and hit them hard. Hi, Deb.
DEBORAH FEYERICK, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Kiran. Unlike Katrina where people waited too long to evacuate there's a big push this morning to make sure that people in New Orleans get ready to get out. One of the most important plans to come out of Katrina is what's called the culture flow plan. There will be a lot of restrictions on the interstate system with traffic that normally flows in two directions, flowing in one direction only. And officials this morning are warning that if evacuations begin in Jefferson and Orleans parish, once people get on the road it may be impossible to change routes. And that's why officials are urging people to get out early, to leave before that plan is activated.
Now, Congressman Steve Scalise among others sending out tips. This include, gassing up your car. It sounds simple however if the electric power is cut, pumps may not operate. And you may remember last time, cars were simply breaking down on the interstate, running out of gas. Also, shut off utilities in your home, especially the gas.
If you do decide to leave, make sure you think about elderly family members who may live elsewhere but need your help in a hurricane. There was a big problem last time with nursing homes not evacuating and elderly patients drowning in their beds.
Also consider neighbors, if they may need help and take all documents, driver's license, social security cards, insurance policies, wills, birth and marriage certificates. Make sure there's one person out of state you can contact so everybody has a central location they can call. Also a meeting place is good. And what officials really are urging for those people who don't have computers, they're saying listen to the radio, look at local media. That's going to be your best source of information. Kiran.
CHETRY: All right. They're preparing also for the possibility that these levees will not hold and they have some backup plans with sandbags and a lot of supplies as well. So fingers crossed.
FEYERICK: Exactly.
CHETRY: Deb, thanks so much.
FEYERICK: Of course.
CHETRY: Well, we want to go right now to Dana Bash who has some news for us possibly on the VP pick. Dana.
BASH: Well, Kiran, Governor Tim Pawlenty of Minnesota, we've been talking about him for some time as somebody who might be a possible contender. Well, he on his weekly radio show that he does from Minnesota, he just said that he is not going to be there. Meaning here, here in Dayton. He said, he plans to be instead at the state fair in Minnesota. And then he went on to say, you can draw your own conclusions from that.
So there is a very strong hint from Governor Tim Pawlenty that he is not going to be John McCain's running mate. Now, this could be a little bit of a head fake. Again, we don't have any firm word. But that kind of statement from the governor who as we've been reporting abruptly left Denver when he was out acting as a surrogate for John McCain and went back to Minnesota yesterday is quite interesting.
Now, a little bit, quickly the back story on that, what I was told is that he was doing so many interviews and he was supposed to be talking about John McCain as a candidate, he was asked so much about the veep stakes that the folks who had asked him to come decided, you know what, it was too much for him to be doing that and it was better for him to go back home to Minnesota. Perhaps this is why. Again, the news is, is that Tim Pawlenty is saying himself on his radio show in Minnesota that he doesn't plan to be here in Dayton for a rally that we expect to be the time when John McCain introduces his running mate. Kiran.
CHETRY: So he is essentially ruling himself out or is he being coy?
BASH: Sounds like - both, actually. It sounds like he's ruling himself out but he's being coy. But certainly the way he is saying this on his radio show, he's certainly making it seem like he doesn't have any plans to be here. But, again, we're going to keep reporting the developments as we get them, the nuggets as we get them. And hopefully very soon, the actual information about who John McCain's running mate is as soon as we can. Kiran.
CHETRY: Dana, thanks for that update.
Well, Joe Biden's son moved Michelle Obama to tears. Beau Biden now headed off to Iraq. But he's got a stop to make first right here on AMERICAN MORNING. We're one on one with Beau Biden. You're watching the most news in the morning.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK) ROBERTS: Eight minutes now to the top of the hour. While Barack Obama had the spotlight last night, one of the more special moments before his speech last evening. Oscar winner Jennifer Hudson belting out the national anthem. We're going to take you to break with a little bit of her performance. And we'll be right back with more of the most politics in the morning.
(NATIONAL ANTHEM)
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CHETRY (voice-over): Breaking news, John McCain introduces his VP pick to the world today. Who is still in the running right now?
Plus, a packed house. Star power. And a rock star nominee.
SEN. BARACK OBAMA (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: God bless the United States of America.
CHETRY: The GOP's saying don't buy the hype.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Who is ready to lead from day one?
CHETRY: John McCain's counter punch on the most politics in the morning.
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CHETRY: We have breaking news for you. We could find out any time now who John McCain's running mate will be and it seems that the field is perhaps narrowing this morning. As our Dana Bash just told us a few minutes ago, a private plane from Alaska, Anchorage, Alaska arrived last night in Dayton, Ohio. That of course, is where McCain is campaigning today. And as we know, one of the potential candidates is Alaska Governor Sarah Palin. Joining me now is CNN political contributor Bill Bennett who is also the national radio host of "Morning in America."
Good to see you, Bill. So we've gotten a few little nuggets since I've talked to you last. One of them is, of course, this plane landing from Anchorage, Alaska, landing in Dayton, Ohio last night. Sarah Palin, 44 years old, first term and first female governor of Alaska. What do you think?
BILL BENNETT, CNN POLITICAL CONTRIBUTOR: Yes. Well, the plot thickens, Kiran. But who's in the plane, maybe it's Tim Pawlenty in the plane from Alaska. I don't know. Sarah Palin is very popular. People like her very much. She is two years into her term as governor of Alaska. She is best known for her advocacy of drilling, drilling for oil in ANWR, in the state of Alaska. And a very great, very good presence and, of course, this would be a very interesting choice for John McCain. He is unpredictable, he is independent, he does what he wants, he takes his own counsel. We'll see, my instincts tells me Pawlenty, but I could be dead wrong. CHETRY: Well, we also got another interesting nugget from Dana Bash a few minutes ago, which is that she said that Tim Pawlenty, the Minnesota governor seemed to rule himself out a few moments ago on his radio show. Saying that he returned and that he was sort of almost taking himself out of the running, if you will. Is that once again just a way to sort of throw people off the scent? Or do you think he maybe is not on the short list?
BENNETT: I don't know. It could be a head fake. It could be real. But we'll all know in a few hours. I'm glad John McCain waited until Barack Obama had his say last night. I think it was good to hear all that. That grand rhetoric last night. And let the whole country absorb it and then move on to the McCain agenda and the Republican convention. But there's no telling, they're playing a very complicated game. What's interesting to me, I'm sure it's interesting to you as a professional, both parties have done pretty well in keeping it secret. I didn't know you could do that anymore, did you?
CHETRY: Right. They kept the secret as long as they could until CNN broke the news about Biden a little bit earlier than the Obama camp -
BENNETT: OK.
CHETRY: -- planned.
BENNETT: OK. Give CNN credit.
CHETRY: Our political team working very hard with that.
BENNETT: Sure.
CHETRY: I do want to ask you this. And this could just be a real big case of bad timing, the Republican convention set to get underway Monday in St. Paul at the same time, this is a day before you have possibly the strongest hurricane since Katrina heading possibly toward New Orleans. What should they do?
BENNETT: Yes, I know already that Bobby Jindal event, I think is not on, we were looking forward to going to it. One has to be very thoughtful about this and sensitive to it. I have heard rumors that the thing may be postponed by a couple of days until Wednesday or Thursday. John McCain will make that decision, he will make the right decision, he is not tone deaf on these things. And if they need to postpone the convention or do it in some other way or just, you know, compress it all into the last two days, I expect they will. I would not be surprised to see a change here.
CHETRY: Well, all right. We'll keep everyone posted on that as well. Bill Bennett, always great to see you. Thanks for being with us.
BENNETT: Thanks so much, Kiran.
