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American Morning
Analyzing Palin's Convention Speech; More Heavy Weather Crossing the Atlantic
Aired September 04, 2008 - 07:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
JOHN ROBERTS, CNN ANCHOR: "Her down-home, divisive and deceptive speech did nothing to cosmeticize a Republican convention that has more than twice as many male delegates as female, a presidential candidate who is owned and operated by the right wing and a platform that opposes pretty much everything Clinton's candidacy stood for."
What do you say in reaction to that?
CARLY FIORINA, CHAIRMAN, RNC VICTORY 2008: You know, I have great administration for the historic path that Gloria Steinem forged. But I must say I disagree fundamentally with virtually every word of that op-ed.
And let's just start with the fact that Sarah Palin's candidacy is historic. Sarah Palin is also a feminist. If feminism is all about defining yourself instead of letting the world define you, this is an incredibly accomplished woman who has balanced the demands of work life and family life incredibly well and who, perhaps, disagrees with Miss Steinem on some issues.
I will tell you I have been talking with Democrats for months and months. My box was filled with Democrats and there were a number, a great number of female Hillary Clinton supporters last night cheering the historic arrival of Sarah Palin as vice president.
ROBERTS: The next 60 days are going to be nothing if not dynamic.
FIORINA: Absolutely.
ROBERTS: Carly Fiorina, good to see you this morning. Thanks so much.
FIORINA: Thank you.
ROBERTS: Just crossing the top of the hour. Coming to you live from the Xcel Center here in Saint Paul, Minnesota, home of the Republican National Convention where we're raising the curtain on day four. And here's what's ahead this hour.
John McCain tries to win over a nation tonight. He will accept his party's nomination for president of the United States. It comes less than a year after his campaign was running on fumes, broke, pretty much left for dead.
This morning Joe Biden fires back right here. He joins us live in 20 minutes with reaction to last night's speech by the woman that he'll be debating soon, Governor Sarah Palin.
Plus, Kyra Phillips live for us this morning in Anchorage, Alaska. A CNN exclusive with someone who may know Governor Palin better than anyone, her sister, Heather.
All those stories and more straight ahead. But first, let's send it back to Kiran in New York.
KIRAN CHETRY, CNN ANCHOR: John, thanks.
You know, first this hour, Sarah Palin has already made history. She became the first woman to accept the Republican vice presidential nomination. And last night she embraced her small town hockey mom roots and told the country that she is ready for the big time.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GOV. SARAH PALIN (R), VICE PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: You know, from the inside no family ever seems typical. And that's how it is with us. Our family has the same ups and downs as any other. The same challenges and the same joys. Sometimes even the greatest joys bring challenge.
You know, they say the difference between a hockey mom and a pit bull? Lipstick.
Before I became governor of the great state of Alaska, I was mayor of my hometown. And since our opponents in this presidential election seem to look down on that experience, let me explain to them what the job involves.
I guess a small town mayor is sort of like a community organizer, except that you have actual responsibilities.
I might add that in small towns we don't quite know what to make of a candidate who lavishes praise on working people when they're listening, and then talks about how bitterly they cling to their religion and guns when those people aren't listening. No. We tend to prefer candidates who don't talk about us one way in Scranton and another way in San Francisco.
Here's a little news flash for those reporters and commentators, I'm not going to Washington to seek their good opinion. I'm going to Washington to serve the people of this great country.
Terrorist states are seeking nuclear weapons without delay. He wants to meet them without preconditions. Al-Qaeda terrorists still plot to inflict catastrophic harm on America, and he's worried that someone won't read them their rights.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHETRY: And this morning the Obama camp is responding to Governor Palin's speech saying, "The speech was well delivered, but it was written by George Bush's speechwriter and sounds exactly like the same divisive partisan attacks we've heard from George Bush for the last eight years. If Governor Palin and John McCain want to define change as voting with George Bush 90 percent of the time, that's their choice, but we don't think the American people are ready to take a 10 percent chance on change."
ROBERTS: Well, CNN's Jessica Yellin was in the crowd for Governor Palin's big speech and she joins us this morning.
I was here as well up in one of our CNN boxes. It was just an amazing environment here -- electric. She had everybody literally in the palm of her hand last night. She was exactly what they wanted to hear.
JESSICA YELLIN, CNN CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Tremendous enthusiasm here. And also, that was a large part of John McCain's goal, it seem, in choosing her. She coalesced the base and brought Republicans so much excitement that you can go out of this convention thinking that at least he has the support of the base for sure and he can go after those independents and undecideds now.
ROBERTS: Yes. We saw the reaction from the Obama campaign that Kiran just read a second ago. There was one particular line that they took issue with and some other Democrats have taken issue with. And this was the line where she said that I guess being a mayor is like being a community organizer except you have real responsibility. How did the Obama campaign respond to that?
YELLIN: They are hitting back on that. They sent out a mailing, an e-mail to all their supporters last night really hitting on this issue that community organizers help people get jobs. They help people when their subprime mortgages collapse and they need to refinance. That these are the people who help in your every day kitchen table needs and they're trying to pivot on that message, to try to point out that John McCain in their view is out of touch with real people's lives, Obama is not.
ROBERTS: Each side is going to be picking up on everything the other one says and try to use it to their advantage.
YELLIN: Very aggressive.
ROBERTS: Just real quick, what do you think the tone of this campaign is going to be?
YELLIN: It's going to be very, very hard hitting from here on out.
ROBERTS: All right. The most hotly contested one in 80 years.
YELLIN: Yes.
ROBERTS: So probably will be -- Kiran.
CHETRY: John, thanks.
You know, family and friends in America's last frontier say that they already knew Sarah Palin was no push over. CNN's the only network in Anchorage, Alaska, right now and Kyra Phillips watched the big speech with the governor's sister and brother-in-law, and joins us now from Anchorage.
Hey, Kyra, what did they think of it?
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I'll tell you what? I had a unique chance to be able to sit down with Heather, the sister of Sarah Palin, also her husband, Kurt, and we watched the speech together. And I can tell you that they were thoroughly moved, especially when the governor started talking about her newborn baby, Trig, who has Down syndrome. And it was at that point the governor started talking about kids with special needs and that there was going to be an advocate in the White House for all those types of parents.
And then when I was talking to Heather after that moment, I noticed she got a little emotional. I found out even more about them and why it has given such a special connection between the sisters. Take a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HEATHER BRUCE, SARAH PALIN'S SISTER: We have a special needs son ourselves. 13 years old now. And I think with the family we have (INAUDIBLE).
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GOV. SARAH PALIN (R), VICE PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: In the spirit as vice president of the United States.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
PHILLIPS: OK. Apologize about that. I think there was a problem with the audio there. But what Heather was talking about, they have a child with special needs as well. Actually an autistic child.
And so, this is a family that has embraced kids with special needs and it has definitely brought them all closer. I mean, there's more than a dozen grandkids in this family. They are close, they are tight knit, they spend a lot of time together. And the birth of baby Trig really made an impact on both the governor, her husband, the siblings, and also Heather and Kurt, and the entire family.
So it was one special little moment there within the speech that made an impact on them and all of us that were sitting there watching it.
CHETRY: All right. Kyra, good stuff from Anchorage, Alaska, for us bright and early. It's probably dark and early I guess is a better way to put it. Thanks.
ROBERTS: Just after 3:00 in the morning, in fact. So that's the view from Anchorage, Alaska. What did the other 49 states think of Sarah Palin's speech? We're going to take a look at the first impressions and her views on guns, God and the war.
And the other VP nominee. We'll get reaction to Sarah Palin's speech from her counterpart on the Democratic ticket, Senator Joe Biden.
From Saint Paul, Minnesota and the Republican National Convention, you are watching the "Most News in the Morning." Coming up on nine minutes after the hour.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GOV. SARAH PALIN (R), VICE PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Here's how I look at the choice Americans face in this election. In politics, there are some candidates who use change to promote their careers. And then there are those like John McCain who use their careers to promote change.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GOV. SARAH PALIN (R), VICE PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: But when the cloud of rhetoric has passed, when the roar of the crowd fades away, when the stadium lights go out, and those styrofoam Greek columns are hauled back to some studio lot, when that happens, what exactly is our opponent's plan?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHETRY: Republican vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin attacking, even mocking Barack Obama in her speech last night. But did she say enough about herself to convince Americans she's ready to lead, or will questions about her still dog the McCain campaign?
Well, joining us to give us some insight, Republican strategist and CNN contributor Ed Rollins, as well as Democratic strategist Lisa Caputo. Thanks.
You know, you guys were here with me 24 hours ago when she was prepping for this speech. A lot of talk about what she had to say and how she had to deliver it.
Lisa, did she do it?
LISA CAPUTO, DEMOCRATIC STRATEGIST: I have to tell you, I mean, as a Democrat I thought she did a very fine job. She introduced herself and her family to the American public. She framed John McCain to tee him up for tonight, and she played the attack dog role.
Now, I will say, I didn't hear much that's different from the Republican rhetoric of, you know, strong defense. I heard nothing on the economy. And for somebody to stand before a crowd of the American people and a national television audience, to not talk about the economy when we're facing huge unemployment rates, a deficit, rising gas prices, to me means it's a little bit out of touch.
I will also say it was very clear she was trying to go after female voters, the soccer mom voters, the Hillary Clinton voters. Again, I don't think that resonates because of the substance -- her position on choice, her position on guns. And, you know, there was no addressing the half a million women who are unemployed in this country today.
CHETRY: And let me ask you a couple of things, Ed. First of all, some criticism has been that perhaps she was a little bit too sarcastic, maybe too biting and should have talked a little bit more about what she and McCain were going to do to fix the country. What did you think?
ED ROLLINS, REPUBLICAN STRATEGIST: It was an extraordinary performance. This is a country that 20 million people got to see her for the first time and there's very -- you and I have been around this business a long time. I have great respect for you.
There are very few great talents in this business. She is a great talent. She is someone who obviously won a governorship in a very, very difficult state, beat a Republican governor, beat a Democrat reformer, two-term governor. There's something about her that's magical and the American public got to see it. She's a great communicator and should go out on the campaign trail and communicate about the things that you're talking about today.
Last night was her introduction. It was a great line out of a movie "48 Hours" when Eddie Murphy walks in a red neck bar, flashes a badge and says to a bunch of rednecks, "I am your worst nightmare. I'm the new sheriff in town." She's the new sheriff in town.
(LAUGHTER)
CHETRY: Quoting Eddie Murphy this morning. It must be early.
I want to hear a little bit -- I want you guys to hear a little bit about what Giuliani said last night. They really seem to try to take the argument against her -- the inexperience and flip it around. Let's hear from Rudy.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
RUDY GIULIANI, FMR. NEW YORK CITY MAYOR: He's never run a city. He's never run a state. He's never run a business. He's never run a military unit. He's never had to lead people in crisis.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHETRY: Lisa, how was that playing out? To try to say, you're saying Sarah Palin's inexperienced, look at Barack Obama who's at the top of the Dems ticket.
CAPUTO: I mean, personally I just don't see that applies. I mean, this is somebody, who as mayor, left a town of 7,000 in debt. She's flip-flopped on issues whether it's the bridge to nowhere where first she was for it, then she was against it. Then the earmarks going into her state, first she was for it, then she's against it.
And to say that Barack Obama is inexperienced just doesn't fly. I mean, this is somebody who's worked across the aisle, was a major proponent of ethics reform. And I think clearly the polls are showing every poll nationally has him up. Not only is his message resonating but his record is resonating.
ROLLINS: You know, let's see where we are in a week. We now have our ticket. John McCain has a big task tonight to lay out his agenda for the future. But she's an extreme talent.
And first of all, it's all about getting the votes. At the end of the day, who attracts votes? Joe Biden, no disrespect to him, who I have great respect for as a chairman of Foreign Relations Committee, he's coming on here. He spent 247 days in Iowa and couldn't get any votes. She can get votes, and that's what's going to count here.
CHETRY: All right. Well, that remains to be seen. But let's have both of you talk about it with us every morning.
Ed Rollins and Lisa Caputo, thanks.
CAPUTO: Nice to see you.
ROBERTS: Coming up now on 16 minutes after the hour. Vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin came out swinging at the Democrats last night. We're giving the Democrats a chance to swing back.
Senator Joe Biden joins us live on the "Most News in the Morning."
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
CHETRY: Just a week ago she was a political unknown. And now, tens of millions have heard Sarah Palin's introduction to the nation. We're also learning a lot more about her views on things like global warming, guns and religion.
Deb Feyerick is here with a look at Sarah Palin's scorecard, if you will. Hi, Deb.
DEBORAH FEYERICK, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hey there, Kiran.
Well, you know, we started looking at where she stands on the issues and her opinions are easy enough to track down. But when you look at what she's actually achieved as governor in the words of one high- ranking Republican, very little legislation has been brought before the governor. She hasn't had to deal with most issues on a practical level. But here's what we found.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
FEYERICK (voice-over): The war in Iraq. VP nominee Sarah Palin supports the troops. Her son is an infantryman in the U.S. Army. She told "Time" magazine she'd like to know there's an exit plan and believes ending dependence on foreign oil will help end the war. And the reason why the U.S. is at war? Here's what she told her former church.
GOV. SARAH PALIN (R), VICE PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Our national leaders are sending them out on a task that is from God. That's what we have to make sure that we're praying for. That there is a plan and that plan is God's plan.
FEYERICK: On gun control. Palin is a lifelong hunter, a member of the NRA and favors gun safety programs for teenagers. She is tough on crime and has said if the legislature passed the death penalty she would sign it.
For Palin, economy, energy and the environment are inseparable and her positions stem from her desire to create jobs using Alaska's natural resources. She wants to open up the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to search for oil and gas. She believes in renewable energy like wind, but also wants to lift the moratorium on offshore drilling.
One Republican lawmaker told CNN, Palin has spent the majority of her time as governor working to secure an Alaska/Canada pipeline to deliver natural gas and create a new energy economy. She believes the climate is changing, but not as a manmade phenomenon. And her administration filed a lawsuit against the federal government to get the polar bear off the endangered species list.
When it comes to business, taxes and state budgets, Palin worked on modifying the tax system, eliminating personal property taxes, and taxes on small businesses. She's a fiscal conservative and asked state agencies to trim their budgets, but last year didn't cut the operating budget sent to her by the legislature.
As for social issues and civil rights, Palin is opposed to abortion except to save the life of a mother. She opposes stem cell research, opposes same sex marriage and believes teens should be taught abstinence.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
Now we look for Governor Palin's positions on foreign policy, welfare and immigration. But until last night, there's never been a record or even any mention -- Kiran.
CHETRY: Deb Feyerick looking into it for us. Thanks so much.
FEYERICK: Of course.
ROBERTS: The other running mate.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. JOE BIDEN, DEM VICE PRES. NOMINEE: First of all, I don't know the governor.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROBERTS: The man who will go face to face with Sarah Palin. We're live with Joe Biden.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GOV. SARAH PALIN (R), VICE PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: You know, they say the difference between a hockey mom and a pit bull? Lipstick. (END VIDEO CLIP)
ROBERTS: You're watching the "Most News in the Morning."
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GOV. SARAH PALIN (R), VICE PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: What does he actually seek to accomplish after he's done turning back the waters and healing the planet?
Victory in Iraq is finally in sight, and he wants to force it. Terrorist states are seeking new clear weapons without delay. He wants to meet them without preconditions.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROBERTS: Republican vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin last night, mixing in some attacks on Barack Obama while also touting her own experience.
Our next guest will debate Governor Palin in October, October 2nd in St. Louis. Democratic vice presidential nominee Senator Joe Biden joins us from Virginia Beach this morning. Good morning, senator.
SEN. JOE BIDEN, DEM VICE PRES. NOMINEE: Hey, John, how are you.
ROBERTS: Very good. Good to see you, sir. And this is the first opportunity to talk to you since you were nominated. A big congratulations to you.
BIDEN: Thank you.
ROBERTS: Before her speech last night, you said that you were not going to attack Governor Palin. Are you feeling a little differently this morning?
BIDEN: No, I'm not going to attack her, John. You've covered me for a long, long time. You know, when we debate, and boy, she's going to be a tough debater, she's going to be a skillful debater, I'm going to try to talk about, you know, the differences of our world view here and what we're going to do for the country.
And her speech was amazing speech in two ways. It was incredibly well crafted and delivered. But there wasn't a single -- I didn't hear the phrase middle class. I didn't hear a single word about health care. I didn't hear a single word about helping people get to college. I didn't hear a single word or phrase about how to deal with the retirement, security for people, and Social Security.
I didn't hear the word Afghanistan or Pakistan mentioned where the terrorists live. You know, I mean -- where al-Qaeda is. So, you know, what I'm going to try to do and I may not be able -- I mean she's so good, I may not be able to get to her I'm going to try, is try to point out where we want to take the country and how they don't have a single answer how to dig us out of the hole we've been dug into the last eight years.
And, John, I think the American people are more focused in this election than any time at all. So if I'm wrong about that and if it's going to get down to who can deliver, you know, the toughest lines, then, you know, she's going to win the debate. But that's not -- I'm not going there.
ROBERTS: I can see that you're already playing the game of raising expectations for her. Last night --
BIDEN: Look, did you watch her last night? She was good. She was really good.
ROBERTS: She was very effective. She was very effective.
Last night in her speech she was almost mocking in tone about the Democratic ticket, talking about a lack of experience on the part of Senator Obama, also playing to what some analysts have said is a lack of substance in his rhetoric. Does he need to put a little more meat on the bones in terms of what he talks about, how he talks about it in the next 60 days?
BIDEN: Oh, I don't think so. Look, he put meat on the bones. He's laid out our tax reform (ph) to give 95 percent -- 95 percent of the people in America can get a tax cut.
John McCain and the governor, they're going to give a 200 billion -- this is factual. $200 billion tax cut to corporate America. They're going to give $5 billion tax cut to Exxon Mobil and the major oil companies.
Look, if you're making a 100,000, 250,000 bucks a year, you're going to do very well under the Democratic plan. You're going to do very badly under the Republican plan.
And besides that, as I said, her sister and brother-in-law own that gas station. They should vote Democrat if they're small business. It's because not a thing in the proposal that the Republicans have is going to help them.
We help them. We provide health care help. We provide help to get their kids to college, et cetera. So I think, you know, Barack has laid this stuff out. It's just a matter of breaking through. And, look, we got time here to exactly do that. I'm not worried about that.
ROBERTS: You know, senator, now that the campaign is fully launched here a lot of people are asking a number of different questions about experience, background, things that have happened over the last few years.
One of the big items that's on the agenda here is that of change, doing business differently in Washington, the influence of lobbyists. I know that your office has had contact with the lobbying firm of which your son is a member, your son, Hunter, is a member. I want to ask you, has he ever lobbied you directly? BIDEN: I can look you right straight in the eye and guarantee you my son has never, ever, ever lobbied me.
ROBERTS: Right.
BIDEN: And, you know, and we've never talked about a single client that he has had. And he only has a few clients anyway. So, you know, this is --
ROBERTS: But, senator --
BIDEN: But I understand it's fair game.
ROBERTS: Senator, is it even appropriate for your office to be doing business with the firm that employs him?
BIDEN: Well, my son doesn't share in any of those revenues, and I think it's appropriate for my office.
Look, I'm of all the senators of the United States Senate, I'm the one who has, I believe this to be true, I just speak for myself, is that I don't meet with lobbyists. I don't meet with lobbyists.
And it started off as an accident because early on in my career I didn't have time to do it and I've just never done it. My staff does. And I don't mean -- when I say lobbyists, I don't even meet with interest groups out there. My staff does.
ROBERTS: Right.
BIDEN: So, look, I think what people are going to have to do is take a look at my record and reform. And take a look at Barack Obama. He comes along and he shepherds in his first two years in the United States Senate the most significant ethics reform bill since Watergate. I mean, look, if this is about reform I don't have any problem about how we're going to win that race.
And think about this. The only thing these guys are talking about, our opponents, is this idea of reform. Where have they been all the last little bit? And what are they going to do about digging us out of this incredible hole that middle class people find themselves in and we find ourselves in in the world?
I think this is a big ticket election, John. If I'm wrong about that, then it's a different outcome, maybe. But I really think people are focused on how are you going to help me take care of my parents? How are you going to help me get my kid to school? What are you going to do to take the burden off me of my losing my job?
ROBERTS: Senator, it's great to talk to you. And I hope that we'll be talking to you a lot more in the course of the next 60 days and looking forward to that debate on October 2nd.
BIDEN: Oh, I'm sure we will, John.
ROBERTS: All right. Senator, thanks so much. BIDEN: Well, I'm not sure I am now after seeing this. Thanks.
ROBERTS: You're raising those expectations again. Thanks, senator.
Hurricane Ike now an extremely dangerous Category four and it could be headed toward the United States. We are tracking Ike and Hanna and Josephine.
And another hot mike messup. A Republican slams the Sarah Palin pick when she thinks that nobody's listening.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KIRAN CHETRY, CNN, ANCHOR: Welcome back to the most news in the morning. It's the bottom of the hour now . Your top stories, John McCain makes the biggest speech of his life tonight. He's going to accept the Republican Presidential nomination. And last night his surprise pick for a running mate owned the RNC. Sarah Palin saying she's ready for Washington and better prepared than even Barack Obama.
Another story breaking this morning, a triple threat in the Atlantic. One storm, Ike, now turning into quite a monster. Forecasters calling it an extremely dangerous category 4 hurricane with 145 mile an hour winds. It's now hundreds of miles out in the Atlantic between tropical storms Josephine and Hanna which could become hurricanes by the time - well, Josephine could become a hurricane by the time it hits the country.
Also, another hike in health care. A new study saying more than half of companies will raise deductibles and co-pays again next year. Passing the rising cost of medical insurance off to their workers. It also says health care costs are still rising at a faster clip than overall inflation and paychecks.
Well, a very well known republican analyst and former speech writer was caught in what they're calling a hot mike moment, trashing the Sarah Palin pick. Peggy Noonan made the comment after a segment on MSNBC. Let's take a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PEGGY NOONAN, REPUBLICAN ANALYST: The most qualified, no. I think they went for the, excuse me, political [ bleep ] narratives - every time the republicans do that, because that's not where they live and it's not what they're good at, they blow it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHETRY: Peggy Noonan later said "in our off-air conversation, I got on the subject of the leaders of the republican party assuming, now, that whatever the base of the republican party thinks is what America thinks. I made the case that this is no longer true, that party leaders seem to me stuck in the assumptions of 1988 and 1994. I am certainly sorry I blurted my barnyard epithet."
Well, Peggy Noonan's fingerprints are all over the pages of GOP history. She authored President Reagan's famous speech, marking the 40th anniversary of d day and she wrote that Reagan's address to the nation after the Challenger explosion, the most memorable lines, "slipped the surly bonds of earth and touched the face of God" was borrowed from a famous poem. As for the first President Bush, "a kindler, gentler nation and a thousand points of light, read my lips, no new taxes." All of them Peggy Noonan's work. John.
JOHN ROBERTS, CNN, ANCHOR: The world got to know a little bit more about Governor Palin when she accepted the republicans' nomination for vice president last evening. And she fit right in with the rest of the lineup taking a bunch of shots at Barack Obama. John McCain's campaign manager Rick Davis joins me now. Is this the tone that we're going to hear over the last 60 days, Rick?
RICK DAVIS, MCCAIN CAMPAIGN MANAGER: Well, I think the tone is a good tone last night. It drew a contrast between what John McCain and Governor Sarah Palin are offering to the American public is a change to Washington, to try and clean that place up, make things happen for change on behalf of taxpayers and on behalf of voters rather than let it be business as usual.
ROBERTS: You know, analysts said the speech was long on rhetoric last night, a little short on substance, issues like the economy, jobs, war in Iraq and Afghanistan. Will we hear a little more from John McCain on that front?
DAVIS: Let me tell you anybody who thought that speech was lacking didn't attend the convention or watch TV last night.
ROBERTS: It certainly wasn't lacking in energy. I was here last night. She brought the house down.
DAVIS: John McCain's looking forward to seeing the delegates. This is a moment that he has waited for a long time. He's very excited about it. He looks forward to getting his party's nomination and having the most historic ticket the republican party has ever had. And yes, I think he's really looking forward to giving his clear vision of what he wants to do to lead the country, to repair the problems that exist, not only in Washington but in the heartland.
You know, fix the economy, try to get people to the point where they can get new and better jobs, to afford a better living. You know, to be able to not have to stretch their monthly budgets so far. And he's really got a great plan to show the delegates, to show the country. And we can't wait to get that sprint going out of this convention and into election day.
ROBERTS: A lot of questions about experience flying around in this campaign, a lot about the lack of experience for Barack Obama, a lot about her experience as both the mayor and a governor. But if we go back to last October to a debate, John McCain when talking about his opponents Rudy Giuliani and Mitt Romney didn't seem to make too much of similar experience. Let's listen to what he said.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) SEN. JOHN MCCAIN (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I wasn't a mayor for a short period of time. I wasn't a governor for a short period of time. For 20-some years including leading the largest squadron in the United States Navy, I led.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROBERTS: So how do you square that now, Rick, the fact he seemed to diminish their experience as mayor for a short time, governor for a short time, and now that gives her all the experience that she needs to be commander in chief if god forbid something should happen to Senator McCain, if he wins.
DAVIS: Let me tell you, we really enjoy the fact that on the day that John McCain announced Governor Palin to be his running mate, she was wrongly attacked by the Obama camp on this issue. And what we did, immediately said, let's have that debate. Let's have the debate between the kind of leadership, experience and decisions that Governor Palin has made throughout her nine-year career in public office versus a shorter span of time for the head of their ticket, Barack Obama, who had not been able to show very many things that he's been able to accomplish as a senator nevertheless the 130 votes he took as present - the courageous votes that he took as present in the Illinois state Senate.
ROBERTS: Well, certainly we're going to hear a lot of back and forth in this campaign. And it will be very dynamic and interesting to watch. Rick Davis.
DAVIS: Thank you very much.
ROBERTS: Politics is always fun. Rick, good to see you. Thanks for coming in.
DAVIS: My pleasure.
ROBERTS: It's 36 minutes after the hour.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
CHETRY (voice-over): Storm warning.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: There's still a large uncertainty as to what this storm is going to do.
CHETRY: Residents prepare as three storms threaten the coast. The latest on Hanna, Ike and Josephine. You're watching the most news in the morning.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
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CHETRY: And a quick look now at some of the morning headlines from the local newspapers from the Georgia and South Carolina coasts this morning. All of them watching two major storms that could strike within days. Our Rob Marciano watching it all from the CNN Weather Center. What are you looking at there on the satellite? What are you seeing, Rob, this morning?
ROB MARCIANO, CNN, METEOROLOGIST: We're seeing them line up like a congo line out here out there in the Atlantic. One, two, three. All for the most part have the potential of being a hurricane if not already. This one the most impressive. This is Ike with an I. You see it there. A well defined storm, it's a beast, a category 4 but of a more immediate concern is what is Hanna and could very well regain its hurricane strength.
It kind of did a loopty loop across the northern parts of the Caribbean and the Bahamas to the (Turks and Lagos). They threw a G-4 into this last night, buzzed around and now the computer models have a pretty good handle on where they think this storm is going to go. It's a hurricane status back by Friday afternoon, potentially making landfall as a cat 1 somewhere in the Carolinas late Friday into early Saturday. This has been changing quite a bit and it very well could change later on today. We'll keep an eye on it. Certainly the folks in the Carolinas are making preps already for the potential of Hanna.
Now, Ike, a category 4, forecast to remain a major hurricane over the next several days. This one will get into the Bahamas by the beginning of next week. And obviously folks in South Florida are not liking the look of this track. So we're hoping to nudge this south or north. Obviously buzzing it back out to sea would be the ideal scenario. But at this point, it doesn't look like it's going to happen. Tropical storm Josephine, not going to have to deal with her for quite a bit as well out there in the Atlantic. So, we've got three, not including Gustav.
This is what's left over of Gustav. Tremendous amounts of rain across parts of the midwest that saw all the flooding during the springtime. And parts of this heading into southeast Louisiana, adding insult to injury where Gustav rolled through earlier this week. Kiran, back up to you.
CHETRY: Well, certainly a lot going on. All right. We'll check in with you throughout the morning, Rob. Thanks.
MARCIANO: Sounds good.
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CHETRY (voice-over): Caught in the middle.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This young man plunges into a maelstrom.
CHETRY: The 18-year-old dragged into the political spotlight. Friends of Levi Johnston speak out.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The decision they made are honorable. I'm going to do everything I can to support, you know, the Palin family. You're watching the most news in the morning.
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GOV. SARAH PALIN, VICE PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: And Todd is a story all by himself. He's a life-long commercial fisherman and a production operator in the oil fields of Alaska's north slope. And a proud member of the United Steel Workers Union. And Todd is a world champion snow machine racer. Throw in his Yup'ik Eskimo ancestry, and it all makes for quite a package. And we met in high school, and two decades and five children later, he's still my guy.
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CHETRY: Well, it's not just her husband we're learning more about this morning. Sarah Palin's children and her pregnant daughter's boyfriend also being scrutinized as well. So what is it like when your parents are in political high places? The harsh spotlight is, of course, on you as well. Jason Carroll is here to talk more about that this morning. Hi, Jason. Good to see you.
JASON CARROLL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: You know, this is something that first families obviously are well familiar with. How to keep their children out of the political spotlight? Many times the press cooperates, but not always.
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CARROLL (voice-over): Senator John McCain warmly greeted 18-year-old Levi Johnston and his 17-year-old pregnant bride to be, Bristol, daughter of vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin. Levi Johnston's introduction to the national spotlight not nearly as welcoming. His face and opinions previously known to just a few, now plastered on tabloids nationwide.
KRISTEN COLE, JOHNSTON FAMILY FRIEND: Well, I can't speak for Levi, but I could speak for the - for many women across the country who feel that it's appalling that this poor child is being dragged into a political fistfight.
CARROLL: Kristen Coal is from Johnson's hometown in Wasilla, Alaska, about 40 miles from Anchorage. Her daughter is friends with Johnson.
COLE: He is taking this relationship seriously. These two young people have been dating for quite some time. Again, I think that, you know, the decisions that they've made are honorable and I'm going to do everything I can to support, you know, the Palin family and their family.
CARROLL: On his myspace page now taken down, Johnston said he was in a relationship and called himself a red neck. I live to play hockey. I like to go camping and hang out with the boys, so some fishing and shoot some, expletive. He also wrote, I don't want kids.
ANN GERHART, LAURA BUSH BIOGRAPHER: I've been really struck by how this is one more example of our incredibly speeded up, logged on, plugged in culture.
CARROLL: Author Ann Gerhart wrote about President Bush's twin daughters whose episodes of underage drinking drew media attention. Something in which Johnston, she says, is getting a crash course.
GERHART: This young man plunges into, by accident in some ways, a maelstrom.
CARROLL: Historically the press has respected private boundaries around the children of politicians and their friends. But now the line seemed blurred. Senator McCain's daughter, Meghan, blogged about it. Writing, "it's a rough go being the son or daughter of a politician." Saying, "you can't fully understand it unless you have lived it." Levi Johnston, who's not even the son of a politician, is beginning to live it.
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CARROLL: And now that Johnston has made his formal debut, political observers say most likely he and Bristol Palin will exit stage left quietly. That is, of course, if the press will let them.
CHETRY: That's certainly a big if.
CARROLL: Yes.
CHETRY: All right. Jason Carroll, great to see you. Thanks.
ROBERTS: How is Governor Palin's historic nomination playing in her home state of Alaska? CNN is the only network in Anchorage this morning. Coming up, an exclusive interview with the new vice presidential nominee's best friend.
And Barack Obama breaking with tradition and firing back during the republican convention. Find out what he's saying and who he is trying to attract. 48 minutes after the hour. You're watching the most news in the morning.
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ANN PRICE MILLS, CLINTON SUPPORTER: I saw in Hillary what my potential future would be. I saw more than just dreams. I saw things that could be reality.
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CHETRY: That was Hillary supporter Ann Price Mills with an emotional reaction to Hillary's speech at the Democratic National Convention when she urged her supporters to back Barack Obama. So after she heard Sarah Palin make a direct appeal to women last night, where does she stand now? Former Clinton supporter Ann Price Mills joins us from Seattle this morning. Great to see you. And you know, a lot of people were really moved by, you know, how you were able to articulate the way that you felt about Hillary Clinton and being her supporter. Tell us a little bit about what you thought of Governor Palin's speech last night and whether it's realistic that she can make inroads with former Hillary supporters.
MILLS: I thought that she made a very good speech last night. And that's as speech goes. Her beliefs are definitely different from Hillary Clinton, so to believe that you have an opportunity to capture some of the Hillary supporters' votes, I'm not sure that's realistic.
CHETRY: Did she make any inroads with you?
MILLS: No. What I believe is that we - Hillary's a person that you can admire, true. But it wasn't just Hillary Clinton that we were following. It was her platform. It was her issues, where she was on universal health care, where she is on a green economy, on a green environment, education. Those were the issues we were looking at. And Sarah Palin, though her speech was good, and it did hit some zingers last night, it was not and it is not for myself, I can't speak for others, but it's not what I was looking for to replace Hillary Clinton.
CHETRY: Here's what you also said at the time that you were interviewed last week about Barack Obama and whether you'd be supporting him. Let's listen real quick.
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MILLS: Obama has two months. I won't vote for McCain. But he has to get me there. And I haven't connected with him.
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CHETRY: Has anything changed since you made those comments?
MILLS: I mentioned to someone the other day, that I've had 18 months to secure my position with Hillary Clinton and to be confident in my support of her. And when I say two months, that's what I have, it's the relationship between Senator Obama and myself. We have two months for me to connect with him and for him to connect with me. I am sure there are more out there that we are listening to learn more about him in debates, to see how he interacts and to see how his platform intertwines with our morals and our values and our beliefs because we've already had that discussion regarding Senator Clinton. And now we have to refocus and recognize our presidential nominee for the democratic party is Barack Obama and we want that, not all, but myself, want that connection with him.
So, with his revealing of himself and with my researching, I feel like a student, I said. I don't have three months in a regular semester here. I have two months to align my morals with his morals to be able to be confident about going forth on November 4th and checking that box that says this is the next president of the United States that I believe will carry forth what I believe in and what I hope can happen for my country.
CHETRY: OK. You're saying you're getting closer but you're not there yet?
MILLS: I'm saying like I'm taking like I try to do with all things. I take the time to research. I take the time to see that his inclusive health care plan are a step in the right direction, where I was so enthusiastic with the universal health care plan that Hillary Clinton offered. I now have to dive in even deeper to see how close this will bring me to where I believe the United states will be and need to be.
CHETRY: Ann Price Mills, thanks for joining us this morning with our insight and your point of view. We appreciate it.
MILLS: I thank you.
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CHETRY (voice-over): Right hook.
GOV. SARAH PALIN, VICE PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I'm just - I guess a small town mayor is sort of like a community organizer except that you have actual responsibilities.
CHETRY: GOP stomps all over Obama, Biden and the democrats.
MITT ROMNEY, FMR. PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: One more recommendation for energy conservation, let's keep Al Gore's private jet on the ground.
CHETRY: How John McCain can top that, tonight. The best political team previews the biggest speech of his life.
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PALIN: And there is much to like and admire about our opponent, but listening to him speak, it's easy to forget that this is a man who has author two memoirs but not a single major law or even a reform, not even in the state Senate.
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ROBERTS: Governor Sarah Palin turning the tables and using here vice presidential acceptance speech to tear into Senator Barack Obama on the issue of his experience. Kiran.
CHETRY: And yes. And did she put questions about her ability to lead to rest last night? Joining me now from (), Minnesota, CNN political contributor Bill Bennett, national radio host for "Morning in America." Bill, good to see you this morning.
BILL BENNETT, CNN POLITICAL CONTRIBUTOR: Thanks, Kiran.
CHETRY: Well, Palin certainly got an incredible response from the audience last night. And she had a lot of red meat, a lot of zingers out there. Is there a concern perhaps that that won't play well with swing voters, independents who wanted to hear something other than attacks on the democrats?
BENNETT: Well, I think she's got a lot of voices and a lot of cadences and I think we'll hear some others. But this was important to establish something else. You know when I left government, Kiran, I had three jobs. People said what did you learn? I said I learned like in football, in politics you're either on offense or you're on defense. Republicans have been playing a lot of defense, you know, democrats had a great convention.
Last night, we went on offense in the person - well, in the persons of all of them, Romney and Giuliani and Huckabee, but mostly Sarah Palin. She is strong. I was reading some of the liberal blogs and they're saying did we awaken a sleeping giant?
CHETRY: Well, you know, another thing that some are wondering and talking about this morning is, how much was authentically Sarah Palin and how much of that speech was crafted by advisers and strategists about what needed to be said?
