Return to Transcripts main page

Ballot Bowl 2008

Joe Biden Speaks in Pennsylvania about His Dad's Advice; Polls Show Obama Leading Key States; Palin Speaks in Ohio about the Economy, Energy.

Aired October 12, 2008 - 17:00   ET

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

JESSICA YELLIN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I want to toss it over to my colleague and co-anchor for this hour, Dana Bash. She's in Washington, D.C.
Hi, Dana.

DANA BASH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Jessica.

Well, that's right. I'm in Washington, D.C., and as you can see behind me, the White House is behind me. This is the building, obviously, that we are just 23 days away from knowing who's going to live in it, who's going to work in it.

But the two men at the top of the ticket, John McCain and Barack Obama, they are not campaigning today. They are talking to their advisors. They are working on preparation for this coming week's final debate.

But John McCain, actually, did speak to reporters not too long ago, just a few minutes ago, actually, outside of his headquarters in suburban Washington. We're going to bring that to you this hour.

And we are going to go to his running mate. She is going to be speaking live in the town of St. Clairsville, Ohio. That's going to be at 5:45. So, we're going to be able to, hopefully, bring that to you live.

And, you know, Jessica, she's going to be speaking in an area, that area of Ohio, it's not too different from the area you are in Pennsylvania. These two battleground states, these battleground areas, in particular, really -- these candidates really are zeroing on these rural areas where there are blue collar voters that -- you've been talking about this where Hillary Clinton did very well and John McCain and Sarah Palin are hoping to steal some of those voters away from the Democrats.

YELLIN: And, you know, Senator Clinton, when she was here speaking, Dana, she said to folks of this audience, "Look, I know some of you might be undecided, some of you might have family and friends who are undecided," she did not hide the fact that they know it's a fight in this area, but they think they have a good chance of swaying them. Obviously, this rural community is in play.

And before Senator Clinton spoke, her husband, President Bill Clinton, took the stage and he endorsed Barack Obama and Joe Biden and called on supporters to get behind them.

Here are some of his comments.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BILL CLINTON, FORMER U.S. PRESIDENT: Finally, I want to say that I expect to spend the rest of my natural life trying show people how grateful I am who supported Hillary in her long quest this last year.

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERS)

CLINTON: I knew -- I knew -- I knew 37 years ago when I first met her that I never met anybody like her before and I might not ever meet anybody like her again.

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERS)

CLINTON: I just want to tell you something, I have been working in national presidential campaigns in some former fashion since 1968. She has done 50 events for Senator Obama.

Look, Hillary and I were walking yesterday and thinking about the 33 years we've spent. You know, no matter what happens to us from now on out, we're leaving this old world ahead. You've been good enough to us and fortune has smiled on us. We can't get behind because of what we have been given.

Those of us who are in this position have a profound obligation to think about the challenges of this moment and what we have to do to give our kids a better deal.

If you ask yourself -- who has the best ideas, who's got the best instinct, who's got the best ability to understand these challenges? Who's got the best supporting cast (ph)?

The answer is Barack Obama, and that's why Hillary's here, that's why I'm here.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

YELLIN: Bill Clinton speaking earlier. He added that yesterday was his 33rd wedding anniversary. He said he spent with Hillary the nicest thing that she did for him. He said that day was she allowed him to watch the football games -- Dana.

BASH: Very nice thing for a spouse to do.

(LAUGHTER)

BASH: And, Jessica, speaking of football, obviously, we are talking about BALLOT BOWL and the candidates out on the campaign trail. We talked about the fact that neither John McCain nor Barack Obama is actually out campaigning today, but their running mates are, obviously. We just saw Joe Biden earlier, today.

But Sarah Palin, we expect to hear from her later this hour. She has been campaigning pretty aggressively in the state of Ohio and Pennsylvania this weekend. And we want to bring you something that she talked about which is actually related to the Clintons because it's something that the Clintons actually dumped on during the Democratic primary. She is speaking at Johnstown, Pennsylvania yesterday, referred to the idea that Obama said in San Francisco during the primaries that people in Pennsylvania are, quote-unquote, "bitter" because they cling to their god and their guns.

Listen to what she said.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP, JOHNSTOWN, PENNSYLVANIA)

GOV. SARAH PALIN, (R) VICE PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: So, our opponent has spent a lot of time in this commonwealth and our opponent, you'd think that he would know you all better by now after having spend so much time here. Here in Pennsylvania, you know, we still don't quite know what to make of a candidate who lavishes praise on working people when they're listening and then, though, talks about how bitterly, quote, "they cling to their religion and guns" when they're not listening.

(CROWD BOOING)

PALIN: We don't know what to make of a candidate who would say that. We tend to prefer candidates who don't talk about us one way in Johnstown and another way in San Francisco. As for John McCain, John McCain I can promise you, wherever he goes, whoever is listening, he is the same man. Yes, he is.

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERS)

PALIN: You know, for a campaign that says it's all about the future, our opponents do talk a lot about the past, point fingers in the past. And they look to the past because that's where you find blame. But we're joining you in looking to the future because that's where we'll find solutions.

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERS)

PALIN: They look to the past because they're acting like they'd rather be running against George Bush right now and that strategy is really starting to wear pretty thin -- because John McCain didn't just come out of nowhere. He is his own man and he -- from an enemy camp, prison camp as a POW to the halls of Congress, he has always put his country first.

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERS)

PALIN: See, the American people know John McCain and that's what our opponents are most afraid of.

He's the only man in this race who talks about the wars that America is fighting and he isn't afraid to use the word victory. And this is, as opposed to the other ticket where they can give speech after speech about the wars America is fighting. And just once, I want to hear Barack Obama say he wants America to win. (APPLAUSE AND CHEERS)

PALIN: Yes, John McCain is his own man and he doesn't run with the Washington herd. And he's known as the maverick because he's stood up to what is wrong in Washington. And as a senator, John McCain has seen the corrupt ways of Washington and the wasteful spending and abuses of power in Washington and on Wall Street.

And as president, he's going to end those abuses, whatever it takes.

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERS)

PALIN: He's a man who has met such great adversity in his own life, in the service of his country. And he knows how tough challenges are overcome. In a time of great economic hardship and worry today, John McCain's economic recovery plan will help families keep their homes, and retirees keep their savings, and college students, paying your tuition, and for all of us -- being able to afford healthcare and he will get this economy put back on the right track.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BASH: And that was Sarah Palin speaking yesterday in Johnstown, Pennsylvania. And, Jessica, she had a bit of a patriotic message there earlier in the hour. We heard her talking about the issue of abortion. I know you were speaking with Senator Casey from the state of Pennsylvania a little while, but the she is clearly -- the McCain campaign is clearly trying narrow in on those so called "Casey Democrats," socially conservative Democrats named for the senator's father, the former governor.

YELLIN: That's right. And Senator Casey was here at this event as well. As you say, we'll be interviewing him shortly. He lives here in Scranton, I should note. So, he has something in common with Senator Biden.

Someone else was in the state of Pennsylvania this weekend. Barack Obama was in Philadelphia and he took some digs at the John McCain campaign, arguing that maybe John McCain is not the agent of change that he claims to be.

Let's listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP,. VERNON PARK, PENNSYLVANIA, SATURDAY)

SEN. BARACK OBAMA, (D-IL) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: That's what I mean when I'm talking about change. You know, John McCain's been stealing my signs. You know, suddenly, they're all about change. So, I'm for change, too.

Well, you know, change isn't just a sign. It's not just a slogan. It's what's in your heart. It's what you were willing to fight for, who you stand up for. And change -- change means rebuilding this economy. I know that it is time to create good paying jobs right here in Pennsylvania. Pennsylvania is hurting.

Look at this guy, he's got a sign right there he says "Hire Obama for the job so I can keep mine."

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERS)

OBAMA: You know, thousands of jobs have been lost this year. Wages and incomes have gone down. While your costs, everything from gas to food to healthcare, everything's gone up.

But it doesn't have to be that way. That's why we're going to stop giving tax breaks to companies that ship jobs overseas. We're going to give those tax breaks to companies that are investing right here in the United States of America, to create a middle class.

I'm going to be a president who puts Pennsylvania first and puts workers first. I believe in the American people and what they can do when they're given a chance, and that's why we're going to give 95 percent of working families a tax cut. John McCain...

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERS)

OBAMA: John McCain wants to give tax cuts to fortune 500 CEOs.

(CROWD BOOING)

OBAMA: He wants to give $200 billion to corporations. I want to give that tax cut to you. So, don't believe -- when you see these ads that say I want to raise your taxes, let me tell you, if you make less than $250,000 a year -- how many people make less than a quarter of a million a year? Even (INAUDIBLE) makes less than $250,000 a year. You will not see your taxes go up one dime. Not your payroll tax, not your income tax, no taxes.

We're going to cut your taxes and we're going to give our small businesses a tax cut on capital gains and give them a 50 percent tax credit so they can start providing health insurance to their workers because everybody needs some health insurance.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

YELLIN: Senator Barack Obama in Philadelphia yesterday. The state, sure, is getting a lot of attention this weekend, Dana.

BASH: It certainly is, as it should be. I mean, that is one of the areas, one of those so-called blue states that the McCain campaign is still hoping although he is down in the polls there, still hoping that they can get those very voters that Hillary Clinton, Bill Clinton, Joe Biden were talking to in rural Pennsylvania. So that is a good reason why you're there. And we're going to be there probably a lot over the next 23 days, both of us.

But, back to the Republican side and to John McCain. We talked about the fact that he's not on the campaign trail today. He was huddling with his advisors in his headquarters in suburban Washington, not too far from where I am. And he was talking about some potential new economic proposal, perhaps some tax cuts on investments.

Some ideas that his campaign may put forward this coming week as they tried to get a handle on this issue that, advisors admit, has been dragging his campaign down in these waning weeks of the campaign and that is, of course, the economy. Well, it has been the issue that he's been trying to talk about on the campaign trail.

And McCain was in Davenport, Iowa yesterday, specifically talking not so much about the market necessarily, but about the ideas that he has, coming in, to deal with the federal budget and how that could effect the economy.

Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP, DAVENPORT, IOWA)

SEN. JOHN MCCAIN, (R-AZ) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I'll propose and sign into law reforms to bring tax relief to the middle class and help businesses so they can create jobs. I'll get the rising cost of food and gas under control. We've got to stop sending $700 billion a year of your money overseas to countries that don't like us very much. We will become energy independent.

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERS)

MCCAIN: And I'll keep families in their homes and help students struggling to pay for college. I'll make healthcare more accessible and affordable, and I will impose a spending freeze on all but the most vital functions of government. My friends, I brought that up the other night...

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERS)

MCCAIN: I brought that up at the debate the other night about the need for a spending freeze, which, by the way, mayors, and city councils, and legislators all over America are having to do, except in Washington, where we don't balance our budget.

I want to tell you, my opponent said something about, well, that would be a hatchet and we need a scalpel. My friends, right now, we need a hatchet and a scalpel. I'll give you both. I'll give you both.

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERS)

MCCAIN: I will review every agency of the federal government, improve those that need to be improved and there are those that need to be improved, and eliminate those that aren't working for the American people.

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERS)

MCCAIN: I will confront the $10 trillion debt the federal government has run up, including a $500 billion that is now owned by the Chinese. And I'll balance the federal budget by the end of my term in office. I can do that even (INAUDIBLE). (APPLAUSE AND CHEES)

MCCAIN: This is the agenda I've set before my fellow citizens and the same standards of clarity and candor must be applied to my opponent. We have all heard what he said, but it's less clear what he's done or what he will do.

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERS)

MCCAIN: Rather than answer his critics, Senator Obama will try to distract you from noticing that he never answers the serious and legitimate questions he's been asked.

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERS)

MCCAIN: He's even questioned my truthfulness. And let me reply in the plainest terms I know. I don't need lessons about telling the truth to the American people, and were I ever to need any improvement in that regard, I probably wouldn't seek advice from a Chicago politician.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BASH: There you heard John McCain pushing the central theme that we've heard over the past week with regard to Barack Obama, telling voters in these key states, like Iowa, that they should not trust Barack Obama simply because he's saying that Obama's rhetoric doesn't match reality, and basically saying that he's somebody who is potentially new on the scene and isn't telling the truth about his record.

That is something that I'm sure we're going to hear more of from John McCain throughout the next 23 days.

But up next, we're going to go back to the state of Pennsylvania and Jessica Yellin is going to talk to a very important figure in that state about the battleground, that is Senator Casey of Pennsylvania, somebody who may be able to hold the key to help Barack Obama with some of those really critical rural Democrats. Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

YELLIN: Welcome back to CNN's BALLOT BOWL.

I'm in Scranton, Pennsylvania, where a Biden rally has just wrapped up. Bill and Hillary Clinton were both here, as was Senator Casey, who is a hometown boy from this city of Scranton and an ardent supporter of Barack Obama.

Thanks for joining us.

SEN. ROBERT CASEY, JR., (D) PENNSYLVANIA: Thanks, Jessica. Great to be with you again.

YELLIN: First, let me ask you, the "Philadelphia Inquirer" said that Barack Obama has just about sealed the deal here in Pennsylvania. But Sarah Palin was in the state yesterday and she talked about abortion rights, clearly trying to appeal to some of those very same conservative Democrats that you had success with.

Are you worried that these people will find her social policy message appealing?

CASEY: Well, for some people, if they're voting just on one issue, she might be able to appeal some of them.

But I really believe, even on that issue, a lot of people want us to come together and achieve common ground. And one way to do that is a lot of what Barack's talked about on the campaign, is to try to help pregnant women who were facing a difficult decision in their lives. And I think he's been pretty focused on helping those who face that difficult choice.

And I do think that pro-life voters, pro-life Democrats in Pennsylvania will respond to that kind of message that we're trying bring people together even on a very tough issue. But, I think this campaign still has a long way to go. And it's nice when newspapers are declaring it over, but, I think, this state is always very close. We're going to compete for every vote. And we got a challenging next couple of weeks.

YELLIN: There was a time after the primaries were over that a lot of prognosticators thought Barack Obama was not going to compete very easily in Pennsylvania. And now, the polls show him significantly ahead. What do you attribute this to?

CASEY: Well, I think it's a combination of factors. One is, I think, they've seen his heart and his values, and his leadership skills, especially in a time of economic crisis, I think that came through in the debates, his steady leadership on the economy.

But also, Senator Clinton, who's with us today, has helped in terms of helping with her voters in Pennsylvania. She has great appeal here. And today, she was -- she and President Clinton, and Senator Biden and his wife were very commanding and effective at reaching voters here.

So, I think, it's a combination of factors. But Pennsylvania is always very close, so I expect a close race. We're going to compete for every vote we can even to the last minute. But he's doing well and, I think, especially because they see his leadership on the economy in a very difficult time in our history.

YELLIN: OK. One more question on a lighter note. You were born and raised in Scranton...

CASEY: Yes. A fellow resident, too.

YELLIN: Its fellow resident. "Saturday Night Live" has done a stand up of this city.

CASEY: Right.

YELLIN: It's gotten a bit of a bad route of this election season. Are you insulted?

CASEY: Well, when I watched it, I was insulted because I know it's not true, but I know they're trying to be funny.

But I'll tell you, we're doing all right. We have Joe Biden who has roots here, and Senator Hillary Clinton. Barack Obama is doing well here. And my family is from here. We're doing all right. We love Scranton.

And I think it's nice that there's focused attention on the region like this because it's a region that really respects hard work and sacrifice and overcoming obstacles. That's what you have to do for the country. I think Barack Obama can do it best.

YELLIN: All right. Senator Casey, thanks so much for your time. Appreciate it.

CASEY: Thank you, Jessica.

YELLIN: And we're going to take a quick break from BALLOT BOWL. But on the other side of the break, Dana Bash will be joining us again with more. Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

NAAMUA DELANEY, CNN ANCHOR: Now, in the news, a promise to help poor countries. It comes from the World Bank as it wraps up an annual meeting with the International Monetary Fund in Washington. The World Bank says they'll help impoverished companies boost their economies and weather the global financial crisis. They say, the World Bank and the IMF will draw on the full range of their resources.

North Korea confirmed today that its nuclear agreement with the outside world is back on track. It says it will resume disabling its key nuclear complex and will allow U.S. and U.N. inspections. The announcement comes one day after the United States dropped North Korea from its list of terror sponsors.

Crews fighting a wildfire 20 miles north of Downtown Los Angeles say they are making progress. The fire has destroyed two homes and burned up to 750 acres in the Angeles National Forest, forcing 1,200 people to flee. One concern is that (ph) the winds expected tonight could revive the flames.

The remnants of Hurricane Norbert are moving out of Mexico and into the United States. The storm made landfall over mainland Mexico with category-one strength, damaging homes and forcing evacuations. It lost strength as it moved inland and now, it's only a tropical depression moving into New Mexico and Texas.

A Kenyan man and Russian woman are the winners of today's Chicago marathon. About 35,000 runners braved unseasonably warm temperatures, reaching 84 degrees before the race was over.

Well, Naamua Delaney, more on these stories coming up in the "CNN NEWSROOM" in about 30 minutes. BALLOT BOWL returns in a moment, but first, here's this week's "On the Go" report.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You may enjoy traveling with your pet, but the lack of preparation could land you in the dog house.

BILL WOOD, AAA: You really have to ask yourself if the pet ready, if the pet is properly socialized. Are they going to be able to handle the stress of the car trip or the plane trip?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: To ease the stress, AAA suggests you get a clean bill of health from veterinarian and then get on the phone.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Hi.

WOOD: It's always good to call ahead and verify the conditions of stay. Some of the hotels do charge a pet fee, a cleaning spot. Some places will not take anything but a small dog.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Put your pet in a crate when you stay in a hotel. And if you're driving, have the proper restraint.

WOOD: We recommend that you either use a crate -- and you need to get one specific for your dog size -- or a harness that can be fastened in the seatbelt.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Also, bring familiar toys or blankets to help make your pet feel more calm.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

JESSICA YELLIN, CNN NEWS CORRESPONDENT: Welcome back to CNN's "BALLOT BOWL," coming to you from Scranton, Pennsylvania, where Joseph Biden wrapped up a rally with Bill and Hillary Clinton.

Senator Biden gave remarks to a crowd of about 6,000 people here in a sports area. He talked about economic policy. He talked about health care reform. But wrapped up with a story, something his said his own dad said to him when he was a kid. Let's listen to his fiery remarks.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JOE BIDEN, (D), VICE PRESIDENTIAL CANDIATE: Barack Obama and I define progress for America very differently than John McCain and Sarah Palin. We do not measure progress based on whether or not how many regulations we've cut, how much, quote, "government we got out of the way." We don't measure progress based on the salaries of our CEOs and how well they're doing. We measure progress based in terms that I learned here in Scranton, in terms of dignity and respect. Dignity and respect for the middle class, the people who work like hell to provide for themselves and their family. (APPLAUSE).

Ladies and gentlemen, we measure success in terms of whether or not you have a job, whether or not you can afford health care, whether or not you can fill up your gas tank, whether or not you can heat your home this winter, whether you can send your kids to school. Or real simply, as my dad would say, whether you can look your child in the eye and say with certainty, honey, it's going to be OK. It's going to be OK. That's how we measure progress. It's very basic. It's very simple. (CHEERS)>

You know, I was just up visiting my childhood home and I brought my sister back with me. We went up to 2446 North Washington Avenue. As we walked around, I was reminded of the same thing that happened in my hometown of Scranton as well as when I moved because there was no work here. We moved to Claymont, Delaware, then we moved to Wilmington, Delaware. We grew up -- my sister and me, we grew up in a neighborhood where our mothers and fathers all told us, and the whole neighborhood, if we worked hard, if we were honest and loved our country and played by the rules, there was not a single solitary thing we could not accomplish. To some of you younger people, that may sound a little corny. But that's exactly, literally what we were taught. And we believed it. And we went out and did it.

Ladies and gentlemen, I'm running with Barack Obama because I believe with every fiber of my being that we can do that again. I believe that with his leadership, we'll be able to re-instill that kind of confidence, that certainty, in the American dream.

My dad used to have an expression and my friend -- I have a lot of friend here, but Larry Yore, one of my childhood friends are with me, and he'd heard my dad say it, every time you get knocked down, my dad would look at you and say, Champ, when you get knocked down, get up, just get up. (CHEERS). Well, ladies and gentlemen, I've never seen as many Americans knocked down as I have in the last eight years. (CHEERS). It's time together for us to get up. It's time for America to get up. (CHEERS). I'm ready. Barack Obama is ready. It's our time. Get up, Pennsylvania, get up, friends. Get up. Deliver this election for Barack Obama! Change this country! (CHEERS).

(END VIDEOTAPE)

Senator Biden speaking not long ago in Scranton, Pennsylvania, as we all know, his hometown.

I want to bring in our own Bill Schneider, who is in Hempstead, New York. It is the site of the next debate coming up later this week. Bill, of course, has been going over all the polls, as he always does.

Bill, I was hoping you could talk to us first about Pennsylvania. I'm hearing -- you know, the "Philadelphia Enquirer" this morning says that it's almost a done deal for Barack Obama, he is so far ahead in the state. Yet Sarah Palin is in the state, has been here this weekend. Obviously, the McCain campaign still thinks they have the fighting chance here. What do the polls tell us?

BILL SCHNEIDER, CNN ANALYST: The polls tell us that Pennsylvania is a likely, not certain, but a likely Obama state. Let's look at why. The latest poll of polls, which is an average of the latest polls to come out in Pennsylvania, show Obama at 52 percent. That's important because it's above 50 percent. It is a majority. He has a 12-point lead over John McCain at 40 percent, with 8 percent of the voters still unsure.

Keep a close eye on unsure voters in all the polls of all the battleground states because the question is what could they do, what difference could they make. Here in Pennsylvania, even if all the unsure voters voted for John McCain, Barack Obama would still narrowly carry the state. That is why we are putting Pennsylvania in the likely Obama category.

YELLIN: And you've looked at some of the other battleground states, Ohio and Florida. How's it shaping up in those two crucial states?

SCHNEIDER: Slightly different. Now Florida and Ohio, those are the two largest battleground states, where the election was decided in 2000 and 2004. Look at the poll of polls in Ohio. There, Obama's just shy of 50 percent. It's Obama 49 percent, McCain is 46. Obama's only 3 points ahead of John McCain and 5 percent of the voters are unsure, 5 percent.

That figure is important. Very few African-American voters in this election are in the unsure category. Those unsure voters are likely to be white voters. If in the end, they come out overwhelmingly for John McCain and you add them to the 46 percent that support John McCain, John McCain could win Ohio by a very narrow margin. Therefore, we're keeping Ohio in the toss-up category because the unsure vote is larger than Obama's margin over McCain.

What about Florida, another big battleground state? Precisely, the same situation. Precisely, the same poll of polls. Obama with a 3-point lead over John McCain, but a crucial 5 percent of those voters are still unsure. The message to the Obama campaign and Obama supporters is Obama cannot feel confidence unless his margin over John McCain is larger than the number of unsure voters. It is in Pennsylvania. It's not quite there in Ohio and Florida -- Jessica?

YELLIN: All right. And still plenty of time for things to change, 3 weeks to go.

Bill, we'll be joining you there, so save us a good seat in Hempstead. Will you do that for us?

SCHNEIDER: I will, indeed.

YELLIN: Thanks. Thank you.

We are going to -- I believe we're taking a quick break here at "BALLOT BOWL." When we come back, my colleague -- oh, we're going to toss it now -- I'm sorry -- to my colleague, Dana Bash, who is in Washington, D.C., where John McCain is this weekend and where she has been following developments on the trail.

Dana, take it away. DANA BASH, CNN NEWS CORRESPONDENT: I know you were talking to Bill about Ohio and Florida, but you know, for the most part, during this "BALLOT BOWL," we've been talking about the state where you are, Pennsylvania. So we've got a theme. We've going to stick with it, Pennsylvania.

Sarah Palin has been there quite a lot over the past couple of days. She was there this past week in Bethlehem. And she was talking about an issue that her campaign at least, the McCain campaign, hopes she's going to help them with. It's the issue of energy and the economy. Listen to what she was saying about that.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

GOV. SARAH PALIN, (R), VICE PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: You know for a campaign that says it's all about the future, our opponents sure do talk a lot about the past and point fingers backwards. They look to the past because that is where you find blame. But we're joining you in looking to the future because that's where you find solutions. (CHEERS). And Senator McCain is the only candidate offering us an optimistic vision and real solutions for overcoming hard times.

And just last night, Senator McCain announced a plan that will help American families keep their homes, save failing neighborhoods and bring stability to our housing market. (CHEERS).

Predatory lenders have taken advantage of many, many Americans and now those good Americans struggling under the weight of the wrong mortgage. So we're going to work with them to get them a fixed rate mortgage that will help them keep their jobs and their homes. And we need to do this because America can't afford shattered businesses and vacant homes and towns moving backwards instead of forwards. We need to get our economy back on track and John McCain has the plan to do that. (CHEERS).

Now in a McCain-Palin administration also, we're going to get this nation firmly set on a path towards energy independence. (CHEERS). Across Pennsylvania and America, high gas prices are making a full tank at the pump seem like such a luxury. And the cost of living is going up. The cost of our groceries is going up. Everything is going up. But the value of your paycheck is going down and that's because of high energy costs. Now what we have to do to meet America's great energy challenge is an all-of-the-above approach. And in a McCain-Palin administration, that will mean developing new, alternative energy sources and -- (CHEERS) -- it will require building more nuclear power plants and it does mean -- (CHEERS) -- yes. Harnessing those alterative sources like energy and wind and solar, along with environmentally safe offshore production. We do need to drill here and drill now. Yes. (CHEERS).

Now here again, as Cindy McCain suggested there about the choices we have, too, here again, we have a clear choice in November. Just a couple of weeks ago, Joe Biden told a voter that he's against clean coal and yet -- (BOOS). Too, Barack Obama has always opposed offshore drilling, but of course, last night, he changed his position on that, too. What that told me is that he's not willing to drill for energy, but he's sure willing to drill for votes.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BASH: That was Sarah Palin speaking this past week in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, as you just heard, on the issue of energy and the economy.

We're actually waiting for a live event from St. Clairsville, Ohio. That's where Sarah Palin is going to start any moment now. When we get that, we'll bring that to you live.

"BALLOT BOWL" continues after a break. Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BASH: Welcome back to CNN's "BALLOT BOWL." I'm Dana Bash, in Washington today. And on "BALLOT BOWL," we like to bring you the candidates on the campaign trail unfiltered. And right now, we have a live event from John McCain's running mate Sarah Palin. She is speaking now in St. Clairsville, Ohio. Let's listen in.

PALIN: And I know -- (CHEERS) -- I know that here in St. Clairsville, and back home in Wasilla, we just don't know quite what to make of a candidate who would lavish praise on working people when they're listening and then talk about how bitterly we, they, his quote, cling to their religion and guns when those people aren't listening. (BOOS). Don't quite know what to make of that. We tend to prefer candidates who don't talk about us one way in St. Clairsville and another way in, say, San Francisco. (CHEERS).

As for John McCain, you can be certain that wherever he goes, whoever is listening, that he is the same man. He is a good man. And he wants to get to D.C. to work for you to put the country first.

CROWD: USA! USA! USA!

PALIN: See it's because John McCain is his own man and he doesn't run with the Washington herd. He is the maverick. He's taken on that Washington herd and people know him. And see, that's what our opponents are most afraid of, more and more Americans knowing who this man is. He's the only man in this race who, for one, talks about the wars that America is fighting and isn't afraid to use the word victory. (CHEERS).

If you notice, our opponents can go on and on in speech after speech about the wars that America is fighting and just once, I would love to hear Barack Obama say he wants America to win. (CHEERS).

John served our nation in uniform for years. He's spent five and a half years as a POW. He's met great adversity in his own life and in the service of his country. He knows how tough challenges are overcome. As the mother of one of the troops now serving in the war zone, he's exactly the kind of man serving as commander in chief. (CHEERS).

John McCain is always proud to be an American. Just like the many veterans and those of you here, right here today, serving us in uniform. I want to do you the honor and others joining me, too, those of you who have served in the past, raise your hand and let us honor you and thank you. (CHEERS). Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you, guys.

We do, we thank you for your service for your sacrifice. We owe you. We love you. Bless you, veterans. Bless you, United States military personnel.

John McCain is always proud to be an American and in that service to his country, he has shown that. He has proven that.

Now for a campaign that says a lot about the future in speeches and advertisements, our opponents sure do talk a lot about the past. They look to the past because that's where you find blame. We're joining you in looking to the future because that's where we'll find solutions. (CHEERS).

John McCain understands our nation's problems and he knows how to fix them. As a Senator, John has confronted the corrupt ways of Washington. He's taken this on. He's taken on the wasteful spending and the abuses of power. As president, he's going to end those abuses whatever it takes. And all across America, I know that there's a lot of anger right now. There's anger about the insider dealing of lobbyists and anger at the greed of Wall Street and anger about the arrogance of the Washington elite. (CHEERS). And with serious reforms to change Washington, John McCain is going to turn your anger into action. (CHEERS).

In a time of great economic hardship and worry, John McCain's economic recovery plan will help families keep their homes, and retirees keep their savings, and students pay for college and all of us -- (CHEERS) -- all of us to afford health care and get this economy back on track. And our plan will do that. It will get this economy back on track. Together, John and I will complete the work also of education reform to give every child in America a chance and every parent in America a choice. More choices, better choices. Parents, you know best how to educate your child. (CHEERS). May government be on your side to help you with those choices and how to educate your child.

So John has the backbone to confront also the $10 trillion debt that the federal government has run up. And we will balance the federal budget by the end of our term. Just like you balance the budgets in your business, in your homes, why doesn't the federal government believe that it must? It must. And we will put government back on your side and make sure that budget is balanced for you. Yes. (CHEERS).

See, where we are with the federal government, of course, with the expenditures is we're in a hole. What do you do if you're in a hole, you don't want to be in that hole? The first thing you do is you quit digging. We've got to quit digging this hole that we have dug. We have -- this is how we have to do this. We have to impose a spending freeze to cover all but the most vital functions of government like worker retraining -- (CHEERS) -- and the vital function of taking care of our veterans. That's off the table. We won't touch that. But we must have that spending freeze so we can get in there and look for the efficiencies in every department, in every agency. We have to improve the areas that need improving and eliminate the ones that are not helping Americans. (CHEERS).

John and I will bring tax relief to every American and to every business so that businesses can hire more people. That's how jobs are created. And let me give you a little bit of my background as a mayor and as a governor, what I was able to do there. As mayor in my town, I eliminated personal property taxes and -- (CHEERS) -- and I eliminated small business inventory taxes. All those things that I could do to show businesses, hey, I wanted to hang that shingle outside our city door saying we are open for business, we want you here. Then as governor, suspending our state fuel tax and getting our spending under control, vetoing nearly half a million dollars in wasteful spending. And with a surplus then in our state, returning that surplus back to the people of Alaska because it's their money because it's there money. They can spend it better than government can spend it for them. (CHEERS).

BASH: That's Sarah Palin speaking live in St. Clairsville, Ohio, speaking to voters with some very familiar themes that we have heard Sarah Palin talking about over and over again with regard to Barack Obama, with regard to trying to prop up the man at the top of her ticket, John McCain.

Speaking of John McCain, he has here in Washington. He was not on the trail specifically today but he did take some time in his Virginia headquarters to stop and talk to some volunteers, shook some hands. Also, talked to reporters, talked about the fact that he understands that right now he is, in his words, a couple of points down. But he insisted to these volunteers that he is right in the game. He also admitted that the economy has hurt his campaign a little bit. So it'll be interesting to see what his campaign comes up with in terms of any new economic proposals this next week.

And, Jessica, one of the things he said, and you'll be interested to here this, he said, with regard to the debate next week, on Wednesday, he intends to, quote, "Whip his you know what in the debate," his meaning Barack Obama. Take that as for Obama. I'd like to see the response on that one.

YELLIN: I guess we'll have to wait and see. We'll stay tuned, Dana.

You know, you said John McCain was shaking hands with volunteers. Barack Obama is preparing for his debate in Ohio, another battleground state. He took some time out to shake hands in the neighborhood of Holland, Ohio. That's not far from Toledo where Obama will be making a rally appearance tomorrow.

Meantime, we'll give you some of the video. We've looking at the video of Obama in Holland, Ohio. He knocked on doors and, I'll tell you, there were some surprised homeowners. One woman said she dresses up every day and, of course, today, she was cleaning her house. And of course, that's the day Barack Obama shows up with news crews in tow. He talked about the economy with a lot of folks. One of the women said his presence there changed her mind and made her decide to vote for him. So we'll see how all this goes.

We are going to say good-bye for now from "BALLOT BOWL." And "CNN NEWSROOM" with Don Lemon comes up next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)