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American Morning
Markets in Europe & Asia Bounce Back; Firefighters on Frontlines in Los Angeles; Will the Color Green Supersede Issues of Black and White on Election Day?
Aired October 13, 2008 - 08:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
JOHN ROBERTS, CNN ANCHOR: One and-a-half minutes after the hour. And here are this morning's top stories. Markets in Europe and Asia bouncing back after last week's decline. Hong Kong closed up 10 percent. European markets are trading in positive territory. And right now, Dow futures are up about 350 points. The confidence coming after Central Banks in the U.S., Japan and Europe took new steps to unfreeze credit markets.
And a small silver lining to the economic crisis. Gasoline prices have dropped another four cents just from yesterday. According to AAA, the national average for a gallon of regular is now $3.20 a gallon. The main reason, the price of oil which sunk to a 13-month low just last week at under $78 a barrel.
Firefighters are on the frontlines just 20 miles north of Los Angeles. So far flames in the Angeles National Forest have consumed 2000 acres and at least three homes. More than 1200 people had been evacuated. Right now the wildfire is about 20 percent contained. But today's possible Santa Ana winds are expected to top 60 miles an hour and crews fear that could stoke the fire.
International markets following Asia's lead overnight with a positive response to weekend efforts aimed at shoring up the global financial system. The U.S. Treasury Department so called bailout czar delivers a progress report this hour on efforts to get a $700 billion rescue plan up and running. The president will talk this morning as well.
In Asia, Hong Kong closed up more than 10 percent. South Korea up almost 4 percent. The markets in Japan were closed for a national holiday, but Europe's also in very good looking positive territory. London's FTSE is up more than 4 percent. Dow futures as we said have been up as high as 400 points this morning. Investors hope that all that points to a big rally on Wall Street today. Christine Romans is here "Minding Your Business."
So, a rally on Wall Street today, the question is will it last any longer than 24 hours?
CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: Will it last any longer than 24 hours, or even to the end of the day? Remember, Friday, there was a 1,000-point range for the Dow Jones Industrial Average. We're looking at maybe 300, 350 points higher at the opening bell this morning. I mean, that's just a third of the entire move from Friday. Last week, for major stock averages, for some of them, the worst week since 1933. You look at the international markets, for many across the globe, stock averages are down a third to a half of their value. Hong Kong, Japan stocks have lost half of their value just this year. So you can see that it has been a very, very brutal environment for stock investors.
That's why this morning's green arrows are at least greeted with a little bit of confidence around the globe. People saying that Britain injecting money, billions into the banking system, and European nations coming out with some very strong promises about how they're going to try to prop up the financial infrastructure. All of that spreading around the world and causing at least a sliver of confidence this morning.
Also, there's the idea that it could be just a relief rally and that's, you know, a Wall Street term we use, but at some point stocks have been down so hard that the selling just either dries up or there's a little bit of bargain hunting. The Dow last week was down 18 percent, so as the S&P. The Nasdaq was down 15 percent. So a bit of a bounce is not really that, you know, not that far out of the question.
Now, a lot of people have been asking us about the bottom. Is this the bottom? The beginning of the bottom? And there's a good way to describe it to a lot people. You can break a lot of bones when you're already at the bottom. You know, tumbling along the bottom, testing the bottom, false starts and false hopes. So be careful about all that bottom talk. And remember, there's a real economy here as Jeffrey Sachs said. There's a real economy that's going to be following along behind the stock market.
ROBERTS: We hope.
ROMANS: We hope, right. We hope.
KIRAN CHETRY, CNN ANCHOR: Last time, it was the dead cats analogy, now it's the broken bones.
ROMANS: I know. I hope that (INAUDIBLE), I'm going to be upset about the dead cat thing. I didn't make that up. That really is -- that really is a Wall Street phrase.
ROBERTS: We can guarantee people that no animals are being harmed.
ROMANS: No, just retirement portfolios and --
ROBERTS: Thanks.
CHETRY: Thanks, Christine. Well, the "Most Politics in the Morning" now. Barack Obama's campaign -- he's at it again in the battleground State of Ohio today. On Sunday, Obama was going door-to- door for votes in the all important Buckeye State. Meantime, the Democrats brought up the big guns at a rally in Scranton, Pennsylvania. Joe Biden was joined by Bill and Hillary Clinton. The New York senator blasting the GOP response to the financial crisis.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. HILLARY CLINTON (D), NEW YORK: When this crisis finally hit Wall Street and big financial firms came calling, well, suddenly, oh, my goodness. President Bush, John McCain and the Republicans, they snapped to attention. A big bank is going to fail? Well, bail it out. A big financial firm is going to fail? Well, bail out it. A big insurance company is going to fail? Why, bail it out. Well, what about the millions of people losing their homes and their jobs every single day?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHETRY: Also this programming note for you, Senator Clinton will be our guest on AMERICAN MORNING tomorrow. We're going to ask her specifically what Senator Obama plans to do to fix our troubled economy.
Meantime, John McCain and Sarah Palin will appear together in a rally today in Virginia. It's another battleground state. In the latest CNN national poll of polls shows Barack Obama widening his lead to eight points over John McCain, 49 percent to 41 percent. 10 percent still undecided. In Virginia, the poll of polls has Obama up by four points, 49 percent to 45 percent, with 6 percent undecided in that state. CNN's Ed Henry is live in Richmond for us this morning.
And Ed, President Bush beat John Kerry by about 8 percentage points in 2004. Why hasn't McCain been able to lock up Virginia this time around?
ED HENRY, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, good morning, Kiran.
It tells you all you really need to know about the state of this race overall. That John McCain is spending so much time here in Virginia. As you noted, a state he should have locked up a long time ago. He's going to be in Virginia Beach this morning with Sarah Palin. Then she's coming here to the Richmond Speedway for a rally of her own. Later in the day, John McCain going to North Carolina -- Virginia, North Carolina. Two states they should have locked up a long time ago. Instead, they're playing defense while Barack Obama plays offense. Nevertheless, yesterday, John McCain was talking tough about what he plans to do to Obama in Wednesday's third and final presidential debate.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. JOHN MCCAIN (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: After I whip his you know what in this debate, we're going to be going out 24/7.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HENRY: Now, normally in politics you try to lower expectations, John McCain raising expectations a little bit saying he's going to whip his you know what in that debate. Also new this morning, McCain aides say he's likely to unveil some new lines in his remarks where John McCain tries to cast himself as a fighter -- Kiran.
CHETRY: And what if anything new on the economy?
HENRY: Well, we have been hearing over the last couple of days, maybe he would unveil a new economic proposal. Right now, McCain aides are saying he doesn't have anything specific. He wants to sort of see how things play out in Washington for a couple of more days and talked to Treasury Department. It's going to unveil some more details about the bailout situation. I think the bottom line, though, is we can expect John McCain to talk this week a lot about taxes. That he wants to cut taxes. And he's going to allege once again as we've heard before that Barack Obama wants to raise taxes -- Kiran.
CHETRY: Ed Henry for us in Richmond this morning. Thanks.
ROBERTS: Racial matters, the politics of race in the voting booth.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It leaves a question mark over this race that we won't have the final answer until the votes are counted.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROBERTS: Will the color green supersede issues of black and white on Election Day?
You're watching the "Most News in the Morning."
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. BARACK OBAMA (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Are there going to be some people who don't vote for me because I'm black? Of course. There are probably some African-Americans who are voting for me because I'm black, or maybe others who are just inspired by the idea of breaking new ground. And so, I think all that's a wash.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROBERTS: Senator Barack Obama talking about the issue of race in the presidential campaign on CBS' "60 Minutes. " That was back in February. And while the CNN poll of polls shows Obama ahead of John McCain, come November the 4th, how many people will factor in the color of one candidate's skin in the privacy of a voting booth before they pulled the lever? CNN's Jason Carroll joins me now with all of that.
Any way to measure it?
JASON CARROLL, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, there is. And some folks are saying that it's definitely going to be a factor some voters who are out there. So, analysts are watching and wondering if something called the Bradley Effect will erase Obama's lead in the polls.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
CARROLL (voice-over): Most national polls show Senator Barack Obama leading Senator John McCain. But could those leads be deceptive? Some analysts say the race could be much closer or even a dead heat, if you factor in something known as the Bradley Affect.
DAVID GERGEN, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL ANALYST: It leaves a question mark over this race that we won't have the final answer until the votes are counted.
CARROLL: The Bradley Affect is named after former Los Angeles Mayor Tom Bradley, an African-American who ran for California governor in 1982. Exit polls appeared to confirm Bradley leading by a wide margin.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The great surprise then was that he lost.
CARROLL: Charles Henry researched what happened.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: People will usually tell you how they voted after the election. But we found in the Bradley campaign, people were actually not telling us who they voted for.
CARROLL: The theory polling was wrong because some voters who did not want to appear bigoted said they voted for Bradley even though they didn't. The Bradley Effect is also called the Wilder Effect. Came after Virginia's former Governor Douglas Wilder.
DOUGLAS WILDER, FORMER VIRGINIA GOVERNOR: People forget in the exit polls I was still double digits ahead.
CARROLL: Wilder won by just 1/10 of one percent. But he says Obama could actually win by a wider margin than the current polls suggest if another dynamic comes into play.
WILDER: There's going to be a reverse Wilder or Bradley Effect. There are some Republicans who are not going to say out front that they're going to be voting for Obama, but they're going to be because the economy is what's driving people to consider what's in their best interests.
CARROLL: Some analysts say traditionally the Bradley Effect can account for 6 percentage points against an African-American candidate. Polls show Obama leading with about 6 points. Michelle Obama told CNN's Larry King that a lot has changed since Bradley lost.
MICHELLE OBAMA, SEN. BARACK OBAMA'S WIFE: That was several decades ago, and I think that there has been growth and movement.
CARROLL: Some pollsters say the Bradley Effect hasn't been a factor in the last decade in state elections.
KEATING HOLLAND, CNN POLLING DIRECTOR: But very important caveat, we've never had a black presidential candidate as a major party nominee. So the polls don't have any history at all when it comes to national elections.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
CARROLL: And so pollsters can't say one way or the other if the Bradley Effect will end up playing a role in the presidential election. They have to wait until the election is over to analyze the data to really see what happens.
ROBERTS: I guess another way to put it is it's called the voting booth conversion. They're going in with one idea and they're about to pull the lever and say, can I really do this? No, I can't.
CARROLL: Right.
ROBERTS: We'll see what kind of an effect that has. Jason, thanks so much for that. Fascinating story.
CARROLL: OK.
ROBERTS: Kiran?
CHETRY: Still ahead, there's a new recommendation for your kids' diet that you'll want to know about. It's the vitamin that pediatricians say children need more of -- Vitamin D. But how do you get it? We're going to hear the new recommendations, still ahead.
And Barack Obama and John McCain both pushing hard to shore up a key voting bloc that has historically decided Florida's election. We're going to tell you who they are and how the candidates are faring.
You're watching the "Most News in the Morning."
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
CHETRY: Welcome back to the "Most News in the Morning." Rob Marciano keeping his eye on the extreme weather at the CNN weather center in Atlanta.
Good morning, Rob. You're keeping your eye on the fire danger out west as well?
ROB MARCIANO, AMS METEOROLOGIST: Yes. A couple flared up over the weekend. You saw burning behind you there, especially in Southern California across -- just north of L.A. 2,000 acres burned. 1,200 people evacuated. There's some live pictures from KTLA. You see the embers burning there. It did simmer down a little bit overnight, but I could tell you, there's -- the winds are going to whip up again here shortly. It looks like those flames are already starting to be fan as these Santa Ana winds begin to blow. They do typically kick in during the overnight hours.
(WEATHER REPORT)
CHETRY: And check it out, Rob. Just for you. A shot right now of Columbus Circle. Of course, it is Columbus Day. MARCIANO: All right.
CHETRY: There you see the beautiful statue to Christopher Columbus.
MARCIANO: Everybody is Italian today.
CHETRY: How about it? All right, thanks, Rob.
MARCIANO: See you, Kiran.
CHETRY: The swing vote.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There isn't a clean cut, simple thing, and I really haven't made up my mind.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHETRY: Winning over Florida's senior set. John Zarrella with the voters who could hold the power to decide the election.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We don't know if Obama is that much better.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHETRY: You're watching the "Most News in the Morning."
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ROBERTS: Welcome back to the "Most Politics in the Morning."
Older voters as always are expected to be a possible deciding factor in this election. And both campaign are doing everything they can do win them over. CNN's John Zarrella reports.
JOHN ZARRELLA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: John, Kiran, in Florida, more than 30 percent of both the Republican and Democratic parties are made up of senior citizens, and roughly three-quarters of them show up and vote on Election Day. No wonder McCain and Obama are in a dog fight over Florida's senior vote.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ZARRELLA (voice-over): Seniors line up for the matinee at the villages in Central Florida.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It's six (INAUDIBLE).
ZARRELLA: On Election Day, lines at the polls will likely be just as long.
RICH COLE, THE VILLAGES REPUBLICAN CLUB: The voting turn out probably in the villages will probably be about 90 percent.
ZARRELLA: 68,000 people live in this retirement community. About half are registered Republicans. In a state seen as up for grabs, the McCain campaign needs every one of them. So, vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin --
GOV. SARAH PALIN (R), VICE PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: They don't think they'll ask in Florida maybe that we have much in common.
ZARRELLA: Made this one of her first campaign stops, drawing 60,000 people. Despite the nation's economic trouble, some experts say older Americans here are leaning McCain.
SUSAN MACMANUS, UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA: Older voters feel more secure about social security. They have prescription drug coverage now which they did in previous elections. They feel more economically secure for themselves.
ZARRELLA: And there maybe another dynamic at work.
COLE: A lot of people who, when I think about it regret the way they treated some of the soldiers returning from Vietnam. This is an opportunity to make amends to that in their minds.
ZARRELLA: For Barack Obama folks like George and Cookie Berman are crucial -- older, Jewish. Traditionally, Jews vote overwhelmingly Democrat in national elections. This year there is some uncertainly.
GEORGE BERMAN, UNDECIDED VOTER: There isn't a clean card, simple thing (INAUDIBLE). And I really haven't made up my mind.
ZARRELLA: Most were devout Hillary Clinton supporters. Some question Obama's commitment to Israel. But that doesn't necessarily guarantee a McCain vote.
COOKIE BERMAN, UNDECIDED VOTER: We don't know if Obama is that much better than McCain. But a Democrat has to be somewhat better than what we already have.
ZARRELLA: At this point neither party can afford to take Florida's seniors for granted.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ZARRELLA: If the road to the White house does end up going through Florida, it may well be the state's retirement communities that deliver the next president -- John, Kiran.
CHETRY: A Supreme Court shakeup.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: This is the American citizens' last chance.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHETRY: How much change could the next president bring to the highest court in the land?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I am petrified about what's at stake here.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHETRY: Kelli Arena takes a look at the important campaign issue that's not getting much attention.
You're watching the "Most News in the Morning."
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ROBERTS: 26 minutes now after the hour. Welcome back to the "Most News in the Morning."
Senator John McCain is trailing Barack Obama by eight points in the latest CNN poll of polls that has Republicans worried. And today, conservative columnist William Crystal pulled no punches writing in the "New York Times," quote, "It is time for John McCain to fire his campaign. He has nothing to lose. His campaign is totally overmatched by Obama's."
Roger Stone is a Republican political consultant who has worked with several GOP president and supports John McCain. He joins me now from Miami.
Roger, it's good to see you. And first of all, what do you make of Bill Crystal's statement there on McCain's campaign.
ROGER STONE, REPUBLICAN POLITICAL CONSULTANT: Well, I think, Crystal is right. McCain is better than his campaign. Look, a campaign is about having one driving, compelling, comparative message that wins you votes. It's what George Bush did to John Kerry in the closing days of that campaign. Making the case that Kerry wasn't ready to be commander-in-chief. John McCain has got to go out and make the case as to why he is better than Barack Obama. And it's not about the past, it's about the future.
ROBERTS: So when you're talking about what we're seeing on the campaign trail in the last week or so, Sarah Palin talking about Barack Obama palling around with terrorists, making the link between him and former weather underground member William Ayers or talking about Reverend Wright, is that useful for the McCain campaign? Is it a legitimate form of attack? Is it something that Republican voters will respond to? And also, not just Republican voters, but those all important independents.
STONE: Well, first, the answer is yes. That is what Sarah Palin who is the other end of this ticket should be doing. It's the vice presidential candidate's job to continually jabs, and there's no question that particularly among the base in some swing, moderate to conservative independents that those are telling issues. But this is not about Barack Obama's past association with Bill Ayers or certain Palestinian interests in Chicago. It's really about the future. John McCain has to put a real differences between he and his opponent on immigration, on taxes, on national security.
Look, Barack Obama wants to give driver's licenses to illegal immigrants. He wants to give social security benefits to illegal immigrants. It's on his Web site. Those are driving issues that demonstrate that he would indeed be dangerous as president. That is what McCain has to say, and that's what he has to do.
ROBERTS: You know, something else that Bill Crystal had to say in that same article was that the McCain campaign once merely problematic is now close to being out and dysfunctional. He thinks he should junk all the negative advertising, put the money into televised town halls and half hour addresses in primetime to talk about the issues, talk about McCain policies, would you agree?
STONE: I do agree. I mean, first of all, the McCain campaign puts out a video for the media that they're not really airing any place as paid advertising, but they're diffuse. They're all over the place. They don't have one central theme. This is very, very simple. Because of his world view, because of his lack of experience, because of his extreme views, Barack Obama is a dangerous choice to be president.
The McCain campaign needs to make that case in a comparative way. It's not negative to compare your position, say on illegal immigrants with Barack Obama's. That is precisely what McCain should do, and I agree with Crystal. He should scrap his campaign and go right to the people.
ROBERTS: Of course, Roger, you're famous for running some very, very effective negative campaigns over the course of American political history. To this idea of painting Barack Obama as dangerous, you know what Congressman John Lewis said over the weekend. He had some very harsh words for Senator McCain and Governor Palin saying that he is sowing the seeds of division and hatred, a reminder of George Wallace's 1972 campaign.
He said, quote, "George Wallace never threw a bomb, he never fired a gun, but he created a climate in the conditions that encouraged vicious attacks against innocent Americans who are simply trying to exercise their constitutional rights. As public figures with the power and influence to persuade, Senator McCain and Governor Palin are playing with fire. And if they are not careful, that fire will consume us all."
McCain responded, "Congressman Lewis' comments represent a character attack against Governor Palin and me that's shocking beyond the pale. The notion that legitimate criticism of Senator Obama's record and positions could be compared to Governor George Wallace. His segregation, his policies and the violence he provoked is unacceptable and has no place in this campaign."
Was Senator McCain or were Senator McCain and Governor Palin, were they over the line in what they were doing or was John Lewis just misinformed?
STONE: No, absolutely not. First of all, I admire John Lewis as one of the real pioneers of the civil rights movement in this country. I have huge respect for him. And in this particular case, I think he's made a huge error. To say that John McCain or Sarah Palin counting as bigotry or prejudice or hatred is just false. It is not hateful, it is not divisive to compare your positions, your record, your world view with those of your opponent -- in this case Barack Obama.
Barack Obama is out of the mainstream. It is out of the stream to give Social Security benefits to illegal immigrants for example. That is out of the mainstream and that discussion needs to be had. There's nothing racist or divisive or negative about that. Those are dollars and sense issues that are going to affect the future of the country. So I think John Lewis, who again, I have huge respect for has made a huge mistake here.
ROBERTS: All right. Roger Stone talking to us this morning from Miami.
Roger, it's good to see you. We'll see you again, thanks.
STONE: Great to be with you.
CHETRY: 31 minutes past 8:00 here in New York. A look at the top stories this morning.
Markets in Asia and Australia closed higher today, boosting investors confidence here at home. All right now. Dow futures more than 300 points. In Europe, where trading is underway, stocks are up across the board and that rally comes in a worldwide effort to prop up troubled banks and credit markets.
An American has won the Nobel Prize in economics. He is "New York Times" reporter and Princeton professor, Paul Krugman. Krugman was honored for his studies on free trade and globalization.
And voters in Michigan will decide next month whether or not to relax the state's restriction on embryonic stem cell research. The amendment would allow families to donate excess embryos to scientists to use for disease research. Opponents of the ballot say it's unethical. Supporters say it will put the state on the forefront of an emerging science.
And John McCain takes issue with some specifics on Barack Obama's health care plan. So does Senator McCain have a legitimate beef? Sounds like a job for AMERICAN MORNING's truth squad, joining us now, Alina Cho.
And we're talking about whether or not some of the elements in the health plan are really what they seem?
ALINA CHO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, whether employers will face penalties, Kiran. Good morning, everybody.
At issue specifically, comments that John McCain made last week about employers facing penalties if Barack Obama's health care plan takes affect. Take a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MCCAIN: Under his plan he will fine employers who don't offer health insurance to put their employees in government health care. You fine them. You know what that does? That costs jobs, that costs jobs for small business people in America.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHO: Pretty bold statement. What's the reality on this one?
Well Obama's health care plan is detailed on his Web site. It would require that large employers offer meaningful coverage to workers or pay enough to make sure that they are coffered. Now here's the part that's in contention, if the employer does not do that, Obama's plan insists that a percentage of the company's payroll is contributed to a national fund and that fund would help people who can't afford health care.
So it really works more like a payroll tax not a fine. Obama's plan does not say anything about fines or penalties and in fact, this is interesting. On McCain's own Web site, his campaign refers to the money in Obama's plan as a tax, not a fine. As for the second part of McCain's charge -
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MCCAIN: That costs jobs for small business people in America.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHO: Well, not so fast. Obama's Web site pledges small businesses will be exempt from contributing money towards any national fund. So again John McCain says Barack Obama's health care plan will fine employers that do not offer health insurance and McCain charges small businesses will lose jobs. Is that true? The truth squad on this one, false.
And of course, with 22 days until the election, the gloves are off, Kiran, lots of negative ads as we have been reporting. Lots the truth squad will have much more tomorrow.
CHETRY: Maybe you can go digging around and see which candidate is saying actually completely 100 percent accurate.
CHO: We're digging very hard for that.
CHETRY: All right. Alina, thanks.
CHO: You bet.
ROBERTS: With so much of the nation focusing on the economy this morning, Sarah Palin is shaping her speeches around a different theme. Wedge issues in a cultural war and she had some tough words over the weekend for Barack Obama on abortion. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GOV. SARAH PALIN (R), VICE PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: A vote for Barack Obama is a vote for activist courts that will continue to smother the open and Democratic debate that we deserve and that we need on this issue of life. That's OK, that debate at both the state and the federal level.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROBERTS: Obama is pro choice and his long record of opposing efforts that might limit legal access to abortion.
And this election the stakes are high for many American's passionate about how button issues like abortion. CNN's Kelli Arena looks at how the Supreme Court could change depending on whether John McCain or Barack Obama are elected.
KELLI ARENA, CNN JUSTICE CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, guys.
With issues like the economy dominating the presidential campaign, you haven't really heard a lot about the Supreme Court. But don't lot that fool you. It is all some voters care about.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ARENA (voice-over): Make no mistake, the Supreme Court is very much on the ballot.
WENDY LONG, JUDICIAL CONFIRMATION NETWORK: This is the American citizens last chance to choose the man who's going to be picking at least probably several justices and shaping the court for most of this century.
ARENA: From abortion to the war on terror, the court will play a vital role.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I am petrified about what's at stake here.
ARENA: And activists from both parties are making sure the rest of the electorate knows it.
MCCAIN: We have not done enough.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: No, Senator McCain you have not. Tell John McCain to support judges who support our rights.
ANNOUNCER: Choosing the right justices is critical to America. We don't know who Barack Obama would choose.
ARENA: The face of the court could go through some radical changes. Court observers speculate 88-year-old justice John Paul Stevens may retire. Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg in her late 70s have had health issues. And friends of Justice David Souter say that he might like to go back to New Hampshire. All three lean left. EDWARD LAZARUS, SUPREME COURT LEGAL ANALYST: If Barack Obama becomes president, it is almost certain that the court will stay roughly the way it is. If Senator McCain were to win the presidency, he would be replacing liberal justices, presumably with justices far more conservative.
ARENA: Both candidates have made no secret about the types of justices they pick or avoid.
OBAMA: I would not have nominated Clarence Thomas.
MCCAIN: Justices Alito and Roberts are two of my most recent favorites, by the way.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ARENA: For now, the court remain very tightly divided. Many major decisions have come down to a 5-4 vote which is far too close to true believers from both parties -- John, Kiran.
CHETRY: Thanks, Kelli Arena.
Meanwhile, money is getting tighter and so are the polls in some key battleground states. We're going to look at the candidates ground game today in places on the map that could change color before November.
And we have personal finance editor Gerri Willis with us. She's standing by to answer your money questions. It's not too late to send her a question at CNN.com/am.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
CHETRY: Well, the electoral map is becoming harder to predict in these tough economic times. Today, both candidates are trying their best to look up votes in key battleground states. Our Alina Cho joins us now.
It's a different scene than in 2004. It seems that there is many more states in play.
CHO: That's right. A lot of battleground states. A lot of talk about Obama leading in the polls of late as you well know, Kiran. But if you look at the CNN electoral map, the race is a lot tighter than you might think. 22 days until the election. It is all lot about the ground game. Surrogates going door to door until voters can't stand it anymore but when the race is still this tight, every vote counts, especially an electoral rich Ohio. It is why John McCain and Barack Obama are spending so much time campaigning there.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: How are you?
CHO (voice-over): Barack Obama going door to door in Ohio, hoping to win over undecided voters and his rival John McCain campaigning in the state late last week.
MCCAIN: I need you to help me carry the state of Ohio and take the presidency of the United States.
CHO: Ohio put George W. Bush over the top four years ago. And it could once again all come down to the state. Our latest CNN poll of polls in Ohio, which averages the latest surveys in the state, has Obama up by three points with five percent of voters undecided.
PALIN: We are so excited to be here. We also recognized it's going to be a real hard-fought contest here in Virginia.
CHO: Both Sarah Palin and McCain campaign separately in Virginia today. A once reliably Republican state. But our most recent poll of polls there has Obama up by four points with six percent of voters undecided.
McCain also campaigned in North Carolina today. Another red state that he's being forced to defend. A CNN/"TIME" magazine Opinion Research Corporation poll conducted last week suggested the race was a dead heat. So where does this stand in the big picture?
If the election were held today, our CNN electoral college map estimates that Obama would win 264 electoral votes. McCain 174 with 100 in states up for grabs. 270 electoral votes are needed to win the White House.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
CHO: So with 100 electoral votes still up for grabs, you can see why the candidates are campaigning so hard in those battleground states, not just Ohio but Virginia, North Carolina, too. But just like in 2004, it could all come down to Ohio. No Republican has ever won the White House without winning Ohio and in the past eight years, 200,000 people have lost their jobs in that state.
So you can bet, Kiran, a lot of people will be going to the polls with that in mind.
The economy is issue #1. It is why Barack Obama has been inching up in the polls as you know because the public perception is he is better in handling the economy. And as one analyst said, fair or not, Republicans seemed to have ownership of that problem. That is a hard sort of perception to overcome as we go forward.
CHETRY: A Republican in the White House and a lot of these Senators are facing tough re-election battles as well.
CHO: Even though the house and Senate are in Democratic hands.
CHETRY: All right. Thanks, Alina.
CHO: You bet.
ROBERTS: 43 minutes after the hour now. A pediatrician's group out with new recommendations for your kid's diet. What they're saying that your kids need to get more of.
And you have questions, Gerri Willis has answers. She is working her blog for you this morning. She's got advice for you in "Your Money " coming up next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ROBERTS: 14 minutes now to the top of the hour. Gerri Willis back answering your money questions this morning.
They're coming in or responding to your blog. What are you hearing from people? What do you got for us?
GERRI WILLIS, CNN PERSONAL FINANCE EDITOR: Well, it's been furious. We got three questions here in this hour.
George from Glen Burnie, Maryland asks: "My main worry is two annuities that I have, should I pool them and deposit them with a reliable bank to get FDIC coverage or am I safe to let them stay where they are?"
Well, George, I have to tell you. It all depends on what you own. You can either have a fixed or a variable annuity. A fixed annuity is exactly like it sounds. Your returns are guarantee. Variable annuity moves with the marketplace. Figure out what it is that you have, a variable annuity can often be converted into a fix. Check with your financial adviser to see what the best option is for you.
And Sally in Greenville, South Carolina asks: "My mother is in her 80s, like others who were over 70 and a half, she is required to take a certain amount out of her IRA each year. That means she has to sell something between now and the end of the year. Has any thought been given to suspending this requirement temporarily?"
Well, the answer, Sally, is yes. Currently John McCain has a suggestion, an offer, a policy suggestion on the table that would allow seniors not to take money out, not to have to sell those stocks so it's a possibility that rule may be suspended for a little while. We'll be covering that issue and we'll let you know if that happens.
Paul in Pennsylvania asks: "I'm a 26-year-old guy who's going to begin saving for retirement, about 40 years from now. Because of the huge discount on a lot of high quality companies, is now a good time to dive in and get my feet wet in the market or should I choose more stable investments until the smoke begins to clear and them move in?"
Well, we don't know. I can't tell you, Paul, really when the smoke will be in the clear but I can tell you a lot of professional investors with very good performance records, histories have now called, have now decided that stocks are cheap and are buying among the Warren Buffett, Marty Whitman, they think that stock levels here with the price earnings ratio are historic lows are very attractive. They are buyers, you have to make a decision on your own.
ROBERTS: But you know, don't risk what you can't afford to lose, right?
WILLIS: That's right. It should be money you're willing to put to work for five years, six years, seven years, that you don't need tomorrow to pay the rent or to pay the mortgage.
ROBERTS: Yes, don't mortgage the house to buy stocks.
WILLIS: No.
ROBERTS: All right. Thanks very much for that.
WILLIS: My pleasure.
ROBERTS: That's good.
WILLIS: My pleasure.
ROBERTS: A new study finds eight out of 10 Americans are stressed about the economy but women are bearing the brunt of that stress. The American Psychological Association says concerns like personal finances, housing costs and job stability are taking the biggest toll. Despite advances in the workplace, experts say women have more to worry about in terms of economic security and are more likely to be poor in old age than men.
CHETRY: CNN NEWSROOM just minutes away now. Heidi Collins at the CNN Center with a look at what's ahead.
Good morning, Heidi.
HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning to you, Kiran.
That's right. Here's a check of what we're working on in the NEWSROOM. In an upbeat mood -- how about that?
In the overseas financial market. Is Wall Street moving toward a rebound? We're going to talk about that with our money team. They, of course, watching it very closely for you. And we're barely three weeks into autumn. But you can't tell it from these pictures. Parts of the west are asking where did the fall go?
And she had 100 credit cards and $30,000 in debt, now she's living debt free with a little help from above. We'll you that story and we get started at the top of the hour right here on CNN -- Kiran.
CHETRY: Heidi, thanks,
Well, there's a new recommendation for your kids' diet, what pediatricians say children need more of. It's a story you'll want to hear before you serve breakfast.
You're watching the "Most News in the Morning."
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
CHETRY: Welcome back to the "Most News in the Morning." You know the nation's leading pediatrician groups says that kids, for the most part, are not getting enough Vitamin D. The group says that children need twice as much as the current recommendation. Medical correspondent Elizabeth Cohen joins me now from CNN Center in Atlanta.
Of course, you being an expert not just because you're a medical correspondent, because you have four kids of your own. So you know. What exactly is the recommendation for how much kids need nowadays?
ELIZABETH COHEN, CNN MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: I got to tell you, Kiran, this is a huge change from America's pediatricians. For years they said kids need 200 international units of Vitamin D a day. And now they were saying oh no, we were wrong, they need 400. Because studies have shown at that level you can help prevent heart disease, diabetes and cancer.
Now, here's the trick. A lot of kids are not going to get that much in their diet. It can be tough to get. So what they're saying is that millions of kids, we're talking babies through the teen years will need to take supplements -- Kiran.
CHETRY: This is interesting, if you're trying to get it into all of your kids' meals, what are some foods that are high in Vitamin D.
COHEN: Well, we have come up with a sample daily menu for you. So let's take a look at this. This will give you an idea. This much food will get you the Vitamin D you need. Two cups of milk which is fortified, a tuna fish sandwich, a cup of cereal, also fortified and a tablespoon of margarine, also fortified. If a kid ate that, they would be getting 400 international units of Vitamin D. And that's what the American Academy of Pediatrics now recommends.
CHETRY: So a couple of questions. One if you're exclusively breast feeding do you need to give your child a Vitamin D supplement?
COHEN: You should definitely talk to your pediatrician about that. Because breast milk doesn't always have the amount of Vitamin D that you you're your kid to get. So you can ask your pediatrician about supplementing with a Vitamin D supplement. It's a very common thing to do.
CHETRY: Right. And then if kids are taking multivitamins, you know the gummy things that they eat nowadays or just a regular Flintstones vitamins. Does the Vitamin D in it, enough?
COHEN: You'd have to look on the back of it. It may only be 200 international units since that's what the recommendations been. But you can just look on the back and it will tell you. And then you can ask your pediatrician that hey should I be giving something in addition to this little gummy bear vitamin?
CHETRY: And is it true that you also get a lot of Vitamin D from sunlight?
COHEN: You do get Vitamin D from the sun but it's a little bit tricky because you can also get skin cancer from sun. So if you go out in the sun without sunscreen that will help your body produce Vitamin D. The pediatricians kind of wanted to stay away from that. They don't want to be telling parents oh yes, take your kids out in the sun with no sunscreen. Don't worry about it. And the amount of time your kid would have to spend in the sun would depend on where you live.
CHETRY: All right. Lots to think about but yes just double check this because as you said the recommendations for Vitamin D are changing.
COHEN: That's right.
CHETRY: Elizabeth Cohen, thank you.
COHEN: Thanks.
ROBERTS: Holy deception, why some are not laughing at comedian Bill Maher's new documentary.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We lied.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, I don't see any obligation to reveal everything about everything.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROBERTS: The sin of "Religulous" and the wrath of the faithful.
You're watching the "Most News in the Morning."
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ROBERTS: Comedian Bill Maher's new movie "Religulous" doesn't pull any punches as it skewers all of the major religions in the world. When we had him on the show recently, he said that his goal was to get people talking about organized religion. And they're talking about it already, right. But some people are not happy, accusing the filmmaker of tricking them into speaking out about the subject.
Here's CNN Brooke Anderson.
BROOKE ANDERSON, CNN ENTERTAINMENT CORRESPONDENT: John, Kiran -- Bill Maher's film "Religulous" rails on religion and belittles those who believe. Now some in the film claiming they were tricked into participating, a charge Maher doesn't deny.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BILL MAHER, COMEDIAN: You're a senator, it worries me that people are running my country who believe in a talking thing.
SEN. MARK PRYOR (D), ARKANSAS: You don't have to pass an I.Q. test to be in the Senate.
ANDERSON (voice-over): Senator Mark Pryor of Arkansas isn't laughing about his appearance in comedian Bill Maher's new film "Religulous."
PRYOR: The concern I have is it's really making fun of all people of faith making them look ridiculous.
ANDERSON: Though Pryor knew Maher was involved he says this e- mail request was misleading.
PRYOR: We really had no idea of what he was up to. We thought that was probably going to be a segment for his show. I don't think he explicitly said that. But he never told that us that he was working on a documentary.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I'm going in the (INAUDIBLE) and I'm going to come back on a white horse.
ANDERSON: The movie directed by Larry Charles who also made "Borat" mocks all major religion. Steven Waldman is editor in chief of the non-denominational Web site, beliefnet.com.
STEVEN WALDMAN, WWW.BELIEFNET.COM: If he had any hopes that this was going to be a kind of persuasive indictment of religion, I think he kind of blew it by caring more about making it a comedy than about making it a real documentary.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Is this is your only 2000 tour?
ANDERSON: Evangelical Pastor Jeremiah Cummings says he was told he was taking part in a PBS documentary and never would have participated had he known Maher was behind the project.
"They never told me that Bill Maher was going to slide in at the last second. I deeply feel sorry for Larry Charles and Bill Maher for this sick movie." Cummings says that his career and reputation have suffered.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Bless me, father, for I have sinned.
ANDERSON: Maher and Charles admitted deceiving the film's subjects.
LARRY CHARLES, DIRECTOR: We lied.
MAHER: Yes, I don't see an obligation to reveal everything about everything. Despite the attacks on faith, Waldman believes something positive can come from the film.
WALDMAN: It kind of makes believers on their toes.
MAHER: Why doesn't he just obliterate the devil and therefore get rid of evil in the world?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He will. MAHER: He will?
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: For his part, Pastor Jeremiah Cummings is considering legal action despite signing a consent form -- John, Kiran.
ROBERTS: Brooke Anderson for us this morning. With that, Brooke, thanks so much. And thank you so much for joining us on this AMERICAN MORNING. We will see you back here again, bright and early tomorrow.
CHETRY: Right now here's CNN NEWSROOM with Heidi Collins.
