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Boy Abducted From Las Vegas Home; Politics of Anger
Aired October 17, 2008 - 15:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
RICK SANCHEZ, CNN ANCHOR (voice-over): Coming at you now: We were first to tell you about the anger shown by crowds at Palin rallies. Now, for the first time, we have video to prove it from Western PA
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That is not the kind of a mentality we want people to think exists here.
SANCHEZ: In Georgia, more hate being investigated by the Secret Service and what is hanging from trees. What is happening in America? It is isolated? Is it fear? Or is it just plain hate? And what do these Muslim Americans have to say about discrimination?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Once you get to know people, it is hard to have animosity for each other.
SANCHEZ: All this the day after these two men are as funny and chummy with each other as we have ever seen.
SEN. BARACK OBAMA (D-IL), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I have never, not once, put lipstick on a pig.
SEN. JOHN MCCAIN (R-AZ), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I have dismissed the entire team of senior advisers. All of their positions will now be held by a man named Joe the plumber.
SANCHEZ: Your comments, unfiltered on Twitter, Facebook and more. Like nowhere else, your newscast starts now.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SANCHEZ: Hello again, everybody.
We are going to begin tonight with breaking news. This is a story that if you are watching this newscast, you may be able somehow to help. It is the story of a little boy who is missing right now, because it appears he has been abducted.
Let's put his picture up. I want you to take a really, really good look at him. I want you to see if possibly you can form some kind of visual script in your head, so, if you see him, you can help him or his parents. The story is incredible.
Believe it or not, this little boy's grandfather allegedly had some kind of a meth habit. As a result, he may have stolen some money from some Mexican drug lords, perhaps millions of dollars from those Mexican drug lords. Well, in payback, those Mexican drug lords have shown up at this little boy's house in Las Vegas. They tied up his mother, and they took him away, abducted him.
There is an all-out search for him right now. The number to call if you hear anything, if you see him, if you know anything, it is 702- 385-5555, again, the number 702-385-5555. The little boy's name by the way is Cole Puffinburger. Throughout this entire hour, we're going to continue to show his picture as we go to break. And if we get any more information, we will bring it to you right away.
Am I being told that we have some sound to turn on this as well, Chris? Is that what you are saying? Let's do this then. We have got sound from one of the police officials who is investigating this in Vegas. We just turned this around. Let's go ahead and share that with you, if we can, now.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CAPTAIN VINCENT CANNITO, LAS VEGAS POLICE DEPARTMENT: We have interviewed dozens of people. We have created dozens of leads and established several very significant persons of interest.
One such person is Clemens Fred Tinnemeyer. The individual in this photograph is Cole's grandfather. This is the individual that has been involved in very significant drug dealing. It would be no understatement to state that other members in the family are involved as well.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SANCHEZ: It is an amazing story of payback. Again, there's breaking news on this. It appears that this desperate little boy is now in the hands of Mexican drug lords, abductors.
And we can only hope that this thing turns out well. Again, it has been developing only within the last half-hour or so. And we're going to stay on top of it throughout this newscast. We think we might have another piece of sound that we're going to be sharing with you in just a little bit. So, stay with us.
Meanwhile, here's another story. We were the first to tell you about some of the anger and some the apparent xenophobia that is exhibited at the Sarah Palin rallies. Well, now you're going to see some of it for yourself, because it is different to be told by a reporter there what is going on and then to actually see something with your very own eyes.
This is from Johnstown, Pennsylvania, when Sarah Palin was there last weekend. I'm going to let you look at this for yourself without any commentary. We will talk about it on the back side. Here it is.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Obama, Osama, friends and one and the same.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Obama bin Laden (INAUDIBLE) Muslim president.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: If he gets in office, he is going to have a lot of cross-section of America in his Cabinet. It's going to be Al Sharpton, Reverend Wright, Jesse Jackson.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We will vote for who we want. This is not an Oprah show.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Obama is socialist.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: (INAUDIBLE) a socialist.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (INAUDIBLE) commies.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Who are the terrorists?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: They are the terrorists, Ayers, Obama- Ayers, connection. What more do you have to say?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is little Hussein. Little Hussein (INAUDIBLE) truth and good Americans.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Pro-life. Pro-life.
(CROSSTALK)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Hussein Mohammed Obama.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Obama bin Laden.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Osama bin Laden.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (INAUDIBLE) Hussein.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (INAUDIBLE) Kill some more babies, you bastard!
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SANCHEZ: Spent a big part of the day trying to reach out to the people who can put this story into perspective for us, for you, for me.
One of our CNN producers, by the way, was there when this incident occurred. To be clear, though, he has pointed out to us that this happened outside as people were walking into the actual Palin rally.
And it was in no way, to be fair, sanctioned by the McCain/Palin campaign. Our producer can't talk to us now because he is on a plane right now with the McCain campaign. So, I talked to him just a little while ago about what he -- how he would characterize this.
Here is Peter Hamby just a short time ago talking to me about this video.
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
PETER HAMBY, CNN POLITICAL PRODUCER: We did see one man in the crowd who I believe you saw in the YouTube videos brandishing a stuffed monkey with a Barack Obama bumper sticker on the forehead. And he was waving it around.
One of my colleagues from another network noticed this, and pulled out the D.V. camera and started filming the man. When he noticed that a national news camera was on him, he surreptitiously pulled the bumper sticker off of the monkey's head and balled it up in his hand. And then kind of slipped the monkey off to a small child who was next to him, and then kind of filed away.
We have talked to voters. And most people are very friendly. There are the occasional people that don't appreciate the media very much. In this situation, as you can see, there is a group of Obama supporters and union folks across the street at which -- they assemble very often in Pennsylvania when Palin has campaigned in the state.
You can't really hear them chanting much more than what Obama supporters often chant in their demonstrations, sort of, Bush/McCain, more of the same. In this situation, I think they were going kind of back and forth at other, which might have led to the sort of things that you heard being shouted in that video.
(END AUDIO CLIP)
SANCHEZ: All right. That is CNN producer Peter Hamby, who talked to me just a short while ago.
I want to bring somebody else into this conversation. This is Chip Minemyer. He is the editor of the Johnston, Pennsylvania, "Tribune-Democrat."
Chip, thanks so much for being with us. We really appreciate you trying to put some perspective on this, because I imagine a lot of folks are looking at this video and probably drawing some conclusions that you don't want them to draw about your town.
You know, as I watch this video, you know what I think about? I think about that you might expect people to say something like this in private. And we have all heard it at parties and perhaps some social events, but, in public, maybe that is what makes it so different, isn't it?
CHIP MINEMYER, EDITOR, "JOHNSTOWN TRIBUNE-DEMOCRAT": Well, it is certainly troubling. And I think that is what you are hearing from folks here in Johnstown, that to see these video images and to see the behavior of the folks there, you know -- in my opinion, I was at that rally, although predominantly inside, and this is not necessarily indicative of what you saw most people doing there, by a large margin. It was a well very behaved event.
And certainly, as you said, folks in Johnstown don't particularly like to see the community portrayed this way. SANCHEZ: But, Chip, at the same time, we have this quote from one of your representatives. This is John Murtha. He was speaking to "The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette." I'm going to let our viewers hear it and then you and I are going to talk about it on the other side.
Go ahead, Rog. Play that.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REP. JOHN MURTHA (D), PENNSYLVANIA: Well, he will have a tough time. You know, there's no question Western Pennsylvania is a racist area. And, when I say a racist area, I mean that they -- well, the older -- older people are hesitant. You know, they slow in seeing change, real -- real change.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SANCHEZ: Now, he did back off of it, but he clearly said that Western Pennsylvania, which is a part of the area where you are talking to us from, is a racist area. How do you take that?
MINEMYER: Well, I would say there is an element of truth, in that there exists racism in Western Pennsylvania and, for sure, some people -- for some people, that will be a factor in how they vote.
I don't think the idea of the entire region being classified as racist is necessarily reasonable. I think that is where you will see people reacting pretty harshly.
SANCHEZ: OK. Then, you know what? Maybe, as a nation, we have all got to come to grips with what we are talking about here. Is it fear or is it ignorance or is it maybe just legitimate doubt about these candidates being expressed in an unconventional way?
MINEMYER: Well, I think it is a mixture of those emotions.
And, as you started to allude, I think some good can come from this. Clearly, we have a ways to go as a society if -- if these last couple of news clips that you have shown are any indication, when it comes to race relations.
SANCHEZ: Right.
MINEMYER: But if this situation kind of gets more of us to look inside our hearts and inspect our prejudices, if we can address our differences a little bit better, then maybe this will lead to some positive developments.
SANCHEZ: I should probably share, by the way, that John Murtha has apologized for that comment. He tried obviously to apologize at the moment he said it, but he came on later on and apologized once again for the way that that statement was referenced by him and the way it's been taken obviously by many people.
Chip Minemyer, thanks so much for being with us and joining us to represent your hometown. A couple of other stories that we should possibly tell you about, imagine this. A mother is driving her daughter to a park to beat up somebody else's daughter, and then rips off the other girl's hair. It is really an amazing story that is now under investigation. There is an arrest that is taking place as well.
Also, look at this. These are supposed to be Barack Obama effigies. Look at what else it says, Hussein, the Star of David. It gets ugly.
And, oh, I understand now that we have go some more video. We have got some sound coming in from the story we have been telling you about of this little boy who is missing. His name is Cole Puffinburger. This is another piece of sound that we go from police officials just a little while ago.
Rog, if you got that, let's go ahead and cut that now. All right. We are putting it together for you now.
While we do that, let me just bring you up to date. This is an amazing story of this little boy. He has apparently been taken by drug lords as a result of some money that was owed to them by this little boy's grandfather. All right, here is the sound. It's coming in now.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CANNITO: -- conducting this investigation, a number of tips have led to allegations of ransom and what have you. Again, please understand that the reason Cole was kidnapped was the result of trying to get back -- the drug dealers trying to get back their money, their property, what have you.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SANCHEZ: I made a promise that every time I go to break, I'm going to show you this little boy's picture. So, let's go ahead and put it up.
There it is, as a matter of fact, on the side of the screen. If you know anything about him, anything about his whereabouts, anything that you think could help police, please call this number, 702-385- 5555.
Stay with us. We will be over this and we will be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SANCHEZ: Hey, welcome back. I'm Rick Sanchez here in the world headquarters of CNN, a lot of stories that we're trying to bring you at this hour.
First of all, let's try and bring you up to date on this situation that we have been talking about the -- well, xenophobia may be the best way to describe it, because there is now also an investigation in Clayton County, Georgia. This is an area just outside of Atlanta where we understand that local residents and Obama supporters have been receiving hate mail, to the point where the Secret Service has now been called in and is investigating.
We are being joined on the phone now by Mike Brooks. He is our security analyst and law enforcement expert.
Mike, I know you have looked into this somewhat. How prevalent is this in this area?
MIKE BROOKS, CNN SECURITY ANALYST: Well, Rick, we really haven't had too much of this happen.
But right around the same time as these letters that we're showing right now in my neighborhood, here in Kirkwood, in the city of Atlanta, there were also some racist letters distributed in mailboxes, on the street, put on people's cars.
And to just kind of give you a flavor of the letters we had, now, they did not target any Barack Obama or any gays or Asian. It was all basically against African-Americans. And here is just the first line and last line of this letter, Rick, to kind of give you a flavor.
It says: "To the" -- and then it is the N-word -- Rick, that keep breaking into all the honest people's homes that actually work for a living here in Kirkwood, F off." And then there is some more vile and it goes -- there's some really nasty stuff. And then the last paragraph is very disturbing.
It says: "The next time you come into my yard or walk down my street, I will be taking aim, shooting and asking questions later, not that anyone would miss you. I do have a few shallow graves that need filling."
Now, I can tell you that the Atlanta Police Department and particularly (INAUDIBLE) who I was out with last weekend looking to try to find out the source of these letters in our community, they are taking this very seriously and looking at this as a possible hate crime, and so that it is under investigation right now.
(CROSSTALK)
SANCHEZ: And as we mentioned, the Secret Service is involved as well, and now I understand they have been called in and are going to investigate this, because either, A, it involves the mail, and, B, in this case, it could involve some candidacy -- folks who are running for the presidency of the United States.
Another story I want to share with you, Mike, we have been looking at this video today and were mystified by it. Let me set it up for the viewers at home. This is a mother who literally drives her daughter to a park, so she can fight with another girl.
Now, watch the mother. She's going to come into the screen, because, apparently, it is her daughter who is getting beat up. And she pulls the other girl off, this after driving her own daughter to the park. BROOKS: Yes, and, Rick, the reason she did this is because apparently one girl was -- quote -- "talking stuff" about another girl. Now, you see the woman come in here. What is this? It looks like you take your daughters to a fight like you would pit bulls to a dogfight?
You know, we wonder what is wrong with the children nowadays, Rick. I think we got to go back and look at the parents in this particular case.
SANCHEZ: Well, let's talk about another child who is in trouble, through no fault of his own. We are talking about a little boy named Cole Puffinburger. Let's put his picture once again up.
I don't think we can put this picture up again. Imagine if you were this little boy's parents and he were missing. his mother was tied up. And apparently Mexico drug lords have to do with this. And police are saying or certainly intimating that it may have to do with this little boy's grandfather, who owed those guys money.
BROOKS: It is ridiculous, Rick.
And they came in last night, tied up the boy's mother and her (AUDIO GAP) She was able to crawl out to a neighbor's house and finally get 911 there. You know, it happened about 7:30 in (AUDIO GAP) and they were able to finally get enough information to put an Amber Alert out, but the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police, a great police organization, they are being helped now with the FBI and also the DEA.
Also involved, Rick, because they believe that they might be trying to go back down to Mexico, they're involving the ICE and the Border Patrol, the Immigration Customs Enforcement, because you have got this poor innocent little boy that is -- is the victim because of the actions of his grandfather. It's just...
(CROSSTALK)
BROOKS: As you know, Rick, these are very, very brutal groups in Mexico.
SANCHEZ: I have got some information on this guy. Again, this -- go over my shoulder if you can, Johnny. Come on in here. Show the folks what we are looking at here. This is information that was sent to us moments ago. I am going to put it at the top of the screen here, so you can see it.
This is info on the grandfather. Maybe it will help police find him, and then maybe he can help police find the bad guys, the drug cartel guys. His name is Clemens Tinnemeyer. He is driving a Dodge pickup truck. It's described as a Hemi. You know those. Those are the ones with pretty strong engines.
It has got Mississippi plates. And the plate is KA-6251, KA- 6251. He is 5'10'', weighs between 225 and 250 pounds, last seen in Tennessee. Again, that is the boy's grandfather. And they -- police believe or theorize that, by getting to him, they might be able to get to these bad guys.
I imagine that is a pretty good theory, right, Mike?
BROOKS: Absolutely, because if he has been dealing with some of these cartels, these Mexican cartels, who he was dealing with and would be able to get information to get back his own grandson.
So, you know, again, if any of our viewers -- and I hope they put these -- this tag number up on some of the signs in Tennessee and Georgia to help to find, locate this guy, so we can hopefully get his little grandson back.
SANCHEZ: Well, I will tell you what, man. Any of us who have kids -- and you know I have got four of them -- you know, my heart goes out to these guys.
BROOKS: Yes.
SANCHEZ: And I am just thinking of that little kid and wondering what the heck he must be going through right now. God bless him.
All right, Mike, thanks so much. If we get anything else, we will be getting back to you. We will continue to talk about this story.
We have also been talking an awful lot about the politics of xenophobia or what some would maybe just call hate, people getting real angry at each other about this political campaign.
Some would argue that it has some to do with the ads. And some would argue it has more to do with robocalling. You know what robocalling is? Robocalling is when they call your house and tell you something that you are not going to like or that's going to make you hate the other guy, like this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Hello. I'm calling for John McCain and the RNC, because you need to know that Barack Obama has worked closely with domestic terrorist Bill Ayers, whose organization bombed the U.S. Capitol, the Pentagon, a judge's home, and killed Americans. And Democrats will enact an extreme leftist agenda if they take control of Washington.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SANCHEZ: All right, well, what is the story with these robocalls? We're going to tell you more about them, what impact they have. And we're going to be talking about it on the other side.
Stay with us. We will be right back.
As we go to break, Rog, give me that shot of that little boy again, if we possibly can. Let's make sure. We promised we would do it. Heck, let's do it. There he is.
Now we can go to break.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SANCHEZ: There's a couple of things I want to show you right now.
First of all, let's go to California. In California, there is this -- well, there is this piece of video complete with some things on it that are going to make some folks mad. She is a Republican official in a Republican women's group. Pardon me. I misspoke. She is not a Republican official.
She's a member of a women's that is a Republican women's group. And, as you can see, this is called an Obama buck. It is complete with watermelon and fried chicken, interestingly enough.
I want to show you another one now. This one is from Ohio. I think it kind of speaks for itself. That is an effigy. That is the Star of David. It says Hussein on it, and it is supposed to represent Barack Obama.
This is what we are talking about today. And, as we go to break, I have a message that came in just moments ago. Chris, is this from MySpace or Facebook? It's MySpace. It's hard to tell, because we blew it up.
Take a look at this. This is somebody who just wrote to us as they are watching us and say: "OK, you have videos and you have sound bites. I am still not convinced that racism is alive and thriving in America."
And, as we go to the break, I want to tell you, we are be coming back on the back side with more on the story of a little boy in Las Vegas who is missing, and they think he has been taken, abducted, by a cartel, a Mexican drug cartel. Important news.
Stay with us.
Let's see if we can get this kid back within the next hour. We will be back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SANCHEZ: Welcome back. I'm Rick Sanchez here in the world headquarters of CNN in Atlanta.
There's a couple of videos that I want to drill down on now. Let's put the first one up. This is called Obama bucks. What is Obama bucks about? Well, this is a newsletter from a Chaffee, California, Republican women's club. Instead of a dollar bill, this is an Obama buck. That's literally what it is. It's complete with -- well, you can see for yourself. It's got the watermelon. It's got the fried chicken.
You get the picture. And, by the way, after being accused of being racist, the group's president, Diane Fedele,says that she plans to send an apology, but she did it. She put this thing together because Obama last summer had said that, well, he doesn't look like all those other presidents on the dollar bills, and this was her apparent answer to him.
Joining us now is Mark Preston with "Preston on Politics."
You know, we have kind of been following this theme now for the last week-and-a-half. And I guess the obvious question is, as people look at this, because some are going to blame him and some aren't, but does this -- whether they are at fault for it or not, does this hinge on the Republican Party and do irreparable harm to the Republican Party?
MARK PRESTON, CNN POLITICAL EDITOR: Well, Rick, let me just -- first off by saying, I just got off of the phone with the McCain campaign within the last 20 minutes. They said that these images are disgraceful. And, really, they said that John McCain has come out very forcefully throughout this campaign and has repudiated incidents like this.
And, so, the greater question, does this hurt the Republican Party as a whole, it certainly does not help, because you know what it does? It takes them off message. It forces the McCain campaign to talk to me, to talk to other reporters, to talk about having to condemn images like this, instead of talking about why John McCain would be a better president.
For the party as a whole and for the GOP, I did talk to one of their top strategists as well. And this is what he said: Look, this has to stop, because it hurts us as a whole. And when we see this on the fringe, it does not help the greater center.
SANCHEZ: I want to show you something else, Mark.
Roger, let's put this one up. This is from Ohio. This is a display of an Obama effigy. You can see it has got the Star of David there on the head, and it says Hussein written across.
And maybe what I need to ask you this is, because conventional wisdom is that some of this, while not stoked certainly by McCain or his campaign, has become more fervent since Sarah Palin joined the ticket. Is there anything to that?
BROOKS: No. No, Rick. This is what I would say to that.
We are within, what, 21 days now, 18 days now, to Election Day, and what you are seeing is, you are seeing a lot of anger out there. You are seeing, on the fringe now -- we are talking about the fringe of the Republican Party. We also see this on the fringe of the Democratic Party. You're seeing people that are upset.
And you tend to see this at the end of a campaign. I will tell you, a Republican did point out to me today that they have seen these fringe leftists walking around with these obscenity-laden T-shirts about Sarah Palin. So, while we might see it as the Palin rallies, because she is pulling 10,000, 15,000, 20,000 people there, we really are talking about the fringe of that party, as well as the Democratic Party when we see it on that side.
SANCHEZ: All right.
Let me let you hear something now that I think viewers should see as well. And I think this is another thing that you and I are going to need to examine and parse. And we're going to do it on the other side.
But, before we go to this break, I want folks to listen to some of this. This is this robo-call that we've been talking about.
Here it is.
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Hello. I'm calling for John McCain and the RNC because you need to know that Barack Obama has worked closely with domestic terrorist, Bill Ayers, whose organization bombed the U.S. Capitol, the Pentagon, a judge's home and killed Americans. And Democrats will enact an extreme...
(END AUDIO CLIP)
SANCHEZ: All right. Let's just leave it at that. I think we got a pretty good idea of where it's going. I mean there was a time when we called these push polls. Mark is going to help us understand what these are and what he knows about them. We'll have that in a little bit. Mark, stay with us.
Also, as we go to break, let's go ahead and listen to some of the things that some of the folks are saying to us on Facebook.
Can you get that, guys?
Let's go over here to Facebook: "Rick, this is scary," says Donna, who's watching us now. "We have all regressed back to our pre- civil rights days. Haven't we learned from history yet? This makes me so sad that people won't open up their hearts and accept everyone, regardless of race or creed or color."
Let's go to that little boy's picture again, as we go to break. I think it's important to keep him up because he's in a desperate situation. And there he is.
And we'll be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SANCHEZ: You know, we're a virtual newscast, really, and we're very interactive. So we're talking to you as we're doing this newscast. I've got a couple of messages that are coming in now. You know, some people are watching this newscast today and they're very affected by it, like this one on MySpace, who writes: "That Obama crucification" -- crucifixion, I think, is what she's trying to say -- "on TV brought tears to my eyes, " she says. "As a 16-year-old born and raised American woman, I find that appalling and incredible of how other people really think. Everyone needs to stop hating and get real on the issues of what is really going on."
A similar theme across the board. Let's go to Twitter now. Thanks, Robert.
And on Twitter we read: "Lack of education, scapegoatism and being dumb enough to allow oneself to be brainwashed causes racism."
Mark Preston joining us once again in this discussion. As we talk all of those things, there's also plenty of blame to go around on the political end, as well. Both candidates have been involved in this, we should add.
But of late, one of the big news items is this robo-call, where one candidate puts out a message that's, I guess, automatically linked to the phones of all types of Americans.
Wasn't this -- didn't this used to be called a push poll?
PRESTON: Yes. Well, what they're doing basically right now -- is the McCain campaign is they're spending a lot of money, in conjunction with the RNC , to try to convince voters in battleground states that Barack Obama has poor judgment. We had just heard the call on the other side of the commercial, where they link Barack Obama to William Ayers, who's the founder of the Weather Underground. He said his association with William Ayers. What they don't say in that call, though, is that Barack Obama served on an education board with him. They just said that he was associated with him and that that group was linked to a bunch of bombings.
We also do know that they have calls on national security, on abortion and on the financial crisis. They are pouring a lot of money into it.
And, Rick, let me tell you why they're doing it very quickly. Barack Obama is outspending John McCain on TV -- on television ads in most of these battleground states nationwide three to one. Barack Obama is spending $4.5 million a day on TV ads and John McCain is spending $1.5.
SANCHEZ: Is it legal and is it generally accepted as acceptable politics?
Is it ethical to be robo-calling people with stuff that may not be completely untrue, but certainly filled with things that are very highly doubtable.
PRESTON: Well, you know, I'll leave the ethics to -- to the others to decide whether it's ethical or not. What I will tell you is that it is tried, true and tested. It has worked in past elections. And it is really financially effective to do so.
So that is what we're seeing from the McCain campaign. We have not seen that yet from the Obama campaign, but there's still 18 days left. Perhaps, they will do it, as well.
SANCHEZ: Yes. We were talking a little while ago about racism and how people's feelings are hurt.
Thanks so much, Mark, because we're going to pick you up a little bit later.
But there's another side to this story that we really need to talk about. And it's not just African-Americans. When people are xenophobic or afraid or hateful, it really affects many different types of Americans.
In this particular case -- and we don't often talk about this -- Muslim-Americans and what they have to say about this thing that they've been seeing with names like Hussein, etc.
Let me give you a taste of what we're going to be showing you in just a little bit. These are young Muslim-Americans.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Once you get to know people, it's hard to have animosity for each other.
SANCHEZ: You guys don't think that Osama bin Laden is an extremist?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes.
(CROSSTALK)
SANCHEZ: A terrorist?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: He does not represent us.
(CROSSTALK)
SANCHEZ: And an SOB?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.
SANCHEZ: Yes.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SANCHEZ: All right, we're going to have more on that in just a little bit. That's our LOFTV today, where I go around the country -- that was in Detroit -- talking to people who are part of the League of First Time Voters.
As we go to break, one more time, Cole Puffinburger's picture. Police are looking for him. They think a drug cartel -- two men have taken him after they tied up his mother. Watch him. See if you can help. Who knows where he is, but hopefully we'll get him soon.
We'll be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SANCHEZ: Boy, are you ever talking to us. And we are listening and reading what you're sending us.
In fact, let's go over here, if we can -- MySpace, Facebook talk about, on the board.
This is from Horace Brown. He says: "John McCain and the RNC can repudiate these images as much as he wants, but it's the one spreading the fire with things like that robo-call."
Pino also writes: "Hey, Rick, this election campaign has turned dark and dangerous. As a Canadian, I'm stunned how people can carry so much hatred and racism."
And then Luci Ferris wrote to us just a moment ago, as well. And she says: "There has to be a better way than hatred. America has always -- has -- always has a better way."
We thank all of you for your comments. I know that a lot of people are very involved in this conversation.
You know, when we talk about the problems in this campaign, oftentimes those who really are the brunt of this aren't talked about as much -- Muslim-Americans, who have been hearing people say things about Barack Obama and question the very fact that maybe he is associated as a Muslim or has some Arab blood in him, as if it were venal or some kind of sin to be that way or it makes you evil.
We asked some young Muslim-American students who will be voting this election cycle about this particular sentiment.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SANCHEZ: When you hear the words "war or terror," what do you think?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Many Muslims are confused about this war.
Is it a war against terrorism or is it a war against Muslims and Islam?
SANCHEZ: What does it feel like to you, as a Muslim?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's a war against Islam.
SANCHEZ: Does it bother you? UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It does bother me. As Americans, we're looked upon as -- in a negative way.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I think that kind of the approach of kind of maybe painting all Muslims with the same brush can really be counterproductive and actually increasing national security, because you never want to marginalize -- marginalize like the moderate Muslim voices. I think they're a really like critical community that policy makers should be listening to.
SANCHEZ: Do you guys all think that Osama bin Laden is an extremist?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes.
(CROSSTALK)
SANCHEZ: A terrorist?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: He does not represent us.
(CROSSTALK)
SANCHEZ: And an SOB?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SANCHEZ: The League of First Time Voters. We'll continue to bring those to you all the way up until election day.
All right, once again, the story a little boy who has apparently been taken by members of a drug cartel because his grandfather owed money to them. This is an incredible story that's developing on our watch, during this hour. So we'll keep that picture up until we go to break, every single time.
In the meantime, when we come back, the very ironic twist in what happened yesterday between Barack Obama and John McCain -- face to face. It's incredible to watch.
We'll be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN CHIEF MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Tofu dogs, black bean burgers, soy chicken patties -- not a typical diet for most teens, but at Berkmar Middle School in Lilburn, Georgia, the kids don't seem to care.
ALISHA ZARIWALLA, MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENT: I like the vegetarian chicken nuggets and the vegetarian corn dogs here.
CHRISTOPHER HOLMES, MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENT: I eat the grilled cheese sandwiches and apples and sometimes I eat the veggie burgers.
GUPTA: Berkmar is just one of Gwinnett County schools that offers vegetarian options in the lunch line. And the kids are voting vegetarian at a surprising rate.
KAREN CRAWFORD, SCHOOL NUTRITION COORDINATOR: You know, it's estimated that about 3 percent of teens are vegetarians, which is around 5,000 students for us.
GUPTA: Now, some of the kids eat vegetarian for religious reasons. But many of these 10 to 12-year-olds say they choose it for health reasons.
CINDY HERNANDEZ, MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENT: I went to the doctor. I was 10 pounds overweight. And the doctor said that that could be more of a faster way -- for when I grow up, I could die faster. So my mom didn't like that. So she started making more healthy food and it actually made me lose those 10 pounds.
UNIDENTIFIED CHILD: Because I want to stay healthy and have a healthy life.
GUPTA: All in all, Gwinnett County schools have served close to 500,000 vegetarian meals in this last year alone. And Karen Crawford hopes the habits they learn now will stay with them for a lifetime.
CRAWFORD: We know that nutrition profoundly affects, you know, how kids -- their ability to learn and grow and maintain a healthy lifestyle. And it's important to teach them these lessons when they're young.
GUPTA: Dr. Sanjay Gupta, CNN, reporting.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SANCHEZ: All right.
Let's welcome you back with something that is going to surprise you. With all this talk about what's going on in this country, with so many people upset at other people for various reasons that oftentimes don't seem to make any sense, last night Barack Obama, at the Al Smith Dinner, got together with John McCain. And they couldn't have been more chummy. They couldn't have possibly been more funny.
Listen to this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
OBAMA: The greatest weakness, it's possible that I'm a little too awesome. (LAUGHTER)
OBAMA: I have never, not once, put lipstick on a pig or a pit bull or myself. Rudy Giuliani, that's one for you. I mean --
(LAUGHTER)
OBAMA: -- who would have thought that a cross-dressing mayor from New York City would have a tough time winning the Republican nomination?
It's shocking. At least we've moved past the days when the main criticism coming from the McCain campaign was that I'm some kind of celebrity. I have to admit that that really hurt. I got so angry about it I punched a paparazzi in the face on the way out of Spago's...
(LAUGHTER)
OBAMA: I'm serious. I even spilled my soy chai latte all over my chitsui (ph). It was really embarrassing.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MCCAIN: Events are moving fast in my campaign. And, yes, it's true that this morning I've dismissed my entire team of senior advisers. All of their positions will now be held by a man named "Joe the Plumber".
Even in this room full of proud Manhattan Democrats, I can't -- I can't shake that feeling that some people here are pulling for me.
(APPLAUSE)
MCCAIN: I'm delighted to see you here tonight, Hillary.
(LAUGHTER)
MCCAIN: Where's Bill, by the way?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SANCHEZ: There you go. Yet what's interesting about this is -- and I think you'll agree, despite the levity that's being shared there -- a very human moment between two guys who genuinely seemed to like each other there -- we have this disparity in America, which is reflected by some of the comments that we're getting now, as you watch part of this newscast.
Let's go ahead and go to the board, if we possibly can. I mean this is one we got just moments ago from Nicole, who watches this newscast and says: "I literally felt sick to my stomach to see those clips of Obama being hung. Racism is still burning strongly in a lot of Americans and that's very sad." And Chelsea is watching us, as well. And she says: "This is completely appalling. I hope the people behind those words and those acts of racism are embarrassed with themselves."
I'll tell you some people who are embarrassed with themselves -- or maybe not -- some of the fat cats on Wall Street. That's why Abbie Boudreau, over here to my right, is going to be joining me this weekend. We're going to be bringing you a special. And we're going to invite everybody in our virtual audience -- whether you're on Twitter, MySpace, Facebook -- to join us on this special tomorrow night at 8:00. It's called "The Fall of the Fat Cats" -- as in the guys on Wall Street, you know, the super millionaires.
We'll be right back with more on that.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SANCHEZ: And we welcome you back.
This is amazing. Tomorrow, we're going to be doing this special. It's called "The Fall of the Fat Cats," you know, the guys most people attribute with greed on Wall Street. The special is tomorrow, but we released a little part of it today and it's already climbed to the very top of the charts on some of the things that are most watched and most seen and most looked for on CNN.com.
Here's a taste.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Well, this unit is going for approximately $11 million. And what you're getting here is the million dollar view.
In New York City, there's nothing better than a Central Park view.
ABBIE BOUDREAU, INVESTIGATIVE CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Actually, this two bedroom condominium in what was once New York City's Plaza Hotel is going for nearly $11.5 million. And for many Wall Street executives, that really wasn't a lot of money.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I mean it wasn't unusual, in the past two years, to sell apartments $20 million, $30 million, even $40 million or more.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's like fiddling. Nero fiddled while Rome burned. We're smoking cigars while we're losing our shirts, literally.
BOUDREAU: This is the kind of party that many Wall Streeters used to pour themselves into. And at this one thrown by a magazine called "The Cigar Report," many still do -- despite a horrible day of trading that saw the market drop 508 points.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: People are having a great time tonight. You know, they're getting cigars, they're getting manicured, they're getting their haircut. You'd have no idea that there's actually a crisis on Wall Street right now.
BOUDREAU (on camera): Does it bother you when people blame Wall Street for everything that's happening right now?
VIDAK RADONJIC, MANAGING PARTNER, BERYL CONSULTING: Oh, absolutely. When things are great, then everybody is happy to see their 401(k)s. But when things are not good, then everybody's blaming Wall Street. And I don't think that's the right thing to do.
BOUDREAU (voice-over): The motto here, according to nearly everyone with whom we spoke, work hard, play hard.
AARON SIGMOND, PUBLISHER, "THE CIGAR REPORT": I think they take their jobs amazingly seriously. But I think everybody is allowed to have a good time. I don't think there's any law against that. It may look a little different to middle America, but the reality is this is where things happen each day.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SANCHEZ: Why does it say -- Abbie is joining us now.
Why does it seem that people are as mad as they've ever been with these characters?
BOUDREAU: Well, I mean, look what's going on right now. I mean we're in the middle of an economic crisis. And here you this video of these people out having a great time. So people don't like to see that, whether or not it happens or not, and it does happen.
SANCHEZ: But these guys are coming -- I mean these guys are coming from a crash now, right?
I don't mean a Wall Street crash, but I mean in their own personal lives. A lot of these guys have gotten to the top and now they're going oh my god, am I even going to be able to keep my job?
BOUDREAU: Well, like it said in the piece, the motto is work hard, play hard. They're not necessarily worried this -- like tomorrow.
SANCHEZ: Right.
BOUDREAU: They're worried about right now. They'll deal with tomorrow tomorrow.
SANCHEZ: This is going to be good stuff. I'm really looking forward to this. 8:00 tomorrow and Sunday, as well.
Abbie Boudreau, Rick Sanchez right here on the set. Follow the fat cats with you. And we're going to be joined by you on our virtual audience, by the way. So be with us tomorrow.
By the way, we're going to be right back with the very latest on some of the other stories -- the arrest of Casey Anthony in Florida. It's another story a lot of people are talking about. And the little boy who's missing in Las Vegas. More on that.
Stay with us. We'll be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SANCHEZ: We get so caught up with the big stories, we don't get to bring you some of the other stories. So here now, what I forgot to tell you this week that I wish I had.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MCCAIN: ...conversation with "Joe the Plumber". We need to spread...
SANCHEZ (voice-over): These two guys debated. We were all over it. The market -- up, down, up, down. We rode that ride and held each other tightly all week long.
Plenty happened, though, and I just didn't have time to tell you about it.
In Florida, Casey Anthony arrested. She's a suspect in her little girl's disappearance this year. She's facing several charges, including...
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: First degree murder.
SANCHEZ: Her attorneys have said she's innocent.
California burning -- the hills around L.A. smoked and smoldered this week. At least 50 homes gone, more than 35 square miles burnt and blackened. Firefighters say the flames are now under control.
Barack Obama breaking virtual new ground. See these pictures?
They're from video games. Online players started seeing Obama campaign ads in more than a dozen games this week.
And we didn't show you this guy falling to his death, because he didn't. A seventh generation Flying Wallenda set a high wire record over Newark, New Jersey. Whoa. He almost lost it there.
What's more heart-stopping -- this or watching the Dow to see if your safety net is still there?
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SANCHEZ: Dave Johnson puts that together for us each week. He does good work, doesn't he?
By the way, let's leave you with the very latest on this little boy who is missing out in Las Vegas. Boy, I'll tell you, this is such a desperate situation.
And if there's anybody watching right now, please pay particular attention to this little boy. Look at his face. See if there's anything you can do to find him, see him.
If you know anything, call that number, 702-385-5555. I mean his grandfather apparently had a debt with a Mexican drug cartel so the Mexican drug cartel got back at the grandfather by abducting the little boy.
We don't know yet about a ransom. We don't know yet about anything else. But, boy, we're doing everything we can to get information and see if we can help police get in contact with this little boy.
Thanks again for being with us. We'll be looking for you again Monday right at here at 3:00.
I'm Rick Sanchez. See you then.
Let's take you over to "THE SITUATION ROOM" now and Wolf Blitzer.
WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR: Thanks very much, Rick.
