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Ballot Bowl 2008

Presidential and Vice Presidential Candidates in Their Own Words

Aired October 18, 2008 - 14:00   ET

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

ED HENRY, CNN ANCHOR: Welcome to CNN's BALLOT BOWL. I'm Ed Henry, in Woodbridge, Virginia, where senator John McCain will be standing right behind me just an hour from now in a rally in this key battleground state, Virginia, a state that he has to win with the election now just 17 days away. This is your chance to hear directly from the candidates in their own words, sometimes live, sometimes on tape, but always -- always unfiltered.
And joining me today is someone who is normally standing beside me at the White House, Suzanne Malveaux. Today, though, you're halfway across the country, St. Louis, Missouri, where Senator Barack Obama is having what looks to be a massive, massive rally, Suzanne.

SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN ANCHOR: Absolutely massive. We are talking about 100,000 people here at the Gateway Arch in St. Louis. A lot of enthusiasm. Obviously Missouri a critical state for both of these candidates. Our CNN/"Time" poll literally puts these at a statistical dead heat. So Barack Obama working very hard here in St. Louis, also Kansas City. He needs those urban areas to get the turn out, to get the voters to come out. John McCain performing very well in the southwestern part of the state, the rural areas.

So Barack Obama does not want to concede this state. It is extremely competitive. We just heard from him moments ago attacking John McCain, going after him over the tax plan. Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. BARACK OBAMA (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Senator McCain's been attacking my middle class tax cut. He actually said this, he said, it goes to, quote, those who don't pay taxes. Even though it only goes to people who work and who are already getting taxed on their pay checks.

Let me repeat this. I'm not giving tax cuts to folks who don't work. I'm giving tax cuts to people who do work. John McCain is so out of touch with the struggles you're facing, he must be the first politician in history to call a tax cut for working people "welfare!" Let me tell you, the only welfare in this campaign is John McCain's plan to give another 200 billion dollars in tax cuts to the wealthiest corporations in America, including four billion in tax breaks to big oil companies that ran up record profits under George Bush.

That's who John McCain's fighting for. I'm fighting for you and we can't afford four more years like the last eight!

CROWD: Yes, we can! Yes, we can! Yes, we can! Yes, we can!

OBAMA: So let us be clear, let us be clear here, George Bush and John McCain are out of ideas. They are out of touch. And if you stand with me in 17 days, they will be out of time!

We need new priorities in Washington. I think it's time to give a tax cut to the teachers, and the janitors who work in our schools, to the cops and the firefighters who keep us safe, to the waitresses working double shifts, the nurses in the ER, and, yes, the plumbers fighting for their American dream.

These workers are the backbone of our country. They are the ones that Washington has forgotten. They are the ones I will fight for. While Senator McCain ignores the payroll taxes you pay to score a few political points, I will put a tax cut in the pockets of working people so they can pay their bills, put away savings, pass on a brighter future to their children.

So Senator McCain can keep on trying to attack me and distract you, but it's not going to work. You will not be hood-winked. You will not be bamboozled, not this time, not now. Because while my opponent thinks this campaign's all about me, the truth is this campaign's about you, your jobs, your health care, your retirement, your children's future. That's what this election's about. That's what I'm fighting for, because I can take two more weeks of these attacks from John McCain, but the American people can't take four more years of the same failed policies, the same divided politics. That's why I'm running for president.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MALVEAUX: Barack Obama addressing the middle class voters. Interestingly enough, Ed, one of the things he does, he asks people at these rallies to raise their hands if they are make 250,000 -- less than 250,000 dollars. Almost everybody raised their hand. He's talking about workers. He's talking about teachers, janitors, everybody. Talking about his tax plan will work for them. Even the plumber he mentioned. Obviously a lot of references about Joe the plumber this past week.

But Ed, Barack Obama clearly trying to reach out to the middle class voters, clearly seeing that voter turnout is going to be key to a win here in Missouri. Ed?

HENRY: Suzanne, I have a feeling we are going to hear a lot more about plumbers in these final two and a half weeks. In fact, a lot of signs here about Joe the plumber behind me, Woodbridge, Virginia, where John McCain will be less than an hour from now.

A moment ago, a much different chant here. They were chanting No-Bama, much different than Obama there in St. Louis.

John McCain, earlier today, was in Concord, North Carolina. North Carolina, yet another one of those traditionally Republican states that now is up for grabs, trending in fact towards Democrat Barack Obama. John McCain trying to use that to paint himself as the underdog.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MCCAIN: Let me give you the state of the race today. We have 17 days to go. We are six points down. The national media has written us off. Senator Obama is measuring the drapes, and planning with Speaker Pelosi and Senator Reid to raise taxes, increase spending. And, by the way, did you happen to see that Speaker Pelosi said she anticipates a 250-seat majority? My friends, we can't let that happen. They will raise taxes and increase spending, and they will concede defeat in Iraq. I will bring our troops with honor and in victory and not in defeat!

My friends, we got them just where we want him. What America needs in this hour is a fighter, somebody who puts all of his cards on the table and trusts the judgment of the American people. I have fought for you most of my life.

There are other ways -- there are other ways to love this country, but I have never been the kind to do it from the sidelines. My friends, I know -- I know you're worried. I know you're worried and you're angry and you have every reason to be. America is a great country, but we're in a moment of national crisis that will determine our future.

Will we continue to lead the world's economies or will we be overtaken? Will the world become safer or more dangerous? Will our military remain the strongest in the world? Will our children and grandchildren -- will their future be brighter than ours? My answer to you is yes! Yes, we will lead! Yes, we will prosper! Yes, we will be safer! Yes! Yes! Yes, we will be safer. Yes, we will pass onto our children a stronger, better country.

But we must be prepared to act swiftly, boldly, with courage and with wisdom. My fellow citizens, I know what fear feels like. It's a thief in the night who robs your strength. I know what hopelessness feels like. It's an enemy who defeats your will. I felt those things once before. I will never let them in again. I'm an American, and I choose to fight!

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HENRY: That was John McCain in North Carolina earlier today. In a short time, he will be here behind me in Virginia. Two battleground states. A third battleground is Pennsylvania. That's where earlier today we found Governor Sarah Palin, John McCain's running mate. The governor has a big day -- a big night, in fact. She will be appearing on "Saturday Night Live" tonight for the first time ever. Why do I think there must be a Joe the plumber segment coming? You know that sketch must be out there.

In fact, today when she was in Lancaster, she was talking about who else, Joe the plumber, as a way to contrast the two campaigns and their tax plans.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) GOV. SARAH PALIN (R), VICE PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Joe the plumber and millions of Americans struggling to sustain a small business and grow this economy by creating jobs. John McCain will cut taxes for every American and our opponent wants to raise them.

And, you know, I've really got to hand it to Joe the plumber over there in Toledo. Somehow, he got Barack Obama to finally state his intentions in really plain language. Senator Obama said -- he said that he wants to spread the wealth, which means -- which means he wants government to take your hard-earned money and dole it out however he sees fit. Now, Joe said to him, that sounded like socialism. To me, it sounds like real bad medicine for an ailing economy.

And whatever you call it, Senator Obama will do to those who want to create jobs what shouldn't be done and we're calling him on it. Here again, Americans, you have such a clear choice on November 4th, because John McCain and I, we have a different view on this. We believe in creating new wealth and spreading opportunity.

So when he left Joe's neighborhood in Toledo, our opponent didn't look real happy. Seems that the staged photo-op there got ruined by a real person's question. So here's a guy working, standing there in his neighborhood, when a candidate for president shows up, and he wanted more than just a handshake and a campaign button. He wanted some answers. He -- Joe had asked our opponent a simple, a straight- forward question, and he spoke for so many other Americans. The Obama campaign, though, they didn't appreciate it and now, bless his heart, Joe the plumber is being investigated. He's being attacked for asking a question.

Now, what about the other unanswered questions that are out there? Questions about Obama's tax increases, and his voting 94 times for higher taxes; 94 times having the opportunity to be on your side, and instead 94 times for higher taxes. Even hiker taxes on middle class hard-working Americans making 42,000 dollars a year.

Now, the answered question about how is he going to pay for his nearly trillion dollars in new government spending that he's proposing?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HENRY: As you can see, the McCain camp being very aggressive earlier today in St. Louis. Barack Obama defended the fact that he wants to give tax cuts to people who don't pay income taxes. The McCain camp just put out a release a few moments ago saying that that's essentially a redistribution of wealth. They say Joe the plumber call that's socialism.

That is a serious debate back and forth. Suzanne Malveaux, there in St. Louis, joining me throughout the next two hours. But the humorous side of this, if you will, is Sarah Palin appearing on "Saturday Night Live." You just have to bet, there will be some sort of appearance from Joe the plumber tonight, Suzanne. MALVEAUX: Absolutely, Ed. I think we all be watching that tonight. Also, the running mates obviously taking shots at each other. Joe Biden is in New Mexico. That is where he was talking about John McCain and essentially the Obama has been making the case that John McCain, Sarah Palin would be very much like another Bush administration, a third Bush term.

We heard some new words from Joe Biden this week. Let's take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. JOE BIDEN (D), VICE PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: In one of the most recent debates, John McCain felt the need -- felt the need to declare that he was not President Bush. There's that old expression, "he doth protest too loudly." You know, he may not be George Bush, but my mother, when I was a kid -- and you've heard me say this before. But when I was a kid, you want to hang out on the corner and there were guys your mother didn't want you to hang out with. I said, mom, I know those guys, but I'm not like that. She said, hunny, if it looks like a duck, if it quacks like a duck, if it walks like a duck, it's a duck.

Ladies and gentlemen, in the last three debates, it looked like a duck to me, folks. After 23 months of campaigning, eight years of failed economic policy, there's not one fundamental economic issue on which John McCain has challenged the policies of George Bush. He always turns to Barack and says, when have you challenged your party? And Barack has.

I turn to John and say, John, when have you challenged President Bush on any major economic initiative? Tell me when? Ladies and gentlemen, he voted for four out of five of George -- I like it man. Don't jump. I need you.

Folks, four out of five of Bush's budgets he voted for, four out of five. He voted with President Bush 90 percent of the time. Look, as one recent newspaper article -- editorial just wrote four days ago -- and it's the best way to sum it up. I will read it. It said, "it's a shame that Mr. McCain hasn't come up with policies that would actually help American workers. Instead, he served up the same old trickle-down theories and government is wrong, and markets are always right fervor that has helped create this economic crisis."

I couldn't have said it better, folks. That's exactly what he's done. And I love John. Governor, I love John, talking about, well, you know, Barack Obama wants to redistribute income. Let me talk about redistribution. Ladies and gentlemen, the fact of the matter is the biggest redistribution of wealth has taken place under George Bush.

"Wall Street Journal," not Joe Biden, points out not since 1921 has this existed; right now, the top one percent of the American people make over 22 percent of all of the income in America, one percent! The bottom 50, they make less than 13 percent. Ladies and gentlemen, that's redistribution the wrong way! Let's set the record straight! Let's help the middle class! You know, look, I got a woman on my staff who handles policy. She's actually a blood relative, a member of the maverick family, that Texas family, OK. You all know about mavericks down here. You have real mavericks, OK.

John and Governor Palin like to refer to themselves as mavericks. A good friend -- a good friend, a good friend of Jeff Bingamon and mine is the new senator from Pennsylvania. His name is Casey. He's from my hometown of Scranton, Pennsylvania. I will paraphrase Casey. Casey said, you know, you can't be a maverick when all you've been the last eight years is a sidekick!

So much for the maverick! Give me a break.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MALVEAUX: Colorful language from both sides. Joe Biden using some different expressions that we haven't heard before when he talks about walk like a duck, talked like a duck, it must be a duck. Obviously, the Obama campaign trying to make a comparison between John McCain and George Bush. Ed, I know they are fighting hard, fighting tough, pushing back on that notion.

HENRY: Absolutely, Suzanne. You were in Virginia this week, where I am now, one of those key battleground states. And our next play on BALLOT BOWL is going to be who's winning these battleground states, like Virginia, like Missouri, where you are? Who better to consult than our political guru Bill Schneider. He's here. I can see the CNN Election Express. It's here. Bill Schneider joining us right away. Stand by.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HENRY: Welcome back to CNN's BALLOT BOWL. I'm Ed Henry in Woodbridge, Virginia. Just about 40 minutes from now, you'll see John McCain behind me. Right now, the crowd is being warmed up by some various local candidates and officials. Also here in Woodbridge, Virginia is our senior political analyst Bill Schneider. He's in front of CNN's election express, taking a look at some of these key battleground states like Virginia.

Bill, there are a handful of states really that are still up for grabs. They're going to decide the election. You are looking first at Florida, Pennsylvania and Missouri. Who has the upper hand right now?

BILL SCHNEIDER, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, by a narrow margin in two of those states, Obama does, but very narrow. Take a look at Florida. That is the mother of all battleground states, where Obama is ahead, but just by four points. Six percent of the voters in Florida say they are unsure how they will vote. And as long as Obama's margin over McCain is smaller than the number of unassured voters, he cannot really feel comfortable. We are still calling Florida a toss-up state. Pennsylvania, that's a state McCain is making a big push in. He's put that high on his list, the top Kerry state from 2004, that went for John Kerry. That's the top Kerry state that McCain hoped to take away from the Democrats.

But look at those numbers. Right now, Obama is a solid 13 points ahead of John McCain, with only 7 percent unsure. So Obama can feel pretty good about Pennsylvania, though McCain is still making a very big push there. And finally Missouri, a very interesting state. Missouri is a bell weather state. Missouri has voted for the winner in every presidential election, save one, for the last 100 years.

Look at the latest polling in Missouri. It is virtually a dead heat, McCain 49, Obama 48. It's right down to the wire. So this bell weather isn't pointing very clearly in either direction, Ed.

HENRY: Bill, it's also very interesting right here in Virginia. As you know, a Democrat has not carried this state since 1964, Lyndon Johnson. Here we are, 44 years later. It looks like Barack Obama has started to surge ahead a little bit. What are the numbers telling you?

SCHNEIDER: Not just a little bit, Ed. In our latest CNN poll with "Time Magazine," we are showing Obama leading in Virginia by a solid 10-point margin, which is really quite remarkable. Other polls show it a little bit closer. But if this were to pan out, it would be a very big victory. Now you know why McCain is right here in Virginia this close to election day. Republicans should be able to count on Virginia as a solid Republican state, but they can't. So McCain is here campaigning, trying to turn these numbers around.

HENRY: Very interesting, Bill. On Election Night in America, right here on CNN, you can bet that we will be watching Virginia very closely. If that were to go to Barack Obama early in the evening, that would be a signal, potentially, that the race was tilting his way. Thanks so much for those numbers, Bill Schneider.

In fact, in our next play here on the BALLOT BOWL, we have a little more from the number twos on the ticket. Down ballot, the vice presidential candidates, Joe Biden in the Buckeye State of Ohio, and also Sarah Palin, big night for her. She is going to be on "Saturday Night Live." But first, we will hear from her on the stump in Maine.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

OBAMA: I don't mind being attacked for the next three weeks. What the American people can't afford, though, is four more years of failed economic policies. And what they deserve over the next four weeks is that we talk about what's most pressing to them, the economic crisis.

MCCAIN: Senator Obama, I am not President Bush. If you wanted to run against President Bush, you should have run four years ago. I will give a new direction to this economy and this country. (END VIDEO CLIP)

HENRY: The third and final presidential debate this week. In the morning after that debate, on Thursday, Governor Sarah Palin was in Maine. She had a lot of reaction to the debate and John McCain's performance. And she also went after Barack Obama, saying that his efforts to tie the Republican ticket to the unpopular president is really wearing thin.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

PALIN: Last night everyone in America got a clear look at the choice that we face on November 4th. It's the choice between a politician who puts his faith in government, and a leader who puts his faith in all of you. The choice between a politician who wants to raise taxes and redistribute your hard-earned money, according to his priorities, and a true reformer who wants to lower taxes and create jobs and get this economy back on track.

It's the choice between a candidate who will raise your taxes, and that threatens our future, and a leader who is going to Washington to work for Joe the plumber, and people like my sister's family. My sister, who owns a service station, and millions of you, small business owners, millions of Americans struggling to sustain a small business.

These are the differences. You know, we want to cut taxes because we think like Joe or Jane the plumber thinks, OK? Our opponents want to raise taxes because they think like that other Joe, that six-term senator from Delaware who I'm running against.

In this election, it's a choice between a candidate who won't disavow a group committing voter fraud and a leader who will not tolerate the voter fraud. Meaning, it's the difference on November 4th between just inspiring words and inspiring and trustworthy deeds.

Maine, soon the choice will be yours to make. And I'm sure you all remember the saying that as Maine goes, so goes the nation! Yes. So I am here to ask you, are you ready to help us carry the state of Maine to victory?

You know, for a campaign that says it's all about the future, our opponents sure to like to talk a lot about the past and point fingers backwards. They look to the past because that's where you find blame. We are joining you in looking to the future, because that's where you find solutions.

They look to the past because they would rather run against the current administration it sounds like. That strategy though, thankfully, it's really starting to wear very, very thin. As John McCain reminded Barack Obama last night, if he wanted to run against George Bush, he had his chance four years ago.

(END OF VIDEO CLIP)

ED HENRY, CNN ANCHOR: There's Governor Sarah Palin. Obviously she believes John McCain won that third and final debate. Tonight she will be appearing on "Saturday Night Live" for the first time. And as I bring in my colleague Suzanne Malveaux in St. Louis, Missouri. I wonder if the Obama Biden ticket will be demanding equal time and trying to get on "Saturday Night Live" next weekend. Suzanne?

SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN ANCHOR: I can't wait, I just can't wait Ed. Obviously, a lot of people are going to be watching that. A lot of humor that's been injected in this campaign, which is actually a good thing. A lot of the back and forth and a lot of the tension over the campaigns the last couple of weeks. Joe Biden in Lancaster, Ohio, he took on McCain over the economic crisis and his own plans, specifically the tax plans. Sarah Palin said she thought he got tired of comparing him to George Bush, John McCain. But this is a strategy that the Obama campaign believes is working. Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. JOE BIDEN, (D) VICE PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: The problem is that John McCain just doesn't understand it. I mean, he really doesn't. He doesn't get it. He's not a bad guy. I have known this guy for years. This guy is a genuine war hero and he deserves our respect and our honor. But, ladies and gentlemen, we need more than a good soldier. We need a wise leader. John McCain voted for George Bush's budgets four out of five times. John McCain supported every major economic initiative George Bush's proposed. And now -- and now literally, this is not complicated, literally, there is virtually no difference between what George Bush has been doing the last eight years and what John McCain is proposing to do the next four years. John McCain and Sarah Palin, they call themselves mavericks. Well, a good friend of ours, all three of us, is the new senator. Came in, we shared, a great guy, a great friend of mine from my hometown of Scranton, Pennsylvania, Bob Casey. Bob Casey had a great line on paraphrasing. He said, you know, you can't call yourself a maverick when all you have been for the last eight years is a sidekick. Look, John McCain's only different idea that he had was you heard it last debate, it came out of the blue. He said he wants to take $300 billion of your money and go in and bail out the Countrywides and mortgage firms and Banks of America by buying the mortgages at face value. Think about that. That means every single bank and mortgage company in the country gets off hook Scott free, and the American taxpayers foot a bill for $300 billion. That's the only fundamentally new idea John has come up with. You know, Sarah Palin said about me just prior to the debate, she said, you know, she said, I was only in second grade when Joe Biden was elected to the United States senate. Well, Sarah, you were in sixth grade the last time John McCain had a good idea about the economy. Look, folks -- look, folks -- when you're drowning, you got to try a new method to stay above the water and John McCain is offering nothing new. And that's why I think John McCain's campaign is becoming so erratic. The political stunts instead of offering significant solutions.

(END OF VIDEO CLIP)

MALVEAUX: You've been listening to Joe Biden, obviously talking about the economy, going after John McCain. But there's another Joe that has been getting a lot of attention. That is Joe the plumber. Both the candidates just can't seem to get enough of him. When CNN BALLOT BOWL continues, we will bring that to you. Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HENRY: Welcome back to CNN's BALLOT BOWL. I'm Ed Henry in Woodbridge, Virginia, where John McCain will be in just a little less than a half hour speaking to a rally that's still gathering here in this key battleground. McCain was also in another key battleground, Florida, on Friday. Specifically he was in Miami talking about, who else? Joe the plumber. Using it as a way to attack Barack Obama's tax plan.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. JOHN MCCAIN, (R) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: We had a pretty good debate this week, didn't we? You know, you may have noticed a lot of talk about Senator Obama's tax increases and -- [ booing ] -- and Joe the plumber. Joe the plumber. We're going to fight for Joe. We're going to fight for him, my friends. Last weekend, Senator Obama showed up in Joe's driveway to ask for his vote, and you know what Joe did? He asked Senator Obama a tough question. I'm glad he did it. I think Senator Obama could use a few more tough questions. And the response from Senator Obama and his campaign yesterday was to attack Joe! Was to attack Joe. [ booing ] People are digging through his personal life. He has TV crews camped out in front of his house. He didn't ask Senator Obama to come to his house. He wasn't recruited or prompted by our campaign. He just asked a question. And Americans ought to be able to ask Senator Obama tough questions without being smeared and targeted with political attacks. The question Joe asked about our economy is important because Senator Obama's plan would raise taxes on small businesses, and employ 16 million Americans. Senator Obama's plan will kill those jobs, at just a time when we need to be creating more jobs. My plan will create jobs, and that's what America needs. [Applause] Senator Obama says that he wanted to spread your wealth around. And, you know what, he could have had a simple answer to Joe's question. All he had to do to say to Joe the plumber and millions of small business people around this country, "I won't raise your taxes" but he couldn't do that because he's going to raise your taxes. My friends when politicians talk about taking your money and spreading it around, you better hold on to your wallet.

(END OF VIDEO CLIP)

HENRY: You heard John McCain there in Florida. Just about 20 minutes from now, he is going to be here in Woodbridge, Virginia, a key battleground state. He wants and needs these 13 electoral votes. That's also why Barack Obama has been spending a lot of time here in Virginia. And joining him here in Virginia this week, was my colleague Suzanne Malveaux. She's in St. Louis, Missouri today. Suzanne, Virginia, is one of these battlegrounds both candidates desperately need.

MALVEAUX: Absolutely, Ed. We were there just yesterday in Roanoke, Virginia, with Barack Obama obviously really trying to reach out to folks there to his base and get out as many people as possible. He's not only talking about his tax plan and the tax cuts and the financial initiative, but he's also specifically talking about health care. He accused John McCain essentially of cutting -- cutting Medicare by some 20 percent because that would be John McCain's plan. The McCain folks taking issue with that. But here's how he laid it out.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. BARACK OBAMA, (D) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: That is especially true when it comes to health care. Senator McCain and I have real differences on this issue. Senator McCain's been eager to share some of the details of his health care plan but not all of them. It's like those ads for prescription drugs. Now they start off everybody's running in the fields and everybody's happy and then there is a little fine print that says, side effects may include -- now, first of all, we found out that Senator McCain wants to pay for his plan by taxing your health care benefits for the first time in history. Just like George Bush. That was bad enough. But "The Wall Street Journal" recently reported that it was actually worse than we thought. It turns out Senator McCain would pay for part of his plan by making drastic cuts in Medicare, $882 billion worth. $882 billion in Medicare cuts to pay for an ill-conceived, badly thought through health care plan that won't provide more health care to people. Even though Medicare's already facing a looming shortfall. Now, this should come as no surprise. It's entirely consistent with Senator McCain's record during his 26 years in congress where time and again, he's opposed Medicare. In fact Senator McCain has voted against protecting Medicare 40 times. 40 times he's failed to stand up for Medicare. So what would Senator McCain's cuts mean for Medicare at a time when more and more Americans are relying on it? It would mean a cut of more than 20 percent in Medicare benefits next year. If you count on Medicare, it would mean fewer places to get care and less freedom to choose your own doctors. You will pay more for your drugs. You will receive fewer services. You will get lower quality care. I don't think that's right. In fact, it ain't right. When you have worked hard your whole life and pay into the system and done everything right, you shouldn't have the carpet pulled out from under you when you least expect it and can least afford it. Health care, it ain't right! Health care shouldn't be some kind of either or tradeoff where our seniors get left out in the cold. It ain't right! I think every single American has a right to affordable, accessible, health care!

(END OF VIDEO CLIP)

MALVEAUX: Barack Obama addressing the issue of health care, not surprisingly in Roanoke, Virginia. That is where 15 percent of the voters there are seniors. Obviously, a very important issue for them. Turning the corner, turning the page, if you will. A little bit of humor as the running mate Sarah Palin on the republican side, often and occasionally is the butt of some jokes. Well she's going to be making some jokes of her own. She's preparing to go on "Saturday Night Live" this evening. She talked about that with reporters on our own press plane. We're going to bring that to you right after this quick break. Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK) WILLIAM SCHNEIDER, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL ANALYST: I'm Bill Schneider in Woodbridge, Virginia at a McCain rally for CNN BALLOT BOWL. Now on Friday, Sarah Palin was on her campaign plane, flying from Ohio to Indiana. And she did something she hasn't done too much of, she took questions from reporters. Some of them pretty pointed. Let's watch.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: For a republican campaign to be campaigning in North Carolina and Indiana halfway through October during an election year, are you concerned that you're spending resources in states, in places you shouldn't be?

GOV. SARAH PALIN, (R) VICE PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I think it's wise for us to not take anything for granted and to assume that any state is a lock for either ticket. So if there were more hours in the day and more availability, I would hope that we could be in even more states. Even those that maybe we're down in. Even those that we may assume are a lock. I don't want to take anything for granted. My input has been let us get out there to as many states as we have time for.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Governor, the "Washington Post" (INAUDIBLE) both said that you are unqualified to be commander in chief. How do you respond to that?

PALIN: Well we've talked a lot already about my executive experience that will be put to good use as vice president and if heaven forbid, anything happens to John McCain. If we are so blessed to be elected president and vice president, that that executive experience will be put to good use. Coming from a mayor and a manager and small business owner and a governor and a regulator of oil and gas. That's important. But as important is the world view that I share with John McCain. And the intentions that we have there to put in place policies that will put government back on the side of the American people and will win these wars and help secure our nation. Those things all put together will be put to good use. If I felt that I was not ready, I would never have said yes, I want to take on this responsibility, this challenge, this opportunity to run for vice president as his partner.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: How often during the day, do you talk to Senator McCain?

PALIN: A couple of times during the day. We really enjoy being able to campaign together and I wish we could do more of that together. Because I think we have some great synergy and really good chemistry and get along so well. That not only is it very productive but it's also fun to be able to campaign with him. We have so much energy and it's always a good time for all of our camps and our families to be together. We speak on the phone when we are not physically there together campaigning on the trail.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What do you talk about? PALIN: We talk about the news of the day, about what the issues are that seem to be resonating and certainly that you all are reporting on. And just a lot of reinforcement and encouragement of each other, that, again, we are on the right track and explaining to Americans the plan to reduce taxes and to get our economy back on track. They are great conversations and very productive, very helpful for both of us.

(END OF VIDEO CLIP)

SCHNEIDER: Our next play on the BALLOT BOWL, presidential punch lines. The candidates take some time-out from the campaign trail to poke a little fun at each other. Stay tuned.

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(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. BARACK OBAMA, (D) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Recently one of John's top advisers told "The Daily News" that if we keep talking about the economy, McCain's going to lose. So tonight I would like to talk about the economy.

SEN. JOHN MCCAIN, (R) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Events are moving fast in my campaign. Yes, it's true that this morning I dismissed my entire team of senior advisers. All of their positions will now be held by a man named Joe the plumber.

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MALVEAUX: Obviously, a few laughs on the campaign trail at the Alfred E. Smith charity dinner in New York City. I know Ed you were actually covering that story. A lot of great jokes, back and forth there. I think it was important the moment of levity here when the campaign has been so tense over the last couple of weeks.

HENRY: That's right. It's a tradition. We always see presidential candidates from both parties go there, both nominees. And it's a brief moment, a brief respite, if you will, from some of the nastiness in the final couple of weeks. They really both did a good job and both had a lot of good jokes. They were loving it. The cutaways I think sometimes of Obama listening to McCain and vice versa, was almost as good as the jokes themselves.

MALVEAUX: It was great.

HENRY: That was the best part.

Our next play on the BALLOT BOWL is going to be John McCain right here live and in person behind me. He's going to be in Woodbridge, Virginia. This is a must-have state for John McCain. This is a state that the democrats have not carried in 44 years but now Barack Obama has surged ahead. John McCain is here to try to rally his base. You're going to hear from him just after this.

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