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Early Voters Face Troubles at Polls; Is Capitalism Dead?; Truth Squad Evaluates Campaign Claims

Aired October 21, 2008 - 13:00   ET

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

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I live in the neighborhood.

JOHN ZARRELLA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: So it was easier?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Why not? I finished up at the golf course, went ahead and came here.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Actually, I thought it was a big mess. Three hours. Machines breaking. Just...

KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR (voice-over): Forget the date on your calendar. Election Day is today. Early voting; but huge crowds and computer breakdowns may make you late.

Angry, scared, and headed in the wrong direction. Americans bare their troubled souls in a sobering CNN poll.

And guess what, men? The money mess is your fault. Scientists say it's your hormones that sent the economy over the edge.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

PHILLIPS: Hello, everyone. I'm Kyra Phillips, live at the CNN World Headquarters in Atlanta, and you're live in the CNN NEWSROOM.

We're going to get right to it: two weeks until they count the votes, but Election Day 2008 is already here. And if it's a preview of what's coming November 4, look out.

Early or absentee voting is underway everywhere, but absentee doesn't always mean absent, and early doesn't always mean easy. Printer problems disrupted day one of voting in South Florida. We're going to hear more about that in just a minute. Day two of early voting in Texas, and already a record turnout. Be careful whom you ask for ballot information, because yesterday somebody reportedly tried to impersonate a poll worker to mislead Democratic voters.

Now, in Colorado, you can vote in person by mail, or you can drop off your mail-in ballot in person. So far, more than half of Colorado's eligible voters have requested ballots by mail.

Virginia's one of many states where records are being broken and systems are being tested like never before.

CNN's Dan Lothian watching the voting in Prince William County.

Dan, what do you think? A busy (INAUDIBLE) is a good thing, right?

DAN LOTHIAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That's right. It is a good thing, and people here are enthusiastic, because this is a swing county in a battleground state.

Now, voting is already under way here, but they don't have what they -- typically is known across the country as early voting, where anybody really can show up and vote early. Here they have absentee in-person voting. Certainly, you can send in absentee ballots but show up in person, as well. Absentee in-person voting.

But you have to have a reason as to why you need to show up early, such as you'll be working on Election Day, or because of a disability.

And so far, we had a chance to show up to two of the three polling stations here in Prince William County. Yesterday by all accounts, everything is running smoothly. We saw a lot of people going in and out of those centers (ph). I talked to the registrar, who told me that, in 2004, they had a total of a little more than 10,000 absentee voters. And so far, they've already surpassed that number, and of course, Kyra, we have two weeks to go.

PHILLIPS: We'll keep tracking it. Dan Lothian, be careful with that cannon next to you.

For a lot of us, the question is wait or wait a little more later. As you can you imagine for journalists that never like to miss a deadline, early voting was the talk of our morning meeting.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

KATIE, PRODUCER: I had a really good package today, how he waited for three hours in Florida because there was some glitch with the computer. I was going to run that piece, but it was just like -- it's early voting. Three hours.

WALT, WRITER: There are long lines in DeKalb, but I've been told that it's very organized. They give you a clipboard with the form you have to fill out, while you're in line. And even though there are long lines, apparently it's going fairly fast.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What about a building, lines around the parking lot. And I heard later it was, like, two hours.

MERYL, WRITER: When you think about the push to get so many first-time voters registered. What if they get up their to their polling places and they face a line going around the building, out the door. They might think, "I'm not standing in line three hours for this."

TENISHA, EXECUTIVE PRODUCER: I mean, you worked for a news agency, and you didn't realized that you would stand in line for... UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.

TENISHA: ... two or three hours. So imagine if you're sitting at home, watching a newscast.

SONYA, SEGMENT PRODUCER: I wonder if it would be worth, too, bringing up that vote, that secretaries of state Web site. Remember, I was looking on that, trying to find voting questions. Direct people to that.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

PHILLIPS: So here you go. If you have questions about where to vote either on Election Day or now or what you need to bring with you, go to this Web site: CanIVote.org. You can find links to the rules where you live. That's CanIVote.org.

Now back to Florida, where you can look at the long lines at the voting stations and grumble or you can jut take the view of Florida's secretary of state, who says lines are a sign of a healthy democracy. And certainly, our democracy is healthy today.

CNN's John Zarrella, well, he queued up for day one of early voting in Broward County. This is what it was like.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ZARRELLA: With early voting beginning on Monday in Florida, I decided I better beat the Election Day rush. Now, both parties are urging their supporters to get out and vote early. Why? Well, there's a million voters in Broward County alone, and they expect huge turnouts between now and Election Day.

Now I got in line at 11:15 here. Let's see how long it takes me to negotiate and actually get inside today.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Change is on the way. It's worth the wait.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I always had heard it, but I've never seen the crowds like this ever before.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I was in the neighborhood.

ZARRELLA: So it was easier?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Why not? I finished at the golf course, so I came here.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Does anyone want a sample ballot?

ZARRELLA: I've been standing in the line now for 30 minutes, and I'm glad to say I'm not the end of the line anymore.

Are you going to stay?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Oh, yes. Yes, yes. ZARRELLA: Did you bring a deck of cards?

(voice-over) Many people spent their time studying the sample ballot. The real ballot is four pages, including a host of proposed constitutional amendments.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: If they ask me for money, no.

ZARRELLA (on camera): Did you figure the ballot out? You figured out all those amendments?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Absolutely not.

ZARRELLA: I've been waiting an hour and a half now, but we're almost inside the door. Are you excited about that?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm excited.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: In order to vote for me, you have...

ZARRELLA (voice-over): Marty Ann Levy (ph) is reminding people she's running for a judgeship. Why? Someone else's name, not hers, was put on the ballot. Oops. Well, it is Florida.

(on camera) We're in.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Finally.

ZARRELLA: Finally.

(voice-over) But it was hardly the end of the wait.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Both printers were down.

ZARRELLA: Just ask those finally coming out.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Actually, I thought it was a big mess. Three hours. Machines breaking. Just exhausted on my day off.

ZARRELLA: It took me three hours and 15 minutes.

(on camera) There are two machines that actually print out the ballots, and both of the machines went down for a period of about 45 minutes. So that just brought everything to a standstill.

So first day, early problems. We'll see what happens as the weeks progress.

John Zarrella, CNN, Broward County, Florida.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

PHILLIPS: Well, no matter when you vote, remember no political fashion statements. Otherwise, you can expect change all right, as in change of clothes. A woman in New Mexico was actually turned away from an early voting site because of her Obama T-shirt. By state law, campaigning stops within 100 feet of the polls.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SAMANTHA RASMUSSEN, TURNED AWAY FROM POLLS: I was shocked, because I felt that that's really unconstitutional.

MAGGIE TOULOUSE OLIVER, CLERK, BERNALILLO COUNTY, NEW MEXICO: No signs. No literature. Folks can't even really wear T-shirts or buttons with any candidate, you know, information on them, because that is considered campaigning.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PHILLIPS: Well, that's the law. The woman did get to vote, though, after she turned her shirt inside out. New Mexico isn't the only state with laws like this, so you might want to leave the partisan garb at home.

And if you're voting early, we want to know. Go to iReport.com and tell us about your experience.

Well, it's hard to believe this long drawn-out battle for the White House draws to a close just two weeks from today. But for John McCain and Barack Obama, there's still a lot of ground to cover.

McCain has got three rallies in Pennsylvania, including one next hour in Harrisburg. Polls show that McCain is trailing Obama in that state. And from Pennsylvania, it's on to New Hampshire for the Republican candidate. McCain trails Obama in the polls there, as well.

And for Obama it's all about Florida today. The Democratic candidate has a rally in Miami coming up a bit later. Florida, with its 27 electoral votes, is the biggest toss-up state left on the map, by the way. And after his stops there today, Obama heads to Virginia. Polls show the usually Republican state is leaning that way.

Two other toss-up states are also getting a lot of attention as the race heads to the finish line. Joe Biden has got two events today in Colorado, including a rally this afternoon in Greeley. Sarah Palin is on the trail in Nevada. Right now she's holding a rally in Reno.

CNN's Drew Griffin is getting ready to sit down next hour with Sarah Palin as she campaigns in Nevada. It's her first interview with CNN. We're going to let you hear what the Alaskan governor has to say when that interview is over.

Plus, the economy and its impact on the race two weeks from today. Will Americans vote their wallets? It's part our day-long focus tomorrow, right here on CNN.

Oil and gas prices down, the dollar higher against rival currencies, all positive developments in the nation's financial crisis. But don't start dancing in the streets just yet. U.S. stocks have been sliding lower after yesterday's rally of more than 400 points.

But the Fed is trying to ease the market, saying it will buy commercial paper from money market mutual funds. Commercial paper is a short-term funding mechanism many companies use for day-to-day operations.

Also, investor fears appear to be easing as frozen credit markets begin to thaw.

Now, you've heard the warnings from John McCain and Sarah Palin: an Obama victory in two weeks would usher in a new deal of socialism, they say. The irony, of course, is the extraordinary government intervention on Wall Street. It's been made by a Republican administration, and that begs the question: is capitalism dead?

CNN's Christine Romans reports.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Has it really come to this? On the cover of "BusinessWeek," capitalism spelled with a "K," the editors implying a comparison with Karl-Marx-style socialism. "BusinessWeek" senior editor, Diane Brady, says America's financial system has changed forever.

DIANE BRADY, EDITOR, "BUSINESSWEEK": Not just if the Democrats come in; even if McCain comes in, we're going to see a fundamentally different world. And that's a world in which the government takes a much more active role in the economy.

ROMANS: The greatest free-market economy in the world on the puppet strings of the government? Money manager Stephen Leeb is concerned.

STEPHEN LEEB, MONEY MANAGER: I think capitalism has received a shock. What's free enterprise all about, if governments are now taking, you know, major roles in major financial institutions?

ROMANS: First, Bear Stearns. Then AIG, Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac. Now Uncle Sam is buying banks.

Ironically, the treasury secretary built his substantial fortune on Wall Street. Now he's orchestrating the largest government intervention into business since the Great Depression, grudgingly.

HENRY PAULSON, TREASURY SECRETARY: Government owning a stake in any private U.S. company is objectionable to most Americans, me included.

ROMANS: Objectionable but necessary. The Bush administration insists these measures actually saved capitalism.

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: The government intervention is not a government takeover. Its purpose is not to weaken the free market; it is to preserve the free market.

ROMANS: All of this government intervention prompts cries of socialism, but is capitalism, with a "C," really dead?

BRADY: This is not communist Russia. This is not even China. We're in a situation right now where people have seen the excesses, a sense that the -- Wall Street has run amuck and that the private markets have run amuck. And how do you fix that? You fix it with more regulations.

ROMANS: Regulation, the bane of Wall Street, but Leeb says the alternative is an economic collapse, and that could leave the government in complete control.

LEEB: A little socialistic medicine now will probably prevent a lot of socialistic medicine later on.

ROMANS (on camera): For lovers of free markets, this is all very unsavory. Capitalism may not be dead, but there's little doubt it's been wounded.

Christine Romans, CNN, New York.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

PHILLIPS: Well, the financial crisis, are men to blame for it? And if so, why? We're going to tell you what a new study has to say.

And who's telling the truth? Who's lying on the campaign trail? Our Truth Squad takes on the claims John McCain, Barack Obama and their running mates are making as they battle for your vote.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: Looks like a winning ticket for some easy money in the lottery, but there's a hitch. Could more than 600 would-be winners be wrong?

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JASON CURRERI, UNDECIDED VOTER: I really need more (ph) on the candidates. I want them (ph) to show me the passion that I know that they have, but towards the Americans, towards the economy, more specifically towards my generation. Show that they believe in my generation. They're going to do everything they can to give us the ability to make America great.

ERIN MACK, UNDECIDED VOTER: There's nothing wrong with being an undecided voter as long as you go out of your way to find out about the issues and eventually have someone in mind.

Yes, first-time voters!

(END VIDEO CLIP) PHILLIPS: So are you still undecided and why? We want to hear from you. Logon, weigh in, iReport.com.

Well, the candidates face an electorate that's in a real funk right now. A new CNN/Opinion Research poll suggests that three out of four Americans think things are going badly in the U.S. About the same percentage said they're stressed and angry, and more than two- thirds are actually scared.

The national mood has been like this three other times in recent memory: the 1992 recession, the hostage crisis in Iran, and Watergate.

Maybe the mood will lighten a little bit after the long, hard election season is over, but voters have a lot to sort over through the next couple of weeks. The candidates are making a lot of late allegations on the campaign trail. And our Josh Levs is here to take a closer look at a couple of those claims.

Josh, I understand you're starting off with a look at whether Joe the plumber is actually being attacked by the Obama campaign?

JOSH LEVS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes. This is one of the things that we're hearing on the campaign trail right now. I'll tell you, Kyra, you know, one in a while the Truth Squad will finds a campaign claim that we have to rule in dispute. This is one of them. Take a look.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. JOHN MCCAIN (R-AZ), PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE: And Joe didn't -- Joe didn't ask for Senator Obama to come to his house, and certainly, Joe didn't ask to be famous. And he certainly didn't ask for the political attacks on him from the Obama campaign.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEVS: You see the status right there, in dispute. Here's how the Truth Squad arrived at that. The McCain campaign gave us three examples of what they're calling attacks by the Obama campaign on Joe Wurzelbacher, whom as we all know now, is known as Joe the plumber. This is one of those examples.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. JOE BIDEN (D-DE), VICE-PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE: Let me put it this way. I don't know, the neighborhood I grew up, even the neighborhood I live in now, which is a really nice neighborhood, I don't know many plumbers are making $250,000 a year are worried about it. We're kind of worried about, you know, Joe the fireman, Joe the policeman, Joe -- Joe the real plumber with a license.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEVS: And that's a reference there to the fact that Joe Wurzelbacher is actually not a licensed plumber. Now, the other two examples are similar: Obama and Biden questioning whether many plumbers in America make $250,000 a year, because the Obama campaign says only families pulling in that amount will see their taxes go up.

So and the verdict, right here on CNN.com, we went with "in dispute." And what I did was I pulled it up. I made it in big letters. You can see it here: "In Dispute: McCain regards these comments as political attacks on Joe Wurzelbacher, but the comments also can be interpreted as Obama campaign commentary on the McCain's campaign rhetoric, basically in choosing to make him a symbol in the first place, Kyra. That's how we got there.

PHILLIPS: All right. So from the other side now...

LEVS: OK.

PHILLIPS: ... you're looking at an attack by Barack Obama over Medicare folks?

LEVS: Yes. On the other side we've got that one. Obama has actually been doing a lot of his attacks lately focusing on Medicare. And here's what he said about McCain's voting record.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. BARACK OBAMA (D-IL), PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE: In fact, Senator McCain has voted against protecting Medicare 40 times. Forty times he has failed to stand up for Medicare.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEVS: Now here's the deal. The Obama campaign sent the CNN Truth Squad the list of the 40 votes that he was referring to there. And we broke them down. That's how we got to "misleading."

Let's take a look at this. The votes do include a handful of fairly straightforward decisions on Medicare funding, but some of those 40, a lot less clear cut. They included resolutions that expressed defendants' (ph) opinions on some issues but don't automatically change any funding.

Also, some votes were for these massive budget bills with some Medicare funding cuts inside. And then there were some procedural votes, like voting against amendments to certain sponsored bills.

So, when you put that all together, CNN Truth Squad found that attack from Obama, Kyra, to be misleading.

And let me tell you something. Tomorrow we're going to be looking at a lot of these. We're doing a special focus on falsehoods and misleading statements about the economy, including a look at the most popular fact checks of the election, all part of our day-long focus tomorrow on the economy's impact of the race, Kyra. It's going to be interesting.

PHILLIPS: Sounds great.

LEVS: Yes.

PHILLIPS: Thanks, Josh.

LEVS: Thanks a lot.

PHILLIPS: Small town America, that's where you'll find Barack Obama, John McCain and their running mates much of the time. We're going to find out why the campaigns are pretty much ignoring the nation's big cities.

Protests against police are nothing new. But somebody's putting a different face on things in Arizona.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: An Arkansas news anchor severely wounded in a brutal attack in her home. Anne Pressly works for our Little Rock affiliate, KATV, and right now police are not sure if this was a random home invasion or if Pressly was targeted.

Her purse was missing, but there were no signs of forced entry. Pressly's mom found her yesterday, bleeding and unresponsive. She'd been beaten about the head and upper body, and right now she's in critical but stable condition.

The popular anchor had a small part in Oliver Stone's Bush -- or movie, rather, "W."

A huge loophole in Nebraska safe haven law looks a lot like it will be closing. Every state has a law like this allowing parents to abandon children at a safe place like hospitals. Safe haven is meant to protect newborns, but the way Nebraska lawmakers worded it, there is no age limit. At least 18 kids have been dropped off since that law took effect, most of them teenagers.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MIKE FLOOD, NEBRASKA STATE SENATE: Forty of the 49 state senators that I have spoken with are prepared to amend Nebraska safe haven law to apply only to infants in the first 72 hours of his or her life.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PHILLIPS: Well, lawmakers hope to push this through when their new session starts in January, but the governor says he'll call a special session if parents start rushing to beat a January deadline.

Now lately, Sheriff Joe Arpaio has been spotted all over Tucson, Arizona. Cutouts of the controversial cop are popping up at major intersections, and he's shown holding people at gunpoint.

A letter sent to local media says the goal is to raise awareness of police tactics against illegal immigrants. Sheriff Arpaio is well known for his controversial initiatives, and last week he ordered armed raids on the Mesa Library and city hall. Mesa's mayor says the hunt for undocumented workers puts citizens at risk.

Jumping Jack Frost, it's gotten chilly pretty early.

CHAD MYERS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Ow.

PHILLIPS: The weather in transition in some parts of the country. Let's go down the pike (ph), Chad.

MYERS: Did you write that? I like that very much.

PHILLIPS: You know, I'm going to put you on the spot now. I heard you were singing earlier.

MYERS: I was. I was singing, "Ch-ch-ch-changes."

PHILLIPS: So give me a little.

MYERS: No, thanks.

PHILLIPS: A little David Bowie.

MYERS: No. Yes. I'm sorry.

PHILLIPS: Chad, it's one of my favorites.

MYERS: I only sing in church.

PHILLIPS: Well, OK.

MYERS: And they -- and they tell me to be quiet.

Thanks for your -- thanks for trying.

PHILLIPS: God loves worship. You don't have to worry about that.

(WEATHER REPORT)

PHILLIPS: All right. Thanks, Chad.

MYERS: You bet.

PHILLIPS: Well, they thought it was easy money, but there's a hitch. Turns out their winning lottery tickets were just a printing glitch. That has more than 600 people who thought that they won big in Virginia's new Fast Play Lucky Sevens game steamed.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JUDY WATERS, THOUGHT SHE WON LOTTERY: I don't see why that's our problem. I think it should be their problem. And I'm really very sorry that they had a computer glitch, but stand by what -- what it did.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PHILLIPS: Ticket buyers thought if they got all eight columns to add up to seven, they'd win $7,777. Lottery official say no and stopped running the game. They've asked the attorney general's office to decide if they're liable for the huge payouts.

Sex and money. You'll be amazed at what some researchers think is the real cause of the worldwide financial meltdown. We're going to test the testosterone theory.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: 1:29 Eastern time. Here are some of the stories we're working on in the CNN NEWSROOM for you.

It's still two weeks until Election Day, but early voting in many states is already off to a fast start. Voting is under way in states like Georgia, Texas, Florida, New Mexico and Louisiana. Georgia officials say that about 12 percent of registered voters have now cast their ballots.

And both Barack Obama and John McCain are going at it hard on the campaign trail today. Obama is in the battleground state of Florida and holding a job summit with several state governors. McCain is seeking votes in Pennsylvania.

And closing arguments underway in the corruption trial of Alaska Republican Senator Ted Stevens. Jury deliberations are expected to start tomorrow.

(BUSINESS HEADLINES)

PHILLIPS: People are looking for a fall guy to blame for the country's financial mess and we may be on to something here. Guy being the operative word. A new Harvard study, and you know, we know how reputable Harvard is. It shows high levels of testosterone lead men to be bigger risk takers and make riskier investments.

Medical correspondent Elizabeth Cohen here to explain.

ELIZABETH COHEN, CNN MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: I'm going to re- create this Harvard study with you, OK? I know you're not a guy. But, you're my only option here, OK?

PHILLIPS: But, I can be tough.

COHEN: OK. You can be tough.

PHILLIPS: So I hear.

COHEN: OK, OK. So, we're going to try it on you. This is $200 right here, OK? $200. I am going to give this to you and, Kyra Phillips, you can walk away with this $200.

PHILLIPS: OK.

COHEN: Or, guess a coin toss. I got a coin in my hand. Guess my coin toss correctly and I'll give you $500. Guess it wrong, you've got to give back to me and you get nothing.

PHILLIPS: Oh, I'm totally going do the coin toss.

COHEN: OK. That's what men with high testosterone do. They do the coin toss.

PHILLIPS: Perfect. I'm a guy.

COHEN: Yes. I don't really know how to explain that. But that is what men with high testosterone did in the study. They were much more likely to say I am going to do the coin toss, I am going to take the risk.

Now, some people make the step saying, oh, that's why we're in the financial mess that we're in. It's all those men with high testosterone who made all the stupid decisions. I think that's gone a little too far but it is certainly interesting.

PHILLIPS: OK. So, maybe I shouldn't be making big money decisions? Because I'm a risky type person? I also like the adrenaline rush, too.

COHEN: There you go.

PHILLIPS: You know, that's a problem. But for other women, who we are we hearing now.

COHEN: Who are more normal.

PHILLIPS: Who are more normal.

COHEN: Right.

PHILLIPS: Who would take the $200 and run.

COHEN: Right.

PHILLIPS: Maybe they should be running Wall Street?

COHEN: Well, you know, some would say that. They would say that maybe women or older men, because testosterone levels go down as men age. Maybe they should be making decisions.

But, consider this. Those high testosterone men, sometimes they make gambles that pay off. So, sometimes actually help the rest of us. It kind of depends how you look tat. But it is interesting that men have different levels of testosterone, they're not all the same and that some extent, they make different decisions based and how much testosterone is coursing through their veins.

PHILLIPS: See, that's why so many man need to have a good women right there behind them saying, this is what you should be doing. COHEN: And given that, I'm taking this back.

(CROSSTALK)

PHILLIPS: I want the $200.

COHEN: OK.

PHILLIPS: Well, maybe -- I was looking for pause for animation. Sorry.

All right. Small town America. It's where the presidential candidates are spending most of their time as they fight for Oval Office. But, that's not where most of the voters are. So, what's behind the strategy? Here now is CNN's Carol Costello.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CAROL COSTELLO, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): If you live in Dallas, Cleveland, L.A., or even New York City, forget about it. Small town America is where it's at, politically speaking. The candidates are largely ignoring big metropolitan cities to blanket towns like Holland, Ohio.

OBAMA: Good to see you again.

COSTELLO: Felton, Missouri, and Greensboro, North Carolina.

VOICE OF GOV. SARAH PALIN (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: We believe that the best of America is in the small towns, being here with all of you hard-working, very patriotic, very pro-America areas of this great nation.

COSTELLO: Things like that make big town America feel like Nowheresville.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I wouldn't say they work a little harder living in these kinds of environments. Probably a lot harder than, you know, being in the middle of nowhere.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: With the economy now, everybody has to work hard. So I don't think it's a factor of small town or whether your name is Joe.

COSTELLO: But, analysts say don't expect Republicans to give big city USA a figurative hug. Take a look. McCain's web site urges voters to make an online video detailing how you are "Joe the Plumber." If it's good, it will become an official McCain TV ad.

LARRY SABATO, POLITICAL ANALYST, UNIV. OF VIRGINIA: Most of their supporters are rural. The largest percentage of the vote being devoted to the Republican ticket this year is coming from rural America.

COSTELLO: Middle America is a sea of red. Still, the majority of Americans don't even live in small town America. As "TIME" magazine's Joe Kline put it, "We haven't been nation of small towns for near a century. It is the suburbanites and city dwellers whose do the fighting and hourly wage work now, and the corporations who grow our food."

Yet neither candidate is loudly wooing urbanites. Not even Barack Obama.

SABATO: He wants to project the same small town America values that people may associate with the Republican Party. So this puts him in a homey, personal setting that probably does him well.

COSTELLO: But Sabato says the strategy is a tad risky for Obama because he's more likely to run into voters critical of his party. It was in Holland, Ohio, where Obama met --

OBAMA: I think that when you spread the wealth around it's good for everybody.

COSTELLO: Joe the Plumber, now Republican hero.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

PHILLIPS: Well, there's a lot of questions around "Joe the Plumber." But Carol Costello joining us now from Washington.

Carol, Barack Obama having no problems with support in big, urban areas. So, campaigning in small town America is a no brainer for him, right?

COSTELLO: It pretty much is. But that doesn't mean people in big cities aren't concerned. They kind of feel neglected and wonder why Barack Obama doesn't say anything that really concerns them. Even when he speaks in small cities, like St. Louis, and Tampa and Orlando, he doesn't express ma urbanites want to hear, but talks about middle America a lot.

PHILLIPS: All right now, Carol, a little side question here. Did you see that report with Elizabeth Cohen?

COSTELLO: Yes, I did.

PHILLIPS: All right. Now, be honest with me. Would you take $200, or would you go for the coin toss to win $500?

COSTELLO: You know, I'd take the $200.

PHILLIPS: You would?

COSTELLO: I would.

PHILLIPS: You're such a risky, tough gal though.

COSTELLO: I know. But, I like the sure thing. Especially when it's cold, hard cash I'm looking at.

PHILLIPS: Carol Costello. All right, thank you. COSTELLO: Sure.

PHILLIPS: CNN is keeping them honest. Even if you have trouble at the polls, call the CNN Voter Hotline, help us track the problems and we'll report the trouble in realtime. Call 1-877-462-6608. There's a number right there at the bottom of your screen. We're going to help keep them honest all the way through the election and beyond.

Well, they planted the sod and spruced up his yard. All so one service man's neighbor wouldn't sue. We're going to hear what the soldier has to say, live.

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PHILLIPS: Surprising news about uninsured kids. A new study in the Journal of American Medical Association shows a gap in health care coverage for many middle class kids. Some 1.5 million kids in this country don't have insurance even though their parents do. The reason? It's expensive. Insuring your children can add more than $2,100 extra a year to your premiums. But those figures are from 2005. Now, it's probably even more.

Well, parents take note. There's been a massive voluntary recall of cribs. Delta Enterprises is sending out warnings about nearly 1.6 million of its drop side cribs. They made between 1995 and 2005. The babies have died because of the absence of a peg. The company will give consumers either replacement safety pegs or spring-type kits. And it's set up on a web site if you want more info. Here it is -- www.cribrecallcenter.com. Or you can just call the number 800-876- 5304.

PHILLIPS: Early voting is supposed to make it easier to cast a ballot so don't have to spend hours in line on Election Day. Great idea. Instead, you can spend hours hours in line before Election Day. That's much better. Actually bringing convenience back.

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PHILLIPS: Well, you can't get burgers or fries at this drive- thru, but can make your voice heard. California is making it even easier for early voters with drive-thru voting. Yes, just like banking or fast food, voters in Santa Ana get the chance to just drive up and vote or register to vote. The drive-thru was only open for a day. And Monday was the last day for Californians to register for the November election.

PHILLIPS: The African-American vote. It's important in every battle for the White House. Now it could be even more so with a huge turnout expected. A big reason, Barack Obama's campaign has brought a new spark of political energy to it nation's second biggest minority group.

Here's CNN chief national correspondent John King.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) JOHN KING, CNN CHIEF NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): At Afro World in inner city St. Louis, Barack Obama is both the candidate of choice and a bestseller.

SHEILA FORREST, OWNER, AFRO WORLD: With sales being down in businesses, like the hair business not doing as well. But this has been a big boom and I'm very grateful for it.

KING: Sheila Forrest is the owner and already knows Obama is breaking the old rules.

FORREST: I've never been involved in politics in my life because I was always told that you'll lose customers if you get involved with a candidate.

KING: But this year is different. And Obama means new customers and new voters in an energized African-American community. Forest grew up to her father's stories of marching with Martin Luther King and sees a chance now to do her part.

FORREST: I feel like I've had the opportunity of being a part of history.

KING: At Leonard Missionary Baptist Church, 84 year-old Ollie James predicts his prayers will soon be answered.

OLLIE JAMES, ST. LOUIS CHURCHGOER: When I came from, with the segregation and all the hatred, I never thought an African-American man would get this far in the United States.

KING: Camp Obama believes just a modest increase in African- American turn out could tip the scales in several key battleground states, including in Missouri.

And Washington University professor Mike Minta says history suggests there will be higher turn out.

MIKE MINTA, PROFESSOR, WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY: There's a large political science literature that's looked at first time, historic elections. Mostly, kind of like on the mayoral races, where you have seen when there's a first-time African-American or a Latino, first time running, that turnout increases dramatically.

KING: There is a flip side, of course. This billboard in the Missouri Ozarks, a reminder there are some who won't vote for Obama because of his name or the color of his skin.

Show Pastor Steven Thompson the billboard and he keeps his trademark calm.

PASTOR STEVEN THOMPSON, ST. LOUIS: If I spend my time getting angry about what the things people do, then I can't do what I effectively do here. Those people who do stuff like that, you know, the only thing I can say, we pray for them.

KING: Sheila Forrest says she worried she might be supporting Obama just because he's black. So, when she sat down for the first presidential debate, she closed her eyes.

I heard this just intelligent individual. Very self-assured, very positive. And it was just a wonderful experience. I didn't see color. There was no color, no color in listening to him. It was an awesome experience.

KING: Forrest suggests white voters with doubts about Obama, try the same test. And predicts many will find the candidate who's good for her business, be the best choice for the country.

John King, CNN, St. Louis.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

PHILLIPS: A Navy reservist's yard gets a makeover. Thanks to a little help from a lot of friends. Wait until you hear his reaction to their handiwork. And learn what outraged his neighbors in the first place.

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PHILLIPS: Well, a Navy reservist's neighbors come to the rescue in Washington state after a huge dispute on the home front. The homeowners association threatened to sue Lieutenant Burke Jensen because his yard wasn't landscaped. So, his neighbors did it for him this weekend.

Jensen's wife is staying with family on the East Coast after giving birth this summer. And Jensen is now having to ship out overseas. Chick Edwards of the homeowners association and the property's developer didn't seem to care about all this. This is actually what he said, quote, "This is a contract. I don't like the way his property looks. This clown gets to do what he wants and I'm as mad as hell. I really don't give a (EXPLETIVE) where he is or what his problem.

Well, we tried Edwards to join us but he's just not answering his phone. But, Lieutenant Burt Jensen, with us now live from New York.

Lieutenant, good to see you.

LT. BURKE JENSEN, U.S. NAVY RESERVE: Good to see you, too. Thank you having me on.

PHILLIPS: All right. Give me the scoop now. Now what's going on with you and this Chick Edwards? When you bought this home did you know you's have to keep up your landscaping?

Yes, we put forth a good faith effort and did the best we could. We had a lot of challenges over the year of in getting married, getting pregnant and then being involuntarily mobilized support our military, which we're very proud of..

PHILLIPS: And we thank you also, for serving our country, too. So, you knew that you had to take care of the landscaping and you just were not able to keep up with it? Did you have financial concerns to the baby and all the changes that were goes on at home?

JENSEN: No, actually the challenge was just being available. We had to vacate the home in March, which is before the planting season. And we hired a landscaper which I tried to supervise while being away and that didn't work so well. He just mostly took the money and ran while he did some great work. But it's just difficult when my wife and I are just so far away to take care of business locally.

PHILLIPS: So what was the reaction when you heard, Chick, the homeowner's association president, react like this? Were you surprised?

JENSEN: Yes, of course, surprised. But my wife and I were very proud to be in the military and defending everyone's right to free speech. And, you know, we are also very sorry to hear that he made those comments to be in a place that he did. But we're the first to offer to reconcile and invite him over to our barbecue in a year when we get back.

PHILLIPS: And has he agreed?

JENSEN: No one's been able to reach him yet.

PHILLIPS: Imagine that. Well, there are a lot of people across America that are pretty ticked off at him right now. And hey, Chick, if you are listening, you know, we'd love to hear what you have to say.

At the same time, I just want to do a shout-out on a positive note, Lieutenant. Business owners, included Woods Nursery, C&M Nursery, Red Mountain Feed, Jobs Nursery, Bedrock American Rock Products, (INAUDIBLE) Industrial -- I mean, I could go on and on and on. United Pipe and Plumbing, Moon Securities, Subway. Then you had the River View High School Panthers, the Elks Club, I mean all these people showed up to do your landscaping.

How did you respond?

JENSEN: Well, we are just overwhelmed. My wife and I, we want to thank from the bottom of our heart 1,000 thank yous and God bless everyone that we know we probably not even be able to meet, or even see our landscaping for over a year.

So, we just want to thank everyone and let them know we're completely overwhelmed and it has taken a great worry off of our concerns.

PHILLIPS: So you're going to keep the home?

JENSEN: Oh, yes. We're quite happy with the area. We love the area. And obviously, what I think this story is about, it's the spirit of that community. It's amazing, it's great. It's a great American spirit and we love the area. And I look forward to being a neighbor with Mr. Edwards and I hope we can find some reconciling in the future. PHILLIPS: Let's hope that we put enough pressure on him that he'll do so. And we do salute your neighborhood and your community. It's pretty amazing what they did. And we salute you, Lieutenant Burke Jensen. Keep us posted how Kuwait is and serving overseas. We want to keep track of you.

JENSEN: I will. Thanks you for having me on.

PHILLIPS: Thanks, Lieutenant.

Well, home from the Iraq war. Hopefully that will be our lieutenant as well. To the cheers of family and friends, these 225 soldiers are the last returning troops from the Oklahoma National Guard's 43rd Infantry Brigade. In all, 2,600 members shipped out. Every single one them made it back home.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It was good. It was good to come home and see everybody and see all the flags flying.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PHILLIPS: The soldiers were deployed to Iraq for a year.

Someone else is back from the war and he can't wait to start chasing squirrels. Months after U.S. soldiers rescued this pooch from a burning trash pile in the Iraq, well Ratchet (ph) has all four paws on U.S. soil. He's going to spend a couple nights in a kennel before continuing on to his new home in Minneapolis. And there, he'll wait for his master, one of the soldiers who rescued him. She's scheduled to be back home next month.

See all those holes in the rocks? Well, eons ago this place was a dinosaur dance hall. Everybody do the dinosaur!

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PHILLIPS: That's right. Everybody's doing the dinosaur. All of those holes you're looking at are what geologists call a dinosaur dance floor. Obviously, dinosaurs weren't very light on the feet, but you get the point. The site is along the Arizona/Utah border. It's giving scientists new clues now about how dinosaurs lived 190 million years ago in areas now considered deserts.

More than 1,000 tracks have been found in what would have been a watery oasis. Researchers also found some rare tail dragging marks and believe the dinosaur hot spot was a gathering place for refreshments and adults and youngsters.

The next hour of NEWSROOM starts right now.