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American Morning
Palin's Travel Expenses Questioned; Palin Slams Obama's Economic Plan; One-on-One Interview with Sarah Palin; State Department Getting Out the Vote Overseas; Unpatriotic on Capitol Hill: Congresswoman Takes a Hit
Aired October 22, 2008 - 06:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOHN ROBERTS, CNN ANCHOR (voice-over): Breaking news. Barack Obama out to his largest lead of the election. The brand new CNN poll and the fight to keep swing states in play.
Plus, a CNN exclusive. Governor Sarah Palin one on one.
And the brand new questions, why taxpayers got stuck with her kids' hotel tab on the "Most Politics in the Morning."
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROBERTS: And good morning to you. It is Wednesday. It's the 22nd of October. Only 13 days left in election 2008 and this thing is getting so exciting I can hardly contain myself.
KIRAN CHETRY, CNN ANCHOR: It is. And we're glad you're with us this morning.
We begin with questions about vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin's travel expenses. The "Associated Press" is reporting that as governor, Palin charged the state of Alaska for her children to travel with her, sometimes two events where they were not invited. The AP also says Palin later amended expense reports to say her kids were traveling with her on official business.
This comes after John McCain chose her as a running mate and reporters asked for those records. There is a catch here, though. Alaska law does not specifically address expenses for a governor's children.
And it's going to take some time that Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson says the government will do whatever it takes to resolve the financial crisis. Paulson says Americans are facing a number of difficult months ahead. Overseas markets remained volatile this morning.
Japan's Nikkei falling nearly seven percent overnight. And Hong Kong's Hang Seng was off more than five percent. London's FTSE also trading in negative territory this morning.
The FBI is looking for whoever sent at least 30 letters containing a suspicious powder to Chase banks and federal regulators in nine cities. Officials said that all of the letters were mailed from Texas all apparently from the same source. So far, field tests show the powder is harmless.
ROBERTS: Now to the "Most Politics in the Morning." Thirteen days until the election and a full-court press on the swing states. John McCain and Barack Obama along with their running mates hitting the key battlegrounds, pushing their platforms and attacking strongly. As the campaign rhetoric heats up, Senator Obama's lead is expanding now. Take a look at this.
The latest CNN poll of polls shows Obama leading McCain by nine points now, 51 to 42 percent. At a rally in Colorado, Democratic vice presidential candidate Joe Biden slammed McCain for GOP attacks on Senator Obama.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. JOE BIDEN (D), VICE PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I say, John, stop your ads! Bring down those robocalls. If it's about the economy argue about the economy, not about Barack Obama's character, not about these scurrilous ads.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROBERTS: That was Senator Biden in Greeley, Colorado, yesterday. Today, CNN's Suzanne Malveaux was following the Obama campaign in the Sunshine State of Florida.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Obama doesn't need Joe the plumber to talk shop.
VICTORIA VILLALBA, SMALL BUSINESS OWNER: I'm not Joe the plumber and I'm not -- I must also tell you I'm not Victoria of Victoria's Secret.
MALVEAUX: She's Victoria Villalba, a small business owner from Florida who says times are tough to stay afloat. She, along with a small panel of high-profile Democrats, were assembled to show their support for Barack Obama's economic plan. Governors from Republican- leaning or swing states spoke with one voice.
GOV. BILL RICHARDSON (D), NEW MEXICO: People are hurting.
GOV. JENNIFER GRANHOLM (D), MICHIGAN: We have lost 400,000 jobs.
MALVEAUX: It was billed as a growing American jobs summit hosted in a state Obama is fiercely fighting to win.
SEN. BARACK OBAMA (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Florida is actually over the last several months lost more jobs even than Ohio and Michigan. So the -- Florida is really getting hammered. This is not unique just to the Midwest.
MALVEAUX: At times it appeared to be a forum designed to showcase Obama's know how.
OBAMA: I just want everybody to understand what this means.
MALVEAUX: At one point, Obama's economic adviser on the panel, former Fed Reserve Chair Paul Volcker, asked the obvious.
PAUL VOLCKER, FMR. FEDERAL RESERVE CHAIRMAN: I just wonder what I did. You gave my speech much more effectively.
OBAMA: That's because I've been listening to you.
MALVEAUX: Obama used the platform to go after John McCain who says Obama's economic plan is nothing but a big government handout.
OBAMA: These folks are working. This isn't some giveaway to people on welfare.
MALVEAUX: He defended his call for more government intervention and spending as a justifiable approach to fix the economy, which would include an energy plan to create a new electricity grid and conserve energy.
OBAMA: It's an expensive project and it's not something that can be done without the help of the federal government.
MALVEAUX: McCain is accusing Obama of promoting government control over private industry or socialism. But Volcker says the Bush administration's bailout plan has already put us on that path.
VOLCKER: But one of the challenges for the next president will be how do we re-privatize institutions that never sort of needed to be socialized in the first place by this administration.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ROBERTS: CNN's Suzanne Malveaux reporting for us this morning. And while Barack Obama has extended his lead nationally in our poll of polls to nine points, it's still very tight in Florida. He leads John McCain by three points there, 49-46 percent, in our latest CNN poll of polls -- Kiran.
CHETRY: Well, while Barack Obama was holding that job summit in Florida, John McCain came out swinging against his rival's economic plan, even using the word depression. Take a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. JOHN MCCAIN (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: My friends, Senator Obama wants to raise taxes and restrict trade. The last time America did that in a bad economy it led to the Great Depression. You know, they say those who don't learn the lessons of history are doomed to repeat them. Well, my friends, I know my history lessons and I won't make the mistakes Senator Obama seeks to repeat.
(END VIDEO CLIP) CHETRY: And John McCain's running mate had her own fighting words about the economy in her first sit-down interview with CNN's Drew Griffin. Sarah Palin spoke about small business, socialism and, yes, Joe the plumber came out once again. Drew Griffin joins us live from Reno, Nevada, this morning with more on that interview with Governor Palin.
Hi, Drew.
DREW GRIFFIN, CNN SPECIAL INVESTIGATIVE UNIT CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Kiran. A familiar theme on her stump speech especially out here in Nevada talking about Joe the plumber and all the other Joe the plumbers that seem to be showing up at her rallies, whether it's Bob the bricklayer or Jane the engineer. She is pushing this idea that what Joe the plumber says is true about Barack Obama, that he is, indeed, sending this country towards a more socialistic society. So when I sat down with her in that interview yesterday, that's the first thing I asked her.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
GRIFFIN: Is Barack Obama a socialist?
GOV. SARAH PALIN (R), VICE PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I am not going to call him a socialist. But as Joe the plumber has suggested, in fact he came right out and said it, it sounds like socialism to him and he speaks for so many Americans who are quite concerned now after hearing finally what Barack Obama's true intentions are with his tax and economic plan. And that is to take more from small businesses, more from our families, and then redistribute that according to his priorities.
That is not good for the entrepreneurial spirit that has built this great country. That is not good for our economy. Certainly it's not good for the opportunities that our small businesses should have to keep more of what they produce in order to hire more people, create more jobs. That's what gets the economy going.
So, finally, Joe the plumber and as we talked about today in the speech too, he representing, you know, Jane the engineer, and Molly the dental hygienist, and Chuck the teacher, and all these good, hardworking Americans who are finally were able to hear in very plain talk the other night what Barack Obama's intentions were to redistribute wealth.
GRIFFIN: Do you think his intentions, though, if not a socialist is to move away from capitalism, true capitalism?
PALIN: Well, anyone who would want to increase taxes at a time like this, especially, with economic woes that are adversely affecting all of us, anybody who would want to do that, to take more from businesses and our families and then dole those dollars out according to their priorities, that is not a principle of capitalism.
(END VIDEOTAPE) GRIFFIN: I talked to her about her future given the dire straits that the Republican ticket is in right now, Kiran. But answering the question of whether or not she would actually run for president in 2012, she just wouldn't take it. She wouldn't bite on that at all.
CHETRY: Right. And you also talked to her about a variety of other issues. What do you have coming up for us in the next hour?
GRIFFIN: Yes. Later this morning, I directly asked her about "Troopergate" which she corrected me and said it was "Tasergate." I asked her about involvement in that and the Alaskan finding that she violated the ethics law. We'll talk about that later in the hour and all the other issues on the plate, Kiran.
I can't remember the exact one that we're going to talk about at 8:00, but "Tasergate" was a very interesting answer, Kiran, how she views the report completely different, really, than how I read it. So we'll have that at 7:00.
CHETRY: I believe she also talks to you about what she says is a little bit of a double standard between how she's sort of being judged in the media and her counterpart on the Democratic side.
GRIFFIN: Yes. Especially with Senator Biden, you know, she said, you know, Senator Biden makes it -- well, I said, does he get away with these gaffes and you don't. And she just lit up and (INAUDIBLE) and said, "Thank goodness you noticed," because she really does believe that the media is giving Joe Biden a pass especially on what he said over this weekend about Barack Obama being tested.
She had some very interesting things to say about that, how the media handles her, and how she is viewed in terms of her record really not being any part of this campaign -- her record as an executive in this race. The only person in this race who really has run a government, whether it be as a mayor of Wasilla or the governor of Alaska.
CHETRY: Well, we're all eager to hear more of your interview. Drew, thanks so much.
ROBERTS: A new trend out on the campaign trail. Calling someone unpatriotic. A congresswoman takes major heat for suggesting her colleagues on Capitol Hill may be anti-American, and it's not the first time that she has been in hot water for something she said.
And a dramatic moment on stage in San Francisco. Karl Rove confronted by an anti-war protester. Why she tried to put the cuffs on him.
Nine minutes after the hour.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ROBERTS: Welcome back to the "Most News in the Morning." A big selloff in overseas financial markets. Japan's Nikkei index losing nearly seven percent overnight. Hong Kong's Hang Seng was off more than five percent. In Europe, London's FTSE is also trading in negative territory.
And Dow futures are lower. All shaping up to be a great day. Almost a 231-point loss on the Dow on Tuesday fueled by some bad third quarter earnings reports from U.S. companies.
Doesn't appear to be any silver lining in what's happening today. So instead, we bring you...
CHETRY: Hey, we can always talk gas prices.
ROBERTS: ... we bring you the ever ebullient Christine Romans "Minding Your Business" this morning.
CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: Galloping (ph) around the economy and business. That's right.
Well, we'll talk about what voters are saying. Less than two weeks to go to the polls, and we know the most recent polls are showing, indeed, that the economy is issue number one. Last week some 61 percent of voters said the economy is the number one thing they're going to be thinking about when they go and they cast their vote.
There was a new fresh poll this morning that show, indeed, as we knew, Americans don't like the bailouts. They don't like the job the treasury secretary is doing. They don't like the idea of the government intervening in financial markets and in companies.
That $700 billion assistance to banks and financial institutions, 40 percent of Americans favor it, 56 percent oppose it. And look, those numbers are even worsening from the last time we took this poll.
What about how Paulson is handling his job as treasury secretary. This, of course, is Henry Paulson, the man who made his substantial fortune on Wall Street and now is trying to redirect this economy. Only 28 percent approve of the job he's doing. Some two-thirds of registered voters who were surveyed for this poll disapproved of the job he's doing. That approval rating actually pretty close to what his president's approval rating is, and also, actually, Congress as well.
So, as you can see, people will be going to the polls with a real distaste for what has been happening in this economy and the measures that have been taken to try to fix it. They are concerned about gas prices. They're concerned about just about everything as it shapes up in the economy, and they don't like the job their government has done to try to get them out of this mess.
ROBERTS: You know I was talking with George Soros the other day, and he doesn't trust Paulson. He thinks that he came from the culture that created this problem. So he believes somebody else needs to be at the helm of this.
CHETRY: He's a former Goldman Sachs CEO, right? ROMANS: That's right. And there are a lot of Goldman Sachs' alums who are in the administration right now. The guy who is running the treasury TARP, they call it. I can't remember what the acronym --
(CROSSTALK)
ROBERTS: You know it's like everybody you meet these days worked for Goldman Sachs at one point in their life.
CHETRY: And took millions of bonuses in salary, right?
ROMANS: Well, yes. I mean, there's a great -- but you can also look at it the other way. They made their fortunes and now they've gone into public service. So, you know, you want that experience and those connections, I guess, as they're trying to get us out of there. That would be the flip side of that coin.
CHETRY: It's also interesting when we look at the polls, Christine, that we haven't seen, I guess, the expected outcome as quickly in terms of the Dow stabilizing and other things happening, and you've seen the polls go down in terms of favorability for this bailout.
ROMANS: And you know it's going to take months and months before anything really "works" or fixes it. And we have a tough road ahead, there's no question about it.
ROBERTS: Things aren't going to get any better, but we'll try to find some help for folks out there.
ROMANS: That's right.
ROBERTS: Christine, thanks so much.
Fifteen minutes now after the hour.
Overseas voters.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HAROLD SCHEPIEN, AMERICAN IN LONDON: It was a little bit confusing, actually.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROBERTS: Zain Verjee look at how millions of Americans are making their pick for president on the other side of the world.
You're watching the "Most News in the Morning."
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
CHETRY: That's the new theme song for India at least today. They join the space race, launching the first-ever mission to the moon for India. India Space Agency called the liftoff "perfect." The unmanned lunar orbiter will be on a two-year mission to produce an intricate three-dimensional map of the moon surface. Officials said they plan to share data from the mission with other space programs including NASA.
It's 18 minutes past the hour. Jacqui Jeras is covering our weather for us this morning.
How happy do they look? It's like mission accomplished right there. Congrats to India.
JACQUI JERAS, AMS METEOROLOGIST: Yes. Absolutely. You know, a lot of people here in the U.S. not able to see the moon this morning because it's cloudy.
We have got a huge storm out there, guys. This is the strongest one we have seen in a really long time, and it's impacting the nation's midsection really from the U.S./Canadian border all the way down to Mexico.
Out ahead of this system, we have warm, unstable conditions. So severe thunderstorms are possible. And behind it cold air wrapping around bringing in some of the coldest temperatures of the season, strong winds and, yes, even blizzard like conditions at times.
Severe weather already occurring here across parts of the plains from Oklahoma down into parts of Kansas, and severe thunderstorm watch has been issued here. Strong winds and also some small hail are going to be possible with these storms. Snow coming down across parts of Colorado along the I-25 corridor. And westward Denver, you'll likely going to see your first snow flurries for today but little to no accumulation is going to be expected.
Not the story as the system heads eastward throughout the day today. That cold air mixes in with the moisture here in Nebraska and Kansas. And we're talking five to 10 inches of snow possible before all is done from North Platt down towards Kearney, Nebraska. And the winds could be gusting as much as 60 miles per hour so the first blizzard warnings of the season have been issued as well.
This is a strong system, Kiran, that's heading eastward. It's going to be affecting everybody east of the Mississippi later in the week as well. Back to you.
CHETRY: Jacqui, thanks.
ROBERTS: To the "Most Politics in the Morning" now. They are not just absentee voters, more like an unseen voting block. Americans living abroad eager to be a part of picking the next president.
CNN's Zain Verjee looks at how the State Department and both political parties are beefing up efforts to help Americans around the world cast their vote.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) ZAIN VERJEE, CNN STATE DEPARTMENT CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): A get out the vote party at the U.S. Embassy in Buenos Aires, Argentina. In London, the embassy there is telling Americans wherever they are to step up.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: So you're here to finalize your absentee ballot.
JANICE JACOBS, ASST. SECRETARY OF STATE: Our main role is to really help Americans exercise their right to vote and just to get information out to them about how to do that.
VERJEE: Explaining paperwork and deadlines. Even sending absentee ballots to the states where voters or their parents last lived.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: But we really urge you to send it in as soon as possible.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: OK. Well, that sounds like I'll probably make my mind out today.
VERJEE: For many, the process can be overwhelming.
HAROLD SCHEPIEN, AMERICAN IN LONDON: So it's a bit -- it was a little bit confusing, actually.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: So, was it helpful to come in today?
SCHEPIEN: Oh, yes, it's very helpful to come in.
VERJEE: Federal Express has a special deal new this year, discounts, and in some cases free delivery of U.S. ballots from 89 countries. Absentee votes can make a difference. They were part of the bitter ballot count in 2000.
WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR: In a presidential election too close to call.
VERJEE: Counting of those ballots varies state by state. In some, absentee ballots can arrive after Election Day. Some states only count them a couple of weeks later.
Republicans use this Web site to hunt for votes. Democrats are online too with celebrities making the pitch to boost turnout.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I'll be voting from London, but you can vote from anywhere.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VERJEE: The Pentagon and the State Department helped to get ballots to 1.4 million military members and their families, 100,000 U.S. government employees overseas, and maybe as many as six million potential American voters living outside the U.S.
(on camera): The State Department says there are more people motivated to vote overseas than ever before. In Buenos, Aires, for example, 800 people just came in to mail their absentee ballots.
Zain Verjee, CNN, Washington.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
CHETRY: Phantom votes.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I went in there then pushed the Democrat ticket, and it jumped to the Republican ticket and the president of the United States.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHETRY: Trouble with the touch screen. Casting an early vote when the voting machine has a mind of its own.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: She just said oh. She said it's just been doing that. Just hit it again.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHETRY: You're watching the "Most News in the Morning."
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ROBERTS: Welcome back to the "Most Politics in the Morning." It is not just Barack Obama who gets accused of being unpatriotic by some Republicans. Now, it may be many members of Congress.
Carol Costello is live in Washington this morning with more on the congresswoman in the hot seat for what she said. And there really is a fire underneath that seat this morning, isn't it?
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Oh, you're absolutely right, John. You know, remember what your mom used to say? If you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all. If you're a politician, you actually never follow that advice. You throw a punch and then you duck when your own fist comes back to hit you in the face.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
COSTELLO (voice-over): Minnesota Republican Congresswoman Michele Bachmann is spinning herself. Last week on MSNBC, she appeared to question Barack Obama's patriotism.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP, "HARDBALL WITH CHRIS MATTHEWS")
REP. MICHELE BACHMANN (R), MINNESOTA: I'm very concerned that he may have anti-American views.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COSTELLO: Three days later in a "Washington Times" online interview, she denied it.
BACHMANN: It is not true. I did not say that. I didn't question Barack Obama's patriotism.
COSTELLO: Last week, Bachmann also addressed whether members of Congress were anti-American.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP, "HARDBALL WITH CHRIS MATTHEWS")
BACHMANN: The news media should do a penetrating expose and take a look. I wish they would. I wish the American media would take a great look at the views of the people in Congress and find out are they pro-America or anti-America.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COSTELLO: On Monday, she backed off that too telling "The Washington Times" she wasn't pushing for an investigation.
BACHMANN: That's an out and out bald-faced lie. I did not say that.
COSTELLO: But her denials have pushed congressional Democrats into overdrive. Bachmann is running for reelection in Minnesota. And thanks to her allegedly anti-liberal comments, Democrats are now flushed with cash. They've launched TV ads.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
NARRATOR: Michele Bachmann may stand alone, but she doesn't stand for you.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COSTELLO: Bachmann's Democratic opponent trailing her by just a few points is cash happy too. He has raised $810,000 since Bachmann's comments hit the airwaves.
Political observers are a little surprised by the Democratic backlash. It's not like Bachmann hasn't angered them before. In 2007, she raised eyebrows for reaching out and touching President Bush after his State of the Union.
And then there was this hot for God sermon.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BACHMANN: It says when you're hot for Jesus Christ there is nothing that is like that life.
(END VIDEO CLIP) COSTELLO: That spawned an online anti-Bachmann movement. But nothing has roused Minnesota Democrats like Bachmann's alleged charges of liberal anti-Americanism. And some observers say it could lead to her ouster.
DANIEL LIBIT, POLITICO.COM: It's raised her profile to quite a degree, but this was the wrong time to sort of swing for the fences.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
COSTELLO: And in a statement to CNN, Bachmann said her comments were taken out of context. She never called for some House un- American activities, activity witch-hunts, and she says she never called all liberals anti-American.
Congresswoman Bachmann was asking legitimate questions she says about Barack Obama's association with '60s radical Bill Ayers and his former pastor, the Reverend Wright -- John.
ROBERTS: How do you parse the difference between anti-American and unpatriotic?
COSTELLO: She's trying. She's spinning.
ROBERTS: Yes.
COSTELLO: She's doing it. But she's got Democrats really angry and they're taking their anger out of their pocketbooks and giving it to the Democratic Party.
ROBERTS: Yes. We should also point out, too, Carol, that we have been trying to get Congresswoman Bachmann whom I have interviewed before in the past up at the Republican Convention on AMERICAN MORNING for the last three days to no avail. So --
COSTELLO: Well, she certainly has never been media shy. She's been on, I think, every cable network available many, many times. She likes the limelight, but this time it's (INAUDIBLE).
ROBERTS: Yes. Well, seems to have developed a sudden allergy to being on TV but maybe we'll get her on. But the invitation is still out there. So, Carol, thanks so much for that.
COSTELLO: Sure.
CHETRY: Well, it's just about half past the hour. We check the top stories now.
Gas prices continue to get cheaper. AAA reporting the national average price for unleaded regular gas is now just under $2.86 a gallon. The price of gas has dropped for 35 straight days, and it hasn't been this low in nearly a year.
Forget replacing your boarding pass or misplacing it rather. More and more airlines are going paperless. The Transportation Security Administration will expand its system by next year. So here's how it will work.
The boarding passes will be e-mailed either to a passenger cell phone or BlackBerry and appear on screen as a bar code. And the TSA screener scans the code. The passenger's name and flight information is displayed, although there are many people who still like to have their paper pass and you still can.
Former political director for President Bush, Karl Rove, confronted by an anti-war protester. There you see it. A woman from the group CODEPINK tries to put handcuffs on Rove, but he elbows her away. She is then taken off stage.
The woman identified as 58-year old Janine Boneparth called it a citizen's arrest for treason. Rove was speaking at the Mortgage Bankers Association's annual convention.
And more politics now. The latest CNN poll of polls shows Barack Obama nine points ahead of John McCain. It's Obama's biggest lead yet in the poll of polls. The economy, of course, issue number one for both candidates out on the campaign trail. And they're aiming to take on each other's economic plans.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. JOHN MCCAIN (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: After months of campaign trail eloquence, we finally learned what Senator Obama's economic goal is as he told Joe, he wants to spread the wealth around. He believes in redistributing wealth not in policies that grow our economy and create jobs and opportunities for all Americans. Senator Obama is more interested in controlling who gets your piece of the pie than he is in growing the pie.
SEN. BARACK OBAMA (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: What I'm trying to do is provide a tax cut for 95 percent of working families. We are going to roll back the Bush tax cuts on the wealthiest Americans, those making more than $250,000 a year. Now, Senator McCain, I think, over the last several days has been maybe a little confused about my plan. I'll give him the benefit of the doubt. Maybe he just hasn't read it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHETRY: Obama and McCain hit the battlegrounds again today. Obama stumping in Virginia while McCain and Sarah Palin will hold joint rallies in Ohio -- John.
ROBERTS: Vote and switch. What if you went in to vote for one candidate but it ended up counting for the other guy. Brian Todd now with a special "Count the Vote" report.
BRIAN TODD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, John and Kiran. The early voting problems here in Jackson County were due mostly to what on the surface seems like a fairly simple problem, but it has caused a lot of worry here so we talked to voters and local officials to get to the bottom of it. (BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) TODD (voice-over): Calvin Thomas has voted in West Virginia since Truman beat Dewey. He's 81 years old now and his eyesight is deteriorating. But when he tried to vote early in his hometown of Ripley and brought his daughter, Micki Clendenin into the booth to help him, Thomas' vision wasn't the problem.
CALVIN THOMAS, JACKSON COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA VOTER: I went in there and pushed the Democrat ticket and it jumped to the Republican ticket for president of the United States.
TODD: Micki helped her dad touched the screen a couple of times, but as vote for Barack Obama still click on John McCain. Then it happened to Micki. Each time poll workers had them repeat the process.
MICKI CLENDENIN, JACKSON COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA VOTER: The lady came in and she was -- very nicely, she just said, oh -- she said, it's just been doing that. She said just hit it again. So we hit it again and this time it did go to Obama.
TODD: At least five voters reported the same problem in two West Virginia counties. State and local officials tell us these were isolated cases, that each time poll workers fixed the problem and the correct vote was cast. The machines manufactured by company called ES&S will be used in several states this year and were among those that had problems in Ohio in 2004.
Company officials tell us they've inspected the machines in West Virginia and nobody has cast an inaccurate vote. In Ripley, West Virginia, we weren't allowed to film the actual machines that had problems but Jackson County clerk Jeff Waybright took us through the process with an identical machine and zeroed in on what he thinks happened.
JEFF WAYBRIGHT, JACKSON COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA, CLERK: They touched on Barack Obama, or they thought they were touching, but their finger might possibly rolled up. Now if I roll my finger down you can see that it looks like my finger is definitely on Barack Obama's box.
TODD: We asked Waybright about insinuations on local news reports of political manipulation since he and the neighboring county clerk are Republican, and in most cases Democratic votes click to a GOP candidate.
WAYBRIGHT: If I was going to, you know, try to manipulate the machine, I wouldn't know how to do it begin with.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
TODD: The West Virginia secretary of state office tells us it believes most of the problems stem from the machines not being calibrated properly. That actually -- that means the electronic boxes weren't line up correctly. Jeff Waybright disputes that saying all of his machines here in Jackson County were calibrated perfectly. He believes most of these problems were due to voter error.
John and Kiran, back to you.
ROBERTS: Brian Todd, counting the vote for us this morning. And with 13 days now until the election, CNN is on the ground in the critical battleground states looking at key issues. Still to come this morning, Sean Callebs is in Florida looking at early voting and already claims of voting machine trouble in that state. We'll also be talking to Florida's governor about potential problems there.
And if you've got concerns about possible voting irregularities in your state, we want to know about it. You can call us toll free at 1-877-gocnn-08. Again, 1-877-462-66-08.
CHETRY: Issue number one, McCain versus Obama. Christine Romans breaks down the candidates' energy plan. How the next president tries to cut our dependence on foreign oil. You're watching the "Most News in the Morning."
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
CHETRY: And welcome back to AMERICAN MORNING. Christine Romans is "Minding Your Business" this morning. You've been taking a look each day at how various proposals -- economic proposals on both presidential candidates will affect you. Today, we're talking about America's energy future.
CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: That's absolutely right. What does your vote on Election Day mean for America's energy security? Both candidates want to reduce dependence on foreign oil but they have drastically different ways of getting there. No surprise.
The choice for voters comes down to a case of supply versus demand. John McCain wants to reduce dependence by increasing our domestic supply. Barack Obama wants to bring down America's consumption of oil. Let's take a look first at McCain's plan. He advocates more offshore drilling for oil. He wants to build 45 nuclear plants for the next 20 years, devote $2 billion to clean coal and give tax breaks to investors in alternative energy.
Now, Barack Obama vows that in 10 years we wouldn't need any imported oil from the Middle East and Venezuela. He would start with a 10-year $150 billion campaign for renewable energy. He endorses limited offshore drilling. And vows that 10 percent of electricity will come from renewable energy in the next four years. He wants to get a million plug-in cars on the road in the next eight years.
By the year 2050, both candidates want to seriously cutback on carbon emissions and get energy from renewable sources. So, they both want to cut our dependence on foreign oil but they both have very, very different ways of getting there.
Two points here. Oil prices have come down so dramatically that this frenzy about energy dependence has died down a little bit, as the frenzy about the financial crisis has heated up. And a lot of folks are saying can you get two big new, you know, nuclear power programs or renewable energy programs, or any new energy programs. CHETRY: But it all requires a lot of spending as they really is.
ROMANS: It requires a lot of spending and we're already in the midst of something else here. So does this take a back seat? Barack Obama has said that he might not get everything he wants for energy independence, but he has -- he has essentially said that he would reorder the economy.
Lansing, Michigan, he stood up and had this huge unveiling, you know, a few months ago of his energy plan. And it's a big plan for how the economy would look. John McCain wants, you know, these nuclear plants built. They take time. They take investment as well. We'll have to see if that's going to be something that can be, you know, on top of the list of things to do in the next year or so.
CHETRY: Yes, it's tough when we see energy prices drop and we see the price of oil and gas go down. The appetite, you know, just a few months ago, everyone wanted a plug in car.
ROMANS: That's right. That's right.
CHETRY: Very interesting stuff. Thanks, Christine.
ROBERTS: Don't give up on that idea just yet because gas is really --
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CHETRY: Oh, yes.
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ROBERTS: Absolutely. John McCain just called Barack Obama's judgment wrong on the recent Russian invasion of Georgia. Sounds like a job for the "Truth Squad." We're checking that claim out for you.
CHETRY: The great escape.
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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (INAUDIBLE)
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CHETRY: The markets might be down and people might be losing jobs but there's one thing some people just won't give up.
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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That's my get-away. That's my escape.
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CHETRY: A look at how the movie business survives market meltdown. You're watching the "Most News in the Morning."
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CHETRY: Well, John McCain again calling into question Barack Obama's foreign policy credentials. McCain telling supporters yesterday that Obama's judgment was wrong on the recent Russian invasion of Georgia. Alina Cho and the "Truth Squad" are on the case and she joins us this morning with the facts.
Good morning.
ALINA CHO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hey there, Kiran, good morning to you. Good morning, everybody. As many people know, it's been one of John McCain's biggest complaints that Obama lacks experience in foreign policy, that he's dead wrong on it. And to illustrate that claim, McCain brought up the conflict between Russia and Georgia yesterday in Pennsylvania. He said at the start of the conflict, Barack Obama's instincts were off the mark.
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MCCAIN: We've seen the wrong response from him over and over during this campaign. When Russia invaded Georgia, Senator Obama said the invaded country, Georgia -- small, teeny country -- should show restraint.
CHO (voice-over): We went back to August 8th to fact check this one. That's the day Russia moved into Georgia and both major candidates for president issued different statements. McCain's was a strong rebuke of Russia, calling for its troops to immediately leave Georgia.
Obama's statement condemned the violence and said, quote, "Now is the time for Georgia and Russia to show restraint, and to avoid an escalation to full-scale war." The next day, August 9th, Obama released another statement. This time, he strongly criticized Russia's, quote, "aggressive actions" and called for the country to immediately withdraw. Team Obama argues he was trying to keep both sides calm as the situation developed. And once it did, he condemned Russia's behavior.
Again, here's Senator McCain's take.
MCCAIN: When Russia invaded Georgia, Senator Obama said the invaded country, Georgia - small, teeny country -- should show restraint.
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CHO: So the "Truth Squad" verdict on this one -- boy, we jumped the gun on the sound effects there -- misleading. Senator Obama did urge restraint but he did so on the part of both Georgia and Russia, and as the facts emerged as you just heard, Obama shifted his stance to strongly condemn Russia's actions.
So coming up at 8:00, Obama says to John McCain once said he could not in good conscience support the Bush tax cuts because the benefits would go to the wealthy at the expense of middle-class Americans. That sounds, Kiran, like something Obama would say. So, did McCain actually say that? We're going to have the answer for you at 8:00.
CHETRY: All right. We look forward to it. Thanks, Alina.
CHO: You bet.
ROBERTS: Pop politics. From primetime to porn to a growing group of average Joes.
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GOV. SARAH PALIN (R), VICE PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Ed the dairyman, Phil the bricklayer and we have Andy the engineer, Tito the builder.
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ROBERTS: Jeanne Moos takes a most unusual look at how the campaigns are invading pop culture. You're watching the "Most News in the Morning."
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ROBERTS: It's all politics all the time with the presidential election 13 days away now and it seems darn near everyone is getting into the act. Here's Jeanne Moos with that.
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JEANNE MOOS, CNN NATIONAL NEWS CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): If the campaign doesn't end soon those ladies on "The View" are going to kill each other.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: All right.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: As I made the point.
MOOS: McCain supporter Elisabeth Hasselbeck is even wearing her AmeriCain T-shirt. And on "Ellen," the host joked about how much election coverage she's watching on CNN.
ELLEN DEGENERES, HOST, "THE ELLEN DEGENERES SHOW": So much. I realized the other day, I called my den the situation room and I'm sleeping now on a Larry King size bed.
MOOS: On Monday, VP pick Joe Biden find to pick off an actress. It took him six throws to dunk Julia Louise Dreyfus for (INAUDIBLE). Then he apologized. And what looked like a prison conjugal visit, but that pales next to the X-rated Sarah Palin look-a-like film that "Hustler" publisher Larry Flint has made. A non-x-rated clip has surfaced showing the look-a-like entertaining two Russian soldiers whose tank has broken down.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: If I could rearrange the alphabet, I will put you and I together. UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: If I didn't know any better I think you boys are flirting with me.
MOOS: And speaking of look-a-likes, according to the Web site TMZ, the real Sarah Palin supposedly checked into her New York hotel as Tina, the night she appeared on "Saturday Night Live". Our Photoshop joke photo of the day is Obama and Palin dancing with the stars, our poster of the day is attack of the 50-foot Palin. Meanwhile conservative blogs are attacking the animated show "Family Guy", for sticking a McCain pin on a character wearing a Nazi uniform.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There's something on here. Huh, that's weird.
MOOS: The McCain campaign keeps pinning its hopes on a certain Joe.
MCCAIN: Joe the Plumber.
PALIN: Good old Joe the Plumber.
MOOS (on camera): Just call me Jeanne the plunger. Actually, a Portland, Oregon radio station plunge in to rescue Joe the Plumber.
(voice-over): KEX organized a donation drive, and listeners contributed $1,800 to more than pay off Joe's overdue tax bill.
VOICE OF JOE WURZELBACHER, "JOE THE PLUMBER": You have my deepest gratitude. I really appreciate it.
MOOS: Watch out Joe the Plumber has spawned signs proclaiming --
PALIN: Ed the dairy man, Phil the brick layer. We have Andy engineer, Tito the builder.
MOOS: Maybe Dave the cop better start checking the IDs.
PALIN: Jon, the only Republican in my high school.
MOOS: Jeanne Moos, CNN, New York.
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ROBERTS: Controversial new reports. Governor Palin's daughters traveling with her on official business and guess whose footing the bill? Taxpayers. And why were the expense reports amended?
Plus, he registered 2,000 voters who didn't even exist.
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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We came up with the idea (INAUDIBLE). I needed money.
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ROBERTS: Making up bogus names, registering phony people.
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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Are we talking about these fake people actually showing up to vote?
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ROBERTS: You're watching the "Most News in the Morning."
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ROBERTS: Checking our "Political Ticker" this Wednesday morning. An anti-war protester from the group CODEPINK tried to handcuff President Bush's former political point man Karl Rove. It happened in a San Francisco mortgage bankers meeting. The woman said it was a citizen's arrest for treason. Rove simply elbowed her away and then proceeded to ignore her through the rest of the ordeal. And all five CODEPINK members were pulled from that hall.
An eyebrow-raising report says the Republican National Committee has spent $150,000 on clothes and accessories for the Palin Family. That includes almost 50 grand at Saks Fifth Avenue and over $75,000 at Neiman Marcus. The campaign says the plan has always been to give the clothes to charity.
And only in America. We drive through pharmacies and coffee houses, why not the drive-through voting booth. Well, one just open in Santa Ana, California, southeast of Los Angeles. Official say it's just another way to encourage early voting before the 4th of November. And for more up-to-the-minute political news, just head to CNN.com/ticker.
CHETRY: Well, there are just 13 days until Election Day and the candidates are working furiously to win the battleground state of Florida. It's home to 27 crucial electoral votes. And the newest CNN Poll of Polls in Florida gives Barack Obama just a three point edge there. Joining me now, John McCain supporter and Florida Governor Charlie Crist.
Great to see you this morning, Governor.
GOV. CHARLIE CRIST, MCCAIN SUPPORTER: You, too, Kiran. How are you this morning?
CHETRY: Great. Thanks.
CRIST: Good.
CHETRY: You know, we had early voting in your states starting Monday. And in Florida, we heard from some of our reporters who actually went through the process long lines, people waiting up to three hours and some problems with machines. In fact, I think some of the touch screens ended up not working as well as they were supposed to, so they went back to paper ballots. How concerned are you about how the voting is going in your state? CRIST: Well, the voting is going very well. And early voting is sort of a new concept. We're very pleased to have it here in Florida. You're right, it started on Monday and we're getting record turnouts. The Tallahassee Democrat report this morning that the only thing that isn't showing up are problems. That it's going very smoothly. So, I'm very pleased about that. I hope that that will continue. I believe that it will. And we should have a record turn out for this election.
CHETRY: I know what you're saying that you're still working out the kinks. But do you think three hours is how long it should take people to cast a ballot?
CRIST: Well, hopefully, it would be sooner. But there's another side to that story. When you have long lines at the polls, an awful lot of people are exercising their right to democracy, and that's a wonderful thing. We're very pleased by that.
And if we have a record turnout, we'll be additionally pleased to report that. So, I think we're in good shape. I think we're ready. You know, for the first time now, we have a paper trail for our ballots here in Florida. I worked across the aisle, as a matter of fact, to get that done with Congressman Robert Wexler. We're pleased about that.
If we have a close vote, which it looks like it's probably going to be very close, then if we have to do any recount, we actually have something to recount. So, we've made some progress. We're very excited about the vote here in Florida, and I'm very excited for Senator McCain and a great victory.
CHETRY: Well, hopefully, you won't have to have a recount. We know how that can go. It's interesting. A little bit of history. George W. Bush won Florida both times in 2000 and 2004. In fact, no Republicans since Calvin Coolidge has lost to your state and went on to win the White House. Right now it's tight but Barack Obama is still three points ahead in our latest poll of polls for Florida.
What do you think McCain needs to do to ensure that the GOP carries your state?
CRIST: I think exactly what he's doing. He's going to be back here in the Sunshine State tomorrow. I look forward to campaigning with him in the I-4 corridor. He's been here a lot. Obviously, Sarah Palin has been here as well. So, I think they're doing exactly what they need to do, focus on Florida. Make sure that it's upper most in the campaign's mind. It certainly is. And that, you know, reminds voters here in the Sunshine State that they care deeply about them. And I think that's exactly what needs to be done. Talk about cutting taxes, talk about being on the people's side. Talk about fighting for people and making sure that they have an opportunity to have a bright future. That's what it's all about in these closing days.
CHETRY: You mentioned Sarah Palin. She's generated a lot of support certainly among the Republicans base. We have some new polling out showing that she actually may be a drag on the ticket, that her favorability ratings have changed quite dramatically since mid-September.
When you talk about these undecided voters, could she potentially turn them in favor of the McCain ticket or do you think she could be a drag on the ticket?
CRIST: I think she can turn them in favor, the McCain ticket. And you know, at the end of the day, people really vote the top of the ticket. They're looking at Senator McCain, they're looking at Senator Obama. We're electing a new president, and I think it's really important to understand when it comes down to the final vote that's really what people look at.
CHETRY: Right.
CRIST: And I know Senator McCain will do well and Governor Palin has helped an awful lot.
CHETRY: When people are polled about their concerns, there are a larger group who are concerned about whether or not she could take over as president versus the Obama-Biden ticket. Are you fully confident that if anything were to happen to John McCain, Sarah Palin could take over as president from day one?
CRIST: I think she would do a great job. I mean, realize that, you know, she really is the only executive that's running -- the only one who has been the head of the government in Alaska. She's held executive positions as a mayor, executive position as a governor. Made those kinds of decisions. I think she's ready.
CHETRY: All right. There was a little hullabaloo I guess about whether or not you were campaigning enough for John McCain. How is that going? Are you out there on the stump for John McCain a lot, enough?
CRIST: Yes. As much as I can be, absolutely, yes. I mean, John McCain is my friend. And I care deeply about him and his future and his presidency. That's why I endorsed him in the primary back in January here in Florida. He will be a great president. We're doing everything we can here in Florida. There was a poll yesterday, in fact, that had him up by one in the Sunshine State. So, I'm excited about his possibilities. I look forward to seeing him back here tomorrow. He is running a great race and I think he'll win the Sunshine State.
CHETRY: It certainly is a true battleground with 27 electoral votes up for grabs. Governor Charlie Crist, always great to talk to you. Thanks for being with us this morning.
CRIST: You, too, Kiran. Thank you very much.
