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Examining John McCain's Remarks Following Economic Roundtable; Sarah Palin Speaks in Virginia

Aired October 27, 2008 - 10:06   ET

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

HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: There you have Senator John McCain in sort of a surprise announcement. We weren't quite sure what he was going to be talking about there. But you saw the business people he was with, including Mitt Romney there. And he talked mostly about the economy and the taxes and even a little on mortgage plans and health care as you heard at the end there as well.
Our Ed Henry is actually standing by for us in Dayton, Ohio, right now to talk a little bit more about this with us. So Ed, I wonder this didn't seem like a new economic plan, if you will, or new health care. It seemed like he was responding to something.

ED HENRY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, yes. He was having this economic round table this morning. I think what he was really trying to show was what he said there at the end, a couple of points. One, that he has this team of people advising him. He wants to get the American people's attention. He knows the market has just opened. There's a lot more worries about what's going on on Wall Street. So he wants to showcase Meg Whitman, former executive and Mitt Romney, who has got a lot of business experience. Look, without saying that this is going to be my Treasury Secretary. This is going to be my commerce secretary. These are the kinds of people, Washington outsiders, that are around the table with me, advising me on the financial crisis. And they'll be the people that I will bring to Washington. Not sort of the same old players.

Secondly I think you heard at the end there about Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid. We're starting to hear that more. It's not completely new but we're hearing that more in the speeches. This is an important part of John McCain's closing argument which is that this is not just a race between him and Barack Obama, but it's a choice as to whether the American people want to give the keys of the whole kingdom, if you will, control of the entire government to democrats. Barack Obama, Nancy Pelosi, Harry Reid. When you look at the rest of the landscape as you just did in the last hour about the possibility of democrats getting a filibuster proof majority of 60 votes in the senate. If Barack Obama is elected with a very powerful democratic senate, he could actually get a lot accomplished. Not just on the economy, health care, but also things like Supreme Court appointments.

If you look at it, in January there are going to be six out of the nine Supreme Court justices are going to be at least 70 years old. You're going to hear John McCain talk about that in the coming days because there could be a couple of retirements on the high court. And if Obama is elected with a big democratic Senate. He obviously would have a much better chance to shape the court. Whereas, if John McCain is elected with a strong democratic Senate, he would have a lot of legislative battles with them. You're going to hear a lot about don't give the control of the entire government to the democrats. That's going to be a key part of McCain's closing argument. Heidi.

COLLINS: All right. CNN's Ed Henry for us this morning in Dayton, Ohio, where the senator will be arriving a little bit later on today. Thank you, Ed.

We expect Senator Obama in Canton, Ohio, shortly. He's buttoning up his campaign with a final argument, if you will, an exhausting schedule, too. Here's CNN's Suzanne Malveaux.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Sprinting to the finish. Barack Obama in Ohio Monday, a state that is a must win. Over the weekend Obama was out west, hitting three states that went for George Bush in 2004.

OBAMA: I want to help responsible homeowners refinance their mortgages on affordable terms.

MALVEAUX: Nevada, which has the nation's highest foreclosure rate.

OBAMA: Five times the national average. And we're going to put in place a three-month moratorium to give folks the breathing room they need to get back on their feet and work things out with their bank.

MALVEAUX: New Mexico, where Obama leads in the polls.

OBAMA: What we need right now is a real debate about how to fix our economy and help middle class families.

MALVEAUX: And Colorado, where supporters broke attendance records at a Denver rallying, showing up more than 100,000 strong.

OBAMA: How many people have early voted? That's what I'm talking about. That's what I'm talking about. No point in waiting in lines if you don't have to. You know who you're going to vote for.

MALVEAUX: But the end game, it's all about getting out the vote. Here in Colorado, early voting means they're already going to the polls. The campaign is also spending record amounts of money in the final days, unveiling new TV ads targeting John McCain's economic plan.

OBAMA: Will our country be better off four years from now?

MALVEAUX: On the stump, the same message but a new line. Ridiculing McCain for distancing himself from George Bush.

OBAMA: John McCain attacking George Bush for his out of hand economic policies is like Dick Cheney attacking George Bush for his foreign policy. It's Robin getting mad at Batman.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COLLINS: Ready to rally the voters. We are waiting for both the republican and democratic vice presidential candidates to make their first appearance of the day. Governor Sarah Palin, who you actually see getting ready to take to the podium in Leesburg, Virginia. And down to the right of your screens, Senator Joe Biden in (Green), North Carolina. He'll be coming there shortly. So stay with CNN for those events and much more. A quick break here.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ANNOUNCER: Live breaking news, unfolding developments, see you yourself in the CNN NEWSROOM.

COLLINS: Breaking news to tell you about in fact right now. Hours after an appeal by Oscar-winning actress Jennifer Hudson there may be a grim new development in the search for her missing seven- year-old nephew. You may remember Julian King vanished from the Chicago home where Hudson's mother and brother were found shot to death over the weekend. We have now learned the Cook county medical examiner's office is investigating reports of a child's body found in an SUV. It's that white SUV right there. We want to get directly to CNN producer Bill Kirkos, he's on the phone with us now with more information. Bill, what do we know at this point?

VOICE OF BILL KIRKOS, CNN PRODUCER: Well, Heidi, potentially it's not very good news. I'm on the west side of Chicago where overnight or earlier today what is confirmed right now is that police found the white suburban that they have been looking for in connection to the Hudson killings on Friday. There's been a massive man hunt by Chicago police as well as FBI for this car and of course, more importantly Julian. They have confirmed, the Cook County medical examiner's office has confirmed that it is the white Suburban that they have been looking for. It was found approximately six or seven miles the from the house where this all unfortunately started on Friday. We're on the far west side of the city. The home is on the south side. And just being confirmed is that it is indeed the white Suburban that they've been looking for, and there is a child's body. Not confirmed is who that is. That may take a little bit longer. But this was the car they were looking for. So it has been towed away from the scene. And being towed away obviously for more examining of evidence and to continue this investigation. But that's the latest from the scene here.

COLLINS: Yes Bill, just so people know, we are looking at live pictures right now. That vehicle has been taken from the streets where it was first found and now being moved again with live pictures into some time of garage where obviously investigators will look closer at it. Bill, if you could, stay in close contact with us. And see if you can get any more confirmation on this story. Sure do appreciate it. CNN produce Bill Kirkos there. Thank you, Bill.

Quickly, we want to let you know a couple of other things that we are watching this morning. And that is the vice presidential candidates, Governor Sarah Palin in Leesburg, Virginia. Let's go ahead and listen in for just a moment there.

GOV. SARAH PALIN (R), VICE PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: We have a pro private sector, pro growth plan that will get this economy back on the right track. Now John and I, what we're going to do is lower your income taxes. And we will double the child tax deduction for every family, and we will cut capital gains tax. And right now, you know the U.S. business tax is the second highest in the world? We will cut that business tax. We will cut it so that we can keep American businesses in America.

And, you know, when it comes to taxes, you have such a real choice. It's such a clear choice on November 4th. And I want to talk about this for a minute. Because our opponent is not being candid with you all about his tax plans. And it isn't mean-spirited and it isn't negative campaigning to call someone out on their record, and their plans, and their associations. It's not negative campaigning to call them out on their record. It's in fairness to all of you, the voters in this great country. So we're going to do it. And John and I - John and I have a very basic fundamental disagreement with our opponent on this issue.

Senator Obama has an ideological commitment to higher taxes. And though it seems that he adjust his tax plan pronouncements almost daily now, kind of flip-flopping on all the details are, his commitment to higher taxes never changes though. And you just have to look at his record. He voted 94 times for higher taxes. 94 times he had an opportunity to be on your side. Instead, he took each opportunity to be on the side of bigger government. He wanting to increase taxes even on hard working middle class Americans making just $42,000 a year. Now he's committed to nearly a trillion dollars in promises of new government growth, new spending, but he doesn't tell you where the dollars will come from to spend on those proposals. It has to come from higher taxes. So you can either do the math or just go with your gut. And either way you draw the same conclusion. And that's that Barack Obama is on the side of bigger, more controlling government and higher taxes.

You bet you. That's good. That's good. Virginia you really have to listen to our opponent's word through this. Through this debate, through this campaign. Listen to what he is saying and the nuances the words chosen even. He says that now he's for a tax credit, which is when the government takes more of your hard-earned money and then government gives it away according to some politician's priorities. And John McCain and I we are for a real tax cut, which is when the government just takes less of your earnings in the first place. You know, I really got to hand it to Joe the plumber over there in Toledo, Ohio. Somehow -- somehow Joe the plumber -

(CHEERING)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I am Joe. I am Joe.

PALIN: See somehow Joe accomplished what the rest of us have not been able to accomplish, even the media could not accomplish this. But Joe did. He got our opponent to finally state his intentions in plain language. Senator Obama says, Obama says that he wants to spread the wealth. Which is when government takes your hard-earn moneyed, doles it out however a politician sees fit. Obama calls it spreading the wealth. Joe Biden calls higher taxes patriotic. But Joe the plumber said to him, it sounded like socialism. And now is not the time to experiment with that.

So a lot of folks around the country they identify with Joe. And we see posters even here today. We saw posters recently. Doug the barber and Christine the florist and Cindy the citizen. And we got Joe the plumber's son. Jack the hunter. Vicky the realtor. One of my favorites last night was I am Joe Mama. So a lot of folks around the country identifying with Joe.

Now, I want to talk about one of these folks, whom John McCain met at a rally. His name is Tito Munoz. He's right here.

(CHEERING)

And listen to his story. Tito owns a small construction company right here in Virginia. So we call him Tito the builder as you said. And Tito isn't pleased with how the Obama campaign and his media friends have been roughing up Joe the plumber. Remember, remember, Joe just asked a simple question. Ever since then Joe has been investigated and attacked for asking that question. But Tito now, Tito has a question of his own. And Barack Obama isn't going to like this one either. Tito wants to know and I quote he asked and he said "Why the heck are you going after Joe the plumber? Joe the plumber has an idea. He has a future. He wants to be something else. Why is that so wrong?

So Tito, a U.S. citizen, an immigrant from Colombia, he had this reminder for us. He says everything is possible in America. I made it. Joe the plumber can make it even bigger than me.

(CHEERING)

Tito said I was born in Colombia, but I was made in the U.S.A..

(CHEERING)

Tito loves this country, and Tito isn't the only McCain supporter who feels that way. In fact, I know we have a lot of small business owners here with us today. And they feel just like Tito does. If you're like these fine people here, if you work hard, if you know what hard work feels like. And if you want to get ahead, if you believe America is the land of possibilities, and you don't want your dreams dashed by the Obama tax increase plan, and if you don't like the way our opponents have treated a guy who just asked a simple question, then you are Joe the plumber, too, and we're all in this together, Virginia.

So it doesn't sound like a whole lot of folks here on November 4th will be supporting Barack the wealth spreader. It's because you understand. It's because you understand. That his plan to redistribute wealth will ultimately punish hard work. And it discourages productivity. And it will stifle the entrepreneurial spirit that made this country the greatest country on earth. Our opponent's plan is to form more bigger, more controlling government. And that is the problem. That's not the solution. And John McCain and I, we have the complete opposite commitment. Instead of taking more of your money and spreading your wealth, we'll spread opportunity so that people like you and Tito and Joe can create new wealth.

(CHEERING)

We'll bring tax relief to every American and every business. And John and I know that it is our small businesses that are the backbone of this state and of our nation's economy. And that's why we're going to let you keep more of what you earn and produce so that you can hire more people that creates the jobs. That's how our economy gets rolling again. For you to keep it.

(APPLAUSE)

John and I don't think government should take more of your hard earned money. We think that bureaucracy should do more with less so that it is you -- you can prosper and thrive. And we don't think that you should be working for government. We think that government should work for you.

(APPLAUSE)

So if you share that commitment, we need your vote on November 4th, because if big government spenders --

(APPLAUSE)

If big government spenders control the House and the Senate and heaven forbid the White House, then they will have a monopoly of power in Washington. And the Obama/Pelosi/Reid agenda --

(BOOING)

It would put America on a path that erodes the strong work ethic that made this country so great. So, Virginia, let us fight together for what is right and free and uniquely American.

(APPLAUSE)

Let's elect a president who puts his country first and he puts his trust in you, not in bigger government.

(APPLAUSE)

So we would ask you to please get out there and vote early. Cast your vote. Elect John McCain the next president of the United States.

(APPLAUSE)

CROWD: Use your brain! Vote McCain! Use your brain! Vote McCain! Use your brain! Vote McCain! PALIN: So to get our economy back on the right track, we're going to lower taxes, we're going to confront, too, the $10 trillion debt the Federal government has run up. $10 trillion that we're expected to hand to our children to pay our bills for us. That debt. That's not right. That's not fair. That won't happen on our watch. John and I will impose a spending freeze to cover all but the most vital functions of government.

(APPLAUSE)

And we will balance the federal budget by the end of our first term.

(APPLAUSE)

Now, you can count on John and on me to follow through on promises. Because we're the only candidates in this race with a track record of reform. We have not just been talking the talk. We have both walked the walk. And as Senator, John McCain has taken on the wasteful spending and abuses of power and corruption of special interests. And as he'll tell you, he's got the scars to prove it.

And as president, John McCain is going to end those abuses once and for all.

(APPLAUSE)

Let me tell you a little bit about my own track record so you know where I am coming from. As mayor up in Alaska, I had to take on the good old boys, too, as governor also, and shake things up. And put government back on the side of the people.

I eliminated personal property taxes. And --

(APPLAUSE)

I eliminated small business inventory taxes. It's your inventory. It's not the government's. We cut that tax. And cut and eliminated other taxes and fees that really were just hampering growth. And we made our town a place where businesses could grow and thrive. And it works. Our community took off and then as governor, taking on the gold old boy network. I put the veto pen to nearly half a billion dollars in wasteful spending. And you ruffle feathers doing that. You know, you get scarred up, too coming out. But it's the right thing to do for the people who have hired you. And we suspended our state fuel tax.

(APPLAUSE)

We suspended our fuel tax. And now, we're returning a chunk of state surplus right back to the people of Alaska. It's their money. And they spend it better than government can spend it for them.

(APPLAUSE)

So we got back to basics. COLLINS: There you have a bit of the rally. Governor Sarah Palin. Obviously, the Republican vice presidential nominee coming to us from Leesburg, Virginia, right there. And also, a little bit later on today, we can expect the same type of event coming from Greeneville, North Carolina, and the Democratic vice presidential nominee, Joe Biden. That'll be coming up a little bit later on, right here on CNN.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COLLINS: The final push to the presidency. Today, they are brainstorming key swing states. Both Senator Barack Obama and Senator John McCain begin in Ohio, and then on to Pennsylvania. McCain's running mate, Sarah Palin, who you just heard from, plans to revisit Virginia, later this afternoon. While Senator Joe Biden hop scotches from North Carolina, to Florida.

And there you have Joe Biden, live right now in North Carolina. Do we want to listen in for a moment? We're going to get to him in just a moment.

First, though, to keeping pace with the best political team on television. CNN correspondents are spreading out all over the country of course, to bring you the latest from the key states. Right now they are in Ohio, Pennsylvania, Florida, and Colorado. In fact, let's go to CNN's Dan Simon. He's standing by in Denver.

A bit of a controversy brewing the there, Dan, involving thousands of voters. Give us an update.

DAN SIMON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Heidi, this could be a real legal mess. And why are we at this point? Because Colorado is a battleground state. You had Obama here yesterday. McCain on Friday. And the last thing you want is voters showing up to the polls and realizing they're not truly registered but you have a lawsuit alleging that could be a real possibility.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SIMON (voice-over): Colorado election workers are busy processing a record amount of mail-in ballots. But, there's concern thousands of state voters won't get the chance to cast their vote in the election.

JENNIFER FLANAGAN, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, COLORADO COMMON CAUSE: We have heard voters think they're registered and find that they're not on the list.

SIMON: Jenny Flanagan is the executive director of Colorado Common Cause, a nonpartisan government watchdog group. A plaintiff in a lawsuit alleging as many as 30,000 Colorado voters have been illegally purged from registration rules.

FLANAGAN: When in doubt, when we're this close to an election, we've got to err on the side of inclusiveness and give the voter an opportunity to participate. SIMON: The suit targets Colorado's Republican's Secretary of State, Mike Coffman. It says, he eliminated voters for several reasons not allowed under federal law. Among them, they had undeliverable mail within 20 days of registering.

Coffman is also a candidate for Congress. And those who brought the suit say that's a problem.

PENDA HAIR, ADVANCEMENT PROJECT: Having a partisan person both run the election. It's like being the umpire and playing the game at the same time. It should not happen.

SIMON: Coffman's office denies any wrongdoing. And says he believes Colorado has fully complied with all applicable voter registration laws and voter cancellation procedures.

He has also said recently the number of voters removed is 14,000, less than half of what is alleged. He says the majority had either moved out of the county or state, or were listed as duplicates.

The stakes, of course, are high. Colorado's battleground status has brought added scrutiny to its election procedures.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SIMON: So a major difference of opinion here. A judge could look at this case as early as today. The plaintiff wants the secretary of state to go back in, look at voter rules and determine if somebody was taken off who should not have been. Put that person back. Obviously, not a lot of time to go back in there and do the fixing -- Heidi.

COLLINS: Yes, no kidding.

All right, CNN's Dan Simon for us in Denver, Colorado. Dan, thank you.

Meanwhile, I want to take you back now to Senator Joe Biden, obviously the Democratic vice presidential nominee. And he is in Greeneville, North Carolina.

Let's listen in for just a moment.

SEN. JOE BIDEN (D), VICE PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: -- John actually went so far as to try to compare this past week, Barack Obama to George W. Bush.

(BOOING)

BIDEN: We saw it. And then last week John McCain started attacking George Bush's budget and fiscal policies. And, look, folks, I know Halloween's coming.

(LAUGHTER)

But John McCain dressed as an agent of change -- that costume doesn't fit, folks. That costume doesn't fit.

(APPLAUSE)

Especially when you realize that John McCain was the one who for the better part of this past year has been saying that under George Bush, we have made, quote, "great economic process." And just yesterday morning, I believe it was "Meet the Press," one of the national shows John McCain was on. He said to quote, he and President Bush, quote, "Share a common philosophy."

Well, ladies and gentlemen, that is a straight forward honest statement. And it's self-evident. But as my little granddaughter -- I got a 10 year-old granddaughter, and her name is Finnigan Biden, cute as a button. And as Finnigan would say, hello! As if we didn't know this.

(LAUGHTER)

Look, John's been lurching from pillar to post here. So, look at the the numbers. John McCain, as he's told us repeatedly, voted with George W. Bush 90 percent of the time. Just the other day it was reported that George Bush voted early in the presidential race. And that he said that he was voting for John McCain. I guess that's what you call returning the favor. Because he deserves that vote because he's earned it.

Ladies and gentlemen, I know we're not running against President Bush. But we are running against the very Bush economic policies that John McCain wants to continue. Policies that call for tax cuts for companies that send jobs overseas while providing no relief for 100 million middle class Americans.

Policies that call for taxing our health care benefits as income. Policies that call for another $4 billion a year in new tax breaks for the Exxon Mobils of the world, on top of the $30 billion over the next 10 years, they're already getting. Tax cuts that call for $1 billion each for the largest corporations in America. $200 billion overall, for those corporations. Another $100 billion on top of that for the very wealthy.

Ladies and gentlemen, imagine how much we could do. For example, small business and middle-class people. Just by not spending the $4 billion more on Exxon Mobils of the world and just not spending another $8 billion in the eight largest corporations, ladies and gentlemen. We could fundamentally begin to change the economic circumstances of a lot of small business people and a lot of middle- class Americans.

Look folks, when I get back to the -- these have been great campaign days full of energy. And you get back to your hotel or motel about 11:00, 12:00 at night. And I find myself turning on the TV and watching the news of the day. And I often see our opponents and friends, John McCain and Sarah Palin standing on a stage like this. And one looks at the other and says, maverick. And the other goes, maverick.

(LAUGHTER)

These are mavericks. You know, I love the mavericks, you know. Well, there's a good friend of mine, the United States senator from Pennsylvania, named Bob Casey, from my hometown of Scranton. And to paraphrase Bob Casey, -- to paraphrase Casey, it's a real simple proposition, he says. You can't call yourself a maverick if all you've been the last eight years is a sidekick.

(APPLAUSE)

Folks, folks, if you give Barack and me the honor of serving as your president and vice president, here's what we're going to do. It's literally straight forward and simple. We're going to commit every waking hour, every day and night of our presidency and vice presidency to two overriding goals. The first is, literally to attempt to restore the middle class in America. They've been beaten down badly the last eight years.

(APPLAUSE)

And the second one is as equally as basic. In a sense for the young people in the front row here. It may be even more important long term. And that is, to restore America's respect in the world.

(APPLAUSE)

And ladies and gentleman...

COLLINS: Quickly, we have Senator Joe Biden there, as you can see at the podium in Greenville, North Carolina. I am just now hearing in my ear a little bit more information regarding Jennifer Hudson's nephew, the 7-year-old boy. We had police at the podium in Chicago, Illinois. Apparently looks as though he is about to step away. So I'm not quite sure what he just said. But we have been waiting to get more confirmation on the possible death of that 7-year- old boy.

We know according to our correspondents and to a couple of news agencies in the area that the medical examiner did say and did confirm to two different news sources there that a body had been found. We do not have confirmation if it is the little boy, Julian King, as you may know, who has been missing since the shootings this weekend. The death of Jennifer Hudson's mother and brother. Again, we are trying to get information on what just occurred at that press conference from the police that you saw there very briefly in Chicago. So, we'll bring it to you just as soon as we get it.

Meanwhile, a different story now. Tomato with a twist. What scientists are doing now in a lab that could one day lead to a cancer- fighting tool.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COLLINS: Ground breaking work going on in a lab. It's a tomato designed to fight cancer. CNN's Elizabeth Cohen is here now to tell us more about this. ELIZABETH COHEN, CNN MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: It's not just a tomato that fights cancer, it's a purple tomato that fights cancer. Because what researchers did is they took a gene from a snapdragon flower -- there are the tomatoes -- you can see the purple one on the bottom -- gene from a flower, put it into a tomato, turned it purple, which was the sign that was producing something called anthocyanins, which are found in blueberries and cranberries, hence the color.

And when they gave these tomatoes to mice who were prone to cancer, interesting thing happened -- the mice didn't get cancer and the mice lived a whole lot longer than what they expected. But I've got to tell you, I can see the smile on your face --

COLLINS: Well, they're pretty.

COHEN: They're very pretty. I thought you were smiling because they're mice, just mice.

COLLINS: Yes, just mice right now.

COHEN: Haven't done it in people yet. This is a great day if you're a mouse. It's a really great day if you're a mouse who likes tomatoes. You and me, we don't know.

COLLINS: Do mice like tomatoes? Clearly not the point.

But obviously when something is genetically engineered, people kind of start talking -- we mentioned frankenfood.

COHEN: Franken food, right.

COLLINS: People can wonder about that.

COHEN: Absolutely. And we actually ran this story by a consumer advocate. And he said, you know what? I'm not worried that these tomatoes will make anyone sick. I am a little concerned, he said, that when you put something in, when you change a tomato to make it purple and put in new genes, the tomato may lose some of the good things it already had naturally. So you add one good thing in, you may be taking a good thing out. It's unclear.

COLLINS: All right. Well, really, how soon will it be before we see these on shelves?

COHEN: Years.

COLLINS: Years.

COHEN: We're talking two or three or even more years because they have to go through the FDA, they have to get approval. They're genetically changing a food.

COLLINS: Yes and --

COHEN: So you can't just throw it on the shelf.

COLLINS: Right, I imagine we're only on mice, we have to make sure they are going to help people, obviously.

COHEN: Exactly, and that they are safe for people.

COLLINS: All right. Interesting idea, though. Purple tomatoes.

COHEN: That's right.

COLLINS: Thank you, Elizabeth. Appreciate that.

We'll be back in just a moment, right here, on CNN.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COLLINS: We do want to hear from you. If you run into problems at the polls, call the CNN voter hotline. You can help us track the problems, and then, of course, we'll report the trouble in realtime. Call 1-877-462-6608. We're keeping them honest all the way through the election and beyond.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COLLINS: Not jazz fest, it's the Voodoo festival. Hundreds of fans performed during the New Orleans event this weekend. Some performers say they had to dig equipment from out of the debris left by Hurricane Katrina. Tens of thousands of fans who attended certainly appreciated the effort.

I'm Heidi Collins. Join me again tomorrow morning beginning at 9:00 a.m. Eastern.

For now, CNN NEWSROOM continues with Tony Harris.