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Voting Problems Reported for Overseas Troops; 'No Match, No Vote' in Florida; NAACP Suing Virginia Over Voting Prep; Students Rap About Voting
Aired October 28, 2008 - 13:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: All right, Willie.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
LT. MELISSA COX BOSSE (RET.), U.S. NAVY: It's disenfranchising our military and, frankly, I think it's very unpatriotic.
PHILLIPS (voice-over): Ballots from the battlefield. U.S. troops overseas face an uphill fight to have a say in next week's election.
Too young to vote but too smart, too cool, too excited to sit the election out. These kids rap the vote, live, right here in the NEWSROOM.
And what's so funny about the world's view of Muslims?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Are you Islamabad?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, I'm Islamabad. I'm a capital taxpayer.
PHILLIPS: Building bridges, tearing down myths, one punchline at a time.
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PHILLIPS: And hello everyone. I'm Kyra Phillips, live at the CNN World Headquarters in Atlanta. You're live in the CNN NEWSROOM.
Let's get right to it. A pivotal and historic election, a boom in voter registration. Record, or near record, turnout predicted all over the country. What could go wrong? Well, already we know the answer is plenty.
A week away from November 4th, we're following the fight to keep voter rolls up to date and on the level. Here in Georgia, a federal court just ruled in favor of 4,500 would-be voters whose citizenship the state had questioned.
In New York, Virginia, Ohio and Florida, the group Rock the Vote is trying to make sure tens of thousands of young people who registered to vote really are registered.
And in Virginia, the NAACP is suing the governor, claiming the state is ill-prepared for a huge voter turnout. And there's no end to the problems in Florida over no match, no vote. A simple typo in a government database can cost a rightful voter his or her ballot.
And if all that makes your head spin -- our are spinning, that's for sure -- imagine trying to cast an absentee ballot from Afghanistan. Far too often, U.S. troops overseas are out of sight, out of mind, and out of luck when the votes get counted back home.
Here's CNN's Carol Costello.
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CAROL COSTELLO, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): They risk their lives in Iraq and Afghanistan, yet their vote for America's president often does not count.
ROSEMARY RODRIGUEZ, U.S. ELECTIONS ASSISTANCE COMMISSION: It's just (INAUDIBLE). And these are the voters that are, in some cases, preserving our liberties and out there with their lives on the line.
COSTELLO: Rodriguez works for the U.S. Elections Assistance Commission, a non-partisan group. In the last general election, as best she can determine, only about 30 percent of overseas military ballots were actually returned and counted.
BOSSE: It's disenfranchising our military and, frankly, I think it's very unpatriotic.
COSTELLO: One reason so many military votes are not counted: every state has its own rules for absentee voting, and they can change in the middle of an election cycle.
For example, in Virginia, a federal write-in ballot required a witness' signature and address. But for soldiers overseas, that proved confusing, because there is no box provided for a witness' address.
ROKEY SULEMAN, REGISTRAR, FAIRFAX COUNTY, VIRGINIA: This is the form.
COSTELLO: Rokey Suleman, the Fairfax County, Virginia, registrar, initially said he would have to discard 63 votes because voters neglected to list a witness address.
SULEMAN: These ballots that aren't being met I can't -- I can't accept as valid ballots at this point. If the law changes -- I welcome a review of the law. I think this law is horrible.
COSTELLO: Late Monday Virginia's state attorney agreed, saying all county registrars can now ignore that part of the law.
A bigger problem, the U.S. mail. It may be able to deliver your mail through rain, sleet and snow -- but not a battlefield.
REP. KEVIN MCCARTHY (R), CALIFORNIA: This is something that we...
COSTELLO: Congressman Kevin McCarthy says absentee ballots mailed from war zones are not getting to county registrars fast enough to be legally counted.
MCCARTHY: With all the modernization that we have, we should be able to move these ballots, track them at the same time, bring the modernization of the technology that we have today to make sure our heroes across this world get treated fairly.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
PHILLIPS: Well, Carol Costello joins now.
Carol, is anyone doing anything to make sure military votes count?
COSTELLO: Well, Congressman McCarthy says there is a bill floating through Congress. But of course, it won't be passed before election 2008 is done. And he expects maybe half of the military personnel stationed overseas will not have a say in this coming election.
PHILLIPS: You know, this is frustrating. Because there was a glitch. I think it was in 2000 -- I'm trying to remember, with overseas voting. And if anything, Carol, our troops have been talking so much about this election, because the war in Iraq has been so tough on them and their families. And you know, if anything, they really want their votes to count.
COSTELLO: I know. It's very frustrating. That bill tried to make it through the House of Representatives a short time ago, but the U.S. Postal Workers Union objected, because -- because the bill provided for other providers, like, say, Federal Express, to get those overseas ballots back home to the registrars in time, and the U.S. Postal Service doesn't want to really see that happen.
PHILLIPS: All right. We'll follow up and continue to follow-up. Thanks, Carol.
COSTELLO: Sure.
PHILLIPS: Now to Florida where the state's attempt to match voters against government records is challenging at best and being challenged by voting rights advocates.
CNN's Sean Callebs has more on that from Miami -- Sean.
SEAN CALLEBS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It's called the Voter Verification Act, but people know it by the name, the no-match law. And critics say that Florida has perhaps the most burdensome no-match in the nation.
Now, it affects people who registered to vote after September 8. Simply put, if the name on the voter identification does not match the exact match on the driver's license, on your Social Security card, or your home address, it gets kicked back. And as you may imagine, concerns are streaming into the CNN voter hotline.
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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The main thing that had happened at the voter booth was my ballot was listed as provisional, and it was listed this way, I guess, because I recently moved. And my driver's license says one address, and my voter's registration card says another address. And so I think that -- I just want to make sure my vote counts.
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CALLEBS: Now, that gentleman from Tallahassee says he has worked out his problem, and he's confident now his vote will be counted.
Well, about 400,000 people have registered to vote since September 8, and of that about 9,000 people have been snared in this no-match. Well, the ACLU says it is unfair and punishes minorities in the state. Here's why.
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MUSLIMA LEWIS, ACLU: Black voters and Latino voters make up in each group approximately 12 percent to 14 percent of the registered voters in Florida. However, they make up a full 50 percent of voters caught up in the no-match limbo, and that is just simply unfair that certain groups are disproportionately impacted by the institution (ph) of this law.
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CALLEBS: Well, the no-matches caused quite a stir here, and Kyra, of course, everybody who remembers back to 2000. What this is designed to do is eliminate voter fraud. State officials, GOP officials say, "Look, this is being done simply to maintain the credibility of the state's voting system."
We also talked to the Obama campaign, and they said, "You know what? We don't have any problem with it."
So right now, it's not a huge problem, even though currently voter turnout is huge, but it could be a problem on election day, coming up in like a week from now, when people go to the polls en masse. If people start getting turned away, or have questions. So we'll stay on this one.
PHILLIPS: No doubt we'll stay on it. That's for sure. Sean Callebs, thanks so much.
And we're not done with the fight to vote. In our next segment, we're going to go to Virginia, where a changing landscape and a huge voter turnout are giving rise to a court fight and a civil rights showdown.
CNN is keeping them honest. If you have trouble at the polls call the CNN voter hotline, help us track the problems. We'll report the trouble in real time. Here's the number: 1-877-462-6608. We're tracking them, keeping them honest, all the way through the election and beyond.
Consumer confidence. Now there's a contradiction in terms, at least in October. The Consumer Confidence Index this month dropped to 38, the lowest since the group that measures these things started keeping score in 1967. A year ago, that score was 95. The financial crisis clearly keeping wallets closed and buyers shy.
The Fed has kicked off a two-day meeting to address the crisis, and they might lop off another half point from their key interest rate.
Now, people aren't just losing confidence; they're losing sleep, too. Ninety-two percent of those polled in a ComPsych Corporation survey say that fears over their finances are keeping them up at night.
And if you break that down a little bit more, they're most worried about the cost of living and the balance on their plastic. Mortgage payments and retirement accounts are also sleep killers.
And despite all the bad news, at least we're not panicking like it's 1929. Right? The infamous Black Tuesday happened 79 years ago this week when the market crashed, panic ruled and depression began. Of course, today, the Fed and the treasury are doing things that they didn't do back then. Experts have said that the government's moves should keep those ghosts in the attic.
Well, voting in Virginia. People are predicting problems. So much so, a lawsuit has been filed. We're going to hear from each side.
And...
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PHILLIPS: Too young to vote but not too young to get out the vote. American students following the election in all kinds of ways. These guys put a hip-hop spin on it, and they're going to perform for us live right here in the CNN NEWSROOM.
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PHILLIPS: Well, it's an article of faith in a democracy: voters should vote every chance they get. But getting those voters registered, getting all the machines up and running, getting all the votes counted, are a lot easier said than done. And that brings us to Virginia, where the NAACP is suing the governor over what the group claims are shoddy election preparations.
Joining me now from Richmond, King Salim Khalfani, executive director of the Virginia AA -- I want to say the basketball team, Salim! NAACP! Good to see you. KING SALIM KHALFANI, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, VIRGINIA NAACP: You've got it.
PHILLIPS: All right.
KHALFANI: Yes. Thank you. Thank you.
PHILLIPS: Well, let's just get right to it. Tell me what your beef is and why are you filing a lawsuit?
KHALFANI: Well, there was a study done this past spring by the Advancement Project, and it showed in selected areas in Virginia that African-Americans polling precincts had too few resources and too few poll workers, and with African-Americans being the primary group who have registered -- we've got almost 300,000 new registrants, and we don't want their constitutional rights to be violated. So we're calling on the courts to get Virginia to do the right thing.
PHILLIPS: All right. So King Salim, let me just take note here, because I did talk to someone from the election, Virginia state board. We're going to talk to them after you again.
But according to the Virginia Board of Elections, they said that Virginia has 10,600 voting machines, an 86 percent increase from 2004, an additional 300 polling places, and a number of people assigned as election officers or alternates have been increased by 50 percent. How do you respond to that? They're saying that they prepared.
KHALFANI: Well if they have prepared, they would have been willing to sit down and talk. They have been on notice for some time, refused to take 30 minutes out to talk to the Advancement Project or the NAACP. And that's unconscionable.
We have no agenda, other than to have the people fully participate in this democracy, and to not talk until the last minute leads us to believe there's something to hide. So we don't necessarily believe their figures.
PHILLIPS: King Salim, you also say there was a failure to provide more voting machines, particularly in majority black precincts. How were you able to track that and prove that?
KHALFANI: Using the data that the state board collects itself, from 2004, and using the registration statistics. We got the statistics from the state board of elections itself.
PHILLIPS: Now you also think that extending poll closings from 7 to 9 statewide will give voter two additional hours to get to their precincts. That's one of a number of things you're asking for in this lawsuit. Have you received any type of response that the state board will take a look at your suggestions and act?
KHALFANI: Well, not officially, but I know the secretary of the state board and the chair, and they tend to be people who would do the right thing. So we're hoping they will, but we can't depend on that. So that's why we're going to the courts to make sure it happens. PHILLIPS: All right. I'll tell you what. King Salim Khalfani, stay with me, because we're going to take a short break. I want you to hear what Jean Cunningham with the Virginia state board of elections has to say to what you just said, and I'm going to specifically pull points from your lawsuit and see what Jean has to say. Will you stay around and listen?
KHALFANI: Yes, I will.
PHILLIPS: Fantastic. King Salim Khalfani, executive director, Virginia state NAACP. We're going to take a quick break. We'll be right back.
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PHILLIPS: Back now to the election battle in Virginia, and I don't mean the campaigns. Jean Cunningham chairs the Virginia Board of Elections. She joins me now to respond to the allegations that the state is shortchanging minority precincts.
Jean, thanks for being with me. I know you were able to hear what King Salim Khalfani had to say from the NAACP. So let me ask you, first off, do you feel you did not prepare properly for what everybody knew was going to be a historic turnout with regard to voters?
JEAN CUNNINGHAM, CHAIR, VIRGINIA BOARD OF ELECTIONS: I think we are prepared, as I, when I spoke to the general registrars and the local boards back at our training. One of the things I did is I characterized this election as the tsunami of all elections.
And we have been diligently working to make sure that we're prepared on all fronts. From the event of a power failure, knowing where all the power companies are for every precinct throughout Virginia; to having the backup, paper ballots; to ensuring that the local boards, in fact, purchased new equipment. We put in some $25 million for the state board alone for new equipment throughout the state. We have some 30,000 folks who are officers of the election and more voting equipment than is required by the law in lots of jurisdictions.
PHILLIPS: All right. Let me just get your direct reaction to the lawsuit that has been filed. OK. We pulled out three things the NAACP is asking for. So let me just ask you, straight up, Jean, No. 1, NAACP is saying, could you get more voting machines and distribute them in a way that cuts projected waiting times at crowded precincts to 45 minutes or less? Do you think you can provide for that?
CUNNINGHAM: You know, at this date I think we are already prepared. We have some 300 additional polling places than we had in 2004. In terms of cutting down the long lines, I think Virginia, like every state in the union, is going to have long lines.
PHILLIPS: OK. So you're not going to get any more voting machines. Is that right? No more voting machines?
CUNNINGHAM: We got new voting machines.
PHILLIPS: OK.
CUNNINGHAM: We got more voting machines.
PHILLIPS: And you say there's enough?
CUNNINGHAM: You know, when is enough, enough? I guess if someone only has to wait one minute, then that would be great, but to exercise the constitutional right to vote, folks may have to wait in line, and...
PHILLIPS: OK. Then let me ask you this. Let me ask you this. The NAACP, Jean is saying, OK, will you guys do this? Extend poll closing time from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. Eastern statewide, giving voters two additional hours to get to their precincts. What do you say to that?
CUNNINGHAM: You know, what I would say to it is anyone in line at 7:00 p.m. On election day will be allowed to vote. So we are not going to deny anyone the right to vote.
You know, we -- our hours are defined in terms of the statutes, and the board of election, it is our duty to carry that out. Had this really been something that the NAACP wanted, I think coming at this point in time in asking for it, is a little late in the game.
PHILLIPS: You say it's too late. All right. I'll tell you what...
CUNNINGHAM: But the truth of matter is, we are prepared.
PHILLIPS: OK.
CUNNINGHAM: And just let our citizens get in line. They will be able to vote. We are so happy that we have, you know, some 400,000 new people registered to vote, and that many of these numbers are in the minority communities. We are elated to be able to say Virginia is going to have an election like no other.
PHILLIPS: Jean, we will track the lawsuit, for sure. Jean Cunningham, chairman of Virginia state board of elections, appreciate your time.
CUNNINGHAM: Thank you so much.
PHILLIPS: You bet.
Straight ahead, health care is obviously a big campaign issue, but what do Obama's and McCain's health care plan mean for you and your family? We're going to crunch the numbers.
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PHILLIPS: And too young to vote but not to rock it. Some of these guys are visiting the NEWSROOM to talk about their interest in next week election.
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PHILLIPS: Well, we've heard a lot about youth this election year, but the involvement goes beyond just young voters. In school kids are learning about politics and stumping. And some are even hitting the trail themselves.
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DAMON WEAVER, SCHOOL REPORTER: Hi, I'm Damon Weaver, and I'm here with Senator Joe Biden. Thanks for picking me.
SEN. JOE BIDEN (D-DE), VICE-PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE: Well, thank you, man.
WEAVER: Since you are trying to be the vice president of our country, can you please tell the students at my school what a vice president does?
BIDEN: Well, a vice president helps the president do two things. Helps the president get elected and helps the president run the government. And so what the vice president, if it really works well, the vice president is someone the president's making really tough decisions like, do we go to war, do we spend more money for education, do we help kids get to college?
WEAVER (voice-over): Senator Biden is now my homeboy.
(on camera) One thing (ph), you spent about five great hours at Palm Beach County Convention Center, but we had a great time.
I am Damon Weaver. Now back to the KCTV News.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
PHILLIPS: All right, Damon. He's actually a fifth grader in Florida. Keep an eye on this kid, because he might be sitting up here some day, doing what I'm doing.
Well, they're not old enough to vote in this election or even in this decade, but they're definitely mature enough to get you to vote. Take a listen.
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RON CLARK ACADEMY RAPPERS, PERFORMING POLITICAL RAP: Yes, Obama on the left, McCain on the right. We can talk politics all night. And you can vote however you like. I said you can vote however you like, yes.
(END VIDEO CLIP) PHILLIPS: Well, here they are, the sixth and seventh graders from Atlanta's Ron Clark Academy, who created that YouTube craze. It's a rap with a message. They're all here to tell us how it got started, and maybe we can persuade them to perform, too. But I guess you already know you guys are going to perform. Right?
All right. So, really, how did this all happen? How did you guys prepare for this, write the song? Where did the idea come from?
WILLIE THORNTON, STUDENT, RON CLARK ACADEMY: Well, the idea came from inner classroom. We incorporate a lot of music and energy throughout our classrooms. So we do, do the -- we do, do debates within our classrooms. And we try to incorporate those debates into our music and songs that we do. And that's how we came up with the song "Whatever You Like." And it shows -- it doesn't necessarily show you which -- which party to vote for, but it gives you the good and bad of both parties.
PHILLIPS: OK. The good and the bad of both parties. So say give me a subject matter. Which one that stood out to you that you learned a lot about?
OSEI AVRIL, STUDENT, RON CLARK ACADEMY: Health care actually stood out a lot to me because Obama plans to give people with pre- existing conditions, he's going to allow them to apply for cheap health care, and McCain doesn't. So that's one of the fundamental differences in their health-care policies.
And I think that Obama allowing children, all children to get free health care, is a good up for the American people.
PHILLIPS: OK. You guys are amazing. Now, I remember seeing this young lady at the front of the video. Tell me your first name?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Hi. My name is Kennedy Gezpritchie (ph).
PHILLIPS: OK. So Kennedy, what do you think is so important about this song, about the message, about knowing the issues? I mean, I've met a lot of fifth, sixth, seventh graders. They have no idea what the issues are about.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Well, I think it's very important, because it will give you an understanding of what is going on. And if you just know that a president is going to be elected, you really understand why -- you're not just voting for him because he's a black man or because he's a white man. You're voting on what they're doing and their credentials in the election.
PHILLIPS: I'll tell you what. I'd vote for any of you for president of the United States. Anybody interested in politics? Possibly? Yes. OK. We've got -- all right. Tell me your name.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm Jordan.
PHILLIPS: And why -- has this whole -- has this election gotten you more interested in the political process than others, or have you always been interested in politics?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well, this election has been a little bit more interesting, because just to see how things have been moving along. Like how -- John McCain chose Sarah Palin and the reasons why, and the other things that's been going on.
PHILLIPS: So let me ask you, as a female, tell me your first name.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Ajanae (ph).
PHILLIPS: What do you think of Sarah Palin?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Well, in my opinion, I really like Sarah Palin. She's very articulate and well focused. There are some things that maybe she could do a bit better. But overall, I think she's very caring.
PHILLIPS: OK. So who is for -- Barack Obama? OK. Tell me your -- I think -- did all of you raise your hand? Is anybody for John McCain? Oh, Willie. OK. All right. We're going to get that real quickly.
All right. You are for Barack. Tell me your first name.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Richard.
PHILLIPS: All right, Richard. Why do you like Barack Obama?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think it's important to have a diverse system in the economy, and the government. And I think it's very good to see differences in both parties. Because, of course, the Republicans are different than the Democrats. So it's good to see the balances when you look at both candidates.
PHILLIPS: And Willie, you're the lone man for John McCain. Why are you for John McCain?
THORNTON: Because I feel that his plans are good, to help the country. Yes, he may be old, but I feel he's been in this country a long time to know a lot about the country and what it needs so that he can help us grow our economy and grow up to be a bigger and better country.
PHILLIPS: Oh, my gosh. All right, ladies and gentlemen. You have some amazing teachers and parents, no doubt. You guys are incredible. Are you ready to rap the song for us?
UNIDENTIFIED GROUP: Yes, ma'am.
PHILLIPS: All right. Well, you guys get in position. I'm moving out.
Otis, cue the music. Let's go!
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We've got a big election coming up. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And you know what?
RON CLARK ACADEMY RAPPERS (rapping): We can vote however we like. I said we can vote however we like. Yes, Obama on the left, McCain on the right. We can talk politics all night. And you can vote however you like. I said you can vote however you like. Yes.
Democratic left, Republican right. November 4th we decide, and you can vote however you like. I said, you can vote however you like. Yes.
McCain is the man. Vote for our man (ph). You know if anyone can help our country he can. Taxes dropping low. Don't you know. All going to flow to the low, off shore. Our economy will rise.
I want Obama.
Forget Obama.
Stick with McCain you gone have some drama.
More war in Iraq.
Iran he will attack.
Can't bring our troops back.
We got to vote...
Obama on the left; McCain on the right. We can talk politics all night. And you can vote however you like. I said you can vote however you like. Yes.
PHILLIPS: The Ron Clark Academy rappers, taking us into that election. I'll tell you what. I'd vote for anyone one ever these kids for president of the United States.
We'll be right back. More from the CNN NEWSROOM, straight ahead.
RON CLARK ACADEMY RAPPERS: You can vote however you like.
McCain's the best candidate, with Palin as his running mate. They'll fight for gun rights, pro life, the conservative right. Our future is bright, better economy in sight. And all the world will feel our military might.
But McCain and Bush are real close right. They vote alike and keep it tight. Obama's new, he's younger too...
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PHILLIPS: 1:32 Eastern time. Here are some of the stories we're working on right now in the CNN NEWSROOM.
One week until Election Day and already voter problems are popping up everywhere. One big example, the group Rock the Vote is working to make sure tens of thousands of young people who registered to vote in several states are really registered. We're going to talk about it live next hour.
And Senator Ted Kennedy is expected to return to D.C. today for the first same since brain tumor surgery in June. His spokeswoman says that Kennedy plans to leave the family's compound in Hyannis Port, Massachusetts, this afternoon.
And home prices fell by the sharpest annual rate ever in August, a closely watched 20-city housing index was released today -- says that prices dropped nearly 17 percent in August from a year ago.
Wall Street rallying today. Don't be fooled, though, October is typically the scariest month for stocks. Susan Lisovicz is on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange to explain.
I guess that's perfect with Halloween, right?
SUSAN LISOVICZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That's right. And this Friday is Halloween, but investors clearly have been spooked for some time. And unfortunately, we've seen that with the month of October. You mentioned earlier on, Kyra, that this is the 79th anniversary of black Tuesday, which, of course, was in 1929. Of course it was the October '87 crash. And you know the only time the New York Stock Exchange halted trading because of a cataclysmic drop was in October of '97. Those so-called circuit breakers were put in place after the '87 crash.
So far, the Dow, the Nasdaq, S&P 500 all down at least 25 percent for the Dow -- for the month that is. And the only time we've seen that kind of amount, more than that, for the Dow and S&P was during the Great Depression.
But we're seeing a nice rebound today. Why is that? Well we had a nice global rally, and there are expectations of yet more stimulus, this time in the form of another interest rate cut from the central bank. The Federal Reserve expected to cut rates tomorrow. Right now we have the Dow up 226 points. The Nasdaq is up 30 -- Kyra.
PHILLIPS: Well, we've been hearing a lot of comparisons to '87 and '29, those crashes. But are those fair comparisons do you think?
LISOVICZ: Well, in some ways they are. The '87 crash was a one- day wonder, thankfully. The Dow plunged -- imagine this -- 23 percent in one day. So it was a terrifying drop, but a very quick recovery. Nothing, fortunately, compares to the Great Depression where -- I mean, we're seeing -- I just told you about what the Dow has done this month, 25 percent. It's down about 40 percent from its all-time high from '07. The Dow and the S&P were down about 80 percent -- loss 80 percent of their value.
Unemployment rate today, Kyra, 6.1 percent. It was 25 percent during the Great Depression. The FDIC was created during the Great Depression to avoid the bank runs, to ensure that your bank deposits were safe. And we've seen new protections from that.
So yes, things are different from the Great Depression and a lot of us are thankful because of that -- Kyra.
PHILLIPS: Amen. Susan Lisovicz, we'll be talking more. Thanks.
LISOVICZ: You're welcome.
PHILLIPS: Well the day after Alaska Republican senator Ted Stevens corruption conviction, reaction is coming in from both sides of the aisle. Senate Majority Leader, Harry Reid, saying the verdict is a reminder that no man is above the law. John McCain calling on the veteran lawmaker to step down, and Governor Sarah Palin saying it shows how corrupt Alaska politics can be.
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GOV. SARAH PALIN (R), VICE PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: It's is a sad day for Alaska and a sad day for Senator Stevens, and for his family. The verdict shines the light, though, on the corrupting influence of the big oil service company up there in Alaska that was allowed to control too much of our state.
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PHILLIPS: Well, Stevens still says that he's innocent and vows to fight the conviction. He's up for re-election next week.
And most the items that Stevens was found guilty of receiving and not reporting are relatively small: a metal fish sculptor, a fancy barbecue, and a massage chair. But then there's home makeover which prosecutors say turned a single story home into a virtual palace. Stevens said that he paid for the construction and the other items were borrowed or unwanted.
Detroit's disgraced ex-mayor heads to the big house today. Kwame Kilpatrick due in court next hour to be formerly sentenced. And he'll go straight to jail from there. For the next 120 days, less if he behaves, he'll call this home. The ex-mayor living solo in a 10 by 15 foot cell. The jail time follows his plea deal in an obstruction of justice case. Kilpatrick admitted lying on the stand in a trial tied to a sex and text message scandal involving his former top aide, Christine Beatty.
Jennifer Hudson's slain nephew described as sweet, gentle and loved. Today, the body of Julian King is at the medical examiner's office in Chicago for an autopsy to figure out when he died. Police say he was fatally shot. The 7-year-old boy's body was found yesterday in an abandoned SUV three days after Hudson's mother and brother were found shot to death in their Chicago home. Julian's estranged stepfather remains in police custody.
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SUPT. JODY WEIS, CHICAGO POLICE: William Balfour -- in the custody of Illinois Department of Corrections for violating conditions of parole and remains a person of interest in this investigation. We don't know what the motive really was at this time, but clearly you have people who do know each other, so it wasn't a case of a stranger- type homicide.
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PHILLIPS: Chicago police say that surveillance cameras throughout the city are providing images for that investigation.
Well a year in limbo, today marks the first anniversary of the disappearance of Stacy Peterson, a mystery that sparked nationwide headlines. The 23-year-old woman was the fourth wife of a former suburban Chicago police officer. Drew Peterson, who was more than twice her age, was labeled a suspect. Police also exhumed the body of his third wife and ruled her bathtub drowning a homicide. Peterson has always denied any wrong doing. An Illinois prosecutor says he expects -- quote -- "a resolution in at least one of these investigations in the near future."
Syria now taking diplomatic action against the U.S. following an American commando raid on Syrian territory. U.S. officials say that that raid by American special operations forces killed a top operative of al Qaeda in Iraq. This amateur video purportedly shows the attack underway, however, CNN is unable to confirm its authenticity. Syria denounced the attack as cowboy politics and said at least eight civilians were killed. Today the government closed an American school and U.S. cultural center in Damascus.
In Iraq, they're known as the rejected ones. Men and women suffering from the trauma of Saddam Hussein's reign, from the Iraq war, or both. Some are getting the help they desperately need, but is it enough to make a difference?
CNN's Phil Black reports.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
PHIL BLACK, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It is a stark existence, but these mental health patients are better off than many others. Baghdad's Al Rashid Hospital is the only facility for Iraqis suffering severe psychiatric disorders.
(on camera): For the patients here, if this facility didn't exist what would their lives be like?
DR. RAGHAD ISSA SARSAM, PSYCHIATRIST: In this case, you would see them wandering in the streets begging.
BLACK (voice-over): There are more than 1,000 patients living in Al Rashid, men and women, most suffering chronic schizophrenia. This man is grateful for the care he receives.
"My life is good here," he says. "They offer us good food, they change the sheets every day. They change my clothes."
But others tell me they often wish for death.
"My life is miserable," this man says. "It is dirty. The food is bad. Life is very bad here." This woman is a former English teacher. She hasn't seen her husband in the three years she's been living at the hospital.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I want to go to my family. I want to go to -- to my house.
BLACK: Doctors say her story is a common one.
SARSAM: So they have already been rejected by their families because of their chronic illness. They don't want them anymore, even they become (INAUDIBLE).
BLACK: For this recovering nation with so many problems, caring for the mentally ill just hasn't been a priority. And Saddam Hussein gave it little attention in his day. But the people working with these patients hope that will now change, because the country's current health minister is a psychiatrist.
(on camera): The doctors believe the patients here represent only a very small fraction of Iraq's mentally ill population. And they say because of the nationwide trauma suffered during and since the war, that population is only going to get bigger.
(voice-over): War has caused other problems here, too. Earlier this year the hospital's former director was arrested, accused of supplying female patients to al Qaeda to be used as suicide bombers. He was later released. But the hospital says U.S. forces still conduct regular raids because they suspect insurgents are hiding here.
SARSAM: They've been to the hospital many times, but they didn't find anything.
BLACK: When Saddam's regime fell, the hospital was looted and severely damaged by fire. It has recovered largely with the help of international aid organizations. The doctors here say they're doing their best to help some of Iraq's most vulnerable people, but they know it's not enough.
Phil Black, CNN, Baghdad.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
PHILLIPS: Keeping your kids healthy. It is a top priority for you, but what will it cost when the next president takes over? We're weighing your options.
And the election is a week way. We'll look at one political issue that's heating up gun sales.
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PHILLIPS: Countdown to the election. Ten issues, 10 days. We've already looked at where the presidential candidates stand on the economy, taxes and energy. Today, we turn the page to health care, your health care, your well-being and your costs. Here's a closer look. Barack Obama wants a national health insurance program for people without employer coverage. He would not mandate individual coverage for all Americans, but would require coverage for children.
John McCain is also opposed to mandated universal coverage. He does want to increase awareness of children's health insurance programs.
And Obama would offer a choice between public and private plans, and also a subsidy for the uninsured. Plus, patients would be allowed to buy medicine from other countries.
Now, the cornerstone of McCain's plan is a health insurance tax credit, $2,500 for individuals, $5,000 for families. McCain would also expand health centers and health savings accounts. He also wants to pass medical liability reform.
Now those the details. Just how deeply will you have to dig into your wallet to keep you and your family healthy? Our medical correspondent, Elizabeth Cohen, here with some examples of what the average family might spend.
Lay it out.
ELIZABETH COHEN, CNN MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Well this gets so complicated, Kyra, that we decided to invent family. We invented an American family named the Smiths. And here are their demographics. I made them up, so I'm very familiar with them. The Smiths are mom and dad and two kids. They do not have health insurance, which of course is an all too common problem in this country. The Smiths do work. They make $50,000, but mom and dad work for small businesses and so nobody is offering them health insurance.
So here is how the Smiths would do if John McCain became president. What would happen is the Smiths would get a $5,000 tax credit, like Kyra mentioned. That would mean that they could then buy insurance for $800 a year, if everyone is healthy. $800 a year is a pretty good buy, but the minute that somebody isn't healthy and you've got a pre-existing condition, thousands -- that premium goes up thousands and thousands and thousands of dollars.
Let's say, for example, dad has heart problems. McCain says he would give the Smiths premium assistance to buy that more expensive health insurance. But how much would he help him? We don't know, because he doesn't say.
PHILLIPS: All right. Well how would the Smiths do under Obama?
COHEN: OK. Let's take a look at the Smiths under the Obama plan. Here's how it would work. The first thing that Obama would do is he would just give them some cash, some outright subsidy because they are relatively low income. How much would he give them? Again, not specified.
Secondly, what Obama would do is he would give their employer money to help the employer provide insurance to the Smiths. And if the employer still said, oh, too expensive, I don't want to do it, Obama would invite the Smiths to join a health plan that federal employees already belong to.
So those are two different ways of looking at it. Really what we're talking about, Kyra, the big problem here, is how do you insure people with preexisting conditions? And as we can see, they have two very different ways of looking at it.
PHILLIPS: It's still so complicated. I can't tell you how many times we -- even in our editorial meetings, we're trying to hammer out all of the details.
So what's the best way to figure out which plan is best for your family?
COHEN: Unfortunately, there is no great way to -- there's no Web site where you can put in the specifics of your family and how much money you make and who you'd be better off with. However, think of it this way, McCain emphasizes -- I'm going to give Americans money and then let the market figure it out. The market will be able to provide them the health care insurance that they need.
Obama much more relies on the government. Obama says -- I'm going to get a bunch of smart people together. We're going to figure out how to lower health care costs, and that means lower premiums, more affordable insurance.
If you're a, I think the market can kind of figure this out kind of gal or guy, that may be -- you may be wanting to vote for McCain. If you think that -- you know what -- the government can do a better job of handling this, you might be an Obama kind of person.
I will note that in the past neither the government nor the market have figured this problem out. So there's lots of reasons to be cynical here, unfortunately.
PHILLIPS: I think we just found something we need to create -- a Web site where you plug in all the details of family and whoop, the best thing pops up for you.
COHEN: Well unfortunately, it's impossible. I'd love to do that. You and I could start a business and make a lot of money. But unfortunately, it's really impossible to do because both candidates make assumptions about how much things are going to cost, and how sick people are going to be. And so --
PHILLIPS: So we really don't know until we're there.
COHEN: You don't know until there, that's right.
PHILLIPS: Great.
COHEN: But a great idea for a little -- a little (INAUDIBLE)
PHILLIPS: Thanks a lot. Well, fighting the stereotypes of the Middle East. Jordan's queen turns to an unusual weapon in a bid to shatter damaging myths.
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PHILLIPS: Well, fighting the stereotypes of the Middle East. Jordan's queen turns to an unusual weapon in a bid to shatter damaging myths.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
Well, what is your image of someone from the Middle East? Scary, dishonest, terrorists? Well, these and other stereotypes are real and potentially dangerous in our post 9/11 world. Now Jordan's Queen Rania is using YouTube in a bid to shatter them.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
QUEEN RANIA, JORDAN: In a world where it's so easy to connect to one other, we still remain very much disconnected. There's a whole world of wonder out there that we cannot appreciate with stereotypes. So, it's important for all of us to join forces, come together and try to bring down those misconceptions.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
PHILLIPS: Well, Queen Rania's YouTube campaign has gotten more than a million views now and dozens of video submissions. Joining me now with some of the best of them, CNN "Headline News" senior writer Asieh Namdar.
You know, you've shown me a number of these submissions. They're pretty funny, some of them.
ASIEH NAMDAR, SENIOR WRITER, HEADLINE NEWS: They are. Hysterical, Kyra.
And we want to focus very well known comedians today. One of these is Dean Obeidallah. His father is Palestinian, his mother is Sicilian and he says he gets plenty of material within his family. And he basically talked to some of to friends about the kinds of questions they're asked, being from the Middle East, put together this YouTube video and it's called, "Don't Call Me That."
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DEAN OBEIDALLAH, YOUTUBE VIDEO DIRECTOR: I have heard so many comments I've actually written them down in this pad. Oh, you're Arab. Wow, I love hummus. Not that bad. I mean, to be associated with ground up chick peas, it could be worse.
HEND AYOUB, YOUTUBE VIDEO CONTRIBUTOR: Wow, you're from the Middle East. Do you have cars there?
MEEKA DIMAN, YOUTUBE VIDEO CONTRIBUTOR: Are you Islam? Are you Islam? RAMIZ MONSEFF, YOUTUBE VIDEO CONTRIBUTOR: Are you Middle Eastern? What's with the 9/11 thing?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Iranian. Oh. That must be fun for you.
SHERRI ELDIN, YOUTUBE VIDEO CONTRIBUTOR: Does your dad have a lot of wives?
DIMAN: Are you Mausoleum? You look a little Masusoleum.
NASRY MALAK, YOUTUBE VIDEO CONTRIBUTOR: You're Egyptian. What a coincidence. I live next to an Indian family.
DIMAN: Are you Islamabad?
Yes, I'm Islamabad. I'm the capital of Pakistan.
OBEIDALLAH: Oh, you're Arab. So, how many terrorists are there?
I didn't know what the right answer might be. I said 83.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
NAMDAR: I love how Dean says, 83, some random number. But these are actual comments people have made, you know?
PHILLIPS: I like too, how they're taking humor, but really laying out a serious message. He's not the only one doing.
NAMDAR: He's not the only one. The other one we want to focus on is an Iranian-American, Maz Jobrani, a huge sensation, especially in California. And part of the Axis of Evil Acts. And --
PHILLIPS: The Axis of Evil Acts.
NAMDAR: That's what their comedy tour is called. I'm not kidding you. And he tries to break some of the western misconceptions with another hysterical clip and he's the only one that stars it.
Take a listen at this one.
MAZ JOBRANI, YOUTUBE VIDEO DIRECTOR: Number one -- people think Middle Easterners are all terrorists, they're not. For example, my grandmother; she's never kidnapped anyone, hijacked a plane. She can barely write a ransom note, so, how's she going to send one.
Number two -- all Middle Easterners own oil wells. My grandmother does not have an oil well. She's doesn't even have a car. So she can't even get gas, much less an oil well.
Number three -- all Middle Easterners are hairy. Where do you come up with this stuff? Someone call me and tell me where you find this stuff, because we are not all hairy, OK. Hairyish, it's like a religion. Hairyish. Got a lot of hair. So, what. Points one and two, I dispelled. Point three, all right. Win some, lose some.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
NAMDAR: Maz Jobrani is hysterical.
PHILLIPS: He just needs a big (INAUDIBLE). He needs a big Allah.
But is it making a difference? I mean, we're sitting here cracking up.
NAMDAR: Well, I think if you talk to Maz and Dean, Kyra, they would tell you, you cannot change attitude and perceptions overnight.
But what it does do is begins the dialogue. You and I are sitting on your set, talking about this issue. So, that's the first step. The conversation is the first step. And of course, media has a responsibility to air stories like that, to put videos like that on the air. And if you are from that part of the world, if you're from the Middle East, then you have an obligation to sort of inform people.
PHILLIPS: Now, you're Iranian. Have you had any crazy things said to you?
NAMDAR: I'm telling you. I've gotten pretty crazy comments. I was 12 when I came to this country and people would ask me, oh, do you have cars or do you have to get around on camels?
And I had to explain to them Iran has four seasons, we don't have camels, we have cars. We have snow, we have skiing. You know, but again, through my conversations and dialogue and if people have the curiosity and interest, you can form them.
I'll meet you in the parking lot after work and I'll ride your camel home.
Thanks, Asieh.
NAMDAR: All right. OK. Thank, Kyra.
PHILLIPS: Well, refusing to go. One woman faces off against a bank. Her weapon -- a chain. They want to take her home, but she's not leaving.
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