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Election Day Just Three Days Away; Candidates Razor Close in Ohio; Romney Battles For Pennsylvania; New Jersey Election Challenges; DOJ to Monitor Polls in 23 States; Staten Island Devastated By Sandy; Filing Your Insurance After Sandy; Where the Presidents Slept

Aired November 03, 2012 - 12:00   ET

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

RANDI KAYE, CNN ANCHOR: And CNN NEWSROOM continues with Fred. I will hand it over to you.

FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Thanks so much. Have a great day.

KAYE: I'm going to go home and turn back my clock before I forget.

WHITFIELD: That's right. We'll see you an hour earlier tomorrow. Thanks so much. Appreciate that, Randi.

Meantime, the countdown is on indeed. Election Day is just three days away now. The presidential candidates are making a huge final push in the battleground states.

Today President Obama campaigns in Ohio, Wisconsin, Iowa and Virginia. Mitt Romney is stumping in New Hampshire, Iowa, and Colorado. They're running mates are also going nonstop.

Vice President Joe Biden is zeroing in on Colorado and Paul Ryan is holding rallies in Pennsylvania, Virginia, Florida, and Ohio. So Ohio indeed could be the biggest battleground of the election. The race there is very tight.

A just released CNN/ORC poll shows Obama ahead by just three points, well within the margin of error. An NBC/"Wall Street Journal"/Marist poll shows a wider gap with Obama leading by six points.

President Obama is about to speak at a rally in Mentor, Ohio. He is at least in the building, we understand. And so is our White House correspondent, Dan Lothian.

So, Dan, the president's schedule today is packed. He isn't just campaigning. He is also keeping a close watch on the storm, which he says really is his first priority, the storm recovery that is.

DAN LOTHIAN, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: That's correct. White House officials saying that president did get updates, briefings overnight. This morning he went to FEMA Headquarters in Washington to get a briefing in person, to get a sense of what is taking place with regards to the flooding, the power situation.

He had some of his top officials in the room with him. He also spoke via video conference with the governors and the impacted states, from New Jersey, New York and Connecticut.

Again, the president trying to stay on top of this situation, balance the storm and response to the storm with his campaign. And the message from the president to his top advisors and top officials is that the government cannot drop the ball.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: What I told the governors and the mayors is what I've been saying to my team from the start of this event. And that is we don't have any patience for bureaucracy.

We don't have any patience for red tape. And we want to make sure that we are figuring out a way to get to yes as opposed to no when it comes to these problems.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LOTHIAN: Now later today top officials from the Obama administration will be fanning out across the impacted areas in New Jersey and also in New York visiting hospitals, visiting with utilities.

The idea here, according to the Obama administration, is for these officials to see the progress firsthand and also come back with potential solutions, help the need -- help, rather, the things that they need get to the location in a timely manner -- Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: Dan, the president has incredible schedule over the next few days, campaigning in Ohio, Wisconsin, Iowa, and Virginia, just to name a few. Why does he and his camp feel it's so important to spend as much time as they can in so many places in such a small amount of time?

LOTHIAN: Well, you know, because these are the states, these key battleground states where the race will be decided. You listed all of these important states, Florida, Colorado, Nevada, but here in Ohio, this is the biggest, the most important of the battleground states.

The president was here yesterday, made three stops making two stops here. We'll return here again. And the message that the president keeps hammering away on here is how he pushed for the auto bailout. Why is that so important?

Because so many jobs in Ohio are tied to the auto industry. They believe this is a message that resonates with voters here. So we expect for the president to continue pushing that theme as he makes his remarks here in Ohio again this morning.

We're told there is an overthrow crowd and the president is making some remarks to them. They will be coming out here to speak later on -- Fredricka. WHITFIELD: All right, Dan Lothian, thanks so much. Of course, we'll take that event as soon as the president does finish up with the overflow crowd and then making his way into that arena in Mentor, Ohio. Meantime, the president's opponent Mitt Romney is having a very busy final weekend of his own campaigning before the election. He is in New Hampshire, Iowa and Colorado today.

Earlier this morning he spoke to a rally in New Hampshire, taking a jab at the president.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MITT ROMNEY (R), PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE: Yesterday the president said something you may have heard by now that I think surprised a lot of people. Speaking to an audience he said voting is the best revenge. He told us supporters, voting for revenge, vote for revenge? Let me tell what you I'd like to tell you. Vote for love of country.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: Romney is referring to a comment by President Obama urging his supporters not to boo Romney, quote, "voting is the best revenge," end quote.

Other Republican campaign is making a last minute play for Pennsylvania. This weekend both Mitt Romney and Paul ryan are campaigning in that state. Ryan is in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, today and tomorrow. Romney is heading to Bucks County.

And CNN political editor, Paul Steinhauser is live from Harrisburg right now. So, Paul, the polls show that Romney is narrowing the gap with Obama in that state. Can he realistically hope to take the state this late in the game?

PAUL STEINHAUSER, CNN POLITICAL EDITOR: That's what the Romney campaign is hoping for, Fred. No doubt about that. Ninety minutes from now right behind me here, at the airport in Harrisburg, you'll have Pau Ryan, the Republican running mate as you mentioned holding a rally.

Yes, tomorrow Mitt Romney is going to be in suburban Philadelphia. That's the swing part of the state, the part of the state that really determines who wins Pennsylvania's 20 electoral votes.

The Obama campaign is not taking this sitting down. Jill Biden, the wife of the vice president, is coming to Pennsylvania to campaign today. And one of the big guns on the Obama side, the former President Bill Clinton will be campaigning here in Pennsylvania on Monday.

Fred, I got here last night. I turned on the TV watching the local news. A lot of campaign ads. You know what? In the final nine days of this campaign in Pennsylvania, $10 million worth of ads and most of them from the Romney campaign and its allies.

They're outspending the Obama campaign by about 2 to 1. Fred, nobody, no Republican has won Pennsylvania since 1988 in a presidential contest. Of course, the Romney campaign thinks with the polls tightening up they have a chance. Take a look at this. You mentioned the polls. Here is the latest from Franklin and Marshall, a four-point advantage for the president. That is within the sampling area. President Obama had a bigger lead here in Pennsylvania just a few weeks ago -- Fred.

WHITFIELD: So, Paul, is that feeling that the ads have helped the Mitt Romney campaign kind of put themselves over the top or at least near the top because for so long they've been talking about Pennsylvania leaning toward Obama.

STEINHAUSER: Exactly. You know, this state got no attention in the presidential contest until the last week or two. You know what? The Obama campaign says that the Romney campaign is doing this out of desperation.

This is a last-minute bid to try to win Pennsylvania because the Obama campaign says the Romney campaign is not doing well in Ohio, in other states like Wisconsin and Iowa. Romney campaign says, no, not at all.

We're making this last minute pitch because we think we can broaden the map. But you know, four years ago, we saw John McCain and Sarah Palin come here to Pennsylvania the last minute. It didn't work out.

We have seen other Republicans like Bob Dole in '96 and President Bush as well made pitches here in Pennsylvania. They were not successful either -- Fred? I guess, we'll find out on November 6th, right?

WHITFIELD: Just three days away. Thanks so much, Paul Steinhauser in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. Appreciate it. We'll check back with you throughout the afternoon.

Meantime, it has been five days since superstorm Sandy and the gas crunch in New Jersey is so severe that the governor there is calling for gas rationing.

Plus, will polling places in New Jersey be up and running in time for the election? We'll see what's being done.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: We mentioned to you we're awaiting President Obama in a swing state of Ohio. Meantime, in another swing state, that of Virginia, Bill Clinton is campaigning on behalf of the president. Let's listen in at Chesapeake, Virginia, at Indiana River High school.

FORMER U.S. PRESIDENT BILL CLINTON: I don't know about you, but I'd rather you save the gasoline and export the oil if that's what we need to do. And that's why Governor Romney is having such a hard time breaking through in Ohio.

So what did he do? He ran -- he put -- he put a bogus ad on saying that for president had allowed jeep to move jobs to China. Then he said the president had allowed Chrysler, which owns jeep, to move jobs to China.

Then not satisfied with that, since fiat owns part -- he said -- I can't make this up. He said that the president had allowed the Italians to move jobs to China.

WHITFIELD: All right, you're listening there to Bill Clinton. He's in Indian River High School there in Chesapeake, Virginia, campaigning on behalf of the president who is campaigning in the swing state of Ohio.

Of course, if you want to see any more of Clinton's speech, go to cnn.com/live right now. All right, now to the latest on superstorm Sandy, there are reports that at least 22 million gallons of gas are headed to the northeast to relieve in the shortages.

Gas rationing got under way in New Jersey in 12 counties in an effort to cut down on wait times. People there had been waiting in miles along lines for hours to gas up their cars and get fuel for their generators.

All right, some voters in New Jersey will face a pretty big Election Day challenge because of superstorm Sandy. Five days after the storm, polling station managers are working to make sure the voting goes as smoothly as it possibly can.

Joining me right now explain what they're doing is Dennis Kobitz, president of the New Jersey Association of Election Officials. Good to see you.

DENNIS KOBITZ, PRESIDENT, NEW JERSEY ASSOCIATION OF ELECTION OFFICIALS: Hi. Thanks for having us here.

WHITFIELD: OK. So this is a huge undertaking, a colossal challenge. How do you even go about it? I mean, it would seem that so many people in New Jersey are so inundated with personal problems and worries. The last thing they're thinking about is Election Day.

So how do you make it easy for them since their homes have been destroyed, that means polling stations may have to move or there may not be power to kind of keep those polling stations going. Where do you begin?

KOBITZ: We're working on getting as many polling stations open as possible. The others will just have to move them somewhere close to their house. They're even bringing in trucks in Southern Jersey that they'll be able to vote in trucks so that we can have voting throughout the whole state of New Jersey.

The election officials throughout the state have been working 24/7 to get as many polling places open as possible. They're bringing in generators and the few that we can't get open. We'll have alternative sites that everybody can vote.

KOBITZ: So how do you get the word out, because there are a lot of people who don't have power? They're not able to see this conversation right here. They're not able to get on the computers to see where those new polling stations are, what measures have been taken. How do you convey this?

KOBITZ: We're trying our best. We're going through the media. We are going to have signs posted at all polling places that aren't open instructing everybody where to go. Hopefully, the word will go out. We're trying to get the word that there is mail imbalance which is a way of voting in New Jersey.

WHITFIELD: Even at this junk tour?

KOBITZ: At this juncture, they can walk in Saturday, Sunday, Monday 8:30 to 4:30, you can walk into your county clerk's office, get a ballot and vote it. In my home county, my clerk has two offices open, one in Westfield and one in Elizabeth. Again, all offices will be open from 8:30 to 4:30 Saturday, Sunday, Monday, they can go right in and vote.

WHITFIELD: All right, not to throw too much out at you, clearly this is part of -- this is probably part of your conversations, but people who can't get around. They don't have cars. They've been flooded out. They don't have transportation. How do they get to these locations? What kind of measures has been put into place to help them?

KOBITZ: We have no measures to get the voters to there. We're telling them get to the closest polling place. We have paper ballots at all of the voting places.

WHITFIELD: I'm sorry, you have no measures to get them there?

KOBITZ: Not to get the voters there, no. We're opening up as many as possible so it should be close to where they are. And, again, people can go into the polling place and vote on a provisional ballot. If there name is not in the book in the state of New Jersey, we have plenty of paper ballots. They can vote on a provisional ballot at the other polling locations as long as it's within your county.

WHITFIELD: In the end, how concerned are you that what may have been a robust voter turnout in many of these precinct its will be greatly impacted by Sandy and few people will come? Is that your greatest concern?

KOBITZ: That is our greatest concern. Because not only is this a presidential election, there is a lot of local elections. We have plenty of mayors, council races.

And in New Jersey this is the first time for many districts we moved the school board election to the November election instead of holding their own. And they're usually won by a small amount of votes. It's certainly going to make a difference in this election.

WHITFIELD: All right, Dennis Kobitz, the president of the New Jersey Association of Election officials thanks so much. And, of course, one of the guys who is hoping that people will turn out in a big way at those polling stations. Those measures, take advantage of those.

President Obama right now is speaking in Mentor, Ohio. Let's listen in.

PRESIDENT OBAMA: -- how proud I am of Erin and her sisters and their whole family. Give them a big round of applause. There they are right there! Erin was pretty excited about meeting me. She saw Justin Bieber the other day.

So I'm like the second most exciting person she's met in the last few days. No. My understanding also is that this man right here just -- this band just won the state championship. Best band in the house in Ohio! In the house! Congratulations!

And the football team is in its first play-off game tonight. So the Cardinals have a lot going on right now. Despite all that, the fact you still came out I'm grateful for. So thank you.

For the past several days, all of us have been focused on one of the worst hurricanes in our lifetimes. And each day I've been getting on calls with mayors and governors, county officials just trying to make sure that people are getting able to help.

I tell them the entire country is behind them. We mourn those who were lost. You know, we will walk with the people whose lives have been upended by the storm every step of the way in this long, hard road for recovery.

I hope everybody is out there. I hope everybody understands this will be not just a couple weeks, but it's going to be months of recovery for a lot of these families. Please do so for the first responders who are here today, it's a reminder of how important you are. When you see our firefighters, police officers, EMS folks out there every single day working, you know, it -- it's amazing and so despite this tragedy, we've also been inspired by what we've seen over the last several days, over the last week.

You know, you see heroes running into buildings. Wading in water, you know, to help their fellow citizens. Neighbors helping neighbors cope with tragedy. Leaders of different political parties working together to fix what's broken.

Now, it's a spirit that says no matter how bad a storm is, no matter how tough times are, we're all in this together. We rise or fall as one nation and as one people. And that spirit has guided this country along its improbable journey for more than two centuries.

It's carried us through the trials and tribulations of the last four years. Remember, in 2008, we were in the middle of two wars and the worst economic crisis since the great depression. Today, our businesses created 5.5 million new jobs.

WHITFIELD: All right, President Obama there Mentor, Ohio, reminding people that his first priority even though he's on the campaign trail in this last weekend blitz for votes three days before election, his top priority is the recovery post superstorm Sandy.

Hundreds of federal re-election observers will be headed out to the polls on Tuesday. Find out why after the break.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

MOST: The U.S. Justice Department announced it is sending hundreds of federal observers to monitor polling places. CNN's Joe Johns joins me from Washington. Joe, why are they doing this? How unusual is this?

JOE JOHNS, CNN CRIME AND JUSTICE CORRESPONDENT: It's not that unusual. Four years ago they sent roughly the same number out to watch the election in 2008. The bottom line here is they are sending quite a number of people, something like 780 federal observers.

They'll be going to something like 23 different states, about six or seven battleground states among them, 51 separate jurisdictions within the states, Fred. And which states are we talking about?

Going to be hitting the battleground states very hard, the state that gets the most federal observers of all will be the state of Florida followed by Pennsylvania. After that, Ohio and Texas and so many others across the United States, you see them right there.

Interestingly, they pick some of these states out because those states come under what is called the voting rights act of 1965. And that is a law passed by congress to sort of watch out for minority rights in certain states. That parentally has at least part of the mission here -- Fred.

WHITFIELD: All right, Joe Johns, thanks so much. We'll check back with you later on as the day develops. Thanks so much.

Meantime, let's talk about the New York area. Staten Island in particular, one of the hardest hit areas after superstorm Sandy. We'll meet a family whose home was destroyed but that apparently is just the beginning of their loss.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: Superstorm Sandy dealt a devastating blow to Staten Island, New York, and after the storm, residents complained relief was slow in coming. Now one family who returned home to assess the damage suffered an even bigger unspeakable loss. Brian Todd reports from Staten Island.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BRIAN TODD, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): If you can't imagine what it's like to suffer through a massive storm, listen to Nick Camerada.

NICK CAMERADA, STATEN ISLAND, NEW YORK RESIDENT: The water was up to this part of the door. I couldn't get into the door. I went around the side of the house and I stood on a box that was floating and I went through the window to get back in the house with my family.

TODD: Taking us through his house on Staten Island, the retired U.P.S. truck driver said they scrambled to an upper floor, away from a floor where water would keep rising. And his wife and four sons survive survived. Just about all of their first floor didn't.

(on camera): Then just as Nick and his family were recovering from the shell shock of the storm and the flooding trying to assess all of this damage, he took another body blow. (voice-over): He leads us to the side yard where he set up a small engine repair business and a trailer full of tools he'd need for his new profession.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Last night they were banging on doors. Anybody home? If you're not home -- if we don't get a response from you, we're going to break your door down just to see if you're OK. They were all looters.

I yelled out my window on a few occasions until I was exhausted tired. I wake up this morning and push my shed open. I wake up this morning and they pushed the shed open and went through all my tools. I have nothing. Every tool that was hanging, that was worth anything, all my air tools. There is nothing in the drawers but hand prints.

TODD: Could these have been people you knew, Nick?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's sad to say the neighborhood guys.

TODD: You knew them?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes. I knew one of them.

TODD: He owns a house next door that was ruined by the flood. The tenant says she lost another home to a fire two years ago.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I can't even explain what did I do that the same thing happened to me twice? I just feel like why me?

TODD: A tenant, an owner, his family left with so very little except -- my kids are alive, my wife is alive. We could move on.

Nick says he came up with a slogan for the new business, when your engine is sick, call Dr. Nick. He said he's not Dr. Nick anymore, at least not for now. He'll try to find work as a handyman. Brian Todd, CNN, Staten Island, New York.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: Something else that became almost a symbol of this hurricane sandy early on, remember this crane that was just bent as though it were just two thick or just nothing?

This high-rise being built off Central Park, that boom of that crane has been kind of dangling precariously for many days now, at least five days now. And now we get confirmation from the New York City Buildings Department that they began operations to secure that crane this morning.

Workers are in the process of securing that boom which did collapse Monday night. Some say it was 40 mile-per-hour wind gusts. Others say even higher than that. But that entire seven block area around 157 had been closed off.

Because, of course, there is great concern whether anybody walking by the building or driving past the building might be in harm's way so, again, there are efforts under way right now to try to secure that boom of that bent up crane there at 157 in Manhattan.

Straight ahead, we'll talk to a Staten Island borough official about the recovery efforts and why some residents say they are the storm's forgotten victims.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: On Staten Island, New York, the property destruction is everywhere. In Sandy's wrath caused more loss of life in New York than anywhere in the U.S. residents wondered loudly why relief efforts have been so slow. They've called themselves the forgotten victims.

Joining me now on the phone is Staten Island Assemblyman Michael Cusick. Mr. Cusick, so what is the latest on the relief efforts? Why is it that people are feeling forgotten? Are they feeling they're no longer being ignored?

MICHAEL CUSICK, STATEN ISLAND, NEW YORK (D), N.Y. STATE ASSEMBLYMAN (via telephone): Well, since Thursday, things have really turned around. Things really turned around today. Since Thursday we have gotten the attention that we truly deserve out here.

But Staten Island is always at a disadvantage even before the hurricane being the smallest of the five boroughs. We seem to be forgotten in most cases. But I think the fact was that the storm hit varied neighborhoods throughout the city.

People were focused all around and they did not really focus on Staten Island until, quite frankly, on Thursday when we had a visit from Senators Schumer and Gellibrand and our borough president made a plea to folks to come and help when there are 0 o 20 or so cameras that showed up on our island.

Since that day, since Thursday, we've been inundated with FEMA. The Red Cross is here in full force. We have the National Guard and I'm driving around now to one of the command centers at miller field.

I'm seeing volunteers from all over the city and state just wanting to help. So in the last 24 hours, 48 hours, things have turned. And we're moving in the right direction.

WHITFIELD: I understand that many of those volunteers that have kind of descended upon Staten Island were runners who were going to be part of the New York City marathon but since so many traveled from far and wide, they're there and they said, you know what?

We want to pitch in, in any way, shape or form. What do you suppose a lot of the volunteers are going to be able to do? What are they going to be equipped to do?

CUSICK: We're asking volunteers to go right now to Miller Field, which is in the Nudorb section. It is in the New York section of Staten Island. It is basically in between the midland beach area hit very hard and the New York beach area that was hit hard. It is a federal property that has a staging area for Red Cross, the National Guard and OEM and the city of New York. So that's where we're asking people if they want to volunteer, they can head to miller field on Staten Island.

WHITFIELD: What about sanitation? s that a huge concern for you? I understand because garbage and debris is everywhere. There are other health issues that may crop up because of standing water. We're looking at image that's demonstrates right that now.

KUSICK: Sanitation is one of the issues that we're facing now that the storm is a few days past. Our New York City Sanitation Department is doing a fantastic job clearing streets and neighborhoods.

Again, it's something that none of us have seen before. So they are working overtime and working their hardest. So we're getting -- we're getting private contractors to -- they're volunteering to help us.

The issue is the garbage that people have at their houses, not so much the debris that we're trying to work with because that -- the concern is that it may become a health hazard. And we are working with the city. We did have a meeting with the city this morning to address that issue.

WHITFIELD: OK, before I let you go, in about 15 seconds or so that we have left, now what about voting? I realize that's a low priority for an awful lot of people in Staten Island who are just in undated with the devastation here.

Are there measures that have been put in place so that there are polling stations that are accessible for people to vote come Tuesday?

CUSICK: The Election Day is three days away. The Board of Elections is state of New York and the local boards have been working very hard to make sure that election day, election day happens. There have been contingency plans put into place. I have been on the phone with the board of elections and our folks up in Albany about Tuesday.

WHITFIELD: So polling stations on Staten Island?

CUSICK: Yes, on Staten Island and also in the city of New York. There were sections of the city that are affected. And they're coming up with a plan.

If there are areas that we can use, we're figuring out where we can put polling sites. But that has been worked on even before the storm hit because our board of elections wanted to be prepared.

WHITFIELD: All right, Michael Cusick, I know you have your hands full there. Thank you for joining us. Staten island assemblyman, all the best.

CUSICK: Thank you.

WHITFIELD: Superstorm Sandy rocked the east coast leaving billions of dollars in damage. Now it's time for the insurance paperwork. The insurance expert tells us what is covered exactly.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK) WHITFIELD: As the east coast begins to repair and rebuild after superstorm Sandy, many residents face a new and different kind of challenge, insurance paperwork. Where do you begin if your property has been damaged?

Christine Romans takes a look in this week's "Smart is The New Rich."

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: About 14 percent of home owners in the northeast have flood insurance more than the five percent who recovered when Irene hallowed through.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We lost our house, our pool and God only knows what else.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Unbelievable. It's a war zone.

UNDENTIFIED MALE: I'm not sure where to go from here besides calling the insurance company.

CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): That's the first step. Then comes calculating the loss and cashing the check. In Sandy's wake, tens of thousands of homeowners are asking if a tree falls in a hurricane, who pays?

JEANNE SALVATORE, SENIOR V.P., INSURANCE INFORMATION INSTITUTE: If the tree hits your house, you call your insurance company and file a claim. You're going to be covered for the damage that that tree does to your house, for anything that's in the house, and for the cost of removing that tree.

ROMANS: Jeanne Salvatore of the Insurance Information Institue.

(on camera): How does wind damage? That comes into homeowner policy.

SALVATORE: Wind is covered. I mean, wind is one of those standard disasters -- it's covered.

ROMANS: With Sandy's wind, came water.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Most people buy flood insurance from the national flood insurance program. So if you have a flood insurance policy, you'll be covered for that.

ROMANS: About 14 percent of homeowners in the northeast have flood insurance. More than the 5 percent who were covered when Irene howled through.

(on camera): Will some people that don't have flood insurance be able to get relief from the federal government?

SALVATORE: People need to get in touch with FEMA and find out what is available to them. There might be some sort of disaster aid or loans.

ROMANS: Another enduring image of Sandy, flooded cars. SALVATORE: You're covered for a lot of natural disasters under the comprehensive portion of your car insurance. So that's going to cover wind damage. It's going to cover flooding.

ROMANS: Keep notes. Find as many receipts as can you. Be thorough with the claims adjustor. No damage is too small to mention. Keep your patience and perspective.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: A home can always be rebuilt. You know, as long as we have our lives. We're safe.

ROMANS: Christine Romans, CNN, New York.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: And she is giving teen mothers in Columbia the chance to take control of their futures. Meet one of top ten "CNN Heroes of 2012." And if you have to leave today, just reminder, CNN can be with you no matter where you go from your mobile phone or even your laptop. Just go to cnn.com/tv.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: Each week we are shining lights on the top heroes of 2012. This week's honoree is from Colombia where nearly one in five teenage girls are pregnant or already mothers. This week's honoree is giving thousands of teen moms the tools they need to build better lives.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CATALINA ESCOBAR, COMMUNITY CRUSADER: Teen pregnancy in Cartagena is a big issue. When you go to the slums, it is unbelievable what you see. Many of my girls live here. You see this girl. They're babies holding babies.

About ten years ago, I was volunteering at this maternity hospital. I was holding these babies. He passed away with me. His teen mother failed to raise the money to cover treatment. Four days later, my own son passed the away in an accident.

I realized I didn't want any mother to feel the same grief that I went through. My name is Catalina Escobar and I'm helping teen moms get a healthy and productive life for them and for their babies.

When we first started at the maternity hospital, we reduced dramatically the infant mortality rate. The real problem is much bigger than that. My girls end up being pregnant because they don't have sexual education. And many of my girls are sexually abused.

When my girls come, they drop their babies in the daycare center. We have different workshops so they can develop their skills.

ESCOBAR: We are changing the lives of these girls. If you give them the right tools, they're capable of moving forward.

(END VIDEOTAPE) WHITFIELD: Wow. Catalina is just one of our top ten honorees. One of whom will become "CNN's Hero of the Year" and receive $250,000. Who will it be? You decide. Go to cnnheroes.com, online and on your mobile device and vote up to 10 times a day every day if you want to.

No, we can't promise Secret Service protection, but question guarantee you'll live like the leader of the free world. Yes, the president really slept here.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: Houston, Waikiki, San Francisco and Washington, D.C., they all sound like great vacation destinations, right? And all of these places have received the presidential treatment. That's because former U.S. presidents have stayed in hotels in all of those cities. You can, too.

Earlier I spoke with Kate Maxwell, the editor in chief of "Jet Setter." We started with the hotel in the epicenter of all things political, the Madison in Washington, D.C.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The Madison is named for James Madison, the fourth president of the United States. It hosted some presidents. Bush stayed there, George Bush when in transition to the White House.

So, you know, it's got lots and lots of history going on there. It's also prime position in D.C. it's only five blocks from the White House. JFK attended the opening in 1963. It cost $179 a night.

WHITFIELD: Let's go west coast now. San Francisco. What presidents have stayed at the Fairmont Hotel?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The Fairmont is the first Fairmont, actually. It opened in 1906. It's on Knob Bill. It's a prime, prime position. It's where the U.N. charter was drafted in 1945 so also all sorts of history there too.

So while you're in San Francisco, make sure you take the tram and go to Alcatraz. You know how much I love Napa. It's a two hour drive away.

WHITFIELD: And what's the price point?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: That's $279 a night.

WHITFIELD: Let's go to Houston, Texas, a hotel called the Husetonian. And I'm sure this is a favorite of the Bush family as if they need a place to stay in Texas.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Of course, it is. It's a Bush home from home, if you like. It's like a country club in the city of you might bump into George Bush Sr. at the Manner Restaurant or Barbara Bush in the spa. There is also an enormous activity center, 25,000 square foot. They have a rock climbing wall. They have lots of personal trainers. It's a really, really fun place to hang out. And that costs from $179. It is also very near the city's great art district and lots of great shopping.

WHITFIELD: All right, that, too, fairly reasonable. All right, let's go to Hawaii. You've always got to carve out a lot of time to make that trip. Tell us about the hotel that is now one to visit.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: So every president since Lyndon Johnson has stopped by here including Barack Obama in his 2008 presidential campaign. It's a peaceful hotel on 800 foot white sand beach.

Also it's a water sports, of course, the paddling. I believe Obama likes to do. There is fishing. There's snorkling and scuba diving and had a costs -- that's a bit more expensive. That's from $661 a night at the moment.

WHITFIELD: Wow! It's a gorgeous view no matter where you are in Hawaii. Who is going to complain?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Exactly. This is just 10 minutes from Waikiki. It feels completely isolated.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: Nice, a little Waikiki and surfing, too? For more travel tips, just visit jetsetter.com/getaway.

Checking to day's top stories real quick, it's the last weekend before the presidential election. The candidates are making the most of what little time they have left. Today they're campaigning in critical battleground states. President Obama in Ohio, Wisconsin, Iowa, and Virginia and Mitt Romney is in New Hampshire, Iowa and Colorado.

Heartache is growing for families in the northeast as Sandy claims more lives. The storm is now blamed for 106 deaths in the U.S. Meantime, Con-Edison crews have now restored effort to more than 645,000 customers who lost power since the storm slammed through New York.

And the Metropolitan Transportation Authority restored 80 percent of the New York subway system. Coming up later on today at 2:00 Eastern hour, Larry King will break down the third party effect on the election. I'm Fredricka Whitfield.

"YOUR MONEY" starts right now.