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Candidates are Having Final Push on Final Days before Election Day

Aired November 04, 2012 - 17:00   ET

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

FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: It's the top of the hour here in the CNN NEWSROOM. I'm Fredericka Whitfield. With two days until Election Day a marathon has turned into a sprint.

This hour Republican Mitt Romney is in Pennsylvania a swing state that leads Democratic, but one that Romney believes he can win. President Barack Obama was in Florida earlier, it's the biggest prize of all of the swing states. Next, he'll be heading to Cincinnati, Ohio. The next biggest target for those two campaigns, Ohio. No surprise that Mitt Romney was also in Ohio earlier today. No Republican candidate has ever won the White House with out winning that state. In Cleveland, Romney preached his own message of change to voters.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MITT ROMNEY, (R) PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE: The president was right the other day when he said he can't change Washington from the inside only from the outside. Let's make sure to give him that chance, OK?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: Morrisville, Pennsylvania will hear that same message later on this hour and right now vice presidential candidate Paul Ryan is speaking in Minneapolis. Let's listen in.

(BEGIN LIVE FEED)

REP. PAUL RYAN, (R-WI) VICE PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE: The five of us, we're in Congress together. President Obama has not met with the Republican leaders in the house or the Senate since July.

AUDIENCE: (BOOING)

RYAN: We have a debt crisis coming, we have budget problems, we have economic problems. That's not leadership. We need a leader. Now the reason Mitt Romney and I keep talking about our five-point plan is because we believe we owed you our fellow citizens an actual plan. We owe you solutions, we owe you ideas.

Real reforms can be had to get a real recovery. Number one, we had so much energy in this state in this country. Let's use that energy in this state in this country and put people back to work. Let's get the keystone pipeline, let's add more gas, more coal and renewable. I tell you what, we know what layoffs are. We have family and friends that we know of who are in their 40s or their 50s or their 60s. Prime working years. They're out of a job or they're out of a good job.

We need to clear the bureaucracy so they can get the skills they need to get the jobs they want. And if there are kids who are stuck in inner city schools, whether it's Downtown, Milwaukee or Saint Paul or Minneapolis. Let their parents take them to a school that actually performs so they can get out of poverty so they get their lives back together.

(END LIVE FEED)

WHITFIELD: All right, that was vice presidential nominee Paul Ryan there in Minneapolis. Also, we are continuing to watch others on the campaign trail, former president Bill Clinton, soon to be in Raleigh, North Carolina campaigning on behalf of president Barack Obama.

And right now, President Obama is headed to the battle ground state of Ohio. He just finished up speaking in Hollywood, Florida a short time ago. And he talked to voters there about his ideas on jobs growth and how governor Romney's ideas won't work.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: But here's the thing, Florida. We know what change looks like. What governor Romney's offering isn't it. Giving more power back to the biggest banks, that's not change. Another $5 trillion in tax cuts for the wealthy, that's not change. Refusing to answer questions about the details of our policies until after the election, that's definitely not change.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: President Obama also told voters that he would fight hard for them and their families. And that he was going to win Florida in the election.

And if you hope the polls will shed some light on who will win? Forget about it. CNN political editor Paul Steinhauser is here to do the math for us. It is pretty tricky.

Paul, what do the national polls look like?

PAUL STEINHAUSER, CNN POLITICAL EDITOR: Look at this, Fred. Two days to go, and we have four polls, live operator, nonpartisan and came out since midnight last night.

Let's go through them. They are also pretty much the same story. Let's start with the ABC News/"Washington Post." Well, there you go. It doesn't get any closer than that, 48 percent of likely voters supporting the president, 48 percent supporting Mitt Romney.

How about NBC News/"Wall Street Journal?" They came out this morning. And well, pretty much the same story, a one-point advantage for the president, but within the sampling areas. It is basically all tied up.

"Politico," George Washington University. There you go. Basically, again, dead even right there. And Pew research center, they came out with just a few hours ago. They have the president with a three-point advantage, 50-47 percent among likely voters. But, that's within the sampling error, very, very close. This, you know, at least nationally among the popular vote, Fred, this is just about dead even as we get into the election.

WHITFIELD: And what about battleground states?

STEINHAUSER: And that's the key here because this is not a popular vote, remember that? You know, this is a battle for the states and their electoral votes. You got to get to 270 to win the White house and we look at those eight battleground states. Polls in two of them just came out since last night and they are interesting.

Let's start with Iowa. This is in Des Moines registered poll out there. It is basically considered the gold standard in Iowa. And you have the president with a five-point advantage there and NBC news "Wall Street Journal" Marist poll a couple of days ago, also has the president with an advantage, pretty similar. Remember, the president - Mitt Romney started his day in Iowa, the president will end his day tomorrow in Iowa.

Let's go to New Hampshire, another one that is very important battle ground states. Take a look at this from WMUR, and this is well, once again, dead even in New Hampshire. The president started in New Hampshire today, Mitt Romney is going to end his campaign in New Hampshire. Other polls have also showed it very, very tight in the grandest state, Fred.

WHITFIELD: And so, Paul Ryan right now in Minnesota, why?

STEINHAUSER: Yes. Let's go back to (INAUDIBLE). This is interesting. Paul Ryan in Minnesota today. And I covered him in Pennsylvania yesterday, when he had a rally there. What is going on? Pennsylvania and Minnesota, two states that are thought to be, you know, leaning Obama or safe Obama. But we are seeing the polls tightening up. The Romney campaign thinks maybe they can expand the map. That's why you are seeing Ryan today in Minnesota. You've got Mitt Romney going in a few minutes to Pennsylvania.

The Obama campaign says no. They are not trying to expand them out. they are doing this out of desperation. I guess, we will find out on Tuesday which side was right, Fred.

WHITFIELD: All right, Paul Steinhauser. Thanks so much. It is going to be busy next couple of days indeed.

All right. So, for people who are dealing with the aftermath of the super storm Sandy, you can forgive them if voting isn't the first thing on their mind this week. But (INAUDIBLE) parts of New York, they are doing all that they can to get the polls ready for Tuesday and there are plenty of determined voters.

National correspondent Susan Candiotti is actually in Rockaway, New York, very hard hit.

But Susan, what measures are being taken to try and make sure that people there are able to vote?

SUSAN CANDIOTTI, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, the first thing I can tell you, Fred, is that more than 143,000 people just in this one borough alone will not be going to the usual polling places that they are used to.

Here's why. Just take a look around. I am right now walking on a boardwalk. A chunk of a boardwalk that is running 90 degrees perpendicular to where it used to be. Behind me, running along the ocean. Huge chunks of a boardwalk that runs for miles behind me has broken up and is now running down side streets of Rockaway Beach. Look at all of these debris. It is coming out of the homes along here along the water front, due to flooding. People, on their own, have dragged al this out to the street. They have no power, look at these power lines down here. And they have to figure out how they are going to vote. Nevertheless, people tell us, they're trying to do it.

Now, The board of elections is running generators out to a lot of the new polling places to make sure that the voting machines will work. They spent a lot of time doing that today in hopes that that will help people be able to vote. But will they get there? I talked to a couple of people who say they intend to do it.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes, voting is on my mind, even though I'm living in all this mess, I still am who I am. It hasn't ought to be the essence of my person.

CANDIOTTI: Is voting the last thing on your mind right now?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well, if I were - I'm not really make it to with a problem because if I have to walk, ride, whatever, I'm going to get to my polling.

CANDIOTTI: You are going to make sure.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm going to get to my polling.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CANDIOTTI: But, how do they find out where they are supposed to go. What the Republican Party told us, they're going to try to arrange for some kind of transportation to help some people. Democrats say, no, they're concentrating on helping with disaster relief. But others are getting out flyers and trying to get the word out in some way.

I talked to some first-time voter who is say they're not going to miss this for anything. Take a look.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: My important right now is Election Day, what is doing.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Election Day? UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The same day and voting at the same polling place?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It's very terrible not to vote.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: They brought in voting machines and they're going to put them outside where you can vote. You can vote, it's not being cancelled, you can vote. Just go to your normal polling place.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The people, he don't know what he do, and the president right now, we don't have TV.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: So Susan, is there like a contingency plan for people who feel like they are confused, don't know where to vote or feel like for some reason they're unable to vote on that day, Tuesday?

CANDIOTTI: Well, not really. You know, there is some public transportation. Others people say, they're going to try to get them rides. You see, cars from time to time around here while a lot them are flooded. They don't work. So, there are some busses that might be able to help. For example, if you can get yourself to them.

The thing is that there is a plan, authorities say that if less than 25 percent of registered voters are able to get to the polls in any one county, obviously, because of the storm, the board of elections will vote to see whether they will allow an extra day of voting, on a one-time deal. But it's never happened before. Could it happen? It's possible. We don't know if it will. But there is a plan in place.

WHITFIELD: All right, Susan Candiotti in Rockaway. Appreciate that.

All right now, good news for northeast commuters, Amtrak has announce that they will renew service Monday in the northeast corridor. Trains will run between Boston, New York City and Washington, although, less frequently than normal. Amtrak is asking passengers to make reservation and payment in advance at Amrtrak.com to avoid long lines at ticket offices and to avoid any kind of sold out train scenarios.

All right, so was it of the jobs report, was it of super storm Sandy? What's going to be the it factor in the race on Tuesday. We will get expert analysis on the campaign strategies in the homestretch.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: All right, on the campaign trail, former president Bill Clinton stumping for president Barack Obama. In Raleigh, North Carolina. Let's listen.

(BEGIN LIVE FEED)

BILL CLINTON, FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Offer them unilaterally, without asking for anything, a trillion dollars in spending reductions over the next decade. They said no. But he said the door is still open. And they will walk through that door when you re-elect him day after tomorrow.

And he knows that politics is about other people, not about power, not about ideology, he knows that a philosophy of we're all in this together is a heck of a lot better than you are on your own. And not just when natural disaster strikes. I mean, look. I spend a lot of time now in my foundation. I get support from Democrats and Republicans and independents, and half the time around the world, I don't even know what the politics of somebody helping me are, because they all have one thing in common, they want to make a difference.

And when you want to make a difference in other people's lives, instead of let of your own position, you live your ideological baggage at the door and you work on what's good for people, you cooperate and you keep score in the only way that matters, are people better off when you quit than when you started, do children have a brighter future, are things come together instead of getting torn apart.

If you look at Raleigh, if you look at the stunning long term success of this era, it is symbolized by the research triangle, by cooperation between business and government and the university system by all these foundations and everybody working together. That's what works.

There's a reason Orlando, Florida has a hundred computer simulation counters because the government, the private sector work together to do that. The University of Central Florida changes the curriculum every semester to put people into jobs that are opening. There's a reason San Diego, California is the human genome research capital of the world. Same deal, public, private, foundations, people working together. Ever since the tea party took over the Republican party --

AUDIENCE: (BOOINIG)

CLINTON: Ever since the tea party took over the Republican party, they say it's my way or the highway, we're right all the time. They've beat the distinguished Republican senator from Indiana, Richard Lugar, their most important foreign policy spokesperson because he was attacked by his opponent for cooperating with President Obama on national security. They're nominee actually said, I couldn't make this up, that his happiest day was when he was imposing his opinion on someone else and he wanted the people to send him to Washington, so that he could have more partisanship in Washington, D.C.

Now, if you want it, you can have it. The people of Indiana don't want it, congressman Joe Donnelly, his opponent, was ahead by 11 points in the most recent polls. You're going to change that. But it will all be for naught if you reward him by not electing President Obama. If you want cooperation over conflict, if you want people to walk through the same door and sit down at the same table and behave like grown-ups, you have to re-elect President Obama.

(CHEERS AND APPLAUSE)

(END LIVE FEED)

WHITFIELD: Former president Bill Clinton stumping for president Barack Obama.

Election day just two days away. And so, could former president Clinton make a real difference in the outcome of the election? And how about the economy? We will talk about what could be a deciding factor come Election Day.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: All right, there's a lot at stake in this race for the White House. And as the candidates make their push, most poll in the battleground states give the edge to the president. But what will it factor on Tuesday?

Karen Tumulty writes for "The Washington Post." And Karen, good to see you.

KAREN TUMULTY, NATIONAL POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT, WASHINGTON POST: Hi, Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: So your paper today says, quote, "almost half of all Americans said Obama's hurricane response would be a factor in their vote according to the latest ABC tracking poll and an early survey finding that 79 percent say that his handling of the situation is good."

So, is the storm kind of that it factor in this race right now?

TUMULTY: Well, it is one it factor. You know, it is in a race this tight and sort of you have to have everything working for you. Where the storm probably helped President Obama is that it gave him a sort of commander in chief moment right before the election. And as Karl Rove pointed out earlier today, when he was being interviewed by Candy Crowley, it also changed the subject and Karl Rove will argue that it sort of interrupted -- I mean it was actually Haley Barber -- it interrupted Mitt Romney's momentum.

But here is one thing that if I were on the Democrats' team I would be a little bit worried about. And that is the turnout in places like New York, New Jersey, Connecticut.

WHITFIELD: Even though those are traditionally blue states, you are saying.

TUMULTY: Yes.

WHITFIELD: Is it a handful, probably more than a handful, if there's thousands of people that wouldn't be able to vote because of that storm, will it have an impact?

TUMULTY: And I think it's not going to change the vote in those states. But what it could do is have an effect on the entire national turnout and the national margin. So, we really two have a situation here where President Obama could win the electoral college and lose the popular vote.

WHITFIELD: So, what do you mean by that though? I mean that it would impacted those traditionally blue states, you know, New Jersey, New York because of the storm, but it would have an impact nationally?

TUMULTY: Because it's the national vote totals and these are some very large centers of population that always vote heavily Democratic.

WHITFIELD: OK. So, the other factor. Let's talk about that jobs report on Friday. The president is arguing jobs were created and that's a feather in his cap. Although Romney arguing the unemployment rate, you know, sends a, in his words, sad message. You know, who wins that battle?

TUMULTY: I was with governor Romney in Ohio and he was arguing on Friday that the unemployment rate remains higher than it was when Barack Obama took office. But I really think that, you know, absent -- if there had been something cataclysmic as one way or the other and not unemployment rate, it is the job number that might have made a big different. But political scientists will tell you that most people's impressions about the economy and whether their future is brighter or not, really kind of gets baked into to the cake, maybe in late summer or early fall. So, I don't think this rule the outcome one way or the other.

WHITFIELD: OK. Let's talk about some of the other states like, I know there has been lots of talk about Ohio. We have been talking about it. The candidates are clearly finding it very important because they are spending an awful lot of time in Ohio. But what about states like Michigan, Nevada, Pennsylvania, how much are they in play? Especially since Pennsylvania, President Obama won that one, but he's not apparently taking for granted. Clinton will be campaigning there in his behalf?

WHITFIELD: Well, Pennsylvania has a million more registered Democrats than Republicans. So it is a state that Republicans have tried to contest in the last few presidential elections and have failed. But there's always sort of enough of an opportunity there that they end up making a last-minute push there.

The other thing to remember is that when you're campaigning in western Pennsylvania, you're hitting the TV markets in eastern, Iowa. So you do get a little bit of a two for there as well.

WHITFIELD: OK. Karen Tumulty, it is so good to see you. Thanks so much.

TUMULTY: Great to be here. Thank you.

WHITFIELD: All right, thanks.

Going to be a crazy busy couple of days for Karen, for everyone.

So, the race for president is indeed a dead heat, so where do you think the candidates are spending a lot of their time besides Ohio? Well, there isn't another place they're spending their time than that. Ohio, Ohio, Ohio. We will go there, live.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK) WHITFIELD: Well, the presidential race remains incredibly tight, so do several Senate races and that could tip the balance of power for whoever wins the White House.

Athena Jones has more.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ATHENA JONES, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): In the Republican wave of 2010, Democrats lost control of the house. But they kept the Senate. Democrats control 53 seats in the 100-member chamber. Republicans need four to take over if President Obama wins the election, three if governor Mitt Romney wins, since a vice president Paul Ryan would serve as a tie breaker, 33 states are up for grabs.

SHIRA TOEPLITZ, ROLL CALL: It is possible, although it is looking increasingly unlikely that Republicans will be able to do control of the Senate.

JONES: Why is that? For one thing, there is main Republican Olympia Snowe's unexpected retirement from a body she described as hopelessly partisan. Republicans who will likely lose that seat.

Then, there are the self-inflicted wounds like this comment from Republican Todd Akin who is running in Missouri.

REP. TODD AKIN, (R) U.S. SENATE CANDIDATE, MISSOURI: If it's a legitimate race, the female body has ways of shutting that whole thing down.

JONES: Those words sparked an outcry putting the victory over Democrat Claire McCaskill, a top GOP target in doubt.

TOEPLITZ: That one was kind of the give me. That was the one they could win no matter what because he said those comments, the race was very much in play.

JONES: And then there was this remark by Indian Republican Richard Mourdock, explaining why he opposes abortion even in the case of rape.

RICHARD MOURDOCK, (R) U.S. SENATE CANDIDATE, INDIANA: I think a child is a gift from God. And I think even with life begins in that horrible situation of rape, that it is something that God intended it to happen.

JONES: GOP operatives say that statement, while in articulate, is in line with the dealing of many conservative votes. Still it may have opened the door for his democratic opponent Joe Donnelly.

STUART ROTHENBERG, ROTHENBERG POLITICAL EXPERT: Now again, a misstatement, a misstep and suddenly his election is really in doubt.

JONES: It's too close to call in Massachusetts where liberal favorite Elizabeth Warren, the former Obama administration consumer advocate is trying to win back the election Scott brown won in 2004. And polls in Virginia have the democrat, former governor Tim Kaine leading former senator George Allen by just two points.

With races all tied up in places like Nevada, Arizona, Montana, North Dakota, Wisconsin, and Connecticut, it could be a nail biter on Tuesday night.

Athena Jones, CNN. Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: America has 50 states, but it's the key battleground states where the race just might be decided come Tuesday. Right now CNN estimates that nine states are the make or break ones that President Obama or Mitt Romney must win to win the White House. The biggest battleground state is Florida with 29 electoral votes. And then, then there's, of course, Ohio which has been called the must-win state for Romney.

We have a team of reporters in Ohio, in the state capital is our own Don Lemon.

So Don, Joe Biden has been Toledo today. Mr. Romney has been in Cleveland. The president is in Cincinnati. You are now there with a thicker coat which tells me that cold front has moved in. It's chilly?

DON LEMON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It is chilly. Fred, who isn't here today?

WHITFIELD: It's all about Ohio?

LEMON: It is all about Ohio. You are right. they have been here and I have read in the paper today, I think they have been here 83 times, you know, all of them together, 83 times, and that is a record for a presidential election.

So, yes, it really is all about Ohio. They want these 18 electoral votes because as you know, it is down to the wire and this state could go any way. It is a statistical dead heat between Mitt Romney and President Obama. I think the president is ahead by three points, but that's within, you know, the margin of error Fred.

WHITFIELD: Yes.

OK. So, what about this so called souls to the polls, that's a big hit in the African-American churches, these are ground we are talking about it earlier. That was a big push in Florida, is that the case in Ohio, does it apply?

LEMON: Yes, it is. You know, it's also a big push around the country really. And started a couple of years ago. And then, last president to elect (INAUDIBLE), you know. In 2008, I mean, the Obama campaign really put all stops out and got a lot of people out to vote on that last Sunday before Election Day.

So I went to a church here, the St. John AME church and they were out right after the sermon, Fred, they put the people on the church bus who had not gone out to vote and they took them to the polling place and -- but there was quite a surprise when they got to the polling place because the lines were literally, and this is not, I'm not using a cliche here, wrapped around the building and a number of circles. It's unbelievable how many people are coming out early to vote. But this souls to the polls is actual working?

WHITFIELD: So, was that a turnoff? Did people get out of those lines or were die hard in those state sticking with those lines?

LEMON: You know, that was a good questions because we, you know, we rode with the church bus. I went with a lady, Eugenia Wilkins, who, 63-years-old. And she got there and she really like, where do this line - where do you get in line? And so, we got in line. And there was like a circle, almost like the airport. When you go through the airport, they have those, you know, one line, it kind of snakes in and out. that's how it was. And so, she said, listen. I'm going to try to wait here, but I want to get home to see myself on television. But if not, I'll be here bright and early in the morning or I will come back on Election Day. But nothing's going to stop me from voting, not even a line. And the line is going pretty bad.

WHITFIELD: Yes, OK.

All right, Don. I know you have been probably tweeting back and forth with Ali Velshi, because I remember the other day, he was like hey, wait a minute, how come you are all "GQ?" If you were GQ very, GQ yesterday. And, you know, how come I'm Michelin. I think today, you got the Michelin thing going on. It's cold but it's all right.

LEMON: I learned my lesson last night. I learned my lesson last night. I was trying to, you know, be a little bit fashionable and the Hulk got me. So, I put on my big Michelin thing, long gone is fighting

(CROSSTALK)

LEMON: And some boots.

WHITFIELD: That's OK.

LEMON: I got on some snow today so that I'm warm.

WHITFIELD: Apropos, looking good either way.

Don Lemon, Thanks so much.

LEMON: All right.

WHITFIELD: We will see more of you later on this evening.

OK, it is the final stretch of campaigning leading up to Election Day and CNN reporters are stationed all across the map in advance of Tuesday's vote.

Of course our David Mattingly is in the battle ground state of New Hampshire. Let's check in with David, right? I know it's chilly there too, the economy is in great shape, however, in New Hampshire. But it is indeed a factor as folks there try to make a decision between Obama and Romney?

DAVID MATTINGLY, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: That's right. New Hampshire, the perennial swing state. Well, right now, it seems like the hand is might be a little rusty. No one knows which way this state might decide to swing on Election Day.

The latest poll that came out shows that this is absolutely knotted up, WMUR Gannet (ph) Poll showing 47 percent each for Governor Romney and President Obama. But get this. This poll went a little bit deeper, probing those few remaining undecided voters, the people that all this time haven't been able to make up their minds on who to vote for in this election. They could say the election one way or the other. But when asked in which way they might be leaning in this election, even that came out sharply divided.

So, nobody knows right now how this race is going to turn out. And you talk about red states and blue states, tonight, New Hampshire is hopelessly purple.

WHITFIELD: All right. It is indeed tight there.

And you know, one would think that Mitt Romney would have the advantage, given that that's kind of a home away from home state, but not the case, right?

MATTINGLY: Right. And right now they are targeting those undecided voters pretty heavily in these last couple of days, the president focusing on what they call his closing arguments saying to continue on with the policies of his administration to continue to move forward.

Governor Romney touting what his final arguments say, pointing out the growing deficit and the economy problems under the Obama administration. So those are the final messages that they're targeting toward those undecided voters. But for the 47 percent who have made up their mind, it's all about getting them to the polls right now. And in the last 48 hours of the campaign, you are going to see more of the candidates in New Hampshire. Governor Romney in fact, having his last campaign appearance of this election right here in New Hampshire on Monday night.

So, even though, there's only four electoral votes at stake here, they know that there's a couple of scenarios when those four votes could come in very handy.

WHITFIELD: Every little bit counts. All right, David Mattingly, stay warm there in New Hampshire. Will be there soon.

All right, the outcome of Tuesday's election will have an impact on Wall Street as well as main street. In a minute we'll find out what impact.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: All right, this week on Wall Street, investors are watching the same thing everyone else is, the election.

Todd Schoenberger joins me now. He is the managing principal at the Black Bay group. And he is in New York.

Good to see you, Todd.

TODD SCHOENBERGER, MARKET ANALYST: Hi, Fred.

WHITFIELD: I'm glad to you made it back. I know you had a harrowing experiencing too during that whole super Sandy all up and down the east coast.

All right. So you say depending on who wins this election, we could see very different reactions from Wall Street. So, let's begin with the hypothetical of if President Obama is re-elected, then what?

SCHOENBERGER: OK. Well, you can always suspect that for the next four years then the markets will probably still respond favorably. Actually, if you look at history, Fredricka, for a first term president, President Obama has actually, since he's been in charge, the Dow has performed the fifth best performance regarding returns. So that's great, so you can only forecast the future by looking at historical events so we can suspect that if President Obama is re- elected, stocks should remain higher.

WHITFIELD: OK. And then you have another hypothetical, if Mitt Romney were to win, then what?

SCHOENBERGER: Right. Well, again, a short-term boost definitely, I mean, the bulls will be running only because candidate Romney has been very vocal about promoting a very tax friendly environment. Plus, you can also suspect it will have a more friendly or regulations. So that's the case, you will see a definitely a bump up in stocks.

However, for next year, he has also promoted the idea of a fiscally fit future, if you will, for the country. So therefore, you are going to have probably less government spending. And 20 percent of the entire GDP rate is actually comprised of what the federal government spends. So, if that shrinks, you have to find it somewhere else. And therefore, if it is not coming from consumer or even from organically, just from the economy, well, that could be a negative force stocks only because earning will then suffer.

WHITFIELD: All right. Another potential I guess riddle. The hypothetical here, and you know, if for some reason, the results, the outcome is delayed, say you know, there's some hang up with balance who at certain stage or perhaps there's a time the electoral college. What would that mean for investors?

SCHOENBERGER: It will be awful. I could tell you that right now. It would be absolutely horrific because Wall Street hates uncertainty. And one thing we want is on Tuesday evening, we want to know who is going to be our next president. Because if we're going through this whole thing of a recount like we did back in 2000, you get lawyers involved and you have to worry about everything else that Wall Street will suffer, you will definitely see a selloff in the market. So, with the point, you want to hope that the candidate who does leave, they leave gracefully. And therefore, we can move on, we can actually take care of the concerns all of us are addressing right now within the U.S.

WHITFIELD: There's so much stake being put into the Friday jobs numbers, a lot of anticipation, four days, the last jobs report number, four days before Election Day. Is there still some discussion or is there some potential fallout still from those jobs numbers? Kind of inconsistency, the unemployment rate may have ticked up for, you know, 0.1 percent, but at the same time, job creation there.

SCHOENBERGER: Right. And actually, there are positives and there are negatives. I mean, when you see the jobs growth over 170,000, that's actually a good sign. Unemployment going up to 7.9 percent obviously is not a good sign. But, you mention before and the prior segment about these key battle ground states. If you look at the overall month over month unemployment, you actually will see that unemployment has dropped in six of those states.

Now, granted you have a GOP governor except for I think North Carolina and Colorado, you have a Democratic governor. But, beside the point, the policies that are implemented by the White House as well as on a state and local level, there are jobs being created.

The question is what kinds of jobs are being created. So, you see those low income variety jobs. Jobs in retail, hospitality and leisure. Those are fine and good. But, you still need the big highways jobs, because you still have the big ticket items, homes, cars, things like that that really can really get an economy growing. So there are some positives, but also some negatives, and what we really need to see is some type of consistency, actually quite a larger number, but over a continued time period. If that the case, the U.S. economy should do just well.

WHITFIELD: All right, Todd Schoenberger, thanks so much. Good to see you and it is going to be an interesting and very potentially volatile week. (INAUDIBLE).

SCHOENBERGER: Definitely. Take care.

WHITFIELD: All right. Thanks so much.

All right, national polls show the race for president is indeed a dead heat, but it all comes down to the electoral college. So, what do those national numbers really mean? We'll get into that after the break.

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WHITFIELD: Two national polls out today showing President Obama and Mitt Romney in a dead heat. Survey by NBC and "The Wall Street Journal" showing Obama with a slight edge, 48 percent to Romney's 47 percent. That's well within the sampling error. Another poll. This one from ABC and "The Washington Post" has the president at 49 percent and Romney at 48 percent. That is also within the error - margin of error. We are going from Washington right now.

Wolf Blitzer. Hello, Wolf.

WOLF BLITZER, CNN HOST, "THE SITUATION ROOM": Hi, Fred.

WHITFIELD: You have a special coming on this evening. We all know that, you know, the winner in this race will be the candidate with the most electoral votes. So, what do we take -- what do we kind of grasp from his national polls then?

BLITZER: Well, you know, if there's certainly a possibility, similar to what happened in 2000, that one of the candidates would get a majority of the popular vote, but not necessarily the 270 you need in the electoral college to be elected president of the United States. Remember in 2000, Al Gore got about half a million more votes than George W. Bush. But he lost Florida by 537 votes as all of our viewers remember, and as a result, George W. Bush had enough to win the more than 270 you need to be elected president of the United States.

And so, you could have a situation that would develop in this particular case, maybe Romney would win the popular vote, but Obama would win the electoral college. It wouldn't be the first time and that is certainly a possibility at this point.

These national polls, when you add them all together and you do an average of these national polls, I have discovered over the years that they are generally pretty reliable in terms of the popular national votes, likely voters as they say, Fred.

But what's really so much more important is Ohio, Florida, Virginia, these battle ground states where the polls are there. And as politicians like to say, there is only one poll that really counts and that happens to be, you know, the poll that takes place on Tuesday. So we'll know soon enough.

WHITFIELD: Another poll, NBC poll finding Romney's national favorability at 53 percent, just shy of Obama at 54 percent. There used to be a much greater gap there, are we saying that turn decided certainly are playing a role in a big way here?

BLITZER: Yes, I think that usually, in most polling experts, most of the political experts who have studied this over the years. If you're undecided at this late stage, you have a tendency to break in bigger numbers, not necessarily huge numbers, but in bigger numbers for the challenger as opposed to the incumbent. You've known the incumbent for four years, you've gotten used to it, you know what to expect. The challenger, if you're still undecided, there's a small group of undecided voters right now, if you are still undecided at this point, the tendency is to break a little bit bigger for the challenger than the incumbent. So, maybe, that's why Mitt Romney is doing a little bit better in these polls right now.

WHITFIELD: And should a lot of creams we put into these polls, do we think this election really will be this close? BLITZER: Yes, I think it will be this close. I'm going to be anchoring our coverage, as you know, Tuesday night, so I'm getting ready for a long night. Four years ago at 11:00 p.m. on the east coast when the polls closed on the west coast, California, Oregon, Washington state, Hawaii, we projected a winner of 270-plus electoral college votes for Barack Obama.

I don't know if we'll be able to do it this year. My attitude is I go in there and see what happens, but I anticipate it will be very close. And a lot of these states, it could be there will be millions of voters in Ohio or Florida. Who knows what the margin of difference is going to be. There could be provisional ballots. They may have to look -- this could take a while. So, all those scenarios, I've gone through all the scenarios with all of our teams. We've studied them. There could be some surprises out there.

WHITFIELD: Oh, I'm sure there will be.

All right, Wolf Blitzer. We will be watching you throughout the evening. Election night, of course, we kind of almost have like a dress rehearsal, sort of, this evening.

BLITZER: 8:00 p.m..

WHITFIELD: Right, 8:00 this evening along with Anderson Cooper. We will be watching, and this is another look at the candidates up close and personal, particularly for those people who claim to be undecided. So hard to believe. How do you not know that the point?

Anyway, it's countdown to Election Day. Live coverage tonight 8:00 Eastern right here on CNN.

All right, a new way to find out about the money that is made into your state during elections. Plus, why some Americans are refusing to vote this year. Stay with me.

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WHITFIELD: Despite all the talk about the election, many Americans just don't vote. Why?

Josh Levs has been hearing from voters on that.

JOSH LEVS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes.

WHITFIELD: I don't get it.

LEVS: It's amazing, isn't it?

WHITFIELD: Yes.

LEVS: You know, we get lost in talking about the particulars of the horse race, but the fact is voting is America at its essence. But it's the crux of our democracy. So, with our new facebook app right here, which is the "I'm voting" app that you can see on my Facebook page at joshlevs@CNN, I posted this question. I said to everyone, hey, if you're voting this year, why are you, and if you're not, why not? And we end up having a really fascinating conversation.

Let's go in here. I want you to see some of these quote. The first one in here comes from Rashad Alaiyan who says, social media has made this election much more exciting. By voting, I can express my views in the most democratic way possible.

The next one, Carlos. Since this is my first time being able to vote in a presidential election, I am voting. I have waited for 10 years. Good for him.

Bhakti. I am a parent, teacher and citizen. I have a responsibility to help shape the future of my country. Bhakti now.

A couple of people who are not voting this year. Two big ones. And these are phrase that you hear often. One, I will never participate in a two-party system that does not allow for anyone but a Democrat or Republican. That's from Nathan.

The other one, this kind of popular here, not voting. No sense in New York.

So, Fred, that what we are seeing. That one is from Joe. And in both cases, Joe is talking about the fact that you already know the way the electoral system is going to play out. And I mentioned bring go, we have an interactive map at CNN.com right here that shows you the electoral map and how it can play out, plus how much money is making it to every state.

So Fred, when we talk about this, those are two of the big reasons a lot of people bring up. One, frustration with the system, and two, feeling that with the electoral system, their votes don't matter enough. Obviously, you and I we want everybody who can vote to vote.

WHITFIELD: Yes. Don't vote, don't complain. That's all I have to say.

LEVS: Good for your pat.

WHITFIELD: All right. Josh Levs, thanks so much for bringing that to us. I appreciate it.

And that is going to do it for me. I'm Fredricka Whitfield. So much more straight ahead with Don Lemon reporting live from Columbus, Ohio.

Have a great week.

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