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Ballot Bowl 2008

Obama Campaigns in Johnstown with Senator Bob Casey; Team Clinton on the Campaign Trail

Aired March 29, 2008 - 17:00   ET

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

JIM ACOSTA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hello. Welcome to BALLOT BOWL '08. I'm Jim Acosta standing by live in the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. And if you're counting at home, this is our fourth and final hour of BALLOT BOWL for today. We've had a busy afternoon. Lots of events that we've been keeping tabs with.
And this is a chance for you to hear the candidates in their own words, live and unfiltered. Right now, we are keeping our eyes on a Hillary Clinton event that is expected to start shortly in Louisville, Kentucky. She is campaigning there in anticipation of that state's contest coming up next month.

Yes, there are contests coming up after the big Pennsylvania primary scheduled for April 22nd. And my colleague, Mary Snow, is standing by live in Johnstown, Pennsylvania. She's also covering this big primary coming up next month, except she's looking at it from the vantage point of the Barack Obama campaign.

Senator Obama was campaigning there in Johnstown with Senator Bob Case. His latest surrogate in this state. Is that right, Mary?

MARY SNOW, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Jim. And it's an endorsement he was certainly welcoming, because as we pointed out before, Senator Clinton has the endorsement of the state's governor, Ed Rendell and also a number of other prominent Pennsylvania lawmakers. So certainly that endorsement yesterday was a big plus for Senator Barack Obama. And he has an uphill battle here.

He is trailing behind Senator Clinton in the polls. He acknowledges that and he's really making an effort to get out, introduce himself to voters. He's doing that right now on a bus tour. He's on this bus tour for six days here in Johnstown. He stops to have a rally and he also took questions from the audience.

And one of the questions he was asked earlier today is how he feels about two families in the White House for 28 years. This, of course, is assuming that Senator Clinton, if she won, would be in the White House for two terms. But here is what he had to say when asked that question.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm a full time student at IEP, and I'm studying political science there, and one of the first words that I, you know, learned in that department was the word oligarchy and there's a possibility here that if your opponent is elected and wins the primary, that we could have 28 years of two families in the White House and I was just concerned, you know, of what your campaign might say to that, because it scares me.

SEN. BARACK OBAMA (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Well, look, I mean, you know, Senator Clinton has said, and I agree with her, she should be judged on her own merits. You know, I mean, if she is -- if she is going to be the president best president and does the best job or if you think that, then you should vote for her. You shouldn't hold it against her, you know, that, -- you know, her name is Clinton.

Now the flipside of it is, is that, you know, I think every candidate then has to take responsibility for your track record. So one of the things I have been concerned about with Senator Clinton is she likes to take credit for all the things that happened under the Clinton White House that were good, but doesn't take credit for the things that were bad.

So on NAFTA, for example, I don't think it's -- I think it's undeniable that the Clintons push NAFTA. And then during our debate, she was saying, I wasn't in favor of NAFTA. And then afterwards we found out there were bunch of meetings that she had where she was going in and lobbying on behalf of NAFTA, even when she was first lady.

So that's my only concern is that, you know, that if you want to take credit for some of those accomplishments -- and there were some real accomplishments. I mean the Clinton administration did some good things, but then you've got to take responsibility for the fact that some things did not go so well.

I do believe, though, that part of the reason we've done well in this campaign is that we've said the politics that happened in the '90s, the arguing all the time, the real nasty, sort of "anything goes, whatever it takes," kind of politics, that that's not getting stuff done.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SNOW: Senator Barack Obama also mentioning what he said nasty politics. He was asked also about the notion that Senator Clinton should withdraw from the race. His supporter, Senator Patrick Leahy had suggested that, and certainly got so much attention for it. Senator Obama saying that he hadn't spoken to Leahy about that before he spoke. But also saying that Senator Clinton should stay in the race for as long as she wants to.

And Jim, you know, Former President Bill Clinton is also here in Pennsylvania today, and he made a comment, of course, he was asked about it and he said that he believes that Democrats who are suggesting that his wife should step out should, in his words, just relax and let the process work its way out.

But certainly, it's in the backdrop of these campaigns -- is they're trying to talk about these issues, it is certainly becoming a question that they're asked over and over again. ACOSTA: That's interesting, Mary, because we remember from just a few weeks ago when Bill Clinton was the one suggesting that Barack Obama would make a great running mate for Hillary Clinton, should she become the presidential nominee in this contest. And now he's the one saying that perhaps these other surrogates for Barack Obama should cool it.

You know, it gets interesting every time the former president gets out there on the campaign trail. We look forward to that sound coming in, but in the meantime let's turn to one of the other members of team Clinton.

Chelsea Clinton was down in Durham, North Carolina today. She was talking to a crowd of young Democrats there. Obviously, we know that earlier this week, Chelsea Clinton, she was quoted as saying and was quoted many times that she thinks her mother would make a better president than her father. Just hammering home the point that she stands to become the first American to have both of her parents become president of the United States, should Hillary Clinton get into the oval office.

But without further ado, here is Chelsea Clinton on the issues, very detailed on the issues earlier today down in Durham, North Carolina.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CHELSEA CLINTON, HILLARY CLINTON'S DAUGHTER: I am a proud supporter of my mom, not just because I'm so blessed that she's my mom, but because I do believe that she is the most progressive and prepared candidate in this race. I'm also really proud of the conversation that we're having as Democrats. And I'm really happy to talk with you about anything that's on your minds.

Yes?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: What would you say to young people, why is it important to belong to -- to any party, to any organized party?

CLINTON: Well I think you asked a couple of different questions. Your first question was about why I think it's important to be a Democrat and your second question was about why I think it's important to belong to an affiliated party. I'm very biased. I think everyone should be a Democrat.

So I'm going to talk about that. But I certainly hope that you're urging your friends to participate and actually voters who are unaffiliated in North Carolina can participate in the Democratic primary. So I hope that you'll urge your friends to participate in this primary, even if they want to maintain that identity as being an unaffiliated voter.

But I think you should ask your friends what they care about. And I really believe that if people think about this election in the context of their own lives, and what's important to them, and whether that be a significant expansion in health care or getting our economy back on track or ending the war in Iraq, or standing up for things like stem cell research, and recognizing we need a global solution. (END VIDEO CLIP)

ACOSTA: So there is the former first daughter, Chelsea Clinton, down in North Carolina, talking to young Democrats there. And we should note that happening right now, her mother, Hillary Clinton, senator from New York, is on stage in Louisville, Kentucky.

The way this campaign is going -- we were wondering if there was a Louisville slugger in her hand. We understand that that is not the case. But we'll be getting from the senator from New York. Coming up after the break, this is BALLOT BOWL on CNN.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ACOSTA: Welcome back to BALLOT BOWL '08. I'm Jim Acosta in Philadelphia. And Hillary Clinton is not in the State of Pennsylvania today. She is campaigning outside of Pennsylvania, shoring up her base of support in those states that are holding contests after the Pennsylvania primary.

And right now, after campaigning today in Indiana, she has crossed the river. She is down in Louisville, Kentucky, talking to supporters there. Let's listen in.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. HILLARY CLINTON (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I'm going to keep fighting in these primaries and keep asking for your votes. Because I believe that we have some real work to do. You know, this election is not just about the speeches we give. It's about the solutions we offer. What is it we will do? To get the economy moving, to start creating jobs, to provide health care, to stand up for American values again, to take the constitution out of cold storage, to be focused on making education the passport to opportunity for everyone.

So I come to this race with a lifetime of experience, making positive changes. You know, there are children in Kentucky today who get health care because I helped to create the children's health insurance program. And there are members of the National Guard and Reserve and their families who have access now to health care, because I joined forces with a Republican senator, and we passed it over the threat of a veto by the president and the Pentagon.

And on so many of the concerns that people care about, that I've heard about from across our country, I've been working to make a difference and if you will give me the honor of serving as your president, we will put America back on the right track and feel like we are heading into that future once again.

And there isn't anything more important than getting the economy to work again. To make it possible for the hard working people of Kentucky to have jobs, with rising incomes, that gives everybody a feeling that -- you know what? If you work hard, the deck is not stacked against you. You're going to be able to succeed. But that's not the way a lot of people feel today, and for good reason. You know, if you are a wealthy, well-connected, special interest crony, you've had a great president for the last seven years. The philosophy of the Bush administration has been government of the few, by the few, and for the few. But I don't think that's what one of your native sons meant. I believe we have to, once again, have a president who is a fighter and a champion for the hard working families and middle class of this country.

So here's what I would do if I were given the honor of being your president. I would get up every day in that White House and think what I could do to help create more jobs. What I could do to make sure everybody had health care. What I could do to be your advocate.

Now, call me biased. But I thought we were on the right track when it came to the economy in the 1990s. We were -- we were seeing the greatest economic expansion that we had in a generation or more. 22.7 million new jobs, more people lifted out of poverty than at any time in our recent history. The typical American family saw an increase of $7,000 in family income during those years. And we ended up with a balanced budget and a surplus that would have given us the resources to make the tough decisions we face.

Well, President Bush inherited that balanced budget in the surplus, and it's gone. It's been squandered. We are now deeply in debt, and we owe money to everybody. You know we owe money to the Chinese. Did you know we owed money to the Mexicans? We owe money to everybody. We borrow money from the Chinese to buy oil from the Saudis.

We have sacrificed our fiscal sovereignty. That is not a good path for our country to be on. And from typical families, since President Bush has been in office, we've seen a loss of $1,000 in income. We're not creating new jobs. We're losing jobs. And we are not seeing the focus and the urgency in dealing with everything from the rising cost of gas to home foreclosures.

Instead, it's just more of the same. I will get us back to fiscal responsibility. We are not going to be spending beyond the means of the federal government.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ACOSTA: My mike's up, OK? Hi, yes, that is Hillary Clinton in Louisville, Kentucky, and as you could hear, as she's talking to supporters there, she is addressing issues such as the economy. Kentucky is another one of those states where the economy is issue number one. And so, Hillary Clinton talking about that issue in front of a very big crowd of supporters there.

And coming up after the break here on BALLOT BOWL on CNN, we will go back to Hillary Clinton live in Louisville, Kentucky in just a few moments. We'll also hear from Republican presidential candidate John McCain, who has been off on the sidelines for much of this slugfest that has been going on between Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton.

But we'll hear from the Arizona senator coming up on BALLOT BOWL, right here on CNN. (COMMERCIAL BREAK)

SNOW: Welcome back to CNN's Saturday edition of BALLOT BOWL. A chance for you to hear directly from the presidential candidates unfiltered. I'm Mary Snow in Johnstown, Pennsylvania. Senator Hillary Clinton is today campaigning in Louisville, Kentucky. She is speaking right now and we are monitoring her comments. We'll have more on that later.

But first, we want to switch over now to the Republican side. Senator John McCain not campaigning this weekend. But he did address a number of big issues earlier this week.

He was in Los Angeles, where he gave a speech on foreign policy, Wednesday. Part of that speech, he talked about his own military experience and talked about war, and the fact that he personally detests war. Here's a little bit of Senator John McCain in his own words in Los Angeles earlier this week.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. JOHN MCCAIN (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: When I was 5 years old, a car pulled up in front of our house in New London, Connecticut, and the navy officer rolled down the window and shouted at my father, "The Japanese had bombed Pearl Harbor." My father immediately left for the submarine base where he was stationed as a commander of a United States submarine.

I rarely saw him again for four years. My grandfather, who commanded the fast carrier task forces in the Pacific under Admiral Halsey, came home from the war exhausted from the burdens he had born and died the next day. In Vietnam, where I formed the closest friendships of my life, some of those friends never came home to the country they loved so well. I detest war.

It might not be the worst thing to befall human beings but it is wretched beyond all description. When nations seek to resolve their differences by force of arms, a million tragedies ensue. The lives of a nation's finest patriots are sacrificed. Innocent people suffer and die. Commerce is disrupted, economies are damaged, strategic interests shielded by years of patient statecraft are endangered, as the exigencies of wars and diplomacy conflict. Not the valor with which it is fought, nor the nobility of the cause it serves can glorify war.

Whatever gains are secured, it is loss. The veteran remembers most keenly. Only a fool or a fraud sentimentalizes the merciless reality of war. However, however heady the appeal of a call to arms, however just the cause, we should still shed a tear for all that is lost, when war claims its wages from us.

I am an idealist, and I believe it is possible in our time to make the world we live in another better, more peaceful place, where our interests and those of our allies, are more secure, and American ideals that are transforming the world, the principles of free people and free markets advance even further than they already have. I am, from hard experience, and the judgment it informs, a realistic idealist. I know we must work very hard and very creatively to build new foundations for a stable and enduring peace. We cannot wish the world to be a better place than it is. We have enemies for whom no attack is too cruel, and no innocent life safe. And who would, if they could, strike us with the world's most terrible weapons.

There are states that support them, and which might help them acquire those weapons, because they share with terrorists the same animated -- animating hatred for the west. And we'll not be placated by fresh appeals to the better angels of their nature.

This is the central threat of our time, and we must understand the implications of our decisions on all manner of regional and global challenges that could have for our success in defeating it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SNOW: That's presumptive Republican nominee Senator John McCain, earlier this week in Los Angeles, talking about foreign policy. He's also been very critical of his Democratic competitors, for suggesting that they would pull troops out of Iraq -- pull U.S. troops out of Iraq, saying that he believes that that would be a big mistake.

Now, expect to hear more about Senator McCain's military background. He is kicking off a biography tour, which will highlight significant places and moments in his life, particularly highlighting his military past and his service. And this is seen as a way for John McCain to define himself, while Democrats are really fighting over who will win the nomination. And he has this window to pretty much tell voters as his campaign says, who he is, saying that they can't presume that everyone knows about his background.

We have a lot more ahead. We're also going to take a look at other news, including the very latest on the very dramatic hostage situation in Miami. We'll be right back. Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

RICH SANCHEZ, CNN NEWS ANCHOR: Hi, everybody. I'm Rick Sanchez. More "BALLOT BOWL" after we look at the day's headlines.

First, this unbelievable story. Look at this dramatic video coming out of Miami. It's an armed robbery you're watching. And there you see a scary situation, that's a Walgreens manager being escorted by a gunman to his car. It gets real ugly after this. The guy tries to put up a fight. Police are called. SWAT teams move in.

Susan Candiotti was there and will bring us details.

Susan, this was crazy, wasn't it? Are you there, Susan?

SUSAN CANDIOTTI, CNN NEWS CORRESPONDENT: Oh, man what, a start to the day. The sun hadn't even come up, Rick, when all of this began.

Yes, Rick, can you hear me? Can you hear me, Rick? SANCHEZ: I can hear you perfectly fine. I'm sorry, go ahead.

CANDIOTTI: Rick, can you hear me?

SANCHEZ: Yes, I can, Susan.

CANDIOTTI: Very good, very good. So you got it.

I was about to say, it was an amazing start to the day, before the sun even came up. All this started about 6:30 in the morning. A meeting was going on inside the Walgreens at that hour, among store employees. A masked gunman, police say, came into the store, silence alarms were shut off. And the masked gunman forces that store manager outside and into a car. By then, police have arrived on the scene from two different police agencies and they're watching, as the store manager is struggling with the gunman to let him go, to get away from him. And incredibly the store manager does get away without a shot being fired.

But seconds later, all kinds of bullets start flying. A hail of gunfire, at least 18 shots, if not more, are counted, from two different police agencies. The gunman gets away. He's caught, almost three hours later, and he is wounded, but will survive.

Again the store manager OK. And it was a botched robbery. The guy didn't even get away with anything. But, of course, police are saying, what the store manager did while heroic was certainly risky. They would have liked to have negotiated with the hostage taker. But clearly there appeared to be no time for that and all's well that ends well. The suspect is in custody -- Rick?

SANCHEZ: I'm watching the video and thinking many of the questions our viewers were thinking, if the cameraman could get that good a shot of the suspect, couldn't police get that good a shot of him as well as he was walking behind that guy?

Another question, why would you fight with a man who has got a gun to your head unless there was something else more perilous that made him make that decision.

All of this we'll break down for you tonight at 10:00 p.m. Here, not only with Susan joining us but also with some SWAT experts and our own security experts right here on CNN at 10:00 p.m. tonight.

Also the round the clock curfew in Baghdad has been extended indefinitely. The Iraqi officials and the Iraqi government is now saying that the fighting with Shiite militias and criminal gangs in the Sadr City district left at least 75 people dead. Iraqi forces supported by U.S. and British troops are battling militant groups in the south and the oil city of Basra.

City skylines around the world will be a little darker tonight and here's why. First of all, let me show you this is Sydney, Australia, as the city kicked off Earth Hour, a world-wide event to draw attention to climate change. The World Wildlife Fund organized this. Manila and the Philippines turned out the lights there. Here in the United States, Atlanta, San Francisco, Phoenix and Chicago at 8:00 p.m. will switch off their lights for one hour.

Travelers can look forward to more choices on flights across the pond. Transatlantic Open Skies agreement takes off tomorrow and allows airlines to fly between any two airports in the United States and the European Union. Until now carriers were restricted to certain routes. We'll break that down for you.

By the way, heavy rain falling across parts of the southeast today. Let's check in with Jacqui and see what kind of areas we're talking about, and how much -- Jacqui?

JACQUI JERAS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Quite a bit in some areas, Rick.

(WEATHER REPORT)

JERAS: Rick?

SANCHEZ: And little Remington Sanchez is having his birthday party in the back yard tomorrow. Is it going to be raining in Atlanta?

JERAS: Perhaps yes.

SANCHEZ: I feared you might say that.

JERAS: Get a tent. Go inside if you hear thunder or see lightning.

SANCHEZ: Pitch a tent. Thanks, Jacqui. Talk to you later.

If you're serious about fitness training there are a number of programs and methods out there. Our chief science correspondent, Dr. Sanjay Gupta, looks at the growing popularity of boot camp in food's "Fit Nation" segment.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN CHIEF SCIENCE CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Running drills, pushups, sit-ups, all of it before sunup.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Go, everybody!

GUPTA: Operation Boot Camp is about pushing to you your limits.

SHANNON ALEXANDER, BOOT CAMP PARTICIPANT: By 8:00 I'm off to work and I know I can handle anything. I just handled, you know, rolling around in the wet grass and doing 800 sit-ups. I can do anything that's going to come after me.

GUPTA: 34-year-old Shannon Alexander couldn't always handle it, but a routine doctor's appointment became an epiphany.

ALEXANDER: I found myself in the doctor's office with lower back pain, and I just kind of had a moment, where like I'm 34 years old. I have a 6-year-old son. I should not be feeling this kind of crippled and limited by my own body. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Ten, nine, eight, seven...

GUPTA: So Alexander joined this intense 6:00 a.m. boot camp class.

ALEXANDER: I really didn't know what to expect. I was terrified that first morning.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: A little lower. A little lower.

GUPTA: Now, six months in, Shannon has lost weight, gained confidence, and started training for a marathon. Most importantly, she says she feels happier.

ALEXANDER: It's definitely had a huge impact on just helping me to feel stronger, more capable, more hopeful, you know. I can play with my son now and keep up with him and, heck, he can hardly keep one me.

GUPTA: DR. Sanjay Gupta, CNN, reporting.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SANCHEZ: Good example set, huh?

I'm Rick Sanchez at the CNN center here in Atlanta. More news at the top of the hour. Until then we take to you CNN's "BALLOT BOWL" right after the break.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

JIM ACOSTA, CNN NEWS ANCHOR: Welcome back to "BALLOT BOWL '08." I'm Jim Acosta in Philadelphia where we are keeping tabs on the Pennsylvania primary. We will dip into a live Hillary Clinton event coming up in a moment.

I want to bring in my colleague, Mary Snow, who has been following the Barack Obama campaign today. He is embarking on a six-day bus tour of the keystone state. And we'll get to Mary in a moment. She'll have some on a little bit on Bill Clinton. One-third of team Clinton is in the keystone state today campaigning hard for his wife.

But we want to first go to Hillary Clinton. She is at an event in Louisville, Kentucky, talking to supporters there.

Kentucky is one of those states coming up after Pennsylvania, holding a very important contest. And she has been responding to some of these calls coming from Obama surrogates calling for her to come out of, to get out of this race, to concede defeat in this race in the Democratic nomination. She essentially said thanks but no thanks, I'm still in it to win it.

Without further adieu, let's get to Hillary Clinton campaigning for votes down in Kentucky.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SEN. HILLARY CLINTON, (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: They can't even get appointments at the V.A. They can't get their disability claims processed, and they can't find jobs all too often. We need a 21st century G.I. Bill of Rights to help our veterans go to college, get a home, start a small business. And we have to take care of the families of those who have served our country as well. It's so important that the United States reassert our values and our leadership, because we face a lot of big challenges.

You know, the challenge of global warming or global terrorism or global epidemics could not be solved by America acting alone. And you cannot be a leader if no one is following, and so we've got to start building those bridges, those relationships, and alliances again.

And I will ask distinguished Americans of both parties to travel around the world, to let it be known that America wants to work with you. I don't think we do well when we have a Republican or a Democratic foreign policy. We need an American foreign policy, and we need everybody on the same team.

I can't do any of this without your help. You know, Kentucky counts, as the sign says. And I'm counting on you, and if you deliver for me, you will be able to count on me to deliver for you.

And I want you to think about this. Who would you hire to do the toughest job in the world? Who would you hire to turn the economy around and start creating millions of new, good jobs again? Who would you hire to move us toward quality, affordable, universal health care for every single American? Who would you hire to make college affordable and tackle all of the issues in education? Who would you hire to take care of our veterans and end the war in Iraq, and reestablish America's standing in the world?

If you will work with me, I know we can once again take back our country. We are ready for change. I am ready to lead. If you join with me in this campaign, we will make history. Thank you all very, very much!

(END VIDEOTAPE)

MARY SNOW, CNN NEWS ANCHOR: Senator Hillary Clinton wrapping up a rally in Louisville, Kentucky. Kentucky is having its primary May 20th and, as you just heard Senator Clinton tell the crowd, Kentucky counts. She is resisting any calls to step aside from this race. And here in Pennsylvania she has a pretty sizeable lead over her rival, Senator Barack Obama.

Her husband, Bill Clinton, is in Pennsylvania today, campaigning for his wife. And he was asked about comments from Senator Patrick Leahy, who is a Barack Obama supporter, that Senator Clinton should with draw from the race. This, because Senator Barack Obama is ahead in delegates, and there have been some arguments saying that the Democrats are becoming divided.

Here is how president, former President Bill Clinton, answered questions about whether his wife should step aside.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) BILL CLINTON, FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: We just need to relax and let this happen. Nobody's talking about wrecking the party, but there are real differences here. Everywhere I go, all these working people say don't you dare let her drop out. Don't listen to those people in Washington. They don't represent us.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SNOW: Former President Bill Clinton in Girardville, Pennsylvania, telling a reporter that Democrats suggesting that his wife should with draw from the race, in his words, "should just relax." Saying that Pennsylvania is a big state, suggesting that Democrats are turning up the heat because Senator Clinton would win here in Pennsylvania. So that is some of the comments that he said as he campaigns for his wife.

Chelsea Clinton campaigning in North Carolina.

We're going to have a reality check on the delegate count when we come back. We'll take a quick break. Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ACOSTA: Welcome back to "BALLOT BOWL '08." I'm Jim Acosta in Philadelphia.

When you hear the words "reality check" or "online" during an episode of "BALLOT BOWL" you know that Josh Levs is standing by live.

Josh Levs, joining me from Atlanta.

And, Josh, from what I understand, you have a reality check on superdelegates. And does this have something to do with -- are you going to explain now that they don't have special superpowers? Is that what this is?

JOSH LEVS, CNN CHIEF BUSINESS ANALYST: You know, one the times we put kind of capes on them and the big "S," but I'm afraid people will miss out on the latest point, the continuing craziness, when people claim they know what superdelegates should do and don't do it themselves.

This is the reality of politics. The campaign surrogates push ideas to help get their candidates elected even if they don't follow the ideas themselves.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

LEVS (voice-over): Barack Obama has long pushed superdelegates to follow the electorate instead of throwing their convention votes behind whoever they want.

SEN. BARACK OBAMA, (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: The superdelegates are uncomfortable with the notion that they would override decisions made by voters.

LEVS: Representative John Lewis had supported Clinton but Obama won his district. Lewis switched camps. Both Senators Ted Kennedy and John Kerry, both superdelegates, remain among Obama's prominent supporters despite Clinton's 15-point victory in Massachusetts.

Now, a new twist from Obama's most prominent new surrogate.

BILL RICHARDSON, NEW MEXICO GOVERNOR: To endorse your candidacy for president.

LEVS: New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson had told the "New York Times" superdelegates should reflect their state or constituency. Guess who won New Mexico?

CNN's John Roberts grilled him about his endorsement.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOHN ROBERTS, CNN NEWS ANCHOR: Are you going back on what you said just a month ago?

RICHARDSON: No, no, I'm not, John. The reality was that it took two weeks. The vote was so close. It ended up by less than 1 percent.

ROBERTS: She still won.

RICHARDSON: Yeah, but John, you know, you can't get that technical about it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEVS: Richardson added...

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

RICHARDSON: If it had been decisive, I'd think you're making a point.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEVS: Superdelegates can go either way without being unfair to voters, how could that play out nationally? Obama has about 170 more pledged delegates than Clinton, 4 percent of the total. The popular vote is within three percentage points. Pennsylvania could start to narrow the gap.

In the end, Obama may finish ahead just slightly, or perhaps, to borrow Richardson's term, technically.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LEVS: So if that happens, then can super delegates go either way and still be fair to voters? What exactly would determine a technical victory in this close race?

You know, Jim, as the pressure mounts on superdelegates to follow voters, they can find superdelegates on both sides who have not done so themselves. This here that we're seeing is the latest twist. We've got people talking about what superdelegates should do but, in the end in, it almost always comes back to whatever is best for the candidate that they have signed up to support. You know?

ACOSTA: And Josh, you just mentioned that superdelegates can switch sides. That almost sounds like a superpower there, I just wanted to make mention.

LEVS: Leap over things. They'll be doing plenty of that.

ACOSTA: We get a little crazy at the end of "BALLOT BOWL."

LEVS: Yeah, it's a little touchy.

ACOSTA: Thanks, Josh.

I want to bring my colleague, Mary Snow, back in as I am rambling over the last few moments here of "BALLOT BOWL."

I want to mention, Mary, I am standing in front of the Philadelphia Museum of Art. We have had lots of visitors up here today.

And by the way, the people here on the "Election Express" have been handing out lots of buttons and stickers so our folks here at CNN will be happy to hear that.

But also what is famous about this location is those steps behind me. As you know, Mary, Rocky Balboa ran to the top of the steps. So after "BALLOT BOWL" is over, that's what I plan on doing just as soon as 6:00 rolls around here.

SNOW: We expect nothing else, Jim. We'll be rolling on that.

ACOSTA: Exactly.

SNOW: What's fascinating here in Pennsylvania, I was speaking with one voter here today -- resident of Pennsylvania, saying are you surprised that Pennsylvania is in the spotlight now, and you're getting so much attention. And they said you know in the end, Pennsylvania might not matter in the end, all that much, because now it appears that these contests beyond Pennsylvania really are going to be pretty crucial, so certainly several weeks to go.

ACOSTA: That's right, the Politico also wrote an article that Pennsylvanians are feeling neglected when they see Hillary Clinton or Barack Obama in West Virginia or Kentucky.

But we're out of time, Mary, and I think you're going to wrap it up from here.

SNOW: All right, thanks, Jim.

"BALLOT BOWL" tomorrow 2:00 p.m. eastern. Tune in.

Right now, "This Week in Politics." Thanks for joining us this today.

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