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Ballot Bowl 2008

Campaigning Toward Philadelphia Continues

Aired April 05, 2008 - 16:00   ET

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

SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN HOST: A slugfest continues as Senator Obama is doing some proactive campaigning in the big sky country of Montana today. You can bet he's going to find a few grizzlies along with way today in Missoula because it's the home of the University of Montana Grizzlies. Tonight, Senator Obama is set to address the Montana state dinner in Butte, ahead of the state's June 3rd democratic primary. Now. Earlier this afternoon, in Missoula, Obama stressed that politics of change and what it truly means to him and his presidential campaign. Let's listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. BARACK OBAMA (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: The status quo will resist. Not just the republican status quo but some of the democratic status quo. They are going to resist change because change is scary and change is difficult. Sometimes even we ourselves were doubtful and were fearful. Politicians play on that fear. That' what that 3:00 a.m. ad was all about. Be afraid of what you're not used to. Doubt. It feeds into a cynicism. A guy hasn't been in Washington long enough. We need to season and stew him a little bit longer. Boil all of the hope out of him. But, you know, we have to make these changes, we don't have a choice.

These changes will happen to us regardless of what we do. The question is whether we are acting intelligently and responding to these things before it's too late or we just let all these problems mount up and put them off for the next generation. We let them pay off all the national debt we've been accumulating because of George Bush's fiscal policies. We let them deal with nuclear proliferation. We let them deal with global warming. We just put it off because we don't want to do it. That's not who we are. That's certainly not who the democrats should be.

I know this campaign has gone a long time so far and people are getting a little restless. They're saying, when is this thing going to be over? And people get worried about, you know, going back and forth between myself and Senator Clinton. Listen, I admire Senator Clinton. She is a tenacious candidate. She is a terrific senator. And so, we are going to be unified by the time we get to Denver in August. We will be unified.

My difference with Senator Clinton is not on policy for the most part. It's that I don't think she understands how profoundly we have to change Washington in order to bring about the changes that need to happen. Whatever differences I have with Senator Clinton, whatever differences I have with Senator Clinton, they pale in comparison with the differences I have with John McCain. Because John McCain is a great American hero. He deserves our honor and respect but he is basically running for a third Bush term. He wants to continue this war in Iraq maybe for another 100 years. He wants to perpetuate the same tax breaks for the wealthy that he himself called irresponsible when they first -- when George Bush first passed them.

We don't need the same old policies that got us into the problems we're in right now. That's the politics of yesterday. And we want to be the party of tomorrow. We don't want to be looking backwards. We want to be looking forwards. We don't want to defend the status quo. We want to create a new America, an America that works for all Americans. That's what this election has to be about.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MALVEAUX: Senator Hillary Clinton and her husband's recent tax returns have been released. The former first couple has done pretty well since leaving the White House. Let's take a quick look at this. The former first couple made nearly $109 million since leaving the White House. Paying close to 30 million in taxes and giving more than 10 million to charity. Much of that money coming from the former president's speeches. Senator Clinton was talking about a different set of numbers however in the stump in Oregon today, the number of delegates in Michigan and Florida.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. HILLARY CLINTON (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I will also keep fighting to make sure that the votes of the people in Florida and Michigan are counted as well. 2.3 million voters turned out. It was the highest turnout in a primary in either state. Now, some say their votes should be ignored and that the popular vote in Michigan and Florida should just be discounted.

Well, I have a different view. The popular vote in Florida and Michigan has already been counted. It was determined by election results. It was certificated by election officials in each state. It's been officially tallied by the Secretary of State in each state. And the question is whether those 2.3 million democrats will be honored and their delegates seated by the democratic party as we move forward to put together the strongest campaign in the fall in order to win. And we cannot afford to give up on Michigan or Florida in order to do that.

So I'm here to meet with you and talk with you and hopefully make my case to you. This is my first trip in a campaign of firsts. And I'm glad to be able to blaze a home in the land of the trailblazers, because I believe that the next president has to be ready on day one to be both the commander in chief of our country and our chief executive officer of our economy. We've got such damage that we will inherit from George Bush. And we have to have a president ready to offer those solutions, both to reverse the damage and to build for the kind of positive and optimistic future that is within our reach.

You know, for me, I will take on the special interests who by my calculation have been given about $55 billion in tax breaks. And instead, let's start offering tax breaks, which I believe can reach $100 billion a year to middle class and working families back in your pocket, back for your health care, your education and your family's needs. We have to address the housing and credit crises. I hope that they are addressed before January 28th, 2009 because it seems apparent now that we are sliding into a recession.

The job numbers from last month were discouraging, more than 80,000 jobs lost. This administration and their allies can find $30 billion to bail out Bear Stearns but can't find money and where with all to help keep homeowners in their homes. We still have a tax code that is both unfair and unpatriotic. What do I mean by that? Why on earth should there be one penny of tax benefit in our tax code for any company that exports a job from Oregon to a foreign country?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MALVEAUX: We're not only hearing from the democratic candidates but also the possibility of somebody else jumping into the race. Our Jim Acosta has more details about that. The former republican congressman Bob Barr. I understand that he is considering perhaps looking at the libertarian party as a possible candidate. Jim, what do you know?

JIM ACOSTA, CNN HOST: That's right, Suzanne. Creatures of Washington and political junkies will remember the name Bob Barr, former republican congressman from Georgia who helped lead the charge in the House of Representatives to impeach Bill Clinton back in the late 1990s. Well, Bob Barr has told reporters in Kansas City that he is forming a presidential exploratory committee and that he is weighing weather to run with the libertarians and he is due to address the libertarian party at the Heartland Libertarian Convention in Kansas City this afternoon.

We're expecting some sound from that event to come into "Ballot Bowl" sometime before 6:00 this evening here on the east coast. So, look forward to that here on CNN. But it will be a very interesting development to see, Suzanne, to see exactly what kind of effect Bob Barr would have on this race. If he's going after the libertarian vote, we do know the libertarian vote is a force to be reckoned with, if not nationally. In terms of winning the White House, we know in Ron Paul's experience, the former libertarian and now republican congressman from Texas, that you know, in the case of Ron Paul, he was able to raise considerable amounts of money, millions of dollars over the internet.

So it would be interesting to see if Bob Barr can tap in to those kinds of resources as well. But coming up after the break here on "Ballot Bowl" on CNN, speaking of fundraising, we'll talk to our CNN senior political analyst Bill Schneider about how the candidates are doing raising money for their campaigns. That's coming up after a break. This is "Ballot Bowl" on CNN.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK) ACOSTA: Welcome back to "Ballot Bowl" on CNN. I'm Jim Acosta in Philadelphia. And we want to go now to our CNN senior political analyst, Bill Schneider who joins us now live from Los Angeles. And Bill, we just talked a few moments ago about Bob Barr, the former republican congressman who appears to be toying with the idea of becoming a libertarian. It's very intriguing because obviously Ralph Nader got into the race and it's questionable as to whether he would have an effect on Hillary Clinton or Barack Obama in the fall. But in your mind, what kind of effect might Bob Barr have on this race?

BILL SCHNEIDER, CNN, SENIOR POLITICAL ANALYST: Well, Bob Barr is a libertarian. He joined the libertarian party back in 2006. Now, he's forming an exploratory committee to run as a presidential nominee. That could be a serious problem for John McCain. Because Bob Barr has been in Congress. He is well known among conservatives. I think there's two kinds of republicans that may be attracted to Bob Barr. Those who don't find McCain conservative enough on some issues and may decide to support Bob Barr particularly on spending issues, like McCain. He's been critical on overspending by the republican congress and also the libertarian party is very much and it's an anti-war party. And on that issue, some anti-war republicans who don't agree with John McCain's support of President Bush's Iraq policy and some of them maybe inclined to vote a protest vote for Bob Barr. So, it could be a problem for John McCain

ACOSTA: And we saw that with Ron Paul that even though he was not able to capture any of these primaries, he was able to raise considerable sums of money on the internet. And I suppose Bob Barr would be able to tap into that as well with that kind of message.

SCHNEIDER: Yes. That's right. By the way, Ron Paul did once back in the 1980s. I think in 1988, he ran as the libertarian candidate for president. He didn't do very well but in 2004, the libertarian candidate did get 3% of the vote. And this election is close. 3% of the vote can make a big difference.

ACOSTA: And speaking of fund raising, Barack Obama only bowled a 37 here in Pennsylvania. We should mention that was not a full ten frames, but he's pretty darn good at bowling for dollars, Bill. $40 million isn't too shabby.

SCHNEIDER: Yes, he did. His total for March was over $40 million. This is a huge sum of money and he raises it without political action committees or lobbyists. He gets it from voters, most of them donate over the internet in small amounts. This is really an amazing fun raising phenomenon. A huge operation that he's been raising money from a lot of ordinary voters in amounts that average about $100.

Hillary Clinton didn't do too badly. In March, she raised about 20 million, which is a hefty sum of money, it's just only about half of what Obama raised. Otherwise, it would normally be a very respectable sum. This race is very competitive and they are both out there raising a lot of money.

ACOSTA: And what does this do to John McCain with this slugfest that's going on between Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama which is obviously driving a lot of this fund raising that's making it difficult for John McCain to really break through this discussion that the nation is having right now, trying to choose between these two candidates on the democratic side, how does that affect John McCain and fund raising for his campaign? SCHNEIDER: Well, his fund raising hasn't gone spectacularly well. There is a lot of conservative money that does not, does not seem to be coming into Senator McCain. He, of course, has more or less wrapped up the republican nomination so he is not in a competitive contest the way that Obama and Clinton are. But if you look at the totals raised so far in the campaign, Obama's total is over $200 million, $234 million. He's edging up to the record amount that George W. Bush raised in 2004 when he didn't even have a primary opponent but he was really raking in a lot of money. Obama may yet break that record.

Clinton is a little less than 200 million but $176 million raised so far. That's an awful lot of money. Where does McCain stand? Well, his figures from March have not come in yet. They don't have to until a few weeks from now. But the "New York Times" estimates that he has raised only about 58 million for his campaign. So, he's way behind the democrats so far in his fund raising.

ACOSTA: And Bill, I was curious, you know, with all of talk in recent years with McCain-Finegold and so forth and the influence of money and politics. You know, I was curious, you know, watching Barack Obama rake in all of this money getting back to Barack Obama online, has this in any way changed the paradigm when it comes to political fund raising in terms of looking forward into the future and how the candidates raise money?

SCHNEIDER: Well, you know, raising money in relatively small amounts over the internet is the exactly the way Americans think money should be raised. From ordinary voters, not from special interests, not from lobbyists, not from political action committees but from ordinary voters who feel passionately about a candidate. And if they want to give money, they're not rich, they give money 25, 50, 100 bucks but they can often give repeatedly over and over again because they believe in a candidate. That is a new paradigm.

Howard Dean really started it back in 2004 when he built the impressive fund raising operation, I remember about $100 million in 2003 and Obama has taken that a whole big step beyond. And it really is a new paradigm because it's an alternative to special interests and fat cats.

ACOSTA: And speaking of huge sums of money, the Clintons making some $100 million over the last eight years, I'm standing in Pennsylvania where obviously there's been so much talk about appealing to those blue collar workers. Bill, I have to ask you, how do you think it's going to go down here in Pennsylvania?

SCHNEIDER: I don't think people buy the argument you have to be poor to sympathize with the poor. We've had a lot of presidents, democratic presidents who have done a lot for poor people who weren't poor. Johnson and Kennedy and Franklin Roosevelt, none of them were poor. So I don't think that's required. John Edwards made a cause of poverty. He made a fortune himself as a trial lawyer, as an advocate for the poor. So, I don't think that's a requirement necessarily. But it is an impressive amount of money mostly made by Bill Clinton in speaking fees and both of them in their book tours. He made it since leaving the White House. A lot of ex-presidents do find to get a very lucrative careers as former ex-presidents. But what makes this unusual of course is that Bill Clinton is married to a presidential candidate. So, that puts here in an awkward situation because there's a lot of interest in how, where these money is coming from. There are a lot of patrons of the Clintons, very close to them. Bill Clinton is an investment partner with several of them, they've given money to his wife. They have given money to his charitable foundations. He had invested money with them. They have paid him for speeches.

So, there's going to be a lot of questions, if she becomes president a lot of those relationships with these patrons are going to have to be ending.

ACOSTA: And we heard Hillary Clinton say that, you know, folks like us don't need those Bush tax cuts. So, she was able to use that public disclosure yesterday of their tax returns, almost in a way to say, you know, look, this is one more reason to do away with the Bush tax cuts for the mega wealthy. We heard Hillary Clinton making use of her own tax returns in a political argument to voters.

Bill Schneider, thanks very much from Los Angeles. We'll be talking to you hopefully soon. And coming up after the break, here on "Ballot Bowl" on CNN, we'll be going back to my colleague, Suzanne Malveaux. That's coming up after the break.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

MALVEAUX: Welcome back to "Ballot Bowl." I'm Suzanne Malveaux, really a chance this hour to hear from the candidates unscripted, live in their own words. We're focusing on GOP candidate John McCain. He is sticking close to home today campaigning in Prescott, Arizona. He was asked about a controversial quote by a radio talk show host who spoke ahead at an event that Senator Obama attended yesterday. Let's take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The liberal talk show host -- the Obama rally yesterday, that you were a war monger, do you have any reaction to that?

SEN. JOHN MCCAIN (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Well, it's a free country and we have freedom of speech in America and Mr. Shultz is entitled to his views. I would hope in keeping with his commitment that Senator Obama would rapidly commit, condemn such language since it was part of his campaign. But that kind of thing, I don't think is necessary at all in this campaign. I've made it very clear how I feel about war and my experiences with it. Thank you.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We're talking about (inaudible) in the crowd, a disagreement between, over assigned as (inaudible). What do you think your supporters that appear to not listen to that message of cooperation? MCCAIN: Well, with all due respect, the person was entitled to their freedom of speech and I don't deny him that for clearly trying to interrupt and disrupt my statement and that happens from time to time. It's a free country. But most people and there were many in this crowd who disagree with me on the war or other specific issues show the respect to let me hear their message as for them to hear my message and I listen to their message all the time. And meet with them and discuss these issues. So, I'm sorry that that person chose to want to disrupt what happened and frankly they weren't able to do so.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Senator.

MCCAIN: Yes, sir.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: President Bush has said that the U.S. is sending more troops to Afghanistan. How concerned are you that the military will be further stretched and will (inaudible) Iraq?

MCCAIN: I continue to be deeply concerned about our failures from the beginning when we failed to expand the military especially the army and marine corps which caused us major difficulties and resulted in a lot of the sacrifice that has been made. I think we have to have more efforts to attracting grave and qualified young Americans into the military service. If we have to take additional steps to do so, we need to do that.

I recognize that personnel costs are now the most expensive part of our volunteer force. But I also believe we have the best trained, best equipped, most professional military we've ever had. The answer to it is to redouble our efforts to get more and more young people to serve in the military and I think then we would be able to cope with those challenges. Additionally, I read and heard that the deployments are going to be cut to a year from 15 months. I think that that's a good and wise step and I applaud it. Kelly?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: When you speak (inaudible) without getting into the details, I know you can't talk about. Will you make a request to do things in a way that allows you to campaign in the style that you have tried to over these months?

MCCAIN: What I'd like, of course, is to have as much interface and encounters with the voters, whether they agree or disagree with me. And I think that's an important part of campaigning. I understand that the Secret Service has their responsibility. So I hope I'll be able to reach an accommodation with them that they feel comfortable which is very important and we feel comfortable as well. I'm confident that we can do that. And I admit to a bit of stubbornness.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MALVEAUX: And the Obama campaign responding to the talk show host who called McCain a war monger and should not be described as such. He's a supporter of a war that Senator Obama believes should have never been authorized and never been waged. Coming up, we'll have a lot more news, the news headlines including young girls removed from a ranch owned by a polygamist sect.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Hello, I'm Fredricka Whitfield at the CNN World Headquarters in Atlanta. More BALLOT BOWL in a moment. But first these headlines.

Already abused or at the risk of more. That's the reason Texas authorities give for removing dozens of underage girls from a polygamist compound run by followers of Warren Jeffs. He is the jailed leader of a breakaway Mormon sect. A woman who escaped the sect worries the church is growing from its roots in southern Utah.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CAROLYN JESSUP, POLYGAMIST SECT ESCAPEE: The tragedy to me is that it's not only there but it's expanding, it's moving into states like Texas and South Dakota and Colorado. And it's growing rapidly and at the rate that this community believes in having children, it will continue to grow rapidly.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: ... lawmen are on the lookout for a 50-year-old member of compound they think fathered a child with a 16-year-old bride.

The relative calm after strong storms hit parts of the South. It's a chainsaw symphony in and around Birmingham, Alabama, today. People there are cleaning up after a series of damaging storms blew through. And next door in Mississippi, the fast-moving weather system snapped trees and downed plenty of power lines. Thousands of people are hoping repair crews can restore electricity ASAP.

(WEATHER REPORT)

WHITFIELD: Well, this week CNN marked World Autism Awareness Day with an unprecedented global look at the disorder. Scores of CNN I- Reporters shared their stories about loving someone with autism or having autism themselves. Well, now we share some of their stories to "Impact Your World."

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SARAH CHILDERS, 16, DIAGNOSED WITH AUTISM AT AGE 2: I've been working at a wildlife sanctuary since I was 9. And that cat -- I raised the majority of the baby cats that come through and that cat just happened to claim me. I didn't claim it. It claimed me, and said, oh, you're my new mom now.

I understand animals so much more than I do people. Been trying to keep my (INAUDIBLE) in sight so I ideally want to become a vet.

Each person with autism, they may seem as if they are incapable of doing much. But deep within their soul and deep within their heart there is a talent that each and every one of them has. And if you're lucky, you'll be able to see that talent. UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You know, you go through this grieving process when you find out your child is not normal. Joshua died of a heart that was two times the size, which is exactly true of who he was. He loved every person no matter what your situation, status, anything, yet he had a 2-year-old's brain.

He was my first child. He was the oldest of five. He was 22 when he passed away. When I go to the grocery store now, it's just so sad to me because if I took Joshua to the grocery store, he would just go up and he would say, hi, as many times as it took for someone to say hi back, you know, 10 times.

Every day was an adventure. Once you stop seeing what my child can't do and you start seeing what they can do, it's just beautiful.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is my home. Look, see my home. Home.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That's the garage.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We asked him one time, what do you want to be when you grow up? And he said, a photographer.

Although they are identical twins, the autism affects both of them differently. Steven does a really good job of looking out for his brother.

They are just very sweet boys and they are really neat. They have a lot of enthusiasm and they are very loving, especially Paul, I call him my gentle giant. Steven has a really good chance to maybe even go to college one day.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: Well, if you'd like to see more about people living with autism or learn more about the disorder, check out cnn.com/impact.

A newborn baby is indeed a bundle of joy. But for some couples it can also mean trouble for their marriage. Help for her next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: So it takes a lot of time and energy to care for a newborn baby. Well, in today's "Help for Her" segment, Judy Fortin explains how that can lead to marriage trouble for many couples.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JUDY FORTIN, CNN MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The birth of a new baby is often the happiest day for new parents. But experts say the joy can fade quickly if a couple puts their relationship on hold as they care for the child.

MARK CRAWFORD, AUTHOR, "WHEN TWO BECOME THREE": Such a significant life change that parents I think are unprepared for the effect it takes on their marriage. FORTIN: Psychologist Mark Crawford claims some mothers and fathers put so much energy into their parenting roles that they neglect their relationship which can lead to trouble.

CRAWFORD: We know that 92 percent of all couples experience a lot more conflict after they become parents. We know that approximately one-fourth of all divorces take place before a first child becomes 18 months of age.

FORTIN: Crawford suggests couples talk about how their marriage will change before the birth.

CRAWFORD: What will we have to do differently once we become parents that we have taken for granted so that we stay close and intimate and connected in that role?

FORTIN: One way Crawford tells couples to spend more time together is to do what they did before children and go on a date.

For today's "Health Minute," I'm Judy Fortin.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

JIM ACOSTA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Welcome back to BALLOT BOWL '08, I'm Jim Acosta in Philadelphia. And it has been an interesting past couple of days on the campaign trail with all of the tributes to slain civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. And with that, I'll turn it over to my colleague, Suzanne Malveaux, who is in Washington with more on those tributes to Dr. King from the candidates -- Suzanne.

SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Jim. Well, the presidential campaign took a detour through Memphis, Tennessee, yesterday, that's when senators John McCain and Hillary Clinton remembered Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. on the 40th anniversary of his assassination. Senator Barack Obama also addressed Dr. King's legacy in a speech in Fort Wayne, Indiana.

The common theme among the candidates, looking past Dr. King's death too his dream that has survived and continues to shape this nation.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SEN. JOHN MCCAIN (R-AZ), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: If we think only of the day, that day and that moment, there's no inspiration to be gained. The man we remember was a believer in the power of conscience and goodness to shape events. But this place will always stand as a reminder that cowardice and malevolence lay claim to their own victories.

No good cause in this world, however right in principle or pure in heart, was ever advanced without sacrifice. And Dr. King knew this. Dr. King knew this. He knew that men with nightsticks, tear gas, and cattle prods were not the worst of what might be lying in wait each day and night. He was a man accustomed to the nearness of danger and when death came, it found him standing upright in open air and unafraid. We see him today from a distance of four decades, more time than the man himself lived on this earth.

And it would not be unusual if his stature or reputation had faded with the passing of the years. It happens sometimes that the judgments of history overrule contemporary opinion, indifferent to the fame and approval of the moment.

But this has not been the case with firstborn son of Alberta and Martin Luther King Sr. He only seems a bigger man from far away. The quality of his character is more apparent. His good name will be honored for as long as the creed of America is honored. His message will be heard and understood for as long as the message of the Gospels is heard and understood.

SEN. BARACK OBAMA (D-IL), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: On the eve of this day, Dr. King gave a sermon in Memphis about what the movement meant to him and to America. And in tones that would prove eerily prophetic, Dr. King said that despite the threats that he had received, he didn't fear any man because he had been there when Birmingham aroused this conscience of a nation.

He had been there to see the students stand up for freedom by sitting at lunch counters. And he had been there in Memphis when it was dark enough to see the stars, see the community coming together around the common purpose.

Dr. King had been to the mountain top. He had seen the promised land. And while he knew -- and while he knew somewhere deep in his bones he would not get there with us, he knew that we would get there.

SEN. HILLARY CLINTON (D-NY), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: But he had that kind of impact on millions of people of all colors, faiths, ages and walks of life. Tells us something about the reach and power of his vision.

It was a vision big enough and bold enough and grace-filled enough to embrace every last one of us. And when he came here to Memphis to speak out on behalf of workers, he wasn't only speaking for those sanitation workers who were denied their rights, who had seen two of their fellow workers die in a cascade of garbage a few weeks before, he was speaking out for all workers, everywhere who were exploited and abused and denied their basic rights.

When Dr. King protested the Vietnam War, he wasn't just speaking on behalf of black soldiers, but all soldiers and civilians, Vietnamese and Americans alike. When he worked on behalf of the poor here in America and around the world, he wasn't just speaking for the poor he knew, that he could see with his own eyes, but the poor who knew no boundaries of geography or color.

And when he stood against discrimination, he wasn't just seeking to free African-Americans from the shackles of slavery and the past that had been shaped by that abomination, he was seeking to break the shackles of hatred on the hearts of us all.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

MALVEAUX: And up next, some of your e-mails, the question is, is the long campaign hurting the Democratic Party? We look forward to hearing from you.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ACOSTA: Welcome back to BALLOT BOWL on CNN, I'm Jim Acosta in Philadelphia. And it's time now to bring in our colleague Josh Levs down in Atlanta.

And, Josh, when earlier on BALLOT BOWL I mentioned John McCain's old nickname at the Naval Academy of "McNasty," it made me think of "McLovin" from "Superbad." And then I thought, "McLovin," "McLevin," as in Josh Levs. I don't know if that -- is that totally.

JOSH LEVS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Can somebody get him some caffeine, please?

(LAUGHTER)

ACOSTA: Is that beyond the pale? Should I not even go there?

LEVS: You know what? I'll talk the "Superbad" over to me, because apparently that's a really cool movie. Although I haven't -- you know, got a baby (INAUDIBLE), I haven't been to the movies in like a year.

Hey, everybody, all right, so here's the deal...

ACOSTA: I hear you, Josh.

LEVS: Let me talk to these people.

ACOSTA: I understand we have some e-mails, is that right, from our viewers about this race for the White House and Democrats and whether the campaign is dragging on.

LEVS: Exactly. Sorry to jump on you there. I mean, it was amazing what happened today. I'll tell you, what happened was earlier today on CNN, we introduced this question, asking people if they believe the Democratic race should continue between Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama.

And we showed how some supporters of Barack Obama, including Senator Patrick Leahy have been pushing her to step down. Obama himself has not, but some supporters have, as you know. And the Clinton camp is pushing against that really hard.

So we opened it up for people to send in their responses. I've never seen anything like this. I'm not exaggerating, within three minutes when I walked off the desk over to that desk where we get the responses, we already had a dozen. Now we're already in the hundreds. What I'm going to do here now is show you some of the responses we've been getting to this question about whether the Democratic race should continue, how it might impact Democrats ultimately.

We're going to start off with Marina Pakis: "Instead of wasting energy talking about ways to end the primary prematurely, they should be discussing ways to make the votes count for the Democrats in Michigan and Florida."

Let's go now to Alys Cabiness-Gober: "When the last vote is counted, then we will know who our nominee is, despite Senator Leahy's blatantly biased comments." People really not holding back here.

Joan Hickey now: "I'm a Barack Obama, supporter, I do not think Hillary Clinton should drop out until all of the primaries have been held. This is a democracy, after all."

And now Wyatt Nichols, this is from the other side here: "The length of this primary season is only helping McCain. If the primary season is too long, there is a great chance of a mistake, the candidates just repeat themselves and argue over minor issues."

Finally this one, short and sweet from Linda Beckett: "I believe the continuation of the primaries will not damage the party, it will strengthen it."

And I'll tell you, we've been going through lots of these, dozens and dozens. By far, Jim, the vast majority of the people writing in, some saying the Republican, independent, Democrat, supporting different candidates, by far the majority saying they want the remaining votes to take place. They do want them to continue.

So based on what we're hearing here, there is a real push from the ground, from the grassroots for those remaining primaries to take place and for Clinton not to drop out. We're still accepting the responses, weekends@cnn.com.

I'll tell you, Jim, it's fascinating stuff. We do. We love to hear what people have to say about this.

I think he's there. No? OK, I'll just keep talking -- he is. OK. What? Oh, he has lost his IFB (ph). OK, well, we are going to be right back here, CNN...

(CROSSTALK)

ACOSTA: Josh is trying talk back to me.

(CROSSTALK)

ACOSTA: ... IFB problems here in Philadelphia. I cannot hear you.

LEVS: We're going to go to Suzanne. I believe Suzanne Malveaux, her earpiece is working. Suzanne, you with me?

MALVEAUX: I can hear you, Josh. LEVS: Somebody to talk to.

MALVEAUX: I've got you.

LEVS: I love this show. Suzanne Malveaux, how are you doing?

MALVEAUX: Hey, good to see you. Of course. Viewers stay with us as well, we have got a lot more this coming hour BALLOT BOWL straight ahead. Looking at all o the candidates, unscripted, unfiltered, live, sometimes on tape. And all of us trying to sort it all out along with you. So stay with us, straight ahead, BALLOT BOWL continues.

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