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Ballot Bowl 2008

Hillary Clinton Speaks in Indianapolis about Raising Children; John McCain Speaks in Denver on Earmarks; Bill Clinton Campaigns in North Carolina for Hillary

Aired May 04, 2008 - 17:00   ET

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

JESSICA YELLIN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Welcome back to CNN's BALLOT BOWL. I'm Jessica Yellin in Indianapolis, Indiana, with the CNN Election Express. We are bringing you the candidates live and unfiltered today. I'm joined by my colleague, Suzanne Malveaux, who is not far from me in Fort Wayne, Indiana.
And Suzanne, it seems to be a popular spot today. You're getting visits from both Obama and Clinton.

SUZANNE MALVEUAX, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Everybody is crisscrossing Indiana, obviously, a very critical state for Tuesday. A critical win for Senator Clinton, and obviously, Barack Obama, certainly, wanting to be competitive in both of these states, Indiana and North Carolina.

I want you to take a listen quick here. We are in Fort Wayne and this is where Barack Obama is with his family, Michelle, his kids, Sasha and Malia. It's a rare moment where the family has campaigned together and kind of what they're calling a family picnic setting. He is talking about health care, and education, and other things that he believes will resonate with the voters.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. BARACK OBAMA, (D) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: But I can promise you this -- I will always tell you what I think, I will always tell you where I stand. I'll be honest with you about the challenges we face. I'll listen to you even when we disagree.

And I will spend every single day that I'm in this White House fighting for you. I'll be fighting for that guy I met in Marion who was packing up equipment in the plant that had closed. He had lost his job, lost his health care, lost his home, and he's packing up equipment that his father had worked on and helped raise him.

I'll be listening to that guy I met with three children with cystic fibrosis who lost his home because of medical expenses. I'll be thinking about that single mother who is trying to go to school and work at the same time because -- because I know that story.

(APPLAUSE)

OBAMA: I was raised by a single mother. I was helped -- I was raised by a single mom and my grand parents who grew up in the Great Depression. My grandfather fought in World War II. My grandmother worked on a bomber assembly line while she was raising my mom. And my grandfather was only able to succeed because the government gave him a G.I. Bill that allowed him to go to college. And my grandparents were able to buy a house because the government gave a helping hand to get an FHA loan to buy their first house.

And my mother was able to get scholarships to go to school, and that's how I was able to go to school. And Michelle was able to go to school the same way and her parents never graduated from college but her father working as a ship work was able to support a family on a single salary.

That's what the American dream has been about for our family each generation -- working, struggling, fighting to make the next generation better. And government hasn't done it for us, but government's always been there as a positive force to help break down barriers and help people live out their American dream. And we are losing that spirit that we're all in it together.

Our government has said you're on your own. Well, I'm here to tell you, you're not on your own.

(APPLAUSE)

OBAMA: We are in this together. I will be fighting for you and listening to you and working for you and arm and arm, we can remake this country.

But I need your help. I need you knocking on doors tomorrow. I need you walking precincts for me. I need you voting for me on Tuesday. And if you vote for me on Tuesday, we will win this election, we will win this nomination. You and I together, we're going to change the country and change the world.

Thank you, everybody. God bless you. Thank you.

(APPLAUSE)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MALVEUAX: Barack Obama here in Fort Wayne, Indiana, really delivering his closing remarks to the voters here, critical contest coming up in Tuesday, the Tuesday primaries. We heard him talking a lot about his background -- being raised by a single mother, by moderate means -- really trying to reach out to the voters, working class voters, people who we needs in this state -- a very important base of the Democratic Party.

So, very, very competitive race on Tuesday. Barack Obama is specifically addressing those needs. Of that, we're talking about health care, talking about education, talking about the housing crisis.

Now, Jessica, it's not surprising that both of the candidates are really zeroing in on that particular group as this becomes more and more competitive.

YELLIN: Absolutely, Suzanne. A CNN poll done this week showed that voters' top concern is not just simply the economy, but within that their top concerns are inflation and gas prices and when we walk around here talking to voters, they express this to us with passion and deep, deep concern.

One person, our producer on the bus interviewed, said he thinks he might have to give up health insurance just to help pay for gas these days. So, these are very real concerns for the voters and therefore, for the candidates.

I want to pause for a moment, Suzanne, and point out to our viewers that there was a vote yesterday. It didn't get a lot of attention but we are paying attention to it. It was in Guam. And the voters there, well, they basically split right down the middle.

Barack Obama won 2,264 votes. Senator Clinton lost to him by a mere seven votes. She had 2,257 -- which means each of them got two delegates and Barack Obama therefore remains -- retains his lead, which was 137 delegates overall. That's the number he leads Senator Clinton by at this point.

So, both of them head into the Tuesday primary, both here in Indiana and in North Carolina with the same delegate difference they had before Guam's vote.

Now, let's go back for a moment to this gas issue, because as I've said, it's become such a pronounced concern for so many Americans that it's become the leading topic of debate between both Clinton and Obama. As you know, John McCain was the first to propose a gas tax holiday, essentially eliminating the 18.4 cent federal tax that's currently assessed on every gallon of gasoline during the peak summer driving months. They said, "Let's waive that and give drivers a break on that amount of gas, that cost.

And Barack Obama said, "You know what? This isn't going to work, because supply and demand means that more people will therefore start buying gas because it will be cheaper. Gas prices will continue to go up and it will cost the same amount of money and that money instead of going to a tax that's used to build the roads and take care of infrastructure will go to the oil companies." He says it's a bad idea. He calls it pandering.

Senator Clinton, she likes the idea. She says Barack Obama does not understand the voters' needs. And here is Senator Clinton earlier today in South Bend defending her support of John McCain's gas tax holiday.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. HILLARY CLINTON, (D) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Now my opponent says, "You know, that's a gimmick." He doesn't want to take on the oil companies to make them pay the gas tax. He's rather you do it but he attacks me because he doesn't have a plan for immediate relief. And I think we need a president who's going to go up against the oil companies and try to get that immediate relief.

(APPLAUSE) CLINTON: You know, it always kind of -- it always kind of makes me curious when I hear people talking about how -- oh, you know, if you do something like try to take the gas tax off of hard-working Americans, that's a gimmick.

Oh, what about bailing out Wall Street to the tune of $30 billion, what do you think that is? There's something dreadfully wrong when we don't have the right priorities. Our country is out of balance.

If you've been wealthy and well connected, you've made out really well under George Bush. It's the government of the few, by the few, and for the few. And the cronyism, the no-bid contracts, the big tax cuts -- they have benefited the wealthy and the well connected disproportionately.

And meanwhile, the middle class has stalled and fallen backwards. You know, under George Bush, the average American family has lost $1,000 in income. And if you did get a tax cut from President Bush's multiple tax cuts, on average you got $600. But your energy cost went up $2,000 under his failed policies. And your health care cost went up and the cost of college went up. And your utility bills went up.

And so, what is it that we're doing for people who actually do the work and make the difference in America -- the backbone of the American economy, the guarantor of the American dream? So, I am unabashed, I am apologetic, I am going to fight for the middle class and I am going to take on the oil companies and everybody else who has had it their way for way too long.

(APPLAUSE)

CLINTON: You see, I think Evan is right. You know, he's been a great governor. He's now a two-term senator.

It would be wonderful if all you had to do was show up in Washington and say -- health insurance companies, quit exploiting Americans, quit denying them health care coverage and refusing to give them the coverage they deserve for their preexisting condition. Stop failing to pay for prevention and mental health, because you know, it's the right thing we're asking you to do.

Well, I would like to believe that we would have just massive conversions. And the health insurance industry would say -- you know, I never thought of that. And so I agree with you, you have totally convinced me just by asking.

I don't think that's going to happen. But I think that we can take them on. And we can take them on to get quality, affordable health care for every American, because we will have doctors and nurses who see what happens every single day, hospital administrators who understand what's at stake; labor unions tired of negotiating over health care every time they go to the bargaining table; businesses who have done their very best to try to control cost and find that it's too big, it's bigger than them (ph); families that know what it means to be uninsured or have insurance that doesn't pay for what your family requires. So, we're going to offer a different approach. And I'm going to build on a plan that's already there. It's not government run, this is not some kind of new bureaucracy. We're going to take the plan that members of Congress have that provides health insurance for 9 million federal employees and we're going to open it up to you and open it up to small business, and open it up so that you can have the same options that federal employees have - over 250 of them. And we're going to provide financial assistance in order for you to be able to afford it.

Somebody asked me the other day, "Well, where will you get the money to make sure that everybody has the health care that they can afford by going into this plan?" Well, I'll tell you one place. We're going to let George Bush's tax cuts on the wealthiest Americans making $250,000 a year expire. That is $55 million that I'm going to put into health care tax credits to make sure you can afford health insurance.

(APPLAUSE)

CLINTON: And you know, we need to make education the passport of opportunity and right now, it is not offering that to too many people. We need to start with preschool education and we need to be sure that kids get a good start so they can be successful in school. And then I will end No Child Left Behind, which is not working.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

YELLIN: There you hear Senator Clinton earlier today in South Bend, Indiana, really giving a list of her policy priorities and hitting hard on especially those economic concerns, those economic anxieties so many Americans are feeling right now. We are going to bring you more from Senator Clinton on the stump, but also Barack Obama ahead in the hour and John McCain on the other side of this break.

And we want to remind you that tomorrow we are going to bring you more BALLOT BOWL beginning at 9:00 in the morning throughout the day. We are going to dip into these live events the candidate will be holding so you can hear from them live and unfiltered as they lead up to the primary, those crucial primaries here both in Indiana and in North Carolina. So that is tomorrow -- BALLOT BOWL coverage from 9:00 in the morning until 6:00 in the evening and we're going to bring you more BALLOT BOWL after this break, so stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

YELLIN: Welcome back to BALLOT BOWL.

Just a few minutes ago, you heard Senator Hillary Clinton on the stump, talking about her plan for universal health coverage. Well, health care and the need for a reform is American's -- it's one of the three top concerns Americans listed in the most recent CNN Poll. We hear all three candidates talking about promises to improve our health care system.

John McCain was the latest to release his plan. He did it this week from Tampa, Florida, emphasizing a vision that would give Americans tax credits to allow individuals to buy their own health care and to wean us back from relying on employers for their health coverage.

Let's listen to John McCain talking about his health care proposal earlier this week.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. JOHN MCCAIN, (R) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: There are those who are convinced that the solution is to move closer to a nationalized health care system. They urge, they urge universal coverage with all the tax increases, new mandates and government regulation that come along with that idea. But in the end, this will accomplish one thing only -- we will replace the inefficiency, irrationality and uncontrolled cost of the current system with the inefficiency, irrationality and uncontrolled cost of a government monopoly.

We'll have all the problems and more of private health care, rigid rules, long waits and lack of choices and risk of degrading its great strengths and advantages, including the innovation and life-saving technology that make American medicine the most advanced in the world.

The key to real reform is to restore control over our health care system to the patients themselves. Right now, right now, even those with access to health care often have no assurance that it is appropriate care. Too much of the system is built on getting paid just for providing services, regardless -- regardless of whether those services are necessary or produce quality care and outcomes.

American families should only pay for getting the right care, care that is intended to improve and safeguard their health. When families are informed about medical choices, they are more capable of making their own decisions, less likely to choose the most expensive and often unnecessary options and are more satisfied with their choices.

We took an important step in this direction with the creating (ph) of health savings accounts. As you know, they are tax preferred accounts that are used to pay insurance premiums and other health care costs. These accounts put the family in charge of what they pay for, and as president, I would seek to encourage and expand the benefits of these accounts to more American families.

Americans need new choices beyond those offered in employment-based coverage. Americans want a system built so that wherever you go, and wherever you work, your health plan goes with you. And there's a very straightforward way to achieve this.

Under current law, the federal government gives a tax benefit when employers provide health insurance coverage to American workers and their families. This benefit doesn't cover the total cost of the health plan and in reality, each worker and family absorbs the rest of the cost in lower wages and diminished benefits. But it provides essential support for insurance coverage.

Many workers are perfectly content with this arrangement -- perfectly content, and under my reformed plan, they would be able to keep that coverage. Their employer provided health plans would be largely untouched and unchanged. But for every American who wanted it, another option would be available. Every year, they would receive a tax credit directly with the same cash value of the credits for employees in big companies, in a small business or self-employed.

You simply choose the insurance provider that suits you best. By mail or online, you then inform the government of your selection and the money to help pay for your health care would be sent straight to that insurance provider. The health plan you choose would be as good as any that an employer could choose for you. It would be yours and your family's health care plan, and yours to keep.

The value of that credit, $2,500 for individuals, $5,000 for families, would also be enhanced by the greater competition this reform would help create among insurance companies.

Millions of Americans would be making their own health care choices again, insurance companies could no longer take your business for granted, offering narrow plans with escalating costs. It would help change the whole dynamic of the current system putting individuals and families back in charge and forcing companies to respond with better service at lower costs.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

YELLIN: John McCain outlining health care reform proposal, the corner stone of which he believes that increased competition among insurance company would drive down costs, eliminating the need for the government to offer Americans any kind of health care coverage for the uninsured. He believes that his program would use the private sector to provide coverage for every American who wants it and he coupled that with some tax credits to take it affordable.

It's a very, very big difference between the policy proposals from John McCain than those proposed by both Clinton and Barack Obama. Certainly a debate we are going to hear throughout this election, well past the primaries and into the general election.

Coming up after this break, we're going to bring you more from Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton on the stump, including -- why Hillary Clinton is encouraging parents to put down their blackberries. Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

MALVEAUX: Welcome back to CNN's BALLOT BOWL. I'm Suzanne Malveaux here in Fort Wayne, Indiana, where Barack Obama just wrapped up a rally, a family picnic they called it -- Barack Obama, his wife Michelle and their two young daughters on stage. And he was talking about an issue that really, a lot of voters have been talking about, and that is the price of gas. The national average is going up some 15 cents per gallon just in the last couple of weeks.

Barack Obama is shooting down this idea, a plan from Senator Clinton as well as Senator John McCain about providing some sort of tax break, a holiday for the summer vacation, that 18-cent per gallon that we all pay a federal tax on gas. He says he does not think that's a good idea. He is calling it a gimmick and a short-term solution. Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

OBAMA: He (ph) wants to continue this war without an exit strategy. John McCain wants to continue Bush economic policies that give tax breaks to the wealthy but leave you without the kind of support you need. So, we don't need four more years of George Bush policies. But this election on Tuesday isn't about that party, it's about what we, the Democrats stand for -- what is it that we want to do for this country.

And although Senator Clinton and I have some overlap in terms of the policies we want to promote, although both she and I want universal health care for the people of Indiana, both she and I want to deal with the environmental crisis of global warming, although both of us have some overlap in plans, there are some big differences that you've got to -- you've got to look at before you cast your ballot on Tuesday.

Number one, I believe that we can't deliver on health care, we can't deliver on college affordability, we can't deliver on jobs, if we don't change Washington and that means we got to stop letting the special interest -- the oil companies, the drug companies, the insurance companies set the agenda in Washington.

(APPLAUSE)

OBAMA: Senator Clinton thinks it's OK to take money from these folks. She says lobbyists, they represent real Americans. But I don't think they represent you.

I think that's why we've been talking about health care reform for decades without any changes -- because the drug and the insurance companies have set the agenda in Washington. That's why we're still talking about energy policies that we should have been working on this thing 20, 30 years ago. But the oil companies keep on blocking reform.

(APPLAUSE)

OBAMA: That's why at the beginning of this campaign I said, "I'm not going to take PAC money, I'm not going to take lobbyist money." I'm the only one who hasn't taken a dime of lobbyist money which means they won't be setting the agenda in Washington, they won't run my White House and they will not drown out the voices of the American people when I'm president of the United States of America.

(APPLAUSE)

OBAMA: There's a second big difference, Fort Wayne, and that is, I don't want to just tell you what I think you want to hear, I want to tell you the truth. I want to tell you what you need to hear.

That's what this argument about the gas tax is all about. You know, John McCain proposed a gas tax holiday to help you deal with rising gas prices. You know how much it's worth? Thirty cents a day for three months, which will add up to $28 -- $28.

Now, that's assuming that when we eliminate the gas tax for three months that the oil companies don't just jack up their prices to make up for whatever the gas tax was. And you know that's what's going to happen. So, they'll end up making profits, you'll end up making nothing and we take that money out of our highway trust fund to rebuild roads and bridges and put people -- thousands of people right here in Indiana back to work.

So, John McCain proposes it, then, Hillary says, "Me, too."

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MALVEAUX: Senator Barack Obama talking about the kinds of issues that a lot of families are talking about. That is just how difficult it has been, the high gas prices, trying to keep their homes, buy food, those type of things, and him trying to offer some solutions there.

Now, we also have been following Senator Hillary Clinton's ideas as well. This is from Cary, North Carolina. She was actually at a high school at a forum addressing family issues and it was kind of unique, because it was something that could be followed and could participate in online through this Momlogic.com forum.

So, she was asked a host of questions, specifically about what it is like to be a mother in her position and she was asked, "What are some of the things that you would recommend to parents when raising a teenager?" Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CLINTON: What's really important in what you have to work, as I certainly did, is to be present with your children, to be there when you're there with them.

It's so easy to be looking at your Blackberry, to be on the cell phone, to be distracted. Somehow you have to create the space and the time where your children really, really know that they have your undivided attention. You can tell your children that you love them 25 times a day. But your actions speak a lot louder than your words. And to try to create those times where when you have teenagers, you know it's going to be difficult. It's just built into the biology. And so it's like investing when they're younger in those, you know, moments that can be really the balance to keep you going through these choppy waters as they get older.

And so paying attention, really listening to your children -- and you know, I know because I've been guilty of it many times, you got something else on your mind and you never know when they want to talk to you. It's not usually convenient. You give them every opportunity to tell you what you hope they'll confide in you or to ask you advice. And they said I'm fine, I'm fine, leave me alone. And then when they need you and you don't respond, it's really, you know, it's unfortunate because you've got to create that opportunity. So look, I think raising children today is harder than when I was raising Chelsea. I think it's certainly a lot harder than our parents. We go back to some of the things that are happening in the culture. It's just harder.

That's why we need to support moms and dads more than we do. And we need to support stay-at-home mom as much as working moms because taking care of your kids and trying to give them a good start in life is the hardest work any of us will ever do.

And the whole dating experience is fraught with so much anxiety for everybody. And certainly for the young men that she's dated and they've been, you know, really, you know, we've taken a lot of them into our extended family. It's really intimidating to come and talk to her father. Or, I guess, to me.

But, again, I think that trying to get to know both the girl and boyfriends that your kids have, being part of their lives, you know, volunteering to host them for things or take them places or being in the car with them, just to give you some insight into what's going on and how you can understand their lives. And it's really difficult because a lot of what kids think of as normal behavior today was just not even invented, let alone accepted when I was growing up.

So you listen to their conversations and there's a lot of mental debate going on in your own heads about they're doing what? They think it's OK to do this or say that? But you have to know it in order to help your kids navigate through it.

And you have, you know, three kids, two teenagers now, three daughters. You know, spending time with them, having them here today, talking about what we're talking about, having them express their opinions. , you know, my daughter's eye rolling was a regular part of my life.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I'm glad to hear we're not alone.

CLINTON: Are you kidding? You know, my idea of what was proper dressing when my daughter was a teenager was just totally so absurd in her mind. And so trying to find that happy medium somewhere, it -- there's a picture of me, it was Bill's second inauguration and we were leaving the White House to the capital for him to be sworn in. The plan was -- it was a nice day, and the Secret Service had area that was considered OK for us to get out of the car and walk a little bit.

So Chelsea came down. She was dressed and had her coat on. I said, what are you wearing? She said, just that old thing I picked up. I said, well, what are you wearing? And there's a picture. A photographer was there. She opened it. The skirt, it was so short and I'm sitting there looking at this short skirt and there's no time to change. And I thought, OK, you just have to take a deep breath, here we go.

There's so many things that are worth engaging your kids on, and there are so many things that are not that important, and trying to figure out how to draw the line. (END VIDEOTAPE)

SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN NEWS ANCHOR: Senator Hillary Clinton giving a personal side of her family and dealing with Chelsea when she was a teenager, talking about picking your battles and for parents to put down their blackberries, obviously reaching out to the working women and those stay-at-home moms, critical voters on Tuesday.

And we want to look at the poll of polls in North Carolina. This is a race that is tightening. The latest poll of polls is a combination of four surveys, shows Obama ahead by eight points. Among the likely Democratic voters, Obama getting 50 percent, Clinton 42 percent and 8 percent unsure. Obviously it's going to be that 8 percent unsure that could make this a nail biter. So a lot of people looking at those numbers. And that is why you see these candidates up until the very last minute trying to win those voters to see what comes Tuesday.

On the other side of the break of "BALLOT BOWL," we'll bring you the Republican presumptive nominee, John McCain. And he's going to be talking about a number of issues that voters have been paying close attention to, one of them being health care.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

JESSICA YELLIN, CNN NEWS ANCHOR: Welcome back to "BALLOT BOWL." I'm Jessica Yellin in Indianapolis. We've been listening to Senators Clinton and Obama talk to voters here in this state about their economic concerns.

John McCain has also been traveling the country, talking about his economic proposals. Letting voters know that he's aware of the mortgage crisis, the high cost of gas. In fact, he was the first to propose a gas tax holiday for the summer.

As he always has, he hits hard on pork barrel spending. John McCain vows if he's president, he will do what he can to eliminate earmarks in all Congressional bills and shut down pork barrel spending. This was him in Denver earlier this week.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SEN. JOHN MCCAIN, (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Americans are hurting today. The latest jobs report, although not maybe as bad as some had predicted, is still bad. Unemployment continues up. Americans are suddenly and recently losing their jobs. Many of them are worrying about how they're going to keep their home, how they're going to afford health care, how they're going to keep their insurance.

And Americans are going through tough times now, my friends. I don't think we can sugarcoat it. These are enormous challenges and they affect every level of American society, and especially those working member and women, many of whom are holding two jobs and trying to educate their children and keep their home.

This morning and this evening, families will be sitting around the kitchen table trying to figure out how they can afford their new home loan mortgage payments and they are also trying to figure out how to keep their health care, how to keep their insurance and keep their job. So these are tough times in America.

And I have a plan of action to fix our economy, to make sure that Americans remain in their home and also to realize the American dream to be able to educate their children and hand off to the next generation of Americans a better America than the one that we inherited. That's been the legacy of every generation of Americans.

So today, we want to talk about health care. But I would be glad to talk about all the other issues. Before I do, I just want to talk to you about a modest proposal that I had a couple of weeks ago, which seems to have created a firestorm, particularly among the special interests that ride around in chauffeured limousines inside the beltway in Washington. And that is, and that is a suspension, a holiday between Memorial Day and Labor Day where Americans do not have to pay the 18 1/2 cents a gallon gas tax the next time they go to the gasoline station to get their tank filled up, and in the case of diesel, 24 cents per gallon.

My friends, the price of a gallon of gas continues up. Why don't we give American working men and women a little break for the summer? Just a little break for the summer? I mean, it's not the end of Western civilization as we know it.

We may not be able to fund the $233 million bridge in Alaska to an island with 50 people on it. We may not be able to send $10 million to a county in Florida that said they didn't even want it. And we may not fund a whole bunch of the pork barrel unnecessary wasteful projects, absolutely wasteful projects that are put in, in the middle of the night in these spending bills that have nothing to do with need or priority but everything to do with the corrupting process that makes it dependent on the influence and power of an individual member of Congress or Senator.

And I say corrupting process because members of -- former members of Congress are now residing in federal prison. I'm going to stop that practice. I'm going to stop that pork barrel, earmarking, wasteful spending practice. And I will veto every single pork barrel bill that comes across my desk.

Meanwhile, Senator Obama and Senator Clinton have gotten hundreds of millions of dollars in pork barrel earmark projects. One of them being the Woodstock Cultural Museum, in case you missed that one, $1 million of your tax dollars. Senator Obama got a bunch of money for the seed museum.

With Americans and the problems they're in today, do we need to spend millions of dollars on a seed museum? I don't think so. So they want business as usual in Washington. They want the pork barrel. Senator Obama wants the pork barrel earmark projects to go on. And I want to give the American consumer a little bit of relief.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

YELLIN: John McCain speaking earlier this week in Denver. On the other side of this break, we'll turn our eyes to North Carolina. Bill Clinton is there today, campaigning for his wife. So we'll check in on Bill Clinton and also take a look at the other race, the race for superdelegates. Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

YELLIN: This is "BALLOT BOWL" on CNN. I'm Jessica Yellin.

And we want to remind you that tomorrow we have a special day planned with "BALLOT BOWL" coverage from 9:00 a.m. until 6:00 P.m. We will be dipping into live events from the candidates as they speak to voters on the trail. It's all with an eye towards a big primary night on Tuesday when both North Carolina and Indiana will vote and CNN will carry the results and all our analysis live beginning at 7:00 Tuesday night. So don't forget to tune in.

First, "BALLOT BOWL" coverage all day tomorrow and primary night coverage beginning 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday.

And today's edition of "BALLOT BOWL" will continue right after this break.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

YELLIN: Welcome back to CNN's "BALLOT BOWL." I'm Jessica Yellin in Indianapolis.

The competition remains fierce today. Both Senators Clinton and Obama campaigning furiously in the state of Indiana. And they are in a tight contest with the delegate count remaining as close as can be, even after the most recent voting.

As we reported, Guam held a vote yesterday. Barack Obama won by just seven votes. But they both ended up with a total of two delegates. So Senators Clinton and Obama both picked up two delegates leaving their spread just what it was, Barack Obama with a total of 1,736 delegates, Senator Clinton with 1,599 delegates. He leads her by 137 total delegates. That's pledged and super together.

And we're looking at a new primary on Tuesday where there are 187 delegates at stake in total. Here in Indiana, there are 72 delegates up for grabs. And in North Carolina, 115 delegates up for grabs. Again, a total of 187 delegates, pledged delegates at stake in the voting that takes place on Tuesday.

Now, as I said, with the count this tight, both of them, of course, need 20 25 -- one of them needs to get to 2,025 delegates to become the nominee and they're going after the unpledged superdelegates as aggressively as possible.

To that end, Senator Clinton's husband, Bill Clinton, was in a crucial district today in North Carolina. It's the district of Congressman Heath Shuler. He's a Democrat who has won in a conservative part of North Carolina. And he won by staking ground as an extremely moderate Democrat, not aligned with what some have called the liberal part of the Democratic Party. So Bill Clinton was there paying his respects to Congressman Heath Shuler, who is at this moment an undeclared superdelegate, and no doubt trying his best to get Heath Shuler to come out for Senator Clinton.

CNN's Sasha Johnson has reported that Heath Shuler is likely to tell us he will go with which ever candidate wins his district, as so many politicians are doing these days. But still, Bill Clinton there, trying to get the support of uncommitted superdelegate Heath Shuler.

And Bill Clinton spoke to voters in North Carolina earlier today. Let's listen to what he had to say.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BILL CLINTON, FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Every single president has commented on the difficulties of turning speeches into solutions and promises into progress. She is the very best at that I've ever seen. That's one reason, over all these others, that North Carolina should be for her.

Look, she got 70 percent of the vote in the Democratic primary in Arkansas where she has not lived in 15 years. She is running 15 points ahead of Senator McCain in the general election poll in Arkansas. Her opponent is 16 points behind. They've only voted for three Democrats in 44 years and twice it was for me. They had to do that. I was their guy.

There are people from Arkansas that are going to be in North Carolina this weekend. They've got this little brochure they wrote out and it says, look at the changes this person made in our lives. You ought to vote for somebody -- we need somebody who can make changes in our lives, economics, education, health care.

There are farmers from the Republican part of New York going all over America saying you ought to vote for this woman. She is the only person whoever did anything for us.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

YELLIN: Former President Bill Clinton courting voters on behalf of his wife in North Carolina earlier today.

And we will, of course, continue to cover the candidates as they campaign furiously in both these states.

For now, I want to toss it over to Suzanne Malveaux in Fort Wayne, Indiana -- Suzanne?

MALVEAUX: Jessica, obviously we have a lot that is ahead later in the day. Live events out of Indianapolis, Indiana. That is the Jefferson-Jackson Dinner where we'll hear from Senator Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton. We'll take those events live, a special edition of "BALLOT BOWL" from 8:00 until 9:00 this evening. So please join us then. We will see you then during that hour with those live events.

CNN "Newsroom" is after the break. (COMMERCIAL BREAK)

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