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Ballot Bowl 2008
Covering the Candidates' Appearances
Aired October 26, 2008 - 16:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CANDY CROWLEY, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: Good afternoon and welcome to CNN's "Ballot Bowl," regular feature of our election coverage since those early primary days. I'm Candy Crowley in Denver, the Mile High City.
Well, just a little while ago, Barack Obama wrapped up a rally here. We are told more than 100,000 people at least, according to local officials, came to hear him talk. We are just nine days away from that election and "Ballot Bowl" is your time to listen to these candidates. Sometimes live, sometimes taped. But always in long form so that those of you who have not yet made up your minds do get a chance to hear what all of these candidates, presidential and vice presidential have to say. Joining me today for the next two hours, my colleague, Ed Henry. Ed is in Zanesville, Ohio, a crucial battleground. He's following the McCain campaign. Ed.
ED HENRY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That's right. Good afternoon, Candy. And a crowd is already building here in Zanesville. As you noted, Ohio, critical, no republican has ever won the White House without first carrying the buck eye state, those 20 electoral votes critical. But also critical as you know, Florida, and that's where we'll find Sarah Palin later this hour. She's in Kissimmee. She will be addressing republican supporters there. We'll go to that live.
But first a little earlier today, John McCain was in Cedar Falls, Iowa, another important state. Some republicans, though, are scratching their heads, wondering why John McCain is in Iowa this late in the game. He's been behind double digits in some polls in Iowa. Only seven electoral votes there but obviously, every single electoral vote matters for John McCain right now. He's behind in so many battlegrounds and he was trying to make the case that Barack Obama is already measuring the drapes in the White House. But McCain insisted that he's going to fight this out until the end.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. JOHN MCCAIN (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Now, my friends - let me give you the state of the race today. It's nine days to go. We're a few points down. The pundits, as usual, have written us off just like they've done before. My opponent is working out the details with Speaker Pelosi and Senator Reid of their plans to raise your taxes, increase spending, and concede defeat in Iraq. We're not going to do that, my friends.
You know, he's measuring the drapes. He's planned his first address to the nation for before the election. I guess I'm kind of old- fashioned about these things. I prefer to let the voters weigh in before presuming the outcome. What America needs now is someone who will finish the race before starting the victory lap. Someone who will fight to the end, not for himself, but for his country.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Country first! Country first!
MCCAIN: I've fought for you most of my life in places where defeat meant more than returning to the Senate. My friends, there are other ways to love this country, but I've never been the kind to back down when the stakes are high. And I know you're worried. I know you're worried. America's a great country. We're at a moment of national crisis that will determine our future. I want to Will be continue to lead the world's economies or will we be overtaken? Will the world become safer or more dangerous? Will our military remain the strongest in the world? Will our children and grandchildren's future be brighter than ours? My answer to you is yes, yes, we will lead, yes, we will prosper. Yes, we will be safer. Yes, we will pass on to our children --
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HENRY: That was John McCain in Cedar Falls, Iowa, a little earlier. You can hear the crowd building behind me here in Zanesville, Ohio. But as I bring in my colleague, Candy Crowley in Denver, I want to note that there's an indoor rally for John McCain. Several hundred people here, but not really into the thousands. He's not getting very large crowds in these battleground states. It seems like a contrast of what you saw today in Denver, Candy.
CROWLEY: Absolutely. And you can be sure that the Obama campaign is letting us know along every stop how many people were here. Behind me you can see the state capitol here in Denver. There were people from where I am standing all the way up those steps and on to the balconies as well as people on both sides of me both inside and outside the security parameter. They figure about 100,000 people were here, so it was a healthy crowd. Senator Obama has basically been giving the same speeches as we move from rally to rally over the past couple of weeks. But he got some new fodder recently for his speech when John McCain compared Obama to George Bush. Something Obama just couldn't let go by.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. BARACK OBAMA (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: John McCain has been throwing everything he's got at us. Hoping something sticks. He's even called me a socialist for suggesting that we should give tax cuts to you, middle class families, instead of just to the wealthy and the corporations. But the other day he took it to a whole new level. He said that it was actually me who was like George Bush. You can't make that stuff up. In what maybe the strangest twist of a strange general election campaign. Senator McCain said that I would somehow continue the Bush economic policies. Despite the fact that I've opposed them even before I got to the United States Senate. He claimed that he, John McCain, would bring about change to George Bush's economic policies.
Now, that was bad enough, then just this morning, Senator McCain said that actually he and President Bush share a common philosophy. That's right, Colorado. I guess that was John McCain finally giving us a little straight talk, owning up to the fact that he and George Bush actually have a whole lot in common. Well, here's the thing, though, we know what the Bush-McCain philosophy looks like. It's a philosophy that says we should give more and more to millionaires and billionaires and hope that it trickles down on everybody else. The philosophy that gives tax breaks to wealthy CEOs and the corporations that ship jobs overseas while hundreds of thousands of jobs are disappearing here at home. It's a philosophy that justified spending $10 billion a month in Iraq while the Iraqi government sits on a huge surplus and our economy is in crisis.
For eight years we've seen the Bush-McCain philosophy put our country on the wrong track. We can't have another four years that look like the last eight. It is time for change in Washington and that's why I'm running for the president of the United States of America and that's why you're here today.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CROWLEY: Barack Obama not that long ago here in Denver. They certainly can clear a crowd out here and yet quite a massive one. But they have moved on and so has Barack Obama. Colorado, as you know, a key state here. It has, in general, swung republican in most presidential elections. But a lot of democrats here are looking at the number, they're looking at the early voting and they do believe, at least the democrats, that this will be a democratic state by the time the election is over on Tuesday night. And those polls are closed.
For now, Obama has moved on to Ft. Collins, Colorado, where he will hold another rally. I want to bring back in my colleague, Ed Henry, because as you know, Ed, these aren't the only two people out there campaigning. Their VPs are able to cover some ground too in those battleground areas.
HENRY: Absolutely right, Candy. Sarah Palin, John McCain's running mate today has been in Florida. Just as important as it is here in Ohio, 20 electoral votes here, 27 in Florida. She was in Tampa earlier today. And Sarah Palin was really ripping into Barack Obama for allegedly already having his inaugural address written. The Obama camp vehemently denies that, obviously, as you know, Candy. But nevertheless, it hasn't stopped Sarah Palin from insisting that Barack Obama is getting ahead of himself and she even used a basketball analogy to make the point.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GOV. SARAH PALIN (R), VICE PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Well, I know that each one of you here in the sunshine state, you are here today because you know the stake's in this election. You know how important this is. November 4th, this is about the future of America. And look at our young people, especially in this audience, honey, it's for your future, November 4th. What is decided on that day is the future of America. And you know that elections, they're not decided until the votes are counted, but our opponent, he sure seems, once again, to be getting out a little bit ahead of himself. Just yesterday, the "New York Times" reported that Barack Obama's inaugural address is already written.
Nine days out from the election, nine days out and yet it's already written. John McCain and I were out here asking for your vote so we can get to work for you and a lot of folks are still undecided, and, you know, Barack Obama and I we both have spent quite some time on the basketball court, but where I come from, you have to win the game before you start cutting down the net. It's kind of like that presidential seal - remember the presidential seal he made for himself a few months back? Or his plans to speak at the Brandenburg Gate until the German government had to remind him, no, that's an honor reserved for heads of state. Or the stadium that he's already rented out for the victory party that he has planned. You kind of get the feeling that the Obama campaign thinks this whole election process is just a formality. They've overlooked, though, the minor detail of earning your confidence and your trust and winning your votes and I know that judging by media coverage, it does seem that the coronation is already set, but as for John McCain and me, we don't take any vote for granted and we're not assuming we have your vote. We are respectfully asking for it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HENRY: Sarah Palin's role in these final nine days obviously getting a lot of scrutiny especially in the wake of reports. There's been some sniping between the Palin and McCain camps of some Palin advisors feeling she's been ill served by McCain aides. McCain aides feeling maybe Sarah Palin is going off message right now. It's going to be interesting as I bring in my colleague Candy Crowley in Denver to watch how Sarah Palin plays these final nine days especially with the possibility of her having a bright future in the republican party, Candy.
CROWLEY: Absolutely. Everybody always looking forward to that next election or at least to the time after the election. Not a lot of drama between Barack Obama and Joe Biden. Biden, of course, has said a couple of things that caused some in the Obama campaign to cringe, but pretty much they have sailed over them. Biden as Palin serving basically as attack dogs often and almost always mirroring what the top of the ticket is saying. Joe Biden was in Suffolk, Virginia yesterday. Indeed, yet another republican state, that this campaign, the Obama campaign believes it has a real shot in and certainly the polls show that.
What Biden has been doing, is what I've seen a lot in elections, long about the time it's Halloween season you begin to see some analogies and metaphors having to do with Halloween. Take a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. JOE BIDEN (D), VICE PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Ladies and gentlemen, you know, in the last debate, my friend, John McCain, felt the absolute need to declare, Bobby, that he was not George W. Bush. And just recently, John McCain actually, actually went so far as to compare Barack Obama to George W. Bush. I have a 10-year-old granddaughter, her name is Finnigan Biden, she's cute as can be, and Finnigan as she would say, she'd look at John McCain and say, hello? You know, I mean, come on, John, John, John, and now John McCain is attacking George Bush's budget and his fiscal policy. But Johnny, where were you the last eight years? When you voted four out of five times for his budget?
I'll tell you where John was the last eight years. And it was a matter of principle. I'm not making this nonpolitical. It's a matter of principle. John McCain thought that he voted with George Bush 90 percent of the time. He believed George Bush was right 90 percent of the time. Just yesterday, just yesterday it was reported that President Bush filled out his absentee ballot and he voted for John McCain. Well, I suppose that's what you might call returning the favor. I - ladies and gentlemen, ladies and gentlemen, look, John McCain, John McCain is the one who for the better part of this past year has been saying literally, not figuratively, saying, that, "we've made great economic progress under the Bush economic plan." That's what he was saying up until September the 15th.
Well, ladies and gentlemen, he's been very out of touch. Sarah Palin, Governor Palin's been very out of touch. Ladies and gentlemen, look, look, I know Halloween's coming, but John McCain dressed as an agent of change is one costume the American people is one costume the American people isn't going to look at. I mean - you know? Give me a break. Agent of change? Whoa. Look, look, on a serious note, I know we're not running against President Bush, but we are running against the very Bush economic policies that John McCain embraces. I mean, literally, John McCain and Sarah Palin - I love watching them on TV, Bobby, when I get back to the hotel room after these great days, long days, but great days invigorating the American people who are so receptive to our message in my view all across America and I get back and I turn on the television when I get back to whatever hotel, or motel room I'm in whatever part of the country. I turn on the television and they always have replays of what went on during the day.
And I love watching John McCain and Sarah Palin standing on the same and going, hey, maverick, hey, maverick, we're the mavericks, well, I want to tell you - I want to tell you - they're maverick. I love it. Well, as Senator Bob Casey, from Scranton, Pennsylvania, United States Senator Bob Casey said, I'm paraphrasing it, he said, folks, you can't call yourself a maverick when all you've been the last eight years is a side kick!
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CROWLEY: Joe Biden, the number two on the Obama ticket, very much in sync with Barack Obama. Both of them yesterday and today going after that had been their main theme that John McCain will simply be a third George Bush term. Our next play on "Ballot Bowl," Colorado, Ohio, Florida. There is a good reason that these candidates are spending their final days in those states. They could be states to decide how these election goes. Next stop, we're going to take a look at what the polls are saying with our Bill Schneider. So stick with "Ballot Bowl." We'll be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
CROWLEY: Good afternoon, welcome to the Sunday edition of "Ballot Bowl." This is your chance to hear these candidates and their number twos talk and extended versions of their stump speech so you get a chance to see what we see. So that those of you who have yet to make up your mind can have a little more information as you go about it.
Now, of course, there are these battleground states out there where the polls are really giving us a sense of where this election is going and when we talk about polls who else do we bring in but our own Bill Schneider who knows everything there is to know about polls? Bill, first of all, I am told that you're wearing a very nice hat. I can't see it, but I'm sure it's lovely knowing your collection of hats. Listen, I'm here in Denver -- go ahead.
BILL SCHNEIDER, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL ANALYST: It's a very windy day here. I am just outside of Dayton, Ohio, at the National Trap shooting Museum. We will refrain from making any comparisons between politicians and clay pigeons. However, Obama, today, is in Colorado, a state that George Bush carried last time in 2004 by four points. What are the polls show in Colorado? Well, we actually did a poll of polls, several polls in Colorado, and what they show is right now Obama is leading by a pretty impressive seven-point margin in Colorado. The state that he's visiting trying to trying to sew it up today in Colorado. Now, where is John McCain? Well, he was in Iowa. Now, Iowa has been, in 2000, 2004, one of the closest contests in the country. It went for Bush last time by exactly one point. This time, it isn't very close.
Our poll of polls shows Obama leading in Iowa by a solid 13 points. McCain's not giving up on Iowa, however, he was there, today. Now, McCain is coming to Ohio which is where I am right now. He's going to be in Columbus today and he's going to be right here in Dayton tomorrow. Now, what does it look like in Ohio, which is, of course, a very big battleground state. The second biggest battleground state of all. Last time, Ohio voted for Bush just by two points. This time, it looks like Obama has a slight lead here in Ohio, five points. 49-44. Not huge, so we're still calling Ohio a tossup state. Candy.
CROWLEY: Well, we can't have an election without at least talking about Florida. We know the two of them have been battling it out down there. Sarah Palin there today. What does it look like in Florida?
SCHNEIDER: Yes, that's right. Sarah Palin is there today. She's been traveling all over Florida. Florida, last time, we all remember 2000, last time was a more solid margin, for Bush five points. This time it's another close one in Florida. Obama in our poll of polls is leading in the sunshine state. The biggest battleground state of all by three points which means it could be down to the wire in Florida but Obama is ahead right now in the state that Bush carried last time by five. Candy.
CROWLEY: Bill, let me ask you a quick question, because I know when people look at the unsures they can't quite believe it. Who are those people and are they people that are bound not no vote at all or are they really undecided at this late day? SCHNEIDER: Well, they are undecided. At least, that's what they're telling us It is a striking number, six percent, seven percent in many states. What we're finding is as follows. In state after state, the same pattern from Bush to McCain, the vote has usually declined quite sharply. Seven points in Florida, seven points in Ohio. A big decline in the republican vote that is not matched by a gain in the democratic vote. In Ohio for instance, right now, Obama is getting 49 percent. That's the same vote John Kerry got.
In Florida, Obama is getting 48 percent, just one point better than Kerry got four years ago. The rest of those former Bush voters appear to be going to the unsure category. They're not voting republican a second time or at least not this time but they're not yet sure they're ready to support Barack Obama so they're waiting to make up their mind.
CROWLEY: Thanks, Bill, it's what makes election night very exciting.
Up next, our next play on in "Ballot Bowl." We're going to take a look at New Mexico. Both Barack Obama and John McCain were in the land of enchantment with two very different messages. You'll hear them next on "Ballot Bowl."
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HENRY: Welcome back to CNN's "Ballot Bowl," I'm Ed Henry, in Zanesville, Ohio, where John McCain will be addressing republican supporters. We've already gathered here. He'll be doing that early next hour. Yesterday John McCain was in another key state, New Mexico. He had a rally in Albuquerque where he was really ripping into Barack Obama on the whole question of the economy and taxes and he was trying to tell the crowd that he was a fellow westerner, hailing from Arizona.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MCCAIN: My friends, I'm a fellow westerner. I understand these issues. I understand land and water and Native American issues and border issues. And I understand the challenges that great western states face with our growth and with our needs and with our challenges. And my friends, Senator Obama has never been south of our border. You know that? And he doesn't know these issues. I know them. I know what the southwest is. I know the strength and the culture and our Hispanic culture and the strength of our great states. And we welcome it. And we welcome it and I am proud. And I'm proud to be a senator from the west. So - so, my friends - so, my friends, let me just remind you, it's been a long campaign and we've heard a lot of words and after months of campaign trail eloquence, we finally learned what Senator Obama's economic goal is. As he told Joe the plumber back in Ohio he wants to, "spread the wealth around."
Just yesterday he said it again. He believes - he believes in redistributing wealth. That means taking money from one group of Americans and giving it to another. We've seen that movie before in other countries. That's not America. Because we believe in policies that grow our economy and create jobs. Senator Obama is more interested in controlling wealth than creating it. In redistributing money instead of spreading opportunity. I'm going to create wealth for all Americans by creating opportunity for all Americans and not take Joe the plumber's money away.
Senator Obama says he's going to try to soak the rich, but it's the middle class who are going to get put through the wringer. Because a lot of his promised tax increases misses the target to pay for nearly $1 trillion in new government spending, his tax increase would impact 50 percent of small business income in this country and the jobs of 16 million middle class Americans who work for those small businesses, and by the way, whether it's Joe the plumber in Ohio or the working men and women of New Mexico, we shouldn't be taxing our small businesses more as Senator Obama wants to do.
We need to be helping them expand their businesses. Create jobs. My friends, America didn't become the greatest nation on earth by giving our money to the government to spread the wealth around in this country. We believe in spreading opportunity for those who need jobs and those who create them and that's exactly what I'll do as president of the United States.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HENRY: That was John McCain in Albuquerque, New Mexico, yesterday. New Mexico a key battleground because it's gone back and forth. In 2000, it went narrowly for Al Gore, 2004, narrowly for President Bush and as I bring in my colleague, Candy Crowley in Colorado, as you know, Barack Obama was there yesterday as well.
CROWLEY: Absolutely. You can tell how important the state is when both presidential candidates show up at not just the same state but the city. Barack Obama was, indeed, in Albuquerque yesterday looking to make that a solidly Democratic state when those votes come in a week from Tuesday, Ed. And I will tell you one of the things, of course, that is really a major issue in some of these states in the southwest and indeed in the interior west is the subject of immigration and that's where Barack Obama focused a part of his remarks yesterday.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SENATOR BARACK OBAMA, (D) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Overflowing class and under funded schools where Hispanic students are dropping out faster than nearly anyone else. I'm tired of seeing young people who have got the skills to go to college but don't have the money. We can do better here in New Mexico and we can do better all across the country. That's why I'm running for president.
Now, I want you all to know this is not going to be easy. It's not going to be quick. George Bush has dug a deep hole for us. And it's going to take some time for us to dig ourselves out. But one of the things that I'm absolutely confident about is we can do it but we can't do it alone. I can't do it alone. And we can do it -- we can do it with the same kind of division, the same kind of slash-and-burn politics that we have become so accustomed to over the last decade, over the last two decades, over the last three decades. We've got to remember that we're all in this together as Americans. You know -- and one of the things that has been really upsetting is seeing how the immigration issue has been used as a way to divide us. You know, Senator McCain used to buck his party by fighting for immigration inform and I admired him for it. When he was running for his party's nomination he changed his tune. He said that he wouldn't support his own legislation if it came up for a vote. When it was time to write his party's platform, comprehensive immigration reform never made it in. You've got to ask yourself, if Senator McCain won't stand up to the opponents of reform at his own convention how's he going to stand up for it when he's president of the United States?
How can you trust him to make sure we solve this problem instead of using it as a wedge issue? You know where I stand. I'm proud of the commitment I made for comprehensive immigration reform in our Democratic Party platform. I was a proud champion of Comprehensive Immigration Reform Act. That's the kind of partner that I intend to be in the White House that is the kind of leadership that New Mexico and America deserves.
I'll work with Bill Richardson to secure our borders. We'll crack down on employers who exploit undocumented workers and undercut American workers and we will put those 12 million people living in the shadows on a path to earn citizenship, get them out of the shadows. They broke the law and we can't excuse that but we can't deport 12 million people. We'll require them to pay a fine, learn English, and go to the back of the line for citizenship behind those who came legally. We're going to give them a pass to become legal. That's how we'll recognize our values of a nation of immigrants.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CROWLEY: Barack Obama in Albuquerque yesterday hitting on a key, key issue in New Mexico. That is the subject of immigration and Obama, Ed Henry, zeroing in on what has really been a sticky thing if you will, for John McCain that is the issue of immigration. He of course went against his party, John McCain, in a comprehensive immigration bill and it darn near sunk him during the primary. So Barack Obama zeroing in on that and talking about McCain's change on emphasis, at least, when he was trying to win the primaries and win the nomination, Ed.
HENRY: Absolutely, Candy. Very divisive issue for the Republicans. Still, even beyond the primaries and we talk about another fascinating subplot to this election when we come back on our next play on the BALLOT BOWL, and that is the fact that so many traditionally red Republican states are suddenly in play, not only in the White House races but also some of these very hot senate races. We'll bring it in and break it all down with Bill Schneider after this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HENRY: Welcome back to CNN's BALLOT BOWL, I'm Ed Henry in Zanesville, Ohio, where John McCain will be speaking at the beginning of the next hour to a group of Republican supporters here. You can hear the crowd getting warmed up behind me. We also now want to bring in our political guru, Bill Schneider our CNN senior political analyst to take a look at some other key states beyond Ohio. Bill if you take a look at states like Georgia and North Carolina, for example, traditionally red Republican states in the White House race all of a sudden they're pretty much up for grabs in the presidential battle, but also, some very, very hot senate races there, Bill.
SCHNEIDER: They certainly are. Take a look at Georgia. George Bush carried Georgia last time by a margin of 17 points. What does it look like now? McCain is leading in Georgia by six points. Two-thirds of Bush's margin has vanished in Georgia and the Obama people are seeing hope there they have a chance, perhaps, of being competitive in Georgia.
Equally interesting to Democrats, there's a senate race, a hot one. Saxby Chambliss the Republican elected six years ago, he defeated Democrat, Max Cleeland (ph) in a very bitter race in which the Patriot Act -- the Homeland Security Act, rather, was a very hot issue. The Democrats, a lot of Democrats would love to beat Chambliss. Right now he's in a tight race against Democrat, Jim Martin in Georgia. That race looks very, very close.
Now, North Carolina, this is also a former Bush state. Bush carried it by 12 points last time and right now our poll of polls shows Obama leading in North Carolina by a narrow margin, just four points. That's a state that Obama really has set a lot of expectations high for carrying North Carolina. Senate race there, also unexpectedly, a tight race. That's Elizabeth Dole running for a second term. She has Jesse Helms former seat. And the state Senator Kate Hagan the Democrat is giving her a very close race. This is another senate race, Democrats really weren't counting on winning, but they have some expectations now that they could beat Elizabeth Dole.
HENRY: Well Bill it's one of the fascinating subplots of this very exciting presidential race, what will happen in the senate. Can the Democrats, because of races that you just highlighted like that, reach the magic number of 60 seats to cut off filibusters, get more of the agenda done? That would absolutely be a big deal for Barack Obama. It would make it difficult for John McCain if he gets elected do deal with a very strong Democratic senate. But another key state is West Virginia; this is a state that really helped George W. Bush in 2000 and 2004. But we think back to the Democratic primaries Barack Obama did not do well there at all. He got beat badly by Hillary Clinton. How is he doing now?
SCHNEIDER: Well he got creamed in West Virginia in the primaries. He won North Carolina. The primaries he lost badly to Hillary Clinton in West Virginia. Now I would say he's getting nicked by John McCain. Four years ago, Bush carried West Virginia by 13 points. McCain is leading by a narrow margin; we are showing 47 percent for McCain, 45 percent for Obama, just a 2-point margin.
Obama has some hope there that West Virginia, a state that has not been friendly to him in the past, just possible that this state, an overwhelmingly white state, an Appalachian state, a very rather poor state, that this state could go for Barack Obama. It's very close now in West Virginia. Ed. HENRY: Very interesting. So many states going right down to the wire, it will be very interesting to watch on election night. Thanks for breaking it down for us, Bill Schneider.
When we come back, the next play on BALLOT BOWL is going to be taking a very close inside look at one of the hottest issues out there, obviously, issue number one, the economy and taxes. We're going to hear from both Barack Obama and John McCain in their own words right here on BALLOT BOWL.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HENRY: Welcome back to CNN's BALLOT BOWL, I'm Ed Henry in Zanesville, Ohio, we'll hear from John McCain in just about a half hour from now. The crowd is already gathered here. This critical battleground of Ohio. Obviously the economy, taxes, issues number one for voters all across the country. Specifically this financial crises and all this week, both candidates were harping on that subject. This week Wednesday in Manchester, New Hampshire, I was there with Senator John McCain when he ripped into Barack Obama's tax plan. That same day, Obama fired back in Richmond, Virginia.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SENATOR JOHN MCCAIN, (R) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: So let's try to get all this straight. My opponent says he's going to cut the income taxes for 95 percent of Americans including that miraculous reduction for those who aren't paying any right now. Then he commits to more than $1 trillion in new federal spending after voting for the $750 billion rescue package earlier this month. He won't even specify a single cut in spending that he would consider. My friends, I'll take a cleaver and I'll take a meat ax and I'll take a scalpel and we'll stop this out of control spending.
So -- so -- so you put all these plans of Senator Obama's together and it leaves us almost $2 trillion in new spending to which Senator Obama stands committed with no explanation of how's going to pay for it. Does anyone seriously believe that these trillions of dollars are going to come from only the very highest income earners? Even his supporters are skeptical. Democratic Senator Jay Rockefeller of West Virginia said of these plans, quote, there's not enough money to do all this stuff.
An influential newspaper called his claims, quote, either politically or economically plausible. That critique came from the editorial board of the "New York Times" and when -- and when Barack Obama loses them, you know he's gone too far. For my part -- for my part -- I've said before, America, an alternative to the phony tax cut my opponent started talking about only months ago. My tax cut is the real thing. We're going to double the child deduction for every family, we will cut the capital gain tax, we will end taxes on unemployment benefits, we will cut business taxes to keep and help create jobs and keep American businesses in America. That's what we're going to do.
And as Joe has reminded us all, America didn't become the greatest nation on earth by giving the money to the government to spread the wealth around. In this country, this country we believe in spreading opportunity. But those who need jobs and those who create them and that's exactly what I intend to do as president of the United States.
SENATOR BARACK OBAMA, (D) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: There's been a lot of talk about taxes in this campaign. The truth is my opponent and I am both proposing tax cuts. The difference is, he wants to give tax cuts to and who I want to give tax cuts to. See, John McCain wants to give a $700,000 tax cut to the average Fortune 500 CEO. I guess he thinks they're not doing well enough. I want to put a middle class tax cut in the pockets of 95 percent of workers and their families.
My opponent doesn't want you to know this, under my plan tax rates will actually be less than they were under Ronald Reagan. Now, it's true I want to roll back the Bush tax cuts on the very wealthiest Americans. Go back to the rate they paid under Bill Clinton. Let me -- let me just see a show of hands. How many people make less than a quarter million dollars a year? All right. I was just checking. Because John McCain says I'm going to tax you but since I've already said I will not raise your taxes one dime, I think everybody here looks like they're pretty safe.
So I do want to roll back the Bush tax cuts for people like me. I don't need a tax cut. I didn't need it back in 2000 or 2001 or 2002. So me rolling back those tax cuts on the wealthiest Americans so we can give relief to the nurse and the teacher and the bus driver and the janitor. John McCain calls that socialism. You know what John McCain forgets is just a few years ago -- I guess this is when the straight talk express was still on track, he, himself, said that those Bush tax cuts were irresponsible.
The same ones I want to roll back. He said they were irresponsible. He said in good conscience he couldn't support a tax cut where the benefits went to the wealthy at the expense of middle class Americans who most need tax relief. He was right then, and I'm right now. Don't be fooled. And by the way, don't be fooled -- look, I had a nice conversation the other day with Joe the plumber. Joe's cool. Joe's cool. I got no problem with Joe. All I want to do is give Joe a tax cut.
But let's be clear who Senator McCain's fighting for. He's not fighting for Joe the plumber. He's fighting for Joe the hedge fund manager. Joe -- John McCain likes to talk about Joe the plumber, but he's in cahoots with Joe the CEO.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CROWLEY: Joe the plumber almost the third man in this election, now, both candidates talking about him. And, of course, he is symbolic of the middle class and in this case both men making the argument that their economic policies, in particular, their tax policies are better for the middle class then the others. One interesting thing about this campaign is when it began 19 months ago it was about the war in Iraq and in the past six to eight to ten weeks it has been 100 percent about the economy.
So our next play in BALLOT BOWL, what we will do without "Saturday Night Live" during an election year? They were at it again last night. We'll let you know who their target is coming up next stick with us on BALLOT BOWL.
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(UNIDENTIFIED MALE): With the Barack Obama variety half hour, it's time to have some fun!
(UNIDENTIFED FEMALE): Because we've got a lead in the polls and we built it up.
(UNIDENTIFIED MALE): We've built it up.
(UNIDENTIFED FEMALE): We've built it up and now it's solid. Solid for Barack.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CROWLEY: "Saturday Night Live" spoofing an upcoming half hour of purchase of TV time that Barack Obama has bought. It will not be -- should you be wondering a variety show. But "Saturday Night Live" is always having a little fun with the candidates as I bring in my colleague, Ed Henry, you know, Ed, it's been interesting watching "Saturday Night Live," in fact, watching all of the late night comedians. I know there's been some complaints by McCain supporters that they really felt the people being made the most fun of were the Republicans. I have heard some comedians saying they're just getting into it; it's been difficult to make fun of Barack Obama. Clearly last night on "Saturday Night Live" they found a way to do it.
HENRY: They finally did. It's interesting because John McCain was upset at how David Letterman was treating him recently so he sat down with Letterman. "Saturday Night Live" have been rough on Sarah Palin. She made a guest appearance last weekend to smooth things over. I watch those segments and think it's one of the only things to get us through this day after day, a different hotel, and a different city. A little bit of comic relief doesn't hurt anyone.
But certainly in our next play on BALLOT BOWL we're getting back to the candidate. Turning the page from the comedy, getting back to the stump we're going to hear from both Barack Obama live in Colorado and John McCain live right here in Ohio after this break.
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