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Ballot Bowl 2008
Campaign Appearances and Speeches
Aired November 01, 2008 - 15:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
ED HENRY, CNN HOST: John McCain basically needs to carry this state in order to make up for expected losses in some red states that George W. Bush carried in 2004. One of those red states is Virginia, where as you mentioned Dana Bash my colleague is in Springfield. Dana, obviously, a very difficult battle there for John McCain. Just the fact that he is spending so much time in Virginia the last weekend before the election tells you a lot about this race.
DANA BASH, CNN HOST: Tells you everything you need to know about this race. You are in the one major state where John McCain is playing offense. I'm in one of the many states where John McCain is playing defense. It's a tough game of defense. No question about it. What I'm sure Ed you're going to hear in a few moments at that live rally in Pennsylvania is what I heard here, is really an attempt at this point to do a couple of things.
One, as we have been talking about convince those undecided voters who are still out there that Barack Obama isn't their guy and John McCain is a safer bet. That is sort of the theme we've been hearing. But there is something else that is a simple get out to vote operation. He's trying very hard to energize Republicans. This is not a Republican year. He's been trying to do is, as he likes to say, is give people a little bit of straight talk. He understands he is behind in the polls but he saying the word we hear over and over from him is that he is still fighting.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SENATOR JOHN MCCAIN, (R) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Three days left. Three days. The pundits have written us off. Just like they've done several times before. My opponent is working out the details with Senator Pelosi and Senator Reid of their plans to raise your taxes, increase spending and concede defeat in Iraq. He's measuring the drapes. He gave his first address to the nation before the election. By the way, I will issue an executive order that says no infomercial will delay the World Series.
The chief of staff, we're a few points down my friends, but we're coming back. The Mac is back, my friends. We're coming back. The other night, the other night, Senator Obama said that if he lost, he would return to the senate and try again in four years with the second act. Sounds like a great idea to me. Let's help him do it. I'd like -- my friends, my friends - I want to remind you again.
Fairfax County is key to this election. You know that. You know how important it is for us to win here. You know how important it is that we put this country in the right direction. I need your help for the next three days. Everyone here, I want to promise you, I will do nothing but inspire Americans to serve a cause greater than their self-interest. I know you're worried.
America's a great country, but we're in a moment of national crises that will determine our future. Let me ask you will we 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's 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 a greater country. I am an American and I choose to fight. Don't give up hope. Be strong. Fight for what's right for America. Fight to clean up the mess of corruption and fighting and selfishness in Washington. Fight to get our economy out of the ditch and back in the lead. Fight for the ideals and character of the people. Fight for our children's future. Stand up to defend our country from its enemies! Stand up! Stand up and fight! America is worth fighting for! We never give up, we never quit. We never hide from history. We make history. Let's go out and win this election.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BASH: That's John McCain with what his aids like to call his strong finish at the end of every one of his rallies. He was speaking behind me not to long ago; I think that all that is left at this point is the bunting. But what has been really striking in following John McCain around for a long time, but more specifically the past couple of days is how keenly aware his aids and frankly McCain himself seems to be in his rhetoric and his body language, the power of momentum.
I want to bring Candy Crowley in now. It is really clear that in every way, they are trying to figure out a way to stop Barack Obama's momentum. It is interesting to see if he can do that. His running mate John McCain's running mate, Sarah Palin, has certainly tried to help. She's actually about to speak live in Ocala. She may be beginning to speak live in Ocala, Florida. We are actually going to get to her live in just a short while, but Candy before we do that I want to bring you in and go to you to talk more about Barack Obama. Candy.
CROWLEY: Barack Obama expected here in Pueblo, Colorado within a couple of hours. He has been in Henderson, Nevada. That is just outside Las Vegas, Nevada. Again, one of those states the Obama campaign is pretty confident they'll take away from Republicans. Nevada has been one of those states that we've seen gradually turning into a state that looks more like a Democratic state than a Republican state.
And Barack Obama wants to bring it home. If you remember, shortly after the convention in early September, these two men were running just about even. Then the economy imploded. That's when, in a short few weeks; Barack Obama began to pull away in the polls. So it has been the economy almost 100 percent since early September and it's also an issue that Barack Obama is closing on.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) SENATOR BARACK OBAMA, (D) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: John McCain has served his country honorably. When it comes to the economy, when it comes to the central issue of this election, the plain truth is that John McCain has stood with this president every step of the way 90 percent, 90 percent of the time. Voting for the Bush tax cuts for the wealthy that he said didn't make sense. Voting for the Bush budget that took us from surplus into debt. Calling for less regulation, 21 times just this year. Those are the facts.
After 21 months and three debates, John McCain still has not been able to tell the American people a single major thing he'd do differently from George Bush when it comes to the economy. You've been watching all their ads. Do you have any sense what so ever what he would do differently from George Bush? That's because he spends all his time talking about me. But if you look at his plan, here's what you see. When John McCain wants to give a $700,000 tax cut to the average Fortune 500 CEO, that's not change. It's not change when he wants to give $200 billion to the biggest corporation, $4 billion to the oil companies.
Exxon made $14 billion last quarter. The most of any corporation in history and he still wants to give more tax breaks, $300 billion to the same Wall Street banks that got us into this mess. It's not change when he comes up with a tax plan that doesn't give a penny of relief to more than 100 million middle class Americans. We've tried it John McCain way, we have tried it George Bush's way. You know, deep down, deep down, John McCain knows that. Which is why his campaign says that if we keep on talking about the economy that we're going to lose.
Which is why I keep on talking about the economy. That's why he's spending these last weeks calling me every name except a child of god. Because that's how you play the game in Washington. When you can't win on the strength of your ideas, you make a big election about small things. So I expect in the next couple of days, we'll see more of this stuff. More of the slash and burn say anything, do anything policy that's calculated to distract and tear us apart instead of bringing us together. That is not the kind of policy the American people need right now.
Nevada. At this moment in this election, we have a chance to do more than just beat back this kind of politics in this particular election. We can end it. Once and for all, we can prove the one thing more powerful in that politics is the will and determination of the American people to change this country. Yes, we can.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CROWLEY: That is of course, Barack Obama, in Henderson, Nevada. This is sort of typical of these closing days. They were 15,000 people here, but you should know that these crowds are very big most of the time as Obama does what really is a final lap in some of these very important states in these swing states. You heard embedded in that sound, what has been the most enduring theme of the Obama campaign.
It began very shortly after he clinched the nomination. It is about painting John McCain as a third term of George Bush. It comes up in a Barack Obama speech. I want to bring back in Dana Bash, who is in Springfield, Virginia. Taking a look at running mates, who have played a key part in this campaign?
BASH: Absolutely. And in some cases, a controversial part on both sides of isle. You mentioned very quickly, the fact that George Bush is the person who Barack Obama is trying to link John McCain to. Here we are, the weekend before Election Day and George Bush is nowhere to be found. Quite unusual for a sitting president not to be out campaigning. But given where he is in the polls, the drag with McCain, it is not a surprise that he has invisible right now. But back to the running mates. We want to do what we do here on BALLOT BOWL; we want to take you to a live event with Sarah Palin. She's speaking right now in North Central Florida, in Ocala, Florida. She is still helping McCain big time with the conservative base. Lets listen to what she says.
SARAH PALIN, (R) VICE PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Barack Obama, he's for bigger government and he's going to raise your taxes. And his whole tax plan, it's so phony that it's starting to unravel already and I'm thankful that light is being shown on what his intentions with the tax plan are. It seems like every few days as the light is shining brighter and brighter on this plan; we're getting a new definition of middle class.
First, it was defined as those making under $250,000 a year. Then Joe Biden says, no, it's those making about $150,000. Then just yesterday, Governor Bill Richardson, top surrogate for the Obama campaign. He's working so hard to get Obama elected so they can plug in that tax hit, Richardson says no they're defining middle class as those making $120,000 a year and under, which would hurt so many small businesses across America. It's the businesses that are going to be growing these jobs. Small businesses are the backbone of the American economy.
So now with this revelation of Bill Richardson, we're down to less than half of the original income level that Obama plans to get with higher taxes. Give them some more time and Obama's going to be back to wanting to raise taxes on people making just $42,000 a year. Obama calls all of this taking more, growing government, he calls this spreading the wealth. His running mate Biden, he calls higher taxes patriotic. But Joe the plumber in Toledo, Ohio, Joe the plumber, he did something the rest of us couldn't accomplish. Not the press or any other candidates. He was able to get from Barack Obama in a rare moment to him in plain language what the intentions were with his tax plan.
Ever since then, good old Joe the plumber he has been investigated and attacked just for asking a straightforward question. He just desired some straight talk and more than a handshake and a campaign button. So after Joe the plumber heard about what the plan was, he said you know, to him, it sounds like socialism and now is not the time to experiment with socialism. They have ways of economic plans in other countries that sound like socialism, but that's where the people are not free and where they do not reward the work ethic we're trying to teach our children. If the past is taken that Barack Obama and some of his friends want to put us on, we're going to just stifle that entrepreneur spirit that made this country the greatest country on earth. Our opponent's plan is more big government and too often, government is the problem. Not the solution. So John and I, we have opposite commitments in this because we put our faith in the people of America, not in bigger governments. Instead of taking more of what you're earning, we want to spread opportunity so that you can create new wealth, hire more people. That's how the economy's going to get moving along.
And we will keep our defining commitments to our senior citizens, our elders in these nations who have built up our families and who have built up our communities. Barack Obama goes around promising a new kind of politics, right? He's promising that a new kind of campaigning wouldn't be the way of the old. He comes down here to Florida and he tries to exploit the fears and the worries of our retirees. That is the oldest and cheapest kind of politics there is. That is not new politics. John McCain and I, we are committed to protecting and preserving Social Security. We will not cut a single Medicare benefit and we are committed to controlling health care costs for all Americans.
Barack Obama wants to add the government takes over health care and if anyone believes that is going to make things cheaper, it won't. John McCain is a man who's always kept faith with America. He will always keep faith with our esteemed senior citizens. We're not going to let them down. If you share that commitments Florida and if you work hard, you know what hard work feels like, and if you want to get ahead and if you don't want your dreams dashed by the Obama tax increase plan, you believe that America is still the land of possibility, and then we're asking for your vote.
We need your help on November 4th, Florida. We have to take Florida. Florida, do you share our commitment and can we count on your vote on November 4th? Now John and I also, we're going to set this country firmly, finally, on a path towards energy independence. We have had 30 years of failed energy policy here in the U.S. and its nonsense what we're doing today. We're circulating hundreds of billions of your U.S. dollars in foreign countries asking them to ramp up production so the Americans can buy from them.
Some of that ending up in the hands of volatile foreign regimes that do not like America and they use energy as a weapon. Those hundreds of billions of dollars need to be circulated right here, creating jobs for all of you. So we're going to develop new energy sources, we're going to tap into what we have safely, ethically, our oil, our clean natural gas, our coal. There's more coal here in this free country then there is all of oil in Saudi Arabia.
We need to be using it. We'll adopt the all of the above approach that is needed to meet America's great energy challenge. That means alternative sources. Like wind and geo thermal and where else but Florida for the solar. You are so blessed. God has so richly blessed you down here with these resources. I hope you don't just take it for granted, where you live. This is beautiful. You are so fortunate. We're going to develop clean coal technology also and we're going to use the safest method to drill here and drill now because folks, this is for the sake of our nation's security and our future prosperity. We need American energy sources brought to you by American ingenuity and produced by American workers. And then -- you're right. Drill, baby, drill.
HENRY: You can hear Sarah Palin there in Ocala, Florida. You can listen to her make that final pitch to the voters in such a key battle ground, 27 electro votes in Florida. John McCain will be appearing just in the next few moments behind me here in Pennsylvania. Yet another key battle ground that is one that the Democrats have held for many elections in a row now. John McCain, trying to make a late surge here to take these 21 electoral votes would be key to John McCain's electoral strategy to try to take these electro votes away from Barack Obama, try to off set some expected losses in other Republican battle grounds. Possible losses, states like Virginia and North Carolina. That's why it's so critical for John McCain to come here.
We're going to take a break right now and when we come back, we'll hear from John McCain.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
CROWLEY: I'm Candy Crowley in Pueblo, Colorado, where Barack Obama will soon be headed as he makes a final sweep of the west. Right now, we have Sarah Palin still talking in Florida. A little later on, we'll hear John McCain who is in Pennsylvania. We heard a little bit from Sarah Palin. We want to take you to Joe Biden. He is currently stumping through Ohio again. One of the more closely contested states, chiefly important for the Democrats to take this one away from John McCain.
So they have been in and out of Ohio, one or the other, for some time. In recent weeks at least, after some gaffes by Joe Biden, both of these men Barack Obama and Joe Biden have been pretty much in sink. They have been talking about the economy and they have been talking about John McCain.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. JOE BIDEN, (D) VICE PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: The questions asked the past elections are are you better off today than four years ago? Well literally, everyone, everyone, virtually everyone in America, Democrats as well as Republicans, independents. They know the nation is not better off today than it was four years ago and they know too many personally, the pain of the last eight years have caused them and their families.
The real question, in a sense that is one simple and straightforward ever asked in a modern election, and that who, who is going to make you better off four years from now than you are today? Ladies and gentlemen, on that question, it is Barack Obama! You know this great town was named off great American inventor who was the head of research at General Motors for two decades. He once said, and I quote, every time you tear a leaf off a calendar, you present the new place for ideas and progress. Ladies and gentlemen, in four days, we can turn the leaf of the calendar. We can usher in an era of new progress and new ideas. It's literally that basic. You may have seen the final debate between John McCain and Barack Obama. A debate in which John McCain felt obliged to remind America that he was not President Bush. Then, a week or two after that debate, John McCain started attacking George Bush's budget, the very ones he voted for, and George Bush's fiscal policy, which for eight years, he has championed.
Then, he compared Barack Obama to George Bush. So look folks, when he started going after Bush's policies on economy, we Catholics call that epiphany. Of course, had he really seen the light, he would have been required to acknowledge that this economic crisis is the final verdict on the failed economic policies of the last eight years, but he can't bring himself to do that.
As his campaign manager said about a month ago, if we talk about the economy, we're going to lose. Well the reason hopefully that's true is they're offering no new ideas on the economy. Not one fundamental economic difference do they have with George W. Bush.
CROWLEY: Of course Joe Biden, number two, on the Obama-Biden ticket. He was there last night in Kettering giving that speech. Joe Biden, one of those himself who ran for president this year. Now number two, the first pick of Barack Obama.
We're still waiting for John McCain. He is in Pennsylvania and we'll hear from him, we hope, coming up right after this break.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HENRY: Welcome back to CNN's BALLOT BOWL. I'm Ed Henry in Perkasie, Pennsylvania with Senator McCain, he's literally just arrived here and the podium just brought out behind me. Meanwhile, his running mate, Sarah, Palin just wrapped up remarks in Ocala, Florida. You can see she's still been glad-handing the last couple of moments. This final push by the Republican ticket, just as the Democratic ticket, in the final three days, pushing real hard in these battleground states. The problem for John McCain though, is a lot of the states, like Florida, where Sarah Palin is, North Carolina, Virginia, a lot of these key states are normally Republican states, John McCain, defending his own turf in these final days.
But where I'm standing right now, Pennsylvania, that's one of those blue states carried by John Kerry in 2004 and John McCain is trying to make a late surge here. We're going to hear from him just after this break.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
CROWLEY: Hi, I'm Candy Crowley here in Pueblo, Colorado, where in a couple of hours from now, Barack Obama will come to rally his base. His voters, those who have not voted early now have to wait until Tuesday. Again, wrapping up what has been a Western tour for Obama. We're still waiting to hear from John McCain in Perkasie, Pennsylvania. We will go to him when he takes the stage. Right now, we want to take you back a couple of days to when Barack Obama went South, south of the Mason-Dixon to North Carolina, which is changing demographics, which has become more and more Democratic, it is one of those southern states that the Obama campaign thinks they have quite a shot at next Tuesday.
Once again, the subject was the economy and in this case, specifically some of charges McCain has made on Barack Obama's economic policy.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
OBAMA: Deep down, John McCain knows his economic theories don't work. That's why his campaign said that if we keep talking about the economy, we're going to lose. That's why I keep talking about the economy.
(APPLAUSE)
They don't want to talk about the economy. That's what you want to talk about. That's what affects your lives day in and day out. Now, because he knows his theories don't work, he's been spending these last few days calling me every name in the book. Lately, he's called me a "socialist" for wanting to roll back the Bush tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans, so we can finally give tax relief to the middleclass. I don't know what's next. By the end of the week, he'll be accusing me of being a secret communist because I shared my toys in kindergarten.
(LAUGHTER)
I shared my -- I shared my peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Look, that's his choice, that's the kind of campaign he chooses to run, but you have a choice, too. The fundamental question in this election is not are you better off than you were four years ago, we know the answer to that. The fundamental question is will we be better off four years from now.
Now, for eight years, we've seen Washington take care of the extremely well off and well connected. And now, my opponent's making the same arguments to justify the same old policies that have been a complete failure for the middleclass. I mean, arguments he's making now are the same arguments that George Bush made. All these years, kept saying if we give tax cuts to these really wealthy people, it's going to help everybody. It'll grow the economy. The economy has not been growing and the average middleclass family is $2,000 poorer now than when George Bush took office.
When bill Clinton was president, your average wages and income went up $7,500. Under George Bush, it went down $2,000. So, if I've got economic theories similar to Bill Clinton and his are similar to George Bush's, you can look and see which one worked and which one didn't. The facts are there for everybody to see. John McCain wants to give more to billionaires, more to corporations that ship jobs overseas. More to the same people whose greed and irresponsibility got us into this crisis in the first place and we're here because we know they shouldn't get away with it anymore. We don't need another president who fights for Washington lobbyists and Wall Street. We need a president that stands up for those on main street and that's I what I intend to be.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CROWLEY: Raleigh, North Carolina, Barack Obama, just to give you an idea of how this electoral map may change mightily in this election. And of course, McCain is doing all her to make sure it doesn't happen. But to see a Democrat in North Carolina so close to the election, really tells you something. A win there would bring great how this electoral map may change mightily in this election. Of course, McCain is doing all her to make sure it doesn't happen. But to see a Democrat in North Carolina so close to the election tells you something because North Carolina has not gone for a Democrat since 1964, so a win there would bring great joy to the Democratic Party which is trying to break into the South, something that's been almost solidly Republican for decades. We are still waiting to hear from John McCain. He is expected on stage in Perkasie, Pennsylvania and when he shows up, we certainly will bring that to you. We're coming back right after this break.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
CROWLEY: Hi, I'm Candy Crowley in the Pueblo, Colorado, we are waiting for Barack Obama, who will be here in a couple of hours. We are also waiting for John McCain. I want to bring in my colleague, Ed Henry, I know he is somewhere in the building, at this point.
Ed, so I want to toss it to you while we wait for him.
HENRY: That's right, Candy, we've been teasing it long enough and I can report finally, John McCain has taken that stage behind me. His wife, Cindy, is warming up the crowd right now. Senator Lindsay Graham, as you can see, is also there. But while we hear from some his surrogates, I want to talk a little bit about one of the surrogates we're not hearing out on the campaign trail right now for John McCain and that's President Bush.
As you know, he has been sort of out of the limelight. He's obviously very unpopular in the polls, right now, but, his running mate, his vice president, Dick Cheney, was out in Wyoming today, his home state, was talking up Republican candidates, there in Wyoming, in Laramie, at a Republican function. And he praised John McCain. Take a listen to this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DICK CHENEY, U.S. VICE PRESIDENT: This year, of course, I'm not on the ballot, so I'm her to ask -- I'm not here to ask you to vote for me, but I do want to join my daughter, Liz, who's with me today.
(APPLAUSE)
And join us in casting your ballots for John McCain and Sarah Palin.
(APPLAUSE)
Our country cannot afford the high tax liberalism of Barack Obama and Joe Biden.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HENRY: You can hear Vice President Cheney, there earlier today in Wyoming, talking up the candidacy of John McCain. And it's sort of a mixed blessing for John McCain. Obviously, he wants someone like Vice President Cheney to be sort of rallying the faithful in a Republican state of Wyoming. But as I bring in my colleague, Candy Crowley, in Colorado, as you know, it's a mixed blessing because almost immediately after those remarks, Barack Obama and his campaign was sort of jumping on it to say look, the White House wants John McCain, the White House, they want another term, and so it's a little bit of a mixed blessing.
CROWLEY: Yeah, absolutely. I mean, the Obama campaign takes every chance, as you know, to tie John McCain to George Bush. Listen, he's a very unpopular president at this point. It is an unpopular war, it is an unpopular economy, at this point, so any time that the Obama campaign can link John McCain and George Bush or Dick Cheney, they are quite happy to do it because that's been one of their major selling points. As far as we can see, it certainly has kept John McCain, who tried to put that away, as you remember, Ed, in that final debate saying, "I'm not George Bush. If you wanted to run against him, well then you should have run four years ago."
Still, it's been awfully hard, even without George Bush on the campaign trail, as I know you know, for McCain to kind of walk that back. They are very fond of the Obama campaign saying that John McCain said he agreed with President Bush 90 percent of the time. That always illicit boos from the crowd and Obama says, well, don't boo, just go vote. So, obviously they think that is a turnout phrase that they are using.
Does McCain on the stump ever address that, Ed? Does he ever address George Bush, say anything about George Bush or is that taboo?
HENRY: He pretty much never talks about President Bush, but he does, as you said coming out of that final debate, he picked up on that theme about look, I'm not George Bush and a couple of times in recent weeks on the stump, has mentioned the idea that look, if Barack Obama wants to run against George W. Bush, he should have run in 2004 and tried to get the nomination instead of John Kerry and then moves on.
So, John McCain obviously does not want to dwell on George W. Bush by any stretch of the imagination, he's certainly not going to tout the Dick Cheney endorsement, for that matter, either, Candy. But, I wonder as you're on the ground there in Colorado, we keep talking about these battleground states. It's obviously state Democrats want that baldy, it's where they hosted the Democratic National Convention. What's your sense there, on the ground, in terms of how this may play out for Barack Obama?
CROWLEY: Well, you know, we have two things that we go by here, and in fact, the Obama campaign has three things. One of them is, the size of the crowds, which are generally enormous. The other is what the polls say and the polls say that in Colorado, Barack Obama has a pretty good lead, it's in the single digits, but it's pretty hefty and outside the margin of error. But the third thing the McCain campaign's looking at in all these states is early state voting.
They say overwhelmingly, and remember they have this database that tells them so much about voters in whatever state it is, and they have a database and they sort of look and crunch the numbers and they say that overwhelmingly these early voters, and we've seen them lines around the block, long waits, in a lot of states, that the overwhelming voter here and in other states are Barack Obama voters.
They are most pleased about the fact that a good number of those early voters are sometimes voters and new voters. So, they have said they had a press conference call yesterday where David Plouffe, who runs the Obama campaign, said look, the die is being cast as we speak. He says he believes that John McCain has to over perform on Election Day in order to make up what's going on in early voting. And of course one of those early voting states is Colorado -- Ed.
HENRY: Well Candy, what's interesting is the McCain camp responds by saying, look, among early voting, a lot of those early voters are senior citizens. Well, as you noted, the Obama camp touting a lot of new voters as early voters, also a lot of senior citizens that the McCain camp expects to have on their side in key states like Florida. So, it will be one of many factors that we'll be studying very closely after Tuesday to see how early voters really played a -- or perhaps a pivotal role in this election.
Interesting, let me just set this scene on where we are in Pennsylvania. Perkasie is one of those so-called collar counties outside of Philadelphia. Typically the Democrats run up large margins in Philadelphia, itself. It's such a large city. And for a Republican candidate to win Pennsylvania, they've got to really run up the margins in this so-called collar counties, they've got to really run up their margins here to counteract what's going on in a big city like Philadelphia.
Right now, Senator Lindsay Graham, one of the most active supporters is warming it up. He's about to turn it over to John McCain, let's listen to Senator Graham as he gets ready to introduce John McCain.
SEN LINDSAY GRAHAM (R), SOUTH CAROLINA: Now, ladies and gentlemen, Joe Biden said something, if talk enough, you'll be right about something.
He told -- thanks, Joe, wherever you're at today. He warned us, really, when he was out on the left coast and raising money. He said, listen, now mark my words, now, this is Joe Biden: there will be within the first six months of the Barack Obama presidency an international crisis, designed to test the mettle of this young and inexperienced president, the world is watching us all. They're watching. Well, I got a message for the enemies of this country, John McCain is watching you.
(APPLAUSE)
I've got a message for the people of Pennsylvania: John McCain has already been tested.
Are you ready for a president that will keep your taxes low?
CROWD: Yes.
GRAHAM: Are you ready for a president that will tell Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi, "no?"
CROWD: Yes.
GRAHAM: Are you ready for a president to make us energy independent?
CROWD: Yes.
GRAHAM: Are you ready for a commander in chief that will make us safe and proud?
CROWD: Yes.
GRAHAM: I've got the man for you, John "the fighting" McCain, the next president of the United States.
(APPLAUSE)
MCCAIN: Thank you. Thank you, all. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you, Pennsylvania. We need to win in Pennsylvania on November the 4th and with your help, we're going to win here in Pennsylvania. And we're going to bring real change to Washington. My friends, I need your help, volunteer, knock on doors. With your help, we can win. We need a new direction for this country. And we have to fight for it, and I'll fight with you and we'll take back Washington, D.C. and we'll bring about reform, and you will have a government that cares about you and your home and your family.
(APPLAUSE)
And I think Lindsey graham who also serves as the United States Air Force reservist who goes to Baghdad and helped them with freedom and Democracy in the rule of law. Thank you, Lindsey, for all you do.
My daughter, Megan McCain, is with us and the next first lady of the United States of America. Cindy, thank you, dear.
I just talked down on the phone and I send best and warmest regards from my running mate, the great governor of the state of Alaska, Sarah Palin, who is a reformer and fighter. Thank you.
She's a reformer, she's a leader, she has executive experience, she knows energy issues. She has reduced taxes, she's given money back to her citizens, she had is g she is going to shake up Washington and we're going to drain the swamp together.
My friends, you know I've been fighting for this country since I was 17 years old. And I have the scars to prove it. And so let me thank -- let me thank the veterans who are here today, who have served our country. Please, please raise your hands. Thank you.
(APPLAUSE)
You're the best. You're the best of all of us. And I will make sure you receive the healthcare that you have earned and you deserve. You are the best of America and I thank you. You know -- you know, the other day, the more Senator Obama talks, the more interesting it gets. The other day he said that his primary victory vindicated -- vindicated his faith in America. My country has never had to prove anything to me. I've always had faith in it. If I'm elected president, I'll fight to shake up Washington, take America in a new direction from my first day in office until my last and I'm not afraid of the fight, I'm ready for the fight, my friends.
My friends, I haven't been vindicated by anything. I've been humbled and honored to have the great opportunity to serve this nation, the greatest nation in the world, and defend its freedom and I'll do that until my last breath.
(APPLAUSE)
I have a plan to hold the line on taxes and cut them to make America more competive and create jobs here at home. We're going to double the child deduction for working families. We'll cut the capital gains tax, we'll cut business taxes to help create jobs and keep American businesses in America.
(APPLAUSE)
Raising taxes makes a bad economy worse. Keeping taxes low creates jobs, keeps money in your hands, and strengthens our economy. If I'm elected president, I won't spend nearly a trillion dollars more of your money, Senator Obama will. And he can't do that without raising your taxes, digging us into -- further into debt. I'm going to make government live on a budget just like you do.
(APPLAUSE)
I'll freeze government spending on all but the most important programs, like defense, veterans care, social security, and healthcare, until we scrub every single government program, get rid of the ones that aren't working for the American people, and I will veto every single pork barrel bill that comes across my desk. We'll know their names.
(APPLAUSE) I will make them famous. We're not going to spend $233 million for a bridge in Alaska to an island with 50 people on it, we're not going to spend $3 million to study the DNA of bears in Montana. I don't know if there was a criminal issue or a paternity issue, but it was your money, it was your money. And it's bred corruption, it's bred corruption. That's why we have former members of congress residing in federal prison. I'm going to clean up that mess. We're going give you a deal that you can rely on and your tax dollars will be spent wisely, efficiently, and in your best interests, not of some powerful member of Congress that will waste it.
(APPLAUSE)
I'm not going to spend -- I'm not going to spend $750 billion of your money just bailing out the Wall Street bankers and brokers that got us into this mess. Senator Obama will. I'm going to make sure we take care of the working people, who are devastated by the excess greed and corruption of Wall Street and Washington. My friends, I have a plan to fix our housing market, so that your home value doesn't go down when your neighbor defaults, and so that people in danger of defaulting have a way to stay in their home. That's the American dream and I'm going to protect it. And that's going to be our first priority, keeping Americans in their home.
(APPLAUSE)
Friends, if I'm elected -- when I'm elected president...
(APPLAUSE)
COWLEY: John McCain in Perkasie, Pennsylvania. We're going continue to watch all of this for you and BALLOT BOWL is going to be back an hour from now. But next up, we have a special for you, COUNTDOWN ELECTION: THE VIEW FROM THE RIGHT. So, you want to stay tuned and take a look at that. But first, we want to get a look at the day's other news. Back to Atlanta.
WHITFIELD: All right thanks so much, Candy Crowley. I'm Fredricka Whitfield in Atlanta. Here are the top stories we continue to follow for you.
It is the last weekend before Election Day and some political heavy hitters were on the campaign trail. Vice president Dick Cheney has been campaigning for congressional candidates in Wyoming, his home state. And he also threw his support to John McCain.
Senator Hillary Clinton is in the battleground state of Florida. and she is stumping, of course, for Barack Obama.
Much more BALLOT BOWL coverage will be coming up at 5:00 Eastern Time. You don't want to miss that. For now, a special called VIEW FROM THE RIGHT, that's taking place right now.
HENRY: Welcome back to CNN's BALLOT BOWL. I'm Ed Henry in Perkasie, Pennsylvania with Senator McCain, he's literally just arrived here and the podium just brought out behind me. Meanwhile, his running mate, Sarah, Palin just wrapped up remarks in Ocala, Florida. You can see she's still been glad-handing the last couple of moments. This final push by the Republican ticket, just as the Democratic ticket, in the final three days, pushing real hard in these battleground states. The problem for John McCain though, is a lot of the states, like Florida, where Sarah Palin is, North Carolina, Virginia, a lot of these key states are normally Republican states, John McCain, defending his own turf in these final days.
But where I'm standing right now, Pennsylvania, that's one of those blue states carried by John Kerry in 2004 and John McCain is trying to make a late surge here. We're going to hear from him just after this break.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
CROWLEY: Hi, I'm Candy Crowley here in Pueblo, Colorado, where in a couple of hours from now, Barack Obama will come to rally his base. His voters, those who have not voted early now have to wait until Tuesday. Again, wrapping up what has been a Western tour for Obama.
We're still waiting to hear from John McCain in Perkasie, Pennsylvania. We will go to him when he takes the stage. Right now, we want to take you back a couple of days to when Barack Obama went South, south of the Mason-Dixon to North Carolina, which is changing demographics, which has become more and more Democratic, it is one of those southern states that the Obama campaign thinks they have quite a shot at next Tuesday.
Once again, the subject was the economy and in this case, specifically some of charges McCain has made on Barack Obama's economic policy.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
OBAMA: Deep down, John McCain knows his economic theories don't work. That's why his campaign said that if we keep talking about the economy, we're going to lose. That's why I keep talking about the economy.
(APPLAUSE)
They don't want to talk about the economy. That's what you want to talk about. That's what affects your lives day in and day out. Now, because he knows his theories don't work, he's been spending these last few days calling me every name in the book. Lately, he's called me a "socialist" for wanting to roll back the Bush tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans, so we can finally give tax relief to the middleclass. I don't know what's next. By the end of the week, he'll be accusing me of being a secret communist because I shared my toys in kindergarten.
(LAUGHTER)
I shared my -- I shared my peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Look, that's his choice, that's the kind of campaign he chooses to run, but you have a choice, too. The fundamental question in this election is not are you better off than you were four years ago, we know the answer to that. The fundamental question is will we be better off four years from now.
Now, for eight years, we've seen Washington take care of the extremely well off and well connected. And now, my opponent's making the same arguments to justify the same old policies that have been a complete failure for the middleclass. I mean, arguments he's making now are the same arguments that George Bush made. All these years, kept saying if we give tax cuts to these really wealthy people, it's going to help everybody. It'll grow the economy. The economy has not been growing and the average middleclass family is $2,000 poorer now than when George Bush took office.
When bill Clinton was president, your average wages and income went up $7,500. Under George Bush, it went down $2,000. So, if I've got economic theories similar to Bill Clinton and his are similar to George Bush's, you can look and see which one worked and which one didn't. The facts are there for everybody to see.
John McCain wants to give more to billionaires, more to corporations that ship jobs overseas. More to the same people whose greed and irresponsibility got us into this crisis in the first place and we're here because we know they shouldn't get away with it anymore. We don't need another president who fights for Washington lobbyists and Wall Street. We need a president that stands up for those on main street and that's I what I intend to be.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CROWLEY: Raleigh, North Carolina, Barack Obama, just to give you an idea of how this electoral map may change mightily in this election. And of course, McCain is doing all her to make sure it doesn't happen. But to see a Democrat in North Carolina so close to the election, really tells you something. A win there would bring great how this electoral map may change mightily in this election. Of course, McCain is doing all her to make sure it doesn't happen. But to see a Democrat in North Carolina so close to the election tells you something because North Carolina has not gone for a Democrat since 1964, so a win there would bring great joy to the Democratic Party which is trying to break into the South, something that's been almost solidly Republican for decades. We are still waiting to hear from John McCain. He is expected on stage in Perkasie, Pennsylvania and when he shows up, we certainly will bring that to you. We're coming back right after this break.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
CROWLEY: Hi, I'm Candy Crowley in the Pueblo, Colorado, we are waiting for Barack Obama, who will be here in a couple of hours. We are also waiting for John McCain. I want to bring in my colleague, Ed Henry, I know he is somewhere in the building, at this point.
Ed, so I want to toss it to you while we wait for him. HENRY: That's right, Candy, we've been teasing it long enough and I can report finally, John McCain has taken that stage behind me. His wife, Cindy, is warming up the crowd right now. Senator Lindsay Graham, as you can see, is also there. But while we hear from some his surrogates, I want to talk a little bit about one of the surrogates we're not hearing out on the campaign trail right now for John McCain and that's President Bush.
As you know, he has been sort of out of the limelight. He's obviously very unpopular in the polls, right now, but, his running mate, his vice president, Dick Cheney, was out in Wyoming today, his home state, was talking up Republican candidates, there in Wyoming, in Laramie, at a Republican function. And he praised John McCain. Take a listen to this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DICK CHENEY, U.S. VICE PRESIDENT: This year, of course, I'm not on the ballot, so I'm her to ask -- I'm not here to ask you to vote for me, but I do want to join my daughter, Liz, who's with me today.
(APPLAUSE)
And join us in casting your ballots for John McCain and Sarah Palin.
(APPLAUSE)
Our country cannot afford the high tax liberalism of Barack Obama and Joe Biden.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HENRY: You can hear Vice President Cheney, there earlier today in Wyoming, talking up the candidacy of John McCain. And it's sort of a mixed blessing for John McCain. Obviously, he wants someone like Vice President Cheney to be sort of rallying the faithful in a Republican state of Wyoming. But as I bring in my colleague, Candy Crowley, in Colorado, as you know, it's a mixed blessing because almost immediately after those remarks, Barack Obama and his campaign was sort of jumping on it to say look, the White House wants John McCain, the White House, they want another term, and so it's a little bit of a mixed blessing.
CROWLEY: Yeah, absolutely. I mean, the Obama campaign takes every chance, as you know, to tie John McCain to George Bush. Listen, he's a very unpopular president at this point. It is an unpopular war, it is an unpopular economy, at this point, so any time that the Obama campaign can link John McCain and George Bush or Dick Cheney, they are quite happy to do it because that's been one of their major selling points. As far as we can see, it certainly has kept John McCain, who tried to put that away, as you remember, Ed, in that final debate saying, "I'm not George Bush. If you wanted to run against him, well then you should have run four years ago."
Still, it's been awfully hard, even without George Bush on the campaign trail, as I know you know, for McCain to kind of walk that back. They are very fond of the Obama campaign saying that John McCain said he agreed with President Bush 90 percent of the time. That always illicit boos from the crowd and Obama says, well, don't boo, just go vote. So, obviously they think that is a turnout phrase that they are using.
Does McCain on the stump ever address that, Ed? Does he ever address George Bush, say anything about George Bush or is that taboo?
HENRY: He pretty much never talks about President Bush, but he does, as you said coming out of that final debate, he picked up on that theme about look, I'm not George Bush and a couple of times in recent weeks on the stump, has mentioned the idea that look, if Barack Obama wants to run against George W. Bush, he should have run in 2004 and tried to get the nomination instead of John Kerry and then moves on.
So, John McCain obviously does not want to dwell on George W. Bush by any stretch of the imagination, he's certainly not going to tout the Dick Cheney endorsement, for that matter, either, Candy. But, I wonder as you're on the ground there in Colorado, we keep talking about these battleground states. It's obviously state Democrats want that baldy, it's where they hosted the Democratic National Convention. What's your sense there, on the ground, in terms of how this may play out for Barack Obama?
CROWLEY: Well, you know, we have two things that we go by here, and in fact, the Obama campaign has three things. One of them is, the size of the crowds, which are generally enormous. The other is what the polls say and the polls say that in Colorado, Barack Obama has a pretty good lead, it's in the single digits, but it's pretty hefty and outside the margin of error. But the third thing the McCain campaign's looking at in all these states is early state voting.
They say overwhelmingly, and remember they have this database that tells them so much about voters in whatever state it is, and they have a database and they sort of look and crunch the numbers and they say that overwhelmingly these early voters, and we've seen them lines around the block, long waits, in a lot of states, that the overwhelming voter here and in other states are Barack Obama voters.
They are most pleased about the fact that a good number of those early voters are sometimes voters and new voters. So, they have said they had a press conference call yesterday where David Plouffe, who runs the Obama campaign, said look, the die is being cast as we speak. He says he believes that John McCain has to over perform on Election Day in order to make up what's going on in early voting. And of course one of those early voting states is Colorado -- Ed.
HENRY: Well Candy, what's interesting is the McCain camp responds by saying, look, among early voting, a lot of those early voters are senior citizens. Well, as you noted, the Obama camp touting a lot of new voters as early voters, also a lot of senior citizens that the McCain camp expects to have on their side in key states like Florida. So, it will be one of many factors that we'll be studying very closely after Tuesday to see how early voters really played a -- or perhaps a pivotal role in this election.
Interesting, let me just set this scene on where we are in Pennsylvania. Perkasie is one of those so-called collar counties outside of Philadelphia. Typically the Democrats run up large margins in Philadelphia, itself. It's such a large city. And for a Republican candidate to win Pennsylvania, they've got to really run up the margins in this so-called collar counties, they've got to really run up their margins here to counteract what's going on in a big city like Philadelphia.
Right now, Senator Lindsay Graham, one of the most active supporters is warming it up. He's about to turn it over to John McCain, let's listen to Senator Graham as he gets ready to introduce John McCain.
SEN LINDSAY GRAHAM (R), SOUTH CAROLINA: Now, ladies and gentlemen, Joe Biden said something, if talk enough, you'll be right about something.
He told -- thanks, Joe, wherever you're at today. He warned us, really, when he was out on the left coast and raising money. He said, listen, now mark my words, now, this is Joe Biden: there will be within the first six months of the Barack Obama presidency an international crisis, designed to test the mettle of this young and inexperienced president, the world is watching us all. They're watching. Well, I got a message for the enemies of this country, John McCain is watching you.
(APPLAUSE)
I've got a message for the people of Pennsylvania: John McCain has already been tested.
Are you ready for a president that will keep your taxes low?
CROWD: Yes.
GRAHAM: Are you ready for a president that will tell Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi, "no?"
CROWD: Yes.
GRAHAM: Are you ready for a president to make us energy independent?
CROWD: Yes.
GRAHAM: Are you ready for a commander in chief that will make us safe and proud?
CROWD: Yes.
GRAHAM: I've got the man for you, John "the fighting" McCain, the next president of the United States.
(APPLAUSE) MCCAIN: Thank you. Thank you, all. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you, Pennsylvania. We need to win in Pennsylvania on November the 4th and with your help, we're going to win here in Pennsylvania. And we're going to bring real change to Washington. My friends, I need your help, volunteer, knock on doors. With your help, we can win. We need a new direction for this country. And we have to fight for it, and I'll fight with you and we'll take back Washington, D.C. and we'll bring about reform, and you will have a government that cares about you and your home and your family.
(APPLAUSE)
And I think Lindsey graham who also serves as the United States Air Force reservist who goes to Baghdad and helped them with freedom and Democracy in the rule of law. Thank you, Lindsey, for all you do.
My daughter, Megan McCain, is with us and the next first lady of the United States of America. Cindy, thank you, dear.
I just talked down on the phone and I send best and warmest regards from my running mate, the great governor of the state of Alaska, Sarah Palin, who is a reformer and fighter. Thank you.
She's a reformer, she's a leader, she has executive experience, she knows energy issues. She has reduced taxes, she's given money back to her citizens, she had is g she is going to shake up Washington and we're going to drain the swamp together.
My friends, you know I've been fighting for this country since I was 17 years old. And I have the scars to prove it. And so let me thank -- let me thank the veterans who are here today, who have served our country. Please, please raise your hands. Thank you.
(APPLAUSE)
You're the best. You're the best of all of us. And I will make sure you receive the healthcare that you have earned and you deserve. You are the best of America and I thank you. You know -- you know, the other day, the more Senator Obama talks, the more interesting it gets. The other day he said that his primary victory vindicated -- vindicated his faith in America. My country has never had to prove anything to me. I've always had faith in it. If I'm elected president, I'll fight to shake up Washington, take America in a new direction from my first day in office until my last and I'm not afraid of the fight, I'm ready for the fight, my friends.
My friends, I haven't been vindicated by anything. I've been humbled and honored to have the great opportunity to serve this nation, the greatest nation in the world, and defend its freedom and I'll do that until my last breath.
(APPLAUSE)
I have a plan to hold the line on taxes and cut them to make America more competive and create jobs here at home. We're going to double the child deduction for working families. We'll cut the capital gains tax, we'll cut business taxes to help create jobs and keep American businesses in America.
(APPLAUSE)
Raising taxes makes a bad economy worse. Keeping taxes low creates jobs, keeps money in your hands, and strengthens our economy. If I'm elected president, I won't spend nearly a trillion dollars more of your money, Senator Obama will. And he can't do that without raising your taxes, digging us into -- further into debt. I'm going to make government live on a budget just like you do.
(APPLAUSE)
I'll freeze government spending on all but the most important programs, like defense, veterans care, social security, and healthcare, until we scrub every single government program, get rid of the ones that aren't working for the American people, and I will veto every single pork barrel bill that comes across my desk. We'll know their names.
(APPLAUSE)
I will make them famous. We're not going to spend $233 million for a bridge in Alaska to an island with 50 people on it, we're not going to spend $3 million to study the DNA of bears in Montana. I don't know if there was a criminal issue or a paternity issue, but it was your money, it was your money. And it's bred corruption, it's bred corruption. That's why we have former members of congress residing in federal prison. I'm going to clean up that mess. We're going give you a deal that you can rely on and your tax dollars will be spent wisely, efficiently, and in your best interests, not of some powerful member of Congress that will waste it.
(APPLAUSE)
I'm not going to spend -- I'm not going to spend $750 billion of your money just bailing out the Wall Street bankers and brokers that got us into this mess. Senator Obama will. I'm going to make sure we take care of the working people, who are devastated by the excess greed and corruption of Wall Street and Washington. My friends, I have a plan to fix our housing market, so that your home value doesn't go down when your neighbor defaults, and so that people in danger of defaulting have a way to stay in their home. That's the American dream and I'm going to protect it. And that's going to be our first priority, keeping Americans in their home.
(APPLAUSE)
Friends, if I'm elected -- when I'm elected president...
(APPLAUSE)
COWLEY: John McCain in Perkasie, Pennsylvania. We're going continue to watch all of this for you and BALLOT BOWL is going to be back an hour from now. But next up, we have a special for you, COUNTDOWN ELECTION: THE VIEW FROM THE RIGHT. So, you want to stay tuned and take a look at that. But first, we want to get a look at the day's other news. Back to Atlanta.
WHITFIELD: All right thanks so much, Candy Crowley. I'm Fredricka Whitfield in Atlanta. Here are the top stories we continue to follow for you.
It is the last weekend before Election Day and some political heavy hitters were on the campaign trail. Vice president Dick Cheney has been campaigning for congressional candidates in Wyoming, his home state. And he also threw his support to John McCain.
Senator Hillary Clinton is in the battleground state of Florida. and she is stumping, of course, for Barack Obama.
Much more BALLOT BOWL coverage will be coming up at 5:00 Eastern Time. You don't want to miss that. For now, a special called VIEW FROM THE RIGHT, that's taking place right now.
