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Ballot Bowl '08: Live From New Hampshire

Aired January 06, 2008 - 16:00   ET

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

JOHN KING, CNN, CHIEF NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Welcome to the CNN "Ballot Bowl." I'm John King reporting live from Portsmouth, New Hampshire, along with the New England sea coast.
A fabulous day here in New Hampshire and a fascinating day if you're interested in presidential politics. Just a little more than a full day of campaigning left before New Hampshire votes on Tuesday, the first presidential primary coming of course just five days after the kickoff caucuses out of the state of Iowa.

In the CNN "Ballot Bowl," it is our opportunity to show you the candidates in their own words, long snippets of their speeches, live events as well as taped speeches as the candidates make their "closing arguments" to the voters here in New Hampshire. Coming up live in the hour ahead, as we continue our "Ballot Bowl" coverage.

Two of the leading democratic candidates, Hillary Clinton campaigning this hour in Nashua, New Hampshire. Barack Obama campaigning this hour in Derry, New Hampshire. And as we cover the candidates, we'll also get analysis from the best political team on television. In the hour ahead, our Jessica Yellin, she is with Barack Obama. Also, Dana Bash who will talk to us about Mike Huckabee's campaign here in New Hampshire and his effort to build on his momentum out of Iowa. Mary Snow also part of our coverage covering the former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney, a disappointing second in Iowa for Governor Romney, very much hoping to get his campaign back on track here in the state next door where he was governor of Massachusetts. We begin though with Barack Obama. He is the big winner in Iowa. He's trying to build on his momentum here telling voters in New Hampshire they have a chance to be part of history. Let's check in now with our Jessica Yellin. Jessica.

JESSICA YELLIN, CNN, CORRESPONDENT: Hi, John. You can hear that Barack Obama has started his stump speech behind me. Many people in this audience have driven here from New York, from Vermont, Maine to hear him speak because they're fascinated by him and they also want to hear him firsthand. People leave often telling us that there's a personal connection that he makes, that there's an authenticity to him. And that is exactly what his campaign wants. They want him to be connecting to people, not just on the basis of party affiliations but reaching across the aisle to independents and republicans. They're talking about building what they're calling a new majority, that's a coalition, that's a part of an affiliation. Let's take a listen to what he's saying right now. He's talking about fighting lobbyists and special interests here in Derry, New Hampshire.

SEN. BARACK OBAMA (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: The red states and blue states and I intend to be a leader of the United States of America. That's what we can begin accomplishing in two days' time. It started this past week, you should have seen the looks on people's faces as they were filing into the caucus. Everybody had said students would not turn out, young people, they always say they're going to come out, they're not going to come out. Independents, they're not going to cross over. They're not going to vote in the democratic caucus. Republicans, they definitely are not to going to support some wacky liberal like Obama. They were saying, giving us all kinds of reasons why what we're seeing on the ground could not be true.

And then I went on caucus night and I just stood there watching people filing in. High school students showing up. Senator Obama, I have never voted before, this is so exciting. Independents coming and saying, I have never caucused before, I never thought I would, but this time I think it's different, we have to do something different if we're going to solve the big challenges that we face in this country. Republicans coming up whispering to me. They whisper, they say Barack, I'm a republican. But I support you. And I say, thank you. Why are we whispering? They came up and they said, I'm changing registrations for this caucus because I think we have the possibility of doing something special. All day and all night on Thursday, you saw that kind of spirit come alive.

Now let's face it, part of the reason that so many people came out, twice as many people as had come out previously, has to do with the fact that they knew that their - that this November they'll be going into the polling places, selecting the next president of the United States of America and they know that the name George W. Bush will not be on the ballot and they're excited about that. The name of my cousin, Dick Cheney, will not be on the ballot.

That was really embarrassing when that news report came out. You know when they do these genealogical surveys, you're hoping that you're related to somebody cool. You know, maybe Abraham Lincoln or Willie Mays or Tom Brady. You know, but Dick Cheney, that's a letdown. But his name will not be on the ballot and what this means is that the era of scooter libby justice and brownie incompetence and Karl Rove politics will finally be over next year. It will finally be over. But what is bringing people out is not just opposition to George W. Bush. I mean that's easy being against something. The reason people were coming out in Iowa was because they wanted to be for something. They want some affirmation that we can still come together as a nation and solve big problems. That we are not inevitably divided into red states and blue states. That we are not just a collection of individuals. That we're not just in it on our own but we can in fact join together and dream big dreams and do big things.

And because the people of Iowa insisted that it was possible to bring about change, we are now on the cusp of forging a new majority in America. I can feel it. The majority that will help us win this nomination but also a majority that will help us win the general election. And a majority that will help us govern. A majority that will help us deliver on the promise of health care for every American. A majority that will help us deliver on an affordable college education for every young person in America. A majority that will deliver on clean energy that breaks the grip of foreign oil on our economy. A majority that can deliver on a foreign policy that makes us safer and restores our standing in the world. New Hampshire, that's what you have a possibility of accomplishing in two days' time if you cease it, if you vote, and more particularly if you vote for me.

YELLIN: All right, John. You have heard from Barack Obama a little bit of red meat for the audience flailing Bush and also once again appealing to the best in people, the sense of possibility and specifically reaching out to independents. Such a crucial voting block in the state. They will decide this race. He is trying to get these independents to vote for him, John. Senator McCain is vying for them and Senator Clinton, trying to tell them that he can do things differently. But Senator Clinton has put some heat on this campaign today. Aides have had to respond to some of these charges she brought up last night that Senator Obama has changed his position on issues. And that she essentially a sign of desperation in her campaign and that she is distorting his record, but again a reminder that this is still a very, very close race here in New Hampshire. John.

KING: Jessica Yellin in the back of an Obama event in Derry, New Hampshire. Jessica, thank you very much. More from Jessica later as the "Ballot Bowl" continues. As Jessica noted, a very close campaign on the democratic side, Senator Obama, the winner in Iowa, Hillary Clinton came in third, trying to revive her campaign in this state where her husband adopted the nickname "the comeback kid." That was back in 1992 when Bill Clinton placed second here in New Hampshire on his way to the democratic nomination and then to the White House. Many believe Hillary Clinton has to do better than second in New Hampshire. Let's listen in to Senator Clinton for a moment or two.

SEN. HILLARY CLINTON (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: ... Iraqi translator, he and his men would not have survived. And then he said to me, now everybody knows he's a marine translator, he and his family are targeted. So, are we going to leave those people there? How are we going to know who they are? How are we going to process them? How are we going to take them out? So, I have said that I believe tat I can start withdrawing in 60 days. That is my absolute deadline I will give to the military and civilian leadership of the Pentagon and I think we can take out one to two brigades a month. But there is nothing quick about this, nothing simple or easy about this. And at the same time, we got to make it clear to the Iraqi government that their blank check from George Bush is no longer valid. That they have basically been able to ride without making tough decisions and they're going to have to have a day of reckoning and the withdrawal of our troops is the clearest signal to them that they've got to begin taking care of business for themselves. All of this has to be managed very carefully. So, that's what I'm committed to doing. That's what I intend to do. I think I have thought it through, and I think I have for my service on the Armed Services Committee a depth of understanding about what it's going to take to execute it and a appreciation of all the other pieces that will be in motion within Iraq and in the region at the same time. So I want the American people to realize that I'm prepared to do this, but to try to do it as carefully and as effectively as we possibly can. Thank you.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.

CLINTON: I don't think about it that way, I'm just going to work as hard as I can to do the very best I can, that means making my case to New Hampshire voters. Getting out there. A canvas this morning, I have this big event today. I'm going to have another big event later in the day. I feel really good about the interactions that I'm having and the feedback, not that I'm getting personally, but we have, you know, hundreds if not thousands of people canvassing and on the phones. We're getting tremendously positive feedback about the debate. I mean it's really ignited a level of commitment and excitement about my candidacy and the timing is really good for that to happen. So I think we're on a good track and we're just going to work as hard as we can. Thank you all very much.

KING: Senator Hillary Clinton there speaking there to reporters in Nashua, New Hampshire. Not always accessible to reporters is Senator Clinton but as she struggles to revive her candidacy here in New Hampshire, she is taking question after question after question from New Hampshire voters and from reporters as well as she tries to make the case that she is best prepared among the democrats to be president on day one. A fascinating day and a fascinating weekend of campaigning here in New Hampshire in advance of Tuesday's primary. Just a little more than a day and a few hours left of campaigning by the candidates. It's a hotly contested races on both sides.

Thanks for spending some time on a Sunday with us as part of CNN's special political coverage. This is CNN's "Ballot Bowl," a chance for us to let you listen to the candidates in their own words, extended snippets from their speeches, their news conferences and the like. And more of our special coverage tonight.

Look at this picture. You had a campaign in which the democrats are sniping at the republicans, the republicans sniping back, take a look at what happened last night between two debates here in New Hampshire. The republican debate over they were leaving the stage. The democrat's debate is about to begin, the democrats come on to the stage. The leading candidates for president sharing the stage, a bi- partisan moment in a campaign that's often been reduced to sharp partisanship. You see the smiles and the handshakes there. Two of these candidates will be the democratic and the republican nominees come next fall. A bipartisan moment there, hugs and conversation. Why are we showing you this picture? Because tonight more of CNN's special political coverage. You will see this picture again as we bring you a replay of the ABC debates, WMUR debates, held last night here in New Hampshire.

Some crackling exchanges between the democrats and the republicans. We'll bring you both of those debates tonight with a special replay, with analysis from the best political team on television. It all begins right here at 7:00 p.m. on CNN. And after a quick break, our "Ballot Bowl" continues as well. More of the candidates in their own words, see them behind the scenes, see them on the road as they try to court votes here in New Hampshire. When we come back, Mike Huckabee, the former Arkansas governor was the big winner in Iowa, can he carry his momentum over into New Hampshire? Stay with us, you're watching the CNN "Ballot Bowl." (COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KING: Welcome back to the CNN "Ballot Bowl." A live picture here of Barack Obama campaigning in Derry, New Hampshire, trying to build on his momentum out of Iowa, telling the voters of New Hampshire that in two days they can help him make history. Obama speaking here, the coverage all part of the CNN "Ballot Bowl." Our effort to give you more access to the candidates, to show them in extended form, making their case to the voters of New Hampshire. Barack Obama there, the other candidates throughout the day as part of our special coverage. One of the many sub plots here in the state of New Hampshire is can the winners in Iowa carry over their momentum? Obama there. The other winner in Iowa is of course, was on the republican side, the former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee. He is campaigning here in New Hampshire as well. A state that lacks the evangelical base that powered him to that victory out in Iowa, keeping track of Governor Huckabee as he campaigns.

Here is CNN's Dana Bash. Dana, as you shared with us some of the governor's day today, I'd like to ask you also about a controversy from last night's debate. A bit of a back and forth between Governor Huckabee and some of his rivals about whether or not he supported the surge in the Iraqi troops when President Bush was pushing for the surge a few months ago. Governor Huckabee said in that debate last night that he did, but it's the subject of some controversy, is it not?

DANA BASH, CNN, CORRESPONDENT: It certainly is the subject of controversy, john. As you said, he insisted last night in the debate that he supported the surge from the beginning, but you know, just like we do many, many times during these debates in about a nanosecond, we got an email from Governor Mitt Romney's campaign with a quote from Governor Huckabee himself from back in January, he appeared on a news program and he said that he wasn't so sure if he supported the surge. He would asked about that this morning. And he was specifically asked, you know, what's the deal? Were you for it or were you not for it? The answer that Governor Huckabee gave this morning is that he was concerned because as a governor he was worried about the use of national guard troops. But certainly this puts into question, you know, whether or not Governor Huckabee is consistent in his statements particularly about the war. Interestingly, it is Governor Huckabee that sort of hits his chief rival, at least in Iowa and perhaps even down the road, Mitt Romney on his sort of flip flops on some statements that he made.

It's interesting to note that Governor Huckabee in covering him a lot in Iowa and watching him here in New Hampshire since, he doesn't talk about Iraq very much on a stump, he instead talks a lot about, at least in Iowa, he talked a lot about social issues. Here, he talks a lot about economic issues. He pushes his very populist message. One of the things that we noticed here in New Hampshire, you mentioned the fact that in Iowa he really relied on the evangelical base to propel his victory. Here, since he got here, he didn't really talk very much. He didn't talk at all actually about those social issues. That changed today, it wasn't until today, the third day of campaigning in New Hampshire since his Iowa win that he mentioned those social issues and his opposition to abortion. Listen to what he said earlier today in Window, New Hampshire.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GOV. MIKE HUCKABEE (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I'm glad to say that we have gotten past a lot of things, but there's a lot of things we still aren't past. And, folks, if we're going to really have the kind of greatness in America, then we have to recognize that just as 100 and some odd years ago we recognized the importance of value in every human being, irregardless of their color, we need to value every human being, irregardless of their net worth, of their I.Q., of their ability or their disability. I'm a pro-life person, not because that's a political position for me. I'm a pro-life person because I believe every human being has worth and value, every person counts, nobody is insignificant, everybody has significance. I also believe that that's the heart and soul of our civilization that tells us that the reason that we should care about each other's future is because of that basic concept that our founding fathers said so eloquently and so clearly, that we hold these truths to be self-evident, that means they're so obvious nobody else has to explain them to us. Or had to be explained anyway sometimes.

Anyone on the right, all men are created equal. Endowed by their creator with certainly inalienable rights. That means nobody can take them from us because nobody gave them to us. Government didn't give us these rights, god did. And they said that here are the rights - Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. My friend, the pursuit of happiness for many Americans is being diminished by a government that's thought that it's our nanny. That it's not just our Uncle Sam, it now wants to be our mommy and our daddy. We need to tell government we'll race our own kids, thank you, because moms and dads raise better kids than governments do.

Leave us alone, give us our freedom. We'll raise our own families. 80% of Americans know there's something terribly wrong with the tax system in this country. 80% say it needs a major overhaul. Not a little touch of a screwdriver, a twist of the wrench. Now in the south, we say that if you can't fix something with WD-40 and duct tape, it can't be fixed. We can fix anything in the south with WD-40 and duct tape except the tax code of the United States of America. It needs a total overhaul. And I'm convinced that it's time to stop the penalty on productivity, let you keep the money and let's get off the backs of all business owners who make up 80% of the jobs in this country. Let small business owners thrive rather than barely survive. [ applause

I visited a man at Manchester in a machine shop just a couple of months ago. I was up here visiting, taking a tour of the machine shop. A guy pulls me aside. He says I have a daughter at grad school in Cornell. Her grad school costs $54,000 a year. My first reaction was, thank you, lord that my daughter doesn't want to go to grad school at Cornell. He then said I'm now working the second shift at the machine shop. And I'm doing that because I'm trying to help my daughter get through school. But here's what happened. He said when I'm now worked a second shift, because I'm making more money, the government is taking a bigger percentage of my paycheck than I was when I was only working the first shift. And now most of what I'm working in the second shift is going to the taxes, not to help my daughter. And I thoughts, you know, pal, it gets worse, if you save that money we tax the savings. If you invest it in the stock market and get dividends, we'll tax the dividends.

And if you buy something and sell it, you have a capital gain, we'll tax the capital gain. And oh, by the way, if you die, we'll even get you while they're putting you in the ground. One last sweep of the old fist in your wallet. Sad thing, isn't it, when the man, harder he works the more the government works against him. And by the way, there is one way that he can get some government help for his daughter. You know how that be, quit both jobs at the machine shop. Quit working all together, then she qualifies for federal assistance. Now tell me that's a smart way to run a country. I tell you that's a crazy way to run a country. We ought to be out rewarding the guy who's out there working two jobs, not making him sorry that he's trying to help his daughter get an education. [ applause ]

I stood on this stage in Dearborn, Michigan with a bunch of my republican colleagues running for president and somebody asked the question, how is the economy doing? Look, I know what the answer is supposed to be. I see what the talking points are that we're all handed from the party. A lot of people think I'm not anti-party, but I'm pro-American.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BASH: There hear Governor Huckabee defending the fact that he does think that he is a true republican, yet giving a very unusual pitch that he has been giving for quite some time, a populist pitch when it comes to economic issues. Now, this is something that he is going to continue to do. He has not gotten any kind of bump, if you look at the polls that have come out, including CNN's polls, since the Iowa caucuses didn't really get a bump at all here in New Hampshire from his big surprise win in Iowa. He certainly still looking down the road at the next presidential contest at South Carolina, a place that does have a big evangelical base and perhaps propel that. John, one last thing. You and I were talking yesterday about the fact that Governor Huckabee is a bit different than other candidates because he takes questions. He sort of accessible. That seemed to have changed a bit since he has come to New Hampshire. He has done interviews with anchors, if you will,, but he hasn't really answered questions from reporters that are with him in the past three days since he's landed here in New Hampshire. Sort of an interesting change in strategy, perhaps because he is now the winner and he wants to be a little more cautious in what he's saying because he wants the momentum going.

KING: Worth keeping a watch on that as well. Dana Bash in Salem, New Hampshire helping us keep track of Governor Huckabee and the other republican candidates. Dana, thank you. The "Ballot Bowl," part of our unprecedented political coverage here on CNN. Our opportunity to give you more access to the candidates, more of an opportunity to hear them in long form, if you will, talking about the issues whether it is in Governor Huckabee's case, his opposition to abortion or his populist economic message. What the candidates think about immigration in Iraq. All of this part of our unprecedented coverage and tonight even more so. A special presentation, a replay of two debates here last night. The democrats and the republicans sitting down in Manchester, New Hampshire on the eve of the New Hampshire primaries. ABC AND WMUR sponsoring those debates, some interesting and crackling exchanges while we will replay them for you tonight beginning at 7:00, and after a quick break, a bit of a preview. Dan Lothian will join us. A bit of a preview for the special presentation that we'll give you tonight. Please stay with us. You're watching the CNN "Ballot Bowl."

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KING: Welcome back to the CNN "Ballot Bowl." I'm John King, reporting live from Portsmouth, New Hampshire, along the beautiful New England sea cost. Quite a diverse state, New Hampshire is geographically from the white mountains in the north, where they're happy with all the snowfall, ski season underway, here in New England to here along the seacoast. The candidates for president traversing this state in advance for Tuesday's lead off presidential primary. They're making their case to voters in big speeches, in the diners, in small town halls across New Hampshire. Also in some critical debates heading into the final weekend. Two debates last night, the democrats and the republicans. Some crackling exchanges, some interesting back and forth between the candidates. Let's go now to our Dan Lothian. He's standing by in Manchester for another glimpse at quite an exciting night last night. Dan.

DAN LOTHIAN, CNN, CORRESPONDENT: That's right, it indeed was an exciting night. Like the democrats, the republicans were sharpening their attacks against each other on the receiving end of a lot of that was Governor Mitt Romney. His republican opponents taking every chance they could to go after him for his changing issues on abortion and gay rights. They really were hounding him back and forth, back and forth throughout the entire evening. It got so bad at one point that Governor Romney really asked them to stop the personal attacks. Some of the fiery exchanges came over the issue of illegal immigration. Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

(UNIDENTIFIED MALE): I was quoted in AP and happened to be wrong. Let me --

SEN. JOHN MCCAIN, (R) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Well could I make my point?

(UNIDENTIFIED MALE): That does happen from time to time, but let me -- it does actually.

MCCAIN: When you change positions from time to time, you will get misquoted.

(UNIDENTIFIED MALE): Senator, is there a way to have this about issues and not about personal attacks?

MCCAIN: I hope so because I think we have some differences in issues. And let me tell you the issue that's at stake here, is do the people who come here illegally, the 12 million, are they allowed to stay in this country the rest of their life? And the final bill you put forward in the United States Senate.

(UNIDENTIFIED MALE): The answer is we were still negotiating, we were debating; we were saying that some people have to go back to their country to get a visa.

(UNIDENTIFIED MALE): A visa was given to everybody --

MCCAIN: That some people have to go back. As Rudy said, we have to round up the two million that have committed crimes and deport them.

(UNIDENTIFIED MALE): There are 12 million people and we can't send them out of the country.

MITT ROMNEY, (R) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: No. To those 12 million people, they do not have the right that they would under the final senate plan to receive a visa that was renewable indefinitely. That meant these people could stay in the country forever. That was what the plan did and that's why talk radio and the American people went nuts. Senator, you look up your visa it is renewable indefinitely; every illegal alien got to stay in the country forever other than those who committed crimes.

(UNIDENTIFIED MALE): Charlie, if Ronald Reagan was here who we all invoke, he would grab the microphone and said, it's my microphone. I think Mitt Romney would give amnesty.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LOTHIAN: I think Governor Romney was getting all of the attacks but it is Senator John McCain who has been surging in the polls here recently. So, you know, you will see more of this continued attacks even though we only have a couple of days, but the Republicans just like the Democrats are trying to do whatever they can to attracted those undecided voters. John.

KING: Dan Lothian, thank you and Dan is dead right, the candidates getting more urgent in their speeches. We'll be back with more of CNN's BALLOT BOWL in just a moment. And when we do come back, a special contribution from partner and affiliate WNUR here is the state of New Hampshire. They have a series called "The Candidate Cafe," sitting the presidential candidates down with a small group of New Hampshire voters to let them ask about what's on their mind. When we come back John Edwards the Democratic candidate for president, the former vice presidential nominee in 2004 will be in "The Candidate Cafe." Please stay with us; we're live in Portsmouth, New Hampshire with the CNN BALLOT BOWL.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KING: Welcome back to the CNN BALLOT BOWL, I'm John King reporting live from Portsmouth, New Hampshire as we present to you the candidates in their own words. We're getting a great assist from our affiliate here in New Hampshire WMUR TV. They have a series called "Candidate Cafe." They bring in the leading candidates for president, Democrats and Republicans; sit them down with everyday New Hampshire voters, so those voters can ask the questions that are on their minds. Let's take a listen now to Senator John Edwards, former senator from North Carolina in the "Candidate Cafe."

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SENATOR JOHN EDWARDS, (D) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I don't know about anchovies. Is the food good? I have eaten here before, the food is very good. I wouldn't mind having the scallops.

(UNIDENTIFED FEMALE): You look remarkably healthy for somebody who leads this kind of life. What do you do to stay healthy?

EDWARS: Well I usually, I run most days, I run four or five miles a day, it keeps me sane.

(UNIDENTIFIED MALE): Do you ever get up in the morning during the campaign and say, what am I doing?

EDWARDS: Usually you wake up about 3:00 in the morning, also trying to figure out where you are because you honestly can't remember where you are. Now Elizabeth's with me a fair amount and my kids who are in public school in North Carolina we're actually home schooling them this year so they can travel more with us.

(UNIDENTIFED FEMALE): Would you have done anything different?

EDWARDS: Elizabeth and I have our son Wade and our daughter Kate and my son Wade was killed in an automobile accident in 1996. So we have this how do you deal with one child left who feels in Kate's case feels such a huge responsibility for their parents. And it did feel honestly for a while like she was parenting us. Kate was amazing. She was the source of a lot of strength for us. Oh, yeah. I don't know how we would have done it without her, honestly. She's a smart kid, but she's a good kid. She takes after her mother.

(UNIDENTIFIED MALE): How is your wife doing? We're all so concerned about her.

EDWARDS: Thank you for asking. She's doing real well. She has no symptoms. We're monitoring her health. She feels good. We have testing regularly and it's all been encouraging. So, you know, knock on wood. It seems to be going very well.

(UNIDENTIFIED MALE): When I see that go back to North Carolina and live in a big house?

EDWARDS: It would be the easiest thing in the world for me to do. The easiest thing in the world would be to go home and enjoy my life and go sit on a beach somewhere. I cannot live that way. Elizabeth cannot live that way. What you expect from a presidential candidate is I promise you this, I promise you this, I promise you this.

This is what I have to say to you. You have to be willing to sacrifice to make America what it's capable of being. One Sunday after church, we went to lunch, we were all very dressed up, I was dressed up. We sat down; we got our menus, just like here. And we were sitting there and I was about to choose what I would eat and my father said, we have to leave and I had no idea what was going on. And he said we have to leave now. We put the menus down and I was so embarrassed because I felt like everybody was staring at me. I said daddy, why did we do that? And see said I can't pay those prices.

(UNIDENTIFIED MALE): How have you changed from what your father was?

EDWARDS: Nothing inside me has changed nothing. But I don't have to worry anymore about if I go out to dinner whether I can pay the bill.

(UNIDENTIFIED MALE): What is the best teacher you ever had?

EDWARDS: It was a woman named Iris Burns; she was my high school English teacher. And she just the best way to describe it is she believed in me.

When I was in high school, I was much more interested in sports and girls. If what happened to me was when I went away to college and I actually was having to borrow the money and work to pay my way through school, I took it very seriously. But then I finally got her to go out with me. I'll tell her story. She says, we went out, we went to this dance place, and I made her dance with me. It was one of those loud places where you can't even hear anybody talk. And she kept thinking, what a mistake, what a mistake. And we got back to her door and I said thank you, and I kissed her on the forehead and left, and she said that was it, that did it.

(UNIDENTIFED FEMALE): (INAUDIBLE)

EDWARDS: My wife is like falling in love with Springsteen. She had dinner with him in New York. He sang to her.

(UNIDENTIFED FEMALE): What did he sing?

EDWARDS: She told me, but I don't remember.

(UNIDENTIFED FEMALE): My question is if you could have dinner with Franklin Roosevelt, who -- or Bruce Springsteen, who would you prefer to have dinner with?

EDWARDS: would have dinner with Roosevelt, but I love the boss.

(UNIDENTIFED FEMALE): What kind of books do you like to read?

EDWARDS: I read everything. I have three books, John Grisham's new book, which I haven't even started, the columnist from "The New York Times," Paul Krugman's new book. And I have actually read most of that and the third book I have is a book on Johnny Unitas. If I get a chance to watch college football on television, all of us are Red Sox's fans, not for your benefit. My children became a Red Sox fans because one of their friends was a huge Red Sox fan. So we are Red Sox fans, not Yankee fans.

(UNIDENTIFED FEMALE): I have one last question that I never got to ask you.

EDWARDS: Sure, you can ask.

(UNIDENTIFED FEMALE): Were you in a fraternity?

EDWARDS: No.

(UNIDENTIFED MALE): Are you sure you really want to be president?

EDWARDS: Yeah, I am.

(UNIDENTIFIED MALE): The challenges that are out there --

EDWARDS: I think I was less sure last time. I am 100 percent sure now. Thank you very much.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KING: John Edwards there in the "Candidate Cafe" and our thanks to our partner and affiliate WMUR TV in New Hampshire for helping us present to you the candidates in their own words. When the CNN BALLOT BOWL continues we'll check in with Mary Snow and the Romney campaign here in New Hampshire.

We also want to remind you special coverage tonight on CNN, a replay of the ABC/WMUR Debates last night here in New Hampshire. Quite interesting exchanges between the Democrats and the Republicans campaigning of course with great urgency, the New Hampshire primary to lead off presidential primary just a day and a half away here in the state of New Hampshire. New Hampshire votes on Tuesday, we will replay those debates for you tonight as part of CNN's special election coverage. Please stay with us, and remember you are watching the CNN BALLOT BOWL.

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KING: We call it the CNN BALLOT BOWL, welcome back, our chance to give you the candidate's access to the candidates in their own words, live events here and other events as the candidates campaign here in the state of New Hampshire. The primary is on Tuesday and one of the candidates with a great deal at stake is the former Governor of neighboring Massachutes, Republican Mitt Romney. He owns a vacation home here in New Hampshire. He was ahead in New Hampshire most of the summer as he was in Iowa. But a disappointing second place finish in Iowa, he trails John McCain now in the polls here in New Hampshire. Our Mary Snow is keeping a close eye on the Romney campaign and joins us now, hi, Mary.

MARY SNOW, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi there, John, and Mitt Romney was here at the Elm Street School in Nashua earlier this afternoon. There was a verbal sparring match in the Republican debate and Mitt Romney had a bull's eye on him. Rivals had been giving him heat over the attack ads he's been running particularly against Senator John McCain on the issue of illegal immigration. Romney has been attacking McCain over his support of the illegal immigration reform bill saying it amounts to supporting amnesty, that is something that Senator McCain says he disputes and that it doesn't.

An interesting moment today, Mitt Romney had to actually admit that he was incorrect about something he said at the debate and he realized he was not aware of the wording in some of his own ads against John McCain. But the Romney campaign is all too happy to keep illegal immigration being discussed because it is such an important issue among Republican primary voters and Mitt Romney brought it up once again today. Here he is, earlier today, in Nashua, New Hampshire.

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MITT ROMNEY (R) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDIATE: I love the fact that last night's debate, we had a lot of discussion about immigration. And, oh, everybody wanted to parse words, is this amnesty, is that amnesty? Here's what the truth is, and you listen to it. Senator McCain and many others like him feel that all those that have come here illegally once you put a criminal aside, everybody else should be able to stay here for the rest of their life. In my opinion, that's a form of amnesty. In my opinion that is wrong, that will only encourage more illegal immigration. It's time to stop illegal immigration. [ applause ]

It's just like Washington to be more con fumed with the insults than what the issue, and we're going to focus on the issue and decide what is the right thing to do for America and that's to keep legal immigration alive and well, but to stop illegal immigration. Reducing taxes, reducing taxes, how long have we heard we're going to reduce the tax burden on the middle income Americans, yet we have the alternative minimum tax taking a bigger and bigger bite? Families have a tougher time making ends meet. That's why I propose a middle income savings plan.

You're making $200,000 a year and less, you'll have a new tax rate on our savings, interest, dividends, capital gains, the new tax rate is zero. Let people save their money tax free. [applause] They have been telling us they would cut the pork, there are always stories of pork, I don't know how long you have heard stories of pork, I heard them since the 1950s and they keep going. Because after all the rhetoric you see on the steps of the capitol, when you same old stories, I will veto, I will veto bills that are packed with pork. I will veto bills that exceed -- appropriations bills that exceed inflation less 1 percent. We're going to rain in excessive spending.

People keep telling me that there's one story after another about a veteran that's not getting the care he or she deserves. It's a catch 22 and it applies in an unusual way to our military program and as a result we're going to have to go through and evaluate all of our programs, make sure we take care of our veterans properly. This says health insurance for everyone. I don't mean to stop the applause. I do that now and then. This says health insurance for everyone. There are two approaches to health insurance, only two. One is a Democrat way, which is to say we're going to have government take over health care and run it and give you insurance and let me tell you, if that happens, I don't want to show up at the hospital emergency room and have the guys that ran Katrina taking my blood pressure. I do not want that.

The other way to make health care work is to get everybody in the system with private, free market insurance to get health care working like a market. I listened to the other fellows, even on the Republican side last night. They got ideas, but they don't get everybody insured. A lot of people have ideas. A lot of people have plans. But you saw it across the border. I got the job done and that's what we need in Washington as well.

There's another page to them. I'm not going to go through every one of these because I want to make sure and get to your questions. But we can end our dependence on foreign oil, we can shrink our government, we can fix Social Security, I love listening to people who say let me give you some direct language here and let me tell you the truth. And that is Social Security is broken. We all know that, but the question is what are we going to do to fix it? Most politicians will not answer that. I will. Put the people ahead of Social Security. There are so many lobbyists in Washington at the elbows of the politicians. I don't have to get elected with the support of lobbyists in my campaign. I have received contributions from more people running for president and the biggest contribution came from my wife, who said OK, take some of our money and put it in as well.

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SNOW: And, John, the biggest theme this weekend as we have seen Mitt Romney's shift over the weekend here in New Hampshire is distressed. He's trying to portray himself as the Washington outsider. Also in these final days he's hitting hard to idea of tax cuts. He's really trying to appeal to economic conservatives in hopes of giving him an edge in this struggle against Senator John McCain. John.

KING: Mary Snow in Nashua, New Hampshire and as you can see the afternoon is fading to night fall which means only one more day for the candidates to campaign in the New Hampshire primary. Much more ahead on the CNN BALLOT BOWL coming up. The candidates in their own words, we will check in with the other candidates. But when we come back we will go to Tony Harris in Atlanta for an update on the days other big stories. Including, new developments in the case of that missing hiker in Georgia. Please stay with us.

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HARRIS: Hello everyone, I'm Tony Harris at the CNN Center in Atlanta. Let's get you caught up on other stories.

Now in the news crews are rushing to report on a broken leave in Reno, Nevada, hundreds of homes where there is as much as eight feet of water so far. No reports of injuries in that town. The levee break came on the heels of a winter storm that pounded the region with heavy snow, rain and wind.

What a mess in this San Diego backyard. Take a look. One example of the damage done by the rain and snow unleashed on California, Oregon, Nevada and Washington. The storms have killed at least four people; hundreds of thousands of people have no power. There are warnings now of mudslides and flash floods.

Hope fades for a missing hiker in North Georgia. Police now believe 24-year-old Meredith Emerson is dead. Blood-stained clothes believed to be hers have been found. Garry Michael Hilton is charged with kidnapping. He was seen with Emerson the day see disappeared. Court documents say he tried to use her credit card.

You may have missed it. There was a really contentious debate between all the presidential candidates last night on ABC. Well tonight, we're going to give you a rare opportunity to see it again. CNN is teaming up with ABC and we're rerunning both the Republican and Democratic debates back to back, a special CNN replay. Don't miss them tonight beginning at 7:00 Eastern right here only on CNN. Those are the headlines at this hour, back to John King and the CNN BALLOT BOWL after this break.

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