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Sarah Palin Having an Impact; Hurricane Ike Hits Cuba; Georgia Congressman Admits He Called The Obamas, "Uppity"; U.S. Seizes Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac; Undecided Voters Decide; Father and Son Rescued at Sea; Most Common Hurricane Tips That Are Wrong

Aired September 07, 2008 - 22:00   ET

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

RICK SANCHEZ, CNN ANCHOR: Tonight, hot off the press. A new CNN poll of polls with a change from last night. Does this one show a Sarah Palin bounce?
The Alaska governor let's her hair down and let's the Dems have it.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SARAH PALIN (R), VICE PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Today our opponent brought up earmarks and frankly I was surprised that he raised the subject. I didn't think he'd want to go there.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SANCHEZ: The one convention line that is energizing Democrats.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

RUDY GIULIANI (R), FORMER PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: He worked as a community organizer. What?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SANCHEZ: Is that something to laugh at?

Like Georgia congressman admits he called the Obamas quote, "uppity? So what did he mean by that?

A monster of a hurricane heading to west, may be as in Key West where they're trying to signal it away.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The Coast Guard rocks. God bless the Coast Guard.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SANCHEZ: He's alive but how after treading water all night long. His story, lots of stories because the news starts now.

SANCHEZ: Hi, everybody. I'm Rick Sanchez. Real quick, I want to tell you that just moments ago we got information that Hurricane Ike has just now made landfall with the tip of Cuba. That's a direct hit on the eastern tip of the island as a Cat 3 storm. We're going to be taking you there to Cuba in just a moment. In fact, I'm going to have complete coverage of the effect it could have on the Florida Keys as well.

But let's come back. What we want to begin with this tonight. It was one line in the powerful speech by Rudy Giuliani. But tonight his joke about Barack Obama being a community organizer has Democrats on the attack and Obama responding. We're taking it up with undecided voters.

Also, a congressman from outside Atlanta called Michelle and Barack Obama, quote, "uppity" and it's sending off a flurry of responses. We've been getting all kinds of responses throughout the night.

In fact, you'll see right here that we're already up to 7,894 people who are going to be following along tonight as we do this newscast responding to some of the comments that are made by some of the officials that we're going to be talking to throughout this newscast.

Our first story, though, is yes, Governor Sarah Palin is apparently having an impact. Why? Because tonight there's a new CNN poll of polls which seems to indicate so. Here it is, in fact. Obama now 44, McCain 43, and the unsures or undecideds are 13. Now, this is important. And here's why.

We showed you a poll yesterday that was about a 2 or 3 point difference. Tonight it's down to one point. This new poll that I just showed you moments ago, this poll actually takes into account at least partially the Sarah Palin convention speech. So it's a reaction from people after they watched her speak. And as you can see, it's now much tighter than it was before.

And then you look at the undecideds. Once again, put that up, Roger, if you still have it -- 13 percent. That's a pretty big number. There it is, 13 percent. That's why tonight we're corralling some of these undecideds and we're going to be talking to them about what they are decided about by giving them some data on what's been going on in the last week that people had been talking about.

Let's go back now to the Rudy Giuliani line. Tonight, Democrats are printing up T-shirts. In fact, I think I might be able to show you one. I think we got one up here earlier. There it is right now. Printing up T-shirts that say this. Got this from the Web site. "Jesus is a community organizer and Pontius Pilate was a governor." Why are they doing that? Well, it's an answer to this moment from the Republican convention.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GIULIANI: He worked as a community organizer. What?

(LAUGHTER)

He worked. I said -- I said -- OK, OK. Maybe this is the first problem on the resume. He worked as a community organizer. He immersed himself in Chicago machine politics.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SANCHEZ: Hear now Barack Obama this morning -- this is on ABC this morning.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. BARACK OBAMA (D-IL), PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE: That's what I did between the ages of 24 and 27 before I went to law school. I would think that's what we want all our young people to do. I would think that that's an area where Democrats and Republicans would agree. And so it's curious to me that they would mock that when I, at least, think that that's exactly what young people should be doing.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SANCHEZ: All right. Let's bring in Mark Preston now to talk about the convention speeches and the poll of polls. In fact, let's get started there with this poll of polls.

Mark, thanks for being with us. "Preston on Politics" time. It shows that Obama now leads by just one -- one percentage point and this is the first poll that takes into account, not in full but in part the Sarah Palin speech at the convention. What happened here?

MARK PRESTON, CNN POLITICAL EDITOR: Well, I'll tell you what, Rick. You know, just less than a week ago, Barack Obama was up six points in this poll of polls. So clearly while we don't know if there was a big bounce out of the Republican convention, we know it wasn't a thud.

Look, Sarah Palin right now is an unknown to us. She's an intriguing story. She's this woman (INAUDIBLE). She took on the Republican establishment up in Alaska. She has this very handsome husband. She herself is very good looking. But you put that all together and then you send the media up to Wasilla and up to Anchorage, and I will tell you right now they have descended upon Alaska. They're going to try to dig up every little anecdote they can about Sarah Palin.

They want to find out what she's said, who she's spoken to, things she did as a teenager, and look, we all have skeletons in our closet, Rick. The question is, are those skeletons big enough to knock Sarah Palin off her game. And even if they are, she does have skeletons in her closet, does the American people care? So I will tell you, we will know a little bit more in the next three or four days when we see more national polls come out but clearly the convention was a success for Republicans.

SANCHEZ: Let's talk about the Rudy Giuliani line now, if we may now. As a matter of fact, let's go to our Twitter board. We're asking people to comment on our newscast as we go through it. And I think you're going to be able to see. There it is.

This is the one that just came in. "Giuliani's speech was so full of sarcasm that it was hard for me to take him seriously. He thought he was Johnny Carson up there." Somehow the way he said it seemed to rub a lot of people wrong. It's getting a lot of reaction from the Dems and the Dems are now using this against the GOP.

It's almost like McCain would say to Giuliani, thanks a lot. You just threw them a big fat fast ball right down the middle, right?

PRESTON: Absolutely. It wasn't a very smart comment made by Rudy Giuliani. And again, wasn't smart by Sarah Palin as well to make fun of it. Look, what they're trying to do is they were trying to deflect any questions about Sarah Palin not having the experience to be commander-in-chief, if something were to happen to John McCain, if they're elected to the White House.

The fact is, though, is that Republicans talk about, you know, conservatism, compassionate conservatism. They talk about faith-based programs. They talk about giving money to these community organizers to really take the onus off of government. So, look, I think it was a flippant remark on their part. I think Rudy Giuliani, you know, probably should have back pedalled it a little bit. If they meant it on purpose, then strategically it was a bad political move.

SANCHEZ: You know, it's interesting, a lot of the folks who have been talking to us tonight on Facebook and on MySpace had been saying that they just thought he got carried away. When the crowd got excited about the comment, everybody started laughing out loud morosely suddenly he started to do the same thing. They thought it was a little bit over the top.

But I want to share with you something else. There's another story that I want to talk to you about. But, first of all, what I want to do is I want to show you this. It's Georgia representative Lynn Westmoreland. He says this about the Obamas. Quote, "Just from little I've seen of her and Mr. Obama, Senator Obama, they are a member of an elitist-class individual that think they are uppity." "Uppity." When asked to clarify, Lynn Westmoreland repeated, "uppity, yes."

Now, the "Atlanta Journal-Constitution" is pointing out that uppity has been used historically in the south to refer to blacks who try to rise above survival positions.

Reached by CNN today for an interview, Westmoreland spokesman had this to say to us. We, quote, "Congressman Westmoreland didn't know the word had racial overtones. As such, he wishes he used a different word. He was using the dictionary definition of the word, meaning "elitist" or "snobby" or "superior." He stands by that description of Senator Obama. He apologizes to anyone who was offended."

We have been receiving hundreds and hundreds of responses tonight from you on this as well. Continuing the discussion, here's the question that we're going to be posing to you on Twitter tonight and MySpace and on Facebook.

Was he wrong to use the word "uppity" when referring to African- Americans? And should he have known better? Mark Preston, let's take it back to you, first. CNN political editor. What do you make of this comment? Does it have legs? Is it something that we'll see stretched into the GOP argument again?

PRESTON: Rick, you know, my wife is from Georgia and I asked her this question after we talked today. And I said, what does this mean to you and she said, it doesn't mean anything to me. It doesn't mean any different if I were to talk about an African-American or Caucasian American, you know, using that word. But it doesn't matter.

The fact is, some people take offense of that word and the congressman should have known not to use it. You and I are in the same business. You have to be careful what you say. And look, Barack Obama himself has been stung by his words. Let's not forget that Barack Obama did say several months ago that people who live in small towns where the economy is not going very well are bitter and they're clinging to their guns and religion. And guess what, that line still sticks right now to Barack Obama, and I bet since we are less than 60 days away, we will continue to see this line.

SANCHEZ: Mark Preston, we thank you for bringing us up to date on that. We'll continue talking. By the way, there's another reaction to this. Obama was asked today about this comment about him, the uppity comment that makes a lot of African-Americans furious when they hear it. He said, quote, "sounds like Representative Westmoreland should be careful throwing stones from his candidate's eight glass houses." Direct quote from Barack Obama.

All right. That's what you say. Now let's talk to regular Americans. We recruited two students from CTV who have been nice enough to accept my mentoring over the last couple of weeks. They came here to Atlanta and we sent them out to talk to people in downtown Atlanta about what they think of this word "uppity."

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It sounds kind of racist to me. It does. Uppity?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It means that he thinks he's better than he is.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It means that they would find themselves above people.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Well, obviously when people say "uppity," it means like high class or sophisticated -- or high class, snooty, but generally it's kind of a derogatory term for African-Americans.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think it's a derogatory term but it's not a racist term.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Stuck up, better than somebody else. Walking with their nose up in the air.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: As a black female who is almost 60, who's live through the '50s, '60s, '70s, '80s, '90s, that it is ridiculous for anyone who -- anyone white to even comment about that when all it is is what so many people have aspired to for so many years.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SANCHEZ: And our thanks, by the way, to both Michael and Wendy. And by the way, here's what many of you have been sharing with us on twitter.com/ricksanchezcnn, and Facebook, and MySpace. The first thing I want to do actually is put the question on there, and I think that we'll continue to elicit the kind of responses that we have been getting thus far. Was he wrong, the congressman, to use the word "uppity," and should he have known better? Updated, there it goes. We're expecting many of your responses and we will be sharing them with you throughout this hour.

Coming up, look at some of these waves dwarfing the building. This is along the coast of Cuba. Hurricane Ike has made a landfall there and we're going to take you along, live.

We were told that government was bailing out Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. Today, we learned the government wasn't just bailing out, it was taking over. What does it mean for our money? We'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

SANCHEZ: Yes, you share with us and we'll share with you. Oh, my goodness, what is this? Jacqui Jeras is standing by. This is coming in from Allentown, Pennsylvania.

Jacqui, what is this?

JACQUI JERAS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: That would be a tornado. An EF-1 tornado tore through Allentown yesterday. Winds about 95 miles per hour, uprooted trees, tore off roofs and caused some extensive damage to a high school in the area. Only lasted about two minutes. That was from Hanna, Rick.

SANCHEZ: So that's -- you know, we always talk about all of these cells in these big storms that we get cutting across. That's what -- this is a derivation of, right?

JERAS: Yes, you get all of that span and you get some friction there when a tropical system moves over land than tornadoes can become. And Hanna didn't produce too many of them but there you can see that one caught on video. Just some amazing pictures.

SANCHEZ: That is touching down, as a matter of fact. We'll try to get an update to see how much damage has done. If anybody has been hurt as a result of this. We'll be on top of it for you. All right, here we go again. Dangerous and deadly storm bearing down on the Florida straights and parts of the U.S. are being evacuated.

Tonight, Ike has made landfall in Cuba. It's a Category 3 storm with sustained winds of about 120 miles an hour. It is causing problems of unknown dimensions in the Turks and Caicos. We say unknown dimensions because we're getting some drastic reports from there. But because the phone lines have been down, these were the last pictures we were able to get out. And these are, to be honest with you, pretty old by now. Tough to tell.

We're trying to reach somebody, though, and hopefully we'll be able to do so in the next couple of minutes. As soon as we do, you'll be hearing the story from them there in the Turks and Caicos. Here is the bad news. Eventually, this thing is going to end up in the Gulf of Mexico. And look at it. That's one of the shots from NASA. That's as big as they come. See Cuba there? See right there at the Florida straight. The very tip of South Florida. If it gets into the Gulf of Mexico after it passes through the Florida straights, obviously it can get a lot worst.

By the way, mandatory evacuation right now for the Key west part, the lower part of the Florida Keys, Lower Keys, as they call them. President Bush has already declared a state of emergency in Florida to help jump-start these storm preps.

Now, I think we have a chance to take you to Cuba. We're going to Havana. CNN's Morgan Neill is standing by.

Morgan, can you hear me? Are you there? What's going on?

MORGAN NEILL, CNN HAVANA BUREAU CHIEF AND CORRESPONDENT: I'm hearing you fine, Rick. Well, as you pointed out there, we've just heard in the last hour that this storm has made landfall. Hurricane Ike now moving into Cuba, but even before it made landfall we got some very dramatic images from Baracoa, the eastern most extreme of the island.

Huge waves crashing into shore, reaching the height above five or six- story building. Very powerful waves coming ashore, flooding through the town of Baracoa saying it went in some five blocks inland. Reports from Baracoa say more than 80 houses destroyed, power lines down and cables down throughout that municipality.

That's one of the few areas where we are getting reports. But we can just imagine there are similar scenes that have played out in the rest of the eastern province as this storm just starts to make its way ashore, Rick.

SANCHEZ: That's amazing. Do we know at this point -- we know how much damage and how many injuries and deaths there were as a result of the other one? Is there any indication from this one whether there's been that kind of damage yet?

NEILL: Well, as you pointed out, Hurricane Gustav which came through just eight days ago to the west of the island, no reported deaths from that hurricane. At this point we do not have any reports of deaths or injuries. But, of course, it's very early in the process.

As this storm comes in -- because of the direction it's coming in from the eastern most part of the island and then we'll sort of make its way across the length of the island, it's going to be hard to get communication from those areas first affected because all the lines of communication go the length of the island, essentially, where that hurricane is going to be passing, Rick.

SANCHEZ: Jacqui Jeras is joining us now. Thanks so much Morgan, we appreciate it.

Jacqui, let's take this thing over to you. If you're in the Florida Keys and you're looking at those pictures that looks like one troublesome storm to say the very least, right?

JERAS: Yes, absolutely. You know, if it continues to scrape and move over Cuba the entire time, it will be a much lesser storm when it makes it's closes approach to the Keys. That's some good news. But you know, we're taking about, you know, at a minimum 22 miles across and a maximum of about 45 miles across.

So, you know, when you talk about the forecast error in terms of track, you know, you don't have a lot of wiggle room here. And we're talking that just a little bit of a deviation could keep it over water a little bit longer, which means that storm could stay at a stronger intensity. 120 mile per hour right now. We actually got word about a quarter until the hour from the National Hurricane Center that it's made landfall with maximum winds at 125. And this is just kind of moving over that peninsula, that tip here of Cuba.

We've got a long ways to go. This is going to be heading towards Havana. We think by tomorrow night. U.S. feeling the impact with rip currents and occasional showers and thundershowers. Once we get beyond Cuba, we'll have a real good idea of where this thing is going. Right now, it's anybody's ball game in the Gulf. We have several days for this thing to intensify again in those warm waters. The models have been shifting westward a little bit, Rick. So, it looks a little more likely for Texas and less likely for Florida.

SANCHEZ: You talk about vulnerable. One of the most vulnerable places to be is an island. Thanks so much, Jacqui. I think we've got a chance now to take you to one of those islands. The Turks and Caicos are known as a great place for people to vacation from the United States. It got hammered by this storm and, guess what, when it did so, it was a Category 4 storm.

Since then we've lost communication. These are the last pictures we got out. I told you earlier they were kind of old but I think we've got somebody on the line now. He's a freelance journalist. Audley Astwood is good enough to join us now. I believe you're there.

Audley, are you there?

VOICE OF AUDLEY ASTWOOD, FREELANCE JOURNALIST: I can hear you loud and clear, Rick.

SANCHEZ: Tell me, because this is a first-person report of what's been going on on the island there, we haven't gotten any pictures since we looked at these, how bad are things?

ASTWOOD: Well, that's the reason why you're not getting any updates on the photos or any video footage because there's an island- wide blackout, which is in (INAUDIBLE) right now and island of Grand Turk, which is the (INAUDIBLE) of the Turks and Caicos Island. And we also heard about 95 percent of the homes were damaged severely, either having the roof completely torn off or the homes just completely demolished.

SANCHEZ: How much flooding did you get?

ASTWOOD: About 40 percent or more of the island is pretty much flooded. Water was up to about waste deep in certain parts right now. Most of the roads under water at this point. The entire island right now is shut down. Nothing has happened whatsoever.

SANCHEZ: Wow.

ASTWOOD: And last word is that it's probably a good guess that it's going to be this way for the next two months.

SANCHEZ: What are people doing to make do?

ASTWOOD: Well, there's not much you can do. Right now, you have hundreds, possibly thousands of people tonight that are spending their first night pretty much what I'm doing. I'm sleeping in my car because I also have my roof torn off.

A lot of people are homeless here in the Turks and Caicos Island. One of the neighboring islands of south Caicos also sustained the same amount of damage as Grand Turk. About 90 percent to 95 percent of the homes completely destroyed or the roof torn off. It's a really bad situation here in the Turks and Caicos Island. And we're getting reports now that the British Navy has been assessing the situation and they are going to be sending a team to Grand Turk tomorrow morning, I think, around 10:00 a.m. or so to see the best way forward as to what we can do to improve the situation here on the island.

SANCHEZ: Audley, we thank you so much. Audley Astwood, we wish you the best. Our best and some of the folks there, keep in contact with us and we'll continue to share some of the stories that are coming out of there.

By the way, we asked you a while ago to respond to some of the stories that we've been following. The big story is the congressman and the use of the word "uppity." Let's go and see some of the things that we've been coming in. A bevy of responses had been coming in fast and furious. "He does know better and he was entirely wrong to use the word "uppity" to refer to Obama given the history of the word's usage."

"He was absolutely wrong. Anyone with a dollop of life experience knows the history of that word." But Ron in Maine says, "Maybe I'm missing something but how does the word "uppity" translate to black people."

All right. Stay with us. We'll continue to share some of the responses, continue to talk to you. Imagine being out for a swim and suddenly you're swept miles and miles and miles into the ocean. What do you do? It happened to a man and his son. This is in Daytona Beach. I'm going to show it to you.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

SANCHEZ: Welcome back. I'm Rick Sanchez here in the world headquarters of CNN. Tonight, there's news that seems troubling for the housing mess. We were told that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac were being bailed out by the federal government with your money, of course. But, tonight, we learn the government isn't just baling it out, it's taking both of them over -- a difference. We as a people now own or back a $1 trillion in home loans. Think about that. Here's our Treasury Secretary.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

HENRY PAULSON, TREASURY SECRETARY: Let me make clear what today's actions mean for Americans and their families. Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are so large and so interwoven in our financial system that a failure of either of them would cause great turmoil in the financial markets here at home and around the globe.

This turmoil would directly and negatively impact household wealth from family budgets to home values to savings for college and retirement.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SANCHEZ: Michael Crittenden is a reporter for the "Dow Jones Newspaper." He's good enough to join us now.

Michael, if this bailout is now a buyout, what happens if things continue to slide? Where's the cavalry going to be?

MICHAEL CRITTENDEN, DOW JONES NEWSWIRES: Well, this is basically the biggest step treasury can take. I mean, this is a major, dramatic step. It puts the taxpayers on the hook for $5.4 trillion in mortgages that they guarantee.

Now, the likelihood of that actually happening is pretty small to none but I think the government felt they really need to take the step to stabilize things.

SANCHEZ: Well, does this mean things were actually worse than previously believed? The fact that they are taking this step to quote Richard Clark, "did our government fail us?"

CRITTENDEN: Well, yes. I mean, the regulation in the mortgage market over the last eight years was horrible. Banks, mortgage companies offered loans that were ridiculous. Borrowers got in way over their heads and you've seen the economic turmoil that's caused. This is a step to maybe staunch the bleeding in the housing try to stabilize things and send a message worldwide that the U.S. government is on the case.

SANCHEZ: Another bank apparently goes under or is also taken over, it's Silver State. It even has a little bit of a political implication. John McCain's son, Andrew, was on the board up until a couple of weeks ago. Does that intensify the story?

CRITTENDEN: Well, it does add a political edge and it's another thing that Democrats can bring out during campaign, just to hit McCain on the economy. I mean, his son is not accused obviously of anything to do with these banks problems, like the ten other banks that have failed this year. They did bad lending and now they are in trouble.

SANCHEZ: Michael Crittenden is a writer for "Dow Jones Newspaper." And we thank you, sir, for taking time to talk to us.

CRITTENDEN: Thank you.

SANCHEZ: About 13 percent of those polled still don't know who they are going to vote for in November. Who are these people? And what do they make of Sarah Palin? The latest political (INAUDIBLE). We've got them with us here in the studio. Tonight, the undecideds decide for you when we come back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

RICK SANCHEZ, CNN ANCHOR: They, the voters, are going to decide ultimately what happens in this election, but first they need to make up their own minds about the election cycle that is ever changing. That's that 13 percent we showed you a little while ago -- undecided Americans.

You know, I've been going all over the country, doing this "League of First Time Voters" thing. Well, today, I'm bringing some of these voters into our studio to talk to them. We're going to start with Andy Hurst. There he is. Good-looking young lad, huh? Scrappy young lad, 19 years old, libertarian, college student.

Now I want to show you Hope Demps. She is 35. She's a lawyer and she's an independent game. Why do I feel like the music is going to say -- the dating game.

Cynthia Hudson. She is 48 and she is all framed up now. She's an executive assistant and she tells me that she is a Democrat.

All right. Let's go to Tony Chung now. He's 30 years old. He's a counselor and he's a proud Republican, by golly.

Let's start talking about Sarah Palin first of all. She has said earlier, at least she was quoted talking to a reporter and she told that reporter that she was, at the time, for the bridge to nowhere. But then in the last couple of speeches she's given, including the one she gave at the convention, she said this. Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GOV. SARAH PALIN (R), VICE PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I told the Congress thanks but no thanks on that bridge to nowhere. If our state wanted to build a bridge, we were going to build it ourselves.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SANCHEZ: Let's start with you, Tony. You're a Republican. Does she have a problem here?

TONY CHUNG, UNDECIDED VOTER: I personally believe that she has a minor problem in that. I actually watched the speech last week. Yes, this past weekend. She presented her case very well to me.

SANCHEZ: Yes, but when she says -- when she was quoted earlier saying that she was for the bridge to nowhere and now she's quoted in a speech that we've all heard saying not only was she against it, but she actually told Washington, I'll build my own darn bridge. Is that something that -- is that fair game? Is that some reporters should be talking about?

CHUNG: I do believe that they should be talking about that. It's double talking. I personally don't believe in double talking. If she stands for the truth, then she should not change her case.

SANCHEZ: Hope and Cynthia, weigh in on this.

CYNTHIA HUDSON, UNDECIDED VOTER: Yes. I think we've got a little flip-flop going on already. She was for it. Now she's against it. Back and forth. I'm not impressed with her at all.

SANCHEZ: You're not?

HUDSON: I'm not.

SANCHEZ: Why not? Why not? why not?

HUDSON: Because every time she speaks she says the same thing. She hasn't talked about issues at all.

SANCHEZ: All right. Let's stop right there. I want to show you something else. Let's go to the other side now. This is Barack Obama being talked about by the man he chose as his running mate, Joe Biden. Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ANNOUNCER: What does Barack Obama's running mate say about Barack Obama?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You were asked, is he ready? You said, I think he can be ready but right now I don't believe he is. The presidency is not something that lends itself to on-the-job training.

SEN. JOE BIDEN (D), VICE PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I think that I'll stand by this statement.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SANCHEZ: All right. Let's bring in Hope and Andy on this one. Is this an effective ad? Is this one that could actually hurt Barack Obama or the ticket of Obama and Biden themselves? Either one of you.

Hope, get it started. HOPE DEMPS, UNDECIDED VOTER: I tell you, I think it's very powerful. In fact, McCain's best ads are ones in which he quotes Hillary Clinton or Joe Biden. I mean, it really grips at the heart of the attack machine that was after Obama for the last 19 months.

SANCHEZ: Because these are effective credible people and they're saying that you've got a bad candidate on your hands?

DEMPS: Right. And now they're on Obama side and how are they going to explain that away. Do they think the American public is stupid or are they now willing to admit that they were wrong or just being political?

SANCHEZ: Andy, what do you think of that?

ANDY HURST, UNDECIDED VOTER: I think it's sort of a rough call to choose a running mate that the two of them have sort of been exchanging shots at each other all throughout the primary season. You know, when McCain picked Sarah Palin, you know, she's a relative unknown. She hasn't been taking any public shots at him. And that's a lot -- you know, there's no sound bites you can get from there.

(CROSSTALK)

SANCHEZ: So, yes. It's all there. Quick thing before you all go. And I just want you to give me your choice. I'm going to show you a split image. Are you ready? It's a split image of the two candidates on the Republican side and the other one is going to show the two candidates on the Democratic side. We're going to put them side by side. There they are. Just on general terms, as you look at them, before you know too much about them, which one make a more appealing pair?

Andy, you've got to give me a decision.

HURST: I'm going to go with McCain and Palin.

SANCHEZ: Hope?

DEMPS: I'm going to say Obama and Biden. They look like friends and like they like each other and can unite.

SANCHEZ: Cynthia?

HUDSON: I'm going to go with Obama because it seems like there's some connection going on.

SANCHEZ: There's more of a connection. And finally you, Tony.

CHUNG: I see the friendship actually going on between Obama and Biden. So --

SANCHEZ: You think they look -- wow! And you're a Republican.

CHUNG: Yes. SANCHEZ: That's an earnest response. We thank you all four for joining us this time around. And we're not done. We're going to be talking about the guys at the top of the ticket in just a little bit. We'll look forward to that.

In the meantime, let me tell you what else we're going to be doing. We're going to keep the conversation going on this. And also, following the very latest on what's going on with the hurricane. And the guys at the top of the ticket as we mentioned. We'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

SANCHEZ: According to most of the polls, it's like 13 to 14 percent of Americans who really have not made up their minds yet. They just don't know between John McCain and Barack Obama. We've got four of them here in the studio with us tonight.

I want to show you something now because a lot of Democrats have been making hay out of this. They're actually pretty angry about Rudy Giuliani. They thought it was a very vibrant speech, but at one point he did something where he talked about community organizing work -- the one that Barack Obama had done. And people started laughing. And he was seemingly scoffing at it. Watch it first and we'll talk about on the other side. Here it is.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

RUDY GIULIANI (R), FMR. MAYOR OF NEW YORK: He worked as a community organizer. What? He worked, I said, I said -- OK, OK. Maybe this is the first problem on the resume. He worked as a community organizer. He immersed himself in Chicago machine politics.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SANCHEZ: A lot of folks were having a lot of problems with that from the Democratic side and they're using it strategically to make some political hay out of it. In fact, they're already printing up banners that say, "Jesus Christ was a political organizer, Pontius Pilate was a governor." Is this something that is going to hurt the Republicans?

Going back to you, Tony, as a Republican?

CHUNG: As a Republican, I personally wouldn't have preferred Rudy Giuliani in the first place.

SANCHEZ: Oh, really? Why? Too strident?

CHUNG: I think that his character is a little bit too strong. I am a Christian and from that perspective, I think there needs to be a little bit of grace and a little bit of -- I guess, care --

SANCHEZ: You think -- raise your hand if you think he came off as a bully. Really? You think he came off just too hard? But the base loved it. There were people clapping. And when he said community organizer, people were excited about that. Almost as if -- it almost came across, did it not, as if they were kind of making fun of it?

DEMPS: Well, I mean, the Republicans are known to be elitist so it fed right into their hands. But I don't think it was bullying. I mean, these people want to be president of the United States. So, they have to be tough and take harsh criticism. I do think what's the strength of Barack Obama is that he is trying to create change from the community up, so --

SANCHEZ: But why -- Barack Obama has appeared elitist to many people on many occasions including the comments he made out in California about people clinging to their guns and their religion.

DEMPS: Well, it works for his advantage. He gets to be the community grassroots, hardworking person and he's fighting against the elitist among the Republican Party and main state of Washington. So, this helps him. He gets to flip the -- you know, flip the discussion a little bit.

SANCHEZ: Cynthia, when you watched Rudy Giuliani say that and when you heard that Barack Obama had said what he said, how do you reconcile the two?

HUDSON: Well, him talking about the grassroots, the community. The nation is built on community. How can we downsize the community and the work that goes in the community? It starts right there. And if you're weak and from middle class, we are the community. And it looks like to me that they're pushing the middle class out.

SANCHEZ: As a libertarian, I imagine, Andy, that you must have some comments about Giuliani said and probably about what Barack Obama said when he was in California. Many people have considered both of those wrong.

HURST: Well, first of all -- I mean, I'm pretty glad that at least I didn't hear Giuliani mentioned 9/11 in that segment. It seems like it's been coming out of his mouth, kind of a lot. I think that what Giuliani was intending to do was to strike at Obama's lack of experience, as just being a community leader. But I think that in the way he attacked that, that came off very wrong.

SANCHEZ: He overstretched.

(CROSSTALK)

HURST: Because I think that -- I mean, I think that serving your community is by no means, you know, a bad thing.

SANCHEZ: All right. I've been dropped to the middle of the ocean as part of a story and even though I knew I was going to get out all right, it's a pretty scary experience. So, imagine being swept out to sea with no safety net and having to tread water for more than 12 hours in the middle of the night? How do you survive something like that? That's next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

SANCHEZ: And yes, a lot of you have been -- hundreds, maybe thousands, as a matter of fact. We'll be checking the board in just a little bit.

All of these tropical storms, though, that we've been covering are kicking up dangerous rip tides in the Atlantic coast. No one knows that better than a Florida father and son who are two very lucky people to be alive tonight.

Look at this guy. Walter Marino and son Chris got swept out to sea last night while swimming off at Daytona Beach. They were adrift for 12 hours. Amazingly, both were rescued early this morning. Treading water in the ocean. They were eight miles from shore. About a mile apart when they found them, by the way. And Walter, as you might expect, is one really grateful dude.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

WALTER MARINO, RESCUED BY COAST GUARD: The Coast Guard rocks. God bless the Coast Guard.

SR. CHIEF NEWMAN CANTRELL, U.S. COAST GUARD: Well, you know, one thing that's really amazing is that, you know, for basically 15, 16 hours now, you've had a 40-year-old man and a 13-year-old boy treading water. And you know, I just got to say a lot to their willingness to survive and it's just a great day.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SANCHEZ: Well, the search went on for most of the night and Walter was found by a Good Samaritan ship. His son Chris was located by the Coast Guard. We're told both are in good condition tonight. What a story.

You've probably heard some of the things that you can do to protect yourself and your property if you're in a hurricane, right? It turns out some of the most common tips are wrong. Here's Jacqui Jeras explaining why.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JACQUI JERAS, CNN METEOROLOGIST (on camera): Hurricane is on the way. You've got to tape up the windows. That's going to reinforce them against the high winds, right? Now, these windows over here, we want to open them up because opening the windows on the side of the house opposite of the wind will help to relieve the pressure. And that will prevent your house from exploding.

You just saw a classic example of what not to do before a hurricane hits. Think about it. Tape on your window? How is that going to stop a trash can, a rock, a tree, or a 2 by 4 from flying through at 75 miles an hour? It won't. FEMA recommended boarding up windows with plywood, 5/8 of an inch thick. Make sure it's cut to the windows and ready to install before the storm threatens. And even better option, permanent storm shutters.

And as for opening up the windows, you want to keep the wind out, not let it in. And pay close attention to your garage, especially if it has a double wide doors, strong winds can push the door out of the roller tracks and lift off your roof.

Before hurricane season starts, reinforce your doors or by hurricane resistant ones. So remember, reinforce your doors, put up your plywood, and toss the tape.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SANCHEZ: I remember we always used to say -- Jacqui Jeras is good enough to join us now. We always used to say in Florida when a hurricane was coming, make your house a fortress. If you leave a hole for the wind to get in, it will look for a place to get out, right?

JERAS: Right.

SANCHEZ: Common sense, I think.

JERAS: I know. And it still just baffles me that people actually think that tape is a good idea. Definitely not. But, you know, those are things that you do to your house. But, you know, a lot of the people have already left. Hopefully, they've done these things if it's hurricane season. But another thing to think about is when you're evacuating, you need to bring your prescription drugs with you. You need to bring some cash with you. You need to pack some food and some water in your car. What happens if you run out of gas and you get stalled in traffic? So, a lot of different elements you got to think about.

SANCHEZ: You know what the toughest part is? Trying to take the tape off after you put it on when you come back to your house.

JERAS: Have you tried that?

SANCHEZ: Yes, absolutely.

JERAS: Come on.

SANCHEZ: Hey, when you're poor, it's all you've got. You can't even afford the plywood. Thanks a lot. We appreciate it.

When Joe Biden got on the campaign plane, the last person he expected to bump into was John McCain. It turns out everything was not what it seemed. We'll be back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

SANCHEZ: We asked and you responded. Boy, hundreds of hundreds of hundreds of responses that we've been getting just in the last half hour or so. Here's one that says "the great Rovian tragedy or strategy is to draw attention away from the real issues that face Americans."

Matthew Cudd says, "Look, uppity is no big deal. I understand it is not a racial insult but rather a comment on his elitist attitude." But then look what Kimberly Springer (ph) says, "As an uppity Negro myself, I take pride in rankling GOP sensibilities by getting above my station."

Big surprise today on the campaign trail. John McCain showed up on board the plane that carries Democratic vice presidential candidate Joe Biden. Check this out. Wait a minute. That's a cardboard cutout of John McCain. Some reporters bought the cutout at a shopping mall and brought it on board as a joke for Mr. Biden. We're told that Biden greeted the life-size McCain cutout with a friendly "hey, John" when he came aboard, McCain did not respond.

Coming up, more of what you have to say. We continue our conversation and share some of the comments that have been coming in on Twitter. We'll have them in just a few.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

SANCHEZ: And we welcome you back. Once again, did a story that many have been commenting on. By the way, here's what an Obama spokesperson was saying tonight. I don't know if you caught it when we had this as a first pass. He says, "Sounds like Representative Westmoreland should be careful throwing stones from his candidate's eight glass houses."

Question now is, what are you saying? A bevy? Let's go over to Twitter. "Perhaps a subtle attempt on RNC's part to play the race card and distract from discussing issues like they should."

"Racial overtones aside," says this one from intraflaneur. "It's an offensive word one way or the other when referring to grown men and/or women."

AveryinBMT says, "He knew what he was saying. Those who do not know the racist connotation are too young and/or ignorant of black history.

Finally, Lilfair says, "The remark did have racial overtones, but I think it will be a minor blip. It's all Palin for the foreseeable future."

There you go. We'll continue to get your responses and bring them to you while we bring you the news at the same time. Enjoy your commentary. And, by the way, tomorrow, 3:00 Eastern, right here, that's right. This show is moving to 3:00. We'll look forward to seeing you then from 3:00 to 4:00 just before we say hello to Wolf Blitzer beginning the prime time coverage for CNN at 4:00. We'll be looking for you. I'm Rick Sanchez. Good night. Until tomorrow.