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Another Rate Cut Coming?; Obama 30-Minute Ad to Air Tonight; Why are Some Voters Still Undecided?; Homeowners Opting for Smaller Houses; Will The Fed Cut Interest Rates Again?; Meet Another CNN Hero Honoree

Aired October 29, 2008 - 13:00   ET

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

KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: Six days left in the race that never ends. Millions of voters still haven't made up their minds. Is the choice that tough, or is there something about the brain of the undecided voter? Dr. Sanjay Gupta takes a look.
Busted in Boston. A state Senator caught on camera allegedly padding her -- salary with bribes.

And cross-border compassion. A CNN hero reaches out to bring food, toys, and hope to some of the poorest children in Mexico. When you make a child smile, says Maria Ruiz, it's awesome.

PHILLIPS: Hello everyone. I'm Kyra Phillips live at the CNN headquarters in Atlanta, and you're live in the CNN NEWSROOM.

Let's get right to it. Another interest rate cut could be coming, and it's of great interest to Wall Street. The Fed expected to make an announcement next hour.

Let's check in with senior business correspondent Ali Velshi.

OK. What can a half point do for you, Ali Velshi?

ALI VELSHI, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, OK, let's look at where we are right now. Right now the Fed funds rate, which is the rate that they just adjust, it stands at 1.5 percent. Now, the prime rate is always 3 percent higher than that. So the prime rate is at 4.5 percent right now. In an hour and a bit, that might change.

And if you have a loan that is tied to the prime rate, if the Fed cuts rates by half a percentage point, takes it down to 1 percent, prime rate goes down to 4 percent. The prime rate will drop, and that means your adjustable loans will cost less.

Now, what's the general effect on the economy of a rate cut? Well, it makes money cheaper to borrow generally, obviously. Businesses can use that extra money that they're not paying in interest to expand and to hire more people. You, if you have one of these adjustable rates, will pay less on it. And the idea is that people and businesses will have more money to spend. When you spend money, it creates demand. And that's how you get the economy going again.

That is the theory, Kyra. PHILLIPS: All right.

VELSHI: Doesn't mean it's going to happen. Just means that's the theory.

PHILLIPS: I had someone talking to me while I was listening to you, Ali Velshi. We're scrambling things around here.

VELSHI: OK.

PHILLIPS: Because we wanted to get right to you, talking about that possible cut in the rate.

VELSHI: I just had you in awe. You were awestruck.

PHILLIPS: Yes. You had me at "hello." You had me at awe. Exactly.

VELSHI: If we do cut rates by -- by half a percentage point, we don't know. There's all sorts of speculation out there. Will they cut rates at all? Will it be half a percentage point? Will it be more?

If we take those Fed rates down to 1 percent -- they're at 1.5 percent right now. This is very, very low. This is a -- this is a problem. We won't have been that low since June of 2003.

But I've got to say, Kyra, from the folks you're talking to, and the things that we're studying, we're not clear that lowering interest rates is the problem. High interest rates is not the problem in this economy. It's people not wanting to loan each other money. It's jobs being lost. It's home prices being gouged.

And we're not sure that this is the solution. But if you're the Federal Reserve, it's like having a car that just has brakes and a gas pedal. No gears; no steering wheel. All you can do is you can speed up or slow down. So this is the only choice they kind of have right now, other than the injecting money into the economy and other ways that they've done. So maybe they'll do it. I don't know.

PHILLIPS: All right. We'll follow it and check in with you. Thanks, Ali.

VELSHI: See you.

PHILLIPS: Layoffs, freezes and making workers pay up. That's how corporate America tightens its collective belt in this economy. A human resources consulting firm surveyed about 250 companies this month. Twenty-six percent said that they would show some workers the door within 12 months. A quarter expect a hiring freeze, and then the same percentage will make employees pay more for their health benefits.

Now, 18 percent will cut training. The same number will be nixing or watering down the holiday party, and kiss that open bar good-bye. Four percent will trim the amount that they match from employees' 401(k) contributions.

Now, a week from now, we should know, we hope to know whom we've elected president. Until then, it's still a fight for every vote.

We just heard from Barack Obama in a state that epitomizes the shifting political sands of 2008. North Carolina hasn't voted for a Democratic president since Jimmy Carter in 1976. John McCain held a ten-point lead in a CNN poll of polls there in September. Excuse me. And today polls show Obama slightly ahead.

McCain is in Florida today talking taxes, Iraq and offshore drilling. And we saw him this morning in Miami's Little Havana. His next stop is a foreign policy round table in Tampa.

How much do the candidates care about Florida? Joe Biden's there, too, and Obama is on his way.

And all around the country, almost as a backdrop to the speech making, voters are voting, and waiting, and sometimes running into problems. More than a million voters have already braved the lines in Florid, but their fellow early voters will profit from the pain because of the crowds. The state is extending voting hours from eight hours a day to 12, and that's going to happen until Friday.

Well, we haven't heard the last of ACORN. That's for sure. The grassroots group that's been accused of faking thousands of voter registration forms in Indiana and elsewhere. And today the group unveiled a TV ad that accuses John McCain and other Republicans of trying to intimidate voters, especially minority voters. It's also a party to lawsuits aimed at fighting voter suppression.

ACORN stands for the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now.

And new polls from three big states show widening leads for Obama. In Florida, our latest poll of polls shows a four-point gap between Obama and McCain among likely voters. Yesterday's gap was a single point.

In Ohio, the poll of polls shows Obama leading McCain by eight points. On Monday, he led by four.

And in Pennsylvania, Obama's lead is up to 11 points from ten the day before.

Now, you may have noticed, and I hope you did, that all polls those include five, or six or seven percent who say they're still undecided. Still, with six days left in a race that's gone on almost two years, if you're a last-minute mind-maker-uppers, we want to know why. Tell us what you're thinking. What's holding you back? What are you waiting for? Send your e-mail to CNNnewsroom@CNN.com. We'll read some of those as we move along in the next hour or two.

And talk about getting busted. In Massachusetts, a state Senator is ensnared in a bribery investigation. Prosecutors say that these photos show Senator Diane Wilkerson stuffing cash under her shirt. The alleged bribes came during meeting with undercover agents posing as businessmen.

Wilkerson, a Boston Democrat, allegedly accepted more than $23,000 in bribes. But her lawyer says the photos don't show the entire context of the meetings.

Wilkerson was released on $50 million bond after appealing in federal court. She did not enter a plea.

Well, parts of the northeast are digging out from the region's first big snowstorm of the season. Take a look at this. Heavy, wet snow brought down trees and power lines in upstate New York and New Jersey, leaving thousands of people without power. Some areas got more than a foot of snow.

The early winter blast reached as far south as the mountains of North Carolina, where up to three inches of snow fell.

Meteorologist Chad Myers is keeping track of what's happening now.

Hi, Chad.

(WEATHER REPORT)

PHILLIPS: All right. We'll be tracking it.

CHAD MYERS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: All right.

PHILLIPS: Thanks, Chad.

MYERS: You got it.

PHILLIPS: The lines at the polls, the crowds at the rallies, are minuscule compared to the audience Barack Obama will speak to tonight. Obama's 30-minute infomercial airs in primetime on several major networks: CBS, NBC, FOX, MSNBC, BET, TV-1 and Univision.

CNN's Jessica Yellin tells us what we might see and hear -- Jessica.

JESSICA YELLIN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Kyra. Well, the event is going to be a 30-minute ad, as you say, in which Barack Obama will be making his case, essentially to voters who can't hear him at a rally, just to viewers out there who catch him on the air.

It will be partly Obama speaking direct to the camera, directly to viewers. Partly a breakaway from Obama to look at the stories of what they're calling regular voters, you know, middle-class folks who are having problems in this economy. And then a moment of Barack Obama live, and he will be coming from where I am right now, the big Atlantic Center in Sunrise, Florida.

So this is really Obama's opportunity to, what they're calling the closing argument, to try to sell those late deciders to sign up and vote for him.

PHILLIPS: So what do you think? Is this effective...

YELLIN: Well, you know, the thing is, this hasn't been done before. Not really. Ross Perot attempted it, but not by a major party candidate. It costs $3.5 million to $5 million, based on our own estimate. Most candidates don't have that that this late in the race.

But for Barack Obama, look, he's got the money. He's trying. We do encounter people at rallies who say we're coming here, even at this late date, because they still haven't made up their mind. They want to hear directly from the candidate. And so those are the people he's trying to reach.

PHILLIPS: All right. Now we should probably point out that green -- or that CNN didn't green-light this. Should we explain why?

YELLIN: Right. Right. Well, what our folks are saying is that it was offered to CNN, and CNN decided that -- here's a quote -- "We would rather use our air to continue to cover the campaign candidates and issues like we always do from all points of view with the best political team on television." I had to read that part.

Basically, look, we're a news -- we're a news channel. We're in news programming at that time, and they made the decision to stay in news programming -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: OK. We're shameless. The best political team on television. We have no problem saying we are the best political team on television. All right. Making all the right decisions. Thanks, Jessica.

John McCain will speak out on the Obama ad and a lot more on "LARRY KING LIVE." That's at 9 p.m. Eastern, 6 Pacific right here on CNN.

And with three teenagers abandoned in the last three days, Nebraska's governor says he's got to act. He's calling a special session of the legislature so the state's safe haven law can be changed.

Unlike other states, Nebraska's wording allows parents to abandon kids up to 18. Everywhere else it's limited to babies. Well, at least 23 children have been surrendered since Nebraska's law took effect in July, most of them teenagers.

The special session gets underway November 14. We're going to keep a close eye on that.

And a Georgia woman who abandoned her son in Nebraska is due in court shortly. A judge will decide custody of the 12-year-old, who's flying back to Atlanta. His mom says that his behavior problems became so overwhelming that she couldn't find help locally, so she made use of Nebraska's safe haven law. She had hoped to get him into Boys Town, the Nebraska school for troubled kids, that she once attended. And an agonizing morning for the family of a missing New York woman. Leah Walsh, a special ed teacher, hasn't been seen since Monday. Now, a few hours ago, police found a woman's body in that area, but they say it's too early to make any links to the Walsh case.

After co-workers reported her missing, the teacher's car and purse were found on the side of the road. The unidentified body was found 13 miles away from her car.

And as campaign seasons dragged on for what seems like forever, so can you believe a lot of Americans still haven't made up their minds? We'll find out why they're probably still sitting on the fence with just six days to go.

And in this troubled economy, forget the McMansion. Downsizing is in, and some Americans are taking it to the extreme. We'll take a tour of some really tiny homes.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: Well, it's the most publicized presidential race ever, generating voter excitement across every demographic, and it's been going on for what seems like forever. So how in the world are some voters still undecided, and what exactly are these people thinking?

Dr. Sanjay Gupta has some answers.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: So you're still undecided? Well, a lot of people are going to call you wishy-washy, tell you you can't make up your mind, but the answers to why you're undecided may lie deep inside your brain. In fact, neuroscientists from Princeton tried to figure who are these undecided voters, really?

Really, you can break them down into two groups. One group of people simply need to gather a lot of evidence before they can finally commit to a decision. That's one group.

A second group of people may in fact know. They may, in fact, have a decision in their brain, but they haven't emotionally become attached to that decision yet.

Let's take a look at what happens in the brain. This is an area of the brain called the parietal cortex. It's important because this area of the brain specifically is where you gather so much of that evidence. Evidence gathers up. Some people need a lot of evidence. Some people need little evidence. You start to gather it up.

And at some point the brain suddenly transitions, like a switch that goes off, and you commit to a particular decision. Those are people who may be undecided now but will be decided by the time the election actually comes around.

As far as the other group, their brain has already decided. It's already pointing them in a particular direction. They simply don't know it yet.

There is a third group, as well. It's very interesting. This is a group of people who think they absolutely know who they're going to vote for, but when they walk into the booth, in fact, they vote for someone else. Their brain told them to vote for someone else, even though their emotions told them to vote for their original choice.

Now, if you want to sort of tease out these undecideds and who they're actually going to vote for, the pollers [SIC] are actually doing some interesting questions. Instead of the typical question, which might be, "If the election were held today, would you vote for Senator Obama or Senator McCain," they ask more open-ended questions. Questions like, "Who do you think understands your problems better? Are you more concerned about the economy or terrorism? Which candidate has the better temperament?"

I think all this points out that the brains are tricky, and polls are not perfect. But we're going to have a decision, hopefully, in the next several days.

Back to you for now.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

PHILLIPS: All right. So what about you? Still undecided? Tell us why. Send us an e-mail. The address is CNNnewsroom@CNN.com.

Early voting is setting records this election year, and a lot of our iReporters are waiting in the long lines and sharing their photos with us. This is what David Carroll and his wife faced, northeast of Atlanta, when they showed up as a polling place on Monday. The wait, 4.5 hours. They couldn't stay. And when we went back yesterday, well, the same story.

More than 20 percent of Georgia voters have already cast early ballots.

In Nevada, there are no reports of the huge lines we're seeing in Georgia and other states. Our iReporter, Jason Dinant, voted Monday night in Las Vegas. The state has made it pretty easy, setting up polls in shopping centers and other busy areas. Dinant says that there was a steady line at this polling place, but no long lines like you saw on the first day of early voting, which started nearly two weeks ago in Nevada.

And the upside of downsizing. There's a lot to love inside these tiny homes. Talk about close quarters.

And the sight of children struggling in poverty was too much for Maria Ruiz. She decided to do something about it. We're going to meet her. And you'll see why she's a CNN hero.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: We're showing you the real effects of a struggling economy on real people. Take Arizona State University. It's planning to cut at least 200 faculty positions, and that means that some lecture classes with around 300 students could turn into classes with up to 1,000 students.

Those changes come amid fears of severe cuts in state education funding. The university says that it's expecting to lose at least $25 million. That's on top of the $30 million in cuts it's already suffered. Students say they're worried.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

STEVEN BOHNER, ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY STUDENT: I think fewer teachers means that they're not going to be able to offer as much curriculum, as many classes. I've heard that they're going to be cutting back on how much we do in the classes and what classes are even offered, which is a shame, because you like to get as much variety as you can.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PHILLIPS: Well, the university says that there will be likely cuts in other areas, as well.

Now, homes, small homes. Owners of tiny houses say the square footage may be tight but the price is right.

CNN's Thelma Gutierrez takes a look.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

THELMA GUTIERREZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): In the middle of California wine country, Bill Krastinos is learning less is more.

(on camera) How many square feet?

BILL KRASTINOS, OWNS TINY HOUSE: It's 98 square feet on the first level.

GUTIERREZ (voice-over): For Jay Shafer, smaller is better.

(on camera) How many square feet here?

JAY SHAFER, OWNS TINY HOUSE: Depends on how you count it, but I usually just say 100.

GUTIERREZ (voice-over): They live in teeny, tiny homes not much bigger than a child's playhouse.

SHAFER: On this side of this room, we've got a couple of puppy chairs, flanking a boat fireplace.

GUTIERREZ (on camera): Oh, my gosh. Where do you sleep?

B. KRASTINOS: This is the sleeping loft upstairs.

GUTIERREZ (voice-over): There's barely enough room for two people. SHAFER: A stove and a refrigerator, even a little toaster oven.

GUTIERREZ: But Jay and Bill say owning a tiny house is the trade-off for living without debt.

SHAFER: I would say I'm living on less than $15,000 a year. Mortgage-free.

GUTIERREZ: Jay says thousands of people across the country are unloading clutter and getting rid of big houses to join the small house movement.

SHAFER: I look around and I do see a lot of people who seem like they're slaves to their homes.

GUTIERREZ: Jay says purging allowed him the freedom to walk away from a job he didn't want.

SHAFER: I didn't want to pay rent or a mortgage forever. So my plan was to escape the rat race.

GUTIERREZ: Now he designs small homes for people who want a scaled-down version of the American dream.

SHAFER: Above the kitchen is the access to the loft.

GUTIERREZ: This is the toilet shower, and imagine climbing a ladder to bed every night.

(on camera) Are you making a political statement here or is this about being practical?

SHAFER: It's both. It's a very practical thing for me. If I didn't have 100-square-foot house like this I couldn't afford to live in this county. Aside from that, politically speaking, I like the idea of showing people how little a person could need.

B. KRASTINOS: Air conditioner just needs to be raised up a little bit.

GUTIERREZ (voice-over): Bill and Sharon Krastinos joined the movement out of necessity.

B. KRASTINOS: We had a construction business in Southern California, and things started slowing down with the economy.

GUTIERREZ: So they started building small homes. In six months, they've already sold 11.

(on camera) What do you think you gain in exchange?

SHARON KRASTINOS, OWNS TINY HOME: I think the freedom. It's a tremendous burden that's off your shoulders. Small is OK. And it might even be better.

(END VIDEOTAPE) PHILLIPS: Owners of tiny houses say they cost between $15,000 and $45,000 and you can park them anywhere you want, even in an RV park.

Well, the people behind "made in China." A rare look at the working conditions of those who make what you buy.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: And hello everyone. I'm Kyra Phillips live at the CNN world headquarters in Atlanta. And you're live in the CNN NEWSROOM.

One-twenty-eight Eastern Time. Here are some of the stories we're working on in the CNN NEWSROOM.

Nebraska's governor will convene a special session at the legislature next month to tighten the state's safe haven law. Lawmakers are expected to amend the law so it only applies to infants up to three days old. Now anyone can leave a child as old as 18 at state-licensed hospitals without fear of prosecution.

Winter arrives early in the Northeast. A storm system is dumping snow throughout upstate New York and much of New England.

Democratic voters going to the polls early are outnumbering Republicans in some battleground states. Analysts say that registered Democrats in North Carolina are out-voting Republicans by nearly a 2-1 margin, and the Dems' turnout appears to be higher in Colorado and Nevada.

Seventy-nine years ago today the stock market crashed, an event that helped trigger the Great Depression. Now fast-forward to 2008, and we're in the midst of another economic crisis, although not nearly as bad.

(BUSINESS REPORT)

PHILLIPS: Well, there are new strains this hour between the U.S. and Pakistan, a key ally in President Bush's war on terror. Pakistan today, issued a strong protest to the American ambassador after recent U.S. drone missile strikes in the Pakistani border areas from Afghanistan. Now, those strikes have reportedly killed at least two senior al Qaeda commanders in Pakistan. But have also been blamed for civilian deaths. Pakistan says those attacks are undermining its efforts to fight terror.

And more tainted eggs are showing up in China. Health officials in Hong Kong say that they found more fresh eggs contaminated with the chemical melamine. That's the same chemical behind China's tainted milk scandal that sickened more than 50,000 children. U.N. officials say that it may have mixed in animal feed and could turn up in chicken, pork, farmed fish and other products.

Now, long hours and low wages. Forced labor, dangerous environments. For years human rights groups have criticized China, and many foreign companies for subjected Chinese workers to these types of conditions. Well, some improvements have been made but critics say that much more needs to be done.

CNN's Eunice Yoon has this rare look inside the life of one Chinese garment worker.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

EUNICE YOON, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Straining her eyes, Chinese worker Luo Jian Fui stitches material with near perfect precision. These sweaters sold in ritzy shops all over the world are made here in China, by what might appear as a sea of anonymous people working overtime. But not this to Luo.

LUO JIAN FUI, CHINESE FACTORY WORKER (through translator): I feel happy to work here. We're like a family.

YOON (on camera): Lou is one of the millions of Chinese workers who migrate here to the industrial south to work at a factory like this one. These are the faces of "Made in China."

(voice-over): From all over the country they toil in sprawling factories, on assembly line after assembly line. Luo sits here for nine hours a day, 5 1/2 days a week for $200 a month, less than the price of some of these sweaters.

FUI: It's more expensive to live in other countries. But the cost of living here is low. It's kind of reasonable.

YOON: $200 might not sound like a lot of money to you. But, to this 30-year-old, it's a small fortune. So, Luo traveled hundreds of miles from her hometown in Hunan Province to start a life here and was kind enough to show it to us.

Across from the factory, her dormitory. Up the stairs to one of the floors reserved for female workers, her room. She shows us her bed and on the upper bunk, all her, belongings. Luo shares the room with four other women she met six years ago on her first day here.

But back home, it's harder to come by little luxuries like these ones. A TV set, an air conditioner, a hot plate and a cooker. Each room has its own washing area and a toilet. And just outside, the factory calls.

Some of the larger machines are handled by men. One of them is Luo's husband who she met here. Couples housing is full, so Luo and her husband live separately on the single sex floors. Occasionally, they rent a room outside the factory gates. Yet the two choose to reside at the dorm, where food and lodging are free. And send money back home to support their parents and their son who they only see twice a year.

FUI: I owe him a lot because I cannot stay with him the whole time. I miss him so much.

YOON: Also on Luo's mind, imperfections in the economy, as other Chinese factories close down.

FUI: I have some worries about the job market. But workers will get compensation if they are fired.

YOON: Still, she keeps her head down, hoping to be insulated from a global economic freeze.

Eunice Yoon, CNN, Dongguan, China.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

PHILLIPS: Well, there is a silver lining in this economy. If you've got the money, you can make it go pretty far in some stores. Dish from the discount diva, next hour.

And she saw need. Now, she's making a difference. That's why Maria Ruiz is a CNN Hero. We're going to meet her and find out how she's changing thousands of lives for the better. .

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: Well, more than 350,000 votes have been cast for CNN Hero of the Year. And the top honoree will be announced Thanksgiving night during an all-star tribute, right here on CNN. They are amazing people and we're going to meet one of them in just a minute.

But first, I want you to have a quick look at the 10 finalists.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

VOICE OF JAMES EARL JONES, ACTOR: The 2008 CNN Hero Honorees. They all dare to make a difference.

TAD AGOGLIA, COMMUNITY CRUSADER: I put together a crew that stays on the road 12 months out of the year, responds to disasters all over America, free of charge.

MARIA DA SILVA, CHAMPIONING CHILDREN: My mission is to educate eight orphans in Malawi.

YOHANNES GEBREGEORGIS, CHAMPIONING CHILDREN: I'm bringing literacy to the children of Ethiopia.

ANNE MAHLUM, COMMUNITY CRUSADER: And we use running to help the homeless move forward.

DAVID PUCKETT, MEDICAL MARVEL: I bring artificial limbs and orthopedic braces for those in need to Mexico.

LIZ MCCARTNEY, COMMUNITY CRUSADER: I'm helping families rebuild in St. Bernard Parish.

CAROLYN LECROY, CHAMPIONING CHILDREN: I started the Messages Project so that incarcerated parents can keep in touch with their kids.

PHYMEAN NOUN, CHAMPIONING CHILDREN: I recruit children from this dump to attend school at my organization.

MARIA RUIZ, CHAMPIONING CHILDREN: I cross the border to help people in (INAUDIBLE).

VIOLA VAUGHAN, CHAMPIONING CHILDREN: I came to Senegal from Detroit, Michigan. I started a girls education and self-sufficiency program.

JONES: Your vote will help one become the CNN Hero of the Year. Vote now, CNN.com/hero.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PHILLIPS: Well, Maria Ruiz is one of the extraordinary people who you just saw. And she spent the past dozen years crossing the border from her Texas home to Juarez, Mexico, several times as week, taking food, clothing and other essentials to children's in need. Maria Ruiz joins me now live from El Paso, Texas.

Hi, Maria.

MARIA RUIZ, CNN HEROES HONOREE: Hello, Kyra. How are you?

PHILLIPS: Good. It's so good to see you. And if you don't mind, tell our viewers why these children and why Juarez?

RUIZ: Why these children and why Juarez? Juarez is a third- world country, Kyra, and there's lots of need there. And if you see the children, you know, you'll -- basically when you cross the border, life is different. You know, You notice a change right away. It's a third-world country.

PHILLIPS: And you were actually on your way to a funeral, right? And you had a long drive and were you just noticing all of these kids and the fact they had no homes, no parents.

Tell me about that moment and how it moved you and what inspired you to do what you're doing now.

RUIZ: OK. When I saw the children, I saw the kids, you know, that -- they didn't have any shoes. You know, they were homeless. The homes that they had, they were made out of pallets and wood and then, like, for the doors, they had just a sheet. You know, for the windows they had plastic bags. You know, those black plastic bags. And the then roof, that's what they had. All plastic and cardboard. They had no floors, Kyra. They had -- it was just -- it was just something, you know, that just touched me, you know when I saw that.

PHILLIPS: And I can feel it and I hear it in your voice. And you know, when I look at the pictures on your web site, there was one picture that really tugged at my heart. And it's you and your volunteers and husband Jesus, teaching these kids how to pray.

Tell me about that. I mean, you're not only providing schooling for them and a place to eat and a place to live. But, you know, there's a spirituality that you're bringing to these kids' lives that they never had before.

RUIZ: Yes, Kyra. One of the purposes also is to bring hope to their lives. To bring you know, life back to them. And on the spiritual part, we're there my husband is the pastor there. And you know, he -- in that picture particularly, he was teaching them how to pray and how to ask God for the answers that we need in life.

And it's awesome, because the kids have learned to pray, and also they have, they're there, and they're excited. That's why we started the church. We, you know -- we were just going to be, start up a feeding program and it developed now into what is right now is the church and to -- go ahead, I'm sorry.

PHILLIPS: No. It's OK. That was another picture that I noticed, too. Seeing the shacks that were used as these classrooms. We're looking at that picture now. I thought, oh, my gosh. This is where they were living and trying to learn. And then the building that you built. What a difference.

Tell me how that has just transformed their desire to learn, their desire to want to get up and go to school.

RUIZ: You know, when children are fed well, Kyra, you know, their ability to learn is greater. And if they're fed well, they pay more attention in school and their ability is there, you know.

And you know, on this, the building that we're building right now, you know, it's going to be a orphanage, a training center and a community kitchen. And the community kitchen will be able to feed 500 children at a time. And then the orphanage will be able to house 100 children at a time. And the training center you know, will be able to teach them a trade.

Because they only go up to sixth grade. Some of them have six, seven brothers and they only can go up to sixth grade. And that's all the education that they will get. But with the training center, it will teach them a trade. It will teach them how to, you know -- we're going to teach them English. Since we're just right across the border, they'll have a bet are life.

And you know, all that we're doing, Kyra, is just trying to make a better life for those children that are there. And to give them an opportunity that they don't have right now.

PHILLIPS: Well, and if you go to your web site, you've just got incredible images of the children and what you're doing and what you're providing for them.

How do they inspire you?

RUIZ: The children?

PHILLIPS: Yes.

RUIZ: Oh, they inspire me! They inspire me by -- but just by what -- you know, they don't have to tell me anything. But if I watch them and if I see them, just by their smiles or when they, let's say I give them a stuffed animal and they just hold on to it. They won't let it go. You know, like if you have something to eat and they have like a hot dog or a bowl of something, they won't drop it. They'll hold on to it until they're finished eating it. I mean, that is what touches me. And that, just to see the kids, you know, the way they react, the way they do thing. And they're children. They don't know that they don't have. But we know, and when we are able to provide for them, that's my -- that's what inspires me to keep on going. The kids, their faces. Just the way they are.

PHILLIPS: Their spirit.

RUIZ: Yes. The kids are awesome.

PHILLIPS: Well, Maria, I want to --

It's kids are awesome.

I want to encourage everyone to go to your web site, jemministriesep.org. And there's that picture I was looking for. This is one where you're teaching the kids how to pray. That's the image I want everybody just to keep in their minds and their hearts today, as we end this interview.

Maria Ruiz, it's such an honor to get to know you and talk to you. And we're so glad you're one of our heroes. You inspire all of us.

RUIZ: Thank you, Kyra. You know, I know, Kyra, you know, and I'm honored to be given such a title, and -- but I know that I'm not a hero. I can do a lot more, much more. And we can all do -- we can all -- if we all pitch in, we all -- we can all make somebody else's life better.

PHILLIPS: You're absolutely right, Maria. I couldn't agree more. Thank you so much. (FOREIGN LANGUAGE SPOKEN).

RUIZ: Thank you, Kyra.

PHILLIPS: Well, don't forget to vote for your favorite hero, CNN.com/heroes. There are incredible choices. All 10 are amazing. We're going profile each one of these special people until the big night. Anderson Cooper will announce the winner at an all-star tribute, right here on CNN, Thanksgiving night.

Well, call it balloting for better health. Many early voters are standing in long lines and some of them are also rolling up their sleeves. We'll explain.

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PHILLIPS: Count down to the election. CNN has been covering 10 issues over 10 days. We've already looked at where the presidential candidates stand on the economy, taxes, energy and health care. Today, we turn to the page of education. Let's take a closer look.

Barack Obama would increase early childhood education funding to the tune of $10 billion a year. John McCain would pump hundreds of millions of dollars into virtual schools and online education. Now on No Child Left Behind, Obama says that the goal is on target, but the program has significant flaws. McCain voted for it in the Senate and says, it's just the beginning of education reform.

Obama wants to expand mentoring programs and give scholarships to teachers. McCain favors bonuses for teachers who boost student performance. He also wants extra funding for states who recruit teachers near the top of their graduating class.

Now, Obama supports a $4,000 tuition tax credit along with expanding Pell Grants and lowering interest rates on college loans. McCain wants to simplify tax benefits and consolidate the government's financial aid program.

Well, call it the Wal-Mart approach to the election and your health. Early voters getting the chance to do some one-stop shopping. They cast ballots and they get a flu shot. It could be a winning strategy for health care providers. Our medical correspondent Elizabeth Cohen, here with all the details.

So, did you do both?

ELIZABETH COHEN, CNN MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: I didn't do either. Because I already had a flu shot and it's not my district. So, I didn't do either.

But, there was the opportunity for everyone else to vote and get a vaccine. And the weight at the place that I was at earlier today, it was more than three hours. So, just to fight to boredom, you might want to get a flu shot.

They're offering vote and vacs in 35 states, 242 different clinics. Some people got the shots in line. Others said, it's too cold. I want to roll up my sleeve inside. One woman said to me, oh, does this mean that when you vote, you have to get a shot? They just jab you with a needle? And I said, no, no, no. Totally voluntary. It's your choice whether or not you want to get a flu shot.

PHILLIPS: All right. Well, how do you know who needs a flu shot?

COHEN: You know what? More people need a flu shot than you might think. The CDC recommends actually that 85 percent of Americans get a flu shot.

So, kids 6 months to 18 years of age should get a flu shot. Adults 50 and over, and then anyone who lives with either of those groups should get a flu shot. So, that totals up to about 85 percent of people. In addition, folks with diabetes and other diseases ought to get flu shots.

PHILLIPS: All right. So, how do you find out where the closest vote and vacs is for you?

COHEN: You go to CNN.com/health. My colleague Madison Park has written a wonderful story about where these are and what you have to do and the paperwork you have to fill out. You'll see us there. Again CNN.com/health.

PHILLIPS: Perfect. Thanks, Elizabeth.

COHEN: Thanks.

PHILLIPS: Well, taking a jab at an unusual goal. The University of Minnesota says its shattered the Guinness World Record for the most flu shots given in a single day. Yesterday, the school administered 11,538 free flu shots to students and staff.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

I'm telling everybody. I am going to call all of my family and say, check out that book, because I'm in the Guinness Book of World Records.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PHILLIPS: Well, the old record was set in 2006, when more than 3,200 shots were given in Sanford, Florida. The world record won't officially be broken until everything's recounted and confirmed by the folk at Guinness. But, so far, it's looking pretty good.

Well, how long is that long arm of the law? About 23 stories. Police getting some help from Bill the Crane Guy, with a eagle eye.

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PHILLIPS: And we're expecting John McCain to hold a speaking engagement there in Tampa, Florida, actually at the university. Not quite sure what it's about. It's a national security round table we're being told, being held there the University of Tampa. And when he steps up to the mic, we'll take it live.

Meanwhile, police chasing an escaped felon gets some help from above. Not divine intervention, though. Just an alert guy in a construction crane. It went down in Bellevue, just outside Seattle.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BILL DAVENPORT, CRANE OPERATOR: I heard over the radio, look at all the police officers. And I looked over to my right and I could see about six or eight police officers bolting out of City Hall. And I could just see this whole block of officers moving in one direction and the fellow going way up here. And I just commented over the radio, they're missing them.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PHILLIPS: So, Davenport actually helped redirect the chase and the cops ran down their guy, actually. The police are calling him and his crew Hard Hat Heroes.

The next hour of CNN NEWSROOM starts right now.