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Early Voting Rules Confuse Some Voters; Virginia NAACP Sues For Longer Voting Hours; Candidates Pack in Heavy Last-Minute Schedules

Aired November 03, 2008 - 14:00   ET

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

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The tax trifecta from hell!
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR, CNN NEWSROOM: Los Angeles, the City of Angels, apparently home to a real devil, a serial killer who brings back nightmarish memories.

And remember this guy? Where the heck is he? President Bush, the invisible man on the campaign trail.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

Hello, everyone. I'm Kyra Phillips live at the CNN World Headquarters in Atlanta, and you're live in the CNN NEWSROOM.

So many voters, so many issues, so little time. The presidential race that often felt endless is just about to end, but it's not slowing down. Between 9:00 a.m. Eastern today and 2:00 a.m. tomorrow, John McCain and Sarah Palin will have hit 11 states from Florida to Arizona, four of those states also getting last-minute visits from Barack Obama or Joe Biden. The Democratic ticket hitting seven states in all, this election even, ending with a midnight Obama rally in sweet home Chicago.

And our latest and maybe last nationwide Poll of Polls shows Obama's lead is intact. He's supported by 51 percent of likely voters, 44 percent want McCain, 5 percent are still undecided and that's an average of nine nationwide surveys done between October 28 and November 1st.

Now our voter hotline has been ringing off the hook with all the calls about voting problems. So far, we've gotten more than 25,000. You've heard that right, 25,000 calls from all of you. Everything from standing in line for hours on end to voter machine snags and a whole lot more. CNN's Carroll Costello has answered all 26 -- 25 ,000 viewer calls, joins us now.

I knew I would flub that up - to help us out. I know you took a handful of them. I know that.

CAROL COSTELLO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I did. I was amazing, Kyra, if I do say so myself. We have had a lot of calls. So we found in necessary to come up with a Carol Costello voter survival guide. We took our cameras across the country to ask people in person what they would be concerned about come Tuesday, when you know the big surge happens. Here are some of their questions.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Hi, my name is Asia (ph), from Los Angeles, California. My question is on the day of the elections, if there is any electronic malfunction, will our vote still be counted and how will they know who we voted for if there is a glitch in the system?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: Asia, that is a good question. I want to tell you there have been glitches with electronic voting machines. In fact, in Florida, they had a problem with the alignment, but that has since been fixed. Now, if you notice a glitch of any kind inside the polling booth with your machine, go out and talk to the poll worker. That's what they're there for.

Also, that poll worker should have a paper receipt of your vote that you can check out. Keep this in mind. Before there was electronic voting machines when we punched those cards, between 4 and 6 million votes were lost. Electronic voting has made it better. Really. One more thing, Asia, the most common voting system used across the country, including California, is the optical scan machine. And it has the lowest error rate of any voting method.

One more question.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: My name is Ted Calvert (ph) from Smyrna, Georgia. My question is, how do I know that my absentee ballot will be counted?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: Good question. Ted, many states, including Georgia, have online systems for voters to check the status of their absentee ballots. So go online to check if your absentee ballot was recorded. But wait a few days until after the election, or maybe even a few weeks, because absentee ballots are among the last counted. There is one more thing. Your absentee ballot must be postmarked November 4th to be legally counted. Otherwise you're just out of luck - Kyra.

PHILLIPS: Thank you, Carol.

COSTELLO: Sure.

More than 24 million of us won't be in voting lines tomorrow because we've already voted. Some 2.5 million early or absentee ballots were cast in North Carolina alone. Pre-election voting ended there on Saturday. In Ohio, the voting goes on; early voting ends there tonight. A few short hours before regular voting begins.

Ahead of election day, big worries about how the voting will go in Virginia and with good reason. Early voters faced long lines, bogus flyers told people to vote on the wrong day. And now a federal court is hearing a lawsuit filed by the NAACP. CNN's Dan Lothian joins us live from Richmond. Hey, Dan.

DAN LOTHIAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It's like a gumbo of stories that we have here in Virginia.

Indeed, we have had some encouraging numbers here come into the state of elections officials telling us that about 10 percent of the voters - of the more than 5 million registered voters here in the state of Virginia did vote or cast absentee ballots. What they say is that that means tomorrow when they're expecting those record numbers to turn out on election day, that perhaps this will ease some of the pressure.

Now, I should point out there have been some long lines over the weekend as folks were showing up to vote absentee, in person. And part of the reason was because there was some confusion. Folks thought that perhaps they could just do early voting. They don't have early voting here in the state of Virginia. They have absentee in person. What that means is that you to have a reason to vote early. And some people didn't realize that. So when they showed up, they were not able to cast their votes. That did cause some confusion and added to the already long lines that they had in place.

Now, you also brought up one other issue that we have been following here in the state of Virginia. That is that lawsuit from the NAACP. They're asking the courts for extended hours on election day, a couple more hours. The polls close at 7:00. They want the polls to close at 9:00. They're also asking for the reallocation of voting machines to areas, African-American communities.

There will be a hearing in a little bit more than an hour from now. I was talking to some of the elections officials. And I said, what happens if the court rules that you have to add some of these machines or you have to extend the hours? And they told me that they not only have a plan B, but a plan C, a plan D, a plan Z. They're prepared to do whatever the court tells them. We'll find out more in a couple official hours.

You also brought up that bogus flyer that had been circulating since October 24. Essentially it was telling anyone who was -- is a Republican or an Independent-leaning Republican that you get to vote on the 4th, but if you're a Democrat or an Independent-leaning Democrat, then you don't get to vote until the 5th. Of course, it was bogus. Well, elections officials telling us that the state police were able to track down the person who started circulating that flyer. And they describe it as being a joke that got out of control. The state police continues to investigate. And they'll determine whether or not they should move forward and that charges should be brought against this individual.

And finally, Kyra, the big thing that people worry about on election day is the weather. We are expecting to get some rain here tomorrow afternoon. So there's some concern that weather could be a factor. Although one official told me that everyone in the state is so energized, they think they'll show up to the polls rain or shine.

PHILLIPS: Doesn't surprise me. Dan Lothian, thanks so much.

We want to get now to John McCain. He's holding a rally in Moon Township, Pennsylvania. Let's go ahead and listen in.

(BEGIN LIVE FEED, IN PROGRESS)

JOHN MCCAIN (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: ...his party on any issue. He has stayed in the far left lane of American politics. The next president won't have time to learn how to change Washington or get used to the office. Many Americans face many challenges here at home, many enemies abroad in this dangerous world. You know, the other one that -- that is entered interestingly in the American political scene is Senator Biden. Joe -- Joe the Biden.

Now, he -- he in his own words just the other day, as you probably know, said, mark my words -- these are his words, mark my words, Senator Obama would be tested because of his youth and inexperience with an international crisis, and at the same time, Democrats in Congress are talking about deep defense cuts. We have troops fighting in two wars. And the Democrats' answer is to lower our defenses and put someone in office who our enemies will test? I've been tested, and I've passed that test. Senator Obama hasn't.

(APPLAUSE)

You know, he's been wrong during this whole campaign in the short time he's been in the Senate, practically one in the same. He said he would sit down unconditionally with dictators. When Russia invaded Georgia, Senator Obama said the invaded country should, quote, "show restraint." He opposed a surge strategy that has worked in Iraq and will work in Afghanistan. When I'm president, we're going to win in Iraq and win in Afghanistan. And our troops will come home with victory and honor and not in defeat.

My friends, my friends, let me give you some straight talk about the election. America faces a big choice, and there's just one day left. The pundits have written us off just like they've done four or five times in the past, and my opponent is measuring the drapes in the White House. You know, they may not know it, but the Mac is back!

(APPLAUSE, CHEERS)

And we're going to win this election. We're going to win it. Now, my friends, look, I know you're worried. America is a great country, but we are at a moment of national crisis that will determine our future. Let me ask, will we continue to lead the world's economies or will we be overtaken? Will the world become safer or more dangerous? Will our military remain the strongest in the world? Will our children and grandchildren's future be brighter than ours?

My answer to you is yes! Yes, we will lead. Yes, we will prosper. Yes, we will be safer. Yes, we will pass on to our children a stronger, better country. But we must be prepared to act swiftly, boldly, and with courage.

I am an American, and I choose to fight. Don't give up hope. (APPLAUSE, CHEERS)

Be strong. Have courage and fight! Fight for a new direction for our country! Fight for what's right for America! Fight to clean up the mess of corruption, infighting, and selfishness in Washington! Fight to get our economy out of the ditch and back in the lead! Fight for the ideals and character of a free people! Fight for our children's futures! Fight for justice and opportunity for all! Stand up, stand up to defend our country from its enemies! Stand up, stand up, stand up and fight! America is worth fighting for!

Nothing is inevitable here. We never give up. We never quit. We never hide from history. We make history. Now, let's go win this election and get this country moving again! God bless you, God bless Pennsylvania! God bless America. Thank you. Get out the vote!

(END LIVE FEED)

PHILLIPS: John McCain rallying up his supporters there in Missouri. We're following all the candidates as we are approaching election eve.

Well, he's the leader of the Republican Party, so where is President Bush as John McCain tries to keep the GOP in control of the Oval Office? We'll find out how Mr. Bush has been spending the days before the election.

And Senator Lindsey Graham calls Pelosi, Reid and Obama the tax trifecta from hell.

Partisanship aside, what might happen if there is a Democratic landslide tomorrow?

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: Richard Ramirez, AKA, the Night Stalker, he terrorized L.A. during the 1980s, much like the Hillside Stranglers before him. Now it looks like the City of Angels has another serial killer. The Grim Sleeper believed responsible for killing 11 women from 1985 until last year. One woman managed to get away. The killer has left DNA behind but that still hasn't been enough. The city is offering a $500,000 reward for a conviction.

A South Carolina family grieving over the killing of their 12- year old son on Halloween. Tony Darrisaw was tricker treating when police say a man shot through his front door with an AK-47. The boy's brother and father were wounded in the shooting. Police say the shooter is a felon with multiple drug convictions. He faces murder and related chargers.

Parishioners at a Cincinnati church are trying to heal after their minister was shot and killed at a funeral just over the state line. According to police, a gunman opened fire on the Reverend Donald Fairbanks and a deacon as they arrived at a church in Cummingtons (ph), Kentucky. The deacon was injured and is hospitalized. Police say the suspect later surrendered. He appeared in court today, was ordered held on several charges, including murder. No motive yet for the shooting.

A private funeral is taking place in Chicago this afternoon for the mom, brother, and seven-year-old nephew of actress Jennifer Hudson. The three were found shot to death late last month. Police have not yet charged anyone with the crime. The funeral comes one day after hundreds of people, including some of Hudson's fans, gathered at her childhood church for a memorial for the victims.

The home of the Big Red Dot isn't seeing enough green. That's bad news for employees. We'll tell you why Circuit City may be harder to do.

Fast and furious, Barack Obama and John McCain tearing down the homestretch this election eve. We've got the latest on where they are and what they're saying.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: We're not officially in a recession unless the National Bureau of Economic Research says so, but nearly 100 of the country's top economists think we're already there, and won't bounce back until 2010 at the earliest, when a key index that measures manufacturing falls below 41. That's considered a recession. The October number, just under 39. That's the lowest since 1982.

And Spain let will a half million families wait two years to make some of their mortgage payments. The socialist government will guarantee that money.

Well, going lean and mean. Circuit City is cutting more jobs and stores, blaming a slowdown in the economy. The No. 2 consumer electronics retailer is closing about 20 percent of its stores now. That could mean lay-offs of up to 7,300 workers. The Virginia-based company hopes to shift some employees to other locations. Circuit City is leaving a dozen markets including Phoenix and Atlanta by the end of December. It's also planning to cut back on new store openings and hopes to renegotiate leases at existing ones.

Also taking another hit is the U.S. auto industry. General Motors applied for multi-billion dollar federal loan, but that was turned down. Susan Lisovicz at the New York Stock Exchange with the details.

Hey, Susan.

SUSAN LISOVICZ, CNN FINANCIAL CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Kyra.

It's a double blow for GM with bad news on financing and sales. The world's largest auto maker asked the Treasury for $10 billion, the money to help GM finance a merger with Chrysler. But according to "The New York Times," the government said no. Instead the Bush administration is said to be speeding up a separate $25 billion loan that was approved in September. That loan is for developing more fuel- efficient vehicles.

But the recent push towards fuel-efficient cars has had an unexpected outcome. It drove up corn prices and is now causing Verasun, the nation's second largest ethanol producer, to file for bankruptcy. Ethanol, of course, is made from corn.

How quickly things change, Kyra.

PHILLIPS: Yep. And can GM take over Chrysler without Uncle Sam's help?

LISOVICZ: Well, it's unlikely because other potential investors, Kyra, don't seem ready to offer cash unless the government is involved. And auto sales, by the way, released this afternoon show the entire industry continues to suffer. GM auto sales tumbled 45 percent last month. GM says October could rank as the worst sales month in the post World War II era.

Toyota's U.S. sales fell more than 20 percent despite a zero percent financing offer. Toyota doesn't do that very often. Ford sales dropped 30 percent, marking its worst month in 26 years.

But we aren't seeing any big drops on the Big Board. We are seeing the Dow down, but, well, this is nothing compared to what we saw during Shock-tober. Right now the blue chips are up 43 points, or a half a percent. The Nasdaq is flat, as is -- well, the S&P 500 is down about 1 percent. But overall, pretty quiet and the expectation is the election day will be quiet, too. Everybody is focused on what's going to happen out of tomorrow's vote, Kyra.

PHILLIPS: All right. We'll be tracking it, that's for sure. Thanks, Susan.

LISOVICZ: You're welcome.

PHILLIPS: From invincible to invisible, a brutal second term leaves President Bush far from his party's presidential race.

And republicans say the thought of a liberal Congress and a liberal president gives them the jitters. No check, no balances, just blank checks and imbalance. What could really happen if we see a Democratic landslide?

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: It's 2:26 Eastern Time. Here are some of the stories we're working on in the CNN NEWSROOM.

The race for the White House is down to the final hours of election day tomorrow. John McCain, Barack Obama, and their running mates are crisscrossing some big battleground states. Our latest polls still show Obama leading McCain.

In Africa, a fragile cease-fire between Congolese troops and rebel forces appears to be holding. The situation is still tense and desperate. Thousands of people who fled the rebels are now in a refugee center. They haven't eaten in five days and it could be two more days before food aid arrives.

Remember the juror who held up deliberations in Senator Ted Stevens' corruption trial? Well, it turns out she didn't have to fly home to California for her father's funeral. Authorities say she made up the story and was actually at a horse race.

Voters excited about the election and frustrated over the lines. Here at CNN we've been getting calls from people like you on our election hotline. As we mentioned, we've taken in almost 25,000 calls; more than 8,000 of them about registration or voting issues. Here's just a couple.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It seems crazy that we're having to wait four, three, four hours to get to do this voting process. Something has got to change. This is crazy.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Six hours is ridiculous over here in terms of -- to, you know, be waiting in line out in the -- out in the cold.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PHILLIPS: Well, if you want to know what voting problems are affecting your area, log on to cnn.com/hotline. We've compiled a list of issues, based on the calls that we have received. If you have a voting complaint of your own, don't forget to let us know. Here's the hotline number: 877-GO-CNN-08.

The last lap of the presidential race, John McCain, Barack Obama and their running mates racing the clock and running up the miles. Noticeably absent, President Bush. And his silence speaks volumes about his standing with the voters. CNN's Kathleen Koch (sic) reports.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SEAN CALLEBS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): Hundreds of thousands of votes are in. And when you wander down the long lines in Florida's elections, the faces are a good indicator of the state's electorate. Right now the state's elections department says 12 percent of the voters are African-American; 13 percent, Hispanic. And with the large turn-out, Hispanics are a critical demographic.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Have you parents already voted?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, they have.

CALLEBS: But they aren't their parents. Young and old, the face of Latino voters is changing. And this changing demographic could be a deciding factor in the battle for the state's 27 electrical delegates. For example, the traditionally all-important Cuban-American vote.

AL CARDENAS, FMR. FLORIDA REP. CHAIRMAN: Cuban-American vote 12 years ago was 66 percent of the Hispanic vote in the state. It's now going to be 33, 34 percent of the overall vote in the state.

CALLEBS: Here's why that change is so important. In 2000, Cuban-Americans voted as a GOP block and proved a vital asset to George Bush in the Florida recount. In 2004, Bush had 78 percent of the Cuban-American vote. But a new generation Cuban-American cares less and less about Fidel Castro and more about the economy, health care, and Iraq.

REP. ILEANA ROS-LEHTINEN, (R) FLORIDA: I think it's wonderful for our community not to be monolithic, so that all parties want to talk about the issues that are important to us. And it's not just about freedom for Cuba, it's also domestic issues as well.

CALLEBS: And while Cuban clout may be diluted, Hispanics from other areas like Puerto Rico and Central America who tend to vote Democratic are the fastest-growing population in the state. Especially in the all-important I-4 corridor. That's the central section of Florida stretching from Tampa to Daytona Beach. But how many will actually go to the polls on election day?

PROF. SUSAN MACMANUS, UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA: We don't know who's actually going to follow through with voting. And the groups that tend to be the most iffy in turn-out tend to be younger voters and particularly those independent voters.

CALLEBS: It's clear the face of Florida has changed. What we don't know yet is how much of that change will be reflected in the results on Tuesday.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

PHILLIPS: Sean Callebs. Sorry about that. We introduced the wrong piece. We introduced the Kathleen Koch piece. Then we got you a little bit early. Let's talk about how early voting is going there.

CALLEBS (on camera): Yeah. Early voting has been huge right now. The Secretary of State's office says there have been about 4.3 million people who have voted early. A lot of those through absentee ballots. That's significant. Only 11.2 million people -- only. There are 11.2 million registered in the state. So you can see 40 percent of people have cast their ballot. This is important because we talked about the sections of the state, the upstate is really McCain territory. The south of Florida is really strong Democratic. So that I-4 corridor is going to be very important.

Kyra, real quickly, just came back from a little lunch place we were talking with a 22-year-old girl there. She waited an hour and a half on Saturday to vote and the importance of that, she missed most of the Florida State game just to get her vote in. So people are committed here.

PHILLIPS: There's always another football game. You've got to vote in this historic election. Thanks, Sean.

All right. Now we're going to talk about that last lap of the presidential race. John McCain, Barack Obama and their running mates racing the clock, running up the miles. Noticeably, though, President Bush, where is he? His silence speaks volumes about his standing with voters right now. Here's Kathleen's piece.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

KATHLEEN KOCH, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The final weekend of campaign '88 wildly popular Ronald Reagan did a marathon campaign swing for his vice president.

RONALD REAGAN, FORMER PRESIDENT: I'm here today on behalf of a great candidate for the presidency of the United States.

KEN DUBERSTEIN, REAGAN CHIEF OF STAFF: We went to battleground states. Not safe Republican states. We went to Illinois, we went to Ohio, we went to Ohio, we went to Missouri, we went to all the -- Pennsylvania.

KOCH: Even Bill Clinton stained by scandals did a short sprint through New York and Arkansas for Al Gore in 2000.

BILL CLINTON, FORMER PRESIDENT: We have to keep the prosperity going, not put it at risk.

KOCH: But George Bush this weekend dropped out of sight, spending the Friday through Sunday at Camp David.

No campaigning at all?

DANA PERINO, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: That's right.

KOCH: Can you tell me the reason why? Why is he not out there?

PERINO: President is focused on the activities we have here. Especially getting this economy back in order. We canceled a lot of our fund-raisers. He's going to focus on being with Mrs. Bush and others this weekend at Camp David.

KOCH: But Perino couldn't list any fund-raisers that had been canceled lately. And not only have the four McCain fundraisers the president attended been closed to cameras, President Bush has not appeared with any individual candidate at an open campaign event since August of 2007.

STEPHEN HESS, BROOKINGS INSTITUTION: These are all politicians who are running for office. They all read the polls. They all have their finger wet and up to the sea where the breeze is blowing. You can be sure that if George W. Bush was more popular, he would be out there.

DICK CHENEY, VICE PRESIDENT: Join us in casting your ballots for John McCain and Sarah Palin.

KOCH: Vice President Dick Cheney was out this weekend. Laura Bush campaigned Thursday and will again today.

Ronald Reagan chief of staff Ken Duberstein, who is voting for Barack Obama, says it must be tough for George Bush, who was there for Reagan's farewell campaign swing to know he'll never get one of his own.

DUBERSTEIN: There me be some sadness today or tomorrow because he's like a good thoroughbred who wants to be out there running. But sometimes you have to stay in the stable.

KOCH (on camera): It looks like a rained in President Bush will be staying in the stable a few more days.

No public events on his schedule Monday or Tuesday. He's already voted by absentee ballot. So the White House says Mr. Bush will stay home and watch the returns come in Tuesday night with family and friends. Kathleen Koch, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

PHILLIPS: Well, it's been a while since Democrats held the White House and controlled both houses of Congress, but it's certainly not unheard of. The thought it could happen again is striking fear in the hearts of Republicans.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. LINDSEY GRAHAM, (R) SC: Our opponent in the next four years, Pelosi, Reid, Obama, the tax trifecta from hell. Don't let it happen!

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PHILLIPS: CNN's Frank Sesno looks back at Democratic rule through the ages.

Well, straight ahead, energy has got an lot of attention on the campaign trail. Now the debates are focusing on so-called cap and trade policies. We'll head to New York to find out more.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: Well, it's been a while since Democrats held the White House and controlled both houses of Congress, but it's certainly not unheard of. The thought that it could happen again is striking fear in the hearts of Republicans. And CNN's Frank Sesno takes a look back at Democratic rule through the ages.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

FRANK SESNO, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Liberal landslides have happened before. In 1932 in the shadow of the Depression when FDR and New Deal Democrats swept to power and created government programs like Social Security, unemployment insurance, the FDIC, Fannie Mae. It happened again after Lyndon Johnson and congressional liberals won in '64. The Great Society poured federal dollars into new programs, Medicare, urban renewal, welfare, education.

But experience suggests a liberal landslide is about more than numbers. Just ask Jimmy Carter.

STEPHEN HESS, BROOKINGS INSTITUTION: In 1977, the Democratic president comes in with overwhelming Democratic majorities, both houses, 61 Democratic senators, 292 Democratic House members. And within one month, they were shouting at each other.

SESNO: What about 2008? Certainly Democrats would return to legislation they've pushed and Republicans have stopped. Health care, more coverage for kids leading to universal coverage, taxes, increase them for the wealthy and big corporations. They could also face more regulation, especially oil and pharmaceuticals.

Unions, the Employee Free Choice Act is a liberal favorite. It would end secret ballots to unionize. Business warns of strong arm tactics that will all but impose unions.

Embryonic stem cell research. More federal funding for that.

The list goes on. But in a lot of districts where Republicans could lose, the impact of the newcomers isn't clear.

HESS: Those new Democrats are not going to be bug-eyed Democrats. Wild-eyed leftists. They're going to be Democrats who will have to run again for a seat that, let's say, has been electing historically a Republican. So that is a moderating force.

SESNO: Shifting tectonic plates?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The motion is adopted.

SESNO: Maybe.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

PHILLIPS: OK. Frank. So you lay out the liberal side of things your piece. When was the last time we saw a Republican landslide?

SESNO (on camera): Republican landslide. That would have to be Ronald Reagan. It's very interesting. Some Democrats I'm talking to anyway say if Obama wins big and if there's a liberal majority, maybe even supermajority on the Hill, look for a Reagan-like relationship between Obama and the Hill. That is to say Reagan actually combated the Hill a lot of times. Yeah, he cut deals and he had to deal with Democrats there as well. But frequently he went right over the heads of Congress directly to the American people.

A lot of Democrats say they know they don't have the strongest leaders and maybe two liberal leaders in Nancy Pelosi in the House, Senator Reid in the Senate. But Obama may have to come to the center and bypass the Congress, his own Congress in the process. At least at times.

PHILLIPS: So maybe there is this lack of balance in power. Then it doesn't necessarily mean a smooth path for the president.

SESNO: By no means. Look, the expectations would be huge if the democrats have a strong majority in the senate, maybe even a filibuster-proof majority, of the House Democrats pick up a lot of seats, they're all going to be projecting big expectations on Barack Obama. What is the Congressional Black Caucus going to want? What are the liberal Democrats from the Northeast going to want? What do the blue-dog conservative Democrats going to want?

And Obama is going to have a very tricky road to walk if he wins with some big mandate to manage all those expectations and find a place that don't upset the rest of the country. Remember what happened to Bill Clinton when he started with gays in the military. He never recovered from that.

PHILLIPS: Well, Frank, there's concern that if the Congress is Democratic, the president is a Democrat, that there will be far less oversight.

SESNO: And that's a real possibility and a real danger in some ways. At least oversight in the terms of the kinds of checks and balances that tend to hold people back from sort of rushing to the exits or the entrances depending on how you look at it.

But whatever happens, no matter how much -- or by how much Barack Obama or John McCain win, there's a reality here that's going to put a damper on all of this and all of the congressional expectations for that matter as well. And that's the economy. Whoever the president is going to be dealing with a budget deficit of somewhere between 700 billion and a trillion dollars. That's unbelievable. If it's at the upper end, we haven't seen anything like that in terms of percentage of GDP since World War II. They're going to be dealing with a recession here at home, quite possibly a global recession.

So they're going to be tied up a little bit. And what they're going to actually be able to achieve, no matter what the oversight or what the enthusiasm is going to be will be paired back somewhat. I'd watch for that very closely.

PHILLIPS: Frank Sesno, thanks so much. Great to see you.

SESNO: Thanks, Kyra. Thanks a lot.

PHILLIPS: So while the candidates try to energize their supporters, energy continues to be a major issue on the trail. The latest, a debate over cap and trade energy policies. Cnnmoney.com's Poppy Harlow has our "Energy Fix" from New York. Hey, Poppy.

POPPY HARLOW, CNNMONEY.COM: Hey there, Kyra. Well, you know, throughout the weekend and again this morning, Governor Sarah Palin brought up on interview that Barack Obama gave in January to a newspaper in San Francisco. Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GOV. SARAH PALIN, (R) VICE PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: He said that, sure, if the industry wants to build new coal-filed power plants, they can go ahead and try, he says. But they can do it only in a way that will bankrupt the coal industry, and he's comfortable letting that happen.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HARLOW: All right. What Sarah Palin is referring to is a cap and trade system. What that is, it's designed to reduce global warming. It's something that McCain and Obama both support. Here's how it works. Companies buy permits that allow them to emit carbon that is the byproduct of burning coal. The companies can buy, sell, or trade those permits on the open market but the government will begin to issue fewer and fewer credits, making it more expensive to pollute. That forces companies to innovate. A similar process was used to eliminate acid rain in the 1990s. So the question is the degree to which both candidates support it. Kyra?

PHILLIPS: So they both support cap and trade, but are there differences?

HARLOW: There are differences. As I said, it's the degree to which they do.

Here is what they say. Obama says his cap and trade policy will reduce greenhouse gases by 80 percent by the year 2050. McCain says his policy will reduce those emissions by 66 percent by 2050. Obama's program, he says it will be economy-wide. McCain says his will exempt small businesses.

Here's how it works. McCain's plan like Obama's would limit large companies' abilities to emit greenhouse gases. They may have to pay fines. But Palin is saying Obama's plan just go too far, saying it could bankrupt those. The reason we care if these companies survive right now, coal is our biggest source of electricity.

Both candidates also, keep in mind, support something you've heard a lot about lately, clean coal technology. That's where the pollutants are essentially scrubbed away. McCain says he'll spend $2 billion annually to advance clean coal technology.

Obama says he wants to create a public private partnership. He doesn't specify a dollar amount.

So there's a difference but they're both supporting cap and trade. That is going to mean a big difference for a lot of energy companies in this country. Kyra?

PHILLIPS: All right. Thank you so much.

Well, ahead we'll introduce you to a runner who is helping the homeless get back on their feet literally and figuratively one step at a time. She is one of our CNN Heroes.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: Well, they're making a difference in so many people's lives on so many different levels. You've helped us narrow the list, too, of the CNN HEROES down to 10. And we're introducing you to each one of them.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ANNOUNCER: 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, respond to disasters all over America free of charge.

MARIE DA SILVA, CHAMPIONING CHILDREN: Our mission is to educate AIDS orphans in Malawi.

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

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

DAVID PUCKETT, MEDICAL MARVEL: I bring art financial limbs and 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 with my organization.

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

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I came to Senegal from Detroit, Michigan. I started a girl's education and self-sufficiency program.

ANNOUNCER: Our vote will help one become the CNN Hero of the Year. Vote now, cnn.com/heroes.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

PHILLIPS: Today's CNN Hero honoree is making a difference by helping the homeless get back on their feet one mile at a time. Community crusader Anne Mahlum started backonmyfeet.org in Philadelphia more than a year ago. Great to see you, Anne.

ANNE MAHLUM, BACKONMYFEET.ORG: Hi. How are you?

PHILLIPS: Well, take me back a year and how you were getting up for one of your early morning runs and something hit you at a certain moment. What did you see and how did that move your heart?

MAHLUM: I began running by a homeless shelter and a saw a group of guys standing outside in the morning. And I'm from North Dakota, so what I do is I wave at everybody and I did that. They looked at me funny, but I kept running by them and they got comfortable with me and one day after a few weeks, I just realized I'm cheating these guys. Here I am moving my life forward in every possible way and I'm keeping them on the sidelines so I wanted to do something about it.

PHILLIPS: How did they respond to you? How did you approach them and how did you convince them -- I mean, these people that don't have a home or a job or even something to eat to actually want to exercise?

MAHLUM: Well, the guys were staying in the shelter so I Googled the shelter and got inside there and talked to the members. You know, we joke about it now, but they looked at me like, who the heck is this white girl and what does she know about anything? They had the same stereotypes that I wanted to break down through running. Running is the ultimate equalizer. That's the only thing that makes me feel so alive. I really wanted to share that.

PHILLIPS: Tell me about Keneisha (ph)?

MAHLUM: Keneisha is great. She started running with the program months weeks ago. I remember running with Keneisha a while back and she didn't have a lot of spirit to her. We have so many teams running in Philadelphia now that I hadn't seen her in a while and she recently got a job at Dunkin' Donuts. Talking to her, she's just full of life. She moved out of the shelter and really went through the program, running every day, lost a bunch of weight. I'm really proud of the person she's becoming. And it's really fun to see that.

PHILLIPS: You know, when we run it gets our endorphins going, it gives you a new mindset. It really does change how we look at ourselves, at our daily responsibilities. How much does that play into sort of beating the type of psychology that's been taking these folks down?

MAHLUM: Well, we never claim to stop homelessness. The whole problem. But we definitely think we're a missing link. We need jobs, we need homes, but we also need a support system around us to have people tell us that they're proud of who we are, that we're there to support them, that we're encouraging them, and we do that. We don't discriminate, we don't -- no matter if you're black, white, have a million dollars or not a dime in your pocket, you're welcome there that morning. And we come together to support each other and help each other move forward.

PHILLIPS: Well, I read that your hero is your dad. Why?

MAHLUM: My dad is incredible. I feel like my dad has had a little bit harder life than other people. My dad is an addict, which is why this is so emotional and personal for me. But my dad has a try really hard at a lot of things and really focus, keeping those demons out of his head, to not drink, to not do drugs, not gamble. I just have a whole lot of respect for someone who life is harder for. That's the same thing with our members. A lot of them are struggling with addiction and have had much harder lives than I've had. I have again, just the utmost respect for people like that.

PHILLIPS: Well, guess what, we've got dad on the phone. Mark, are you there?

MARK MAHLUM, ANNE MAHLUM'S FATHER (on phone): Yes, I am.

MAHLUM: Hey, dad.

M. MAHLUM: Happy birthday. PHILLIPS: Oh. I didn't know it's your birthday.

M. MAHLUM: Yes. It's her birthday. I'm late on the card. I'm not quite as organized as you are.

MAHLUM: I'm 22, right, dad?

M. MAHLUM: Yeah.

PHILLIPS: Well, Mark, we were just listening and Anne was telling us about your life struggles. But yet you are her hero, you remain her hero because of the strength you've shown dealing with your various addictions. What do you think of your daughter and what she's doing?

M. MAHLUM: Well, obviously she's my hero, too. I'm just so proud of her. Everything she's done has just been from her heart. And she's -- that's been from day one. And she just -- you know, that's all she can talk about when we visit. She comes home to visit us, and her e-mails are constantly blurping away. She's just - it's a 24 hour thing with her and that's just her passion and she just loves what she was doing.

PHILLIPS: Do you think that your relationship and your struggles is what made her maybe a little more compassionate toward dealing with the same type of people that she's working with now?

M. MAHLUM: Well, you know, that could be a possibility, but, you know, I -- I think that - just the type of person that she is, she's compassionate towards everybody and she just has that feeling. I really don't want to take any credit. I'm giving it all to her. That's how I feel.

PHILLIPS: You'll probably say the opposite, Anne. What is it about your father and his life and being with him since you were a baby, that's I guess really worked in your heart?

MAHLUM: Well, I've always been a daddy's girl. He used to drive for hours to watch me play basketball, no matter what day it was. I have a lot of regret with my dad in the years that he was really going through his addiction with gambling. I felt I wasn't there to support him the way that I should be. I kept trying to push him down the road that I thought he should be on. And I have so much regret for that.

So maybe now for me I feel like I'm the messenger in all of this and God was giving me my second chance and I was running by these guys that made me feel the way I did, so maybe this is my chance to help some people find their own road instead of me pushing so much. So I'm -- I'm really grateful for this second chance. This has also brought my dad and I closer. He is been out here and met the members and it's really fun for me to watch them and feel like he can support them and talk about his struggles that he's been through. I think, you know, it's pretty incredible, I feel really blessed.

PHILLIPS: Mark, we pray for your strength. It's pretty amazing to see what your daughter is doing. Anne Mahlum, thanks for sharing your story. We really appreciate it.

MAHLUM: Thanks for having me.

M. MAHLUM: Thank you.

PHILLIPS: The Web site is backonmyfeet.org. Thank you both.

Don't forget to vote for your favorite hero at cnn.com/heroes. There's some pretty amazing choices. Here on CNN HEROES we will be profiling each one of them until the big night. Anderson Cooper will announce the winner at an all-star tribute right here on CNN. That's Thanksgiving night.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: Michelle Obama, stumping for her and her husband there in Las Vegas, Nevada. Let's go ahead and listen in.

MICHELLE OBAMA, BARACK OBAMA'S WIFE: Ninety five percent of working-class, middle-class families see a tax break right now. Barack understands that jobs isn't just about work. It's about life. It's about soul.

So he's going to stop rewarding companies that are shipping jobs overseas and start creating incentives for job -- companies that are building jobs right here in Nevada. Right here in Las Vegas. That's why Barack's health care plan ensures that all Americans get covered, not just some, not just the lucky ones.

Barack knows that if you've got a good insurance ...

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: Tomorrow is the big day, November 4th, 2008. You will elect a new president