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Ballot Bowl: Bill Clinton Stumps for Meek; Marco Rubio Addresses Floridians; Tea Party Favorites Give Opponents Strong Competition
Aired October 23, 2010 - 15:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
JESSICA YELLIN, CO-HOST: Hi. I'm Jessica Yellin in Orlando, Florida. Welcome to CNN's special BALLOT BOWL coverage, our final run to the 2010 midterm elections.
I'm here at a Republican fundraising rally and Sarah Palin is about to take the stage just a short time from now behind me. We're going to bring it to you live.
But first, I'm going to send it over to my friend Ed Henry in Las Vegas who had a big interview today -- Ed.
ED HENRY, CO-HOST: That's right. I'm Ed Henry in Las Vegas. President Obama was here with a big rally 9,000 people here in Las Vegas for the embattled Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid.
So much as stake here. This is really one of the premiere Senate battles. Fact of the matter that this, who wins this, whether it's Harry Reid or Sharron Angle, the Republican and a Tea Party favorite that could determine the control of the Senate next year.
There's also a lot on the line for the president. Harry Reid has been one of his chief lieutenants on Capitol Hill, helped pass health care reform, Wall Street reform, a lot on the line, a lot at stake for sure.
We've got a little bit of new information, breaking political news. I spoke to two senior Democratic sources this morning who are telling me that Senator Reid's private internal poll numbers have him up six points in this race.
That contradicts the public polling that has it at a dead heat. I got a caveat that these poll numbers change a lot. Just spoke to a top Republican source who insists that their numbers do not back that up.
They believe it is a dead heat. That there is -- this is still a struggle. It's going down to the wire, just 10 days to go. I had an interview earlier today with Senator Reid. We're going to get to that later.
We also have a lot to get to all around the country. There's a lot happening. Next hour, later this hour, first hear from Sarah Palin in Florida as Jessica mentioned, but next hour we're going to hear from President Obama in Minnesota. He'll be doing a rally for Mark Dayton, the gubernatorial candidate. There's going to be a fundraiser he's doing as well for Democrats. We'll also take you to Southern Ohio. You've got Ted Strickland, the governor there. He's in a tight re-election battle.
But right now, we're going to start with the Republicans that's where Jessica is in Orlando, Florida. Sarah Palin, a lot of big names there. So much as stake there, Jessica.
YELLIN: There is a lot at stake, Ed. Unlike the state where you are, as you say, it's a neck and neck race so close, too close to call. Here the Senate race, the Republicans have a healthy lead. It is Marco Rubio.
He is a Tea Party favorite. He'll be taking the stage behind me as well. He'll be speaking here shortly. He has made this a national message about taking over and changing Washington.
But putting up the poll numbers, Marco Rubio ahead 46 percent, again, it's three-way race, Charlie Crist, the Republican governor is running as an independents trailing in second place and then behind both of them is Kendrick Meek, the Democrat in this race.
He continuous to fight hard to get ahead, but has trailed consistently throughout. Sarah Palin is coming here not only to support Marco Rubio, but because it's such an important presidential battleground.
The Republicans want to take control the state ahead of the 2012 election. There's another person who wants to make sure that they have a firm plant in this state ahead of the 2012 election that is Bill Clinton.
The former president has been here more times than you can count. He's been campaigning for his good friend, the Democrat, Kendrick Meek. Again, trailing, but he has a long history with Kendrick Meek. It goes back to the days when Meek was a state trooper and he knew then Governor Clinton.
Let's listen for a moment as we wait for Sarah Palin to sum up what Bill Clinton has said when he's been here with the top running Democrat Kendrick Meek.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BILL CLINTON, FORMER U.S. PRESIDENT: Let's pretend that this election is just like something that really is important to us. Like football. No, really. Bear with me here.
When we really care about something, like football, and people in Florida really care about it, I've seen your team on television. I like it. I'm home alone a lot. I watch a lot of college football.
But here's the deal. If it's really important to us, the facts matter. Don't they? So what's first thing after a Saturday game that the coaching staff does before they go out to practice? They look at the game film. Don't they? They see what they did right. What they did wrong. What they can do better next week. What's the second thing they do? They look at the competition's game film. They see what they did right. What they did wrong, and then based on the facts, they develop a strategy and they go play the game.
And if you've got good athletes and they're living in the real world, and they get a few breaks, they win, because they are interested in the facts. Now, when it's not very important to us -- like the future of our children, the health of our economy, what kind of country we're living in, we get all of these people say, don't bother me with the facts. I got my mind made up. I know what's right.
In this environment where people are angry and anxiety ridden, what you have in every state. I have done more than 90 events now, and I didn't mean to, but I don't want to see my country make a mistake.
And I'm old enough to remember that when you make an important decision, never mind politics about anything. When you're really mad, there's about an 80 percent chance you're going to make a mistake, and you will get the result you don't want.
And every person in this audience who is old enough has made enough decisions when you were mad that you know I am telling you the truth. Isn't that right? OK. So -- let's look at the game film.
First of all, this election is a tale of dueling stories. The Republican story goes something like this. Hey, they had 21 months to get America out of the hole, the Democrats did, and they failed.
They're not out of the hole, and in failing they spent too much money, and had too much government regulation, and we better stop them now before they just swallow the country up in government and debt. Isn't that about it? That's about their story.
The Democrats' story is, it's true that we didn't get you out of this hole in 21 months, but it was a very deep hole. And -- and -- unlike our opponents, at least we stopped digging. And -- we do have plans that will not only get us out of the hole, but will put America back in the lead in the race for the 21st century, rebuild the middle class, give our children a brighter future.
Give us two more year togs prove it to you. You gave them eight years to dig the hole. Give us half as much time, four year, to get out of it, and we will prove it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
YELLIN: And that's Bill Clinton with his Democratic stump speech. I heard him calling Republicans the other day, the digging brigade. It works with that crowd. It wouldn't work in this crowd. Sarah Palin is coming up here pretty shortly. We'll bring it to everyone, but first back to you in Las Vegas, Ed.
HENRY: Thanks, Jessica. And you're right. There are certain areas where former President Clinton can go that President Obama can't. President Obama focusing his energy, I've been with him in the last four days, out west here, places like Washington, Oregon where he's pretty popular.
He woke up this morning here in Las Vegas trying to help Harry Reid. We're going to hear from President Obama next hour in Minnesota. He's going to be doing a rally there for gubernatorial candidate, Mark Dayton.
I also had an exclusive one on one with Senator Reid earlier this morning in Las Vegas. He fires back at Sharron Angle who in that debate now infamously says man up, Harry Reid. He has some strong comeback there. We'll have that's later in the hour right after this break.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
YELLIN: Welcome back to CNN's BALLOT BOWL. I'm in Orlando, Florida. I'm Jessica Yellin and I'm with the Republican fundraising victory rally.
Behind me onstage is their candidate for Republican senator here, Marco Rubio. I know Ed Henry is out there in Vegas. Listening in all hour, we want to bring some sound. Just let you know first, he's leading in the polls.
He's the darling of the Tea Party. He's at 39. He's got a very long career ahead of him and has made this a race against not only the Democrat and independent, against President Obama and the Democrats' agenda nationally.
Let's listen.
(JOINED IN PROGRESS)
MARCO RUBIO (R), FLORIDA SENATE CANDIDATE: It's not just the choice between good ideas, bad ideas and no ideas. It's not just a choice between solid principles, not so solid principles and lack thereof.
This election is a referendum on our identity as a people and as a nation. For 230-some odd years our nation has been exceptional unlike any place in all of human history. It's been exceptional not by accident. It happened because the people who stood in places like this before us were willing to do whatever it took to keep America that way, and because they did each generation of American has left the next better off.
It will only remain exceptional if we now here are willing to do the same. The challenges we face are extraordinary. They are nor partisan nor simply ideological. They have to deal with the practical implications of a nation that spends more money than it takes in.
The reality of a world that is as dangerous as it's ever been and the very simple truth that jobs and economic growth are not created by politicians, they are created by every day people from all walks of life who start a business or expand an existing one. Why we are in the wrong direction is because the people in charge don't get it. Now, I'm going say something that I hope no one is offended by, but I believe it's true and truth should never offend. Washington is broken. Let me be blunt. Both parties are to blame.
But we have never seen anything like the last 18 months and if the next 18 months are like the last 18 months, we will cross a line from which we cannot come back from. The bottom line is that we desperately need to send people to Washington, D.C. who will stand up to this agenda and offer a clear alternative.
People who will go to Washington and understand that the job of government is to create an environment where it's easier not harder for people to start a business or expand an existing business.
People -- people who understand -- people who understand that you cannot as a government, as a nation, continue to spend more money than you take in and hope to prosper and even survive.
And people who understand that the world is a safer and better place when America is the strongest military power on the earth. Now, the choice in the Senate race in Florida is pretty simple.
I'm the only one running that would have voted against the stimulus package. I'm the only one running that tackled the debt and save social security and the open one rung to vote to repeal and replace Obamacare.
YELLIN: And that's Marco Rubio, the Republican candidate for U.S. Senate here in Florida. He is beloved by Republicans here, running strong ahead, and his signature line you've heard it, Washington is broken and both sides are to blame.
That is the message he's delivered throughout, a sign of just how energized Republicans are here. Even though there are more registered Democrats in this state, Republicans have voted early in greater numbers and pollsters are expecting more Republicans to turn out on election day here than Democrats.
It's a sign of the move in Florida, of course, a much tighter scene on the governor's side of the race. We'll talk about that later and we're monitoring Sarah Palin who is going to speak here shortly. We'll bring that to you live. But first, I toss it over to Ed Henry in Las Vegas.
HENRY: Jessica, you're right. It's also interesting that Marco Rubio is sort to trying to make this a referendum on President Obama who woke up here in Vegas this morning, now headed to Minnesota.
Interesting, because David Axelrod, other senior advisers have been telling us at the White House, this is not a referendum election on the president's leadership. It's in their interest to say that, of course, they believe instead it's a choice election.
It's a choice between as they put it Republicans going backwards, the president, Democrats, trying to move forward. We'll see where voters what they have to say. That's just 10 days away.
So much at stake here. We're going to be hearing from the president, how he wants to frame this live in Minnesota next hour. For now, we're going to take a quick break. A lot more BALLOT BOWL straight ahead.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HENRY: I'm Ed Henry in Las Vegas. Welcome to BALLOT BOWL.
President Obama woke up here this morning, Caesar's Palace. He had a big rally for senate majority leader Harry Reid fighting for his political life in this state.
One of the most critical Senate battles that's going to decide who controls the chamber next year. President Obama in the midst of his longest campaign swing yet in these midterm elections.
He's on his way right now on Air Force One to Minnesota. We're going to hear from him live next hour right here on BALLOT BOWL. Next weekend the president's travel will continue. He's going to hit four more states next weekend, Ohio, Pennsylvania, his home state of Illinois and also Connecticut.
Interesting, not on that list for the final weekend, Florida, a big swing state. Normally you would see the president of either party hitting that state right before an election, so many critical races there. It may be because Democrats realized the Senate seat in Florida may be out of their grasp.
We've got a major event happening on CNN tomorrow in the sunshine state, and that's where we find my colleague Jessica Yellin. Big event tomorrow. Big event today, a big Republican rally where she is. A lot of happening in that state, Jessica.
YELLIN: That's right. And as you know, we've been here so many times it's not just crucial this year, it's a battleground state and the president's election, and today Sarah Palin will be appearing at the Republican National Party's victory rally where I am.
We can't say it enough. We're going to bring it to you live. You'll see Sarah Palin here shortly. We also want to bring you something we're going to be talking about tomorrow. Ed mentioned that the governor's debate.
CNN's Candy Crowley will be hosting and moderating this debate between the candidates for governor here in Florida, and our own Mark Preston is there today. He is monitoring the lead-up to this event, and, Mark, hi.
We wanted to ask you a few questions about it and ask you in particular, Ed just mentioned this. President Obama isn't coming to the state. One of the reasons may be that they think the Senate race is not theirs, but Alex Sink, the Democratic candidate for governor.
She's not been seen with President Obama. Hasn't really wanted to embrace it, has she?
MARK PRESTON, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL EDITOR: No. You know, Jessica, in fact, Alex Sink has really kept her distance from President Obama during this campaign season. You know, we just saw a new CNN poll just released in the last couple of days.
It showed that Alex Sink is actually down three points to the Republican Rick Scott. Now, our viewers remember, Rick Scott is that health care executive, billionaire health care executive, that really stunned the nation and certainly stunned Florida Republicans when he won the GOP primary back in August.
Now, Alex Sink within three points right now of Rick Scott and where her problems really lie right now, Jessica, is with women. She's only winning the women vote by about five points, and according to our poll, that's within the margin of error.
She still has plenty of time. A week left to real try to build the numbers with women, but President Obama is choosing to spend his time out west, as Ed is pointing out, and hop scotching across the country and of course, up in the northeast in the closing days.
Florida, which is a battleground state in many ways, certainly in presidential elections, this year is proving to be problematic for Democrats. The Senate race appears to be slipping out of grasp, at least for Democrats right now.
Marco Rubio has a 26 point lead over Congressman Kendrick Meek, and in the governor's race, against, Alex Sink, the Democrat, three points behind to Rick Scott the Republican -- Jessica.
YELLIN: I think Ed has a question for you from Vegas. Go ahead, Ed.
HENRY: Absolutely. I think it's interesting that you make some good points, because with Alex Sink, female candidate for governor, the Democratic candidate in Florida, not doing as well as expected, perhaps, with female voters.
I wonder what the strategy as in why they didn't get first lady Michelle Obama to go to Florida in the final days? We've gotten her schedule for November 1st for example, the final day before the midterm elections.
She's going to be here in Las Vegas helping out Harry Reid and she's also going to Pennsylvania where critical governor's Senate race, et cetera. You would have think they would have wanted to get Michelle Obama to help with the female vote down in Florida.
Is that just the Obama name in general is too radioactive in this pivotal swing state? Might they bring down former President Bill Clinton who as Jessica mentioned earlier this hour, he goes to states like West Virginia, Kentucky, et cetera, places where President Obama has a hard time going. Might we see Bill Clinton there in the final days?
PRESTON: You know, Ed, I wouldn't be surprised to see President Clinton show back up in Florida again. He has a very close relationship with Kendrick Meek. Now that race might be lost, but Bill Clinton is a winner and he's considered the closer right now in this midterm election.
We've seen him hopscotch across the country going to states, going to districts that not necessarily President Obama can show up in. Now, if you look at approval ratings, the presidential approval rating, Ed as you know, is around 45 percent.
The first lady's approval rating is about 20 points higher. Yes, I'm a little surprised in fact that Michelle Obama wasn't sent down to Florida. I guess it raises the question, does the Obama campaign team choosing not to put her down here, because in fact if Alex Sink does lose, could they look back and say, well, Michelle Obama went to Florida yet they couldn't pull it out. You got to wonder if there's some 2012 strategy going on, Ed.
YELLIN: Different angle to consider here, we will continue to discuss that with Mark Preston, our political editor coming to us from Tampa, Florida.
First we are going to take a break and I'm going to remind you before you we go to break that Sarah Palin will be here soon and we will bring it to you live. We promise. We'll be back with BALLOT BOWL soon.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: All right. Back to BALLOT BOWL in a moment. But first, I'm Fredricka Whitfield in Atlanta with the look at the top stories.
WikiLeaks is now home to what's being called the largest classified military leak in history. The documents covering 60 years of the Iraq war are now available online for anyone to see.
The whistle-blower web site released the records nearly 400,000 in all saying they reveal hidden truths about the war, among the revelations, details about civilian deaths.
WikiLeaks says 15,000 of those deaths were never previously documented, but WikiLeaks most explosive claim involves the circumstances surrounding some of those civilian deaths.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JULIAN ASSANGE, WIKILEAKS EDITOR: I think can make even strongest statement in these documents, that there is very strong evidence, compelling evidence of war crimes having been committed by coalition forces and having been committed by Iraqi government forces in this material.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: The Pentagon denies the documents reveal any war crime. Officials also say some of the details leaked could put troops in even greater danger.
In Haiti, one tragedy on top of another. A cholera outbreak has killed more than 200 people and the illness is spreading fast. Health officials fear the deadly disease will find its way to Haiti's capital where thousands left homeless from the January earthquake still live in squalid tent cities.
JON ANDRUS, DEPUTY DIR. PAN AMERICAN HEALTH ORGANIZATION: This outbreak is likely to get much larger, given our experience with cholera epidemics in the past. Particularly in a population that has really no protective immunity, not having been exposed recently to cholera. So we expect it to get bigger, and we have to expect that and react to it.
WHITFIELD: The outbreak comes after recent heavy rains in Haiti.
And here at home, a possible drug lab discovered in a dorm room on the Georgetown University campus. This is I-reporter video of an evacuation at the dorm early this morgue. Police were called in because of a foul odor. Three people have been arrested. Two of them are university students. Police say chemicals were found at the scene and the three face charges of possession's drug paraphernalia.
"Ballot Bowl" continues. Coming up next, former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin is speaking any minute now. We'll bring her comments live to you, and Senator Harry Reid is fighting for his political life. He's hoping the president of the United States still has enough popularity to give his campaign a boost.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ED HENRY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Welcome back to "Ballot Bowl." I'm Ed Henry in Las Vegas. We're taking you coast to coast for live events going on right now. So much at stake just ten days away from critical mid-term elections saying a lot not just about the mood of the country but about the next two years of the Obama administration. That's why I'm here. President Obama woke up here at Caesar's Palace. Senator Harry Reid in Vegas fighting for his political life. Now air force one headed to Minnesota, you'll hear live the president next hour doing a rally for Mark Dayton, the Democratic candidate for governor in Minnesota. There's a lot going on across the country. In Florida, is where I find my partner Jessica Yellin.
JESSICA YELLIN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That's right. I'm here in Orlando, Florida, at what's billed as Republican victory rally. It's a fund-raiser. Sarah Palin will be here, but so will Michael Steele, who is the chairman of the Republican Party. Nationally, he's had some issues, sometimes controversial. So far he's had a good run. You can hear them chanting behind me, ten more days. This is an energized group of people. Michael Steele will be taking the stage shortly, but it turns out someone else is speaking while we're wait forge him. I can tell you this. You made the point that President Obama is crisscrossing the country, but not coming here. One of the first things, the Senate candidate who spoke here, Marco Rubio, the Republican candidate has taken off with a huge lead. He spoke moments ago and started his speech before he dipped into by saying, I would give a long speech, but security at the airport wouldn't let my teleprompter through. There a lot of jokes at the president's expense. Republicans running against the president here. I have a feeling you will hear a few dings against him when Michael Steele and Sarah Palin take the stage shortly. We're going to bring that to you, but first we're going to take a quick break.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
YELLIN: Welcome back to CNN's "Ballot Bowl." I'm Jessica Yellin in Orlando, Florida, at a Republican rally. The Republican Party chairman Michael Steele is going to be speaking here shortly, as is Sarah Palin. We will bring them both to you when they happen, but Ed Henry's in Las Vegas. Ed, your race in Nevada and my race here in Florida we're covering, these aren't the only big things happening in the country right now.
HENRY: Oh, you're absolutely right, Jessica, because there are so many Senate battles that are essentially dead heats. One of them, Connecticut. The polls have been back and forth. They've got Dick Blumenthal the Democrat going against Linda McMahon, the WWE fame, the wrestling issue has come up for sure. One of the not so secret weapons that the white house has right now to deploy, to try and make sure that they keep control of Congress in Democratic hands is not the president but the first lady, Michelle Obama. As Mark Preston noted earlier very astutely, approval ratings 20 points higher than her husband. She's been deployed just in the last ten days or so in some big races. One was Connecticut and here's how she is framing it all. They realize her approval ratings are high, because she's not usually a political figure. Maybe sort of the kinder, gentler Obama, the contrast Obama brings with Republicans. Here's what she had to say about Dick Blumenthal in Connecticut earlier this week.
MICHELLE OBAMA, FIRST LADY: The other thing I do is I think about how we all felt on election night. I think about how we all felt on inauguration day. And oh, we were excited! We were energized. We were hopeful, because we knew we had a chance to change the country we love for the better, and the truth is, we have that same chance, but more importantly, we have that same responsibility today. The chance to continue the progress we've made. The chance to finish what we've started, because this election isn't just about all that we've accomplished these past couple of years. It is about all we have left to do in the months and years ahead. That's what this election is about. It's about the future. It is about the future.
But I asked you all this when I campaign. The one thing I asked. I said, if I put my husband out there, let him do this, I said you all have got to have his back. I said, you have to have his back, because my husband can't do this alone. He needs strong leaders like Dick to help him, and Dick needs all the votes like you all to make that happen. We need you to make those calls for Dick. We need you to knock on those doors. You know the folks who want to sit it out. You've got to find them. You've got to shake them up. You've got to tell them that they can't just vote once and wait for change to happen and hope for it to happen. They have to vote every single time. They've got to vote for their council members and they're mayors and they're governors and their members ever Congress, because in the end, our campaign was never just about putting one man in the white house. It was always about building a movement for change, millions of voices strong, a movement that lasts beyond one year, beyond one campaign, and let me tell you, if you keep standing with Dick and bringing folks together for Dick, just like you know how to do it, if you're fired up and ready to go, just like you were two years ago, then I know that we can keep this movement going. I know we can keep the American dream alive, and then years from now our children and grandchildren will be able to look back and say that we kept faith with the values we raised with. And we gave them the better life they deserved and that we met our obligation to lead for them and for their kids and grandkids, and America worthy of their dreams. So, yes, we can.
CROWD: Yes, we can.
OBAMA: Oh, yes we can.
CROWD: Yes, we can.
OBAMA: Yes, we must.
CROWD: Yes, we must.
OBAMA: Yes, we will. Thank you all. God bless you. God bless America. Let's get it done.
YELLIN: All right. That was Michelle Obama, the first lady speaking earlier this week in Connecticut. I am in Orlando, Florida, at a Republican rally, in this state. There is a Senate race with a Republican ahead, a very close governor's race, neck in neck, too close to call basically and now Michael Steele, the chairman of the Republican Party is speaking on the stage. An often controversial figure, he has been rallying the troops here. Let's listen in.
MICHAEL STEELE, REPUBLICAN NATIONAL COMMITTEE CHAIRMAN: The dedication, the commitment, the desire to restore our country. Feel this moment. Feel it. Appreciate this moment. Think about all the slogging and all the working and some of the cussing you had to get to do get to this moment. Think about the next nine days. Think about the work that still remains to be done. Feel that, because that is the energy you're going to take out across Florida. That is the energy in which you're going to view in your neighbor in your friend in your community and excite them as you are excited in this moment, to grab a hold and move this state and our country in a new direction. This is the people's moment. This is your moment. Absorb it, live it, breathe it, but most especially over the next nine days, share this moment with everyone you know, everyone you touch, everyone you talk to. You tell them why Florida is back. You tell them why America is coming back. You tell them why you're back in this game to win on November 2nd, because you're going to fire Pelosi. You're going to retire Harry Reid. You're going to elect Marco Rubio. You're going to elect Rick Scott. You're going to elect Daniel Webster. You're going to elect Mr. Rossi. You're going to put your team in place. That's what this moment is about. Now, if you're not ready to do that, leave. Because this is not what's happening for you. But if you are ready to do that, then you're in the right room. And we're grateful for your being here. Mr. Chairman, you know how to throw a rally, my friend. Mr. Chairman, I am honored to be back in your state. I am honored to spend some time with you and share the stage. I am very grateful for your leadership. You have to understand, this chairman came in at a very tough time for the party here in Florida. He had his obligations, responsibilities, a tremendous state senator, but he took that side path to bring the party back to its rightful leadership position. He took that opportunity to reconnect this party to its grass roots. And, Mr. Chairman, we're very grateful for your leadership. We're very grateful.
YELLIN: Michael Steele, chairman of the Republican National Committee, rallying the troops telling them it's time in his words to fire Pelosi. If they're not ready to do it, then quit. He has been on the trail stumping for votes, and he's got a fired up crowd here, but, Ed, there's someone else trying to fire up the other team, and you've been following him.
HENRY: You're right, Jessica. I've been following President Obama around the country the last few days, and Michael Steele essentially trying to derail the next two years of the Obama administration, take control of Congress out of Democratic hands. Air Force One has just landed in Minneapolis. The president hop-scotching across the country to try and make sure that doesn't happen, try to keep not just control of Congress in Democratic hands, but also some of these key gubernatorial battles. You see the live picture of Air Force One right now. We're going to be hearing from the president live next hour from Minneapolis. He'll be speaking for Mark Dayton, the Democratic candidate for governor there. Just a few days ago Jessica had a great piece on CNN.com about some of these big gubernatorial battles, how important they are because of redistricting, shaping the map. Going to have a major impact on people's lives in the years ahead. Republicans looking like they're pretty strong, a lot of these gubernatorial battles. We'll get into those races and also hear from the president live next hour in Minneapolis. A lot straight ahead on "Ballot Bowl."
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HENRY: The excitement is only building here on "Ballot Bowl." You see a live picture of Air Force One just landing in the last few moments in Minneapolis. The president's going to have a big rally there. They've had some bad weather in Minneapolis. They were hoping to have it outdoors. You can see there maybe it's still a little cloudy. They were hoping to have an outdoor rally. Looks like it's going to be indoor now. The president has been having some pretty large rallies in the recent days on this west coast swing now ending in the Midwest. I started out on air Force One Wednesday night, going out to Oregon where the president had a big rally. Then on to Seattle, California, on here to Nevada, as well. The president woke up here in Las Vegas, had a big rally last night for Harry Reid, about 9,000 people there. He's trying to build some excitement for his party, trying to close that so-called enthusiasm gap where Republicans have shown a lot of energy heading into these midterm elections. Jessica Yellin my colleague is down in Orlando, Florida, where the Republicans are trying to make sure their troops are fired up. YELLIN: That's right, Ed, and Michael Steele, the chairman of the RNC is speaking. I want to get to him quickly because he's talking about the tea party. He says we are grateful to the tea party because you are helping to energize us. Listen to this.
STEELE: They were ready, they're fired up. Lady lace in the house? You can't fake that. But what they're trying to do, what Grayson and his cohorts are trying to do is despicable, it's underhanded and it doesn't reflect the values of this community. So we're going to need you to help stop it, and the way you're going to help stop it is you're going to elect this man right here, Dennis Ross. You're going to elect Daniel Webster. You're going to elect Sandy Adams. You're going to elect Marco Rubio. You're going to elect the team that's going to push back. You're going to elect Rick Scott who is going to lead this state in a new direction. So we need you to get busy, folks. We need you to get busy. The work is too important. You've seen the good reasons on this stage for you to go fight. Ten days, ten days. Nine days, eight days, a week, 72 hours, 24 hours, 15 minutes before the polls close. Victory. [ applause ] Victory! Victory! And understand this, understand this, let's be clear, this is not victory for party. This is victory by people, for people, of people. We, the people! Our victory! Your victory! Your kid's victory! So if you're ready, say you're ready. Are you ready?
CROWD: Ready!
STEELE: Are you ready?
CROWD: Ready!
STEELE: Now let's get to work. Let's get to work. Let's go out here and knock on doors. Let's wave those signs. Let's make those phone calls. We need you as never before the grassroots of this party, as this great organic movement across this state to go out there and plant some new seeds, to make a new sound, to say a new word, a different word to a new generation of voters who are ready for you. We have been through that desert and we're coming out to a greener pasture because of what you've been able to do. The hard work you've put in place. The time that you've spent, the money you've raised. Don't give it all up because you're a little tired today. Make that call. Do that work. You get it done and it's victory, folks, victory for you and this community. [ applause ] And don't screw it up. [ laughter ]
It's too important, too important. So get 'er done. But get 'er done right. And I know you will, because you have -- you have that feeling. You have it here. And you're ready to produce it here, to go out and do the work. There's so many people out there counting on you. There's so much work to be done. And I feel good about where we are. I know you do, too. Ronald Reagan said it best when he was asked how the cold war would end. Simply, we win, they lose. [ applause ]
But understand this, folks, understand this, this is different. This time the "we" is the people. It's you and your community and your families. This time on November 2nd, we, the people will win. You will have a stake in this, and it will matter, and you know it will, because when you wake up on Wednesday, November 3rd and you see that headline spread all across the papers in this great state, and you watch the liberal press choke down the words, "Republican majority," when you watch those folks squirm in their seats as they look and stair into their teleprompters, the words won't come freely from their lips. But you will know in your heart what you have done to make that headline happen. You will know in your hearts what you have done to make that moment real. And you will also know in that moment whatever Chris Matthews feels running up and down his leg, it won't be good. It won't be good. So let's get about the people's business over the next ten days. Let's get about the people's business in every community. I need you to be uncomfortable for the next ten days. I need you to think about what else you can do. I need you to think about what else you can do, and then do it. And then do it. Victory. God bless you.
(CHEERS, APPLAUSE)
