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Ballot Bowl: President's Last Minute Appeal; Stewart and Colbert Host Rally on National Mall; GOP Stars Rock West Virginia; Clinton Speaks in NY; Agents Closing in on Arrest in Yesterday's Foiled Terrorist Plot

Aired October 30, 2010 - 14:00   ET

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

DANA BASH, CNN SENIOR CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: I'm Dana Bash in Bridgeport, Connecticut. You are watching CNN's BALLOT BOWL coverage of the mid-term elections.

For the next four hours, we are going to take you to campaign events all over the country in key races that could influence the policies that affect us all.

Now President Obama arrives right where I am soon for a Democratic rally and we, of course, will bring that to you live.

JESSICA YELLIN, CNN NATIONAL POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: We've got four hours of political events coming up, Dana. I'm Jessica Yellin in Los Angeles where the rhetoric. It is getting heated in this state's tough race for this contested Senate seat. We will have the latest on Harry Reid's efforts to hold on to power.

And right now in the nation's capital, it is the rally to restore sanity and/or fear. Call it what you want. Comedy Central hosts, Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert, other celebrities and entertainers are there.

You're going to see it live right here, but we also want to let you know. We'll take you to West Virginia where Sarah Palin has been taking the stage to help the Republican running in the tight race for governor, actor, activist and rock 'n roller, Ted Nugent who we now know sang Cat Scratch Fever, is also going to speak. You don't want to miss that. Dana --

BASH: That's right and we will also take you to the very, very important state of Ohio where former President Bill Clinton is trying to rally Democrats in that state, a very tough race for governor. We will also head north, rather to Alaska for a live update on the races that feature a Tea Party and an incumbent running as a write-in candidate.

YELLIN: Plus every hour, Dana. You know, we're going to bring you the latest developments on the terror plot to send explosive packages into the U.S.

Our Fredricka Whitfield is standing by in Atlanta where CNN tracking this developing story in multiple locations around the world. But first, before we bring you any of that, Comedy Central's Jon Stewart, Stephen Colbert, yes, they are hosting their unconventional rally in Washington, D.C.

Look, it's a satirical take on the partisan political season. Somewhat political itself, they're calling it the rally to restore sanity or fear and let's listen.

(JOINED IN PROGRESS)

STEPHEN COLBERT, RALLY TO RESTORE SANITY AND/OR FEAR: I love NASCAR half time shows with tons of TNT.

JON STEWART, RALLY TO RESTORE SANITY AND/OR FEAR: My hybrid electric scooter gets 100 mpg.

COLBERT: From gay men who like football to straight men who like "Glee." From the shores of Idaho to the shores of Kentucky.

STEWART: From New York to L.A. and all the in between.

COLBERT: From Washington to -- from Washington to --

STEWART: From Kansas City to -

COLBERT: From Norway to -

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Cleveland, Ohio.

COLBERT: From Texas to --

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Maryland.

STEWART: From Rochester to --

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Massachusetts.

COLBERT: From Minnesota to --

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Here.

STEWART: From Alaska to --

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Virginia.

COLBERT: I couldn't hear that one.

STEWART: Yes, I couldn't either.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Virginia.

COLBERT: From South Carolina to --

STEWART: New Jersey.

COLBERT: There is no one more American. STEWART: There is no one more compassionate.

COLBERT: There is no one more American than we.

STEWART: It is the greatest, strongest country in the world it's the greatest, strongest country in the world it's the greatest, strongest country in the world and there is no one more American than we.

Jeff Tweety, everybody. I am very sorry that you had to hear me sing. I promise you that I will try not to do that again. It worked in rehearsal. Now, if we may, our third point of reasonableness.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Professional wrestling is an art form that is anything but reasonable. Few are more skilled than wrestling great, Mick Foley.

When he is not in the ring, he is a kind and sensitive man who has written thoughtful novels and a memoir, serves as an advocate for USO and volunteers for the rape, abuse, incest and national network and sticks up for the little guy, whoever he may be.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He have been repeatedly called a gaywad.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: If I find out anybody has hassled this young man or teased him or called him a wad of any sort perhaps a few of my friends will come to his school.

YELLIN: Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert giving out their metals of reasonableness and fear. We're going take in though with our Kate Bolduan who has been on the National Mall along with CNN contributor Pete Dominic, but Kate, I understand that you've been talking to folks in the crowd. You've a little bit of sense who is there and why did they come.

KATE BOLDUAN, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: That's right, Jessica. I will tell you this has been one of the hardest rallies for me to follow. At any moment, you don't know what is going on on stage. I think that's kind of the point.

But before this all started, we went down and talked to a bunch of people that were in the crowd asking them, really, why did you turn out. Many people saying they are hear for the comedy, to hear to see Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert and here to have a little laughs and hear all the music.

But are also talking to a few people, to many people who also say they are here to kind of show their -- stand together and show that they are here for the reason of this rally, which they say is to show that there is reasonableness, as they keep saying, on stage.

Trying to say they need to dial it down. There are reasonable voices out there in this very heated political climate. It is right now before the mid-terms. But I will tell you that you definitely do see some politically motivated signs out there. You see some anti-Glenn Beck, the Fox News, Conservative Fox News host and at the same time, Jon Stewart says this is not a political rally. There is still yet to be seen if he is talking about politics.

He has not spoken about politics, haven't seen a single politician here, but that's kind of the interesting part about it. The biggest rally of the weekend might not to have a single politician at it.

YELLIN: It's a non-overtly political rally, I guess. Kate, I am going to toss it over to Dana Bash, who is joining us also from Bridgeport, Connecticut. Dana --

BASH: Hi, jess. I actually want to bring in our own Pete Dominic. And Pete, we all know you from "JOHN KING USA", but what people might not know about you is that you used to be, of course, a comic, which we do know.

But you used to be the warm-up act for the "Daily Show with Jon Stewart" and for Stephen Colbert at "The Colbert Report." So you really know these guys, is what you are seeing there what you expected from them?

PETE DOMINICK, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, yes, I think so. But, I mean, what's going on here right now, I just wanted to show you guys quickly, if we can just pan over, there are people climbing up in the trees. They are covering the steps of what I think is the National Galleria of Art.

One of the questions is, what is the demographics here? Well, I have seen everybody, African-American, Hispanic-American, Arab- American, Asian-American.

I've also seen smoking Americans, young and old Americans and most importantly, I think the biggest demographic I see here today is funny Americans. There are a lot of funny signs here.

And of course, Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert both being really funny themselves, but it has mostly been comedy. The people here bringing their own comedy.

And of course, Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert, earlier, Ozzy Osbourne, the O'Jays and Cat Stevens or "use of Islam" perform together. So it's been a pretty interesting eclectic mix of entertainment, but mostly comedy.

BASH: And most of the comedy, you know, it is very interesting, Pete, you talk about the crowd and the mix in the crowd because I have talked to both Republicans and Democrats today and particularly the Republicans.

They were kind of giggling, because they thought the people would show up here were the same kind of people the Democrats might need, not in Washington this weekend, but out knocking on doors in some of the swing states. Perhaps the typical audience you think of when you think of Jon Stewart, the young and politically interested. Is that the kind of person you are seeing there? Do you think that many of the people, if they weren't there, they would be out knocking on doors and helping, you would assume, Democrats?

DOMINICK: Was that to me?

BASH: Yes, Pete, that's to you. You were talking about the crowd. I'm just curious if you get the sense of whether the people would otherwise be politically active on a very, very crucial weekend, especially for democrats, to get out that vote?

DOMINICK: Yes. It's a good question. I have no idea. Maybe they are going to do it later tonight or tomorrow. It is an interesting question. I don't know what's on these people's agenda.

But today, they wanted to many could out here and see this performance clearly. My job has been lately just to grease some of these people up to make it through the crowd because it's that many people here on the mall.

BASH: Fascinating. All right, well, Pete, thank you. But we are obviously going to check back with you as this rally to restore sanity and/or fear continues.

Jessica, what an interesting and -- you and I have both covered rallies on the mall. I don't think we have ever seen anything like this.

YELLIN: Not with a host in apparent pajamas, Pete Rock on stage and Ozzy Osbourne jumping around. One point I could make, Dana, about your idea that this could be detracting from folks that could be getting out to vote. I do know the DNC, the Democratic National Committee organized some get-out-to-vote efforts around the rally.

They're having they say a phone bank inviting people at the rally to come in and make calls and also trying to sign them up as they leave through Union Station to get out to vote when they go home in their own community.

So maybe they anticipated that and predicted and we will see if it makes a difference, but we are going to take a quick break here. Right? More Jon Stewart, Stephen Colbert and other political rallies from around the country. So stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

YELLIN: Welcome back to CNN's BALLOT BOWL. We are going to bring you directly back to the rally to restore sanity or fear on the National Mall where Kidd Rock and Sheryl Crow are performing.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Thank you. Be seated. God bless America!

YELLIN: Kidd Rock and Sheryl Crow performing at the rally to restore sanity and/or fear at National Mall. We didn't know they would be on the rundown. A lot of surprises in this one, Dana. I think it is some unusual entertainment as a nonpolitical/political rally in Washington, D.C.

BASH: That really is what seems to be so fascinating. This rally was such a mystery. So far, it seems to be just what you said. It seems to be entertainment with singers there, including Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert singing. Very, very interesting, that that so far has been that and not so much political.

We will see if it changes. I will tell you, they are getting warmed up and waiting for President Obama who is going to be there in the next hour. Russell Simmons, of course, is the music mogul. He is the mc of this event. He is actually traveling with President Obama.

So there are celebrities everywhere. As all this is taking place in the world of politics, very important news that CNN is continuing to cover in terms of that important story on the terror threat to the United States and we are going to have breaking news on that out of the break. Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hello, I'm Fredricka Whitfield in Atlanta. Back to BALLOT BOWL in a moment, but first, some breaking news out of Yemen we want to bring to you.

Police in Yemen have surrounded a house and are said to be closing in on a female suspect in connection with yesterday's foiled terror plot. Two suspicious packages were intercepted aboard cargo planes in Dubai as well as in the United Kingdom, actually nearly 48 hours ago.

Those packages were bound for the U.S. This information was being made public yesterday. Our Mohammed Jamjoom is in Baghdad. He has been monitoring these developments. He's an extensive reporting on Yemen as well. So, Mohammed, what are you hearing right now about this latest twist?

MOHAMMED JAMJOON, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Fredricka, Yemen's president, Ali Abdullah Saleh held a press conference in Sanna, the capital city of Yemen just a short ago, in which he announced among other things that currently there is a suspect in the mailing of these packages with the explosives.

This is a girl in Yemen. He referred to her as a girl, a female suspect. She's in a house in the capital city of Sanaa. That house is surrounded according to the president. The president believes an arrest will happen within the next couple of hours.

Now the president also said he did not hear about any of these developments yesterday from any CIA officials on the ground in Yemen. He heard about it from officials in Washington and officials in London.

He said that the information he got has not yet confirmed to him that there were any explosives in any of these packages. He's still waiting to find that out. The president also spoke about the fact that current any in Sanaa, the Yemeni security forces have closed all UPS and FedEx offices.

They are conducting forensic investigations on the packages in there. They are questioning people that handle cargo to make sure there are no other suspicious packages.

And the Yemeni president also said that they are committed to battling al Qaeda. They still need help from their partners, the Americans and the British and they want to make sure they can eradicate al Qaeda because it's a bigger problem for them as it is for the rest of the world, Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: All right. Mohammed Jamjoom, thank you so much for the update. We'll check back with you momentarily as well as throughout the day.

And right now, we're taking you back to BALLOT BOWL after the break and we are, by the way, waiting the president of the United States in Connecticut, the second stop on his three-state campaign tour today. CNN will bring you that live as it happens.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BASH: Welcome back to CNN's BALLOT BOWL. I'm Dana Bash in Bridgeport, Connecticut. We're bringing you live campaign events all across the country.

But first, I want to bring you some breaking political news and this comes to us from our political producer, Peter Hambian and that is President Bill Clinton, former President Bill Clinton will be campaigning in the state of Florida in Orlando on Monday night for Democratic Senate candidate Kendrick Meek.

Now, for anybody following this drama, that is big news and the reason is because just a couple of days ago, CNN and others reported that Bill Clinton actually tried to get Kendrick Meek out of the race. It was kind of a soap opera if you will, back and forth on who did what when.

But it really has caused potential problems for Democrats particularly in the African-American community. People who are saying, wait a minute, this is not the way politics should work, but it looks like all of that is being pushed aside for the final night.

Because, again, CNN has learned that Bill Clinton will campaign for Kendrick Meek on Monday night in the state of Florida, very, very interesting political news.

But on to the event that we have been watching on the National Mall in Washington. Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert, they are involved in their restore sanity and/or fear rally. Lots and lots of people on the mall. They are right now giving what they are calling their keynote speeches. We want to bring that to you. Let's listen in. STEWART: Most of them -

COLBERT: Did not is what you are saying?

STEWART: That is correct.

COLBERT: Jon, you are saying, you are saying there is no reason at all to be afraid of Osama Bin Laden.

STEWART: No, Osama Bin Laden is a specific person.

COLBERT: A specific bad Muslim person.

STEWART: But there are plenty of Muslim people that are not bad and that you would like and that's fine.

COLBERT: Really, who would I like?

STEWART: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.

COLBERT: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar?

STEWART: Yes. That is someone that you would like.

COLBERT: Watch your head.

STEWART: Kareem, my man.

COLBERT: Hey, Kareem.

STEWART: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is Muslim.

COLBERT: Well, that's not fair, Jon. That's not a fair example. Kareem is cool. We are friends.

KAREEM ABDUL-JABBAR, NBA CHAMPION: Well, we are acquaintances. You know, a real friend understands that no matter what religious position, we are all on the same team.

COLBERT: Wow. Wow, Kareem. Your message of tolerance just drove the lane of my heart.

ABDUL-JABBAR: You see, Stephen, individuals can be scary, but you can't generalize about all people. Even one so dangerous in the --

STEWART: You see, Stephen, individuals can be scary, but you can't generalize about all people. Even ones so dangerous in the paint, they scored 30,000 points. Thirty thousand points. Thirty thousand.

ABDUL-JABBAR: Actually, that was 38,387.

STEWART: All right, fine.

COLBERT: Wow. Wow, wow. STEWART: Kareem, thank you so much.

ABDUL-JABBAR: Thank you.

COLBERT: Hey, hey, Kareem, Kareem. Hey, I'll call you so we can hang out.

ABDUL-JABBAR: Jon, make sure he doesn't get my number, OK?

STEWART: Absolutely. I'll make sure.

COLBERT: OK, fine. Fine. Fine, smarty pants. You may have a point about humans, but what about robots, Jon? The Terminator, Decepticons, Silons (ph), Jon, they're terrifying. Admit it.

STEWART: All right. I will give you, some robots are scary.

COLBERT: Thank you. No, not just some robots, Jon, all robots.

STEWART: No, not all -- what about R2-D2? R2, yes, R2. R2, can you -- can you see R2?

COLBERT: Can you come up here, R2.

STEWART: Everyone move up a little closer to see R2.

COLBERT: Come up here, R2. Up here, R2.

STEWART: R2, can you --

COLBERT: Over here.

STEWART: Over here. Right -- come up.

COLBERT: Imagine we're in the cloud city.

STEWART: R2.

COLBERT: Well, no, no, R2, of course I didn't mean you. You're one of the good ones.

Well, no, no, listen, don't use that language, there are kids here, please. No, OK, you make a good point, R2 and I'm sorry.

STEWART: All right, thank you, R2. By the way, there's a blender backstage that I think had its eye on you, so you might want to -- oh, OK.

Good-bye, R2. Thank you. Good-bye.

COLBERT: We'll see you at the space port.

STEWART: R2 ran over my foot.

COLBERT: I told you.

Jon, Jon, I got to say -- I got to say, R2 --

(END VIDEO CLIP)

YELLIN: Well, the biggest surprise guest of the day, I guess, was R2-D2. That is Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert speaking on the National Mall.

Dana, perhaps the most unusual rally I've ever seen on the National Mall to be sure. But we also have some political events going on today that we are going to cover, Dana.

BASH: That's right. And I am right here in Bridgeport, Connecticut, waiting for one -- waiting for a big one. The crowd is being warmed up behind me for President Obama. He is going to come and campaign, give a final push to the Democratic candidate for Senate here, Mr. Blumenthal, who actually is quite a bit ahead. And you and I can talk about why -- the question of why President Obama is here in a state that both Republicans and Democrats think is pretty much a shoe-in for Democrats. We're going to tease that up for you and talk about that later.

Stay with us. Much more BALLOT BOWL right ahead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BASH: Welcome back to CNN's BALLOT BOWL. I'm Dana Bash in Bridgeport, Connecticut, where President Obama is going to speak in about an hour. It is one of three campaign stops he is making today to try to get out that Democratic vote, especially focusing on those key population centers. This is one for sure here in Bridgeport of the state of Connecticut, trying to get Democrats out to the polls. That is the name of the game for Democrats and Republicans at this point.

But speaking of Republicans, there is a very important Senate race in the state of West Virginia. The candidates are Republican John Raese and Democrat Joe Manchin. Now, Joe Manchin is the state's sitting governor and he is quite popular personally. But I was down there a couple of weeks ago and it is just fascinating to hear voters who say that they like him but they are worried about sending a Democrat to Washington because people there are frustrated with Washington. And that is why John Raese has been doing quite well despite his opponent's popularity.

Sarah Palin was down campaigning for John Raese today. She was a surprise headliner at his rally. And she spoke to the crowd and gave what has become a classic Sarah Palin stump speech for the Republican candidate she's been out for. Let's listen to some of that.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SARAH PALIN (R), FORMER ALASKA GOVERNOR: John Raese knows that we can't keep racking up debt. Over $13 trillion in debt. And Obama points backwards and blames everybody else. And yet he has perpetuated the problem in these last two years. Heck, before that, don't forget, he was a United States senator casting those votes for those big old budget and yet he wants to blame everybody else. That doesn't fly in West Virginia. Y'all are smarter than that.

You know, John Raese knows that our country can no longer afford porked out budgets full of sweetheart appropriations. We do need smaller, smarter government. And the only way to get that is to change the leadership in Washington. The leadership in D.C. must change and it must start listening to we, the people.

The left's agenda will not get us there. Washington's agenda must change. We can't afford politicians who will rubber stamp their party's agenda. We need real leaders like John Raese!

West Virginia and America cannot afford what's coming down the pike. If we don't turn this car around, you know what's coming, cap and tax. Obama likes to call it cap and trade, but what it is, is a job-killing piece of legislation that will affect every single one of you, every aspect of our economy. We cannot allow this to go through. But that's what we're going to get if you have a rubber stamp in there for Obama, who is representing the states.

It is all the more reason, West Virginia, in these final hours, you need to be getting out there, getting the vote out, making sure that your neighbors, that your friends, that your families understand that it is imperative that cap and tax not be allowed to go through. It will decimate our economy. It will make us more beholden to foreign countries as we rely on them to produce energy for us. It will outsource our jobs. Those jobs that you are waiting for. Those jobs that you deserve, because these are American resources that are God-given. They are provided for us to responsibly develop and use for mankind within our lands.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BASH: That's Sarah Palin campaigning earlier today for the Republican candidate for Senate in the state of West Virginia, John Raese. That has been a close race. But talking to sources in the Republican and Democratic side, today they are saying that even with the help of Sarah Palin, it is looking more and more like that, a competitive race, will fall on the hands or perhaps stay in the hands of the Democrats come Tuesday. But we'll wait and see on that.

Speaking of Senate races that are very important, I am in a state that has one. The state of Connecticut. And I am waiting -- we are all waiting for President Obama. He is going to speak here. It is the second of three stops he is making. He has got a big crowd waiting behind me. You can probably hear the band warming them up. We've had Russell Simmons, the music mogul, who has been the MC here. And this is also an important race, but one that Democrats think they pretty much have in the bag. But the White House says that they're not taking any for granted. They want to make sure that they get out that Democratic vote.

Also, we are watching another, I think it's probably the better -- the best way to say it is interesting event on the National Mall. It is Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert's Rally to Restore Comedy -- excuse me, to Restore Sanity and/or fear. It is part comedy, it is part rock concert, and it does have a touch of political satire, as you can imagine, for the both of them. We are going to go to that on the other side of the break. Stay with us. You don't want to miss it.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hello, I'm Fredricka Whitfield in Atlanta. We'll have more of the BALLOT BOLL in a moment. But now, more information on that breaking story.

An arrest has been made in Yemen in connection to those devices that were located in plane cargo in the U.K., as well as the United Arab Emirates. A government official is confirming with CNN that an arrest of a woman in Yemen has been made. We reported to you about 30 minutes ago that a woman's home had been surrounded in connection with this investigation.

All that we're being told right now that an arrest now has been made of a woman. We don't have any other details about what may have been located besides that woman at that residence or location there in Yemen. Of course, as soon as we get more information about this part of this investigation, we'll be able to bring that to you.

I'm Fredricka Whitfield in Atlanta. We'll have much more of the BALLOT BOWL after this.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BASH: Welcome back to CNN's BALLOT BOWL. I'm Dana Bash in Bridgeport, Connecticut. We are waiting for President Obama to rally the crowd here. A very large crowd here. We are told that he has just arrived here in this arena, so we could see him earlier than we expected.

But, you know, while we wait for that, we want to take you to another very, very interesting and colorful is probably a good word to describe the race for governor in the state of New York. Andrew Cuomo may have a comfortable lead, and he does, about a 14 point lead, over Carl Paladino, the Republican in that race, but it has not stopped Mr. Cuomo from bringing in big guns and somebody who resides, or at least has his office in the city of New York, and that is Bill Clinton.

Clinton was with Cuomo earlier this week touting his achievements. He was actually, on Wednesday, with him at New York City College of Technology. Let's listen to some of that.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BILL CLINTON, FORMER U.S. PRESIDENT: As your attorney general, look what he has done. He recovered $283 million in Medicaid fraud and abuse cases. And his -- keep in mind -- and that's really important now. More important than ever. Because just as New York has budget problems, they have been made worse by what's going on in healthcare.

You know, last year, 2009, the bottom of this terrible recession, before the health insurance companies could blame what they divisively refer to as Obamacare, they raised health insurance premiums by double digits. And they said, oh, please forgive us, but we have to ensure so many of you and you were so sick that even though people are worried about losing their jobs and their homes and they're up to their ears in debts, we're still going to raise your insurance premiums.

We had to wait a year until all the figures were filed. Guess what really happened in 2009? They didn't have to ensure more people. The price rises drove 5.5 million people off the health insurance roles and 3 million were added to the Medicaid rolls, increasing the budget problems of the state of New York and the United States. So when you've got a guy who gets you hundreds of millions of dollars back, that's a pretty good deal for all the people of New York.

He recovered $130 million for the pension system because of abusive practices. He has gone after all kinds of corruption in public and private life and he got $100 million for people who had been bilked by their own insurance companies not reimbursing them properly for their medical costs.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BASH: That's Bill Clinton speaking earlier this week on behalf of the Democratic candidate for governor in the state of New York, Andrew Cuomo.

And I'm going to bring in my co-anchor, Jessica Yellin, who is out in Nevada.

Jessica, watching Bill Clinton, I keep thinking, and maybe it's a good time to remind our viewers of the news that we broke not too long ago, about the fact that President Clinton is going back to Florida to campaign on Monday night for the Democratic candidate for Senate there, Kendrick Meek. After just a couple of days ago, this soap opera where we learned that he tried to get Meeks twice to get out of the race.

YELLIN: That's right. And, you know, it does seem there is some backlash potentially among the African-American community that there was pressure on the African-American candidate to leave. So, clearly, President Clinton going there to show not just support but -- for Meek's campaign, but for an old friend, Kendrick Meek, running for the Senate in that contested race in Florida.

Another race that we've all been watching very closely, of course, is the race in Delaware to take the Senate seat there. It's Vice President Biden's old Senate seat. But we all came to notice it when Christine O'Donnell got the Republican nomination. The Republican-backed congressman, the establishment backed Congressman Michael Castle was likely to win the primary, but when Tea Party favorite Christine O'Donnell swept in and took it, tons of eyes turned to focus on her.

We'll remind you, Chris Coons, he is the Democrat in that race. And a CNN/"Time"/Opinion Research poll earlier this month showed that race, wow, just a huge lead for Chris Coons, 57 percent, to Christine O'Donnell's 38 percent.

But, nonetheless, the Republican establishment has been to Delaware. They have shown their support for Christine O'Donnell. Most recently, RNC Chairman Michael Steele, who has been crisscrossing the nation on his "Fire Pelosi" tour, we saw him in California and Florida. Well, he was in Delaware campaigning for Christine O'Donnell earlier this week. Let's listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MICHAEL STEELE, RNC CHAIRMAN: I appreciate the spirit of the fight. I appreciate most especially that long before now there was this organic movement, this feeling that came from within, that grew out of the voices of a frustrated, concerned people who said, no, you don't understand, Washington. No, you don't understand, GOP. No, you don't understand, BNC (ph), that is we, the people, that matter.

And we listened -- we listened and we learned. We heard your voice. We got on a bus and we've traveled 15,000 miles, six weeks, 48 states. This is actually the 47th. My home state of Maryland, right next door, will be 48. They tell me my bed is there waiting for me. I'm so excited.

But before that, but before that -- yes, Wednesday. But before that, we know that there's still a lot of work to do. There's still so much work to do. I thank the leadership of the party here in the state. I thank the leadership most especially of all of you, elected and unelected, men and women who really care about the people of this state, who are putting it on the line, who are taking the extra hours, putting in the extra time, walking the extra mile to make sure that come next Tuesday not only do we retire Nancy Pelosi, not only do we retire Harry Reid, but we grab a hold of our country and we hold on tight and we let her know we still love her, that we're going to fight with her, that we're going to stand with her, always and forever.

That's what this is about. We're not going to let this government control our future. We're not going to let this government tell us what to own and what not to own. We're not going to let the government dictate our wealth. That's our choice. And the people want their choice back. And they've chosen Christine O'Donnell for their next senator.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

YELLIN: RNC Chairman Michael Steele speaking earlier this week at a rally for Christine O'Donnell in Delaware. She is the Republican Senate candidate there.

We want to take you quickly now to the Rally to Restore Sanity, Stephen Colbert and Jon Stewart on the National Wall, where they are wrapping up and thanking their supporters.

COLBERT: A seven-year-old girl.

STEWART: Nick Foley.

COLBERT: The Mythbusters, Jamie Hyneman and Adam Savage.

STEWART: R2-D2. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. All the correspondents.

Thelma Hart (ph), take it away, guys.

(SINGING)