Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Newsroom

O'Donnell's Closing Arguments; U.S. Names Suspected Bomb Maker; John Dennis Challenges Nancy Pelosi for her House Seat; Americans Fearful of Economy Prior to Midterms; White House Greets Trick-or- Treaters

Aired October 31, 2010 - 18:00   ET

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

DON LEMON, CNN ANCHOR: Right now on CNN.

The man behind the terror plot that gripped the U.S. and Europe late this week, investigators say they know who he is -- but are they any closer to finding him? CNN's senior international correspondent Nic Robertson investigates.

A hostage situation in a Catholic Church in Baghdad turns deadly. Two dozen people killed, many more injured. Details are still unfolding right now.

You've heard the political pundits, and analysts, and so-called "experts" all pontificating about voters, politicians and the elections. I spent the week traveling the country talking to you, real people with real concerns. Let's hear from you, shall we?

(MUSIC)

LEMON: Let me start this hour with politics. Just two days left until the elections and if you followed politics, this is really like the playoffs. If you don't, then you have an even better reason to join us because we're explaining how these races, no matter where they're happening, will affect you. And we're doing it with "The Best Political Team on Television."

The campaign trail is hot on this final weekend before the elections. President Barack Obama is trying to keep his political agenda alive with a last-ditch appeal to voters on a four-state tour.

Former President Bill Clinton, who has become a major player in these midterms, appearing with a candidate today who told President Obama to "shove it."

And Republicans, confident they'll win the House, are hoping upstarts like Christine O'Donnell will hand them the Senate, too.

Most polls are showing that Christine O'Donnell is trailing by double digits against Democrat Chris Coons for Delaware's open Senate seat, but she is worth watching because of the way she's already upset the establishment with her Tea Party-backed candidacy and because of the stuff she said both past and present.

Our Kate Bolduan was at an O'Donnell rally that wrapped up just a short time ago. Kate joins us now.

Kate, she was there with the Tea Party Express, with the group that helped push her into the national spotlight. What does she have to say to them?

KATE BOLDUAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hey there, Don. Yes, a very fiery rally here in a pretty cold Wilmington, Delaware, actually. Christine O'Donnell was out here just a short time ago, actually, just left the podium, trying to fire up the troops, try to rally the troops to get out the vote come Tuesday. As you mentioned, Christine O'Donnell was joined by the Tea Party Express as the Tea Party Express continues its nationwide tour to kind of pump people up.

The Tea Party backed Christine O'Donnell during the primary. She also won a big endorsement during the primary as well like by former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin.

Today, Christine O'Donnell -- she was talking about lowering taxes, cutting federal spending, many of -- all of it really the talking points that she really promoted and emphasized during her campaign here. She also took on her -- "career politicians" as she calls them and took on her opponent, Democrat Chris Coons.

Listen here to a little bit of Christine O'Donnell.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CHRISTINE O'DONNELL (R), DELAWARE SENATE CANDIDATE: So, there is something that we could be doing, but we've got too many career politicians in Washington catering to the special interests, catering to what's going on in the back room deals, catering to their obnoxious sense of entitlement, and doing what that they need to do to stay in office. This Tuesday, we can tell them: No more.

(CHEERS)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BOLDUAN: O'Donnell there emphasizing that she says they -- on Tuesday, people can say, "No more," as she's saying. She's hoping people get out the vote. During her time when she took the podium, she did speak out against her opponent, Democrat Chris Coons, calling him a career politician.

Really, Don, she's really emphasizing and trying to capitalize on her position as an outsider, something that people here at the rally really that we talk to, they really love about her, that she is a citizen politician as she was promoting. But still, you mentioned it and we should mention, she has consistently been behind the polls to Coons, ranging from as much as 20 points behind the polls.

But at one recent poll that just came out this past Friday actually suggested that she was closing in a bit on Coons, down 10 points. And O'Donnell is definitely hoping and banking on momentum to carry her through. So, at the podium, saying she's confident that she'll win on Tuesday -- Don. LEMON: Our Kate Bolduan, live for us in Delaware -- Kate, thank you very much.

And for President Obama, Ohio was a place to deliver his last speech before the elections. He and Vice President Joe Biden were both in Cleveland, drumming up support for Governor Ted Strickland. A recent poll shows his Republican challenger, John Kasich, up by about six points.

The president urged people to get out to vote and slammed the GOP's strategy for fixing the economy.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: We have confidence and we continue to have confidence that there are Republicans out there who feel the same way. But the Republican leaders in Washington -- yes, they had a different calculation. Their basic theory was: you know what, the economy is so bad, we made such a mess of things, that rather than cooperate, we'll be better off just saying "no" to everything. We'll be better off not even trying to fix the economy. And people will get angry and they will get frustrated and maybe two years from now, they will have forgotten that we were the ones who caused the mess in the first place.

In other words, their basic political strategy has been to count on you having amnesia.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: The president stumped for Governor Ted Strickland just a couple of weeks ago in Columbus as well.

Democrats and Republicans believe Mr. Obama is trying to keep Ohio in Democratic hands because the Senate will be crucial to his own re-election bid in 2012.

And Ohio is one of the battleground states in this election, this week. I was there this week talking to voters about what's important to them. Hear what they had to say at the bottom of the hour right here on CNN.

Meantime, in other news, when it come to your safety, U.S. authorities have named the man they think built the two failed package bombs from Yemen. He is 28-year-old Ibrahim Hassan al al-Asiri, a Saudi believed living in Yemen. He's also suspected of making the so- called underwear bomb found last Christmas on a flight to the U.S.

We're also learning the two explosive packages disguised as printer cartridges may have been transported on passenger flights before being put aboard commercial cargo planes bound for the U.S. A senior White House official says the devices could have exploded at any time.

In Yemen, an engineering student and her mother arrested yesterday at this house in connection with the plot are now free. A high-level source says the student's name was on the shipping manifest for one of those packages.

And for the latest on the investigation, CNN's senior international correspondent Nic Robertson joins us now live from London.

So, what do you know about this Ibrahim Hassan al-Asiri, the alleged bomb maker, Nic?

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, he's believed to have made an explosive underpants bomb for his brother, which was use in the summer of 2009 last year to attack -- in a suicide mission to attack a deputy Saudi minister, the minister of interior, deputy minister of interior. The -- his brother was killed, the minister of interior survived. He did have to go to hospital for treatment.

And he's also believed to have used that same setup, the underpants bomb, for the underpants bomber, Abdulmutallab, who failed to detonate his explosives on the plane approaching Detroit last Christmas.

So, the connection seems to be being established through the type of explosives. It's the same type of explosive, PETN, stable but highly, highly dangerous, because it is very, very powerful.

So, from what we understand, from experts, and analysis will be done right now of the PETN to try and get this match. But the fingers are pointing towards al-Asiri right now, Don.

LEMON: Nic, the -- John Brennan, who is the senior White House adviser on homeland security, says these devices could have gone off by themselves. What can you tell us about that?

ROBERTSON: Yes, this is fascinating. I mean, we're learning more and more details. He said, what was required here, the bombers didn't have to be by the bomb to set them off. He said that they could have set them off on the aircraft or they could have set them off at a final destination.

We have learned that there have -- some parts of the detonator system involves cell phone circuitry. One of these is believed to have a phone chip with it, the other not. The indications seem to point to the fact that there's some kind of remote detonation trigger.

Of course, we don't have all the facts at this stage and this is something investigators will still be looking at, but it does seem to indicate a very sophisticated type of bomb here, Don.

LEMON: Our senior international correspondent, Nic Robertson, in London tonight -- Nic, thank you.

You know, voters can expect new legislation to close loopholes in air cargo screening. Current U.S. law requires security screening of all cargo aboard all passenger flights. Cargo planes however are not covered. Congressman Ed Markey says the Yemen bomb plot shows al Qaeda was trying to exploit that loophole. The Massachusetts Democrat says he will introduce a bill to close that gap when Congress returns after the election.

New poll numbers out show a big lead for Republicans, but how favorably do Americans see individual members of the GOP? You might be surprised about that.

And Democrats bring out the big guns in the final weekend of campaigning. Former President Bill Clinton hits the trail. We'll tell you who else he is backing.

And don't just sit there. Make sure you become part of the conversation. Send us a message on Twitter or Facebook. Check out our blog at CNN.com/Don. You can look for me on Foursquare as well. We have our own page there now at CNN -- it's Foursquare.com/DonLemonCNN. Check us out.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LEMON: Just few days until you go to the ballot box, two shopping days until the midterm elections. At this point, a lot of the polls -- well, they may just blend together for you. We're hoping your eyes don't glass over when we tell you about this.

And so, tonight, we're going to bring you some crucial numbers showing you where the races stand in the final stretch.

So, here to help us out with that is CNN's deputy political director, Mr. Paul Steinhauser.

Hello, Paul. So, tell us how voters are leaning with the days -- two days left to the Election Day.

PAUL STEINHAUSER, CNN DEPUTY POLITICAL DIRECTOR: Don, I promise, our last poll numbers before the midterm elections and this is it.

LEMON: Yes.

STEINHAUSER: And you won't have any more from this. But you asked, so take a look this, brand-new, out today. This is what we call the generic ballot, when you vote for the generic Democrat or Republican in your congressional district. It's widely used by others.

Take a look -- 52 percent saying they would vote for the generic Republican in their district, 42 percent saying they would vote for the generic Democrat in their district. That 10-point advantage for the Republicans is similar to the advantage the Democrats had, Don, in 2006 when they won back Congress and it's similar to the advantage the Republicans had in 1994 when they won back Congress.

Let's move on to the next one because this is interesting. Let's break it down by independent voters only. Look at this -- just independent voters. Remember, independent voters went for the Democrats big time in 2006 and '08. That helped win those elections.

Right now, independent voters, on the same question, say they would vote for the Republican candidate, 55 percent to 32 percent. But all these numbers which look pretty good for the Republicans, it doesn't mean Americans are in love with the Republicans. We asked favorability on the two parties, Democrats and Republicans, 44 percent of the people we questioned say they have a favorable opinion of the Republican Party. That's pretty comparable to the 46 percent that say they have a favorable opinion for the Democrats, Don.

LEMON: OK. So, listen, I'm going to have -- someone said this to me and a lot of people have been saying this that, Paul, that polls they only dampen enthusiasm on both sides. It's counterproductive and they're useless. So, I want to get your response to that -- but how -- you know, how accurate are these numbers? How many people are we, you know, surveying? Is it an accurate reflection of the American populous or the voting population?

STEINHAUSER: Let me tell you a couple things about our polls. We, on average, question about 1,000 people, adults across the country for each survey. Now, when we do that, we normally -- our polling director, Keating Holland, tells me we use random digit dialing across the country. So, that basically gives everybody across the country an equal opportunity to be questioned by us.

We also -- we break down the poll -- we adjust our polls to reflect what the Census Bureau says is a democratic breakdown of the country. So, we do that as well.

And, then, finally, you asked about accuracy. Well, I'll go back two 2008. We predict -- correctly predicted the 53 percent to 47 percent popular vote percentage of Obama to McCain in the 2008 election. So, we were spot on that one.

We'll see how we do on this one, Don.

LEMON: So, it's just about giving the viewer perspective, not necessarily trying to, you know -- or influencing them on how they should vote or, you know, at least by what's popular and what may be trending more. It's just a look at what's going on.

STEINHAUSER: Exactly.

LEMON: OK. Let's turn the corner here and talk about former President Bill Clinton, Paul, and his draw on the campaign trail. He's had a controversy this week with Kendrick Meek down in Florida, who is appearing this week with him tomorrow. He's going to appear with him. But tell us what he's doing in Rhode Island today.

STEINHAUSER: You know, we'll start with Rhode Island because that was the big controversy this week. He was up there today campaigning with the Democratic gubernatorial nominee in Rhode Island, a guy called Frank Caprio.

And Frank Caprio made news earlier this week when Barack Obama -- when the president came to Rhode Island, and the president has not endorsed Caprio here. He's not endorsed the Democratic candidate because there's an independent candidate, Lincoln Chafee, former Republican senator, who is a friend of Barack Obama. So, the president is staying neutral here. Caprio told Obama to take that endorsement and shove it. And then he repeated that.

But on Saturday, yesterday, he said he wished he had used some other language.

Today, the former president was up there with the Democratic nominee, helping him campaign. He didn't say -- Bill Clinton didn't say anything about the controversy, though.

And Kendrick Meek, you're right, the president -- the former president goes down to Florida tomorrow night. He tries to be the closer down there. You remember, it was just earlier this week, there was a big controversy there, reports that the former president tried to -- met with Meek and tried to influence him to maybe drop out of the race.

Kendrick Meek is third -- most polls suggest he's third in that three-way Senate contest down there. The idea would be for Meek to drop out and then endorse the governor down there, Charlie Crist, former Republican who is now running as an independent. Polls suggested Marco Rubio, the Republican, is the leader in that three-way contest, Don.

It has been a crazy week in all involving Bill Clinton, I guess.

LEMON: Yes, it has been a crazy week. When you mentioned Caprio, I was watching one morning in a hotel when everyone was having breakfast and the television was on, and when that particular sound bite came up saying, "shove it," everybody in the room winced and you could hear people saying, that's disrespectful of a sitting president. So, I'm sure he wishes he would have, you know, changed his words or used different words, Paul.

STEINHAUSER: And that's why he said yesterday that after a few days of reflection, yes, he wishes he'd used different language.

LEMON: Paul, thank you very much.

You know, he is one of Saudi Arabia's most wanted men and officials think he is the brains behind the cargo plane bomb plot. We'll have more on Ibrahim Hassan al-Asiri after the break.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LEMON: I want to take a look at some of your top stories right now on CNN.

Ted Sorensen, a close adviser to President John F. Kennedy, is dead. As JFK's speech writer or speechwriter I should say, Sorensen was instrumental in fashioning some of the most memorable speeches in American political history. Sorensen died today in New York of complications from a stroke he suffered last week. He was 82 years old.

We're just getting in some new information concerning this blast in Baghdad. At least 37 people now have been killed in Baghdad. It happened when Iraqis security forces stormed a Catholic Church where gunmen were holding worshipers hostage.

Again, these numbers are just coming in. Another 57, we're told, were injured. The casualties included hostages, Iraqis security forces, and kidnappers.

Some of the worshipers did manage to escape. They say the gunmen burst into the church just as evening worship services were getting underway. We'll continue to follow that story for you.

Security was extra tight on the streets of the nation's capital today for the annual Marine Corps marathon. Thirty thousand hardy souls hit the pavement from Arlington, Virginia, to Washington and back. Security was boosted after someone fired shots at military buildings in recent weeks, including the National Museum of the Marine Corps where today's marathon ended.

Let's talk more about the man that U.S. authorities believe built the two failed package bombs from Yemen. His name is Ibrahim Hassan al-Asiri. He is 28 years old and is a Saudi believed to be living in Yemen. He could be the same person who made the so-called underwear bomb found last Christmas on a flight to the U.S.

Al-Asiri is one of Saudi Arabia's most wanted men. The Saudi government describes him as an expert with explosives and poison -- in explosives and poison.

Let's dig a little bit deeper now with CNN's national security contributor Frances Townsend.

Frances, thanks for joining us. Frances also were homeland security adviser to President George W. Bush.

What do you know about this guy?

FRANCES TOWNSEND, CNN NATIONAL SECURITY CONTRIBUTOR: Well, this guy, he was in custody. He is a Saudi. He was in Saudi. He left Saudi Arabia because of the counterterrorism forces there applying tremendous pressure to al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula. They then move themselves to Yemen.

We know Yemen to be a probably less well-governed place. There are riots and there are fighting in the north with the al-Houthis. In the south, there were separatist riots.

President Saleh is very sort of besieged by problems. And one of them, the one that affects us the most and affects the Saudis the most is al Qaeda.

LEMON: Yes.

TOWNSEND: Asiri was the bomb maker last summer for a bomb in the underwear of his brother who tried to assassinate the counterterrorism chief in Saudi Arabia, Prince Mohammed Bin Nayef. This is a very experienced, very capable bomb maker and we heard today from Brennan, President Obama's counterterrorism adviser, that this was a very sophisticated device that could have detonated without a human being having to initiate it.

LEMON: Yes, and without a remote.

Here's my question: just because intelligence officials believed that's who it is and they know where he is, does it mean they're going to capture him or they know specifically where he is? I should say they know where he might be -- but specifically, they don't know where he is.

TOWNSEND: No, that's right. And, you know, what I think al Qaeda members have learned over the years, it is easier for officials to target them in remote areas as opposed to urban areas. So, an individual like, al-Asiri, the bomb maker, or Anwar al-Awlaki, the Yemeni cleric, they seem to then put themselves in urban areas which are -- which are much more difficult for counterterrorism forces to target them effectively and to capture or kill them without risking civilian casualties.

LEMON: So, watching this unfold, Fran -- I was in an airport on Friday and watching the breaking news and just passing a television or, you know, if you have kids at home, you wonder, what's going on? It's so much to know, there's London, there's Yemen, there's here in Philadelphia.

What does this mean to the American public as far as cargo planes being checked, passenger planes? What does it mean for our security?

TOWNSEND: Well, Don, as you've reported, Representative Markey in the U.S. Congress is very frustrated by this. We now are supposed to screen at least 100 percent of cargo on passenger planes -- and that's really thanks to the 9/11 victims families that pushed very hard for that. But that's not the truth of U.S. cargo planes -- you know, planes that don't carry passengers, merely cargo.

And Representative Markey has said he's going to introduce legislation to require that screening.

We should remind people, screening is different from physical inspection, but at least with screening, you go through and look for suspicious packages that you may want to actually physically inspect. And I think what we've learned is, that's a hole in our security system that needs to be fixed.

LEMON: So, something of this size, of this nature, with these devices -- and we really don't know how many. We've heard as many as 13 or 14, we really don't know for sure. They're not saying.

My question is, is that -- you know, after 9/11, people became very suspicious and very worried about this and you started to hear about them over and over. But something of this magnitude -- what might this have meant to us, if it had gone off?

TOWNSEND: Well, you know, what's it's interesting, Nic Robertson, after -- our colleague, Nic Robertson, after the Christmas attempted plane bombing with -- from the underwear bomber, went in the U.K. and had a test by a scientist with a capful, a pen cap filled with the same explosive that was used in these bombs, PETN. These bombs were much larger than the tests Nic had the scientists run, and it blew a hole in metal twice the thickness of a jet fuselage.

LEMON: Yes.

TOWNSEND: And so, I think we have to presume, based on that and the statements of John Brennan today with Candy Crowley, that there is no question that this bomb, if this bombs had detonated when the planes were in the air, they would have caused catastrophic damage, causing those planes to come out of the air and we don't know where they would have landed.

LEMON: That's the word I was thinking, catastrophic.

TOWNSEND: Right.

LEMON: Thank you very much, Fran Townsend. We appreciate your time.

TOWNSEND: Sure.

LEMON: Let's talk more politics now.

Nancy Pelosi -- conservatives have used her name like a four- letter word this election cycle, including her opponent, John Dennis. But is he actually more liberal on certain issues than Pelosi? Dennis is here and I'll ask him next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LEMON: All right. You probably know that polls show voters may dump the top Democrat in the Senate, Harry Reid, in favor of Republican Sharron Angle. All right. You've probably know that.

But what about the top Democrat in the House? We're talking Nancy Pelosi. She is up for reelection, too, and while her name comes up constantly on the trail, do you even know who her opponent is? Do you even know she had an opponent?

Well, there he is right there. His name is John Dennis and he joins us now live.

John, welcome. I've never seen on national television, I have to be honest with you. You want to represent one of the most liberal district --

JOHN DENNIS (R), CALIFORNIA CONGRESSIONAL CANDIDATE: Don, you have to watch more the national television.

LEMON: Yes. You want to represent one of the most liberal districts in the country, one that includes -- most of San Francisco. So, why run on the Republican ticket?

DENNIS: Well, first of all, I've been a Republican for 25 years. It's the party I'm most comfortable with, I refer to as the liberty wing of the party. And, you know, even if I ran as a Democrat, I don't think I would have had much traction challenging Nancy Pelosi. It's only as a Republican that I can challenge her on the issues on which she's most vulnerable.

LEMON: So, you're actually left of Pelosi on many of the issues, even though you are Republican. You're for legalizing marijuana. She won't say how she's voting on Prop 19. You've criticized her for not making the repeal of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" a priority. Is that the only way you think to win this district or do you believe in those issues at your core?

DENNIS: Oh, well, I believe in them at my core. and I also find that a left-right political spectrum is sort of outdated and not terribly useful. I believe in the issues that I believe in, and I'm just using them as a way to reach out to people in -- LEMON: Mr. Dennis --

DENNIS: -- and other ways.

LEMON: Stop right there because I think you said something that's very profound, and something I've been hearing a lot this week from voters as I go out, as I was out in the Midwest this week about Democrat versus Republican and why people have to belong to a certain party or believe certain ways or have certain ideals because of a political party. So finish your thought, what you said. You believe it's outdated? You believe the two-party system is outdated?

DENNIS: Yes, well, let's look at my position on Afghanistan. I'm for a strong national defense. I'll do everything to support -- you know, to fund the troops and to support our veterans, on the one hand. I just think you go to war when the Congress declares it. and we haven't declared war. This war has gone on and on. There's no really good reason to be there. And so I want to get out. Put me on the right if you will, but if I can reach out to people who consider themselves another part of the political spectrum to achieve the end of ending the war, then I'll do that.

LEMON: Why are you still a Republican? Why stay with one party? Why not be an Independent or don't register as anything at all?

DENNIS: Well, like I said, I'm comfortable in the liberty wing of the Republican Party. Let's go back to as far as the '30s when you had great Republicans like Robert Taft and Howard Buffet and even Barry Goldwater, who fought for individual liberty, who understood what the appropriate role of the government is in our lives. And I'd like to grow that part of the party. I think it's really the heart and soul of the Republican Party, if not America.

LEMON: OK, so listen, Nancy Pelosi didn't agree to debate you for some reason. Do you think she feared putting this race on a national platform?

(LAUGHTER)

DENNIS: Well, tell me, who interested in politics in America, wouldn't want to see that debate?

LEMON: You're right.

DENNIS: And would you want to run on that record? Would you want to debate that record? Yes, I think she did well to stay away from me.

LEMON: Yes. Listen, you have some very interesting ideas. From here -- you're behind in the polls. And you're behind by double digits, I believe. People are saying there's no way you're going to win. Why should she seen engage you? So what's next for you? I mean, I'm sure you don't believe that. You'd like to be positive about it, but the polls show it's not on your side. What's next for you? Are you going to continue to run?

(CROSSTALK)

LEMON: Go ahead.

DENNIS: Well, you run to win and you also -- the people in San Francisco have to realize something. Nancy Pelosi is going to lose the speakership on Tuesday. She's likely going to lose her minority leadership position. So if they vote for -- and it's typical in these kinds of circumstances that she'll actually resign her congressional seat, as your sister company, Time.com, is reporting. So if San Franciscans vote for Nancy Pelosi, it's a wasted vote. Vote for me now, so we don't have to have a special election six months from now.

LEMON: John Dennis, that is a politician, making your appeal as often as you can and at the last minute.

We appreciate it. You're an affable guy. It was great talking to you. Thank you.

DENNIS: Pleasure's mine. Thanks, Don.

LEMON: Last week, I traveled to the upper Midwest, as I said, to hear what Americans had to say about the midterm elections. Voters in four states spoke with me at diners, at factories, at colleges, at other points along the way, restaurants, wherever we were. From Chicago to Cleveland, I got an earful. Take a look.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I think the fear factor is losing control, losing control of the party that they're with.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They got Democrats and Republicans, and it's like America going against Russia, you know, the Democrats and the Republicans. You're supposed to be an American. You're supposed to be freedom. Seems like they all should be fighting for America, for one cause.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Let's just stop it and listen to each other.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They aren't giving the president enough time to implement his plans.

LEMON: Linda, you work at the polls.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes, every year.

LEMON: And what do you think?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I'll be so glad when it's over with. I cannot stand any more of those negative ads on TV. They're terrible.

(MUSIC)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think the economy's on everybody's mind. And I think we're doing better than we were, obviously, two years ago.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think that the right is going to have to move a little to the left and the left is going to have to move a little bit to the right.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: People are clearly angry. and in politics, when you're angry, you take it out on the incumbents.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I think a lot of people are so disappointed that I don't know how many will want to go out and vote.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm looking for people that are going to help institute change and do the right thing.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I go to school. I want to focus on school. I feel like politics is going to take my mind off the books.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Politicians are out of touch with what the people in this state need, and not just this state, but throughout the country.

LEMON: What's going to influence your vote, Melissa?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Education.

LEMON: Why?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I have three kids.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I'm just worried we're not getting enough jobs, a lot of outsourcing. I'm still concerned about the outsourcing.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I retired this year.

LEMON: How old are you?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: 88.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I was laid off for about six months. But I'm more worried about government control.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I came through Hoover and Roosevelt and all through it.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Multinational corporations are my biggest beef in that the tax structure that they were allowed to work under.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Listen to us when we're talking. We want our police, all of them. We want our firefighters. We want all that. We need our security. If we don't have that, we don't have nothing.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It was worse in my day and age.

LEMON: Why is this important?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think we need to make a change. We're at a low. We need to turn around and at least start rebuilding and rebuilding the entire nation.

LEMON: Or else?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I don't think there is an or else. I think we really need to do it. I don't even want to think of alternatives.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: And my personal thanks to the businesses that allowed us on their properties, and to the many concerned Americans who spoke with us from the heart last week. We really appreciate it. Thank you.

Still ahead here on CNN, we'll introduce you to a man who is part missionary, part pilot and part inventor. We'll show you his flying car, the first to be certified by the Federal Aviation Administration.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LEMON: It's not the flying nun but it is a flying missionary, and he's come up with a flying car.

Kate Bolduan explains all in today's "Edge of Discovery."

(EDGE OF DISCOVERY)

LEMON: The election isn't the only thing on our radar here at CNN. We'll show you what's happening on Wall Street and in Hollywood. Coming up in our "Week Ahead" segment.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LEMON: All right, let's take you live now to the White House. Look at that. The first family out celebrating Halloween. Look at the cute little kids in the foreground -- if we could show them. There you see the first lady dressed in orange, and the president, of course, in his sweater, and they are celebrating Halloween at the White House. A bunch of kids are there. Trick-or-treaters are from the local schools from the Washington, Maryland, Virginia areas. They range in age from 6 to 14 years old. They got some itty-bitty baby ones, 6-year-olds and 14-year-olds. Not really, bitty babies, but they're young ones, but all the way up to 14 years old. Happy Halloween, everyone. And happy Halloween to those kids and the first family as well. Nice, live pictures coming from the White House.

As voters head to the polls on Tuesday, the economy still weighs heavy on their minds. CNN will be watching closely for new economic numbers this week. But we began our look at the week ahead, starting with the terror investigation.

JEANNE MESERVE, CNN NATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: I'm Jeanne Meserve in Washington. On the nationality security front, terror will be the focus of attention. The investigation into the explosive devices found in Dubai and Britain will be full throttle. Authorities will also be following up on the arrest of a Virginia man on charges of plotting to blow up parts of Washington's metro rail system. And on the mysterious case of shots fired at military locations in the D.C. area.

POPPY HARLOW, HOST, CNN MONEY: I'm Poppy Harlow in New York. A packed weak ahead for Wall Street. On Monday, we'll get a key manufacturing report as well as the latest construction spending numbers. Then on Tuesday, of course, it is Election Day, but B.P., that oil giant, will also report their earnings.

And following the critical midterm election, the fed on Wednesday will announce their latest moves to spur the economy. A lot of anticipation ahead on that announcement.

Also ahead this week, the private sector jobs reports and auto sales and retail sales. And on Friday, that all-important monthly jobs report. We'll get that Friday before the market opens. We'll track it all for you on "CNN Money."

BROOKE ANDERSON, HOST, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT: I'm "Showbiz Tonight's" Brooke Anderson. Here's what we're watching this week. Porsche de Rossi's big tell-all to Oprah. And Ricky Martin sits down with the ladies of "The View" for the very first time. "Showbiz Tonight" is live at 5:00 p.m. on HLN and still TV's most provocative entertainment news show at 11:00 p.m.

LEMON: And CNN's international desk editor, Azadeh Ansari, is here to tell us what's happening internationally.

First up, we go to Iran.

AZADEH ANSARI, CNN INTERNATIONAL DESK EDITOR: Iran, right. The two U.S. Hikers that have been in prison for 15 months are going to stand trial on Saturday for the first time. We're talking about Shawn Bauer and Joshua Fattal. So we're going to wait on the verdict on that. The hikers say they were tourists. Iran says they were spies. So --

LEMON: International intrigue. Americans are very concerned about that and obviously, of course, the families as well.

Let's go to Barcelona. You have pictures you took to tell us about the pope. ANSARI: Sure. I was there over the summer. Pope Benedict XVI will be at (SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE). There we go.

LEMON: Never -- it's a completely unending work. It's always under renovation.

ANSARI: Under -- actually, the renowned architect, Antonio Gaudi, started this in 1882. Imagine working on a project for over 100 years. Look at this. It's amazing. See the scaffolding there. And the funding that comes for this church actually comes from private donors. The government doesn't pay for it. Other churches don't pay for it. So Pope Benedict will consecrate (SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE) on Sunday.

LEMON: It's beautiful. If you ever -- obviously, if you ever go to Spain and you're in Barcelona, you have to see it. It's an amazing piece of art. Again, still not finished. They have a completion date but they don't know if they're going to get it. I think they keep moving it back.

India, the festival of lights.

ANSARI: Diwali, that is what it's called, indeed.

(LAUGHTER)

This is a festival. it's one of the most popular festivals in India. Indians from all over come out and they celebrate the renewal of life. And they have lights and candles and lamps set up, and it's to honor the goddesses. It is a celebration that brings together all the different factions and groups across India. It's a beautiful festival. And that will take place.

LEMON: We'll pay attention to that. And on a lighter note, you're celebrating Halloween with your orange.

(LAUGHTER)

ANSARI: I am.

LEMON: First time you've worn the lovely orange dress. I heard you talking about it in makeup.

ANSARI: You have candy for me?

LEMON: I do. I'll give some.

ANSARI: You do?

LEMON: Yes, I have some Certs in my bag.

(LAUGHTER)

Not that you need them, but that's the only candy I have.

(LAUGHTER) Thank you, Azadeh. Have a great weekend.

ANSARI: Thank you. You too.

LEMON: Still ahead here on CNN, you'll meet one of our top-ten "CNN Heroes," a young man who is providing life for some of the 27 million people who live in rural Kenya without electricity.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LEMON: Each week we have been asking friends of "CNN Heroes" to introduce one of this year's honorees selected by our blue ribbon panel. Tonight, actress and singer Selena Gomez puts a spotlight on Evans Wadongo, who has provided solar-powered lanterns for thousands of children in Kenya who live without electricity and need the light to study at night.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SELENA GOMEZ, ACTRESS & SINGER: Hi, I'm Selena Gomez. Two years ago at "CNN Heroes, an All-star Tribute," I had the honor of helping to recognize the great works of everyday people changing the world. As an ambassador for UNICEF, I'm committed to protecting and caring for children around the world. And I'm thrilled to help CNN introduce one of these year's top-ten honorees. Now more than ever, the world needs heroes.

EVANS WADONGO, CNN HERO: I have problems with my eyesight due to prolonged exposure to smoke. I had to use firewood to study during my childhood.

In the rural community, they don't have electricity. It's only kerosene and firewood that they use for lighting, cooking. It's very, very frustrating. I couldn't compete effectively. A lot of other kids just drop out of school. So they remain poor for the rest of their life.

My name is Evans Wadongo. I thought I must find a way to light up rural homes.

(CHEERING)

WADONGO: The amount of money that every household uses to buy kerosene every day, if they can just save that money, they can be able to buy food.

It gives me satisfaction knowing that I'm lifting people out of poverty. I just feel like it's right.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: And we'll speak with Evans Wadongo right after the break. He's on the line.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK) Lemon: Just before the break, we introduced you to one of the top-ten "CNN Heroes" of the year, a finalist. His name is Evans Wadongo. He's providing solar-powered lanterns for thousands of children who live without electricity.

Joining us now from Nairobi, Kenya is Wadongo.

Evans, thanks for joining us. What's it been like since you've become one of the top-ten finalists?

WADONGO: It's been really good, because now more and more people have gotten to understand about what I do and they've been able to -- want to get involved. They want to support what I am doing, after seeing that I'm in the top ten.

LEMON: It's so interesting watching these pictures, especially after I visited Africa and Nairobi. And of course, you know about Key Barra (ph), one of the largest slums in the world. Take us there, especially people living in the U.S. and watching us, to let us know how important these solar panels are and the living conditions for those people.

WADONGO: Yes. People living in poor homes in Kenya, they use them most, especially in rural areas, they live in houses which are made of grass and mud, grass-type houses. So in these houses, it's one small hut, and now the family. The mother cooks there and the kids have to study from the same house. So what happens is -- and they're using these kerosene lamps, they have an open flame. So it's a very dangerous lamp, which uses kerosene. So when the lamp goes down, the house can get burned, and the house is made a grass. So it's a really bad situation that is happening. And these lamps they're using, it does not produce enough light.

(CROSSTALK)

LEMON: And the conditions, I'm sure --

(CROSSTALK)

WADONGO: And it's really bad for them.

LEMON: And I'm sure that's what led you to do this.

Listen, you're amazing for doing this. And we wish you all the best coming up, when we figure out who's going to be the top-ten "CNN Hero" of the year. We wish it could be all of you.

Thank you, Evans, OK?

WADONGO: Thank you.

LEMON: And I want to tell our viewers you can vote online. You can go CNN.com for the "CNN Hero" who inspires you the most. The winner will be honored on Thanksgiving night during "CNN Heroes, All- star Tribute." It is hosted by our very own Anderson Cooper. We want to take you now live again to the White House where you can see those little trick-or-treaters, and the first family out there on the front steps of the White House, where the kids have been trick or treating there for a little bit now. You see the first lady handing out candy. These kids are from schools from all over the Washington, Virginia area, and Maryland area, from 6 years old to 14 years old.

And I wonder what's there? Let's see what the treats are. A box of White House M&Ms, a White House sweet dough butter cookie made by the White House pastry chef, Bill Yosses, and a serving of dried fruit; it's a fairly healthy Halloween there at this White House. So happy Halloween everyone. Thanks for joining us. And I hope your family is having a great Halloween all around the country.