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Republicans Prepare for Tidal Wave; Virgin Voting Founder, Now A Voter
Aired November 02, 2010 - 10:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: Happy voting. There it is. Thank you, Dimple. We are celebrating Tony Harris and the fact that it's the top of the hour; 10:00 a.m. on the East Coast, 7:00 out west.
Good morning, everyone. I'm Kyra Phillips. Here are some of the stories that we're talking about. Voting now under way in the most important midterm election in years. You've herd the nastiness, and now it's your time to cut through all that noise.
And if you are still out of work and out of cash due to the gulf coast oil disaster, this is probably the last thing that you're going to want to hear. BP is back in the black, earning $1.8 billion in the last quarter.
And "don't ask, don't tell" is staying in place for now. Federal judges reviewing a decision on the military's policy on gays.
I'm sure you've all figured it out now. It's Tuesday, November 2nd, 2010, election day in America. All of the stumping, debating, mud-slinging, comes down to this, the huge stakes, the control of Capitol Hill, the future of the president's agenda and today we as Americans decide our path forward. Millions of voters heading to the polls which opened this hour in California, Idaho, Nevada, and parts of Washington state, Vermont and Maine. Only Alaska and Hawaii are still waiting for today's vote to get under way. And up for grabs, 37 Senate seats, all 435 House seats.
A lot of races but control of Washington does hinges on two magic numbers, 10 and 39. Republicans need 10 extra seats to claim the Senate majority and on the House side, they need 39. So coast to coast, candidates are still stumping, knocking on doors, calling supporters, working to get every last potential voter to the polls. We have dispatched the best political team on television to key races across the country to track all the latest developments for you. And here's what it means.
Jim Acosta in Nevada, David Mattingly in Florida, and Carol Costello in Ohio and our Drew Griffin in Alaska.
More than $3.5 billion have been spent making this the most expensive midterm campaign ever. Historic spending and some big-time political players fight for their future. The most powerful man in the Senate, majority leader Harry Reid neck and neck with Republican challenger Sharron Angle in Nevada. That's where we're going to start. Jim Acosta is live in Vegas. So Jim, the polls opened there just moments ago. What do you think?
JIM ACOSTA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, it is already getting ugly. Even on election day, Kyra, here in Nevada. Sharron Angle sent out an e-mail to her supporters earlier this morning warning that Harry Reid is already trying to steal this election, in her words, saying that "his union henchmen are already out on the street at polling places trying to keep voters from going to the polls."
This is just another example, just a taste of how nasty this race has been for the last several months. I was saying earlier this morning that watching the World Series last night here in Las Vegas, Kyra, was sort of like watching a three-hour negative attack ad occasionally interrupted by a baseball game. That's how many attack ads are flying back and forth in this campaign.
There's a lot at stake. As you mentioned, the Senate majority leader's job is on the line here, and you could not have a more stark contrast in this race. You have in Harry Reid, one of the architects of the Obama agenda and on the other side, Sharron Angle, the Tea Party backed Republican, very, very conservative. She wants to go to Washington to dismantle that agenda. So you couldn't have a better contrast for voters in this race.
The polls close at 7:00 p.m. today but a couple of big reminders. There are two other folks on the ballot here, one is a man by the name of Scott Ashjian. He is the "Tea Party candidate" in this race, even though none of the Tea Party supporters in the state are backing him. There are questions about whether or not he is simply in there to be a spoiler in this race and there is also something called none of the above. Yes, they actually have that on the ballot in Nevada. None of the above. And that will potentially draw voters away from Senator Reid and Sharron Angle. So we could be up all night into tomorrow watching how this one turns out, Kyra.
PHILLIPS: All right. Jim, thanks.
And Californians are now filing into the voting booths today. The polls there opened at the top of the hour. Voters deciding who will replace the governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. Republicans pulling for Meg Whitman, the former ebay boss and democrats rooting for attorney general, Jerry Brown. And for the U.S. Senate, it's a showdown between Democrat Barbara Boxer, the incumbent, and Republican challenger Carly Fiorina.
Big senate and governor's races in Florida, too. David Mattingly is in Plantation, near Ft. Lauderdale. David, let's start with the governor's race. Sink or Scott, it's a tight one?
DAVID MATTINGLY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It is a tight one, and that sort of boils down to what this race is all about right now. Both sides talking about jobs, jobs, jobs because really it's the economy talking the loudest today as people go into the voting booths. We're looking at 11.9 percent unemployment here. The second highest rate of foreclosure in the nation here in Florida. So when you are losing your job, you're losing your house, you are very motivated to go to the polls and have a very big agenda about an economic upturn, and that usually means that the party in charge is going to have a very tough time.
So we look at that governor's race. It's neck and neck right now, very close in the polls, as we go into the one poll that counts here today. And we're finding that the Republican Rick Scott has gotten a lot of traction not only campaigning against his opponent Alex Sink, but against Barack Obama as well, linking his Democratic opponent to the president every chance that he gets.
Remember, President Obama won Florida two years ago, but this time around, there's all of this extra baggage to be considered. There was a widespread dissatisfaction with the way the White House handled the response to the BP oil spill. You just add that to the economic factors, and it's going to be a tough day for Democrats. Kyra.
PHILLIPS: OK. David, thanks so much. Let's head to Ohio, shall we? President Obama considers the state so politically important that he made it his final campaign stop before the elections. The state might also provide the House with its next speaker.
Our Carol Costello live in Westchester, between Cincinnati and Dayton. So Carol, let's talk about why Ohio is so key?
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: You know how many times President Obama has visited Ohio since he took office? Take a guess.
PHILLIPS: My gosh, at least a handful?
COSTELLO: Oh, I lost you, Kyra. He visited Ohio a whopping 12 times, twice in the last two weeks, trying to get Democratic voters energized. But I went to a Republican rally last night, and it is certainly Republican voters who are energized this time around, especially for John Boehner. Their congressman for the last 20 years. He is poised to become the most powerful Republican in the House, maybe replacing Nancy Pelosi as Speaker of the House.
Just a few minutes ago, he cast a vote presumably for himself right here in Butler County. We managed to talk with him after he cast his vote. Does he think he's going to be speaker? We'll let him answer that question.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
REP. JOHN BOEHNER (R), MINORITY LEADER: Big job to do today.
COSTELLO (on camera): Are you confident though?
BOEHNER: We have been at this election for, you know, the better part of nine months, and if you look at the races around the country, I think we have a real opportunity to win the majority, and hopefully my colleagues will elect me speaker.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
COSTELLO: After that, reporters shouted out, "what are you going to do for your constituents here in southwest Ohio?" John Boehner merely said I'm going to follow the Constitution, and then the press conference broke up and he headed toward his car. But, Kyra, a voter was standing there waiting for him. Apparently, a Democratic voter and she again asked, "what are you going to do for the people of southwest Ohio?" He said, I'm going to serve my constituency and then he popped in his car and took off like a shot.
I wish I could hear your question, Kyra, but I've lost you. But I hope you have heard my report.
PHILLIPS: I sure have. Carol, thanks so much.
Well, there's been a tough three-way fight for a Senate seat in Alaska, featuring a Tea Party favorite and an incumbent who is a write-in candidate. CNN's Drew Griffin has been following the campaign and joins us live from a snowy Anchorage. Hey, Drew.
DREW GRIFFIN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, cleansing white snow to end this bitter, dirty, nasty race up here in Alaska. And I know that Democrats aren't going to like me to say this, Kyra, but really although the polling is all over the map, it looks like it is coming down to two Republicans, one who is on the ballot, that is Tea Party candidate, Palin-backed Joe Miller, and the other one, Lisa Murkowski, the sitting Republican senator that Joe Miller defeated in the primary who is trying to stage this historic write-in campaign.
The polls are showing these two are neck and neck going into this. It's all going to come down to not only who turns out their people to vote, but also if Lisa Murkowski can get enough people to sign her name on that write-in ballot. Already, Alaskans have been voting. 17,000 early votes cast here. That's twice as many as voted in the last non-presidential election and there is 15,000 absentee ballots already in. So although the polls are not open yet, they open in about an hour. The voting has already been heavy here in Alaska and we expect a late night. Kyra.
PHILLIPS: All right. It will be a late night for all. Drew, thanks.
And while the polls are opening across the nation, we will be tracking any problems at our voting irregularities desk. Josh Levs is handling that for us. He has already given us some issues already. Josh.
JOSH LEVS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, we got some more coming in, Kyra. You know, I mean, look, the horse races are really important but today is what our country is, this is what our democracy is, right? All of us going to those polls, but only if the votes are counted. And that's why at the voting irregularities desk all day long. We are looking into all of these reports that come in about irregularities, potential problems.
If you think your vote is not being counted. Let me show you a couple of things that we have gotten so far. One of them is interesting. This is out of Virginia Beach, Virginia. This actually happened yesterday, in advance when a woman was trying to cast an early ballot, the voting machine kept showed the wrong name. She kept trying to cast a vote for a Democratic candidate and it kept showing a Republican candidate as well, no matter what she did.
Officials there from our affiliate WABY. They are saying that it has been fixed. That machine was taken out and they're actually recommending that people use cotton swabs to do their voting instead of using their fingers. And they're handing out cotton swabs at all the precincts.
Another one that comes in here. Surry County, North Carolina, take a look at this, some Republicans and libertarians were initially unable to vote electronically and that is because officials had printed out the wrong registries. They had used the registries from the June Democratic runoff instead of the registry they're supposed to use for the general election.
Our affiliate WGHP telling us that now everything has been resolved, and the new precincts do have the full voter list there. Now, let me show you if you experience something today that you think is a problem or you hear about one, get in touch with us. We got a conversation going on with the blog, cnn.com/josh, also Facebook and Twitter, joshlevscnn.
We also have our i-reports up today, going as well. And Kyra, I will tell, information is coming in by the minute. I was just handed a report out of Virginia that we have spoken with officials there, they're telling us everything there is operational. We are going to be on this throughout the day, making sure votes are counted and doing our best to get in touch with officials when anything comes up, Kyra, and make sure that the voting system is as regular as it should be.
PHILLIPS: Thanks, Josh.
LEVS: You got it.
PHILLIPS: Well, join the best plot political team on television. As the final numbers come in, our "Election Night in America" coverage starts tonight at 7:00 p.m. Eastern.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
PHILLIPS: All right. Getting in some breaking news now, apparently there have been reports of shots fired at a Coast Guard recruiting station in Woodbridge, Virginia. This is according to Prince William County police, telling us now near the Potomac Mills Mall there in Woodbridge. You know, there have been four other shootings at military establishments in the last month, just to remind you.
Starting - it was back on October 17th and the 28th, you might remember the National Museum of the Marine Corps in Virginia, shots were fired there, and then you remember the one on the 19th at the Pentagon, shots were fired there, and it did not penetrate the bullet- proof windows, and then on October 26t, just last week, the Marine Corps recruiting station in Chantilly, Virginia, also had shots there.
Now we're getting reports that there are shots fired at a Coast Guard recruiting station at the Potomac Mills Mall in Woodbridge, Virginia. Now the FBI is confirming that the same weapon was used in those recent incidents. Of shots being fired at military buildings, not quite sure if that weapon has been matched up with the shots fired that we are now just finding out about. So we're going to follow that story for you.
All right. Let's get back to your election day forecast. Shall we? Rob Marciano has been looking at all the - I guess, the key voting areas today.
ROB MARCIANO, AMS METEOROLOGIST: Yes.
PHILLIPS: And you have no excuse to say, sorry, it was too cold or too windy.
MARCIANO: You're right about that.
PHILLIPS: Or too snowy.
MARCIANO: Even the spots that we point out that are a little bit suspect as far as the rough weather is concerned, these people are hardy, and they have dealt with rainstorms like this, and I'm talking about Houston towards (INAUDIBLE) getting over towards Baton Rouge, New Orleans. That's really the wet spot. And a little bit further to the north. But everywhere else even slicing back towards Los Angeles, I mean, shades, sunglasses and definitely short sleeves, and shorts out there. I see some Record-breaking high temperatures. Some light rain across the northwest but that's not a big deal.
And then generally speaking, dry weather, northeastern third, almost half of the country. And yes, a little chilly in New York, 49 but you know, it's that time of year. This is the main concern though, this slow-moving low is creating some rain from Houston, again over towards Lafayette where it is raining the heaviest now. I think we might have a live picture from Houston to give you an idea what that part of the state looks like.
KTRK, thanks for that shot. You're starting to see a little bit of a drying trend. So I know it was raining real heavily earlier today. It is starting to dry out just a little bit across Houston. But still raining on the back edge. There you go, Sulfur, Jennings, (INAUDIBLE) towards Baton Rouge, where the rain is the heaviest. But they need the rain. It's been so dry here the past month and a half, so they'll take it.
There are your high temperatures. And then briefly, here is the forecast track for tropical storm Tomas. We'll update this for you next hour when the National Hurricane Center updates their forecast.
Still bringing it over or near Hispaniola, of course, Haiti, over the weekend potentially as a category 1 hurricane. We'll look for a change in this. That would be nice. And we'll update that in the next hour. Kyra.
PHILLIPS: Thanks, Rob.
We're going to talk to the young man who set up virgin voting. He's been inspiring first time-time voters since he was in the third grade. Well, now he's a first time-time voter himself.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
PHILLIPS: Well, Noah Gray has a passion for politics and for film making. Two years ago, he produced "Virgin Voters" to inspire first-time voters to go to the polls. And he wasn't even old enough to vote then but this year is very different. He voted for the first time and even did a video to show us all about it. Take a look.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
NOAH GRAY, FOUNDER, VIRGIN VOTING: I'm not just going down the ballot and bubbling things in just to vote. I have been done my research. I have my paper right here with all of the issues and candidates and how I'm going to vote. And I'm going to vote right now.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
PHILLIPS: Noah has become one of our favorite i-reporters, and as I mentioned, he's a film maker and a college student, he's joining us live from Washington. So Noah, this all started in the third grade. Grandma Gloria inspiring you to be involved in the political process. Why did you dig it?
GRAY: Well, you know, Kyra, I have always been, you know, interested in politics since the third grade. I have always been brought up to be aware of what's going on around me and to be able to have a say in, you know, our government, and voting is just one of those ways to have a say. It was just fascinating to me.
In third grade, I got a paper for the 2000 election for my class of all of the 50 states to check off, you know, to follow the returns, and I was following the returns that night. It was a fascinating process. On the phone with grandma saying "oh, they called it in New York." (INAUDIBLE)
PHILLIPS: You got to love grandmas. Grandparents are so fantastic. All right. So you voted for the first time on Sunday. What was it like to be able to finally do it after all these years waiting for that moment somewhere.
GRAY: All of these years having to wait and the past two or three years actively trying to motivate young people to vote, not being old enough to vote myself, it was great to, you know, walk the walk and not just talk the talk, and I was actually able to cast my vote. I wish I could have done it at the polls down at home in Miami, Florida, but I voted absentee from my dorm room at American University here in D.C.. PHILLIPS: Noah, why aren't there more college students that are excited about the process like you? What's going on? Why is there this apathy among young voters?
GRAY: Well, one thing I found when speaking to young people, Kyra, is that they feel a disconnect from politics some times. They don't feel that the politicians and the candidates are actively, you know, speaking to them or targeting to them and connecting directly to them. A lot of people also don't feel that, you know, their one vote can count. You know, I try to emphasize that all of our votes count and it's extremely important for every person, especially young people to have a say in their future, since we are the future.
PHILLIPS: Are there specific issues that you guys talk about that maybe they wish would be maybe talked about more? Are they understood better?
GRAY: Well, a couple issues that are key. The top two issues I found among young people right now are the economy and education, being able to pay for a college education and being able to get a job when coming out of college. Um, you know, they are also concerned with - interesting, among young people that I'm finding, some people are concerned about net neutrality. That's something you don't necessarily hear from older generations. You also have health care. They're concerned about health care and their also concerned about their environment and being able to grow up in a clean environment.
PHILLIPS: So, finally, before we let you go. Are you going to run for office?
GRAY: I don't know. Maybe one day. Right now I'm just trying to engage as many young people as possible to vote, like "Virgin Voting" on Facebook. Follow me on Twitter, virgin voting. I want young people to join the movement. I want them to vote.
PHILLIPS: We'll continue to push it. Thanks for your i- reports. Here's your web site right here. Continue to send in those i-report. I know the perfect campaign manager for your, and that would be Grandma Gloria, who is watching right now. So a shout out to her for inspiring you, and now look, you are on CNN talking, about getting out and voting. Noah, thanks so much. Good luck in school.
GRAY: Thanks, Kyra.
PHILLIPS: You bet.
GRAY: Go, go guys!
PHILLIPS: All right. Well, remember this political gem?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What's the minimum wage in Florida, Mr. Scott?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: 7.55. Is that right?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: 7.25, close.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
PHILLIPS: Well, that seems to be a trend. Candidates uncensored and unpolished. So how can someone run for office and be so uninformed. And even worse what happens if they win?
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
PHILLIPS: More on our breaking news now. We actually got a live picture from our affiliate out of Washington, D.C., WJLA. This is a Coast Guard recruiting station. There were reports of shots fired there at the Potomac Mills Mall in Woodbridge, Virginia. And this is not the first time, folks, that this has happened. There's actually been four other shootings that at military establishments in just the past month.
You might remember back on October 17th, and the 28th, the National Museum of the Marine Corps in Virginia. There were shots fired there. Then back on October 19th, shots fired at the Pentagon, and we had talked about how the bullets had not penetrated the bullet- proof glass but it sure shook up a number of folks there, and then again on October 26th, the Marine Corps recruiting station there at Chantilly, Virginia. Shots fired at that station. Now we're getting reports of shots fired at this Coast Guard recruiting station near the Potomac Mills Mall in Woodbridge, Virginia. Investigators on the scene right now taking notes.
We will try and figure out if there's a connection here. You know, the FBI did test the other locations and found that same weapon was used in those recent incidents of shots fired at military establishments. Don't know if this one is connected to that. Very well could be. We're on it.
Other top stories that we're looking at as well. Elections, 2010. Of course, it's the most expensive midterm election in history. It all comes down to today. Your votes, the deciding factor of who will control Congress and lead the key states. Now, will the balance of power in Congress shift to the right? Millions of voters are heading to the polls to answer that right now as candidates campaign down to the wire.
Yemen has charged Anwar Al-Awlaki on the right - or on the right, rather, there that you see -- for the foiled parcel bomb plot that unraveled Friday. Key figure in Yemen's al Qaeda branch. Al-Awlaki is charged with inciting the killing of foreigners. Officials are intensifying their hunt for both Al-Awlaki and as you see on the other side of the screen, the bombmaker, Ibrahim Hassan Al-Asiri, who is believed to have designed those mail bombs.
The Pentagon got the green light to continue their enforcement of "don't ask, don't tell" on Monday. The federal appeals courts extended its freeze on banning the policy while it reviewss a lower court's ruling that "don't ask, don't tell" is unconstitutional.
Now, they have been called complete jokes, even laughing stocks of the election. Candidates caught without answers, understanding or even background. In case you missed some of the most memorable moments, here's what I'm talking about.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIPS)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Please detail your deficit reduction priorities. We will start with --
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Say that again, please.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Please detail your deficit reduction priorities.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Detail my deficit reduction priorities?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm not sure I know what you mean by that.
GOV. JAN BREWER (R), ARIZONA: We have cut the budget. We have balanced the budget, and we are moving forward. We have done everything that we could possibly do. We have -- um -- did what was right for Arizona.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What's the minimum wage in Florida, Mr. Scott?
RICK SCOTT (R), REPUBLICAN SENATORIAL CANDIDATE: $7.55.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Is that right?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: $7.25.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Close.
(LAUGHTER)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: What opinions of late that have come from our high court do you most object to?
CHRISTINE O'DONNELL (R), DELAWARE SENATE CANDIDATE: Oh, gosh. Give me a specific one. I'm sorry.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Actually, I can't because I need to you tell me which ones you object to.
O'DONNELL: I'm very sorry. Right off the top of my head -- I know that there are a lot but I'll put it up on my Web site.
(END VIDEO CLIPS)
PHILLIPS: But here could be a possibly even more eye-opening issue. Some of these candidates could actually win. Candidates desperately clinging to their talking points, seemingly unwilling or unable to come up with thoughtful or spontaneous ideas of their own. And for some, they're just simply unaware of the issues, even the law. Bottom line: could this go down as one of the most unpolished midterm elections we have ever seen?
Let's bring in GOP strategist Princilla Smith and Columbia University professor Mark Lamont Hill. So, Mark, are these candidates strong enough or does it even matter anymore?
MARK LAMONT HILL, PROFESSOR, COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY: Well, absolutely, they are not strong enough. There's a whole slew of candidates who clearly five years ago wouldn't every be viable, yet somehow they have made it to the top of their party's ballots. And the reason is because voters are very frustrated.
But sadly, it doesn't matter because people like Christine O'Donnell, who probably won't win today still becomes viable because voters don't care about facts anymore many times. They are voting and basing decisions on the frustrations around the economy and around he slew of lies being presented by the right.
PHILLIPS: Now, Princella, we always love to see a new, fresh face out there with new ideas. I mean, heck, you tried to become America's youngest member of Congress at the age of 26 and did very well. But, you know, are novice politicians like these dangerous?
PRINCELLA SMITH, GOP STRATEGIST: Well, you know, I think you bring up a very interesting point, and I think the problem with this is multifaceted. Certainly this is not the first time that a candidate has been caught in a public appearance and somehow forgot their talking points or lines. I certainly understand what it feels like to be going all day and all of a sudden feel like your brain froze up. Fortunately that hasn't happened to me on camera.
What we have now is a 24/7 media cycle. You've got social networking. You've got almost anything as an image capturing device. Unfortunately now, if you mess up or if say something weird, it's all over the Internet in 20 seconds.
Now, I will say this. Dr. Hill has a very important point. In both parties, I have seen people skyrocket to the top of the ticket and clearly they have no business being there. And like I said, right now, with the type of media that we have, you get exposed for it.
I'll talk about myself here for a second. I was 26, just had a birthday. So, now I'm 27. Fortunately, what I did for a living was political communications. And so one of my former bosses, Newt Gingrich taught me when you try to memorize talking points, that's kind of when you get in trouble. You need to be able to speak from the heart and you need to be understand genuinely what you're saying. And that's -- when you see the moments like what you saw, a lot of people were just spouting talking points, and that's kind of what America is sick of.
PHILLIPS: What's interesting, though, is that, Mark, these candidates are running on voter anger, voter frustration, you know, a government that voters are sick of. And now you have these individuals that can't -- that don't even have the understanding or the information to answer the question. So, would we even see candidates like this if we didn't have such voter anger and frustration?
HILL: Absolutely not. First of all, whenever you have one party with almost complete control of the government, you're going to see a radical shift in the next election cycle. That's what you're seeing right now, sort of a natural ebb and flow of politics. But when you combine that with a really desperate economy now, high jobless rates, people want change.
And there is something romantic about, you know, the bumbling country bumpkin or some otherwise political outsider who then comes into Washington and makes sweeping change. The problem is it isn't a movie. In real life, you then have to come in and governor. And if you don't know what's in the First Amendment, if you don't know what the unemployment rate is or what the minimum wage in your state, you're in big trouble.
This is like the political version of boy bands where they are kind of propped up and people kind of make them - you know, some political hack makes them. And then they get into the real world and they can't hang. It's a bad idea.
PHILLIPS: But they look good. You know?
HILL: They look great. They're very pretty.
PHILLIPS: They have their moves down. They're very pretty, exactly.
What they have been doing isn't so pretty. So I'm curious, is this good for our nation right now? Because if they win, what does that tell us about the Obama administration, what does that tell us about -- you know, what kind of message does it send?
SMITH: It's kind of hard to answer this in one fell swoop. Obviously, there are couple of candidates who have been caught on camera in weird moments who I know that they're qualified. Like I said, sometimes you're just tired. You really are, and you just have a brain lapse.
But to these people who Mark Lamont Hill was referring to, that are just soaring to the top of the ticket and don't really have much substance, I will say this. I think that the Democrats had this problem in 2008 when many people swept in, kind of on the coattails of President Obama, and now you see they're being swept out because of the frustration of the American people.
And I will warn my own party, the Republican party, that they should heed to Senator McConnell's warning when he said, listen, we're going to take these wins very humbly and we're going to tread lightly and come in here and present good ideas that are going to resonate with the American people. Because I'll tell you right now, just remember this day that we all said it, if 2012 rolls around here and underemployment is still 18.6 percent and unemployment still at 10 percent, you'll see the same thing happening to Republicans.
So, you know, again, this is multifaceted. You can't just answer this with one straight answer of they're all unqualified.
PHILLIPS: Mark, final thought.
HILL: I think they are all unqualified. Not every Republican, but all Republican that we listened today, particularly Christine O'Donnell. She is kind of a case study of political unqualification, being rushed to the top of a ticket because of voter anger and frustration. And if voters are wise, they will make this decisions on either side of the ticket based on who has substance, who has the knowledge base, who has the ability and experience to make real change in Washington, not someone who comes from the outside and just has a new face. New faces don't always equal change. Sometimes you need to change drivers, but more importantly, you need to change direction.
PHILLIPS: Mark Lamont Hill, Princella Smith. Great discussion, guys. Thanks so much.
SMITH: Thank you.
PHILLIPS: You bet.
HILL: Thank you.
PHILLIPS; You can join The Best Political Team on Television as the final numbers come in. Our "Election Night in America" coverage starts tonight at 7:00 Eastern. I'm now being told that President Obama announcing he will hold a news conference tomorrow, 1:00 p.m. Eastern time and we, of course will take that live.
America votes, and the world watches. We're going to give you the international view of the 2010 American midterm election in just 50 seconds.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
PHILLIPS: America votes, and the world watches. Let's get a round of perspectives on midterm elections right here in the U.S. and the potential ramifications abroad. This is from our international team of correspondents. Let's go ahead and start with CNN's Arwa Damon.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ARWA DAMON, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: I'm Arwa Damon in Baghdad. Iraq is no longer at the center of the political debate in the U.S. with many Americans not paying close attention to what is happening here any longer. But for those on the ground, it is very much an ongoing war. This church was the scene of a dramatic hostage taking on Sunday that saw attackers linked to the Islamic state of Iraq, an umbrella organization that includes al Qaeda storm inside, launching grenades, some of them wearing suicide vests. Survivors spoke of the sheer terror and horror of seeing their loved ones being shot right in front of them. They are very traumatized.
Eventually, the Iraqi security forces with U.S. advisers did manage to bring the hostage crisis to an end but it has been an ever- mounting death toll at a point in time when Iraqis do feel that the United States is continuing to abandon them.
REZA SAYAH, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: I'm Reza Sayah in Islambad. If Republicans win the majority in the U.S. Congress, Pakistan may have a tougher time getting billions of dollars in U.S. aid. Both Democrats and Republicans agree Pakistan is Washington's most important ally in the fight against extremists. That's why Congress has approved billions of dollars in both military and nonmilitary aid for Pakistan.
But in recent months, Republican lawmakers have expressed concern over Pakistan's commitment in the fight against militancy, and they've suggested tougher conditions for Pakistan to get all of that U.S. funding. For the most part, President Obama has eased off conditions for Pakistan to get funding. But if Republicans take over Congress, look for them to put pressure on President Obama to get more out of Pakistan in return for billions in U.S. taxpayer dollars.
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PHILLIPS: All right. Let's get a midterm balance of power vote going on already today. CNN deputy political director Paul Steinhauser joins us from the election center in New York. Paul, how is it looking so far this hour?
PAUL STEINHAUSER, CNN DEPUTY POLITICAL DIRECTOR: Here's what I'm looking at right now, Kyra. Let's talk about the president and the vice president.
And while it is election day, they are both very busy this morning when it comes to reaching out to voters. The president today going on "The Steve Harvey Morning Show," on air with Ryan Seacrest and the Russ Paul morning show, three very popular shows that a lot of people across the country listen to. His message there basically to voters, get out and vote because this election matters.
The vice president starting his day in Delaware voting right there where he - a native of Delaware. He's also on the radio this morning, doing the Tom Joyner morning show and then radio interviews in Ohio. A crucial state there, of course. Both the top man and the number two urging voters to vote. Top Republicans doing the same thing. Getting on the radio waves, urging people to cast ballots for their party.
Hey, Kyra, here's something - let's talk about this. The election may not be over tonight. While the voting will end tonight, we could have some contests going into overtime. And both parties are ready for that with lawyers and other troops ready to go out to districts or states where elections may be disputed. We may see recounts. So, it could go in overtime.
Remember in 2006, the Democrats didn't win back the Senate until a couple days later. It wasn't until Thursday when Virginia went to the Democratic column, and the Democrats won back the Senate. So, it may not be over tonight, Kyra.
PHILLIPS: If there is going to be a GOP wave, where will it start?
STEINHAUSER: It's going to start -- if it happens, it's going to start in the East, east of the Mississippi. Take a look at this. Here's a map we made up of the states where the polls close at 7:00 and 7:30 Eastern. The first poll closings in the United States.
And a couple of things to look at. In Georgia, where you are, if Congressman Jim Marshall, a Democrat, goes down to his Republican challenger, that could be a signal that a Republican wave is starting. Same thing in Kentucky with Democratic Congressman Ben Chandler, Democratic congressman Joe Donnelly in Indiana, and Jerry Connelly, the Democrat, right outside of Washington, D.C. in Virginia. If these gentlemen men go down to the Republican challengers, it could be a sign the Republican wave is coming.
On the Senate side, keep your eyes on West Virginia. The polls there close at 7:30. A Democratic seat there that's been in Democratic hands for 50 years. If the Republicans win that, they could maybe win those 10 seats they need to take back control of the Senate. Kyra.
PHILLIPS: All right. Paul, thanks so much.
And it's one of the most watched midterm elections in years, so our correspondents and producers are all over the story. We'll have your next political update in just about an hour.
Here's one big, fat upside to the election cycle ending -- month more robocalls. In New England, the canned, scripted political calls went so wild that they actually jammed the phone lines and some people had no phone service at all. Comcast provides phone service in the area and says that all of the last-minute dialing just maxed out the network.
Robocalls, that was our talker today. We asked if you love them, hate them, and if they have ever swayed your opinion.
Angela write in, "My grandkids have been following the election with me. They loved hearing the president call our home. I explained it was a recorded call. This didn't make a difference for them, though. They were excited. We replay it from time to time and will all day today. As far as the other calls, let me know how many Democrats were at work and motivated me to make sure that those around me made it to the polls." And Jay says, "My phone has been ringing off the hook the last few days, but I don't answer if I don't recognize the number. It's still annoying, though. I wish these calls would be added to the 'do not call' list."
And Ghosha says, "Stop blowing up my answering machine! But I did save the one from Bill Clinton."
Remember, we want to hear from you. Just log onto CNN.com/kyra and share your comments.
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PHILLIPS: Every day at this time, we honor the men and women in uniform who have given their lives in Iraq and Afghanistan for us. We call it "Home and Away." And today, we are lifting up Chief Warrant Officer Billie Jean Grinder from Tennessee. She was killed when her helicopter had a hard landing near Mosul, Iraq on February 21 of this year.
Her mother-in-law wrote into us. She said, "I would hope that every young girl in this country would look at Billie Jean's life and know it's okay to be a girly girl and a tomboy, all rolled into one magnificent human being. She had a spirit of adventure that would project her into a man's world and sustain her through sheer determination, grit and courage."
If you've got a loved one you would you like us to honor, here's what you have to do. Go to CNN.com/homeandaway. Send us your thoughts, your pictures and we promise to keep the memory of your hero alive.
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PHILLIPS: Smoking pot on a talk show and falling out of a tree. As the campaign comes down to the wire, CNN's Jeanne Moos, of course, has put together all of the midterm follies.
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JEANNE MOOS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): As tempers fray --
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You are not capable of running the state.
MOOS: -- we expect to see candidates walk away.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Carl Paladino, we'd like you to stay and talk.
MOOS: But we don't expect guests to light a joint.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Even if they thought it was a good idea. (LAUGHTER)
MOOS: In the middle of a discussion about California's proposal to legalize pot, actor Zach Galifianakis lit up and passed it on to a conservative panelist. Margaret Hoover sniffed it and gave it back without toking.
You can see lots of weird things on TV as the campaign concludes, like commercials for a former madam running for governor in New York with the tagline --
KRISTIN DAVIS, NEW YORK GUBERNATORIAL CANDIDATE: Vote homo, not Cuomo.
MOOS: Kristin Davis says frontrunner Andrew Cuomo isn't pro-gay marriage enough. And then there was Bill Clinton speaking for a candidate whose more traditional marriage resulted in his wife's going into labor as Clinton spoke.
BILL CLINTON, FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: The baby is now being born. You would be amazed how many times I take a picture with a very pregnant woman, and she immediately gives birth like that.
MOOS: For the baby, there was light at the end of the tunnel, which is exactly the part of Jon Stewart's rally speech that (INAUDIBLE) autotuned.
JON STEWART, HOST, "THE DAILY SHOW" (singing): Sometimes there's light at the end of the tunnel isn't from (INAUDIBLE). It's light from New Jersey. Just, just, New Jersey.
MOOS: Those who attended the Rally to Restore Sanity and/or Fear have been posting their favorite signs on YouTube. "More beer nuts, less paranoid nuts." "Down with the zippers." "I'm mad as hell but mostly in a passive-aggressive way."
Some only raised questions, like "I mustache you a question."
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I don't get it, but I - I love a mustache show.
MOOS (on camera): One of the funny things about the signs at the rally was how many of them were about signs.
(voice-over): "I have better thing to do than carry a sign at a rally." "My arms are tired." "Even my sign chooses not to yell." "If your beliefs fit on a sign, think harder," and "This a good sign."
The autumn rally saw more than leaves falling off trees. Folks looking for a better perch were cheered as they tried to climb.
AUDIENCE: Yes you can! Yes you can!
MOOS: And one of the climbers made like the foliage and fell.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It was an absolutely terrible idea. AUDIENCE: Oh!
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That was terrible!
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: When you do stupid things, stupid things happen.
MOOS: Even at a sanity rally.
Jeanne Moos, CNN, New York.
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PHILLIPS: All right. Back to smoking a doobie. Bill Maher told CNN that the actor actor Zach Galifianakis really didn't smoke marijuana. Bill Maher actually told Wolf Blitzer that if it was a real joint, "Wolf, I would have smoked it. I think it was cloves or something." Then Bill Maher added, "Zach's crazy. He's not that crazy."
Well, get out and vote. This is the big day. And we're going to be all over it until the wee hours of the morning and into the day tomorrow.
TONY HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: There is so much to watch today and tonight. Must-see television all day.
Kyra, you have a great one. Good to see you.
PHILLIPS: You too, Tony.
