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Florida Recovering from Hurricanes; Ten Toughest Things to Do in Presidential Politics; Presidential Healthcare

Aired September 27, 2004 - 14:30   ET

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

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


KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: Welcome back to the CNN Center in Atlanta. This is LIVE FROM. I'm Kyra Phillips. Here what's all new this half hour. Compare the campaign to either the longest job ever or a decathlon of sorts. The top 10 toughest things to do in politics coming up. But first, here's what's happening in the news.
Tropical Depression Jeanne travels north bringing flooding rain to the southeast. The storm is located over Georgia and is expected to turn to the northeast over the next 24 hours. Jeanne could dump up to six inches of rain.

Oil prices push toward $50 a barrel. Experts say you can blame a hurricane. The nation's supply of crude oil fell when Ivan disrupted oil production and the shipping in the Gulf of Mexico. There are also concerns about supplies from Iraq, Russia, and Nigeria.

Osama bin Laden likely hiding in Pakistan: That's the word from the U.S. Military. The commander of coalition forces in Afghanistan says bin Laden and his deputy probably feel more protected in remote areas inside Pakistan. No major al Qaeda figures have been caught or killed in Afghanistan since 2002, but dozens of operatives have been arrested or killed.

Two U.S. soldiers face murder charges in the death of an Iraqi civilian. The U.S. Military did not release any details about the alleged murder, saying an investigation is ongoing. Both men are from the 41st Infantry Regiment from Fort Riley, Kansas.

After leaving a devastating mark on Florida. Tropical Depression Jeanne is now dumping lots of rain on Georgia. Back in Florida, the focus is on relief efforts in picking up the pieces from yet another hurricane.

CNN's Sean Callebs following the recovery on Florida's west coast in Steinhatchee. Hi, Sean.

SEAN CALLEBS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Kyra.

People in the Big Bend area of Florida, that area between the Peninsula and the Panhandle, had all of the anxiety that their brethren did on the Atlantic coast, but they didn't get anywhere near the misery. The remnants of Hurricane Jeanne blowing through this area late last night. And at the height of the storm, just dumping buckets of rain down in this area.

But the good news, the wind was coming dead from the north. And that really kept the river here behind me, the Steinhatchee, from jumping its banks terribly far. Right now, it's at high tide. It's pushing up, and that's from the storm from last night.

But look over here, you can see somewhat of a debris line that really did cause some low-lying flooding in this part of the area. But here's what people in this area of the state woke up to this morning. There were downed power lines throughout Taylor County. There were also a number of limbs down -- once these trees come down, power soon goes after it.

And not the terrible damage that people had anticipated. They were very concerned because this storm was bringing winds of 65, 70 miles an hour, and a lot of the homes in this area were built before 1970, and locals were concerned at just how well they would fare with those kinds of gusts.

Now, let's take you a little bit further to the central area of Florida and Orlando, some aerial pictures, and you see what Jeanne did this to area of Orlando. Just splintered trees -- these are just some of the 1.9 million customers without power at the height of the storm, dumping as much as four to six inches of rain in central Florida.

Now, Kyra, if there is one hint of good news, the people in this area have learned over the years that this river does jump its banks. And look over here. Here's some news construction. This is what a lot of people are starting to do. Look at the pilings there, how well that house is secure. Those are about 10 feet high.

To give you an idea, if we can look back this way, it's not terribly far from the rivers. But even under the worst of conditions, folks in this area believe that they could fare very well. And of all the hurricanes that have simply punished Florida, Charley, Frances, Ivan, and now Jeanne, this area of the Big Bend has done very well.

A lot of local residents tell me they don't remember the last time a strong hurricane hit this area. They like to think it's because of the geographical area right -- nestled, right next to the Peninsula and the Panhandle. They believe it's very hard for one of those counterclockwise storms to turn its way right into this area, but certainly no one wants to chance it once more this year -- Kyra?

PHILLIPS: Well, Sean, first of all, I have to apologize. We've been pronouncing it wrong here. It's Steinhatchee, is that right?

CALLEBS: It is. It is Steinhatchee. I learned all about this area today.

PHILLIPS: I was just going to say. Well, tell us some more about Steinhatchee. Obviously I didn't know about this area. Is it known for anything specifically? Is this a popular...

CALLEBS: Yeah, it's actually...

PHILLIPS: Yeah, go ahead.

CALLEBS: It's really interesting, really, in talking to a lot of the residents. It's very popular for fishing. A lot of sports fishermen come down here, a lot of country and western music stars. Former President Jimmy Carter has been here a couple of times. They can fish out here in this river. The brackish water, they can catch trout, they can catch bass. Or they can go the two miles down to the flats and they catch all kinds of sea fish.

But also, this is an area where the locals like to say pirates used to hang out here. And there's a bay at the end of this river called Dead Man's Bay. And lore has it that a whole number of ships with untold treasures have crashed there.

So, if you have some free time, bring your scuba gear down, make your fortune, and retire wealthy, Kyra.

PHILLIPS: All right. I'm so glad I asked. See, I knew you would have something on Steinhatchee. Thank you, Sean. All right. Our Sean Callebs there in Steinhatchee -- a pirate's cove, I guess.

Well, other news across America -- sick in sprawl: Researchers say that people who live in cities with sprawl have more chronic ailments than residents of compact cities. They say folks in sprawl may not have as many opportunities to walk around.

Now, Mt. Saint Helens is at it again. Scientists are noting a series of earthquakes around the Washington State volcano since Thursday. It warned this could be leading up to a sudden eruption.

And can you call him Pops like his teammates do, or just call him The Natural. Tim Frisby saw his first college football action Saturday at ripe old age of 39. Frisby was called in for the final four plays when the South Carolina Gamecocks played Troy. Now, as a teenager, Frisby gave up a basketball scholarship to joint the Army. Twenty years, six kids, and two wars later, he's pursuing a degree. And guess what? I'm told we're going to talk to him live tomorrow here on LIVE FROM.

Straight ahead, Florida is also center stage for the biggest political showdown of the year so far. We're talking about the debates.

Also the top 10 hardest things to do in presidential politics -- it involves you. But first, more images from Hurricane Jeanne.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: Just three days until President Bush and Senator Kerry meet for their first debate. Both candidates are taking time out from practicing the campaign at battleground states. Bush is speaking at county fairgrounds in Springfield, Ohio. Kerry is preparing for Thursday's debate at a Wisconsin golf resort. Earlier today, he attended town meeting in the town of Spring Green.

Now political debates are not a pursuit for the faint of heart, that's for sure, but debates aren't only thing that put the pain into campaigns. "USA Today's" Washington Bureau Chief Susan Page joins us with her take on the 10 toughest things to do in presidential politics and kissing cranky babies doesn't even make the list. Hi, Susan.

SUSAN PAGE, "USA TODAY": Hi, Kyra. It's great to be with you.

PHILLIPS: Well, it's great to have you. Finally, we found something interesting here that kind of juices up politics. It's a nice change. OK, now these aren't your 10 tips. This is actually -- you actually went out and gathered a group of strategists and analysts, right? Tell me how you put this together?

PAGE: We saw our sports department do something called the 10 toughest things to do in sports, and that made me think, gee, that's a lot like politics. So as we interviewed people on other political stories, pollsters and strategists, people that had run for president before, we just asked them, what was the toughest thing? What was the thing that really surprised you was so much harder than other things to do? And over time we pulled together this list.

PHILLIPS: We've got all 10 so I'll hit on them all but I'm going to go into some specifically. Tough tasks, number 10, what I meant to say. I think first of all we think of Howard Dean, that poor guy, the scrutiny of a presidential candidate is so unforgiving.

Number nine, turning your problem into a plus.

OK, number eight, turning a foe's plus into his or her problem. Let's talk about how each candidate has done this so far when you're talking about Bush and Kerry.

PAGE: Right. A great example was John Kerry. Democrats thought his service in Vietnam would be a huge plus for me. In some ways it has been, but the Republicans have used it as a mixed blessing. The attacks by the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth have kind of muddied that advantage that Kerry had.

Bush's father, the elder George Bush, succeeded in 1988 muddying the advantage that Michael Dukakis once had on the Massachusetts miracle. He campaigned as the governor who brought prosperity to Massachusetts, by the end of the campaign, Massachusetts was seen as the site of a terribly polluted Boston Harbor and as a place that let murderers out on parole.

PHILLIPS: Number seven, changing the subject successfully. We all know everybody can do that.

Number six, raising the second round of money. I like how you said first it's the love money, then the blood money.

Number five, getting nonvoters to the polls. In 2000 election this was a case study for this, wasn't it?

PAGE: Yes, 537 votes in Florida and the election would have come out differently. Al Gore would be running for re-election to the White House. So both campaigns, both parties, interest groups on both sides, are really working on getting out to the vote people who have not gone to the polls before, and it is a very difficult thing to do. We don't know how well they'll succeed this time. PHILLIPS: All right, number four, participating in a presidential debate. This has definitely proved a turning point for a number of candidates, yes?

PAGE: That's right. In competitive elections it's often the thing that decides the election. In 1960, in 1980, in 1992, very important encounters. The only time that voters get to see these guys face to face arguing with one another so they're very powerful and they're tough. Because the spotlight is really on. You've seen really experienced candidates like Ronald Reagan in 1984 have a tough time with debates.

PHILLIPS: Yes. Number three, surviving a firestorm. We think of Bill Clinton, the comeback kid. This is huge, someone that can really get him or herself into a lot of trouble and then come out being pretty much a rock star.

PAGE: You really have to be a great politician to do that. Think about Gary Hart, he had a similar sort of scandal about a weekend he spent with a model, Donna Rice (ph) and he was out of that race within a week. Bill Clinton has proven that a skilled politician can hang on there and fight back.

PHILLIPS: Number two, making a second impression. Tough thing to do, yes, no?

PAGE: Yes, very tough. Dan Quayle's first impression kind of a lightweight. He never got over it. A big race in March between the Kerry camp and the Bush camp over defining John Kerry. He had gotten the Democratic nomination but he wasn't well known to Independent- minded voters and we saw both campaigns spend millions of dollars in ads that were trying to make the first impression for John Kerry.

PHILLIPS: All right, and number one drumroll please, handling an October surprise. So we sort of gathered all the bright people in the newsroom and we thought, OK, it's going to be the capture of Osama bin Laden.

PAGE: Well, it could be. We've been looking for him, and what effect would that have? It would probably be pretty helpful for President Bush if Osama bin Laden was finally captured. There are other things that could happen in these next five weeks, too. We could have a worsening situation in Iraq. That might be bad for President Bush, and of course we've been worried since September 11 about the possibility of another terrorist attack on U.S. interest, also watching for that.

PHILLIPS: What do you think the most historical October surprise has been? Were you able to pinpoint one, maybe?

PAGE: We've had a couple that have been pretty big. You may remember Caspar Weinberger who was indicted the Friday before the election in 1992. That resonated against the first President Bush.

Just last time in 2000, news of a drunk driving arrest by George W. Bush had some effect in that last weekend on the campaign. Some people think it kept some cultural conservatives home who might have voted for him. The election might not have been quite so close in 2000 if that hadn't come out at the last minute.

PHILLIPS: Interesting stuff. Front page of the "USA Today," yes, we copied the great ideas. Susan Page, thanks so much. It was great stuff. Very interesting.

PAGE: Thank you, Kyra.

PHILLIPS: Appreciate it.

The first debate is this Thursday night in the Miami area. CNN will have live coverage for you. 9:00 p.m. Eastern, 6:00 Pacific.

How would you like an invitation to ride on Air Force One? Maybe have access to the Oval Office? All it takes is the right job title.

And speaking of cool jobs, how would you like to fly like an astronaut. The buzz on a new space tourism outfit straight ahead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: News around the world now -- Iraqi kidnappers may hear a plea for the release of Kenneth Bigley on the radio. The British Embassy in Baghdad released an Arabic-language radio appeal for Bigley's release. The spot includes an emotional appeal from the mother of Bigley, who was taken captive 11 days ago.

In Pakistan, the militant wanted for the death of American reporter Daniel Pearl is dead. Pakistani forces killed Amjad Hussain Farooqi during a weekend raid. Farooqi had reported ties to al Qaeda. He was also wanted for the assassination attempt on Pakistan's president.

It's one of the most visited monuments of the world. Today is the 350th anniversary of the Taj Mahal. However, India is holding low-key festivities. The Supreme Court was reluctant to permit large scale ceremonies.

Keeping the president is healthy and important to the health of the government. Most people don't even realize it, but a doctor is always just a few heartbeats away from the president, providing immediate access to medical care.

Our senior medical correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta takes an inside look.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DR. CONNIE MARIANO, FMR. W.H. MEDICAL UNIT LEADER: You're on this plane, you're on his helicopter, you're in his motorcade. The doctor is always within a few feet away. So, you essentially shadow the president.

DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN SR. MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Dr. Connie Mariano ran the White House Medical Unit under President Clinton. Five military doctors, five nurses, five physician assistants, three corpsmen or medics, and three administrators.

The mission: executive medicine. Keep the president healthy day to day. And protective medicine: treat the commander-in-chief in a worst-case scenario, like an assassination attempt.

The nerve center for White House medical care since President Hoover is an office next to the Map Room, across from the elevator the president takes to get to the West Wing from his residence upstairs.

MARIANO: It's beautifully situated, because it's right opposite the elevator, so the president and first family can just walk across.

GUPTA (on camera): How would you rate the medical facilities of the White House?

MARIANO: At the White House itself, it's very much your typical doctor's office. It's got a private exam room on the ground floor, which has a crash cart.

GUPTA (voice-over): A crash cart is used for emergency resuscitation. The goal: stabilize the president and get him to a hospital.

Air Force One also comes equipped with tremendous medical capabilities, including a pharmacy, a burn kit, even an operating room table.

MARIANO: This is a patient like no other. Their decisions impact millions of lives.

GUPTA: Dr. Sanjay Gupta, CNN, Atlanta.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

PHILLIPS: And this Sunday, Dr. Sanjay Gupta will take you inside the world of White House medicine -- the doctors, the cover-ups, and the worst-case scenarios. "The First Patient: Health and the Presidency" premieres this Sunday, 9:00 p.m. Eastern, 6:00 Pacific.

Well, this just in to CNN. We got the statement: In 2009, we're being told, after what will be a 17-year run on "The Tonight Show," Jay Leno will be passing the torch to Conan O'Brien. He will officially make the announcement, we're told, during this evening's "Tonight Show," a show that also celebrated the 50th anniversary of the late night institution.

Now, here's what Jay Leno says, quote, "In 2009, I'll be the 59- year-old and will have had this dream job for 17 years. When I signed my new contract, I felt that the timing was right to plan for my successor. There's no one more qualified than Conan. Plus, I promised Mavis," his wife, of course, "that I would take her out to dinner before I turned 60." So, once again, coming up in 2009, still a little ways away, Jay Leno passing the torch to Conan O'Brien. Well, pay money to space out? If you wanted to take off for a galaxy far, far away, your chance may be coming soon. Rhonda Schaffler's got the scoop at the New York Stock Exchange -- Rhonda?

RHONDA SCHAFFLER, CNN SR. BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: Hi there, Kyra.

Get your spacesuit and helmet ready, grab Miles O'Brien, pretty soon you will be able to take that flight you've always dreamed of. Billionaire Richard Branson and The Virgin Group have started a company called Virgin Galactic, which will begin offering flights into space in 2007.

It's not rocket science to figure out that this is not going to come cheap. Branson said as much as $100 million may be needed to be invested to get this program off the ground. Passengers will have to pay around $200,000 for a 90-minute ride. Flights will take off from the U.S. and will reach altitudes of more than 62 miles. Branson says he expects 3,000 passengers in the first five years of that program -- Kyra?

PHILLIPS: All right. So, let's make the segue from rocket fuel to fuel to fuel prices rocketing today -- something clever like that.

SCHAFFLER: Well, all we know is it keeps going up. There's only so many ways can you say it.

At this point, crude oil getting close to $50 a barrel. Political unrest in Nigeria is the latest problem raising supply concerns. Investors also worried about Wednesday's Energy Department reading on oil inventories in the U.S. Investors on Wall Street have been somewhat obsessed with the price of oil lately, and it's not a surprise that it's weighing on stocks again. The Dow Industrial Average off 38 points. Nasdaq is down three-quarters of one percent.

That is the latest from Wall Street and beyond. Kyra, back to you.

PHILLIPS: All right, Rhonda. We'll see you tomorrow.

"INSIDE POLITICS" up next. Judy Woodruff here with a preview. Hi, Judy.

JUDY WOODRUFF, HOST, "INSIDE POLITICS: Hello, Kyra. Thanks very much.

Well, new polls show a growing trend. We'll have the latest numbers from our new poll at the top of the hour.

Plus, foreign policy continues to shape the election. And today, Senator Ted Kennedy delivered a blistering speech on Iraq. I'll sit down with the senator, as well as get a response from Republican Senator Jon Kyl when "INSIDE POLITICS" begins in just a moment.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK) PHILLIPS: In the news now -- the once powerful Jeanne is now a tropical depression, dumping rain as it heads north over Georgia. In Florida, six people were killed when then Hurricane Jeanne slammed into the east central coast late Saturday: 2.6 million customers are still without power; several beachfront homes collapsed. The cost of the damage is still being tallied.

Charged with murder, an indictment unsealed today: Record producer Phil Spector has been charged with murdering an actress at his Los Angeles-area mansion last year. Sixty-four-year-old Spector will remain free on $1 million bond. Forty-year-old Lana Clarkson was fatally shot.

"JUDY WOODRUFF'S INSIDE POLITICS" up next.

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Aired September 27, 2004 - 14:30   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: Welcome back to the CNN Center in Atlanta. This is LIVE FROM. I'm Kyra Phillips. Here what's all new this half hour. Compare the campaign to either the longest job ever or a decathlon of sorts. The top 10 toughest things to do in politics coming up. But first, here's what's happening in the news.
Tropical Depression Jeanne travels north bringing flooding rain to the southeast. The storm is located over Georgia and is expected to turn to the northeast over the next 24 hours. Jeanne could dump up to six inches of rain.

Oil prices push toward $50 a barrel. Experts say you can blame a hurricane. The nation's supply of crude oil fell when Ivan disrupted oil production and the shipping in the Gulf of Mexico. There are also concerns about supplies from Iraq, Russia, and Nigeria.

Osama bin Laden likely hiding in Pakistan: That's the word from the U.S. Military. The commander of coalition forces in Afghanistan says bin Laden and his deputy probably feel more protected in remote areas inside Pakistan. No major al Qaeda figures have been caught or killed in Afghanistan since 2002, but dozens of operatives have been arrested or killed.

Two U.S. soldiers face murder charges in the death of an Iraqi civilian. The U.S. Military did not release any details about the alleged murder, saying an investigation is ongoing. Both men are from the 41st Infantry Regiment from Fort Riley, Kansas.

After leaving a devastating mark on Florida. Tropical Depression Jeanne is now dumping lots of rain on Georgia. Back in Florida, the focus is on relief efforts in picking up the pieces from yet another hurricane.

CNN's Sean Callebs following the recovery on Florida's west coast in Steinhatchee. Hi, Sean.

SEAN CALLEBS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Kyra.

People in the Big Bend area of Florida, that area between the Peninsula and the Panhandle, had all of the anxiety that their brethren did on the Atlantic coast, but they didn't get anywhere near the misery. The remnants of Hurricane Jeanne blowing through this area late last night. And at the height of the storm, just dumping buckets of rain down in this area.

But the good news, the wind was coming dead from the north. And that really kept the river here behind me, the Steinhatchee, from jumping its banks terribly far. Right now, it's at high tide. It's pushing up, and that's from the storm from last night.

But look over here, you can see somewhat of a debris line that really did cause some low-lying flooding in this part of the area. But here's what people in this area of the state woke up to this morning. There were downed power lines throughout Taylor County. There were also a number of limbs down -- once these trees come down, power soon goes after it.

And not the terrible damage that people had anticipated. They were very concerned because this storm was bringing winds of 65, 70 miles an hour, and a lot of the homes in this area were built before 1970, and locals were concerned at just how well they would fare with those kinds of gusts.

Now, let's take you a little bit further to the central area of Florida and Orlando, some aerial pictures, and you see what Jeanne did this to area of Orlando. Just splintered trees -- these are just some of the 1.9 million customers without power at the height of the storm, dumping as much as four to six inches of rain in central Florida.

Now, Kyra, if there is one hint of good news, the people in this area have learned over the years that this river does jump its banks. And look over here. Here's some news construction. This is what a lot of people are starting to do. Look at the pilings there, how well that house is secure. Those are about 10 feet high.

To give you an idea, if we can look back this way, it's not terribly far from the rivers. But even under the worst of conditions, folks in this area believe that they could fare very well. And of all the hurricanes that have simply punished Florida, Charley, Frances, Ivan, and now Jeanne, this area of the Big Bend has done very well.

A lot of local residents tell me they don't remember the last time a strong hurricane hit this area. They like to think it's because of the geographical area right -- nestled, right next to the Peninsula and the Panhandle. They believe it's very hard for one of those counterclockwise storms to turn its way right into this area, but certainly no one wants to chance it once more this year -- Kyra?

PHILLIPS: Well, Sean, first of all, I have to apologize. We've been pronouncing it wrong here. It's Steinhatchee, is that right?

CALLEBS: It is. It is Steinhatchee. I learned all about this area today.

PHILLIPS: I was just going to say. Well, tell us some more about Steinhatchee. Obviously I didn't know about this area. Is it known for anything specifically? Is this a popular...

CALLEBS: Yeah, it's actually...

PHILLIPS: Yeah, go ahead.

CALLEBS: It's really interesting, really, in talking to a lot of the residents. It's very popular for fishing. A lot of sports fishermen come down here, a lot of country and western music stars. Former President Jimmy Carter has been here a couple of times. They can fish out here in this river. The brackish water, they can catch trout, they can catch bass. Or they can go the two miles down to the flats and they catch all kinds of sea fish.

But also, this is an area where the locals like to say pirates used to hang out here. And there's a bay at the end of this river called Dead Man's Bay. And lore has it that a whole number of ships with untold treasures have crashed there.

So, if you have some free time, bring your scuba gear down, make your fortune, and retire wealthy, Kyra.

PHILLIPS: All right. I'm so glad I asked. See, I knew you would have something on Steinhatchee. Thank you, Sean. All right. Our Sean Callebs there in Steinhatchee -- a pirate's cove, I guess.

Well, other news across America -- sick in sprawl: Researchers say that people who live in cities with sprawl have more chronic ailments than residents of compact cities. They say folks in sprawl may not have as many opportunities to walk around.

Now, Mt. Saint Helens is at it again. Scientists are noting a series of earthquakes around the Washington State volcano since Thursday. It warned this could be leading up to a sudden eruption.

And can you call him Pops like his teammates do, or just call him The Natural. Tim Frisby saw his first college football action Saturday at ripe old age of 39. Frisby was called in for the final four plays when the South Carolina Gamecocks played Troy. Now, as a teenager, Frisby gave up a basketball scholarship to joint the Army. Twenty years, six kids, and two wars later, he's pursuing a degree. And guess what? I'm told we're going to talk to him live tomorrow here on LIVE FROM.

Straight ahead, Florida is also center stage for the biggest political showdown of the year so far. We're talking about the debates.

Also the top 10 hardest things to do in presidential politics -- it involves you. But first, more images from Hurricane Jeanne.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: Just three days until President Bush and Senator Kerry meet for their first debate. Both candidates are taking time out from practicing the campaign at battleground states. Bush is speaking at county fairgrounds in Springfield, Ohio. Kerry is preparing for Thursday's debate at a Wisconsin golf resort. Earlier today, he attended town meeting in the town of Spring Green.

Now political debates are not a pursuit for the faint of heart, that's for sure, but debates aren't only thing that put the pain into campaigns. "USA Today's" Washington Bureau Chief Susan Page joins us with her take on the 10 toughest things to do in presidential politics and kissing cranky babies doesn't even make the list. Hi, Susan.

SUSAN PAGE, "USA TODAY": Hi, Kyra. It's great to be with you.

PHILLIPS: Well, it's great to have you. Finally, we found something interesting here that kind of juices up politics. It's a nice change. OK, now these aren't your 10 tips. This is actually -- you actually went out and gathered a group of strategists and analysts, right? Tell me how you put this together?

PAGE: We saw our sports department do something called the 10 toughest things to do in sports, and that made me think, gee, that's a lot like politics. So as we interviewed people on other political stories, pollsters and strategists, people that had run for president before, we just asked them, what was the toughest thing? What was the thing that really surprised you was so much harder than other things to do? And over time we pulled together this list.

PHILLIPS: We've got all 10 so I'll hit on them all but I'm going to go into some specifically. Tough tasks, number 10, what I meant to say. I think first of all we think of Howard Dean, that poor guy, the scrutiny of a presidential candidate is so unforgiving.

Number nine, turning your problem into a plus.

OK, number eight, turning a foe's plus into his or her problem. Let's talk about how each candidate has done this so far when you're talking about Bush and Kerry.

PAGE: Right. A great example was John Kerry. Democrats thought his service in Vietnam would be a huge plus for me. In some ways it has been, but the Republicans have used it as a mixed blessing. The attacks by the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth have kind of muddied that advantage that Kerry had.

Bush's father, the elder George Bush, succeeded in 1988 muddying the advantage that Michael Dukakis once had on the Massachusetts miracle. He campaigned as the governor who brought prosperity to Massachusetts, by the end of the campaign, Massachusetts was seen as the site of a terribly polluted Boston Harbor and as a place that let murderers out on parole.

PHILLIPS: Number seven, changing the subject successfully. We all know everybody can do that.

Number six, raising the second round of money. I like how you said first it's the love money, then the blood money.

Number five, getting nonvoters to the polls. In 2000 election this was a case study for this, wasn't it?

PAGE: Yes, 537 votes in Florida and the election would have come out differently. Al Gore would be running for re-election to the White House. So both campaigns, both parties, interest groups on both sides, are really working on getting out to the vote people who have not gone to the polls before, and it is a very difficult thing to do. We don't know how well they'll succeed this time. PHILLIPS: All right, number four, participating in a presidential debate. This has definitely proved a turning point for a number of candidates, yes?

PAGE: That's right. In competitive elections it's often the thing that decides the election. In 1960, in 1980, in 1992, very important encounters. The only time that voters get to see these guys face to face arguing with one another so they're very powerful and they're tough. Because the spotlight is really on. You've seen really experienced candidates like Ronald Reagan in 1984 have a tough time with debates.

PHILLIPS: Yes. Number three, surviving a firestorm. We think of Bill Clinton, the comeback kid. This is huge, someone that can really get him or herself into a lot of trouble and then come out being pretty much a rock star.

PAGE: You really have to be a great politician to do that. Think about Gary Hart, he had a similar sort of scandal about a weekend he spent with a model, Donna Rice (ph) and he was out of that race within a week. Bill Clinton has proven that a skilled politician can hang on there and fight back.

PHILLIPS: Number two, making a second impression. Tough thing to do, yes, no?

PAGE: Yes, very tough. Dan Quayle's first impression kind of a lightweight. He never got over it. A big race in March between the Kerry camp and the Bush camp over defining John Kerry. He had gotten the Democratic nomination but he wasn't well known to Independent- minded voters and we saw both campaigns spend millions of dollars in ads that were trying to make the first impression for John Kerry.

PHILLIPS: All right, and number one drumroll please, handling an October surprise. So we sort of gathered all the bright people in the newsroom and we thought, OK, it's going to be the capture of Osama bin Laden.

PAGE: Well, it could be. We've been looking for him, and what effect would that have? It would probably be pretty helpful for President Bush if Osama bin Laden was finally captured. There are other things that could happen in these next five weeks, too. We could have a worsening situation in Iraq. That might be bad for President Bush, and of course we've been worried since September 11 about the possibility of another terrorist attack on U.S. interest, also watching for that.

PHILLIPS: What do you think the most historical October surprise has been? Were you able to pinpoint one, maybe?

PAGE: We've had a couple that have been pretty big. You may remember Caspar Weinberger who was indicted the Friday before the election in 1992. That resonated against the first President Bush.

Just last time in 2000, news of a drunk driving arrest by George W. Bush had some effect in that last weekend on the campaign. Some people think it kept some cultural conservatives home who might have voted for him. The election might not have been quite so close in 2000 if that hadn't come out at the last minute.

PHILLIPS: Interesting stuff. Front page of the "USA Today," yes, we copied the great ideas. Susan Page, thanks so much. It was great stuff. Very interesting.

PAGE: Thank you, Kyra.

PHILLIPS: Appreciate it.

The first debate is this Thursday night in the Miami area. CNN will have live coverage for you. 9:00 p.m. Eastern, 6:00 Pacific.

How would you like an invitation to ride on Air Force One? Maybe have access to the Oval Office? All it takes is the right job title.

And speaking of cool jobs, how would you like to fly like an astronaut. The buzz on a new space tourism outfit straight ahead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: News around the world now -- Iraqi kidnappers may hear a plea for the release of Kenneth Bigley on the radio. The British Embassy in Baghdad released an Arabic-language radio appeal for Bigley's release. The spot includes an emotional appeal from the mother of Bigley, who was taken captive 11 days ago.

In Pakistan, the militant wanted for the death of American reporter Daniel Pearl is dead. Pakistani forces killed Amjad Hussain Farooqi during a weekend raid. Farooqi had reported ties to al Qaeda. He was also wanted for the assassination attempt on Pakistan's president.

It's one of the most visited monuments of the world. Today is the 350th anniversary of the Taj Mahal. However, India is holding low-key festivities. The Supreme Court was reluctant to permit large scale ceremonies.

Keeping the president is healthy and important to the health of the government. Most people don't even realize it, but a doctor is always just a few heartbeats away from the president, providing immediate access to medical care.

Our senior medical correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta takes an inside look.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DR. CONNIE MARIANO, FMR. W.H. MEDICAL UNIT LEADER: You're on this plane, you're on his helicopter, you're in his motorcade. The doctor is always within a few feet away. So, you essentially shadow the president.

DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN SR. MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Dr. Connie Mariano ran the White House Medical Unit under President Clinton. Five military doctors, five nurses, five physician assistants, three corpsmen or medics, and three administrators.

The mission: executive medicine. Keep the president healthy day to day. And protective medicine: treat the commander-in-chief in a worst-case scenario, like an assassination attempt.

The nerve center for White House medical care since President Hoover is an office next to the Map Room, across from the elevator the president takes to get to the West Wing from his residence upstairs.

MARIANO: It's beautifully situated, because it's right opposite the elevator, so the president and first family can just walk across.

GUPTA (on camera): How would you rate the medical facilities of the White House?

MARIANO: At the White House itself, it's very much your typical doctor's office. It's got a private exam room on the ground floor, which has a crash cart.

GUPTA (voice-over): A crash cart is used for emergency resuscitation. The goal: stabilize the president and get him to a hospital.

Air Force One also comes equipped with tremendous medical capabilities, including a pharmacy, a burn kit, even an operating room table.

MARIANO: This is a patient like no other. Their decisions impact millions of lives.

GUPTA: Dr. Sanjay Gupta, CNN, Atlanta.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

PHILLIPS: And this Sunday, Dr. Sanjay Gupta will take you inside the world of White House medicine -- the doctors, the cover-ups, and the worst-case scenarios. "The First Patient: Health and the Presidency" premieres this Sunday, 9:00 p.m. Eastern, 6:00 Pacific.

Well, this just in to CNN. We got the statement: In 2009, we're being told, after what will be a 17-year run on "The Tonight Show," Jay Leno will be passing the torch to Conan O'Brien. He will officially make the announcement, we're told, during this evening's "Tonight Show," a show that also celebrated the 50th anniversary of the late night institution.

Now, here's what Jay Leno says, quote, "In 2009, I'll be the 59- year-old and will have had this dream job for 17 years. When I signed my new contract, I felt that the timing was right to plan for my successor. There's no one more qualified than Conan. Plus, I promised Mavis," his wife, of course, "that I would take her out to dinner before I turned 60." So, once again, coming up in 2009, still a little ways away, Jay Leno passing the torch to Conan O'Brien. Well, pay money to space out? If you wanted to take off for a galaxy far, far away, your chance may be coming soon. Rhonda Schaffler's got the scoop at the New York Stock Exchange -- Rhonda?

RHONDA SCHAFFLER, CNN SR. BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: Hi there, Kyra.

Get your spacesuit and helmet ready, grab Miles O'Brien, pretty soon you will be able to take that flight you've always dreamed of. Billionaire Richard Branson and The Virgin Group have started a company called Virgin Galactic, which will begin offering flights into space in 2007.

It's not rocket science to figure out that this is not going to come cheap. Branson said as much as $100 million may be needed to be invested to get this program off the ground. Passengers will have to pay around $200,000 for a 90-minute ride. Flights will take off from the U.S. and will reach altitudes of more than 62 miles. Branson says he expects 3,000 passengers in the first five years of that program -- Kyra?

PHILLIPS: All right. So, let's make the segue from rocket fuel to fuel to fuel prices rocketing today -- something clever like that.

SCHAFFLER: Well, all we know is it keeps going up. There's only so many ways can you say it.

At this point, crude oil getting close to $50 a barrel. Political unrest in Nigeria is the latest problem raising supply concerns. Investors also worried about Wednesday's Energy Department reading on oil inventories in the U.S. Investors on Wall Street have been somewhat obsessed with the price of oil lately, and it's not a surprise that it's weighing on stocks again. The Dow Industrial Average off 38 points. Nasdaq is down three-quarters of one percent.

That is the latest from Wall Street and beyond. Kyra, back to you.

PHILLIPS: All right, Rhonda. We'll see you tomorrow.

"INSIDE POLITICS" up next. Judy Woodruff here with a preview. Hi, Judy.

JUDY WOODRUFF, HOST, "INSIDE POLITICS: Hello, Kyra. Thanks very much.

Well, new polls show a growing trend. We'll have the latest numbers from our new poll at the top of the hour.

Plus, foreign policy continues to shape the election. And today, Senator Ted Kennedy delivered a blistering speech on Iraq. I'll sit down with the senator, as well as get a response from Republican Senator Jon Kyl when "INSIDE POLITICS" begins in just a moment.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK) PHILLIPS: In the news now -- the once powerful Jeanne is now a tropical depression, dumping rain as it heads north over Georgia. In Florida, six people were killed when then Hurricane Jeanne slammed into the east central coast late Saturday: 2.6 million customers are still without power; several beachfront homes collapsed. The cost of the damage is still being tallied.

Charged with murder, an indictment unsealed today: Record producer Phil Spector has been charged with murdering an actress at his Los Angeles-area mansion last year. Sixty-four-year-old Spector will remain free on $1 million bond. Forty-year-old Lana Clarkson was fatally shot.

"JUDY WOODRUFF'S INSIDE POLITICS" up next.

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