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Furor Continues Over Missing Explosives; Neither Candidate Addressing Homeland Security; Defense Rests in Scott Peterson Trial; Red Sox One Game from Winning World Series
Aired October 27, 2004 - 13:00 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.
MILES O'BRIEN, CO-HOST: Campaign crunch. The candidates talking Iraq, the economy and health care. But some experts say what they're not talking about could hurt you.
FRANK BUCKLEY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I'm Frank Buckley, live in Rochester, Minnesota. Senator John Kerry set to speak here in about an hour, continuing his criticism of the Bush administration on those missing explosives in Iraq. We'll have the latest coming up.
ELAINE QUIJANO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I'm Elaine Quijano, live at the White House. For the first time, President Bush is hitting on the questions of those missing explosives in Iraq. I'll tell you what he had to say coming up.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CO-HOST: And total eclipse. What you need to know to make the most of tonight's moonshine.
From the CNN Center in Atlanta, I'm Fredricka Whitfield, in for Kyra Phillips.
O'BRIEN: And I'm Miles O'Brien. CNN's LIVE FROM starts right now.
Contested registrations, confusion at the polls, too few workers to go around. And six days to go before election day.
E-voting is evoking equal measures of hope and fear from California to Florida, including, after a judge's ruling yesterday, New Jersey. But officials in Ohio think a hanging chad beats a touch screen vote that may or may not leave a lasting record. A federal suit is still pending.
And the help wanted signs are still posted at the U.S. Election Assistance Commission, which estimates precincts nationwide are 500,000 workers short of what they need for a presidential contest. The average age of the dwindling poll workforce is 72.
And speaking of polls, CNN's daily average of media surveys gives us yet another statistical dead heat between incumbent and challenger: 49 percent for Bush; 47, Kerry, with a four percentage point sampling error.
WHITFIELD: Both men are crisscrossing battleground states they've crisscrossed countless times already. Bush is bouncing from Pennsylvania to Ohio to Michigan today. And CNN's Elaine Quijano is watching from afar, by which we mean the White House -- Elaine.
QUIJANO: Good afternoon to you, Fredricka.
President Bush wasted no time today striking back against Senator John Kerry, accusing him of making wild charges on the topic of those 380 tons of missing explosives in Iraq.
Now, the president did not give any new information about who might be responsible, but the Kerry campaign has, of course, seized on this issue, and the president hasn't said anything until now.
Mr. Bush's comments came in the first part of his speech in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, his counterattack accusing Kerry of not knowing all the facts and calling it, quote, "part of the pattern of saying almost anything to get elected."
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GEORGE W. BUSH (R), PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Our military's now investigating a number of possible scenarios, including that the explosives may have been moved before our troops even arrived at the site.
This investigation is important and it's ongoing. And a political candidate who jumps to conclusions without knowing the facts is not a person you want as your commander in chief.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
QUIJANO: Now, the president also accused Senator Kerry of denigrating the actions of troops and commanders in the field in Iraq, without having the facts. And in comments echoing those of Vice President Dick Cheney, Mr. Bush said more than 400,000 tons of munitions, including explosives, have been seized at thousand of sites around Iraq.
Now of course, this was not the theme that the Bush campaign wanted to focus on today. Today, the president campaigning alongside Democrat Zell Miller of Georgia, and the theme was to have been reaching out to Democrats and independents.
But of course, Fredricka, the headlines pushing the president to play defense today, talking about something that the Bush campaign obviously would not want to be -- would rather not be talking about today -- Fredricka.
WHITFIELD: All right, Elaine Quijano, watching the president from the White House. Thanks so much -- Miles.
O'BRIEN: Well, if it weren't for Iowa, John Kerry would likely be watching this race on television, between World Series games, of course. The come from behind victory in the Iowa caucuses is back there today. Sioux City in the morning, Cedar Rapids at night. A little side trip to Minnesota in the middle.
CNN's Frank Buckley is ready and waiting in Rochester. Any trouble in River City there, Frank?
BUCKLEY: Hi there, Miles.
We are in Rochester, Minnesota, awaiting the arrival of Senator Kerry as the Kerry campaign moves from those policy speeches to big rallies. We're at the Mayo Civic Center, where there's going to be a big rally in about an hour, featuring Senator Kerry.
Senator Kerry, for the third straight day, seizing on this issue of the missing explosives in Iraq. The Kerry campaign clearly believing in its speech today in Sioux City, Iowa, that it has found a way to illustrate their view that President Bush mismanaged the war in Iraq and is mismanaging the war on terror.
Today, Senator Kerry also added Vice President Cheney to the line of criticism, after Cheney said that it wasn't clear how or when the explosives disappeared in Iraq and that when Vice President Cheney said Kerry was being an armchair general.
Here's what Senator Kerry had to say about that.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. JOHN KERRY (D-MA), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Vice President Cheney, who is becoming the chief minister of disinformation, he echoed that it's not the administration's fault, and he even criticized those who raised the subject.
Now, my friends, my fellow Americans, this is a growing scandal, and the American people deserve a full and honest explanation of how it happened and what the president is going to do about it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BUCKLEY: And as you heard from Elaine Quijano, President Bush suggesting that Senator Kerry would do anything to become president and that -- questioning his credentials as a potential commander in chief, suggesting that he is jumping to conclusions without all the facts.
Now, from here, Miles, we go from Minnesota, back to Iowa. This morning, it was Sioux City. Later today it will be Cedar Rapids, Iowa, really, another indication of how tight the state of Iowa is. That went to Al Gore in 2000, but only by 4,100 votes. Both campaigns pushing hard for Iowa. President Bush trying to take it away, and Senator Kerry trying to keep it in the blue column.
O'BRIEN: CNN's Frank Buckley, with the Kerry campaign in Rochester, thank you -- Fred.
WHITFIELD: Well, homeland security is an article of faith for just about any public official nowadays. But listen for it in the speeches or ads or talking points of the presidential contenders, and you won't hear much.
Just ask CNN homeland security correspondent Jeanne Meserve.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Weakness attracts those who are waiting to do America harm.
JEANNE MESERVE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Though security is the overriding issue in the presidential campaign, it is almost always framed by the candidates as something over there, not right here.
KERRY: We will hunt down, capture and kill or destroy terrorists, wherever they may be.
BUSH: We're staying on the offensive. We're relentless. We are determined to protect the American people and we're succeeding.
MESERVE: But if offense fails, homeland security experts say, there must be a defense to back it up. And, they say, the candidates ignore that at their, and our, peril.
STEPHEN FLYNN, COUNCIL ON FOREIGN RELATIONS: We need to have both an away game and a home game, and I want these candidates to start talking about what the home game is.
MESERVE: Tuesday, in a speech billed as a comprehensive strategy for securing our homeland, Kerry devoted only three minutes to his proposals, including more security at the borders, around transportation systems, at chemical and nuclear plants and more money for first responders, many of whom have endorsed him.
KERRY: I will invest at least $60 billion more over the next ten years to protect America.
MESERVE: In their debates, President Bush used Kerry's homeland security proposals to paint him as a tax and spend liberal.
BUSH: I don't think we want to get to how he's going to pay for all these promises.
MESERVE: After 9/11 the president embraced the security issue and polls continue to show he dominates on it. Despite well publicized holes in homeland security, Bush talks much less about what he will do then about what he has done.
BUSH: We are providing essential funding for Coast Guard patrols and port security, for the federal air marshal program.
MESERVE (on camera): Though many issues are dealt with in bumper sticker simplicity in a campaign, experts say some aspects of homeland security deserve deeper discussion, like border security, bioterrorism and securing nuclear materials.
PAUL LIGHT, BROOKINGS INSTITUTION: Oh, I think it's a terrible gap in the campaign. The constant conversation about the threat, without a scintilla of conversation about what we're going to do about it inside our borders.
MESERVE: Some homeland security experts say the president benefits from continuing to stress risk and danger and puts his emphasis there and that Kerry believes the war in Iraq is a more potent political issue.
Lee Hamilton, co-chair of the 9/11 Commission, is resigned to the lack of debate.
LEE HAMILTON, CO-CHAIR, 9/11 COMMISSION: Any president has the right -- or candidate for president, has the right to identify the top items on his agenda. And in this case, both of them apparently have not put it at the top.
MESERVE: Another factor, say experts, is that among voters, as 9/11 has faded, so has the urgency of homeland security.
Jeanne Meserve, CNN, Washington.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
O'BRIEN: It's now all but guaranteed Congress will miss its unofficial deadline for passing those post-9/11 intelligence reforms. But the group that's been pushing that boulder up the mountain for years now, still pushing.
And CNN's Rudi Bakhtiar is watching in our D.C. bureau -- Rudi.
RUDI BAKHTIAR, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hello, Miles.
Well, House and Senate negotiators are continuing their talks at this moment, hoping to at least have an agreement among themselves before the election.
The major sticking points remain the same: budget authority for the newly create post of national intelligence director and immigration reform. Joint Chiefs Chairman General Richard Myers endorsed the House version of the bill in an unexpected development on Friday, insisting that defense intelligence budget should not be controlled by the NID.
Today, family members who are on Capitol Hill united, though, in their calls for a bill before the election.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BEVERLY ECKERT, 9/11 FAMILY STEERING COMMITTEE: Are we going to hold our public officials accountable? Are we going to hold the president accountable? I mean, he can make this bill happen. He can make this bill happen. But he's not even here in Washington to see it through. He's out campaigning. And to me that feels like a vacuum in leadership.
But that deadline, you know that keeps moving. We're already three years past 9/11. And if we don't -- the longer we wait, the more al Qaeda has to celebrate. (END VIDEO CLIP)
BAKHTIAR: Family members, though, openly disagreeing during that same news conference over what the final bill should look like, an argument not unlike the ones being held behind closed doors right now.
Congressional aides are saying that talks should continue throughout the week, hoping that Congress returns after the election to vote on a final version of the bill -- Miles.
O'BRIEN: Rudy Bakhtiar in Washington, thanks -- Fred.
WHITFIELD: Well, she rose to fame in the 2000 presidential election. Now Florida Congresswoman Katherine Harris nearly gets run over on the campaign trail. Details straight ahead.
KIMBERLY OSIAS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: The defense rests in the double murder trial of Scott Peterson. And one key witness never even took the stand. I'm Kimberly Osias, live in Redwood City. Details just ahead.
O'BRIEN: And taking your truck for a spin. As you can see, literally. We'll see which ones come out on top in rollover tests, later on LIVE FROM.
ANNOUNCER: You're watching LIVE FROM on CNN, the most trusted name in news.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WHITFIELD: More than 100 witnesses down just a handful to go in the Scott Peterson murder trial. Prosecutors are beginning their rebuttal today after an abrupt finish by the defense.
Our Kimberly Osias is in Redwood City, California -- Kimberly.
OSIAS: Hello, Fredricka.
Well, I'll tell you, you know, there is so much that we really don't know about this case. The untold story is really what has been happening behind closed doors in the judge's chambers, a lot of legal wrangling about who would present and what kind of evidence.
In fact, we were expecting two other witnesses to testify before Mark Geragos rested. You know, we never saw them. And why, we simply don't know. I mean, he had about 15 minutes of testimony with Modesto -- with a Modesto police officer on the stand.
We were expecting to hear testimony from famed forensic expert Dr. Henry Lee. We never heard from him. But he was in the area. In fact, he was staying at an area hotel. We just learned that he checked out last night. He never got a chance to testify.
And this is especially interesting, because it was Dr. Lee, at the request of the defense, that performed autopsies on the bodies of Laci Peterson and the fetus that washed ashore in April of 2003, on the San Francisco Bay. You know, he was scheduled to be here, and it's just -- you know, we were all a bit taken by that.
We also have heard from a lot of legal experts that Mark Geragos really fell short, that his case was, quite frankly, lackluster. He failed to really follow through on promises, promises that he made to jurors many months ago in opening statements.
Those that have been following the case closely may recall when he said he's not just going to prove that Scott Peterson was innocent, that he was going to say that Scott Peterson was stone cold innocent. He also promised to show that the baby was born alive. And that he was going to turn this case into an eyewitness case. None of that happened.
Now, today we are waiting to hear rebuttal from prosecution witnesses. We don't know who those witnesses will be. We have been told that there will be about seven or eight of those witnesses. Of course, those records are sealed.
Closing arguments are slated for the 1st and the 2nd of November, of course, the 2nd being election day. And these jurors will be listening to arguments.
This jury for the first time in San Mateo County is sequestered for deliberations, that are slated to start on the 3rd -- Fredricka.
WHITFIELD: All right. Kimberly Osias from Redwood City, California, thanks so much.
Well, the Scott Peterson trial is garnering attention from around the globe. And in Redwood City, it's become the hottest ticket in town.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There will be 27 seats available today, 27.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It's a matter of arriving by 7:30, getting a ticket. We're on our way up north for our vacation and couldn't help but stop halfway.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: 8514.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is on my way to work so if I get in, I call my boss and tell him I have car trouble or I'm calling in sick today. If I don't get in, I go to work. I've met people here from as far away as New York, Minnesota.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Northern Kentucky. I especially came out for the trial.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: 8507.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I admired his performance anyway, Geragos. I don't agree with him. But, you know, like his showmanship.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I want to see all the evidence. I don't like the way evidence is interpreted on TV. I like to see it for myself.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: First of all, I thought he was guilty. Since I've been coming, I've seen what Geragos has been bringing in, the other side. So now I'm neutral.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Scott looked like a real fox in his -- before he was arrested.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Don't go away until we confirm the last number, all right?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I was amazed at how small he is in stature compared to what he looked like on camera.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Pale.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: And he's very -- he's got jail pale.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Jail pale.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: No color.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: By the way this is the public seating card. You got that?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: And I got picked No. 1, and they're left out in the cold.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: And we hate her. Absolutely hate her.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Upset, capital "u." She takes us to lunch.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
O'BRIEN (voice-over): Next on LIVE FROM, has Boston found a cure for the curse? We'll talk with one of Beantown's No. 1 fans about whether he's ready to say bye-bye Bambino.
Later on LIVE FROM, to the moon. What you need to know so you won't miss tonight's total lunar eclipse.
And tomorrow on LIVE FROM, candidates countdown: rallying the faithful and reaching out to the undecideds. What's behind their strategies to win?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WHITFIELD: The Boston Red Sox just one game away from baseball glory. Last night's 4-1 win in World Series game No. 3 was a big victory for the Red Sox, putting them ahead of the St. Louis Cardinals three games to none.
Pedro Martinez pitched seven shutout innings, allowing only three hits for the Cards.
CNN's Larry Smith was there as the pitching magic unfolded in St. Louis.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
LARRY SMITH, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): In his first World Series, Pedro Martinez made a lasting impression. The three-time Cy Young Award winner stymied the Cardinals in game three Tuesday night, striking out six and retiring the last 14 batters he faced in a 4-1 Boston victory.
PEDRO MARTINEZ, RED SOX PITCHER: I was really happy and lucky to actually be one out of one in World Series games and actually give my fans and everybody that sympathize with me and my team a win in my first time out in a World Series.
TROY NIXON, RED SOX RIGHT FIELDER: He felt like he need a big -- a big night. We knew he needed a big night. But you know, we've got extreme confidence in Pedro and what he's capable of doing.
JOHNNY DAMON, RED SOX CENTER FIELDER: This was awesome. This is what people will be talking about for a long time. People have always wanted to see Pedro in the World Series. And he -- he definitely showed up tonight.
SMITH: The Red Sox defense that committed eight errors combined in the first two games of the series was flawless, turning a pair of double plays to snuff out Cardinal rallies as the Sox won their seventh in a row, tying a major league postseason record.
MARTINEZ: Thanks to God my teammates did the work for me, did the dirty work, played some defense that gave us a little -- a little bit a break, in that third inning play. And after that, I just used my experience. And I threw strikes and got them swinging.
SCOTT ROLEN, CARDINALS THIRD BASEMAN: We didn't play a very clean game tonight. There's no doubt. We haven't played a very clean game this series yet. So you know, instead of looking back, let's look forward.
SMITH (on camera): With a 3-0 series lead, the Red Sox are in the exact opposite position they were in during the American League championship series. But their attitude and purpose remain the same: just win the next one.
Larry Smith, CNN, St. Louis.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
O'BRIEN: Now, you think that 3-0 lead would make Red Sox fans, the Red Sox Nation, as it were, feel very confident. Just the contrary. It just makes us all the more nervous that the fall will be all the more painful.
Joining us is a longtime Red Sox fan, longtime citizen of Boston, and a prominent one at that, the former mayor of Boston, Ray Flynn.
Good to have you with us, Mr. Mayor...
RAY FLYNN, FORMER MAYOR OF BOSTON: Hi, Miles.
O'BRIEN: ... Mr. Ambassador, ultimately became the ambassador of the Vatican. Good to see you.
All right. Let's talk -- let's talk Red Sox here for a moment.
FLYNN: Sure.
O'BRIEN: You grew up watching -- I mean, really, Red Sox versus Cardinals were a part of the fabric, really, in New England growing up; '46 and '67, of course, are what I'm thinking about.
Let's go back. That's probably the first World Series you have a fond memory of would be that Ted Williams' 1946 series against the Cards. What do you remember about that one?
FLYNN: Well, I used to sell newspapers at the Fenway Park when I was a little kid. And that was an extraordinary World Series. I thought the Red Sox, you know, were the greatest thing since sliced bread.
And just the heartbreak of the Red Sox losing in '46 was, you know, with Ted Williams and Johnny Pesky, and Enos Slaughter for the Cardinals, Harry Brecheen, Marty Marion, and all of those guys, I mean -- I mean, I can recite these names as if they were -- as if they were yesterday.
That was a heartbreak, Miles. That's when it really began. And then, of course, we went to '67 with the Cardinals again. But here we are 2004.
You know, one thing about this city: we don't give up. We don't quit. No matter how disappointed we are, we keep coming back. And I think that's why we're perhaps the most loyal sports fans in America. And the city deserves this world championship that I think they'll get tonight.
O'BRIEN: Is the team of Martinez somehow different, do you think, than the team of Yastrzemski or Williams? Is there something -- you know, there's always something about champions that is difficult to pin down.
FLYNN: You know, I think Schilling has had an enormous impact in this city, on this team.
There's a certain character of the man: hard work, determination, not very flamboyant, just wants to get the job done. I think he kind of epitomizes the blue collar working class neighborhood environment of Boston.
And as a result of that, people were rooting for him and rooting for the team, more so than I've ever seen, if that's possible in Boston. And as a result, he brought a certain lively character to the -- to the Red Sox, and it permeated throughout, I think, the country.
I do a lot of traveling. This is really America's team, in all due respect to all the other teams. But this is America's team, the Red Sox of 2004.
O'BRIEN: Well, it's a gutsy team. But you mentioned Schilling and you mentioned Martinez. And the names that come to mind on this team are pitchers. Historically, the Red Sox have been a slugger team, a team, you know, with Yastrzemski or Williams, at the tip of your lips. Is that the key this time, having strong pitching, you think?
FLYNN: Yes. I think the -- that the strong pitching -- this year, of course was the bullpen. Last year, we would have beat the Yankees, but we didn't have the bullpen. This year, they picked up a couple of guys that really added significantly to the bullpen.
But this is a real balanced team. You know, if one guy doesn't show up and get a couple of hits, another guy picks up for them. Damon was down and Miller was down. And then the next thing you know they surface and Bellhorn -- I mean, every night it seems like it's -- it's a new guy doing the job for the Red Sox.
And that's what wins championships, Miles. It's not the best players that go out on the field that go out that win championships. It's the best team that goes out on the field and works together. That's been the secret of the Boston Celtics. That's the secret of the Patriots. And now it is the secret of the Boston Red Sox.
O'BRIEN: Makes me want to say amen. And as long as I mention "amen," I know you have some connections at the Vatican. And I was wondering if you'd had an opportunity to put a good word in. And maybe you could tell us one way or another, if he is -- if the pope is really with us, the Red Sox, this time.
FLYNN: Miles, when I knew we were going to win it this year, it's an old Irish tradition. You put the rosary beads out on the clothesline, and if it doesn't rain that means you're going to win. Well, we put the rosary beads out on the clothesline. It didn't rain. We brought the rosary beads back in. I said, "Here it is. World Series victory for the Boston Red Sox."
We went higher than the Vatican. We went right to the top on this one.
O'BRIEN: Don't need the Vatican, straight through, rosary beads on the clothesline. I didn't know that tradition. And it works, huh?
FLYNN: This -- let me tell you, this one really works. If anyone ever tells you this one doesn't work, not only just for Catholics, but for everyone, because Red Sox nation is everybody.
O'BRIEN: All right, final thought here, a town that loves its sports and its politics and loves talking about it, and quite frankly, as you know, there's a fair amount of whining that goes on in Boston, about both subjects. Will the fans kind of miss something here, once the curse is lifted?
FLYNN: Oh, yes, right, I think so. That's a good point, Miles. I mean, sometimes it's better complaining about something than actually relishing a sense of accomplishment. But, you know, after we win the world championship, we'll go back and say, you know, we haven't won two World Series championships back to back ever. So we'll find something to complain about, Miles.
O'BRIEN: I knew you'd find a dark cloud for the silver lining for us. It is the Boston way.
FLYNN: I'm Irish.
O'BRIEN: It is the Boston way, after all. Ray Flynn, always a great pleasure. Best to the team. And enjoy, enjoy it all.
(STOCK MARKET REPORT)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
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Aired October 27, 2004 - 13:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
MILES O'BRIEN, CO-HOST: Campaign crunch. The candidates talking Iraq, the economy and health care. But some experts say what they're not talking about could hurt you.
FRANK BUCKLEY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I'm Frank Buckley, live in Rochester, Minnesota. Senator John Kerry set to speak here in about an hour, continuing his criticism of the Bush administration on those missing explosives in Iraq. We'll have the latest coming up.
ELAINE QUIJANO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I'm Elaine Quijano, live at the White House. For the first time, President Bush is hitting on the questions of those missing explosives in Iraq. I'll tell you what he had to say coming up.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CO-HOST: And total eclipse. What you need to know to make the most of tonight's moonshine.
From the CNN Center in Atlanta, I'm Fredricka Whitfield, in for Kyra Phillips.
O'BRIEN: And I'm Miles O'Brien. CNN's LIVE FROM starts right now.
Contested registrations, confusion at the polls, too few workers to go around. And six days to go before election day.
E-voting is evoking equal measures of hope and fear from California to Florida, including, after a judge's ruling yesterday, New Jersey. But officials in Ohio think a hanging chad beats a touch screen vote that may or may not leave a lasting record. A federal suit is still pending.
And the help wanted signs are still posted at the U.S. Election Assistance Commission, which estimates precincts nationwide are 500,000 workers short of what they need for a presidential contest. The average age of the dwindling poll workforce is 72.
And speaking of polls, CNN's daily average of media surveys gives us yet another statistical dead heat between incumbent and challenger: 49 percent for Bush; 47, Kerry, with a four percentage point sampling error.
WHITFIELD: Both men are crisscrossing battleground states they've crisscrossed countless times already. Bush is bouncing from Pennsylvania to Ohio to Michigan today. And CNN's Elaine Quijano is watching from afar, by which we mean the White House -- Elaine.
QUIJANO: Good afternoon to you, Fredricka.
President Bush wasted no time today striking back against Senator John Kerry, accusing him of making wild charges on the topic of those 380 tons of missing explosives in Iraq.
Now, the president did not give any new information about who might be responsible, but the Kerry campaign has, of course, seized on this issue, and the president hasn't said anything until now.
Mr. Bush's comments came in the first part of his speech in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, his counterattack accusing Kerry of not knowing all the facts and calling it, quote, "part of the pattern of saying almost anything to get elected."
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GEORGE W. BUSH (R), PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Our military's now investigating a number of possible scenarios, including that the explosives may have been moved before our troops even arrived at the site.
This investigation is important and it's ongoing. And a political candidate who jumps to conclusions without knowing the facts is not a person you want as your commander in chief.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
QUIJANO: Now, the president also accused Senator Kerry of denigrating the actions of troops and commanders in the field in Iraq, without having the facts. And in comments echoing those of Vice President Dick Cheney, Mr. Bush said more than 400,000 tons of munitions, including explosives, have been seized at thousand of sites around Iraq.
Now of course, this was not the theme that the Bush campaign wanted to focus on today. Today, the president campaigning alongside Democrat Zell Miller of Georgia, and the theme was to have been reaching out to Democrats and independents.
But of course, Fredricka, the headlines pushing the president to play defense today, talking about something that the Bush campaign obviously would not want to be -- would rather not be talking about today -- Fredricka.
WHITFIELD: All right, Elaine Quijano, watching the president from the White House. Thanks so much -- Miles.
O'BRIEN: Well, if it weren't for Iowa, John Kerry would likely be watching this race on television, between World Series games, of course. The come from behind victory in the Iowa caucuses is back there today. Sioux City in the morning, Cedar Rapids at night. A little side trip to Minnesota in the middle.
CNN's Frank Buckley is ready and waiting in Rochester. Any trouble in River City there, Frank?
BUCKLEY: Hi there, Miles.
We are in Rochester, Minnesota, awaiting the arrival of Senator Kerry as the Kerry campaign moves from those policy speeches to big rallies. We're at the Mayo Civic Center, where there's going to be a big rally in about an hour, featuring Senator Kerry.
Senator Kerry, for the third straight day, seizing on this issue of the missing explosives in Iraq. The Kerry campaign clearly believing in its speech today in Sioux City, Iowa, that it has found a way to illustrate their view that President Bush mismanaged the war in Iraq and is mismanaging the war on terror.
Today, Senator Kerry also added Vice President Cheney to the line of criticism, after Cheney said that it wasn't clear how or when the explosives disappeared in Iraq and that when Vice President Cheney said Kerry was being an armchair general.
Here's what Senator Kerry had to say about that.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. JOHN KERRY (D-MA), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Vice President Cheney, who is becoming the chief minister of disinformation, he echoed that it's not the administration's fault, and he even criticized those who raised the subject.
Now, my friends, my fellow Americans, this is a growing scandal, and the American people deserve a full and honest explanation of how it happened and what the president is going to do about it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BUCKLEY: And as you heard from Elaine Quijano, President Bush suggesting that Senator Kerry would do anything to become president and that -- questioning his credentials as a potential commander in chief, suggesting that he is jumping to conclusions without all the facts.
Now, from here, Miles, we go from Minnesota, back to Iowa. This morning, it was Sioux City. Later today it will be Cedar Rapids, Iowa, really, another indication of how tight the state of Iowa is. That went to Al Gore in 2000, but only by 4,100 votes. Both campaigns pushing hard for Iowa. President Bush trying to take it away, and Senator Kerry trying to keep it in the blue column.
O'BRIEN: CNN's Frank Buckley, with the Kerry campaign in Rochester, thank you -- Fred.
WHITFIELD: Well, homeland security is an article of faith for just about any public official nowadays. But listen for it in the speeches or ads or talking points of the presidential contenders, and you won't hear much.
Just ask CNN homeland security correspondent Jeanne Meserve.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Weakness attracts those who are waiting to do America harm.
JEANNE MESERVE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Though security is the overriding issue in the presidential campaign, it is almost always framed by the candidates as something over there, not right here.
KERRY: We will hunt down, capture and kill or destroy terrorists, wherever they may be.
BUSH: We're staying on the offensive. We're relentless. We are determined to protect the American people and we're succeeding.
MESERVE: But if offense fails, homeland security experts say, there must be a defense to back it up. And, they say, the candidates ignore that at their, and our, peril.
STEPHEN FLYNN, COUNCIL ON FOREIGN RELATIONS: We need to have both an away game and a home game, and I want these candidates to start talking about what the home game is.
MESERVE: Tuesday, in a speech billed as a comprehensive strategy for securing our homeland, Kerry devoted only three minutes to his proposals, including more security at the borders, around transportation systems, at chemical and nuclear plants and more money for first responders, many of whom have endorsed him.
KERRY: I will invest at least $60 billion more over the next ten years to protect America.
MESERVE: In their debates, President Bush used Kerry's homeland security proposals to paint him as a tax and spend liberal.
BUSH: I don't think we want to get to how he's going to pay for all these promises.
MESERVE: After 9/11 the president embraced the security issue and polls continue to show he dominates on it. Despite well publicized holes in homeland security, Bush talks much less about what he will do then about what he has done.
BUSH: We are providing essential funding for Coast Guard patrols and port security, for the federal air marshal program.
MESERVE (on camera): Though many issues are dealt with in bumper sticker simplicity in a campaign, experts say some aspects of homeland security deserve deeper discussion, like border security, bioterrorism and securing nuclear materials.
PAUL LIGHT, BROOKINGS INSTITUTION: Oh, I think it's a terrible gap in the campaign. The constant conversation about the threat, without a scintilla of conversation about what we're going to do about it inside our borders.
MESERVE: Some homeland security experts say the president benefits from continuing to stress risk and danger and puts his emphasis there and that Kerry believes the war in Iraq is a more potent political issue.
Lee Hamilton, co-chair of the 9/11 Commission, is resigned to the lack of debate.
LEE HAMILTON, CO-CHAIR, 9/11 COMMISSION: Any president has the right -- or candidate for president, has the right to identify the top items on his agenda. And in this case, both of them apparently have not put it at the top.
MESERVE: Another factor, say experts, is that among voters, as 9/11 has faded, so has the urgency of homeland security.
Jeanne Meserve, CNN, Washington.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
O'BRIEN: It's now all but guaranteed Congress will miss its unofficial deadline for passing those post-9/11 intelligence reforms. But the group that's been pushing that boulder up the mountain for years now, still pushing.
And CNN's Rudi Bakhtiar is watching in our D.C. bureau -- Rudi.
RUDI BAKHTIAR, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hello, Miles.
Well, House and Senate negotiators are continuing their talks at this moment, hoping to at least have an agreement among themselves before the election.
The major sticking points remain the same: budget authority for the newly create post of national intelligence director and immigration reform. Joint Chiefs Chairman General Richard Myers endorsed the House version of the bill in an unexpected development on Friday, insisting that defense intelligence budget should not be controlled by the NID.
Today, family members who are on Capitol Hill united, though, in their calls for a bill before the election.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BEVERLY ECKERT, 9/11 FAMILY STEERING COMMITTEE: Are we going to hold our public officials accountable? Are we going to hold the president accountable? I mean, he can make this bill happen. He can make this bill happen. But he's not even here in Washington to see it through. He's out campaigning. And to me that feels like a vacuum in leadership.
But that deadline, you know that keeps moving. We're already three years past 9/11. And if we don't -- the longer we wait, the more al Qaeda has to celebrate. (END VIDEO CLIP)
BAKHTIAR: Family members, though, openly disagreeing during that same news conference over what the final bill should look like, an argument not unlike the ones being held behind closed doors right now.
Congressional aides are saying that talks should continue throughout the week, hoping that Congress returns after the election to vote on a final version of the bill -- Miles.
O'BRIEN: Rudy Bakhtiar in Washington, thanks -- Fred.
WHITFIELD: Well, she rose to fame in the 2000 presidential election. Now Florida Congresswoman Katherine Harris nearly gets run over on the campaign trail. Details straight ahead.
KIMBERLY OSIAS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: The defense rests in the double murder trial of Scott Peterson. And one key witness never even took the stand. I'm Kimberly Osias, live in Redwood City. Details just ahead.
O'BRIEN: And taking your truck for a spin. As you can see, literally. We'll see which ones come out on top in rollover tests, later on LIVE FROM.
ANNOUNCER: You're watching LIVE FROM on CNN, the most trusted name in news.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WHITFIELD: More than 100 witnesses down just a handful to go in the Scott Peterson murder trial. Prosecutors are beginning their rebuttal today after an abrupt finish by the defense.
Our Kimberly Osias is in Redwood City, California -- Kimberly.
OSIAS: Hello, Fredricka.
Well, I'll tell you, you know, there is so much that we really don't know about this case. The untold story is really what has been happening behind closed doors in the judge's chambers, a lot of legal wrangling about who would present and what kind of evidence.
In fact, we were expecting two other witnesses to testify before Mark Geragos rested. You know, we never saw them. And why, we simply don't know. I mean, he had about 15 minutes of testimony with Modesto -- with a Modesto police officer on the stand.
We were expecting to hear testimony from famed forensic expert Dr. Henry Lee. We never heard from him. But he was in the area. In fact, he was staying at an area hotel. We just learned that he checked out last night. He never got a chance to testify.
And this is especially interesting, because it was Dr. Lee, at the request of the defense, that performed autopsies on the bodies of Laci Peterson and the fetus that washed ashore in April of 2003, on the San Francisco Bay. You know, he was scheduled to be here, and it's just -- you know, we were all a bit taken by that.
We also have heard from a lot of legal experts that Mark Geragos really fell short, that his case was, quite frankly, lackluster. He failed to really follow through on promises, promises that he made to jurors many months ago in opening statements.
Those that have been following the case closely may recall when he said he's not just going to prove that Scott Peterson was innocent, that he was going to say that Scott Peterson was stone cold innocent. He also promised to show that the baby was born alive. And that he was going to turn this case into an eyewitness case. None of that happened.
Now, today we are waiting to hear rebuttal from prosecution witnesses. We don't know who those witnesses will be. We have been told that there will be about seven or eight of those witnesses. Of course, those records are sealed.
Closing arguments are slated for the 1st and the 2nd of November, of course, the 2nd being election day. And these jurors will be listening to arguments.
This jury for the first time in San Mateo County is sequestered for deliberations, that are slated to start on the 3rd -- Fredricka.
WHITFIELD: All right. Kimberly Osias from Redwood City, California, thanks so much.
Well, the Scott Peterson trial is garnering attention from around the globe. And in Redwood City, it's become the hottest ticket in town.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There will be 27 seats available today, 27.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It's a matter of arriving by 7:30, getting a ticket. We're on our way up north for our vacation and couldn't help but stop halfway.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: 8514.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is on my way to work so if I get in, I call my boss and tell him I have car trouble or I'm calling in sick today. If I don't get in, I go to work. I've met people here from as far away as New York, Minnesota.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Northern Kentucky. I especially came out for the trial.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: 8507.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I admired his performance anyway, Geragos. I don't agree with him. But, you know, like his showmanship.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I want to see all the evidence. I don't like the way evidence is interpreted on TV. I like to see it for myself.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: First of all, I thought he was guilty. Since I've been coming, I've seen what Geragos has been bringing in, the other side. So now I'm neutral.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Scott looked like a real fox in his -- before he was arrested.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Don't go away until we confirm the last number, all right?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I was amazed at how small he is in stature compared to what he looked like on camera.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Pale.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: And he's very -- he's got jail pale.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Jail pale.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: No color.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: By the way this is the public seating card. You got that?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: And I got picked No. 1, and they're left out in the cold.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: And we hate her. Absolutely hate her.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Upset, capital "u." She takes us to lunch.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
O'BRIEN (voice-over): Next on LIVE FROM, has Boston found a cure for the curse? We'll talk with one of Beantown's No. 1 fans about whether he's ready to say bye-bye Bambino.
Later on LIVE FROM, to the moon. What you need to know so you won't miss tonight's total lunar eclipse.
And tomorrow on LIVE FROM, candidates countdown: rallying the faithful and reaching out to the undecideds. What's behind their strategies to win?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WHITFIELD: The Boston Red Sox just one game away from baseball glory. Last night's 4-1 win in World Series game No. 3 was a big victory for the Red Sox, putting them ahead of the St. Louis Cardinals three games to none.
Pedro Martinez pitched seven shutout innings, allowing only three hits for the Cards.
CNN's Larry Smith was there as the pitching magic unfolded in St. Louis.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
LARRY SMITH, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): In his first World Series, Pedro Martinez made a lasting impression. The three-time Cy Young Award winner stymied the Cardinals in game three Tuesday night, striking out six and retiring the last 14 batters he faced in a 4-1 Boston victory.
PEDRO MARTINEZ, RED SOX PITCHER: I was really happy and lucky to actually be one out of one in World Series games and actually give my fans and everybody that sympathize with me and my team a win in my first time out in a World Series.
TROY NIXON, RED SOX RIGHT FIELDER: He felt like he need a big -- a big night. We knew he needed a big night. But you know, we've got extreme confidence in Pedro and what he's capable of doing.
JOHNNY DAMON, RED SOX CENTER FIELDER: This was awesome. This is what people will be talking about for a long time. People have always wanted to see Pedro in the World Series. And he -- he definitely showed up tonight.
SMITH: The Red Sox defense that committed eight errors combined in the first two games of the series was flawless, turning a pair of double plays to snuff out Cardinal rallies as the Sox won their seventh in a row, tying a major league postseason record.
MARTINEZ: Thanks to God my teammates did the work for me, did the dirty work, played some defense that gave us a little -- a little bit a break, in that third inning play. And after that, I just used my experience. And I threw strikes and got them swinging.
SCOTT ROLEN, CARDINALS THIRD BASEMAN: We didn't play a very clean game tonight. There's no doubt. We haven't played a very clean game this series yet. So you know, instead of looking back, let's look forward.
SMITH (on camera): With a 3-0 series lead, the Red Sox are in the exact opposite position they were in during the American League championship series. But their attitude and purpose remain the same: just win the next one.
Larry Smith, CNN, St. Louis.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
O'BRIEN: Now, you think that 3-0 lead would make Red Sox fans, the Red Sox Nation, as it were, feel very confident. Just the contrary. It just makes us all the more nervous that the fall will be all the more painful.
Joining us is a longtime Red Sox fan, longtime citizen of Boston, and a prominent one at that, the former mayor of Boston, Ray Flynn.
Good to have you with us, Mr. Mayor...
RAY FLYNN, FORMER MAYOR OF BOSTON: Hi, Miles.
O'BRIEN: ... Mr. Ambassador, ultimately became the ambassador of the Vatican. Good to see you.
All right. Let's talk -- let's talk Red Sox here for a moment.
FLYNN: Sure.
O'BRIEN: You grew up watching -- I mean, really, Red Sox versus Cardinals were a part of the fabric, really, in New England growing up; '46 and '67, of course, are what I'm thinking about.
Let's go back. That's probably the first World Series you have a fond memory of would be that Ted Williams' 1946 series against the Cards. What do you remember about that one?
FLYNN: Well, I used to sell newspapers at the Fenway Park when I was a little kid. And that was an extraordinary World Series. I thought the Red Sox, you know, were the greatest thing since sliced bread.
And just the heartbreak of the Red Sox losing in '46 was, you know, with Ted Williams and Johnny Pesky, and Enos Slaughter for the Cardinals, Harry Brecheen, Marty Marion, and all of those guys, I mean -- I mean, I can recite these names as if they were -- as if they were yesterday.
That was a heartbreak, Miles. That's when it really began. And then, of course, we went to '67 with the Cardinals again. But here we are 2004.
You know, one thing about this city: we don't give up. We don't quit. No matter how disappointed we are, we keep coming back. And I think that's why we're perhaps the most loyal sports fans in America. And the city deserves this world championship that I think they'll get tonight.
O'BRIEN: Is the team of Martinez somehow different, do you think, than the team of Yastrzemski or Williams? Is there something -- you know, there's always something about champions that is difficult to pin down.
FLYNN: You know, I think Schilling has had an enormous impact in this city, on this team.
There's a certain character of the man: hard work, determination, not very flamboyant, just wants to get the job done. I think he kind of epitomizes the blue collar working class neighborhood environment of Boston.
And as a result of that, people were rooting for him and rooting for the team, more so than I've ever seen, if that's possible in Boston. And as a result, he brought a certain lively character to the -- to the Red Sox, and it permeated throughout, I think, the country.
I do a lot of traveling. This is really America's team, in all due respect to all the other teams. But this is America's team, the Red Sox of 2004.
O'BRIEN: Well, it's a gutsy team. But you mentioned Schilling and you mentioned Martinez. And the names that come to mind on this team are pitchers. Historically, the Red Sox have been a slugger team, a team, you know, with Yastrzemski or Williams, at the tip of your lips. Is that the key this time, having strong pitching, you think?
FLYNN: Yes. I think the -- that the strong pitching -- this year, of course was the bullpen. Last year, we would have beat the Yankees, but we didn't have the bullpen. This year, they picked up a couple of guys that really added significantly to the bullpen.
But this is a real balanced team. You know, if one guy doesn't show up and get a couple of hits, another guy picks up for them. Damon was down and Miller was down. And then the next thing you know they surface and Bellhorn -- I mean, every night it seems like it's -- it's a new guy doing the job for the Red Sox.
And that's what wins championships, Miles. It's not the best players that go out on the field that go out that win championships. It's the best team that goes out on the field and works together. That's been the secret of the Boston Celtics. That's the secret of the Patriots. And now it is the secret of the Boston Red Sox.
O'BRIEN: Makes me want to say amen. And as long as I mention "amen," I know you have some connections at the Vatican. And I was wondering if you'd had an opportunity to put a good word in. And maybe you could tell us one way or another, if he is -- if the pope is really with us, the Red Sox, this time.
FLYNN: Miles, when I knew we were going to win it this year, it's an old Irish tradition. You put the rosary beads out on the clothesline, and if it doesn't rain that means you're going to win. Well, we put the rosary beads out on the clothesline. It didn't rain. We brought the rosary beads back in. I said, "Here it is. World Series victory for the Boston Red Sox."
We went higher than the Vatican. We went right to the top on this one.
O'BRIEN: Don't need the Vatican, straight through, rosary beads on the clothesline. I didn't know that tradition. And it works, huh?
FLYNN: This -- let me tell you, this one really works. If anyone ever tells you this one doesn't work, not only just for Catholics, but for everyone, because Red Sox nation is everybody.
O'BRIEN: All right, final thought here, a town that loves its sports and its politics and loves talking about it, and quite frankly, as you know, there's a fair amount of whining that goes on in Boston, about both subjects. Will the fans kind of miss something here, once the curse is lifted?
FLYNN: Oh, yes, right, I think so. That's a good point, Miles. I mean, sometimes it's better complaining about something than actually relishing a sense of accomplishment. But, you know, after we win the world championship, we'll go back and say, you know, we haven't won two World Series championships back to back ever. So we'll find something to complain about, Miles.
O'BRIEN: I knew you'd find a dark cloud for the silver lining for us. It is the Boston way.
FLYNN: I'm Irish.
O'BRIEN: It is the Boston way, after all. Ray Flynn, always a great pleasure. Best to the team. And enjoy, enjoy it all.
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