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The Situation Room
Military Times Papers Call for Rumsfeld Dismissal; Elections Are Closing In
Aired November 06, 2006 - 16:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
WOLF BLITZER, HOST: Thanks very much. And to our viewers, you're in THE SITUATION ROOM where new pictures and information are arriving all the time. Standing by, CNN reporters across the United States and around the world to bring you today's top stories.
Happening now -- election eve anxiety in the final scramble for votes. Are Democrats poised to seize control of the Senate as well as the House? It may depend on which poll you read and if any of them prove to be right. We have our own brand new poll numbers coming up this hour.
Plus, the Saddam Hussein death sentence -- is it influencing American views of the war? We have some new snapshots of the Iraq factor one day before America votes.
And they're running as fast as they can. Candidates are trying to use the time they have left to their best advantage. The best political team on television is on the campaign trail across America right now and on the alert for the 11th hour trends and surprises.
I'm Wolf Blitzer at CNN election headquarters in New York, you're in THE SITUATION ROOM.
Just hours to go before a potentially historic midterm election and the stakes and the suspense sky-high, right now. All eyes are on the cliffhanger battle for the Senate where Democrats need gain six seats to reclaim majority control. The contest is coming down to a handful of battlegrounds. In Ohio, polls suggested Democratic challenger Sherrod Brown has a clear lead over Republican incumbent Mike DeWine.
A similar scenario in Pennsylvania where Democratic challenger Bob Casey, Jr. has the polling advantage over GOP Senator Rick Santorum.
In Missouri, Democratic challenger Claire McCaskill has a slight advantage over Republican incumbent Jim Talent in new Gallup and mason-Dixon polls.
In Montana, one poll shows Republican incumbent Conrad Bunters running dead even with Democratic challenger John Tester, but another poll shows Tester up by nine points.
A split decision in Rhode Island, one poll shows Republican incumbent Lincoln Chafee a tick ahead, the other shows Democratic challenger Sheldon Whitehouse with a slim lead.
Same in Virginia where one survey has Republican Senator George Allen narrowly ahead, the other shows Democratic challenger Jim Webb with a one-point edge.
And in the open Senate seat in Tennessee, some possible tightening today. Republican Bob Corker now is just a three-point advantage over Democrat Harold Ford in the new Gallup poll.
Best political team on television is standing by right now in our studios and in key battlegrounds. Ed Henry is in Virginia, Bob Franken is in Ohio. But let's go to our senior political analyst, Bill Schneider, he's got the big picture for us, right here in New York -- Bill.
BILL SCHNEIDER, CNN SR POLITICAL ANALYST: Wolf, how to sum up the mood of the voters this year? One word -- angry.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Tired? Angry? Had enough? Then it's time for a change.
Schneider (voice-over): That's not an ad for a cruise vacation or a headache remedy, it's a Democratic campaign ad and it captures the mood of the voters this year. Nearly three-quarters of Americans say they're angry about the way things are going in the country which is why six polls, all taken in the last week, all show Democrats ahead by an average of 12 points.
The CNN poll conducted by the Opinion Research Corporation, shows Democrats leading by 20 points among likely voters nationwide. Two other polls also show double digit leads. Three polls show narrower Democratic leads. Why the difference? Each poll has its own formula for defining who's likely to vote.
What are voters angry about? Hint: It's not the economy, stupid. Voters are about 50/50 on the economy. They're not 50/50 on the war. More than 60 percent of are anti-war and it's shaping their vote.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Stay the course.
ANNOUNCER: Voting with Bush.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Stay the course.
ANNOUNCER: Right up to the mess Iraq has become today.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: And we need to stay the course.
ANNOUNCER: No, we don't.
SCHNEIDER: Voters who favor the war in Iraq are voting over 80 percent Republican. Anti-war voters are voting over 80 percent Democratic. Iraq trumps other issues. Take people who feel the economy is doing fine, but oppose the war in Iraq. They're voting more than 3-1 Democratic.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
Almost 90 percent of Democrats say they're angry, but most Republicans say, hey, they're angry, too. About what? They support the war. They think the economy is in good shape. You know, maybe they're angry about the polls.
BLITZER: Bill, stand by for a moment because I want your expertise on another matter. Let's consider the fallout from Saddam Hussein's death sentence in crimes against humanity. Today's defense lawyers are calling his conviction a mockery of justice and they charge yesterday's verdict was politically motivated to help President Bush's party in tomorrow's election, charge the White House strongly denies. The chief prosecutor says he expects a ruling on the automatic appeal of Saddam Hussein's conviction by mid-January.
Is there any evidence, Bill, that this guilty verdict, the death sentence imposed on Saddam Hussein, will have any affect whatsoever on the election here in the United States tomorrow?
Schneider: Wolf, we are not seeing any effect. Among voters interviewed Friday and Saturday, before the verdict was announced, 38 percent said they thought Iraq was worth going to war over. Among those who were interviewed on Sunday, after the verdict was announced, 36 percent felt that way. No significant change.
BLITZER: Bill Schneider, thanks very much for that.
And as we head to the campaign trail, let's head out to Virginia. The Iraq war certainly visibly weighing on Republican Senator George Allen in his nail-biter of a race against the Democratic challenger Jim Webb. Our White House correspondent Ed Henry is covering the Virginia Senate race for us. He's joining us now live from the state capitol in Richmond.
ED HENRY, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Wolf, that's right. Iraq weighing heavy, in deed, on George Allen who was confronted and heckled this morning by anti-war protesters including Cindy Sheehan at a campaign stop in northern Virginia. Senator Allen heading here to Richmond International Airport, shortly, with his Republican Senate colleague John Warner.
You'll remember, Warner came back from Iraq recently, said Iraq was going sideways. Senator Allen will be joining Senator Warner tonight after a dramatic two minutes of TV time they've fought all around the commonwealth of Virginia. Senator Allen, in this ad, will admit mistakes have been made in Iraq, a dramatic last-minute gambit to try to save his Senate seat.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
(voice-over): It's a battle so ugly that about the only thing Republican George Allen and Democrat Jim Webb can probably agree on is this: Thankfully, it's almost over. JIM WEBB (D), VIRGINIA SEN. CANDIDATE: I'm going to go vote and I'm going to go thank the people on my staff, and then I'm going to go have a beer.
(LAUGHTER)
HENRY: Beer and solicitations were flowing as Senator Allen stumped for votes at a tailgate party for the Washington Redskins, the team his father once coached.
GEORGE ALLEN (R), VIRGINIA SEN. CANDIDATE: Can I have your vote? Thank you!
HENRY: This race was supposed to be just an easy score for Allen, a steppingstone to a run for the White House in 2008.
MARK ROZELL, GEORGE MASON UNIVERSITY: And that what everybody thought was going to happen this year, but then some events intruded.
HENRY: Self-inflicted wounds sparking charges of racism.
ALLEN: Let's give a welcome to macaca, here.
HENRY: Allen has fired back that his opponent is sexist.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: James Webb accused women of the Naval Academy of being promiscuous.
HENRY: Democrats privately admit Webb is not a particularly good campaigner, but is riding a wave of anti-incumbent anger.
WEBB: When somebody votes for President Bush 97 percent of the time it is a referendum of what this administration has done.
HENRY: A former Republican who served as Navy secretary under President Reagan, Webb is a Vietnam vet who wears the combat boots of his son currently serving in Iraq.
His final push included a swing through rural Virginia, trying to copy the playbook of centrist Democrats like Mark Warner and Tim Kean, Virginia's last two governors.
WES HORNING, WEBB SUPPORTER: This conversation with folks, the general consensus I'm hearing we do need a new direction (INAUDIBLE) with the war in Iraq, something different.
HENRY: Allen has gotten the message.
ALLEN: So, I am concerned that progress this year has been insufficient. And I think progress needs to be improved.
HENRY: And the incumbent is banking on heavy conservative turnout, fueled by a proposed state ban of same sex marriage on the Virginia ballot.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: And he just represents the values that -- more values that we have as a family and I have as an individual.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HENRY: Senator Allen is also trying to reach out to moderate Republicans. I noted in a few minutes he'll be at a rally with Senator John Warner, a more moderate, a bit of a maverick sometimes. Also, last night Allen welcomed in Rudy Giuliani, the former New York City mayor. Tonight, Jim Webb, the Democrat, will be welcoming in former President Bill Clinton. He's had Barack Obama, he's also had Michael J. Fox stumping for him. The bottom line, both sides bringing out the big guns there's so much at stake in this race -- Wolf.
BLITZER: Ed Henry reporting for us from Virginia. He's going to be a busy guy. Thanks Ed, very much.
Let's head to Ohio now. Republican incumbent Mike DeWine in an uphill battle against his Democratic challenger, Sherrod Brown. But there are some squeaker House races, as well, and there's a lot of last-minute frenzy to try to Get Out the Vote. Our national correspondent, Bob Franken, joining us now from Columbus -- Bob.
BOB FRANKEN, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, Wolf, frenzy is the right word. The voter turnout efforts, on both parties, have such momentum that somebody's going to have to tell them when the election is over so they can stop making their calls and all that.
The Republicans have their phone banks operating, humping along. The Republicans have an almost legendary Get Out the Vote effort that is on that has been extremely successful in Ohio, it's become the model for a GO-TV, as they call it, around the country and going hot and heavy now.
As you pointed out, the Republicans, in many cases, are trying to overcome some significant deficits, not the least of which is in the Senate campaign, but the Democrats are saying that maybe they've learned a lesson or two from how the Republicans do these things. So they, too, have their phone banks operating and their last direct mail is going out and, of course, there is the canvassing that's going on. All of that will come to a halt tomorrow with the big, big voter turnout efforts to get people possess the polls, to register their votes and then we're going to find out if the voter turn-out efforts, the polls and all that, how they translate into an election result, something that could take a while in Ohio. We'll find out an awful lot about the nation's voting when this bellwether state registers its opinions at the polls tomorrow -- Wolf.
BLITZER: All right, Bob, thank you. Bob Franken, Ed Henry, Bill Schneider, that are all part of the best political team on television.
Plus, for the latest campaign news at any time, check out the political ticker. Go to CNN.com/ticker. And remember, join us tonight at 7:00 p.m. Eastern for our special preelection night coverage. Lou Dobbs, Paula Zahn, Anderson Cooper, Larry King all will be here for AMERICA VOTES 2006, SPECIAL REPORT. That coverage begins at 7:00 p.m. Eastern. We go all the way until Midnight tonight. Let's check in with Jack Cafferty. He's here with the "Cafferty File."
JACK CAFFERTY, CNN NEWS ANCHOR: Afternoon, Wolf. "The time has come, Mr. President, to face the hard bruising truth. Donald Rumsfeld must go." That is a quote from an editorial in this week's "Military Times" newspapers. The Independent publications owned by Gannett include the "Army Times," the "Navy Times," "Air Force Times," and "Marine Corps Times."
The piece goes on to say, "Rumsfeld has lost credibility with the uniformed leadership, with the troops, with the Congress, and with the public at large. His strategy has failed, and his ability to lead is compromised...and although the blame for our failures in Iraq rests with the secretary, it will be the troops who bear its brunt."
They didn't even mention that he's also an obnoxious jerk and a war criminal. A top editor says this wasn't timed for the midterm elections but rather, by the president's statement last week that he plans to keep Rumsfeld on the job until the end of his second term. The Defense Department says that the editorial contains a number of inaccurate and misleading statements and the White House calls it a "shabby piece of work."
Here's the question: What does it mean when an editorial in the "Military Times" newspapers says Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld "must go?"
E-mail your thoughts at caffertyfile@CNN.com or go to CNN.com/cafferty file.
How many people do you suppose will have to suggest it's time for him to take a hike?
BLITZER: The president, last week, said he's doing a fantastic job.
CAFFERTY: Well, a majority of one I guess. He's signing the paycheck.
BLITZER: Let's see what happens after the election. Thanks Jack, very much.
Coming up, President Bush on the campaign trail. Is Mr. Bush playing defense? We'll take a closer look at where he's campaigning and who he's campaigning with.
Plus, he was a big winner in the last election, so what's changed for the president? Our Candy Crowley is standing by to weigh in.
And later, in the battle for Congress, we may have some early indicators about which party may come out on top. Dana Bash standing by to provide us some clues. We're live at CNN election headquarters in New York. And you're in THE SITUATION ROOM.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK) BLITZER: President Bush is spending this election eve trying to shore up Republican support in the red states, Florida, Arkansas, and Texas. Our new CNN poll shows his approval rating has slipped again to 35 percent. But Mr. Bush insists he won't drag his party down in the battle for Congress. He's predicting Republicans will keep control of the Senate and the House and prove the pollsters and the pundits are all wrong.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: We're 24 hours away from voting. Some of the folks in Washington have already -- think they've figured out the results. That's what happened in 2004. Some of them up there started listening to the prognosticators and started picking out their offices in the West Wing. Then the people in Florida voted and the people around the country voted and the movers weren't need.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BLITZER: But there is fresh proof on the campaign trail that Mr. Bush is not necessarily an asset to some GOP candidates. The Republican running for governor of Florida, Charlie Crist, did not appear with the president in Pensacola. Crist says opted to campaign in Palm Beach and other parts of the state where Mr. Bush is less popular and where he might win over moderates and Independent voters. Some White House officials are downplaying Crist's campaign choices, but the deputy chief of staff Karl Rove sounded a bit cynical about the possible snub.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KARL ROVE, DEPUTY CHIEF OF STAFF: Let's look at the comparative -- let's see how many people show up in Palm Beach on 24 hours notice versus eight or 9,000 people in Pensacola.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BLITZER: Crist Democratic opponent Jim Davis is jumping into this phrase as Crist's refusal to stand side-by-side shows when the going gets tough, in his words, "Charlie won't stand up."
President Bush can still draw a crowd, though, on the campaign trail, but his star power in 2006 pales in comparison to what it used to be. Let's bring in our senior political correspondent, Candy Crowley.
You've been watching this president for a long time, candy. What is going on?
CANDY CROWLEY, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, you know how they say all the time that at one day is a lifetime in politics? Imagine what two years can do.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
(voice-over): Just after winning reelection by more than three million votes, President Bush's approval rating was 55 percent.
BUSH: Let me put it to this way -- I earned capital in the campaign, political capital and now I intend to spend it.
CROWLEY: If he ever had capital, it vanished overnight as Independents, who helped reelect him, began to move away. That 55 percent approval in November of 2004 is the high water mark of the Bush administration's second term. The past two years have been a long, hard, mostly downward slog, tied inextricably to rising doubts about the war in Iraq, compounded by hurricane named Katrina. He seemed removed from that disaster and clueless about the ongoing crisis.
BUSH: And Brownie, you're doing a heck of a job.
CROWLEY: Katrina not only drowned New Orleans, it ate away at the underpinnings of a presidency already crumbling beneath the weight of the death toll in Iraq.
KEATING HOLLAND, CNN POLLING DIRECTOR: One of the big things that George Bush had working for him, even before 9/11, is that Americans saw him as a strong leader. After Katrina and the disaster that happened to New Orleans, most Americans did not see him as a strong leader. He lost it then, he never got it back.
CROWLEY: And there was the matter of trust. Four months after Katrina hit, 10 Marines died in Fallujah and the president said what everybody already knew.
BUSH: But much of the intelligence turned out to be wrong. As your president, I am responsible for the decision to go into Iraq.
CROWLEY: In the year after his reelection, the president's approval rating dropped 17 points. Two years later, on the eve of election 2006, he is down 20 points, the political toll of Iraq, Katrina, and Iraq.
DAN BALZ, "WASHINGTON POST": What we saw in 2004 on the Democratic side there was a lot of anger at President Bush. What we're seeing in this election is that Independents now, because of Iraq, I think, in large part, are suggesting that they're going to go Democratic on Tuesday.
CROWLEY: Much like his political capital, those Independents who helped reelect George Bush have vanished and if preelection polls prove out, then the president did not take this long, hard slog by himself, he brought his party with him.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
But even if this election sends a clear signal about unhappiness with Iraq, changing course is easier to vote than do. A Democratic majority would give the party platform to air its complaints, but the only real control Congress has over the war at this point is financial. Democrats could move to cut off funding, but for a party often seen as weak on defense, that's considered pretty much a nonstarter.
BLITZER: When a Republican candidate for governor of Florida, his brother is the current governor, as you know, doesn't show up in the last day of a campaign with the president, is he the kind of guy, Candy, because you've covered him for a long time, that takes this kind of snub seriously?
CROWLEY: I mean, yes and no. I mean, he has a very long memory, but he also understands politics. George Bush will make a deal with somebody and no matter what they've said about him or how they feel about him, if it will promote his causes. So, you know, I can't imagine that the governor of Florida (INAUDIBLE) is somehow going to be helpful to George Bush, but nonetheless I mean, there's a lot of that this season anyway. He's going to have to work with this Congress. He's much more concerned about this Congress than he is about the governor of Florida. I suspect he will do that, you know, we start talking about legacy as of Wednesday morning.
BLITZER: All right, Candy, thanks very much. We'll -- it will be a sprint after that. That's another story. We'll talk about it later. Candy Crowley, as all of our viewers know, is part of the best political team on television.
Zain Verjee checking in with us right now in Washington with a closer look at some other stories making news. Hi Zain.
ZAIN VERJEE, CNN NEWS CORRESPONDENT: Hi Wolf. Parts of fast- moving wildfire in Rialto are contained, but the flames threaten dozens of new homes and a country club in the Southern California city. The 500-acre fire driven by 30-mile-per-hour Santa Anna winds reduced pallets in an industrial yard to ashes. Two schools were evacuated this morning. Forestry Department spokesman says that the situation is, in a word, problematic.
The Supreme Court says it will hear oral arguments dealing with a controversial procedure terminating pregnancies, but it won't do until the day after tomorrow's election. At issue is the constitutionality of the federal law prohibiting late term abortions that critics call "partial birth." This will be the first time in six years the high court has heard an major abortion case. Arguments will be heard on Wednesday morning.
Cuba's foreign minister's not committing to any predictions about when Fidel Castro may return to power. His reluctance raises new questions about the Cuban dictator's recovery from intestinal surgery. Castro's last public appearance was on the 26th of July. He transferred power to his brother Raul just a few days later -- Wolf.
BLITZER: Zain, thank you.
Still ahead, time winds down and worries flare up. Hours away from Election Day. What are the critical considerations for this election and possibly in the 2008 presidential race? Our senior analyst, Jeff Greenfield, will have four important questions.
And he's the man whose planned many Democrats are counting on. New York Senator Chuck Schumer, he's in charge of getting more Democrats elected into the United States Senate. He'll be here. I'll ask him how he thinks the Democrats are doing. Stay with us. Much more of our coverage right after this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BLITZER: Welcome back to THE SITUATION ROOM, I'm Wolf Blitzer at CNN election headquarters in New York.
A little more than 24 hours from now, readers of political tea leaves will have their cups full, they'll be looking for any early signs of how the battle for Congress is likely to eventually play out and many will be focused on the state of Indiana.
Our congressional correspondent Dana Bash has been spending some time there in the leadup to this election and she's joining us now live from Capitol Hill.
Why Indiana, Dana?
DANA BASH, CNN CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, you know, Wolf, Indiana has had some close House races before. In fact, Indiana's 8th district used to be so close so often it was known as the "bloody 8th." But, in terms of national politics, Indiana is so red that it is jokingly called the "flyover country." Well, we did spend some time in the past couple of days there on the ground because tomorrow night, Indiana is going to be one to watch.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
(voice-over): Known for its cornfields and Hoosiers, this crossroads of America is not normally known as a political battleground, but this is a normal election year. Just ask veteran Indiana Democrat, Birch Bayh.
BIRCH BAYH (D), FMR INDIANA SENATOR: The No. 1 matter (NO AUDIO) people are tired that we haven't been able to come up with a concrete plan.
BASH: Three Republican Indiana congressmen are among the most endangered in the country. Chris Chocola, John Hostettler, and Mike Sodrel. And polls close here before most, 6:00 p.m., making Indiana an early indicator of whether anti-war, anti-Washington sentiment will lead to a Democratic Congress.
(on camera): Being such an important barometer is an unusual role for a state normally forgotten in the national political debate because it's just assumed this is solid Republican territory. Indiana hasn't voted for a Democratic president since 1964.
JOHN HOSTETTLER (R), CONGRESSIONAL CANDIDATE: The sheriff has held no such rally.
BASH (voice-over): Hostettler calls his Democratic challenger's comfortable lead in this red state proof that even conservatives are fed up with the war and more. BRAD ELLSWORTH (D), CONGRESSIONAL CANDIDATE: Brad Ellsworth, I'm running for Congress.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You already have our vote.
ELLSWORTH: Thank you very much. I appreciate it. I'll work hard for you.
BASH: Hostettler's Democratic opponent is the local sheriff, an anti-abortion, pro-gun Democrat. In fact, all three Democrats in range of unseeding Indiana Republicans are socially conservative, perfect for these parts. So, Republicans are pleading with voters to look at the big picture. Sending Democrats to Congress, no matter how conservative would make liberal Nancy Pelosi speaker of the House. They say she'd take your guns away and...
REP. MIKE SODREL (R), INDIANA: Would bring amnesty to tens of millions of illegal aliens in our country.
BASH: Sodrel frames it as a threat to heartland values.
SODREL: It's a cultural difference. It has less to do with Republicans and Democrats as it does between people that live in Norman Rockwell's America and people who live in Nancy Pelosi's America.
BASH: That kind of message often works in a place where church and a good harvest usually come first, but hay may not, in a year where worries about Iraq run deep.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BASH: Now, Indiana isn't the only red state to watch on election night. One of its neighbors, Kentucky, is also one that has a couple of House races, incumbent Republicans that are in races that are a little bit tighter than many people had anticipated. One in particular is a tossup, Wolf. Congressman Jeff Davis, again, is in one of those races that Republicans never would of anticipated would have been tight, but it is. So that is another one to watch, but in general, talk to Republican strategists and they say, yes, those are early tests, but what they are going to be watching are still some of those battlegrounds, some of those key districts like the suburbs in North -- in the Northeast that Republicans have been able to hold on to in the past couple of election cycles, but maybe not -- probably not this year -- Wolf.
BLITZER: Maybe the end of some of those moderate Republicans in the Northeast. We will see what happens tomorrow.
Dana, thanks very much.
Let's bring in our senior analyst, Jeff Greenfield. He is looking, as he always does, at the big questions. But you have four questions specifically tonight that you -- this afternoon -- you want our viewers to focus in on. JEFF GREENFIELD, CNN SENIOR ANALYST: Yes, because I think these are questions we're going to be dealing not just tomorrow night, but in the wake of the election. And they are as follows.
First, was this election nationalized? Tip O'Neill's famous and ridiculously overblown "All politics is local" notion is often not true. We think Iraq is one of the big reasons why the president is in trouble, and his party is in trouble. Republicans tried to nationalize the election late on the issue of: You can't trust the Democrats.
So, that's one we're going to be looking at.
(CROSSTALK)
BLITZER: The whole issue of Iraq hovering over these elections, if, in fact, that turns out to be the -- the key, then, the answer is, yes, the election was nationalized.
GREENFIELD: Right.
Or if voters decide they didn't want to take a chance on the Democrats.
Second one -- and we just heard this mentioned -- you just mentioned it -- how will the moderates do? Interesting. There are a lot of endangered moderate Republicans in New York, Deborah Pryce in Ohio, a couple in Pennsylvania. So, that may mean, whatever happens, the Republican caucus in the House next year will be more conservative.
But, in the Democratic camp, there are a lot of moderate, even conservative, Democrats who have a good shot at taking the House. They're going to be coming into Washington. If Democrats are in the majority, they will be serving under a leader and committee chairs who are much more liberal than may are -- than they are. This could be some trouble ahead.
BLITZER: And there are three of those conservative -- those moderate Republicans endangered in Connecticut right now.
GREENFIELD: Correct, and about three or four more. So, you may have a more conservative Republican caucus and new moderate Democrats chafing under liberal committee chairs. It could be an interesting dynamic.
Third, what -- we're going to be talking about this a lot. How did the Bush factor work? In 2002, a much more popular President Bush went out on a last-minute campaign swing. It probably proved just enough to bring the Senate into Republican hands. He's much less popular this year. We have just talked about the fact that the Republican candidate for governor of Florida may have snubbed him at a late campaign rally.
We -- we're charting where he's been. And we will see whether or not he brings some Republicans over the finish line, or actually hurts them.
BLITZER: So, this election could be a referendum on George W. Bush?
GREENFIELD: It sure seems to be that way, in terms of his lack of popularity, and the number of Republicans running for office who are distancing themselves, saying they have a different view of Iraq.
It's certainly not the same George Bush that it was four and two years ago.
And, last, Wolf -- and you will be one of the principal factors in this -- who was helped or hurt for 2008? As you know, 8:00 a.m. Wednesday, that is all people are going to start talking about. We have already seen Senator Allen of Virginia and Senator Kerry of Massachusetts hurt themselves for '08 by missteps in this campaign.
But, then, there are plenty of other questions that will arise when this -- when this election is over about some of these candidates.
BLITZER: And you know us. We won't waste any moments before we get to that question after this election is over with, because that's what we do.
GREENFIELD: One very simple one. If centrist Democrats show very well in the West, and Democrats think they can expand the electoral base, what does that do for Hillary Rodham Clinton, junior senator from New York?
BLITZER: And imagine if Harold Ford Jr. wins in Tennessee. What does that do for Barack Obama in 2008? These are questions that we are going to be answering, but not necessarily right now.
Jeff, thanks very much.
GREENFIELD: Let's wait until they vote, Wolf.
(LAUGHTER)
BLITZER: I think that's a good idea.
Jeff Greenfield, part of the best political team on television.
Up next, we will have more on the Iraq factor. It's been such a big part of Connecticut's Senate race, that, early on, a once little- known political player was able to rout a well-known incumbent senator. But how will the political drama play out tomorrow?
And guess where Vice President Dick Cheney will be on Election Day? Here's a clue. It will involve chasing down and taking some very, very cunning rivals. We will tell you what is going on. Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK) BLITZER: In Connecticut, a new poll out today shows Democratic- Senator-turned-independent-candidate Joe Lieberman running 12 points ahead of his Democratic challenger, Ned Lamont. Lieberman appears to have bounced back, after losing his party's primary. Still, stay tuned. Of course, anything could happen on Election Day.
Our Dan Lothian is joining us now live from Hartford, Connecticut, with more -- Dan.
DAN LOTHIAN, CNN BOSTON BUREAU CHIEF: Hello, Wolf.
Well, as you know, a lot of money was poured into this campaign between the two leading candidates, more than $30 million. There have been some tough political ads. Now, with just hours to go before the polls open, the candidates are trying to reel in those undecided voters.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
LOTHIAN (voice-over): Senator Joe Lieberman may be ahead in the polls, but this Democrat running as an independent is still sprinting to the finish line.
SEN. JOSEPH LIEBERMAN (D), CONNECTICUT: I don't want my supporters to think that this is over, and going to stay home, or decide they want to throw a vote to somebody else for some symbolic reason. I need the support tomorrow of everybody.
LOTHIAN: Meeting with workers at a utility company, Lieberman painted his Democratic opponent, Ned Lamont, as a one-issue candidate and a partisan polarizer.
LIEBERMAN: It does get in the way of us getting something done for you, the people.
NED LAMONT (D), CONNECTICUT SENATORIAL CANDIDATE: Now, remember, each and every one of you guys...
LOTHIAN: Lamont, a wealthy businessman who beat Lieberman in the August primary, is still on a bus tour, reaching out to voters, refusing to accept polls that show him trailing by 12 points.
LAMONT: Polls, polls, polls. Just go around the state of Connecticut. Look at the crowds that are coming out. People fundamentally want a real change in how we're doing business in Washington.
LOTHIAN: Speaking to union workers, Lamont returned to the central theme of his campaign, the war in Iraq.
LAMONT: This war is wrong. It's hurting our country at home. It's hurting our country abroad. It's time to bring our troops home.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yeah!
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE) LOTHIAN: The Republican in the Senate race, Alan Schlesinger, has not been a major factor, registering only single digits in recent polls. That, say political analysts, has helped Lieberman.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What the polls are showing is that a majority of Republican voters are supporting Lieberman. Almost half of Democratic voters are supporting Lieberman. And, then, this huge group of independent voter -- again, that number is about half of all voters in Connecticut -- Lieberman is getting the lion's share of that vote as well.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
LOTHIAN: Well, of course, Ned Lamont likes to point out that, when he first decided that he wanted to get into this race, a lot of people told him that he should not, that there is no way that he could beat a three-term incumbent. He did get into the race. He did win in the primary.
And now he says he is confident he can also win tomorrow -- Wolf.
BLITZER: All right, we will see what happens in Connecticut tomorrow. Thanks very much for that.
And coming up: Some nasty weather is predicted in a few make-or- break states for tomorrow's midterm elections. Will the rain throw a damper on voter turnout? This is an important question.
And nothing is keeping candidates off the stump today -- the big push, that's in today's -- today's topics in our "Strategy Session." That's coming up in our next hour, 5:00 p.m. Eastern.
From CNN election headquarters here in New York, you're in THE SITUATION ROOM.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BLITZER: On our "Political Radar" this election eve: Candidates in close races in Tennessee and Montana may want to keep their eyes on the sky, as well as on the polls tomorrow.
CNN's Weather Center is warning that bad weather in those two critical battleground states could persuade some voters to stay home tomorrow. We will watch the weather.
Vice President Dick Cheney plans to spend Election Day in South Dakota, hunting for game, instead of votes. Cheney will be joined by his daughter Mary and for some others for what his press secretary calls an annual hunting trip. This will be the first hunting trip Cheney has gone on since he accidentally shot a companion while gunning for quail at a Texas ranch last February.
And Senator Barack Obama is busy stumping for his Democratic colleagues in these, the final hours before America votes. The Illinois Democrat also is thinking ahead -- a little bit, at least -- to 2008 -- Obama once again letting his presidential ambitions show. On the campaign trail yesterday, he said he would give a White House campaign, in his words, "serious consideration" after the midterm elections.
And, remember, for the latest campaign news at any time, check out our Political Ticker, CNN.com/ticker -- all the poll numbers, everything you need to know. Just go there.
On the eve of the election, the Republican Party's famous get- out-the-vote machine now in full gear. But can Democrats measure up? Both sides have launched some unprecedented efforts online.
Let's bring in our Internet reporter, Abbi Tatton. She has details -- Abbi.
ABBI TATTON, CNN INTERNET REPORTER: Wolf, right now, volunteers for liberal activist group Move On are using this online database of voters from the comfort of their own homes.
The new database generates names and phone numbers of independents and Democrats in key districts who don't always vote, generates, also, a script designed to win that voter over. So far, Move On says that over five million calls have been made using this new Web tool, and they're helping for 1.2 million more today and the same again tomorrow.
In this final stretch before the election, both sides are using the Internet to get out the vote. At the Web site of the Republican National Committee, volunteers are invited to walk your neighborhood. At this Web site, maps are generated of voters nearby in the person's neighborhood. It even calculates for you how much time you're going to be spending walking from door to door.
Also pushed by the Republican National Committee in the last few hours at the Web sites of prominent blogs here, get on the phone -- this is the Republican National Committee working with some of these conservative bloggers to urge people to call voters in key races, using scripts and lists that are at the Republican National Committee Web site.
The bloggers are making the calls themselves, and doing whatever they can in the final hours to make sure that their readers do the same -- Wolf.
BLITZER: Abbi, thanks very much.
Up next: the architect of the Democrats' efforts to try to grab the Senate. I will speak live with a man who mapped out his party's strategy to try to take the chamber back. Senator Chuck Schumer of New York, he is standing by.
Plus: Three pivotal Senate races are in Tennessee, Virginia and Montana. They're simply too close to call. We're going to have live reports from all of those states. That's coming up in the next hour, 5:00 p.m. Eastern.
Stay with us. You're in THE SITUATION ROOM. (COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BLITZER: It seemed like a pipe dream for Democrats, but, on this day, before America votes, the minority party has a shot at seizing control of the Senate, along with the House of Representatives.
Senator Chuck Schumer of New York is the head of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee. He's the man overseeing his party's battle to try to reclaim the Senate.
Senator, thanks very much for coming in.
SEN. CHARLES SCHUMER (D), NEW YORK: Glad to be here, Wolf.
BLITZER: Do you think you're going to get those six seats you need to be the majority in the United States Senate?
SCHUMER: Well, it's a tough battle. It's like pulling a straight flush.
But we're right on the edge. We have two seats -- first, I think, in all the blue states, we're doing well, including New Jersey and Maryland. And in the red states, where we have to win six -- and that is a big battle, beating five incumbents, because, one, Frist s a vacancy -- out of the -- we have to win six out of those eight. And they're in red states.
But we are significantly ahead in two, Pennsylvania and Ohio, and we're a little bit ahead in four more, which is Montana, Missouri, Virginia, and Rhode Island. Tennessee, we're a little bit behind, but that's within reach, and the same with Arizona.
So, you know, if there is a strong wind at our back tomorrow, if the voters are voting overwhelmingly for Democrats, yes, it could happen. We have put all the right pieces in place, Wolf. And whether there is enough in this tough map to get us over the top, we will have to wait and see tomorrow.
BLITZER: What if you get five seats? This would be interesting. And there would be 50/50, 50 Democrats in the Senate, 50 Republicans. The president of the Senate is the vice president. That would be Dick Cheney, so he breaks the tie. You remain in the minority.
But is there a Republican or two you could try to convert, not necessarily to becoming a Democrat, but an independent, in order to gain the majority?
SCHUMER: Well, it's always possible.
But that's a tough thing to do. People like to stick with their party, their state structures at home, or their party. But, even that way, if it's 50/50, at least the last time that happened, the committees were even. Therefore, you needed bipartisanship to get anything out of committee. That's probably good for America.
And, second, the staff dollars were decided equally. And, so, it was a much more even split. You wouldn't get the same situation that you have even if it's 51/49.
BLITZER: Are you...
SCHUMER: And, so...
BLITZER: Are you completely confident that Joe Lieberman, if he's reelected as an independent, will caucus with the Democrats, given the hard feelings -- I'm sure he is upset that Democrats did not treat him as he would have wanted.
SCHUMER: Well, I think he has promised Harry Reid that that would happen over and over again.
He has told the voters of Connecticut that. He's getting a significant portion of the Democratic vote, a large proportion of the independent vote. So, yes, I have very little doubt, because Joe's word is good. And he's given it both publicly and privately on innumerable occasions.
BLITZER: Including on this program, when we interviewed him a -- a few weeks back, as well.
I want you to listen to what Bill Clinton, the former president, said earlier today. Listen to this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
WILLIAM J. CLINTON, FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: There are still people who will go to the polls tomorrow not entirely sure of who they're going to vote for, because, frankly, a lot of these people have never voted for us before.
(LAUGHTER)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(LAUGHTER)
BLITZER: Do you think he's referring to conservatives or anti- war voters who may have voted Republican in the past? What's going on here?
SCHUMER: Well, what we have found, Wolf, is that, even in states that are decidedly red, you're getting a large number of voters, independents, Republicans, who are voting for us, because either they're fed up with the war and George Bush's inability -- the only people in the world who seem to think Iraq is going swimmingly well are George Bush and his small coterie of advisers; they are the ones who are saying, don't change the course -- or because they're not happy with the situation domestically.
It's harder for the middle class to make do. I think you are going to find voters in states like Missouri, and Ohio, and Pennsylvania, and Virginia, and Tennessee like that.
Or there are some, even real conservative people who think you need some checks and balances in this government. And, so, you're getting across-the-board support. And we're -- we're getting support in places we never expected. The independent vote in most states is breaking heavily for the Democrats. And that owes -- bodes well for us.
BLITZER: You think this guilty verdict of Saddam Hussein, and the death sentence, is going to have any impact on voters tomorrow?
SCHUMER: No, I don't.
I think, when Dick Cheney said, we're staying the course, no matter what, when George Bush said he is keeping Donald Rumsfeld, no matter what, that is going to have more of an effect on the voters tomorrow than Saddam's conviction.
Saddam's conviction was a good thing. Make no mistake about it. But it's sort of the past. People are looking to the future and who has a better plan, who can do more.
BLITZER: We're going to leave it right there, Senator Schumer. Thanks very much for coming in.
SCHUMER: Thank you, Wolf. Good to talk to you.
And good luck tomorrow...
BLITZER: Well...
SCHUMER: ... to everybody.
(LAUGHTER)
BLITZER: ... thank you...
SCHUMER: Thanks.
BLITZER: ... Senator Schumer.
And this note: We invited Senator Schumer's Republican counterpart, Senator Elizabeth Dole, to join us today as well. Unfortunately, she was not available.
However we will speak with the former House Majority Leader Dick Armey during our special election preview. That airs 7:00 p.m. Eastern tonight.
Still to come: Jack Cafferty wants to know, what does it mean when an editorial in "The Military Times" newspaper says Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld must go? Jack is standing by with your answers.
We're live from CNN election headquarters in New York, and you're in THE SITUATION ROOM.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BLITZER: Let's check in with Jack Cafferty. He's got "The Cafferty File."
JACK CAFFERTY, CNN ANCHOR: Cute little stools, don't you think?
BLITZER: You like this look, huh?
CAFFERTY: No.
(LAUGHTER)
CAFFERTY: The question this hour is: What does it mean when an editorial in "The Military Times" newspapers say Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld must go?
Got a lot of mail, as you might expect.
Bob in South Carolina: "It means, 'Heck of a job, Rummy.' Why should this reality-impaired president take the rank-and-file military opinion now, since he has been unable to do so since the run-up to this begotten war?"
Michael in Quincy, Massachusetts: "The army of old generals and soldiers against Rumsfeld isn't any different than the teachers unions that fight tooth and nail against anybody who dares change the status quo. The old war horses simply don't like the changes Rummy has made and is making that will eventually make many of them obsolete."
Craig in Las Cruces, New Mexico: "Jack, I served 26 years as a commissioned officer in the Air Force. And, although I always liked reading 'The Air Force Times,' I never thought they offered controversial opinions of the government. For 'The Army Times' to be so critical of Don Rumsfeld is not just unusual. It means they must have some really strong misgivings about him."
Lee writes: "Bush's blind support of Rumsfeld means that Bush is willing, at 100 dead American soldiers per month, to see more than another 2,600 men and women die in order to protect Rumsfeld's reputation and pump up his own ego."
Brad in Chicago: "Bush cannot fire Rumsfeld. Rumsfeld is the current scapegoat and takes all the blame for Iraq. If he is gone, who is the blame going to fall on?"
Well, we know the answer to that, don't we?
And, finally, Max writes: "There is no more impact on 'The Military Times' publication editorial on Donald Rumsfeld than 'TIME,' 'Newsweek' or CNN editorials. Like them, 'Military Times' publications are owned by a commercial publisher not related to the U.S. military establishment."
That might be true, but those newspapers are read by virtually every man and woman wearing a United States military uniform -- Wolf.
BLITZER: Jack, thanks for that.
And, to our viewers, you're in THE SITUATION ROOM, where new pictures and information are arriving all the time -- standing by, CNN reporters across the United States and around the world to bring you today's top stories.
Happening now: Just hours to go until Election Day, and we have the final poll numbers. As the battle for Congress goes down to the wire, Democrats are confident they can clean House. Can Republicans hang on in the Senate?
Is he dropping in like an uninvited guest? President Bush hits the road for fellow Republicans, even as his approval rating takes another hit.
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