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George Allen And Jim Webb Down To The Wire; Tennessee Cliff Hanger Between Bob Corker and Harold Ford, Jr.; In Missouri Jim Talent Faces Tough Challenge From Claire McCaskill
Aired November 07, 2006 - 17:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR: 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, a crucial election. And in just a matter of moments, we're going to bring you the very first exit polls.
Will voters send a signal about President Bush and the war in Iraq?
Already, voting problems are reported nationwide -- from long lines and electronic glitches, to threats, scuffles and more serious allegations. As the FBI moves in, we're watching the poll watchers.
At stake right now, control of the United States Congress. A handful of races will determine who runs the Senate and a change of just 15 seats could bring a new speaker of the House.
I'm Wolf Blitzer at CNN election headquarters in New York. You're in THE SITUATION ROOM.
Today, voting problems across the country. Among them, a Kentucky poll worker arrested for allegedly choking a voter. In Oklahoma, a squirrel chewed through an electric line, shorting out a polling place. In two New Mexico-precincts, they simply ran out of ballots.
And there's this. Ohio Representative Jean Schmidt had her paper ballot rejected by a screening machine, while a fellow lawmaker had to go home to fetch additional identification. South Carolina's governor, Mark Sanford, was turned away because he forgot his voter registration card.
And perhaps more ominously, the FBI is conducting a preliminary investigation into allegations that voters in at least eight Virginia counties received deceptive or intimidating phone calls. Virginia could determine control of the United States Senate. Republican incumbent George Allen and Democratic challenger Jim Webb have gone down to the wire. Polls, by the way, in Virginia close in two hours.
In Tennessee, the cliff hanger is between Republican Bob Corker and Democrat Harold Ford, Jr. fighting for an open Senate seat.
In Missouri, Republican Senator Jim Talent faces a tough challenge from Democrat Claire McCaskill.
CNN's Ed Henry, Joe Johns, Jonathan Freed, Dana Bash, they're all standing by on this, as we're watching the balance of power.
But let's begin with Ed Henry in Virginia -- Ed, what's driving voter turnout there?
ED HENRY, CNN CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Voter turnout very high, Wolf.
I'm in Richmond at the campaign headquarters for Republican Senator George Allen. The mood cautiously optimistic probably best described that way. They realize, Senator Allen's back is against the wall, just a few months after he was talking about a presidential bid. Now he is in deep trouble.
That turnout, the Allen campaign is hoping it's being driven but the fact that there is a ballot initiative banning same-sex marriage on the ballot in Virginia. They think a lot of conservatives are turning out.
The Webb campaign -- Democrat Jim Webb -- they're hoping that instead the turnout all across this Commonwealth is being driven by a mix of issues -- Iraq, but also the miscues of Senator Allen, that infamous Macaca moment. We'll know in just a few hours who is right -- Wolf.
BLITZER: Ed, thank you very much.
We'll be watching closely.
CNN's Joe Johns is in Tennessee, where there's a bitter fight for the Senate seat being vacated by the majority leader, Bill Frist.
Joe, what are they saying in Tennessee, the voters you're speaking with?
JOE JOHNS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, the official word here, at least, I should say, from the people who are running the elections and watching the elections, is that turnout, for one, has been steady. On the other hand, they're predicting that at the end of it all, turnout will have been exceptional.
Of course, as you know, Wolf, here in the state of Tennessee, what we have is early voting. Probably about 49 percent of the people who will have voted already voted before this day even began.
So people here clearly excited about the race, the people on the Ford side here in Memphis saying they think turnout is very good -- back to you.
BLITZER: And they're saying -- I assume voters are -- that you're speaking with -- are pretty excited.
JOHNS: Yes, that's a lot of emotion here, certainly in the Memphis area, up in the Chattanooga area, where Bob Corker was yesterday, people are very enthused about this race. They're really looking forward to the results. Both sides think they're going to win. It's all driven by turnout, as you know.
Weather is an issue, though, because it's been raining in a large parts of the state -- Wolf.
BLITZER: Thanks very much, Joe, for that.
We'll be watching that race very closely.
And it's a showdown in the Show Me State, where GOP Senator James Talent is challenged by Democrat Claire McCaskill.
Our Jonathan Freed is in St. Louis -- what did the voter turnout look like where you are, Jonathan?
JONATHAN FREED, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Wolf, the turnout is high. And higher than, we're told, is normal for a mid-term election. Those reports coming in to us from around the state.
We're also told that both candidates had to wait in line at their polling places today. The turnout has been that solid. And that is exactly what both camps have been hoping for, because in a dead heat like this one they say turnout is going to be everything -- Wolf.
BLITZER: All right, Jonathan, thank you.
Democrats certainly confident they can take back control the House of Representatives. They need 15 seats to do that.
Let's go to Capitol Hill and our Congressional correspondent, Dana Bash -- Dana, what's behind the scenes, going on with the Democrats, specifically, right now?
DANA BASH, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, you know, Wolf, politicians like to play a game, especially on election day, and that's the expectations game. They usually lower expectations for success. But not today.
In fact, the Democratic House and Senate chairman of the campaign committees just had a briefing a short while ago. They were brimming with optimism, saying that they think that this will be an historic mid-term election.
Why?
The strategy is to try to encourage voters who are out there to keep voting, to keep their volunteers out working, to get as many voters to the polls as possible.
Meanwhile, the Republicans here and elsewhere are actually playing the expectations game. In fact, they are making it very clear that they do -- they do think that it is very possible, likely, that they are going to lose the House of Representatives. The question is by how many seats. And that is the thing to look for, both sides say today, is the margin that Democrats, perhaps, will take the House by. What that margin will be will determine the dynamic here on Capitol Hill for the next two years.
BLITZER: Dana, thanks very much.
And I want to thank not only Dana, but Ed Henry, Joe Johns, Jonathan Freed, Chris Lawrence, all of our reporters. They happen to be the best political team on television.
Remember, for the latest campaign news at any time, check out our Political Ticker. Go to CNN.com/ticker.
Jack Cafferty is part of that best political team on television...
JACK CAFFERTY, CNN ANCHOR: Oh, yes, yes, yes.
BLITZER: ... as well.
CAFFERTY: Yes.
Voters in 37 seats, Wolf, deciding on 205 ballot propositions today, which is a big increase from the last election. A lot of candidates, these ballot issues are a way to rally voters that might otherwise stay at home.
Some of the questions before the voters include a ban on almost all abortions. That's in South Dakota. Same-sex marriage bans, stem cell research, an increase in the minimum wage, eminent domain -- the question of whether the government has the right to seize land -- cigarette taxes, smoking bans, decriminalizing marijuana. And the most expensive contest ever, California's Proposition 87, which would place a $4 billion tax on oil producers.
Here's your chance to be creative. Here's the question this hour for "The Cafferty File."
What initiative would you put on your state's ballot if you could?
Send your ideas to CaffertyFile@CNN.com or go to CNN.com/CaffertyFile.
BLITZER: On these ballot initiatives, do you have a personal favorite, Jack?
CAFFERTY: No.
BLITZER: You don't like any of them? Or do you like them all?
CAFFERTY: I, you know, I haven't really looked into them all that much. I mean, they're -- they go from the sublime to the ridiculous -- a $4 billion tax on the oil companies in California, a ban on all abortions in South Dakota. But, you know, there's all kinds of ones in between and I have no particular preference.
BLITZER: We'll be watching them all tonight as the results come in.
Jack, thanks very much.
Up ahead, fresh information on issues important to you. We're going to have our very first look at the exit polls on these 2006 mid- term elections.
Also, problems at the polls -- in Colorado, long lines and voters short on patience. We're going to examine some election day dilemmas.
And in our Strategy Session, will President Bush change anything over his last two years in office if Democrats take control of Congress?
From the CNN election headquarters in New York, you're in THE SITUATION ROOM.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BLITZER: And this just coming in to CNN -- our very first look at the exit polls from some of the races.
Joining us now, our senior political analyst, Bill Schneider, and Marcus Mabry, senior editor at "Newsweek" magazine.
Bill Schneider, I take it in these first exit polls, we're getting a huge surprise.
WILLIAM SCHNEIDER, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL ANALYST: Well, we're certainly getting a lot of voters with -- mentioning a lot of issues.
Is this a one issue race?
It is not. This is an issue -- when we asked people what was the issue that was extremely important to you in casting your vote, 42 percent said the answer was corruption in Washington; followed very closely by the issue of terrorism, an issue that the Republicans ran on and won on in the last two elections. The economy just behind that at 39 percent. Thirty-seven percent citing the issue of Iraq.
So it looks like a lot of issues were on the minds of voters today around the country.
And when it comes to Iraq, we asked people, do you approve or disapprove of the war in Iraq?
And the answer was pretty one-sided. Fifty-seven percent of the voters said they disapprove of the war in Iraq. Forty-one percent said they approve.
You know, they used to say all politics is local. Not this time. When we asked people what issues determined your vote, national issues or local issues, it wasn't even close. By almost two to one, 62 percent said it was national issues that made the biggest difference. Local issues, just 33 percent.
So this is an election in which, for a -- in a rare occasion -- all politics was pretty much national.
BLITZER: And I want, Bill, you to weigh in, as well.
What is -- what, if anything, can we learn or surmise from this surprise -- it's pretty much of a surprise that the number one issue, at least according to these exit polls, on the minds of voters, Marcus, is corruption and not necessarily Iraq, which seems to be number four on this list?
MARCUS MABRY, SENIOR EDITOR, "NEWSWEEK": Well, Wolf, I know it's interesting, because that question didn't ask, though, specifically what was THE top number one. That asked what is most important.
So you'll see that those numbers add up to more than 100. So voters were not actually forced, in this case, to say what was the number one issue.
So what we're finding is -- what we are finding correctly is where the trend is. And where the trend is, is that corruption was an issue. It's interesting enough. I think maybe perhaps the first lesson we learn from this is never listen to the pundits, wait for the voters to speak.
But clearly, Iraq was an important issue. The only good news from those early exit poll statistics for the Republicans is the fact that terrorism was a leading issue. That has been the GOP's trump card in the last three elections. That was the only good news for them out of those numbers.
Corruption being a problem in Washington is really bad news for the Republicans, because what that means is you're talking about the party in power, the party controlling every one of the levers of power in Washington are the Republicans, whether executive or legislative branch. And that's really bad news for the Republicans.
BLITZER: Is it fair, though, Bill Schneider -- because you study these polls closer than anyone I know -- that when it comes to the issue of terrorism, that we have assumed in the past that was a so- called good issue for Republicans. But in recent polls, at least some of them that I saw, there's a sense that maybe Democrats can deal with this issue maybe even better than Republicans.
SCHNEIDER: A very important question. And in the exit poll we actually asked people, do you think Democrats can deal with the issue of terrorism and the threat to the country?
A majority said yes. And a majority said Republicans could deal well with terrorism. So in the polls, people think both parties can deal with terrorism.
It may not turn out to be the big issue for the Republicans that it's been in the past.
BLITZER: Take a look at those graphics. We'll show them to our viewers right now.
And, Bill, once again, explain this first graphic that we're showing our viewers.
SCHNEIDER: Which mattered more to your vote, was the question we asked, national issues or local issues?
And it turns out that national issues outweighed local issues by almost two to one, 62 to 33 percent. This means all politics was more national than local in this election. A lot of Democrats think that's very good news for them, because they wanted this to be a national referendum on Iraq and on President Bush.
We'll see what actually happens.
BLITZER: So, in other words, the old Tip O'Neill adage, all politics is local, not necessarily in this election.
SCHNEIDER: That is exactly right. This comes closer to what Europeans would call a parliamentary election, where a lot of people didn't pay a lot of attention to local issues, local candidates. They were voting Democrat or Republican based on their view of what's happening in the country.
BLITZER: And Marcus, before I go to the next screen, I want you to weigh in. The fact that voters have these national issues on their mind more than local issues, can we naturally assume that's good for the Democrats?
MABRY: You know, Wolf, I think we can. Again, two to one national issues versus local issues is incredibly bad news for the Republicans. The one particular national issue, though, other than the terrorism issue -- and Bill did a great job of just pointing out that a majority of Americans believe either party can handle that issue -- the one other issue is the tax issue. That was the other issue that the president was hammering away on in these last days of the election campaign.
So it will be interesting to see, that's the only national issue, I think, that might at all be in the Republicans' favor.
BLITZER: All right...
MABRY: So right now, it looks like bad news.
BLITZER: Take a look at this graphic, Bill Schneider.
These are the four top issues, I assume, that were on the mind of voters as they went to the polls today based on these exit polls -- corruption, terrorism, the economy and Iraq.
All fairly close in terms of 37 to 42 percent, not necessarily a huge spread there.
SCHNEIDER: That's exactly right. That's the point Marcus was making. We know they add to more than 100 percent because there were four separate questions.
Is this issue extremely important to your vote? Forty-two percent said corruption, 40 percent terrorism, 39 the economy, 37 Iraq. They're very closely bunched. What it really tells is all these issues were important in very nearly equal measure to voters. This was not a one issue election.
BLITZER: All right, we're going to continue to watch these exit polls as they come in.
Bill Schneider and Marcus Mabry is going to be with us -- they're both good to be with us throughout the night here. And it could be a long night.
Coming up, you just heard some of the information we're learning from the exit polls. We're going to talk a little bit more about that in our Strategy Session.
That's coming up.
And you're also getting your first sneak peak of what CNN election headquarters is going to look like tonight starting at 7:00 p.m. Eastern.
From CNN election headquarters here in New York, you're in THE SITUATION ROOM.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BLITZER: Here's a taste of what you're going to see tonight. We've pulled up the vote boards in the election wall. That's right over here. This is how we'll keep track of all the races simultaneously tonight. We got the idea from the good old days when the network news used -- used to show those Solari boards.
Here are some of the races from 1960, the year JFK ran against Richard Nixon.
Joining us now is our senior analyst, Jeff Greenfield -- you remember those days very well.
JEFF GREENFIELD, CNN SENIOR ANALYST: George McGovern...
BLITZER: Yes, he's...
GREENFIELD: ... he lost that year and won in '62. But people like us are the only people who know that or care.
But what we want to show you, though, is what we're going to be doing on an hour by hour basis to give the viewers a guide in to what we see.
Now, 7:00 is when the first polls close -- Indiana and Kentucky. Those are keys because there are five endangered Republicans in those seats. If the Democrats take most of those, we may see a wave. And Virginia, a Senate race. We're not going to be able to call that, nobody thinks, between George Allen and Jim Webb.
BLITZER: We're not going to be able to project a winner. Sorry...
(CROSSTALK)
GREENFIELD: Yes.
And Vermont is likely to elect the first self-avowed socialist to the U.S. Senate.
BLITZER: 7:30 now.
GREENFIELD: Right, 7:30 Ohio closes. That's one of those Republican held Senate seats, Mike DeWine, where the Democrats really hope to win. And there are as many as five endangered Republican House members in Ohio. It's been very rough for the Republican Party out there. Between Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana, we may know early whether this so-called wave is a wave or more like a little trickle.
BLITZER: 8:00 p.m. is the next hour that we're going to be watching closely.
And take a look at all of these states. Some 16 states close the polls -- close their voting at 8:00 p.m. Eastern.
GREENFIELD: Right. But the key here is five of the key Senate seats that Democrats will need either to retain or win, to take the Senate -- in Maryland, in Missouri, in New Jersey, in Pennsylvania and Tennessee. Probably what happens in those five states, as much as any other hour, once we find out what happens, will determine whether the Republicans keep or lose the Senate.
BLITZER: Another huge batch at 9:00 p.m. Eastern -- or 8:30, actually. There's some -- Arkansas that closes, the gubernatorial contest there.
GREENFIELD: Yes, I have to say that will be possibly one of the lesser things we'll be watching. But 9:00, a whole passel of states close and a couple of interesting stories arise then. One is New York. There's no question we don't think about who's going to win the governorship or Senate seats. But there as many as five or six mostly moderate House Republicans. Many, maybe all of them, could go if a Democratic wave really is produced.
And, also, in Colorado and Arizona, there are Republicans who should not have been in trouble this year, in the House, who are. And that's one of the keys to tonight -- Democrats, you know, maybe picking up gains everywhere but the South.
BLITZER: And then at 10:00, at 10:00 p.m. we're going to see four more states close their voting.
GREENFIELD: Obviously, Montana, the Conrad Burns-Tester race is one that everybody is going to be looking at. And, again, in Nevada, there may be a switch to a Democratic House seat from a Republican that we did not expect at the start of this year.
That's the way this -- we move east to west, as always, because that's the when the polls close. And depending on how strong or how weak the so-called Democratic wave is, we may know early; we may be here a while.
BLITZER: 11:00 p.m. some other states close. But we'll leave that for another time.
We're going to be spending a lot of time looking at these boards tonight, Jeff.
Thanks very much.
Let's check in with Zain Verjee for a closer look at some other stories making news -- Zane.
ZAIN VERJEE, CNN ANCHOR: Hi, Wolf.
A suicide bomber blew himself up in a coffee shop in Baghdad today. Iraqi police say that 17 people were killed in the attack in a Shia neighborhood. Hours earlier, mortars struck a Sunni neighborhood in Baghdad, killing five people. The violence comes two days after former Iraqi leader, Saddam Hussein, was sentenced to death.
Many voters are coping with stormy weather as they go to the polls today. The problem was especially bad in western Washington State. Flooding and heavy rains closed at least one polling station there and closed roads and schools, as well. Police had to rescue some stranded drivers. Rains also dampened voters in parts of the Southeast.
And Britney Spears, apparently, is splitting from her husband, Kevin Federline. The Web site tmz.com says the pop star has filed for divorce in a Los Angeles court. Spears reportedly cites irreconcilable differences. She's asking for custody of the couple's 1-year-old son, Sean Preston, and two-month-old Jayden James. Spears and Federline got married in 2004 -- Wolf.
BLITZER: We wish both of them only the best down the road, Zane.
Thanks very much for that.
Coming up, have you voted yet today?
Many people have cast their ballots.
What motivated them to go to the polls? Was it Iraq, President Bush, something else?
We're going to check that out.
And already there are reports of voting problems across the country -- glitches, some more serious allegations of possible intimidation. The FBI has now gotten involved. We'll explain what's going on.
We're live from CNN election headquarters in New York and you're in THE SITUATION ROOM. (COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BLITZER: You're in THE SITUATION ROOM, where new pictures and information are arriving all the time.
Happening now, we're getting fresh information from our exit polls. Our senior political analyst, Bill Schneider, is standing by to share the latest information just coming in.
Also, why is the FBI now getting involved in today's election?
And voting difficulties -- long lines in places like Colorado and Virginia are just a few of the problems at the polls.
From the CNN election headquarters in New York, I'm Wolf Blitzer and you're in THE SITUATION ROOM.
Right now, we're looking at some important information we're getting in from the exit polls.
Let's bring in our senior political analyst Bill Schneider.
He's got the latest for us -- Bill.
SCHNEIDER: Wolf, the exit polls -- President Bush has been the subject of a lot of discussion in this campaign.
But you know what?
He's not on the ballot.
Congress is on the ballot. And we asked people, do you approve or disapprove of the job that the Congress is doing?
Now, take a look. When people were asked that question, 62 percent said that they disapprove of the job Congress is doing; 36 percent approve. That is a very negative judgment on the Congress. They're on the ballot. And it does not bode well for the survival of the Republican Congress on this election day.
Now, another issue that's been widely debated is the vote count -- will the results be counted accurately?
We asked the voters do you think your vote will be counted accurately?
And this may be a surprise, but 88 percent of the voters say they are confident that their vote will be accurately counted. Only 11 percent of the voters are not confident. Most of them, by the way, are Democrats.
So there is strong -- a strong view that my vote will be counted, despite all the reports of problems at the polls. This is one of the reasons why it's so hard to get election reform. Most voters in most parts of the country will say yes, I know there are problems with the voting procedures, but there's no problem for me -- Wolf. BLITZER: All right, we're going to continue to monitor these exit poll results together with you, Bill. Thanks very much.
The exit polls are shedding some light on what voters are concerned about this Election Day.
Joining us now, our political analyst Democratic Strategist James Carville and Paul Begala, former GOP congressman J.C. Watts and CNN contributor in Washington and fellow at the Claremont Institute, Bill Bennett. Guys thanks to all of you for coming in.
What do you make -- I'll start with you, James -- of this earlier result that Bill showed from the polls that among the major issues, the major issues of concern, corruption seems to be the highest concern among those people going in. What do you make of that?
JAMES CARVILLE, CNN POLITICAL ANALYST: I don't want to be too technical, but as I understand it, they didn't force people to make a choice. They said do you think this is a major issue or not.
BLITZER: Is it extremely important to you.
CARVILLE: And who would not say that corruption is not extremely important to them. As I understand the way that they asked the question, I would have preferred that they make people choose between corruption, Iraq, economy, education or whatever they want to, just as a technical thing.
BLITZER: We're going to put those numbers up on the screen and show them to our viewers. But were you surprised that more people said they were extremely concerned about corruption than, let's say, Iraq.
CARVILLE: Yeah, kind of but not to be technical about it I just have a slight problem with the way the question was worded. But even worded like that, that more people said corruption than Iraq does surprise me.
BLITZER: What do you think Bill?
WILLIAM BENNETT, CNN CONTRIBUTOR: Well you know people are different. The first thing you learn in politics is there are people out there who have a different view, especially at this table, I suppose.
BLITZER: I assume you guys have a different view.
BENNETT: We better have or you'll have a boring evening, I'm sure we will. But the American people are complex, they don't fall in the neat categories all the time, Republican, Democrat, independent. When you ask them about issues and voting, whole bunches of things come to their mind and this might have been the first thing that came to their mind, because they were just talking about it or if someone leads with that question, I'm with James, they're going to say, sure. What are you going to do, smile at corruption, say not a problem? BLITZER: I mean everybody, I can't imagine Paul why 100 percent of the people wouldn't say corruption is extremely important, terrorism, economy, Iraq. It seems like an obvious no-brainer.
PAUL BEGALA, CNN POLITICAL ANALYST: Well no, when I die I want to be buried in south Texas because I want to remain active in the Democratic Party. I mean there are still places in America where big corruption is fairly endemic. I do think though that Republicans ought to be concerned for this reason. I think Bill and James are right that a binary choice like that is probably not the most illustrious way to tease that out.
But, still, I think one thing Democrats have been trying to say to the country is that Republicans may have been become corrupt in the acting sense, right, that absolute power corrupts absolutely. And so rather than this scandal or that scandal, Congressman Ney recently pleading guilty and others, I think Democrats tried to make a case that there's systemic corruption that happens when one party holds the House, the Senate and the White House. I don't know if that's how people read that question though.
BLITZER: Is it your sense, J.C., that corruption being so much on the minds of voters today that that necessarily translates into bad news for Republican candidates?
J.C. WATTS, CNN POLITICAL ANALYST: Well I think corruption is a concern of the American people. I'm not so sure that that is going to bode badly for Republicans when you consider those who were caught with their hand in the cookie jar, they stepped down.
They resigned and I think there was time for Republicans to get some traction on some other issues, i.e. the economy, some of the things that's going on in Iraq, the battle against terrorism and so forth. But, Wolf, we can talk about this the rest of the night. My thing on exit polls, I learned in 2004, don't believe them until the final results are in.
BLITZER: Well we haven't projected any winners or anything like that, we're just reporting on what these exit polls are showing, what's on the minds on some of the issues as far as voters are concerned. We're not going to share specific exit poll information on races until the polls in those respective states close.
WATTS: But the point that James made off the bat is, you know, are people going to say they're not concerned about corruption? I think the fact that the question was asked in the way that it was worded, you know, would make me a little nervous about putting this much emphasis on exit polling.
BLITZER: Paul, what do you think of the 62 percent disapproval rating for Congress?
BEGALA: That's real. That's a question that's been asked since 1948 when George Gallup started this whole business of opinion research in politics. And 62 percent disapproved is extraordinarily high. BLITZER: Because this is a Republican-led House and a Republican-led Senate.
BENNETT: Well, people are not happy. They're not happy because of things like corruption. And to be fair, I mean there's been a recent run of bad dudes in the Republican Party. The American people have heard about, disgusting Mark Foley situation, Abramoff, we had the thing with Duke Cunningham. You know it's been the news. There have been some Democrats too, money in the freezer, but we've got a bad run.
CARVILLE: We keep our problems on ice.
BENNETT: Yeah right, your timing is much better for obvious reasons.
CARVILLE: Cold, hard cash there. But that was a Democratic congressman.
BENNETT: So the reaction to congress, people can be upset about corruption issues, they're not being straightforward. Also be weighing about lack of action. I know a lot of people are very unhappy about immigration.
BLITZER: Especially conservatives.
BENNETT: Yes, very unhappy. And spending, spending.
WATTS: Bill Schneider said earlier, he said most Americans believe that there's trouble in the system in voting but they believe their vote will count. Well that question is people believe members of congress are corrupt, but what do they think about their member? And I think, again, that's where this election is going to turn one way or the other tonight.
BLITZER: Here's what Charlie Cook is quoted as saying in "The New York Times," he's a political analyst, independent kind of guy. He said this, if the Democrats mood, "I think you'd see a Jim Jones situation. It would be a mass suicide if the Democrats fail tonight." What do you think, James?
CARVILLE: I think he's exactly right, but it wouldn't be Kool- Aid. I think we'd all gather on cliffs and jump off. It would be like the Japanese soldiers in Okinawa.
BLITZER: How do you define failure?
CARVILLE: Well, we don't win the House.
BLITZER: Is that what...
CARVILLE: That would, be, yes.
BLITZER: Because the Senate has always been much more problematic. CARVILLE: You can't say if we pick up four or five Senate seats that that's a failure, that's a pretty good number of Senate seats. But if we don't pick up the House, I would be, the whole Democratic Party, I'd be wearing more than a trash can on my head tonight, I'll promise you that.
BLITZER: We'll be watching. What do you think? Do you think he's going to have to wear more than a trash can on his head?
BENNETT: I have no idea, but I think that's right. If they don't take the House, that's big trouble. If they take the House narrowly, it's not failure, but it's disappointment particularly because there are a number of Democrats running on very conservative credentials. If they get 18, 19, 20, that's a disappointment. If they get two, three in the Senate, I think that's a disappointment.
BLITZER: What do you think? The expectations game is significant.
BEGALA: Right, this is a win-or-lose deal and it's winner take all in the House of Representatives. I was a staffer there back when Dick Gephardt was the majority leader. It was good to be the majority leader. You could run the place as Jim Wright did with an iron fist. Or as Tom Delay did for the Republican Party. So 15 is good enough. Any Democrat who wants more than that, they may get it, but the Senate, the minority has real power in the Senate. In the House, the minority has almost no power.
BLITZER: Let's speak to J.C., he used to be in the United States Congress, he knows what it's like to be in the majority and be in the minority in the House of Representatives.
WATTS: Well, I was never in the minority, knock on wood.
CARVILLE: I'm glad you refer to that as wood.
WATTS: We never dealt with that. But Wolf, regardless of what the numbers are tonight, I do think Democrats will gain seats. It's going to make it more difficult to govern. The margin is going to be smaller and smaller. I have been in the House when we've had about 25, 26-vote margin.
I've also been there when we've had about an eight-vote margin, and it's much tougher with eight than it is with 28. So it's going to change the landscape, regardless of what the Democrats, what their numbers are at the end of the night.
BLITZER: She's not measuring the drapes yet, Nancy Pelosi, is she?
BEGALA: No, the Democratic leaders I've talked to are very superstitious. I mean they understand the stakes here and they understand that their voters will be extraordinarily disappointed if they don't take back the House. But numbers higher than 15 are numbers that I can't get them interested in, they just want to win. BLITZER: In that poll, the exit poll that Bill Schneider was just telling us about, by a 2 to 1 margin, voters were telling the people who were conducting this poll that they're more interested this time in national issues as opposed to local issues. How does that translate, good or bad for the Republicans or the Democrats?
BENNETT: Well I don't know. It depends on which national issues. By the way, I'm keeping a list of metaphors. We have trash cans now, Kool-Aid, measuring the drapes, we'll have a report on this by some communications professor tomorrow. Both parties, I think, have nationalized this. And because we are in war, because of the war in Iraq, it's appropriate to be having this debate.
I understand that may cut some against the Republican Party but that is what we should be talking about. And I think more of our politics has been nationalized because more of our conversations are nationalized because of the role of the media and not just television and radio here, but the blogs and the internet.
BLITZER: James, what do you think?
CARVILLE: Look, we're at war. So somebody is going to say I'm more concerned about the war than I am the pothole. I mean it's just -- and people see these images all the time, they think of terrorism as an international issue, they think of all -- healthcare, the whole laundry list of it. I'm actually, frankly, surprised that you have 33 percent that say they're more concerned about local issues than national issues. When I looked at that number...
BEGALA: ...that's going to be a lot of Republicans who probably don't want to think about Iraq or things that may not be going well for Republicans. But the president helped to nationalize this. Probably to the consternation of a lot of local Republican candidates around the country.
He came out and he said if the Democrats win, he nationalized this race in extraordinary terms and he personalized it to himself. A very unpopular president. Had I been his political adviser, I would not have advised him to do either.
BLITZER: All right, wrap it up J.C. because we're out of time.
WATTS: Well the national issue in terms of terrorism cuts both ways. I think it will drive Democrat votes, but it will drive Republican votes as well because they say when evil people say they will do evil things to the United States of America, we want somebody in the White House that will take them seriously and this president has.
BLITZER: We have to leave it there. But you guys are not going anywhere. You're going to be with us all night, could be a long night. We're going to watch and wait and see what's going on. Want to thank James Carville, Paul Begala, J.C. Watts, Bill Bennett, they are part of the best political team on television. A reminder, for the latest campaign news at any time, check out the CNN political ticker, go to CNN.com/ticker. Still to come, the FBI is getting involved in today's election. Yes, you heard it. Our justice correspondent Kelli Arena standing by to tell us what is going on. And long lines and short tempers, just a few examples of voter problems as Americans vote. We're going to have more on these issues. The poll problems, lots more, coming up.
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BLITZER: Let's get back to the problems at the polls. While most of the reported problems are technical, there are some charges of voter intimidation in Virginia. Let's bring in our justice correspondent Kelli Arena. What's the latest and is the FBI investigating Kelli?
KELLI ARENA, CNN JUSTICE CORRESPONDENT: They sure are, Wolf. Law enforcement officials tell us that the FBI is conducting a preliminary investigation in Virginia. Voters in at least eight counties allege that they received intimidating phone calls before the election.
In one instance a voter said that a caller said her polling place had changed when it had not. Now this alleged voter suppression is a federal offense. Agents at this point will basically conduct interviews and work on putting together a case, if there is evidence to support charges.
For the first time, Wolf, the FBI has designated so-called election coordinators in all of its 56 field offices. And those agents are specifically trained in understanding voting statutes and are designated to take complaints and look into potential violations. And of course Wolf, we've talked a lot about the more than 850 monitors and observers who are on hand today in 22 states sent by the Department of Justice and they're there to deal with issues as they arise.
BLITZER: Thank you very much. Kelli is going to be on top of this story all night.
Voting glitches have been popping up at some polling stations across the country this Election Day as we now know. And our Ali Velshi is keeping close track of all of them. Ali?
ALI VELSHI, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Wolf, a couple hours ago I told you about a problem in Denver where they've been in court for about three hours. The Democrats have gone to court to extend the voting deadline in Denver County. That has been denied. We just have news now that the judge in Denver County has denied an extension.
Those are the pictures you're looking at outside the Botanical Gardens in Denver where they've tried out this voting area, this voting center concept where people just come and vote no matter where they live, if they live in the state. Hasn't worked out in Denver and the Democrats are not getting the extension they wanted.
In Illinois, however, there's a second county, Cane County, western suburbs of Chicago, where they're going to court to extend the voting there because of delays in opening. If they get that it will be alongside Cooke County where two precincts are extended tonight and over in Indiana, Delaware County, outside of Munsey, around Munsey, they're extending for two hours and 45 minutes because of delays blamed on voting machines -- Wolf.
BLITZER: Ali, thank you, we'll stay on top of the story with you as well. Lou Dobbs is here getting ready for his program that beings right at the top of the hour. What are you working on?
LOU DOBBS, CNN ANCHOR: Wolf, as you might expect, Election Day. Coming up at 6:00 p.m. here on CNN, we'll have complete coverage of today's elections, elections many are now calling a referendum on the president and his conduct with the war in Iraq. We'll have live reports for you from key races, the latest exit poll estimates on who voted and why and, of course, the best political analysis anywhere.
Also, this election will be the most expensive midterm election in history. And guess who's paying? Corporate America, of course. Big business expecting a huge payoff no matter which party wins tonight. We'll have that special report.
And will your vote count? Election officials are reporting problems with e-voting machines all across the country. One of the nation's leading authorities on e-voting Warren Stuart is among our guests. All of that and a great deal more, coming up at the top of the hour right here on CNN. We hope you'll be with us for that -- Wolf.
BLITZER: These problems with the voting machines, the glitches that we're hearing about across the country, you've done a lot of reporting on this coming in today. Are these just little technical snafus or do you see any evidence that there is potentially a real serious problem out there?
DOBBS: We're looking at what are right now, I would say, manageable problems. But it is early. We begin with Ohio and Indiana, in particular, and Florida with problems. And these are states that have had problems before. So all of us have our antenna up and we'll be reporting on the very latest over the course of the next hour and what's happening there.
A number of people talking about extending polling times in order to meet with these issues. In some cases, for example, in Florida, not even been able to start the machines. Luckily that was confined to just a few precincts. But the problems are there and we'll just see how widespread and profound.
BLITZER: Because as you know, people go to vote, a lot of these people they have to work. They can't take two, three hours off and just wait in line while the polling personnel get their act together.
DOBBS: Well we knew going into this, 2 million people are going to be working in polls all across the country today and throughout, I'm sure, part of the evening for many people. We were short poll workers. But we're also short training time. Some of these people with e-voting machines that we're going to see e-voting machines across the country today, just about 40 percent of the folks voting were using these new e-voting machines for the first time. So it is an issue. We'll find out if it's been managed well.
BLITZER: We'll continue to watch with you. You'll be here throughout the night with all of us. Thanks very much Lou.
DOBBS: We will.
BLITZER: Just ahead, Jack Cafferty probably knows what initiatives he would put on the ballot if he could and the politicians have had their say. But what would you have voters decide? It's the party no blogger wants to miss and you won't either. We'll give you a front row seat at tonight's election blogging bash. From the CNN election headquarters in New York, you're in THE SITUATION ROOM.
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BLITZER: Check back with Jack Cafferty, he's here.
CAFFERTY: Voters in 37 different states around the country tonight deciding on 205 ballot propositions. Some of these people won't finish voting until Friday afternoon. Everything from same-sex marriage bans to stem cell research to an increase in the minimum wage. The question we asked is what initiative would you put on your state's ballot if you could?
John in Jacksonville, Florida wrote, "All evangelical churches that use the pulpit to campaign for a certain political party must lose their tax-exempt status. Let's get back to that separation of church and state thing that worked so well for over 200 years."
John in Alabama, "Jack, an initiative to provide some type of financial incentive for the wounded veterans of the Iraq war."
Randall in Merced, California, "I would put an initiative that our lawmakers don't actually get paid until the end of their term, and then we get to vote to decide what pay grade they deserve based on the job they've done."
Erin in Toronto, "How about making it illegal to start a war just to impress your daddy's golf buddies."
M.C. in Stevensville, Maryland, "My ballot referendum would be all redistricting would have to be done using only straight lines."
Greg in Albuquerque, New Mexico, "I would put the most basic of all initiatives on the ballot, limiting the number of terms any senator or representative can stay in office."
And Ed in Montana, "The initiative I'd like to see is one that says if your pets are smarter than you are, you are not allowed to vote."
If you didn't see your e-mail here, you can go to CNN.com/CaffertyFile where you can read more of these online. That might knock out turnout down some. BLITZER: Very creative. Maybe some of these initiatives that our viewers like, some politicians will actually put it on a ballot.
CAFFERTY: Well my guess is they make as much sense as some of the stuff that's there.
BLITZER: Jack, thanks very much. Jack will back. Up next, coffee, food and bloggers, lots of them. Don't worry if you didn't get an invite in the mail. We're going to take you to our big blogger party in Washington, D.C. You're going to want to see this, stay with us. You're in THE SITUATION ROOM.
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BLITZER: All right let's go to Washington, D.C., specifically the Tryst Internet Cafe. Our internet reporters Abbi Tatton and Jacki Schechner are there with a party of sorts that's going on. It's the first time guys we've ever done this.
ABBI TATTON, CNN INTERNET REPORTER: It is the first time, Wolf. We are joined by more than 25 prominent bloggers left and right. They're coming from all across the country. These are people who have been very much getting involved this election cycle. They've been using their sites to get out the vote, they've been using their sites to fundraise, using new online tools that have become available in the last couple of years, very much getting involved and supporting candidates.
So we are hosting them here tonight, watching their reactions as the results come in and getting commentary from some of these guys. We're also joined from around the country by a couple more web cams from bloggers that couldn't make it. And Jacki Schechner is here with me as well and she is in the thick of things here at Tryst tonight -- Jacki.
JACKI SCHECHNER, CNN INTERNET REPORTER: Well, Abbi, I just wanted to give everybody a sense of what the room is like here. Imagine if you're throwing a party for, I don't know, 50 of your closest friends in your living room and they're all talking about what you're talking about.
Jim Garrity from National Review Online, I've got James Joyner from Outside the Beltway behind me. The guys from America Blog, John and Joe behind me. Nick Gillespie from Reason Hit and Run. I've got the group of women I call my North Carolina contingent behind me, we've got Betsy Newmark, Lori Byrd, Pam Spalding from Pam's House Blend. Gerald and Merrick from Colorado.
We have brought them in from everywhere. They're sort of biding their time right now until we start to get some sense of which way these races are going, blogging about voter irregularities, blogging about sort of what they're hearing on the ground. Go to CNN.com/blogparty and that will give you a link to all of the bloggers that are here tonight and you can here it from us and you can also here it first hand from them.
Wolf, back to you.
BLITZER: All right guys, sounds like a lot of fun. Good work, we'll be checking back with you throughout the night. And remember, we're here in THE SITUATION ROOM, weekdays Monday through Friday 4:00 to 6:00 p.m. eastern. We're going to be back for our complete coverage in one hour, 7:00 p.m. eastern. Coverage of America Votes 2006. Until then, thanks very much for joining us. I'm Wolf Blitzer in THE SITUATION ROOM. Let's continue our coverage right now, Lou Dobbs standing by -- Lou.
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