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CNN Sunday Morning
Candidates Campaign in Iowa as Caucuses Near; Bhutto's Successor Named
Aired December 30, 2007 - 09:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BETTY NGUYEN, CNN NEWS ANCHOR: It is getting down to the wire in Iowa. The GOP frontrunners in a fight for caucus voters.
ROB MARCIANO, CNN NEWS ANCHOR: And while on the Democratic side it's a three-way race too close to call.
NGUYEN: We're also talking about the caucuses, but what it going to happen when voters meet on Thursday night? If I told you now, you may not believe me. So, we will explain it in full detail. We're also, you, going to explain some of the news that is just coming into us. But first, good morning, everybody, thanks 23r join us. I'm Betty Nguyen.
And I'm Rob Marciano, in today for T.J. Holmes. It's Sunday, December 30, the last Sunday of the year. Let's get you up to date.
NGUYEN: Yeah, we are following news just in from Pakistan. Reports say leaders of Benazir Bhutto's political party have decided on a successor in the wake of her assignation. Pakistani and other media are reporting that Bhutto's 19-year-old son is been chosen as the new leader of the opposition party. We will get more details coming up in a live report from CNN's Zain Verjee.
MARCIANO: Now, let's move to the political countdown in Iowa. Four days to go before the caucus and the candidates don't want to waste a minute of it. Many are packing their schedules for the final push.
NGUYEN: As you can imagine, we are seeing plenty of late poll numbers coming across the desk and each one telling the story just a little bit differently.
MARCIANO: But the real story in on the ground with the people of Iowa and the voters bombarded by ads, calls in the last few days of -- as we run up to the caucuses.
NGUYEN: Bombarded is right. Mary Snow and Jessica Yellin are both in Des Moines, Iowa, this morning.
Mary, let's start with you and the growing fight between Iowa's Republican frontrunners.
MARY SNOW, CNN NEWS CORRESPONDENT: Yeah, good morning, Betty. You know, the temperatures may be frigid, but this battle is heated as Mike Huckabee and Mitt Romney duke it out. (BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
(voice over): The fact he started his day at a hunting supply store may have been telling. After vowing to stay positive, Mike Huckabee took direct aim at rival Mitt Romney.
MIKE HUCKABEE (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Mitt doesn't have anything to stand on, except to stand against. And I'm saying enough is enough.
SNOW: It's Huckabee's most aggressive attack against a rifle.
HUCKABEE: When he talks about my record or John McCain's, I mean, he's making up stuff. It's just incredible.
SNOW: Huckabee has criticized Romney before, but hasn't been called him out by name, as he's doing now. And it came after this ad:
ANNOUNCER: Mick Huckabee, soft on government spending. He grew a $6 billion government into a $16 billion government, backed in-state tuition benefits for illegals and granted 1,033 pardons and commutations including 12 murders.
SNOW: Romney calls it a contrast ad, Huckabee called it "desperate and dishonest." He didn't dispute the details, just their context. And while Romney's change of heart on abortion is well- known, Huckabee went one step further.
HUCKABEE: He's a recent convert to the pro-life position and if I want to say, well is it real, his healthcare plan has $50 copay for an elective abortion.
SNOW: The Romney campaign says that copay is part of a state law saying any state subsidized healthcare plan must offer those services. Huckabee supporters were out in force at Romney events, shooting down a written pamphlet implying he as being soft cracking down on illegal immigration, many republicans here consider a defining issue in the state.
GILBERT BAKER, ARKANSAS HUCKABEE SUPPORTER: We've been following Governor Romney's campaign, just to make sure that we need to clarify anything...
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SNOW: Now, Huckabee says he doesn't really see himself as going negative, but setting the record straight. And CNN has learned that that will include an ad that targets Mitt Romney. As both admit just how tight this race is going down to the wire -- Betty.
NGUYEN: Yes, it is. Mary, we thank you. And the Democrats aren't really playing nice either with so much at stake in the first vote.
MARCIANO: Yeah, the top three, John Edwards, Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama, they're all trying to get an edge by all taking shots at each other. CNN's Jessica Yellin is also in Des Moines this morning, on the ground.
What is the buzz with the Dems -- Jessica.
JESSICA YELLIN, CNN NEWS CORRESPONDENT: Rob, you know, the Dems aren't naming each other, but they clearly are taking aim at one another. The latest "Washington Post" this morning, reporting that in New Hampshire yesterday, Bill Clinton, who is Senator Clinton's leading surrogate, said on the trail that is the U.S. has to be prepared for the unexpected. The "Washington Post" reports the clear allusion to 9/11 attacks and he made the case that his wife is the one best prepared to be in charge of America at a time of danger. And the politic of fear is one of the issues Barack Obama has called the Clinton campaign out for, suggesting that they play on fear too much.
Another issue we're hearing on the campaign trail, "electability." Democrats in this state are so eager to get back the White House, they don't just want the candidate that they think is the best able to be president, they also what the candidate they think can beat the Republicans in November.
Senator Clinton making the case over and over that she is the who was test and can beat the Republicans, as she puts it, "attack machine."
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN HILLARY CLINTON (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I'm hoping that as you begin to look towards Thursday night that you will ask yourself, who will be the best president from day one? Who can go into that oval office on January 20, 2009 knowing all of the problems, challenges, threats and difficulties that await the next president and be ready to lead from day one. And who is tested and proven to be able to win against whatever the Republicans decide to do.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
YELLIN: But, Senator Barack Obama, on the stump, pointed out what everybody has been talking about in the political press corps, at least, in Iowa, for sometime, that the polls show that Hillary Clinton is challenged on the likability issue, that she has been a polarizing figure and she has been struggling to convince voters that she is the person capable of winning over moderates and centrists in the U.S. Here's what Obama said.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BARACK OBAMA (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: We are less likely to win an election that starts off with half the country not wanting to vote for that candidate. We are less likely, also, to win an election with somebody who had one set of positions four years ago and has almost entirely different positions four years later.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
YELLIN: And John Edwards, for his part, is on the attack on the issue of special interests. He's maintains he's the guy who's going to fight for the working man and bar lobbyists from his White House. He and Barack Obama have been tussling on that issue, Obama saying he was the first to say he'd bar lobbyists. So, on every issue you can think of on the campaign trail, there is a ton of back and forth and one-upping and expect to see that right down to the very last moment until folks here walk into those caucuses on Thursday -- Rob.
MARCIANO: It's getting interesting and we will continue to look for your reports. Jessica Yellin, live for us in Des Moines. Thanks, Jessica.
All right, just what is a caucus. I still don't know.
NGUYEN: Asked it earlier.
MARCIANO: Asked it earlier, but didn't get my answer, but now, finally might get my answer. I want to know exactly how the whole Iowa caucus works.
NGUYEN: Well, you know, it's as easy as you might think, in fact, some of the campaigns are holding classes, Rob.
MARCIANO: That's what I needed.
NGUYEN: Because it is a little bit difficult to understand. So, here's your own less on from CNN's senior legal analyst, Jeffrey Toobin.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JEFFERY TOOBIN, CNN SR LEGAL ANALYST (voice over): Imagine an election with no secret ballots, no all day voting the age requirement is only 17 and finally, you can vote for more than one candidate. If that sounds un-American, it's actually how the Iowa Democratic caucuses operate. And listen up, you care because those folks in Iowa may actually choose your next president. In fact the rules here are so strange that the campaigns in Iowa run training sessions on how to vote. Step one, stand up and be counted.
CHELSEA WALISER, MOCK CAUCUS ORGANIZER: And what you will do is then you will get up out of your seat and go walk to the corner or a space by the wall designated for the candidate of your choice. OK, ready? Go.
TOOBIN (on camera): At Obama's Iowa rehearsal caucus, they practiced without candidates, instead they used winter activities. We've got ice skating here, drinking hot cocoa, snow boring, building snowmen and of course snowball fights.
(voice over): After the first round, anyone who is standing for a candidate or activity, in this case, that doesn't meet the threshold of 15 percent of the room is out of luck.
(on camera): It turns out on this night, not enough snowboarders, very sad. So, what happens now? If the snowboarders want their votes to count at all, they have to pick a new candidate before the second and final tally. WALISER: Each group that is viable gets to send one ambassador over to the snowboarding group and try to persuade them to join your group.
TOOBIN: No, it's let's make a deal. The other groups all send someone over to the snowboarders to say: come on, join our side, a little arm twisting.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Ice skating you feel free, you feel free, you go on one foot, two feet, you can twirl around.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Oh, I like that one.
TOOBIN: The snowboarders decide ice skating is the second choice and they all make the switch.
(voice over): Understanding that the persuasion period and how to win over second choice voters is so important, candidates have Web videos to explain it.
JOHN EDWARDS (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Don't just go to the caucus, bring your friends.
TOOBIN: And even highlight it on the stump.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And you hit that floor and work it and try to them and it's like a fun game. It's like monopoly, you go over, you say hey, your man isn't going to make it, come over here, remember I loaned you that snow shovel or...
(LAUGHTER)
TOOBIN (on camera): Because the rules are so complicated, organization is key. You need top get your supporters to the caucus locations by 7:00 sharp or they can't vote. And this is Iowa in the wintertime. Sometimes the weather is a factor.
(voice over): By comparison, the Republican caucuses are pretty simple. Though the campaigns -- here Fred Thompson's -- are also training their supporters. It's a secret ballot and there's no viability threshold. Every vote counts. The complicated rules make for one sure thing, that the results here are very hard to predict.
(on camera): SO, after all this, who wins? Well, that's not simple either. The party keeps the popular vote totals at the caucuses a secret. They only announce the percentage of delegates each candidate will receive at the state party convention later in 2008. And there's more, of course. The caucus rules are 72 pages long.
Jeffrey Toobin, CNN, New York.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
NGUYEN: See, you had to ask. Now, what do you think about your answer? MARCIANO: I still don't know.
NGUYEN: Yeah, you're confused.
MARCIANO: I understand a little bit more and I think that story will probably be on cnn.com, you can watch it again.
NGUYEN: Several times.
MARCIANO: I'll be tuning into cnn.com for that, as well.
All right, listen now, we've a lot more Iowa caucus coverage coming up. In about 20 minutes we'll find out which campaign may have an edge in actually getting supporters out to vote.
NGUYEN: Also ahead, CNN's political coverage rolls on with some of the candidates joining Wolf Blitzer for CNN's LATE EDITION. Democratic senators, Joe Biden and Chris Dodd, plus Republican, Fred Thompson. LATE EDITION with Wolf Blitzer comes your way at 11:00 Eastern.
MARCIANO: And political junkies know where to turn on caucus night. The best political team on television will be out in force anchoring CNN's special coverage of the Iowa caucus. Begins at 8:00 Eastern on Thursday night, right here on CNN.
All right, switching gears now to international news, who will succeed Benazir Bhutto? This could be the new face of opposition in Pakistan. He's Benazir Bhutto's19-year-old son and you are looking at a live picture from Pakistan where Bhutto's political party will soon hold a news conference. We're bringing you live coverage, next.
NGUYEN: Also, a tough lesson learned for a little girl who scammed her way into some Hannah Montana tickets.
MARCIANO: And think about some of the biggest stories of the past year. Who was there? Well, you were there and even the "New York Times" took notice. We'll be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
MARCIANO: We are following new developments in the crisis in Pakistan. Reports now say Benazir Bhutto's son has been chosen as the new political leader of her political party. CNN's Zain Verjee joins us live now, via broadband from Karachi with details.
Zain, bring us up to speed on these new developments.
ZAIN VERJEE, CNN NEWS CORRESPONDENT: Rob, I'm getting a significant new development coming in to me, right now. Senior party members of Benazir Bhutto's Pakistan People's Party just told CNN that she wanted her son, Bilawal, to take over as leader of her party, to be her successor, but not until he finishes his studies. He's only 19 years old, he's a student, he's studying at Oxford University in Britain. And we understand from senior party members that officials from the party will run it until he finishes school, so that just coming now, to CNN. That press conference is going to be held in just a few moments and we'll get some more specific details about this -- Rob.
MARCIANO: And we are getting some word and let's see if you can confirm this that he's named chairman, as you say, and obviously having needed some guidance until he gets out of school and his father has named cochairman. Do you have any further information on that and what it means?
VERJEE: Yeah, it is likely that his father will play a significant role in the party simply because he is Benazir Bhutto's husband and that does carries weight in the country, but he is also, in his own right, been an extremely influential and effective member of the party. He's known as a political up-right in the country. He has a pretty bad reputation in Pakistan as being a highly corrupt leader. He's been known as "Mr. 10 Percent," here, a reference to the kind of kickbacks he's alleged to have taken here. But in his defense, even though he was jailed for eight years, here in Pakistan, no charges were actually proved about corruption in a court, here in Pakistan. So, Asif Zardari is likely to play a significant role in the party, as well as other key party members. And as Benazir Bhutto seems to have indicated in her will, she would like her son to take over, but only when he's done with school.
MARCIANO: Zain, I'm not sure where you are in relation to where this is taking place or if you can get a pulse on what the reaction to this is. Have you seen any sort of reaction from this announcement?
VERJEE: No, we haven't gotten any reaction to this announcement, but in the Nedaro (ph), which is where all this was taking place, there was a significant amount of party supporters just waiting and watching, really to find out who would be their next leader, who would succeed Benazir Bhutto.
We had some party workers saying that if Bilawal, her son, at only 19, was to take over now, that would just not be acceptable to the party. Another party official said that he himself was not all that keen to lead the Pakistan People's Party. So, the reaction, if we are able to confirm that he is going take over after his studies and we're waiting for that from the press conference, that may satisfy people simply because Benazir Bhutto wants him, but not now. He's too young, he's too inexperienced and things are too volatile right now, and he just doesn't know how to run it. So, the people who do will do it for now.
MARCIANO: All right, interesting new developments out of Pakistan, the successor to Benazir Bhutto. Zain Verjee reporting for us. Thanks Zain.
NGUYEN: Well, Benazir Bhutto's assassination, what is next for Pakistan? We're learning more about that. Also subjects on a special edition of THIS WEEK AT WAR, you don't want to miss that. THIS YEAR AT WAR recaps key events for 2007 and looks ahead to 2008. That is coming up today at 1:00 Eastern.
MARCIANO: All right, on to sports, now. Patriot perfection. The Pats complete a perfect season, making football history last night.
NGUYEN: And the final push. While most presidential candidates stump in Iowa and some have already moved on to New Hampshire. We have a live report from the campaign trail.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
NGUYEN: Can you see sheer perfection for the New England Patriots? Yep, they beat the New York Giants last night to finish the regular season undefeated.
MARCIANO: Sixteen and zero, the Pats are the first to have an undefeated regular season since the Miami Dolphins did it back in 1972 and they did it from coming from behind. Congratulations and the G- men put up a good fight.
On to hockey, now. If you build it, it will freeze. I once heard, or I'm saying that right now. At least that's what the National Hockey League is hoping for. Interesting things happening in Buffalo.
NGUYEN: Well, the league is preparing for its first outdoor hockey game in the U.S. Ring builders and ice makers have been working around the clock on this one. What they're doing is they're transforming a stadium where the Buffalo Bills play into an ice rink. The Buffalo Sabers will take on the Pittsburgh Penguins New Year's Day.
MARCIANO: That's going to be -- even if you are not a hockey fan, you can watch professionals play outside in the freezing cold in Buffalo.
NGUYEN: Yeah.
MARCIANO: Jacqui Jeras.
NGUYEN: If they build it, it will freeze there, won't it Jacqui?
JACQUI JERAS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: I know, but can they skate in snow is my question?
MARCIANO: Well, if you Buffalo, I guess you learn how to do that.
JERAS: Because it's going to be pretty deep, I'm afraid.
MARCIANO: Really?
JERAS: Yeah.
NGUYEN: The Zamboni is going to be at work.
JERAS: Yeah, the lake effect snow machines are going to be kicking in, really, Tuesday and Wednesday, both. So, it's going to be pretty heavy there I'm afraid, so might do a little shoveling on that ice rink, I'm thinking. (WEATHER REPORT)
MARCIANO: All right, thanks, Jacqui.
NGUYEN: Hey, you might want to think about this. If you are in Iowa this weekend, political ads are in your face and hard to escape. But, are the candidates' messages really getting through? We're going to find out.
JOSH LEVS, CNN.COM DESK: And where do they really stand on the issues -- the major issues? Hi I'm Josh Levs of the dot-com desk. We are giving you a primer on what you need to know in order to pick your candidate. It's time, folks, and that's coming up here on CNN, the most trusted name in news.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
GERRI WILLIS, CNN NEWS CORRESPONDENT (voice over): A self- described inventor and entrepreneur, Dean Kamen is a tireless advocate for science. He founded the DEKA Research and Development Corporation in 1982 to create innovative medical devices. Today, Kamen holds over 440 patents including the iBot Mobility System and the Segue electric scooter. He believes the best way to achieve is to be a go-getter.
DEAN KAMEN, PRES, DEKA RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT: My simple advice to anybody is to work hard. I know it doesn't sound glamorous, but everybody I've every see, who succeeded, shares in common a focused ability to just really work hard.
WILLIS: And Kamen works hard to inspire the next generation of scientists through an organization he founded called FIRST. The nonprofit prepares professional engineers with high school students in a tournament-style robotics competition.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
MARCIANO: Showing you live pictures now of what's happening in Pakistan. This just in. We have been reporting to you that Benazir Bhutto's son, Bilawal Zardari, has been named the chairman to succeed her, but not until he finishes school. His father has been named co- chairman and once he does finish school, he will take on full responsibilities, there.
There three gentlemen sitting at the table, not sure who this particular person is, but if and when the camera zooms out on a wider shot, you will see Bilawal, himself, and his father, as well, monitoring the situation throughout the morning. The successor of Benazir Bhutto named this morning, as we reported earlier -- Betty.
NGUYEN: OK, we want to take a quick look at the top stories, this hour. The stakes, they are very high in Iowa. The caucus is happening on Thursday. Republicans, Mitt Romney and Mike Huckabee are neck-and-neck. And in the polls, it is a three-way tie for the Democrats. In this race, there's no time to relax. So, are the candidates nervous? Well, the mud has already started flying.
MARCIANO: Welcome back. I'm Rob Marciano in for T.J. Holmes, this morning.
NGUYEN: Yes, good morning, everybody, I'm Betty Nguyen. And we are just four days away until those votes are cast in Iowa. But the candidates aren't just waiting, they are turning up the heat on each other, trying to get a last minute edge with the voters and CNN political editor, Mark Preston, joins us live from chilly Des Moines, Iowa, this morning.
Man, it does looks pretty cold out there. Let me ask you this, Mark, let's talk about the poll numbers, first of all, when is it comes to Huckabee and Romney. For the first time, we are looking at a poll that shows Romney not ahead, actually, in this poll. What is he, 32 percent with Huckabee at 23? Now, this is just one poll right, because we have seen Huckabee in the lead a lot?
MARK PRESTON, CNN NEWS CORRESPONDENT: Yeah, well we have, certainly, Betty, for the last five weeks, we've seen Mike Huckabee really come out of nowhere and eclipse Mitt Romney in polls. But, in Iowa, you know, polls are very, very unpredictable. This is not like a normal election, this is not like a primary. You know, basically the Republican race, as I see it, anyway, is neck-and-neck at this point. We can look at these poll numbers, but it really is coming down to Huckabee and Romney here in Iowa.
NGUYEN: Yes it is and you know, the mud is flying between the two. Let's talk about that and also McCain and Giuliani, these folks, the gloves have come off in Iowa.
PRESTON: Yeah, they have, but look, we are coming down to the closing days at this point. You know, someone like Mike Huckabee, you know, he's talked about wanting to be positive. He has been for most of the campaign. You know, when you're at this point in the campaign, you have to do anything, for right now, to get an edge. So, you have to try to take out your opponent and that's why we're seeing a lot of negative ads up. We're seeing the candidates actually address each other, their weaknesses. You know, again, we're four days out at this point, so you got to do what you got to do to win.
NGUYEN: Yeah, but it's not only Huckabee and Romney, I mean, Senator John McCain, Giuliani they -- with a lot of tough talk on those sides, as well. And they're really focusing on New Hampshire. Is that a smart strategy?
PRESTON: Well, I think it is for McCain and Giuliani's part. You know, right now, the way the Iowa caucuses work, they are primarily dominated by religious Christian conservatives. This is not the base for John McCain, this is certainly not the base for Rudy Giuliani. So, their idea is actually to try to skip Iowa and move into New Hampshire. Interestingly enough, we will see John McCain here in Iowa, the day, right before the caucuses. He's going to come in in the afternoon, and he's going so spend caucus day here in Iowa. I think this is actually a very smart media strategy. A lot of reporters will follow him around. He's get a lot of TV time and he'll look for that as he goes into New Hampshire. There is also some hope out of the McCain campaign that they can place third in New Hampshire. He is coming on right now, he is peaking. His campaign was left for dead only, you know, five or months ago and he has turned it around.
NGUYEN: Yes he has. OK, let's switch over to the Democrats, now, because this thing is a three-way dead heat. When it comes to today in these last few days leading up to the caucus, are we going to see some star power being used.
PRESTON: Well, we're seeing Bill Clinton certainly come in. He was in New Hampshire last night for Hillary Clinton. He'll be in Iowa today. You know, interestingly enough, what Hillary Clinton has an advantage over the other candidates at this point, is that she has this top surrogate. You know, people would argue that Bill Clinton is the best strategist, right now, in the Democratic Party. So, you might have Hillary Clinton in part of the state, Bill Clinton in another part of the state, so that will certainly help. It's unclear who else will come out at this point for the other candidates, but it is a very tight race. What they're trying to focus on right now, Betty, is turn out, turn out, turn out. It's very unlikely we'll see new messages from these candidates, they really need to try to turn out the voters on this cold January 3 night.
NGUYEN: Yeah, no new messages, but man, there have been so many ads, those folks in Iowa have been bombarded with political ads this season. Are they really making a difference, though? Do you think it's going to change some minds?
PRESTON: You know, at this point, you have to run these ads. We're looking at about $2 million a day in television advertising. More than nine hours of political ads are on TV right now. You cannot turn on a channel without seeing an ad from one of the candidates.
The idea is you have to be in the game, you have your face out there. You know, at some point you might have diminishing returns, but you need to be out there, you need to get your message across. And the way that they're trying is statewide is through television. So, there certainly won't be any let up until caucus day.
NGUYEN: Poor folks in Iowa got to keep watching those ads, nine hours a day, my goodness. Some may not even want to turn on the television after all that. Mark, we do thank you for your time in the cold. Thank you.
PRESTON: Thanks.
MARCIANO: Well, after Iowa comes New Hampshire, January 8 for that primary. And some Republican candidates are already moving forward centering there battles in the Granite State. CNN's Jim Acosta is live in Concord, New Hampshire, this morning. Jim, give us a feel for what's happening on the ground, there.
JIM ACOSTA, CNN NEWS CORRESPONDENT: Well Rob, we asked Senator John McCain yesterday about the political comeback, this political resurrection he is staging in this state and he jokingly referred to the movie "I am Legend" which is about the last man on earth. Making the point that while he has been written off by the media establishment, he knows how to stay alive.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
(voice over): From political road kill to road warrior, John McCain's straight talk express is on a roll in New Hampshire in the "live free or die state," McCain insists it isn't do-or-die time just yet.
(on camera): Is this a must-win for you?
SEN JOHN MCCAIN (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: There's no such thing as do-or-die. We've been through that several times, but it's very important. New Hampshire is very important.
ACOSTA (voice over): McCain is mounting a comeback at the expense of former Massachusetts governor, Mitt Romney. Some polls show the two men neck-and-neck, which may explain why they are both going for the jugular.
MCCAIN: He's made other attacks on other people who he has seen as moving up in the polls and so, I can view it some way as a form flattery and it's also hard to respond sometimes because the position he has today may not be the position he has tomorrow.
ACOSTA: The first shots were fired over the airwaves. Earlier this week, Romney released this ad accusing McCain of being soft on immigration and taxes. McCain responded with a spot that quoted the now infamous anti-endorsement in the "Concord Monitor" newspaper which labeled Romney a phony. The Romney campaign accused the Arizona senator of getting personal.
(on camera): Are you, Senator, saying that Mitt Romney is a phony?
MCCAIN: I'm saying that the "Concord Monitor" and the "Manchester Union Leader" words are, I think, those people of New Hampshire pay attention to.
ACOSTA (voice over): This past summer, newspapers across the country had all but written McCain's political obituary. Much of his support had eroded over his backing of an immigration reform bill in Washington that some conservatives labeled "amnesty for the undocumented."
MCCAIN: I will secure the borders first, but we...
ACOSTA: McCain is now vowing to secure the borders first, but is urging compassion, promising at one rally to help a woman who called herself an illegal immigrant who is struggling to obtain legal status.
MCCAIN: But, these also are God's children. We are all created in God's image.
ACOSTA: Pollster, Andy Smith, says McCain is peaking at exactly the right time in a state where he knows how to win. ANDY SMITH, POLLSTER: But the fact that he had this built up well of goodwill in the part of the voters in New Hampshire, allowed him to kind of get through that tough patch.
ACOSTA: Smiths knows negative campaigning has worked in the past in this state, so it's no surprise McCain is taking swipes at Romney's deep pockets.
MCCAIN: You can't buy an election in the state of New Hampshire.
ACOSTA: McCain may have to show voters he's willing to lock horns to win here, again.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
And as for that newspaper that ran that anti-endorsement, the "Concord Monitor" released its actual endorsement yesterday for John McCain. This morning the newspaper endorsed Hillary Clinton -- Rob.
MARCIANO: Interesting. All right, Jim Acosta, live for us in Concord, New Hampshire. Thanks Jim.
NGUYEN: Well, we have spent the past several weeks profiling all of the major presidential candidates for you and now they're about to face the first test in the Iowa caucuses.
MARCIANO: That's right, cnn.com/politics or cnnpolitics.com -- it's all confusing.
(CROSSTALK)
NGUYEN: CNN.com will get you there.
LEVS: See "politics" up at the top, just click on it. So, yeah, I mean, we've profiled them before and we hear so much about it, especially with Iowa coming as the horse race, right? Because we want to know what's going to happen. But now, everybody is about to have the chance to weigh in. pretty much in the coming weeks, most of the people of the people in the country are going to have a chance to weigh in.
So, what I want to do is give you a place to have a primer. OK, it's time for to you decide what candidate you want. How do you know where they stand on all the issues? Well, take a look at this. As we were saying, just go to cnnpolitics.com, that'll get you there. It's filled with information about the election, when the race is, all that. But within there, you can click on a specific issue.
So, right now, we're seeing for example, immigration. This is a great setup. Every single presidential candidate, from both parties, are listed there and we get into pretty good specifics, because you may have specific opinions on, let's say, a border fence or on the massive immigration bill that stalled and failed on Congress this past year. You want to know exactly where they stand with respect to you, just click on immigration. You'll see that. Let's try another one, just to give people a sense. Let's go over to Iraq. We're clicking on "Iraq" right now, same thing. You might have a position on whether the war should -- when the war should end on whether people should have supported President Bush's push for increasing troops earlier this year. Or, you might want to hear different proposals about how to handle Iraq and sectarian violence. We have really strong summaries for you there. You can take a look. You can print it out, you can bring it with you. You can just get to know who agrees with you the best and where you want to place your vote.
So guys, this is just a really strong primer for everyone, so that as it's time to finally make this decision, you know, this massive election train that's been coming our way forever, finally get to stop it for yourself, anyway, and say here's where I stand. That's back to democracy. So, bring that with you, take a good look in advance, get your position and you'll see who agrees with you.
NGUYEN: All right, thank you, Josh.
MARCIANO: Thanks, Josh.
LEVS: You got it.
NGUYEN: Hey, and on New Year's Day, don't just hang out in front of the TV watching football, join us for the game that really matters. We are calling it the "Ballot Bowl."
MARCIANO: That's right football fans or political fans, it's where the presidential candidates get their shot at discussing the issues important to you in their own words. Our coverage begins at 9:00 a.m. Eastern.
Well, plenty of celebrities had some issues this year, rehab maybe, in some spots.
NGUYEN: Britney just one of many meltdowns of 2007. We're going to look at the best and the worst of Hollywood with "People" magazine, that's coming up.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
MARCIANO: Welcome back, an update now on developments coming out of Pakistan. Benazir Bhutto's 19-year-old son will succeed her as chairman of the Pakistan People's Party. You're looking at a live news conference, right now. And here's what her son had to say just moments ago.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BILAWAL ZARDARI, BENAZIR BHUTTO'S SON: Like all chairmen of the PPP, I will stand as a symbol of the federation. The party's long and historic struggle for democracy will continue with renewed vigor and I stand committed to the civility of the federation. My mother always said Democracy is the best revenge.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MARCIANO: They do plan on participating in the election set for January 8, that parliamentary election. And as he said, in his words, winning the election is the best revenge for his mother's death -- Betty.
NGUYEN: Now it's time to check in with Howard Kurtz in Washington to see what's ahead on CNN's RELIABLE SOURCES.
Hello, Howard.
HOWARD KURTZ, RELIABLE SOURCES: Good morning, Betty. Coming us, the pendants declare this a foreign policy campaign after the tragic violence in Pakistan, but do they or anyone else really know what's going on in the Iowa caucuses?
With Barack Obama having a serious shot at the White House, are journalists shying away from exploring sensitive questions of race.
Plus, from Bill Kristol to Bob Woodward to Judy Miller, what makes big-time journalists tick? Dana Milbank weigh in with thoughts on that.
Plus, our best interviews of 2007, ahead on RELIABLE SOURCES.
NGUYEN: Looking forward to that. Thank you.
KURTZ: Thanks.
MARCIANO: Well, we have another update for you on that story we told about yesterday morning. A six-year-old girl in Dallas will not be going to a Hannah Montana concert.
NGUYEN: No, she won with an essay that claimed her father was killed in Iraq. That was all a big lie, then, organizer gave the tickets to another contestant.
MARCIANO: Shame on you.
NGUYEN: Lesson learned, hopefully.
Well, 2007 saw a bumper crop of Hollywood starlet meltdowns.
MARCIANO: Yeah, the best and the worst of '07 and the fresh faces to look out for in 2008. That's straight ahead.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
MARCIANO: You know, when I'm on vacation I actually like to read this stuff. Out on the beach, it's good...
NGUYEN: All the magazines?
MARCIANO: Yeah, all the gossip and stuff.
NGUYEN: "People" magazine, this is hard-hitting stuff and we're going to get to that, though. But, it is a guilty pleasure.
MARCIANO: Yeah, we want to talk about the celebrity talkers of 2007.
NGUYEN: Soaking up the rays of star mellow dramas is David Caplan of "People" magazine.
All right, let's get straight to it, Dave. Celebrity meltdowns. What name comes to mind?
MARCIANO: Let's guess.
NGUYEN: Britney Spears, maybe?
DAVID CAPLAN, PEOPLE MAGAZINE: Britney Spears is a pretty good contender up there, absolutely. Britney had a very crazy year this past year. We saw her have several meltdowns from slamming a photographer's car with an umbrella, shaving her head -- the best one -- and of course, when she was hitting that car, she had her head already shaved, so that was a great culmination of a couple different melt-downs. She also ran into the Pacific Ocean wearing her underwear and photographers were chasing her. So, there was a lot of Britney going on this year.
NGUYEN: Paris and Lindsay.
MARCIANO: Yeah, talk about Paris, she defiantly was high on the list, at least for the first six months.
CAPLAN: Absolutely. I mean, what happened with Paris this year was she was already on probation for a previous DUI, she violates it by driving with a suspended license, goes to jail, comes out of jail, goes back in jail and we all remember all that infamous footage we saw of her crying and screaming for her mother at the court proceedings, so it was a very big meltdown year for Paris, as well.
NGUYEN: Let's go back to that shot that we had up there, because you've got a nice box of them all, very nicely laid out.
MARCIANO: You're taking way too much pleasure in this thing.
NGUYEN: Paris, Lindsay, Owen Wilson and then Amy Winehouse -- what happened to Amy Winehouse? Look at that face, here.
CAPLAN: Amy Winehouse, she's a darling of the recording industry, a lot of people like her music, but her personal life is a whole other issue. In fact, this past year, she admitted she has drug problems, she canceled a bunch of concerts, her husband is in jail. So, Amy Winehouse is a bit of a mess. But, here hoping that the 2008 will be a little bit better for her, as well.
MARCIANO: All right, some would argue a bit of a mess. Let's switch gears now to the newsmakers. Lisa Nowak of NASA and that whole mess.
CAPLAN: Lisa Nowak, this past year, everyone remembers her infamous road trip, basically from Texas to Florida to get a romantic rival, the diaper-wearing incident. But she pleaded not guilty a few months ago and she's awaiting trial right now. So, despite, you know, everyone thinking, hey what's up here, she said "not guilty" and we have to see what happens in court.
NGUYEN: Well, then you also got a couple of other cases that are very intriguing. You got the Madeleine McCann and then the Shawn Hornbeck, which was a really good ending to what a nightmare scenario for his family.
CAPLAN: Oh absolutely, it's a great story. He was returned to his family and the guy -- he's going to have multiple life sentences, who abduction him and so his family says, in fact, told "People" that there is that sparkle back in his eye, now. Shawn is looking great, he's getting great grades in school, so it looks like it's a nice ending to a really horrible story.
MARCIANO: All right, let's move on to the young Hollywood standouts.
NGUYEN: Fresh faces.
MARCIANO: Hannah Montana, our favorite.
CAPLAN: Of course.
NGUYEN: You have tickets?
CAPLAN: Not yet. Miley mania is everywhere. We know there so many fans out there, and this has really been the year of Miley Cyrus. She has had, you know, her TV show is the No. 1 TV cable show for kids, her concerts completely sell out. Huge fan base and at this point, it's only going to get bigger. And this is somebody definitely to watch next year, because she is going to be even bigger.
NGUYEN: Well, Daniel Radcliffe, of "Harry Potter" fame, he made a ton of money. Let's talk, though, about Rihanna and Chris Brown, because these musicians really made a splash this year.
CAPLAN: Oh absolutely, they are totally hot right now. Rihanna, this past year with her song "Unbrema." Huge, huge hit. Ella, ella. "People" magazine says in the new issues that that is one of the best sayings of the year: ella, ella. So, Rihanna's hot, she's being linked, of course, to all these guys in Hollywood. Chris Brown, another huge singer, this past year, we saw him in the "OC" he played a geeky band member, he was in a movie...
NGUYEN: This kid can dance.
MARCIANO: Oh, clearly he got my book on how to dance Marciano style.
NGUYEN: Marciano style, right.
CAPLAN: You taught him a couple of moves, right?
MARCIANO: He just blows it up on stage. It's amazing to watch him.
CAPLAN: Yeah, he's great. He's very multitalented and that's what's incredible. We saw him on TV, the film, on stage, so he's another young guy that next year we're going to see even bigger and better things.
NGUYEN: What do you call those? Triple treats, quadruple threat.
CAPLAN: He is a triple threat, that is for sure.
NGUYEN: All right, Dave Caplan with "People" magazine. The best and the worst of 2007. We would like to focus on the best, though. Thank you.
MARCIANO: Have a happy New Year.
NGUYEN: Yeah. Happy 2009.
CAPLAN: Thank you. You too.
NGUYEN: Well, it was an instant i-Report classic. Remember this?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Don't tase me, bro. Ow!
(END VIDEO CLIP)
NGUYEN: "Don't tase me, bro."
MARCIANO: Do we remember? That's one of thousands of ways you, our viewers see, helped CNN cover the news. Even the "New York Times" has noticed. We will explain in a moment. Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
MARCIANO: Well, did you know that "i-Reporter" is an official buzzword now, in 2007?
NGUYEN: Yeah, it is absolutely true. The "New York Times" included it on its annual list of words of the year and for good reason. Yeah. Our i-Reporters went above and beyond this past year in bringing breaking news to a global audience.
MARCIANO: This is one of the best examples. It's the only known video of the Virginia Tech massacre, last April that left 32 people dead. Gunshots are clearly audible and the video was recorded on a cell phone by Jamal Albarghouti. And within minutes after submitting it to CNN it was broadcast around the world. Eventually would be viewed three million times on cnn.com, alone.
NGUYEN: Just as i-Report was about to celebrate its first anniversary, i-Reporters rose to another breaking news assignment on August 1. You remember this, this interstate bridge suddenly collapsed in Minneapolis in the middle of rush hour. Cars tumbled into the Mississippi River in a horrific crash of twisted steel, shattered concrete. Thirteen people died in that tragedy. I- Reporters like Heather Hauer responded almost immediately with these vivid images in the aftermath.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ANDREW MEYER: Don't tase me, bro. Don't tase me. I said don't!
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MARCIANO: And who could forget the shout heard 'round the world.
NGUYEN: Don't tase me, bro.
MARCIANO: Don't tase me, bro. Student Andrew Meyer was making a point in a town hall meeting with Senator John Kerry at the University of Florida and things got out of hand. Before you know it, Meyer is on the floor screaming, "Don't tase me, bro!" I-Reporter Clarissa Jessup's video of the incident became one of the most talked about stories of 2007.
NGUYEN: And it's the most repeated phrase around here sometimes. "Don't tase me, bro."
MARCIANO: It had definitely hit pop culture, without a doubt. Well, keep those i-Reports coming in 2008. Just e-mail your pictures to ireport@CNN.com or upload them at cnn.com/ireport.
NGUYEN: And be sure to tune in tomorrow night at 8:00 p.m. Eastern for our look back at the outstanding i-Reports of 2007, that in our year-end special "Caught on Camera."
MARCIANO: CNN's RELIABLE SOURCES is straight ahead. Taking a closer look, this morning, at the media coverage of the assignation of Benazir Bhutto and its political impact.
NGUYEN: Then at 11:00, CNN's Wolf Blitzer sits down with some presidential hopefuls. Republican Fred Thompson and Democratic senators, Chris Dodd and Joe Biden, that's on LATE EDITION. It's all straight ahead. But first, here's a check of this morning's top stories.
MARCIANO: WE are following two important developments out of Pakistan. First, Benazir Bhutto's 19-year-old son will succeed her as the head of the Pakistan People's Party, but not until he finishes school. The slain leader's will is being sorted out, right now. In it she named her husband as her successor, but he handed the role over to the couple's son. The other development, Bhutto's husband announced the party will take part in Pakistan's elections on January 8.
And a candlelight vigil for the young man killed by an escaped tiger at the San Francisco Zoo. About 100 people gathered last night to honor 17-year-old Carlos Sousa.
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