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CNN Sunday Morning

Bounty Offered in Death of Filmmaker; Battle Over Swing States; Science vs Religion; Late Night Laughs; Undecided Voters Have 44 Days; Top Presidential Gaffes

Aired September 23, 2012 - 08:00   ET

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

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

RANDI KAYE, CNN ANCHOR (voice-over): From CNN world headquarters in Atlanta, this is CNN SUNDAY MORNING.

One hundred thousand dollars. That's the price on the head of the man who made the anti-Islam film. We'll tell you who's offering the bounty.

Does the fact that some Muslims get violent over references over Muhammad mean that Americans need to be more sensitive? I talked with "New York Times" columnist Nick Kristof.

JOHN F. KENNEDY, FORMER U.S. PRESIDENT: What's your judgment as to the chances they'll fire things off if we invade Cuba?

KAYE: John F. Kennedy like you'd never heard him before. Secret White House tapes just released that even his staff didn't know about.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KAYE: Good morning, everyone. I'm Randi Kaye. It's 8:00 on the East Coast, 5:00 a.m. in the West. Thanks for starting your morning with us.

We start with the presidential race. There are just 44 days left until Election Day. But, remember, you have even fewer days if you live in an early voting state.

President Obama spent Saturday pushing for votes in Wisconsin. Wisconsin is one of the key swing states that candidates have been focusing on. The president won the state handily in 2008, but it is much closer now.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I don't know how many folks will vote for me in Wisconsin this time around, but I want everybody in Wisconsin to know that no matter what, I'll be fighting for you because I'm not fighting to create Democratic or Republican jobs. I'm fighting to create American jobs. I'm not fighting to improve schools in red states or blue states. S I am improving schools in the United States of America. I don't believe in just looking out for workers or businesses or rich or poor or 53 percent or 47 percent. I'm going to look out for everybody.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KAYE: And here's the CNN poll of polls on Wisconsin. The president has opened up a sizable lead now in the state and, remember, this is the home state of Paul Ryan, the Republican vice presidential candidate.

Speaking of Paul Ryan, he is attacking the president over the White House's handling of the space program. He appeared along side former Florida Governor Jeb Bush at a campaign stop in Miami yesterday. Florida, of course, is another of those key swing states.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. PAUL RYAN (R-WI), VICE PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: We have -- presided over a dismantling of the space program over the last four years. He has put the space program on a path where we are conceding our global position as the unequivocal leader in space. Today, if we want to send an astronaut to the space station we have to pay the Russians to take them there.

(BOOS)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KAYE: And Mitt Romney are getting some advice from someone who has been a through a campaign like this before, Sarah Palin. She says it's time for the country to have a come to Jesus moment. She told "The Weekly Standard", "With so much at stake in this election both Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan should go rogue and not hold back from telling the American people the true state of our economy and national security.

Mitt Romney has been getting a lot of advice this past week from Republicans. Some of it hasn't been all that nice, quite frankly. The polls also haven't been very kind to him. But apparently he doesn't see it that way.

Here's what he told "60 Minutes."

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You are slipping in the polls at this moment. A lot of Republicans are concerned about this campaign. You bill yourself as a turnaround artist. How are you going to turn this campaign around?

MITT ROMNEY (R), PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE: Well, actually, we're tied to the polls. We're all within the margin of error. We bounce around week to week, day to day. There are some days we're up, there are some days we're down. We go forward with my message that this is a time to reinvigorate the American economy, not by expanding government and raising taxes on people, but instead by making sure government encourages entrepreneurship and innovation and gets the private sector hiring again.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KAYE: Mitt Romney and President Obama will both be on "60 Minutes" tonight.

With 44 days left, neither candidate is letting up. They are both hitting the campaign trail full force with an emphasis on the swing states.

Here's CNN political editor Paul Steinhauser with a look at what to watch for this week.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

PAUL STEINHAUSER, CNN POLITICAL EDITOR: Mitt Romney campaigns in the Rocky Mountain battleground of Colorado tonight and tomorrow. Our new CNN poll of polls indicates it's a close contest between the Republican nominee and President Barack Obama for the state's nine electoral votes.

On Tuesday, both Romney and the president speak separately at former President Bill Clinton's annual Global Initiative gathering in New York City.

After that Romney heads through Ohio for a bus tour through the crucial swing state.

ROMNEY: I need Ohio to help me become the next president.

STEINHAUSER: Our poll of polls in Ohio indicates that right now, Mr. Obama has the upper hand in the race for the state's 18 electoral votes.

Both men have been frequent visitors to Ohio this year, and while Romney rolls through the state on Wednesday, the president stumps there as well.

OBAMA: It is good to be in Ohio. It is great to be in this beautiful setting.

STEINHAUSER: Also this week, with the first presidential debate closing in, both men will continue their debate preps -- Randi.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KAYE: Paul Steinhauser, thank you.

All right. Let's move from politics to Pakistan now, in a stunning offer from a Pakistani government official. He says that he has $100,000 and wants to give it to whomever will kill the man who made that controversial anti-Muslim film. He is talking about Nakoula Basseley Nakoula. The filmmaker has been keeping out of sight since we saw him last weekend talking to police. His film led to international outrage and sparked violent protests in several countries, including Pakistan.

And then comes this guy. He is Pakistan's railway minister. He says the $100,000 bounty comes from his own bank account and not from the Pakistani government.

Pakistan's prime minister has publicly condemned this bounty idea.

To New York now and an update on a scary story at the Bronx zoo. We told you about the guy who was mauled by a tiger at the zoo after he jumped into a tiger's enclosure. He has been charged with trespassing and now he's telling police why he jumped. He says that he wanted to be, quote, "one with the tiger." Not sure what that means.

David Villalobos is in the hospital and he will be arraigned on the trespassing charges soon.

Captured in Iran five years ago. This retired FBI agent is pleading for release.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ROBERT LEVINSON, MISSING: Thirty-three years of service to the United States deserves something.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KAYE: Why the U.N. meeting in New York brings new hope for his return.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KAYE: We want to wish you a good morning and a happy Sunday morning to Boston. There on the left side of your screen. Good morning, Boston.

And what a lovely shot of Lady Liberty there in the New York harbor.

Thanks for starting your morning with us. We are back in 90 seconds.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KAYE: 2007 was the last time Robert Levinson's family saw him, until they received a video a few years later. A much thinner Levinson saying his health was failing and begging the U.S. government to help free him from his captors.

Our national correspondent Susan Candiotti spoke with the retired FBI agent's wife and her mission to bring him home.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CHRISTINE LEVINSON, WIFE OF MISSING U.S. MAN: It's my husband. I have to take care of him. I have to get him home. SUSAN CANDIOTTI, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): But after disappearing more than five years ago, Christine Levinson's husband, Bob, is a long way from home, where he once cuddled his newborn grandson.

ROBERT LEVINSON, MISSING: I'm not in very good health. I'm running very quickly out of diabetes medicine.

CANDIOTTI: This video showing the much thinner retired FBI agent being held hostage was sent to the family two years ago. The State Department says it's unclear who is holding him.

C. LEVINSON: When we received the video, we had high hopes, because we e-mailed back a number of times in order to get whoever is holding him to let us know what we need to do to get Bob home. Unfortunately, that hasn't happened.

CANDIOTTI: Levinson disappeared on Kish Island off Iran's coast in 2007, where his family says he was investigating cigarette smuggling for a private company. FBI billboards are now up in New York's Times Square, in hopes that visiting delegates to the U.N.'s General Assembly will see them.

(on camera): What makes you think that he is still alive?

C. LEVINSON: I just believe it in my heard. I know that, from the video, that he has lost weight and hopefully all of his health problems are at least at bay, and he will be able to get home safely to us. I can never lose help.

R. LEVINSON: Please help me get home. Thirty-three years of service to the United States deserves something.

CANDIOTTI: What gives you hope when you look at that video and see how he looks?

C. LEVINSON: I know when he looks determined. And he looked very determined to make it home safe and sound.

CANDIOTTI (voice-over): Her husband missed walking one of his daughters down the aisle. Another daughter's wedding is in February.

C. LEVINSON: His closet is still full of his clothes that I know will not fit him anymore. And I haven't even touched his dresser.

So, every morning, I'm reminded that the nightmare continues.

CANDIOTTI: If he is able to see this, what do you want to say directly to him?

C. LEVINSON: We will never, ever, ever stop looking for you. And I miss you every day. Love you.

CANDIOTTI (on camera): The U.S. has offered no new information about where Levinson is and who is holding him. I spoke to a source with knowledge of the investigation who says, quote, "There is every reason to believe based on all the evidence that Levinson is alive and well."

Susan Candiotti, CNN, New York.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KAYE: The United Nations General Assembly will meet this week in New York, and here's some of what we're expecting. President Obama will speak about the attacks on U.S. embassies and protests in the Middle East, and the U.N. will address the civil war in Syria and concerns that Iran could obtain a nuclear weapon.

But we're also going to be looking out for those incendiary or awkward moments like we've seen in years past. Remember last year when Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad spoke. He criticized the U.S. and talked about his suspicions about the Holocaust and 9/11. Dozens of U.S. and European delegations walked right out of there.

John F. Kennedy secretly recorded conversations are now being made public. We'll play some of them for you in just a moment.

You're watching CNN SUNDAY MORNING. Back in just 60 seconds.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KAYE: Welcome back.

Fifteen minutes past the hour. Let's check some stories making news in your backyard. We start in Hawaii, where a runaway dock has been spotted off the coast of Maui. It's believed to be tsunami debris from Japan. One scientist says it's likely one of four missing docks that broke away during the March 2011 storm. Fishermen are a little concerned about who it could damage boats if it gets closer to shore.

And in New York, a controversial plan to provide emergency birth control to teens. A new program will allow school nurses at 13 New York City high schools to give students plan B and other emergency contraceptions without telling they are parents unless they specifically opt out.

Condoms are already widely distributed at high schools, but this is the first time hormonal birth control and plan B have been dispensed.

Chick-fil-A president Dan Cathy says the company still stands behind groups that oppose same-sex marriage. In a statement posted on former presidential candidate Mike Huckabee's Web site, Cathy is quoted saying the company has not made concessions in order to open a new restaurant in Chicago.

Last week, a Chicago alderman said company officials signed a letter promising it had changed its practices.

New conversations secretly recorded by former President John F. Kennedy have been released. These recordings have been under lock and key at the Kennedy Library Foundation for more than three decades. One of those conversations took place at the height of the civil rights movement. Riots and chaos erupted at the University of Mississippi in 1962 when James attempted to register at the all white school.

Now, here is a heated conversation between Kennedy and then Mississippi Governor Ross Barnett.

(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)

KENNEDY: Yeah, well, you see, we got to get order up there, and that's what we thought we're going to have.

ROSS BARNETT, THEN-MISSISSIPPI GOVERNOR: Mr. President, please. Why don't you, uh, can't you give an order up there to remove Meredith?

KENNEDY: How can I remove him, Governor, when there's a riot in the street, and he may step out of that building and something happen to him? I can't remove him under those conditions.

BARNETT: But, but--

KENNEDY: Let's get order up there, then we can do something about Meredith.

BARNETT: We can surround it with plenty of officials.

KENNEDY: Well, we've got to get somebody up there now to get order and stop the firing and the shooting. Then when, you and I will talk on the phone about Meredith. But first we've got to get order.

(END AUDIO CLIP)

KAYE: "Listening In: The Secret White House Recordings of John F. Kennedy" will be available in bookstores come Tuesday.

The anti-Islam film may not be the main reason Muslims are protesting against the U.S. it may have more to do with education.

But, first, the question for all of you political junkies watching this morning. Which swing state has the largest number of Muslim voters? Pennsylvania, Michigan, Florida, or Virginia? The answer in 60 seconds.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KAYE: Before the break, I asked you if you knew the answer to this question. Which of these swing states has the largest number of Muslim voters? Is it Pennsylvania, Michigan, Florida, or Virginia? Well, if you are playing along at home, the answer is Pennsylvania.

Now, New York and California have the highest numbers overall, but they are not considered swing states.

On Tuesday, it will be two weeks since protests against an anti-Islam film made in the U.S. began, but the outrage and in some instances violence is not just about insulting the Prophet Muhammad.

Earlier I spoke to "New York Times" columnist Nick Kristof. He wrote behind the passion behind the protest in his column today in the "New York Times" titled "Exploiting the Prophet." I asked why has the Islamic world erupted in such anger over blasphemy when other religions don't seem to do that.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

NICHOLAS D. KRISTOF, NEW YORK TIMES COLUMNIST: I think there are a few things going on here. And one is in a sense television can fashion few the degree of protest out there. That -- you know, in Libya, for example, there is a pretty small of people who are protesting against the video, and afterward there were huge numbers who were marching to warn our Ambassador Stevens and to apologize to America.

And one factor though is that there's really kind of profound misunderstanding how the West deals with (INAUDIBLE) assumption that this is no real tradition of freedom in many of these countries, and the assumption is secretly behind, part of a narrative of the U.S. out to get Islam.

You know, a Pakistani mullah once told me that since the United States executes people for committing blasphemy, then why shouldn't Pakistan? I said the U.S. executes blasphemers? He said, yes, President Clinton burned to death scores of Christian heretics. He said no.

And he pulled off a book off the shelf and pointed to the incident in Waco, Texas, in 1993.

KAYE: Oh, my.

KRISTOF: So, there's a real misunderstanding here that I think also feeds that, and, you know, at the hands of a lot of young men, unemployed, kind of frustrated with their governments, vulnerable to jihadists and taking over a narrative using this as a way of pushing back at their own government. I think all of this is kind of coming together in (INAUDIBLE).

KAYE: And in terms of these protests in the Middle East and North Africa that we're seeing right now -- I mean, are they about religion, do you think, or demographics because most of the people protesting are the young men in their teens and 20s. I mean, we've seen this in many countries.

KRISTOF: Yes. I mean, I feel like I'm betraying my gender here, but there's some evidence that really the biggest factor associated with civil conflict has nothing to do with religion, but, rather, it's a portion of people age 15 to 24 in a country, and especially those where women are marginalized, and these young men play a particularly significant role.

Some say the West was particularly violent because it was so full of young men. I hi that there are some extremist religious groups m Middle East that are kind of trying to take advantage of that, and they feel marginalized, and they're trying to use this issue as a wedge issue in their own cultural wars, and we're big players in that drama. KAYE: So, when you look at what's happened, do you think this means that the onus is on the U.S. and other Western nations to be more delicate with speech in Muslim nations and about Muslims?

KRISTOF: You know, that's a fascinating question. I mean, to what extent should we walk on eggshells to avoid giving offense? Well, at least I don't think that we should curb freedom of speech to prevent things that are perceived as blasphemy.

I don't think to be an imbecile is really one of our core values and we should thinking about that. I think Secretary Clinton was right to, you know, to announce this, say this is not representative; this is not the official government position, but we also immediate to make clear that we're not going to ban any stations.

KAYE: You also say that this is really more of a struggle between radical Islamists and government officials in certain Muslim countries, and that Americans are pawns in the fight. Can you explain that?

KRISTOF: Yes. You know, I think that there were a lot of Islamic radicals who felt that they had been imprison, they had fault for years against corrupt autocratic dictators, and then elections came, and they didn't benefit nearly as much as they thought they would, so the Salifists in Egypt, for example, or some of the radicals in Libya and they feel that they have been marginalized to push back against government officials who are more moderate.

KAYE: There was such a great sense of hope after the Arab spring, but now you have to wonder, are the effects of the Arab spring doomed because of this cultural sensitivity?

KRISTOF: Yes. I think there is -- I think there are a lot of Americans wondering has Arab spring become unglued and has autocracy by dictators been replaced by a rule of the mob. I think it's way too early to say that. I think this is, you know, the second inning in a long, long ballgame.

This is a work in progress. It's going to take time, but I don't see these countries falling over a cliff. I do see a lot of turbulence ahead.

KAYE: Yes, certainly seems that way.

Nick Kristof, nice to have you on the program. Thank you.

KRISTOF: Good to be back.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KAYE: It certainly is nice to have Nick back on our Sunday mornings once again, and once again, can you find his column in the "New York Times" today.

Could the world have come from nothing before the earth, the planets, and the sun? Was there nothing? If so, then how is there something now? An award winning physicist joins me to explain.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KAYE: Twenty-seven minutes past the hour.

And the 64th primetime Emmys will air tonight. Late night comedian Jimmy Kimmel is hosting, and we'll find out who will win the coveted award for best drama. So, let's take a look at the nominees. "Boardwalk Empire" from HBO, "Breaking Bad" from AMC, "Mad Men" also nominated again. It won the award last year.

"Downtown Abbey" from PBS. "Game of Thrones" also from HBO, and "Homeland" from Showtime.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KAYE: Welcome back, everyone, to CNN SUNDAY MONRING. I'm Randi Kaye. Bottom of the hour now.

Here are some of the stories we're watching this morning.

We start in Pakistan. A government official there is offering $100,000 reward for the death of the man who made the anti-Islamic film that has sparked violence overseas. The country's railway minister made the offer yesterday, saying that the money is his own and that he is not acting as a government official. The Pakistani government condemns the move.

Back in the U.S. Mitt Romney heading to the battle ground state of Colorado today. It is the first stop in what his campaign advisors are calling an intense battleground state schedule. From a rally tonight in Denver, he heads to a three-day bus tour in Ohio and then a stop in Virginia. President Obama won those three states back in 2008.

And in Texas a double amputee in a wheelchair was shot to death by police at a group home in Houston after threatening officers with a pen. Caretakers called police when they say the man who had been diagnosed with schizophrenia became aggressive. When they arrived, he threatened them with what appeared to be a metal object. It turned out to be a pen. The officer has been placed on administrative leave.

And in New York business, charitable and world leaders, have a very busy week. If they're not attending the U.N. General Assembly, chances are they'll be attending the Clinton Global Initiative meeting. The presidents of both Libya and Egypt will be there.

News surrounding major religions has been front and center the last few weeks. Just moments ago we looked at the outrage and in some instances violence that resulted in part because of a film insulting Islam and the Prophet Muhammad. But right now we wanted to take a different look at religion and science for this week's "Faces of Faith".

Cosmologist Lawrence Krauss joins me now from London. He is the author of "A Universe from Nothing." Lawrence good morning, nice to have you back on the program this morning. So what --

(CROSSTALK)

LAWRENCE KRAUSS, COSMOLOGIST: It's always good to be back.

KAYE: -- let's talk about this whole idea of nothing. Explain your book, if you will, first of all. I mean, you say the universe was created without the hand of God and that science can explain why everything exists. So explain that.

KRAUSS: Well, let me make it clear. I say it's plausible that it was created without God. I think that's what's worth celebrating is the fact that we can see some plausible steps. We don't know all the answers and I don't claim we know all the answers, but even the fact that the laws of nature themselves could have created everything we see, all 100 billion galaxies each containing a hundred billion stars from nothing.

It is absolutely remarkable, and the discoveries that have made that possible, that idea possible, are worth celebrating. The point is that we kind of realized after 100 years of studying the universe that the total energy of the universe could be precisely zero and if you are about to create a universe from nothing, that's probably a good first step.

The laws of quantum mechanics tell us that empty space is a boiling, bubbling brew of virtual particle that pop in and out of existence in a time scale so short you can't see them. Strange things can happen and in fact it's possible without any super natural shenanigans for matter and particles to be created from nothing.

It's even possible that space and time themselves popped into existence from nothing. It's allowed by the laws of physics and that is so remarkable that that we shouldn't feel it's a -- a threat. We should celebrate this new discovered knowledge.

KAYE: Ok. So for those folks at home who just listened to that and they are shaking their heads saying what -- how is this guy saying that something could come from nothing. Are you saying that there -- that there is energy in that nothing, in that space?

KRAUSS: You don't in fact -- what's really remarkable is once you put gravity into the mix, you can make -- you can have positive energy and negative energy. And you could start out with zero energy and then create positive energy particles that have positive energy, but their gravitational attraction has negative energy and the sum total can be zero. It sounds like the ultimate free lunch. And it potentially is.

Now, these things are strange, but the world of quantum mechanics is extremely strange, but we rely on it for the semiconductors that allow me to talk to you right now and the fact is that nature, the real universe is stranger than we could have imagined.

(CROSSTALK)

KAYE: So -- KRAUSS: It's -- it's in fact far more interesting than the -- than the fables produced by Iron Age peasants who wrote them down before the -- they even knew the earth orbited the sun, for example.

KAYE: So what do you say though, when people say you know maybe the notion of nothing creating something -- that sounds every bit as unbelievable as saying that God created all this. What do you say to those people?

KRAUSS: Well, what I say is that the real difference is that we're not presuming the answers before we ask the questions. When you say God did it, it's really kind of a -- a lazy result saying well, I don't know where it came from, and I'm going to assume intentionality, which is really what our ancient ancestors always assumed. They assumed that everything that happened had some intention.

But what we discover is that we've been driven to these amazing discoveries. For example, I'll -- here's an observational discovery that defies common sense. We have discovered and one of the reasons I wrote the book is we've discovered that empty space itself, empty space getting rid of all the particles and all the radiation, empty space weighs something. In fact, it has the dominant energy in the universe. It's causing the universe to expand ever faster, faster and faster. That discovery was so amazing that it was awarded the Nobel Prize last year.

Now, that sounds crazy, but it's true. And I think the point is that we have to force our beliefs to conform to the evidence of reality, instead of deciding this is the universe we want and we're going to -- we're going to force reality to conform to that.

The universe doesn't care what we want, and one of the beauties of science is it's forced us to change our attitudes about many things. It's forced us to open our minds, and I -- I think that's one of the great aspects of science is that we've learned that our preconceptions aren't always right, and certainly as I say, that you know, that we didn't know the truth before asking the universe what the truth is.

KAYE: So then is science compatible with religion in any way?

KRAUSS: Look, we can't -- I can't argue that there's no purpose to the universe. I can say there's no evidence of purpose to the universe, but there could be purpose that I don't know about, but the point is that what -- what we can say is that if there is purpose, it is strongly hidden and we don't need any super natural miracles to create everything we see.

I think in terms of a vague deism (ph) science and religion are compatible in that sense, but in terms of if in fact the actual doctrines of the world's religions, science is not compatible with them. The miracles of the Bible are inconsistent with science, but I -- you know, I think most people who claim they're religious don't really think Jonah lived inside of a whale or don't believe actually that when a priest blesses a wafer, it really turns into the body of Jesus Christ. I think they kind of throw out the things that they don't -- they think are silly and they keep the things they like because they want to believe them. And I think that's the main thing. People want to believe that someone is taking care of them, that the universe is a place where somehow they have some meaning and in fact, what I would argue is if we realize that we create the meaning in our own lives, our lives can become, in fact, richer than -- than -- than believing in these fairy tales.

KAYE: So just to be clear, though, are you saying there is no God or that you just believe that the universe was created without the hand of God?

KRAUSS: Well, I'm not saying -- I'm not making grand claims in either case. I'm not saying there is not God -- I'm saying there is no evidence for God. You don't see the need of God to create a universe. And in fact in that sense I personally wouldn't call myself an atheist because I don't presume to claim there's no God. If anything I declare myself as an anti-theist because I can't say with absolute certainty there is no God, but I would say is I much prefer to live in a universe without one.

KAYE: Lawrence Krauss always great to have you on the show, always a fascinating discussion. Thank you so much.

KRAUSS: Thanks.

KAYE: And best of luck with your new book as well.

KRAUSS: My pleasure.

KAYE: "Universe from Nothing."

KRAUSS: Thanks.

KAYE: And for more stories on faith, be sure to check out our widely popular belief blog at CNN.com/belief.

Forty-four days, that's how long undecided voters have to make up their minds in the presidential race. Candy Crowley explains why they still have not chosen a candidate.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KAYE: Look at that lovely shot of Philadelphia on this early Sunday morning. Good morning, Philadelphia. Thanks for waking up with CNN. We'll be right back in just a moment.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KAYE: Welcome back. It is time to get you ready for the week ahead. Think of this on our week ahead calendar this week as our United Nations edition. That is because on Tuesday President Obama will address the U.N. That's the second day of the general assembly and we will of course, carry that for you live on CNN so you don't miss a moment. On Wednesday Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, he'll be addressing the U.N. This might be pretty controversial again because last year delegations from the U.S. and the European nations walked out, you may recall.

Also now on Thursday the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, he's going to be speaking at the U.N., And is he really feeling a sense of urgency regarding Iran's nuclear program. He's expressed that over and over and certainly pushing the White House and the President to set a red line on taking some action in Iran.

Also, on Thursday with just 40 days before the election early voting begins in Iowa. Both Democrats and Republicans can fill out their absentee ballots.

And on Sunday it's a big day for troops. This is the last of the U.S. surge troops. They will be out of Afghanistan. That's about 23,000 men and women leaving roughly 65,000 U.S. troops. Plus, another 40,000 from nations like Canada, the U.K. and Germany.

Presidential gaffes sometimes are just funny. Other times they can kill a run at the White House. We'll break down some of history's biggest bloopers.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

HOWARD DEAN, FORMER PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: And then we're going to Washington D.C.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KAYE: "Saturday Night Live" is back, and with the campaign season in full swing, you can bet the candidates are catching the attention of the weekend update desk. Here is Seth Meyers on Mitt Romney's latest tax return.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SETH MEYERS, "SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE": Romney on Friday released his 2011 tax returns, which showed he paid a 14 percent tax rate, so just a little less than what restaurants add on for parties of six or more. The 14 percent tax rate Romney paid is less than the 20 percent paid by the average American. How did he pay such a low rate? He claimed 47 percent of Americans as dependents.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KAYE: Oh, that's pretty good.

And while Mitt Romney has been a target more than a few times, the "SNL" team is spreading the comedic wealth. Here they are calling out both candidates.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) MEYERS: President Obama, what are you doing? Your poll numbers are looking great. Your opponent is in flames. I haven't heard Joe Biden's name in months, which is great. Yet, you come out and say, "Hey, I can't change Washington from the inside."

I'm not saying what you said isn't true. I'm saying why are you saying anything during this Romney tailspin?

I mean, let's review. On Monday a secret tape is released where Romney insults half of the country, and then that same day he stands by those remarks. On Wednesday he does a town hall for Hispanics in brown face, and Friday Paul Ryan gets booed by the AARP, and then instead of just enjoying that, you go, "Hey, everybody, remember my campaign slogan? Yes, I can't do that."

Don't make this hard on yourself. You're like the criminal who gets away with murder, and then starts sending the cops puzzles to figure it out. Take a note from the queen of England. She is still in power because she's only said 11 words since 1940.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KAYE: Oh, that is so funny.

44 days until the election, and there are still undecided voters, actually. Some say they could either determine the election or just stay at home.

"STATE OF THE UNION" host Candy Crowley joins us now from Washington. Candy, I know you got a few good laughs there along with us watching those SNL clips. But in all seriousness, I mean who are these undecided voters, and why haven't they made up their minds?

CANDY CROWLEY, CNN HOST, "STATE OF THE UNION": Actually, it's one of the topics of discussion for the show today, but the fact is a lot of the things that -- the research that we have looked at shows that these undecided voters and its 6 percent, 7 percent -- I bet you get emails as well as I do, going, really who is undecided between these two guys? They're so different. How can you be thinking, oh, I might do President Obama, but I might do Mitt Romney?

The fact is that these -- many of them do have party affiliations, and they kind of drift in and out. Maybe one week they will say, "You know, I think I'm going to vote for President Obama." And the next week something happens and they go, "I don't know." They go back into that column.

It's the same kind of larger group of people, and I think the key question really is where are they trending now because obviously that -- the undecideds get smaller and smaller and smaller with every single day.

KAYE: You get the sense, though, that they'll come out and vote?

Yes. I think that's a big -- I have always said if you get to a point at the end of October and people are undecided, the question is are they really going to go vote at all? You know, pollsters look at how many times a given person they're talking to has voted in the past several presidential elections, and if there's a steady record of showing up, then obviously you think that's a likely voter.

But, you know, the question is if you can't decide, a lot of people do decide not to show up or they're in some place where it, you know, snows that day and they go, you know what; whatever. So, I think there's a high likelihood that some of them don't show up, and it's one of the questions I want to ask actually.

KAYE: Mitt Romney certainly seems to be cutting back on his fundraising efforts to go out and campaign after several Republican senators distanced themselves after that fundraising video. Candy, how concerned is Romney, do you think, about others jumping ship?

CROWLEY: Their main concern is not others jumping ship. In the end every election there comes a point where it really is every candidate for themselves; and in general, parties don't mind. What they want is to get -- if you are a Republican, more Republicans elected, and they want more Democrats elected if you are a Democrat, so it's -- there is this feeling, as you move closer to any election, hey, do what you have to do to get elected.

But there has been a concerted effort particularly on the part of Congressman Ryan and the number two on the ticket to say, ok, folks, you need to stick with us because it doesn't help to have, you know, folks kind of backing away from the top of the ticket. So they're concerned about it, but honestly, if you look at some of these polls and you know that you're going into the fall election where the President seemed to have the upper hand at this point, Mitt Romney's main concern has to be, "how do I shake this up".

KAYE: Yes. Certainly. Candy Crowley, thank you. Nice to see you.

CROWLEY: Sure.

KAYE: And keep it here for "STATE OF THE UNION". It starts in about ten minutes at 9:00 a.m. Eastern on CNN.

Presidential gaffes, they can range from amusing anecdotes to well, campaign killers. Comedian Dean Obeidallah joins me next to show us history's biggest bloopers. Good morning, Dean.

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KAYE: Good morning, Washington. Take a look there at the Washington monument. Thanks for starting your day with us. Keep it here for comedian Dean Obeidallah. He is talking presidential gaffes with us next.

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KAYE: I'm sure by now you've seen that secretly-taped video of Mitt Romney from May. In one ill-fated fundraiser Romney managed to offend Palestinians, Latinos and some of the same people he is counting on for support in the election. President Obama has been getting flack for his comments back in 2008 also in a private fundraiser saying people in small Midwest towns cling to their guns and religion.

Comedian Dean joins me now from New York. Dean, good morning. All right.

DEAN OBEIDALLAH, COMEDIAN: Good morning Randi.

KAYE: So you made a list, an interesting list, of some of the worst gaffes by Democrats and Republicans. Al Gore taking credit for creating the Internet was at the top of your list.

OBEIDALLAH: That was -- to me that one was the big one. One quick thing about Mitt Romney -- it has been a horrible last couple of weeks. He is becoming the Lindsay Lohan of politics. It's mistake after mistake. Even Lindsay Lohan is, like you have to get your crap together. But we think it will turn around for him.

Al Gore, yes, creating the Internet is something that -- it showed us a different side. It's like taking credit for like inventing electricity or the color red or something. Bush actually used campaign ads against him. The idea that somehow any human being could have created the Internet paints you as a pompous, arrogant guy. So that was not good for Al Gore. Very --

(CROSSTALK)

KAYE: No. All right.

Let's talk some recent Republican gaffes, including Rick Perry, appearing, I guess you might say, a little loopy one day.

OBEIDALLAH: Yes, he did appear a little loopy. That I think painted a little picture -- the hardest thing about Rick Perry at the Republican presidential debate, he couldn't remember the third agency he wanted to eliminate. If you're a candidate running for office and you have three agencies, write it on your hand. We won't -- just look down. And the third agency is the EPA.

Make it easy for yourself. There's nothing wrong -- I don't if he was drunk or being playful. I think not remembering the agencies you want to eliminate during a national debate, that gaffe is more than a gaffe. (inaudible)

KAYE: Yes. That's when you are sitting, you know, watching, cringing for him.

OBEIDALLAH: Like an SNL parody.

KAYE: Yes. Of course, there's Sarah Palin and the Katie Couric interview on CBS from 2008. That made the list too.

OBEIDALLAH: Sarah Palin to me -- if she would have run for president, it would have been an economic stimulus package for comedians. I wanted her to run just for the humor. This -- unfortunately Sarah Palin already had a credibility issue, and when she said she didn't know -- she couldn't name the publications she was reading, I think to all of us -- it made us realize she probably is not reading any publications.

I mean it really became that obvious because you would say "Time" magazine, "Newsweek", whatever it might be, "Drudge Report" -- whatever you want to say, say it. She couldn't answer the question. I think it really -- I think that really was a nail in her coffin saying this person might not be ready to be vice president, let alone president.

KAYE: Yes. What about -- you know we talked about Mitt Romney a little bit. He certainly has made a few mistakes lately, but in '68 it was his father, George, who also made a really big gaffe.

OBEIDALLAH: His father who was the governor of Michigan and actually one of the leading Republican candidates said he had supported the Vietnam War and then was brainwashed -- exactly, there's the quote -- he was brainwashed by generals of Vietnam to support the Vietnam War and then flip-flopped and was against the Vietnam. And I guess evolving -- is a nice way of putting it -- on issues is a Romney trait -- family thing passed down. I think Mitt's done (inaudible).

But we don't want to hear our candidates are being brainwashed by anyone. You want to be like -- you know, I state this is my views, no one can change it. I'm not brainwashed. It was a little concerning to people.

KAYE: So as a comedian, I know you're not in the business of politics but what's your advice? I mean is there any way for them to avoid these gaffes and not make your list?

OBEIDALLAH: I think not speak. You have to just be silent, lock yourself the room, let your surrogate do all the speaking for you that you want. And then you can disavow yourself from the surrogate.

It's a tough road on the campaign trail. Let's be honest, these guys and women are out there, 16, 18-hour days, city to city, on a plane, off a plane, not sleeping -- I feel for them.

But there's a difference between a gaffe, it's a mistake and real glimpses into the -- what the candidate's about. That's the difference. Those are the ones that mostly --

KAYE: Certainly.

Dean Obeidallah, thank you.

OBEIDALLAH: Thanks Randi.

KAYE: And thank you every one for watching today.

"STATE OF THE UNION" with Candy Crowley starts right now. Enjoy your Sunday.