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CNN Saturday Morning News
Obama: Romney has "Romnesia"; CNN Poll Close Contest for Florida; Standing Up for Lance; Fighting Voter Fraud in 2012; Interview with New York Democratic Congressman Eliot Engel
Aired October 20, 2012 - 07:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
RANDI KAYE, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning, everyone. I'm Randi Kaye.
VICTOR BLACKWELL, CNN ANCHOR: I'm Victor Blackwell.
It's 7:00 on the East Coast, 4:00 out West.
You know, I've wondered on our West Coast, our friends watching from there. If this is the beginning of their Saturday or just the end of the Friday night. You know what I'm saying.
KAYE: I know what you're saying.
BLACKWELL: I wondered, tweet us.
KAYE: Well, as long as they're watching, you know what? It doesn't matter, right?
BLACKWELL: That's true, that's true.
KAYE: That's how I look at it.
Well, just 17 days to go until the presidential election and it is crunch time. The candidates are hunkering down this weekend doing debate prep. The third and final debate is Monday night, but before stepping back today, both candidates put the pressure on voters in those key swing states and that meant a lot of trash talking on the trail.
BLACKWELL: Let's start with the Obama campaign. During a rally in Virginia yesterday, the president came up with the new diagnosis for his competitor. Listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: He's forgetting what his own positions are. And he's betting that you will, too. I mean, he's changing up so much, backtracking and side stepping. We've got a -- we've got to -- we've got to name this condition that he's going through. I think -- I think it's called Romnesia.
And if you come down with a case of Romnesia and you can't seem to remember the policies that are still on your Web site or the promises that you've made over the six years you've been running for president, here's the good news -- Obamacare covers pre-existing conditions. (APPLAUSE)
We can fix you up! We've got a cure!
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KAYE: Mitt Romney took no time to fire back against the president's comments. During his rally in Florida, he said Obama is avoiding real issues by talking about Romnesia and claims it's a sign that Obama campaign is, quote, "shrinking."
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ROMNEY: -- campaign lately. It's absolutely remarkable. They have no agenda for the future. No agenda for America. No agenda for the second term.
It's a good thing they won't have a second term.
(APPLAUSE)
They have -- they've been reduced to petty attacks and silly word games. Just watch this. The Obama campaign has become the incredible shrinking campaign. This is -- this is a big country with big opportunities and great challenges and they keep on talking about smaller and smaller things.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BLACKWELL: Well, it's not just the candidates talking. There are some influential newspapers making picks.
"The Denver Post" is throwing its weight behind President Obama. The newspaper published an op-ed on Friday, writing that the president has shown that, quote, "he is a steady leader who keeps the interest of a broad array of Americans in mind." The newspaper said that his opponent, Mitt Romney, quote, "has not presented himself as a leader who will bring his party closer to the center. His comments on the 47 percent of Americans who refuse to take personal responsibility and care for their lives were telling insight into his views and a low point of the campaign."
"The Denver Post" also endorsed President Obama in 2008.
Another newspaper endorsement for the president, this one from "Salt Lake Tribune". The Utah newspaper said, quote, "The president has earned a second term. Romney, in whatever guise, does not deserve a first." "The Tribune" endorsed the president in the last election and President Bush in 2004.
"The Orlando Sentinel" comes out in support of the challenger, endorsing Mitt Romney. The newspaper writes that, quote, "We have little confidence that Obama would be more successful managing the economy and the budget in the next four years. For that reason, though we endorsed him in 2008, we are recommending Romney in this race." Meanwhile, the Obama campaign announced a new record for the largest, single day of fund-raising. They say that the day after the second debate, they raised the most money yet, even beating out 2008 campaign numbers. They're not giving exact numbers, but the campaign says they took in $181 million in total in September.
KAYE: And with just 17 days until the big election, all eyes are focused on the ever-tightening polls in battleground states. CNN political editor Paul Steinhauser joins us now this morning.
Paul, good morning.
I'll tell you -- I mean, you're looking at the new polls in Florida and Ohio. We're coming down to the wire here. What do we know?
PAUL STEINHAUSER, CNN POLITICAL EDITOR: Yes, we sure are. And, of course, Florida, the biggest of the battleground states, 29 electoral votes at stake, and take a look at this -- this is our CNN/ORC poll. This is conducted entirely after the debate on Tuesday night. We were in the field Wednesday and Thursday in Florida.
And look at these numbers here. It's basically all tied up, Mitt Romney one point ahead of President Obama and within the sampling here and it's, obviously, in a dead heat. In Florida, they're the numbers on the left. You can see Romney, 49 percent among likely voters, the president 48 percent.
On the right, those were the numbers back and late August before the conventions and before the debates, the president with a slight advantage. But again, within the sampling error.
Let's move to Ohio. We know Ohio, another one of those states that's being heavily contested. This is a FOX News poll also conducted entirely after the debate. And in this poll, the president with a three-point advantage up in Ohio, but that is within the sampling era, again.
So, you know, we keep talking, Randi, about how these races are so close in these battleground states. Well, yes, according to the polls, they are.
KAYE: No kidding. And, of course, new ads out by both campaigns, certainly trying to make a difference as we come down to the end here. Tell us about those.
STEINHAUSER: Yes, the ads are interesting because you can learn a lot about a campaign from the ads they're running.
Let's start with an Obama campaign ad. It's one of their newest ones. It's running in Ohio. Take a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Without President Obama's rescue of the auto industry, Ohio would have collapsed.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Mitt Romney would have just let us go under. Just let them go bankrupt.
ROMNEY: That's exactly what I said. The headline you read.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
STEINHAUSER: This is one the biggest themes from the Obama campaign, you heard it all at the Democratic convention and you heard the president talk about the auto bailouts and remember at the debate the other night, he pivoted and talked about the auto bailouts and criticized Mitt Romney. They think this is a really winning issue in Ohio and in Michigan, where there are a lot of auto jobs.
The Romney campaign, of course, pushes back, saying that Mitt Romney, of course, wanted to save the auto companies, but he wanted a private structured bailout.
And here's a Romney campaign commercial, a brand-new one just started running yesterday. Take a listen to this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ROMNEY: And Republicans and Democrats both love America, but we need to have leadership -- leadership in Washington that will actually bring people together and get the job done.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
STEINHAUSER: Here we go -- Mitt Romney talking about bipartisanship and this is a thing you've heard a lot from Mitt Romney lately. The Obama campaign, of course, pushing back. You heard the president call Mitt Romney Romnesia.
But this is theme from the Romney campaign as they try to bring in independent voters, moderates, when they talk about bipartisanship and getting things done here in Washington, Randi.
KAYE: Certainly getting even more exciting, Paul. Thank you. Nice to see you.
STEINHAUSER: Thanks.
BLACKWELL: It is back. I'm talking about the etch-a-sketch as a campaign punchline. You may recall the line was made famous by a Romney staffer about seven months ago, but the reference is not stale for Vice President Joe Biden.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOSEPH BIDEN, VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: -- that Romney's plans have become awfully sketchy is the phrase the president's used. I'm reluctant to correct the president. But I would respectfully suggest they're not sketchy, they're etch-a-sketchy.
(LAUGHTER)
(END VIDEO CLIP) KAYE: And Paul Ryan was back near the scene of the line. The 47 percent line, that is. Ryan attended a fund-raiser hosted by Marc Leder on Friday. Leder is a private equity executive who was hosting a fund-raiser for Mitt Romney when the Republican challenger uttered the now infamous 47 percent remark.
At Friday's event, donors paid $2,500 to attend a general reception. For $10,000, they earned a picture with the vice presidential candidate.
Well, we've got much more ahead this hour.
BLACKWELL: Here's what's coming up.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KAYE (voice-over): New documents about the attack on Benghazi published on the web. Republicans say they offer transparency, but Democrats warn the sensitive information could endanger lives.
They're the 8 percent to 10 percent who may decide the election. All morning, we're putting the uncommitted voter in focus.
The Pennsylvania voter ID law was struck down. So, why are these still up? We'll go live to that swing state to explain.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KAYE: Good morning, Washington, D.C. Look at that beautiful picture of the Capitol building there. Lights are on. Maybe folks are already hard at work this morning.
Glad you're with us for CNN SATURDAY MORNING.
BLACKWELL: Well, with just 17 days to go until the election, we're focusing on a group of people who could be key to who wins: uncommitted voters.
Now, they're not necessarily undecided, but they are not set in stone.
Maria Lopez Reeves (ph) is one of those. She's a lifelong Democrat who worked on the Hillary Clinton campaign four years ago. But now, she has reservations, especially about the direction of Medicare and she's leaning in a new direction.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MARIA LOPEZ REEVES (ph), LIFELONG DEMOCRAT: I was born in Santurce, Puerto Rico. I grew up in Miami and in New York, and I spent my summers in Puerto Rico.
We moved exactly a week ago. It's nice out here. There's a good mixture of everything. Everybody lives out here.
I hear Spanish and so I'm accustomed to that. We're comfortable right now.
I've always been a Democrat. I worked on Hillary's campaign and I truly believed in her, but I have my reservations right now.
There's so much talk about redoing the system and cutting back on Medicare and if they cut back any more, there won't be any more Medicare.
And it affects me because I'm on Medicare for my disability. I have been asthmatic since birth. I've lost my hearing 10 years ago and I wear a cochlear implant and I got very ill in 1986 and I could not work.
Up until then, I was hardworking, full time working person, and I contributed, like anybody else. I'm still in my 50s. I don't want to be without any health coverage come my 70s.
Mitt Romney, I guess what drew me more to him was his religion. His not per se religion, his religious ideas, his family values as a family man. I'm hoping that he stands behind what he says.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I was able to stand strong because I saw you --
REEVES: And Ryan, I just like his running mate and a lot of things that he stands for are not good. Again, mostly Medicare and the cutbacks and I'm hoping that, you know, Mitt Romney has a heart.
President Obama, I gave him my vote because of Hillary. She asked us to. I was hoping that because he was a family man, he had daughters that he would bring more, you know, more family values back to this country that we need so much.
If a person wants to be gay, that's fine. That's their lifestyle. I don't want to be imposed on me or my family or children.
I'm against abortion and, so, that would be a person that's Republican. And I'm not. I'm a Democrat.
But for this election, I have to sit here and weigh both sides because I don't feel strongly about the Democratic Party any more.
TV ANCHOR: Call it the Romney economics --
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KAYE: More of our focus on the uncommitted voter in our next hour. We'll chat with two voters who were front and center at Tuesday's debate, including one who asked what the president has done to earn his vote this time around.
Lance Armstrong breaks his silence.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LANCE ARMSTRONG, CYCLING CHAMP: It's been an interesting couple of weeks. It's been a difficult couple of weeks. (END VIDEO CLIP)
KAYE: We'll tell you why the cycling champ can still count on support from some of his fans.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KAYE: Welcome back.
New charges of voter fraud in the swing state of Virginia. A campaign worker is accused of throwing registration forms into the dumpster there. Colin Small faces 13 counts of voter fraud. Investigators say he worked for a private consulting firm, which was contracted by the Republican Party to register voters.
The sheriff says Small threw out eight voter forms. They do not believe this is widespread.
BLACKWELL: Just three days before the final presidential debate, new controversy surrounding the September 11th attack on the U.S. consulate in Benghazi. Republican House Oversight Chairman Darrell Issa has released sensitive, but unclassified documents on Libya.
Among the 166 pages are diplomatic cables from Ambassador Christopher Stevens that reveal his now prophetic concerns over security. We'll dive deeper into the details in a few minutes.
KAYE: And the first professionally gay boxer in history is celebrating this morning. Last night, Orlando Cruz won his first match since coming out two weeks ago. The Puerto Rican beat his opponent in a unanimous decision in Kissimmee, Florida. Cruz says he's been touched by all the support. He hopes his big win earns him a chance at a world title fight. Good for him.
BLACKWELL: A storied career in tatters amid allegations of doping.
KAYE: That is the situation facing Lance Armstrong, after the release of a damning report by the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency.
BLACKWELL: It accuses the cyclist of having a prominent role in what the USADA calls a, quote, "sophisticated doping program."
Don Riddell explains how, despite the charges, some are sticking by the embattled athlete.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DON RIDDELL, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): He's been accused, disgraced and humiliated. But in his hometown of Austin, and within the cancer community, in particular, Lance Armstrong is still very much loved.
ARMSTRONG: I've been better, but I've also been worse. Thank you so much for your support. It means the world to me.
RIDDELL: Speaking publicly for the first time since she was engulfed by a doping scandal, Armstrong admitted that it had been a difficult two weeks -- 14 days in which he has been branded as a cheat and a liar, dropped by almost all of his sponsors and forced to resign as chairman of his own charity, Livestrong.
(on camera): You've been a proud supporter of this organization for many years. Has anything changed for you in the last days?
SEAN PENN, ACTOR: In the last days, no. I think, you know, it's an organization that was developed by somebody who has been an enormous inspiration to so many and to myself and has done an incredible amount of good and I expect it will continue.
RIDDELL: Does he remain an inspiration, sir?
PENN: Yes, of course, he remains an inspiration. You know, I think anybody who is looking with a very clear eye at this would find themselves very hypocritical to think otherwise.
RIDDELL (voice-over): Sean Penn is one of several Hollywood A-listers supporting Armstrong and Livestrong, a foundation that's raised almost half a billion dollars and helped 2.5 million people worldwide since 1997.
But some of Armstrong's donors have told CNN they now want their money back. And the foundation might find that Armstrong's continued involvement does more harm than good.
DR. MICHAEL WOLF, LIVESSTRONG SUPPORTER: The interesting thing, if you interview 1,800 people tonight, probably 1,800 will tell you to use the phrase, which is not about the bike. It's not about Lance. It's about for all of us, the foundation, and the cancer support program.
RIDDELL (on camera): Well, Victor and Randi, Lance Armstrong as you know has been accused, disgraced and humiliated. But in Austin, among supporters of his Livestrong Cancer Foundation, he remains very much loved.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BLACKWELL: They're trying to prevent fraud in the election booth, but critics say their effort are unfairly targeting and possibly intimidating certain voters. But here's the question: who are they?
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KAYE: Mortgage rates dip to another record low this week. We're back in 60 seconds.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KAYE: Just about the bottom of the hour now. Welcome back, everyone. I'm Randi Kaye.
BLACKWELL: I'm Victor Blackwell. It's a pleasure to have you with us.
We're going to start this half with the five stories we're watching this morning.
KAYE: First up, both President Obama and Mitt Romney are out of the spotlight today. Obama is at Camp David. Romney is in Florida. They're both preparing for the last presidential debate set for Monday night in Boca Raton, Florida.
The stakes could not be higher. Polls show the race is getting tighter, especially in Florida, where the candidates are tied in recent polls.
BLACKWELL: Number two, tensions are high in Lebanon today after a deadly car bombing, which killed three and injured more than 100. Gunfire erupted in Beirut and enraged citizens blocked roads and burned tires after the blast.
Protest also turned violent in other cities where locals blame the Syrian government for that attack.
KAYE: And our third story, Malala Yousafzai, the Pakistani school activist shot in the head by Taliban is showing signs of a remarkable recovery. Standing for the first time in her U.K. hospital room and even communicating through writing and she's not speaking yet and doctors do point out that she's not of the woods yet either.
BLACKWELL: And Republican Congressman Joe Walsh from Illinois clarified his controversial comments on abortion. He previously said that he's pro-life with no exception and the exception for the life of the mother is just an excuse for an abortion.
Well, here's his clarification. "Why I do not support abortion, I do, of course, support medical procedures for women during their pregnancies that might result in the loss of the unborn child when such an occurrence takes place. That decision is a very difficult one and one that should be left up to the mother and her family."
KAYE: And, finally, in Detroit, a rash of shootings has drivers there on edge. Since last Tuesday, at least 15 people have been shot at by an unknown suspect. Most of the shootings have occurred along Interstate 96. No one has actually been injured. Police are looking for a suspect.
BLACKWELL: Fifteen cars shot out this week. Three counties and most along Interstate 96 corridor, but some along surface road seem random.
KAYE: Yes, that's also -- everything that's happening there, it's pretty bad. It's pretty scary.
BLACKWELL: It is. So, let's talk about Ohio, Wisconsin -- scary for some of the people who are running for president and vice president because they need these states, battlegrounds in the 2012 presidential election.
KAYE: And not only for President Obama and Governor Romney, CNN's crime and justice correspondent Joe Johns has more now on the clash over efforts to stop voter fraud.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JOE JOHNS, CNN CRIME AND JUSTICE CORRESPONDENT: Randi and Victor, you might think voter fraud is a massive problem given all the attention it's getting this year, despite the fact that a Justice Department study said it was an issue in far less than 1 percent of the votes cast between 2002 and 2005.
So, are new ads about voter fraud intended to inform voters or intimidate them?
(voice-over): Voter fraud is a felony. Billboards with this simple and factual message are stirring up controversy in two battleground states.
Here's why voting rights activists like Eric Marshall are upset.
ERIC MARSHALL, LAWYERS' COMMITTEE FOR CIVIL RIGHTS UNDER LAW: Yes, voter fraud is a felony. But it's the way they're being displayed and the fact that they're in almost exclusively areas or around areas predominantly African-American or Latino, it sends a message to those communities there's a problem with your voting.
JOHNS: The billboards have been popping up in cities in Ohio and Wisconsin, 85 in Milwaukee, 30 in Columbus, another 30 in Cleveland and 31 in Cincinnati. Protests started almost as soon as they went up demanding the signs come down.
NINA TURNER, OHIO STATE SENATE: This billboard is nothing but a symbol of pure, unadulterated suppression to target an African-American community.
JOHNS: But the two advertising companies that sold the space, Clear Channel and Norton Outdoor, say the buyer was not out to target minorities.
MIKE NORTON, NORTON OUTDOOR: There was no request for any specific demographic target at all. They wanted the best locations they could get for those four weeks leading up to the election.
JOHNS: The big mystery is, who's behind them? The billboard itself does not tell. It reads "Paid for by a private family foundation" and neither company will say who that is.
After declining an on camera interview, here's what Clear Channel wrote to CNN. "The advertiser put into the contract to remain anonymous. It is our policy to require advertisers, including political advertisers to have disclaimers which identify them. Unfortunately, that policy was not followed in this case."
But Marshall sees that as a red flag.
MARSHALL: No one's stepping forward and taking responsibility for these billboards and explaining why? And that's part of the problem. If these were innocuous, then why would you specifically negotiate in your contract with Clear Channel a confidentiality clause to stay hidden? JOHNS: But bottom line, Mike Norton, whose family owns Norton Outdoors, sees nothing wrong with the content of the ads.
NORTON: The things that stipulate from political advisers said: (a), it's accurate, and (b), that they're not attack ads. This fell well within the realm of reason on both of those benchmarks.
JOHNS: The billboards are scheduled to be up through Election Day and neither company has plans to take them down before then. Voting rights groups have raised $30,000 to put up their own billboards in Cleveland and Milwaukee encouraging everyone to vote -- Randi and Victor.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KAYE: Joe, thank you.
And Ohio and Wisconsin aren't the only state dealing with voter ID laws. Still ahead, we'll speak with two men on very different sides of the issue in Pennsylvania.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KAYE: An attempt to stop fraud or suppress the vote. In the presidential election year, that is the debate and often a heated one over voter ID laws. In Pennsylvania, a judge offered a split decision to laying the start of a tough new law while allowing poll workers to ask for photo IDs but not stopping voters if they don't have one.
Joining me now are Jim Burn, chairman of the Pennsylvania Democratic Party, which opposes the law, and Ron Ruman, communications director for the Pennsylvania Department of State which backs it.
Good morning to both of you. This is a very interesting topic, getting a lot of attention.
Ron, I want to start with you, though, first. Yesterday, the ACLU filed a motion with this same judge, saying that the Show It campaign that says photo IDs are still required is being publicized while making only a small disclaimer that you can vote without a photo ID. So, what are you doing to counter this messaging that a lot of folks are calling misleading?
RON RUMAN, COMMUNICATIONS DIR., PA. DEPT. OF STATE: (AUDIO GAP) in litigations. So, I'm a little bit constrained in what I can say about that. However, since the judge ruled October 2nd, we have revamped our outreach campaign to follow the judge's ruling which you said, Randi, will have poll workers asking voters for ID in this election and will not be required to vote if you don't have it, and you can still vote by regular ballot, which happened in the primary as well.
And the judge was very specific in his ruling that this education campaign should continue because right now that law is in effect for future elections. So, our campaign is saying now that you'll be asked to show the ID, though will not be required, and it will give information on the Web site and a toll free phone number where you can get information if you need a free photo ID for voting in future elections.
KAYE: But why not make it well known? I mean, this is false information, really, that is out there. I mean, why not change the messaging, letting people know that an ID is suggested, but not required?
RUMAN: Well, we did. It's absolutely in all the ads. It says very clearly in the television and radio spots, the Internet spots, that photo ID will be asked for, but not required to vote. That's the exact language. So it is very clearly stated in the spots that that is what will happen.
KAYE: But if you look at the messaging on that bus, as we look at it, it is hard to see that is the message, because all you see there is the license and show it.
But, let me ask you, your efforts and similar ones are focused on --
RUMAN: Well, I don't -- I don't -- I don't agree with that. It says if you have it this election, show it. So I think it's very clear, if you have it, show it. If you don't, you're not required to.
KAYE: All right. Let me continue here, because your efforts and similar ones are focused on voters, but there have also been reports in other states of consultants hindering the vote, by destroying the registration forms for example. How are you addressing that problem?
RUMAN: Well, we have not had that here in Pennsylvania this election anyway. So, we have a pretty good system here in Pennsylvania of voter registrations are handled by our 67 counties and we have very good election workers in each of those counties. They're very diligent about what they do and certainly we work with them if there are any problems that do arise.
In Pennsylvania, we had our share of irregularities over the years of people trying to submit false registrations, that sort of thing, on both sides. We had a situation several years ago where a Republican group was trying to scam college students in western Pennsylvania to changing their registration party or their address.
And the story that was done in the newspaper concluded the only reason they were doing this, they were trying to get these students registered and if they moved, as college students often do after they graduate, then they could have people vote for them. We've had ACORN people arrested and prosecuted for submitting false registrations here in Pennsylvania.
So, we've had that in the past and I'm not aware of anything in particular this year, though.
KAYE: OK, let me bring in Jim.
Pennsylvania began offering photo ID to registered voters in August for free. I know you are concerned about voters being confused, but by some estimates, only 12,000 IDs have actually been issued. Can you say that the large groups of people are being disenfranchised by this effort?
JIM BURN, CHAIRMAN, PA. DEMOCRATIC PARTY: Large groups would be disenfranchised and Ron and the administration should be ashamed of themselves for the spin they continue to take with this piece of legislation. Only 12,000 were registered because of the poor job this administration did in reaching out to those who may be affected.
I mean, we have to remember what started this piece of Orwellian legislation. The Republican governor who used to be the attorney general told folks it was about voter fraud, despite what Ron would have you believe. The governor, the former attorney general, never prosecuted a case.
The Republican leader of the House, Mike Turzai, admitted on the floor of the Republican Party meeting that this was about tilting the playing field in an uneven fashion to allow an inferior candidate, namely Governor Romney, to win Pennsylvania.
Then they would have you believe that only 100,000 voters would have been affected. It's more like three quarters of a million.
And now that the judge put the injunction in place, it's very easy, Ron. All you have to do is say this: you are not required to have identification, photo identification to vote in Pennsylvania. It's that simple.
But they are continuing to move forward with this, with this attempt, this campaign to disenfranchise and suppress and mislead Pennsylvania voters.
KAYE: And what about the checks and balances? I mean, this is a very, very tight race, Jim.
BURN: It is a tight race. But there has never been a case of voter fraud prosecuted. There's not this surge of folks marching to the polls with invalid identification or not this massive conspiracy that this governor and this administration would have you believe. It's simply not the case.
And when you look at the demographic of those in Pennsylvania who would be affected by this legislation, 85 percent, 90 percent of that demographic are Democratic voters or those who, through polling, strongly support this president. The Republican leader admitted what the purpose of the legislation was all about.
So, while we were pleased that the judge granted the injunction, Pennsylvanians do not have to show voter ID. We were disappointed that he left --
(CROSSTALK)
BURN: Yes?
KAYE: Let me just jump in here because very, very quickly. We want to get Ron's reaction to Republican House majority leader who was caught on tape saying this in June. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MIKE TURZAI (R), PA. HOUSE MAJORITY LEADER: Voter ID, which is going to allow Governor Romney to win the state of Pennsylvania, done.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KAYE: So, Ron, how do you address those allegations? What do you say?
RUMAN: Representative Turzai does not speak for the Corbett administration. And to a point Jim made, as he well knows, voter fraud is prosecuted by district attorneys here in Pennsylvania, not the attorney general. So, he's right, Governor Corbett, when attorney general, would not have prosecuted that. It would have been the local district attorneys which do not.
And I don't -- you know, we believe that about 1 percent of eligible voters did not have photo ID when the law was passed. As far as who it would impact, I don't think anyone really knows that.
I also point out that poll after poll here in Pennsylvania and across the country shows large majority of voters, including Democrats, support the concept of having a photo ID. What it does, preserves the integrity of every vote by giving us something we don't have right now, which is a reliable, common sense way to verify the identity of that voter when they come to the polls.
Maybe there's a little voter fraud in Pennsylvania, maybe there's a lot. No one really knows and people who care about elections should support this common sense step to make sure our elections are fair and decided by the legal voters.
KAYE: I appreciate both of you weighing in, Ron Ruman and Jim Burn. Thank you very much for your time this morning.
RUMAN: Thank you, Randi.
BLACKWELL: Two presidential debates down and now it comes to the third and final showdown on Monday. But with the focus on foreign policy, the GOP may have given Mitt Romney the weapon he needs against President Obama. New York congressman and House Foreign Affairs Committee member Eliot Engel joins us next to give us a little perspective.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: This is the third time that Governor Romney and I have met recently. As some of you may have noticed, I had more energy in our second debate. I felt really well rested after the nice long nap I had in the first debate.
(LAUGHTER)
(END VIDEO CLIP) BLACKWELL: Seventeen days until Election Day and the race is a dead heat.
Now, one thing that's been moving the poll numbers this month are the debates. Two down, one to go. Governor Romney gained some ground after the first one and President Obama had the best single day of fund- raising in history after the second debate.
Well, number three is Monday. It's the last chance the candidates will have to persuade voters in such large numbers. A foreign policy is the focus of the upcoming debate.
But just three days from that big foreign policy debate, Republican chairman of the House Overnight Committee has released this -- 166 pages of sensitive, but unclassified documents that will likely add fuel to the fire surrounding the deadly attack on the U.S. consulate, the mission there in Benghazi.
Joining me now is New York Congressman Eliot Engel, a member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee.
Good to have you this morning.
Before we get to the debate, I want to ask you about these documents released by Chairman Issa. It includes some important diplomatic cables.
Aren't these documents showing there was really a major security concern before the attack?
REP. ELIOT ENGEL (D), NEW YORK: Well, we don't really know and the investigation is going on, we should let the investigation continue. The Republicans with Chairman Issa, with Mitt Romney statements trying to make political hay out of a national tragedy -- quite frankly, I think the way Governor Romney acted after the ambassador was killed was despicable.
At a time of such national tragedy, we should be pulling together and speaking with one voice, not trying to score cheap political points.
President Obama is no more responsible for what happened in Benghazi than President Bush was for 9/11 or President Reagan was for the Marines being killed in Beirut.
BLACKWELL: Congressman, you say we don't know. I want to read you something from this document dump on Friday. This is from Ambassador Chris Stevens. He writes in a cable, he says, "What we have seen are not random crimes of opportunity, but rather targeted and discriminate attacks."
So, he, obviously, knew something there. This shows a pattern of persistent violence. The attacks were targeted, not random, right?
ENGEL: Well, I don't think we know. I think there are conflicting reports. I think we ought to have everything investigated fully. If there was any kind of impropriety, then I think heads should roll. But what I'm saying is that at a time of national crisis, the Republicans should stop playing cheap political games. That's what Governor Romney is doing. That's what Congressman Issa is doing. That's what they are doing. This is just an attempt to try to sway the election.
The ambassador was killed. It was a tragedy. I want to get to the bottom of it.
You know, we had classified briefings in Congress, and while I can't, you know, divulge what happened, I think a lot of things are murky. I want to get to the bottom of it just like anybody else.
BLACKWELL: But here's the question.
ENGEL: I don't want it to be cheap political points and that's what they are doing.
BLACKWELL: You say you want to get to the problem of it, the problem, at least the Republicans would say, is that the government is not speaking with one voice.
We want to go to the sound bite from the president on the 12th in the Rose Garden. Let's listen to that and then let's listen to other members of the administration saying some very different things. Let's start with the president.
OK. Well, I can tell you what the president said. He indeed the next day called it an act of terror, saying no act of terror would stand against the president.
But then we heard from Jay Carney the president's spokesperson who says there was nothing pointing to this being a planned act of terror.
Then we heard from the U.N. Ambassador Susan Rice who said that there was nothing that showed this was planned or premeditated, when we heard from her on the 16th on all the Sunday shows.
And then on the 27th, we heard from Panetta, the secretary of defense, who said it was clear this was a planned act of terror.
So, should the administration come out and say what it absolutely is or is not before they know?
ENGEL: Well, President Obama said the buck stops with him, and the administration should investigate and come out with exactly what happened there.
You know, I really find it interesting that the Republicans are trying to use this for the election when -- when Congressman Ryan, my colleague, had a budget which cut $330 million out of diplomatic security which is less than what the administration requested.
So, you know, I want to get to the bottom of it, and I want to find out if there were any kind of improprieties, and if there are heads should roll. But I think using this to use cheap political gains before an election is not what the Republicans should be doing at all.
BLACKWELL: Do you think that Congressman Issa released these documents specifically to set up Governor Romney before the debate on Monday?
ENGEL: Well, what do you think? I think Congressman Issa --
BLACKWELL: What do you think?
ENGEL: I think, of course. I think Congressman Issa has been doing these kinds of things with his committee, playing politics, and -- and becoming the attack dog against the administration.
This is just one in many things that Congressman Issa has done. That's what his committee does. That's the purpose of his committee, and, of course, they are doing it because of the debate.
BLACKWELL: Let me get --
ENGEL: President Obama has a great record on national security. He killed Osama bin Laden. We're getting out of Afghanistan. We got out of Iraq. That's why the American people have constantly said that President Obama is way ahead of Governor Romney in terms of national security, in terms of foreign policy.
BLACKWELL: All right. Congressman Engel of New York, thank you for your time.
ENGEL: My pleasure. Thank you.
KAYE: Check out these images of President Obama. One 80-year-old woman found them so offensive that she just had to get involved. Her story coming up after the break.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BLACKWELL: Just about two and a half weeks away from the presidential election, and we've all seen how really nasty this political process can get.
KAYE: It is ugly.
But one woman says defaced posters of President Obama just goes too far.
Kevin Hogan of our affiliate WFSB in Connecticut filed this report.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
NANCY LACK, REMOVED DEFACED OBAMA POSTERS: I was very mad because I saw the mustache, and I went to the gym and tried to cool off a little bit.
KEVIN HOGAN, WFSB (voice-over): Nancy Lack said she did what she thought was right last week and removed three lawn signs placed by supporters of the Lyndon LaRouche Political Action Committee. The signs were posted at a table outside the Hebron Post Office on Route 66.
LACK: They tried to hold on to the posters, and I -- I won. I took them and put them in my car, and it just made me so angry that they would distort Obama like that.
HOGAN: Representatives of the PAC filed a complaint with the state police after getting her license plate. She was charged with sixth degree larceny and breach of peace. In Connecticut, (INAUDIBLE) of a small number of lawn signs is a class C misdemeanor, punishable by up to three months in prison and a $500 fine.
But Nancy tells me it was the image that disturbed her so, recalling a period in our nation's history during World War II.
LACK: It just infuriated that they would put such a hateful image on to him.
HOGAN: They had to arrest her.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Good. Good. They should do more of that.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think I would have did the same thing.
HOGAN: Our cameras captured members of the LaRouche PAC near the post office in Andover promoting an upcoming live webcast. While they would not comment about the arrest, the LaRouche staffer Angela Vullo gave up this statement. That Barack Obama is a puppet of the British Empire and is threatening thermal nuclear war in order to impose a global financial dictatorship.
Nancy Lack tells me she realizes now what she did was wrong and will represent herself in court to answer the charges.
LACK: Hitler and that's what made me angry.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KAYE: She has to go to court for this. That is amazing, facing three months in prison for pulling down a sign?
BLACKWELL: And she clearly thinks her case is strong enough where she doesn't need an attorney. She will walk in and state her case.
KAYE: Yes, I just can't believe that something like that -- I mean, you have a charge of larceny and a breach of peace, really?
BLACKWELL: Yes, an 80-year-old woman pulls down a sign.
KAYE: Wow! Man, oh, man.
BLACKWELL: All right. Thanks for starting your morning with us.
KAYE: We have got much more ahead on CNN SATURDAY MORNING which starts right now.
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