going to win" according to this CNN poll reported by Bill Schneider yesterday:

http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0810/06/sitroom.01.html

THE SITUATION ROOM

The Dow Dives; Stocks Plunge Worldwide; Obama Urges Help for Middle Class

Aired October 6, 2008 - 16:00 ET

WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR: "But this just coming in to THE SITUATION ROOM right now, brand- new polls of the election and the economy. Our senior political analyst, Bill Schneider, is in Nashville, where the debate will take place tomorrow night. Now that the bailout has passed, are voters becoming more optimistic about the future?

Let's talk a little bit about these brand-new poll numbers, Bill. What are we learning?

WILLIAM SCHNEIDER, CNN SR. POLITICAL ANALYST: Well, they haven't become more optimistic. They have gone from bleak to bleaker.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SCHNEIDER (voice-over): The bailout package didn't help. Public anxiety continues to mount. The D-word is back. Nearly six in 10 Americans believe the country is headed for another depression. And, for the first time, Barack Obama has a significant lead over John McCain in the presidential race, eight points.

The two sentiments are closely connected. The more likely you think a depression is, the more you vote for Obama. McCain is offering his prescription.

MCCAIN: A vote for me will guarantee immediate pro-growth action, tax cuts for America's hardworking families, strong support for small businesses, which are the backbone of our economy.

(APPLAUSE)

SCHNEIDER: But more and more voters believe McCain's policies would be the same as President Bush's. And President Bush's job rating, 24 percent, is the same as Richard Nixon's was when he resigned after Watergate.

Only 26 percent of Americans have confidence in Bush's ability to handle the nation's financial crisis. Confidence in McCain, 50 percent. More than two-thirds have confidence in Obama's ability to handle the crisis.

OBAMA: The rescue package we just passed in Congress isn't the end of what we need to do to fix our economy. It's just the beginning of what we need to do to fix our economy.

(APPLAUSE)

SCHNEIDER: Why do voters have so much confidence in Obama's economic skills? Partly because he has a lot of Clinton people around him.

OBAMA: We need to do what a guy named Bill Clinton did in the 1990s, and put people first again.

(APPLAUSE)

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SCHNEIDER: The bad economy is driving a growing consensus that Obama is going to win. Right now, 61 percent of Americans believe Obama will be elected. Now, that is greater than the number of people who are planning to vote for him, because more than -- because 30 percent of Republicans believe their guy is going to lose -- Wolf.

BLITZER: Bill Schneider in Nashville getting ready for the debate, the second presidential debate tomorrow night..."

http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0810/06/acd.01.html

ANDERSON COOPER 360 DEGREES

Dow Drops; Presidential Campaign Turns Negative

Aired October 6, 2008 - 22:00 ET

ANDERSON COOPER, CNN ANCHOR: "Well, it may be hard to hear when McCain asked the crowd who's the real Barack Obama guy, and the crowd screamed out "terrorist."

There's no doubt this race is getting nastier. If you want to know why, just look at the calendar and the Electoral College map. Joining us for a strategy session, John King joins us again, along with Candy Crowley.

John, I want to take a look at how the electoral map is shaping up. Obama pulled ahead of McCain 250 to 189 electoral votes with 99 tossup votes. How real? I mean, there's been this huge change toward Obama over the last two or so weeks. How solid is that change? How deep is that support? And could tomorrow night really make of a difference?

JOHN KING, CNN CHIEF NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Tomorrow night could make a difference, because John McCain is running out of opportunities to have a national change in the dynamic. We've been telling people for months and months and months pay no attention to the national polls. Well, this is a time you actually can, because Barack Obama has opened up a lead of six, seven, sometimes eight points in the national polls. If that is the case, then he is poised for a big electoral college win.

He have him leading in states with 250 electoral votes right now. That means if he can win right here where I am the state of Ohio, 20 electoral votes, and keep those other states, he's the next president of the United States.

Or he can win a combination of Colorado, New Mexico and New Hampshire or he could just win the state of Florida. John McCain has to not only win all of the Bush states still out there like Florida, like Missouri, like Ohio, like Colorado, he has to take something away from Barack Obama like a big state like Pennsylvania. The economic news has tilted the map steadily and significantly in Obama's favor, and McCain is running out of time to change it. It's that simple.

COOPER: Candy, among Obama advisors and people, I don't know if they talk about this, is there concern about the so-called Bradley effect, the people saying they're going to vote for Barack Obama. But then once they're in the poll booths not going ahead and voting, because they're afraid of how it's going to seem to some guy taking a census.

CANDY CROWLEY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Obviously, they know that there will be some people in the United States who vote that way. They don't think it will be a significant number of people.

The numbers they are looking at are the new registrations, the bulk of them from people 29 and under.

And Barack Obama has said throughout this campaign from the primary on, "Look, if I lose this election, it's because my ideas, I didn't a good enough idea -- good enough job putting my ideas across, not because I'm black."

So it's something that they know is out there. There clearly are pockets in this country who may be saying that they'll vote for him but don't intend to. But first of all, given the huge margins that we're seeing now, it would be very difficult to believe that that entire margin would disappear. And second of all, they just don't think that it's going to be a definitive factor.

COOPER: John, did these polls take into account all these new people being registered?

KING: The pollsters are doing the best they can, Anderson. You take into account party identification. You call people. You say how many are you Democrats, how many Republicans, how many independents? That number, especially the Democratic/Republican number, has fluctuated quite a bit over the year.

You try to call young people. Most of them have cell phones. So the pollsters are trying to admit in this year, we have so many new voters, so many young voters, it's a bit of crapshoot, if you will, in building the computer model that projects this out. That's why the margins are so important.

Barack Obama is leading in a lot of these close battleground states just outside or within the margin of error. But that means by three or four points in the polls. That means there's still room for them to swing back.

But time is running out for John McCain. And one of the things the Obama people are pushing, Anderson, and this is where their resource advantage matters: early voting. John McCain might deliver a great attack on the debate tomorrow night.

But what if 5,000 people here, 10,000 people there, 20,000 people somewhere else, have already voted for Barack Obama?

Now, the Republicans are encouraging that. But the Democrats have more money and more resources this year, which is a very new dynamic in presidential politics.

COOPER: Fascinating stuff. John King, Candy Crowley, as always thank you..."

http://ipsnews.net/news.asp?idnews=44136

POLITICS-US: Michigan Republicans Upset at McCain's Exit

By Bankole Thompson

DETROIT, Michigan, Oct 6 (IPS) - "Republican presidential nominee Sen. John McCain is facing a backlash from top Republicans, conservative media and party supporters for pulling out of Michigan, a key battleground state in the 2008 presidential election.

The announcement, made Oct. 2 after a series of television ads and numerous visits to the state, left Michigan Republican Party Chairman Saul Anuzis and other party officials and supporters by surprise.

Anuzis said he was not consulted over the decision after recent polls showed McCain trailing behind Democratic presidential nominee Sen. Barack Obama by 15 points..."

http://www.politico.com/blogs/jonathanmartin/1008/Mich_GOP_county_chair_calls_McCain_move_complete_crock_of_crap.html

October 05, 2008
Categories: Michigan

Mich GOP county chair calls McCain move "complete crock of crap"

"One county chair wasn't buying -- and he let Ribiero and a large list of other Michigan Republicans know in a scalding email reply.

"If you are going to end visits to the state by McCain/ Palin, do it," urged Jack Waldvogel, Chairman of the Emmet County GOP in a message obtained by Politico. "Just don't formally announce that you are 'pulling out' of Michigan, and then come back two days later asking the base core of support to 'keep working.' What a slap in the face to all the thousands of people who have been energized by the addition of Sarah Palin to the ticket. I've been involved in County Party politics and organization for 40 years, and this is the biggest dumbass stunt I have ever seen."

Waldvogel added later in the message: "He has given up on our State? What a total and complete crock of crap. Again, I think McCain owes the Republicans and the People of Michigan a HUGE APOLOGY. SOON!..."

Republican strategist Alex Castellanos also disagreed with how McCain pulled out of Michigan:

http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0810/05/le.01.html

CNN LATE EDITION WITH WOLF BLITZER

Examining Details of the Bailout; Reviewing the VP Debate

Aired October 5, 2008 - 11:00 ET

ALEX CASTELLANOS, CNN CONTRIBUTOR: "My rule for pulling out of states like that is wait until the last possible minute and then don't do it because it kind of sends a message that the campaign has started to back up..."

http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2008/10/07/mccain-facing-the-crisis-of-his-career-gingrich-says/

October 7, 2008

McCain facing the 'crisis of his career,' Gingrich says

130 Comments | Permalink

David Gergen is still concerned about the race factor!

Here is the CNN video of John King saying "If those numbers hold, game over, period:"

http://www.cnn.com/video/?/video/politics/2008/10/08/debate.trail.forward.cnn (4:24)

So what now? 4:24

Anderson talks to his panel about where the rhetoric on the campaign trail goes after the second Presidential debate.

• Politics - News, Opinion and Analysis from CNN.com
Source: CNN

Added On October 8, 2008

http://www.cnn.com/video/?/video/politics/2008/10/08/debate.trail.forward.cnn (4:24)

Here is the CNN transcript of all of these quotes:

http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0810/07/acd.02.html

ANDERSON COOPER 360 DEGREES

Analysis of the Second Presidential Debate

Aired October 7, 2008 - 23:00 ET

JAMES CARVILLE, CNN CONTRIBUTOR AND DEMOCRATIC STRATEGIST: "I think he's (Obama) going to win, I think absent some unforeseen circumstances, you can call the dogs in, and wet the fire and leave the house, the hunt's over...

CAMPBELL BROWN, CNN ANCHOR: "Well, let me remind everybody first, this is a poll of people who actually watched the debate and Obama did win the debate in this poll, 54 to 30 percent. But let's talk about issues, I mean I go through these in order and the first issue is Iraq; on the question of who would better handle Iraq Obama 51 percent to McCain's 47 percent. So fairly close on that one.

The question of who would better handle terrorism, McCain win this one 51 percent to 46 percent.

Here's where it gets tricky. Who better to handle the economy? We were talking a double digit margin here. Obama 59 percent, McCain 37 percent.

And who would better handle the financial crisis, Obama 57 percent, McCain 36 percent. And that tells you pretty much everything right now. It's about the economy and those are huge numbers.

JOHN KING, CNN CHIEF NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: If those numbers hold, game over, period.

PAUL BEGALA, CNN CONTRIBUTOR AND DEMOCRATIC STRATEGIST: The election is over?

KING: If those numbers hold that Barack Obama has a nearly 20 points did I have the math right? Math is not my strong suit.

GLORIA BORGER, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL ANALYST: 59 percent to 39 percent. That's 20 points.

KING: If you go into Election Day, look, this is people are losing their homes, losing their jobs, losing their 401(k)'s, this is all they care about right now. If you think they give a damn about William Ayers or that Keating 5 or any of this stuff, they don't.

And you try to them about it when you travel, they don't. They care about their jobs, their mortgages, their health care, and their way of life. Factories are closing in these towns that their grandfather worked in. And they are closing down without health care.

This stuff is petty and small for them, if Barack Obama is leading by 20 points on the economy, 20 days from now, game over.

BORGER: 50 percent of the voters now say that the economy is the number one issue. When Bill Clinton won in 1992, when your guy won in 1992, 43 percent of the voters said the economy was the top issue. So now it's six --

ANDERSON COOPER, CNN ANCHOR AC360: We've got a lot more ahead to talk about the economy and foreign policy as well. Also these focus groups and more poll numbers from Campbell Brown. We'll get John King over the magic map but right now let's get back to Wolf.

WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR, "THE SITUATION ROOM": If Senator McCain needed a decisive win to try to turn this thing around at least based on these poll numbers that are coming in. On the most important issue affecting voters Anderson, right now the economy, doesn't seem to have done that...

ANDERSON COOPER, CNN ANCHOR AC360: But if you look at the CNN poll which Campbell Brown just told us about the short time ago, on the economy, Obama 59 percent and McCain 36 percent. David Gergen, do you agree with John King and James Carville that if those numbers continue it's basically game over?

DAVID GERGEN, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL ANALYST: I think it's too early to declare victory Anderson, because Barack Obama is black. And until we play out the issue of race in this country, I don't think we'll know and maybe unless -- late in the campaign.

COOPER: Do you think that despite the lead in the polls, people might change their minds once they're actually in the voting booth?

GERGEN: I'm not sure the polls are totally believable, I think there's -- there maybe built in. Over the years there's a study now that's come out of Stanford University and Associate Press along with Yahoo, saying that is -- that his blackness may cost him as much as six points I think he's in a commanding position coming out of this second debate. Having won two, having done as well as he has, I think he's established in the public's mind now that he is certainly as qualified to be president as John McCain.

And that's a -- and he's come a long way in this and I think it's much more sure-footed, he's very presidential tonight. But we don't know what the race factor in America now. I think until this plays; it could close on this before it's over..."

http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0810/08/sitroom.01.html

THE SITUATION ROOM

Emergency Interest Rate Cut Calms No Fears; Swaying Swing Voters

Aired October 8, 2008 - 16:00 ET

JOHN ROBERTS, CNN ANCHOR: "On our "Political Ticker": A new analysis shows almost every television ad that John McCain ran last week was negative, while about a third of Barack Obama's ads were negative. That reflects the McCain campaign's sharper attacks on the campaign trail in recent days.

The Wisconsin Advertising Project reports that, to date, 73 percent of McCain's ads and 61 percent of Obama's have been negative.

That same report shows that Obama is outspending McCain on advertising. The Democrat forked over more than $17 million for TV commercials between September the 28th and October the 4th. The McCain campaign and the Republican National Committee spent just under $11 million on television ads in that period. The two sides had been spending about the same amount on campaigns ads in mid-September..."

http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0810/08/sitroom.02.html

THE SITUATION ROOM

Reaction to Cut in Key Interest Rate; What's New on the Campaign Trail; Bailing Out AIG; Comparing the Candidates' Health Care Plan

Aired October 8, 2008 - 17:00 ET

JOHN ROBERTS, CNN ANCHOR: "So is there any other indication that -- any indication, Ali, that there are other large financial institutions or insurance institutions like AIG that about to have to be bailed out again by the Feds?

ALI VELSHI, CNN SENIOR BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: Well, what we do know -- and Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson, a few hours ago, said in no uncertain words more banks will fail. He did say that that means everybody who's in trouble does not qualify for assistance under this new bailout program. But we don't know -- he said it will be several weeks before they've made their first purchase of bad assets. So what happens between now and several weeks, it remains to be seen.

Does that mean they're going to have to intervene in other cases with money that falls outside of that $700 billion? Does this new $37.5 billion get rolled into the $700 billion bailout package? These are all questions we don't know. But he did say more banks will fail, so we can expect to see that.

ROBERTS: Wow! You've just got to wonder where does any of this end.

VELSHI: Yes.

ROBERTS: Ali Velshi working the story for us. Ali, we appreciate that.

VELSHI: OK.

ROBERTS: Thanks very much..."

to recover so it will definitely NOT go away as a campaign issue:

http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0810/08/acd.02.html

ANDERSON COOPER 360 DEGREES

Stocks Tumble; Attack Politics; Ten Most Wanted Culprits of the Financial Collapse; Michelle Obama on "Larry King Live"

Aired October 8, 2008 - 23:00 ET

ANDERSON COOPER, CNN ANCHOR: "So Ali, I mean, do we even know what kind of a timeline we're looking at for some kind of relief? And I know it's not an instant fix.

ALI VELSHI, CNN SENIOR BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: Well, we've worked to try and get you some kind of a timeline. And nobody tells you this better than Suze is going to tell you in a few minutes, but we do actually have to be patient.

Let's look at how we have tried to solve the ills of the financial system. On October 3rd we passed the $700 billion bailout bill with great difficulty. That is going to take, Treasury Secretary Paulson says it will be several weeks before the first check is cut and it'll be several months before you see an effect. So between one and 14 months is what that medication is going to take.

Then, yesterday we saw the Federal Reserve say that it will loan money directly to companies that needs short-term financing and that's the credit squeeze we're talking about. Loaning companies money is going to start in about a week and it'll take maybe up to six months to work. These are these antibiotics. You've got to take them, you've got keep taking them before they work.

And then, today these coordinated global interest rate cut. Well, we know interest rate cuts take between nine and 18 months to work through the system. They create quite a shock. And sometimes you get a market response. But fundamentally they take that kind of time to trickle down and actually free up the money.

So we have thrown everything we've got at this disease. And maybe there's more to throw. We don't know. We're going to wait and see. We've thrown a lot at this Anderson, it will work but it may take some time. And that time is something you've got to try and work with you.

You've got to not panic because we've thrown the drugs at it. You've got to try and wait to see if they work.

COOPER: A lot of prescription bottles there. I wouldn't mind a little morphine at least before they kick in.

VELSHI: That's right.

COOPER: Let's turn now to Suze Orman, a personal finance expert. Host of CNBC's "Suze Orman Show." A lot of questions tonight, a lot of them submitted on the ac360 blog. First of all, there's of just a down right fear out there, almost panic. Is that counterproductive?

SUZE ORMAN, PERSONAL FINANCE EXPERT: Well, it's not counterproductive, it's real. It's really -- it's how people feel and the markets are made up of how people feel. They buy or they sell based on their emotions, Anderson. It's how its always has been.

And when Ali actually do these things with the drugs, I was talking to you before we went on air, that's exactly what's happening.

People feel like they need some medication because they are panicking right now. So as I was saying to you it's as if the economy right now is in the ICU unit of a hospital. We are in Intensive Care and they are throwing every type of medication at us to cure what's going on.

And they're panicking because why? Nothing is working. They tried this, it didn't work. They tried that medication, it didn't work. They are running out of prescriptions to give it. So we're going to be in the ICU Unit for a while. Eventually and I don't know when that will be -- it will probably be six months, a year, year and a half -- we will get out. We will be in the hospital then.

We'll stay in the hospital for about a year or two. And after another year or two of that we'll end up in rehab for a few years. And then, we'll be OK.

So this is a long stretch. So people actually have to stop panicking. And they should get used to this because this is here to stay, if you ask me, for a long time..."

even more than it already is right now:

http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0810/08/acd.02.html

ANDERSON COOPER 360 DEGREES

Stocks Tumble; Attack Politics; Ten Most Wanted Culprits of the Financial Collapse; Michelle Obama on "Larry King Live"

Aired October 8, 2008 - 23:00 ET

ANDERSON COOPER, CNN ANCHOR: "Ed, how concerned is the McCain camp that they're at a point or tipping point that they can't come back from at this point?

ED HENRY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: They are very concerned and I'll tell you what they're taking comfort in is quite interesting. Some senior McCain advisers are basically telling me that they're taking comfort in the fact that this financial crisis is such an awful disaster that they should actually be behind in double digits in a lot of these battleground states.

They are actually taking comfort in the fact that they are only down six or eight points. And they're basically saying, if they keep chipping away and raising questions about whether Barack Obama is risky as commander-in-chief in such a difficult and perilous time both economically but also with the nation at war in two places right now, they are hoping that they can chip away, but they honestly are privately admitting that the bottom line is a very steep hill for John McCain to climb at this point -- Anderson..."

such as former San Francisco Mayor Willie Brown:

http://www.cnn.com/video/?/video/politics/2008/10/08/am.intv.brown.obama.cnn (3:05)

What factor will race be? 3:05

Former San Francisco Mayor Willie Brown says race could bring a 4- or 5-percentage point drop for Obama in some states.

• 'They' and 'them' and race and politics
Source: CNN

Added On October 8, 2008

http://www.cnn.com/video/?/video/politics/2008/10/08/am.intv.brown.obama.cnn (3:05)

http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0810/08/ltm.02.html

AMERICAN MORNING

Global Markets Plunge; Fed Cuts Its Key Rate Down; How Obama and McCain Would Fix the Economy

Aired October 8, 2008 - 07:00 ET

JOHN ROBERTS, CNN ANCHOR: "So what effect do you think race may have on November 4th?

MAYOR WILLIE BROWN, FMR. MAYOR SAN FRANCISCO: I think race will play four or five percentage points in this whole operation in some key states. States like Ohio, states like Pennsylvania, states like North Carolina, Virginia. That can be some devastating numbers coming out of those states. And I fear those states, and I think the Obama campaign fears those states for that very reason.

ROBERTS: You know, many of those states are close enough that that could make the difference.

BROWN: That could make the difference, believe me. Presidential elections are not decided by huge landslides as was the case in '72 involving McGovern. You don't see that very much. You will see, in my opinion, a very close race, but I also think you will see Obama the winner. As demonstrated last night, his skills, his ability to communicate, his presidential posturing all represents that which the American people, I think, will embrace even though he happens to be black..."

-------------------------------------------------------

Other Obama supporters are also worried about the race issue:

http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0810/08/ltm.02.html

AMERICAN MORNING

Global Markets Plunge; Fed Cuts Its Key Rate Down; How Obama and McCain Would Fix the Economy

Aired October 8, 2008 - 07:00 ET

Other Obama supporters are also worried about the race issue:

JOHN ROBERTS, CNN ANCHOR: "Today we examine race in the election. Our Carol Costello has got our special report for us this morning as she joins us now live from Washington. Good morning, Carol.

CAROL COSTELLO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, John. You know race does matter in states like Pennsylvania and Ohio. Union leaders who back Obama certainly know it and they are worried. So they are using a strategy that's meant to appeal to a middle America that admires telling it like it is. They are hoping it works.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

COSTELLO: It remains an ugly truth, race still matters. The question is, how much. Barack Obama leads in the latest national polls yet his foot soldiers on the ground still worry.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: When he finally got to where she lowered her voice it's because he's black.

COSTELLO: In a small town in Pennsylvania, Jim English with the United Steelworkers Union is sending out teams of union workers like Andy, Laura and Doug to knock on doors. Their job is to make sure their fellow steelworkers vote Obama.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm just worried about foreign policy with Obama.

COSTELLO: That's an argument they feel they can win. But sometime it's more complicated.

DOUGLAS WARD, UNION MEMBER: One lady I went to told me, the reason why she had the issue was because how she was raised. She said her father is still alive and is 85 and he couldn't see herself voting for a black man.

COSTELLO: So they had to convince some of their union brethren, the race isn't about race.

ANDY ZANAGLIO, UNION MEMBER: And she flat out said to me I can't vote for that black boy.

WARD: They talked about him being a Muslim. He said countless time that he's a Christian.

COSTELLO: Obama is and always has been a Christian. The union feels the Muslim tag is really code for he's black.

JIM ENGLISH, SECRETARY TREASURER, UNION STEELWORKERS UNION: What they are saying really is probably a cover for being uncomfortable with him because of his race.

COSTELLO: In other words, he says sadly in some circles it's socially acceptable to call Obama Muslim rather than something else. And it's not just here in Pennsylvania. Subtle references on the campaign trail to Obama's middle name just reinforced those Muslim belief.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: On November 4th let's leave Barack Hussein Obama wondering what happened.

COSTELLO: And just last week in Ohio.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He was the Muslim but he won't say it.

COSTELLO: Andy, Doug and Laura are used to that by now. Andy says about a quarter of the people he talks to raise the race issue. But he has a ready response.

ZANAGLIO: What I do when they bring that up I just say look you know we got to get pass that. We live in America, we're the best nation on earth. We got to get to the real issues of what's going on in this campaign.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COSTELLO: The economy just may trump everything. Barack Obama points to the polls as proof the race question is overstated. He's ahead nationally. Obama says that tells me the American people are good, that they are judging me on my ideas and my vision and my values and not my skin color. John.

ROBERTS: Carol Costello for us and we'll be talking with former San Francisco mayor Willie Brown. More about this coming up. Looking forward to that.

COSTELLO: I'm sure he will have a lot to say.

ROBERTS: He usually does. He's an interesting guest. Carol, thanks so much for that. Carol is going to be back tomorrow by the way with part three of our "Voice of the People" series. We'll be examining something that's become hot topic in this economic crisis, Main Street versus Wall Street..."

http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0810/08/sitroom.01.html

THE SITUATION ROOM

Emergency Interest Rate Cut Calms No Fears; Swaying Swing Voters

Aired October 8, 2008 - 16:00 ET

JOHN ROBERTS, CNN ANCHOR: "We just mentioned that Obama is ahead in Florida by four points. And, in Ohio -- take a look at this -- real key state in this election -- he's ahead by five points. In Nevada, things are not quite as far away as they are in Ohio. He's up by three points.

But take a look at this. In the state of Pennsylvania, really important battleground, he has extended his lead by two points. He now leads John McCain 52 percent to 40 percent in our latest poll of polls in Pennsylvania.

Joining with us more analysis of these poll numbers and what it means going forward at our Electoral College map on the magic wall today is John King, our chief national correspondent.

Where is this all heading, John?

JOHN KING, CNN CHIEF NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, right now, it is leaning heavily, John, in Barack Obama's favor.

The electoral map -- you know the magic number -- 270 wins. Barack Obama is so close at the moment. We project him leading in states with 264 Electoral College votes, John McCain only 174. What that means essentially is, if nothing else changed, McCain would have to run the map. Seven tossup states -- they're the gold ones -- all carried by Bush four years ago, to get to 270, unless he can turn of these blue states, McCain has to win everything left, a pretty daunting challenge.

But let's look where the candidates are today, because where they are tells you a lot about how they see the race. The Democrats, for starters, the vice presidential candidate, Joe Biden, down here, Fort Myers, as you see, that's the blue from four years ago. Bush carried the state. But there's a small Democratic base down there.

Also, John, you have been on a lot of bus tours right across the corridor.

ROBERTS: Fond memories, back and forth, back and forth.

(CROSSTALK)

KING: ... back of a bus.

This is critical. Independent voters, other voters from Tampa, across to Orlando, out to Daytona Beach, that is a critical spot in the state of Florida. Again, the Democrats competing in a red state they think they can win.

Even more audacious, to borrow a word, Barack Obama in the state of Indiana today. We still project this one is leaning Republican. But Barack Obama thinks, with new voters and others, he can turn this around. He was out in Indianapolis today.

The luxury of the lead, you're campaigning in the other guy's territory.

ROBERTS: And the luxury of money to be able to go in here...

(CROSSTALK)

KING: Luxury of the money.

And the Republicans -- the Democrats -- the Republicans, on the other hand, trying to take this one away. This is Pennsylvania. They're down, McCain/Palin right now down 10, 12 points, depending on which polls you look at. Where were they today? They were out here. They were in Bethlehem, just to the east of Allentown.

You remember this area. I'm going to back to the Democratic primaries. This is an area where the Republicans think they can do some business, because that light blue is Hillary Clinton. She spanked Barack Obama in this blue-collar, largely white part of the state. Barack Obama trying to get those voters back. That's a key battleground.

One last place we want to visit is the state of Ohio. And we go back to 2004 for our perspective, John McCain and Sarah Palin also up here in the Cleveland suburbs. Now, Cuyahoga County is going to go for the Democrats. It did for John Kerry four years ago. But where you find the Republican ticket is down here, in the suburbs, where they need to shrink the Democratic margins, and then trying to appeal also to the rural voters you see further out of the city area.

But, again, it is the Democrats on offense in the red states competing.

ROBERTS: We spent a lot of time on buses in that area, too.

(CROSSTALK)

KING: You will spend -- and these guys are going to spend a lot more time on buses out here. You want to go on a bus tour right down in here, this may be where the election is decided, John, right down this stretch of Ohio.

ROBERTS: So, what does it mean in terms of the Electoral College and where we are with the path to get to the Oval Office?

KING: The path to get to the Oval Office, again, let's come back to this map.

I'm going to do it this way. It's I think it favors Barack Obama, without a doubt. The math tells you that. So, let's look at this way. How does John McCain get to the White House? He has to keep Florida, 27 electoral votes, has to put North Carolina back in the red, has to win Virginia, has to win Ohio -- we just talked about that -- has to win Missouri.

Again, Bush won all these states, and McCain is either just ahead or behind in most of these battlegrounds. Even that would get him just back in the hunt, and we could be going out into the Mountain and the Western time zones. If he won Colorado, he would still be just shy. And he would need to win Nevada as well.

So, if nothing else on the map changed, John McCain has to run the board of the seven tossup states to win. Or, the flip side of that coin, Barack Obama needs to win just one of seven, and he's in the White House.

ROBERTS: So, it -- obviously, the math would favor Barack Obama at this point, but still a little less than four weeks to go. A lot can change.

KING: The one thing we have learned in this race, it can change while you're having your three-hour sleep.

(LAUGHTER)

ROBERTS: All right. John King for us today -- John, thanks so much..."

so I doubt that Rezko will hurt Obama very much politically:

http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0810/08/sitroom.01.html

THE SITUATION ROOM

Emergency Interest Rate Cut Calms No Fears; Swaying Swing Voters

Aired October 8, 2008 - 16:00 ET

SUSAN ROESGEN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: "And political fundraiser Tony Rezko will not get sentenced at the end of the month after all. Today a judge granted prosecutors' requests to delay the sentencing while Rezko talks with federal authorities investigating corruption allegations against the Illinois governor's office. Rezko was convicted of launching a multimillion dollar scheme to use his clout with the governor's office to get kickbacks from companies seeking state contracts..."

http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0810/08/ec.01.html

CNN ELECTION CENTER

Race and Politics; Obama Widens Lead

Aired October 8, 2008 - 20:00 ET

CAMPBELL BROWN, CNN ANCHOR: "But, Ed, the McCain campaign not backing down. Take us behind the scenes. What are you hearing about their strategy on this going forward?

ED HENRY, CNN CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: This fits, Campbell, right into what we have been hearing from Sarah Palin about Bill Ayers, the former 1960s radical. Exactly what are his connections to Barack Obama?

What McCain advisers say is, they want to obviously sow as many doubts as they can about Barack Obama, all pointing to trying to say, he's risky. You don't really know about his associations, his connection. And, also, they are trying to allege that he has not been fully truthful about those associations.

The problem for the McCain camp of course is they have been throwing it out there, and it doesn't really seem to be sticking, in part because right now, with this financial crisis, a lot of people in states like Ohio are probably more likely to be worried about whether their 401(k) is losing 10 percent or 20 percent of its value than what happened with somebody who was a radical back in the 1960s who met Barack Obama in 1995.

So, there are tough questions for Barack Obama, but, in the long run, given this financial crisis, it is hard to see how it will stick necessarily in the short term -- Campbell..."

and that negative campaigning will not work now:

http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0810/09/acd.01.html

ANDERSON COOPER 360 DEGREES

Money Meltdown; Rising Rage on Campaign Trail; Top Ten Culprits of the Collapse: Richard Fuld; Conservative Women Excited about Palin; Voter Registration Group Accused of Fraud

Aired October 9, 2008 - 22:00 ET

ANDERSON COOPER, CNN ANCHOR: "Ed, let me start off with you.

Do you believe this race is over for John McCain?

ED ROLLINS, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL CONTRIBUTOR: I do. I mean, and, you know, I'm for McCain. I am going to vote for McCain. But the momentum is going all -- all the other way.

And, equally as important, you can't break through with the economy being so overwhelming.

COOPER: So, all this Bill Ayers stuff, all the -- even if they bring up Reverend Wright...

(CROSSTALK)

ROLLINS: No one cares about it anymore. I mean, if it was a month ago or two months ago, people might have cared. Today, they don't care.

Barack has met the threshold, where people think he's going to be a leader. He has tied McCain to the past and to Bush. And I think people clearly want to make a move.

It's like Carter. When David and I were involved with Reagan in 1980, people -- once Reagan met the threshold, people clearly wanted to get rid of Carter, and they did, in a landslide. This is going to turn into a landslide..."

http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0810/09/lkl.01.html

CNN LARRY KING LIVE

Obama Calls McCain Erratic; Is Sarah Palin Helping or Hurting John McCain?

Aired October 9, 2008 - 21:00 ET

LARRY KING, HOST: "Andrea, we have a question from Jody on our blog on CNN.com to Larry King.

"Hi, Larry, why is there such a disconnect between the American people and presidential candidates? Most people will tell you they hate negative politics, but presidential campaigns always turn negative. Almost every person I know wants the candidates to focus on platforms and policies."

Why, Andrea, does it get negative?

ANDREA TANTAROS, CONSERVATIVE COMMENTATOR, SUPPORTS MCCAIN: Because negative campaigning, sadly, it works. But the risk with negative campaigning is you drive your own negatives up, oftentimes, when you choose to do it. But right now, look, I think the American people are so angry that the mudslinging back and forth that's going on, it's not getting John McCain anywhere with this Ayers stuff, because people are saying, I want to hear about the economy. I want to hear about the issues.

Barack Obama, he's just playing not to lose right now, so he doesn't have to go as negative. But I agree, it's turning off a lot of the voters, they feel disconnected from the entire political process and they blame Congress for getting them into this mess.

KING: Tanya, could it defeat you?

TANYA ACKER, DEMOCRATIC STRATEGIST, SUPPORTS OBAMA: I think that Andrea is right. Negative campaigning, unfortunately, does work. I think that, right now, when we're in these economic waters, which are so perilous, when, you know, you've got the Dow now poised to lose 17 percent this week, people's retirements are in jeopardy, people are in foreclosure, they're losing their homes.

So I don't think it's going to work this time..."

http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0810/06/sitroom.01.html

THE SITUATION ROOM

The Dow Dives; Stocks Plunge Worldwide; Obama Urges Help for Middle Class

Aired October 6, 2008 - 16:00   ET

WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR: "I think a lot of Republicans are scratching their heads and wondering, why did he publicly say, you know what, I'm giving up on Michigan, which was supposed to be one of those blue-collar, middle- class battleground states where he thought he could make some inroads?

TERRY JEFFREY, EDITOR IN CHIEF, CYBERCAST NEWS SERVICE: Well, John McCain should not give up Michigan, and he shouldn't give up on any of those swing states in the Northern Midwest. But if he's going to have appeal there, Wolf, he's got to go out and he's got to fight as a conservative.

By the way, he's got to make an issue out of things like abortion and marriage. The other night in that debate, when Joe Biden said he -- he was against same-sex marriage, and Sarah Palin said she agreed with him, that was a horrible wasted opportunity.

The fact of the matter is that Barack Obama opposes Proposition 8, the California ballot amendment that would get rid of same-sex marriage in that state. He's for repeal of the Defense of Marriage Act.

BLITZER: All right.

JEFFREY: If you had same-sex marriage in California, and you repeal the Defense of Marriage Act, like Barack Obama does...

BLITZER: Donna...

(CROSSTALK)

JEFFREY: ... you have a national mandate for same-sex marriage. We ought to debate that in this campaign. Barack Obama ought to be asked questions like that. Joe Biden ought to be asked how he reconciles what he said the other night in the debate.

BLITZER: All right. Let me let Donna weigh in.

(CROSSTALK)

JEFFREY: ... where does the candidate actually stand?

DONNA BRAZILE, CNN POLITICAL ANALYST: Terry -- Terry, the American people want to know about jobs, homes, foreclosures, health care, education, no offense to, you know, your views on same-sex marriage or abortions, but this is a really big economic crisis.

BLITZER: All right.

(CROSSTALK)

BLITZER: Hold on, Terry.

(CROSSTALK)

BRAZILE: John McCain left Michigan because he doesn't want to talk about the economy.

His campaign wants to change the subject. The American people will not change the subject, nor will they change their TV dial, because they're going to watch the CNN debate tomorrow night, Terry..."

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/27103338#27103338  (05:12)

Over for McCain?
Oct. 8: It's Pat: MSNBC's Rachel Maddow talks with Pat Buchanan about whether John McCain's campaign strategy has finally fell through and it's time to accept an inevitable defeat.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/27103338#27103338  (05:12)

Here is the link and part of the MSNBC transcript of this video:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/27102433/

'The Rachel Maddow Show' for Wednesday, October 8, 2008
Read the transcript to the Wednesday show

Guests: Mike Easley, Pat Buchanan, Paul Rieckhoff, Amy Klobuchar

RACHEL MADDOW, HOST: "So is there a McCain strategy right now? Is what I see as a mess, actually one big secret strategy? Or is it a bunch of conflicting little ones?

MADDOW: All right. Well, we agree on that. Pat, always a pleasure to have you on the show. Thank you..."

in a very interesting and blunt way that I would pretty much agree with:

http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0810/16/lkl.01.html

CNN LARRY KING LIVE

Bill Maher on the Presidential Election

Aired October 16, 2008 - 21:00 ET

LARRY KING, HOST: "Do you believe the polls?

Do you believe that he's this far ahead -- although, one Gallup poll today had it closer -- that Obama is this far ahead?

BILL MAHER, COMEDIAN: Yes.

KING: Double digit ahead?

MAHER: Yes. But we should not become overconfident. I remember people who were talking about the landslide John Kerry was about to enjoy and that didn't come out.

Look, I think what's sad is that apparently in this country, the only way we can ever elect a Democrat is if there's an absolute and utter calamity that happens. And then people kind of get it through their heads, oh, you know what, maybe this time we don't elect a guy we want to have a beer with. Maybe we have to get serious. We might have to even, oh, heaven forbid, vote for the black guy.

But they're going to do it this time, because they understand, even the racists understand, yes, he's smarter..."

Negative swiftboat attacks were working on Obama last month before the economic crisis:

http://securingamerica.com/ccn/node/16555

Mark Halperin explained why Obama is having problems with GOP attacks right now!

Submitted by Mitch Dworkin on September 15, 2008 - 9:58am.

http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0810/16/ec.01.html

CNN ELECTION CENTER

Obama, McCain Reach Homestretch of Campaign; Dow's Roller- Coaster Ride

Aired October 16, 2008 - 20:00 ET

CAMPBELL BROWN, CNN ANCHOR: "But, Bay, a lot of people think the reason he is behind is this strategy we have seen employed over the last couple weeks of being so negative.

BAY BUCHANAN, REPUBLICAN STRATEGIST: Oh, come on. Come on. Campbell, the banks have collapsed. All right? The economy is in the greatest freefall that it has been in, what, since the Great Depression, and you think it's because John McCain said some harsh words along the way? Come on.

The whole reason that John McCain is behind and Obama is ahead is the economic collapse..."

http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0810/12/le.01.html

CNN LATE EDITION WITH WOLF BLITZER

Bush Tries to Reassure Public on Economy; Retirement Savings Being Drained; Predicting the Election

Aired October 12, 2008 - 11:00 ET

WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR: "Because we keep hearing Senator Obama, Candy, and you've been out at all those rallies, suggesting McCain is erratic, he's lurching back and forth, he's not consistent. Pretty strong words from him, but they may be resonating if you take a look at these polls.

CANDY CROWLEY, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, yes, and honestly, I mean, McCain has helped somewhat in these descriptions. But they clearly are saying, look, this man doesn't have the temperament to lead. That's where the lurching and the erratic -- you know, he's not quite trustworthy, that's what all of that is about.

But the fact of the matter is if -- you know how reporters sort of towards the end start writing the "how did he win" or "how did he lose" stories, probably both of them so that you kind of -- and honestly, if McCain should lose -- and we have got three weeks to go, but should he lose, you're going to go back to that -- the fundamentals of the economy are sound because that's when it began to go like this.

GLORIA BORGER, CNN POLITICAL ANALYST: Right. September 15th. I remember it well.

CROWLEY: Yes. And it just -- it has been -- he has not recovered from that, literally. They still talk about that on the campaign trail. I mean, he has got to shake loose with something really definitive about the economy.

BLITZER: Let's look ahead to Wednesday night at Hofstra University, the third and final presidential debate. What can he do?

ED HENRY, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, I mean, there are some advisors obviously saying go nuclear, just go on the attack, and as we've been talking about, that can really backfire. It can blow back in your face with the intent...

BLITZER: Especially with the undecided independents.

HENRY: Who are making up their mind in the final couple of weeks. I mean, part of this is very simple, everything that Gloria and Candy said, plus the fact that, you know, name me a day in the last three or four weeks where foreign policy, national security has been sort of the dominant headline in any newspaper in America.

Going into this election, it's very clear that if this election was about national security, framed about the war in terror like George W. Bush did in 2004, McCain had the upper hand. But instead, even though we've got threats from Iran, we've got Iraq, we've got Afghanistan, Pakistan, you name it, it's all about the economy...

BLITZER: Is it -- you know, a lot of people have suggested that Senator McCain has some problems dealing with this economic crisis and it's a huge crisis unlike anything we've seen since the Great Depression according to all of the experts because he's really not that strong when it comes to economic issues. You covered him for a long time. Is that a fair criticism?

HENRY: He stepped in a little a few months ago by saying that's not my strong suit and obviously that comes back to bite him a little bit. On paper, does John McCain have a lot of experience on the economy? No. On paper, does Barack Obama have a lot of experience on the economy? No. But I think it gets to what Candy and Gloria have been saying, is that the Obama campaign has been very effective talking about change and framing the election that way.

And the fact is unfairly to John McCain, perhaps, he's getting tarred with the George Bush economy. He's worked very hard to separate himself from George W. Bush, but as Gloria was just saying, the president has spoken out about 20 out of the last 24 days on the economy. He's front and center.

Quick story. I was in Chicago Friday at an airport. President Bush came on CNN live to talk about the economy. I looked around the room. I counted about 15 people at this restaurant. One person, one person looked up at the TV to watch what the president was saying. The other 14 people were eating, looking around.

BLITZER: That one person was Ed Henry, I'm sure. All right, guys, we've got to leave it right there..."