Update on the Elections: McCain and Obama to Debate Saturday Night
COLLINS: On the road to next week's Democratic National Convention, in Denver. Senior political analyst Bill Schneider with the Election Express, right now in Des Moines, Iowa. So Bill, there's a lot of talk, as I'm sure you know, about Hillary Clinton having put in her name for nomination at the convention. How big an issue is this turning into?</s>WILLIAM SCHNEIDER, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL ANALYST: Well, the convention could be headed for a big showdown. Or not.</s>SEN. HILLARY CLINTON (D), NEW YORK: We do not want any Democrat either in the hall or in the stadium or at home walking away saying, well you know, I'm just not satisfied. I'm not happy.</s>SCHNEIDER: Clinton's name will be placed into nomination and her delegates will have the opportunity to vote for her.</s>KEATING HOLLAND, CNN POLLING DIRECTOR: The Obama campaign and the Clinton folks put out a joint statement on this which makes it seem like they've struck some sort of peace deal.</s>SCHNEIDER: Will the vote make the party look united or divided?</s>MARK PRESTON, CNN POLITICAL EDITOR: If Hillary Clinton's name is called and she walks to the stage, or, we hear some kind of a roll call and we have Barack Obama supporters booing, that is not what the Democratic party needs.</s>SCHNEIDER: If the Florida and Michigan delegations have their full votes restored, something Obama now says he favors and if the superdelegates hold fast for Obama, Clinton should get about 37 percent of the votes. That's why superdelegates were create.</s>HOLLAND: To make sure that the pledged delegates, the regular delegates, had some sort of adult supervision.</s>PRESTON: Clinton will have the chance to get to the stage and to tell all of her supporters, thank you for helping me make all those cracks in the glass ceiling that's above our heads. We almost made it. But guess what? Barack Obama is our nominee. Let's get behind Barack Obama.</s>SCHNEIDER: If this is a showdown, it's really a scripted showdown. Just like in the movies. And we know how it's supposed to end -- Heidi.</s>COLLINS: Yes, we do. All right. Bill Schneider with the Election Express. Thank you, bill. So politics, a hot topic on talk radio always. With us in Washington, radio talk show host, CNN political contributor, Bill Bennett. Hey there, Bill.</s>WILLIAM BENNETT, CNN POLITICAL CONTRIBUTOR: Hey.</s>COLLINS: And Bill Press, host of "The Bill Press Show." All right, guys.</s>BILL PRESS, HOST, "THE BILL PRESS SHOW": Hi, Heidi.</s>COLLINS: I guess the first question is going to be about Hillary, obviously, putting her name in for nomination. Does it guarantee any sort of Unity? Bill Press, I'll begin with you. You know what? I think it's a bad idea. I'm an Obama supporter. But, I don't see why -- look, we had a very healthy primary process, God knows it was long enough. Obama won and Hillary lost. And to go to the convention now and re-open that debate I think is like ripping a scab off an old wound and looking backwards. I really think the convention should show unity and look forward. I don't know why they agreed to this. I think it's a mistake.</s>COLLINS: Bill Bennett, your thoughts. Do you think it's a mistake?</s>BENNETT: I agree with Bill Press for the only time this century.</s>COLLINS: All right. We're taking notes here.</s>BENNETT: Shall we move on? No. You know, I think I know why they did it, which is that she's got power. But, let me stay with Bill's metaphor. We're ripping the scab off. She says that her folks wanted catharsis. Do you remember Greek tragedy? Catharsis usually happens on the stage with catharsis -- there's often a lot of blood. But the notion they will stick to the script and this will unify the party -- we're talking about the Democratic Party here. And I don't mean this as a criticism. But following scripts is what Republicans do, not what Democrats do.</s>PRESS: Hey, Heidi, I've got to tell you --</s>BENNETT: It's tricky, it's dangerous.</s>PRESS: Bill and Heidi, I will bet you money that in St. Paul, there will be no roll call for Mitt Romney or Mike Huckabee in the John McCain campaign.</s>BENNETT: We've never met a rule we didn't like. You guys have never met a rule you didn't want to break.</s>COLLINS: Oh, well there you go. Hey guys, let's talk about the situation that we certainly can't avoid and that is Georgia -- the crisis there. An opportunity for the candidates to react to this very hot foreign policy situation. Let's go ahead and listen in to both of them for a moment.</s>SEN. JOHN MCCAIN (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Russian actions in clear violation of international law have no place in 21st century Europe.</s>SEN. BARACK OBAMA (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: The United States, Europe and all other concerned countries need must stand united in stemming this aggression.</s>COLLINS: OK. So, Bill Press, I'll start with you, again. How did they do?</s>PRESS: You know, first of all, I think both candidates pulled together and are behind the White House in their efforts to get a cessation to hostilities and to get things back on track there. I think this could have played better into John McCain's hand. But, I think McCain has overplayed his hand. You know, he was out there before the White House. At first it sounded like he wanted to start World War III. It turns out his top -- one of his top foreign policy consultants is a lobbyist for Georgia. And now he says he's going to send Joe Lieberman and Lindsay Graham as his envoys to Tbilisi. I think McCain's got to slow down and got to recognize he ain't president yet. This is George Bush's controversy to take care of.</s>COLLINS: Interesting. Are you going to agree with him again, Bill Bennett?</s>BENNETT: Only half. That first part where he said it advantaged McCain. The interesting thing about this to me is when this broke. I said, you know, we've been talking about China and other things on the radio show. Who's been talking about Russia and seeing this coming? A couple of people, Bob Kagan was one, a couple of Democrats were actually talking about it, Richard Holbrook. But John McCain's been talking about it for two or three years and so credit to him for seeing that. He's understood what's going on in Russia, he's understood Putin and he has predicted this. I think his position was strong and clear. Obama was shaky at first but has now fallen in, as Bill said, behind the President and in line with what John McCain has been saying. I think -- I only think this -- I don't mean to score a cheap point on this. But, these situations remind you of what it means to be a president, as the commander in chief. And I think McCain has sounded and looked very good on this and Barack Obama a little unsteady, understandable, given his experience levels, but understandable.</s>PRESS: But you know, Bill, I think in all fairness, if Barack Obama had sent Susan Rice or his people over to Tbilisi, you and others would be rightly condemning him for such arrogance, for such presumptuous actions as a candidate for president. I think John McCain is guilty of the same thing.</s>BENNETT: Well, Barack has been everywhere else in the world, except there. I think it would be perfectly fine. The problem with the Susan Rice was that she started by attacking John McCain and then had to pull back from it. When cooler heads like Holbrook came if and said, look, we've got to be clear on this and unified.</s>COLLINS: Yes. Obviously there's so much to talk about with this issue. But something that we're doing today, I want to get to this question real quickly before we let you go. We're focusing some of our coverage on faith and politics. I want you to look at this poll real quickly, guys. CNN opinion research corporation poll. This is taken July 27th to 29th, hitting McCain against Obama. White Born-Again or Evangelical voters choice for president. You see the numbers there. Do you think anything that would happen that could change these numbers dramatically? Both your answers, quickly Bill Press first.</s>PRESS: Yes. I'll tell you what could happen. If John McCain picks a pro-choice running mate like Tom Ridge or Joe Lieberman, I think his numbers are going to evaporate, cut in half.</s>COLLINS: All right. Bill Bennett?</s>BENNETT: Oh, lord, more trouble. I agree. Not, evaporate or cut in half. But yes, if he picks a provide pro-choice candidate, his numbers will go down. I think when people get a real sense of Barack Obama on the issue of life, that he's to the left of the NARAL, I think his numbers could go down, too. But, let me give a promo like everyone else is, to this debate Saturday night.</s>PRESS: Absolutely.</s>BENNETT: I think it's going to be fascinating. I hope Rick Warren doesn't take a dive and I hope he asks the tough questions about tough issues because he's got a singular kind of authority on these kinds of things now. Be very interesting to see.</s>COLLINS: All right. Well, hey, I like this. The two Bills. Maybe we should talk further about this, you guys.</s>BENNETT: Apparently interchangeable.</s>COLLINS: Yes. Well, apparently today.</s>PRESS: The dueling Bills.</s>COLLINS: That's right. The Dueling Bills. Bill Press and Bill Bennett, appreciate your thoughts. And as Bill Bennett was saying, want to give you a reminder now. You can watch that forum live, here on CNN. John McCain and Barack Obama together on stage for the first time tomorrow night, mixing religion and politics. That's live on</s>CNN 8: 00 p.m. Eastern. To this now, a dog in distress. And this fork was causing the problem. This beautiful Husky has an odd appetite.