Countdown to Election Day; Countdown to Election Day
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: A frenzy on the campaign trail as the midterm elections draw closer. President Barack Obama gets some help from the first lady as he rallies Democrats in the key state of Ohio. And a new worry for consumers. Some frozen vegetables sold at Wal-Mart and Kroger are being recalled because of possible glass fragments. We'll tell you exactly what to look for. Big names on the big screen this weekend, we'll check in with our movie critic to find out what's worth seeing. Hello everyone. I'm Fredricka Whitfield at CNN's world headquarters in Atlanta. You're in the CNN NEWSROOM. Only 16 days until midterm elections, and the candidates and their supporters are out in force across the country. The president and Mrs. Obama are attending a fund-raiser for Ohio Governor Ted Strickland in Cleveland and the two will be traveling to Columbus for a rally at Ohio State University. Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid has a rally in Reno, Nevada and in Washington State, incumbent Senator Patty Murray will be debating Republican challenger Dino Rossi. The Best Political Team on Television is on the job, senior white house correspondent Ed Henry is in Columbus Ohio, deputy political director Paul Steinhauser is in Manchester, New Hampshire and Lisa joins us from Washington. Let's get started in Ohio where we find Ed Henry in Columbus. It's been a while since the first couple has been campaigning together. Why now?</s>ED HENRY, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: That's right, Fred. It's been two years to be precise. They have not been together on the campaign trail since the 2008 campaign. Why now? Look, there are Democrats all across the country in some deep trouble including here in Ohio. You mentioned Ted Strickland, the governor, the incumbent, he's facing a stiff challenge from Republican John Kasich. You have Democrat Lee Fisher in an open Senate seat race here. He's trailing by double-digits against Rob Portman, the Republican candidate. It's beautiful weather out here, really almost perfect for autumn football here behind me on the Ohio State campus, but a lot of long faces on this campus after Ohio State was knocked out of the top spot in the nation by Wisconsin last night; the football team taking a big loss so you may say the president handing the ball off to the big money player, the first lady. We saw her this week in some key states like Wisconsin, Illinois and Colorado campaigning solo for the first time. They're getting together for the first time together since the 2008 campaign. You'll remember that a couple months ago Robert Gibbs went on NBC's "MEET THE PRESS" and suggested maybe Democrats won't hold control of Congress, got a lot of heat from fellow Democrats about that. Today he was back on the same program sounding much mother upbeat both on "MEET THE PRESS" and afterwards when our cameras caught up with him.</s>ROBERT GIBBS, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: I think that Democrats are out effectively making a case for the steps that they've taken to rescue the economy, stabilize our financial system, to reform our education and to get our foreign policy moving again. I think come November that on election night Democrats will retain control of the house and Senate.</s>HENRY: The problem for Democrats, though, is to keep that football analogy going for maybe just a moment is the fact they're playing a lot of defense. The president and first lady are here in Ohio as I mentioned trying to defend the Democratic incumbent governor. The president later this week goes out west on a major campaign swing where he's trying to bail out incumbents like Patty Murray, Barbara Boxer in California. He'll also be with Harry Reid who you noted, the Senate majority leader facing a stiff challenge in Nevada. Rather than playing offense right now going into states to pick off Republicans and get some gains for Democrats, the president right now is playing an awful lot of defense. His time is very valuable in the final days, and it gives you an idea of the map right now. Democrats playing defense all around the country, Fred.</s>WHITFIELD: All right. Ed Henry traveling with the president there from Columbus, Ohio, thank you so much. Meantime Republicans are hoping to take control of Congress, and they think they can get two of the seats they need right there in New Hampshire. Deputy political director Paul Steinhauser is in Manchester. What's the feeling?</s>PAUL STEINHAUSER, CNN DEPUTY POLITICAL DIRECTOR: You know Fred you just heard Ed Henry talking about playing defense. Democrats also playing defense in this state as well. New Hampshire has two seats in the House of Representatives both right now controlled by the Democrats. Republicans are optimistic they can win back both seats. I spoke to somebody from the state party here in New Hampshire today and he said their get out the vote efforts their enthusiasm is bigger and stronger than two years ago. Democrats have made some big gains in New Hampshire in 2006 and 2008 but the Republicans feel like 2010 is their year and you know what? If they win back two seats here, if they win a bunch of others, remember they need a net gain of 39 to win back the chamber, win back the House of Representatives. Fred, check this out. Our latest CNN poll of polls for the generic ballot, that's the standard question at CNN and other organizations ask would you vote for the generic Democrat or Republican in your Congressional district, look at that. 47% say they would back or vote for the Republican generic candidate in their district and 41% for the Democrats. That's a troubling number for the Democrats as they try to hold onto the House and the Senate, Fred.</s>WHITFIELD: OK. It is a new day, isn't it, as it pertains to how much campaigns are costing? We know in California we're seeing huge amounts of personal wealth that are being poured into these campaigns, talking about Carly Fiorina as well as Meg Whitman. Is that seeming to be the trend now?</s>STEINHAUSER: Yeah. Money matters so much in campaign politics, and we keep such a close eye on it as we keep on the polls as well. Money pays for get out the vote efforts and pays for those campaign commercials that you see. Look at this. This is interesting. These are September fund-raising figures. The Democratic Congressional committees outraising their Republican National Committee and the Democratic Congressional Committee, the DFCC and the DCCC outraising their Republican counterparts, so you think the Democrats are doing great. The big story is those independent groups. Look at this next graphic here. Independent groups on the conservative side greatly outspending independent groups on the liberal and progressive side, and that is the big story this year. You heard it again on the state of the union with Candy Crowley today, top Democrats criticizing independent groups raising money for Republicans because by law they're allowed not to disclose cash figures. It's a big story in these midterm elections.</s>WHITFIELD: All right. Paul thanks so much from Manchester, New Hampshire. Later on this hour, how a Republican take-over in Congress could affect the new health reform law. We have a live report from Capitol Hill as the Best Political Team on Television counts down to the election. A Brooklyn alliance in New York's race for governor. What the Republican candidate said about gays that got him in trouble with a popular rabbi.