DNC: Day 1 Recap Video

DNC: Day 1 Recap Video Transcript

[ Music ]^M00:00:07

>> CBS News Coverage of the Democratic National Convention continues. Here again is Katie Couric.

>> Well, hi everyone and welcome to our first live webcast here from Denver at the Pepsi Center known as I mentioned earlier on our broadcast as "The Can" I'm told by people in Denver and there was a lot of carbonation in this can tonight with a lot of excitement and emotion. First for a tribute to Senator Ted Kennedy, the introduction was given by his niece Caroline Kennedy. Then there was a very moving video tribute that was produced by Ken Burns. So you can imagine that was extremely well done. But, the woman of the hour Michelle Obama, the somewhat controversial wife of Barack Obama who really turned some people off when she said it was the first time she'd really been proud of her country ^M00:01:00 and was criticized for that and some people don't really know quite what to make of her, but I think after tonight's speech they'll have a much better idea. Joe Trippi is here as well as Dan Bartlett. They're our CBS News consultants and first of all, Joe and Dan welcome to the webcast.

>> Thanks, Katie.

>> It's great.

>> Nice to have you both and we can have a little more time. Be a little more loosie-goosie and relaxed, and chat about what we saw tonight. Joe, before we talk about Michelle Obama, how do you think the Democrats did here? I think it went off without a hitch as far as I could tell.

>> I think they got everything they want out of the first night. I mean, the tribute to Ted Kennedy, I was a floor manager 20 something years, 1980, ^M00:01:43 28 years ago for the Texas and Utah Delegation on a convention just like this when he spoke the words that we heard tonight, "The work goes on, the cause endures, and hope still lives and the dream shall never die." To see him paraphrase that again here tonight, to talk about standing there in January with President Barack to fight the fight of his life, which is healthcare for every American, I think was -- and then have that followed with a Michelle Obama tonight just -- it has to be a feel that is very favorable by the people who organized this ^M00:02:17

>> And now to Dan Bartlett perhaps the bravest man in the room. Dan, a lonely republican as I called you earlier in the sea of democrats. You know, I'm wondering is John McCain or is the McCain campaign watching this and hating it?

>> I don't think they're hating it, look they came in to this, you know, and if you would ask them several weeks ago or even a couple of months ago they were petrified about this moment, this week in the Democratic National Convention, but as the polls are tight, they've gotten a little bit of traction lately on their messaging. I think they're coming in and they are a lot more confident and what you saw here today this is my first democratic national convention and I'll be the first to admit that it was effective -- effective speeches by Senator Ted Kennedy and by Michelle Obama,^M00:03:01 but for the larger audience across America what they're really seeing is the Liberal lion himself. And Michelle Obama having to address two very specific, yet defensive points on this campaign, one is, obviously, the Hillary Clinton factor. She made a magnanimous gesture to reach out although it's a bit defensive and then the issue about whether how to really portray her, her family and more importantly Barack Obama as an everyday father, somebody who people can relate to. This elitist tag has been put on him. So right out of the box they're trying to get on offense, but they're having to address some liabilities and I think they did it effectively. But I think this gives McCain and his campaign an opportunity to point these things out as the week unfolds.

>> You know you talked about Teddy Kennedy Dan, being the best stand of liberalism in this country. Are we going to see a John McCain ad featuring Teddy Kennedy speaking here at this convention or will that simply cross the line? ^M00:03:57

>> Well I don't know if that'll be the case. Nancy Pelosi on the other hand might be fair game. There's a lot of other very much what you will call the standard bearers of the liberal aspect of this party and I think that will be a contrast or something that the McCain campaign will point out. Although their first priority will try to do everything they can to push this fissure between the Hillary Clinton camp and the Barack Obama camp. As this week unfolds look for them to continue try to exploit those differences.

>> And Joe Trippi the cute factor was pretty much off the charts, wasn't it at the end when Sasha and Malia and Michelle Obama were all on stage and Sasha was saying, "Hi Daddy" to Barack Obama. There hasn't been children that young in the White House for a very, very long time and that certainly is part of Senator Obama's appeal isn't it?

>> It sure is, but I think you know Michelle Obama made a really clear statement about love of family, love of country which I think was very important for her, for the American people to see her do. Wife and mother first, the daughter of a blue-collar father and she called "the rock." And then when she, you know sort of belted out, "that's why I love America."^M00:05:11 And then to have those kids at the end interacting with their father that way I think was another real big moment. The other thing though I'd say is that what you saw I think with Michelle Obama -- we may have seen her soft side, but what she said repeatedly was that Barack Obama will be on your side, which I think is gonna maybe be setting up what's gonna happen later on in this convention, which is the convention taking it to John McCain and putting it in sharp contrast that he is and he and the republicans are not. And so she may have been showing her soft side, but I think she was also laying down the groundwork for when we come back, when the democrats come back tough on McCain later on this convention. Something they have to do. One of the things that happened last time in 2004 is John Kerry was criticized for leaving George Bush untouched at that convention. ^M00:06:04 The democrats had this theory that if you went negative at the convention and showed a stark contrast, it wouldn't work. The American people wouldn't like it. I think you're gonna see a much tougher democratic convention tonight as we go forward.

>> You know, we can go to a two-shot, Joe because as our crew gets Caroline Kennedy ready to talk to me this is the web so, we can really show what's going on behind the scenes, let me just -- Hi Caroline. How're you doing?

>> Hi. I'm doing good.

>> You get set up and I'll talk to Bob Shieffer for a moment. Bob, what overall grade would you give this convention tonight?

>> I think it went very, very well for the democrats. They do have problems. You heard -- I thought Dan Bartlett made a very good summation of the things that the Republicans will try to exploit. They're gonna try to fan these flames, but you saw Michelle Obama come out here and give, number one, a very good speech. It was a very well-written speech we were told she wrote it herself. I know one thing, it was a very well designed speech, it was designed to address these various points. I mean this business of "that's why I love America." ^M00:07:13 Don't forget there was a real low point in the Obama campaign when she said, "For the first time in my life I'm proud of America. This was a speech designed for a purpose. But I thought it was packaged very well and I'm telling you, you can't beat little kids in a picture like this talking to their Dad like on a television or telephone as if were there. I thought it was just a boffo ending to quite a good speech. I think the Ted Kennedy speech, Katie, was one of those moment that if you're some place when you hear a speech like that, Ted Kennedy fighting brain cancer saying, promising that he will be back next year, those are the kind of things that people who come to conventions just don't forget.

>> Well, Bob.

>> I think all in all you got to say it was a pretty good night for the whole crowd here.^M00:08:02

>> And Bob you just gave me a perfect segue it's a web exclusive -- whoa! Caroline Kennedy has stopped by our platform and obviously Caroline, first of all good to see you, sorry it took so long to hear it. Then Stan was working feverishly, but you know this has got to be such an emotional night for you. I thought about you up there and wondered ifyou felt like crying when you were talking about your uncle because I know he's going through a very difficult time.

>> Well I think, you know he's so inspiring and I think for all of them -- just to be here meant so much to me and I think to all the members of our family and to watch him up there was just so great.

>> How is he doing?

>> He's -- well, I mean you saw him tonight. He's you know, he's doing unbelievably. I mean, you know what it took for him to get here was something that I never thought I'd see in my life. So, but he's been working all summer. He's, you know, on the phone all the time. He's passed his education bill. He's planning to go back to the Senate, so I think there was nothing that will keep him away, but that's great.

>> I know he had surgery to remove as much as the tumor as doctors could earlier this year, I guess in June. And he's undergoing treatment now, is he going through a chemotherapy and radiation and things like that? Is that something you feel comfortable even discussing with me? I don't want to be too intrusive, obviously. ^M00:09:20

>> Yeah, yeah, yeah. I know. I'm not, you know really gonna talk about his medical stuff but it is, you know it's a tough course of treatment and it's a tough battle and he's been unbelievable. He's just out there everyday sailing, working all the things he loves and kind of setting an example for all of us.

>> Meanwhile, you're an ardent supporter of Barack Obama. You came out supporting him in an editorial in the New York Times, which I believed had the heading "A President like my Father." You talked a little bit about that, about his ability to inspire people the way people have told you, your father inspire them or to inspire you that way. Did you have any hesitation about doing that? Certainly you have had the close association with the Clintons as well. Was that a hard decision at all? ^M00:10:05

>> Well I admire Senator Clinton -- President Clinton tremendously and I really felt watching my own kids and other kids...

>> I heard your kids were very instrumental in convincing you to support...

>> I do, and you know I obey my kids all the time.

>> Yeah. Don't we all?

>> About everything they say. Yeah, exactly, but you know sometimes kids are, you know ahead of us all and I think that they, they and others and reading the books and listening to him speak, I think this is really a special time, this is really a special moment and think you know people just have to put aside their plans and we're so fortunate to have him, you know hopefully become our next president and I'm confident that he will.

>> Now you played a huge role Caroline in the vice presidential selection process. You were the co-head, I guess, is that what your official title was? But tell me what that entailed and tell me a little bit about what that was like and why and if you said to senator Obama, Joe Biden's your guy.

>> First of all, I think Senator Biden is just gonna make a fantastic vice president, fantastic campaigner and I think senator Obama was really looking for somebody with independent judgment, respected around the world, fighting for people here at home throughout his career. So I think we are all lucky that we got somebody as great as Joe Biden to take it, taken on, but I think for me it was really a wonderful experience, it was an honor to be asked. But also that was a chance to see Senator Obama work in a small group. Obviously we've seen him do this big speeches and how inspiring he is. But it was really the kind of questions he asked, the way he brings people together, the judgment, the intelligence. So I think that that gave me a whole new sense of confidence and inspiration.

>> I know you're probably sick of these questions, but was it a bit of a disk to Hillary Clinton to not even kind of go through the betting process as has been reported or is that not true. Was she considered, did you all asked for paperwork. I mean some people say it was sort of a coming courtesy to her that you would at least review her as a possibility. Can you set the record straight on that Caroline?

>> I'm not gonna talk about the process, but I'll just say that it was thorough and you know, I think it ended up great.

>> Well that was a real not answer Thank you very much. Meanwhile, let me ask you finally there was a lot of discussion about the Kennedy Dynasty tonight and about your entire family and what they have meant to this country and I'm just curious if you do ever feel any pressure. I know you are very shy.

>> Are you gonna ask me if I'm gonna run for office by any chance? Is that where you're going with these questions?

>> What do you think?

>> I mean you know it's incredible you're just so creative with this whole kind of thing here.

>> But I think people do what maybe if you have any renewed interest in going into political office. I mean you already are in public service, but because of Teddy's illness and because of the era, sort of a coming to a close. I'm just wondering if you feel any kind of responsibility at all or do you feel completely comfortable with the path you've taken?

>> Well I don't make a lot of long range plans, so, but I don't think Teddy is his era has come to a close.

>> No, I don't mean that. What I just mean the generation of Kennedys.

>> I think that, you know, for me, I mean, I think one of the great things that came out of that film was that there's so many ways to contribute so I hope that I'm making a contribution and I hope that I'll continue to do that and I don't know how I'll do it, but I'll work as hard I can.

>> Would you maybe like a role in Obama administration of some kind possibly? I don't know is that something you thought about?

>> Well I haven't as I said you know really it was getting here tonight and hopefully I'll do everything I can to help him get elected this November, so I'm looking forward to that.

>> Well, you did a great job tonight

>> Thank you.

>> And it's good to talk to you Caroline.

>> Thank you Katie.

>> Thanks so much for coming by.

>> Okay, sure.

>> I really appreciate it even though you're annoyed by some of my questions. It wouldn't be me if you weren't slightly annoyed by some of my questions.

>> Right.

>> Anyway we're gonna go to Byron Pitts. He's actually got Congressman John Lewis.

>> Oh, great.

>> I know you know Congressman Lewis and Byron tell me what congressman Lewis is saying about tonight's events.

>> Sure. Congressman Lewis from fine city Georgia. Where you wanna start? Your long time friend Ted Kennedy was here tonight, Michelle Obama's speech, what did you think of what Ted, Senator Kennedy did tonight?

>> The tribute to Senator Kennedy was so fitting and so appropriate. He's the last lion for the Senate and this democratic convention, this party, say it to him tonight, thank you for your work, thank you for that you've done. And you can tell that he's not well, but he came here to say, "Get out there and fight and stand up one more time. Elect Barack Obama."

>> Michelle Obama, there was a lot of concern that she had to deliver a certain kind of speech tonight to sort of soft and what some considered the edginess of Michelle Obama to help sell herself to the nation, as well as her husband to the nation. Did she accomplished that you thought?

>> Oh Michelle did what she had to do. It was wonderful. It was a beautiful speech. At one time I cried. Tears came down my face. It was so moving and so touching as she spoke from her soul, from a heart, she told her story. What her story is an American story. It reminds us all of the distance we've come, the progress we've made and we've been able to stand tall and continue to fight in spite of it all. As she make a homerun she got this convention off to a great start. It's gonna be very hard, very difficult for others to come along and top Michelle Obama.

>> Give this night some context. I spoke with two delegates from Cincinnati, Ohio, a white woman who said she wept when Michelle Obama spoke, You know the history well of this nation and the civil rights movement. There's a time in our nation when a white woman would have spat on a black woman in a public place. What does it say how far a nation has come from the times when you were beaten in the streets of south to where we are now?

>> Well tonight it just demonstrate and dramatize the distance we have come. I was sitting with my colleagues and friends from the Georgia delegation and surrounded by both blacks and whites, but all the people in the delegation they were so quiet, so silent and people were crying within. She appealed to the very heart and the very soul and that's of all of us and it is amazing to me, it is unreal, it is unbelievable that just a few short years ago it was very hard and very difficult for black people in American South to register to vote. I remember the first democratic convention that I attended in 1964 when I refused to seat the Mississippi Interracial Democratic Party.

>> Okay. Congressman John Lewis always a pleasure sir. Thank you so much.

>> Thank you sir.

>> Okay. I've known Congressman Lewis for a long time and for him to cry that says something about how well Michelle Obama did for this crowd here tonight.

>> Okay, Byron and Congressman Lewis thank you both so much, you know we promised that we would try to find the answers to some of your internet questions. We've reached out to the folks at CNET, CBS News.com. Also with Digg users to come up with some questions for this convention. Also for the presidential candidates when I do those interviews called Presidential Questions, which is really a continuation of primary questions which we did. I'm gonna take a couple of those and ask our crack team of political analysts Joe Trippi and Dan Bartlett to answer them if they could. And I'm gonna try, men, you guys if I have anything to say. So this is from GC3182 and the question is this, "Is the convention more than just a formality and if not then why does it consume an entire week? You know one thing Joe, I was really struck by when I talked to some of the Obama operatives, if this is really a massive voter outreach program? They were talking about the 76,000 people at INVESCO Stadium really being trained to get out to vote, to register new voters. So this really isn't just a week of speeches, is it Joe?

>> No it's not. I think the Obama campaign is trying to make it much more than that. Make it a four or five day period where they'll get hundreds of thousands of more people to sign up where they actually have training sessions. I think here, in INVESCO, David Plouffe, the campaign manager is gonna talk for an hour or so about what, you know sort of training people through that process. What they can do, how they can get involved, how they can sign up and how they can make a difference out there. So this is a -- including just the whole where they announce the Biden selection as vice president, with the text messaging thing was again just another way to collect all that information, all that data, all those email and cell phone numbers, so they could do get out to vote later on in the campaign. So they're running a very sophisticated operation here that goes well beyond just the four days of speeches. There's a lot going on underneath that about organizing this all 50 States of the country try to compete. They're competing in many more states than McCain is right now. That's part of the reason.

>> It is uber-sophisticated isn't it Dan? I mean can the republicans compete with this Obama machine, which is using technology in a way it's never been used before to really galvanize the populace and get out to vote.

>> Well there's no question that the Obama campaign is taking us to a different level and during the primary process about outreach particularly to younger voters. But the Bush administration, I mean, George W. Bush in both 2000-2004 does some extraordinary things when it comes to get out to vote. I think the McCain has adopted many of those tactics and is built upon those as well. Will there be a ground game advantage to Barack Obama? Yes, I don't think it'll be for organizational purposes. I think it will be for motivation purpose. I think the motivation behind the typical democratic voter is obviously quite a bit higher right now than the typical republican voter that could change in the final stretch of this campaign or at least even out some more. ^M00:20:25 But the question is a good one from your, that you receive because the fact that we live in this kind of sound by world now where everything has to be done in a moment. The fact that there's a four day spectacle like this on both sides, both democratic and Republican is quite remarkable.

>> Alright, I'm gonna get back to you guys in just a few minutes because I have a guest here beside me, Susan Eisenhower, the granddaughter of President Eisenhower who's here at the Democratic National Convention. What gives?

>> Well what does give?

>> I mean you have changed your party affiliation, you became and independent.

>> I do.

>> Last month. That's my understanding.

>> Well, actually a couple of weeks ago.

>> And tell me why. What motivated you to do that? What do you think your grandfather would think?

>> Well I think my grandfather's Republican party is very different than the one today and we've always had a strong feeling in our family that we should follow our convictions. I think Barack Obama's going to make, not only a great candidate, but a great president of the United States.

>> Why?

>> Well first of all I think he's got all the leadership qualities that you'd expect and hope in a president and I think he's got this remarkable capacity bringing people together. As a matter of fact, one of the ways I got into the campaign is that he called me about a year and a half ago and talked to me about my area of expertise.

>> Which is foreign policy.

>> Foreign policy and I said I really couldn't support you, but I'm happy to provide your campaign with any information and that he said, "Oh I know that. It's just that we're very interested in your views on Russia and the former Soviet Union." And that began a long interaction with the Senator and his staff. And then I finally I thought this is really unusual. I've been in and out of politics for decades and I've never seen a political candidate reach out like this to people of other persuasions. As a matter of fact I checked it out in Washington and the campaign had reached out to all kinds of independents and Republicans.

>> Since you all talk extensively Susan about foreign policy, I'm just curious to know, were you impressed by his acumen in the area because certainly that's one arena that some people don't feel complete confidence in him.

>> Well look, I think Americans are used to having pat answers given to them. I think he really genuinely understand the complexity of the issues that are underway overseas. And so much has changed in the world in the last eight years. America's standing in the world's quite different and actually there's already been a very big generational change internationally.

>> What, you know you said earlier that the Republican Party is not the party of your grandfather.

>> That's right.

>> And I'm curious why you're so turned off by the GOP and does that extend to John McCain and his candidacy.

>> Well I mean, John McCain is the part of today's Republican Party and I must say that the events of the last two weeks has really been very sobering for me. The situation in Russian and Georgia has been brewing for a very long time. It did not have to reach the crisis point that it did it and I think it showed that we don't have any new ideas in the Republican Party, and we don't have any new ideas about how to handle some of these difficult international situations.

>> Some people think this conflict in Georgia, between Russia and Georgia is actually gonna boost for John McCain. He's been on the horn with the President of Georgia. He certainly been extremely involved in that situation. What's your take on that?

>> I think that's a very simplistic way of looking at the situation, If he had that much influence with the President of Georgia then he should've dissuaded the President of Georgia from, you know, beginning a conflict with Russia that nobody was really prepared to handle. In any case, this is a very, very complex issue and it's not easy to make a bumper sticker out of it and it's downright dangerous to make a bumper sticker out of it.

>> What about Joe Biden as vice president. Your take on that.

>> I think it adds a lot to the ticket. First of all Joe Biden is very respected in the foreign policy area. He's got, not only a very long resume, but he's got extensive contacts domestically and internationally on this topic. And I think he's going to be a great addition to the ticket not only for that, but because he is very articulate, he knows the issues and he's a great campaigner.

>> Will you be actively campaigning for Senator Obama and can you envision a role in his administration for you?

>> Oh listen, I wanna do the right thing here. American needs to be reinvigorated at all levels. I'm very excited by the Obama candidacy. As a matter of fact, I'm extremely proud the fact that I endorsed him on February 2. So I'm an early Obama supporter and I'm looking forward to doing whatever I can to help.

>> What about your brother David and his wife Julie, how do they feel about it?

>> Well I think the whole family is certainly supporting me and what I've decided to do and..

>> Are they supporting him as well?

>> I think I'll let them speak for themselves and let me speak for myself.

>> That's probably a smart thing, you know, in terms of family matters to let them speak for themselves.

>> I think so.

>> Yeah.

>> I think it's probably very wise, very wise.

>> Yeah well Susan Eisenhower it's nice talking to you.

>> So nice to see you.

>> Thanks for coming by. I really appreciate it. Now, we're gonna chat with Marc Ambinder of the Atlantic magazine and certainly one of our crack political consultant here at CBS News. Hey Marc, where are you by the way?

>> Katie I'm in the Delaware Delegation seated at the nosebleed portion of the auditorium until a certain senator from Delaware was chosen as Barack Obama's vice-presidential nominee and of course they moved in right up to the front.

>> Alright, yeah obviously, it went from the nosebleed section as Jeff said with America, Samoa, all the way to the front of the convention hall. So, Marc, I was just gonna ask you a couple of quick questions.

>> Sure.

>> First of all, because you were just, are so knowledgeable about all things political. I wanted to ask you about some key battleground states, looking ahead beyond this conventions. Now the democrats are really focusing on a number of states that haven't elected a democratic presidential candidate since 1964. Those being I believe, Virginia, and Indiana. Is that right Marc?

>> Well that Indiana in 1968.

>> Yeah -- oh 1968 or 1964?

>> I think Indiana is '68, Virginia '64.

>> Okay, I don't know. Brian Goldsmith is disagreeing with you. >. Right.

>> We're gonna have to get back to folks on that.

>> Okay.

>> But, do you think there's a chance that either of these states could go Democratic this go round?

>> Both of them could. Virginia is more likely. The demographics of Virginia are changing. Northern Virginia is an area where Republicans quickly -- conservative Republicans are doing worse and worse and worse. Voter registration among Democrats has increased and just a state where the right Democratic candidate could for the first time might turn it blue.

>> Hey Marc, I was gonna ask you, I can't find on my page but this was from I believe a Digg user or maybe somebody on CNET, you know Barack Obama was a huge sensation back in 2004 when he gave the keynote address. This is usually reserved for an up and comer and the question from this internet user who wasn't Naughty Boy -- that's a question I'm gonna ask for -- ask Joe and Dan about just so I can say naughty boy on the web if not on television. But was, who was gonna be up and coming star of this convention and my answer of course was the keynoter this year is Mark Warner, do you think that's true?

>> Absolutely. In fact so much is he a rising star that last month, Barack Obama's vice-presidential vetting team including Caroline Kennedy tried to convince him to allow him to submit his record to be vetted. Obama really wanted to consider him for the ticket. Warner cited his promise to voters of Virginia. He disappointed many Democrats when he decided not to run for President. He clearly is the future of the party in Virginia.

>> Alright. Marc Ambinder, I'm gonna get back to you. Can you stay tuned actually, you can maybe chime in on this question.

>> Sure.

>> Joe and Dan are you guys still there?

>> How are you doing?

>> I'm here.

>> Okay.

>> Dan is not here.

>> Trippi is here.

>> Okay, alright Joe Trippi that I'm gonna ask you this. Is Dan there? Well you can get hooked up and ready to go, it's fine. But I wanted to...

>> I don't have a camera though.

>> You don't have a camera.

>> No.

>> Oh, well this can be radio on the web you know.

>> Okay. We can do that.

>> Oh hi Joe. You can come over here actually and sit next to me and I'll keep talking to Ambinder.

>> Okay, okay.

>> So Marc, this is a question from Digg. This is a guy whose web name is Naughty Boy. I just found that just something I couldn't resist and his question Marc is as we see Joe get up here and get hooked up, is, will we see increase funding for renewable energy solutions? I think that's an emphatic yes when you're talking about the Democrats, isn't it Marc?

>> And it's also an emphatic yes when it's it comes to the Republicans. Barack Obama has proposed a lot more spending on renewable energy. He has proposed essentially what amount to an Apollo project named after of course the Apollo moon landing, but Apollo project dedicated to finding renewable energy resources to the tune of hundreds of billions of dollars over ten years. John McCain has what he calls the Lexington Project which is very similar. So under Democratic or Republican administration you'll see a lot more spending from the government on renewable resources.

>> Okay. Marc stand by 'cause I have to go to Bob Schieffer who's at the Podium. Hi Bob.

>> Howdy.

>> I didn't mean to forget about you. I haven't talked to you for a while.

>> Well you know, I'll tell you something. A couple of other reporters came along here and I just talked to them.

>> Oh excellent.^M00:29:57 Hi you guys I'm actually doing a live webcast, so I can't really talk to you guys right now, but maybe later. And I can't hear a darn thing 'cause I have these earplugs in my ear. But Bob, listen I wanted to get your comments from a web user, a Digg user and it's a nineteen -- this user writes, it's Ieure, I can't really I-E-U-R-E. I'm sorry I can't really pronounce that name.

>> As long as it's not Naughty Boy. I'm okay.

>> Yeah. In 1984 this user writes, Barack Obama was 23, McCain was 48. How big of an issue is age in this election and Bob I ask you this question as the elder statesman of CBS News, but certainly because we were talking about the exhausting nature of running for president in this day and age. So how much an issue do you think age is and will be in this campaign?

>> Well I've always thought that the John McCain's age is an asset because John McCain and I are the same age. But I think it is a legitimate question. I think it is a legitimate issue and I think it is a question that John McCain is gonna have to deal with. This is the hardest job in the world. John McCain is gonna be 72 years old when, if he is elected. He will be the oldest President sworn in and it's a killer job. He's gotta assure people and reassure them that he's up to it. That from a standpoint of health, that he's able to do it. So people will make their decision on that, but I think it is a perfectly legitimate question, the race and an issue that I know for sure John McCain is gonna have to deal with.

>> Yeah and Bob stand by for a moment because I have one final question for our inaugural webcast, which has to do with technology, which makes sense, don't you think Joe? And I'd love to get your take on this as well Bob and a Digg user, I mean these names are killing me you guys. I want you all to change name. It's Dslazyk -- I'm sorru Dslazyk maybe D-S-L-A-Z-Y-K. I just want you to know we know who you are and we're using your question but the question is, "Have you ever Googled yourself, which sounds a bit obscene. If so, did you find out something new about yourself or something you did not want online." Well I can answer that emphatically yes, I've Googled myself and I've learned not to Google myself because it is not a pretty picture. And before we talk to Joe -- wait Bob I have to ask you, have you Googled yourself?

>> No, but let me tell you this and this is absolutely true, I walked in to our little office that we have at our home where my wife and I live. She was sitting at the computer there and I said, "Any Google alerts for me today?" and she said, "I've got a lot more to do than sit around and Google you.

>> How about -- yeah, that's kind of a dis Bob. How about you? Have you Googled yourself? Be honest.

>> Yes I have.

>> It's not embarrassing to admit it.

>> Absolutely, I have.

>> Have you Googled yourself lately?

>> No.

>> Yeah. Have you learned not to Google yourself?

>> Yeah 'cause it drives you crazy.

>> Yeah.

>> I mean, but the other thing is it has also amazing what, when you say something you see how it reverberates out there. How many people are actually talking about like this webcast. How many people will be talking about tomorrow and you can see that in Google alerts and when you Google yourself. In that sense it's always interesting, but you always get the plusses and the negatives.

>> Well, that's why it's really important I think to correct the record.

>> Right.

>> Like if something false is written about you, like a few years back, they all said I had a laparoscopic browlip. I don't like, really even know what that is, but I think it involves putting hooks in your head and lifting your forehead, but this got repeated in like several publications and finally I said, enough, no mass. I went to the initial publication, I said dudes, write a correction because this is gonna live in perpetuity on the web and its completely bogus, so, but actually this leads to a more serious question. In conclusion, which is how do you think the internet has changed the face of not only campaigns but campaign coverage in this country? I mean it's changed it enormously, how's that?

>> The differences between 2004 and 2008. I mean in 2004, we didn't have YouTube. We didn't have Facebook, My Space, all these things that social networks that we take for granted today, they've grown into millions and you know it hasn't happened. I didn't exist. And now you see the huge numbers of the Barack Obama campaign is, I mean, just the millions of people that have connected.

>> Right.

>> And can get involved and can get involved and can make a difference and it is changing journalism too.

>> It's really changing the new cycle. It's truncating it into a nanosecond. There used to be, you know a period of hours, even perhaps a day.

>> Absolutely.

>> Where the news cycle could kind of spin.

>> And now...

>> But now it's instantaneous response and all the news come so fast and furious it's hard to keep up with it in away.

>> Not only that, you have all these other people out there who can literally find a new fact, change or catch a politician in a moment.

>> Yeah. Right.

>> And just destroy a career or something. I mean you really change the entire news cycle. Just one American.

>> Who can catch George Allen fame.

>> Yes, Macaca.

>> Macaca on his cell phone on around a small portable camera.

>> Absolutely.

>> Hey Bob I'm curious because you've covered politics for a long time. How have you seen technology change the way you and we, our entire, sort of profession, do business?

>> Well, I mean, it's this stuff that goes around the world in a nanosecond, you know, I mean when I talk to journalism students now and I tell that I when I used to be a newspaper reporter at the old Forthworth Star Telegram my big part of the job was being able to find the telephone to phone the story in. If you couldn't find the phone, you didn't have a story. Now everybody has got a cell phone. I'll tell you just one little anecdote Katie. A young woman who worked for me, my research assistant Michelle Leevy [presumed spelling], who's now working in our political unit as a producer, when she came to work for me, one of our friends gave me one of those portable typewriters like we used to all carry covering political campaigns. Michelle didn't know what it was. She'd never seen a typewriter. And that's when you realize you've been around for a while, but that's how fast this thing, how fast all of this is moving and you know frankly none of us knows where it's gonna go. We don't know if we're gonna have newspapers, we don't know if everybody will get all their news on the iPod. We don't know where it's gonna go, but we think that there'll always be a need for accurate information and for reporters.

>> Yeah that's for sure. In fact that's one of the reasons we're doing this webcast. Certainly it gives us more real state. If don't have a cable operation, it's nice to be able to have these venues, so we can talk and have more casual conversations and really analyze what's going on. Hey Bob you know Cyndi Lauper's -- hi Cyndi. Come up here girlfriend. Anyway, you know I wanted to ask you Bob where the good parties were, but look, Cyndi Lauper has just shown up and they've got some entertainment I know. I forget who were some of the musical acts who are performing. There was a rumor that Bruce Springsteen was gonna be here on Thursday night. Hi Cyndi.

>> How are you?

>> How are you? Nice to see you. Aren't you nice. So they're hooking Cyndi up. But I think -- Brian, do you remember some of the musical groups that we were told are gonna be performing this week? Black Eyed Peas? Oh, yeah. Oh, Will I am. Yeah and John Legend of course we mentioned that and Stevie Wonder is kind of up in the air. He might be performing on Thursday. Bob Schieffer, maybe your band would like to perform Wednesday night here at the convention.

>> They're performing tomorrow.

>> Well, tell us -- Okay, Bob sorry I'm talking to Cyndi Lauper, I'm sorry, you know.

>> Hey look.

>> Yeah can you say hi to Bob Shieffer?

>> How you doing?

>> Hey Cyndi, how are you?

>> And my Michelle sign.

>> Now this is a dynamic duo. This is the first time you've been at a convention?

>> Never been to one.

>> Yeah?

>> I once saw it on TV, and so who are those crazy people with the sign.

>> And now you are at one.

>> Now, I'm a crazy person with the sign. I know. I though it was extraordinary. I'm here doing, I'm supporting the HRC -- doing work with HRC and I'm on the show tomorrow night at the Fillmore with Melissa Etheridge.

>> Oh, that's right. I didn't mention Melissa either.

>> And Rufus Wainwright and Thelma Houston.

>> Oh wow.

>> So, it's gonna be a wonderful time and my kid is doing a little break dance that he worked on and so it's exciting, it's you know, this is history. So wonderful. Who thought in our lifetime, you know, you had a woman running and now we have a half white, half black person who -- I mean, we're all mixed in this country and it really kind of represents who we are. We're a quilt and that's what makes us strong. And they're educated people and articulate it's so exciting. I think George Bush did anything for us in this country, he really made us ready for a change. And so, it's, I mean, who would've thought unless people are really ready for a change that this would have happened.

>> You know if the polls are really tight right now. I think the gallop poll came out yesterday that showed John McCain and Barack Obama really neck and neck and some people thought for that very reason that you were mentioning that disillusionment with George W. Bush would mean Barack Obama had a much bigger lead at this point in time. How confident are you that he will be elected. And are you concerned that things won't go his way or your way for that matter.

>> I think that Americans are mostly fair minded people and I think if they really knew the facts they wouldn't continue going on the road that we're going on. I mean I travel and I know, I probably get to see and understand more than if I had I just stayed in this country. As you go abroad and you see people's reactions to Americans and the policies and what our money's worth now. And it's amazing to me that Senator McCain didn't know how many houses he had in a time when so many people are losing the only house they had.^M00:40:48

>> Yeah, sorry about that. You're used to probably this. Do you use this when you perform by the way?

>> No.

>> Like Madonna.

>> No, I don't dance. I sing, I sing and I -- you see me. I jump up and down.

>> I've seen you dance.

>> Well I don't know if that's dancing, you know. I'm just, I was so moved by her speech and by the humanity of it. That it's so human and these are young, vital, smart people who are persistent and yeah that was very funny, but they've, they've gone out and worked for people. You know, these aren't just you know...

>> Career politicians. Well...

>> Yeah.

>> You know what?

>> I don't know what -- You know I just, I'm amazed, I'm not a politician. I'm just here and seeing. I'm experiencing this because this is history.

>> Well it's so nice of you to stop by and say hey.

>> Yes, and please stop by and come see the ...

>> The show tomorrow night.

>> The show tomorrow night. It's for the HRC, the Human Rights Campaign. I'm excited because I believe so strongly on the civil rights of everyone, every American not just some.

>> Well that's a nice way to end the evening.

>> Kind of great.

>> And this is yet another web exclusive for you to come by.

>> Is it? Here it is.

>> We're doing this whole thing for the internet.

>> Isn't that amazing? Well, I just came out in support because I was a Hillary supporter of the Obama campaign. I'm very excited that Joe Biden is now on.

>> On the ticket?

>> Because he's very much a working class guy.

>> Yeah. Some Hillary supporters I know we have to wrap it up everybody's telling me.

>> Yes.

>> Please.

>> Alright.

>> I know, I know, but...

>> Ciao, ciao bambino. Arrivederci Roma.

>> I have to ask Cyndi, but some Hillary supporters are not really all that keen about Barack Obama. Do you think he's gonna win them over and how's he gonna do that and then we have to end things because I'm getting yelled at by my executive producer.

>> Alright. I know.

>> He's kind of a bully. See him over there?

>> He looks pretty tough.

>> He's that big, scary guy over there. He's actually a pussycat. But no seriously.

>> I don't, you know, I think he have to reach out to the people. I think he have to go into the communities and reach out to them and I think he's bright enough to do that. I think he'll look to a higher, the smartest, brightest minds because that is what we need and he is a very bright man. He is a Harvard grad. That is pretty impressive.

>> Yeah that was my safety school. I'm kidding. I'm kidding everyone. That's a joke. Believe me that's a joke.

>> No, I know. That is so...

>> Yeah, that's impressive, Harvard Law School and head of the Harvard Law Review, yeah, very impressive.

>> I think that education is important and smart people can run a country better. You know, not just greed and hate and fear. It has to be about something else and I think people are ready to change it and if you sit by and do nothing this time. This is for me, my opinion, is that it's a big deciding moment in our country. The next ten years will decide our future. Talk to your kids. Ask the kids. Obama started, this whole campaign really was fuelled by the new voters and the young people and they're our future. They're concerned about the future. They want one. I think we owe it to them to talk to them and at least step up to the plate.

>> A very effective advocate for Barack Obama and a good campaigner, Cyndi.

>> I just believe in humanity. I want this country to make it. I'm worried. I think, I hope it'll be all right. You know, they finally admitting that there's global warming, right. The polar bears are drowning. They're finally admitting. What are we gonna do.

>> Yeah.

>> But hopefully everything will work out great. I'm excited though. I got to see this, I was crying. I remember Dr. Martin Luther King talking and looking up to him and crying. So this is a big moment.

>> Well, I'm glad you could be here and that are getting so much out of it. Cyndi Lauper.

>> No.

>> Thank you.

>> Hey, come...

>> Great to see you.

>> We're gonna sing tomorrow night. Come on girls just wanna have fun. We're gonna sing, sing.

>> Okay, thank you so much Cyndi.

>> Come play with us.

>> All right, okay. I will if I have time, okay. Be careful. Don't walk away 'cause you're all hooked up. Anyway, that is our inaugural webcast from the Democratic National Convention here in Denver. We hope you've enjoyed it. It's a bit of an experiment for us. We'll see you tomorrow. Hopefully maybe some of you, two of you possibly will watch the CBS Evening News, which will be on tomorrow night. Then we have a prime time hour and then we'll do yet another webcast after that Rick Kaplan my executive producer just said this is the place to be. Okay Rick, anyway thanks for watching. We'll see you tomorrow.^M00:45:33[ Music ]