clerk's desperate escape and the danger that still exists. and celebration in motown. the tigers sweep their way into the world series. big question is who will they play? whatever. go ahead and cheer. >> yankees go down. it's a great morning. >> no, it is not. good morning. did you hear the boos in the background? >> it's great morning. it's 5:00 a.m. in the east. we're going to begin with politics. mitt romney and the president tradinge ining punch lines inst insult, at least for a night. they were all smiles last night at a charity event in new york. some were good natured, some a little more pointed. >> as president obama surveys the waldorf banquet room, you have to wonder what he's thinking. so little time, so much to redistribute. >> after my foreign trip in 2008, i was attacked as a

celebrity because i was so popular with our allies overseas. and i have to say i'm impressed with how well governor romney has avoided that problem. >> so cnn political director mark creston joins me from new york. it's like the twilight zone. for a month, these guys are on the trail beating up each other. then they get in the same room, they're all laughs, patting each other on their back. >> it's an interesting atmosphere. you have to wonder between the smiles and handshakes, there's still a lot of venom and animosity that remains between mitt romney and barack obama. this has been a difficult campaign. we're in the home stretch. it's nice to have a dinner like this where you can shelf politics for a little while, even when you are trying to make a political point. in fact, we saw that last night. let's take a listen. >> of course, the economy is on everybody's minds. the unemployment rate is at its lowest level since i took office.

i don't have a joke here. i just thought it would be useful to remind everybody that the unemployment rate is at the lowest it's been since i took office. >> and don't be surprised if the president mentions this evening the monthly jobs report where there was a slight improvement in the numbers. he knows how to seize the moment, this president, and already has a compelling new campaign slogan. you're better off now than you were four weeks ago. >> i'll tell you what, it would be interesting and certainly better for the country if we could have more bipartisanship, have more of these dinners where these lawmakers could get together and get some things finished and completed. >> they seem to genuinely enjoy it. that's the other thing. there was other comedy yesterday. president obama stopped by "the daily show" earlier in the night. but it really wasn't all laughs. >> no, it isn't. jon stewart, you know, sure he's on comedy central, but a lot of people go there for the news,

specifically younger people. jon stewart isn't always making jokes. he does ask very pointed questions. let's listen to this exchange. >> i would say even you would admit it was not the optimal response, at least to the american people, as far as us all being on the same page. >> here's what i'll say. >> yeah. >> if four americans get killed, it's not optimal. >> right. >> we're going to fix it. >> all of it. >> all of it. and what happens during the course of a presidency is that the government is a big operation. at any given time, something screws up and you make sure that you find out what's broken and fix it. >> you have the president talking about the benghazi situation. at this point, who would have thought we'd be talking about foreign policy in regards to the presidential campaign, but it has become part of the narrative. >> of course, foreign policy will be the subject of the debate monday night in florida. there was big news in florida

overnight. "the orlando sentinel" endorsing mitt romney, which was a switch from 2008 when they supported barack obama. why the change of heart, do you think? >> well, you know, john, it all comes down to the economy. it's situated in the middle of the state. it's an important part of the state. they said it came down to the economy. let's just show a little bit of what the editorial had to say and why the editorial page has chosen mitt romney. romney has a strong record of leadership to run on. he built a successful business. he rescued the 2012 winter olympics. as governor of massachusetts, he worked with a democrat-dominated legislature to close a $3 billion budget deficit and pass the health care plan that became a national model. this is romney's time to lead again. "the orlando sentinel" endorsing mitt romney. >> all right. it wasn't all bad news for the president. he had a couple good polls in some key swing states. we'll be talking about that in

our next half hour with a former senior adviser to president clinton. as we said, the gloves come off again this monday night when mitt romney and the president tangle in the third and final presidential debate. cnn's live coverage begins from boca raton at 7:00 p.m. eastern time. federal health officials say a batch of steroids was definitely tainted with a deadly fungus. this is the first official confirmation linking the back pain shots with the deadly meningitis outbreak. it has left 20 people dead. it has infected more than 250 people in 16 states. the fda is testing two more batches of the drug. attorneys have forced the release of the boy scouts so-called perversion files and want congress to investigate whether the organization is doing enough now to protect the kids. the documents identify 1200 known or identified sexual abusers. the head of the boy scouts is

expressing his regret. >> there's no question that there are times in the past, and these go back to 40, 50 years old, where we did not do the job we should have. for that, we're profoundly sorry. i'm convinced this organization has a firm and everlasting deep commitment to youth protection. >> today the scouts require background checks on all volunteers. victory for a texas high school cheerleading squad. a judge temporarily ruled they can continue to hoist banners that display christian bible verses at football games. he set a trial date next june to settle this dispute. the local school district banned the banners after receiving a complaint. the cheerleaders sued claiming their free speech rights were violated. the detroit tigers now on their way to the world series. they finished off the yankees in four straight games. we call that a sweep. the tigers took the american league pennant. they slugged four home runs.

detroit's designated hitter, delmon young, was named the series mvp. this is their first trip since 2006. the tigers now await the winner of the nlcs. the st. louis cardinals have take an commanding 3-1 lead. they won game four last night 8-3 pushing the san francisco giants to the brink. the cards can punch their ticket to the world series with a win tonight in game five. >> if they do, that would be a rematch of the 2006 world series which the cardinals won. >> how exciting. >> the tigers won big. >> they did. good for them. it's hard to imagine, but hillary clinton says she's actually done with politics. she said that before, right? find out exactly what she said coming up. how they'll live tomorrow. for more than 116 years, ameriprise financial has worked for their clients' futures. helping millions of americans retire on their terms. when they want. where they want. doing what they want. ameriprise.

the strength of a leader in retirement planning. the heart of 10,000 advisors working with you one-to-one. together for your future. ♪

we're not in london, are we? no. why? apparently my debit card is. what? i know. don't worry, we have cancelled your old card. great. thank you. in addition to us monitoring your accounts for unusual activity, you could also set up free account alerts. okay. [ female announcer ] at wells fargo we're working around the clock to help protect your money and financial information. here's your temporary card. welcome back. how was london? [ female announcer ] wells fargo. together we'll go far.

welcome back to "early start." 11 minutes past the hour. remember the old saying, ask a direct question, get a direct

answer. secretary of state hillary clinton was asked once again if she is running for president in 2016. her answer was direct and specific. quote, i am not. she said she is done with politics. cnn foreign affairs reporter elise levin is in washington with more on clinton's interview with "marie claire" magazine. good morning to you. >> reporter: good morning. >> i know you've talked to hillary clinton about this specifically. she said she's not running. why does she say she's quitting politics? >> reporter: well, the simple answer is that she's tired. i mean, i'm tired traveling with her. you have no idea. these last 3 1/2 years, the pace, traveling around the world, working all hours of the night is really exhausting. the traveling press corp. that is with her doesn't know how she does it. she told "marie claire" i've been on this high wire of national and international

politics and leadership. it's been an experience, but i want to have my own time back. i just want to be my own person. i'm looking forward to that. i just interviewed the secretary earlier this week. she said the same thing. a lot of people are always talking about, oh, is this going to hurt -- you know, with all this stuff about the benghazi attack s this going to hurt her chances for 2016? she says nobody should be thinking about that. i'm done for now. but nobody really believes her, of course. >> well, that's the problem. a lot of people are actually hoping that she runs for president in 2016. her husband bill clinton has said he doesn't know whether or not she may be open to that. >> reporter: that's right. i mean, recently, you know, president clinton has been on the stump for president obama, and he's always asked about secretary clinton. >> and the spouse should know. >> reporter: that's right. take a listen to what he said recently the last time he was asked about secretary clinton's chances of running in 2016.

>> she's tired. she's really worked hard. i think she's done a fabulous job. i'm very proud of her. but she wants to take some time off, kind of regroup, write a book. so i think we ought to give her a chance to organize her life and decide what she wants to do. i just don't know. >> reporter: and i mean, of course nobody really wants to take no for an answer, certainly not her supporters. some of them have told me if she said she was running, we would drop everything in a moment and help her. but she says for now she needs a break. >> all right. you mentioned libya a little while ago. you've been following clinton. you've also been covering the attack in libya very closely for us. today reuters has published an interview with a libyan islamist and militia commander who is being investigated for participating in the attack. what's he saying? >> reporter: he also gave an interview to "the new york

times." he's believed to be a member of the extremist group ansar al sharia, which is believed to be lenged to al qaeda. he told these news organizations not only is he not a member of this group, he said he was there that night on the night that the consulate was attacked but that he was not the ring leader. kind of throwing a little bit of uncertainty into this whole question about whether this started as a spontaneous protest ore not. he seems to believe that this sparked from this video of the prophet mohammed that has gotten so much anger in the world and had these attacks on u.s. them baa sis and consulates. there was this back and forth about where this started. he says yes, this was about the protest. a lot of anger towards america. he's out in plain sight. the u.s. and libyans say they're looking for him, but he's in plain sight saying, you can't

get me. he has a lot to say in these interviews. >> thank you so much, elise. it is now 15 minutes after the hour. a lot of news this morning. we want to get up to speed with the head leans. >> good morning. 18 days until america votes. romney is spending the day in new york prepping for monday's debate. then he heads to daytona beach, florida, tonight where running mate paul ryan will join him. last night it was all about the one-liners at the al smith charity dinner in new york. both candidates getting big laughs at vice president biden's expense. >> i was actually hoping the president would bring joe biden along this evening because he'll laugh at anything. >> some people say, barack, you're not as young as you used to be.

where's that golden smile? where's that pep in your step? i say, settle down, joe, i'm trying to run a cabinet meeting here. >> joe biden will be campaigning for the president in tampa, florida, this morning. lance armstrong expected to speak publicly for the first time since the u.s. anti-doping agency released more than 1,000 pages of evidence that he used performance enhancing drugs. armstrong will be part of the livestrong 15th anniversary event in austin tonight, even though he's stepped down from the charity that shares his name. a frightening scene in portland, maine. a store clerk bolts over a wall running for her life. the man chasing her is wearing a mask. he's holding a gun in his right hand. this incident was caught on the store's surveillance system. fortunately, she was not hurt. police are still searching for the gunman. that story is not over. >> oh, my goodness.

>> lucky she got away. thank you, christine. it is 17 minutes after the hour. time for early reads, your local news making headlines. first, the federal trade commission wants to hear from you. just don't call them at dinner time. in "the washington post," the ftc is offering $50,000 to the person who comes up with the best technical solution to block illegal and very annoying robo-calling. if a person does not have a phone number on the do not call list, the calls are still illegal, but they are hard to stop. they're cheap, very hard to trace, and millions can be blasted out in a matter of hours. >> i hope they come up with a solution. >> absolutely. >> and from "the north country times," we've come to a fork in the road. look at this. right at the fork in the road. this is in carlsbad, california. there is, as you can see, folks, a six-foot high fork in the road. no one knows who put it there either. it is stopping traffic, not because people are having trouble making a decision, but

because they're stopping and taking pictures. the town has since removed the fork. so in the middle of the night, some artist says, this is a great idea. >> it's like the worst pun ever. congratulations to the worst pun ever. coming up, new rules for your 401(k). how they could help you save even more for your retirement. o? check out the latest collection of snacks from lean cuisine. creamy spinach artichoke dip, crispy garlic chicken spring rolls. they're this season's must-have accessory. lean cuisine. be culinary chic. boring. boring. [ jack ] after lauren broke up with me, i went to the citi private pass page and decided to be...not boring. that's how i met marilyn... giada... really good. yes! [ jack ] ...and alicia. ♪ this girl is on fire [ male announcer ] use any citi® card to get the benefits of private pass. more concerts. more events. more experiences. [ jack ] hey, who's boring now?

[ male announcer ] get more access with a citi card. [ crowd cheering, mouse clicks ] as part of a heart healthy diet. that's true. ...but you still have to go to the gym. ♪ the one and only, cheerios i've got a nice long life ahead. big plans. so when i found out medicare doesn't pay all my medical expenses, i looked at my options.

then i got a medicare supplement insurance plan. [ male announcer ] if you're eligible for medicare, you may know it only covers about 80% of your part b medical expenses. the rest is up to you. call now and find out about an aarp medicare supplement insurance plan, insured by unitedhealthcare insurance company. like all standardized medicare supplement plans, it helps pick up some of what medicare doesn't pay. and could save you thousands in out-of-pocket costs. to me, relationships matter. i've been with my doctor for 12 years. now i know i'll be able to stick with him. [ male announcer ] with these types of plans, you'll be able to visit any doctor or hospital that accepts medicare patients. plus, there are no networks, and you never need a referral to see a specialist. so don't wait. call now and request this free decision guide to help you better understand medicare... and which aarp medicare supplement plan

might be best for you. there's a wide range to choose from. we love to travel -- and there's so much more to see. so we found a plan that can travel with us. anywhere in the country. [ male announcer ] join the millions of people who have already enrolled in the only medicare supplement insurance plans endorsed by aarp, an organization serving the needs of people 50 and over for generations. remember, all medicare supplement insurance plans help cover what medicare doesn't pay. and could save you thousands a year in out-of-pocket costs. call now to request your free decision guide. and learn more about the kinds of plans that will be here for you now -- and down the road. i have a lifetime of experience. so i know how important that is. we're minding your business

this morning. u.s. stock trading slightly lower. >> the tech sector took a hit yesterday after surprising news from google. what happened? >> well, google's earnings report came out early. some kind of a technical glitch. it was filed with a little section that send "pending larry quote." that's where they were going to put in a quote from the ceo about the quarter. so the surprise it came out early and the surprise it wasn't as good as wall street expected. two surprises wrapped up in one in this stock. dropped 8% on thursday. tech stocks have not had a great run so far this quarter. so you saw google down here yesterday. now, your 401(k) contribution limit, the irs with new good lines, raising the limit again. you can put more money in. if you're working and doing

automatic deductions, you can put more away. three years in a row now they've been raising these limits. also raising the bar on tax-free gifts for next year. so everyone page your rich aunts and uncles. now up to $14,000 is the tax-free gift limit. no one is giving me $14,000 tax free, but if you know people like this, just so you know, you can let them know it's more than $13,000. >> and let us know how to get in contact with them. goldman sachs on the rampage. >> yeah, goldman sachs, i think hitting back might be too hard. letting some details leak about this guy greg smith. remember, he quit goldman sachs famously. now they've confirmed to us some details, some e-mails about the tenure of greg smith at goldman. this is what they're saying. one of these e-mails says after he asked for a raise and a

promotion to managing director, greg smith thinks he should trade at multiples. we told him there's very little tolerance for that and he needs to tone it down. that's an internal e-mail goldman is releasing as part of a draft as an investigation to why this guy left. you might remember what greg smith said about goldman in his op ed. it makes me ill how callously people talk about about ripping their clients off. over the last 12 months, i've seen five different managing directors refer to their own clients as muppets. there's a whole other book. that's why you're hearing about this again. it comes out on monday. i've read the first chapter. seems like he's trying to make himself into a michael lewis, liars poker, setting it all up. the first chapter was leaked online. he's going to be on "60 minutes." we're going to be hearing more about greg smith. >> i'm sure you'll be hearing more from goldman as well. >> but they've struggled with

how to respond. do you just ignore this guy? he wasn't even a managing director. there's thousands of vice presidents like him. or do you respond vigorously saying he wasn't an overachiever? how do you respond if you're goldman? >> they're going option "b." 25 minutes after the hour. coming up, a near blackout that had nothing to do with the lights and everything to do with the weather. stay with us. ♪ my life begins today ♪ ♪ fly by night away from here ♪ ♪ change my life again ♪ ♪ fly by night, goodbye my dear ♪ ♪ my ship isn't coming ♪ and i just can't pretend oww! ♪ [ male announcer ] careful, you're no longer invisible in a midsize sedan. the volkswagen passat. winner of a motor trend midsize sedan comparison. that's the power of german engineering. your doctor will say get smart about your weight. i tried weight loss plans... but their shakes aren't always made for people with diabetes. that's why there's glucerna hunger smart shakes.

they have carb steady, with carbs that digest slowly to help minimize blood sugar spikes. and they have six grams of sugars. with fifteen grams of protein to help manage hunger... look who's getting smart about her weight. [ male announcer ] glucerna hunger smart. a smart way to help manage hunger and diabetes. to meet the needs of my growing business. but how am i going to fund it? and i have to find a way to manage my cash flow better. [ female announcer ] our wells fargo bankers are here to listen, offer guidance and provide you with options tailored to your business. we've loaned more money to small businesses than any other bank for ten years running. so come talk to us to see how we can help. wells fargo. together we'll go far. starts with ground beef, unions, and peppers baked in a ketchup glaze with savory gravy and mashed russet potatoes. what makes stouffer's meatloaf best of all?

that moment you enjoy it at home. stouffer's. let's fix dinner.

in the spirit of "sesame street," the president's remarks tonight are brought to you by the letter "o" and the number 16

trillion. >> the employment rate at its lowest level since i took office. i don't have a joke here. i just thought it would be useful to remind everybody. >> last night it was all about the laughs. the candidates put the campaign aside in the name of comedy, but it's a different story this morning. hackers attacking big banks. who's behind it, and is your money safe? and the forecast for winter, warmer than average or colder than normal? i think it's one of them. that depends where you live. welcome back to "early start" everyone. >> glad to have you with us this morning. 30 minutes past the hour. so they've traded a t ed attacke campaign trail for months now, but for one night only they traded jokes instead. this was just two nights after they clashed in a fiery second debate. the jabs were a lot more light hearted and a lot funnier this time around. >> as president obama surveys the waldorf banquet room with

everyone in white tie and finery, you have to wonder what he's thinking, so little time, so much to redistribute. >> after my foreign trip in 2008, i was attacked as a celebrity because i was so popular with our allies overseas. i have to say i'm impressed with how well governor romney has avoided that problem. >> so joining us to talk about this and other political headlines is cnn contributor ericssk erickson. it was so funny last night, in fact, that i want to play a little more before we actually start the dialogue. so let's play these. >> it's nice to finally relax and wear what ann and i wear around the house. in the spirit of "ses me street," the president's remarks tonight are brought to you by the letter "o" and the number 16 trillion. i've already seen early reports

from tonight's dinner. headline, "obama embraced by catholics, romney dies with rich people." >> everyone, please take your seats. otherwise, clint eastwood will yell at them. earlier today i went shopping at some stores in midtown. i understand governor romney went shopping for some stores in midtown. sometimes it feels like this race has dragged on forever. but paul ryan assured me we've only been running for two hours and 50-something minutes. >> so a lot of people thought it would be really difficult to shake, you know, the effects of that debate the other night. erik, i'm going to start with you. who was funnier? >> you know, i think they were both hilarious. i don't want to judge these guys when they were doing something for al smith. they were both self-deprecating. it was fun to watch them poke fun at themselves and at each

other while they were sitting there. i actually watched it last night. i had some friends over for dinner, and we were laughing hysterically. it was funny. the republicans in the room last night were like, where has this mitt romney been the entire time? he was so much more at ease. maybe he's right, the white tie put him at ease. >> i, too, thought they were both very funny. that line about embraced by catholics is very funny. some of the more subtle stuff. i think that -- >> were you surprised they were able to put away that contentious side they have? >> i think they put it away, but don't discount it. they are still, you know, right in the middle of this and still quite angry with each other. it looked pretty good for one night, but i think they're both putting on a smile. >> it was nice they put it aside for charity as erick mentioned. >> it was right below the surface though. >> president obama also appeared on "the daily show" last night. he spoke about the libya response.

let's listen. >> we weren't confused about the fact that four americans had been killed. >> sure. >> i wasn't confused about the fact we needed to ramp up diplomatic security around the world right after it happened. >> i would say even you would admit it was not the optimal response, at least to the american people as far as us all being on the same page. >> here's what i'll say. >> yeah. >> if four americans get killed, it's not optimal. >> so jon stewart had used the word "optimal" before the president did. you take issue with that remark. why? >> well, you know, i did when it first came out on the report. i didn't realize at the time the report didn't say that jon stewart had said "not optimal." i think the democrats tried to drag the binders full of women comment as a little shallow at this point. i don't think republicans need to dwell on "not optimal." it plays to a republican base still upset with the president for referring to it as bumps in the road. jon stewart did set him up to say that, so i understand why

the president did. >> it was interesting. i thought it was a very interesting, substantive interview where the president spoke directly about what happened there. i think if some of his, you know, his fullest account so far. just goes to tell you that on jon stewart you can make news. >> joe biden spoke about romney and ryan in vegas yesterday. let's listen to that. >> they're not bad men. they're decent men. they're good fathers. they're good husbands. but i don't understand how they believe -- and they do believe -- ryan has written a book called "the young guns" with two other leaders in the house. these are the republican leaders in the house. unfortunately, the bullets are aimed at you. >> richard, a conservative like

sarah pay llin says that, liber would be up in arms. >> this is joe biden being joe biden. i wouldn't make too much of this. >> erick? >> you know, he said repeatedly he says what he means and means what he says. first it's republicans are going to put y'all back in chains and now they've got bullet aimed at you. i think it's unfortunate rhetoric from the vice president to continue to use these sort of violent rhetoric about the gop. i realize it's joe biden, but lord, help us. >> all right. thank you so much for joining us. i know we'll see you again in the 6:00 hour. stick around, gentlemen. hackers in russia and iran have hit major banks in the u.s. again this week. capital one, bb&t all reported cyber attacks that affected their websites. computer experts say it doesn't look like any money or customer information was stolen. still, this is the fifth straight week of these attacks. and defense ruled in the

nfl's thursday night football game. the 49ers defeated the seahawks. this was a battle for first place in the nfc west. the niners look good. 36 minutes past the hour. secret files released for the world to see. coming up, the boy scouts promising big changes after documents detail years of sexual abuse, and they are exposed now. a crash management system and the world's only tridion safety cell which can withstand over three and a half tons. small in size. big on safety.

till you finish your vegetables. [ clock ticking ] [ male announcer ] there's a better way... v8 v-fusion. vegetable nutrition they need, fruit taste they love. could've had a v8. or...try kids boxes! monarch of marketing analysis. with the ability to improve roi through seo all by cob. and you...rent from national. because only national lets you choose any car in the aisle... and go. you can even take a full-size or above, and still pay the mid-size price. i'm going b-i-g. [ male announcer ] good choice business pro. good choice. go national. go like a pro. wanted to provide better employee benefits while balancing the company's bottom line, their very first word was... [ to the tune of "lullaby and good night" ] ♪ af-lac ♪ aflac

[ male announcer ] find out more at... [ duck ] aflac! [ male announcer ] ...forbusiness.com. [ yawning sound ] a short word that's a tall order. up your game. up the ante. and if you stumble, you get back up. up isn't easy, and we ought to know. we're in the business of up. everyday delta flies a quarter of million people while investing billions improving everything from booking to baggage claim. we're raising the bar on flying and tomorrow we will up it yet again.

with the blackish-blue frame and the white dots and the splattered paint pattern, your lights are on. what? [ male announcer ] the endlessly customizable 2013 smart. 40 minutes past the hour. welcome back to "early start." decades of secret boy scout documents are now public record. the organization's so-called perversion files contain stunning revelations about scout masters and volunteers allegedly abusing young boys. we looked at some of the disturbing cases and what the boy scouts are saying about them. >> one of the newly released files shows an indiana scout leader was placed in the banned

confidential file on suspicion of molestation. he was allegedly cured. he got cleared to lead scouts again. he was then accused of molesting two boys on a camping trip. the boys' parents agreed not to proceed with prosecution, and the scouts never reported the alleged pedophile to police. >> there's no question there are times in the past, and these go back to 40, 50 years old, where we did not do the job that we should have. for that, and for people hurt, and for that we're profoundly sorry. i am convinced this organization has a firm and everlasting and deep commitment to youth protection. >> the bsa says scouts are now taught to recognize, resist, and report abuse and that two adults be present at all activities preventing one on one situations with leaders and scouts. the perversion files showed how alleged pedophiles lured kids to

their homes or remote locations and molested them. in some cases, there was intimidation. a scout leader disroped after cornering a boy who was undressing and warning the boy to stay quiet. what i'm going to do now, if i get arrested after i get out of jail, i'll come after you and your family. >> we can learn a lot about the way pedophiles operate. it's consistent. it's almost always somebody that's the pied piper. >> clark says those leaders are rampant in the perversion files. now on several legal fronts, including a california appellate court, lawyers for abuse victims are trying to get more names of alleged pedophiles. in some cases, suing to get the 1985 to present boy scouts confidential files made public. that's not all. abuse victims lawyers are now calling on congress to audit whether the boy scouts' youth protections are working, an action the bsa says it would

welcome. >> our thanks to paul. it is 42 minutes after the hour right now. coming up, something wild happens. this is video a lot of people are talking about. a raccoon wanders into the chimp cage. this is video you will not want to miss. so what do you think? basic.

at meineke i have options... like oil changes starting at $19.95. my money. my choice. my meineke.

46 minutes after the hour right now. i want to get up to date on all the top stories. here's christine romans.

>> the race more the white house last night turned down right civilized in white tie no less. president obama and mitt romney sharing the same stage at the al smith charity dinner in new york. the candidates changing light-hearted zingers, and even taking time to poke fun at themselves. >> as some of you may have noticed, i had a lot more energy in our second debate. i felt really well-rested after the nice, long nap i had in the first debate. >> i've already seen early reports from tonight's dinner. headline, "obama embraced by catholics, romney dies with rich people." >> the president is in virginia this morning for a rally at george mason university. romney is spending the day in new york prepping for monday's debate. then he heads to daytona, bead t ththat --

daytona beach, florida. the court ruled in favor of an 83-year-old lesbian widow. she sued the government when she was denied spousal deductions but was charged hundreds of thousands of dollars in state taxes. all right. check this out. when raccoons fly. yeah. spectators at the st. louis zoo, a harsh lesson in the circle of life and the realities of nature when a pack of chimps flung an invading raccoon across their den. he tried to make a run for it, was caught by the tail. some people are laughing. the raccoon was fine. don't worry. >> the raccoon was fine. >> why would anybody laugh at that? >> we were laughing too. >> we were. >> poor raccoon. but the raccoon is okay. so it's a good story. let's get to rob marciano with details of a dust storm that's level drivers completely blind. >> raccoons are pretty tough. if they can deal with the monkeys, they can deal with this

dust storm. bad transition, i know. incredible winds across much of the plains yesterday shut down i-35 for a good stretch of real estate and time. cops were out there, 20 to 30 wrecks. even some power was knocked out by this. you get dry weather and winds, that's the result there. especially the western part of oklahoma, not a lot of trees and hills to block it. but south dakota, nebraska, you got winds yesterday over 70 miles an hour. all in the western side of this large storm that's lumbering across the great lakes. just kind of a miserably, wet, fall day across the northeast. that's going to cause travel delays, no doubt about it, from new york back to chicago. here's your upper low. you see it spinning there. rain showers there will be light. heavy enough in new york and philly to cause delays. temperatures behind this front will be on the chilly side. 54, chicago.

56 in minneapolis. 67 in new york. speaking of chilly, the noaa forecast for the winter is going to be unveiled in about 20 to 30 minutes. hint, gather ye firewood. it's coming. >> all right. on that romantic note, thank you. >> and sorry about the yankees, rob. not really. a packed hour straight ahead, including why the election may be decided down on the farm. we head to dairy country and what may be the biggest swing state, at least statistically speaking, in the country. no, it's not ohio. we'll also get up close and personal with a cow. america needs to see that. a look at the deciders ahead. also, how do you like me now? the story of a man who hit the mega millions days after he was dumped. plus, smile, mom, you're on candid camera. >> a few weeks ago i was dating this guy, and he talked me into making a sex tape with him.

>> what? >> oh, my god. >> we go one on one with viv vivica a. fox to talk about her new show. first, are you always the last person to find out what the buzz is all about? boy, do we have a new tool for you. that is next on "early start." ro work hard for a better future. since ameriprise financial was founded back in 1894, they've been committed to putting clients first. helping generations through tough times. good times. never taking a bailout. there when you need them. helping millions of americans over the centuries. the strength of a global financial leader. the heart of a one-to-one relationship. together for your future. ♪ as part of a heart healthy diet. that's true.

...but you still have to go to the gym. ♪ the one and only, cheerios ♪ playing a lone hand ♪ my life begins today ♪ ♪ fly by night away from here ♪ ♪ change my life again ♪ ♪ fly by night, goodbye my dear ♪ ♪ my ship isn't coming ♪ and i just can't pretend oww! ♪ [ male announcer ] careful, you're no longer invisible in a midsize sedan. the volkswagen passat. winner of a motor trend midsize sedan comparison. that's the power of german engineering. check out the latest collection of snacks from lean cuisine. creamy spinach artichoke dip, crispy garlic chicken spring rolls. they're this season's must-have accessory. lean cuisine. be culinary chic. hey, bro. or engaging. conversations help us learn and grow.

at wells fargo, we believe you can never underestimate the power of a conversation. it's this exchange of ideas that helps you move ahead with confidence. so when the conversation turns to your financial goals... turn to us. if you need anything else, let me know. [ female announcer ] wells fargo. together we'll go far.

this morning cnn.com is launching the newest edition to its online platform with cnn trends. the new section of the website tracks the ten most talked about stories from across the web, both from cnn and from a variety

of other top news outlets, giving you all sides of the day's biggest stories in one reliable outstanding place. with us now with all the details on this is mark johnson, the ceo of the mobile magazine app which was recently acquired by cnn and instrumental in helping us build this technology. mark, walk us through this. c cnn trends is now live. what is it, and how does it work? >> what we're going to do is look at what people are talking about during the day. so the most top ten talked about topics. we're going to anchor that with a cnn story and look around the web for other interesting articles that will supplement your knowledge of the story. >> so obviously, all smart people get most of their news from cnn. but some people do get it from other places too. how do users influence what you show on the screen? >> we think the users of cnn are very intelligent. we want to give them a broad-based perspective of what people are talking about. it's really the conversation happening out there. we want to show people different

perspectives, different ideas, from the right, from the left, from the middle. we're going to show you blogs from large news outlets. there's going to be a wide variety of news you get. >> how do you come up with the list? is there some algorithm from a mad scientist somewhere? >> we actually read millions of articles a day, so you don't have to. we figure out, what are the most interesting, what are the most talked about, and we're going to deliver the best of those. >> you're doing a lot of work for us, in other words. >> we are. with servers and with computers, we're doing a lot of work so you don't have to do it. >> give me a sense of what's trending right now. >> we saw "newsweek" is shutting down their print publication. that's trending right now. interestingly enough, we have a story from cnn on it. there's a story from daily beast, which is related to "newsweek." very interesting analysis there from the -- >> is it mostly tech stuff that ends up being top rated, or what kind of thing ends up being in the top ten? >> no, you'll get a variety.

you'll get entertainment, politics, tech. really, a wide variety of what's trending right now. >> is this just on the pc? a lot of people are using the iphones and the droids and stuff. how do you get this kind of technology on your mobile app? >> right now it's focused on cnn.com. you can still get that, obviously, on your mobile phone or ipad. >> mark johnson, the ceo of zite. welcome to the cnn family. you'll be part of "early start" every single day. >> i like he does all the work for us. very cool. it is ladies' night in your late night laughs. >> both candidates working hard to shore up their support among women. that's the big thing. in fact, today they both pledged to increase domestic production of ryan gossling movies. yeah, you're going to get more because we've got to stop importing those from the middle east. that's what's been killing us. >> yeah, those chinese knockoff

ryan gosslings, not the same. >> apparently during this debate, the ladies had already left the building. >> it was just too much. it was like two roosters going to each other. that could turn off women. >> one thing women voters don't like is a bully. >> it's a turnoff for women. >> i'm not sure they're going to be turned on by this debate. >> a lot of women turned off by that. >> i wonder if suburban women were turned off. >> not that that's a bad thing because as far as i can tell, they've been a little hopped up on this thing for way too long. >> "early start" continues right now. i went shopping at some stores in midtown. i understand governor romney went shopping for some stores in

midtown. >> it's nice to finally relax and to wear what ann and i wear around the house. >> comic relief on the campaign trail. president obama and mitt romney roasting each other and, yes, themselves. cheerleaders battle to keep bible verses on their banners. and celebration in motown and across the country. the tigers sweep their way into the world series, but who will they play? good morning. welcome to "early start," everyone. >> up first, president obama and mitt romney going for jokes instead of each other's jugular for one night, at least. two days after a bruising debate, the candidates were all smiles last night at the al smith charity dinner in new york. there were plenty of punch lines, most of them light hearted. some a little more pointed. >> as president obama surveys the waldorf banquet room with

everyone in white tie and finery, you have to wonder what he's thinking. so little time, so much to redistribute. >> after my foreign trip in 2008, i was attacked as a celebrity because i was so popular with our allies overseas. and i have to say i'm impressed with how well governor romney >> cnn political director mark preston is live from washington. mark, i had watched this now, i don't know, a dozen times, and i'm still laughing. how was the atmosphere at the dinner? >> well, it was pretty good. you know, zoraida, given the fact that this has been a very intense campaign, and you know, mitt romney and barack obama clearly don't really like each other. personally and they certainly don't like each other's policies. you know, they took this opportunity, not only to take pokes at themselves, they took pokes at each other. but they also wrapped up political messages in their jokes. let's take a quick listen. >> of course, the economy is on everybody's minds.

unemployment rate is at its lowest level since i took office. i don't have a joke here. i just thought it would be useful to remind everybody. that the unemployment is at the lowest it's been since i took office. >> and don't be surprised if the president mentions this evening the monthly jobs report, where there was a slight improvement in the numbers. he knows how to seize the moment, this president. and already has a compelling new campaign slogan. you're better off now than you were four weeks ago. >> governor mitt romney and barack obama last night at the al smith dinner trading some laughs. wrapped up in some political humor there. but they're back on the campaign trail, zoraida, and they have a big debate on monday night. >> and we're going to stick to comedy here. president obama stopped by "the daily show" earlier in the night. but this was not all about laughs. >> no, it's not all about laughs. jon stewart certainly asks some very difficult questions during his interviews. and he has a demographic that's very appealing to barack obama and mitt romney. young voters.

and last night, president obama had to answer a very tough question about the controversy that is swirling around his administration. >> i would say even you would admit it was not the optimal response, at least to the american people, as far as us all being on the same page. >> well, here's what i'll say. >> yeah. >> if four americans get killed, it's not optimal. >> right. >> and we're going to fix it. >> right. >> and all -- all of it. >> all of it. >> and what happens during the course of a presidency is that, you know, the government is a big operation. at any given time something screws up. and you make sure that you find out what's broken and you fix it. >> and there you have president obama last night with jon stewart on "the daily show" speaking about the benghazi situation. >> and getting back to the campaign. new overnight here, orlando sentinel is endorsing mitt romney. that's a switch because back in 2008 the paper supported president obama or obama at the time over mccain. why do you think the change of heart here? >> well, the editorial page

tells us the editors of the editorial page tells us, zoraida, that, in fact, it all comes down to the economy and who would be the best person to lead it. let's just put this in perspective. orlando in the middle of florida, a battleground state, but it's in the middle of tampa and heads over to the west coast, over to daytona beach. let's take a quick look at what the orlando sentinel said about why they're choosing mitt romney. romney has a strong record of leadership to run on. he built a successful business, he rescued the 2002 winter olympics. as governor of massachusetts he worked with a democrat dominated legislature to close a $3 billion budget deficit and passed the health plan that became a national model. this is romney's time to lead. again the orlando sentinel endorsing mitt romney for president. >> mark preston live from washington. thank you. and joining us in the next half hour, richard socarides, former senior adviser to president clinton, and cnn contributor eric erickson, editor in chief of redstate.com.

it is three minutes past the hour. the gloves come off again this monday night when mitt romney and the president tangle in the third. this is the final presidential debate. cnn's live coverage from boca raton, florida, begins at 7:00 p.m. eastern. federal officials now saying a batch of steroids was definitely tainted with a deadly fungus. this is the first official confirmation linking the back pain shot with a deadly meningitis outbreak. this has left 20 people dead, infected more than 250 people in 16 states. the fda is now testing two more batches of this drug. lawyers for former penn state football coach jerry sandusky want their client's child sex abuse conviction thrown out. they have now filed an appeal arguing they weren't given enough time to prepare for that case. >> a big legal victory for a texas high school cheerleading group. a judge temporarily ruled they can continue to carry banners that display christian bible verses at football games. the judge set a trial date for

next june to settle this dispute. the local school district banned the banners after receiving a complaint but the cheerleaders sued claiming their free speech writes were violated. this morning on "starting point," soledad o'brien will speak to one of the cheerleaders, her mother and an attorney. >> and the detroit tigers are world series bound. the tigers finished off the yankees in four straight to take the american league pennant. they slugged four home runs in the clinching 8-1 victory. detroit's dh tellman young was named series mvp. the tigers last played in the series in 2006, losing to the st. louis cardinals in five games. >> will the cardinals be back? this year's world series could be a rematch of 2006. the cardinals have a commanding 3-1 lead in the nlcs. they won game four last night pushing the san francisco giants to the brink. the cards can punch their ticket to the series with a win tonight in game five. what will happen? >> the cards look good. it is hard to imagine, maybe even hard to believe, but hillary clinton says she's done

with politics. so she says. find out exactly what she means coming up. ♪ well, he's not very handsome ♪ to look at [ sighs ] ♪ oh, he's shaggy ♪ and he eats like a hog [ male announcer ] the volkswagen jetta. available with advanced keyless technology. control everything from your pocket, purse, or wherever. that's the power of german engineering. ♪ that dirty, old egg-suckin' dog ♪ [ slap! slap! slap! ] [ music, laughter stop ] [ male announcer ] when your favorite foods fight you, fight back fast with tums smoothies. so fast and smooth, you'll forget you had heartburn.

♪ tum tum tum tum tums [ male announcer ] tums smoothies. ♪ tum tum tum tum tums anncr: every president inherits few have faced so many. four years later... our enemies have been brought to justice. our heroes are coming home. assembly lines are humming again. there are still challenges to meet. children to educate. a middle class to rebuild. but the last thing we should do is turn back now. president obama: i'm barack obama and... i approve this message. since ameriprise financial was founded back in 1894, they've been committed to putting clients first. helping generations through tough times. good times. never taking a bailout. there when you need them. helping millions of americans over the centuries. the strength of a global financial leader. the heart of a one-to-one relationship. together for your future.

♪ governor of getting it done. you know how to dance... with a deadline. and you...rent from national. because only national lets you choose any car in the aisle... and go. you can even take a full-size or above, and still pay the mid-size price. this is awesome. [ male announcer ] yes, it is, business pro. yes, it is. go national. go like a pro.

at meineke i have options... like oil changes starting at $19.95. my money. my choice. my meineke. hillary clinton has been a leading figure in national and international politics for two decades. but as her tenure as secretary of state winds down, what does she plan to do in the future? many have wondered if she'll run for president again in the 2016 election. her answer, now, she says, i am not running. cnn foreign affairs reporter elise labott is in washington with more on clinton's interview with "marie claire" magazine. good morning, elise. was there a definitive no way, not how, not ever running for president, and why does she say

she's quitting if she is in fact saying? >> well, she wouldn't be the first politician, john, to say that she's not running and then run. but secretary clinton, you know, she's tired, john. she's been on the road. you know, she's been in politics first as first lady, then as senator, now secretary of state, at a frantic pace, traveling around the world. it's not the first time she's said this. but in a recent interview with "marie claire" magazine said i've been on this high wire of national and international politics and leadership for 20 years. it's been an absolutely extraordinary personal honor and experience. but i really just want to have my own time back. i want to just be my own person. i'm looking forward to that. and, john, traveling with her for the past 3 1/2 years, it's really a frantic pace. never really letting go. she tires all of us with her. and you know, bill clinton, her husband, former president, has been asked about this. even he says he doesn't really

know what she wants to do, but certainly she needs a break, and needs to kind of think about what she wants to do next. >> elise, as you said, you've traveled with her for thousands and thousands of miles over three years. you have such a remarkable perspective on this person now. what do you think she'll do next? >> i think right now she really wants to just take a break, take some rest, spend some time with her family. but i also think the issues of women's rights and children's rights, and dealing with poverty, those are issues that are really important to her, and issues that she's worked on, not just throughout her first lady and senator term but as secretary of state, really made those issues at the forefront. so i think she's going to do something like that. but i also do think, you know, after maybe 2013 when her supporters are kind of coming out really full, and maybe she's had a chance to recharge, maybe she'll recover. john, her aides have said to me, if she says that she would run, we'll drop everything and support her. so i think right now she really

believes that she might not run, but i think that, i don't think we've seen the end of this question. >> the answer for today. but today only lasts for another 24 hours. elise you were also been on the cutting edge of coverage of the attacks in benghazi and libya. today reuters and "the new york times" have published some interviews with a militia commander who is thought to somehow be connected to the attack. what does he say? >> he name is ahmad abu qatalla and he was believed to be a leader of the group of ansar al share ee yeah who is believed to be responsible for this attack. u.s. and libyan authorities say they're looking for him. but he was in plain sight kind of sitting in a cafe, doing these interviews. he says he was not, in fact, the ringleader. he was there. and he says, interestingly, that this did stem from the protests that the administration claimed were happening outside the consulate the night of the attack that were so, you know, hijacked as they say, by

extremists. the state department, others have said that there were no protests, but he says this was in response to the muslim video, the video decrying the prophet mohammed, and he's very into sharia law and really wants an islamic state and this is what he says the u.s. is trying to interfere in libya. and he says that, you know, he was going against the u.s. along with his compatriots and he, you know, was really taunting both the libyans and the united states for not being able to track him down. >> elise labott live from washington, thanks for joining us this morning. it is 13 minutes past the hour. here's christine. >> good morning again, you two. a night of one-liners last night. the candidates wasting no time to get back on the campaign trail. the president is in virginia this morning for a rally at george mason university. romney is spending the day in new york prepping for monday's third and final debate. then, he heads to daytona beach, florida, tonight for a rally. now last night i talked about those one-liners. it was all about the punch lines

at the al smith charity dinner in new york. both candidates getting big laughs at vice president biden's expense. >> i was actually hoping the president would bring joe biden along this evening. because he'll laugh at anything. >> first when people say barack, you're not as young as you used to be. where is that golden smile? where is that pep in your step? and i say, settle down, joe, i'm trying to run a cabinet meeting. >> biden will be campaigning for the president in tampa, florida, this morning. lance armstrong expected to speak publicly for the first time since the u.s. anti-doping agency laid out mounds of evidence that he used performance enhancing drugs. armstrong was part of the livestrong 15th anniversary event in austin tonight. even though he had stepped down as chairman of the charity he started. several huge sponsors have bailed on armstrong this week, including nike, but nike says it will still continue to support livestrong. a frightening scene in

portland, maine. a store clerk, look at this, bolting over a wall, she's running for her life. the man chasing her is wearing a mask. he's holding a gun in his right hand. this incident caught on the store's surveillance system. fortunately she was not hurt. right. but police are still searching for the gunman. now, consumers with credit problems often have trouble getting a loan when they want to buy a car. even if they get a loan, dealers usually require a larger down payment. that's where a device called pastime comes in. this is something that's installed like a car alarm. it acts like a bedroom alarm clock. pastime is a reminder. it emits a series of beeps, tells the buyer that a car payment is past due. it helps both dealers and buyers. >> some of your smaller dealers, they require more down. i'm able to do it with a little bit less and work with people. first-time buyers, or people that have filed bankruptcy, i can do all of that. >> but -- for those extra late with their car payments, pastime

emits a different signal. indicating that the car has been automatically shut down. it's sitting there, and ready for repossession. >> i can imagine if it would give you the money to pay for the car it would be useful. >> auto repossessions have been up since the financial crisis. a lot of people can't get a car. super low interest rates, people can't -- you know if you've got bad credit you can't get the car. >> and somebody found a way to capitalize. >> uh-huh. >> 16 minutes after the hour. friday is get away day for a lot of people. but the weather might upset some of those plans. rob marciano give us the skinny. >> i got a storm system for a good third of the country, guys. it's going to cause some problems for travel. the northeast, the big cities, philly, new york, boston, d.c., chicago, and detroit, as well. it's all connected to this one system that's kind of spiraling and lumbering acontrols the great lakes. it's a slow mover. showers from time to time. some of it heavy at times across parts of the northeast. bring along the umbrella.

not terribly cool behind this front. temps in the 50s, 60s and 70s. let's talk about the winter forecast which was unveiled by noaa late yesterday. now, we don't have an el nino or a la nina this year so that makes it exceedingly difficult to really pinpoint and have some confidence. but for temperature anomalies, what we expect are temperatures to be basically above normal across the inner mountain west and four corners. and below normal across the florida peninsula. eastern half on both coasts maybe equal chances of seeing either one of those. precipitation, both rain and snow, below normal across parts of the northwest. the western great lakes. possibly above normal across the southeast. and equal chances of being above or below normal across the northeast. so -- breaking news. i'm hearing in central park right now, actually, squirrels are gathering nuts feverishly. so throw all this out the

window. >> rob marciano. the latest from the squirrels in central park. >> all right, so you know how they say that money can't buy you love, right? but it can buy you some sweet revenge. that's 22-year-old sandeep singh. the cape cod man just claimed his $35 million share of tuesday's mega millions jackpot. a few days after his girlfriend dumped him. >> she broke up with me but right now i'm not really worried about it. i was heartbroken at first. but now i'm getting over it. >> i bet you are. he had been working two jobs to pay the bills. what does he plan to do with all the money? buy his family a house and go back to college. congratulations. a lot of women are going to be looking you up. >> one lady having second thoughts right now. coming up, new rules for your 401(k). how they can help you save even more money for your retirement. [ male announcer ] humana and walmart have teamed up

to bring you a low-priced medicare prescription drug plan. ♪ with a low national plan premium... ♪ ...and copays as low as one dollar... ♪ ...saving on your medicare prescriptions is easy. ♪ so you're free to focus on the things that really matter. call humana at 1-800-808-4003. or go to walmart.com for details. call humana at 1-800-808-4003. ♪

♪ hi dad. many years from now, when the subaru is theirs... hey. you missed a spot. ...i'll look back on this day and laugh. love. it's what makes a subaru, a subaru.

minding your business this morning, u.s. stock futures are trading slightly lower and markets did close lower yesterday. >> the tech sector took a hit yesterday after some surprising news from google. what's going on? >> google's earnings were released, partially released four hours early. some sort of man-made mistake meant that unfinished earnings release was filed. even in the top of it it said pending larry quote. meaning it left a space for where they were going to put a quote in from the ceo. that was the big news.

bigger news for shareholders was that it missed market expectations. so the stock dropped 8%. it was a chaotic afternoon for google shareholders quite frankly. because they had to halt the stock. all this drama what happened. in the end, closed with $695 a share. tech earnings have been coming in on the street a little light. so that's one of the reasons why tech stocks have had some trouble. irs yesterday releasing something that's really important for anybody who's saving in their 401(k). they're raising the amount of money you that you can sock into your 401(k) tax free every year. this is pretty interesting. it's now $17,500. they've raised it the last three years in a row. and they're also raising the limit on how much someone can give you tax free in case you have these people in your life who are giving you things, money gifts. >> like $14,000. >> so now it's $14,000 you can get for -- without having to pay income tax on. so that's a limit there. and then, senior money. goldman sachs telling us a little bit about this guy greg

smith who is coming out with a book where he is going to bash the company, we suspect. goldman sachs hitting back. this is what they released in sort of a draft of their internal investigation about greg smith, the guy who famously quit the bank in "the new york times." greg smith, according to an e-mail that the company's released, or an e-mail written by one of his superiors, off the charts unrealistic thinks that he should trade at multiples. we told him there's very little tolerance for actions like that and he needs to tone it down. they say greg smith had asked for his pay to be doubled and be made a managing director and he was turned down. so they're trying to paint him as the disgruntled former employee. you're going to be hearing a whole lot more about greg smith in the days ahead because he wrote a book called "why i left goldman sachs" and you all remember that famous "new york times" piece that was just scathing about the bank. >> i bet he's got a lot of copies of e-mails as well. >> the one thing you need to know about your money. mortgage rates still falling. this is really important. 15-year fixed rate, new record low, 2.66%.

30-year fixed, 3.37. >> mind boggling. >> just above the record low set last week. if you -- some people still say i'm going to fix this, i haven't had time to look at it. and i say make the time. you're giving yourself a raise if you can refinance at these rates. you are giving yourself a raise. so it -- it pays -- it pays to do it. another friend told me it was like taking out a part-time job. she has two mortgages, a rental property they couldn't sell and then the house that she was living in. she said it was like a part-time job and finally did both of them and it freed up an awful lot of money. >> christine romans. not just record lows, epic lows. >> and next on "early start," hackers overseas target major u.s. banks. is your money safe? is it an act of cyber war? and folks if you're leaving the house right now you can watch us any time on your desk top or mobile phone, go to cnn.com/tv. all energy development comes with some risk,

but proven technologies allow natural gas producers to supply affordable, cleaner energy, while protecting our environment. across america, these technologies protect air -

by monitoring air quality and reducing emissions... ...protect water - through conservation and self-contained recycling systems... ... and protect land - by reducing our footprint and respecting wildlife. america's natural gas... domestic, abundant, clean energy to power our lives... that's smarter power today.

in the spirit of sesame street the president's rourkes are brought to you by the letter "o" and the number 16 trillion. >> rate is at its lowest level since i took office. i don't have a joke here. i just thought it would be useful to remind everybody. >> last night it was all about the laughs. the candidates put the campaign aside in the name of comedy. but it's a different story this morning. >> rumblings of war. north korea threatening a merciless military strike against its neighbor over a single american dollar. we'll explain. and my one-on-one interview with the stunning actress vivica a. fox. she's talking about her new show that should have moms quaking in their mom jeans. very funny. they are pranking mothers. welcome back to "early start." nice to have you with us, i'm zoraida sambolin. >> and seem john berman. i'm looking forward to that. 29 minutes after the hour right now. first, talking about politics now, because they've traded

attacks on the campaign trail for months, but for one night only, the candidates for president traded jokes, instead. president obama and mitt romney smiling and shaking hands, and patting backs. at the alfred e. smith charity dinner here in new york city. this is just two nights after they clashed in that fiery second debate. the jabs were a lot more lighthearted and a lot funnier this time around. >> and don't be surprised if the president mentions this evening the monthny jobs report where there was a slight improvement in the numbers. he knows how to seize the moment, this president. and already has a compelling new campaign slogan. you're better off now than you were four weeks ago. >> the unemployment rate is at its lowest level since i took office. i don't have a joke here. i just thought it would be useful to remind everybody. the unemployment rate is at the lowest it's been since i took office. >> it is pretty much now a tradition for presidential rivals to attend the alfred e. smith dinner to roast each other

and themselves. i want to talk with erick erickson. and richard socarides, democratic analyst and former senior adviser to president clinton. i've been to a few of this alfred e. smith dinners. it's like you're on a different planet. these guys are swinging at each other for days and then it's all like hugs and laughing and everything else. what did you make of it last night. >> i think it's fair to say that they're putting that on. because this is a ready serious moment in this campaign. and while they can be funny because it makes them look good, and both of them were pretty funny, i thought, they're not that happy with each other right now. >> erick, think it's worth it? >> yeah, i think it is. i think people like to see the politician s duke it out during the day and do a worthwhile cause at night and poke fun, not just at each other, but they also poked fun at themselves. >> and erick it wasn't just the alfred e. smith dinner that was made for comedy. president obama went on "the daily show" with jon stewart. he wasn't just a comedian during

this interview. he asked him tough questions and they had an interesting exchange on libya. >> we weren't confused about the fact that four americans had been killed. >> sure. >> i wasn't confused about the fact that we needed to ramp up diplomatic security around the world right after it happened. >> i would say even you would admit it was not the oopt malresponse, at least to the american people, as far as us all being on the same page. >> well, here's what i'll say. >> yeah. >> if four americans get killed it's not optimal. >> now, the, it's not optimal line did make some waves on twitter overnight. is that something that jumped out at you? >> yeah, it did. interestingly enough, when the report came out it lists that jon stewart had used the phrase first. i wund stand why the president did this. the problem for the president is he first used the phrase bumps in the road a few weeks ago referring to this and jon stewart was referring to the response not being optimal and the president to the deaths not being optimal. i think the joe biden remark

from yesterday about the republicans aiming bullets at people is probably a little more outrageous than the president, largely because jon stewart vetting the word, so to speak. >> i guess my question, is there anything at this point that president obama could say about libya that wouldn't upset conservatives? >> you know, i don't know. i think they really botched the response over several weeks and i think anything that comes out now is going to prove their initial response was wrong. and why was it wrong to begin with? we know now they knew within 24 hours what the facts on the ground were. it took them two weeks to get there. that's a problem. >> you brought up the bullets line from joe biden. i want to play that for richard and get his response. >> they're not bad men, they're decent men, they're good fathers, they're good husbands. but i don't understand how they believe, and they do believe, ryan has written a book called "the young guns" with two other fellas, members of the house, no, these are the republican leaders in the house, you had --

you had unfortunately the bullets are aimed at you. >> so richard the bullet's aimed at you. we live on the same planet here. we saw what sarah palin went through when she used target rhetoric in some of her ads on her website. is there a double standard here? should joe biden be held accountable for what he said? >> there is a joe biden, i don't know if there's a double standard but there's definitely a joe biden standard and people know that that's the way he talks. and he's very candid when he speaks, and this is the way he talks. so i don't think they're going to make a big deal of it. i will say on libya, though, that i think the administration has been pretty straightforward and very forthright. i thought it was a great interview jon stewart did with the president, a lot of news in there. and the president speaking very candidly about what he thinks the administration could have done better, what steps he's taking from the very beginning to make sure it doesn't happen again. >> erick i want to show you a couple swing state polls that were very interesting that came out overnight from nbc, marist and "the wall street journal." wisconsin and iowa. first up iowa showing the

president with an eight-point lead there. and some of this was taken before the second debate, actually before the second debate, some of it after. and also in wisconsin, the president with a six-point lead there. again splits from before and after the second debate. pretty sizable lead in pretty key swing states. do you think they reflect reality? >> you know, i'm not sure they do. when you look at movement on the ground in other states and some of the other swing state polls the president and mitt romney are very close. romney ahead in florida. they're now tied roughly in virginia, ohio, and romney possibly ahead in pennsylvania, which i haven't considered a swing state. so, you know, i'm always a little bit suspicious of collegiate polls, even though they come out with romney ahead. i just -- i don't think "the wall street journal" track record this year with a marist poll has been that great. but at the same time do i think the president's ahead in wisconsin and iowa? yeah i absolutely think he's ahead there. >> sigh of relief for you, richard? >> well i think that after the second debate, democrats are feeling a lot better, and the president has consistently had a small lead and we're hoping that

lead widens. >> they still see nervous on your face. >> we're feeling a lot better than we were this time last week. >> richard socarides, erick erickson, always great to speak to you both. the candidates square off again this monday night in the third and final presidential debate. krb's live coverage from boca rat raton, florida, begins at 7:00 p.m. eastern time. and just in to cnn, i am happy to report this, prognosis seems to be improving for pakistani schoolgirl malala yousafzai. the medical director where she is being treated in the uk says she is not out of the woods yet. but, is doing very well. he says she appears to be functioning well intellectually and has the motor skills to stand and she is writing coherently, as well. she is now being treated for signs of infection from her gunshot injuries inflicted by the taliban. the 15-year-old has been able to listen to her father on the phone. but, she is unable to speak yet.

oh, my gosh this is fantastic news. and everybody's really interested in this. we have a lot of stories for you on cnn.com. including a million dollar bounty now to find her attackers. 6:36. here in the east, tensions are rising between north and south korea. a coalition of nongovernment groups from south korea is planning to drop anti-pyongyang leaflets in north korea on monday. some of them containing a single u.s. dollar. if they do, the north is threatening to retaliate with a merciless military strike. hackers in russia and iran have hit major banks in the u.s. again this week. capital one, bb&t and hsbc banks reported cyber attacks that affected their websites. computer security experts say it doesn't look like any money or customer information was stolen but this is the fifth straight week of these attacks. 37 minutes past the hour. striking beauty and a wicked sense of humor. i'm going to go one-on-one with vivica fox to talk about her new

show "prank my mom." you won't believe how far this lady will go for a laugh. my next of kin. at 33 years old, i was having a heart attack. now i'm on a bayer aspirin regimen. [ male announcer ] be sure to talk to your doctor before you begin an aspirin regimen. i didn't know this could happen so young. take control, talk to your doctor. i didn't know this could happen so young. i don't know what shape that is .. but it's not round.. so why would headphones be round? they should be shaped like this.. 'earshaped'. you know .. so they fit in your ears.

progresso. in what world do potatoes, bacon and cheese add up to 100 calories? your world. ♪ [ whispers ] real bacon... creamy cheese... 100 calories... [ chef ] ma'am [ male announcer ] progresso. you gotta taste this soup.

it's friday, which means a special visit from soledad o'brien who joins us. >> a special visit? good morning, how are you? ahead this morning on "starting point," president obama and mitt romney were trading jokes. and also at the same time vying for your votes. the candidates showed off their funny moments at the annual al smith charity dinner. we'll play you a little bit of how that went. also this morning reaction from virginia congressman randy forbes. the former ohio governor ted strickland will join us. and former new york governor george pataki will be my guest. his scathing resignation letter. remember that? it blasted goldman sachs as

morally bankrupt and much, much more. well there's a new investigation into former investment banker greg smith, and it shows there might be more to that story. we're going to hear this morning from the journalist who got an exclusive look into the investigation. and cheering in god's name. really a conversation about free speech, versus church and state. with one texas cheerleaders, they won the right to put those religious phrases on their banners. but it all goes to court in the summer and the question now is will the decision last? we're going to talk to the -- the cheerleader who brought that suit, her mom, and her attorney this morning. right at the top of the hour. >> big court decision. that should be interesting. zoraida? >> thank you very much. 42 minutes past the hour. hollywood film star and sultry sex symbol, vivica fox, is taking a break from the movies to focus on her new gig. she's a reality tv host. fox is the host of a brand-new lifetime series "prank my mom." where sneaky sons and daughters pull practical jokes on their poor mothers. yesterday i sat down with fox to talk about why she took on this

new project. she also revealed her life's regrets, and her plans for the future. let's talk about some of those hilarious pranks because i'm a mom. so i'm going to start with a shotgun wedding. >> how many times have you told your son to choose a good girl? well, apparently not enough because he's being accused of knocking up a stripper who's obviously lying about it. >> anyone have any objections as to why these two should not be wed in holy matrimony? >> i do. i don't approve of them getting married. i don't think that two people have to get married in order to raise a baby. >> i'm not having my daughter pregnant unmarried. >> oh, well your daughter [ bleep ] >> excuse me? >> this is about a shotgun wedding as they call it. >> you better believe it it is. >> guess what? you ain't the only one who got a shotgun. >> it is just incredible moments of unbelievable tension and very real. do you ever feel bad for these moms? >> we put mom's love to the test, for sure. and you know what? sometimes it's good to just laugh at yourself. >> would you jump in front of a

bus for your child? well, these next moms did. >> and took those days off at work. because they're just like partying and raving and -- >> they gave you the time off, right? >> no, no, i ditched it. >> i came back, they were going to fire me so i said you got hit by a bus. >> put this on. >> [ bleep ] >> just keep drinking. >> i got hit by a bus. >> a lot of the kids when i say they want to prank their mom because their moms are too serious, always control freaks and for once they just want to get them out of their element. and it works. then at the end they're so relieved. they are so relieved. i'm just hoping don't nobody have a heart attack. >> so this is a reinvention of your career. do you just love it? >> yeah. i must say for me hosting has been something that is kind of fallen into my lap. a couple of years ago, i was not happy with hollywood, to be very honest with you. hollywood at the time was just throwing me roles i didn't care

for. i think that sometimes they have a problem, especially with women, when they turn 40. >> do you feel like you've made sacrifices in order to stay in hollywood? >> have i sacrificed a lot? yeah. i would love to have had a family. i would love to have children. but i have a beautiful godson by the name of christian. yeah, i've sacrificed a lot. you know. but i don't feel that like it's -- it was part of it. because you do want to have it all. and it's hard. it's absolutely difficult. to have it all. to have the family. to have the career. it's tough. but i am happy. >> is there anything that you really want to do that you haven't done yet? >> i would like to direct in the future. to be totally behind the scenes. and to take a project and let it

be my baby and watch it, you know, grow. and walk. and then run, and to be sitting there in the movie theater and say directed by vivica a. fox. that would be cool. >> she is really cool. this prank my mom, let me tell you, i have watched the clips on this. it is hysterical. at first i thought there's just no way. but you get totally sucked into the moment and these moms will do amazing things for their kids. you're sitting there thinking, how far would i go for my kid? >> if your kid ever did this to you, what would you do? >> i would kill him! in this video you will see some moms kind of react that way also. so it's very funny and she told me that on lifetime they run this marathon session, so tomorrow -- today, friday, on lifetime they run a marathon session so you, too, can watch it. >> 45 minutes after the hour. want to get you up to date on this morning's top stories. president obama and mitt romney smiling and civilized last night at a charity dinner here in new york city. expect that to end today. the president is in virginia this morning for a rally at

george mason university. mitt romney heads to daytona beach, florida, tonight for a rally with his running mate paul ryan. >> and it was all about the defense in the nfl's thursday night football game. the san francisco 49ers scored the game's only touchdown in a 13-6 win at home over the seattle seahawks. but the victory, the niners gamed sole possession of first place in the nfc west. and election could be decided down on the farm. coming up we're going to head to dairy country and what may be the biggest swing state there is, statistically speaking, in the entire country. >> i predict it. one.

two. three. my credit card rewards are easy to remember. with the bankamericard cash rewards credit card, i earn 1% cash back everywhere, every time. [ both ] 2% back on groceries. [ all ] 3% on gas! no hoops to jump through. i earn more cash back on the things i buy most. [ woman in pet store ] it's as easy as... [ all ] one! -two. -[ all ] three! [ male announcer ] the bankamericard cash rewards credit card. apply online or at a bank of america near you. ♪ playing a lone hand ♪ my life begins today ♪ ♪ fly by night away from here ♪ ♪ change my life again

♪ ♪ fly by night, goodbye my dear ♪ ♪ my ship isn't coming ♪ and i just can't pretend oww! ♪ [ male announcer ] careful, you're no longer invisible in a midsize sedan. the volkswagen passat. winner of a motor trend midsize sedan comparison. that's the power of german engineering.

welcome back to "early start." less than three weeks to go and the presidential race is this close. so both campaigns are going hard after voters in swing states, like wisconsin. rural raisin county is one of the areas still very much in play. cnn's miguel marquez, my friend, talked with some tee male farmers about what they want to hear from the candidate. he's live with cows in waterford, wisconsin this morning. hey, miguel. >> we are live with a lot of cows. i'm with a bunch of women right now and they are not happy with me because we're holding up their breakfast. wisconsin is in play. it hasn't gone republican since ronald reagan in 1984. but a lot of the election with the exception of 2008 have been extremely close. here we are milking cows in racine county, wisconsin. what are we doing in a place that offers such delicious dairy

delicacies? this is a county and state in play in a place that hasn't voted for a republican since reagan in 1984. the rank family has farmed her since grover cleveland was president. marsha rank and linda nelson have run the family dairy for 16 years. >> right underneath. >> reporter: twice a day, 3:00 a.m. and p.m. they milk their 80 cows. >> this is a first. >> reporter: they want to expand but it's pricey, and credit tight. their biggest concern, government debt acting like an anchor on the economy. either of you made up your mind about who you're going to vote for? >> i have a pretty good idea. >> yeah. >> reporter: but still could change it? >> could change it. >> anything could change. >> reporter: so what is it they want from the white house? >> it's going to take someone that wants to strap on their big boy boots and really take charge and say look, we are in a world of hurt. we need change. >> reporter: voters here take elections seriously.

turnout is high, and most voters independent. to give you an idea of just how swinging wisconsin is, these counties votes for george bush in 2000 and 2004. those same counties voted obama in '08. there are more bush-to-obama swing counties in wisconsin than any other state. even in the same family, votes often split. >> i am voting for romney. >> you are voting for romney? you think because of his business credentials? >> yes. he is a businessman first. >> you made up your mind? >> no, i'm not -- i have no clue who i'm going to vote for. it kind of teeters depending. >> reporter: four years gloria and her daughter margie started their own bakery. they struggled but the business grew. now in a bigger space and three new employees. are social issues or economic issues bigger for you? >> i have to go with economic, just because of our country and everything like that. but social issues are important. it isn't anybody's right to tell a woman what they can or can't do with their body.

>> reporter: carol heads up most of her farmland and says she works harder than ever just to keep her head above water. do you have any sense of the campaign at this point? >> oh, yes hot and heavy. in the mail. on the phone. >> reporter: five women, one battleground state. both campaigns in overdrive, working for their votes in the final stretch. now we shot this thing two days ago what you just saw. and the day that we shot this i want to introduce you to two new cows that linda and marsha, these are two bulls that one of their cows had. this one is named mitt. this one barack. neither linda or marsha would tell us who they're voting for. but they're equal opportunity dairy farmers. john? >> you're a natural. and you always have strapped on your big boy boots. so we're glad to have you. miguel will be with us again next tuesday on the ground in scott county, iowa. >> i can't wait to see that.

today's best advice coming up right after this quick break. mike rowe here at a ford dealer with a little q&a for fiona. tell me fiona, who's having a big tire event? your ford dealer. who has 11 major brands to choose from? your ford dealer. who's offering a rebate? your ford dealer. who has the low price tire guarantee... affording peace of mind to anyone who might be in the market for a new set of res? your ford dealer. i'm beginning to sense a pattern. buy four select tires, get a $60 rebate. use the ford service credit credit card, get $60 more. that's up to $120. where did you get that sweater vest? your ford dealer.

why they're always there to talk. i love you, james. don't you love me? i'm a robot. i know. i know you're a robot! but there's more in you than just circuits and wires! uhhh. (cries) a machine can't give you what a person can. that's why ally has knowledgeable people there for you, night and day. ally bank. your money needs an ally. a short word that's a tall order. up your game. up the ante. and if you stumble, you get back up. up isn't easy, and we ought to know. we're in the business of up. everyday delta flies a quarter of million people while investing billions improving everything from booking to baggage claim. we're raising the bar on flying and tomorrow we will up it yet again.

57 minutes past the hour. we wrap it up as always with best advice. >> we asked publishing executive and one-time candidate for president steve forbes the best advice he ever received. >> i think the best advice was from my father, who liked to say this life on earth is not a dress rehearsal, make the most of it. >> and make the most money in it. >> of course. he did okay. >> he made an awful lot of money, that's right. steve forbes, well-known for his views on taxes and making and keeping the money that you make. >> interesting he did not push for the flat tax.

best advice did not include a flat tax. >> i'm sure if we have him back he'll spend a whole lot of time talking about the flat tax. >> i just like his advice. >> that is all for "early start." i'm john berman. >> and i'm zoraida sambolin. "starting point" with soledad o'brien starts right now. morning, our starting point this morning trading wit. president obama and mitt romney were back in the same room after their fiery debate this week, this time around, though, it was much lighter. >> everyone please take your seats. otherwise, clint eastwood will yell at them. >> it's nice to finally relax and wear what ann and i wear around the house. >> also this morning, inside the exit. former goldman sachs employee greg smith famously quit with that blistering public resignation letter. but a new investigation might schett some light on what was really going on. and they're cheering for jesus.

cheerleaders win a free speech victory that put bible phrases on banners. but does it violate separation of church and state? it's friday, october 19th. and "starting point" begins right now. morning, welcome everybody. our "starting point" this morning. a few moments of civility in the race for the white house. president obama and mitt romney all smiles last night at the annual al smith charity dinner, which took place in new york. both managed to get in a few zingers, as well. most of them tame. some of them a little bit edgy. listen. >> as president obama surveys the waldorf banquet room, with everyone in white tie and finery, you have to wonder what he's thinking. so little time, so much to redistribute. >> after my foreign trip in 2008 i was attacked as a celebrity because i was so popular with our allies overseas. and i have to s