michael is among us, and he lives in bellmawr, new jersey. one man's quest to restore his community after sandy's devastation. >>> good morning. i'm randi kaye. it is 8:00 on the east coast, 5:00 a.m. in los angeles. thanks for starting your morning with us. >>> well, it is the final stretch, quite literally. already just two days now left medical election day. millions of you have already voted, but the candidates are doing everything they can over these precious last couple of days to reach the rest of you. trying to get the voters energized and excited about the prospects for the next four years. we have our correspondents spread out throughout the battleground states to bring you the latest on the election and the final push. we start in new hampshire. that's where president obama is making his first campaign stop in just a couple of hours before heading to florida, ohio, and colorado. joining him on the trail again today is former president bill clinton. our white house correspondent dan lothian is live in new hampshire this morning. dan

>> that's just 15 miles south of bellmawr. promenade, a boardwalk, if you will, but it was very mere and dear to them, and well decorated with lighting and all the stores and the shops across from the sea shore. you know, it's a big deal for this town too. they may not have as much, like you say. i mean, to see a roller coaster sitting on the atlantic ocean or a pharfair ferris wheel in the atlantic ocean is truly disheartening, but in talking with the residents here they know they just have to get over it. suzanne, they have to rebuild. they're determined to do it. it's a daunting task. i don't know where they summon up all this courage, but that's all i'm hearing today. >> tim clancy, thank you very much. >> can you describe what happened when the water came? >> we were sleeping, and my daughter and i -- i don't spend money on gasoline. i am probably going to the gas station about once a month. last time i was at a gas station was about...i would say... two months ago. i very rarely put gas in my chevy volt. i go to the gas

joining us live from bellmawr, robert moses. robert?, everyone. 24 national guard troops, according to the mayor, patrolling this short town of bellmawr. it's a a definite stated -- self stated town. look at that garage a block away from us, south of us. look how high the water comes up. as we spin around here, you can see the force of this storm as we walk down 18th avenue here. look at those two benches that the storm carried inland, about two blocks off the shore and just deposited in the front yard of that house. devastation here in bellmawr is immense. the government said he toured this town this past summer. he just doesn't recognize it. speak of the governor, as you talked about, quite a show of bipartisanship yesterday as new jersey governor chris christie and president obama toured sop of the hardest hit shore towns here in new jersey. you mentioned the death toll. here in new jersey, it's up to at least 14 deaths attributable to hurricane sandy. the president greeted people yesterday and promised that the federal government wi

just up the coast from there is the community of bellmawr.is randy k. >> if ever this new jersey neighborhood needed an angel, they found one. they call him saint michael here. his real name is michael irwin he has been boating people to and from their homes working 12 hour shifts. there are a couple of people trying to get out. ron and pat got out and their dog. chuck we got out and there are a couple of other people we got out to other families. to make sure they got to dry land. >> michael is a surfer and a kayaker so he had a wetsuit and was a boy scout so he says he is always prepared. this is known as the 8th avenue neighborhood. the water is an avenue and is about four feet deep. luckily most of the residents not all of them did evacuate before hurricane sandy hit. eye vene evacuated to her son's house but now that she has returned she needs michael's help to return home. >> we are pretty high up. almost to the properch. we are down the corner here. the house with the red trim and it is right up. the cellar is gone. the hot water heate

just looking at where i was yesterday, yesterday i went to bellmawr, new jersey to look at the damageyou have all of the sand that washed away from the beach. you are talking about beach replenishment. and all of the damage to homes. some people have insurance. but for those who do not, or if their insurance is not complete enough to provide insurance, the federal government has got to help out. and i am certain that we will pass an appropriations bill to cover this, but it will be in the billions of dollars. i hope our colleagues on both sides of the aisle understand the magnitude of it. we will explain to them that it has to be done. we have to rebuild. we have to bring these towns back to where they were before. and that is part of our job as congressmen and senators, to make sure that this happens. host: remember the energy and commerce committee here in the house. mayor bloomberg talk about the issue of climate change and how after this storm, it is influenced his vote. is climate change going to take on a renewed focus on capitol hill in the wake of hurricane sandy? guest: i wou

. >> reporter: suzanne, ocean avenue, the city of bellmawr, a small town on the jersey shore, that youdrifts that have come up here. that was the beach before. the entire boardwalk. 1.2 miles of it ripped out by the storm. they are working feverishly right now. they're preparing for that nor'easter that is reportedly on its way. now it's not going to be as bad as any superstorm, but you have to understand that this city's water table is now so high the mayor told me just a short time ago that if they get even an inch of water from that storm, it could flood the basements of this town all over again. what are they doing? they're pumping. they're pumping tens upon tens of thousands of gallons. the mayor says 60,000 gallons a minute are being pumped out of these two lakes as they try to lower the water there and protect this town from many of the effects of that upcoming storm. on another front voting. there's been a lot of talk about the electronic ballot,, the possibility of voters turning in their ballots by e-mail or by fax, but in a town that doesn't have any electricity, that's want

i'm the garrison commander of fort bellmawr, virginia.pport a base including about 51,000 personnel. we're going to add the -- we're going to lose -- right? >> all of our services appreciate the value that someone has regardless of what they don't have anymore. this event that happened to me doesn't define me. it's not something i dwell on. i wouldn't characterize myself as a hero. i mean, ultimately those that really pay in fullmer are heroes. i just say if you know a veteran out there, then just tell them thank you, and their family. i never get tired of hearing it. [ male announcer ] are you considering a new medicare plan? then you may be looking for help in choosing the right plan for your needs. so don't wait. call now. whatever your health coverage needs, unitedhealthcare can help you find the right plan. open enrollment to choose your medicare coverage begins october 15th and ends december 7th. so now is the best time to review your options and enroll in a plan. medicare has two main parts, parts a and b, to help cover a lot of yo

just looking at where i was yesterday, yesterday i went to bellmawr, new jersey to look at the damage. you have all of the sand that washed away from the beach. you are talking about beach replenishment. and all of the damage to homes. some people have insurance. but for those who do not, or if their insurance is not complete enough to provide insurance, the federal government has got to help out. and i am certain that we will pass an appropriations bill to cover this, but it will be in the billions of dollars. i hope our colleagues on both sides of the aisle understand the magnitude of it. we will explain to them that it has to be done. we have to rebuild. we have to bring these towns back to where they were before. and that is part of our job as congressmen and senators, to make sure that this happens. host: remember the energy and commerce committee here in the house. mayor bloomberg talk about the issue of climate change and how after this storm, it is influenced his vote. is climate change going to take on a renewed focus on capitol hill in the wake of hurricane sandy? guest: i w