[Announcer:] Ivan approaches and Gulf Coast residents exit in droves. Today, we're tracking the hurricane, as well as politics.
[Sen. John Kerry , Presidential Candidate:] This president has created more excuses than jobs.
[Announcer:] John Kerry tests a new line, unleashing a tough attack on the president's economic policies.
[Unidentified Male:] Ladies and gentlemen, the president of the United States.
[Announcer:] The commander in chief reviewed by the troops. Are National Guard officers moved by the flap over Bush's service in the '70s?
[Unidentified Male:] We are not picking sides, but listening to what everybody has to say.
[Announcer:] D.C.'s comeback kid. Former Mayor Marion Barry proves in a primary that past scandal won't keep him down. Now, live from Washington,
[Judy Woodruff's Inside Politics. Judy Woodruff, Cnn Anchor:] Thank you for joining us. Well, if you didn't already know, we are 90 minutes now. That gives us more time to cover the latest campaign news and, today, to bring you frequent updates on Hurricane Ivan. And we do want to begin with the storm starting to pummel the coast of Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, and the Florida Panhandle with powerful winds and rain. CNN Meteorologist Jacqui Jeras is tracking Ivan's every move. Jacqui, give us the latest.
[Jacqui Jeras, Cnn Meteorologist:] Well, Judy, the center of Ivan is now moving in within almost 150 miles of the Alabama coastline and the outer bands, these dangerous outer bands are now making their way onshore. A tornado watch has been in effect for about an hour now around the I-10 Corridor. And we want to zoom in because now we have two tornado warnings to talk about. Radar is indicating some pretty strong rotation, this one for Baldwin and Escambia counties then also for Bay County. We'll start out here as the population very large, arriving in Orange Beach within just another couple of minutes. And there you can see at 23 past the hour over towards Magnolia Springs. Then we'll track on down and head a little bit closer to our next storm. There you can see this one does include Panama City. Tornado warning in effect for Bay County there. These are moving very quickly up to the north and to the west, around 55 miles per hour, should be arriving in Freeport about 27 after the hour. Now, we are watching these outer bands continue to move on in. And as they continue to do so, each one should be stronger. But remember, also, as these squall lines move in, we are going to start to see those winds increase very dramatically. The forecast track staying on target at this time. And our forecast cone of error is getting even smaller. And although this storm has sped up a little bit, we're concerned that landfall may be a little bit earlier, more like 3:00 or 4:00 in the morning, rather than 6:00 or 7:00 Judy.
[Woodruff:] All right, Jacqui, and we're going to be checking in with you several times over the next hour, hour and a half. Thanks very much. As Ivan churns onward, nearly two million residents along the Gulf of Mexico have been ordered to evacuate. Most already have left their homes. In Louisiana alone, at least 33 shelters have opened for displaced residents. But they're already full. And so are local hotels. The White House says President Bush spoke this morning with the governors of Florida, Mississippi, Louisiana, and Alabama about Ivan and preparations for federal aid. Let's get a check now of the situation in the Mobile, Alabama, area from CNN's own Bill Hemmer. Hello, Bill.
[Bill Hemmer, Cnn Anchor:] Hey, Judy this afternoon. The way Jacqui describes it exactly the way we're experiencing it now, the first band of rain now coming through the Mobile area. We've been waiting for a couple hours now watching that radar on the screen on our own televisions here in Mobile wondering when the rain was going to come. And indeed it has at this point. There are winds still out of the east. But again we're getting some gusts over 40, maybe 45 miles an hour, the maximum strength here, but really not even the leading edge just yet of what Ivan will bring in several hours from now. Locally in Mobile, Judy, here's what's happening. The local officials, city commissioners, the mayor, they've gathered now at the emergency office management area. They will ride the storm out there and monitor it for all the residents, 250,000 of them, or at least those who left behind stuck around here in Mobile, Alabama. State routes 188 and 193, very small roads here, the reason I point it out, those roads have been closed, these in low-lying areas, right up near the Gulf area, which gives you an indication of how much concern there will be with flooding, especially in those low-lying areas. Earlier today, I-65 that runs north out of Mobile, the southbound lanes, Judy, were closed so they could reverse the traffic, give you four lanes going north to help with the evacuation. Our CNN crews have scoured the Mobile area. They tell me it's an absolute ghost town in areas. One coffee shop says they will stay open and will try and defy the odds of Mother Nature. But all I can do is remind people at home what the mayor of Pensacola told us yesterday. He said with Mother Nature at this strength, use humility. And indeed that is what will be happening here with our crews throughout the storm. It's getting more windy at this point, Judy, but again just a shade of things to come for Ivan at 135-miles-an-hour strong later tonight and into the early Thursday morning hours Judy.
[Woodruff:] The mayor's advice sounds like the right advice for everybody involved.
[Hemmer:] Indeed.
[Woodruff:] All right, Bill Hemmer, thank you very much, in Mobile. Well, we're going to have more Ivan updates throughout INSIDE POLITICS and, of course, throughout the day and night as the storm comes close to landfall. "ANDERSON COOPER 360" will be airing live from Mobile at 7:00 p.m. Eastern, and then, at 10:00 Eastern, a special two-hour "NEWSNIGHT" on Ivan and its impact. Right now, let's get back to our usual beat while we can, politics. John Kerry is in Wisconsin this hour for a rally in Madison. He returned to the state after giving an economic speech this morning in another battleground, Michigan. One new Michigan poll shows Senator Kerry now leading President Bush by six points among likely voters and seven points among the wider pool of registered voters. Kerry tried today to cement that advantage with a new offensive against Bush's record on jobs. CNN's Frank Buckley is traveling with the Democratic presidential nominee.
[Frank Buckley, Cnn National Correspondent:] Senator John Kerry appeared before the Detroit Economic Club and launched a scathing critique of President George Bush's economic policies.
[Kerry:] His is the excuse presidency, never wrong, never responsible, never to blame. President Bush's desk isn't where the buck stops. It's where the blame begins. He's blamed just about everybody but himself and his administration for America's economic problems.
[Buckley:] Kerry cited as evidence of Bush economic failures five million more Americans joining the 40 million who have no health insurance and 4.3 million more Americans falling below the poverty line during the past four years. Kerry also said President Bush is the first president in 72 years to lose jobs during his term; 1.6 million people lost private sector jobs.
[Kerry:] This is the man who promised that his tax cuts it was his promise, not mine, to America that his tax cuts would create six million new jobs. Today, three tax cuts later, we've lost a million. That's seven million jobs short of his prediction.
[Buckley:] Kerry said he would roll back those tax cuts on people earning more than $200,000 per year to pay for his economic plan, which includes cutting the corporate tax rate by 5 percent and removing what he called tax loopholes that reward companies for shipping jobs out of the
[U.s. Kerry:] For the small businesses and the manufacturers who decide to add more employees to the payroll, we're going to provide a new jobs tax credit for every person that you hire. And to those small business owners who want to hire more employees, but they can't afford them, we're going to give you up to a 50 percent tax cut on your health care contributions when you cover your workers.
[Buckley:] Bush campaign officials say that Senator Kerry cites only the most pessimistic of statistics in describing the U.S. economy. And he ignores what they describe as a remarkable recovery that's taking place. Still, Kerry strategists believe the argument over the economy is one that will resonate among voters, especially those in battleground states hit hard by job losses. Frank Buckley, CNN, Detroit.
[Woodruff:] Meantime, both Kerry and Bush are reaching out to Latino voters today. Kerry returns here to Washington to address the Congressional Hispanic Caucus tonight. And the Kerry camp is launching a new Spanish language ad today. It focuses on rising health care costs and the burden on Hispanics, many of whom are uninsured. At the White House this hour, President Bush is hosting a Hispanic Heritage Month concert and reception, his only public event of the day. In the Bush-Kerry race, some surprising poll numbers today from New York state. Senator Kerry's lead in that traditionally Democratic state has narrowed to single digits in new Marist and Quinnipiac polls of registered voters. The most recent poll before today taken in early August showed Kerry with an 18-point lead. Well, the campaign fight over jobs and the economy seems to be getting fiercer by the day. Up next, Bush and Kerry allies talk about the candidates' economic plans and how much the nation is hurting. Also ahead, the docudrama continues. We'll have the latest on the paper trail in the Bush National Guard flap and whether some of those memos were forged or not. Plus, a snapshot of persuadable voters. Are they leaning more toward Bush or Kerry? With 48 days until the election, this is INSIDE POLITICS, the place for campaign news.