[Lemon:] Downtown Columbus now. We're back in Ohio, and the biggest prize in next week's election, well, prepare yourselves, everyone. Look at the results of five this is five national polls. All of these poll takers talked to voters just within the last week. Look at this. Look at how close they are. Note that many numbers are similar, are within a point, 48 here, 47 there, this is just more proof that the presidential race looks like it is going to be headed to a photo finish. So when the race is this tight, Election Day this close, I mean, what do the campaigns concentrate on? It really all boils down to, I'm sure Gloria Borger, our chief political analyst, it is a numbers game Gloria.
[Gloria Borger, Cnn Chief Political Analyst:] You know what I'm going to say, yes.
[Lemon:] She's in Washington. Yes, so it boils down to numbers, right?
[Borger:] It does. It boils it boils down to turnout. I mean, when you look at those national poll matchups, you know this, Don, that's not really what we're looking at. Because national polls include states that are very red and include states that are very blue. What you're looking is battleground states where you're sitting, state of Ohio, and you're looking at campaign organizations and how they get their voters to the polls. It is intensity. It is enthusiasm. It is organization. You also look at early voting because you know in early voting you actually have a certain amount of control over how you get people to the polls and you know you're getting your voters to the polls. So you want to control that as much as you can. Because in a close race, like Ohio, like Florida, like any Colorado, whatever, you know that that could really make the margin of difference. That's why the campaigns are focusing so much on early voting this time around, very important.
[Lemon:] Yes. You're absolutely right. And really that is that is what I've been charged with to do here at CNN is to come here to Ohio and look at the ground game leading up to the election. And that's Mitt Romney's team, President Obama's team, that's what they're doing. It is all about getting people they want them to vote, but they say get there early and almost every bit of literature says what you're saying Gloria.
[Borger:] Right. And the interesting thing is, what they don't want to do and this is the word they use, they don't want to cannibalize, as they call it, their voters that would normally turn out on Election Day, Don. So what they try and do is get what they call low propensity voters meaning voters that otherwise probably would not make it to the polls, but if you can figure out a way to get them out there, make it easier for them to vote. And you know they're going to vote for you, then you get in contact with them and you find out what they need, and you make sure that they vote. So the resources are really focusing on getting out these this other group of voters.
[Lemon:] This is how I know you know what you're talking about, because you didn't we didn't even talk about we haven't talked about this before, but as I went to the number of polling places, I noticed it and so did my producer and photographer. Most of the people who were first time voters because when they come in, they say first time voter, everyone in the room applauds. It wasn't an 18-year-old or 20-year-old or even a 30-year-old, most of the time it is 40, 50, 60, older people who are first time voters who are coming in. And that says a lot about these are people who their targeting who they may not normally get. I want to move on to that nightmare scenario that everyone is talking about on Election Day.
[Borger:] Well
[Lemon:] That we have been which is popular vote versus the Electoral College. Go on.
[Borger:] Sure. I mean, you know, in particular talking to Republicans about this, they think there is a possibility that the popular vote could go for Mitt Romney and yet the Electoral College could go for President Obama. In which case, I would also have to add that the president of the United States would be re-elected because that's how we run elections in this country. But it is it is very clear and it has been clear from day one that the president has had an easier way through the Electoral College given the way the west and the Midwest are these days. So there are some Republicans who believe that there could be that kind of a split. Personally, I also believe that particularly given what you were showing there in the state of Ohio that in these very close battleground states, it may take a lot longer just to count the ballots than we thought. So either we may not know until a long time perfect when the polls close or maybe not for a little bit, you know, days.
[Lemon:] Yes.
[Borges:] We'll have to see. We could be sitting around for a while.
[Lemon:] In Ohio's case, it could be weeks with the whole provisional ballot thing. That is a whole other show that we talk about, two weeks until the 17th you may not know. We'll see much more of that. I'm sure you'll be covering it and we'll bring it to you from Ohio. Gloria, thank you. Appreciate it.
[Borger:] Thank you. Stay warm.
[Lemon:] All right, thank you. You know, the most important mission following Hurricane Sandy, the devastation, the search for survivors by air and also by land. And our Jim Clancy just got back from a ride along with the National Guard, searching for those in need of help, wait until you hear what he saw.