Chafee. They book end the stage. A brandnew poll out today, Hillary Clinton on top in the cbs poll. She is 19 points ahead of Bernie Sanders. Now, if, if Vice President joe biden enters the race, he would be in third with the other candidates far, far behind. But a biden candidacy is still a big if. There has been no word from the Vice President who has been meeting all weekend with friends and family to discuss a potential run up in delaware, no white smoke, no black smoke from that house. We simply do not know whats going on there. Lets begin here, though, with cnns senior White House Correspondent jim acosta, who is inside the debate hall right behind me at the Wynn Las Vegas. Jim, tell me what the candidates are doing to prepare today. You wont see them anywhere near the hotel where we are checking out the debate preps. Our cnn staff are all over the inside of this ballroom getting it set for the first democratic debate of this season. The electric turns behind me, there they are.
For the big show. Tuesday night, 8 30 p. M. Eastern time right here on cnn. Brought you a live picture inside the ballroom of the Wynn Las Vegas. We just learned you the lectern layout on that stij. Hillary clinton will be center stage because shes out in front of the national polls. It gives her a 19point lead over Bernie Sanders. Vice President Joe Biden who is Still Deciding whether he wants to run, he currently sitting in thi second place at 13 . As we talk about the people we know will be there. Their challenge tuesday is to differentiate themselves from Hillary Clinton to draw a contrast. Thats what they say in the political business. This is what Martin Omalley and Bernie Sanders had to say earlier today. From day one i opposed the Keystone Pipeline, because i believe if youre serious about Climate Change you continue encourage the transportation of very dirty oil. That was my view from day one. Tpp. I believe that our trade policies going way back, i voted against nafta, cafta,
Preparations are now underway. Good morning, jim. Reporter good morning, carol. Im inciside the wynn hotel on e las vegas strip, where the debate set is already ready to go. You can see the five paid yum behind me. Clinton, the front runner, has the middle podium. To her right will be sanders. He has been the insurgent candidate, firing up the liberal base of the Democratic Party. These new polls show, as you mentioned, carol, that clinton has a Comfortable Lead in the battleground states, including nevada. Well put that on screen, according to the new cnn orc poll. Clinton has 50 with sanders, 34 and the undeclared joe biden at 12 . If you take biden out, it helps clinton. She rises to a bigger lead. 58 for Hillary Clinton. 36 for Bernie Sanders. We want to throw this in, as well. South carolina is an interesting state if joe biden jumps into this race. He has a lot of support in south carolina. He vaults ahead of Bernie Sanders in that poll. Hillary clinton with 49 . Biden, 24 . Sand
Finally shifting from emergency to recovery. The record flooding is blamed for 21 deaths in the carolinas. 27 dams have failed and more than 100 others are still at risk. More than 300 bridges and roads are closed, leaving many people stranded. David begnaud is in big dam, south carolina. David . Reporter scott, were in the one community that is still in a response mode. This is the community of big dam. There is only one road leading in and out, and tonight the bridge to get there is buried underwater. I tried to squeeze by him. Reporter 15yearold hunter brit has become the lifeline for his community. How many days have you been doing this now . Since tuesday. Reporter how many hours each day . Seven and seven. Reporter are you getting paid . No. Reporter hunter even ferried people to church on a road that looks like a river now. Tawanda smalls lives here. Oh, my god. Hunter is our hero. I look at him being david in the bible and this water is goliath. Reporter jennifer cox is one of
Boris, another wrinkle to this story today. The white house has brought in an additional attorney. Tell us more. Reporter thats right. His name is ty cobb. He is a power attorney in washington, d. C. Who has defended high profile cases, including where he defended two former Clinton White house officials. Aside from that, he has defended major corporations, an excia officer. And a former federal prosecutor. Hes expected to oversee not only the legal response to the russia investigation but also how the white house responds to these consistent press reports that have leaked out that have been damaging to the white houses agenda. We now know there were more people in that room at that meeting that had not been disclosed previously. What is the white house saying about this latest development . Not much at all, ana. There has not been an official statement from the white house about these additional developments. The most weve gotten is part of a tweet sent by the president earlier today