This is a special edition of today decision 2012. Battleground florida with lester holt live from tampa, florida, and jenna wolfe, live from studio 1a in rockefeller plaza. Good morning, everyone. Welcome to a special edition of today on a sunday morning. Im lester holt reporting from the university of tampa, our first stop in a tour of the three key battleground states in this years president ial election. Well be doing this the next few weekends. My colleague, jenna wolfe is back in studio 1a. Jenna, good morning, good to see you. Its nice to see the Sunshine State is the center of the political universe right now, the thi and final debate between the two candidates, lester. Yeah, thats a day away from the final facetoface showdown between president obama and governor romney down in boca raton, florida, as it has in the past, just might hold the key to winning the white house. There are 29 electoral votes up for grabs. The last nbc news wall street journa journal marist poll shows the candidates in a statistical dead heat. Most other polls show the race just as tight. Now florida voters have an uncanny ability to pick a winner. Four years ago the race went to barack obama when he topped john mccain by 3 . 2004 george bush beat john kerry by five points and, of course, few will forget florida took center stage in 2000, that razor thin margin that separated the candidates. After a recount dispute george w. Bush won by just more than 500 votes. And right now were in the center of it all. Hillsborough county, which includes tampa, has picked the president ial winner every time but once since 1960. Its a place that mirrors the nation, the economy has been hit hard here, unemployment is a big problem. Coming up, well look at why florida is such an important prize in the race for the white house. Ill also speak to former Florida Governor charlie crist. At one point he was on john mccains short list to be his running mate. Now he supports president obama. Well also change gears and ask from he wielian gonzalez tor woods to animals runningild, why does it seem so many wacky stories happen here in the Sunshine State and, jenna, i know you have a lot to get to as well from new york. Yes, lester. Also coming up, well talk to the makers of a disturbing new documentary that looks at how pop culture and social media sexualizes girls at a disturbingly young age. And have you wondered what its like to party like britains royal family. Pippa is out with a new book that includes tips on planning the perfect get together. And later, there is law and there is order here at the today show this morning. We are previewing the 300th episode of svu and a special guest star, i wont name names, because thats just rude, but were going to go behind the scenes with the shows star, Mariska Hargitay. Ill name names. It was you. Do you remember your line . Of course, the auxiliary officer. I dont want to show off because its eight brilliant words. The whole episode. Just the whole episode came down to that one line but lets assume for tv purposes it did. All right. Well get to to that, jenna, thanks. Lets begin with the battleground florida. With the race for the white house now in the homestretch, both the obama and romney campaigns are trying to sway voters here. Thats because, once again, it seems all roads to the white house pass through the Sunshine State. Unlike a lot of folks who come here, these visitors dont come for the sunshine. We will win florida. Were going to win in november. But rather the political glow that comes with winning floridas 29 electoral votes, more than 10 of a number needed to win the election. How are you doing . Florida is what i call a checkmate state for president obama. If he somehow carries florida, then it blocks any significant realistic path for mitt romney to get to 270 electoral votes. Which, of course, is why both president obama and governor romney have spent an enormous amount of time, energy and money in florida. Here in florida were not better off under president obama. His budget cuts medicaid by onethird. Since may, obama has spent close to 55 million in florida and romney close to 35 million. For candidates, florida is demographically challenging. Florida, more than any other state is basically americas microcosm. Southerners live in the north, northeasterners live in the south, midwesterners live in the southwest. Historically a recipe for political drama. Florida, florida, florida. Yes, its the state that held the nation in suspense 12 years ago in that infamous bush versus gore ballot recount. With this election expected to be close, too, all are focused on bellwether tampa and hillsborough county. It sits at the end of a corridor, interstate 4, with which cuts across the center of the state. On this side the democratic leaning south, over here the republican strongholds to the north and its not out of the question this election could be decided by how the folks who live along this corridor vote. Both parties try to turn out their end of the state and then everybody battles over the ihad corridor to get the swing vote. Politics with a cup of cuban coffee and a side of passion is always on the menu at the west tampa sandwich shop. Barack obama cannot run the biggest business in the world. He doesnt have the wherewithal to do it. And romney says i reached across the aisle to massachusetts. He vetoed 888 bills. Eventually the conversation always comes around to jobs, jobs, jobs. Tampa, like the rest of florida, is struggling to recover from the bad economy. What are the issues that will decide determine your vote . The economy. The economy really hasnt gone anywhere in the last four years. Window installer Gregory Brown says with local jobs scarce, he sometimes travels hundreds of miles to find work. I had 30,000 in the bank when president obama went into office. Now we have a tenth of that. And im living paycheck to paycheck. And the area has been the epicenter of floridas home foreclosure crisis, though sales appear to be picking up. We had a better unemployment number, we would see a better housing market. Americans will be sparpd the excitement of hanging chads and butterfly ballots, florida still promises lots of drama this coming election night. This critical swing state can be decided by 500 votes in 2000. So everything that happens in florida is going to matter. Charlie crist is a former Florida Republican governor who was on john mccains short list as a running mate four years ago. He now considers himself an independent and an obama support er. Governor, good morning. Its nice to be in your state. Good morning, lester. Thanks for coming to florida. I want to talk to you about where the election stands, but let me get really a sense of where you stand right now. You were, as we said, a repub c republican governor. You are now supporting obama. A lot of critics say youve been a political opportunist in this case. If you had not lost your race for senate, if you were still the republican governor, would you still be pulling for obama . Absolutely. Ive gotten to know this man, lester, and the president really has helped our florida. My last two years as governor were his first two years as president of the United States. And time after time he and his administration came whether it was the recovery act when he came here just a month after he was sworn in to ft. Myers, fl r florida, helping our teachers, our police officers, our firefighters make sure that we stabilize the economy that is starting to come up now. Thats the good news. Again, less than a year later we had a massive oil spill,s as everyone knows in the gulf of mexico. Yet again, president obama was here helping the Sunshine State. Helping florida. This is a guy who has really reached across the aisle, was truly bipartisan, wanted to help people because we were in a time of need. You know, governor, i talked to a lot of voters in my time here and many who voted for president obama last night time, and they expressed some hesitation, some disappointment, theyre looking around. You know, the economy is starting to come back but unemployment is still higher here than the National Average, in the epicenter of the foreclosure crisis. Why shouldnt people look at the president and say you should have done better . We could have been better off . Well, he was dealt a very difficult deck of cards, to put it mildly. He comes into office and we have the worst recession since the great depression. What could be more difficult than that . But, you know, he had a cool head. He did the right thing. Passed the recovery act. That was not easy to do. I was happy to support it. I think its important that people realize and remember where we were in late 08, early 09, and president obama, it took courage for him to do what was right, to make sure we had the resources we needed. Li listen, as governor i was looking at a hole in our budget. It was deeper than the mariana trench. Provided the resources to help our teachers, help our firefighters, try to stablize the economy. I shuer to think where we would be if he didnt do the right thing back then. You look at the polls. We noted they are neck and neck. Were used to florida providing a lot of drama in these elections. Is the state more red than blue . Florida is purple. Its about as diverse as any state in the country. As chuck todd, i think, described were probably a true microcosm of america as any state in the union. And i think as florida goes, so will go the rest of the country. I believe the president will win. I look forward to the debate tomorrow. I grew up in st. Petersburg just across the bay. Florida is pivotal. Flo florida, florida, florida. And i know it will be again come election day here and people are already voting by mail and soon early voting starts october 27th. Well, its good to be here. Governor crist, thank you for spending some time with us this morning. We appreciate it, sir. Thank you, lester. David gregory is moderator of meet the press. David, good morning to you. Good morning, lester. Before we talk about the election and the debate, i want to get your thoughts on the death, the passing of senator George Mcgovern. Well, certainly a liberal lion for a good part of the latter part of this last century, influential as an antiwar voice, for sure, and such an integral part of watergate as well in terms of his campaign being targeted. So an historical figure for sure. He will certainly be missed. Let me get your thoughts now on the upcoming did debate, the last debate here in florida between president obama and mitt romney. The topic tomorrow is going to be Foreign Policy and theyre in a state that mirrors so much of the problems of the economy. Will this debate speak to the allimportant undecided voter this ga late in the game . We know that a lot of people are interested in Foreign Affairs. Theres a lot thats been on the campaign trail about libya, for instance. News this morning about iran that well deal with on the program this morning about whether theres the prospect now for direct talks between the administration and iranian officials over their Nuclear Ambitions. And certainly in florida the issue of Obama Administration relationship with the israeli government. So theres a lot that i think captures peoples attention and i think its worth remembering that any president has a great deal of influence, maybe more influence than even domestically when it comes to Foreign Affairs and national security. And this issue of the debt and americas standing in the world is tied to americas wealth. So look for governor romney to bring up the economy despite the topic being Foreign Policy. And who do you have on meet the press this morning, david . Well talk to marco rubio of florida, are senator rob portman of ohio will join us as well, the republican from that state, battleground state, and David Axelrod from the obama campaign. All right, david. Well see you a bit later on. Thank you very much. And time now for a check of the mornings other top stories. Cnbcs Courtney Reagan is standing by. Good morning. Hi, good morning to you, lester. Good morning, everyone. We begin with more on the death of u. S. Senator George Mcgovern. He passed away a few hours ago reportedly from Natural Causes at a hospice in sioux falls, south dakota, surround ed by hi family and lifelong friends. He was 90 years old. In the 1960s mcgovern was known for his opposition to the growing u. S. Involvement in the vietnam war. In 1972 the proud liberal lost the president ial election to Richard Nixon in the second biggest landslide in american political history. Again, u. S. Senator George Mcgovern has died at age 90. The white house says its willing to talk to iran about its Nuclear Ambitions but that theres no deals right now. Nbcs Mike Viqueira has more from the white house. Mike, good morning. Reporter good morning to you. And as of this morning, courtney, both sides, the United States and the iranian government, are denying a report in the New York Times that they have agreed to sit down oneonone after the u. S. Elections and discuss Irans Nuclear program. Of course that program has been a source of tension not only to the United States and iran and the rest of the world and iran for that matter but also between the United States and israel. You remember nbenjamin netanyah, the Prime Minister with the United Nations just a couple of weeks ago, drew that famous red line, urging the United States to get tougher with iran. But all parties agree on one thing. Iran must not be allowed to develop a nuclear weapon. They are processing uranium right now. It is not yet weapons grade. Two weeks before an election, the day before the eve of that Foreign Policy debate, that news would have been a blockbuster but a white house Spokesman Says sanctions are working. While the white house is willing to sit down oneonone with iran, no such agreement has been reached at this point, courtney. Mike, thank you. Autumn gasoline prices are about to fall faster than fall foliage. Inventory is rising and demand falling. Prices could plunge 50 cents to a National Average of 3. 35 a gallon over the next few weeks, and that could provide a boost for the economy and possibly become a factor in next months president ial election. The death toll from an outbreak of fungal meningitis is still rising. The centers for Disease Control says 23 have died, another 284 people have been infected. The cdc has linked the outbreak to potentially contaminate d steroid shots made at the new England Compounding Center in massachusetts which is now under investigation. And finally, the cal golden bears will become a little more golden next year. Missy franklin will join her olympic coach who headed the 2012 Womens Swim Team for the london olympics. Franklin, who won four gold medals in london, will enter her freshman year at the university of california at berkeley next september. Thats the news. Now back to jenna and dylan. We wish her the very best. Good news for her. Diylan dreyer is here with check on the weather. Hi, dylan. Its pretty nice out. Anyway, so thanks for your time. Were going to take a short break. Oh, so theres other things to talk about. Go right ahead. Other than you i have more to talk about. Oh shes been here like three weeks, and she is digging me. Go right in there. Welcome. We are going to see pretty nice weather across the country. A few scattered showers across portions of northern dakotas but we are keeping an eye out for a big storm to move into the west coast tomorrow from Central California up into oregon. We could end up with some of the mountain regions are over a foot of snow especially above 5,500 feet. The rest of the country today does look nice and quiet. Thats a look at the weather acro across the country. And thats your latest weather. Dylan, thank you very much. Coming up next on today you want to party like a member of the royal family . Kate middletons sister pippa comes out with a new book to show you how. Was unbelievable. This juicere what a bargain [ female announcer ] sometimes a good deal turns out to be not such a good deal. But bounty gives you value you can see. 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