CBS’s Smith on Pennsylvania Primary: ‘Let's Go For the Goose Bump Moment’

On Monday’s CBS "Early Show"co-host Harry Smith reported live from the Wilkes University campus in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania and talked to college students planning to vote in the upcoming Democratic primary, one of whom, Raquel Wheby, explained: "Tomorrow morning is -- it's very undecided. It's going to be the goose bump moment when you get in there and then you just pick one and go with it." Smith seemed to like that description of voting for a Democrat because he then exclaimed to the crowd of applauding college students: "Wow, let's go for the goose bump moment tomorrow."  

Smith began the segment by excitedly declaring: "You guys fired up? We've got some first time voters for us that are going to talk to us right now about what's going on in their lives and what they're going to do when they get a chance to vote." He went on to talk to a Hillary Clinton supporter, David Sborz, who said of the New York Senator: "Because I think her inspiration, her focus, her leadership. Her will to break through the glass ceiling has really motivated a spirit in me to really support her." Smith then turned to Patrick Austin, a student supporting Obama who explained his reason for voting: "I'm a Barack Obama supporter. And I support him because I think his policy is realistic. I think he has charisma, he's intellectual, he's well spoken and, you know, he has an aura about him, I think, that most -- draws most people to him."

Following that fawning over Hillary and Obama, Smith talked to Wheby, who was still undecided. Wheby explained why she was torn between the two candidates, while taking the opportunity to mock John McCain at the same time: "I'm at the point where I won't know till I'm in the booth tomorrow. I think this campaign has been one of the first that has the first feasible black candidate, the first feasible female and the oldest running man ever." That line received laughter from the entire crowd of students in the room as well as from Smith himself.

Later, Smith wondered about how lucky the students were to be at the center of the Democratic primary:

SMITH: Yeah, what has that been like? I mean, here you're in a little college, 2400 students working away. And all of a sudden every major candidate and their surrogates show up. I mean, they're on your doorstep all the time.

AUSTIN: It was unbelievable, you know -- the support for Barack when he came was outstanding. Chelsea Clinton, it was standing room only, you know. It was -- it was great.

SMITH: It's pretty cool. And it's great to have this opportunity to make a difference, to have the Pennsylvania primary really, really as a big deal.

Smith then concluded the segment by discussing the "goose bump moment" of voting for Hillary or Obama with Wheby.

Here is the full transcript of the segment:

7:34AM SEGMENT:

HARRY SMITH: And we're on the campus of Wilkes University. Let me show you around Wilkes-Barre here just a second. This is a beautiful city of about 50,000 people. We're right on the banks of the Susquehanna River, right at the foot of the Pocono Mountains up against, what did you say they were, the endless mountains? And yeah, there you go. Anyway, here's this beautiful college. 2400 students. Hard working kids from more than 20 states around the country. And we're going to talk to some of them right now about what's going to happen tomorrow. You guys fired up? We've got some first time voters for us that are going to talk to us right now about what's going on in their lives and what they're going to do when they get a chance to vote. David Sborz, Patrick Austin and Raquel Wheby. Good morning to you all.

DAVID SBORZ: Good morning.

SMITH: Alright, who do you support?

SBORZ: Hillary Clinton.

SMITH: And why?

SBORZ: Because I think her inspiration, her focus, her leadership. Her will to break through the glass ceiling has really motivated a spirit in me to really support her.

SMITH: Alright, there you go. Patrick, who are you going to vote for tomorrow?

PATRICK AUSTIN: I'm a Barack Obama supporter. And I support him because I think his policy is realistic. I think he has charisma, he's intellectual, he's well spoken and, you know, he has an aura about him, I think, that most -- draws most people to him.

SMITH: There you go. Alright, Raquel, where you are?

RAQUEL WHEBY: I'm at the point where I won't know till I'm in the booth tomorrow. I think this campaign has been one of the first that has the first feasible black candidate, the first feasible female and the oldest running man ever. So at the point -- this point policies are so similar. It's based off of characteristics at this point.

SMITH: Yeah, wow. Has it been a hard decision for you all? Or was it easy?

SBORZ: I think it has. I've been going back and forth but throughout the last month we had Barack here, we had Hillary here. So, you've been able to make up your mind.

SMITH: Yeah, what has that been like? I mean, here you're in a little college, 2400 students working away. And all of a sudden every major candidate and their surrogates show up. I mean, they're on your doorstep all the time.

AUSTIN: It was unbelievable, you know -- the support for Barack when he came was outstanding. Chelsea Clinton, it was standing room only, you know. It was -- it was great.

SMITH: It's pretty cool. And it's great to have this opportunity to make a difference, to have the Pennsylvania primary really, really as a big deal. So you leaning one way or the other or you don't know what you're going to do tomorrow morning?

WHEBY: Tomorrow morning is -- it's very undecided. It's going to be the goose bump moment when you get in there and then you just pick one and go with it.

SMITH: Wow, let's go for the goose bump moment tomorrow. Alright, we'll have more from Wilkes University in Pennsylvania and the primary when we come back.