Captioning sponsored by WNET >> Sreenivasan: ON THIS EDITION FOR SATURDAY, OCTOBER 31: THE PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES HIT KEY SWING STATES IN THE FINAL WEEKEND BEFORE ELECTION DAY.

THE BATTLEGROUND STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA: AT THE FOREFRONT OF A CHANGING CLIMATE.

>> IKE FOR PRESIDENT, IKE FOR PRESIDENT.

>> Sreenivasan: AND A LOOK AT POLITICAL ADS, IN THE MOST EXPENSIVE CAMPAIGN YEAR IN HISTORY.

NEXT ON PBS NEWSHOUR WEEKEND.

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>> Sreenivasan: GOOD EVENING AND THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

WE ARE REPORTING THIS WEEKEND FROM NORTH CAROLINA, THE LAST STOP ON OUR "ROADS TO ELECTION 2020" SERIES-- BUT NOT THE END OF OUR COVERAGE OF THE VOTE, THE VOTE COUNT, AND THE CANDIDATES ON THE BALLOTS IN EVERY STATE.

PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP AND FORMER VICE PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN, THEIR RUNNING MATES, AND MANY OF THEIR BEST-KNOWN POLITICAL SUPPORTERS ARE ON THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL IN THESE FINAL DAYS BEFORE VOTING ENDS ON TUESDAY.

KEY EVENTS THIS WEEKEND ARE IN BATTLEGROUND STATES INCLUDING PENNSYLVANIA, MICHIGAN, FLORIDA, AND RIGHT HERE IN NORTH CAROLINA.

WHILE THE SPEECHES TOUCH ON A WIDE RANGE OF TOPICS, ONE OF THE ISSUES VOTERS AND VIEWERS SAY THEY WANT TO KNOW MORE ABOUT IS CLIMATE CHANGE.

WE WILL HAVE AN IN-DEPTH REPORT ON THAT FROM HERE IN NORTH CAROLINA, ALONG WITH REPORTING ON THE BILLIONS SPENT ON ADVERTISING THIS ELECTION YEAR, BOTH COMING UP RIGHT AFTER THE NEWS SUMMARY.

♪ FROM THE LAKES OF MINNESOTA, TO THE HILLS OF TENNESSEE ♪ >> Sreenivasan: IT'S THE FINAL WEEKEND PUSH IN THE 2020 CAMPAIGN SEASON.

PRESIDENT TRUMP PLANNED FOUR STOPS IN PENNSYLVANIA TODAY, STARTING IN BUCKS COUNTY, JUST NORTH OF PHILADELPHIA.

THE KEYSTONE STATE WAS CRUCIAL TO THE PRESIDENT'S 2016 WIN, AND IS A FOCAL POINT FOR BOTH CAMPAIGNS.

♪ ♪ ♪ FORMER VICE PRESIDENT BIDEN CAMPAIGNED WITH FORMER PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA IN MICHIGAN TODAY, AT A DRIVE-IN RALLY IN FLINT AND ANOTHER PLANNED FOR DETROIT.

TOMORROW, BIDEN WILL BE IN PENNSYLVANIA, STARTING IN PHILADELPHIA FOR A "SOULS TO THE POLLS" EVENT.

PRESIDENT TRUMP PLANS RALLIES IN FIVE STATES TOMORROW.

WITH THREE DAYS LEFT TO ELECTION DAY, MORE THAN 90 MILLION EARLY VOTES HAVE BEEN CAST SO FAR.

THAT'S NEARLY TWO-THIRDS THE BALLOTS CAST IN THE 2016 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION.

THE CORONAVIRUS CONTINUES TO SPREAD RAPIDLY IN MANY STATES THIS WEEKEND.

YESTERDAY, THE NATION RECORDED MORE THAN 99,000 NEW CASES, ACCORDING TO THE "NEW YORK TIMES."

THAT'S THE HIGHEST DAILY NUMBER SINCE THE PANDEMIC BEGAN.

THE "TIMES" DATABASE SHOWS 14 STATES SET NEW DAILY CASE RECORDS, AND THREE-- TENNESSEE, MONTANA, AND NEW MEXICO-- RECORDED NEW RECORD-HIGH NUMBERS OF DEATHS FROM COVID-19.

AS OF THIS MORNING, JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY'S CORONAVIRUS RESOURCE CENTER REPORTS THE UNITED STATES HAS HAD MORE THAN NINE MILLION CONFIRMED CASES OF THE VIRUS DURING THE PANDEMIC, ONE-FIFTH OF THE MORE THAN 45 MILLION CASES GLOBALLY.

RESCUE WORKERS IN THE TURKISH CITY OF IZMIR PULLED THREE WOMEN ALIVE FROM UNDER THE RUBBLE OF A COLLAPSED BUILDING TODAY, AS THE SEARCH CONTINUES FOR SURVIVORS FOLLOWING YESTERDAY'S POWERFUL EARTHQUAKE IN THE AEGEAN SEA.

THE EARTHQUAKE TOPPLED SEVERAL BUILDINGS AND AT LEAST 37 PEOPLE WERE KILLED AND 800 INJURED ALONG TURKEY'S WESTERN COAST.

THE QUAKE, WHICH WAS ALSO FELT IN GREECE, LEFT TWO PEOPLE DEAD ON THE ISLAND OF SAMOS.

TURKEY'S DISASTER AGENCY SAID TODAY THE AREA HAS EXPERIENCED MORE THAN 450 AFTERSHOCKS.

>> I ADMIRE YOUR LUCK, MR.... >> BOND.

JAMES BOND.

>> Sreenivasan: SEAN CONNERY, THE SCOTTISH ACTOR BEST KNOWN FOR PLAYING THE SMOOTH-TALKING CHARACTER JAMES BOND, HAS DIED.

BORN IN 1930 IN EDINBURGH, SCOTLAND, CONNERY WENT ON TO WORK A SERIES OF JOBS, INCLUDING A COFFIN POLISHER, MILKMAN AND BODY BUILDER, BEFORE LANDING HIS BREAKOUT ACTING ROLE AS AN INTERNATIONAL SPY.

HE LIT THE SILVER SCREEN FOR MORE THAN FOUR DECADES, STARRING IN SEVEN JAMES BOND MOVIES, AND IN FILMS INCLUDING "INDIANA JONES AND THE LAST CRUSADE" AND "THE HUNT FOR RED OCTOBER."

IN 1987, HE WON AN ACADEMY AWARD FOR HIS PORTRAYAL OF A CHICAGO COP IN THE FILM "THE UNTOUCHABLES," AND, IN RECOGNITION FOR HIS CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE ARTS, WAS KNIGHTED BY BRITAIN'S QUEEN ELIZABETH IN 2000.

CONNERY'S SON SAID HIS FATHER DIED PEACEFULLY IN HIS HOME IN THE BAHAMAS.

SEAN CONNERY WAS 90 YEARS OLD.

>> Sreenivasan: FOR MORE ELECTION COVERAGE AND THE LATEST NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL NEWS, VISIT www.pbs.org/newshour.

>> Sreenivasan: EARLIER THIS FALL, WE ASKED YOU WHAT ISSUES WE SHOULD BE FOCUSING ON THIS ELECTION SEASON.

THE ANSWER OVERWHELMINGLY WAS THAT YOU WANTED MORE COVERAGE OF CLIMATE CHANGE.

SO, ON THIS WEEKEND BEFORE ELECTION DAY, WE'RE REPORTING FROM NORTH CAROLINA, A SWING STATE WITH CONSEQUENTIAL RACES UP AND DOWN THE BALLOT, BUT ALSO A STATE THAT, HAVING BEEN BATTERED BY MULTIPLE HURRICANES IN THE LAST FIVE YEARS, HAS BEEN AT THE FOREFRONT OF EXPERIENCING THE CHANGING CLIMATE.

THIS STORY IS PART OF OUR ONGOING SERIES "PERIL AND PROMISE: THE CHALLENGE OF CLIMATE CHANGE."

WHEN HURRICANE FLORENCE MADE LANDFALL NEAR WILMINGTON IN SEPTEMBER OF 2018, IT WAS ONLY A CATEGORY ONE STORM.

BUT WHAT FLORENCE LACKED IN SUSTAINED WIND SPEEDS, IT MADE UP FOR IN RAIN.

>> IT JUST RAINED AND IT RAINED AND IT BLEW AND IT RAINED.

BUT ALL THAT WHILE, YOU HAVE TO TRY TO MAKE SURE YOUR ANIMALS ARE SAFE.

>> Sreenivasan: GINA MARASCO IS THE OWNER OF HUMPHREY FARMS, A 500-ACRE FARM ABOUT 30 MILES FROM THE COAST IN PENDER COUNTY.

AFTER AN ESTIMATED THREE FEET OF RAIN OVER THREE DAYS, SHE AND HER HUSBAND, ROBERT, NEEDED A CANOE TO CHECK ON THEIR LOW-LYING HOG HOUSES.

>> FLORENCE, YOU STINK!

WE WENT BY THE HOUSES SO WE COULD SEE THE ANIMALS AND WE COULD SEE THAT THEY WERE ALIVE, WHICH WAS A BEAUTIFUL THING.

BUT WE COULDN'T EVEN TURN OFF THE POWER.

SO WE'RE JUST, "PLEASE LET EVERYTHING BE OKAY," BECAUSE THERE WAS NOTHING WE COULD DO.

>> Sreenivasan: IN 2018, HUMPHREY FARM HAD ABOUT 7,500 HOGS.

WHILE MARASCO SAYS THEIR WELFARE WAS IMPORTANT, SHE WAS ALSO WORRIED ABOUT THE FARM'S EIGHT- ACRE HOG LAGOON.

THAT'S WHERE WASTE FROM THE PIGS IS STORED.

RUNOFF FROM THE LAGOON, WHICH HAS HIGH LEVELS OF AMMONIA AND NITRATES, CAN HARM AQUATIC LIFE.

>> 36 INCHES OF RAIN BROUGHT US OVER THE TOP.

THANKFULLY, THOUGH, THE AMOUNT OF WATER WAS SO GREAT THAT THE DILUTION WAS ENOUGH TO KEEP IT FROM BEING A TOXIC SITUATION.

>> Sreenivasan: THE HIGH WATERS FROM FLORENCE DAMAGED OR OVER TOPPED NEARLY 50 HOG LAGOONS, A RELATIVELY SMALL FRACTION OF THE STATE'S 3,000.

BUT THE MASSIVE AMOUNT OF RAIN AFFECTED HUGE SWATHS OF NORTH CAROLINA.

>> MY NUMBER ONE CONCERN IS FLOODING ACROSS THE ENTIRE STATE.

>> Sreenivasan: KATHIE DELLO IS THE STATE CLIMATOLOGIST FOR NORTH CAROLINA.

SHE'S ALSO ONE OF THE AUTHORS OF THE STATE'S CLIMATE SCIENCE REPORT, AN INDEPENDENT SCIENTIFIC ASSESSMENT RELEASED THIS YEAR ON PAST CLIMATE TRENDS, AND HOW CLIMATE CHANGE WILL AFFECT THE STATE AS HUMANS CONTINUE TO EMIT GREENHOUSE GASSES.

THE REPORT FINDS THAT NORTH CAROLINA HAS ALREADY WARMED ONE DEGREE FAHRENHEIT OVER THE LAST 120 YEARS, AND THAT HEAVY RAINS FROM HURRICANES AND OTHER WEATHER SYSTEMS WILL BECOME MORE FREQUENT AND INTENSE.

THAT'S ALREADY BEING FELT HERE BY NORTH CAROLINIANS.

>> FOLKS EXPERIENCE THREE BIG HURRICANES IN FOUR YEARS AND TRULY SAID, "SOMETHING'S GOING ON HERE.

THIS ISN'T THE NORTH CAROLINA THAT I GREW UP IN.

WE DON'T SEE HURRICANES LIKE THIS WITH THAT MUCH RAIN.

WE DON'T SEE FLOODING LIKE THIS."

PEOPLE HAVE LIVED EXPERIENCES WITH THE CLIMATE AND THEY'RE NOW SAYING, "OKAY, CLIMATE CHANGE IS HERE AND IT'S REAL."

>> I CAN TRUTHFULLY SAY IN MY LIFETIME, I'VE NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE THE DEVASTATION THAT FLORENCE CAUSED.

IT WAS A CATASTROPHIC EVENT, THERE'S NO QUESTION.

>> Sreenivasan: REPUBLICAN STEVE TROXLER IS NORTH CAROLINA'S AGRICULTURE COMMISSIONER, AND HE'S RUNNING FOR HIS FIFTH CONSECUTIVE FOUR-YEAR TERM, OVERSEEING THE STATE'S $92 BILLION AGRICULTURE INDUSTRY.

AFTER FLORENCE, HIS OFFICE HELPED DISTRIBUTE MORE THAN $230 MILLION IN AID TO FARMERS.

HE SAYS COMPARED TO HURRICANE FLOYD, WHICH HIT NORTH CAROLINA IN 1999, THE STATE'S AGRICULTURE INDUSTRY WAS BETTER PREPARED.

>> DURING HURRICANE FLOYD, WE LOST 28,000 HOGS IN NORTH CAROLINA TO DROWNING.

DURING HURRICANE FLORENCE, WHICH WAS, YOU KNOW, MUCH, MUCH WORSE THAN THAT, WE LOST ABOUT 5,000.

>> Sreenivasan: SINCE 1999, THE AGRICULTURE DEPARTMENT HAS ALSO RUN A VOLUNTARY BUYOUT PROGRAM FOR HOG FARMS LOCATED IN 100-YEAR FLOODPLAINS.

THE STATE SELECTS THE MOST AT-RISK FARMS FOR A ONE-TIME PAYMENT THAT CANNOT EXCEED THE VALUE OF THE OPERATION.

IN EXCHANGE, THE FARMER AGREES TO END CONCENTRATED ANIMAL FEEDING OPERATIONS.

43 HOG FARMERS HAVE PARTICIPATED.

AND AFTER FLORENCE IN 2018, THE AGRICULTURE DEPARTMENT OPENED UP THE PROGRAM AGAIN FOR APPLICATIONS.

BUT SINCE THE PROGRAM STARTED OVER 20 YEARS AGO, MORE THAN 100 FARMS THAT HAVE WANTED TO PARTICIPATE HAVE BEEN TURNED AWAY.

>> THERE HAVE NOT BEEN THE RESOURCES AVAILABLE, YET, BUT YOU KNOW, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT MILLIONS AND MILLIONS AND MILLIONS OF DOLLARS TO BE ABLE TO DO THIS, ESPECIALLY WITH THE VALUE OF AGRICULTURAL LAND AND OPERATIONS TODAY.

>> IT LEVELED THIS HOUSE PRETTY GOOD, AS YOU CAN SEE.

>> Sreenivasan: GINA MARASCO APPLIED FOR THE BUYOUT PROGRAM, BUT HER FARM WAS NOT CONSIDERED ONE OF THE MOST AT-RISK, SO NORTH CAROLINA WON'T PAY.

>> WE'RE IN GROUP B AND THEY'RE LOOKING FOR THOSE THAT ARE IN GROUP A, WHICH WAS VERY DISHEARTENING.

BUT WE DON'T HAVE ANY CONTROL OVER IT.

ELEVATIONS CHANGE... >> Sreenivasan: BUT EVEN WITHOUT THE BUYOUT, MARASCO DECIDED TO END THE HOG OPERATION THAT HER FATHER STARTED MORE THAN 50 YEARS AGO.

>> IT WAS A DECISION MADE WITH A VERY HEAVY HEART BECAUSE, "GOSH, DAD, WE'RE GOING TO STOP DOING WHAT YOU EXPECTED US ALL TO DO INTO PERPETUITY.

I'M SORRY, YOU KNOW."

BUT AT THE SAME TIME, WE CAN'T AFFORD TO, JUST TO BE VERY HONEST WITH YOU, WE JUST COULDN'T AFFORD THE REBUILDING PROCESS.

AND IT WAS SAD, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE MY DAD WAS THE HOG MAN AND I WAS THE HOG FARMER'S DAUGHTER.

>> IT'S OUR CHILDREN WHO HAVE TO LIVE WITH THE BRUNT OF OUR INACTION IN ADDRESSING CLIMATE CHANGE, UNLESS WE BEGIN TO ELECT LEADERS WHO FROM DAY ONE ARE UNAPOLOGETIC IN THEIR COMMITMENT TO ADDRESSING THE CLIMATE CRISIS HEAD ON.

HEY, HOW ARE YOU?

>> Sreenivasan: JENNA WADSWORTH IS A DEMOCRAT RUNNING TO BE NORTH CAROLINA'S COMMISSIONER OF AGRICULTURE.

>> SO I ACTUALLY GREW UP ON A FAMILY FARM NOT FAR FROM HERE.

>> Sreenivasan: FOR THE LAST TEN YEARS, WADSWORTH HAS BEEN ON THE WAKE COUNTY SOIL AND WATER CONSERVATION DISTRICT BOARD OF SUPERVISORS.

AND SHE'S MADE CLIMATE CHANGE ACTION FRONT AND CENTER IN HER CAMPAIGN.

>> I'VE LOOKED AROUND AND I SEE THAT THE ROOT CAUSE OF SO MANY OF THE ISSUES THAT OUR FARMERS ARE FACING DEALS WITH CLIMATE CHANGE OR STEMS FROM CLIMATE CHANGE, BE IT CHANGING HARVEST DATES, CHANGING YIELDS, UNPREDICTABLE YIELDS, KNOWING THAT THERE ARE SEVERE WEATHER EVENTS.

YOU KNOW, STORMS ARE GOING TO GROW MORE INTENSE AND MORE FREQUENT OVER THE COMING YEARS.

>> Sreenivasan: WADSWORTH HAS BEEN ENDORSED BY THE SUNRISE MOVEMENT, THE YOUTH-LED CLIMATE CHANGE ACTIVIST GROUP.

SHE HAS ALSO SIGNED ONTO A PLEDGE NOT TO TAKE ANY MONEY FROM THE STATE'S TWO ELECTRIC UTILITIES, DUKE AND DOMINION, AND TO NOT SUPPORT ANY NEW FOSSIL FUEL INFRASTRUCTURE.

>> MY OPPONENT DIFFERS WITH, DIFFERS WITH ME WHEN IT COMES TO UNDERSTANDING THAT CLIMATE CHANGE IS REAL AND IT'S AN URGENT PRIORITY THAT WE HAVE TO ADDRESS IN ORDER TO ENSURE A LONG-TERM FUTURE IN AGRICULTURE.

>> Sreenivasan: TROXLER ACKNOWLEDGES THAT THE CLIMATE HAS CHANGED, AND SAYS THAT FARMERS ARE ALREADY DOING A LOT.

>> YOU KNOW, I WOULD ASK, WHAT MORE CAN AGRICULTURE DO RIGHT NOW THAN THEY'RE DOING AS FAR AS CLIMATE CHANGE?

WE'RE THE ONES WHO PLANT THE GREEN CROPS THAT SEQUESTER CARBON.

WE'RE THE ONES THAT PLANT TREES THAT SEQUESTER CARBON.

SO WE ARE GOING TO LOOK AFTER THE LAND AND THE ENVIRONMENT BECAUSE WE FARM OUTSIDE AND WE DEPEND ON IT.

>> Sreenivasan: TROXLER ALSO WARNS THAT ADDRESSING CLIMATE CHANGE CAN'T COME AT THE EXPENSE OF FARMS SURVIVING.

>> ANY TIME THAT WE CAN DO ANYTHING THAT'S GOING TO HELP LONG TERM, WE'RE GOING TO DO IT.

BUT WITH THE CAVEAT THAT FARMERS HAVE GOT TO REMAIN IN BUSINESS IF WE'RE GOING TO EAT.

>> IF WE DO NOT ADDRESS CLIMATE CHANGE, THERE WON'T BE A FUTURE IN AGRICULTURE, SO WE HAVE TO MAKE MEANINGFUL ACTION IN ADDRESSING CLIMATE CHANGE, MAKING SURE THAT FARMERS HAVE THE TOOLS NECESSARY IN ORDER TO MOVE INTO SUSTAINABLE, REGENERATIVE, AND ORGANIC PRACTICES, PRACTICES THAT PRIORITIZE SOIL HEALTH AND CONSERVATION AND ALLOW FOR THEM TO BE VIABLE IN THE LONG TERM.

>> Sreenivasan: FOR HUMPHREY FARMS, LONG-TERM VIABILITY MEANS A BIG TRANSITION.

THE HOG HOUSES ARE EMPTY NOW, AND THE EIGHT-ACRE WASTE LAGOON IS SLOWLY BEING TRANSITIONED TO A FRESHWATER POND.

( COWS MOOING ) AFTER FLORENCE, MARASCO HAD TO SELL OFF PART OF THE FARM'S CATTLE HERD, BUT SHE IS NOW BUILDING IT BACK UP.

16 CALVES WERE BORN THIS SEASON, INCLUDING A FEW JUST THIS WEEK.. >> THE MIDDLE OF THE BUILDING IS THE ONLY THING THAT WAS LEFT INTACT.

>> Sreenivasan: MARASCO IS ALSO BANKING ON TOURISM.

SHE'S TURNING AN ALMOST 100-YEAR-OLD TOBACCO BARN TO A YEAR-ROUND FARMERS MARKET, ART GALLERY, AND LOCAL GOODS STORE.

>> WE EVEN HAVE THE OLD ELECTRICAL BOX.

>> Sreenivasan: MARASCO IS A STRONG SUPPORTER OF STEVE TROXLER FOR REELECTION AS AGRICULTURE COMMISSIONER, AND CITES HIS EFFORTS HELPING FARMS RECOVER FROM FLORENCE.

BUT WHEN IT COMES TO CLIMATE CHANGE, SHE SAYS IT'S A BIG FACTOR IN THINKING ABOUT THE LONG-TERM FUTURE OF HER FARM AND MOVING AWAY FROM HOGS.

>> WE DON'T WANT TO BE THAT ONE THAT CAUSES OUR WATER SYSTEM TO BE COMPROMISED.

AND, YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES YOU JUST HAVE TO REALIZE YOU JUST CAN'T FIGHT IT.

YOUR SAIL IS NOT BIG ENOUGH TO GET THROUGH THAT STORM.

AND SO WE JUST FELT LIKE IT WAS TIME TO DO SOMETHING NEW.

>> Sreenivasan: HERE IN NORTH CAROLINA, AS IN PREVIOUS PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS, THE STATE HAS EMERGED AS AN IMPORTANT BATTLEGROUND.

BOTH PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES AND VICE PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES HAVE BEEN MAKING FREQUENT STOPS HERE, AND THERE IS ALSO A CLOSE SENATE RACE.

THE TARHEEL STATE ALSO FINDS ITSELF FACING ISSUES OF RISING COVID-19 CASES, INCREASING COSTS OF HEALTH CARE, AND ECONOMIC LOSSES, SOME DUE IN PART TO A CHANGING CLIMATE.

FOR MORE ON HOW THE ISSUES MAY PLAY OUT HERE IN NORTH CAROLINA ON ELECTION DAY, I SAT DOWN WITH RUSTY JACOBS, POLITICS REPORTER FOR WUNC, NORTH CAROLINA PUBLIC RADIO.

>> THERE'S A LOT OF ENTHUSIASM AND A LOT OF ATTENTION IN GENERAL, AND YOU'VE SEEN SOME REALLY IMPORTANT DEVELOPMENTS IN THE TURNOUT SO FAR IN NORTH CAROLINA.

TUFTS HAS BEEN DOING SOME RESEARCH ON THE TURNOUT OF YOUNG VOTERS, 18 TO 29.

NORTH CAROLINA IS RIGHT UP AT THE TOP, RIGHT BEHIND FLORIDA AND TEXAS, AS HAVING THE BIGGEST NUMBER OF THAT YOUNG VOTER AGE RANGE TURNOUT ALREADY.

JOE BIDEN MAINTAINS AN EDGE RIGHT NOW, MAYBE THREE OR FOUR PERCENT OVER DONALD TRUMP.

AND YOU SEE IN THOSE NUMBERS AN ADVANTAGE FOR THE DEMOCRATIC TICKET FROM WOMEN, A MAJORITY OF WOMEN, ACCORDING TO RECENT POLLS, SUPPORTING THE BIDEN HARRIS TICKET AND BLACK VOTERS, VERY KEY BLOC HERE IN NORTH CAROLINA.

AND THEY ARE OVERWHELMINGLY AT THIS POINT THROUGH POLLS INDICATING SUPPORT FOR BIDEN AND HARRIS OVER DONALD TRUMP AND MIKE PENCE.

>> Sreenivasan: THERE'S ALSO A TON OF MONEY THAT'S BEEN POURED IN ON BOTH SIDES ON THE SENATE RACE.

WE ALSO HAD IN THE MIDDLE OF THAT RACE, OR LATE IN THAT RACE, A REVELATION THAT THE DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATE HAD AN EXTRAMARITAL AFFAIR.

HAS THAT PLAYED INTO WHAT'S HAPPENING NOW?

>> NOT SO FAR.

LET'S PUT IT THIS WAY: CAL CUNNINGHAM, THE DEMOCRAT CHALLENGING FIRST-TIME... FIRST-TERM INCUMBENT THOM TILLIS, MAINTAINS AN EDGE.

KIND OF LIKE JOE BIDEN, HE'S IN THAT THREE TO FIVE PERCENT RANGE RIGHT NOW OVER THOM TILLIS, ACCORDING TO RECENT POLLS.

BUT AS YOU NOTED, THAT'S KIND OF SURPRISING, CONSIDERING THAT JUST A FEW WEEKS AGO, IT EMERGED HE HAD BEEN ENGAGING IN INAPPROPRIATE, SEXUALLY SUGGESTIVE TEXTS WITH ANOTHER WOMAN, NOT HIS WIFE.

HE'S BEEN VERY DISCIPLINED ABOUT NOT ANSWERING QUESTIONS ON THAT SUBJECT.

HE'S AVOIDED ANSWERING QUESTIONS.

HE SAID IT'S A PRIVATE MATTER.

HE HAS CONSISTENTLY STUCK TO THE ELECTION ISSUES THAT SEEM TO BE RESONATING THE MOST WITH VOTERS: ACCESS TO AFFORDABLE HEALTH CARE, HANDLING OF THE CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC.

IT ALSO DIDN'T HURT CAL CUNNINGHAM THAT AT THE SAME TIME THE SCANDAL EMERGED, THOM TILLIS CONTRACTED COVID-19.

AND YOU GOT TO REMEMBER, HE ATTENDED THE NAMING CEREMONY FOR THEN-NOMINEE AMY CONEY BARRETT FOR THE SUPREME COURT.

A LOT OF TRUMP ADMINISTRATION OFFICIALS AND THE PRESIDENT CONTRACTED COVID-19.

THAT IN A WAY NOT ONLY COMPROMISED THOM TILLIS' HEALTH, BUT IT MAY HAVE COMPROMISED HIS PRINCIPLES.

AT ONE TIME HE WAS SEEN AS SOMEWHAT INDEPENDENT.

THERE WAS A TIME HE FAMOUSLY OPPOSED EMERGENCY FUNDING FOR PRESIDENT TRUMP'S BORDER WALL.

HE THEN INFAMOUSLY FLIPPED ON THAT ISSUE AND CAST AN IMPORTANT VOTE SUPPORTING THAT FUNDING.

SO HE'S TIED HIS FATE TO DONALD TRUMP, BUT HAS CONTRACTED COVID-19.

AND THAT, IN A WAY, SYMBOLIZES FOR SOME PEOPLE AND MAYBE SOME KEY VOTERS, SUPPORT FOR A KIND OF A RECKLESS POLICY WHEN IT COMES TO HANDLING OF THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC.

>> Sreenivasan: SO IT SOUNDS LIKE IT IS ABOUT CORONAVIRUS.

IT IS ABOUT PRESIDENT TRUMP.

AND THOSE ARE THE SORT OF PRIMARY DRIVERS AND HOW YOU VIEW THOSE TWO THINGS IS IN PART RESPONSIBLE FOR WHY NORTH CAROLINA'S BECOME SUCH A CONTENTIOUS BATTLEGROUND.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

LET'S LOOK AT THE GOVERNOR RACE IN NORTH CAROLINA RIGHT NOW.

THAT, IN A WAY, THAT RACE WHERE GOVERNOR COOPER HAS A BIG ADVANTAGE RIGHT NOW, IS IN A WAY EMBLEMATIC OF THE PRESIDENTIAL RACE.

THE VERY ISSUES THAT LT. GOV.

DAN FOREST IS RUNNING ON, SAME AS PRESIDENT TRUMP, HE TRAILS THE DEMOCRAT, ROY COOPER, WHO'S RUNNING ON A LOT OF THE SAME ISSUES THAT JOE BIDEN IS.

>> Sreenivasan: RUSTY JACOBS, THANKS SO MUCH.

>> YOU'RE WELCOME.

>> Sreenivasan: THE 2020 ELECTION CYCLE IS BY FAR THE MOST EXPENSIVE CAMPAIGN YEAR IN HISTORY.

ADVERTISING SPENDING ON CANDIDATES RUNNING FOR FEDERAL OFFICE ACROSS THE COUNTRY HAS REACHED TOTALS OF AT LEAST $2.5 BILLION SO FAR.

SINCE JANUARY OF LAST YEAR, CLOSE TO FIVE MILLION ADS FOR PRESIDENT, SENATE, AND CONGRESS HAVE AIRED ON TELEVISION AIRWAVES ALONE.

THAT'S MORE THAN TWICE THE VOLUME OF ADS IN THE PAST TWO PRESIDENTIAL CYCLES.

NEWSHOUR WEEKEND'S CHRISTOPHER BOOKER SAT DOWN WITH ERIKA FRANKLIN FOWLER, CO-FOUNDER OF THE WESLEYAN MEDIA PROJECT, WHICH TRACKS POLITICAL ADVERTISING, TO FIND OUT MORE.

>> ♪ IKE FOR PRESIDENT, IKE FOR PRESIDENT.

♪ YOU LIKE IKE, I LIKE IKE, EVERYBODY LIKES IKE FOR PRESIDENT.

♪ >> POLITICAL ADVERTISEMENTS HAVE COME A LONG WAY SINCE THIS 1952 DWIGHT EISENHOWER COMMERCIAL.

WHILE EISENHOWER'S CAMPAIGN WAS THE FIRST TO USE THE TELEVISION LIKE THIS, NEARLY 70 YEARS LATER... >> CHANGE IS WHAT WE GOT.

>> CHOOSE A PRESIDENT WHO BRINGS OUT OUR BEST.

>> TELEVISION IS STILL PLAYING A PROMINENT ROLE IN CAMPAIGNS, EVEN AS NEW PLATFORMS CAPTURE MORE AND MORE OF THE PUBLIC'S ATTENTION.

>> WHEN WE GOT IN TRACKING TEN YEARS AGO, PEOPLE WERE ALREADY AT THAT POINT PREDICTING THE DEMISE OF TELEVISION.

AND IN EVERY YEAR THAT WE'VE BEEN TRACKING-- THERE WAS A PLATEAU, BUT PRIMARILY VOLUMES HAVE ONLY GONE UP.

>> ERIKA FRANKLIN FOWLER IS THE CO-DIRECTOR OF THE WESLEYAN MEDIA PROJECT, WHICH BEGAN TRACKING BROADCAST ADVERTISING IN FEDERAL ELECTIONS TEN YEARS AGO, AND DIGITAL ADS TWO YEARS AGO.

THIS YEAR, FOWLER CO-AUTHORED A STUDY COMPARING HOW CANDIDATES ADVERTISED ON TV VERSUS FACEBOOK IN THE 2018 MIDTERMS.

>> TELEVISION ADS ARE REALLY THERE TO PERSUADE.

DIGITAL ADS HAVE A WHOLE WIDE VARIETY OF DIFFERENT GOALS.

SO YOU'LL HAVE ADS THAT ARE SEEKING TO GET CITIZENS TO SIGN UP FOR THEIR MAILING LIST SO THAT THEY STAY INFORMED.

YOU'LL ALSO HAVE ADS THAT ARE ABOUT DONATING TO A PARTICULAR RACE.

DIGITAL ADS IN A LOT OF WAYS DRIVE FUNDRAISING AND CAN DRIVE MORE MONEY TO SPEND EVERYWHERE, WHICH CAN INCLUDE MORE MONEY ON TELEVISION.

SO IN SOME WAYS, THEY FEED EACH OTHER IN THIS WAY.

>> SINCE THE GENERAL ELECTION BEGAN IN APRIL, FORMER VICE PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN HAS OUTSPENT PRESIDENT TRUMP ON TELEVISION ADS BY MORE THAN 69 PERCENT.

COLLECTIVELY, THE TWO CAMPAIGNS HAVE PUT MORE THAN $360 MILLION TOWARDS FACEBOOK AND GOOGLE ADS.

AND FOWLER SAYS THE 2020 ADVERTISEMENT TSUNAMI IS REFLECTIVE OF SOMETHING ELSE.

>> CERTAINLY AS A SOCIETY, WE HAVE BECOME MUCH MORE POLARIZED.

WE'VE BECOME MUCH MORE NATIONALIZED.

THE THINGS THAT WE TALK ABOUT, EVEN WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT LOCAL POLITICS, ARE OFTEN MUCH MORE ABOUT NATIONAL CONVERSATIONS, ABOUT HEALTH CARE AND OTHER SORTS OF PROVISION OF THINGS THAN THEY ARE NECESSARILY ABOUT SPECIFIC LOCAL ISSUES.

>> FOWLER SAYS PART OF WHAT'S DRIVING THE INCREASE IN AD SPENDING AND CHANGE IN TONE ARE POLITICAL ACTION GROUPS, OR PACS.

>> JOE BIDEN IS A JOB-KILLING, TAX-RAISING DISASTER.

>> REFUSING TO PREPARE... >> THE 2010 CITIZENS UNITED SUPREME COURT RULING ALLOWS OUTSIDE GROUPS AND PACS, LIKE PRIORITIES USA AND AMERICA FIRST ACTION, TO RAISE AND SPEND UNLIMITED FUNDS ON ELECTIONS.

THIS YEAR, DEMOCRATIC SUPER PACS HAVE DRAMATICALLY INVESTED IN ADVERTISING, HITTING DONALD TRUMP ON HEALTHCARE AND HIS RECORD DURING THE PANDEMIC, FROM MICHAEL BLOOMBERG'S INDEPENDENCE USA... >> IF TRUMP GETS HIS WAY, OVER 40 MILLION FLORIDIANS WITH PRE-EXISTING CONDITIONS LIKE CANCER AND DIABETES COULD LOSE THEIR HEALTHCARE.

>> ...TO FUTURE FORWARD, A NEW SUPER PAC BACKED BY A GROUP OF SILICON VALLEY BILLIONAIRES, INCLUDING FACEBOOK CO-FOUNDER DUSTIN MOSKOVITZ AND FORMER GOOGLE CEO ERIC SCHMIDT.

>> JOE BIDEN HAS A PLAN.

>> HE ACTUALLY HAS A PLAN.

>> THE TWO PACS HAVE POURED AN ASTONISHING $90 MILLION SO FAR INTO TV AD SPOTS SINCE APRIL.

>> THIS SUSAN COLLINS VOTED TO MAKE MIDDLE CLASS FAMILIES PAY MORE.

>> AND IT'S NOT JUST THE PRESIDENTIAL RACE, THIS IS HAPPENING IN DOWN BALLOT RACES AS WELL.

NEARLY HALF OF THE ADS IN THE MAINE SENATE RACE HAVE BEEN FUNDED BY OUTSIDE GROUPS, LIKE THIS ONE AGAINST REPUBLICAN SENATOR SUSAN COLLINS.

>> OUTSIDE GROUPS AND PARTIES TEND TO PLAY THAT ROLE OF ATTACK DOG.

CITIZENS GENERALLY DON'T LIKE NEGATIVE ADVERTISING, AND IF I AS A CANDIDATE GO NEGATIVE AGAINST MY OPPONENT, THAT AD MIGHT BE EFFECTIVE IN REDUCING THE FAVORABILITY OF MY OPPONENT, BUT I ALSO TEND TO SUFFER SOME BACKLASH FROM AIRING THE NEGATIVITY IN THE FIRST PLACE.

>> THE NEGATIVITY IS A FAR DEPARTURE FROM EISENHOWER'S DANCING ELEPHANTS, BUT DOES IT REALLY MAKE AN IMPACT ON HOW WE VOTE?

>> AS A SOCIETY WE TEND TO OVERSUBSCRIBE THE EFFECTS OF ADVERTISING, AND SCHOLARS FOR A VERY LONG TIME HAVE BEEN SAYING ADVERTISING MATTERS AT THE MARGIN.

IF I GO FURTHER DOWN THE BALLOT AND I'M SEEING ADS FOR CANDIDATES THAT I DON'T KNOW VERY MUCH ABOUT, THOSE ADS ARE MORE LIKELY TO ACTUALLY HAVE AN INFLUENCE.

>> OUTSIDE GROUPS HAVE ALREADY SPENT MORE THAN $2.5 BILLION IN POLITICAL ADVERTISING THIS ELECTION, NEARLY TWICE WHAT WAS SPENT IN 2016.

>> Sreenivasan: WE WILL HAVE MORE FROM NORTH CAROLINA TOMORROW ON OUR FINAL WEEKEND OF OUR "ROADS TO ELECTION 2020" COVERAGE.

AND, NEWSHOUR WEEKEND'S CHRISTOPHER BOOKER WILL BE BACK IN PENNSYLVANIA, THE PLACE WHERE WE STARTED THIS SERIES, AND A STATE WHERE IT MAY TAKE SEVERAL DAYS TO COUNT ALL THE VOTES.

DON'T FORGET TO SET YOUR CLOCKS BACK ONE HOUR TONIGHT-- IF YOU'RE IN DAYLIGHT SAVING TIME AREAS-- AND HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

THAT'S ALL FOR THIS EDITION OF PBS NEWSHOUR WEEKEND.

I'M HARI SREENIVASAN.

THANKS FOR WATCHING.

STAY HEALTHY, AND HAVE A GOOD NIGHT.

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