BANFIELD: Breaking news. Just moments ago, President Obama made some comments at an early St. Patrick's Day Luncheon that was being held on Capitol Hill. His thoughts were on the race that's currently underway to succeed him. But his mood was something else, definitely not festive. Have a listen.</s>BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: So I know that I'm not the only one in this room who maybe more than a little dismayed about what's happening on the campaign trail lately. We have heard vulgar and divisive rhetoric aimed at women and minorities, at Americans who don't look like us or pray like us or vote like we do. We have seen misguided attempts to shut down that speech. However offensive it may be, we live in a country where free speech is one of the most important rights that we hold. In response to those attempts, we've seen actual violence. And we have heard silence from too many of our leaders. Too often, we've accepted this as somehow the new normal. And it's worth asking ourselves what each of us may have done to contribute to this kind of vicious atmosphere in our politics. I suspect that all of us can recall some intemperate words that we regret. Certainly I can. And while some may be more to blame than others for the current climate, all of us are responsible for reversing it, for it is cycle that is not an accurate reflection of America. And it has to stop. And I say that not because it's a matter of political correctness, it's about the way the corrosive behavior can undermine our democracy and our society and even our economy.</s>BANFIELD: Few words just moments ago from President Obama regarding the tenor of the election so far. And some of the things you have been seeing playing out on news and in your newspapers. Today the State of Ohio is a winner-take-all contest for Republican candidates and we're getting some brand new information into CNN about turnout in this battleground state. I'm going to speak to the man in charge of the elections in the great state of Ohio. That's coming up right after this.
Obama Says Campaign Rhetoric Is Vulgar And Divisive