03/02/00

LC000302

VAL>> ON LIFE AND TIMES TONIGHT --

WARREN>> HE'S AN UNDERDOG, A WAR HERO AND CLAIMS TO BE A STRAIGHT TALKER, BUT HOW DOES HIS MESSAGE PLAY IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA?

PHILIP BRUCE>> FOR A MAN WHO'S JUST LOST THREE PRIMARIES, JOHN MCCAIN IS REMARKABLY SUNNY. HE TOURED SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA TO THE BEAT OF THE STAR WARS THEME AND CONTINUED TO DRAW ENTHUSIASTIC CROWDS AT THE RALLIES HE CALLS TOWN HALLS.

JERRY FARRELL>> IF WE GET INTO ANY KIND OF A WORLD CRISIS, THAT'S THE KIND OF GUY THAT I WANT UP THERE IN THE FRONT OFFICE.

VAL>> AND IN TONIGHT'S THINKERS, SHAKERS & NEWSMAKERS, LA COUNTY'S INCUMBENT DISTRICT ATTORNEY ANSWERS HIS CRITICS WHO SAY HE'S DRAGGING HIS FEET ON BELMONT.

GIL GARCETTI>> WHO COMMITTED THAT CRIME? I WOULD LOVE TO BE ABLE TO PROSECUTE SOMEONE ON BELMONT IF ETHICALLY AND LEGALLY I CAN PROVE SOMEONE COMMITTED A CRIME.

WARREN>> PATT MORRISON WONDERS WHAT EVER HAPPENED TO "IN YOUR FACE" POLITICS.

PATT>> WHEN IS A DEBATE NOT A DEBATE? WHEN IT'S VIRTUAL VISION. GOP TV ON TONIGHT'S INFINITELY MORRISON.

VAL>> AND COPS AND ROBBERS AT THE MOVIES. HOW OFTEN DO MOVIEGOERS SEE THE MEN AND WOMEN IN BLUE AS BAD GUYS?

WARREN>> THESE STORIES COMING UP NEXT ON LIFE AND TIMES TONIGHT FOR THURSDAY, MARCH 2, 2000.

LIFE AND TIMES TONIGHT IS MADE POSSIBLE BY THE FOLLOWING CORPORATIONS AND FOUNDATIONS:

THE JAMES IRVINE FOUNDATION
WHICH IS DEDICATED TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF AN INFORMED CALIFORNIA CITIZENRY.

GTE
A COMPANY COMMITTED TO TELECOMMUNICATIONS EXCELLENCE AND AN OPEN DIALOGUE AMONG ALL PEOPLE.

AND THE L.K. WHITTIER FOUNDATION
DEDICATED TO IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF LIFE BY SUPPORTING INNOVATIVE ENDEAVORS IN THE FIELDS OF MEDICINE, HEALTH, SCIENCE AND EDUCATION.

WARREN>> GOOD EVENING, I'M WARREN OLNEY.

VAL>> AND I'M VAL ZAVALA.

WARREN>> OUR TOP STORY TONIGHT, THE STRAIGHT TALK EXPRESS ROARS INTO TOWN. THAT'S THE NAME ARIZONA SENATOR, JOHN MCCAIN, GIVES HIS CAMPAIGN FOR THE REPUBLICAN PRESIDENTIAL NOMINATION.

VAL>> UNTIL NOW, CALIFORNIANS HAVE HEARD A LOT ABOUT MCCAIN, BUT HAVEN'T SEEN MUCH OF HIM. WELL, THIS WEEK, HE PUT IN A FEW QUICK PUBLIC APPEARANCES BEFORE JETTING OFF TO CAMPAIGN IN OTHER SUPER TUESDAY STATES. PHILIP BRUCE HAS THIS REPORT.

PHILIP>> FOR A MAN WHO'S JUST LOST THREE PRIMARIES, JOHN MCCAIN IS REMARKABLY SUNNY. HE TOURED SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA TO THE BEAT OF THE STARS WARS THEME AND CONTINUED TO DRAW ENTHUSIASTIC CROWDS AT THE RALLIES HE CALLS TOWN HALLS. WHO TURNED OUT? THE SAME ODD MIX OF REPUBLICANS, DEMOCRATS AND INDEPENDENTS WHO'VE BEEN SHOWING UP ALL OVER THE COUNTRY, SOME OF THEM DRAWN BY MCCAIN'S POLITICS, OTHERS BY HIS PERSONAL STORY OF SURVIVAL AS AN EX-POW.

JOHN MCCAIN>> WE KNOW WE HAVE BROADENED OUR POLITICAL BASE AT THE TOWN HALL MEETINGS. THERE WAS A GUY IN SACRAMENTO WEARING A VERY COLORFUL SHIRT AND HE HAD A SIGN THAT SAID, "HIPPIES FOR MCCAIN". NOW YOU KNOW THAT WE'RE PROBABLY GOING TO GO OVER THE TOP.

PHILIP>> BUT MCCAIN KNOWS, AS FAR AS CALIFORNIA IS CONCERNED, HE HAS A MAJOR MATH PROBLEM. WITH LESS THAN A WEEK LEFT, THE POLL NUMBERS DON'T ADD UP TO VICTORY IN A STATE THAT IS THE BIGGEST REPUBLICAN PRIZE OF ALL. BUSH STILL MAINTAINS A DOUBLE DIGIT LEAD HERE, ESPECIALLY AMONG THE PARTY FAITHFUL. AND REPUBLICAN VOTES ARE THE ONLY ONES THAT COUNT WHEN IT COMES TO WINNING DELEGATES. THE RESPONSE FROM MCCAIN'S SUPPORTERS, WHICH INCLUDE CALIFORNIA SECRETARY OF STATE, THOSE POLLS HAVE BEEN WRONG BEFORE.

BILL JONES>> NOW, I WILL TELL YOU THAT WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY HERE IN CALIFORNIA TO SEND A MESSAGE. FOR THE FIRST TIME, WE'RE GOING TO MATTER, FOR THE FIRST TIME, IT'S GOING TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE, BUT IT'S GOING TO REQUIRE EVERY ONE OF YOU TO GET OUT AND VOTE AND DON'T LET ANYBODY TELL YOU YOUR VOTE DOESN'T COUNT.

PHILIP>> MCCAIN'S CLAIM THAT THE REPUBLICAN ESTABLISHMENT WANTS TO CRUSH HIM FOR TRYING TO SHAKE UP THE STATUS QUO RESONATES WITH MANY OF HIS SUPPORTERS.

PHILIP>> YOU'VE HEARD ALL THE TALK ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT JOHN MCCAIN'S A REAL REPUBLICAN, WHETHER OR NOT HE'S HURTING --

JERRY FARRELL>> I'M A REPUBLICAN. I THINK I KNOW WHAT A REAL REPUBLICAN IS. I STARTED WITH THE REPUBLICAN PARTY BACK IN 1958. MY BROTHER WAS A KENNEDY DEMOCRAT AND I PLASTERED HIS CAR WITH NIXON STICKERS, SO I'M A REPUBLICAN.

PHILIP>> JERRY FARRELL IS ALSO A VETERAN, ONE OF THE REASONS HE AND LOTS OF EX-SERVICEMEN HAVE PICKED MCCAIN OVER BUSH, AND FARRELL DOESN'T APPRECIATE FELLOW REPUBLICANS WHO QUESTION MCCAIN'S PARTY LOYALTY.

JERRY FARRELL>> I DON'T LIKE TO HEAR HIM BEING THRASHED, BECAUSE I THINK HE IS AN HONORABLE MAN. I'D LIKE RUSH LIMBAUGH -- IF I CAN TELL THE TV PUBLIC -- I THINK THE NOISE IS GOING TO BE DEAFENING PEOPLE TURNING RUSH OFF. RUSH LIMBAUGH IS A SLIMEBALL IN MY THOUGHTS AND I USED TO LIKE HIM. I THOUGHT HE WAS ALL RIGHT.

JOHN MCCAIN>> YOU KNOW, I HAVE THIS LINE AND I'LL USE IT AGAIN TODAY WHERE I SAID, LOOK, I'M A PROUD REAGAN CONSERVATIVE REPUBLICAN. BUT THE WAY WE REACH OUT, AND I'LL TALK ABOUT THIS A LITTLE MORE, IS BY ATTRACTING OTHER PEOPLE TO OUR BANNER.

PHILIP>> BUT THERE'S ONE GROUP MCCAIN ISN'T REACHING OUT TO. THE LEADERSHIP OF THE CHRISTIAN RIGHT, NAMELY PAT ROBERTSON AND JERRY FALWELL. THE FEUD STARTED WHEN THEY ATTACKED MCCAIN IN THE EARLY PRIMARIES.

JOHN MCCAIN>> THE OVERWHELMING MAJORITY OF PEOPLE WHO ARE MEMBERS OF THE CHRISTIAN RIGHT ARE GOOD AND DECENT PEOPLE. I THINK THEY'VE BEEN LED ASTRAY BY A COUPLE OF INDIVIDUALS THAT, VERY FRANKLY, HAVE DONE SOME THINGS WHICH I FIND REPREHENSIBLE IN AMERICAN POLITICS.

PHILIP>> SOME OF MCCAIN'S CLOSEST AIDES HAVE WARNED HIM HE'S PLAYING WITH DYNAMITE. BUT, WHILE HE'S STOPPED COMPARING ROBERTSON AND FALWELL TO LOUIS FARRAKHAN AND AL SHARPTON, MCCAIN OFFERS NO APOLOGIES FOR TURNING UP THE HEAT ON THE TV EVANGELISTS. A RISKY MOVE, PERHAPS, BUT IN CALIFORNIA WHERE THE CHRISTIAN RIGHT ISN'T ALL-POWERFUL, IT MAY ACTUALLY WIN MCCAIN VOTES. IT CLEARLY HELPED PERSUADE LISA BAUGHN, A REPUBLICAN CHURCHGOER IN RIVERSIDE COUNTY, WHO FEELS THE CHRISTIAN RIGHT TRIED TO MISREPRESENT MCCAIN'S CHARACTER.

LISA BAUGHN>> I WOULD SAY THAT YOU ABSOLUTELY NEED TO BE WORTHY OF THE GOSPEL AND YOU NEED TO PUT ON THERE WHATEVER THE ACTUAL TRUTH IS. IF YOU DON'T LIKE MCCAIN FOR X, Y OR Z REASONS, WELL, YOU STILL NEED TO WRITE DOWN THE TRUTH.

PHILIP>> BUT CRITICS ACCUSE MCCAIN OF CROSSING THE LINE, MAKING RELIGION AN ISSUE WHERE IT SHOULDN'T BE. THEY CITE HIS ATTACK ON GEORGE W. BUSH'S VISIT TO THE ARCH-CONSERVATIVE BOB JONES UNIVERSITY AND SUGGESTED MCCAIN MAY HAVE VIOLATED RONALD REAGAN'S OLD 11TH COMMANDMENT: THOU SHALL NOT SPEAK ILL OF A FELLOW REPUBLICAN.

JOHN MCCAIN>> GOVERNOR BUSH DID ATTEND A GATHERING AT A UNIVERSITY THAT IS ANTI-CATHOLIC. THAT'S WHAT OUR MESSAGE SAYS AND THAT'S WHAT I'VE BEEN SAYING, BUT I'M NOT INTERESTED IN CONTINUING THAT. WE HAVE NOT VIOLATED THE 11TH COMMANDMENT, NO.

[FILM CLIP]

PHILIP>> IT HASN'T ALL BEEN BARE-KNUCKLE POLITICS AND SOMETIMES THE LAUGHS HAVE EVEN BEEN ON PURPOSE. WITNESS LAST NIGHT'S DUELING TV APPEARANCES. THERE WAS JOHN MCCAIN PLAYING TO JAY LENO'S TONIGHT SHOW AUDIENCE WITH A DEFTNESS OF A VETERAN COMIC STRAIGHT FROM THE POCONOS. OVER ON CBS, GEORGE W. BUSH WAS GETTING EQUAL TIME ON THE LETTERMAN SHOW.

[FILM CLIP]

IN THE COMEDY MATCH-UP, SCORE ONE FOR MCCAIN. BUT TONIGHT, THEY WERE AT IT AGAIN, ONLY FOR REAL, IN THE LA TIMES CNN DEBATE. AND SOME OF THE MOST HEATED MOMENTS DEALT WITH THE ONGOING SQUABBLE OVER BUSH'S BOB JONES AND THE MCCAIN CAMPAIGN PHONE CALLS THAT FOLLOWED.

GEORGE W. BUSH>> IF YOU DON'T THINK THOSE PHONE CALLS LABELED ME AN ANTI-CATHOLIC BIGOT, THEN YOU WEREN'T PAYING ATTENTION TO WHAT YOUR CAMPAIGN WAS PUTTING OUT, I GUESS.

>> BUT IS THERE ANY REASON WHY YOUR CAMPAIGN DIDN'T SAY THIS IS THE MCCAIN CAMPAIGN CALLING, INSTEAD OF A NON-EXISTENT GROUP? WAS THAT STRAIGHT TALK?

JOHN MCCAIN>> I THINK IT WAS STRAIGHT TALK BECAUSE WE WANTED TO TELL PEOPLE EXACTLY WHAT GOVERNOR BUSH HAD DONE. IT DID NOT ACCUSE HIM OF BEING AN ANTI-CATHOLIC BIGOT.

PHILIP>> LEFT OUT OF THE FEUD, BUT STILL IN THE DEBATE, ALLEN KEYES SAID RELIGION MATTERS IN THE RACE FOR PRESIDENT.

ALLEN KEYES>> AND IT'S NOT AN ISSUE THAT I THINK WE HAVE TO DISCUSS. PEOPLE WILL APPLY THOSE TESTS FOR THEIR OWN VOTE THAT THEY BELIEVE ARE APPROPRIATE AND I THINK THAT THAT'S THE WAY IT OUGHT TO BE LEFT, AND NOT I OR ANYBODY ELSE SHOULD TRY TO DICTATE OR INFLUENCE THAT. I DO THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER ONE THING, THOUGH. THAT THIS NATION WAS FOUNDED ON THE PRINCIPLE THAT ALL MEN ARE CREATED EQUAL AND ENDOWED BY THEIR CREATOR WITH CERTAIN UNALIENABLE RIGHTS. AND THAT MEANS THAT AMERICA MUST BELIEVE IN GOD.

WARREN>> RELIGION, AS YOU POINT OUT, CAN BE A VERY RISKY ISSUE.

PHILIP>> AND THE BIG QUESTION IS, HAS THIS WHOLE ISSUE BLOWN UP ON JOHN MCCAIN? HE MEANT TO GO AFTER BUSH, AND THIS WAS ALL A VERY PERSONAL THING BECAUSE A RELIGIOUS RIGHT HAD GONE AFTER ONE OF MCCAIN'S BIG SUPPORTERS. BUT IT'S GOTTEN VERY UGLY AND A LOT OF REPUBLICANS ARE VERY UNCOMFORTABLE WITH THE TONE OF ALL THIS.

VAL>> BUT IT DOES ALMOST SEEM AS THOUGH BUSH IS TRYING TO KEEP IT ALIVE. IS IT BACKFIRING ON MCCAIN?

PHILIP>> I THINK IT HAS TO A LARGE DEGREE AND BUSH SENSES THAT. HE'S ALSO GETTING SOME SYMPATHY FROM SOME OF THE RELIGIOUS PEOPLE. PLUS YOU HAVE TO REMEMBER THIS IS A SACRED COW, NO PUN INTENDED, IN THE REPUBLICAN PARTY AND THESE FOLKS HAVE ALWAYS BEEN A PART OF THE CORE. TO GO AGAINST THEM IS RISKY BUSINESS.

VAL>> IT IS. I HOPE TO SEE MCCAIN A LITTLE MORE OFTEN BEFORE TUESDAY. THANK YOU, PHILIP.

UP NEXT, TONIGHT'S THINKERS, SHAKERS & NEWSMAKERS.

TONIGHT WE SET THE RECORD STRAIGHT WITH LA COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY, GIL GARCETTI. ON MONDAY AND TUESDAY, WE INTERVIEWED HIS CHALLENGERS, DEPUTY DA STEVE COOLEY AND ENVIRONMENTAL ATTORNEY BARRY GROVEMAN. WE SAID THEN THAT GARCETTI HAD NOT RESPONDED TO OUR REQUEST TO APPEAR ON OUR PROGRAM. IN FACT, NEGOTIATIONS WERE UNDERWAY AND TONIGHT GARCETTI DID SIT DOWN FOR AN INTERVIEW WITH WARREN.

WARREN>> GARCETTI'S AN LA NATIVE. HE'S BEEN WITH THE DA'S OFFICE FOR 25 YEARS AND HE BECAME THE COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY IN 1992. DURING HIS TENURE, THE DEPARTMENT HAS FACED A STRING OF HIGH-PROFILE CASES: THE MENENDEZ BROTHERS, O.J. SIMPSON, AND NOW THE LAPD CORRUPTION SCANDAL. MR. GARCETTI, WELCOME.

GIL GARCETTI>> THANK YOU. GOOD TO BE HERE.

WARREN>> BOTH YOUR OPPONENTS SAY THAT YOU COULD HAVE DONE A LOT MORE TO PREVENT THE RAMPART CORRUPTION SCANDAL FROM GOING AS FAR AS IT DID. YESTERDAY CHIEF PARKS SAID THAT FALSE INFORMATION PUT FORWARD BY ANTI-GANG RAMPART DIVISION OFFICERS DID NOT SEND UP THE RED FLAGS YOU'D EXPECT -- THAT'S HIS PHRASE -- WITH YOUR PROSECUTORS. WHY NOT?

GIL GARCETTI>> EVERYONE'S TRYING TO NOW PLACE THE BLAME AWAY FROM LAPD, PUT IT ON JUDGES, PUT IT ON JURORS, PUT IT ON DEFENSE LAWYERS, PUT IT ON PROSECUTORS. WE'RE NOT CLAIRVOYANT. EVERY DAY, MY PROSECUTORS DECLINE TO PUT A POLICE OFFICER ON THE STAND BECAUSE EITHER THEY HAVE A GUT REACTION THIS OFFICER IS NOT TELLING THE TRUTH OR THEY CAN ACTUALLY SHOW THAT, NO, HE IS NOT GOING TO TELL THE TRUTH OR HASN'T TOLD THE TRUTH. WE PROSECUTE OFFICERS FOR PERJURY. WE REPORT OFFICERS TO CHIEFS OF POLICE. WE REPORT OFFICERS ALL THE TIME WHERE WE CAN EITHER ESTABLISH OR WE HAVE A GUT REACTION THAT THIS OFFICER IS NOT TELLING THE TRUTH. BUT WE'RE NOT CLAIRVOYANT.

WARREN>> BUT MANY PEOPLE ARE SAYING THAT IT COULDN'T HAVE BEEN THIS PERVASIVE IF EVERYBODY IN THE SYSTEM WEREN'T IN SOME WAY COMPLICIT, EITHER BY TURNING THE OTHER WAY OR BY ACTUALLY KNOWING WHAT WAS GOING ON.

GIL GARCETTI>> LET'S NOT MAKE IT ANY LARGER THAN IT IS. I MEAN, THIS IS OBVIOUSLY A HUGE CASE, A HUGE ISSUE, FOR US. BUT WE HAVE THE RAMPARTS DIVISION, A VERY CLOSE-KNIT GROUP OF OFFICERS IN THE CRASH UNIT THAT WERE ENGAGED IN ORGANIZED CRIME. REALLY, IT'S WHAT IT WAS. THEY WEREN'T JUST COMMITTING PERJURY. THEY WERE PLANTING EVIDENCE. THEY WERE GROSSLY ASSAULTING PEOPLE. THEY MAY EVEN BE RESPONSIBLE FOR ATTEMPTED MURDER AND MURDER. THAT'S WHAT THEY WERE DOING. WHEN YOU LOOK AT ALL OF LOS ANGELES POLICE DEPARTMENT, ARE THERE OTHER SITUATIONS WHERE IT'S HAPPENED? YES, BUT I HAVEN'T SEEN EVIDENCE THAT IS AS ORGANIZED AS IN RAMPART. WE HAVE A HUGE PROBLEM. THAT'S WHY I HAVE 30 PEOPLE WORKING FULL-TIME ON THIS AND I'M GOING TO BE ADDING MORE PEOPLE.

WARREN>> OKAY, BUT THE QUESTION WENT TO WHAT HAPPENED BEFORE. LET'S PASS -- I THINK YOU'VE ANSWERED THE QUESTION AND WE DON'T HAVE A LOT OF TIME, SO LET ME ASK YOU ANOTHER ONE. BARRY GROVEMAN, ONE OF YOUR OPPONENTS, SAYS THAT YOU HAVE THE RESPONSIBILITY TO OVERSEE THE LAPD, THAT YOU OUGHT TO USE THE GRAND JURY POWER IN ORDER TO DO IT. WHY HAVEN'T YOU CONVENED A GRAND JURY TO LOOK INTO THIS SITUATION?

GIL GARCETTI>> DON'T ASSUME TOO MUCH HERE. WE WILL USE EVERY LEGAL AVAILABLE RESOURCE TO US TO GET TO THE VERY BOTTOM OF IT, BE IT THE GRAND JURY, BE IT ANYTHING, WE WILL. I WILL GUARANTEE YOU, WARREN.

WARREN>> WELL, WHY NOT ALREADY?

GIL GARCETTI>> I'M NOT GOING TO TALK ABOUT WHAT WE'RE DOING AND WHAT WE'RE NOT DOING. THAT'S NOT APPROPRIATE.

WARREN>> SO YOU'RE SUGGESTING THERE MIGHT BE A GRAND JURY GOING ON AS WE SPEAK?

GIL GARCETTI>> GOOD LUCK. YOU CAN TRY ONE MORE TIME, BUT I'M GOING TO --

WARREN>> HOW ABOUT BELMONT? IS THERE ONE GOING ON WITH THE BELMONT SCHOOL SITUATION?

GIL GARCETTI>> LET ME TALK ABOUT BELMONT. MY OPPONENT HAS SAID NOTHING'S BEEN DONE. HE KNOWS EITHER THAT IS FALSE OR HE IS NOT DOING HIS JOB, BECAUSE WE HAVE AT LEAST FIVE OR SIX PEOPLE THAT HAVE BEEN WORKING FULL-TIME ON BELMONT TO TRY AND ESTABLISH HAS THERE A CRIME BEEN COMMITTED. AND IF SO, WHO COMMITTED THAT CRIME? I WOULD LOVE TO BE ABLE TO PROSECUTE SOMEONE ON BELMONT IF ETHICALLY AND LEGALLY I CAN PROVE SOMEONE COMMITTED A CRIME. WE WILL BE THERE. WE'RE STILL LOOKING AT IT.

WARREN>> GRAND JURY?

GIL GARCETTI>> I CAN'T -- LEGALLY, I CAN'T CONFIRM --

WARREN>> YOU CAN'T REVEAL IF THERE'S A GRAND JURY GOING ON?

GIL GARCETTI>> I CANNOT. LEGALLY, I CANNOT.

WARREN>> MR. GROVEMAN SAYS THAT, ALTHOUGH HE HAS SPENT A SHORTER TIME IN THE DA'S OFFICE THAN MR. COOLEY, YOUR OTHER OPPONENT, HE WOULD BRING TO IT AN OUTSIDE PERSPECTIVE WHICH IS VERY MUCH NEEDED IN THE CONTEXT OF ALL THE CALLS FOR AN OUTSIDE INVESTIGATION OF WHAT'S HAPPENED IN RAMPART. HOW DO YOU RESPOND TO THAT?

GIL GARCETTI>> MR. GROVEMAN HAS NEVER TRIED EVEN ONE FELONY JURY TRIAL IN HIS LIFE. HE HAS TRIED SOME ENVIRONMENTAL CASES, HE'S TRIED SOME MISDEMEANORS IN THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, TRAFFIC OFFENSES, WHATEVER THEY MIGHT BE. HE DOESN'T UNDERSTAND WHAT THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE IS ALL ABOUT. HE'S A VERY GLIB AND VERY ARTICULATE INDIVIDUAL. HE HAS IDEAS COMING UP ALL OF THE TIME, BUT I KNOW MR. GROVEMAN VERY WELL. HE CANNOT -- FRANKLY, HE'S NOT QUALIFIED TO LEAD THE PROSECUTORIAL AGENCIES WHERE THERE ARE ETHICAL BOUNDARIES AS WELL AS LEGAL RESTRICTIONS AS TO WHAT YOU CAN AND SHOULD DO.

WARREN>> HOW ABOUT MR. COOLEY? TWENTY-SIX YEARS IN THE OFFICE. IS HE QUALIFIED TO BE DA?

GIL GARCETTI>> HE'S NOT, IN MY OPINION. HE'S A VERY DISGRUNTLED EMPLOYEE. HE IS -- EVERY KNOWS HIM AS AN ULTRA-CONSERVATIVE. HE'S VERY MUCH OF A POLITICIAN. HE IS VERY -- I'VE BEEN IN THE DA'S OFFICE MY ENTIRE CAREER. I'VE NEVER GONE TO A JUDGE. I'VE NEVER GONE TO A DEPUTY DA AND SAID GIVE ME MONEY. THAT COMPROMISES THE INTEGRITY OF THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY. HE --

WARREN>> AND MR. COOLEY IS DOING THAT?

GIL GARCETTI>> HE IS DOING THAT. I DON'T THINK YOU CAN BE DOING THAT. DON'T YOU UNDERSTAND THE ETHICS AND THE RESPONSIBILITY OF BEING THE DA? HE DOES NOT. HE IS VERY UNHAPPY WITH ME BECAUSE I NEVER PROMOTED HIM ANY HIGHER THAN HE IS. WELL, HE'S WHERE HE IS BECAUSE THAT'S WHERE HE DESERVES TO BE.

WARREN>> HE'S ATTACKING YOU FOR ETHICAL REASONS ON A COUPLE OF CASES. HE SAYS THAT, IN ONE INSTANCE, YOU ACCEPTED IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD OF $220,000 OVER A PERIOD OF TIME IN CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTIONS FROM THE MARCIANNO BROTHERS AND THEN STRUCTURED YOUR OFFICE IN SUCH A WAY THAT YOU WOULD DEAL WITH TRADEMARK INFRINGEMENT AS A CRIMINAL MATTER INSTEAD OF A CIVIL MATTER, AS HAD TRADITIONALLY BEEN THE CASE, AS A FAVOR TO THEM, THE OPERATORS OF GUESS JEANS, WHO WANTED IT DONE THAT WAY.

GIL GARCETTI>> I HAVE ALWAYS GONE FORWARD TO ASSIST INDUSTRY IN GENERAL WHEN WE HAVE A PROBLEM. WHEN WARNER BROS. AND OTHERS STARTED TELLING US WE HAVE TRADEMARK INFRINGEMENT PROBLEMS AND THAT MEANS LOSING JOBS, I SAID LET'S GO AFTER THEM. IF WE CAN PROSECUTE THESE CASES AS FELONIES, LET'S DO IT. I NEVER EVEN KNEW THAT OUR OFFICE, UNTIL AFTER THE FACT, WAS HANDLING ANY CASES INVOLVING GUESS JEANS. NO ONE EVER CONTACTED ME AND SAID WILL YOU DO THIS FOR US? BUT I WILL BE VERY AGGRESSIVE IN GOING AFTER ANY INDIVIDUAL THAT CAN MEAN THAT WE LOSE JOBS IN LOS ANGELES BECAUSE OF COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT. THAT'S PART OF MY JOB AND I'M PROUD OF WHAT WE DO.

WARREN>> WHAT ABOUT THE MCMORROW CASE? HE SAYS THERE YOU HAD A YOUNG MAN WHO HAD TWO ARMED ROBBERY CONVICTIONS. HE WAS INVOLVED IN AN ATTEMPTED ARSON --

GIL GARCETTI>> THIS WAS BROUGHT UP FIVE YEARS AGO. WE TALKED ABOUT THIS FIVE YEARS AGO.

WARREN>> -- AND THAT HE -- WELL, HE'S BRINGING IT UP IN THIS CAMPAIGN. LET ME ASK YOU ABOUT IT. HE SAYS WHAT HAPPENED WAS THAT YOU HAD RECEIVED CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTIONS FROM THIS MAN'S GRANDFATHER BOTH BEFORE AND THEN AFTER HE WAS PROCESSED BY YOUR OFFICE AND GIVEN A MUCH LESSER SENTENCE THAN HE WOULD HAVE UNDER THE THREE-STRIKES --

GIL GARCETTI>> YOU SHOULD REALLY HAVE THE LAWYERS THAT HANDLE THE CASE FROM MY OFFICE, BECAUSE I DIDN'T HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH THAT CASE. I'VE HAD BOTH SUPPORTERS AND NON-SUPPORTERS WITHIN MY OFFICE SAY, HEY, WE HANDLED THIS CASE THE WAY WE HANDLE EVERY CASE. YOU LOOK AT. CAN YOU PROVE IT? IS THIS RIGHT? IS THIS FAIR? THE ATTORNEY GENERAL EVEN LOOKED AT THAT CASE AND SAID THERE'S NOTHING IMPROPER ABOUT THIS CASE. NO ONE, NO ONE, WARREN, HAS EVER BEEN ABLE TO GET A FAVOR FROM US. DO I GET A PHONE CALL FROM A MINISTER OR SOMEONE SAYING, HEY, WILL YOU LOOK AT THIS CASE? DO WE LOOK AT IT? SURE, WE LOOK AT IT, BUT IT'S TO DETERMINE IS THIS PERSON PROPERLY CHARGED AND IS THE DISPOSITION WE SEEK APPROPRIATE. THAT'S ALL.

WARREN>> WE'RE BASICALLY OUT OF TIME. IF, IN FACT, YOU DO HAVE TO FACE A RUN-OFF, WILL YOU THEN DEBATE WHICHEVER CANDIDATE IS --

GIL GARCETTI>> THE ANSWER IS YES, AND I'VE BEEN DEBATING MR. GROVEMAN. I'VE DEBATED HIM FIVE, SIX, SEVEN TIMES. YOU NEVER SEE COOLEY OUT THERE. I MEAN, HE'S A STEALTH CANDIDATE. HE JUST GETS ON YOUR SHOW OR ANOTHER AND THAT'S THE ONLY TIME YOU EVER SEE HIM. I'M IN THE COMMUNITY 14, 15 TIMES EVERY WEEK, ASKING QUESTIONS ABOUT THREE-STRIKES, RAMPART, ELDER ABUSE, JUVENILE CRIME. YOU NAME IT, I'M THERE, I'M ANSWERING IT.

WARREN>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR BEING HERE ON OUR SHOW TONIGHT.

GIL GARCETTI>> YOU'RE WELCOME, YOU'RE WELCOME.

WARREN>> AGAIN, MR. GARCETTI DID RESPOND TO OUR REQUEST, DID, AS YOU SAW, TURN UP FOR HIS INTERVIEW.

PATT MORRISON NOW ASKS HOW YOU CAN HAVE A FACE-OFF WHEN ONE FACE ISN'T THERE? THAT'S IN TONIGHT'S INFINITELY MORRISON.

PATT>> I HOPE YOU'VE CAUGHT SOME OF TONIGHT'S PRESIDENTIAL DEBATE. BUSH, KEYES AND VIRTUAL VIDEO CONTENDER, JOHN MCCAIN. IN THE BIGGEST STATE WITH THE BIGGEST PRIMARY OF THE ELECTION, JOHN MCCAIN PHONED IT IN. HE DEBATED MY SATELLITE FROM ST. LOUIS, THE SAME TOWN THAT SEDUCED THE LA RAMS OUT OF CALIFORNIA. NOW WHILE SATELLITE INTERVIEWS ARE HARDLY NEW, A SATELLITE DEBATE LAUNCHES PRESIDENTIAL POLITICS INTO AN ENTIRELY DIFFERENT ORBIT. IMAGINE LINCOLN AND DOUGLAS CONDUCTING THEIR STIRRING SENATE DEBATE WITH ONE MAN IN SPRINGFIELD AND THE OTHER IN CHICAGO. IMAGINE PHONING IN THE 1960 KENNEDY-NIXON DEBATE.

A DEBATE IS NOT JUST THE WORDS THAT ARE SPOKEN, BUT THE SUBLIMINALS. LOOKING THE COMPETITION IN THE EYE, TAKING HIS MEASURE, OR HERS. FOR THE AUDIENCE, THERE IS THE OPPORTUNITY TO ASSESS THE CONTENDERS SIDE BY SIDE. THE BODY LANGUAGE, THE CONTEXT, AS WELL AS THE CONTENT. INSTEAD, WE APPROACH A FUTURE OF HOLOGRAM VERSUS HOLOGRAM. NOW MCCAIN'S PRESS ADVISER, DAN [SCHNORR], CRITICIZED HIS OWN CAMPAIGN FOR FIRST SAYING IT WOULD SKIP TONIGHT'S DEBATE ALTOGETHER. [SCHNORR] WAS FORMER GOVERNOR PETE WILSON'S PR GUY AND HE UNDERSTANDS THAT CALIFORNIANS WOULD NOT TAKE KINDLY TO SUCH A SNUB. SO MCCAIN AGREED TO JOIN THE LA DEBATE BY SATELLITE. JUST THE NIGHT BEFORE, MCCAIN WAS HERE IN THE FLESH FOR HIS THIRD APPEARANCE ON THE JAY LENO SHOW. A POLL BY THE PEW RESEARCH CENTER FOR PEOPLE IN THE PRESS FOUND THAT ABOUT ONE PERSON IN TEN ACTUALLY THINKS LATE-NIGHT COMEDY SHOWS ARE A GOOD WAY TO LEARN ABOUT PRESIDENTIAL POLITICS. BUT I SUSPECT THE TRUE NUMBERS ARE HIGHER THAN PEOPLE WERE WILLING TO ADMIT.

SO MAYBE MCCAIN MADE THE RIGHT CHOICE. MAYBE HE COULD SWAY MORE VOTERS BY SWAPPING QUIPS WITH LENO THAN BY TRADING REMARKS ABOUT CAMPAIGN FINANCE REFORM WITH HIS FELLOW CANDIDATES. AND MAYBE GEORGE W. BUSH WAS THE ONE WITH THE WRONG PRIORITY, SHOWING UP IN PERSON ON STAGE FOR THE LA TIMES DEBATE, BUT APPEARING VIA SATELLITE ON THE DAVID LETTERMAN SHOW. STILL, THIS IS SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA. YOU CAN'T SEE A POLICE INCIDENT OR DRIVE PAST A ROADSIDE CONTRETEMPS WITHOUT WONDERING, IS IT REAL OR IS IT HOLLYWOOD? AND NOW WE CAN ALSO ASK, IS IT REAL OR IS IT POLITICS?

VAL>> THANK YOU, PATT.

WELL, LA POLICE CHIEF BERNARD PARKS EXPRESSED CONCERN THIS WEEK ABOUT HIS DEPARTMENT'S IMAGE IN THE WAKE OF THE RAMPART CORRUPTION SCANDAL. BUT DOES THE PUBLIC ALREADY HAVE A NEGATIVE PICTURE OF LA COPS BECAUSE OF THE AREA'S BIGGEST IMAGE MAKER, THE FILM INDUSTRY?

WARREN>> THIS IS, AFTER ALL, THE MOVIE-MAKING CAPITAL OF THE WORLD AND IT IS FROM THE MOVIES THAT THE REST OF THE WORLD FORMS ITS OPINIONS OF THE COPS, AS WE SEE IN TONIGHT'S PEOPLE, PLACES & THINGS.

THE LAPD HAS PLAYED A PROMINENT ROLE IN NUMEROUS FILMS, SUCH AS LA CONFIDENTIAL, INTERNAL AFFAIRS, IN WHICH RICHARD GERE PLAYS A CORRUPT COP. ALSO IN THE MOVIE, COLORS, WHICH FOLLOWS OFFICERS IN THE CRASH ANTI-GANG UNIT.

VAL>> HERE WITH MORE ON THE LAPD IN THE MOVIES IS A KEEN OBSERVER OF POP CULTURE, TODD BOYD, PROFESSOR OF CRITICAL STUDIES AT USC'S SCHOOL OF CINEMA AND TELEVISION. WELCOME.

TODD BOYD>> THANK YOU, AS ALWAYS.

VAL>> ARE THE MOVIES GIVING, FIRST OF ALL, AN ACCURATE IMPRESSION AND DEPICTION OF THE LA POLICE? LOOKING AT THE NEWS TODAY, ONE WOULD SAY YES.

TODD BOYD>> WELL, I THINK WHAT WE HAVE TO LOOK AT IS HOW THE IMAGES OF THE LAPD HAVE CHANGED OVER TIME. I MEAN, YOU TALK ABOUT A FILM LIKE COLORS FROM THE LATE 80'S WHICH, IN MY MIND, IS VERY MUCH INFLUENCED BY THE REAGAN-BUSH ERA AND A KIND OF DIFFERENT ATTITUDE ABOUT POLICING AND, SAY, PARA-MILITARY UNITS AND THIS SORT OF THING, THEN TO LOOK AT SOMETHING LIKE LA CONFIDENTIAL FROM A FEW YEARS AGO WHICH, IN MY MIND, IS INFLUENCED BY, SAY, THE CLINTON ADMINISTRATION WITH A COMPLETE DIFFERENT ATTITUDE ABOUT POLICE AND THEIR JOBS AND WHAT THEY WOULD AND WOULDN'T DO. I THINK WE CAN ALWAYS TIE THIS IN TO KIND OF THE HISTORICAL AND POLITICAL MOOD.

WARREN>> LET'S TAKE A LOOK AT THOSE TWO MOVIES, OR CLIPS FROM THEM. FIRST OF ALL, WE HAVE A CLIP FROM COLORS, LATE 80'S, REAGAN ERA.

[FILM CLIP]

WARREN>> SO THIS PORTRAYS THE POLICE IN A SITUATION WHERE THEY'RE OUTNUMBERED, OUTGUNNED AND VERY MUCH ON THE DEFENSIVE.

TODD BOYD>> WELL, CERTAINLY, AND VERY CONSISTENT WITH ATTITUDES IN THE LATE 80'S AROUND THE SO-CALLED WAR ON DRUGS. I MEAN, IF YOU THINK ABOUT THE WAY IN WHICH THE DRUG CULTURE, AND PARTICULARLY CRACK COCAINE, EXPLODED IN THE MID-80'S AND HOW THE GOVERNMENT REALLY OVER-REACTED TO THE CASE, SO MUCH SO THAT IT'S CREATED THE KIND OF PRISON ECONOMY THAT WE'VE SEEN IN THE 90'S WITH PRISONS BEING SOME OF THE HIGHEST TRADED COMMODITIES ON WALL STREET. YOU KNOW, WE BUILD PRISONS FOR PEOPLE TO BE IN THEM. THAT BEING THE CASE, WHEN YOU GO BACK TO THE LATE 80'S, YOU LOOK AT THIS REPRESENTATION AND IT APPEALS TO THE SENSE THAT THE COPS ARE, AS YOU SAY, OUTNUMBERED AND OUTGUNNED. THEY, WITH THAT, CAN USE ANYTHING AT THEIR DISPOSAL TO STOP THIS THING THAT REALLY IS BIGGER THAN THEM. IT VERY MUCH IN MY MIND APPEALS TO THIS KIND OF, YOU KNOW, RIGHT-WING, 80'S POLITICAL SENTIMENT THAT HAD TAKEN PLACE IN THE COUNTRY BECAUSE OF REAGAN'S POPULARITY.

VAL>> A VERY DIFFERENT IMAGE THAN WHAT OCCURRED IN LA CONFIDENTIAL AND WE'RE GOING TO TAKE A LOOK AT THAT, EVEN THOUGH IT DEPICTS AN ERA FROM, I BELIEVE, IN THE 1950'S.

WARREN>> BUT THE FILM WAS MADE IN THE 90'S.

[FILM CLIP]

WARREN>> SO WE KNOW THE LAPD WAS CORRUPT IN THAT ERA, BUT NOW WE SEE IT THROUGH THE LENS OF THE 90'S AND YOU MIGHT AS WELL BE TALKING ABOUT OFFICER PEREZ LECTURING A NEW RECRUIT.

TODD BOYD>> I MEAN, THAT'S WHAT'S SO GREAT ABOUT THIS FILM LA CONFIDENTIAL. YOU REMEMBER A FEW YEARS WHEN THE MOVIE, WAG THE DOG, CAME OUT AND THEN YOU HAD THE CLINTON-LEWINSKY SCANDAL RIGHT AFTER. YOU LOOK AT LA CONFIDENTIAL AND YOU'RE READING THE PAPERS EVERY DAY. IT'S ALMOST PARALLEL. I THINK THIS IS ONE OF THE MOST COMPELLING FILMS ABOUT LA AND CERTAINLY ABOUT THE ROLE THE LAPD HAS PLAYED IN MAINTAINING THIS KIND OF SUNNY SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA HOLLYWOOD IMAGE THAT WE HAVE.

VAL>> BUT, OF COURSE, THIS MOVIE DID PRE-DATE RAMPART. WHAT DO YOU THINK THE EFFECT OF THE ACTUAL RAMPART SCANDAL AS IT UNFOLDS WILL HAVE ON UPCOMING MOVIES?

TODD BOYD>> WELL, I MEAN, YOU KNOW --

VAL>> ARE WE GOING TO SEE IT DEPICTED?

TODD BOYD>> I'M SURE WE WILL. I MEAN, THE STORIES ARE INCREDIBLE. YOU'RE READING THEM AND, AS PAINFUL AS THEY ARE TO DIGEST, THERE'S A CERTAIN KIND OF THEATRICALITY TO THE WHOLE THING THAT I'M SURE WE'LL SEE REPLICATED IN FILM IN THE VERY, VERY NEAR FUTURE.

WARREN>> IT'S A GREAT SHOW. NO SCRIPT WRITER WOULD EVER DREAM OF PUTTING THIS TOGETHER.

TODD BOYD>> WELL, THEY COULDN'T. YOU COULD GET FIVE OF THE BEST SCREENWRITERS IN HOLLYWOOD AND LOCK THEM IN A ROOM FOR THREE MONTHS AND THEY COULDN'T COME UP WITH ANYTHING AS COMPELLING AS WHAT WE'VE BEEN READING ABOUT IN THE RAMPART CASE.

VAL>> BUT WHERE DO YOU THINK PEOPLE REALLY GET THEIR IMPRESSION OF POLICE? DO YOU THINK IT IS FROM HOLLYWOOD OR DO YOU THINK IT'S FROM THEIR PERSONAL EXPERIENCE?

TODD BOYD>> WELL, IT GUESS IT DEPENDS ON WHO YOU'RE TALKING TO. I MEAN, THERE ARE CLEARLY IMAGES OF THE POLICE DEPARTMENT FROM AS FAR BACK AS ADAM-12 AND DRAGNET THAT PRESENT THE POLICE IN VERY FRIENDLY LIGHT. BUT IF YOU LIVE IN MINORITY COMMUNITIES, CLEARLY THOSE IMAGES ARE INCONSISTENT WITH THE WAY YOU'VE LIVED YOUR LIFE AND I'M SURE OTHER PEOPLE COULD SAY THE SAME THING.

WARREN>> TODD BOYD, ALWAYS A PLEASURE. THANKS SO MUCH FOR BEING WITH US AGAIN.

TODD BOYD>> THANK YOU, THANK YOU.

VAL>> THAT IS OUR PROGRAM FOR TONIGHT.

TOMORROW, WILL THE CALIFORNIA CONDOR GRADUATE FROM THE ENDANGERED SPECIES LIST? THIS ONE, AND FIVE OTHERS, WERE BORN AT THE LA ZOO AND WILL BE SET FREE NEAR BIG SUR PRETTY SOON. IS SAVING THE CONDOR, HOWEVER, WORTH $50 MILLION DOLLARS?

WARREN>> THAT'S TOMORROW ON LIFE AND TIMES TONIGHT.

TOMORROW ON WHICH WAY LA, A VOTER'S GUIDE TO THE TOPS OF THE TICKETS. HOW DIFFERENT ARE GORE AND BRADLEY? WHAT ABOUT BUSH AND MCCAIN? WHAT DO THEY REALLY STAND FOR? THAT'S TOMORROW.

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