7/05/00

LC000705

VAL>> ON LIFE AND TIMES TONIGHT --

SOME WORKING CLASS FAMILIES IN THE INLAND EMPIRE DIG IN THEIR HEELS AGAINST A PROJECT THAT COULD UPROOT THEM.

SAUL GONZALEZ>> OPPOSITION TO THE "VISION 2020 PLAN" IS CLEAR IN THIS COMMUNITY WITH SIGNS OPPOSING THE REDEVELOPMENT PROJECT ON NEARLY EVERY STREET.

JOHN SEGOVIA>> HEY, BUILD AROUND IT IF YOU HAVE TO. YOU KNOW, I LIKE THIS HOME. I WOULD HATE TO SEE IT GO.

VAL>> IN TONIGHT'S THINKERS, SHAKERS & NEWSMAKERS, THE VICTORY CHEERS ARE FADING. NOW THE HARD WORK BEGINS FOR MEXICAN PRESIDENT-ELECT, VICENTE FOX. WHAT'S HIS VISION FOR THE NEW MEXICO AND HOW WILL IT AFFECT CALIFORNIA?

AND IT'S THE SUMMER OF REALITY TV.

[FILM CLIP]

THE SHOWS HAVE NAMES LIKE "SURVIVOR", "BIG BROTHER", AND "THE REAL WORLD". WHY ARE THEY SUDDENLY THE HOTTEST THING ON TELEVISION?

THESE STORIES COMING UP NEXT ON LIFE AND TIMES TONIGHT FOR WEDNESDAY, JULY 5, 2000.

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

THE JAMES IRVINE FOUNDATION

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

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.

VAL>> GOOD EVENING, I'M VAL ZAVALA. WARREN OLNEY IS OFF, BUT HE'LL BE BACK ON MONDAY.

OUR TOP STORY TONIGHT, A WHOLE NEW VISION FOR SAN BERNARDINO'S FUTURE. BUT LIKE ALL BIG IDEAS, IT'S CONTROVERSIAL. THE PROPOSAL, DUBBED "VISION 2020", WOULD REPLACE ONE OF SAN BERNARDINO'S POOREST AND MOST BLIGHTED NEIGHBORHOODS WITH A NETWORK OF LAKES AND STREAMS LINED WITH UPSCALE HOMES AND SHOPS. IT'S ONE OF THE LARGEST REDEVELOPMENT PROJECTS IN THE HISTORY OF THE INLAND EMPIRE, BUT IT WOULD COME AT A COST TO HUNDREDS OF LONG-TERM RESIDENTS. SAUL GONZALEZ HAS THIS REPORT.

SAUL>> SAN BERNARDINO’S FELDHEIM NEIGHBORHOOD. IT’S ONE OF THE INLAND EMPIRE’S OLDEST RESIDENTIAL DISTRICTS. IT’S A PLACE OF COMFORTABLE CLAPBOARD HOMES, A NEIGHBORHOOD FILLED WITH NEW IMMIGRANT FAMILIES AND SENIORS, SOME OF WHOM HAVE LIVED HERE FOR DECADES. HOWEVER, THIS IS A NEIGHBORHOOD THAT’S SEEN FINER DAYS, ITS DECLINE EVIDENT IN THE GROWING NUMBER OF DILAPIDATED AND ABANDONED HOMES THAT BLIGHT THE COMMUNITY.

SUSAN LIEN>> WE KNOW THAT OUR NEIGHBORHOODS ARE CHALLENGED. WE KNOW THAT WITH THE HIGH NUMBERS OF ABSENTEE, YOU KNOW, PROPERTIES THAT WE HAVE AND THE RENTALS AND THE FORECLOSURES.

SAUL>> SUSAN LIEN IS A SAN BERNARDINO COUNCILWOMAN WHO REPRESENTS THE DISTRICT. SHE SAYS THE FELDHEIM NEIGHBORHOOD’S PROBLEMS ARE OBVIOUS TO ANY VISITOR.

SUSAN LIEN>> LOOK AT THE BOARD-UPS. LOOK AT THE FOR SALE SIGNS, YOU KNOW? LOOK AT THE EMPTY LOTS WHERE WE’VE TORN DOWN HOUSES, AND NO ONE’S REBUILDING. I THINK, YOU KNOW, IT SPEAKS FOR ITSELF THAT, IF THERE WERE OPPORTUNITIES HERE, THERE WOULD BE INVESTMENTS.

SAUL>> YET THERE ARE BIG PLANS IN STORE FOR THIS LONG-NEGLECTED NEIGHBORHOOD, PLANS THAT SAN BERNARDINO OFFICIALS HOPE WILL BRING NEW LUSTER TO THE ENTIRE CITY.

SUSAN LIEN>> WE WANT TO GIVE IT A HEART. WE WANT TO GIVE IT AN IDENTITY. WE WANT TO, YOU KNOW, GIVE IT AN IMAGE, A NEW IMAGE, THAT WILL BRING PEOPLE HERE.

SAUL>> CALLED VISION 2020, THE KEY TO THIS PLAN IS H20. UNDER SAN BERNARDINO, THERE EXISTS A HUGE AQUIFER WITH AN AMOUNT OF WATER EQUAL TO LAKE SHASTA. MUNICIPAL OFFICIALS WANT TO TAP THIS GROUNDWATER, BRING IT TO THE SURFACE AND TURN THE FELDHEIM NEIGHBORHOOD AND SURROUNDING AREAS INTO A 300-ACRE URBAN SHANGRI-LA OF RIVERS AND LAKES WITH BANDS OF PARK LAND CONNECTING THEM.

LIKE A SIMILAR PROJECT IN NORTHERN CALIFORNIA’S SUISUN CITY, NEW SHOPPING ARCADES, HOMES AND HOTELS WOULD BE BUILT ALONG THE WATERFRONT, IGNITING ITS HOPE AND ECONOMIC RENAISSANCE IN SAN BERNARDINO. HOWEVER, CREATING THAT RENAISSANCE MEANS THE CITY MUST BUY UP AND DEMOLISH MOST OF THE 1,200 HOMES NOW STANDING IN THE REDEVELOPMENT AREA, A PROSPECT THAT HAS MANY RESIDENTS HERE ANXIOUS AND ANGRY.

JOHN SEGOVIA>> MY CONCERNS ARE BEING DISPLACED. WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE?

SAUL>> JOHN SEGOVIA HAS LIVED IN THIS NEIGHBORHOOD FOR OVER TWENTY YEARS. OTHER THAN HIS FAMILY, HE’S MOST PROUD OF HIS HOUSE AND HE HATES THE PROSPECT OF LOSING IT.

JOHN SEGOVIA>> I LIKE MY HOME, MY HOME. I DO LOVE MY HOME. WELL-BUILT HOME. YOU CAN’T FIND A HOME LIKE THIS ANY MORE, I DON’T THINK. THEY DON’T BUILD THEM LIKE THIS. REDWOOD, VERY STURDY, SOLID REDWOOD, HARDWOOD FLOORS.

SAUL>> YOU DON’T WANT TO SEE IT TURNED INTO A LAKE?

JOHN SEGOVIA>> NO. HEY, BUILD AROUND IT IF YOU HAVE TO. I LIKE THIS HOME. I WOULD HATE TO SEE IT GO.

SAUL>> OPPOSITION TO THE VISION 2020 PLAN IS CLEAR IN THIS COMMUNITY WITH SIGNS OPPOSING THE REDEVELOPMENT PROJECT ON NEARLY EVERY STREET. LAST WEEK, THE SAN BERNARDINO CITY COUNCIL HELD A PUBLIC FORUM ON THE VISION 2020 PLAN. IN HER OPENING REMARKS, MAYOR JUDITH VALLES ARGUED THE $190 MILLION DOLLAR PROJECT WAS INDISPENSABLE TO THE CITY’S FUTURE.

MAYOR JUDITH VALLES>> I DRIVE AROUND THE CITY, I CAN ASSURE YOU, EVERY DAY, TWO OR THREE TIMES A DAY, AND I USUALLY TRY TO GO THROUGH DIFFERENT NEIGHBORHOODS. I SEE WHAT YOU SEE. I SEE SOME IMPROVEMENTS, I SEE SOME CHANGES, AND I ALSO SEE SOME HOMES THAT ARE IN A SERIOUS STATE OF EROSION. I ASK MYSELF, IF WE DON’T TAKE BOLD ACTION NOW, AND I LOOK AT THAT SAME HOUSE IN FIVE OR TEN YEARS, WHAT WILL IT BE THEN? THE ANSWER IS VERY SIMPLE. IT WILL BE A SHACK.

SAUL>> WHEN RESIDENTS WERE ASKED TO SPEAK, ALMOST ALL OF THOSE PRESENT, LIKE CONNIE RATLIFF, CONDEMNED THE PROJECT.

CONNIE RATLIFF>> I’M NOT REALLY ABLE TO MOVE. I DON’T WANT ANY LAKE. IT’S ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE FOR A LADY MY AGE, 81 YEARS OLD, TO START LOOKING FOR ANOTHER PLACE. I JUST WONDER IF THERE’S ANY ONE SITTING AT THAT TABLE, IF I CAME TO YOU TOMORROW AND SAID YOU’RE GOING TO HAVE TO MOVE, TAKE YOUR THINGS BECAUSE WE ARE UPGRADING THE COMMUNITY, HOW MANY OF YOU WOULD GRAB YOUR BRIEFCASE AND RUN?

SAUL>> OTHERS WHO SPOKE FROM THE COMMUNITY WERE DEFIANT.

MATT OWEN>> AND I WILL TELL YOU THIS. WE AREN’T GOING ANYWHERE. WE ARE NOT GOING ANYWHERE. I HAVE RELATIVES BURIED IN THE CEMETERY ADJACENT TO THIS. MY NAME IS CARVED ON THE BACK STEPS OF A HOUSE THEY ARE PLANNING TO DEMOLISH. THAT WILL NOT HAPPEN. WE WILL DO WHATEVER IT TAKES TO STOP IT. THIS WILL BE DEFEATED. LOOK AROUND YOU. YOU ARE SURROUNDED AND OUTNUMBERED. THANK YOU.

SAUL>> THE VISION 2020 PROJECT FACES A LONG AND ARDUOUS APPROVAL PROCESS THAT COULD TAKE YEARS. IT WILL BE TIME DURING WHICH THE LEADERS AND PEOPLE OF SAN BERNARDINO MUST DECIDE WHETHER IT WILL LEAD TO A MUNICIPAL RENAISSANCE OR THE RUINATION OF ONE NEIGHBORHOOD.

VAL>> SO, SAUL, THIS PROJECT MAY NOT PASS, BUT THAT DOESN’T SOLVE THE BASIC PROBLEM. THIS WATER TABLE, YOU’RE SAYING, IS VERY CLOSE TO THE SURFACE AND POSES A REAL PROBLEM DURING AN EARTHQUAKE?

SAUL>> YEAH, THAT’S THE ARGUMENT THAT WASN’T REALLY ADDRESSED IN THE PIECE THAT IS BEING MADE BY SUPPORTERS OF THIS PROJECT. AGAIN, THERE’S THIS LAKE SHASTA UNDERNEATH THE CITY AND THAT WATER RISES TO THE SURFACE. YOU TALK TO OLD-TIMERS THERE. THEY’LL SAY, YOU KNOW, YOU GO INTO A MOVIE THEATER OR INTO A STORE AND WATER HAS BEEN KNOWN TO ACTUALLY POOL ON THE FLOOR.

VAL>> YOU’RE KIDDING.

SAUL>> NOW THE PROBLEM WITH THAT DURING AN EARTHQUAKE -- THERE’S MAJOR FAULTS THAT RUN NEAR THE CITY -- THAT SOIL SATURATED WITH WATER COULD INCREASE THE POWER OF AN EARTHQUAKE.

VAL>> SO LIQUEFACTION WOULD --

SAUL>> -- LIQUEFACTION, LIKE WHAT YOU SAW IN SAN FRANCISCO DURING THEIR BIG QUAKE IN THE LATE 80’S. SO A LOT OF THE SUPPORTERS OF THIS PLAN ARE SAYING, LISTEN, WE HAVE TO DO IT FOR REAL REASONS OF SAFETY AND REAL REASONS OF ENGINEERING, ALONG WITH HELPING THE CITY AND ALONG WITH CREATING THIS ECONOMIC RENAISSANCE.

VAL>> BECAUSE THEY COULD KEEP THEIR HOME, BUT IF AN EARTHQUAKE COMES ALONG AND RUINS IT, THEY’RE LEFT WITH NOTHING.

SAUL>> WELL, OF COURSE, THE CRITICS OF THIS PROJECT WOULD SAY, WELL, YOU CAN DO OTHER THINGS WITH THE WATER. YOU CAN SELL OFF THE WATER, IT CAN BE PUT INTO REGULAR OLD, YOU KNOW, STORAGE FACILITIES. YOU DON’T HAVE TO CREATE THIS MEGA PLAN OF LAKES AND RIVERS AND STREAMS IN ORDER TO PROTECT US FROM EARTHQUAKES, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

VAL>> NOW THEY WOULD BE GETTING FAIR MARKET VALUE FOR THEIR HOMES?

SAUL>> IT’S ABOUT $190 MILLION FOR THIS PROJECT. SUPPORTERS SAY ABOUT $100 MILLION OF THAT WOULD GO TO PURCHASE OF THE PROPERTIES OF THE PEOPLE THAT LIVE IN THIS NEIGHBORHOOD. THAT’S ABOUT 1,000 TO 1,200 HOMES WE’RE LOOKING AT. SOME OF THE HOMES WOULD BE SAVED BECAUSE OF THEIR HISTORIC VALUE TO THE CITY. NOW THE RESIDENTS, PARTICULARLY THE OLD-TIMERS, WILL SAY, LISTEN, WE’RE 70, 80, 90 YEARS OLD. YOU COULD OFFER US HALF A MILLION. REALLY, WE DON’T WANT IT. WE WANT TO STAY WHERE WE ARE.

VAL>> I SEE.

SAUL>> AND THEY’LL POINT TO THE CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS AND THE SUPPORTERS, NONE OF WHOM LIVE IN THIS DISTRICT. I MEAN, THERE ARE SUPPORTERS WITHIN THIS NEIGHBORHOOD, I SHOULD SAY, BUT THE PEOPLE SITTING ON THE CITY COUNCIL, THE PEOPLE SITTING ON THE WATER AUTHORITY WHO’S ALSO IN FAVOR OF THIS, THEY DON’T LIVE THERE.

VAL>> AND, ANYWAY, IF YOU GOT FAIR MARKET VALUE FOR YOUR HOME, THAT DOESN’T MEAN YOU CAN GO OUT AND BUY A HOME BECAUSE SOME PRICES ARE --

SAUL>> MOST OF THE HOMES IN THE AREA ARE GOING FOR ABOUT $60, $70, $80,000, NOT A QUARTER OF A MILLION, NOT $200,000.

VAL>> SO IT WOULD BE HARD TO FIND A NEW PLACE. SAUL, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. WE’LL KEEP TRACK OF THAT ONE.

OUR TOP STORY TOMORROW, IF YOU’RE BLACK AND IN THE DRIVER’S SEAT, ODDS ARE HIGH POLICE SOMEWHERE WILL PULL YOU OVER.

>> WHY DO THEY LABEL US AS A SUSPECT? I’VE BEEN A SUSPECT EVER SINCE I’VE BEEN DRIVING. I’VE BEEN PULLED OVER AT LEAST TWICE A YEAR SINCE I’VE BEEN DRIVING AND THAT’S 25-PLUS YEARS.

VAL>> THAT’S TOMORROW ON LIFE AND TIMES TONIGHT AT 7:00.

AND WE HAVE AN UPDATE ON A STORY ABOUT WHERE THOSE PROTESTERS WILL BE ALLOWED DURING THE DEMOCRATIC CONVENTION. NOW A COMMITTEE OF THE LOS ANGELES CITY COUNCIL HAS VOTED TO RESCIND A DECISION THAT WOULD HAVE ALLOWED THE PROTESTERS IN PERSHING SQUARE. IN OTHER WORDS, THE PROTESTERS WOULD NOT BE ALLOWED IN THE DOWNTOWN PARK.

WELL, AS YOU MAY REMEMBER, THE COUNCIL OPENED PERSHING SQUARE TO PROTESTERS AS PART OF A DEAL THAT GAVE CONVENTION ORGANIZERS $4 MILLION DOLLARS OF TAXPAYER MONEY. WELL, COUNCIL MEMBERS, JACKIE GOLDBERG AND JOEL WACHS, NOW SAY IF THE SQUARE IS OFF LIMITS, THEY WANT TO RESCIND HALF OF THAT MONEY AS WELL. THE MATTER WILL GO BEFORE THE FULL COUNCIL THIS FRIDAY.

WELL, IN MEXICO, PRESIDENT-ELECT, VICENTE FOX, HAS LAID OUT HIS VISION FOR THE COUNTRY’S FUTURE. HE SEES A MEXICO WITH A STABLE ECONOMY, CORRUPTION ELIMINATED AND ORGANIZED CRIME UNDER CONTROL. CAN HE MAKE THAT VISION A REALITY AND HOW WILL IT AFFECT BUSINESSES AND IMMIGRANTS ON THIS SIDE OF THE BORDER? THAT’S THE TOPIC IN TONIGHT’S THINKERS, SHAKERS & NEWSMAKERS.

JOINING US NOW IS FERNANDO GUERRA. HE IS DIRECTOR OF THE CENTER FOR THE STUDY OF LOS ANGELES AT LOYOLA UNIVERSITY. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR COMING BY.

FERNANDO GUERRA>> THANKS FOR HAVING ME.

VAL>> EXCITING TIMES IN MEXICO. YOU HAVE WATCHED MEXICO FOR MANY, MANY YEARS. THIS MUST BE A REALLY INTERESTING TIME FOR YOU.

FERNANDO GUERRA>> IT IS A PHENOMENAL CHANGE. IT’S VERY DIFFICULT FOR US HERE IN THE UNITED STATES TO TRY TO EQUATE THE CHANGE. MANY HAVE USED THE ANALOGY OF THE SOVIET UNION. I THINK THE BETTER ANALOGY IS THE 1932 ELECTIONS HERE. FROM THAT POINT ON, THINGS CHANGED. THE RELATIONSHIP OF GOVERNMENT TO SOCIETY, GOVERNMENT TO THE ECONOMY, WAS DIFFERENT. I THINK THIS ELECTION IS GOING TO HAVE THAT SAME TYPE OF CHANGE AND IT FACES VERY SIMILAR TYPE OF SITUATIONS THAT WE FACED HERE IN 1932. THE OBSTACLES ARE NOT AS GREAT AS ONE WOULD SEE, LET’S SAY, IN THE SOVIET UNION OR THE FORMER SOVIET REPUBLICS OR EASTERN EUROPE, BUT I THINK THEY’RE ABOUT BASICALLY THE SAME PHENOMENA THAT WE FACED BACK IN 1932.

VAL>> INTERESTING. NOW LET’S TAKE A LOOK AT WHAT FOX’S PLANS ARE AND THEN I WANT TO ACTUALLY GO BACK AND TALK ABOUT ZEDILLO’S ROLE IN PAVING THE WAY FOR THIS CHANGE.

FOX HAS MADE ALL SORTS OF PROMISES, BUT HE CAME OUT TODAY WITH SOME SPECIFIC CHANGES HE WANTS TO MAKE. ONE, FOR EXAMPLE, IS TO REORGANIZE THE POLICE. THE POLICE, AS WE KNOW, IS RAMPANT WITH CORRUPTION. HE WANTS TO TAKE IT OUT OF THE INTERIOR MINISTRY AND PUT IT INTO A NEW MINISTRY OF JUSTICE AND SECURITY. FEASIBLE?

FERNANDO GUERRA>> OH, VERY FEASIBLE. HOW IT GETS IMPLEMENTED IS THE KEY. ONE OF THE KEY THINGS ABOUT MEXICAN SOCIETY TODAY IS, IF YOU WERE TO DO A POLL, WHAT’S THE NUMBER ONE ISSUE THERE? IT’S CRIME. WE OFTENTIMES HERE IN THE UNITED STATES ALSO HAVE CRIME AS A NUMBER ONE ISSUE, BUT THERE THE DISTANCE BETWEEN NUMBER ONE AND TWO, THE ECONOMY, IS JUST INCREDIBLE. EVERY SECTOR OF SOCIETY IS BEING IMPACTED BY CRIME. THAT CREATES A STABILITY SENSE. IF FOX CAN DO THIS, THAT WOULD BE AN INCREDIBLE ADVANCEMENT.

THE KEY THING IS, YOU NEED TO SEPARATE THE POLICE FROM, TO THE SOME EXTENT, THE PROSECUTORS. IT WOULD BE AS THOUGH HERE IN LOS ANGELES THE POLICE DEPARTMENT AND THE DA’S OFFICE WERE ONE AND THE SAME. WHAT HE’S PROPOSING IS TO SEPARATE THOSE OUT. AS WE’VE SEEN IN THE RAMPART SCANDAL, YOU NEED TO SEPARATE THEM OUT. EVEN THOUGH THAT DIDN’T PREVENT CERTAIN THINGS FROM HAPPENING, IT DOES ALLOW FOR MORE CHECKS AND BALANCES.

VAL>> BECAUSE WE HAVE PROBLEMS EVEN NOW WITH BEING A LITTLE BIT TOO COZY.

FERNANDO GUERRA>> ABSOLUTELY. IT DOESN’T GUARANTEE THAT PROBLEMS WILL GO AWAY. IT JUST GIVES YOU A MECHANISM FOR YOU TO BEGIN TO CHECK THOSE AND TO ADDRESS THE PROBLEMS.

VAL>> ANOTHER PLAN, HE SAYS THE ATTORNEY GENERAL’S OFFICE WILL -- HE WANTS TO SPLIT THE INVESTIGATIVE AND THE PROSECUTORIAL ROLES, KIND OF AS YOU MENTIONED, ESPECIALLY FOR FEDERAL DRUG VIOLATIONS.

FERNANDO GUERRA>> RIGHT.

VAL>> SO, AGAIN, THIS IS CLEANING UP THE JUSTICE SYSTEM. HE SEEMS TO MAKE THAT A REAL TOP PRIORITY.

FERNANDO GUERRA>> RIGHT, ABSOLUTELY. YOU DO HAVE TO REORGANIZE FOR A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT REASONS. I MEAN, AGAIN, HERE IN LOS ANGELES, WE FACE THE SAME PROBLEM. FOR INSTANCE, THE CITY ATTORNEY PLAYS THOSE TWO SAME ROLES IN TERMS OF THE CITY. WE’VE TALKED ABOUT DOING THAT IN TERMS OF THE NEW CHARTER AND DIFFERENT IDEAS IN THAT RESPECT. BUT, AGAIN, WHAT IT DOES, IT SHAKES UP THE ORGANIZATION MORE THAN ANYTHING ELSE. IT ESTABLISHES NEW RELATIONSHIPS. IT BREAKS UP OLD RELATIONSHIPS THAT HAS SOLIDIFIED AND PREVENTED CHANGE FROM OCCURRING.

VAL>> HERE’S AN INTERESTING PROPOSAL. HE WANTS ACTUALLY TO GIVE THE CONGRESS POWER TO AUDIT THE EXECUTIVE BRANCH. HE IS WILLING AS A PRESIDENT TO ACTUALLY GIVE POWER TO CONGRESS.

FERNANDO GUERRA>> THAT IS AMAZING. I THINK THE REASON THAT’S HAPPENING IS BECAUSE IT’S A ONE-TERM PRESIDENCY. THAT IS, HE CANNOT RUN FOR RE-ELECTION. IT’S SIX YEARS AS OPPOSED TO FOUR HERE AND HE KNOWS IT WILL TAKE A WHILE TO DEVELOP THAT RELATIONSHIP. HE ALSO KNOWS NOW THAT THE MAJORITY OF MEMBERS OF CONGRESS ARE FROM HIS OWN PARTY. I DON’T KNOW THAT HE WOULD BE DOING THAT IF PRI WERE STILL --

VAL>> -- IS IT A MAJORITY OR A PLURALITY?

FERNANDO GUERRA>> NO, IT’S A PLURALITY. THEY’RE NOT THE MAJORITY, BUT THEY’LL BE THE DOMINANT BLOCK. BUT IT’S AN AMAZING FACTOR THAT SOMEONE COMES IN FINALLY AFTER 71 YEARS AND THAT ONE OF THE THINGS THEY DO IS GIVE AWAY ONE OF THE MAJOR POWERS THAT THAT INSTITUTION HOLDS. THAT SHOWS THAT HE’S TRULY GOING TO BE A REFORMER, THAT HE’S WILLING TO TAKE A HIT AS WELL.

VAL>> AND ANOTHER THING HE WANTS TO DO IS PUT IN A BUDGET VERY EARLY IN THE PROCESS. IT USED TO BE THAT THE BUDGET WOULD GO IN, I THINK, DECEMBER 1. IT WAS BASICALLY RUBBER-STAMPED BY THE CONGRESS, DONE DEAL. HE WANTS THE BUDGET TO BE SUBMITTED SEPTEMBER 1 AND ACTUALLY HAVE A TRUE DIALOGUE AND INPUT OVER THE FOLLOWING SEVERAL MONTHS.

FERNANDO GUERRA>> AGAIN, IN THEORY, THAT’S GOOD. BUT AS WE’VE SEEN HERE IN THE CALIFORNIA STATE LEGISLATURE, WE HAVE SOMETHING SIMILAR TO THAT. OFTENTIMES, WE DON’T MEET THE BUDGET DEADLINE. IT TAKES FOREVER. THE LAST -- THIS PAST YEAR, IT WAS ONLY A COUPLE OF WEEKS LATE. LAST YEAR, IT WAS ACTUALLY ON TIME FOR THE FIRST TIME IN ABOUT SIX YEARS. SO EVEN WHEN YOU WRITE THAT DOWN ON PAPER, IT DOESN’T MEAN IT’S REALLY GOING TO HAPPEN.

VAL>> ANOTHER THING IS, HE’S ACTUALLY TAKING APPLICANTS FOR THE CABINET POSITIONS? DO I HEAR SOMETHING LIKE A MERIT SYSTEM GOING ON HERE?

FERNANDO GUERRA>> WELL, NO, I THINK THAT’S MORE SYMBOLIC THAN ANYTHING ELSE. I MEAN, I’M SURE HE’S GOING TO STILL CHOOSE THE PEOPLE THAT HE WANTS, BUT HE MIGHT HAVE A SURPRISE IF SOMEONE THAT HE MIGHT NOT HAVE INTENDED TO APPOINT MIGHT EMERGE FROM THAT. I’M LOOKING AT MAYBE ONE OR TWO CABINET POSITIONS FROM THAT PERSPECTIVE, IF ANY AT ALL. BUT IT’S A GOOD SYMBOLIC PLOY. I THINK HE WANTS TO COMMUNICATE THAT HE’S GOING TO BE INCLUSIVE, THAT HE’S GOING TO INCLUDE FORMER PRI OR CURRENT PRI MEMBERS, SOME PRD MEMBERS POSSIBLY. YOU KNOW, THE PRD IS THE LEFTIST PARTY THAT WON THE MAYORALTY IN MEXICO CITY, WHICH IS THE SECOND MOST IMPORTANT ELECTED POSITION IN MEXICO. SO HE’S GOT TO DEAL WITH THAT PARTY, HE’S GOT TO DEAL WITH THE PARTY THAT’S BEEN IN POWER FOR 71 YEARS, AND HE’S GOT TO BRING THEM IN. HE’D RATHER HAVE THEM INSIDE THE TENT THAN DOING THINGS OUTSIDE THE TENT THAT HE CAN’T CONTROL.

VAL>> RIGHT. SABOTAGING, ETC.

FERNANDO GUERRA>> THAT’S RIGHT.

VAL>> COULD YOU ALSO ENLIGHTEN PEOPLE, BECAUSE I THOUGHT THIS WAS FASCINATING FROM THE PAPER THIS MORNING, ZEDILLO’S ROLE IN ACTUALLY SETTING THE STAGE FOR THIS AMAZING CHANGE TO OCCUR? WHAT DID HE DO?

FERNANDO GUERRA>> HE’S GOING TO BE REMEMBERED FOR TWO AMAZING THINGS. NUMBER ONE, THAT THERE WAS NOT ECONOMIC TURMOIL AT THE END OF HIS SIX-YEAR TERM. THIS WILL BE THE FIRST TIME IN OVER A QUARTER OF A CENTURY THAT THAT DOESN’T HAPPEN AND HOPEFULLY IT WON’T HAPPEN. NUMBER TWO, JUST FOR BEING THE REFORMER. HE IS GOING TO BE, TO SOME EXTENT, NOT THE GORBACHEV, BUT ALMOST THE YELTSIN, OR A COMBINATION OF THE TWO, IN A SENSE THAT WHEN HE TOOK POWER, HE KNEW HE WAS WEAKENED. THERE WAS DISCUSSION THAT HE WOULDN’T EVEN FINISH OUT HIS TERM, THAT HE DIDN’T HAVE THE POWER, THE PRI WASN’T GOING TO LISTEN TO HIM, ETC. BUT BY HIS OWN FORCE OF WILL, HE KNEW IT WAS TIME THAT REFORM HAD TO OCCUR.

VAL>> -- THAT ELECTIONS HAD TO BE CORRUPTION-FREE.

FERNANDO GUERRA>> RIGHT, RIGHT, AND HE ALSO UNDERSTOOD THAT THAT COULD BE HIS LEGACY. HE WILL GO DOWN AS ONE OF THE MORE IMPORTANT MEXICAN PRESIDENTS IN THE LATTER HALF OF THE 20^TH CENTURY BECAUSE OF WHAT OCCURRED LAST WEEK.

VAL>> AND HE ESTABLISHED THE INSTITUTE THAT REALLY ALLOWED BASICALLY FAIR AND OPEN ELECTIONS TO OCCUR FOR THE FIRST TIME IN YEARS.

FERNANDO GUERRA>> ABSOLUTELY. VERY SYMBOLICALLY, HE WAS ONE OF THE FIRST TO ANNOUNCE THAT VICENTE FOX WAS VICTORIOUS AND THAT HE WAS GOING TO SUPPORT HIM. THAT COMMUNICATED TO EVERYBODY THAT THIS ELECTION WAS GOING TO HOLD.

VAL>> SO HE SET THE TONE?

FERNANDO GUERRA>> ABSOLUTELY.

VAL>> FERNANDO, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR COMING BY. IT’S AN EXCITING TIME AND WE’RE GOING TO BE FOLLOWING THIS. HOPE TO HAVE YOU ON MANY TIMES.

FERNANDO GUERRA>> OKAY. THANKS FOR HAVING ME.

VAL>> SEE YOU SOON.

SO, HOW DO YOU THINK VICENTE FOX’S VICTORY WILL AFFECT SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA AND DO YOU THINK HE’LL REALLY PULL OFF ALL THE REFORMS HE SAYS HE WANTS TO PULL OFF? WE’D LOVE TO HEAR YOUR COMMENTS ON THIS OR ANY OF OUR REPORTS HERE ON LIFE AND TIMES TONIGHT. HERE ARE THE WAYS YOU CAN REACH US:

LIFEANDTIMES@KCET.ORG

WWW.KCET.ORG.

LIFE AND TIMES TONIGHT

4401 SUNSET BLVD.

LOS ANGELES, CA 90027

(323) 953-5555

WELL, HAVE YOU SEEN "SURVIVOR"? CHANCES ARE YOU HAVE. IT’S THE HOTTEST TELEVISION SHOW OF THE SUMMER AND IT’S THE LATEST IN A SERIES OF REALITY TV SHOWS THAT ARE TURNING AMERICANS INTO A NATION OF VOYEURS. SO WHAT’S BEHIND THIS FASCINATION WITH OTHER PEOPLES’ LIVES? WARREN AND I RECENTLY TALKED WITH TWO EXPERTS ABOUT THE REAL TV PHENOMENON, BUT FIRST LET’S LOOK AT A SAMPLE IN TONIGHT’S PEOPLE, PLACES & THINGS.

[FILM CLIP - "SURVIVOR"]

AND JOINING US NOW TO MAKE SENSE OF "SURVIVOR" MANIA IS BRAD POMERANCE, HE IS ENTERTAINMENT CORRESPONDENT FOR KTCC RADIO, AND TODD BOYD, CULTURAL COMMENTER AND SOCIAL OBSERVER AND USC PROFESSOR. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US.

TODD BOYD>> THANK YOU.

WARREN>> BRAD POMERANCE, LET’S START WITH YOU. WE’VE SEEN "SURVIVOR" OR WE’VE SEEN A LITTLE PIECE OF IT. WHAT ARE WE GOING TO SEE NEXT? IS THIS THE BEGINNING OF SOMETHING BIG?

BRAD POMERANCE>> IT REALLY IS THE BEGINNING OF SOMETHING BIG. PREMIERING TONIGHT, ACTUALLY, ON CBS, THERE’S A SHOW CALLED "BIG BROTHER". ON THAT PROGRAM, YOU’RE GOING TO HAVE TEN FOLKS KEPT IN ONE HOUSE FOR 100 DAYS. THEY ARE NOT LET IN OR OUT, THEY CAN’T TALK TO ANYONE ON THE OUTSIDE AND IT’S THE VIEWERS VOTING THE PEOPLE OFF EACH WEEK AS OPPOSED TO THE PLAYERS THEMSELVES.

WARREN>> TODD BOYD, WHY DO PEOPLE WANT TO SEE THIS STUFF?

TODD BOYD>> WELL, I MEAN, I THINK, YOU KNOW, THE EXCITEMENT THAT GOES ALONG WITH LIVE ACTION. YOU KNOW, ANYTHING CAN HAPPEN AND TO BE ABLE TO CAPTURE THAT ON TELEVISION, I THINK, IS VERY COMPELLING TO PEOPLE. THEY WANT TO SIT BACK AND WATCH SOMETHING THAT POTENTIALLY CAN OFFER THIS SORT OF SPUR OF THE MOMENT DRAMA THAT OFTENTIMES WE MISS IN WATCHING REGULAR TELEVISION.

WARREN>> OKAY, BUT IT’S NOT THAT NEW. RIGHT HERE ON PBS, IN THE 1970’S, WE HAD SOMETHING CALLED "THE AMERICAN FAMILY". LET’S TAKE A LOOK AT THAT.

[FILM CLIP - "THE AMERICAN FAMILY"]

WARREN>> NOT QUITE AS LIVELY AS "SURVIVOR".

TODD BOYD>> NOT QUITE, NOT QUITE. I MEAN, I THINK THE DIFFERENCE IS, YOU KNOW, IN THE 70’S, THIS WAS KIND OF A RARE EXPERIMENT. NOW WE’VE SEEN SO MANY OF THESE, YOU KNOW, LIVE ACTION KIND OF SPONTANEOUS TELEVISION PROGRAMS THAT TIMES HAVE CHANGED QUITE A BIT.

VAL>> AND THIS WAS A DOCUMENTARY. THEY WEREN’T CONTRIVING TO CREATE A PRESSURE AROUND THE GROUP.

BRAD POMERANCE>> SOME FOLKS FEEL AS IF, WHILE IT IS LIVE AT SOME POINT -- BUT CBS, FOR EXAMPLE, ON "SURVIVOR", THEY’RE TAKING SPECIFIC CLIPS. YOU’RE NOT SEEING 24 HOURS, YOU’RE SEEING AN HOUR A WEEK. SO IS IT TRUE HIGH DRAMA OR IS IT CONTRIVED DRAMA?

TODD BOYD>> WELL, I THINK IT HAS TO DO WITH THE WAY IN WHICH PEOPLE ACCEPT IT, BASED ON WHAT THEY PERCEIVE. MOST PEOPLE DON’T HAVE A KNOWLEDGE OF TELEVISION AND EDITING AND THESE SORTS OF THINGS, SO THEY DON’T KNOW. TO THEM, THIS IS LIVE, THIS IS REAL, THIS IS LIKE SPUR OF THE MOMENT AND THEY’RE WAITING FOR SOMETHING TO HAPPEN.

VAL>> PBS DID ITS OWN VERSION OF THIS, IN A WAY. IT TOOK A HOUSE, CREATED A HOUSE THAT WAS BASED ON THE TECHNOLOGY FROM THE 1900’S. IN FACT, IT WAS CALLED "1900 HOUSE", PUT A FAMILY IN IT, THEY DIDN’T HAVE ANY OF THE MODERN CONVENIENCES AND THEY SAW WHAT THAT DID TO THAT FAMILY. HERE’S A CLIP OF THAT.

[FILM CLIP - "1900 HOUSE"]

WARREN>> THEN, OF COURSE, ONE NETWORK DOES IT AND THEN THE NEXT NETWORK HAS TO DO IT TOO, SO THE STAKES GO UP.

BRAD POMERANCE>> THAT’S EXACTLY RIGHT, WARREN. WHAT’S COMING UP, TO ME, ACTUALLY CAN BE A LITTLE FRIGHTENING. THIS FALL, WE’RE HEARING ABOUT TWO SHOWS COMPETING. ONE CALLED "WANTED", ONE CALLED "RUNNER", WHERE THREE INDIVIDUALS ARE GOING TO BE DROPPED IN THREE DIFFERENT LARGE CITIES AND THEN BOUNTY HUNTERS ARE GOING TO TRY TO TRACK THEM DOWN, SO THEN IT STARTS TO BE "LOGAN’S RUN" OR "BLADERUNNER".

WARREN>> REAL BOUNTY HUNTERS? PROFESSIONAL BOUNTY HUNTERS?

BRAD POMERANCE>> REAL BOUNTY HUNTERS.

WARREN>> THE GUYS WHO KNOW HOW TO DO IT?

BRAD POMERANCE>> THAT’S EXACTLY RIGHT. WE’VE HEARD ABOUT BOOT CAMP, WHERE PEOPLE ARE GOING TO BE PUT INTO A BONA FIDE BOOT CAMP. WE HAVE, IN "BIG BROTHER" LAND, THE BUS WHERE, INSTEAD OF BEING IN A HOUSE FOR 100 DAYS, YOU'RE STUCK ON A BUS FOR 100 DAYS.

WARREN>> WHAT ABOUT THE LEGALITIES OF THIS AND THE LIABILITY IF, IN FACT, SOMEBODY REALLY GETS HURT?

TODD BOYD>> WELL, I GUESS THAT’S WHAT LAWYERS WILL HAVE TO FIGURE OUT, RIGHT? I THINK THE ISSUE HERE, THOUGH, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THIS, WE’RE TALKING ABOUT THE NETWORKS. THE NETWORKS ARE IN TROUBLE. YOU KNOW, EVERYBODY IS TALKING ABOUT HBO AND CABLE AND SHOWTIME AND THINGS. THEY’RE NOT TALKING ABOUT THE NETWORKS. THE NETWORKS ARE HAVING A REAL DIFFICULT TIME AND IT’S NOT SURPRISING TO ME THAT THEY’VE GONE TO THESE GIMMICKS. YOU KNOW, IT STARTED WITH "WHO WANTS TO BE A MILLIONAIRE" AND "SURVIVOR" AND THESE OTHER SHOWS THAT WE’RE DISCUSSING. I MEAN, THE NETWORKS ARE HUNGRY LIKE THE WEREWOLF IN LONDON, ARE TRYING TO FIND, YOU KNOW, SOMETHING BECAUSE THEIR AUDIENCE HAS BEEN TAKEN AWAY AS TELEVISION HAS CHANGED. I SEE THESE AS EXAMPLES OF THEM, AGAIN, EMBRACING GIMMICKS INSTEAD OF, YOU KNOW, ANY SORT OF REAL INNOVATIVE PROGRAMMING.

WARREN>> SO THE BOTTOM LINE, RATINGS?

BRAD POMERANCE>> DEFINITELY. CBS’S NUMBERS ARE SOARING SOLELY BECAUSE OF THE "SURVIVOR" SHOW. I MEAN, THEY’RE GOING TO $15 MILLION IN WEEK ONE TO OVER $24 MILLION IN WEEK FOUR. THAT’S A HUGE JUMP, CAUSES A HALO EFFECT, AS YOU KNOW, SO ALL THEIR NUMBERS ARE RISING. AT SOME POINT, CAN YOU BLAME THEM?

TODD BOYD>> I MEAN, IF YOU LOOK AT, YOU KNOW, ALL THE NEWS WE’VE BEEN HEARING ABOUT "THE MORNING SHOW" ON CBS, WHICH IS GETTING TERRIBLE RATINGS, THEY HAD A GREAT IDEA. THEY WOULD INTERVIEW THE PERSON KICKED OFF OF "SURVIVOR" THE NIGHT BEFORE ON THE SHOW THE NEXT DAY. THEY GOT THE HIGHEST RATINGS THEY’VE HAD SINCE THEY’VE BEEN ON THE AIR, SO IT’S WORKING.

VAL>> WELL, THANK YOU SO MUCH, GENTLEMEN, FOR SURVIVING THIS VERY BRIEF INTERVIEW.

TODD BOYD>> THANK YOU.

VAL>> THAT’S OUR PROGRAM FOR TONIGHT AND WE THANK YOU FOR WATCHING US. FOR ALL OF US HERE AT LIFE AND TIMES TONIGHT, HAVE A GREAT EVENING.

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