4/9/01

LC010409

VAL>> ON LIFE AND TIMES TONIGHT --

JESS>> A WORD OF WARNING. IF YOU'RE VOTING TOMORROW, BEWARE OF THOSE CHADS.

PHILIP BRUCE>> IF YOU THOUGHT WE LEARNED A LESSON FROM ALL THOSE ELECTION PROBLEMS IN FLORIDA LAST YEAR, THEN YOU OBVIOUSLY HAVEN'T BEEN TO THE POLLS LATELY.

ROSA FROMMER>> I THINK IT'S SILLY AND I THINK THEY SHOULD HAVE BEEN MORE CAREFUL BECAUSE OF THE FACT THAT WE HAD PROBLEMS THIS YEAR WITH THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION.

VAL>> THOUSANDS OF NEW LATINO VOTERS WILL CAST THEIR BALLOTS TOMORROW. WE GET SOME INSIGHT INTO HOW THEY MAY BE LEANING FROM A LATINO POLITICAL ANALYST. THAT'S IN TONIGHT'S THINKERS, SHAKERS & NEWSMAKERS.

JESS>> CAN YOU IMAGINE LIVING AN ENTIRE CENTURY? SEVENTY THOUSAND AMERICANS HAVE AND EACH OF THEM OFFERS A LIVING HISTORY LESSON.

ROSE FRIEDMAN>> MY NAME IS ROSE FRIEDMAN. I WAS BORN ON THE 27TH OF MARCH, 1893.

JESS>> ONE HUNDRED YEARS OF LIFE FILLED WITH TRIUMPH, TRAGEDY AND CHANGE. WE'LL TALK WITH THE PRODUCERS OF THE BIOGRAPHY SERIES, "THE LIVING CENTURY".

VAL>> THESE STORIES COMING UP NEXT ON LIFE AND TIMES TONIGHT.

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.

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.

AND THE CALIFORNIA COMMUNITY FOUNDATION
UNDERWRITING THE SPANISH LANGUAGE TRANSLATION OF LIFE AND TIMES TONIGHT.

VAL>> GOOD EVENING, I'M VAL ZAVALA.

JESS>> AND I'M JESS MARLOW. OUR TOP STORY TONIGHT, COUNTDOWN TO ELECTION DAY. LOS ANGELES VOTERS HEAD TO THE POLLS TOMORROW FOR ONE OF THE MOST HOTLY-CONTESTED CITY ELECTIONS IN YEARS. WITH THE MAYOR'S RACE, CITY COUNCIL SEATS AND EVEN A CONGRESSIONAL RACE AT STAKE, THE CITY CLERK IS ADAMANT THERE WILL BE NO HANGING CHAD PROBLEMS.

VAL>> BUT GOOD INTENTIONS AREN'T ALWAYS ENOUGH TO AVOID THE VOTER CONFUSION. PHILIP BRUCE GOES TO GLENDALE WHERE THE BALLOT ITSELF BECAME A PROBLEM.

PHILIP>> THIS IS THE SIDE OF ELECTION DAY YOU NEVER SEE, THE LAST-MINUTE, BEHIND-THE-SCENES EFFORT TO GET OUT THE VOTE.

>> I'M CALLING TO REMIND YOU THAT TODAY IS ELECTION DAY.

PHILIP>> IT'S HAPPENING IN THE HEADQUARTERS OF FRANK QUINTERO, ONE OF 13 PEOPLE TRYING TO WIN A SPOT ON THE GLENDALE CITY COUNCIL.

FRANK QUINTERO>> HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE WALKING? TWO OR THREE?

>> WE HAVE ABOUT FOUR PER PRECINCT.

PHILIP>> BUT QUINTERO'S MAIN WORRY ISN'T MOBILIZING HIS SUPPORTERS. HE'S MORE CONCERNED ABOUT A PROBLEM WITH THE GLENDALE BALLOT, A CHANGE IN THE DESIGN WHICH HE FEARS WILL LEAD TO FLORIDA-STYLE CONFUSION AT THE POLLS.

FRANK QUINTERO>> IN ORDER TO CAST A BALLOT, IN MY CASE, NUMBER TWO ON THE BALLOT, YOU ACTUALLY HAVE TO GO ALL THE WAY TO THE RIGHT AND PUNCH. NORMALLY, OR LAST YEAR, TWO YEARS AGO, THERE WAS AN ARROW THAT POINTED TO THE RIGHT.

PHILIP>> THIS YEAR, THE ARROWS ARE GONE, LEAVING NOTHING TO POINT TO THE SMALL CROSSES ON THE RIGHT WHERE VOTERS ARE SUPPOSED TO PUNCH A HOLE FOR THE CANDIDATE OF THEIR CHOICE. EASY ENOUGH TO MAKE A MISTAKE, QUINTERO SAYS, AND VOTE FOR THE WRONG PERSON, ESPECIALLY FOR PEOPLE WITH BAD EYESIGHT. AND IT'S ALSO A POTENTIAL PROBLEM FOR FIRST-TIME VOTERS, A GROUP THAT QUINTERO IS TARGETING.

FRANK QUINTERO, JR.>> WE'RE TARGETING ALL OF GLENDALE, BUT WE'RE ALSO SPECIFICALLY TARGETING LATINO AND ARMENIAN VOTERS THAT DON'T COME OUT ALL THAT MUCH, SO MAYBE IT'S THEIR FIRST OR SECOND TIME VOTING, SO IT CAN BE A LITTLE CONFUSING.

PHILIP>> QUINTERO'S CAMPAIGN IS ALSO WORRIED ABOUT SOMETHING ELSE. THIS LINE OF CIRCLES RUNNING ALONG THE LEFT EDGE OF THE BALLOT CARD. SINCE THE CIRCLES ROUGHLY CORRESPOND WITH EACH CANDIDATE'S NAME, SOME VOTERS MAY THINK THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO PUNCH A HOLE HERE INSTEAD OF ON ONE OF THE CROSSES. BUT IF THEY DO, THE VOTE WON'T COUNT. COMPLICATING MATTERS EVEN MORE, THE BALLOT IS PRINTED ON BOTH SIDES. MAKING A MISTAKE ON ONE SIDE CAN RESULT IN A MISCAST VOTE ON THE OTHER. QUINTERO SAYS EVEN SEASONED VOTERS ARE HAVING PROBLEMS.

FRANK QUINTERO>> WELL, IT'S KIND OF EMBARRASSING, BUT IN FACT, AN ELECTED OFFICIAL WHO'S HELD ELECTIVE OFFICE HERE IN GLENDALE FOR MANY YEARS, ON HER ABSENTEE BALLOT, SHE DID MAKE THE MISTAKE.

PHILIP>> HOW COULD SOMETHING LIKE THIS HAPPEN, ESPECIALLY AFTER THE FIASCO IN FLORIDA WHERE BUTTERFLY BALLOTS AND POLLING PLACE CHAOS LEFT THE RACE FOR PRESIDENT HANGING BY A CHAD? WASN'T THAT ENOUGH OF A LESSON OF WHAT NOT TO DO TO HEAD OFF ANY MORE ELECTION PROBLEMS IN THE NEAR FUTURE? WELL, ONE LOCAL POLITICAL SCIENTIST SAYS THE ANSWER IS NO. THERE'S NO WAY TO WORK OUT ALL THE BUGS SINCE NEW ONES ALWAYS CROP UP TO REPLACE THE OLD ONES.

JACK PITNEY>> THERE'S NO SUCH THING AS A FOOLPROOF VOTING SYSTEM. ANYTIME YOU HAVE A LARGE NUMBER OF PEOPLE, A LARGE NUMBER OF OFFICES ON THE BALLOT, TRYING TO FIT A LOT OF NAMES ONTO IT, YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE SOME DIFFICULTIES.

PHILIP>> WHILE THE GLENDALE BALLOT MAY APPEAR EXTREMELY CONFUSING TO SOME VOTERS, PROFESSOR PITNEY SAYS THE DESIGN ACTUALLY HAS A GREAT TRACK RECORD ELSEWHERE IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA.

JACK PITNEY>> THIS BALLOT FORMAT THAT THEY'RE USING IN GLENDALE TODAY IS A BALLOT FORMAT THAT HAS BEEN IN USE FOR MANY YEARS IN ORANGE COUNTY WITHOUT INCIDENT. THE DIFFERENCE, HOWEVER, IS A LOT OF PEOPLE COME TO IT NOT FAMILIAR WITH THIS METHOD OF VOTING AND THAT'S WHERE THE POTENTIAL FOR MISTAKES COMES IN.

PHILIP>> IN GLENDALE, SCORES OF NEW VOTERS ARE EITHER LATINO OR ARMENIAN AND THERE'S OFTEN A LANGUAGE PROBLEM. ELECTION OFFICIALS BRING IN TRANSLATORS TO HELP EXPLAIN HOW THE BALLOT WORKS. PLUS THEY PUT UP SIGNS IN ENGLISH, SPANISH AND ARMENIAN, TELLING THE VOTERS TO PUNCH THOSE LITTLE CROSSES ON THE RIGHT, NOT THE CIRCLES TO THE LEFT.

WILLIAM JURGENSMEIER>> I THINK THE ONLY SITUATION THAT I WOULD DISAGREE WITH IS THAT THE BALLOTS -- AND WE ALSO TELL OUR VOTERS YOU HAVE TO VOTE ON BOTH SIDES OF THE BALLOT WHICH COULD BE ESPECIALLY CONFUSING TO SOMEBODY THAT'S NOT FAMILIAR WITH OUR VOTING SYSTEM, SUCH AS BEING THEIR FIRST TIME. THAT WOULD BE VERY CONFUSING.

PHILIP>> IN THE BACKGROUND FAR FROM THE VOTING BOOTHS, BUT CLOSE ENOUGH TO OBSERVE, ONE OF FRANK QUINTERO'S CAMPAIGN AIDES WATCHES TO MAKE SURE THAT VOTERS ARE GETTING ENOUGH HELP TO UNDERSTAND THE BALLOT.

ANNIE MARKARIAN>> I'VE BEEN TO A COUPLE OF POLLS AND I THINK THAT THE GENTLEMAN WHO'S RUNNING THIS POLL IS DOING A REALLY GREAT JOB. HE'S REALLY HELPING THE PEOPLE AND MAKING THEM FEEL COMFORTABLE.

PHILIP>> BUT BACK AT QUINTERO HEADQUARTERS, THEY HEAR REPORTS THAT NOT ALL ELECTION OFFICIALS ARE TRYING TO MAKE THE BALLOT CLEAR.

FRANK QUINTERO>> I JUST HAD SOMEONE GO TO THE POLLING PLACE AT 79, WHICH IS IN THE WEST END OF TOWN. THEY DID NOT HAVE THE INSTRUCTIONS UP INSIDE THE BALLOT BOX LIKE THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO.

PHILIP>> IN THE FINAL HOURS OF THE ELECTION, QUINTERO'S CAMPAIGN IS FRUSTRATED BY THE INADEQUACIES OF A FLAWED VOTING SYSTEM.

PHILIP>> WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THIS?

ROSA FROMMER>> I THINK IT'S SILLY AND I THINK THEY SHOULD HAVE BEEN MORE CAREFUL BECAUSE OF THE FACT THAT WE HAD PROBLEMS THIS YEAR WITH THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION.

PHILIP>> PROBLEMS COULD HAPPEN ANYWHERE, BUT IT'S LITTLE CONSOLATION NOW THAT IT'S GLENDALE'S TURN.

PHILIP>> WOULD YOU LIKE TO GET RID OF THIS COMPLETELY AND GO TO SOME HIGH-TECH ROUTE?

FRANK QUINTERO>> WELL, I DON'T KNOW WHAT -- HIGH-TECH ROUTE SCARES ME EVEN MORE, TO TELL YOU THE TRUTH. BUT I DO THINK THAT THE NEXT TIME AROUND, WE HAVE TO HAVE A MUCH MORE SIMPLE AND CLEAR BALLOT.

PHILIP>> FOR FRANK QUINTERO, IT ALL WORKED OUT. AT THE END OF THAT TURBULENT ELECTION DAY LAST TUESDAY, HE HAD THE VOTES HE NEEDED TO GET ELECTED TO THE GLENDALE CITY COUNCIL. SO MUCH FOR ALL OF HIS WORRIES. NOW IT'S L.A.'S TURN. THE BIG CITY ELECTION HERE IS TOMORROW AND THE L.A. CITY CLERK IS BENDING OVER BACKWARDS TO AVOID THE SAME MISTAKES.

PHILIP>> BUT WILL YOU BE SURPRISED IF THERE'S NOT SOME KIND OF PROBLEM SOMEWHERE ALONG THE LINE?

JACK PITNEY>> I WOULD BE ASTONISHED IF THERE WEREN'T ANY PROBLEMS. THERE HAS NEVER BEEN, IN THE ENTIRE HISTORY OF THE UNITED STATES, AN ELECTION THAT DIDN'T HAVE GLITCHES AND ERRORS AND PEOPLE GOING TO THE WRONG PLACES. WHAT THE ELECTION OFFICIALS CAN DO IS TRY TO MINIMIZE THOSE ERRORS AND KEEP THEM FROM INFLUENCING THE OUTCOME, BUT INEVITABLY THERE'S GOING TO BE A LITTLE STATIC AROUND THE EDGES.

JESS>> BUT HOW DIFFERENT IS THE BALLOT, PHIL, BEING USED IN LOS ANGELES FROM THE ONE THAT WAS USED IN GLENDALE?

PHILIP>> WELL, IT'S VERY DIFFERENT IN THAT THE BALLOT THAT PEOPLE ARE GOING TO BE USING TOMORROW IN L.A. GOES INTO THE VOTAMATIC MACHINE. IT'S A CLASSIC PUNCH CARD THAT WE'RE ALL USED TO. YOU STICK IT IN THE SLOT THERE AND YOU PUNCH OUT THE APPROPRIATE HOLES. THE KEY TO MAKING SURE YOU DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THAT, FIRST OF ALL, CHECK THOSE CHADS BECAUSE WE ALL FOUND OUT WHAT THEY WERE LIKE IN THE FLORIDA ELECTION. MAKE SURE THEY'VE BEEN POPPED OFF THE BACK. ALSO IT'S IMPORTANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THE CARD IS SEATED, MEANING THAT YOU SHOVE IT ALL THE WAY DOWN IN THE MACHINE, MAKE SURE THE TWO HOLES AT THE TOP FIT OVER THE TWO LITTLE PEGS THERE AND, ONCE THE CARD IS SEATED, YOU SHOULDN'T HAVE A PROBLEM. BUT REALLY, WHAT WE SAW IN GLENDALE IS THAT HOW, REALLY, IN SPITE OF EVERYTHING THAT'S HAPPENED IN TERMS OF VOTER EDUCATION, ELECTION OFFICIALS AND VOTERS STILL MAKE MISTAKES. THIS IS A REALLY GOOD FAITH EFFORT, BUT IT DIDN'T MATTER.

VAL>> AND, OF COURSE, THERE ARE A LOT OF NEW VOTERS IN LOS ANGELES AS WELL. I MEAN, A LOT OF THIS COMES FROM PEOPLE WHO JUST AREN'T USED TO GOING TO THE POLLS OR, YOU KNOW, MAYBE IMMIGRANTS VOTING FOR THE FIRST TIME.

JESS>> OR ANY FIRST-TIME VOTERS.

VAL>> YES.

PHILIP>> THAT WAS A DEFINITE PROBLEM IN GLENDALE. THERE WERE A LOT OF FIRST-TIME VOTERS. NOW LOS ANGELES, OBVIOUSLY, HAS THAT SAME PROBLEM AND THEY'VE SET UP A WEB SITE FOR THE CITY CLERK'S OFFICE THAT'S VERY HELPFUL. IT'S THE KIND OF THING THAT, IF YOU PUNCH IN YOUR ADDRESS, IT WILL TELL YOU NOT ONLY WHERE TO GO, IT WILL GIVE YOU A SAMPLE BALLOT FOR YOUR PARTICULAR NEIGHBORHOOD. IT WILL POP UP ALL KINDS OF TIPS.

VAL>> THAT'S GREAT. I THINK IT'S ON THE SCREEN HERE.

WWW.LACITY.ORG/CLK/ELECTION

PHILIP>> THAT'S IT, AND IF YOU JUST KEY IN THIS WEB SITE AND PUT IN YOUR ADDRESS, IT'LL TELL YOU NOT ONLY WHERE YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO GO, IT'LL TELL YOU WHO ALL THE CANDIDATES ARE, IT'LL GIVE ALL KINDS OF TIPS FOR TRYING TO AVOID THOSE MISHAPS. AND THE NUMBER ONE MISHAP, CHECK THOSE CHADS BECAUSE THEY WANT TO MAKE SURE WE DON'T DUPLICATE FLORIDA'S MISTAKE.

JESS>> FORGIVE THE CYNICISM, BUT IF YOU CAN FIGURE OUT THE INTERNET AND HOW TO GET ONTO THAT, YOU CAN SURELY CAST A BALLOT.

VAL>> (LAUGHTER) THAT'S RIGHT.

PHILIP>> WELL, FLORIDA PROBABLY THOUGHT THEY COULD TO, BUT MAYBE NOT. (LAUGHTER)

VAL>> HEY, WE COULD BE VOTING ON THE INTERNET ONE DAY. WHO KNOWS? PHILIP, THANK YOU SO MUCH.

OUR TOP STORY TOMORROW NIGHT, ELECTION DAY, AS YOU JUST SAW, IS COMING UP IN THE CITY OF LOS ANGELES. NOW GLENDALE HAD ITS CONFUSION. WILL LOS ANGELES VOTERS BE DAZED AND CONFUSED AS WELL? WE'LL FIND OUT. THAT'S TUESDAY AT 7:00 P.M. HERE ON LIFE AND TIMES TONIGHT.

JESS>> IN TONIGHT'S THINKERS, SHAKERS & NEWSMAKERS, THE CHANGING FACE OF LOS ANGELES VOTERS. AS ANGELENOS HEAD TO THE POLLS TOMORROW, IT IS PREDICTED AT LEAST ONE OUT OF FIVE WILL BE LATINO.

VAL>> THOUSANDS OF LATINOS ARE REGISTERED TO VOTE FOR THE FIRST TIME IN THIS ELECTION. THAT'S FINALLY BECAUSE TWO STRONG LATINO CANDIDATES ARE RUNNING FOR MAYOR. JOINING US NOW IS ONE PERSON WHO IS FOLLOWING THIS ELECTION WITH GREAT INTEREST. HE IS POLITICAL ANALYST, DAVID AYON. WELCOME TO LIFE AND TIMES TONIGHT.

DAVID AYON>> PLEASURE TO BE HERE.

JESS>> DAVID, LOS ANGELES HAS SEEN A GREAT REGISTRATION DRIVE IN THE PAST, A REAL TURNOUT OF LATINO VOTERS. BUT WITH THIS ELECTION, WITH THIS INTEREST, WITH THOSE TWO NAMES ON THE BALLOT, SURELY THERE WILL BE RECORD NUMBERS OF LATINO VOTERS. WOULD YOU AGREE?

DAVID AYON>> THERE ARE CERTAINLY MANY INDICATIONS. IN FACT, THE MOST RECENT POLL THAT WAS RELEASED LAST WEEK SHOWS POSSIBLY A HISTORIC BREAKTHROUGH AND THAT THE LATINO VOTE COULD ACTUALLY EXCEED -- AS A PERCENTAGE OF THE VOTES CAST -- EXCEED THE PERCENTAGE OF LATINOS THAT ARE REGISTERED OF ALL OF THE REGISTERED. THAT'S HAPPENED IN A MAJOR CITY ELECTION IN THE PAST WHEN A POPULAR LATINO CANDIDATE --

VAL>> -- I'M SORRY, SAY THAT AGAIN?

DAVID AYON>> LATINOS MAKE UP ABOUT 22 PERCENT OF THE REGISTERED TO VOTE IN THE CITY.

VAL>> RIGHT.

DAVID AYON>> BUT IF THEY COME OUT TO VOTE IN GREATER NUMBERS THAN THEY ARE REGISTERED, THEY COULD EVEN AMOUNT TO 24 OR 25 PERCENT OF THE VOTERS ON ELECTION DAY.

VAL>> HOW CAN YOU HAVE MORE PEOPLE VOTE THAN ARE REGISTERED?

DAVID AYON>> IT DEPENDS ON THE VOTER TURNOUT. LOCAL ELECTIONS --

JESS>> -- YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT PERCENTAGE.

DAVID AYON>> YES.

JESS>> LOCAL NUMBERS.

VAL>> OH, AS A PERCENTAGE.

DAVID AYON>> AS A PERCENTAGE. LOCAL ELECTIONS USUALLY HAVE A RELATIVELY LOW VOTER TURNOUT, BUT THERE IS GREAT INTEREST. THAT'S WHAT HAPPENED WHEN CISNEROS WAS ELECTED IN SAN ANTONIO. THE LATINO VOTE EXCEEDED, AS A PERCENTAGE OF THE VOTE, --

VAL>> -- I SEE.

DAVID AYON>> -- WHAT THE LATINOS WERE AS A PERCENTAGE OF THE REGISTERED.

VAL>> NOW WE SHOULDN'T ASSUME TOO MUCH. FOR PEOPLE WHO DON'T LIVE IN L.A., LET'S TELL THEM WHO THE TWO MAJOR LATINO CANDIDATES ARE AND WHY THEY'RE DRAWING SUCH INTEREST, AND ARE THEY SPLITTING THE VOTE?

DAVID AYON>> IN ORDER OF THEIR STANDING, YOU HAVE THE FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE STATE ASSEMBLY, ANTONIO VILLARAIGOSA, AND THE CURRENT CONGRESSMAN, XAVIER BECERRA. THEY'RE IN THAT ORDER BASED ON ALL OF THE POLLS IN TERMS OF THEIR STANDINGS, BOTH CITYWIDE AND AMONG LATINOS. BUT BECERRA DOES GET A SIGNIFICANT PROPORTION OF THE LATINO VOTE, SO THERE IS A SPLITTING OF THE LATINO VOTE.

JESS>> FORMER SPEAKER VILLARAIGOSA IS DRAWING GREAT NUMBERS OF ENDORSEMENTS. HE'S ALSO SHOWN REMARKABLE STRENGTH AMONG JEWISH VOTERS TOO. DOES THAT SURPRISE YOU?

DAVID AYON>> WELL, IT IS REMARKABLE AND, ACCORDING TO THE LATEST POLL, HE NOT ONLY LEADS AMONG LATINOS, THAT IS, HE BEATS THE OTHER LATINO AMONG LATINOS, ALTHOUGH --

VAL>> -- BUT NOT BY MUCH.

DAVID AYON>> -- NOT BY MUCH. BUT HE EVEN LEADS AMONG WHITES, ACCORDING TO THE MOST RECENT POLL, AS WELL AS LEADING AMONG JEWISH VOTERS EVEN THOUGH THERE ARE TWO JEWISH CANDIDATES IN THE RACE.

VAL>> I'M SORRY, YOU'RE SAYING THAT ANTONIO VILLARAIGOSA IS POLLING HIGHER THAN JIMMY HAHN?

DAVID AYON>> YES. THE FACT OF THE MATTER IS, JIMMY HAHN IS POLLING SUCH AN ENORMOUS AMOUNT OF THE BLACK VOTE THAT, WITHOUT THE BLACK VOTE, HE WOULDN'T EVEN BE IN CONTENTION.

VAL>> THAT'S AMAZING.

DAVID AYON>> THE ONE THAT HAS THE MOST EVENLY DISTRIBUTED STRENGTH IN THIS RACE IS VILLARAIGOSA AND, AS YOU SAY, IT'S A REMARKABLE ACHIEVEMENT.

JESS> THE DISTINCTION ABOUT THE RECENT POLLS IS THAT JIMMY HAHN'S POLL NUMBERS SIMPLY HAVE NOT CHANGED. HOW SIGNIFICANT IS THAT?

DAVID AYON>> HE HAS STALLED AND, IN FACT, THERE ARE A COUPLE OF INDICATIONS THAT HE HAS SLIPPED BACK SOME. THERE WERE THREE POLLS THAT CAME OUT LAST WEEK. TWO OF THEM SHOW VILLARAIGOSA IN THE LEAD, BARELY WITHIN THE STATISTICAL MARGIN OF ERROR THAT WE'VE ALL COME TO KNOW AND LOVE, BUT NEVERTHELESS TWO OUT OF THREE SHOWING HIM IN THE LEAD WHEN JIMMY HAHN HAD BEEN THE LEADER FOR OVER A YEAR. THAT'S QUITE SIGNIFICANT. IT REALLY SHOWS THAT SO MUCH OF HAHN'S APPEAL DEPENDS ON HIS NAME AND HIS NAME, IN PARTICULAR, WITHIN THIS ONE COMMUNITY, AND THAT HE REALLY HASN'T HAD GREAT SUCCESS BEYOND THAT. YOU HAVE TO EVEN WONDER THAT SOME PEOPLE MAY BE COMING TO THE REALIZATION THAT HE'S NOT KENNETH HAHN, THAT JAMES KENNETH HAHN --

VAL>> -- WHO, WE SHOULD EXPLAIN, IS HIS FATHER.

DAVID AYON>> KENNETH HAHN WAS HIS FATHER, THE LATE KENNETH HAHN, WHO YOU ALWAYS READ DESCRIBED AS THE LEGENDARY KENNETH HAHN. FORTY YEARS AS A COUNTY SUPERVISOR AND, IN FACT, HIS BROTHER, THAT IS, JIMMY HAHN'S UNCLE, WAS ALSO ON THE CITY COUNCIL AND HE WAS ELECTED TO OFFICE EVEN BEFORE HIS FATHER WAS.

JESS>> AND HIS SISTER HAS HAD SUCCESS IN POLITICS AS WELL. THE HAHN NAME --

VAL>> -- AH, IT GOES A LONG WAY.

JESS>> WE HAVE A HAHN DYNASTY.

DAVID AYON>> IT'S SOMETHING OF A DYNASTY. IT'S A TERRIFIC BRAND NAME. JIMMY HAHN BECAME -- FOR THE FIRST TIME THAT I'M AWARE OF, HE ACTUALLY LISTED HIMSELF ON THE BALLOT NOT AS JAMES K. HAHN, BUT JAMES KENNETH HAHN. THAT HELPED HIM IN THE POLLS, BUT ALMOST EXCLUSIVELY WITHIN THE AFRICAN-AMERICAN COMMUNITY.

VAL>> I WANT TO RETURN TO THE LATINO VOTE. WE HAVE A RECORD NUMBER OF REGISTERED LATINOS. WE HAVE ABOUT 20 PERCENT OF THE ELECTORATE AS LATINO IN THE MAYORAL RACE AND YET IT IS POSSIBLE -- TWO STRONG LATINO CANDIDATES -- IT IS POSSIBLE WE COULD NOT END UP WITH A LATINO MAYOR. BECAUSE OF THE SPLIT?

DAVID AYON>> YES, EXACTLY. YOU REALLY HAVE -- ACCORDING TO ALL THE POLLS, YOU REALLY HAVE THREE TOP CONTENDERS FOR THE TWO SPOTS FOR THE RUNOFF. BECAUSE IT IS A NONPARTISAN ELECTION, NOBODY'S GOING TO GET 50 PERCENT OR EVEN CLOSE TO 50 PERCENT. THE TWO TOP VOTE-GETTERS ON ELECTION DAY ARE GOING TO GO INTO A RUNOFF. IT'LL BE HELD IN JUNE. YOU REALLY HAVE THREE TOP CANDIDATES WITHIN THE MARGIN OF ERROR. YOU HAVE VILLARAIGOSA, YOU HAVE HAHN AND YOU HAVE BUSINESSMAN AND FORMER PARKS COMMISSIONER, STEVE SOBOROFF.

VAL>> THOSE ARE THE THREE OF THE TOP -- THERE'S SIX MAJOR ONES, THESE ARE THE THREE TOP ONES.

DAVID AYON>> THOSE ARE THE ONES THAT ARE REALLY IN CONTENTION.

VAL>> SO WHAT MIGHT HAPPEN TO --

DAVID AYON>> -- WELL, THERE'S A NUMBER OF FACTORS THAT ARE REALLY HARD TO CALL AT THIS POINT. THE FACT IS THAT BECERRA IS IN THE RACE AND DOES TAKE A SUBSTANTIAL CHUNK OF THE LATINO VOTE, PRETTY MUCH HALF OF THE LATINO VOTE THAT IS DECLARED FOR ONE CANDIDATE OR THE OTHER. THAT IS, HE ALMOST MATCHES VILLARAIGOSA WITH THE LATINO VOTE, COMES VERY CLOSE TO IT. THE SAME THING CAN BE SAID ABOUT SOBOROFF. YOU COULD ALMOST SAY THAT THERE'S SOMETHING OF A SET OF DUAL ETHNIC PRIMARIES STANDING IN THE WAY OF MAKING IT TO THE SECOND ROUND. HE ALSO FACES ANOTHER FORMER REPUBLICAN AND ALSO THE ONLY OTHER JEWISH-AMERICAN CANDIDATE IN CURRENT, LONG-TIME COUNCILMAN, JOEL WACHS.

VAL>> SO YOU HAVE THE TWO JEWISH CANDIDATES PROBABLY SPLITTING JEWISH SUPPORT, --

DAVID AYON>> EXACTLY.

VAL>> -- TWO LATINO CANDIDATES SPLITTING LATINO SUPPORT, SO WHO KNOWS WHAT WILL HAPPEN?

DAVID AYON>> THAT COULD BE A FACTOR THAT JUST MIGHT KEEP THEM BACK. BUT NEVERTHELESS, OF THE TWO, THE ONE THAT CLEARLY HAS HAD GREATER SUCCESS, GIVEN THE POLLS, IS VILLARAIGOSA. HE'S GOTTEN TO THE LEAD OF ALL --

JESS>> -- APPARENTLY IT'S GOING TO BE MOOT, BECERRA NOT WITHDRAWING, BECAUSE IF VILLARAIGOSA GETS IN THE RUNOFF, HE WILL HAVE A UNIFIED LATINO VOTE, ONE WOULD ASSUME?

DAVID AYON>> IN FACT, THE POLL, THE MOST RECENT POLL, WAS THE LA OPINION NEWSPAPER POLL AND IT SHOWED THAT HE WOULD HAVE THE OVERWHELMING SUPPORT OF THE LATINO VOTE IN A SECOND ROUND.

JESS>> WHY DO YOU SUPPOSE BECERRA HAS DECLINED TO DROP OUT EVEN WHEN EARLY ON IT APPEARED THAT HIS CHANCES WERE SLIM?

DAVID AYON>> THIS IS A MYSTERY WRAPPED IN AN ENIGMA WITHIN A RIDDLE. (LAUGHTER)

JESS>> IT HEARKENS BACK TO THE DAYS OF CITY COUNCILMAN, ART SNYDER, WHO ALWAYS WON AN ELECTION IN A LATINO DISTRICT BECAUSE LATINOS NEVER UNITED BEHIND ONE CANDIDATE. IS THAT A CULTURAL PROBLEM?

DAVID AYON>> THIS WAS CERTAINLY A MAJOR CONCERN EARLY ON AND MANY PEOPLE EXPLAIN IT PRECISELY IN CULTURAL TERMS. THERE'S AN ANECDOTE ABOUT THE CRABS, THAT YOU DON'T HAVE TO PUT A COVER OVER THE BUCKET BECAUSE, AS SOON AS ONE STARTS TO GET OUT, THE REST WILL PULL HIM DOWN.

VAL>> (LAUGHTER)

DAVID AYON>> THERE IS THIS BIG QUESTION A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE BEEN ASKING. THEY'VE BEEN ASKING FOR A LONG TIME AND EVEN INCREASINGLY, AS WE'VE SEEN. BUT CLEARLY, ONE OF THE TWO REALLY HAS A SHOT. IN FACT, IT LOOKS LIKE HE'S GOING TO EVEN OVERCOME THE FACT THAT THERE'S A SPLIT IN THE VOTE. WHAT THE OTHER'S CANDIDACY IS ABOUT IS A QUESTION THAT MAY BE WITH US FOR A WHILE.

VAL>> AH, IT MAKES POLITICAL WONKS' MOUTHS WATER, DOESN'T IT? (LAUGHTER)

DAVID AYON>> (LAUGHTER) EXACTLY.

VAL>> BUT, OF COURSE, WE WON'T REALLY KNOW UNTIL ELECTION DAY. DAVID AYON, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR COMING BY.

SO WHAT DO YOU THINK? WILL WE END UP WITH OUR FIRST LATINO MAYOR IN LOS ANGELES? WE'D LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU. 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

JESS>> IN TONIGHT'S PEOPLE, PLACES & THINGS, LIFE THROUGH THE EYES OF CENTENARIANS. SEVENTY THOUSAND AMERICANS HAVE LIVED 100 YEARS OR MORE AND THEY HAVE WITNESSED SOME PRETTY RADICAL CHANGES.

VAL>> TWO LOCAL FILMMAKERS ARE DOCUMENTING THE LIVES OF CENTENARIANS IN A SERIES TITLE "THE LIVING CENTURY". EACH EPISODE PROFILES ONE PERSON WHO LIVED THROUGH EVERY DAY OF THE 20TH CENTURY.

ROSE FRIEDMAN>> MY NAME IS ROSE FRIEDMAN. I WAS BORN ON THE 27TH OF MARCH, 1893.

VAL>> AND JOINING US NOW ARE THE PRODUCERS OF "THE LIVING CENTURY", CHRISTOPHER CARSON AND STEVEN LATHAM. WELCOME TO LIFE AND TIMES TONIGHT.

STEVEN LATHAM>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

VAL>> YOU'RE AWFULLY YOUNG TO BE DOING THIS SERIES. (LAUGHTER) I'M SORRY. (LAUGHTER)

JESS>> EXACTLY THAT, THESE TWO YOUNG MEN CHRONICLING THE LIVES OF THOSE WHO'VE LIVED MORE THAN 100 YEARS. YOU MUST HAVE LEARNED A GREAT DEAL FROM THIS EXPERIENCE.

STEVEN LATHAM>> IT'S BEEN WONDERFUL. I MEAN, WE'VE LEARNED PERSONALLY A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT FROM CENTENARIANS THAT WE'RE DOING. WHAT'S AMAZING IS THAT WE'RE FILMMAKERS, WE'RE STORYTELLERS, SO WE PICK PEOPLE WHO HAVE STORIES TO TELL, I MEAN, 100 YEARS' WORTH OF LIFE EXPERIENCES.

JESS>> AND THE ABILITY TO TELL THEM.

STEVEN LATHAM>> ABSOLUTELY. YOU KNOW, THAT'S ONE THING IS THAT THESE PEOPLE THAT WE PICK ARE THE ONES LEADING REALLY VIBRANT LIVES AND THEY'VE EITHER TOUCHED AN HISTORICAL EVENT OR MADE HISTORY THEMSELVES. REALLY INCREDIBLE. WE LOVE IT. I MEAN, WE'RE INCREDIBLY PASSIONATE ABOUT THIS PROJECT.

VAL>> NOW WE SAW A LITTLE BIT OF ROSE FRIEDMAN AS A TEASE IN THE INTRO TO THIS. HERE'S A LITTLE BIT MORE OF HER.

ROSE FRIEDMAN>> (SPANISH PHRASE) NOW I'M STUDYING SPANISH. (SPANISH PHRASE) EVERYBODY SAYS, WHY DO YOU NEED SPANISH? WHY DO YOU NEED THIS STUDY? I SAY I NEED IT. IT'S FOOD FOR MY BRAINS. SEE WHAT KIND OF WOMAN I AM?

VAL>> (LAUGHTER)

JESS>> FOOD FOR MY BRAINS. YEAH, NICE THOUGHT.

STEVEN LATHAM>> WELL, IT IS INCREDIBLE, AND ROSE WAS OUR FIRST SUBJECT THAT WE DID. SHE'S REALLY INDICATIVE OF THE SPIRIT OF THESE PEOPLE. I MEAN, SHE'S TAKING SPANISH AT 107 YEARS OLD AND SHE SPEAKS SIX LANGUAGES.

JESS>> SOME OF THESE WOMEN HAVE EXPERIENCED TREMENDOUS TRAGEDY IN THEIR LIVES AS WELL. LET'S LOOK AT ONE WHO HAS SUCH.

ROSE FRIEDMAN>> ALL OF A SUDDEN, YOU GOT A TERRIBLE PANIC. EVERYBODY WAS RUNNING TO THE DOOR. IT WAS LOCKED.

>> FIRE WAS STREAMING AFTER THEIR BODIES AND THEY RUSH OUT ONTO THIS FIRE ESCAPE AND IT SNAPS BECAUSE OF THE WEIGHT OF ALL THE GIRLS.

ROSE FRIEDMAN>> AND, UNFORTUNATELY, 146 PEOPLE DIED IN THAT FIRE.

VAL>> SO YOU CHOSE PEOPLE WHO REALLY WERE PART OF HISTORY. THEY DIDN'T NECESSARILY HAVE TO BE PRESIDENT OR ANYTHING, BUT THEY REALLY HAD A MOMENT IN HISTORY, RIGHT?

CHRISTOPHER CARSON>> ABSOLUTELY. JUST ABOUT EVERYBODY THAT WE'VE DONE SO FAR HAS TOUCHED HISTORY, HAS BEEN A PART OF IT IN ONE WAY OR ANOTHER.

VAL>> AND THIS PARTICULAR FIRE? TELL US A LITTLE MORE ABOUT IT BECAUSE IT WAS OFTEN FORGOTTEN.

STEVEN LATHAM>> IT HAPPENED IN 1911, MARCH 25TH TO BE PRECISE. THERE WAS THREE FLOORS IN THE TRIANGLE FACTORY FIRE IN THE GARMENT INDUSTRY. ROSE FRIEDMAN WAS ACTUALLY ON THE NINTH FLOOR AND THE FIRE STARTED ON THE EIGHTH AND, WITHIN THE SPAN OF HALF AN HOUR, 146 PEOPLE LOST THEIR LIVES.

VAL>> IT DID LEAD TO A LOT OF REFORMS AND SO FORTH REGARDING FIRE SAFETY --

STEVEN LATHAM>> -- WELL, WE JUST CAME UP ON THE 90TH ANNIVERSARY OF THIS FIRE. I MEAN, ON MARCH 25, 1911 IS WHEN THE FIRE TOOK PLACE AND IT LED TO TREMENDOUS REFORM. I MEAN, IT LED TO A LOT OF BUILDING SAFETY LAWS THAT ARE IN PLACE TODAY, THE SPRINKLERS --

JESS>> -- IS SHE THE LAST SURVIVOR?

STEVEN LATHAM>> WELL, ROSE FRIEDMAN JUST PASSED AWAY SIX WEEKS AGO. SHE WAS A MARVELOUS, MARVELOUS WOMAN. SHE LIVED HERE LOCALLY. SHE LIVED IN BEVERLY HILLS. SHE IMMIGRATED FROM THE AUSTRO-HUNGARIAN EMPIRE, LIVED IN NEW YORK ALL HER LIFE AND, BECAUSE SHE HAS SOME CHILDREN OUT HERE, SHE LIVED IN LOS ANGELES. BUT SHE WAS THE LAST REMAINING SURVIVOR.

JESS>> EVEN MORE IMPORTANT TO HAVE HER STORY.

STEVEN LATHAM>> INCREDIBLE STORY. I MEAN, 146 WOMEN DIED. SHE WAS EYEWITNESS TO THAT INCREDIBLE STORY. IT'S STILL THE WORST INDUSTRIAL ACCIDENT IN NEW YORK CITY HISTORY.

VAL>> ANOTHER GENTLEMAN THAT YOU PROFILED IS RAY CHRIST, WHO HAD A ROLE IN THE MAKING OF THE ATOMIC BOMB. LET'S TAKE A LOOK AT THAT.

RAY CHRIST>> THE MANHATTAN DISTRICT WAS DIRECTED TO SEPARATE THE ACTIVE ISOTOPE OF URANIUM AND THEN TO GET INTO A METALLIC FORM FOR USE IN THE BOMB.

COMMENTATOR>> THE SCIENTISTS WHO WERE INVOLVED WERE SOLDIERS OUT OF UNIFORM AND THOUGHT OF THEMSELVES AS SUCH.

RAY CHRIST>> WE KNEW, OF COURSE, THAT WE WERE GOING TO WORK FOR THE BOMB. WE WORKED SO STRONG BECAUSE WE THOUGHT THE GERMANS MIGHT GET THERE AHEAD OF US. WHEN YOU HAVE A WAR LIKE WHAT WAS GOING ON WITH THE NAZIS DOING WHAT THEY DID, YOU DO WHAT YOU HAVE TO DO TO STAY ALIVE AND FOR YOUR COUNTRY TO STAY ALIVE. WE WERE VERY, VERY UNHAPPY ABOUT THE MORALITY OF THIS, BUT THAT GOES WITH ANYTHING IN THE WAR.

JESS>> HE WOULD HAVE BEEN A CONTEMPORARY OF EINSTEIN'S THEN?

CHRISTOPHER CARSON>> YES. HE ACTUALLY KNEW EINSTEIN. HE WENT OVER TO HIS HOUSE.

VAL>> HE DID? NOW HOW DO YOU FIND THESE PEOPLE?

CHRISTOPHER CARSON>> OUR WEB SITE, ACTUALLY. WWW.THELIVINGCENTURY.COM IS PROBABLY OUR MOST EFFECTIVE TOOL. WE GIVE A CENTENARIAN OF THE MONTH RECOGNITION AWARD OUT ONCE EVERY MONTH AND WE'RE ALWAYS LOOKING FOR NEW PEOPLE.

VAL>> YOU'RE STILL LOOKING FOR NEW PEOPLE? WE'LL GET TO THAT IN A MOMENT.

JESS>> IT'S INTERESTING THAT THERE ARE THINGS THAT CONNECT THEM, THAT KEEP THEM INTERESTED, THAT KEEP THEM VITAL. IN HIS CASE, HE HAS A CONNECTION TO NATURE AS WELL, DOES HE NOT?

STEVEN LATHAM>> WELL, HE DOES. THIS PARTICULAR GENTLEMAN IS AMAZING. HE'S 101. WE JUST SPOKE TO HIM ON HIS BIRTHDAY A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO. HE REALLY DIDN'T HAVE MUCH TIME TO TALK TO US BECAUSE HE WAS OFF TO SCHOOL.

JESS>> (LAUGHTER) LET'S HEAR WHAT HE HAD TO SAY ABOUT NATURE.

RAY CHRIST>> OVER THESE YEARS, NATURE HAS BEEN MY GREATEST TEACHER. LOOK AT THAT BEAUTIFUL PLANT, AND THEN I EAT IT. I AM LEARNING THROUGH MY HANDS FROM NATURE. YOU'RE IN THERE WITH YOUR OWN ARMS AND HANDS AND YOU'RE PART OF NATURE. YOU'RE LIVING WITH NATURE.

"HENRY, YOU GOT TO GET ME A BEER. I CAN'T SIT HERE DOING NOTHING."

AS I REFLECT ON THAT, I THINK, HOW DID THESE THINGS HAPPEN? HOW ARE THESE PLANTS GROWING? HOW DO THEY COME OUT OF THE SEEDS? CURIOSITY, AND THAT HAS BEEN WITH ME ALL MY LIFE.

VAL>> HE'S A PHILOSOPHER TOO. ABSOLUTELY WONDERFUL GENTLEMAN.

JESS>> IS PHYSICAL ACTIVITY PART OF THE REASON THESE PEOPLE ARE SO LUCID AND SO BRIGHT NOW?

STEVEN LATHAM>> YOU KNOW, THERE'S A LOT OF FACTORS. I MEAN, THESE PEOPLE STAYED ACTIVE, WHETHER IT'S JUST WALKING AND DOING THE MINIMUM EXERCISE. YOU KNOW, TRADITIONALLY, EATING PRETTY HEALTHY AND GENES PLAY A ROLE. BUT THE NUMBER ONE THING WHY THESE PEOPLE LIVE SO LONG IS ATTITUDE. I MEAN, THEY TRULY HAVE A ZEST FOR LIFE. THEY LOVE LIVING. THEY LOOK FORWARD TO THINGS AND THEY WAKE UP WITH A PURPOSE EACH MORNING.

JESS>> STIMULATION.

STEVEN LATHAM>> ABSOLUTELY.

VAL>> HAS IT CHANGED YOU IN ANY WAY BECAUSE OF KNOWING THESE PEOPLE, YOUR ATTITUDE TOWARD GETTING OLDER, OR LIFE?

CHRISTOPHER CARSON>> BOTH OF US, ACTUALLY, VERY MUCH SO. A NUMBER OF REASONS. LIFE IS SO SHORT AND --

VAL>> -- SHORT, AND YET THEY'RE LIVING TO BE 100.

STEVEN LATHAM>> THESE PEOPLE, THEY GIVE US LESSONS THAT MAKE YOU ANSWER QUESTIONS NOW. AM I DOING THE RIGHT THING? IF I'M GOING TO LIVE 100 YEARS, AM I DOING THE RIGHT THING NOW? THE RIGHT JOB? AND IT MAKES YOU REALLY THINK ABOUT HOW YOU'LL BE HERE FOR A WHILE, SO MAKE SURE -- YOU KNOW, THESE PEOPLE PAY ATTENTION. MAKE SURE THAT, YOU KNOW, THE PEOPLE AROUND YOU ARE PEOPLE YOU WANT TO SPEND TIME WITH.

JESS>> GREAT PROJECT.

VAL>> WONDERFUL PROJECT.

STEVEN LATHAM>> THANK YOU.

VAL>> AND YOU CAN CONTACT THE PRODUCERS OF "THE LIVING CENTURY" AT THE PHONE NUMBER OR THE WEB SITE ON YOUR SCREEN. THEY ARE ISSUING A CASTING CALL FOR ANYONE WHO IS OVER 100 YEARS OF AGE. SO IF YOU HAVE A FRIEND OR RELATIVE WHO IS A CENTENARIAN, THEY'D LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU.

310-392-8503
WWW.THELIVINGCENTURY.COM

JESS>> THAT'S IT FOR TONIGHT'S BROADCAST. NOW FOR ALL OF US HERE AT LIFE AND TIMES TONIGHT, HAVE A GREAT EVENING.

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