10/22/02

LC021022

VAL ZAVALA>> ON LIFE AND TIMES TONIGHT --

JESS MARLOW>> A CLASSIC CALIFORNIA STORY AND THE AUTHOR WHO WAS VILIFIED FOR HAVING WRITTEN IT. JOHN STEINBECK’S SON SAYS HIS FATHER’S WORDS ARE STILL RELEVANT TODAY.

THOMAS STEINBECK>> MY FATHER SAID WHEN YOU CEASE CARING FOR THOSE PEOPLE THAT BEND OVER AND PICK UP YOUR FOOD, YOU’RE CULTURALLY IN DEEP TROUBLE, SO I THINK NOTHING HAS REALLY CHANGED.

VAL>> HOW CAN AMERICA LAUNCH A WAR WITH IRAQ WHEN NORTH KOREA IS THE ONE WITH NUCLEAR WEAPONS? TONIGHT WE’LL LOOK AT THE POTENTIAL THREAT NORTH KOREA MAY POSE TO AMERICA AND WE’LL ASK A RANKING REPUBLICAN CONGRESSMAN FROM CALIFORNIA WHAT THE PRESIDENT SHOULD DO ABOUT IT.

JESS>> AND THEN PATT MORRISON PITS THE BATTER’S BOX AGAINST THE BALLOT BOX.

PATT MORRISON>> BATTER UP. THE BIG GAME VERSUS THE BIG ELECTION -- ON TONIGHT’S INFINITELY MORRISON.

VAL>> IT’S SOMETHING YOU DON’T SEE MUCH ON LOCAL TV NEWS: POLITICS.

>> “THERE ARE ONLY TWO WEEKS TO GO IN THE RACE FOR GOVERNOR AND, ACCORDING TO OUR EXCLUSIVE EYEWITNESS NEWS POLL, GOVERNOR GRAY DAVIS IS STILL IN THE LEAD. RIGHT NOW, DAVIS....”

VAL>> A NEW STUDY SAYS CAMPAIGN COVERAGE IS A SCARCE COMMODITY. WHY ARE TV STATIONS IGNORING IT AND ARE VIEWERS THE ONES TO BLAME?

JESS>> IT’S ALL STRAIGHT AHEAD ON TONIGHT’S LIFE AND TIMES.

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

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 ENDOWMENT
THE STATE'S LARGEST HEALTH FOUNDATION SUPPORTING ORGANIZATIONS THAT DIRECTLY IMPROVE THE HEALTH AND WELL-BEING OF CALIFORNIA'S DIVERSE COMMUNITIES. THE CALIFORNIA ENDOWMENT, A PARTNER FOR HEALTHIER COMMUNITIES.

VAL>> GOOD EVENING, I’M VAL ZAVALA.

JESS>> AND I’M JESS MARLOW. WHEN JOHN STEINBECK WROTE “THE GRAPES OF WRATH”, SOME PEOPLE CALLED HIM A LIAR. THEY CLAIMED HIS TALE ABOUT THE GRIM LIVES OF MIGRANT FARMERS WAS TOO HORRIBLE TO BE TRUE.

VAL>> BUT, IN FACT, STEINBECK’S CHARACTERS WERE BASED ON REAL PEOPLE HE MET DURING THE GREAT DEPRESSION AND NOW, ON THE 100TH ANNIVERSARY OF STEINBECK’S BIRTH, HIS STORY MAY STILL HAVE A POTENT MESSAGE FOR CALIFORNIA. GAY YEE HAS OUR REPORT.

[FILM CLIP]

GAY YEE>> THESE ARE FACES AND PLACES FROM THE GREAT DEPRESSION, MIGRANT WORKERS WHO FLED THE DUSTBOWL MORE THAN HALF A CENTURY AGO FOR THE PROMISED LAND OF CALIFORNIA. PHOTOGRAPHERS DOROTHEA LANGE AND LATER HORACE BRISTOL TRAVELED THE MIGRANT CAMPS IN CALIFORNIA’S CENTRAL VALLEY DOCUMENTING THE PLIGHT. BRISTOL HAD A PARTNER, A WRITER. HIS NAME WAS JOHN STEINBECK.

JUDY KELLER>> IF YOU STUDY THE PICTURE, YOU CAN TELL THAT THEY ARE IN CONVERSATION WITH SOMEONE WHO IS OFF-CAMERA, WHO IS OUTSIDE OF THE PICTURE, AND THAT WOULD BE STEINBECK. BRISTOL IS PHOTOGRAPHING THEM WHILE THEY TALK.

GAY YEE>> THIS WAS THE GROUNDWORK FOR STEINBECK’S PULITZER PRIZE-WINNING NOVEL, “THE GRAPES OF WRATH”. THE JOADS WERE BASED ON REAL PEOPLE BROUGHT TO LIFE ON FILM BY STARS LIKE HENRY FONDA. IT IS THE TALE OF A POOR SHARECROPPER’S FAMILY LURED TO CALIFORNIA BY THE PROMISE OF JOBS ONLY TO FIND INJUSTICE.

HENRY FONDA>> “WHEREVER THERE’S A FIGHT SO HUNGRY PEOPLE CAN EAT, I’LL BE THERE. WHEREVER THERE’S A COP BEATING UP A GUY, I’LL BE THERE. I’LL BE IN THE WAY GUYS YELL WHEN THEY’RE MAD. I’LL BE IN THE WAY KIDS LAUGH WHEN THEY’RE HUNGRY AND THEY KNOW SUPPER’S READY.”

JAMES QUAY>> IT IS STILL AS RELEVANT TODAY AS IT WAS SIXTY-THREE YEARS AGO WHEN IT WAS PUBLISHED.

GAY YEE>> THIS YEAR IS THE 100TH ANNIVERSARY OF STEINBECK’S BIRTH. CELEBRATIONS RANGE FROM THEATRICAL READINGS TO THESE PHOTO EXHIBITS AT THE GETTY. THERE IS ALSO A STATEWIDE EFFORT FOR CALIFORNIANS TO READ “THE GRAPES OF WRATH” AND SHARE THEIR OWN STORIES.

JAMES QUAY>> WHAT IS IT ABOUT CALIFORNIA THAT ATTRACTS PEOPLE TO COME HERE? WHAT IS THE HOPE THAT PEOPLE BRING WHEN THEY’RE COMING TO CALIFORNIA? AND WE’RE BETTING -- WE KNOW -- THAT PEOPLE ARE GOING TO FIND THAT THOSE HOPES ARE SHARED HOPES.

GAY YEE>> JOHN STEINBECK WAS A DETERMINED HUMANIST. HE WROTE IN HIS JOURNAL ONCE THAT “EVERY BIT OF HONEST WRITING HAD THE SAME BASIC THEME, TO PROMOTE UNDERSTANDING.” HE BELIEVED IF WE UNDERSTOOD ONE ANOTHER, WE COULD ALSO BE KIND TO ONE ANOTHER.

THOMAS STEINBECK>> WELL, MY FATHER TAUGHT US TO REGARD EVERYBODY AS THOUGH THEY WERE THE GENIUS THAT YOU ASSUMED THEM TO BE.

GAY YEE>> STEINBECK’S SON SAYS WHEN HIS FATHER’S LEGENDARY BOOK WAS FIRST PUBLISHED, MANY PEOPLE DIDN’T BELIEVE IT.

THOMAS STEINBECK>> PEOPLE THOUGHT “THE GRAPES OF WRATH” WAS A LIE AND HE WAS BEING HEAVILY SLAMMED FOR THE BOOK UNTIL ELEANOR ROOSEVELT CAME WEST AT THE REQUEST OF HER HUSBAND AND LITERALLY TOURED THE LABOR CAMPS AND WENT BACK AND TESTIFIED IN FRONT OF THE SENATE AND SAID JOHN STEINBECK IS RIGHT, THIS IS THE WAY IT IS. OTHERWISE, THAT BOOK WOULD PROBABLY HAVE DISAPPEARED.

GAY YEE>> THOM STEINBECK IS ALSO A WRITER WITH HIS RECENTLY PUBLISHED SHORT STORY COLLECTION, “DOWN TO A SOUNDLESS SEA”. LIKE HIS FATHER, THOM CHOSE TO SET DOWN ROOTS IN CALIFORNIA’S FARM COUNTRY.

THOMAS STEINBECK>> I LIVE IN OXNARD, CALIFORNIA WHICH IS AN AGRICULTURAL TOWN WITH A GREAT MANY FIELDWORKERS. THE FACES HAVE CHANGED, BUT LABOR HASN’T. MY FATHER SAID WHEN YOU CEASE CARING FOR THOSE PEOPLE THAT BEND OVER AND PICK UP YOUR FOOD, YOU’RE CULTURALLY IN DEEP TROUBLE. SO I THINK NOTHING HAS REALLY CHANGED.

GAY YEE>> BUT THOM SAYS HE DOESN’T SEE DISAPPOINTMENT, HE SEES A CHALLENGE.

THOMAS STEINBECK>> HUMANS DON’T MAKE CHANGES VERY EASILY. IT TAKES, YOU KNOW, AS MA JOAD SAID, "MEN LIVE IN JUMPS AND STARTS, AND WOMEN LIVE LIKE IT’S A RIVER."

[FILM CLIP]

GAY YEE>> IN A STATE WHERE MORE THAN HALF THE INHABITANTS ARE PEOPLE FROM SOMEPLACE ELSE, “THE GRAPES OF WRATH” IS THE QUINTESSENTIAL CALIFORNIA STORY. WHAT BETTER VEHICLE IS THERE WITH WHICH TO UNIFY IT?

JAMES QUAY>> ONCE PEOPLE SEE THAT, THEY BEGIN TO THINK, OH, THAT PERSON ISN’T SO STRANGE AFTER ALL, ISN’T SO DIFFERENT THAN I AM. AND THAT CREATES A KIND OF COOPERATION AND TRUST THAT MAKES REALLY GOOD THINGS HAPPEN IN COMMUNITIES.

THOMAS STEINBECK>> BUT I DON’T KNOW ANY TIME IN HISTORY WHEN WE’VE EVER CORRECTED ANYTHING UNLESS WE’VE BEEN ASSAULTED BY THE SAME PROBLEM AGAIN AND AGAIN AND AGAIN UNTIL SOMEONE WAKES UP AND SAYS WE’VE GOT TO FIX THIS. SO WITHIN THE CONTEXT OF WHAT YOU SEE IN “THE GRAPES OF WRATH” IS THIS SENSE THAT THE PEOPLE GO ON.

MA JOAD>> “BUT WE KEEP A’COMING. WE’RE THE PEOPLE THAT LIVE. THEY CAN’T WIPE US OUT, THEY CAN’T LICK US. WE’LL GO ON FOREVER, PA, CAUSE WE’RE THE PEOPLE.”

JESS>> THE CALIFORNIA COUNCIL FOR THE HUMANITIES WANTS EVERYONE TO READ “THE GRAPES OF WRATH” AND THEIR WEBSITE, CALHUM.ORG, LISTS SCORES OF EVENTS RELATED TO THE NOVEL INCLUDING PANEL DISCUSSIONS, READINGS AND EXHIBITS THAT ARE HAPPENING THROUGHOUT THE STATE.

VAL>> TOMORROW ON LIFE AND TIMES, A MEDICAL MYSTERY. A HUGE SPIKE IN CHILDHOOD AUTISM IS NOW BEING CALLED A CALIFORNIA EPIDEMIC.

>> I'VE STOPPED BEATING MYSELF UP OVER WHAT THE CAUSE IS. I'VE STOPPED BEING FRUSTRATED. I'M NOW MORE FRUSTRATED TRYING TO FIND THE CURE BECAUSE IT'S TOO LATE TO FIND THE CAUSE FOR ME.

JESS>> AND JOIN US TOMORROW EVENING AT 8:30 FOR A LIFE AND TIMES SPECIAL, THE BATTLE OVER SECESSION. IT'S A LIVELY LOOK AT THE ISSUES AND SOME OF THE PEOPLE BEHIND THEM. WE INVITE YOU TO JOIN US FOR THIS IN-DEPTH LOOK AT SECESSION TOMORROW NIGHT AT 8:30.

JESS>> WASHINGTON IS PREOCCUPIED WITH A SEARCH FOR A SNIPER, BUT ON CAPITOL HILL, LAWMAKERS ARE FOCUSED ON THREATS FROM FAR AWAY.

VAL>> CONGRESS RECENTLY GRANTED PRESIDENT BUSH THE RIGHT TO USE FORCE AGAINST IRAQ, BUT THEN CAME THE BOMBSHELL FROM NORTH KOREA WHERE THE GOVERNMENT ADMITTED THAT IT HAS MANUFACTURED A SMALL NUMBER OF NUCLEAR WEAPONS. SO HOW CAN WE ATTACK SADDAM WHEN THE NORTH KOREANS MAY REPRESENT AN EVEN GREATER DANGER? JOINING US NOW WITH SOME ANSWERS IS CALIFORNIA CONGRESSMAN, DAVID DREIER. ALWAYS NICE TO HAVE YOU ON THE SHOW.

DAVID DREIER>> ALWAYS GREAT TO BE WITH YOU BOTH.

JESS>> IS NORTH KOREA POSING A GREATER DANGER OR A MORE IMMEDIATE DANGER?

DAVID DREIER>> A DIFFERENT DANGER IS REALLY WHAT IT IS. WE WERE ALL TROUBLED WHEN THE REPORT OF NUCLEAR DEVELOPMENT TAKING PLACE CAME TO THE FOREFRONT. BUT I THINK THAT CONDOLEEZZA RICE PROBABLY SAID IT BEST, JESS, ON SUNDAY ON "FACE THE NATION" WHEN SHE SAID THAT WE SHOULDN'T HAVE A COOKIE CUTTER FOREIGN POLICY EVEN WHEN IT'S DEALING WITH AN ISSUE LIKE THIS. WE HAD OVERWHELMING BIPARTISAN SUPPORT FOR THE USE OF FORCE IN IRAQ AND I CONSIDER THE VOTE THAT I CAST AN ANTI-WAR VOTE. I'M HOPING VERY MUCH THAT WE'LL BE ABLE TO SEE, AS PRESIDENT BUSH SAID YESTERDAY, SUCCESSFUL DIPLOMATIC RESOLUTION OF THIS.

BUT AS WE LOOK AT THE CHALLENGE OF NORTH KOREA, WE HAVE TO REALIZE THAT THE THREAT IS DIFFERENT THAN SADDAM HUSSEIN'S. IF YOU LOOK AT THE FACT THAT THE NEIGHBORS AROUND IRAQ ARE BASICALLY WEAK MILITARILY, THE NEIGHBORS AROUND NORTH KOREA ARE STRONG. SOUTH KOREA, CHINA, JAPAN. IF YOU LOOK AT THE FACT THAT, SINCE THE KOREAN WAR A HALF CENTURY AGO, NORTH KOREA HAS NOT HAD AN EXPANSIONIST POLICY WHEREAS SADDAM HUSSEIN CLEARLY HAS BEEN EXPANDING AND POSING A GREATER THREAT TO HIS REGION. WE DO KNOW THAT KIM DEA-JUNG, THE SON OF KIM IL SUNG, IS A KIND OF CRAZY GUY, A MANIAC BASED ON THE REPORTS THAT WE'VE SEEN, BUT I DO THINK --

VAL>> -- ALTHOUGH SADDAM HAS BEEN DESCRIBED AS --

DAVID DREIER>> -- OF COURSE, ABSOLUTELY, ABSOLUTELY. THEY BOTH ARE. THEY'RE CLEARLY OUT OF THAT SAME MOLD. BUT I THINK THAT THE STEP THAT WAS TAKEN FROM PYONGYANG INDICATES THAT A DIPLOMATIC RESOLUTION MAY BE ON THE HORIZON. THAT'S WHAT WE'RE HOPING.

VAL>> NEVERTHELESS, IT DOES SEEM A LITTLE BIT TROUBLING BECAUSE THE REASONING THAT YOU GAVE BECAUSE YOU VOTED FOR THE RESOLUTION TO AUTHORIZE FORCE AGAINST IRAQ, IT ALWAYS SEEMS A LITTLE BIT IRONIC TO VOTE FOR THE USE OF FORCE WHEN WHAT YOU REALLY WANT IS NOT EVER TO USE FORCE.

DAVID DREIER>> OF COURSE, ABSOLUTELY. I MEAN, THIS IS WHAT PRESIDENT BUSH SAID YESTERDAY, VAL. HE SAID WE'RE GOING TO TRY ONE MORE TIME WITH DIPLOMACY. COLIN POWELL HAS BEEN WORKING DILIGENTLY OVER THE PAST SEVERAL WEEKS, NOT WITH A LOT OF FANFARE, BUT HE'S BEEN WORKING IN NEW YORK. TODAY WE SAW THE EFFORT OF JOHN NEGROPONTE, OUR U.S. AMBASSADOR TO THE UNITED NATIONS, MEETING WITH THE PERMANENT FIVE MEMBERS OF THE SECURITY COUNCIL AT THE UNITED NATIONS. WE HOPE VERY MUCH THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO BRING ABOUT A RESOLUTION THERE.

I JUST COMPLETED CO-CHAIRING AN EFFORT WITH THE COUNCIL ON FOREIGN RELATIONS ON THE U.S. LEADERSHIP ROLE IN THE UNITED NATIONS AND I BELIEVE THAT WE NEED TO UTILIZE THE UNITED NATIONS TO PURSUE THE GOALS THAT WE HAVE OF DEMOCRATIC EXPANSION, SELF-DETERMINATION, POLITICAL PLURALISM WORLDWIDE, AND I THINK THAT WE'RE ON A COURSE TOWARD DOING THAT. SO WE DON'T WANT TO GO TO WAR. I MEAN, AGAIN, I CONSIDER MY VOTE AS AN ANTI-WAR VOTE. IT'S ONE THAT'S DESIGNED TO ENSURE THAT WE DON'T HAVE TO. AND THE RELEASE OF THE POLITICAL PRISONERS THAT WE SAW IN BAGHDAD AND THE INDICATION FROM SADDAM HUSSEIN THAT HE WOULD BE WILLING TO ALLOW INSPECTORS TO COME IN IS, I THINK, ALL A TRIBUTE TO THE LEADERSHIP THAT PRESIDENT BUSH HAS SHOWN ON THIS ISSUE.

JESS>> YOUR VOTE GAVE THE PRESIDENT THE AUTHORITY TO HAVE THE UNITED STATES GO IT ALONE, IF NECESSARY. THERE ARE THOSE WHO ARE REALLY CONCERNED THAT THAT'S NOT THE WAY TO DO IT, THAT WE NEED THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY. WE NEED A COALITION MUCH AS HIS FATHER CREATED.

DAVID DREIER>> JESS, WE WILL NOT BE GOING IT ALONE BECAUSE, AS YOU'LL RECALL, SHORTLY AFTER THIS THREAT BEGAN TO BUILD, ONE OF THE GREATEST SPEECHES WAS DELIVERED BY TONY BLAIR, A GUY WHO WAS REALLY ELECTED PRIME MINISTER OF GREAT BRITAIN OUT OF THE MOLD OF BILL CLINTON AND YET HE'S BECOME A GREAT ALLY OF GEORGE BUSH. SO WE'RE GOING TO SEE SUPPORT FROM ITALY, SPAIN, TURKEY, POSSIBLY SAUDI ARABIA. THERE IS GOING TO BE INTERNATIONAL SUPPORT. THE QUESTION IS --

JESS>> -- MORE IMPORTANTLY, HOW ABOUT FRANCE, CHINA, RUSSIA?

DAVID DREIER>> ABSOLUTELY, AND THOSE ARE QUESTIONS THAT ARE OUT THERE. BUT YOU USE THE TERM, JESS, "GOING IT ALONE" AND WE WILL NOT BE GOING IT ALONE BECAUSE THERE WILL BE OTHERS WHO SUPPORT US. PRESIDENT BUSH NUMBER 41 PUT TOGETHER A 28-NATION COALITION IN 1990 AND 1991 TO LIBERATE KUWAIT. I DON'T KNOW WHETHER WE'LL HAVE A COALITION THAT BIG, BUT IT'S CLEAR TO ME THAT WE WILL SEE CONTINUED SUPPORT. I THINK, JESS, THAT IF WE DO GO INTO THIS CONFLICT, WE'LL SEE THE SUPPORT GROW TO AN EVEN GREATER LEVEL.

VAL>> YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE MORE PERPLEXING QUESTIONS IN THE WAKE OF THE NORTH KOREA ADMISSION THAT IT HAD NUCLEAR WEAPONS WAS WHY? WHY DID THEY "CONFESS"? EVEN IF WE HAD THE GOODS ON THEM, THEY DON'T NECESSARILY HAVE TO --

DAVID DREIER>> -- YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT'S THE POINT I WAS TRYING TO MAKE, VAL. I THINK THAT THEY MAY EVEN BE LOOKING FOR SOME KIND OF DIPLOMATIC SOLUTION TO THIS CHALLENGE. WE'VE SEEN OVER THE PAST TWO YEARS INCREASED TALKS TAKING PLACE BETWEEN NORTH KOREA AND SOUTH KOREA AND I THINK THAT THAT IS A POSITIVE SIGN. THE IDEA OF BRINGING ABOUT A RECONCILIATION ON A PENINSULA WHICH IS CONSIDERED TO BE ONE OF THE MOST DANGEROUS ON THE FACE OF THE EARTH IS, I BELIEVE, A POSITIVE SIGN. I'M ALWAYS ONE WHO LOOKS FOR THE GLASS TO BE HALF FULL AND I HOPE THAT WE'LL BE ABLE TO --

VAL>> -- BUT DID THEY HAVE TO, YOU KNOW, CONFESS, SO TO SPEAK, TO TRIGGER TALKS? I MEAN, WHY --

DAVID DREIER>> -- WELL, I THINK THAT THEY MAY HAVE FELT THIS. THIS IS WHAT I'M HOPING. YOU KNOW, WE'VE GOT TO BE VERY VIGILANT. OBVIOUSLY, WE LIVE IN A VERY DANGEROUS WORLD. YOU BEGAN, JESS, BY RAISING THE SNIPER SITUATION IN WASHINGTON. I MEAN, WE LIVE IN A VERY FRIGHTENING WORLD AND WE KNOW THAT LAST WEEK GEORGE TENET, THE DIRECTOR OF CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE, SAID THAT WE LIVE DAILY WITH THE PROSPECT OF ANOTHER TERRORIST THREAT. SO ANYTHING THAT WE CAN DO TO LOWER THE TEMPERATURE IS A POSITIVE FOR US BECAUSE WE WANT TO DO WHAT WE CAN TO AVOID CONFLICT.

JESS>> FOR MANY PEOPLE, THE MOST CHILLING PART OF THE ANNOUNCEMENT FROM NORTH KOREA WAS NOT JUST THAT WE HAVE NUCLEAR WEAPONS, BUT THAT WE HAVE NUCLEAR WEAPONS AND MORE. WHAT DO THEY MEAN BY THAT, DO YOU SUPPOSE?

DAVID DREIER>> WE DON'T KNOW AND I THINK THAT THERE IS UNCERTAINTY. WE DON'T KNOW. I MEAN, IF YOU LOOK AT NORTH KOREA, IT IS AN EXTREMELY REPRESSIVE SOCIETY. A FEW OF MY COLLEAGUES HAVE BEEN THERE. A FELLOW WHO DID SIT ON THE RULES COMMITTEE, CONGRESSMAN TONY HALL, HAS JUST BEEN APPOINTED BY PRESIDENT BUSH TO BE THE NEW REPRESENTATIVE OF THE UNITED NATIONS DEALING WITH HUNGER. HE'S MADE SEVERAL TRIPS TO NORTH KOREA AND TALKED ABOUT THE REPRESSION, THE STARVATION AND THE DIFFICULT SITUATION THAT EXISTS THERE. THAT'S WHY I'M HOPING -- WE'VE PROVIDED TREMENDOUS FOOD AID, OF COURSE, AS YOU KNOW, TO NORTH KOREA AND SOME NUCLEAR TRANSFERS WHICH THERE ARE BIG QUESTIONS ABOUT THAT. IT'S A CHALLENGING WORLD IN WHICH WE LIVE AND I HOPE THAT WE'LL BE ABLE TO BRING ABOUT A RESOLUTION OF THIS AS WELL AS OTHER THINGS.

VAL>> WHAT IS IT -- I'M GOING TO SWITCH TOPICS AGAIN BECAUSE THE SEARCH FOR THE SNIPER IS NOT JUST A LOCAL STORY. EVERYBODY IS WATCHING. HOW HAS IT AFFECTED YOUR DAILY LIFE AND THE DAILY LIVES OF CONGRESS?

DAVID DREIER>> A COUPLE OF THINGS. I HAVE WITH ME A GUY WHO USED TO WORK WITH ME. HE HAS A WIFE AND YOUNG CHILDREN. HIS SON PLAYS SOCCER AND HE'S A BIG SOCCER FAN. HE SAID THAT HE DOESN'T BELIEVE THEY'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO PLAY SOCCER THE REST OF THIS YEAR. I WAS WALKING ACROSS ONE OF THE PARKS IN WASHINGTON JUST BEFORE I CAME OUT HERE -- IT WAS GREAT TO SEE, BY THE WAY, THAT "GRAPES OF WRATH" STORY. IT MADE ME PROUD TO BE A CALIFORNIAN AGAIN -- BUT I WALKED ACROSS THIS PARK, VAL, AND I SAW A WHITE PANEL TRUCK WITH A LADDER AND THE POLICE WERE STOPPING THIS TRUCK.

PEOPLE LITERALLY FILL UP THEIR -- I MEAN, WE AS CALIFORNIANS FILL UP GAS ALL THE TIME -- THEY CROUCH DOWN ON THE GROUND WHEN THEY'RE PUTTING GASOLINE IN THEIR CARS. GASOLINE STATIONS HAVE PUT TARPAULINS UP ON THE SIDE JUST TO REASSURE THEIR PATRONS COMING IN TO BUY GASOLINE THAT OBVIOUSLY A SNIPER WON'T BE ABLE TO GO AT THEM. IT'S A VERY SCARY THING. THERE ARE LOTS OF QUESTIONS OUT THERE. I THINK WE NEED TO LOOK AT WAYS IN WHICH WE CAN DEAL WITH THIS, BUT I WILL SAY THAT IT'S NICE TO BE BACK IN CALIFORNIA.

JESS>> LOTS OF PRESSURE ON LAW ENFORCEMENT TOO.

DAVID DREIER>> ABSOLUTELY.

VAL>> THANK YOU SO MUCH, CONGRESSMAN DREIER. GREAT TO HAVE YOU HERE.

DAVID DREIER>> ALWAYS GREAT TO BE WITH YOU BOTH. THANKS.

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JESS>> THE GOVERNOR'S RACE AND THE WORLD SERIES MAY HAVE MORE IN COMMON THAN YOU MIGHT THINK. PATT MORRISON IS KEEPING SCORE IN TONIGHT'S INFINITELY MORRISON.

PATT MORRISON>> WELL, IT COULD HAVE BEEN A GOOD JOKE. WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE ANGELS AND THE GIANTS, AND GRAY DAVIS AND BILL SIMON? AFTER THAT, THERE'S REALLY NOTHING MUCH TO LAUGH ABOUT. THE WORLD SERIES, WHICH NEVER HAS VERY MUCH TO DO WITH THE WORLD AND THIS YEAR IS EXCLUSIVELY ABOUT CALIFORNIA, IS BEING TAKEN FAR MORE SERIOUSLY THAN THE GUBERNATORIAL ELECTION TO CHOOSE THE MOST POWERFUL POLITICIAN IN THE MOST POWERFUL STATE IN THE MOST POWERFUL COUNTRY IN THE WORLD.

PEOPLE ARE SO TURNED OFF TO THIS RACE THAT IT'S A GOOD THING WE AREN'T SERBIAN BECAUSE, IN SERBIA, THEY JUST NULLIFIED SOME ELECTION RESULTS BECAUSE NOT ENOUGH PEOPLE TURNED OUT TO VOTE. IF WE HAD THAT LAW IN CALIFORNIA, RONALD REAGAN WOULD STILL BE GOVERNOR.

SO WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE BOYS OF SUMMER AND THE MEN OF NOVEMBER? IF, LIKE ME, YOU ARE NOT A BASEBALL FAN, IT CAN BE SAID THAT BASEBALL SEASON ONLY SEEMS TO GO ON FOREVER. POLITICAL CAMPAIGNS REALLY DO. THE ANGELS AND THE GIANTS ARE PRETTY EVENLY MATCHED OR THEY WOULDN'T BE PLAYING EACH OTHER. THE SAME CANNOT BE SAID OF DAVIS AND SIMON. IN THE HARDBALL OF POLITICS, SIMON IS LITTLE LEAGUE AND DAVIS IS THE YANKEES WITH MURDERER'S ROW.

NOW NEITHER CANDIDATE CAN GET THE CROWDS GOING THE WAY BASEBALL CAN. GRAY DAVIS WAS ACTUALLY IN THE PRESS BOX AT EDISON FIELD NOT LONG AGO WHEN SOME FAN HELD UP A SIGN READING "SCIOSCIA FOR GOVERNOR", THE ANGELS MANAGER, MIKE SCIOSCIA. THE ANGELS HAVE AN UNOFFICIAL MASCOT, THE RALLY MONKEY, A COME-FROM-BEHIND TALISMAN THAT'S TAKEN HOLD AS THE TEAM HAS CLIMBED THE RANKINGS LADDER. FANS HAVE COME TO THE STADIUM WITH TOY MONKEYS, STUFFED MONKEYS AND WEARING MONKEY COSTUMES.

IF BILL SIMON HAS A PRAYER FOR HIS OWN COME-FROM-BEHIND WIN, HE WILL NEED HIS OWN RALLY MONKEY TO TAKE ON GRAY DAVIS WHO IS THE UNDISPUTED 800-POUND GORILLA OF CALIFORNIA POLITICS. AND ONE LAST POINT OF DIFFERENCE BETWEEN AMERICA'S PASTIME AND CALIFORNIA'S TOP POLITICIANS. BILL SIMON IS NO GIANT AND GRAY DAVIS IS NO ANGEL.

VAL>> IF A POLITICAL CANDIDATE REALLY WANTS TO GET ON LOCAL NEWS, HE MIGHT THINK ABOUT LEADING THE POLICE ON A HIGH-SPEED PURSUIT. THAT'S HOW GRIM THE POLITICAL COVERAGE HAS BEEN ON MOST TV STATIONS, ACCORDING TO A NEW STUDY FROM USC'S NORMAN LEAR CENTER.

JESS>> RESEARCHERS FOUND THAT ONLY ABOUT A THIRD OF LOCAL NEWSCASTS CARRY ANY CAMPAIGN COVERAGE AT ALL AND, WHEN THEY DO, IT'S USUALLY VERY BRIEF. SO WHY IS THE CAMPAIGN NEWS SO SCARCE AND ARE THE STATIONS ONLY GIVING VIEWERS WHAT THEY WANT?

VAL>> JOINING US NOW IS MARTIN KAPLAN. HE IS DIRECTOR OF THE NORMAN LEAR CENTER AT USC AND ALSO ASSOCIATE DEAN OF THE ANNENBERG SCHOOL FOR COMMUNICATION AND A PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR ON THIS PARTICULAR STUDY. THANKS FOR BEING HERE.

MARTIN KAPLAN>> YES, INDEED. PLEASURE TO BE HERE.

JESS>> MARTY, YOU'VE BEEN AROUND THIS BUSINESS A VERY LONG TIME. ARE YOU SURPRISED AT WHAT YOU'RE FINDING?

MARTIN KAPLAN>> I WISH I WERE, BUT THE TRUTH IS THAT, IF I WERE A POLITICAL CANDIDATE, THOSE ARE THE LAST WORDS I WOULD SAY ON A STORY IF IT AIRED ON COMMERCIAL TELEVISION AND THE STORY WOULD BE OVER IN A FEW MORE SECONDS. YOU'VE ALREADY DEVOTED MORE TIME TO THIS TOPIC THAN MOST STATIONS DO.

VAL>> SO TELL US WHAT YOU FOUND. YOU FOUND, NUMBER ONE, THAT VIRTUALLY TWO-THIRDS OF ALL THE NEWSCASTS YOU WATCHED HAD NO CAMPAIGN COVERAGE AT ALL?

MARTIN KAPLAN>> IN THEIR HIGHEST-RATED EARLY AND LATE HALF-HOURS. WE LOOKED AT THE HALF-HOUR OF PRE-PRIMETIME AND THE HALF-HOUR AFTER PRIMETIME IN EACH MARKET THAT GETS THE HIGHEST RATINGS. SO WHAT WE FOUND ON 122 STATIONS IS THAT ONLY ONE OUT OF THREE BROADCASTS ON AVERAGE HAD ANY COVERAGE. AND WHEN THEY DID COVER A POLITICAL RACE, LESS THAN HALF OF THEM EVEN HAD A SOUND BITE FROM A CANDIDATE AT ALL AND, IF THEY DID HAVE A SOUND BITE, THE AVERAGE LENGTH OF THE SOUND BITE WAS ABOUT TEN SECONDS.

VAL>> UNBELIEVABLE.

JESS>> THIS IS -- THE QUESTION WAS RAISED, IS THIS BECAUSE THEY'RE DOING WHAT THE PUBLIC WANTS? THE MARKET RESEARCHERS SUGGESTING THAT THE PUBLIC DOESN'T CARE ABOUT POLITICAL CAMPAIGNS?

MARTIN KAPLAN>> WELL, THE SAD TRUTH IS THAT THERE ARE STATIONS AROUND THE COUNTRY THAT ARE RATINGS LEADERS IN THEIR MARKETS THAT DO A GOOD JOB OF COVERING POLITICS. DESPITE THAT, THE RUMOR AROUND AND SPREAD BY CONSULTANTS IS THAT POLITICS IS RATINGS POISON. SO FOR MOST NEWS DIRECTORS, WHY ROLL THE DICE? PLUS, GIVEN AN ERA OF SCARCITY, THEY CAN'T AFFORD TO HAVE REPORTERS WHO JUST COVER POLITICS ANYMORE. EVERYBODY IS GENERAL ASSIGNMENT. SO PUT THOSE FACTORS TOGETHER IN A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF TIMIDITY AND AN EFFORT ON THE QUARTERLY RETURN AND, IF YOU'RE A NERVOUS STATION DIRECTOR, WHY TAKE A RISK?

BUT THE TRUTH IS THAT THERE ARE FABULOUS EXAMPLES ALL OVER THE COUNTRY, IN SEATTLE, IN TUCSON, IN PHOENIX, IN SAN DIEGO, IN NEW YORK, IN BOSTON, OF GREAT STATIONS DOING A TERRIFIC JOB COVERING POLITICS USING THE SAME TECHNIQUES THAT THEY USE TO GET PEOPLE TO BE INTERESTED IN CAR CHASES AND FIRES AND IN ROCK STARS, APPLYING THOSE TECHNIQUES TO THE COVERAGE OF POLITICS.

JESS>> SO IF YOU DO IT WELL AND IF YOU MAKE IT INTERESTING, IT WILL ATTRACT AN AUDIENCE?

MARTIN KAPLAN>> EXACTLY. AUDIENCES WILL REWARD IT. THE PROBLEM IS THAT AUDIENCES, IN MANY INSTANCES, DON'T HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO REWARD IT BECAUSE THEY AREN'T BEING OFFERED IT.

VAL>> NOW WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT THOSE STATIONS, REALLY THOSE MARKETS, THAT DO A REALLY GOOD JOB, I DON'T THINK YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT LOS ANGELES.

MARTIN KAPLAN>> WELL, A RECENT STUDY SAID ALL OVER THE COUNTRY OF THE QUALITY OF STATIONS. THIS WAS SOMETHING DONE BY THE PROJECT ON EXCELLENCE IN JOURNALISM. THEY LOOKED AT STATIONS ALL ACROSS THE COUNTRY AND MARKETS ALL ACROSS THE COUNTRY. WHAT THEY FOUND WAS THAT, IN ALMOST EVERY MARKET, THERE WAS ONE NEWS STATION WHICH WAS AIMED AT THE TOP, THE THOUGHTFUL, A LEAD AUDIENCE, AND THERE WAS ONE NEWS STATION AIMED AT THE BOTTOM, THE KIND OF SENSATIONAL STUFF. THE EXCEPTION TO THAT WAS LOS ANGELES, WHERE THEY COULDN'T FIND ONE THAT THEY WOULD DESCRIBE AS AIMED AT THE TOP.

JESS>> OR THE BOTTOM?

MARTIN KAPLAN>> THAT, ALAS, THEY DID FIND.

VAL>> ALTHOUGH THIS CHANNEL BEING THE EXCEPTION, OF COURSE (LAUGHTER). BUT I KNOW WHAT YOU MEAN. THEY WERE LOOKING AT COMMERCIAL BROADCASTS.

MARTIN KAPLAN>> YES, EXACTLY.

VAL>> BOY, THAT'S REALLY DEPRESSING (LAUGHTER). NOW ANOTHER THING THAT YOU FOUND WAS THE ACTUAL AVERAGE LENGTH OF THE ENTIRE STORY WAS LESS THAN A MINUTE AND A HALF? WHAT, EIGHTY SECONDS?

MARTIN KAPLAN>> EIGHTY SECONDS OR SO. SOME STORIES ON SOME STATIONS AIR AROUND THE TWO-MINUTE RANGE. IN MANY CASES, THE STORIES ARE TWENTY SECONDS OR THIRTY SECONDS. THE POLITICAL COVERAGE ON SOME OF THESE STATIONS, IN THEIR HIGHEST-RATED HALF-HOURS, AMOUNT TO THERE'S A RACE, HERE ARE THE POLLS, ON TO THE NEXT STORY. THE CHALLENGE IS TO DO IN-DEPTH STORIES WHICH KEEP VIEWERS AND THE TRUTH IS THAT THERE ARE LOTS AND LOTS OF TECHNIQUES FOR DOING SO. THE PROBLEM IS, PEOPLE DON'T WANT TO ROLL THE DICE ON THEM.

JESS>> THE CANDIDATES ARE NOT BLAMELESS. SOME OF THEM, PARTICULARLY THOSE THAT HAVE ENORMOUS CAMPAIGN WAR CHESTS, AREN'T DOING THINGS THAT ARE NEWSWORTHY BECAUSE THEY'RE MUCH MORE RELIANT -- AND THEIR CONSULTANTS ARE ENCOURAGING IT -- MUCH MORE RELIANT ON COMMERCIAL MESSAGES WHERE THEY CONTROL THE CONTENT.

MARTIN KAPLAN>> YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT, JESS. IT USED TO BE THAT, IF YOU WERE A POLITICAL CANDIDATE, YOUR COMMUNICATION STRATEGY HAD TWO PARTS. THERE WAS THE PAID MEDIA WHERE YOU CONTROLLED AND THERE WAS WHAT'S CALLED FREE OR EARNED MEDIA. YOU WENT OUT, YOU DID EVENTS, YOU WOULD TRY TO ATTRACT REPORTERS AND CAMERAS AND YOU'D TRY TO PUT TOGETHER YOUR STRATEGY FROM THAT. BUT WHAT'S HAPPENED OVER THE LAST TWENTY YEARS OR SO IS THE FREE MEDIA HAS ESSENTIALLY DISAPPEARED. IF YOU'RE A CAMPAIGN MANAGER, YOU TELL YOUR CANDIDATE THAT TO WASTE TIME ON GOING OUT AND DOING EVENTS IS INSANE BECAUSE THE ONLY PEOPLE YOU'RE COMMUNICATING WITH ARE THE ONES YOU'RE IN FRONT OF.

JESS>> OR WORST OF ALL, CALLING A NEWS CONFERENCE AND NOBODY SHOWS UP.

MARTIN KAPLAN>> WELL, EXACTLY, AND, EVEN IF THEY DO SHOW UP, THE STUFF DOESN'T GET ON THE AIR, WHICH DOESN'T MAKE THE REPORTERS WHO COVER IT HAPPY EITHER.

VAL>> OR IF IT DOES GET ON THE AIR, IT MAY NOT HAVE THE PARTICULAR SPIN THAT THE CANDIDATE WANTS, SO WHY TAKE A CHANCE?

MARTIN KAPLAN>> RIGHT. AND AS A CONSEQUENCE, WE ARE SEEING THIS YEAR A RECORD-BREAKING ONE BILLION DOLLARS IN POLITICAL ADVERTISING REVENUES TO LOCAL STATIONS. IT'S NEVER BEEN THAT HIGH. IT'S THE REASON THAT MANY OF THE STATION OWNERSHIP GROUPS ARE REPORTING IN THE LAST QUARTER INCREASED PROFITS.

VAL>> AND, OF COURSE, THEY DO NOT HAVE AN INCENTIVE TO CHANGE THE SYSTEM BECAUSE THE BROADCAST STATIONS ARE MAKING A FORTUNE.

MARTIN KAPLAN>> WHY CHARGE FOR WHAT YOU CAN GIVE AWAY FREE?

JESS>> OUR THANKS TO MARTY KAPLAN FROM USC'S NORMAN LEAR CENTER.

VAL>> THE GOOD NEWS IS, WE ARE TRYING TO BE THE EXCEPTION HERE AND, HOPEFULLY, PEOPLE WILL NOTICE THAT. THANK YOU SO MUCH.

THAT IS OUR PROGRAM FOR TONIGHT. FOR THE LATEST ON POLITICAL NEWS, FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO STILL WANT TO GET QUALITY INFORMATION, YOU CAN GO TO KCET.ORG. CLICK ON THE ICON THAT SAYS "LIFE AND TIMES" OR GO TO "REALITY CHECK" AND YOU WILL GET POLITICAL COVERAGE PLUS LINKS TO OTHER CAMPAIGN NEWS AND PAST REALITY CHECKS THAT PUT THOSE POLITICAL ADS TO THE TEST.

JESS>> THERE'S THAT HALO ABOVE US. WE'RE REALLY PURE, AREN'T WE? (LAUGHTER)

VAL>> (LAUGHTER) YES.

JESS>> AND JOIN US TOMORROW NIGHT AT 8:30 FOR OUR SPECIAL ON THE BATTLE OVER SECESSION, THIRTY MINUTES OF IT. NOW FOR ALL OF US HERE AT LIFE AND TIMES, HAVE A GREAT EVENING.

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