11/1/02

LC021101

VAL ZAVALA>> TONIGHT ON LIFE AND TIMES --

JESS MARLOW>> LOVE OR HATE HIM. GRAY DAVIS IS A MASTER OF BARE-KNUCKLE POLITICS. JUST ASK SOME OF THE PEOPLE HE’S DEFEATED.

RICHARD RIORDAN>> I KEPT TRYING TO, IN MY OWN MIND, FIGURE OUT HOW AM I GOING TO GET REVENGE EVENTUALLY (LAUGHTER).

RANDY SHANDOBIL>> WELL, HOW ARE YOU GOING TO GET REVENGE? WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO? (LAUGHTER)

RICHARD RIORDAN>> I WAS JUST IN SICILY ON VACATION (LAUGHTER).

VAL>> WILL CALIFORNIANS HOLD THEIR NOSES WHEN THEY GO TO THE POLLS NEXT WEEK? AND HOW MANY WILL EVEN BOTHER TO VOTE AT ALL? TONIGHT TWO EXPERTS, ONE DEMOCRAT AND ONE REPUBLICAN, HAVE SOME PREDICTIONS.

JESS>> AND THEN WE’LL LOOK AT A MEASURE THAT SOME SAY COULD BOOST VOTER TURNOUT. SUPPORTERS OF PROP 52 SAY IT WOULD REMOVE BARRIERS THAT KEEP MANY VOTERS AWAY, BUT WOULD IT ALSO OPEN THE DOOR TO ELECTION FRAUD?

VAL>> PLUS, A NEW KIND OF ART GALLERY ON WHEELS. TONIGHT WE’LL FIND OUT WHY SOME ARTISTS ARE HITTING THE ROAD WITH A NEW KIND OF TRAVELING EXHIBIT.

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. TONIGHT YOU’RE ABOUT TO SEE A POLITICAL MACHINE THAT WORKS. WE’RE TALKING ABOUT THE GRAY DAVIS CAMPAIGN, ALTHOUGH SOME MAY ARGUE THE MACHINE PART ALSO APPLIES TO THE CANDIDATE HIMSELF. BY MOST ACCOUNTS, THE MILD-MANNERED GOVERNOR IS ONE OF THE TOUGHEST POLITICIANS CALIFORNIA HAS EVER PRODUCED.

VAL>> BUT SOME SAY DAVIS CROSSED OVER FROM TOUGH A LONG TIME AGO AND HAS VENTURED INTO THE TERRITORY OF JUST PLAIN MEAN. TONIGHT YOU BE THE JUDGE, AS RANDY SHANDOBIL TAKES US WHERE FEW OUTSIDERS HAVE GONE BEFORE, INSIDE THE GRAY DAVIS CAMPAIGN.

RANDY SHANDOBIL>> EVEN HIS DEMOCRATIC PARTY FRIENDS SAY THAT YOU CAN SEE IT IN THE WAY HE DRESSES, SEE IT IN THE WAY HE QUAFFS HIS HAIR. CALIFORNIA GOVERNOR GRAY DAVIS CALCULATES HIS EVERY MOVE. HE HAS A TEAM THAT TAKES POLLS TO WEIGH THE POLITICAL COSTS OF SIGNING CONTROVERSIAL BILLS AND HE HAS A TEAM THAT DISSECTS HIS POLITICAL OPPONENTS. CAPTAIN OF THE TEAM? GARRY SOUTH.

GARRY SOUTH>> I MEAN, THE FACT IS, POLITICS AIN’T PATTY-CAKE. THIS IS A TOUGH BUSINESS.

RANDY SHANDOBIL>> MOST RECENTLY, IN THIS YEAR’S MARCH PRIMARY, THE GRAY DAVIS-GARRY SOUTH TEAM WIPED OUT RICHARD RIORDAN.

RICHARD RIORDAN>> BUT I THINK GRAY DAVIS IS THE MOST COLD-BLOODED PERSON I’VE RUN AGAINST.

RANDY SHANDOBIL>> IN AN UNPRECEDENTED MOVE, THE DAVIS TEAM TOOK OUT HIT ADS AGAINST RIORDAN EVEN THOUGH RIORDAN WASN’T DAVIS’S OPPONENT. RIORDAN WAS RUNNING IN THE REPUBLICAN PRIMARY, BUT DAVIS AND SOUTH DIDN’T WANT TO HAVE TO FACE HIM IN THE FALL.

RICHARD RIORDAN>> GRAY DAVIS RAN A BRILLIANT, GREAT CAMPAIGN, BY WHICH I MEAN A PERFECTLY EVIL CAMPAIGN. HERE IS A GUY THAT WILL DO ANYTHING TO DESTROY HIS OPPONENT.

RANDY SHANDOBIL>> FOUR YEARS AGO, IN THE 1998 GENERAL ELECTION, THE DAVIS TEAM DESTROYED THEN REPUBLICAN ATTORNEY GENERAL DAN LUNGREN. IT WAS A LANDSLIDE, A NEAR SLAUGHTER, THAT LEFT LUNGREN SOMEWHAT IN AWE.

DAN LUNGREN>> I MEAN, THE GUY NEVER GIVES UP. THAT’S ONE THING YOU’VE GOT TO SAY. THE GUY IS AS PERSISTENT AS ANYBODY YOU’VE EVER SEEN. HE’S GOT THE STICK-TO-ITIVENESS THAT VERY FEW POLITICIANS HAVE.

RANDY SHANDOBIL>> THE THRESHING WAS SO COMPLETE THAT LUNGREN LEFT CALIFORNIA AND LEFT POLITICS. HE’S NOW IN WASHINGTON PRACTICING LAW AND WORKING AS A LOBBYIST.

DAN LUNGREN>> I MEAN, MY HEART’S IN CALIFORNIA. IT’S JUST MY EARNING CAPACITY RIGHT NOW HAPPENS TO BE ENLARGED IN D.C. (LAUGHTER).

RANDY SHANDOBIL>> LUNGREN ACKNOWLEDGES THAT LOSING BY A LANDSLIDE WAS INDEED PAINFUL, BUT HE SAYS WHAT REALLY HURT AND HURTS TO THIS DAY IS THINKING ABOUT WHO HE LOST TO.

DAN LUNGREN>> GRAY DAVIS HAS PUT A PRIORITY ON FUNDRAISING LIKE NO OTHER CANDIDATE OR ACTUALLY ELECTED OFFICIAL IN THE HISTORY OF THE STATE.

RANDY SHANDOBIL>> TARNISH THE GOVERNOR’S OFFICE, SAYS LUNGREN. BOTH HE AND RIORDAN CALL GRAY DAVIS UNETHICAL.

DAN LUNGREN>> IF YOU SET UP A TOLL BOOTH IN FRONT OF THE GOVERNOR’S OFFICE, I DON’T THINK THAT’S ETHICAL. WHEN YOU TELL PEOPLE THAT YOU CAN TALK TO THE GOVERNOR, BUT THE PRICE IS $200,000 OR $250,000, I DON’T THINK THAT’S ETHICAL.

GARRY SOUTH>> WELL, YOU’RE THROWING OUT HERE THE LAMENTS OF TWO LOSERS.

RANDY SHANDOBIL>> SOUR GRAPES, SAYS GARRY SOUTH, AND WRONG.

GARRY SOUTH>> THE GOVERNOR’S INVOLVEMENT IN OUR FUNDRAISING IS NOT GETTING ON THE PHONE AND POUNDING PEOPLE FOR MONEY FOR HOURS ON END AS THE OPPONENTS WOULD HAVE YOU BELIEVE. THE SUM TOTAL OF HIS INVOLVEMENT IN FUNDRAISING IS BASICALLY SHOWING UP AT EVENTS. THE COLOR THAT YOU SEE ON THE CHEEKS OF A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO COMPLAIN ABOUT OUR FUNDRAISING IS NOT THE PURPLE OF RAGE. IT’S THE GREEN OF ENVY.

RANDY SHANDOBIL>> SOUTH WONDERS WHY REPUBLICANS AREN’T CRITICIZING PRESIDENT BUSH. SOUTH SAYS THAT, IN JUST TWO NIGHTS THIS YEAR, THE PRESIDENT RAISED MORE MONEY THAN DAVIS HAS IN HIS ENTIRE FOUR YEARS IN OFFICE.

GARRY SOUTH>> WHY DOES THE CRITICISM ATTACH ONLY TO A DEMOCRAT WHO’S SUCCESSFUL RAISING MONEY, BUT NOT TO A PRESIDENT OF THEIR OWN PARTY WHO IS RAISING TONS OF MONEY, UNPRECEDENTED AMOUNTS OF MONEY, WHILE AT THE SAME TIME HE’S SUPPOSEDLY PROSECUTING AN INTERNATIONAL WAR AGAINST TERRORISM AND GETTING READY TO INVADE IRAQ?

RANDY SHANDOBIL>> RECENT POLLS SHOW THAT, DESPITE DICK RIORDAN’S LOSS IN MARCH, RIGHT NOW HE IS AGAIN MORE POPULAR THAN GRAY DAVIS. HE HAS THOUGHT ABOUT RE-ENTERING THE RACE AS A WRITE-IN, BUT THEN REMEMBERS THE PAIN, HE SAYS, THAT WAS INFLICTED BY DAVIS AND SOUTH.

RICHARD RIORDAN>> I AM NOT THAT MASOCHISTIC. I MEAN, I DON’T MISS ONE SECOND OF BEING IN THE CAMPAIGN. I MEAN, TO BE BEAT UP EVERY DAY LIKE THAT? I MEAN, WHO NEEDS IT?

GARRY SOUTH>> WHEN YOU’RE RUNNING FOR PUBLIC OFFICE, IT’S A FIGHT BETWEEN YOU AND YOUR OPPONENT. THAT’S WHAT IT AMOUNTS TO.

RICHARD RIORDAN>> GRAY DAVIS IS BACK THERE WITH GARRY SOUTH IN EFFECT SAYING WE ARE GOING TO DESTROY THIS GUY, DICK RIORDAN. HIS KIDS ARE GOING TO BE ASHAMED THAT HE’S THEIR FATHER.

RANDY SHANDOBIL>> RIORDAN SAYS HE HAS FANTASIES ABOUT GETTING EVEN.

RICHARD RIORDAN>> BUT I KEPT TRYING TO, IN MY OWN MIND, FIGURE OUT HOW AM I GOING TO GET REVENGE EVENTUALLY (LAUGHTER).

RANDY SHANDOBIL>> WELL, HOW ARE YOU GOING TO GET REVENGE? WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO? (LAUGHTER)

RICHARD RIORDAN>> WELL, I WAS JUST IN SICILY ON VACATION (LAUGHTER).

RANDY SHANDOBIL>> DESPITE RIORDAN’S MAFIA FANTASY, SO FAR GRAY DAVIS HAS HAD THE LAST LAUGH. ETHICAL TACTICS? UNETHICAL? LIKE HIM? HATE HIM? SO FAR, IT HASN’T SEEMED TO MATTER. GRAY DAVIS ALMOST ALWAYS ENDS UP ON TOP.

JESS>> THIS YEAR, DAVIS AND SIMON WILL SET A NEW RECORD FOR SPENDING IN A CALIFORNIA GOVERNOR’S RACE. MOST OF THE MONEY HAS BEEN DAVIS’S, BUT SOME OBSERVERS WONDER WHETHER ALL THOSE NEGATIVE COMMERCIALS MIGHT ACTUALLY HURT VOTER TURNOUT NEXT TUESDAY.

VAL>> MONDAY ON LIFE AND TIMES, WE’LL TAKE ANOTHER LOOK AT THE L.A. COUNTY’S HEALTHCARE CRISIS AND THE LAST-DITCH EFFORT TO KEEP SOME CRUCIAL TRAUMA CENTERS OPEN.

>> AT HARBOR, WE SEE 1,750 TRAUMA PATIENTS A YEAR. THAT’S ABOUT ONE EVERY FOUR AND A HALF HOURS. ONE CHILD EVERY DAY AND, OF THOSE, AT LEAST ONE EVERY DAY OR TWO WOULD HAVE DIED IF WE’D NOT BEEN HERE TO TAKE CARE OF THEM.

JESS>> WILL GRAY DAVIS START PLANNING A PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN IF HE’S RE-ELECTED NEXT TUESDAY? AND WHAT HAPPENS NEXT FOR CALIFORNIA REPUBLICANS IF BILL SIMON LOSES? TONIGHT WE’RE CALLING ON TWO OLD PROS FOR SOME ANALYSIS AND MAYBE EVEN A FEW PREDICTIONS.

VAL>> WITH US IS REPUBLICAN ALLAN HOFFENBLUM AND DEMOCRAT JOE CERRELL. THEY’RE BOTH VETERAN CONSULTANTS WHO’VE SEEN MANY CALIFORNIA CAMPAIGNS, BUT NONE QUITE AS COSTLY AS THE RACE BETWEEN DAVIS AND SIMON. THANK YOU BOTH FOR JOINING US.

JOE CERRELL>> THANK YOU.

ALLAN HOFFENBLUM>> OUR PLEASURE.

JESS>> NONE QUITE AS COSTLY, BUT THIS ISN’T REALLY THE NASTIEST?

JOE CERRELL>> WELL, IT MAY NOT BE THE NASTIEST, BUT THIS IS DEFINITELY -- I MEAN, EVERY YEAR, THEY BECOME MORE AND MORE COSTLY. AL AND -- I DON’T KNOW EXACTLY WHEN HE STARTED, BUT I WAS IN AN ASSEMBLY RACE AND IT WASN’T $6,000 FOR THE PRIMARY AND THE GENERAL COMBINED (LAUGHTER).

ALLAN HOFFENBLUM>> WELL, I HAVEN’T BEEN QUITE AS LONG AS JOE, BUT I REMEMBER WHEN I COULD DO AN ASSEMBLY RACE FOR LESS THAN $50,000. BY THE WAY, I PUBLISHED THE TARGET BOOK WHICH FOLLOWS THESE ASSEMBLY RACES, AND THEY’RE NOW COSTING ON AN AVERAGE OF ONE MILLION DOLLARS JUST FOR A RACE FOR THE STATE ASSEMBLY.

JESS>> AND THE VILLAIN IS TELEVISION, RIGHT?

JOE CERRELL>> WELL, I WAS HESITANT TO AGREE WITH THAT ONE. I DON’T WANT TO BITE THE HAND THAT’S FEEDING ME. I MEAN, OF COURSE --

ALLAN HOFFENBLUM>> -- NOR I (LAUGHTER).

JOE CERRELL>> EVERYBODY DENOUNCES IT AS THE -- I LOVE TO TELL THE STUDENTS HOW MUCH THAT COMMERCIAL IS ON THE SUPER BOWL. YOU KNOW, TWO OR THREE MILLION DOLLARS. GOD FORBID, YOU SNEEZE AND YOU LOSE A QUARTER OR HALF MILLION DOLLARS WORTH OF TIME ON THAT BECAUSE IT IS VERY COSTLY TO TRY TO REACH OUT TO THE GREATEST NUMBER OF PEOPLE IN A VERY EFFECTIVE WAY.

VAL>> BUT THERE’VE BEEN SO MANY EFFORTS TO REFORM AND TO GET, YOU KNOW, CONTROL THE AMOUNT OF MONEY AND THE POWER OF MONEY. IT JUST KEEPS -- IT’S GOING IN THE WRONG DIRECTION. ARE NONE OF THESE CAMPAIGN FINANCE REFORMS HAVING ANY EFFECT AT ALL?

JOE CERRELL>> I WANT TO ADD TO THAT QUESTION A QUESTION TO ALLAN BECAUSE, SINCE I DON’T HAVE THE ANSWER, THEY WILL CHANGE, THOUGH, WON’T THEY? THE DAY AFTER THE ELECTION THIS PARTICULAR YEAR AS A RESULT OF CHANGES THAT BECOME EFFECTIVE ON THE SIXTH OF NOVEMBER?

ALLAN HOFFENBLUM>> YEAH, WHAT YOU HAVE IS PROPOSITION 34 THAT WAS PASSED BY THE VOTERS IN THE LAST ELECTION THAT DID PUT A CAP AS TO HOW MUCH FOR THE STATE LEGISLATURE. BUT FOR GRAY DAVIS TO SIGN THAT BILL, HE SAID YOU HAVE TO EXEMPT THE GOVERNOR’S RACE THIS YEAR AND THAT WILL GO INTO EFFECT FOUR YEARS FROM NOW (LAUGHTER). LET ME TELL YOU SOMETHING. THEY DO HAVE, IN EFFECT, A CAP ON STATE LEGISLATIVE RACES FOR SENATE AND FOR STATE ASSEMBLY.

BUT YOU KNOW WHAT’S HAPPENING? WE HAVE A NEW THING CALLED INDEPENDENT EXPENDITURE COMMITTEE WHERE POWERFUL SPECIAL INTERESTS BYPASS THE CANDIDATE ALTOGETHER AND START SENDING MAILERS AND BUYING TV AND DOING RADIO ON BEHALF OF THEIR CANDIDATES, IGNORING THE CANDIDATES ALTOGETHER. WHAT YOU HAVE -- LET ME TELL YOU SOMETHING. AS LONG AS GOVERNMENT HAS THE POWER TO TAX US, TO PUT US IN JAIL, TO REGULATE OUR LIVES AND OUR BUSINESSES, PEOPLE ARE GOING TO FIND SOME WAY TO COMMUNICATE WITH VOTERS AND ATTEMPT TO INFLUENCE ELECTIONS. YOU CAN COME UP WITH ALL THE CAMPAIGN FINANCE REFORMS IN THE WORLD, BUT PEOPLE ARE STILL GOING TO FIGURE OUT SOME WAY TO BE ABLE TO COMMUNICATE THE MESSAGE TO PEOPLE.

JESS>> AS A MATTER OF FACT, ISN’T IT TRUE THAT, PRIOR TO THE ADVENT OF RADIO AND TELEVISION, THERE WERE MANY POCKETS OF CALIFORNIA WHERE THE VOTERS NEVER SAW THE CANDIDATES, NEVER HEARD THE CANDIDATES, VOTED EITHER ALONG A PARTY LINE OR NOT AT ALL?

JOE CERRELL>> THAT’S WHY WE SAY THERE WERE MORE ANIMALS THAN THE COUNTY’S -- IT’S JUST INCREDIBLE THE PLACES IN CALIFORNIA THAT I LEARNED BY CAMPAIGNING BECAUSE ORDINARY PEOPLE DID NOT GO TO THESE BOONIES THAT WE HAVE. BUT NOW, THROUGH TELEVISION, THEY DON’T HAVE TO GO ANYWHERE WHERE THERE’S NOT A TELEVISION STATION.

ALLAN HOFFENBLUM>> WELL, THE LEGISLATURE ITSELF TRIED TO PUT A CAP ON SPENDING AND THEY DID WHAT WAS CALLED GERRYMANDERING, DRAWING THE DISTRICT LINES BOTH FOR CONGRESS AND THE STATE LEGISLATURE IN SUCH A WAY THAT ALL BUT GUARANTEE WHICH POLITICAL PARTY WAS GOING TO BE ABLE TO HOLD THAT SEAT, MEANING MOST OF THE RACE WAS DECIDED IN THE MARCH PRIMARY. LISTEN, NINETY PERCENT OF THE CALIFORNIA ELECTORATE TODAY WILL HAVE NO SERIOUS CONTEST FOR CONGRESS OR THE STATE LEGISLATURE.

JOE CERRELL>> AND THAT’S MINIMAL.

ALLAN HOFFENBLUM>> WE HAVE FIFTY-THREE CONGRESSIONAL SEATS AND ONLY ONE REAL COMPETITOR CONGRESSIONAL SEAT IN CALIFORNIA. WE HAVE --

JESS>> -- GERRYMANDERING?

ALLAN HOFFENBLUM>> WE HAVE TWENTY STATE SENATE SEATS AND ONLY ONE CONTEST UP IN NORTHERN CALIFORNIA. EIGHTY ASSEMBLY SEATS AND ONLY SIX RACES IN THE ENTIRE STATE THAT PEOPLE BELIEVE ARE COMPETITIVE. AND, OF COURSE, WE HAVE NO RACE FOR THE UNITED STATES SENATE. WITH ALL THE DEBATE GOING ON IN AMERICA TODAY ABOUT IRAQ AND FOREIGN POLICY AND DOMESTIC POLICY, YOU REALIZE CALIFORNIANS ARE TAKING A BY. THEY REALLY DON’T HAVE ANY SERIOUS VOTING TO DETERMINE NATIONAL POLICY THIS YEAR.

JOE CERRELL>> AND THAT’S WHERE WE WILL AGREE. GUYS LIKE US SIT DOWN AND CUT IT UP, OKAY, WE’LL PROTECT INCUMBENTS AND THERE ARE VERY FEW CONTESTED SEATS.

VAL>> SO THAT ATTESTS TO THE POWER OF INCUMBENCY, WHICH MEANS THE ONLY THING THAT GETS THESE PEOPLE OUT OF OFFICE IS TERM LIMITS.

JOE CERRELL>> AND, BY THE WAY, VERY EFFECTIVELY. I MEAN, AS SOON AS SOMEBODY GETS ELECTED TO THE LEGISLATURE THIS COMING TUESDAY, THEY HAVE TO STOP -- YOU TAKE OUT IN ORANGE COUNTY, COUNTY SUPERVISOR SPITZER RUNNING FOR THE ASSEMBLY. WHAT HE WANTS TO KNOW IS, WHAT AM I DOING SIX YEARS FROM TODAY? OR STATE SENATORS, WHAT AM I DOING EIGHT YEARS FROM TODAY? THEY DON’T HAVE IT FOR THE CONGRESS, BY THE WAY. THEY HAVE IT FOR THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, THEY HAVE THE LOS ANGELES CITY COUNCIL, SO TERM LIMITS IS EFFECTIVELY CREATING A GREATER TURNOVER IN THESE RACES.

JESS>> LET ME ASK EACH OF YOU ABOUT THIS CAMPAIGN AND THE DECISION BY BILL SIMON NOT TO GO NEGATIVE IN THESE LAST DAYS OF THE CAMPAIGN. SMART MOVE?

JOE CERRELL>> WELL, HE’S NOT GOING NEGATIVE BECAUSE HE WENT NEGATIVE AND IT BACKFIRED. THAT WAS BY SAYING THAT GRAY DAVIS HAD ACCEPTED A CHECK IN THE LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR’S OFFICE.

JESS>> AFRAID OF MAKING ANOTHER MISTAKE LIKE THAT?

JOE CERRELL>> WELL, NOT ONLY DOES HE NOT WANT TO DO THAT, BUT HE ALSO WANTS TO HAVE A COMEBACK. A LOT OF PEOPLE THOUGHT ONE OF THE REASONS HE RAN ORIGINALLY WAS SO THAT HE COULD RUN AGAIN MAYBE IN 2004 FOR THE UNITED STATES SENATE, IN 2006 ANOTHER CAMPAIGN FOR GOVERNOR.

ALLAN HOFFENBLUM>> JESS, BILL SIMON DOESN’T HAVE TO SPEND ANY MORE MONEY CONVINCING VOTERS WHY NOT TO VOTE FOR GRAY DAVIS. IF YOU BELIEVE ALL THE POLLS, THE MAJORITY OF CALIFORNIANS ALREADY DECIDED THEY WOULD LIKE AN ALTERNATIVE TO GRAY DAVIS TO BE THEIR GOVERNOR. WHERE BILL SIMON HAS FAILED IN HIS CAMPAIGN IS THAT HE HASN’T BEEN ABLE TO CONVINCE THE MAJORITY OF CALIFORNIANS THAT HE’S A REASONABLE ALTERNATIVE. HE DOESN’T NEED TO SPEND ANY MORE DIMES SAYING WHY GRAY DAVIS SHOULDN’T BE ELECTED. WHAT HE NEEDS TO DO IS SPEND EVERY DIME HE HAS IN THE LAST FORTY-EIGHT HOURS OR THE HOURS THAT ARE LEFT TO TRY TO CONVINCE PEOPLE WHY THEY SHOULD VOTE FOR HIM. THAT’S WHERE HE HAS FAILED SO FAR.

VAL>> IS IT TOO LATE?

ALLAN HOFFENBLUM>> OH, YES. IT IS TOO LATE.

JOE CERRELL>> IN THE WORDS OF THE REPUBLICAN CONGRESSIONAL CAMPAIGN CHAIRMAN, CONGRESSMAN DAVIS, I BELIEVE IT WAS, IT’S JUST ONE OF THE WORST CAMPAIGNS --

VAL>> -- ON RECORD PROBABLY (LAUGHTER).

JOE CERRELL>> YES. SO I WANTED TO QUOTE THE REPUBLICANS AS SAYING IT WAS ONE OF THE WORST CAMPAIGNS, NOT THE DEMOCRATS.

ALLAN HOFFENBLUM>> SIMON HAS ONE CHANCE AND ONE CHANCE ONLY. IF ALL THE DEMOCRATS WHO ARE DISSATISFIED WITH GRAY DAVIS ACTUALLY STAY HOME AND ALL THE REPUBLICANS GET TO THE POLLS AND WE HAVE THE LOWEST TURNOUT IN HISTORY, MAYBE SIMON HAS AN OUTSIDE CHANCE.

JOE CERRELL>> I TOTALLY AGREE WITH MR. HOFFENBLUM. IF IT’S AN UTTERLY LOW TURNOUT BECAUSE REPUBLICANS HAVE A HIGHER PROPENSITY TO VOTE, IT’S JUST NOT GOING TO HAPPEN. I CAN’T ENVISION HOW IT COULD HAPPEN.

JESS>> EARLIER IN THE BROADCAST, WE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY PERHAPS FOR SIMON TO WIN IF FORMER MAYOR RIORDAN GETS HIS WISH. HE SAID HE WANTED TO GET HIS REVENGE AND HE HAD JUST RETURNED FROM VACATION IN SICILY. YOU LIKE THAT JOKE? (LAUGHTER)

JOE CERRELL>> I’M TAKING A PASS ON THAT (LAUGHTER).

VAL>> (LAUGHTER) WELL, THERE’S A TREMENDOUS BIPARTISAN CONSENSUS HERE BETWEEN ALLAN HOFFENBLUM AND JOE CERRELL. THANK YOU SO MUCH, BOTH OF YOU, FOR BEING HERE.

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JESS>> WHEN IT COMES TO VOTER TURNOUT, CALIFORNIA HAS A PRETTY DISMAL RECORD, BUT A NEW MEASURE ON TUESDAY’S BALLOT COULD CHANGE THAT.

VAL>> PROP 52 WOULD ALLOW PEOPLE TO REGISTER AND VOTE ON THE SAME DAY. NOW SUPPORTERS CLAIM THAT WOULD GREATLY BOOST THE STATE’S ELECTION TURNOUT, BUT CRITICS WORRY THAT PROP 52 WOULD PRODUCE SOMETHING ELSE: A HUGE NEW WAVE OF VOTER FRAUD.

RANDY SHANDOBIL>> IF YOU DIDN’T CAST A BALLOT IN THE STATEWIDE PRIMARY ELECTION LAST MARCH, YOU’RE PART OF THE MAJORITY. NON-VOTING ADULTS OUTNUMBERED VOTERS TWO TO ONE. VOTER APATHY IN CALIFORNIA IS SO WIDESPREAD THAT CLOSE TO FORTY PERCENT OF PEOPLE WHO CAN VOTE DON’T EVEN BOTHER TO REGISTER. THAT BOTHERS ROB MCKAY. MCKAY IS THE PHILANTHROPIST HEIR TO THE TACO BELL FORTUNE, THE FINANCIAL FORCE BEHIND PROPOSITION 52, THE INITIATIVE THAT WOULD ALLOW CALIFORNIANS TO REGISTER TO VOTE RIGHT AT THEIR POLLING PLACES ON ELECTION DAY.

ROB MCKAY>> A RECENT GALLUP POLL SAID THAT, IN THE 2000 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION, OVER EIGHTY PERCENT OF THE ELECTORATE DID NOT REALLY TAKE SERIOUSLY THE VARIOUS ISSUES THAT WERE IN CANDIDATES THAT WERE ON THE BALLOT UNTIL THE LAST COUPLE OF WEEKS. FOR THE UNREGISTERED VOTER, THAT’S TOO LATE TO PUT A STATEMENT OF PROCESS AND I’M NOT SURE WHY WE WOULD CHOOSE TO PENALIZE THOSE CITIZENS.

RANDY SHANDOBIL>> MCKAY SAYS HE’S SURE THE IDEA WORKS BECAUSE SIX OTHER STATES ARE ALREADY USING THE SYSTEM AND THEY’VE HAD ABOUT A SIX PERCENT INCREASE IN VOTER TURNOUT. BUT PROPOSITION 52 CRITICS, SUCH AS THE HOWARD JARVIS TAXPAYERS ASSOCIATION’S JON COUPAL, SAY ELECTION DAY REGISTRATION COULD OPEN THE FLOODGATES TO FRAUD. THERE WOULD BE NO TIME TO CHECK WHETHER SOMEONE REALLY LIVES IN THE PRECINCT WHERE HE’S TRYING TO VOTE.

ROB MCKAY>> WE ARE CONCERNED THAT THERE WILL BE SITUATIONS WHERE THERE ARE MONEYED INTERESTS WANTING HIGHER TAXES THAT WILL ACTUALLY BUS PEOPLE IN FROM OUTLYING COMMUNITIES. CONSPIRACY TO COMMIT FRAUD WILL BE A FELONY.

RANDY SHANDOBIL>> MCKAY WORKED WITH ELECTION OFFICIALS AND GOOD GOVERNMENT ADVOCATES IN CRAFTING PROPOSITION 52. CALIFORNIA COMMON CAUSE CHIEF, JIM KNOX, THINKS ELECTION DAY REGISTRATION COULD INCREASE VOTER TURNOUT BY AS MUCH AS TEN PERCENT.

JIM KNOX>> THIS IS GOING TO DO GREAT THINGS TO ALLOW MORE PEOPLE TO TAKE PART IN THE DEMOCRATIC PROCESS.

RANDY SHANDOBIL>> WHILE THERE ARE PENALTIES FOR FRAUD, THE POTENTIAL IS REAL. EVEN TODAY, YOU CAN WALK INTO A REGISTRAR’S OFFICE, TAKE AN APPLICATION HOME AND FILL IT OUT AND MAIL IT IN WITHOUT SHOWING PROOF THAT YOU’RE A CITIZEN OR THE MINIMUM EIGHTEEN YEARS OF AGE. AND WHILE CONTRA COSTA COUNTY REGISTRAR, STEVE WEIR, DOESN’T TAKE STANDS ON INITIATIVES, HE SAYS PROP 52 COULD MAKE COMMITTING FRAUD EVEN EASIER THAN IT IS NOW.

STEVE WEIR>> YOU CAN SHOW UP AT A POLLING PLACE WITH ANY KIND OF A PIECE OF MAIL, NOT YOUR DRIVER’S LICENSE, ANY KIND OF A PIECE OF MAIL, A BANK STATEMENT, A PIECE OF “JUNK MAIL” SHOWING YOUR ADDRESS. IF IT’S IN THAT PRECINCT, THEY’LL LET YOU VOTE A BALLOT THAT GOES INTO THE BALLOT BOX. WE DON’T CHECK THAT LATER.

RANDY SHANDOBIL>> WEIR SAYS HE LIKES THE IDEA OF REGISTERING TO VOTE ON ELECTION DAY, BUT ONLY IF IT’S DONE AT THE REGISTRAR’S OFFICE WHERE HE HAS THE STAFF AND INFORMATION TO CHECK OUT APPLICANTS.

STATE OFFICIALS ARE PREDICTING A VERY LOW VOTER TURNOUT THIS NOVEMBER. THAT’S JUST WHAT ROB MCKAY IS HOPING HIS INITIATIVE WOULD TURN AROUND. IRONICALLY, IT LOOKS LIKE HE’LL NEED AN APATHETIC ELECTORATE TO HELP HIM.

JESS>> THOSE WHO OPPOSE PROP 52 CLAIM IT WOULD CONTRIBUTE TO THE DUMBING DOWN OF THE ELECTORATE. THEY INSIST THAT PEOPLE WHO REGISTER WELL BEFORE THE ELECTION TEND TO BE SERIOUS AND WELL-INFORMED, NOT THE KIND OF PEOPLE WHO SIMPLY VOTE ON A WHIM. BUT CRITICS SAY THAT KIND OF ELITIST THINKING IS ONE OF THE REASON VOTER TURNOUT IS SO POOR.

VAL>> WELL, THERE IS MORE TO LIFE THAN POLITICS. THERE’S ALSO ART AND TONIGHT WE HAVE THE STORY OF A GLENDALE MAN WHO HAS HIT THE ROAD TO BRING SOME BEAUTIFUL WORKS OF ART TO A STREET CORNER NEAR YOU. IT’S CALLED “CARAVAN ART”.

ZADIK ZADIKIAN>> I'M ZADIK ZADIKIAN. I WAS BORN IN YEREVAN, ARMENIA IN 1948. I GREW UP NINETEEN YEARS OF MY LIFE IN ARMENIA, WENT TO ART SCHOOL SINCE SIX YEARS OLD. AS I GREW UP, I WENT TO ART ACADEMY OF YEREVAN, A VERY IMPORTANT ARTIST SCHOOL IN ARMENIA, AND I GRADUATED AS SCULPTOR PAINTER IN 1965.

TWO YEARS AGO, I CAME UP WITH A VERY DEFINITE IDEA OF PUTTING LARGE-SCALE PAINTINGS ON TRUCKS AND RUNNING THEM THROUGH THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA. WHEN THIS BECAME VERY CLEAR IN MY HEAD THAT IT'S A VERY NEW AND INTERESTING WAY OF SHOWING ART TO MASSES, WE WERE ABLE TO APPROACH THE CITY OF GLENDALE AND WE FOUND OUT THAT THE DEVELOPMENT AGENCY HAS SPACES THAT POSSIBLY THEY CAN GIVE US TO USE FOR THE PROJECT. I WAS LUCKY ENOUGH TO FIND THIS SPACE IN GLENDALE THAT IS VERY PERFECT FOR THESE VERY LARGE-SCALE PAINTINGS FOR THIS PROJECT.

ARAN ZADIKIAN>> THE CARAVAN REALLY IS ABOUT BRINGING NOT ONLY ART TO PEOPLE IN A PHYSICAL WAY, BUT THE IDEA THAT THINGS LIKE THIS THAT GO ON IS KIND OF MENTALLY SATISFYING, I THINK, TO PEOPLE.

ZADIK ZADIKIAN>> WE BUILD BRAND NEW BILLBOARDS AND STRETCH THE CANVASES ON THE BILLBOARDS AND DRIVE THEM BACK TO BACK FORMING A CARAVAN THROUGHOUT ALL OF THE CALIFORNIA STATE.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH, AND I WOULD LIKE TO INVITE CHARLES. CHARLES?

CHARLES GARABEDIAN>> IT'S A VERY POSITIVE KIND OF THING ABOUT HAVING, YOU KNOW, JUST SHOWING ART OUT THERE, SHOWING IT OUT THERE. WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT IT, IT'S PRETTY -- FOR AN OLD HARDENED VETERAN LIKE ME, I WAS VERY SKEPTICAL ABOUT THINGS LIKE THIS, BUT MOST OF THE PEOPLE I TALKED TO THAT DON'T KNOW THAT MUCH ABOUT ART, THEY SEEM TO LOVE THE IDEA.

ZADIK ZADIKIAN>> CHARLES WAS FOLLOWING UP MY WORK FOR A VERY LONG TIME. WE KNOW EACH OTHER FOR THE LAST THIRTY YEARS. WHEN THIS CONCEPT STARTED EVOLVING AND CULTIVATING ITSELF, HE ASKED ME IF HE COULD PAINT ONE OF THE TRUCKS BECAUSE HE SAW THAT THIS PROJECT HAS SOME EDGE TO IT, SOME ELEMENT THAT HE HASN'T EXPERIENCED, AND HE THOUGHT THAT IT WOULD BE GREAT EXPERIENCE FOR HIM AS WELL. I'M GLAD THAT HE TOOK THAT KIND OF RESPONSIBILITY AND BECAME PART OF THIS PROJECT.

CHARLES GARABEDIAN>> WHEN YOU SEE AN OPPORTUNITY TO DO SOMETHING THAT WILL SURPRISE YOU, SHOW YOU SOMETHING NEW ABOUT YOURSELF, YOU GO FOR IT. NO MATTER WHAT, YOU GO FOR IT. HOW YOU REPRESENT SOMETHING DOES AFFECT ME ON THIS SCALE, BUT AFFECTS ME IN A WAY THAT I LIKE. I'M EVEN MORE CASUAL WITH THIS SCALE THAN I WAS ON SOMETHING SLIGHTLY SMALLER.

ZADIK ZADIKIAN>> THE PROJECT IS GOING TO CARRY ONLY ANGELS, BESIDES CHARLES' PAINTINGS, HIS OWN PAINTINGS. BUT FOR ME, I'M GOING TO HAVE ANGELS JUST SIMPLY BECAUSE WITH SINGULAR IMAGE AS OF AN ANGEL EVERYBODY CAN RELATE TO AND IT'S MUCH MORE SIMPLE. OF COURSE, THERE'LL BE TWELVE DIFFERENT ANGELS.

CHARLES GARABEDIAN>> AND THESE ANGELS ARE DETAILED IN IDEAS TAKEN FROM ARMENIAN MANUSCRIPTS. HE’LL TAKE A DETAIL AND THEN HE'LL JUST LET IT EXPLODE ONTO THIS HUGE CANVAS IN HIS OWN KIND OF WAY OF PAINTING. EVERYBODY IS GOING TO LOOK AT THIS CARAVAN OF TRUCKS DIFFERENTLY. IF YOU'RE, YOU KNOW, HUMAN AT ALL, YOU WILL BE ENLIGHTENED SOMEHOW. YOU WILL HAVE A FEELING THAT SOMETHING HAS HAPPENED TO YOU OR SOMETHING THAT'S HAPPENED IN YOUR LIFE THAT IS MAYBE WORTHWHILE.

ARAN ZADIKIAN>> WE REALLY ARE DEPENDENT ON INDIVIDUALS AND MORE PRIVATE ORGANIZATIONS RIGHT NOW TO TRY TO SEE THIS ON ITS WAY. IT'S REALLY -- THE AMOUNT OF ENERGY THAT THIS IS GOING TO GIVE TO THE WORLD, WELL, IMMEDIATELY TO CALIFORNIA, IS INCREDIBLE, I THINK, TO THE RATIO OF WHAT IT'S ACTUALLY GOING TO COST TO PRODUCE.

ZADIK ZADIKIAN>> I DON'T THINK THAT STYLES ARE VERY IMPORTANT IN ART. I THINK THAT WHAT IS BEING SAID IS VERY IMPORTANT IN ART. MY INTEREST WAS ALWAYS COMING AND INTRODUCING DIFFERENT CULTURES FROM DIFFERENT TIMES. WHEN WE LOOK AT THE ROMANS, GREEKS, EGYPTIANS, ASSYRIANS, ALL OF ANCIENT WORLD, ART IS OUT THERE FOR EVERYBODY TO EXPERIENCE. ONLY IN CONTEMPORARY TIMES, CONTEMPORARY ART WORLD IS SOMEHOW SEGREGATED FROM THE SOCIETY.

I THINK THIS IS A FIRST STEP TO BRING BACK THOSE ANCIENT VALUES OR BRING THAT ART BACK TO THIS TIME. I THINK THAT ALONE HAS SOME VALUE IN THIS TIME. THE EXPERIENCE THAT THE MAJORITY OF MASSES ARE GOING TO HAVE FROM THIS, I THINK, IS JUST THE BEGINNING OF SOMETHING THIS PROJECT WILL DO FOR EVERYONE.

ARAN ZADIKIAN>> WE'RE LIVING IN A WORLD WHERE WE HAVE INTERNET AND PHONE AND SATELLITE COMMUNICATION, BUT I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S REALLY -- THE MESSAGES REALLY AREN'T BEING TRANSFERRED. IT'S PURELY ON A SURFACE LEVEL, BUT THAT DEEP-ROOTED MEANING, I DON'T EVEN THINK IT CAN BE EXPRESSED IN WORDS. I THINK SOMETHING VISUAL, SOMETHING THAT YOU DON'T EVEN KNOW YOU'RE DOING, JUST COMES OUT OF YOU. THAT'S WHAT REALLY COMMUNICATES.

JESS>> WE'D LIKE TO THANK OUR FRIENDS AT GLENDALE CITY TV CHANNEL FOR SHARING THAT REPORT WITH US. IF YOU'D LIKE MORE INFORMATION ON "CARAVAN", YOU CAN VISIT THEIR WEBSITE AT WWW.CARAVANPROJECT.COM.

VAL>> IT’S REALLY HARD TO GET MAD WHEN YOU’RE CUT OFF BY AN ANGEL (LAUGHTER). WE’D LIKE TO INVITE YOU TO KEEP UP WITH ALL THE LATEST ELECTION NEWS BY LOGGING ON TO THE KCET WEBSITE AT WWW.KCET.ORG AND CLICK ONTO “REALITY CHECKS”.

JESS>> THAT’S TONIGHT’S PROGRAM. NOW FOR ALL OF US HERE AT LIFE AND TIMES, HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND.

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