11/02/04

LC041102

Val Zavala>> Tonight on Life and Times --

After the final ballot is cast, one candidate is a clear winner
no matter how the vote goes.

Ferial Masry>> All what happened to me is a blessing. Just
running, experience, meeting with the people I met and their
confidence. It's a great feeling in the world.

Val>> And then, a street person who isn't asking for a handout.
He's peddling rhymes. Meet the homeless poet who's found a home
on the streets of Brentwood.

It's all coming up next on tonight's Life and Times.

Life and Times is made possible through the generous support of
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 by a generous grant from Jim and Anne Rothenberg.

Val>> Okay, so we aren't one of those crucial swing states.
With California lined up behind Kerry, we're not going to play a
decisive role in the presidential campaign, but there are plenty
of local and state candidates and sixteen propositions on the
ballot making it one of the longest in California history.
David Okarski went to the polls to see how the voters and the
system are holding up.

David Okarski>> People were lined up outside the Pico Gardens
Community Room before it opened to voters at seven o'clock. A
half hour later, the line still winds out the door.

>> I think it's great. It means everybody is coming out to
vote.

Kena Alcocer>> There's twice as many. From other elections,
it's like twice as many.

David Okarski>> Kena Alcocer and Carmen Mendoza are members of
a nonpartisan group that's making sure as many Boyle Heights
residents as possible cast ballots, but they can only speculate
why it seems like more people than usual are here.

Kena Alcocer>> Well, because people want to see change. Maybe
that's it or they want to really make their voice heard.

David Okarski>> What's the most important thing on the ballot
to you?

>> The propositions, yes, especially 66.

>> I think the Three Strikes Law.

Kena Alcocer>> A lot of these voters are new, new citizens or
people who are turning eighteen are actually going to go out and
vote.

David Okarski>> When Kena and Carmen go inside, they become
poll watchers. What do you look out for?

Kena Alcocer>> Basically, those people who might not be on the
list. We want those people to get their provisional ballots.
We want them to feel that they're allowed to vote.

David Okarski>> Have you seen any problems?

Kena Alcocer>> No, so far, no.

David Okarski>> But problems do arise elsewhere. At a fire
station in Hollywood, one man says he wanted to vote for a State
Senator whose name didn't appear on his ballot.

>> On this, it says United States Senator and he's not listed.
He's not listed.

David Okarski>> Confusion reigned for twenty minutes.

>> Your answer is not sufficient.

>> Well, violence is definitely not sufficient.

David Okarski>> The sample ballot he got in the mail didn't
match the ballot in the voting booth.

>> I got a legal complaint.

David Okarski>> He had to write in his choice for State
Senator.

[Film Clip]

David Okarski>> Back at Pico Gardens, things are still going
smoothly, so Carmen and Kena leave and go through the
neighborhood knocking on doors to make sure no one neglects his
or her privilege as an American citizen.

Kena Alcocer>> We're telling them to go out and vote and don't
forget that the polling places are closing at eight, and they're
saying, yeah, they're going to go out and vote.

David Okarski>> They and other Union de Vecinos volunteers are
canvassing seventeen Los Angeles precincts. Organization
Director, Leonardo Vilchis, says they have contact with ten
thousand voters.

Leonard Vilchis>> What we're trying to do is make sure that
people come out and do the right thing by coming out and voting.
The other thing is, we want politicians and those who represent
us to pay attention to how mobilized is the community, how
active is the community in the political process, so they listen
and pay attention when people are asking for changes in their
community.

David Okarski>> About four million people are registered to
vote in Los Angeles County. In the last presidential election,
according to the Registrar Recorder's office, turnout here
reached sixty-eight percent and that was high. By nine o'clock
in the morning, more than twelve percent had already cast their
ballots. In this election, after the polls had been open for
two hours, turnout had already passed fourteen percent.

In the presidential race, Democrat John Kerry is expected to
carry Los Angeles County and California, but many ballot
propositions are still up for grabs. So in another part of
town, Neighbors Unified for Action is sending out its own highly
partisan get-out-the-vote volunteers. Alejandra Marroquin and
her mother are canvassing Echo Park and Silverlake hoping to
persuade people to vote for Proposition 66, Three Strikes and
Proposition 72, healthcare.

Alejandra Marroquin>> Mainly the idea is to communicate with
the voter on a one-on-one level just to have the opportunity to
exchange in a dialogue about the issues.

David Okarski>> They'll be at it until well after the sun goes
down and California's polls are closed. David Okarski for Life
and Times.

Val>> The candidate you're about to meet is making history
regardless of whether she wins or loses. Her name is Ferial
Masry and she is the first Saudi Arabian woman ever to run for
office in California. And as Stephanie O'Neill Noe tells us,
she has undertaken a remarkable political journey.

Stephanie O'Neill Noe>> In the rich Republican enclave of
Ventura County, I spent a day with one of the state's more
unusual candidates, a fifty-five year old native of Saudi Arabia
named Ferial Masry who's in the middle of a remarkable political
journey.

Ferial Masry>> "Hi, my name is Ferial Masry and I'm a high
school teacher and I'm running for the State Assembly."

Stephanie O'Neill Noe>> In the spring of 2004, the Democratic
candidate in the 37th Assembly District had to drop out and the
party asked Masry to run in his place. A long-time Ventura
County resident and Democratic activist, Masry was a viable
candidate, but it was too late to get her name on the ballot and
she had to get twelve hundred write-in votes to win her party's
nomination. She got more than twenty-four hundred, only the
second person to win a write-in campaign in California history.

Ferial Masry>> And I felt in my gut that it's going to be huge
and bigger than what I think. First of all, I am the first
Saudi woman ever to run inside Saudi Arabia or outside Saudi
Arabia. This is something that never happened before and it's
going to be really huge for the people there.

Stephanie O'Neill Noe>> What does your candidacy mean in the
post-9/11 world?

Ferial Masry>> I think 9/11 is really a symbol of failure, a
failure of a lot of politics in the Middle East and here. This
failure, I think, is needed to be replaced by another success
story, by something symbolic, and I think that's how I see, you
know, what I'm doing.

Stephanie O'Neill Noe>> Masry quickly started to attract
attention in high places.

Ferial Masry>> The State Department sent me an email and they
asked me because the American Embassy in Riyadh and the American
Consulate wanted to have a phone conference with Saudi
journalists, women and men there. One of the reasons they told
me is we cannot convince people here that America is different
and people in America they don't hate the people there, but you
can. You can explain that by telling them what you are doing
and what are your experiences.

Stephanie O'Neill Noe>> But Masry's campaign is an uphill
battle. Her opponent is better funded, better known and heavily
favored to win in this safe Republican district. But Masry and
her equally inexperienced staff are undaunted.

>> The hardest part is always explaining why we need political
contributions. Asking for money is the hardest part for all of
us, but I think we're getting used to it (laughter).

>> We're getting very good at asking for money (laughter).

Stephanie O'Neill Noe>> After some phone calls,

Ferial Masry>> "Yeah, sure, we're going to win it. No
problem."

Stephanie O'Neill Noe>> We're off to meet the voters, first at
their homes.

Ferial Masry>> "My name is Ferial Masry. I'm a high school
teacher. I'm running for the State Assembly."

>> "Hi. What is your name again? I'm sorry."

Ferial Masry>> "Ferial Masry, and this is my flyer here. How
old are you?

>> "I'm eighteen."

Ferial Masry>> "Eighteen, so you're going to be voting, right?
Okay, that's great, so you're going to be voting for me then
(laughter). Where did you finish your school?"

Stephanie O'Neill Noe>> And then, at a coffee where people can
learn where Masry stands on the issues.

Ferial Masry>> "Thank you. I really am honored to have all of
you here. Running is something that's beyond my dream what's
going on with my campaign. As you know, I'm a teacher, so my
passion is reforming the educational system."

Ferial Masry>> The American system, the American government, is
the only government in the world which is part of your daily
life. It's not something there. It is something within and you
can change it and you can play a role in it.

Stephanie O'Neill Noe>> She seems to have made a connection
with this group of voters in part because of her foreign
background. Well, what did you think about the talk today?
What did you think about Ferial?

Penny>> Sort of attracted by the exotic and by the fact that
this person knows exactly how many words are in our Constitution
(laughter) and came to the United States because she wanted to
live under that Constitution instead of under another form of
government.

>> She really cares about our American way of life and her
passion is over the top, as far as I'm concerned, and it really
draws me to her.

Stephanie O'Neill Noe>> Like any candidate, Masry wants to win.
But even though she probably won't, the very fact that she's
running is significant especially now. After 9/11, what was
life like for you and your family?

Ferial Masry>> It wasn't easy. You know, it's like I'm torn
between two things I love. It's being American and my
background. I love the two of them. The two are dear to me and
I feel like they're two kids fighting with each other and you
want to have them loving each other, you know? I know it was
tough for all of us.

Stephanie O'Neill Noe>> If you wake up in the morning and the
results say that you didn't win, then what are your plans?

Ferial Masry>> All that happened to me is a blessing. Just
running, experience, meeting with the people I met and their
confidence. It's a great thing in the world.

Stephanie O'Neill Noe>> I'm Stephanie O'Neill Noe for Life and
Times.

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Val>> It was one year ago this month that California
inaugurated a new governor after a historic recall election.
Over the past twelve months, Arnold Schwarzenegger has surprised
both his critics and supporters. NewsHour correspondent,
Spencer Michaels, takes a look at Schwarzenegger's rise to
power.

Spencer Michaels>> In personal appearances around the country,
Republican Arnold Schwarzenegger has clung to his Hollywood
image as a man of action.

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger>> "We are creating action in
California. We want to make sure that it is again this powerful
job-creating machine that it once was."

Spencer Michaels>> A promotional video for California tourism
explodes with pizzazz and sells Arnold along with the state's
scenic wonders.

[Film Clip]

Spencer Michaels>> The governor's use of his celebrity as a
political tool is a phenomenon that the state's just-retired
Assembly Speaker, Herb Wesson, a Democrat, appreciates.

Herb Wesson>> We've got an action hero who has saved the world
more than anyone else, albeit on the silver screen. I think
that because he is who he is, he's got fans, individuals that
want to get autographs, and what he's able to do with that is to
travel not just throughout this state, but throughout the
country and attract big crowds.

Spencer Michaels>> For those fans, Schwarzenegger's success
story is familiar. The Austrian native got into weightlifting
at age fifteen, moved to California, and in 1977 came out with
"Pumping Iron", the bodybuilding film that made him a star. He
married TV journalist, Maria Shriver, a John Kennedy niece. By
then, his movie career was in high gear earning him millions in
films like "True Lies" and "The Terminator".

[Film Clip]

Spencer Michaels>> Bonnie Reiss is one of his closest advisers
and a friend for twenty-five years.

Bonnie Reiss>> One of the things that makes Arnold so
successful at everything he does is that he draws upon the
lessons of everything he has done in his life.

Spencer Michaels>> In his first few months, Schwarzenegger
worked with the Democratic-controlled legislature to propose a
fifteen billion dollar bond issue to defer the debt which voters
approved, and a new budget.

Dan Weintraub>> The governor put out his proposed budget in
January which had very, very deep cuts in health and social
services and a lot of other programs. But over the months, the
Democrats sort of wore him down. There were almost no cuts to
health and welfare programs. He didn't really straighten out
the state's budget problem the way he had pledged to do so.

Spencer Michaels>> For some legislators like Democrat Jackie
Speier, the budget wasn't really new.

Jackie Speier>> The budget we put together was a Davis budget.
It was a budget that we could like and that our children will
hate. It's a budget about putting off until tomorrow all the
problems that we have. We have a seven billion dollar
structural deficit in this state.

Spencer Michaels>> Conservative Republican Senator, Tom
McClintock, who ran against Schwarzenegger in the recall, says
the budget is even worse than Davis's.

Tom McClintock>> We will actually run a larger operating
general fund deficit this year than we ran last year.

Spencer Michaels>> Despite that serious criticism, most
legislators give Schwarzenegger high marks.

Jackie Speier>> I think the governor gets an "A" for effort and
an "Incomplete" for performance. He has shown incredible
enthusiasm for the job.

Spencer Michaels>> Recent polls show sixty-five percent of
Californians think Schwarzenegger is doing a good job despite
some well-publicized problems like the hullabaloo over his
comments calling legislators "girly men" because they weren't
approving his budget fast enough.

Bonnie Reiss>> Arnold will always be Arnold and he will be true
to himself, so him being out there and having humor and making
jokes like on Saturday Night Live is something that's just who
he is.

Herb Wesson>> I am very critical of the governor doing that and
he knows that. He shouldn't do that.

Spencer Michaels>> The governor wasn't fazed by the
controversy. At a fundraiser for President Bush, Schwarzenegger
repeated the phrase.

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger>> "I've been organizing Austrian-
born bodybuilders for Bush-Cheney (laughter). I have even been
organizing girly men for Bush-Cheney (laughter)."

Spencer Michaels>> In a move that was interpreted as showing
concern for the poor, Schwarzenegger settled the lawsuit against
the state.

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger>> "This is an agreement that is
based on action because, remember, I'm an action governor, okay?
This is what this is about."

Spencer Michaels>> He agreed to funnel a billion dollars
directly to schools in poor neighborhoods, a plan the Davis
administration had fought. Defining Schwarzenegger's political
philosophy, he is not easily pigeonholed, has become a game in
Sacramento.

Herb Wesson> My opinion would be that Governor Schwarzenegger
is the most moderate Republican in this building.

Dan Weintraub>> He's really a very different kind of Republican
than George Bush. While they share something in common,
particularly on fiscal issues and their opposition to higher
taxes, Schwarzenegger has been much more moderate, even liberal,
on the abortion issue, on environment, on gay rights. He's much
more sort of a libertarian Republican.

Spencer Michaels>> Friends and critics alike agree that
Schwarzenegger is relishing his new role and playing up his
Hollywood past. He often jokes about his aspirations for even
higher office.

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger>> "I thank you very much for
changing the Constitution of the United States of America and I
accept your nomination to run for President -- wait a minute.
This is the wrong speech (laughter)."

Spencer Michaels>> Even though he may not be a traditional
Republican, Schwarzenegger's humor, his star power and the
appearance of success in California has made him a hot commodity
in the Republican party and at the GOP convention.

[Film Clip]

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Val>> We've all had that feeling. We see a street person come
toward us and we pull back not knowing what they're going to do.
Well, when people see Wendell Brown, they feel very different.
Wendell Brown has made a reputation for himself as the poetry
man. Independent producer, Brian Edelman, spent some time with
Wendell and found out just why he makes people feel so special.

Wendell Brown>> "Hi, baby. Hi, pretty girl. How are you?"

Brian Edelman>> I first met Wendell Brown when he was at work
and, while it looks like panhandling, it's not. He never asks
for money, but sometimes after you read what he wrote, you might
feel compelled to give. This is Wendell's open-air office on
the corner of San Vicente and Bundy in Brentwood.

Wendell Brown>> "How are you today, pretty lady? Where are the
girls? At school? At home? All right, see you later. Have a
good day."

Brian Edelman>> For the last fourteen years, Wendell's been
here where he's now recognized and welcomed.

Wendell Brown>> "What's up, pretty lady?"

Brian Edelman>> Wendell has been writing since the age of nine.
Now at fifty-nine, Wendell relies on his poetry to earn him
money.

Wendell Brown>> "See you later, bye-bye. How are you today?"

>> "Oh, a little stressed out, actually."

Wendell Brown>> "Oh, that's going to take your mind off it."

Brian Edelman>> Every day, seven days a week if he's feeling
all right, Wendell takes a bus two and a half hours from South
Central to Brentwood where his readers are the most generous.

Ray>> I look for him every day. He's written a poem about me,
the bus driver, Ray, the bus driver.

Wendell Brown>> This titled "Ray". "By now he knows the route
by heart as Ray drives the bus. For hours on end, he must put
up with passengers like us. But a smile or frown won't get him
down. He's cheerful with it all. A radiant cheerful friend is
there through winter, summer or fall. He works long hours every
day when sick or feeling well while all the while his
friendliness is such a huge [inaudible]. I truly think that
some ride his bus to find the boost they get from Ray's great
all-loving smile which hasn't failed him yet. So, Ray, please
don't ever quit and leave us in the lurch. Most any day you
should get help from prayers I say in church."

Ray>> I'm sorry that I didn't start driving this line sooner
because it's my understanding that he's been around for quite a
few years and he's well-known in the Brentwood area and he's
just like a fixture there. I see people pulling their cars up,
their SUVs and Mercedes, every day pulling over to the side to
pick up some of his new poetry.

Brian Edelman>> Spending time with Wendell back in his
neighborhood, you are really able to see the true impact of his
words, words inspired from his two years in Vietnam.

Wendell Brown>> There's no cure for me. My nightmares and
flashbacks, they've never experienced it.

Brian Edelman>> Wendell takes medication to help him deal with
his problems. The involuntary tongue movement is one side
effect of the drugs.

Wendell Brown>> "There is Pete. My sister, Joy. Teresa. This
is Pete.

Pete>> He really is an inspiration. I really never forget
that. My girl passed on and he did wonderful for me. He lift
me up. Thank God for this fellow here. If it wasn't for him, I
wouldn't be here today. If it wasn't for him. That's why I
love him so.

Brian Edelman>> He gives you hope sometimes?

Pete>> He gives me hope every time I see him, God is my
witness, every time I see him. That's Mr. Wendell. Love him.
I never found another person like him in life.

Joy>> One day I was walking through the street here. As a
matter of fact, it was the three of us. It was the three of us
and the police stopped us over here in the alley. They said,
hey, hold it right there. They said what are you doing over
here in this alley? You know what people do over here, don't
you? We said, no, we haven't done anything. He said, well, let
me see your ID and hold your hands up against the car. I let
him do it and all that. He asked me my name and I told him and
all that.

So after he finished and seen that we were clear and didn't have
anything on us, no records and didn't have any warrants, I said,
well, can I read you this poem my brother wrote? I said my
brother, Wendell, wrote this poem about police officers. The
poem was so inspirational and I told them they could have it
after I finished because I had more at home. They were so nice.
He said, well, okay, you all can go home now. He just let us go
home. He just said go home because I usually arrest people when
they're standing here like this, but he says I'm not going to do
that. He said I want you go ahead and read that to other
people. Thank you. Thank you very much.

Brian Edelman>> You remember that poem?

Wendell Brown>> "Thank God there are men and women working
night and day patrolling streets and alleyways for very little
pay. They have to have a special skill to do the job they do,
protecting me from violent crimes and [inaudible]. Besides
these many friends we very seldom think about, they're simply
men and women that we cannot do without. And if I recite any
more of this poem to you, you're going to take me to jail so
I'll go read it in the Santa Monica Mall."

Wendell Brown>> This is the highlight of what I wanted you to
see. All of them going downtown on skid row where they still
remember me. I was down there just a couple of days ago with
another friend and a lot of people weren't there. I asked about
them and they're back in society again. They're no longer down
there stuck.

Brian Edelman>> You can go with Wendell from Brentwood to South
Central and the reaction is always the same.

>> I have his poem sitting in my kitchen on the refrigerator
and up on the wall and everybody says, oh, it's one of Wendell's
poems. Everybody knows who he is.

Brian Edelman>> Wendell, why don't you recite one of your more
favorite poems to your favorite lady here?

Wendell Brown>> This is how her husband feels when he leaves
her at home in the bed before he heads off to work. He looks
back at you and this is what he's thinking. "When you're
asleep, I take a peek at your beloved face, but just a peek is
not enough, at least not in my case. I need more time to stare
as I enjoy God's gift. This knowing you're really mine, it
gives me quite a lift. You bring me so much happiness along
with hope and pride. It's not just your outer loveliness, but
also what's inside. My staring slowly turns into a gaze, but I
don't know another soul deserving so much praise. And no matter
how my life goes on, I know I'll never find another person quite
like you, so loving, sweet and kind. And no one else will ever
have your beauty such as you. That's why I'm hoping you'll
forgive the peeking that I do." That's my poem to you, sweet
lady (laughter).

Val>> Our thanks to producer, Brian Edelman, for bringing us
that piece on Wendell Brown. And that's our program. I'm Val
Zavala. For everyone at Life and Times, thanks for watching.
We'll see you next time.

Life and Times was made possible through the generous support of
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 by a generous grant from Jim and Anne Rothenberg.

Val>> Next time on Life and Times --

Jane Goodall, one of the world's most esteemed women, tells us
how she revolutionized the study of primates.

Jane Goodall>> I didn't have a degree before I went to study
the chimpanzees, so I did it all wrong. I gave them names
instead of numbers and I dared to give them personalities, minds
and feelings.

Val>> That's next time on Life and Times.