March 6, 2017: TONIGHT ON METROFOCUS

> TONIGHT ON 'METROFOCUS' -- THE PRESIDENT TAKES ON THE PRESS, AGAIN, DECLARING AN ALL-OUT WAR AS THE MEDIA FIRES BACK WITH CLAIMS THE COMMANDER IN CHIEF TENDS TO 'TRUMP UP' FACTS.

BUT IN THIS HE SAID/SHE SAID, WHAT DO YOU SAY?

AMERICA SPEAKS OUT.

THOSE RESULTS AHEAD.

> CHASING A DREAM.

JOURNALIST BOB HERBERT IS HERE TO TALK ABOUT HOW GENERATIONS OF BLACKS HAVE BEEN KEPT FROM EMPLOYMENT.

> AND WE TALK TO THE WOMAN WHO BROUGHT THE FAB FOUR TO AMERICA.

ALL THAT AND MORE AHEAD AS 'METROFOCUS' STARTS RIGHT NOW.

♪♪♪

Announcer: THIS IS 'METROFOCUS' WITH RAFAEL P.

ROMAN, JACK FORD, AND JENNA FLANAGAN.

FUNDING FOR THIS PROGRAM WAS PROVIDED BY -- CORPORATE FUNDING FOR 'METROFOCUS' WAS PROVIDED BY --

> GOOD EVENING AND WELCOME TO 'METROFOCUS.'

I'M RAFAEL P. ROMAN.

THANK YOU FOR TUNING IN, AND TUNING IN IS OUR EARLY STORY TONIGHT.

HERE AT PBS WE STRIVE EVERY DAY TO BE YOUR GO-TO DESTINATION FOR TRUSTED NEWS WORKING FORL YOU FOR YOU AND WE'VE BEEN DOING THAT FOR MORE THAN 54 YEARS.

IT IS OUR PROMISE TO BRING YOU REPORTING, RESPECTFUL DIALOGUE AND ISSUES THAT MATTER TO YOU AND YOUR FAMILY EACH AND EVERY NIGHT.

SINCE THE DIVISIVE ELECTION OF 2016 WE HAVE BEEN FACED WITH QUESTIONS ABOUT WHAT IS REAL NEWS, WHAT IS FAKE NEWS, AND WHAT ARE ALTERNATIVE FACTS.

AS MOST OF US PROBABLY ALREADY KNOW, PRESIDENT TRUMP HAS DECLARED WAR ON THE MAINSTREAM MEDIA, BUT HIS RELATIONSHIP WITH THE PRESS WASN'T ALWAYS LIKE THAT.

BACK DURING HIS TIME AS A MANHATTAN REAL ESTATE MOGUL, TRUMP IS SAID TO HAVE MASTERED THE WORLD OF NEW YORK TABLOIDS PLANTING STORES AN EVEN POSING AS HIS OWN PUBLIC RELATIONS MAN AT TIMES.

THESE DAYS THE COMMANDER IN CHIEF FINDS HIMSELF IN A MUCH DIFFERENT KIND OF RELATIONSHIP WITH THE MEDIA, SOME OF WHOM HE NOW CALLS THE ENEMY OF THE PEOPLE.

THE PRESS HAS BECOME SO DISHONEST THAT IF WE DON'T TALK ABOUT IT, WE ARE DOING A TREMENDOUS DISSERVICE TO THE AMERICAN PEOPLE.

TREMENDOUS DISSERVICE.

WE HAVE TO TALK ABOUT IT TO FIND OUT WHAT'S GOING ON.

BECAUSE THE PRESS HONESTLY IS OUT OF CONTROL.

THE BACK AND FORTH BETWEEN THE TWO SIDES HAS LEFT MANY AMERICANS WONDERING WHO TO TRUST -- THE PRESS OR THE PRESIDENT.

ACCORDING TO THE POLLS, IT DEPENDS.

A RECENT QUINNIPIAC UNIVERSITY STUDY RELEASED JUST BEFORE THE PRESIDENT'S SPEECH TO CONGRESS FOUND THAT 52% OF REGISTERED VOTERS TRUST THE MEDIA MORE THAN THE PRESIDENT TO TELL THEM THE TRUTH ABOUT THE IMPORTANT ISSUES OF THE DAY, WHILE ONLY 37% BELIEVE THAT THE PRESIDENT IS MORE TRUSTWORTHY.

BUT A FOX NEWS SURVEY THAT WAS ALSO CONDUCTED LAST MONTH FOUND THAT VOTERS ARE PRETTY MUCH EVENLY SPLIT ON WHOM THEY TRUSTED MORE.

ACCORDING TO THAT POLL, 45% OF AMERICANS TRUST THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION MORE THAN NEWS REPORTERS, WHILE 22% TRUST THE MEDIA.

WHAT DO THESE NUMBERS REALLY MEAN AND WHAT CAN BOTH SIDES DO TO REGAIN THE TRUST OF THE AMERICAN PEOPLE?

WITH US NOW IS ANSWERS IS MEDIA EXPERT AND SYRACUSE UNIVERSITY PROFESSOR, ROBERT THOMPSON.

PROFESSOR, WELCOME TO THE PROGRAM.

THANKS FOR HAVING ME.

PROFESSOR, HOW DID THINGS GET SO BAD?

WHEN DEPENDING ON THE POLLS -- WELL, ALL POLLS SAY THAT LESS THAN HALF OF THE AMERICAN PEOPLE DON'T TRUST THE PRESIDENT AND DON'T TRUST THE MEDIA.

I THINK THOSE ARE THE POLLS WE HAVE TO LOOK AT.

THESE NEW POLLS FROM QUINNIPIAC AND FOX ARE SIMPLY GIVING US THE RELATIVE QUESTION.

MUCH MORE IMPORTANT QUESTION WOULD BE DO YOU TRUST THE MEDIA OR DO YOU TRUST THE PRESIDENT.

YOU COULD HAVE A BUNCH OF GRANDCHILDREN SAY WHO DO YOU TRUST ME, GRANDPA OR GRANDMA AND THEY COULD TRUST BOTH OF THEM A REALLY LOT BUT THERE COULD BE STILL LOW NUMBERS ON BOTH SIDES.

WE HAVE TO BE A LITTLE CAREFUL ABOUT WHAT THOSE RECENT POLLS ACTUALLY TELL US.

BUT I THINK FUNDAMENTALLY FOR A DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC, WHICH IS WHAT THE UNITED STATES IS, TO FUNCTION AT ITS MOST HEALTHY, YOU HAVE TO HAVE POLITICAL LEADERS WHO ARE ACTING IN THE BEST INTERESTS OF THOSE THEY REPRESENT, YOU'VE GOT TO HAVE A PRESS THAT IS REALLY CAREFULLY PROSECUTING STORIES AND MAKING SURE PEOPLE HAVE FACTS WHICH THEY CAN MAKE DECISIONS AS CITIZENS ABOUT, AND THEN YOU HAVE TO HAVE PEOPLE WHO FEEL THAT THEY HAVE A BODY OF INFORMATION AND DATA WITH WHICH TO MAKE RESPONSIBLE DECISIONS.

IN ALL THREE OF THOSE LEVELS OF A HEALTHY POLITICAL ENVIRONMENT, WE'VE SEEN BREAKDOWN IN THE PAST AND ESPECIALLY RELATIVELY RECENTLY.

HOW DOES IT COMPARE TO THE PAST?

IS THIS ABOUT AS BAD AS YOU'VE EVER SEEN IT?

WELL, IT'S SO HARD TO TELL BECAUSE SO MUCH STUFF WE JUST DIDN'T LEARN ABOUT.

WE THOUGHT UNTIL EISENHOWER WAS CAUGHT IN AN UNTRUTH OVER THE U2 INCIDENT, I DON'T THINK PEOPLE EVER THOUGHTS THAT PRESIDENTS LIED TO US.

OF COURSE THEY DID.

AND THE IDEA THAT SOMEHOW THE PRESS WAS ALWAYS A PERFECTLY OBJECTIVE, 'JUST THE FACTS, MA'AM' KIND OF OPERATION IS AN ILLUSION.

OF COURSE NEWSPAPERS WERE ASSOCIATED WITH POLITICAL PARTIES FOR A GOOD PORTION OF THEIR EARLY HISTORY.

SO WHAT -- ALL KINDS OF THINGS HAPPENED IN THE PAST WHICH DIDN'T BECOME PART OF THE RECORD, IF FOR NO OTHER REASON BUT THERE WEREN'T AS MANY VENUES IN WHICH TO BE REPORTING IT.

PROFESSOR, AS I SAID IN THE INTRODUCTION, DONALD TRUMP BASICALLY PLAYED THE TABLOIDS HERE IN NEW YORK CITY LIKE A VIOLIN, AS THEY SAY.

HOW DIFFERENT IS THE WASHINGTON MEDIA CULTURE OR I GUESS THE NATIONAL MEDIA CULTURE TO WHAT HE USES TO FACE HERE?

YEAH.

FOR ONE THING, DONALD TRUMP USED TO HAVE -- EVEN BEFORE THE ERA OF THE INTERNET, EVEN BEFORE THAT, THE ERA OF 24-HOUR CABLE NEWS WHICH DOESN'T BEGIN UNTIL 1980, DONALD TRUMP OPERATING IN NEW YORK CITY WAS IN THIS ENORMOUS MEDIA ENVIRONMENT.

LOTS OF NEWSPAPERS.

LOTS OF PLACES TO PUT HIS STUFF IN AND PRETEND THAT HE WAS HIS OWN REPRESENTATIVE AND ALL THE REST OF IT.

SO HE GOT A SENSE OF PLAYING THE MEDIA, EVEN BEFORE THE MEDIA GOT MUCH MORE COMPLEX.

BUT THERE IS A SENSE WHEN HE DECLARES WAR ON 'THE MEDIA,' THAT THE MEDIA ARE THE ENEMY OF THE AMERICAN PEOPLE, THERE IS THIS WIDE -- TO SAY NOW THE MEDIA IS SUCH A HUGE CATEGORY OF THINGS, EVEN THE MAINSTREAM MEDIA IS A HUGE CATEGORY.

AND IT'S FUNNY, BECAUSE HE OFTENTIMES WILL THANK MEMBERS OF THE MEDIA FOR NOT REPORTING THIS.

OR THEY'LL CITE CNN POLLS WHEN THEY LIKE IT.

SO IT IS A -- IT IS KIND OF A FOCUSED WAR ON THE MEDIA THAT IS REPORTING CERTAIN THINGS AT CERTAIN TIMES AND NOT SO MUCH A WAR AT OTHER TIMES.

THIS WAR WITH THE MEDIA, IS THERE A METHOD TO HIS MADNESS?

IS HE DOING THIS ON PURPOSE?

WHAT DOES HE HAVE TO GAIN THROUGH THIS WAR?

WELL, I THINK WHAT MANY PEOPLE ARE TALKING ABOUT -- THEY'VE COME RIGHT OUT AND SAID IT, WHICH IS THAT THE MEDIA IS THE OPPOSITION PARTY.

DURING THE WHOLE -- ONE OF THE RHETORICAL STRATEGIES, AND VERY EFFECTIVE RHETORICAL STRATEGIES OF THE TRUMP CAMPAIGN GETTING UP UP TO THE WHITE HOUSE IS SORT OF THIS DAVID AND GOLIATH STORY.

WHEN YOU GET TO THE WHITE HOUSE, YOU'RE GOLIATH BY ANY DEFINITION.

WHEN YOU THEN HAVE TO POSITION YOURSELF, DONALD TRUMP IS AT HIS RHETORICAL BEST WHEN HE IS SXLAN COMPLAINING ABOUT THE UNFAIRNESS OF SOMETHING AND THE MEDIA IS THIS GREAT BIG TARGET FOR HIM, BECAUSE ESPECIALLY IF THE MEDIA IS DOING THEIR JOB THEY'RE GOING TO BE GOING AFTER THINGS THE ADMINISTRATION SAYS WHICH IS WHAT THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO BE DOING AND HE'S NOT GOING TO LIKE THAT.

IS THE MEDIA FALLING INTO HIS STRAPS, SO TO SPEAK?

WITH 'THE NEW YORK TIMES' SUDDENLY DECIDING TO SAY THAT THE PRESIDENT LIES OR HE IS A LIAR WHEN THEY THINK HE IS, WHEN THEY DIDN'T DO THAT BEFORE, OR WHEN IT APPEARS LIKE THEY'RE ALWAYS GOING AFTER, AFTER, AFTER HIM AS HE PRESENTS IT.

ARE THEY PLAYING INTO HIS GAME?

WELL, I THINK THAT'S WHAT THE MEDIA IS SUPPOSED TO BE -- A GOOD NEWSPAPER, A GOOD TELEVISION OPERATION SHOULD BE DOING THAT ALL THE TIME.

DID THE 'WASHINGTON POST,' THE MEDIA, DECLARE WAR ON RICHARD NIXON DURING THE WATERGATE ERA?

I GUESS THEY DID.

THAT WAS THEIR JOB.

YOU HAMMER THAT STORY UNTIL YOU GET TO THE BOTTOM OF IT ONE WAY OR THE OTHER.

SO I THINK THE IDEA THAT WE'RE NOW SEEING MAINSTREAM MEDIA, WHATEVER THAT MEANS, NOT BEING COWED BY THESE ACCUSATIONS THAT THEY'RE GOING AFTER THE PRESIDENT, MEDIA IS SUPPOSED TO TAKE WHAT POWER DOES AND THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO TELL US WHETHER WHAT THEY'RE DOING IS GOOD AND ALL THE REST OF IT.

IF THAT'S PERCEIVED AS BEING MEAN TO PEOPLE IN POWER, THAT'S WHAT JOURNALISTS ARE SUPPOSED TO DO.

THEY'RE NOT THROWING PARTIES FOR THEM.

THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO BE PROSECUTING.

WHICH IS WHY I NEVER LIKED THE WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENTS' DINNER.

THAT IMPLIED A WHOLE DIFFERENT RELATIONSHIP.

IS THERE ANYTHING THE MEDIA CAN DO TO RAISE THEIR NUMBERS IN TRUSTWORTHINESS AMONG THEIR READERS AND THEIR VIEWERS?

THERE ARE SO MANY THINGS THAT GO INTO WHAT THEY NEED TO DO.

THEY HAVE TO KEEP AN INCOME STREAM.

IN ANY COMMERCIAL MEDIA, THEY NEED TO MAXIMIZE THEIR AUDIENCES.

BUT IN THE END I THINK THE BEST WAY TO ULTIMATELY BUILD UP TRUST IS TO SYSTEMATICALLY DO A JOB ACCORDING TO VERY STRINGENT RULES O ETHICS, THEN HOPEFULLY MOST PEOPLE WILL BEGIN TO SEE THAT.

THEN THERE WILL BE SOME THAT MIGHT SEE IT AND JUST NOT CARE.

PROFESSOR, THANK YOU SO MUCH.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

> AGAIN, TO YOU AT HOME, TRUTH IN MEDIA HAS BEEN AND WILL REMAIN TO BE OUR OBJECTIVE AT PRESENTING STORIES HERE AT 'METROFOCUS' AND WE WELCOME YOUR FEEDBACK SO PLEASE SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS WITH US ON FACEBOOK ON METROFOCUS.ORG.

> SOCIAL MOBILITY.

AN IDEA THAT THROUGH HARD WORK AND DETERMINATION EACH GENERATION WILL BE BETTER OFF THAN THE ONE BEFORE FORMS THE BACKBONE OF THE AMERICAN DREAM.

BUT FOR GENERATIONS OF AFRICAN-AMERICANS, THE AMERICAN DREAM HAS REMAINED STUBBORNLY OUT OF REACH.

TAKE HOME OWNERSHIP, FOR EXAMPLE.

A RECENT STUDY BY THE URBAN INSTITUTE FOUND THAT THE RATE OF HOME OWNERSHIP FOR AFRICAN-AMERICANS HAS DIPPED TO 41%. ITS LOWEST LEVEL SINCE THE 1960s WHEN HOUSING DISCRIMINATION ON THE BASIS OF RACE WAS STILL LEGAL.

HOME OWNERSHIP FOR WHITES EXCEEDS 70%. A NEW DOCUMENTARY AIRS TONIGHT ON 13, ACCLAIMED JOURNALIST BOB HERBERT DESCRIBES THE HUNDREDS OF YEARS OF SYSTEMATIC DISCRIMINATION HAVE CREATED A BARRIER BETWEEN BLACKS AND THE AMERICAN DREAM.

IT IS NOT EASY TO GET A HANDLE ON BLACK AMERICA.

THERE ARE AN ALL OF LOT OF BLACK AMERICANS DOING AWFULLY WELL.

AT THE SAME TIME, FOR EVERY $1 OF WEALTH IN THE HANDS OF THE AVERAGE WHITE FAMILY, THE TYPICAL BLACK FAMILY HAS JUST A LITTLE MORE THAN A NICKEL.

WHERE DOES THE MIDDLE CLASS FIT INTO THIS PICTURE?

AGAINST ALL ODDS, THE FIGHT FOR A BLACK MIDDLE CLASS IS PRESENTED AS PART OF OUR CHASING THE DREAM INITIATIVE ON POVERTY AND OPPORTUNITY IN AMERICA.

JOINING ME NOW, THE WRITER, PRODUCR AND HOST OF THE DOCUMENTARY, BOB HERBERT.

WELCOME TO THE SHOW.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HAVING ME.

AT THE BEGINNING OF THE DOCUMENTARY YOU START WITH THE PROPOSITION THAT THE BLACK MIDDLE CLASS IS MUCH DIFFERENT THAN THE WHITE MIDDLE CLASS.

RIGHT.

WE GOT A HINT OF THAT IN THIS CLIP BUT TELL US WHY AND HOW IS THIS SO?

I WANTED TO SHOW BLACK MIDDLE CLASS, EVEN THOUGH THERE ARE MILLIONS OF AFRICAN-AMERICANS IN THE MIDDLE CLASS, THAT THE BLACK MIDDLE CLASS IS SMALLER AND LESS ROBUST THAN MOST PEOPLE REALIZE, INCLUDING A LOT OF AFRICAN-AMERICANS.

A LOT MORE FRAGILE THAN MOST PEOPLE REALIZE.

A LOT MORE FRAGILE, YEAH.

IT STARTED OUT THAT WAY AND THINGS GOT EVEN WORSE AS A RESULT OF THE GREAT RECESSION AND HOUSING MELTDOWN WHEN MIDDING CLASS ACROSS THE BOARD WAS HURT BADLY BUT AFRICAN-AMERICANS, BECAUSE OF THE ABSENCE -- PRIMARILY BECAUSE OF THE ABSCESS OF WEALTH IN THE COMMUNITY, WERE HURT EVEN WORSE THAN WHITES.

LET'S GO BACK IN HISTORY.

YOU DO IN THE DOCUMENTARY.

AS RECENTLY AS EARLY PART OF THE 19th CENTURY --

MOST BLACKS IN THE EARLY PART OF THE 20th CENTURY WERE WORKING AT SHARE CROPPERS.

THEY WERE STILL IN RURAL AREAS, STILL ON FARMS.

THEY BARELY EVEN GOT PAID.

I MEAN THERE WAS A SYSTEM WHERE THE BOSS, OWNER OF THE FARM, WOULD TALLY UP AT THE END OF THE SEASON HOW MUCH SOMEONE WAS SUPPOSED TO BE PAID AND IT TURNS OUT THAT FOR A FEED AND FOR FOOD AND THE COST OF THE LAND OR ANYTHING.

SO PEOPLE WERE DESPERATELY POOR.

IT WAS A VERY TERRIBLE SITUATION.

YOU SAY THAT THE TWO ESSENTIAL ELEMENTS FOR REACHING THE MIDDLE CLASS ARE GOOD JOBS AND HOME OWNERSHIP.

LET'S TALK ABOUT GOOD JOBS.

THE RETCHED CONDITIONS IN THE SOUTH.

YEAH.

DID NOT CHANGE FOR A LONG TIME.

AND SO THE GREAT MIGRATION BEGAN.

RIGHT?

IT LASTED FROM 1910 TO 1970.

REALLY LONG PERIOD OF TIME.

NOW THEY CAME NORTH FOR GOOD JOBS AND TO BE ABLE TO ACCUMULATE WEALTH, BUT YOU SAY THAT IN MANY CASES THEY WERE NOT ABLE TO ACCUMULATE WEALTH ANYMORE THAN THE SHARE CROPPER LIFE.

THE PROMISE OF GOOD JOBS WAS JUST VATVASTLY OVERSTATED IN THE NORTH.

WE OFTEN HEAR ABOUT BLACKS BEING HIRED IN THE FACTORIES WHICH WERE SORTINCUBAOR FOR THE MID.

CLASS.

WHEN BLACKS WERE HIRED THEY WEREN'T WELCOMED BY THE UNIONS.

THEY HAD THE JOBS, THE MOST MENIAL, DIRTY, LOWEST PAWING JOBS.

THEY WEREN'T GOING INTO THE FACTORY AND MAKING A LOT OF MONEY.

THAT WAS ONLY THE SMALL POPULATION OF THE PEOPLE WORKING IN THOSE FACTORIES.

MOST BLACKS HAD JUST MENIAL JOBS.

THEY WERE ELEVATOR OPERATORS, SHOE SHINE BOYS, DRIVERS.

AND ALMOST ALL OF THE WOMEN -- VAST MAJORITY OF THE WOMEN WERE DOMESTIC.

I'M TALKING ABOUT ALL THE WAY UP TO -- I CAME OF AGE IN THE 1950s AND '60s IN NORTHERN NEW JERSEY.

NOT IN THE SOUTH.

AND YOUR STORIES IN THE FILM THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.

YEAH.

EVEN IN THOSE DAYS IT WAS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE FOR AFRICAN-AMERICANS TO GET WHAT WE WOULD CONSIDER TO BE NORMAL JOBS, JOBS IN BANKS, FOR EXAMPLE, OR INSURANCE COMPANIES.

SO ONE OF THE POINTS WE MAKE IN THE FILM IS THAT WHAT WAS REALLY IMPORTANT IN THE CREATION OF THE BLACK MIDDLE CLASS WERE GOVERNMENT JOBS.

YOU COULD GET A JOB AS A TEACHER OR, FOR EXAMPLE IN THE ANTI-POVERTY AGENCIES, PEOPLE WHO WERE ACTUALLY RUNNING OR ADMINISTERING THOSE AGENCIES, THOSE WERE GOVERNMENT JOBS.

YOU COULD GET JOBS IN THE POST OFFICE.

AND THAT BECAME LIKE THE FIRST STEP TOWARD THE MIDDLE CLASS.

THOSE FOLKS COULD SAVE UP A LITTLE MONEY AND SEND THEIR KIDS TO COLLEGE.

OF COURSE THOSE JOBS ARE BEING CUT.

THOSE JOBS ARE BEING THREATENED.

SO WHAT'S GOING ON NOW IS EVEN THOUGH -- SO THE BLACK MIDDLE CLASS WAS ALREADY STRUGGLING.

THEN THEY WERE HURT WORSE THAN WHITES IN THE ECONOMIC DOWNTURN IN 2007 TO 2009.

BUT THEN ON TOP OF THAT, THERE IS THIS PUSH BY CONSERVATIVES AND BY REPUBLICANS PRIMARILY TO JUST GET RID OF AS MANY GOVERNMENT JOBS AS POSSIBLE.

AND THAT HAS A VERY BIG DISPROPORTIONATE EFFECT ON AFRICAN-AMERICANS.

THE SECOND ELEMENT OF RISING TO THE MIDDLE CLASS, HOME OWNERSHIP, AS I SAID IN THE INTRODUCTION, 41%. WHY ARE THOSE FIGURES SO LOW?

RIGHT.

IN TERMS OF THE MIDDLE CLASS AS WE HAVE TENDED TO THINK ABOUT IT FOR THE PAST HALF CENTURY OR MORE, WHAT HAPPENS IS MOST FAMILIES BUY THERE FIRST HOME, AND THEN THEY BEGIN TO BUILT WEALTH.

VALUE OF THE HOME APPRECIATES, AND THAT BECOMES SORT OF THE BASIS FOR THE WEALTH IN THE FAMILY.

FOR THOSE FAMILIES WHO ARE FORTUNATE ENOUGH, THEY GET TO PASS ON THAT WEALTH OF FUTURE GENERATION OR THEY CAN USE SOME OF THAT MONEY TO PROVIDE A COLLEGE EDUCATION FOR THEIR CHILDREN.

THEN AS YOU MENTIONED, ONE GENERATION THEN HAS TENDED TO DO BETTER THAN THE PRIOR GENERATIONS.

FOR AFRICAN-AMERICANS, THERE WAS JUST AN INCREDIBLE ROAD BLOCK TO THE WHOLE HOME BUYING APPARATUS.

ONE, THE GOVERNMENT AND BANKS WOULDN'T EVEN PROVIDE LOANS FOR AFRICAN-AMERICANS, OR EVEN FOR WHITES WHO LIVED IN NEIGHBORHOODS WHERE THERE WERE A SUBSTANTIAL NUMBER OF AFRICAN-AMERICANS.

EVEN WHEN I WAS GROWING UP IN MT. CLAIRE WHICH WAS CONSIDERED A PROGRESSIVE TOWN, WHICH WAS LIKE 7, 8, 9 YEARS OLD, YOU WOULD SEE ADS IN NEWSPAPERS FOR APARTMENTS OR HOMES THAT WOULD TENANCY.

THERE IS THIS MOMENT IN THE FILM THAT'S JUST RIVETING -- OR SHOCKING.

IT'S LEE ATWATER, THE REVEERED POLITICAL OPERATIVE IN THE '80s FOR THE REPUBLICANS.

WHERE HE'S CAUGHT ON TAPE TALKING ABOUT THE DOG WHISTLES AND CATCHPHRASES.

WE DON'T HAVE TO SAY THE 'N' WORD, ALL WE HAVE TO SAY IS CUTTING TAXES, ALL WE HAVE TO SAY IS SMALLER GOVERNMENT.

BUT WHAT IF YOU DO BELIEVE IN SMALLER GOVERNMENTS?

WHAT IF YOU DO BELIEVE IN CUTTING TAXES?

WHAT IF YOU DO BELIEVE IN STATES' RIGHTS?

HOW DO YOU DISTINGUISH THE REAL BELIEVER FROM THOSE WHO USE IT FOR RACIAL PURPOSES?

WELL, YOU HAVE TO LOOK AT THE MOTIVATION.

IF YOU WERE A CLASSIC CONSERVATIVE AND YOU BELIEVE IN SMALLER GOVERNMENT OR LOWER TAXES AND THAT SORT OF THING BECAUSE YOU THINK THAT IS WHAT WOULD BUILD A STRONGER DEMOCRACY, A STRONGER AMERICA, I THINK THAT'S ABSOLUTELY LEGITIMATE.

WE LIVE IN A DEMOCRACY AND THOSE FORCES FIGHT IT OUT, LEFT AND RIGHT, REPUBLICANS AND DEMOCRATS.

BUT IF YOUR GOAL IS TO HURT A SPECIFIC GROUP -- IN THIS CASE AFRICAN-AMERICANS -- WELL, THERE'S SOMETHING THAT'S NOT JUST WRONG, BUT I THINK HIGHLY IMMORAL ABOUT THAT.

WHAT LEE ATWATER WAS DOING AND ATWATER A KEY ADVISOR TO RONALD REAGAN AND GEORGE H.W. BUSH, EP WAS TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO GET MORE WHITES TO VOTE FOR REPUBLICANS.

HE SAID ONE OF THE WAYS IS TO KEEP AFRICAN-AMERICANS DOWN.

HE SAID WE USED TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT BY SAYING THE 'N' WORD OVER AND OVER AGAIN AND WHITES WOULD VOTE FOR REPUBLICANS.

HE SAID YOU CAN'T DO THAT NOW, IT HURTS YOU.

SO NOW YOU HAVE TO HAVE ALTERNATIVES.

YOU HAVE TO TALK ABOUT CUTTING TAXES.

YOU HAVE TO TALK ABOUT SCHOOL BUSSING AND THAT SORT OF THING.

SO THE POINT WAS NOT A PHILOSOPHICAL POINT ABOUT SMALLER GOVERNMENT.

IT WAS A POINT ABOUT KEEPING BLACKS DOWN.

IN 15 SECONDS THAT WE HAVE LEFT, ARE YOU OPTIMISTIC?

ARE YOU SANGUINED IN THIS CONTEXT?

I THINK IT IS DIFFICULT TO BE OPTIMISTIC GIVEN WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE COUNTRY AT THE MOMENT.

BUT, YEAH, I CLING TO SORT OF THESE SPLENDID THREADS OF OPTIMISM.

WHAT I TELL COLLEGE STUDENTS WHEN I GO AROUND -- THIS IS NOT THE GREAT DEPRESSION, THIS IS IS NOT WORLD WAR II, WE'RE NOT FACING THE HOLOCAUST AND PEOPLE HAVE COME BACK FROM TERRIBLE POSITIONS, TERRIBLE SITUATIONS BEFORE.

WE CAN COME BACK FROM THIS.

ALL RIGHT, BOB.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

'AGAINST ALL ODDS, THE FIGHT FOR BLACK MIDDLE CLASS,' AIRS TONIGHT ON 13.

THANKS SO MUCH.

> THE FEST FOR BEATLES FANS IS BACK.

THIS YEAR FAB FOUR MANIA HEADED TO THE GARDEN STATE FOR THE FIRST TIME IN FOUR YEARS.

THE FIRST FEST CALLED BEATLES FEST ATTRACTED 8,000 FANS TO THE COMMODORE HOTEL IN NEW YORK CITY BACK IN 1974.

THIS YEAR'S 43rd ANNUAL CONVENTION AT THE HYATT REGENCY IN JERSEY CITY JUST WRAPPED UP WITH A CROWD OF ABOUT 3,000 DIE-HARD FANS WHO TURNED OUT.

JACK FORD RECENTLY SAT DOWN WITH GEORGE HARRISON'S SISTER, L LOUISE, TOLD HIM THE INSIDE STORY OF HOW SHE BROUGHT THE FAB FOUR TO THE USA.

LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, THE BEATLES.

[ SCREAMS ] ♪♪♪ ♪ OH YA I'LL TELL YOU SOMETHING I THINK YOU'LL UNDERSTAND ♪ ♪ WHEN I SAY THAT SOMETHING I WANT TO HOLD YOUR HAND ♪ ♪ I WANT TO HOLD YOUR HAND ♪♪♪

I GOT TO TELL YOU, JUST -- YOU CAN'T HELP SMILING WHEN YOU SEE THAT SCENE.

LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, THE BEATLES, AND YOU SEE THEM START TO PLAY.

AGAIN, EVERYONE VIVIDLY RECALLS WHERE THEY WERE.

I WAS 14 YEARS OLD AND I WAS WATCHING IT WITH MY OLDER SISTER.

BUT I WANT TO START THIS CONVERSATION WITH WHERE YOU WERE.

YOU'RE LIVING IN ILLINOIS AT THE TIME.

YES.

WHY ARE YOU IN ILLINOIS AND WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO TRY TO GET THE BEATLES OVER HERE TO THE U.S.?

WELL, I HAD MOVED TO THIS COUNTRY IN MARCH OF 1963.

I WAS MARRIED TO A VERY, VERY BRILLIANT ENGINEER AS HE WAS BEING DEMANDED IN MANY, MANY DIFFERENT COUNTRIES IN THE WORLD.

THAT HAPPENED TO BE IN ILLINOIS WITH THE COAL MINING COMPANIES IN '63.

WELL, MOST OF MY LIFE I'VE ALWAYS BEEN A BIT OF AN EXTROVERT.

IN FACT WHEN I WAS A LITTLE BITTY KID PEOPLE USED TO SAY SHE'S JUST LIKE SHIRLEY TEMPLE, SHE SHOULD BE IN THE MOVIES.

SO I WAS ALWAYS SORT OF INTERESTED AND ENJOYED SHOW BUSINESS.

SO WHEN MY KID BROTHER WAS IN A BAND AND I HAD MOVED TO THIS COUNTRY, MY MUM STARTED SENDING ME THEIR SINGLES.

SO MY FIRST INSTINCT WAS, OKAY, WELL, LET'S GET THEM ON THE RADIO OVER HERE AS WELL.

SO I STARTED GOING AROUND THE RADIO STATIONS WITH THE SINGLES BUT I WAS MET WITH GREAT DISDAIN BECAUSE BACK IN THOSE DAYS, WOMEN WERE NOT SUPPOSED TO MESS AROUND -- I SHOULD HAVE BEEN HOME --

HERE IS A NEW BAND FROM BRITAIN, AND HERE IS A WOMAN TRYING TO PUSH THEM.

YEAH.

AND THEY WERE LOOKING AT ME LIKE YOU SHOULD BE HOME IRONING YOUR HUSBAND'S SHIRTS.

YOU KNOW.

WHAT'S IT GOT TO DO WITH YOU?

SO I WROTE TO -- STARTED WRITING TO THE MANAGER, ROB EPSTEIN, PASSING ON THE INFORMATION THAT I WAS FINDING.

AND FIRST OF ALL I TOLD HIM, YOU'VE GOT TO GET WITH A RECORD COMPANY THAT HAS A LOT MORE CLOUT THAN JUST SOME LITTLE HOUSEWIFE WALKING IN THERE SAYING THIS IS GOOD STUFF.

SO HE STARTED -- HE WROTE BACK -- A FEW OF THE LETTERS HE ACTUALLY WROTE TO ME I'VE STILL GOT.

HE SAID I'M GOING TO TAKE YOU THE LIBERTY OF SENDS SOMETHING YOU SOME OF MY OTHER ARTISTS, SEE WHAT YOU CAN DO FOR THEM.

YOU WERE BECOMING HIS FORCE.

WE TALKED ABOUT THE TRIBUTE BAND.

THE LIVERPOOL LEGENDS.

NOT ONLY DOES IT PROVIDE GREAT MUSIC, IF YOU ARE A BEATLES FAN YOU ARE LOVE LISTENING TO THEM, BUT THERE IS A REAL VALUE BEHIND WHAT THEY'RE DOING.

THE HELP KEEP MUSIC ALIVE PROGRAM.

SO THE BAND IS CONTRIBUTING MONEY, FUNDS TO HELP THAT?

NO, WE DON'T ACTUALLY CONTRIBUTE MONEY BECAUSE WE DON'T GOT MONEY.

BUT YOU HELP TO RAISE.

YEAH.

WHAT WE DO IS WE HAVE A PROGRAM WHERE WE GET IN TOUCH WITH MUSIC DIRECTORS FROM HIGH SCHOOLS ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

IN FACT, IN A SITUATION LIKE THIS, I WANT TO PUT OUT THE WORD TO ANY MUSIC DIRECTORS FROM ANYWHERE IN THE COUNTRY WHO HAVE A HIGH SCHOOL THAT HAS TALENTED KIDS WHO HAVE TIME TO LEARN MUSIC BUT DON'T HAVE ANY FUNDING TO DO IT TO GET IN TOUCH WITH THOSE.

WE SENT CHARTS OF THE BEATLES MUSIC, THE MUSIC WE PLAY IN OUR SHOW TO THE SCHOOLS AND GIVE THEM THREE OR FOUR MONTHS TO WORK WITH THE STUDENTS SO THAT THEY GET TO KNOW HOW TO PLAY.

AND THEN WE MAKE A DATE THAT WE ARE GOING TO COME TO THE SCHOOL AND PERFORM AT THE SCHOOL.

AND I DO A LOT OF PUBLICITY, THIS KIND OF THING, YOU KNOW, GO OUT TO THE SURROUNDING COUNTRY SIDE AND SAY, HEY, WE'RE GOING TO BE DOING THIS WONDERFUL CONCERT RAISING MONEY FOR WHATEVER HIGH SCHOOL AND MAKE SURE ALL THE PARENTS AND GRANDPARENTS AND AUNTS AND UNCLES COME, YOU KNOW.

SO WE GET A TRUE HAUL.

USUALLY ALL OF THE FAMILY ARE REALLY THRILLED BECAUSE WE HAVE SOMETIMES AS MANY AS 250 STUDENTS ON STAGE BEHIND US.

IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU ARE VERY GOOD AT DOING THIS BACK IN THE EARLY '60s FOR THESE UNKNOWN FOUR KIDS FROM LIVERPOOL AND YOU CONTINUE TO BE GOOD AT IT.

ABSOLUTELY.

LOUISE, PLEASURE MEETING YOU.

YOU BE WELL.

> FUNDING FOR THIS PROGRAM WAS PROVIDED BY --