Transcripts For KQED PBS NewsHour 20160606

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Org and with the ongoing support of these institutions and individuals. This program was made possible by the corporation for public broadcasting. And by contributions to your pbs station from viewers like you. Thank you. Woodruff the end of the democratic president ial primaries is almost at hand, and Hillary Clinton is just 23 delegates away from the number she needs to secure her partys nomination. She kept campaigning today in california, hoping for a big finish, as Republican Donald Trump faced down critics in his own ranks. Well have a full report, after the news summary. Ifill in the days other news an earlyseason Tropical Storm colin raised the alarm on floridas panhandle coast. Governor rick scott declared emergencies in 34 counties as the storm brought winds of 50 miles an hour and several inches of rain. Colin is expected to cross to the atlantic, then move along the South Carolina coastline. Woodruff u. S. Backed fighters in syria closed in today on the islamic states last stronghold along the turkish border. Kurdish fighters advanced on manbij, which sits on a major supply route to raqqa, the militants defacto capital. Meanwhile, aid groups said isis forces in iraq are shooting civilians trying to flee fallujah by boat and other means. A government offensive there has stalled. Ifill the u. S. Navy has banned alcohol for american sailors in japan, over a string of incidents. The latest was sundays arrest of a sailor who drove the wrong way and hit two other vehicles on okinawa. In washington today, the pentagons peter cook said banning drinking and confining sailors to base are essential steps. By making sure each Service Member understands how their actions affected the u. S. Japan alliance. The Department Remains committed to working with the government of japan and the people of japan to prevent such incidents in the future. Ifill all this comes amid a renewed effort on okinawa to remove u. S. Bases. Woodruff there will be no criminal charges filed against the family of a threeyearold boy who fell into a gorillas enclosure at the cincinnati zoo. Zoo staffers shot and killed the animal after it grabbed the boy. A prosecutor said today the mother was watching other children, and the boy just scampered off. Ifill wall street moved higher this monday, as Federal Reserve chair janet yellen said its not clear when the next Interest Rate hike will come. The Dow Jones Industrial average gained 113 points to close at 17,920. The nasdaq rose 26 points, and the s p 500 added ten. Woodruff and the holy month of ramadan began today in much of the muslim world. Millions will take part in prayers and dawntodusk fasting. Ifill meanwhile, renovations began at the site of jesus tomb in jerusalem for the first time in more than 200 years. The work is under way at the Chamber Housing the tomb in the church of the holy sepulchre. Woodruff still to come on the newshour its politics monday, a look at the week ahead on the campaign trail, including whats at stake in california, a sit down with the Libertarian Partys candidate for president gary johnson, and much more. Woodruff and now, to politics. As we heard earlier, we have just one day until the last big primary day of the 2016 election cycle. Hillary clinton won weekend primaries in the Virgin Islands and puerto rico, pushing her closer to the Democratic Party nomination. But she and rival Bernie Sanders are allin in california the biggest delegate prize on the line. Our john yang is in the golden state and he brings us this report. Reporter one final day, one final chance to make the sale in california. Hillary clinton and Bernie Sanders fanned out across the state. Clintons just a handful of delegates shy of clinching the democratic nomination counting both pledged and super delegates. Tomorrow is a really big day. Lets hope it is i would be deeply honored and humbled for it to be hillary day. Reporter clinton will likely claim the delegates she needs even before polls close on the west coast, but shes working to avoid losing the biggest state of all. Hillary clinton has had a laser like focus on california, cutting short a Campaign Trip to new jersey to add events here. And its been a Family Affair her husband, the former president , has a number of events here in the bay area today, while shes focusing on southern california. Her statewide, fullcourt press aims to win over more converts, like these in oakland whats needed is a pragmatic approach to working with others who can make things happen. And i think that hillary does. Do i love her . Eh. Do i think she can get the job done . Absolutely. I have a child thats due next month, and i think itd be great for the first two president s from my childs life to be an africanamerican man and a female. Reporter at a News Conference in emeryville, sanders said that the nomination contest isnt over yet. Our goal is to get as many delegates as we possibly can, and to make the case to super delegates that, i believe, in the end, that im the strongest candidate. Reporter the delegate math may be against him, but the vermont senator is still drawing crowds of supporters who say theyre still feeling the bern. He seems like a genuine guy. You know, im in all my student loan debt. So that is one of the main reasons is the student loan thing. I think his domestic policy of wealth redistribution, focus on education, health care and making those things a priority are the best option we have right now. Reporter while the two democrats mount one last battle, republican nomineetobe donald trump kept a low profile today. But he still defended his latest attack on friday on a latino judge presiding in one of the Trump University lawsuits. Let me just tell you, i have had horrible rulings. I have been treated very unfairly by this judge. Now, this judge is of mexican heritage. Im building a wall. Reporter on sunday, the senates Top Republican deplored the trump statements. I couldnt disagree more with a Statement Like that. Is it a racist statement . I couldnt disagree more with what he had to say. Okay, but do you think its a racist statement to say . I dont agree with what he had to say. This is a man who was born in indiana. All of us came here from somewhere else. Reporter trump rejected the criticism today, telling fox news all i want to do is figure out why im being treated unfairly by a judge. Criticism aside, trump doesnt have to worry about the results in california tomorrow. All the focus will be on the clintonsanders contest. Here in the shadow to have the fogenshrouded golden gate bridge, theyre preparing for sanders preprimary evernghts as much a concert as rally, including dave matthews, fish bone, danny glover and cornell west. Judy . Woodruff how has Bernie Sanders been able to keep it so close . We know it wasnt always like this. Reporter its like they really decided they were going to focus on california. They felt they could do well here if they spent a lot of time here. She spent a majority of his time here since the end of may. It appears to be paying off. Hes showing in the preprimary polls for the first time this season hes making inroads among minority voters who have tended to support clinton in the past. The polls show him splitting latinos with Hillary Clinton, and actually beating her among asianamericans. Woodruff john, we also know tomorrow night other states are voting. Hillary clinton could go over the top when these other state results come in in places like new jersey. How will california even matter for Bernie Sanders if that happens . Reporter according to the sanders camp, california being so big, so diverse, they think if she loses here, in order to beat her here, they could make the argument to superdelegates that hes more electable, but their big fear is that, indeed, Hillary Clinton goes over the top, while voters are still going to polls here in california, and that the sanders supporters who havent gone to the polls yet get discouraged and dont go to the polls. Woodruff what are some of the sanders supporters saying about what theyd do if he doesnt win the nomination . Reporter a couple of them said they could not vote for Hillary Clinton under any circumstances, that they were going to vote for the green party. But they were also savvy enough to know that, here in california, very unlikely that it would go republican under any circumstances, so that they would be able to make a statement by not voting for Hillary Clinton, while they were confident or felt assured that they werent going to help donald trump. Woodruff john yang reporting for us from california. Thank you, john. Thanks, judy. Ifill that brings us to politics monday with amy walter of the Cook Political Report and Stuart Rothenberg of the rothenberg and gonzales political report, and columnist for the washington posts power post. Welcome to you both. So, stu, seems to be going through a series of turningpoint. Lets talk about the democratic turningpoints first. Hillary clinton could be making history tomorrow night. Im quite confident shes going to get at least 23 more delegates. Probably new jersey will put her over the top, that will be an historic event, remarkable. She would build up delegates throughout the evening. Shell be the de facto nominee, the question is when Bernie Sanders will accept it, and shell pivot to the election. Ifill any sign Bernie Sanders is pivoting . We heard he took a phone call on the side of the road to the president of these united states. Who knows what they can talk about, but we can guess. Yes, we can, and we saw today the president is eager to get involved in this campaign. Reports in the New York Times saying he may be making an endorsement by the end of the week. Its been clear for some time Bernie Sanders decisions will be important but the next most important person is president obama, when he decides to come out and basically hug Hillary Clinton and say this is the nominee, Everybody Needs to move on. Im also going to be watching very closely for what other progressive leaders in the party, like elizabeth warren, do after tuesday. Maybe they give Bernie Sanders a couple of days, but then i think the wagons start to circle around Hillary Clinton. I think Bernie Sanders has to get on board. Its all well and good ifill how much time does he have to do that . Well, look, running for president is a grueling job, and hes been doing it for months, and hes exceeded expectations, and he deserves some sort of victory lap, even if he loses. So i think everyone would give him a few days to recover and lick his wounds. But the reality is he doesnt nearly need to stop the campaign against Hillary Clinton. He doesnt merely need to acknowledge shes going to be the nominee, he needs to embrace her. He needs to bring his supporters along, particularly the 18 to 29yearolds who are not enthusiastic about her. Ifill lets talk about the party who has a nominee, the republican party. Donald trump is undergoing backlash because of comments john mccain was talking about, about the judge in indiana who he thinks is unfair. There seems to be real pushback this time from republicans. Well, i mean. Ifill guess the question is there really pushback or a plain defense . I think thats where republicans are stuck here. We have this balancing act for so Many Republican Office Holders, folks who have endorsed him, those who are on the ticket with him who say im going to support him but try to keep my distance from him. But as this week exposed, it is a very difficult thing to do. No matter what donald trump says, especially the more incendiary things he says, you as a candidate or an Office Holder on the republican side are going to have to answer for those things, for as much as you would like to distance yourselves, and i think this is what theyre going to have to deal with day after day after day on this campaign. I think its quite remarkable were on day i dont know what day we are day four or five of this story and trump continues to stoke the flames of this rather than trying to pivot himself under the other issues that we know he would have a much easier time going and focusing on. Ifill meantime, if youre Mitch Mcconnell, paul ryan, or any other number of other republicans who have already endorsed and kind of embraced donald trump as the nominee, youre going to be asked every time you show up somewhere, is he a racist. Exactly. Gwen, joint what were surprised by this. This is drumps m. O. This is the way hes behaved for months, and there is no reason to think hell change. I expect similar incidents between now and the first week in november where donald trump says things that are controversial, explosive, and youre right, microphones are put in kellies face and Mitch Mcconnell and paul ryans eve and every day. He said this to agree to disagree, and thats a problem with the Campaign Like this. The campaign isnt set the agenda well, actually, donald trump is setting the agenda. Its not the normal campaign agenda. He just refuses to act like any other politician. Ifill thats where i wanted to go, actually, amy. Is it a campaign or is it a reality show with donald trump in the drivers seat and everybody else, including surrogates, endorses, including anybody else who might be a future Vice President ial running mate, they all dont know what theyre going to wake up to. Absolutely. What you saw in the republican primary is a candidate who upsended the traditional norms of campaigning and i think a lot of folks assumed thats the way he could win a general election as well except the fact people forgot a couple of things. One, a republican primary electorate is not a general electorate. Thats important when you realize how much more diverse the general electorate is. The second thing is donald trump is under a greater amount of scrutiny and press crch even than he was in the primary and as we see, he does not do well when he is forced to answer for his positions, when hes put on the defensive. He lashes back. For all the folks that said, isnt this fun . Hes changing the rules of the game. The reality is the rules are there for a reason and he can try to change the rules of the game but its going to cost him for the folks who didnt vote in the republican primary. Ifill which party is in a tougher spot now . The democrats trying to figure out what to do with Bernie Sanders or the republicans trying to figure out what to do with their own nominee . I suppose the democrats have the immediate problem, two candidates running for the partys president ial nomination. But h in the long run i believe the republicans have a bigger problem because they have a deeply flawed or de facto nominee, they have a divided party. The democrats are divided now but theyll get together. Sure, Hillary Clinton has work to do among Younger Voters and the most progressives, but i think the democrats are more likely to coalesce, have a tighter bond than the republicans. I think that division is going to continue all the way to november. Ifill stu rothenberg, rothenberg and gonzalez political report, amy walter of the Cook Political Report, thank you both very much. Thanks, gern. Thanks, gwen. Woodruff stay with us. Coming up on the newshour the longlasting influence of muhammad ali, revitalizing the historic route 66, plus, remembering the npr journalist who died in a taliban ambush. But first, back to politics. This years president ial election will likely feature two Major Party Nominees who currently have some of the highest unfavorability ratings of any such candidates in recent decades. As a result, some voters may take a look at the nominee chosen last week by the Libertarian Party the former governor of new mexico, gary johnson. I spoke with him a short time ago. Governor gary johnson, welcome. Judy, such an honor to be here, watching you on television forever. Here i am. Woodruff thank you for being here. I want to talk to you about libertarian, you believe in smaller government. You said you believe in a 20 cut across the board in government spending. That would be a target, yes. Woodruff and you would phase out Social Security. What else would you eliminate . No, i would not phase out Social Security. I think Social Security is absolutely fixable. There are reforms raising the retirement age. You could have a very fair means testing. You could also selfdirect funds. By being able to do that, people, lower and middle income, they could actually pass on the asset of Social Security to their heirs by doing that. Woodruff you would also clearly leave sol some government functions. You would defend the country. Well, yes. Woodruff but youve talked about law enforcement, youve talked about some other safety functions of government. So let me try to get specific. Sure. Woodruff air traffic control. Yes. Woodruff seat belts. Would you require seat belts . Would people be banned from texting while driving . I mean, all kinds of things well, as president of the united states, thats what i would get elected, i would just like people to believe i am going to sign on to any legislation thats going to make things better and im going to veto any legislation that at the end of the day would just add time and money to our lives and wouldnt really accomplish anything. Woodruff but when you say Less Government is better, today government requires things like seat belts of course, thats all local, thats all state initiative and, you know, i buckle up, myself. Woodruff what about food safety requirements . Those come from the food and drug administration. Well, food safety 20 reduction in federal spending i dont think is the end of the world, i think that is very accomplishable, and thats a target, judy. So count on me when it comes to legislation from congress to actually make government more efficient but not neglecting the fundamental role of safety. Government exists to protect us against individuals, groups, corporations, foreign governments that would do us harm in the context of food safety. But youve also talked about eliminating the federal income tax, so how would you pay for the services that you kept . Well, in the case of what im advocating is and by the way, im going to sign on to anything that reduces taxes, simplify taxes. So flat tax, hearings count on my support. But ideally, we would eliminate income tax, we would eliminate corporate tafntle because we would do that, we could abolish the i. R. S. , replace it all with one federal consumption tax. Now, i suggest that people look at the fair tax as a template for how to dot the is and cross the ts on accomplishing one federal consumption tax. If we abolic federal tax in this country, i imagine tens of millions of jobs would be created and imagine life without having to comply with the i. R. S. Woodruff and turning to Foreign Policy. So much to ask you about. You are noninterventionist but not isolationist. If, say, gla if Vladimir Putn were to go into a country in eastern europe, should the u. S. Join n. A. T. O. And stand up for at the country hat the russian that the russians went into . First of all, we have many treaties with Foreign Countries where we are onl obligated to dd their borders. Woodruff you would honor those . These are treaties not ratified by congress. These have been president ial treaties, military treaties. We need to involve congress in all of these decisions which they have abdicated really to the executive, to the military. Right now, russia is stretched economically. Do we really want to go in and defend Baltic States against russian aggression . Do we really want to go to war over that . I think its wrong to project what you would or wouldnt do, given any situation, because thats kind of drawing a line in the sand, and thats one of the problems with president obama has had is he draws lines in the sand that get crossed and no action. Woodruff governor johnson, we were asked if you would take votes away as Libertarian Party nominee from donald trump or Hillary Clinton. You said it would be more equal. You have been more critical with donald trump. You concurred when your Vice President ial running mate said about what donald trump said to mexicans, comparing them to nazi germany. Woodruff at the end of the day, i believe Hillary Clinton will grow government, that government is all about giving out things. Bill clinton was in new mexico talking about free electricity to the native americans. Nothing free. Somebody pays for that. I believe hillary will grow government. Woodruff you think thats as bad as the kinds of things trump r trump is talking about . Its going to raise taxes. I believe hillary has been one of the premier architects of the Foreign Policy that made the world less safe. Woodruff do you think thats as bad as what youve heard to mr. Trump has been saying. I really take exception with what mr. Trump says with regard to immigration, with killing the families of muslim terrorists. Hes going to bring back water boarding or worse. Hes for free trade but hes going to implement tariffs, on and on and on. Woodruff governor gary johnson, well leave it there. President ial nominee of the Libertarian Party. Thank you. Judy, so nice to be with you. Im the only Third Party Candidate thats going to be on the ballot in all 50 states. Woodruff thanks for pointing that out. Ifill this will be a week of remembrance of the great heavyweight champ and humanitarian muhammad ali. His hometown of louisville, kentucky is preparing for a funeral and a Public Memorial Service to be held friday, as generations across the country assess the enormous scope and reach of alis life. A sports icon, but also a social activist and powerful political voice during turbulent times. Tonight, we focus on one of alis boldest decisions. William brangham has our conversation. Reporter that moment was the pivotal time in the late 1960s when ali was still the heavyweight champion of the world. He resisted the draft to vietnam a court fight he ultimately won after more than three years but he was stripped of his heavyweight title. Heres ali in 1968, talking about his muslim faith, and the loss of his boxing title. Boxing was only for self gain, just beating up one of my brothers or somebody elses brother for money. If i would only deny my faith, if i would only join up against my religion, i could easily go back to making millions. So i could always say i turned this down. I didnt lose it. I turned it down. I go out with my head high. Reporter for some perspective on that time in alis life, and our evolving perceptions of the man, were joined by gerald early, who edited the muhammad ali reader. Hes a professor of english and africanamerican studies at washington university. So, gerald early, i wonder if you could remind our viewers, ali was at the peak of his powers, the heavyweight champion when he took the stance that cost him a great deal. He was at the peak of his powers as a fighter but also at the peak of his consciousness as a black man. This stance he takes coincides with the rise of the black Power Movement and ali has now become, really, in his own way, an icon of that movement. So here was a man standing up against the government and was willing to sacrifice his career and everything to stand up for what he believed in. So this was a great moment for inspiration for a particular generation. Brangham youve written some of us where misinterpreted alis stance against the war. I wonder how so . Well, i think people misinterpreted the stance against the war because they saw ali basically as if his stance was coming from the left. Ali was not a leftist nor was he a civil rights activist. All of this was generated by his faith, and particularly his love of elijah muhamad. Eli jay muhamad had gone to jail for not conforming to draft laws in world war ii. He felt he could do no less than what his leader was doing, standing up for the draft. So all of this was coming out of a religions consciousness not a political consciousness which sometimes i think people misunderstand. Brangham you say you dont think he was a civil rights activist but that was l that has been much of the commentary in the last few lies lionizing his political stance. They would be wrong. The nation of islam was not a civil rights organization. In fact, the nation of islam disliked the Civil Rights Movement, disliked racial immigration because they were a separatist movement and ali, if you read interviews with ali during this time and so forth, he criticizes the Civil Rights Movement and criticizes integration. He just so happens to, at this point in history, colone collidh the black activism going on at the time, but he is really not part tpart of it. Being in the nation of islam, hes really quite separate from it. Brangham when ali was kicked out of boxing, what was he doing during that time . For most of the 3 1 2 years of his exile, he was touring on campuses, giving lectures. He was very popular giving lectures, mostly about his beliefs and stance against the war. It turned out to be a good and broadening experience for him because he got to meet an entire cohort of his generation he had not been exposed to because, one, he hadnt gone to college. Hed barely gotten out of high school. Two, he was a professional athlete and had really not been exposed to a great deal outside his training to be a fighter and it really was part of what you might call the education of muhammad ali, the continuing education of muhammad ali and affected him in a positive way. Brangham this friday well see a big memorial to the man, all the luminaires will come out and speak. What do you think would be the best tribute for us to hear about ali . I know a lot of dignitaries and people will speak about him but i think the best tribute would actually come from the everyday people who were part of his following back when he was at the height of his popularity as an athlete and as a figure in the united states. Those people who were inspired by him,. Who that when they saw what he was doing and was going to sacrifice because of what he believed in were inspired by him to believe late built more in what they were about, to he felt that i, too, could do something for myself because i see what hes doing, it would actually be a tremendous tribute to hear the voices of those people, because, in many ways, muhammad ali was not just a great athlee or even a great dissident. In many ways, he turned out in many ways how he inspired people to become a great humanitarian. Brangham gerald, thank you very much. Thank you. Woodruff now another in our series of stories about culture at risk, and in this case, whats been lost along one of the more storied highways across the country. Jeffrey brown took a recent road trip along u. S. Route 66. Brown it was neither the countrys oldest nor longest road. But hollywood and everyone else, route 66 came to symbolize america a people on the move; a lifestyle that characterized it. On route 66 some 2,500 miles of asphalt winding through eight states from illinois, south through the heartland, then through the southwest to california. Its a journey that millions once took, before the nations economy and culture underwent vast changes. It begins here in Downtown Chicago an older american story about the open road and connecting small Rural Communities to big cities. And a newer story about preserving some of that cultural past for economic gain today. Route 66 got its official designation as a national highway in 1926. For John Steinbeck in the grapes of wrath it was the mother road, a major artery for migration during the dust bowl of the 1930s, and later for travel and tourism. But by the 70s the federal interstate highway system had begun to take over, bypassing towns, and devastating communities along the original route, in favor of speed. That was it. The stores started closing one by one. The gas stations went out of business. The restaurants went out of business. And boy, your town starts to look really bad in a hurry. Reporter now, says mayor bob russell, pontiac, illinois, an Agricultural Community of 12,000 two hours southwest of chicago, looks pretty good. And its a prime example of a rebirth of route 66 thats occurring in various parts of the country. Town leaders here decided to use the history of the famous road to their advantage 20 large murals, a museum of route 66 collectibles, and much more, all bringing in tourists from around the world. Theyve renovated Historic Buildings and encouraged new momandpop stores to come in. This building in a couple of months will be ready for sale or lease and well have another business here, then that generates tax revenue and keeps us from raising real estate taxes. Brown and when a collector of vintage pontiac cars was looking for a place to build a museum, pontiac, illinois michigan, provided just the right incentives. If you watch the old 66 movies, theres always a girl involved and theres always a fast car. The corvette or mustang. Brown theres a car, theres a girl thats part of the culture and part of the whole history . That is the culture. And a lot of people from other countries coming here, they want to experience that freedom that they saw in that movie. Brown but pontiac is still an exception. In berwyn, illinois, a suburb of chicago, some 26 stylish auto showrooms once lined route 66. Most have been bulldozed to make way for fast food franchises. This was a chevy dealer when it was built in the 30s. Brown not everyone might agree that 50s era showrooms are worth saving. But businessman john fey of the berwyn Preservation Committee does. This is the kind of business that is just perfect. This is a great example of using the building in a way that enhances what they are doing and helps the community. Reporter but fey says berwyn hasnt provided enough incentives for businesses to preserve much of downtown. Im realistic enough to understand we cant bring it all back. Its not going to be 1926 again. But if theres enough gems that we can recognize and preserve, i think well have a real valuable commodity for the community. Brown but its tough going . Its very tough going. Brown far across the country, glen duncan tells a similar story about the struggles to preserve landmarks along what for many is the most famous part of old route 66. He took me to the town of barstow, california two hours east of los angeles where motels and restaurants of another era still line the route. Many have shut down, but some are thriving. This is the casa del desierto, which is a fred harvey house. Brown the town has refurbished this former hotel and train station, which now houses two museums, a ballroom and conference space. In the summer, they say that 50 of the travelers on route 66 are from europe or asia. Brown because theyre fascinated with some idea of americana . Well, route 66 is one of the things that they know about america. I think its because it sort of represents america back when everybody loved us. Brown but 15 minutes from barstow is the crumbling town of daggett. Daggett was where they had an inspection station during the depression. If you didnt have more than 20 in your pockets and didnt have evidence that you had a job in california, they turned you back. Brown those inspection stations were designed to keep unemployed workers from pouring into california. And duncan says its important to preserve the entire history of route 66 even the less savory parts. Thats also the mission of self described cultural documentarian candacy taylor, whos photographing properties along route 66 once listed in what was known as the green book. There would be opportunities for some businesses to have their photos. Brown a travel guide of hotels, restaurants and other businesses that served African Americans in an era when many establishments would not. This was a time when it was dangerous to travel for black people. So if you got stranded or you got a flat tire in the wrong place at the wrong time, your life could be threatened. Brown more than three quarters of the green book buildings on 66 have been torn down. Others are at risk of demolition or decay, as here on l. A. s skid row, where the regal and norbo hotels were once fashionable gathering spots. Now its skid row. But back in the day it was a vibrant community. So it was a place to eat, see a show and spend the night. Brown just five minutes away, one of the more famous listings in the green book has been renovated cliftons cafeteria with its murals, redwood trees and wild animal displays was renowned for serving whites and blacks, and those who were too poor to pay. This is really a piece of american history, living history. These sites are physical evidence of racial segregation and integration. So there were a lot of people on the sidelines really trying to make some kind of change happen. So i think this is a part of history that hasnt been documented. Brown a history once vibrant, then lost, and now, perhaps, making a comeback. From Downtown Chicago, and 2,400 miles away here in californias mojave desert, im Jeffrey Brown for the pbs newshour. Ifill some stories can only be told because of journalists who are willing to risk it all, telling dangerous stories in word and picture. David gilkey and Zabihulla Tamanna were two such story tellers. They died on sunday, in a taliban ambush near marjah, in southern afghanistan. Gilkey was an awardwinning photographer for National Public radio, tamanna, a respected local journalist and translator. Heres gilkey in may, before he left for afghanistan, describing how he used his camera lens to capture the story. One of the Amazing Things about being embedded and working with u. S. Forces is just how intimate you are with the subjects. And its not just the soldiers, but who they interact with. And this is a picture from a farm, again in the south 2010, and the soldiers are talking with someone they suspected of planting i. E. Ds. Ifill for more on the life and work of david gilkey, im joined by nprs david greene, cohost of morning edition. First of all, our condolences to you and your staff. Thank you, gwen. We appreciate that. Its been a hard day. Ifill its been a hard day. I speak for all of us when i say thank you. Ifill i spoke to someone who said Collateral Damage has a face. This is a case of that. David gilkey said that and its so sad hes fallen victim to that. I knew david very well and i think that he always knew the risks in going into conflict zones and places like this and believed it was worth it to tell the story. I mean, he wanted to capture humanity in stories like this. We all knew this was possible, but to lose a friend and a colleague, you just dont really think it will ever happen. Ifill most people think of n. P. R. As an audio, not a visual experience, but david gilkey was one of those who expanded that idea. You know, a lot of people jokingly asked about that, when david started almost a decade ago. They would say, what are you doing taking pictures for a Radio Company . I realized the journalism he does, though its images and not sounds, its exactly what we do. Its all the sensibilities we believe in. Its giving people time and space to just sort of collect their thoughts and think out loud. Its being respectful. Its waiting for someones story to kind of immerge, and thats what we do on the radio and thats what david did, just to watch him operate was such a joy and inspiring because he would just be respectful. He would be curious and he would interact with someone and just wait for that story to come through and capture it. Ifill you traveled with him a great deal. Yeah, which was a real honor. We went to russia together, to cuba together, we crossed the u. S. Together in a crazy political trip in 2008. But, you know, im one of this mo what did the honor of traveling with him. He would travel a lot. He loved being on the road and was just a collaborator like no other. Ifill was he a war photographer by gene or was he just a people story teller . You know, its funny. If you met him, you would think he was a war photographer. You would almost think hes at war himself. He sort of had that tough guy per sewn navment it was, like, you would want to be in a foxhole with this guy. But when you get to know him, you quickly realize hes a soft, gentle soul who was so kind and, you know, he was gruff sometimes. We would be cranky together, but he knew what was going on not just in my wife and my life but my wifes brothers lives and he would keep track of that and i think that level of interest and that level of sort of curiosity and caring, thats what came through in his journalism and in his photography. Ifill a lot of people dont understand in order for someone like david gilkey or you to do your job in a place like afghanistan, a translator or a righthand person was necessary. Yeah, i mean, i think of zabi as part of this extended family at that were. Wherever we are abroad, you talk to any person abroad, foreign correspondents, i was in russia and worked with local translators and journalists, they are part of the family. They are risking their lives for us to do journalism with us. They care about the organization as much as People Like Us to who are part of it, and, you know, he left behind three kids and a wife and was one of the most respected journalists in afghanistan and it is def skating. Ifill it is devastating. David greene, thank you for taking the time toils about them both. Thank you, gwen. Woodruff well be back in a moment. But first, take this time to hear from your local pbs station. Its a chance to offer your support, which helps keep programs like ours on the air. For those stations still with us, we take a second look at an effort to strike a balance between development and conservation protecting the desert ecosystem of the Coachella Valley in california. Special correspondent cat wise has the story. Reporter the views from chino canyon high above palm springs are grand. The rocky hillsides are home to the endangered peninsular Bighorn Sheep and a number of other species. But this tranquil canyon has long been an environmental battleground. If the project had been completed, you would have been looking at a 500room hotel, a fivestar resort, and all surrounded by an 18hole golf course. Reporter Nickie Mclaughlin heads up a local nonprofit that recently purchased nearly 600 acres of privately owned land in the canyon to prevent that development. There will be nothing here. It will be preserved as it is in perpetuity. This was a huge success. Reporter the push to save chino canyon is part of a much larger Environmental Conservation effort unfolding in Coachella Valley, a 45mile stretch of desert dotted with upscale cities like palm springs, as well as areas of deep poverty. The population here is expected to almost double in the next 20 years. Golf courses and condos butt up against fragile desert ecosystems. Reporter tom kirk heads up the local Government Agency now managing a plan that took more than ten years to develop and that will be on the books 75 years into the future. Its called the Coachella Valley multiple species Habitat Conservation plan. Nearly 2,000pages long, it is essentially a huge compromise between government agencies, private landowners and developers, scientists, and environmental groups. Kirk, who brought us to a now preserved area called Whitewater Canyon that had been slated to be an a. T. V. Park, showed me how the habitat plan works. Out of the million or so acres in the valley, 700,000 have been designated as Conservation Areas, where the land is kept mostly pristine. Outside of the Conservation Areas, development can go forward in a timely manner because the necessary endangered species permits have already been secured. The plan is designed to ensure the survival of 27 endangered and threatened species, large and small animals, rare plants, and one Little Desert dweller well known in these parts, the fringetoed lizard. Heres a little baby fringe toed lizard, just hatched probably this past fall. Reporter i met up with one of the few people who has a special permit to catch this endangered species, cameron barrows. Hes an ecologist who is monitoring with a team of scientists how the protected species are faring under the plan. Even though we have a finite number of species that were trying to protect here, were really trying to protect the entire ecosystem. Were measuring everything. We want to make sure that this is an intact system. We dont want to be able to say in 75 years, you know, we forgot about that mouse, and it went extinct. Oh, well. Reporter this underpass behind me plays an Important Role in the habitat plan. It allows animals on this side of busy interstate 10 to move safely to the other side. It is one of a number of so called Wildlife Corridors that are scattered throughout the valley. But ensuring the protected areas are connected in perpetuity has been an ongoing effort. About 25 percent of the land was privately owned when the plan went into effect in 2008. Landowners are not forced to sell, but if they do, they are compensated at market rates, or they can pursue Minimal Development approved by the plan. So far, tens of millions of dollars have been spent to secure about 90,000 acres, or a third of the designated Conservation Areas. Still, many landowners, developers, and even some cities in the valley initially opposed the plan due to the limits on development. There was some struggles. Nothing is ever easy when you take on a project of this size. Reporter Gretchen Gutierrez is c. E. O. Of the Desert Valley builders association. Right now, what youre seeing is the first phase, which is models. And theres going to be 166 singlefamily houses, single and two stories, in this development. Reporter the permitting process here went fairly quickly and no lawsuits were filed. And thats why gutierrez says developers eventually got on board. What its provided for our members is the surety that they can move their projects forward. I dont think anyone wants to see the plastification of any of the communities out here, or the paving over of the world with concrete. But, at the same point in time, you need to have continued growth in terms of new residences, in terms of new businesses, so that it all gives you a good quality of life. Reporter developers now pay a fee for each property they build, and that money goes towards purchasing more land in the Conservation Areas. While many in the valley agree the plan is working, whether it can hold up over the long run is up for debate. Recently, plans for a new Housing Development within this Conservation Area were submitted to the county for consideration. The project called Paradise Valley would back up to Joshua Tree National park on one side, and the area is considered critical habitat for the threatened desert tortoise. The developer, Glorious Land Company enterprises, declined to speak with us on camera, but provided a written statement. It reads in part that the development will incorporate new urbanism and smart growth concepts, and that planners and Environmental Consultants for the project are in consultation with regulatory agencies. Cameron barrows is one of a number of scientists and local environmental groups opposed to the development. Without any question, the tortoise population will decline if that happens. Its incumbent on all of us, the scientists, as well as everybody else thats involved in this plan, to sit down with these folks on a regular basis and say, remember why were doing this. Reporter the proposed Development Still faces extensive review before any ground is broken, but many here will be watching closely for how things play out as conservation efforts continue. For the pbs newshour, im cat wise in Coachella Valley, california. Ifill on the newshour online right now tiny plastic particles litter our oceans. What does that mean for the health of Marine Wildlife . Researchers in sweden found that exposure to microplastic seemed to change the habits and instincts of baby fish, making them more vulnerable to predators. You can find out more about that phenomenon on our website pbs. Org newshour. Woodruff and tonight on charlie rose more remembrances of muhammad ali. That is on most pbs stations. And that is the newshour for tonight. On tuesday well focus on the end of the president ial primary race as voters go to the polls in five states. Im judy woodruff. Ifill and im gwen ifill. Join us online and again here tomorrow evening. For all of us at the pbs newshour, thank you and good night. Major funding for the pbs newshour has been provided by you were born with two stories. One you write every day, and one you inherited thats written in your d. N. A. 23andme. Com is a Genetic Service that provides personalized reports about traits, health and ancestry. Learn more at www. 23andme. Com. 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