Washington Week Show - WW 4152
Washington Week Show - WW 4152 - "Open"
Gwen Ifill opens show. Composite footage (unclean) with Washington Week title and text: Supreme Court Building. Grammar school African American children standing next to desks in classroom with hands folded praying. High school choir students practicing, choir teacher directing. Electric chair. Grammar school children standing with backs to the camera reciting the pledge of allegiance. Wall street, NYSE trading floor. WorldCom company sign. Xerox company sign. Adult man working on factory floor, lifting small pallet with machine. George W. Bush walking to podium with Colin Powell, Donald Rumsfeld and Condoleezza Rice. Tanks driving toward camera along street in Middle East.
Washington Week Show - WW 4152 - "Education"
Gwen Ifill introduces segment on Supreme Court decision in favor of school vouchers, allowing students to be given public money to attend private schools. Footage of African American grammar school children wearing uniforms, seated in classroom. Linda Greenhouse of The New York Times discusses the Court's opinion in the case. Discussion of the role of religion in American life, based upon the opinions of Justices William Rehnquist and Sandra Day O’Connor. Discussion of the dissenting Court opinions against the used of vouchers. Discussion of past and present, public/state view on providing vouchers for private education. Discussion of referendums, state legislators, and state constitutions regarding the separation of church and state.
Washington Week Show - WW 4152 - "School Vouchers"
Linda Greenhouse of The New York Times continues discussion on the Supreme Court’s decision to allow vouchers to be used for private education. Discussion of how religious schools will be affected if they accept government vouchers. Religious (private) schools will have to admit students of different religions. Discussion of non-discrimination principles that could be enforced by state government. Mention of taxpayer money and school curriculum (creationism in religious schools). Discussion of the proponents for government vouchers in private education. Mention of free market libertarians, civil rights leaders, inner-city children.
Washington Week Show - WW 4152 - "Capital Punishment"
Gwen Ifill introduces segment on capital punishment in the Supreme Court. Topics of executing mentally handicapped people being unconstitutional, and death penalty should be meted out by juries, not judges. Joan Biskupic of USA Today on how the Court’s opinion on capital punishment could change the current face of death row. Discussion of the 3700 inmates currently on death row; some inmates will now be able to challenge their sentences; nine states effected by the Court’s ruling, and 20 of the 38 states that allow capital punishment did not exempt the mentally handicapped. Discussion of what the rulings say about the Court’s opinion on the death penalty, the Court’s opinion on the sixth amendment right to a jury trial. Mention of Justices Antonin Scalia and Clarence Thomas’ support of capital punishment. Discussion of death row inmate release based on claims of innocence and DNA evidence; governors of Maryland and Illinois having moratoriums; and calls for more scrutiny. Mention of the Court’s ruling that it would be cruel and unusual punishment under the eighth amendment to execute mentally handicapped people.
Washington Week Show - WW 4152 - "Capital Punishment"
Joan Biskupic of USA Today continues discussion on Supreme Court rulings on capital punishment. Further discussion of capital punishment and the mentally handicapped. Discussion of the anti-death penalty movement; capital punishment and juvenile offenders (those 16 and older, who can still be sentenced to death). Mention of the current Supreme Court not being ready to abolish the death penalty completely. Discussion of what the Court may do if more states restrict the use of the death penalty on juveniles.
Washington Week Show - WW 4152 - "Pledge of Allegiance"
Gwen Ifill introduces segment on a federal appeals court ruling that the Pledge of Allegiance is unconstitutional, primarily citing the line “one nation under God.” Footage of Congressional members reciting the Pledge in opposition to the court’s ruling. Linda Greenhouse of The New York Times begins discussion on the public and political reaction. Joan Biskupic of USA Today discusses whether it was necessary for the court to get involved in the cultural issue of the “one nation under god” line. Discussion of the reaction to the federal court’s ruling, mention of members of Congress going to the House and Senate to voice opposition. Greenhouse discusses the overwhelming reaction among politicians in opposition to the ruling. Mention of Michael Dukakis and George H.W. Bush in the 1988 presidential election.
Washington Week Show - WW 4152 - "Corporate Scandals"
Gwen Ifill introduces segment on recent corporate accounting scandals. Mentions of WorldCom and Enron and the effects on the stock market (drop in stock prices). U.S. President George W. Bush speaking, red drape and U.S. flag behind him: "Corporate America has got to understand that there's a higher calling than trying to fudge the numbers, trying to slip a billion here or a billion there and hope that no one notices. But you have a responsibility in this country to always be above board. We expect high standards in our schools, we expect high standards in corporate America as well, and I intend to enforce the law to make sure that there are high standards." Michel Martin of ABC News discusses President Bush’s remarks to corporate America. Mention of Bush’s need to separate himself from the corporations known to support the Republican party. Discussion of corporations being accused of creating false earnings statements, inflating revenues, tax evasion, insider trading, and misleading (lying to) investors, etc. Discussion of layoffs in recent months, loss of medical and retirement benefits, loss of value in U.S. stocks. Discussion of loss in the U.S. capital market among domestic and foreign investors.
Washington Week Show - WW 4152 - "Corporate Scandals"
Michel Martin of ABC News continues discussion on recent corporate scandals (Enron and WorldCom scandals). Discussion of how widespread corporate scandal and fraud might be among U.S. corporations, and public trust in large corporations. Discussion of the effect new industries are having on the corporate world. Brief mention of the internet and the porn industry. Discussion of the emphasis on stock options, creative incentive to promote stock price alone at the expense of other measures of performance. Brief discussion on improving the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Washington Week Show - WW 4152 - "Middle East"
Gwen Ifill introduces segment on U.S. foreign policy in the Middle East. Mention of U.S. demanding that Yasser Arafat stand for re-election in Palestine. Doyle McManus of the Los Angeles Times discusses Palestinian elections, mentions suicide bombings. Mention of Israel sending tanks into Palestine, President George W. Bush. Mention of U.S. State Department considering announcing a provisional Palestinian state. Discussion of the Bush administration calling for new leadership in Palestine and the removal of Arafat from power. Mention of Condoleezza Rice, Donald Rumsfeld, Colin Powell and their involvement in U.S. foreign policy with Palestine.
Washington Week Show - WW 4152 - "Palestine"
Doyle McManus continues discussion on U.S. foreign policy in Palestine. Discussion of the likelihood that Yasser Arafat will win re-election and the type of government the U.S. hopes will be created even if Arafat remains in power. Discussion of the U.S. looking at alternative leaders to Arafat in Palestine. Discussion of U.S. allies' generally negative reactions to American call for new leadership in Palestine. Gwen Ifill begins to close show.
Washington Week Show - WW 4152 - "Show Close"
Gwen Ifill continues to close show. End credits.