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transcripts
Transcripts
September 16, 2002
Host: Michael
Grant
Topics:
Proposition 200, Colorado River Indian Tribe's Gaming Initiative
which would require new tribal gaming compacts with the governor;
Learn
more about Proposition 200 on the Election 2002 Web site.
"Stories of Arizona" profile of Bob MacCall, Arizona's
space artist
In-Studio Guests:
Dennis Patch, Member of the Colorado River Indian
Tribal Council;
Jason Rose, Spokesman for Yes on Proposition 200
>> MICHAEL: TONIGHT ON "HORIZON" PROPOSITION 200 WOULD ALLOW
CASINOS TO OFFER MORE TYPES OF GAMES WHILE CONTRIBUTING MONEY
TO THE STATE FOR SCHOLARSHIPS AND SENIOR HEALTH CARE. PLUS, HIS
ART WORK HAS BEEN DESCRIBED AS BEING OUT OF THIS WORLD. STORIES
OF ARIZONA PROFILES BOB MCCALL. GOOD EVENING, I'M MICHAEL GRANT.
WELCOME TO "HORIZON". THIS FALL THERE WILL BE THREE COMPETING
GAMING INITIATIVES ON THE BALLOT. ONE SPONSORED BY RACE TRACKS,
ANOTHER BY 17 TRIBES AND ONE BY A TRIBE LOCATED ON THE ARIZONA-CALIFORNIA
BORDER. IT IS THIS TRIBES' INITIATIVE, PROP 200, THAT WE EXAMINE
TONIGHT. PAUL ATKINSON SHOWS US PROP 200 IS AN ATTEMPT TO IMPROVE
THE ECONOMIES ON THE RESERVATIONS WHILE GIVING SOMETHING BACK
TO THE STATE.
>> Reporter: THE BLUE WATER RESORT ON THE COLORADO RIVER FEATURES
A CASINO WITH SOME 450 SLOT MACHINES PLUS KENO, BINGO AND FIVE
POKER TABLES. CUSTOMERS ARE LIKE MARGARET RUSH WHO DROVE HERE
FROM HER CALIFORNIA HOME.
>> Margaret Rush: I PLAY SLOTS. WE ARE RETIRED AND I THINK IT'S
GREAT FOR US. AND I THINK IT'S GREAT FOR ANYONE THAT WANTS TO
GAMBLE.
>> Reporter: IT'S NOT GAMING BUT AGRICULTURE THAT MAKES THE
MOST MONEY FOR THE FOUR TRIBES THAT MAKE UP THE COLORADO RIVER
INDIAN TRIBES: THE MOHAVES AND CHIMEHUEVI HAVE FARMED ALONG THE
COLORADO RIVER FOR CENTURIES. THE OTHER TWO TRIBES, NAVAJOS AND
HOPIS, WERE RELOCATED HERE IN THE 1940S BY THE U.S. GOVERNMENT.
>> Annette Brown: WHAT GAMING HAS DONE HAS ALLOWED THE TRIBES
TO DIVERSIFY ITS ECONOMY. IT'S BEEN ABLE TO SUPPLEMENT ITS EXISTING
BUDGET AND THAT IS ABLE TO THEN ENTER INTO OTHER ENTERPRISE AREAS.
>> Reporter: GAMING PROCEEDS ALLOW THE TRIBES TO BUY A LOCAL
SAND AND GRAVEL OPERATION, OPEN A HARDWARE, PLUS BUILD AND LEASE
A SHOPPING CENTER. A NEW HEALTH CARE CENTER OPENED LAST YEAR THANKS
LARGELY TO TRIBAL MONEY.
>> Jon Via Lobos: WE'VE GOT A LONG WAYS TO GO. BY NO MEANS ARE
WE FINISHED.
>> Reporter: JON VIA LOBOS OVERSEES THE 1250 ACRE PRESERVE ALONG
THE COLORADO RIVER. PROCEEDS FROM THE CASINO WERE USED TO BUILD
A PARK FOR FAMILY GET-TOGETHERS AND TRIBAL CEREMONIES. CASINO
PROFITS ARE ALSO AT WORK HELPING REMODEL FEDERAL-BUILT HOUSING
ON THE RESERVATION.
>> Annette Brown: FOR MANY YEARS, INDIAN PEOPLE HAVE ALWAYS BEEN
THE POOREST PEOPLE IN THE COUNTRY. WHEN INDIAN GAMING CAME ALONG,
IT ENABLED TRIBES, THEIR GOVERNMENTS TO START BUILDING AN INFRASTRUCTURE
TO BRING A LOT OF THE SUBSTANDARD LEVEL THAT TRIBAL MEMBERS HAVE
BEEN IN TO PAR WITH THE REST OF THE COUNTRY.
>> Reporter: OVER THE PAST DECADE, THE NUMBER OF COLORADO INDIAN
TRIBAL NUMBERS LIVING IN POVERTY HAS DROPPED FROM 28% IN 1989
TO 22% TEN YEARS LATER. THE STATEWIDE AVERAGE IS 10%.
>> Jon Villa Lobos: WE STILL HAVE A LONG ROAD AHEAD OF US, AND
I THINK THAT'S WHERE PROP 200 COMES IN.
>> Reporter: PROPOSITION 200 IS SPONSORED BY THE COLORADO RIVER
INDIAN TRIBES. HERE'S WHAT IT CALLS FOR AND HOW IT'S DIFFERENT
FROM CURRENT INDIAN GAMING COMPACTS. PROPOSITION 200 WOULD CREATE
A 20-YEAR GAMING COMPACT WHICH THE TRIBE CAN AUTOMATICALLY RENEW
FOR ANOTHER 20 YEARS. RIGHT NOW TRIBES HAVE ONLY A 10 YEAR COMPACT.
PROPOSITION 200 WOULD ALLOW EACH TRIBE UP TO THREE CASINOS. UNDER
THE CURRENT GAMING COMPACT TRIBES CAN HAVE FROM ONE TO FOUR BASED
ON POPULATION. PROPOSITION 200 WOULD ALLOW EACH TRIBE TO HAVE
FROM 1000 TO 1400 SLOT MACHINES TOTAL. THOSE NUMBERS CAN INCREASE
BASED ON THE STATE'S POPULATION. CURRENTLY, TRIBES CAN HAVE UP
TO 475, 900 OR 1400 MACHINES OVERALL BASED ON TRIBAL POPULATION.
PROP 200 ALSO ALLOWS TRIBES THAT DON'T CURRENTLY OFFER GAMING
THE ABILITY TO EXCLUSIVELY TRANSFER THEIR ALLOTMENT OF SLOTS TO
OTHER TRIBES CASINOS. AFTER FIVE YEARS ALL TRIBES CAN TRANSFER
SLOT MACHINES AMONG CASINOS. TRANSFERRED SLOT MACHINES DON'T COUNT
AGAINST THE CASINO'S DESIGNATED NUMBER OF MACHINES. CURRENTLY
TRIBES ARE NOT ALLOWED TO TRANSFER SLOT MACHINES. PROP 200 ALLOWS
EACH CASINO TO OPERATE UP TO 20 HOUSE BANKED TABLE GAMES, INCLUDING
POKER, BLACKJACK, CRAPS, BACCARAT AND ROULETTE. RIGHT NOW, TRIBES
CAN HAVE UNLIMITED NON-HOUSE BANKED POKER TABLES, BUT NOT BLACKJACK,
CRAPS OR OTHER LAS VEGAS-STYLE GAMES.
>> Annette Brown: THE BOTTOM LINE IS, ANY EXPANSION IN THE GAMING
GAMES OFFERED, WHETHER IT BE THE SLOTS OR TABLES, IS GOING TO
BE MARKET DRIVEN. THE SLOT MACHINES THEMSELVES, THEY'RE NOT CHEAP,
THEY ARE QUITE EXPENSIVE. SO THE TRIBE ISN'T GOING TO INVEST IN
THAT TYPE OF EQUIPMENT THEY KNOW THEY'RE GOING TO GET THE RETURN.
>> Reporter: PROPOSITION 200 REQUIRES TRIBES TO MONITOR, REPORT
AND INVESTIGATE VIOLATIONS. RIGHT NOW, VIOLATIONS MUST BE INVESTIGATED
AND REPORTED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF GAMING. PROP 200 REQUIRES EACH
TRIBE TO PAY PART OF THE NET CASINO PROFIT TO THE STATE. THE MONEY
WOULD BE DEPOSITED WITH THE TREASURER TO BE SPENT ON THE FOLLOWING:
75% ON UNIVERSITY COMMUNITY COLLEGE AND TRIBAL COLLEGE SCHOLARSHIPS.
14% ON STATEWIDE PROGRAMS FOR SENIOR HEALTH CARE. 5% TO TRIBES
FOR SENIOR HEALTH CARE. 5% TO TRIBES FOR EDUCATION. AND 1% TO
THE STATE FOR ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS. PROP 200 COULD BRING IN $32
MILLION ANNUALLY, AS ESTIMATED BY LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL. RIGHT NOW,
TRIBES DO NOT SEND ANY MONEY TO THE STATE FOR SUCH PROGRAMS.
>> Annette Brown: THERE'S 18,000 COLLEGE SCHOLARSHIPS THAT WOULD
BE CREATED, AND THAT'S NOT ONLY FOR THE UNIVERSITIES, BUT INCLUDING
COMMUNITY COLLEGES AND TRIBAL COLLEGES. ELDER HEALTH CARE, THAT
FUND IS PROJECTED TO INCREASE THE AMOUNT OF FUNDING FOR ELDER
HEALTH CARE AT LEAST $6 MILLION, IF NOT MORE.
>> Reporter: NEGATIVES ASSOCIATED WITH PROPOSITION 200. BECAUSE
IT EXPANDS GAMBLING, IT WOULD INCREASE COMPULSIVE GAMBLING, WHICH
LEADS TO DIVORCE, CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT, AND DOMESTIC VIOLENCE.
PROPOSITION 200 REDUCES REGULATORY OVERSIGHT BY HAVING TRIBES
REGULATE AND INVESTIGATE THEMSELVES, NOT THE DEPARTMENT OF GAMING.
UNDER PROP 200, TRIBES DO IN THE HAVE TO DISCLOSE HOW MUCH MONEY
THEY MAKE, SO THERE IS NO WAY TO INSURE THE STATE IS GETTING 3%
OF NET PROFITS AS PROMISED. AND OF THE THREE GAMING INITIATIVES
ON THE BALLOT, PROPOSITION 200 PROVIDES THE LEAST AMOUNT OF MONEY
TO THE STATE.
>> MICHAEL: JOINING ME NOW IS DENNIS PATCH, A MEMBER OF THE COLORADO
RIVER INDIAN TRIBAL COUNCIL. ALSO HERE IS JASON ROSE, SPOKESMAN
FOR YES ON PROPOSITION 200. AND GENTLEMEN, GOOD TO SEE BOTH OF
YOU. DENNIS, TELL ME WHY PEOPLE SHOULD VOTE FOR PROPOSITION 200
INSTEAD OF THE OTHER TWO.
>> Dennis Patch: I THINK OUR PROPOSITION GIVES THE FULL BENEFIT
OF INDIAN GAMING TO ALL ARIZONANS. IT REMAINS FAITHFUL TO THE
INTENT OF INDIAN GAMING. IT LEAVES THE MAJORITY OF THE MONEY ON
THE RESERVATIONS TO HELP INDIAN BUILD THEIR COMMUNITIES IN TERMS
OF HEALTH, EDUCATION, ALSO THE JOBS, AND REDUCES POVERTY AND GETS
PEOPLE OFF WELFARE. IN ADDITION TO THAT, WE SHARE IN ARIZONA,
WE'RE GOING TO GIVE APPROXIMATELY 18,000 SCHOLARSHIPS TO ALL ARIZONANS
AND MILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN ELDER HEALTH CARE. I THINK WE KEEP
THE STATUS QUO IN REGULATION AND DOUBLE THE AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT
GOES TO ARIZONA DEPARTMENT OF GAMING FOR REGULATION.
>> MICHAEL: GAMING DEPARTMENT DOESN'T AGREE WITH YOU, ARIZONA
SUPREME COURT DOESN'T AGREE WITH YOU ON REGULATION. BOTH SAY PROPOSITION
200 SIGNIFICANTLY WEAKENS THE AMOUNT OF OVERSIGHT THE STATE HAS
OVER INDIAN GAMING. ARE THEY WRONG?
>> Dennis Patch: I THINK THE ARIZONA DEPARTMENT OF GAMING WAS
WRONG, THE ARIZONA SUPREME COURT RULED IN FAVOR, IT DOESN'T SIGNIFICANTLY
REDUCE REGULATION.
>> MICHAEL: THEY SAID THEY AGREED WITH THE PROPOSITION THAT IT
REDUCED REGULATION BUT THEY FELT THAT THE BALLOT PHRASING WAS
INCORRECT. IT DOES ALLOW THE TRIBES IN THE MAIN TO MONITOR THEMSELVES,
DOES IT NOT, AS OPPOSED TO THE GAMING COMMISSION.
>> Dennis Patch: THE PROPOSITION IS PRESENTLY IN, IT'S WHAT THE
ARIZONA DEPARTMENT OF GAMING DOES NOW, IT DOESN'T REDUCE REGULATION
AT ALL. AS A MATTER OF FACT, LIKE I SAID, IT DOUBLES THE AMOUNT
OF MONEY THAT GOES TO THE DEPARTMENT OF REGULAR GAMING FOR REGULATION.
>> MICHAEL: JASON, LET'S GO WITH THE JOE ARIZONA PITCH. WHY
DON'T I DO THE MATH AND SAY THE LAST THING THAT I WANT TO VOTE
FOR IS PROPOSITION 200, WHICH DELIVERS ONLY 30 MILLION AS OPPOSED
TO THE MAJORITY TRIBES' 80 MILLION OR SO AND THE TRACKS' ALLEGED
300 MILLION?
>> Jason Rose: INDIAN GAMING IS ABOUT INDIAN SELF-RELIANCE. ALL
THREE MEASURES SAY WE WANT TO HELP ARIZONA'S NATIVE AMERICANS.
I DON'T KNOW HOW YOU DO THAT WHEN YOU TAX THE HECK OUT OF THEM.
THE ORIGINAL INTENT OF INDIAN GAMING WAS TO IMPROVE FUTURES FOR
NATIVE AMERICANS ON THE RESERVATIONS. THAT'S WHAT WE DO BY LEAVING
MOST OF THE MONEY IN PARKER AND SELLS. IT REDUCES WELFARE. IT
IS SO PURE IN ITS INTENT TO SAY WE WILL CONTINUE TO IMPROVE INDIAN
GAMING TO THE FULLEST EXTENT POSSIBLE RATHER THAN SOLVE A POLITICIAN'S
PROBLEM IN PHOENIX WHO WANTS TO GROW GOVERNMENT AND BALANCE THE
BUDGET ON THE BACKS OF PEOPLE WHO CAN AFFORD IT THE LEAST.
>> MICHAEL: ISN'T THE STATUS QUO DOING THAT? WE JUST SAW IN THE
PACKAGE THAT THERE'S BEEN SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENTS IN THE TRIBAL
ECONOMY AND TRIBAL FACILITIES AS A RESULT OF GAMING. WHY EXPAND
IT?
>> Jason Rose: ANYONE WHO THINKS THAT'S BEEN DONE FOR RURAL TRIBES
NEEDS TO GO TO SUPAI, NEEDS TO GO TO PARKER, NEEDS TO GO AND SEE
THE WORK THAT HAS TO CONTINUE THERE. THAT'S ONE OF THE KEY ELEMENTS
OF 200, THAT FOR THE FIRST TIME NONGAMING. RURAL TRIBES WILL BE
ABLE TO SELL THEIR ALLOTMENT AND BENEFIT FROM GAMING. THAT'S IMPORTANT
TO THE NAVAJOS, THE HOPIS, THE SUPAIS SO THAT RURAL TRIBES CAN
ENJOY THE BENEFITS OF INDIAN GAMING, TOO.
>> MICHAEL: DENNIS, A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE A CONCERN ABOUT PROPOSITION
200 FROM THE POINT IT EXPANDS THE TYPE OF GAMING THAT GOES ON,
YOU MOVE FROM SLOT MACHINES TO NOT ONLY BLACKJACK BUT ALSO ROULETTE,
CRAPS, AND A LOT OF PEOPLE FEEL THAT MOVES US A LOT CLOSER TO
LAS VEGAS THAN ARIZONA WANTS TO BE. WHAT DO YOU SAY TO THAT?
>> Dennis Patch: IT ONLY INCREASES TABLE GAMES TO 20 GAMES. I
THINK THE OTHER PROPOSITIONS INCREASE IT HIGHER. I THINK, FOR
EXAMPLE, 202 WAS 75 BLACKJACK TABLES AND FOR URBAN AREAS UNDER
202 THERE'S 100 TABLES. SO IT'S FIVE TIMES AS MANY TABLE GAMES
AS WE'RE OFFERING UNDER PROPOSITION 200.
>> MICHAEL: YOU BROADEN THE TYPES OF GAMING AND I THINK YOU HAVE
UNLIMITED POKER TABLES, IF I RECALL CORRECTLY UNDER PROPOSITION
200. WHY DO WE FAN OUT TO INCLUDE THINGS LIKE ROULETTE AND CRAPS?
WHY IS THAT A GOOD IDEA?
>> Dennis Patch: I THINK THE DIVERSITY OF GAMES AND WHEN YOU
LOOK AT CRAPS AND BACCARAT, INDUSTRY STANDARD YOU'RE NOT GOING
TO HAVE THAT MANY TABLES. WE ENVISION MAYBE ONE BACCARAT TABLE
AND TWO CRAP TABLES AND THE MAJORITY WOULD BE BLACKJACK TABLES.
IT'S STILL FIVE TIMES LESS THAN WHAT THE OTHER TRIBES ARE OFFERING
UNDER 202.
>> MICHAEL: AM I INCORRECT OR DOESN'T THIS ALLOW 20 OF THESE
KIND OF TABLES PLUS THEORETICALLY UNLIMITED POKER TABLES?
>> Jason Rose: SURE IT INCREASES THE TABLES TO 20 GAMES. THE
TRACKS PROPOSITION INCREASES TABLE GAMES. 202 INCREASES TABLE
GAMES, THEY JUST DO IT FIVE TIMES MORE THAN PROP 200 DOES.
>> MICHAEL: I'M TRYING TO GET TO AN APPLES TO APPLES COMPARISON.
YOU KEEP TALKING ABOUT 20 TABLES, BUT THE PROPOSITION 202 CAPS
IT AT, I THINK, 75. THAT IS BOTH BLACKJACK AND POKER. HERE YOU
HAVE 20 PLUS THEORETICALLY 80 POKER TABLES.
>> Jason Rose: I'M NOT SURE HOW MANY VOTERS AT THE END OF THE
DAY ARE GOING TO SAY THEY ALLOW CRAPS, THEY ALLOW BLACKJACK, WE'RE
GOING TO SPLIT THAT HAIR AND SAY WE'RE GOING WITH BLACKJACK, DON'T
THINK THIS IS WHAT THE DEBATE WILL ULTIMATELY BE ABOUT.
>> MICHAEL: WE WANT TO DRAW A LINE SOMEPLACE, WE DON'T WANT ARIZONA
BECOMING NEVADA AND IT SEEMS TO ME JUST AS THE TRACKS TAKE THIS
THING A STEP BY PULLING IT OFF THE RESERVATION IT SEEMS THERE'S
AN ARGUMENT THAT WE'RE TAKING ANOTHER GAMING STEP IN THAT DIRECTION
WITH PROPOSITION 200?
>> Jason Rose: WE CONFINE IT TO THE RESERVATION AND INCREASE
THE GAMBLING AGE FROM 18 TO 21. I THINK IF YOU WERE TO SURVEY
THE PEOPLE WHO GO TO CASINOS, THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO PLAY BLACKJACK
VERSUS CRAPS, THE DEBATE IS HOW CAN WE MAXIMIZE THE REVENUE TO
DO THE MOST GOOD FOR ARIZONA NATIVE AMERICANS. 200 DOES IT. IT'
NOT CLOSE WHEN YOU COMPARE IT TO THE OTHER GAMING MEASURES IN
TERMS OF WHO DOES THE MOST GOOD FOR ARIZONA NATIVE AMERICANS.
>> MICHAEL: DENNIS, THE CONCEPT OF NET AS OPPOSED TO GROSS AND
THE FEELING THAT THE TRIBE OR THE TRIBES, IF PROPOSITION 200 PASSES,
SORT OF GET TO DETERMINE WHAT THE KITTY IS OF WHICH THEY TURN
OVER 3% TO THE STATE. DOESN'T THAT GIVE YOU AN AWFUL LOT OF LEEWAY
THAT GROSS DOES NOT?
>> Dennis Patch: NO, I DON'T BELIEVE SO. EVERY YEAR THE TRIBE,
EVERY GAMING TRIBE IN ARIZONA TURNS OVER TO THE DEPARTMENT OF
ARIZONA GAMING AN AUDIT SO THE DEPARTMENT OF GAMING KNOWS EXACTLY
HOW MUCH MONEY EVERY TRIBE MADE EVERY YEAR. IN ADDITION TO THAT,
THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT ALSO HAS AN AUDIT OF EVERY GAMING TRIBE
ON THEIR GAMING OPERATIONS. SO I THINK THAT UNDER OUR INITIATIVE,
3% OF THE NET IS AFTER WE PAY OUR JACKPOT PRIZES AND PERSONNEL
AND OPERATION EXPENSES WHICH WE BELIEVE IS REASONABLE.
>> MICHAEL: DOES THE RESTAURANT OPERATION BECOME A DEDUCTIBLE
EXPENSE AGAINST THE GROSS OF GAMING?
>> Dennis Patch: NO, THIS IS NOT CLASS 3 GAMING.
>> MICHAEL: IN OTHER WORDS, AT LEAST IT HAS TO BE, EXPENSES HAVE
TO BE ATTRIBUTABLE TO THE GAMING SIDE OF THE CASINO OPERATION.
>> Dennis Patch: RIGHT.
>> MICHAEL: WHAT'S THE COLORADO RIVER TRIBE'S POSITION ON PROPOSITION
202, THE MAJORITY TRIBES PROPOSAL, IS IT ACTIVELY ENCOURAGING
PEOPLE TO VOTE NO ON 202?
>> Jason Rose: NO IS THE SHORT ANSWER. AND IT IS AN APPROACH
TO INDIAN GAMING. IT'S JUST AN APPROACH THAT TAXES NATIVE AMERICANS
FOUR TIMES AS MUCH AS PROP 200 DOES.
>> MICHAEL: OVER TWO AND A HALF TIMES.
>> Jason Rose: JUST BECAUSE 17 TRIBES SAY IT'S A GOOD THING DOESN'T
MEAN IT'S THE RIGHT WAY FOR ARIZONA TO GO. TWO YEARS AGO, WE HAD
ABOUT 17 ENVIRONMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS COME OUT AND SAY THIS WOULD
BE GOOD FOR ARIZONA'S ENVIRONMENT. IN FACT, VOTERS REJECTED THAT
AND THERE'S NOTHING MAGIC WITH 17 TRIBES OR 87 TRIBES OR ONE TRIBE,
IT'S WHAT'S THE BEST POLICY, WHAT ADVANCES THE FUTURE OF NATIVE
AMERICANS THE MOST. THERE IS NO DISPUTE.
>> MICHAEL: THAT'S ABSOLUTELY TRUE. JASON ROSE, APPRECIATE YOU
JOINING US, DENNIS PATCH, GOOD TO SEE YOU.
>>> MICHAEL: HE IS THE OFFICIAL ARTIST FOR NASA AND HIS WORK
CAN BE FOUND IN A SMITHSONIAN MUSEUM IN WASHINGTON DC. EACH MONDAY
THROUGHOUT THE SUMMER, HORIZON HAS BROUGHT YOU "STORIES OF ARIZONA,"
PROFILES OF THOSE WHO PERSONIFY THE SPIRIT OF THE STATE. TONIGHT
WE END THE SERIES BY LOOKING AT THE FUTURE, THE FUTURE THROUGH
THE EYES OF BOB MCCALL. BILL LEVERTON INTRODUCES US TO AN ARIZONA
ARTIST WHO GAINED FAME NOT BY PAINTING THE OLD FRONTIER, BUT THE
NEW FRONTIER.
>> Bill Leverton: THE NIGHT SKY HAS FASCINATED ANIMALS AND HUMANS
ALIKE FOR THOUSANDS OF YEARS. WHAT IS UP THERE? ARE THERE OTHER
WORLDS THAN OURS? ARIZONA'S ROBERT MCCALL HAS LOOKED UP THERE
AND HAS LET HIS IMAGINATION RUN WILD AND BECOME PERHAPS THE WORLD'S
MOST RENOWNED SPACE ARTIST. THESE ARE HIS VISIONS.
>> Robert McCall: THERE IS LIFE.
>> Bill Leverton: HIS JOURNEY TO THE STARS BEGAN IN COLUMBUS,
OHIO. IN DECEMBER 1919. NAMED FOR HIS GRANDFATHER, A MEDICAL DOCTOR
WHO DIED BEFORE HE WAS BORN, BOB'S FATHER NUDGED HIM TO BECOME
A DOCTOR. BOB LIKED TO DRAW THINGS AND BECAME INSTEAD AN ARTIST.
HE AND HIS OLDER SISTER WERE RAISED BY A FATHER ALREADY IN HIS
40S WHEN THEY WERE BORN.
>> Robert McCall: HE DIDN'T SWIM, OR OWN AN AUTOMOBILE. A LOT
OF IT HAS TO DO WITH WANTING IT SEEMS TO ME. I WANT EVERYTHING.
>> Bill Leverton: RAISED BY A MOTHER WHO THOUGHT HER ARTISTIC
SON COULD DO NO WRONG.
>> Robert McCall: WHEN YOU HAVE THAT KIND OF SUPPORT FROM A PARENT,
IT ADDS TO YOUR OWN SENSE OF SELF-ESTEEM.
>> Bill Leverton: AS A YOUNG BOY, IT THREW HIM FOR A LOOP THE
FIRST TIME HE LOOKED THROUGH A MICRO SCOPE IN A BIOLOGY CLASS.
>> Robert McCall: SAW ALGAE, SAW MICROSCOPIC ORGANISMS. THAT
IS UNBELIEVABLE, THERE THEY WERE, ALL THE TIME THEY WERE THERE.
I DIDN'T EVEN KNOW IT, JUST LIKE WHEN I GOT A TELESCOPE LATER
AND LOOKED AT THE HEAVENS AND SAW THE CRATERS ON THE MOON. THESE
THINGS JUST BLEW ME AWAY. AND THEN READING ABOUT ASTRONOMY AND
THE HEAVENS AND DISCOVER THE PINPOINTS OF LIGHT WHICH WE CALL
STARS ARE HUGE SUNS, MOST OF THEM LARGER THAN OUR OWN. AND THERE
ARE BILLIONS OF THEM.
>> Bill Leverton: BOB MCCALL WAS FASCINATED WITH AIRCRAFT AND
LOVED ADVENTURE STORIES.
>> Robert McCall: I WAS MORE FASCINATED WITH THE ILLUSTRATIONS
BECAUSE THEY WERE OFTEN ADVENTURE STORIES AND I WANTED TO MAKE
DRAWINGS TO ILLUSTRATE ADVENTURE. BY DOING THE ILLUSTRATIONS,
I COULD BECOME PART OF IT.
>> Bill Leverton: AFTER HIGH SCHOOL HE WON A SCHOLARSHIP TO COLUMBUS
ART SCHOOL AND THEN WORKED FOR A TIME AS AN ILLUSTRATOR AND COPY
WRITER. THEN WORLD WAR II CAME ALONG. BOB WANTED TO BE A PILOT,
BUT IRONICALLY FOR AN ARTIST, HE WAS COLOR BLIND. HE NEVER SAW
COMBAT. THE WAR ENDED AND HE DID MEET LOUISE.
>> Robert McCall: I MET HER ON A BLIND DATE SET UP BY A YOUNG
OFFICER WHO THOUGHT WE WOULD HAVE A RAPPORT SINCE SHE WAS AN ART
STUDENT AND I WAS AN ARTIST.
>> Bill Leverton: THEY WERE SOON MARRIED AND ARE STILL TOGETHER
OVER 55 YEARS LATER.
>> Robert McCall: I KNOW THAT LOVE HAS GROWN TO THIS INCREDIBLE
THING THAT MEANS SO MUCH.
>> Bill Leverton: LOVE OF AIRCRAFT BROUGHT HIM CAREER OPPORTUNITIES.
HE DID ILLUSTRATIONS DRAMATIZING THE ATTACK ON PEARL HARBOR. AND
EVENTUALLY EVEN FROM PAINTINGS FOR THE MOTION PICTURE TORA! TORA!
TORA! BUT THAT WASN'T HIS ONLY VENTURE INTO MOTION PICTURES. EVENTUALLY
EVEN HE GOT A CALL FROM METRO GOLDWYN MAYER.
>> Robert McCall: THEY ASKED IF I WAS INTERESTED IN DOING SOME
WORK ON A NEW FILM THAT WAS BEING PRODUCED IN LONDON BY STANLEY
KUBRICK.
>> Bill Leverton: IT WAS FAR A LITTLE PRODUCTION CALLED 2001,
A SPACE ODYSSEY. KUBRICK IS A MAN WHO COULD BE DIFFICULT.
>> Robert McCall: HE IS A PERFECTIONIST, BUT THERE WAS NEVER
A PROBLEM BECAUSE SO AM I.
>> Bill Leverton: HE WORKED ON OTHER FILMS BUT THAT WASN'T HIS
MAIN INTEREST. IN THE 1960S LIFE MAGAZINE ASKED HIM TO DO A SERIES
SHOWING THE FUTURE OF SPACE TRAVEL. NOT LONG AFTER THAT, NASA
ASKED HIM TO KEEP A VISUAL HISTORY OF THEIR EFFORTS.
>> Robert McCall: JUST THE EXCITEMENT OF BEING THERE, IT'S INSPIRATIONAL.
>> Bill Leverton: IN 1970, BOB AND LOUISE FELL IN LOVE WITH ARIZONA
AND MOVED TO THE HOUSE WHERE THEY STILL LIVE. HE OFTEN USES HIS
ADOPTED STATE AS PART OF HIS LANDSCAPE FOR HIS SPACE PAINTINGS.
NOT LONG AFTER THEY MOVED HERE, BOB DID WHAT IS THE FAVORITE OF
ALL HIS WORKS, A MURAL FOR THE SMITHSONIAN NATIONAL AIR AND SPACE
MUSEUM.
>> Robert McCall: I HAD 2100 SQUARE FEET OF CANVASS TO COVER
AND THIS VERTICAL SECTION THAT WAS 68 FEET FROM FLOOR TO THE TOP.
>> GOSH. I WANTED TO DO THAT. AND IF THEY HAD OFFERED ME TWICE
THE SPACE AND IT HAD TAKEN TWO YEARS OR FIVE, I WOULD HAVE DONE
IT. THE MORE THE BETTER, THE BIGGER, THE GRANDER.
>> Bill Leverton: IT IS CALLED THE SPACE MURAL, A COSMIC VIEW.
REQUIRED ALL HIS EFFORTS AS A RESEARCHER AND THE HEIGHT OF CREATIVE
IMAGINATION TO PULL IT OFF. HE HAS CONTINUED AS THE SPACE ARTIST
MEETING ASTRONAUTS AND EVEN GETTING TO TRY ON SPACE SUITS. HE
HAS DESIGNED THE EMBLEMS FOR THE SPACE MISSION AND CREATED THE
UNITED STATES SPACE POSTAGE STAMP. WHAT DOES THE FUTURE HOLD?
HIS PAINTINGS TODAY LET HIM GO WHERE NO ONE HAS GONE BEFORE.
>> Robert McCall: I HAVE THE ADVANTAGE OVER THE ASTRONAUTS AND
THE COSMONAUTS WHO CAN'T BE THERE EXCEPT IN RARE INSTANCES WHEN
THEY CAN GO A LITTLE DISTANCE LIKE THE MOON. I CAN GO DEEP INTO
SPACE, AND I CAN IMAGINE BEING THERE.
>> Bill Leverton: FLIGHTS OUT TO WORLDS BEYOND BELIEF.
>> Robert McCall: SCIENCE FICTION PRECEDED SCIENCE FACT. THAT'S
A GOOD WAY TO DESCRIBE WHAT I LIKE MOST ABOUT WHAT I DO. I CONSIDER
IT A PROJECTION OF EXISTING SCIENCE INTO THE FUTURE. IF YOU PROJECT
MORE THAN A FEW YEARS, YOU'RE IN THE REALM OF SCIENCE FICTION.
>> Bill Leverton: HIS WORK ISN'T ALL ABOUT THE SPACE PROGRAM,
THOUGH. HE AND LOUISE COLLABORATED ON A 360 DEGREE STAINED GLASS
WINDOW FOR THE VALLEY PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH.
>> Robert McCall: THE SUN RISING ABOVE THE CRESCENT EARTH, CASTING
ITS VERTICAL AND HORIZONTAL BEAMS WHICH YOU CAN SAY THAT'S THE
CROSS.
>> Bill Leverton: ONE OF HIS RECENT ACCOMPLISHMENTS, JOINING
FORCES WITH OTHERS TO HELP CREATE THE CHALLENGER LEARNING CENTERS.
>> Robert McCall: THERE ARE NOW 30 OF THEM ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
THIS ONE IS BY ALL ODDS THE FINEST AND IT'S ORIGINAL FROM THE
GROUND UP.
>> Bill Leverton: THE ROTUNDA, CALLED TOUR OF THE UNIVERSE, IS
BOB MCCALL AT HIS FINEST.
>> Robert McCall: I WANT THEM TO BE THRILLED WITH THE PROSPECT
OR THE THOUGHT OF SPACE EXPLORATION.
>> Bill Leverton: HE SAYS HE WOULD LIKE TO BE REMEMBERED FOR
HIS WORK, HIS PAINTINGS, HIS INSPIRATIONS.
>> Robert McCall: I THINK THEY ARE MORE IMPORTANT, MAYBE, THAN
THE PERSON. THERE ARE SO MANY WONDERFUL PEOPLE THAT ARE LOST IN
OBSCURITY AS THEY PASS ON. I THINK THE ONLY HOPE REALLY IS BY
SOMETHING THAT YOU LEAVE FOR A SHORT TIME, BECAUSE IT'S ALL COVERED
BY THE SANDS OF TIME IN DUE COURSE ANYWAY.
>> Bill Leverton: SOME DAY, MAYBE SOON, MAYBE LATER, REALITY
WILL CATCH UP WITH BOB MCCALL'S FANTASIES AND WE WILL NOT HAVE
TO WONDER WHAT IS UP THERE.
>> Robert McCall: WHETHER WE WILL MAKE CONTACT, I THINK IN DUE
COURSE WE WILL. AT LEAST WE WILL BE AWARE THAT LIFE EXISTS ELSEWHERE.
>> MICHAEL: TOMORROW NIGHT ON "HORIZON" THE STRUGGLE BETWEEN
CITIES AND DEVELOPERS OVER WHAT NEW HOMES AND BUSINESSES SHOULD
LOOK LIKE. THEN ON WEDNESDAY, MARICOPA COUNTY WANTS TO EXTEND
ITS SALES TAX TO BUILD JAILS. IS THAT NEEDED? THAT WILL BE ON
NOVEMBER'S BALLOT. AND OF COURSE ON FRIDAY, WE'LL HAVE THE JOURNALIST
ROUNDTABLE, TAKING A LOOK AT THE WEEK'S TOP NEWS STORIES. I'M
MICHAEL GRANT. HAVE A GOOD ONE. GOOD NIGHT.