PBS NewsHour; December 23, 2010 3:00pm-4:00pm PST

Captioning sponsored by MacNEIL/LEHRER PRODUCTIONS

>> Woodruff: GOOD EVENING. I'M JUDY WOODRUFF. BOMBS ROCKED THE CHILEAN AND SWISS EMBASSIES IN ROME TODAY.

>> Warner: AND I'M MARGARET WARNER. ON THE "NEWSHOUR" TONIGHT: WE'LL TALK TO TWO FORMER TOP U.S. INTELLIGENCE OFFICIALS ABOUT WHAT'S BEING DONE TO MEET HEIGHTENED SECURITY FEARS IN EUROPE AND THE U.S. AS THE HOLIDAYS BEGIN.

>> Woodruff: AS THE UNITED NATIONS REPORTED MORE THAN 170 DEATHS IN IVORY COAST, WE TALK TO DEPUTY ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF STATE WILLIAM FITZGERALD ABOUT THE GROWING TURMOIL GRIPPING THE AFRICAN COUNTRY FOLLOWING ITS DISPUTED PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION.

>> Warner: SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT JOHN TULENKO REPORTS ON THE CONTROVERSY SPURRED BY THE SUCCESS OF SMALL, ALTERNATIVE SCHOOLS IN THE NEW YORK CITY SYSTEM.

>> WHEN THE CITY CLOSED A LARGE HIGH SCHOOL WITH SAY, 2,000 STUDENTS, IT WAS REPLACED BY SMALL SCHOOLS SERVING, IN MOST CASES, HUNDREDS OF STUDENTS LESS. AND EACH TIME THAT HAPPENED, ALL THOSE LEFT OVER TEENAGERS HAD TO FIND SOMEWHERE ELSE TO GO TO SCHOOL.

>> Woodruff: WITH SOUTH KOREA'S ON-GOING MILITARY EXERCISES IN THE PENINSULA, WE'LL HAVE A REPORT FROM THE INTERNATIONAL NEWS WEBSITE GLOBAL POST ON HOW RESIDENTS OF SEOUL ARE REACTING.

>> Warner: AND, JEFFREY BROWN TALKS WITH CARTOONIST GARY TRUDEAU ABOUT HIS NEW BOOK CHRONICLING 40 YEARS OF THE "DOONESBURY" COMIC STRIP.

>> I'M A SHORT-ORDER COOK. I'M JUST TRYING TO GET THROUGH THE WEEK. JUST TRYING TO PUSH THE STORY FORWARD A LITTLE BIT. AND I DO THAT IN THE MOST ERRATIC WAY POSSIBLE.

>> Woodruff: THAT'S ALL AHEAD ON TONIGHT'S "NEWSHOUR." MAJOR FUNDING FOR THE PBS NEWSHOUR HAS BEEN PROVIDED BY:

>> OPPORTUNITY CAN START ANYWHERE AND GO EVERYWHERE. TO HELP REVITALIZE A NEIGHBORHOOD IN MASSACHUSETTS; RESTORE A HISTORIC LANDMARK IN HARLEM; FUND A LOCAL BUSINESS IN CHICAGO; EXPAND GREEN ENERGY INITIATIVES IN SEATTLE. BECAUSE WHEN YOU'RE GIVING, LENDING AND INVESTING IN MORE COMMUNITIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY, MORE OPPORTUNITIES HAPPEN. THIS IS THE ENGINE THAT CONNECTS ZERO EMISSION TECHNOLOGIES TO BREATHING A LITTLE EASIER, WHILE TAKING 4.6 MILLION TRUCKLOADS OFF THE ROAD EVERY YEAR. BNSF, THE ENGINE THAT CONNECTS US.

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>> Warner: CONCERNS ABOUT TERROR OVER THE HOLIDAYS RATCHETED UP A NOTCH TODAY WITH MAIL BOMBINGS IN ROME. THE TARGETS WERE A PAIR OF EMBASSIES IN THE ITALIAN CAPITAL. AT LEAST TWO PEOPLE WERE WOUNDED BY TODAY'S BOMBS, HIDDEN INSIDE PARCELS DELIVERED TO THE SWISS AND CHILEAN EMBASSIES. THE ITALIAN NEWS AGENCY ANSA REPORTED A NOTE WAS FOUND AT ONE SITE SAYING "LONG LIVE ANARCHY." JUST LAST MONTH, 14 PARCEL BOMBS WERE SENT TO FOREIGN EMBASSIES IN ATHENS, GREECE. A GREEK ANARCHIST GROUP CLAIMED RESPONSIBILITY, AND URGED LIKE- MINDED MILITANTS ELSEWHERE TO FOLLOW SUIT. THOUGH TODAY'S INCIDENTS IN ROME WEREN'T THOUGHT TO BE AL QAEDA- INSPIRED, THEY ADDED TO JITTERS WORLDWIDE ABOUT POSSIBLE ACTS OF TERROR OVER THE HOLIDAYS. LAST CHRISTMAS, A NIGERIAN MAN TRIED TO SET OFF A BOMB IN HIS UNDERWEAR ON A NORTHWEST AIRLINES PLANE FLYING IN TO DETROIT. YESTERDAY, WHITE HOUSE COUNTER- TERRORISM ADVISOR JOHN BRENNAN TOLD REPORTERS THE NATION'S SECURITY HAS IMPROVED SIGNIFICANTLY IN THE YEAR SINCE.

>> WE HAVE TAKEN STEPS TO ENSURE THAT THAT TYPE OF PROBLEM DOES NOT HAPPEN AGAIN. SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT PRESIDENT OBAMA HAS INSISTED THAT WE DO ON EACH OF THESE INCIDENTS IS TO TAKE A LOOK BACK AND TO SEE WHERE THE SYSTEM WORKED WELL, WHERE IT FELL DOWN, WHAT CHANGES WE COULD MAKE, EITHER IN INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY OR IN BUSINESS PROCESSES. AND SO I'M CONFIDENT THAT THOSE DEFICIENCIES WE IDENTIFIED AS A RESULT OF PREVIOUS REVIEWS ARE BEING ADDRESSED AND THAT WE ARE IN A MUCH BETTER POSITION TODAY THAN WE WERE LAST YEAR AT THIS TIME.

>> Warner: TO BUTTRESS THAT, THE WHITE HOUSE RELEASED A LIST OF SECURITY ENHANCEMENTS MADE IN THE PAST YEAR. THEY INCLUDE NEW PROCEDURES FOR INFORMATION SHARING, ANALYSIS AND TERROR WATCH LISTS. ALSO CITED WERE THE FULL BODY SCANNERS AND AGGRESSIVE SEARCHES AT U.S. AIRPORTS THAT HAVE GENERATED CONTROVERSY, AS WELL AS INTENSIFIED THOUGH NOT TOTAL SCREENING OF CARGO. STILL, THERE'VE BEEN FEARS, ESPECIALLY IN EUROPE, THAT A NEW ATTACK MIGHT BE IMMINENT. THIS MONTH, IRAQI OFFICIALS WARNED THAT AL-QAEDA ELEMENTS WERE PLOTTING ATTACKS IN MAJOR EUROPEAN CITIES. ON DECEMBER 11, A SUICIDE BOMBER SET OFF AN EXPLOSION DURING SATURDAY NIGHT SHOPPING IN DOWNTOWN STOCKHOLM, KILLING HIMSELF AND WOUNDING TWO OTHERS. AND ON MONDAY, BRITISH POLICE ARRESTED A DOZEN MEN SUSPECTED OF PLANNING A LARGE-SCALE ATTACK ON TARGETS THERE. U.S. OFFICIALS ARE ALSO ON ALERT FOR HOME-GROWN THREATS, ESPECIALLY AFTER A NATURALIZED CITIZEN, BORN IN PAKISTAN, TRIED TO SET OFF A CAR BOMB IN NEW YORK'S TIMES SQUARE LAST MAY. BRENNAN SAID WEDNESDAY AUTHORITIES ARE NOT AWARE OF ANY PARTICULAR PLOT AT THE MOMENT.

>> AS FAR AS SOMETHING SPECIFIC AND CREDIBLE, WE DON'T SEE THAT. THERE IS A CONSTANT STREAM OF REPORTING THROUGHOUT THE COURSE OF THE YEAR ABOUT AL QAEDA'S PLANS. SO SOMETIMES WE HAVE THAT STRATEGIC WARNING. WE'RE NOT GOING TO WAIT FOR A TACTICAL WARNING. WE'RE GOING TO BE POISED EVERY DAY.

>> Warner: IN THE MEANTIME, POLICE IN ROME WARNED MORE PARCEL BOMBS COULD STILL BE WORKING THEIR WAY THROUGH THE MAIL SERVICE. ALL THIS, AT A TIME WHEN THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE ARE POURING INTO THE CITY FOR CHRISTMAS OBSERVANCES. FOR AN ASSESSMENT OF ALL THIS, WE TURN TO: JOHN McLAUGHLIN, WHO SERVED AS THE CIA'S DEPUTY DIRECTOR AND THEN ACTING DIRECTOR EARLIER THIS DECADE. HE NOW TEACHES AT THE JOHNS HOPKINS SCHOOL OF ADVANCED INTERNATIONAL STUDIES. AND RICHARD CLARKE, FORMER WHITE HOUSE COUNTER-TERRORISM ADVISOR IN THE CLINTON AND EARLY GEORGE W. BUSH ADMINISTRATIONS. HE IS NOW A CONSULTANT. WELCOME BACK TO THE PROGRAM BOTH OF YOU. HOW SERIOUS IS THE TERRORISM THREAT TO AMERICANS TODAY BEGINNING WITH YOU, JOHN McLAUGHLIN, AS COMPARED TO A YEAR AGO.

>> I THINK IT REMAINS VERY SERIOUS IN THE SENSE THAT IF YOU JUST LOOK OVER THE LAST YEAR OR SO, WE'VE SEEN INCREASING INVOLVEMENT BY AMERICAN CITIZENS IN TERRORIST PLOTS. WE KNOW THAT AL QAEDA AFFILIATES IN PARTICULAR IN PLACES LIKE YEMEN ARE ACTIVELY PLOTTING AND HAD SOME SUCCESS. THE PACKAGE BOMB THREAT THAT YOU REFERRED TO, ALL OF THIS, I THINK, MEANS THAT WE STILL HAVE ARE VERY MUCH IN JEOPARDY HERE.

>> Warner: VERY MUCH IN JEOPARDY. AND DO YOU SEE THE THREAT EVOLVING IN THIS WAY?

>> THE THREAT IS EVOLVING, AS JOHN SAID. WE'RE NOW GETTING THESE SELF-ACTUATED AMERICANS WHO REACH OUT AND TRY TO GET IN TOUCH WITH AL QAEDA AND SOMETIMES DO GET IN TOUCH. SOMETIMES THEY GET IN TOUCH WITH THE F.B.I. PRETENDING TO BE AL QAEDA. IF YOU LOOK AT THE NUMBER OF TIMES THAT'S HAPPENED THIS YEAR, IT'S VERY ALARMING. AND THAT'S NEW. AND YOU ALSO HAVE NOW MORE THAN JUST AL QAEDA, YOU HAVE SHABAB IN SOMALIA, AL QAEDA IN THE ARABIAN PENINSULA. EVEN AILED IN IRAQ, THE RELL NANTS OF THAT WERE INVOLVED IN THE ATTACK LAST WEEK IN SWEDEN. SO THERE WERE MULTIPLE STRANDS AND THEY ALL WANT TO ATTACK EITHER IN WESTERN EUROPE OR THE UNITED STATES.

>> Warner: NOW, WHEN THE IRAQI OFFICIALS GAVE THIS WARNING WHICH THEY SAID WAS BASED ON CAPTURED INSURGENTS, THEY SAID SOMEBODY WAS PLOTTING A MUMBAI-STYLE ATTACK. A BIG SPECTACULAR ONE. DO YOU THINK THAT'S STILL WITHIN THE CAPABILITY OF AL QAEDA OR IS THE THREAT NOW FROM SORT OF MULTIPLE SMALLER SCALE ONES?

>> IT'S BOTH. THE MUMBAI ATTACKS IN 2008 WERE PROBABLY THE MOST SIGNIFICANT TERRORIST ATTACK OF THE LAST... SINCE 9/11, I WOULD SAY. THIS IS A CASE WHERE TEN PEOPLE FOR 60 HOURS HELD MANY PEOPLE HOSTAGE, 170 SOMETHING PEOPLE DIED, MORE THAN 500 INJURED AND WOUNDED. SO AL QAEDA LOOKS AT THAT AND SAYS... AND OTHER GROUPS LOOK AT IT AND SAY "THAT WAS A LOW-COST, VERY EFFECTIVE ATTACK, GOT A LOT OF ATTENTION." AND OF SIGNIFICANCE, AN AMERICAN CITIZEN WAS HEAVILY INVOLVED IN THAT, DAVID HEADLEY WAS SOMEONE WHO CARRIED OUT A LOT OF THE RECONNAISSANCE FOR THAT ATTACK BETWEEN 2006 AND 2008. SO THAT'S AN ATTACK THAT'S WORTH LOOKING AT FROM OUR STANDPOINT. HOW DO THEY OPERATE, WHAT DO THEY THE? AND FROM THEIR STANDPOINT I THINK WE HAVE TO TAKE SERIOUSLY THE LIKELIHOOD THAT THEY WILL TRY THIS IN EUROPE AND POSSIBLY IN THE UNITED STATES, ALTHOUGH I'M NOT AWARE OF ANY PARTICULAR INFORMATION THAT SAYS THAT'S ABOUT TO HAPPEN.

>> Warner: HOW GOOD A HANDLE DO THE F.B.I. AND OTHER U.S. GOVERNMENT ENTITIES HAVE ON THIS NEW PHENOMENON... NOT NEW, BUT GROWING PHENOMENON OF HOMEGROWN RADICALIZED AMERICANS, OFTEN OF FOREIGN DECENT?

>> WELL, SO FAR THEY'VE HAD A VERY GOOD HANDLE ON IT BUT IT DOESN'T TAKE MUCH FOR ONE TO GET BY THEM. AND YOU CAN'T EXPECT THEM TO CATCH ALL OF THESE PLOTS. THEY'VE HAD A REMARKABLE RECORD THIS YEAR OF CATCHING NOTES. BUT THE POINT THAT AL QAEDA IS MAKING IS WE-- AL QAEDA-- CAN DO SMALL THINGS THAT COST A LITTLE BIT OF MONEY AND YOU-- THE UNITED STATES-- HAVE TO REACT MASSIVELY AND IT COSTS YOU HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS. SO THEY DO THE SHOE BOMB, WE REACT. THEY DO THE UNDERWEAR BOMB, WE REACT. THEY DO THE PARCEL, THE FEDEX, U.P.S. BOMB, WE REACT.

>> Couric: FROM YEMEN.

>> A LOT WHAT WHAT JOHN BRENNAN WAS TALKING ABOUT AND THESE NEW IMPROVEMENTS ARE REACTIVE TO THOSE KINDS OF PLOTS, THEY'RE NOT PROACTIVE. AND AL QAEDA IS RIGHT. THEY DO A SMALL THING... NONE OF THOSE ATTACKS, BY THE WAY, SUCCEEDED. AND DESPITE THE FACT THAT NONE OF THEM SUCCEEDED WE'RE ALL INCONVENIENCED IN AIRPORTS AND THE TAXPAYERS ARE SPENDING HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS.

>> Warner: LET'S TURN TO THOSE ENHANCEMENTS. WE KNOW ABOUT THINGS THAT ARE VISIBLE LIKE THE T.S.A. SCREENING. BUT WHAT ABOUT THESE MEASURES THEY TALKED ABOUT? I BELIEVE PROVED INFORMATION SHARING, SOMETHING CALLED PURSUIT GROUPS. GIVE US A FLAVOR OF WHAT THESE ARE AND HOW SIGNIFICANT YOU THINK THEY ARE. AND DO YOU AGREE THEY'RE JUST REACTIVE AS RICHARD CLARKE SAYS?

>> WELL, THEY'RE REACTIVE IN A SENSE THAT THE COMMUNITY, THE INTELLIGENCE BUSINESS, THE INTELLIGENCE PROFESSION HAS REALLY GONE TO SCHOOL ON THESE ATTACKS. PARTICULARLY WHEN THERE'S BEEN A CLOSE CALL LIKE THE UNDERWEAR BOMBER LAST DECEMBER. I ACTUALLY CARRIED OUT A STUDY FOR THE D.N.I. ON THAT PARTICULAR ATTACK OVER LAST WINTER AND A LOT OF THESE ENHANCEMENTS RESULT FROM THAT AND THE STUDY DONE BY THE SENATE AND THE STUDY DONE BY THE COMMUNITY ITSELF AS IT LOOKED AT THESE. PURSUIT GROUPS. LET ME JUST PICK OUT ONE OR TWO. PURSUIT GROUPS. WHAT THAT IS IS A GROUP OF PEOPLE WHOSE JOB IT IS TO TAKE THESE LITTLE FRAGMENTS OF INTELLIGENCE WE GET, WHICH ARE NOT VERY REVEALING BUT WHICH SUGGEST THAT SOMETHING IS ABOUT TO HAPPEN. AND THEN START PULLING THE STRINGS ON THOSE. THAT IS, ASKING THEMSELVES HOW CAN WE LEARN MORE? HOW CAN WE TASK THAT INFORMATION? HOW CAN WE ILLUMINATE THAT AND EXPAND IT TO UNDERSTAND MORE FULLY WHAT'S ABOUT TO HAPPEN HERE?

>> SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT'S A DIRECT RESULT OF THE CHRISTMAS ATTEMPT LAST YEAR WHICH WAS MARKED BY THE FACT THAT THERE WAS A LOT OF FRAGMENTARY INFORMATION WHICH, HAD IT BEEN PUT TOGETHER, WOULD HAVE LED TO AN ACTION TO PREVENT THAT FROM OCCURRING. SO THAT'S WHAT THAT IS ABOUT.

>> Couric: AND A RELATED ITEM WAS IMPROVEED ENHANCED PROCEDURES DEALING WITH THESE WATCH LISTS. NOW WHAT DOES THAT CONSIST OF?

>> IT'S BACK TO THIS BUSINESS OF DATA SHARING AND GETTING ANALYSIS RIGHT. BUT IT'S ALL REACTIVE. IT'S ALL DEFENSIVE. AND WHERE WE REALLY SHOULD BE PUTTING OUR ATTENTION IS GOING ON THE OFFENSIVE. IT'S TEN YEARS AFTER 9/11 AND WE'RE STILL WORRYING ABOUT AL QAEDA.

>> Warner: WHAT DO YOU MEAN "ON THE OFFENSIVE"?

>> THERE ARE TWO WAYS TO DO OFFENSE. ONE IS FIGHTING THE IDEOLOGICAL STRUGGLE, THE BATTLE OF IDEAS. AND WE'RE NOT DOING A VERY GOOD JOB OF THAT. OBVIOUSLY PEOPLE, EVEN IN THE UNITED STATES, ARE BEING PERSUADED BY AL QAEDA'S PROPAGANDA AND THERE'S NO PROPAGANDA COUNTERWEIGHT YET, AN EFFECTIVE COUNTERWEIGHT. WE CAN PLAY DEFENSIVE GAMES UNTIL THE COWS COME HOME. IF WE DON'T WIN THE BATTLE OF IDEAS, IF WE DON'T GO ON THE OFFENSIVE IN OTHER WAYS, IT'S JUST A MATTER OF TIME UNTIL ONE OF THESE ATTEMPTS SUCCEEDS.

>> Warner: BUT IN THE MEANTIME, AS PEOPLE ARE LOOKING AT THE HOLIDAY SEASON, THEY DO WANT THESE DEFENSIVE MEASURES IN PLACE AS WELL.

>> OF COURSE.

>> Warner: DO YOU THINK THESE ARE AN IMPROVEMENT? FOR INSTANCE, SECRETARY NAPOLITANO SAID ON ABC THIS WEEK IF THE SAME SET OF CIRCUMSTANCES HAPPENED WITH UMAR FAROUK ABDULMUTALLAB, HE WOULD BE STOPD FROM GETTING ON THAT PLANE IN AMSTERDAM TO DETROIT. SHE WASN'T TALKING ABOUT BODY SCANNERS. IS THAT RIGHT? IS THE INFO SHARING MORE AIRTIGHT NOW?

>> IT'S BETTER.

>> I WOULD HAVE A LITTLE LESS CERTITUDE ON THAT QUESTION. I THINK SHE HAS A POINT. THE WAY I WOULD SAY IT IS IF WE HAD TODAY THE INFORMATION THAT WE HAD THEN ON THAT INDIVIDUAL, THAT PERSON WOULD GET A MUCH CLOSER LOOK. GOING TO DICK'S POINT, THOUGH, THERE'S NO FORMULA FOR PERFECTION HERE. THEY WOULD GET A MUCH CLOSER LOOK AND I THINK THE CHANCES ARE GENUINELY INCREASED OF CATCHING THOSE PEOPLE. BUT NO ONE WOULD ARGUE THAT ONE WON'T GET THROUGH.

>> Warner: AND VERY BRIEFLY-- VERY BRIEFLY-- IS CARGO STILL AN ACHILLES HEEL?

>> IT IS. THEY'VE DONE A BETTER JOB REACTIVELY. BECAUSE THERE WAS AN ATTEMPT IT'S A LITTLE BIT BETTER BUT IT'S STILL NOT FULLY SECURE.

>> Reporter:

>> Warner: STILL A HOLE IN THE SYSTEM. RICHARD CLARKE AND JOHN McLAUGHLIN. THANK YOU BOTH AND HAPPY

>> Woodruff: STILL TO COME ON THE "NEWSHOUR": FEARS OF CIVIL WAR IN IVORY COAST; PROMOTING SMALLER SCHOOLS IN NEW YORK CITY; SAMPLING PUBLIC OPINION IN SOUTH KOREA AND CELEBRATING 40 YEARS OF DOONESBURY. BUT FIRST, THE OTHER NEWS OF THE DAY. HERE'S HARI SREENIVASAN IN OUR NEWSROOM.

>> Sreenivasan: THE U.S. ECONOMY OFFERED SOME HOPEFUL SIGNS HEADING INTO CHRISTMAS. GOVERNMENT REPORTS SAID FIRST- TIME CLAIMS FOR JOBLESS BENEFITS FELL, FOR THE SECOND TIME IN TWO WEEKS. AND CONSUMER SPENDING ROSE SLIGHTLY IN NOVEMBER. ON WALL STREET, STOCKS FINISHED A SHORT, HOLIDAY WEEK WITH MIXED RESULTS. THE DOW JONES INDUSTRIAL AVERAGE GAINED 14 POINTS TO CLOSE AT 11,573. THE NASDAQ FELL NEARLY SIX POINTS TO CLOSE AT 2,665. THE GOVERNING SOCIALISTS IN GREECE APPROVED A NEW BUDGET TODAY THAT IMPOSES MORE AUSTERITY MEASURES. THEY REDUCED HEALTH AND DEFENSE SPENDING WHILE RAISING CONSUMER TAXES. THE CUTS ARE A CONDITION OF GREECE GETTING HELP FROM A EUROPEAN BAILOUT FUND. BUT, THEY HAVE ALSO SPARKED WIDESPREAD PROTESTS IN ATHENS AND ELSEWHERE. IN ROMANIA, A MAN JUMPED OFF A BALCONY IN PARLIAMENT, APPARENTLY TO PROTEST BUDGET CUTS THERE. THE COUNTRY'S PRIME MINISTER WAS SPEAKING WHEN THERE WAS AN AUDIBLE THUD OFF TO HIS LEFT. THE PROTESTER HAD LEAPED MORE THAN 20 FEET TO THE FLOOR AS SHOCKED LAWMAKERS LOOKED ON. HE WORE A T-SHIRT WITH THE WORDS "YOU'VE KILLED OUR CHILDREN'S FUTURE." THE MAN'S INJURIES WERE NOT LIFE-THREATENING. THE ELECTIONS BOARD IN CHICAGO HAS RULED FORMER WHITE HOUSE CHIEF OF STAFF RAHM EMANUEL IS ELIGIBLE TO RUN FOR MAYOR. A HEARING OFFICER HAD FOUND HE QUALIFIES, EVEN THOUGH HE LIVED IN WASHINGTON MUCH OF THE LAST TWO YEARS. EMANUEL WELCOMED THE FINDING, EVEN BEFORE THE BOARD FORMALLY APPROVED IT.

>> WHAT THIS REAFFIRMS IS THAT I WAS A RESIDENT, AND THAT THE ONLY REASON I LEFT IS TO WORK FOR PRESIDENT OBAMA. AND I THINK THE MOST IMPORTANT THING TO REMEMBER IS THAT WE TURN THE PAGE NOW AND FOCUS ON WHAT I HAVE BEEN FOCUSING ON, WHICH IS THE PRIORITIES FACING THE CITY.

>> Sreenivasan: MORE THAN TWO DOZEN PEOPLE CHALLENGED EMANUEL'S RIGHT TO RUN. AT LEAST ONE OF THEM INSISTED HE WILL APPEAL THE ELECTION BOARD'S DECISION ALL THE WAY TO THE STATE SUPREME COURT. THE INTERNET BASED COMMUNICATION SERVICE SKYPE SLOWLY RECOVERED TODAY FROM AN OUTAGE THAT BEGAN AT MIDDAY WEDNESDAY. VOICE AND VIDEO CHATTING WERE BACK FOR ABOUT 80% OF SKYPE USERS BY THIS AFTERNOON, BUT GROUP VIDEO LINKS WERE STILL DOWN. THE COMPANY BLAMED SOFTWARE PROBLEMS THAT KNOCKED PART OF ITS CONNECTION SYSTEM OFFLINE. THOSE ARE SOME OF THE DAY'S MAJOR STORIES. NOW, BACK TO JUDY.

>> Woodruff: THE BITTER AFTERMATH OF A PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION IN THE WORLD'S LARGEST U.N. OFFICIALS SAID AT LEAST 173 PEOPLE HAVE BEEN KILLED SINCE THE DISPUTED BALLOTING LAST MONTH IN IVORY COAST. TONIGHT THE UNITED NATIONS GENERAL ASSEMBLY RECOGNIZED THE COUNTRY'S OPPOSITION LEADER AS THE WIN OVER THAT ELECTION. MANY MEMBER STATES INCLUDING FELLOW AFRICAN NATIONS CONDEMNED THE VIOLENCE. THE THE WEST AFRICAN NATION OF IVORY COAST REMAINED ON THE EDGE OF FULL-SCALE CONFLICT TODAY, STOKING FEARS OF A RENEWED CIVIL WAR. PRESIDENT LAURENT GBAGBO HAS REFUSED TO STEP DOWN AFTER LOSING LAST MONTH'S ELECTION, WHICH HE HAD POSTPONED FOR FIVE YEARS. OFFICIALS OF HIS GOVERNMENT THREW OUT HALF A MILLION BALLOTS FROM OPPOSITION STRONGHOLDS. THE U.S. AND OTHER COUNTRIES SAY OPPOSITION PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE ALASSANE OUATTARA WAS CLEARLY THE VICTOR. IN A NATIONALLY TELEVISED ADDRESS TUESDAY, GBAGBO ACCUSED THOSE NATIONS OF A HIDDEN AGENDA.

>> ( translated ): THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY AND THE OTHERS ARE DOING IT NOT BECAUSE THE IVORIANS WANT IT, BUT BECAUSE THEY WANT TO INSTALL A PERSON THEY WANT AS PRESIDENT.

>> Woodruff: THE POLITICAL CRISIS HAS PARALYZED THE TINY NATION OF 20 MILLION PEOPLE. A FORMER FRENCH COLONY, IT WAS ONCE AN ECONOMIC POWERHOUSE. BUT A SERIES OF COUPS AND A CIVIL WAR HAVE TAKEN THEIR TOLL IN RECENT YEARS. JENNIFER COOKE OF THE CENTER FOR STRATEGIC AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES:

>> THE COUNTRY IS VERY FRAGILE. THE LAST TEN YEARS HAVE SEEN THE COUNTRY POLARIZED DEEPLY. A RESENTMENT IS GROWING OVER GBAGBO'S CONTINUING POSTPONEMENT OF THE ELECTIONS. GREATER AND GREATER SUSPICION AMONG NORTHERNERS AND SOUTHERNERS. AND SO PEOPLE ARE VERY TENSE. THERE'S A LOT OF DRY TINDER THERE.

>> Woodruff: THE WORLD BANK RATCHETED UP THE PRESSURE YESTERDAY, CUTTING OFF ITS LOANS TO IVORY COAST. IN PARIS, BANK PRESIDENT ROBERT ZOELLICK SAID HE'D SPOKEN TO THE PRESIDENT OF MALI, AND URGED AFRICAN BANKS TO TAKE SIMILAR STEPS. THERE ARE ALSO FEARS OF RENEWED VIOLENCE IN THE STREETS. OPPOSITION SUPPORTERS PROTESTED AFTER THE ELECTION.

>> ( translated ): BECAUSE HE IS DESTROYING OUR COUNTRY WE DO NOT CARE ABOUT HIM. WE LIKE... WE NEED ALASSANE OUATTARA.

>> Woodruff: TODAY'S U.N. REPORT SAID AT LEAST 173 PEOPLE HAVE ALREADY BEEN KILLED IN POST- ELECTION VIOLENCE. IT ALSO CITED HUNDREDS OF ARRESTS AND DOZENS OF CASES OF TORTURE. THE U.N. TOP HUMAN RIGHTS OFFICIAL IN IVORY COAST CALLED FOR A PEACEFUL RESOLUTION.

>> WE ARE NOT GOING TO SOLVE THE CURRENT POLITICAL CRISIS BY EXTRA-JUDICIAL KILLINGS, BY LOOTING AND BURNING, BY ILLEGAL ARRESTS AND DETENTION, BY ENFORCED DISAPPEARANCES.

>> Woodruff: IF CONFLICT ERUPTS, IT MAY INVOLVE THE 10,000 U.N. PEACEKEEPERS IN IVORY COAST. OVER THE WEEKEND, PRESIDENT GBAGBO ORDERED THEM TO LEAVE. THEY REFUSED, AND ON MONDAY, THE TOP U.N. ENVOY IN THE COUNTRY, SAID GOVERNMENT SUPPORTERS HAD THREATENED HIS TROOPS.

>> ( translated ): PRESIDENT GBAGBO CAMP STARTED SENDING ARMED MEN TO THE PERSONAL HOUSES OF UNITED NATIONS EMPLOYEES,

>> ( translated ): I'M NOT HAPPY ABOUT THE EXTENSION OF THE U.N. HERE IN THE IVORY COAST. THEY COME HERE ONLY TO SEPARATE AND MAKE PROBLEMS BETWEEN THE IVORIAN ARMY AND THE U.N. MILITARY. WE WANT THEM TO LEAVE SO THAT WE CAN RESOLVE OUR OWN PROBLEMS.

>> Woodruff: ANTICIPATING TROUBLE, THE U.S., FRANCE AND GERMANY HAVE NOW ORDERED THEIR DIPLOMATIC PERSONNEL TO LEAVE IVORY COAST. AND, THEY'VE URGED THOUSANDS OF FOREIGNERS LIVING THERE TO EVACUATE. FOR MORE ON THE SITUATION IN IVORY COAST, WE TURN TO WILLIAM FITZGERALD, DEPUTY ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF STATE FOR AFRICAN AFFAIRS. VERY MUCH FOR BEING HERE.

>> THANK YOU, JUDY.

>> Woodruff: JUST A QUICK CORRECTION, NOT ALL DIPLOMATIC PERSONNEL HAVE BEEN ORDERED TO LEAVE, BUT SOME HAVE.

>> THAT'S CORRECT. THE U.S. EMBASSY WE'VE DRAWN DOWN A BIT BUT WE STILL HAVE AN EMBASSY UP AND RUNNING FOR SURE.

>> Woodruff: WHAT IS THE VERY LATEST YOU'RE HEARING ABOUT THE SITUATION ON THE GROUND?

>> TO BE PERFECTLY HONEST WITH YOU THE LATEST I'M HEARING IS THAT THERE'S A LOT OF TRAFFIC MOVING AROUND, THE RESTAURANT AND STORES ARE OPEN, BUT FOR SURE THE TENSION IS VERY, VERY HIGH. PEOPLE ARE CONCERNED ABOUT POSSIBLE VIOLENCE IN THE STREETS AND I THINK OVER THE NEXT TWO DAYS, 24th AND 25th IN PARTICULAR, OVER THIS WEEKEND, THERE'S THE POTENTIAL FOR STREET VIOLENCE. FORMER PRESIDENT GBABGO'S FORCES SAID THEY WILL MARCH IN THE STREETS TOMORROW AND THAT COULD BE A FLASH POINT.

>> Woodruff:S WHERE MR. OUATTARA, THE PERSON WHO THE REST OF THE WORLD, ESSENTIALLY, IS SAYING WON THIS ELECTION?

>> I'D CALL HIM PRESIDENT OUATTARA AND HE'S IN THE GULF HOTEL ALONG WITH HIS PRIME MINISTER.

>> Woodruff: IN COUNTRY?

>> THAT'S CORRECT. THAT'S CORRECT. PROTECTED BY THE U.N. TROOPS THERE AS WELL AS OTHERS AND HE'S SURROUNDED BY A CORDON PUT UP BY PRESIDENT GBABGO'S SECURITY FORCES.

>> Woodruff: WHY IS THE WEST, THE U.S. AND OTHER COUNTRIES, SO CERTAIN THAT MR. OUATTARA WON THIS ELECTION?

>> JUDY, TO BE PERFECTLY HONEST WITH YOU, IT'S A NO-BRAINER. PART OF THE RESOLUTION THAT WAS PASSED A FEW YEARS AGO IN THE U.N. INSISTED THAT THE U.N. CERTIFY THE ELECTIONS. SO FIRST OFF WHEN THE ELECTIONS CAME THROUGH, THE ELECTORAL COMMISSION TRIED TO ANNOUNCE THEM, THEY WERE BLOCKED BY PRESIDENT GBABGO AND HIS SUPPORTERS AND SO IT WENT TO THE CONSTITUTIONAL COUNCIL WHO WAS SACKED BY PRESIDENT GBABGO. MEANTIME, THE U.N. WAS COUNTING THE BALLOTS BASICALLY THE SAME INFORMATION THAT EVERYONE HAD AND THEY CAME UP WITH THE SAME EXACT FINDING AS THE ELECTORAL COMMISSION, WHICH WAS THAT ALASSANE OUATTARA WON WITH 54%.

>> Woodruff: HOW CONCERNED IS THE OBAMA ADMINISTRATION AND THE STATE DEPARTMENT?

>> DEEPLY CONCERNED. I CAN TELL YOU THAT THE NUMBER-ONE POLICY PRIORITY FOR THE OBAMA ADMINISTRATION WHEN WE TALK ABOUT AFRICA IS DEMOCRACY AND HUMAN RIGHTS. AND YOU SAW YOURSELF THAT THE U.N. HAS COME OUT, REALLY, A REMARKABLE FEAT UP IN GENEVA WHERE THE AFRICAN BLOC TOOK OVER, PUSHED A SPECIAL SESSION AGAINST COTE D'IVOIRE AND ACTUALLY CONDEMNED WHAT WAS GOING ON IN COTE D'IVOIRE. THE FIRST TIME I'VE EVER SEEN THE U.N. HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL THAT THE AFRICANS HAVE TURNED ON THE AFRICANS... ACCUSED THE AFRICANS OF THAT. WE'RE ALSO SEEING NOW 176 PEOPLE HAVE BEEN KILLED SINCE REALLY, BALLPARK, DECEMBER 7. SO IN JUST A SHORT TIME... AND THE VAST MAJORITY OF THOSE ARE SUPPORTERS OF PRESIDENT OUATTARA

>> Woodruff: AND OF COURSE YOU'RE USING "COTE D'IVOIRE", THAT'S THE FRENCH NAME, THE NAME OF THE COUNTRY THAT WAS USED FOR SO LONG.

>> THAT'S RIGHT.

>> Woodruff: WHY ARE THE REPERCUSSIONS? WHY IS THIS PARTICULAR COUNTRY OF CONCERN? HUMAN LIFE IS ALWAYS OF VALUE BUT WHAT IS IT ABOUT THIS COUNTRY AND REGION OF AFRICA?

>> WELL IT'S PART OF WHAT'S CALLED THE MANO RIVER REGION IN WEST AFRICA AND OTHER COUNTRIES IN REGION ARE LEASH YA AND... LIBERIA AND SIERRA LEONE. AND I THINK EVERYONE REMEMBERS THE BRUTAL, BRUTAL CIVIL WARS WE'VE SEEN IN BOTH OF THOSE COUNTRIES. AND THEY'VE COME OUT OF THE CIVIL WARS AND HAD A DEMOCRATICALLY ELECTED GOVERNMENT WITH A PUSH TO TRY AND REBUILD THEIR COUNTRIES. NOW, IF COTE D'IVOIRE DOWN-- WHICH, FRANKLY, IS LARGER THAN BOTH OF THESE OTHER COUNTRIES-- IT THREATENS THE ENTIRE SUBREGION. REALLY THREATENS ALL OF WEST AFRICA.

>> Woodruff: WHAT LEVERAGE DOES THE REST OF THE WORLD HAVE? WE WERE JUST TALKING ABOUT THE AFRICAN BANKS CLAMPING DOWN. TALK ABOUT THAT.

>> WELL, WE START WITH THE SANCTIONS THAT WE'VE IMPOSED, THE UNITED STATES. AND THOSE ARE TRAVEL SANCTIONS AGAINST A CLASS OF PEOPLE-- INCLUDING PRESIDENT GBABGO AND HIS WIFE SIMONE-- THAT THEY'RE NOT ALLOWED TO TRAVEL TO THE UNITED STATES. FAMILY MEMBERS OF THIS CLASS OF PEOPLE, PEOPLE WHO ARE SUPPORTING... THE INNER CIRCLE OF THE GBABGO REGIME. PEOPLE WHO, IN FACT, DO HAVE RELATIVES IN THE UNITED STATES DOING BUSINESS, TOURISM WHO COULD CONCEIVABLY BE FORCED OUT. THE EUROPEAN UNION HAS DONE THE SAME THING: SLAPPING TRAVEL BANS ON... AGAIN, THESE ARE TARGETED SANCTIONS, FOCUSING ON THE TOP LEVEL. THOSE WHO ARE SUPPORTING GBABGO IN TRYING TO STEAL THE ELECTION.

>> Woodruff: AND THEN THE ECONOMIC AND FINANCIAL SANCTIONS IMPOSED BY THE BANKS... THE CENTRAL BANK?

>> THAT'S RIGHT.

>> Woodruff: IN WEST AFRICA.

>> CORRECT.

>> Woodruff: WHAT IS THE CONCERN? HOW FAR IS IT BELIEVED THAT GBABGO COLD GO IN TRYING TO HANG ON TO POWER?

>> WE'VE SEEN HIS ACTIONS IN THE PAST. NOT ONLY DOES HE HAVE THE SUPPORT OF MANY OF THE MILITARY ORGANIZATIONS, BUT HE ALSO EMPLOYS MILITIAS AND THIS GROUP CALLED THE YOUNG PATRIOTS WHICH IS REALLY STREET GANGS, THAT SORT OF THING. BUT THEY TERRORIZE PEOPLE AND PART OF THE DISAPPEARANCES, THESE HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS, THESE 167 EXTRA-JEW DIBBLE KILLINGS HAVE BEEN CARRIED OUT... INDEED, JUDY, WHAT WE WERE TALKING ABOUT BEFORE. THEY'VE CONFIRMED THE PRESENCE OF LIBERIAN MERCENARIES IN ABIDJAN. THIS IS GOING TO BE AN UGLY, UGLY BRUTAL SITUATION UNLESS FORMER PRESIDENT GBABGO AGREES AND STEPS DOWN.

>> Woodruff: AT THIS POINT, IS THE UNITED STATES IN CONTACT WITH MR. OUATTARA, THE MAN YOU SAY IS LEGITIMATELY THE PRESIDENT?

>> YES, WE DO. YES, WE ARE IN CONTACT WITH HIM. HOWEVER, I'D LIKE TO SAY WE'RE IN CONTACT WITH PRESIDENT GBABGO, BUT HE DOESN'T... HE DOESN'T TALK TO US DIRECTLY. WE'RE DEALING WITH HIS FOREIGN MINISTER. HE IS REALLY WITHDRAWN TO THE PRESIDENTIAL PALACE AND HE'S ISOLATED HIMSELF.

>> Woodruff: I READ THAT PRESIDENT OBAMA HAD ATTEMPTED TO BE IN TOUCH. HOW? BY TELL OWN?

>> BY TELEPHONE.

>> Woodruff: WHAT HAPPENED?

>> THE SAME THING THAT HAPPENED WITH PRESIDENT SARKOZY OF FRANCE. HE REFUSED TO TAKE THE CALL. AND I THINK THAT'S A PRETTY TELLING INDICATION OF FORMER PRESIDENT GBABGO'S GOALS IN ALL OF THIS.

>> Woodruff: SO AS WE CONCLUDE HERE, SECRETARY FITZGERALD, WHAT ARE YOU WATCHING IN THE NEXT 24 TO 48 HOURS? YOU SAID YOU'RE PARTICULARLY CONCERNED OVER THE NEXT FEW DAYS.

>> WELL, WE HAVE TO WATCH IF STREET PROTESTS START. IF THE STREET PROTESTS START AND THERE ARE CLASHES... OVER THE PAST TEN YEARS WE'VE SEEN THESE CLASHES MUSHROOM INTO MUCH LARGER-SCALE VIOLENCE AND, IN FACT, AT ONE POINT LED TO CIVIL WAR. WE'VE GOT TO AVOID THAT. WE'VE GOT TO AVOID VIOLENCE. AT THE SAME TIME ENDORSE AND SUPPORT DEMOCRACY. THAT'S WHAT IT'S ALL ABOUT. COTE D'IVOIRE... THE PEOPLE OF COTE D'IVOIRE HAVE EXPRESSED THEIR VOTES AND EXPRESSED THEIR CHOICE. BUT PRESIDENT GBABGO REFUSES TO ACCEPT THAT HE LOST THE ELECTION

>> Woodruff: WELL, THAT'S CERTAINLY A STORY THAT WE AND A LOT OF OTHER FOLKS ARE GOING TO BE WATCHING. WE THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR COMING IN. SECRETARY WILLIAM FITZGERALD, WE APPRECIATE IT.

>> Warner: NOW, MAKING SCHOOLS SMALLER. YET ANOTHER PLAN TO DELIVER BETTER EDUCATION TO URBAN SCHOOL CHILDREN. SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT JOHN TULENKO REPORTS FROM NEW YORK CITY, WHERE THE OUTGOING SCHOOLS CHANCELLOR IS A BIG SUPPORTER OF THE IDEA.

>> Reporter: TWO YEARS AGO, WHEN JUSTIN MARTINEZ STARTED NINTH GRADE, HE WAS ONE OF 2,000 STUDENTS AT BAYARD RUSTIN HIGH SCHOOL IN NEW YORK CITY.

>> WHEN YOU WALKED THE HALLS, IT'S SO PACKED. AND THEN IN THE CLASSROOMS, IT'S SO CROWDED SOME KIDS DIDN'T HAVE A SEAT. SO YOU'RE STANDING UP, YOU'RE SITTING ON THE FLOOR, YOU'RE SITTING ON THE TEACHER'S DESK. THEY'RE SO MANY KIDS IN THE ROOM THE TEACHER MIGHT THINK YOU'RE DOING GOOD, WHEN YOU MAY NOT EVEN UNDERSTAND WHAT'S GOING ON. THAT'S HOW BAD IT WAS.

>> Reporter: JUSTIN'S HIGH SCHOOL HAD A 50% GRADUATION RATE, BUT THE PROBLEMS THERE WENT DEEPER.

>> I ALMOST GOT SHOT. I WAS GOING TO MY EIGHTH PERIOD CLASSROOM, GOING UPSTAIRS, AND A GANG APPROACHED ME AND STARTED ASKING ME QUESTIONS. AND AT THE END, THEY PUT A GUN IN MY FACE.

>> Reporter: WHAT DID YOU DO?

>> I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT TO DO. I WAS IN SHOCK. I DIDN'T WANT TO DIE. AND THEY KEPT TALKING AND ONE OF THE KIDS ASKED SHOULD I PULL THE TRIGGER AND HE TURNED AROUND, AND ONCE HE TURNED I WAS DOWN THE STAIRS AND GONE.

>> Reporter: DID YOU GO BACK TO SCHOOL THE NEXT DAY?

>> NO, I WENT TO THE PRECINCT AND FILED A REPORT TO GET OUT OF THE SCHOOL.

>> Reporter: SHORTLY AFTER THAT HAPPENED, NEW YORK CITY SHUT DOWN JUSTIN'S SCHOOL. FOR THE LAST EIGHT YEARS, THE CITY HAS BEEN CLOSING LARGE, DANGEROUS, AND LOW PERFORMING HIGH SCHOOLS-- 26 TO DATE.

>> I'M HAPPY AND PROUD OF THE LARGE NUMBERS OF BIG SCHOOLS THAT WE HAVE IN THIS CITY AND I COULD GO THROUGH THE CITY AND SHOW THEM TO YOU. WHAT I'M NOT HAPPY WITH IS A LARGE SCHOOL THAT HAS A 30, 35% GRADUATION RATE.

>> Reporter: JOEL KLEIN IS NEW YORK CITY'S SCHOOL'S CHANCELLOR.

>> AND WHEN I THINK A SCHOOL HAS GOT A KIND OF FAILURE, LOW EXPECTATIONS, NON PERFORMANCE CULTURE, THEN MY JOB IS TO CREATE A DIFFERENT OPTION FOR THOSE KIDS.

>> Reporter: THAT DIFFERENT OPTION HAS BEEN SMALL HIGH SCHOOLS, LIKE THIS ONE, WILLIAMSBURG PREP, WHERE JUSTIN NOW GOES TO SCHOOL.

>> WHEN YOU COME HERE, IT FEELS SO MUCH LESS; YOU HAVE SO MUCH MORE ROOM; YOU HAVE SO MUCH MORE ATTENTION. THE TEACHERS ARE WILLING TO WORK WITH YOU. IT'S SO MUCH BETTER.

>> Reporter: ENROLLMENT AT WILLIAMSBURG PREP IS AROUND 500. IT'S A QUARTER THE SIZE OF MOST LARGE HIGH SCHOOLS. BEN LOCKERETZ TEACHES MATH.

>> IT'S A SMALL SCHOOL WHERE THE TEACHERS ARE TALENTED AND WORK VERY HARD, AND WE DON'T LET KIDS FALL THROUGH THE CRACKS.

>> Reporter: SMALL SCHOOLS CAN DO THINGS LARGE SCHOOLS CANNOT. FOR INSTANCE, WILLIAMSBURG PREP DESIGNS ITS SCHEDULE SO THAT THE STUDENTS IN EACH GRADE HAVE THE SAME LUNCH PERIOD AS THEIR TEACHERS.

>> SO A STUDENT IF HE'S FALLING BEHIND IN ONE OF HIS CLASSES, HE CAN FIND HIS TEACHER FOR EXTRA HELP. IF HE MISSED A DAY, HE CAN FIND HIS TEACHERS AND NOT FALL FARTHER BEHIND.

>> Reporter: IN SMALL SCHOOLS LIKE THIS ONE, IT'S EVEN EASY TO SCHEDULE PLANNING PERIODS SO TEACHERS OF THE SAME SUBJECTS MEET AT THE SAME TIME.

>> I THINK IT'S EASIER FOR EVERYBODY TO GET TO KNOW EVERYBODY. I GET TO TALK TO MOST TEACHERS TWICE OR THREE TIMES A WEEK. THEY MIGHT SAY, "YOU AGAIN?" ( LAUGHS ) THAT WHERE THEY CAME FROM THEY NEVER SAW THE PRINCIPAL.

>> Reporter: PRINCIPAL KATHLEEN ELVIN STARTED THIS SCHOOL SIX YEARS AGO.

>> IDEALLY, THE PLACE SHOULD LOOK LIKE A PRIVATE SCHOOL. SO IT MAY SEEM REALLY MINOR, BUT IT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO ME THAT THE FURNITURE MATCH. IT HAS TO BE CLEAN. IT HAS TO FEEL LIKE EVERYTHING IN THE PLACE IS CARED ABOUT BECAUSE THE PEOPLE WHO COME HERE ARE SO IMPORTANT.

>> Reporter: WILLIAMSBURG PREP OFFERS A TRADITIONAL ACADEMIC CURRICULUM. OTHER SMALL HIGH SCHOOLS THE CITY CREATED HAVE DIFFERENT THEMES. THIS IS THE HIGH SCHOOL FOR VIOLIN AND DANCE. IT HAS 259 STUDENTS. TANYA JOHN IS PRINCIPAL.

>> WHAT'S SPECIAL ABOUT OUR SCHOOL IS THAT WE GIVE STUDENTS WHO HAVEN'T HAD OPPORTUNITIES THE CHANCE FOR THE ARTS.

>> Reporter: WHAT'S A TYPICAL DAY LIKE?

>> A TYPICAL DAY: THEY GET MATH, SCIENCE, ENGLISH, SOCIAL STUDIES, VIOLIN, DANCE. THEY GET BOTH ARTS EACH DAY.

>> Reporter: HOW DO YOU SELECT WHO GETS TO COME HERE?

>> WE DO NOT. IT'S RANDOM APPLICATION PROCESS. JUST LIKE ANY OTHER NYC HIGH SCHOOL.

>> Reporter: SO IT DOESN'T MATTER IF I'VE NEVER TAKEN VIOLIN OR DANCED?

>> 98% OF OUR STUDENTS HAVE NOT.

>> Reporter: OTHER SMALL HIGH SCHOOLS FOCUS ON BUSINESS, LAW, SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING, MEDIA, SPORTS MANAGEMENT AND MORE. IN ALL, OVER AN EIGHT-YEAR- PERIOD, NEW YORK CITY CREATED 123 SMALL, THEME-BASED, OPEN ADMISSION, HIGH SCHOOLS FROM SCRATCH. WHAT ARE THE RESULTS?

>> THE RESULTS ARE COMPELLING. SCHOOLS THAT WE SHUT DOWN IN BUSHWICK, AND THERE WAS A LOT OF OPPOSITION, THOSE SCHOOLS HAD 35% GRADUATION RATES. THE NEW SCHOOLS WE PUT IN THERE HAVE 72% GRADUATION RATES. AND THERE ARE SOME SCHOOLS GETTING REALLY OUTSIZED RESULTS.

>> Reporter: LIKE WILLIAMSBURG PREP, WHERE THE GRADUATION RATE IS 88%. AND THE HIGH SCHOOL FOR VIOLIN AND DANCE, WHERE IT'S 83%. THAT'S ALL GOOD, BUT IT'S NOT THE WHOLE STORY. THERE'S ALSO BEEN A DOWNSIDE. WHEN THE CITY CLOSED A LARGE HIGH SCHOOL WITH SAY, 2,000 STUDENTS, IT WAS REPLACED BY SMALL SCHOOLS SERVING, IN MOST CASES, HUNDREDS OF STUDENTS LESS. AND EACH TIME THAT HAPPENED, ALL THOSE LEFT OVER TEENAGERS HAD TO FIND SOMEWHERE ELSE TO GO TO SCHOOL.

>> Reporter: THE SOLUTION: NEW YORK CITY SENT THEM TO LARGE, OFTEN CROWDED SCHOOLS IT HADN'T CLOSED.

>> WHEN I EXPLAINED TO HIGH SCHOOL ADMISSIONS THAT, "YES, WE'RE LARGE BUT WE ARE NOT LARGE ENOUGH TO HAVE WALLS THAT EXPAND." IT DIDN'T REALLY MATTER.

>> Reporter: JOANNE FRANK WAS PRINCIPAL AT NORMAN THOMAS HIGH SCHOOL WHEN THE NEW STUDENTS ARRIVED.

>> WE HAD 3,300 STUDENTS ON REGISTER, FOR A BUILDING WHOSE CAPACITY WAS 1,800. WE HAD 500 TO 600 OVER-THE- COUNTER STUDENTS. IT WAS ALMOST CLAUSTROPHOBIC.

>> Reporter: ACCORDING TO CLARA HEMPHILL, A LONGTIME WATCHER OF THE CITY'S PUBLIC SCHOOLS, THESE OVER THE COUNTER STUDENTS, AS THE DEPARTMENT CALLED THEM, WEREN'T JUST ANY STUDENTS.

>> THE NEW SMALL SCHOOLS DIDN'T ACCEPT KIDS WHO WERE NEW TO THE COUNTRY OR KIDS WITH SPECIAL EDUCATION NEEDS. SO DISPROPORTIONATE NUMBERS OF VERY NEEDY KIDS WERE DIVERTED AND SENT TO THE REMAINING LARGE SCHOOLS. THEY HAD LOTS MORE NEEDY KIDS AND THEY DIDN'T GET ANY MORE RESOURCES TO HELP THEM.

>> Reporter: AT 15 OF THESE LARGE SCHOOLS, GRADUATION RATES FELL. THIS WAS THE REACTION SOON AFTERWARD, WHEN EIGHT BECOME TARGETS FOR CLOSING.

>> YOU KNOW, THERE ARE COMMUNITIES THAT ARE QUITE ANGRY BECAUSE THEY THOUGHT, "YOU KNOW, WE HAD A GREAT SCHOOL EIGHT YEARS AGO, AND NOW WE HAVE A SCHOOL THAT HAS ALL SORTS OF PROBLEMS, BUT WE DON'T FEEL IT WAS OF OUR DOING."

>> Reporter: MICHAEL MULGREW IS PRESIDENT OF THE LOCAL TEACHERS' UNION. LAST WINTER, IT FILED A LAWSUIT TO STOP THE CITY FROM CLOSING ANOTHER 17 HIGH SCHOOLS.

>> I KNOW THIS COULD HAVE BEEN DONE BETTER. TO ME, WE SHOULD HAVE HAD A MECHANISM IN PLACE THAT, WHEN YOU SWITCH A SCHOOL'S POPULATION, OR DO A WHOLE INTEGRATION OF A NEW POPULATION, THAT YOU ALSO SAY, "WE KNOW THE SCHOOL IS CHANGING AND WE'RE GIVING YOU THINGS TO HELP YOU." THAT WAS NOT HAPPENING.

>> Reporter: BUT CHANCELLOR KLEINS VIEW IS DIFFERENT.

>> I THINK WE SHOULD BE CANDID ABOUT IT AND SAY THAT THIS DISLOCATES TEACHERS AND THE TEACHERS DO NOT LIKE IT BECAUSE IF I COME IN AND START A NEW SCHOOL, THAT MEANS YOU HAVE FEWER KIDS AND IF YOU HAVE FEWER KIDS, YOU NEED FEWER TEACHERS. AND I THINK THAT'S WHAT THE PUSH-BACK IS ABOUT. IT'S A GAME ABOUT WHO HAS THE POWER.

>> Reporter: IT DIDN'T TAKE THE COURT LONG TO DECIDE THE MATTER AND IT RULED IN FAVOR OF THE UNION, PUTTING A TEMPORARY HALT TO SCHOOL CLOSINGS.

>> WHAT THE COURTS SAID WAS YOU CAN'T CLOSE THE SCHOOLS WITHOUT COMING UP WITH A GOOD PLAN FOR WHAT TO DO WITH THE KIDS WHO ARE DISPLACED. AND I THINK THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION DID NOT THINK CAREFULLY ENOUGH ABOUT WHAT WOULD HAPPEN TO THOSE KIDS.

>> WE'VE CREATED OVER THE COURSE OF THE YEARS THE NUMBERS OF SEATS WE'VE SHUT DOWN. I THINK THE NUMBERS ARE CLEAR AND I'LL BE HAPPY TO GET THEM TO YOU. I THINK WE DO HAVE THE SEATS AND THE CAPACITY.

>> Reporter: BUT THE CRITICISM IS THAT YOU DIDN'T HAVE A PLAN.

>> WE MAY NOT HAVE DONE OUR JOB THOROUGHLY ENOUGH AND IF THAT'S AND THIS YEAR WE'RE STARTING EARLIER, WE'RE ENGAGING COMMUNITIES MORE EFFECTIVELY AND I THINK THAT'S AN IMPORTANT POINT. BUT IT'S ALWAYS GOING TO BE CONTROVERSIAL AND IF IT'S NOT CONTROVERSIAL THEN IT'S NOT GOING TO BE POWERFUL. IF PEOPLE WANT THE SAME RESULTS, THEY CAN DO THE SAME OLD, SAME OLD. IF PEOPLE WANT RESULTS, AND WE'VE GOTTEN POWERFUL RESULTS IN NEW YORK, THEN THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE TO DO THE TOUGH WORK.

>> Reporter: EVEN WITH THE PROBLEMS, NEW YORK CITY'S OVERALL GRADUATION RATE HAS IMPROVED BY 10%. BUT THE JOBS FAR FROM OVER: NEARLY HALF OF THE CITY'S 300,000 HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS ARE STILL IN LARGE SCHOOLS, AND IF ANY OF THOSE CHANGE IT WONT BE UNDER CHANCELLOR KLEIN. HE'S RESIGNED EFFECTIVE JANUARY FIRST.

>> Woodruff: NEXT, NEW TENSIONS ON THE KOREAN PENNINSULA AND WHAT THEY LOOK LIKE TO PEOPLE IN THE SOUTH. SOUTHERN FORCES CONTINUED THEIR MILITARY EXERCISES TODAY AND LEADERS IN BOTH COUNTRIES STEPPED UP THEIR RHETORIC. A HIGH RANKING NORTH KOREAN DEFENSE OFFICIAL TALKED OF WAR.

>> (translated): THE ARMED FORCES OF THE D.P.R.K. ARE GETTING PREPARED TO LAUNCH A SACRED WAR OF JUSTICE KOREAN STYLE. IT IS DELIBERATELY PUSHING THE SITUATION TO THE BRINK OF WAR.

>> Woodruff:

>> Woodruff: SOUTH KOREA'S PRESIDENT SAID HIS COUNTRY WOULD MAKE AN UNSPARING RESPONSE IF ATTACKED. WE HAVE A SAMPLING OF PUBLIC OPINION IN SEOUL. IT COMES FROM JUSTIN McCURRY OF OUR INTERNATIONAL REPORTING PARTNER, GLOBAL POST.

>> Reporter: AIR RAID SIRENS WARN OF AN IMPENDING ATTACK ON THE SOUTH KOREAN CAPITAL SEOUL. THE SOURCE OF THE THREAT: NORTH KOREA. FORTUNATELY, IT IS ONLY A DRILL. BUT AS RESIDENTS OF A CITY JUST 27 MILES FROM THE BORDER WITH NORTH KOREA, THE PEOPLE OF SEOUL ARE ACCUSTOMED TO PREPARING FOR THE WORST. THIS RECENT CIVIL DEFENSE EXERCISE WAS THE LARGEST IN YEARS. TRAFFIC WAS BROUGHT TO A HALT; PEOPLE WERE ORDERED INTO 25,000 SHELTERS ACROSS THE COUNTRY. IT IS A REHEARSAL FOR WHAT SOUTH KOREANS FEAR MOST-- A SURPRISE ATTACK FROM NORTH KOREA, AND THE START OF ANOTHER BLOODY CONFLICT, ALMOST 60 YEARS AFTER CIVIL WAR SAW THE COUNTRIES SEPARATED BY THE MOST HEAVILY FORTIFIED BORD IN THE WORLD. THE NORTH HAS BEEN SHOWING INCREASED SIGNS OF AGGRESSION. IN MARCH IT SUNK A SOUTH KOREAN NAVY VESSEL CALLED THE CHEONAN, KILLING 46 SAILORS. AND IN NOVEMBER, IT SHELLED YEONPYEONG ISLAND, A SOUTH KOREAN TERRITORY CLOSE TO THE COUNTRIES DISPUTED MARITIME BORDER IN THE YELLOW SEA. ON THE STREETS OF SEOUL, FEARS OF AN ATTACK HAVE MAGNIFIED AND THERE SEEMS TO BE LITTLE APPETITE FOR DIALOGUE WITH THE PYONGYANG REGIME.

>> ( translated ): THE ATTACKS WERE NONSENSICAL. THE NORTH KOREANS ARE SUPPOSED TO BE OUR FELLOW COUNTRYMEN, SO WHAT THEY DID, AS OUR BROTHERS, WAS MORALLY INDEFENSIBLE. THEY HAVE SHOWED THEIR REAL COMMUNIST FACE, AND WE CAN NO LONGER TRUST THEM.

>> Reporter: ON MONDAY, THE SOUTH CONDUCTED LIVE-FIRE DRILLS ON YEONPYEONG ISLAND, BUT THE NORTH NEVER MADE GOOD ON ITS THREAT TO RETALIATE, LEADING SOME TO BELIEVE TENSIONS MAY BE SLIGHTLY COOLING. STILL, MANY RESIDENTS OF SEOUL HAVE BEEN CRITICAL OF WHAT THEY SEE AS THEIR GOVERNMENT'S LACK OF A COHERENT APPROACH FOR DEALING WITH ITS SABER-RATTLING NEIGHBOR.

>> ( translated ): EVERY TIME THE SOUTH KOREAN GOVERNMENT CHANGES, OUR POLICY TOWARD THE NORTH CHANGES. WE NEED A CONSISTENT, NON- PARTISAN SOLUTION TO AVOID MORE CONFUSION AND RELIEVE THE TENSION.

>> ( TRANSLATED ): BUT OTHERS HERE THINK THE SOUTH NEEDS LESS TALK AND MORE FORCE. SOUTH KOREAN PRESIDENT LEE MYUNG-BAK WAS INITIALLY CRITICIZED BY SOME FOR HIS SEEMINGLY WEAK-KNEED RESPONSE TO THE ATTACKS. BUT HE HAS SINCE VOWED TO CALL IN IMMEDIATE AIR STRIKES SHOULD THE NORTH ATTACK AGAIN.

>> ( translated ): I AGREE WITH THE HARDLINE STANCE TAKEN BY LEE MYUNG-BAK. THE HAWKISH WAY IS THE ONLY ONE THAT WILL BRING RESULTS. WE NEED TO RETALIATE STRONGLY AGAINST THE NORTH.

>> Reporter: NORTH KOREAN PRESIDENT KIM JONG-IL, HAS INDICATED HE IS PREPARING TO HAND OVER POWER TO HIS YOUNGEST SON, KIM JONG-UN. ANALYSTS SAY THE NORTH IS ACTING PROVOCATIVELY TO BURNISH THE LEADER-IN-WAITINGS MILITARY CREDENTIALS AND TO WIN DIPLOMATIC CONCESSIONS FROM THE US. U.S. KIM HUNG-KWANG IS A PROMINENT DEFECTOR WHO FLED FROM NORTH KOREA IN 2002.

>> ( translated ): NORTH KOREA WAS CONFIDENT IT WAS A CLEVER PLOY, THAT WASHINGTON AND SEOUL WOULD GIVE IT THE AID IT NEEDS TO STOP THE PROVOCATIONS. BUT THE REACTION HAS NOT BEEN WHAT IT ANTICIPATED, BECAUSE IT IS NOT GETTING WHAT IT WANTS, IT IS PESTERING OTHER COUNTRIES. NORTH KOREA WANTS WASHINGTON TO MAKE THIS ISSUE A FOREIGN POLICY PRIORITY, SO IT'S RECENT BEHAVIOR WAS DESIGNED TO SEND A MESSAGE TO THE U.S., SOUTH KOREA AND INTERNATIONAL SOCIETY.

>> Reporter: KIM CHUL-WOONG, A PROFESSIONAL PIANIST WHO PLAYED WITH NORTH KOREA'S PRESTIGIOUS STATE SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA, FLED THE COUNTRY EIGHT YEARS AGO TO REALIZE HIS DREAM OF BECOMING A JAZZ MUSICIAN. HE THINKS THE WAY TO MANAGE THE PROBLEM IS TO BRING IN THE REGION'S BIGGEST ECONOMIC PLAYER.

>> ( translated ): CHINA, IN PARTICULAR, SHOULD STOP THINKING ABOUT HOW IT CAN BENEFIT FROM PROPPING UP NORTH KOREA. IT SHOULD BE MORE INTERESTED IN LONG-TERM PEACE THAN IN HOW IT CAN PROTECT ITS OWN INTERESTS. CHINA SHOULD PLAY A PROPER ROLE AS A MEDIATOR.

>> Reporter: BUT LEE HYE-KYUNG, A PHARMACIST WHO ALSO FLED FROM THE NORTH ULTIMATELY WANTS TO SEE THE SOUTH KOREAN GOVERNMENT ACT DECISIVELY IN THE FACE OF FURTHER PROVOCATIONS.

>> ( translated ): SOUTH KOREA HAS BEHAVED LIKE A VENDING MACHINE FOR THE NORTH OVER THE PAST 10 YEARS. WHENEVER THE NORTH DEMANDED A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF CASH, THE SOUTH AUTOMATICALLY SAID YES AND GAVE IT WHAT IT NEEDED. ALL IT HAD TO DO WAS PUSH THE VENDING MACHINES BUTTON AND POCKET THE MONEY.

>> Reporter: BUT WITH TENSIONS AT CURRENT LEVELS THE SOUTH KOREAN GOVERNMENT IS FACED WITH ITS STRONGEST TEST IN DECADES OF HOW TO DEAL WITH ITS NEIGHBOR TO THE NORTH.

>> Warner: FINALLY TONIGHT, CELEBRATING 40 YEARS OF THE "DOONESBURY" UNIVERSE AND ITS LEGACY. JEFFREY BROWN TALKS TO ITS CREATOR.

>> Couric: IN OCTOBER, 1970, A YOUNG MAN IN A FOOTBALL HELMET GOING BY THE NAME B.D. MET HIS NEW COLLEGE ROOMMATE, ONE MIKE "DOONESBURY." IN THE 40 YEARS SINCE, THOSE TWO AND A CAST THAT'S GROWN BY THE DOZENS AND INTO SEVERAL GENERATIONS HAVE INHABITED THE PHENOMENON KNOWN AS "DOONESBURY," ONE THAT HAS ENTERTAINED AND PROVOKED READERS AS PART BABY BOOM GENERATION CHRONICLE, PART SHARP POLITICAL COMMENTARY, AND, OH, YES, PART VERY FUNNY COMIC STRIP. IN 1975, ITS CREATOR, GARY TRUDEAU, BECAME THE FIRST COMIC STRIP CARTOONIST TO WIN THE PULITZER PRIZE FOR HIS WATERGATE CARTOONS. DECADES LATER, HE'S BROUGHT NEW ATTENTION TO THE VALOR AND SUFFERING OF CONTEMPORARY WAR VETERANS WORKING WITH THE DEPARTMENT AND VISITING WALTER REED AND OTHER MILITARY HOSPITALS. LOOKING BACK AT IT ALL, THE BRAND-NEW 40, A "DOONESBURY" RETROSPECTIVE, HAS JUST BEEN RELEASED. GARY TRUDEAU JOINS ME NOW. WELCOME TO YOU.

>> THANK YOU SO MUCH.

>> Brown: IN THE INTRODUCTION, YOU WRITE IT IS NOT ABOUT WATERGATE, GAS LINES, REAGAN NO, MA'AM NICKS, MONICA. ALL THESE THINGS YOU'VE WRITTEN ABOUT, IN FACT, OVER THE YEARS. REAGANOMICS. WHAT IS IT ABOUT AND WHAT NOW IN RETROSPECT IS "DOONESBURY" ABOUT?

>> I THINK WHAT IT BEGAN AS, A KIND OF DIARY OF MY GENERATION COMING OF AGE, BECAME THE MAIN DRIVING FORCE BEHIND IT. IT'S JUST INHERENTLY FUN WATCHING A GENERATION EVOLVE, TO SEE WHAT IT'S MEANT TO BE.

>> Brown: THAT'S WHAT YOU'VE THOUGHT ABOUT IT. I'M GOING TO WATCH MY GENERATION EVOLVE.

>> I HAD A GRANDIOSE TAKE ON IT, I WAS JUST TRYING TO GET THROUGH THE DAY AND CREATE A SERIES OF JOKES AND MEET A SERIES OF DEADLINES, BUT I THINK LOOKING BACK ON IT THAT'S PRETTY MUCH WHAT IT BECAME. IT WAS CERTAINLY MARKETED THAT WAY, THAT WHEN THIS TRIP WAS TAKEN OUT TO EDITORS AND IT WAS A VERY OLD-FASHIONED BUSINESS, IT WAS ALL RELATIONSHIPS, THE SALESMEN WOULD GO TO INDIVIDUAL EDITORS AROUND THE COUNTRY AND SELL IT ONE BY ONE. AND I THINK THE WAY THEY FRAMED IT WAS LOOK, IT'S A LITTLE AMATEURISH, HE DOESN'T HAVE THE SKILL SET THAT YOU NORMALLY ASSOCIATE WITH A PROFESSIONAL BIG-TIME COMIC STRIP, BUT IT'S FRESH, IT'S... IT HAS A KIND OF AUTHENTICITY. IT WAS SOLD AS KIND OF DISPATCHES FROM THE FRONT LINES OF THE COUNTERCULTURAL WARS.

>> Brown: AND ALL THESE CHARACTERS THAT WE BECAME FAMILIAR WITH, B.D., ZONKER, YOU CAN GO ON AND ON AND ON, THEY'RE PEOPLE THAT YOU KNEW OR KNEW OF AND THEN EXAGGERATED OR WHAT? AND THEN PUT INTO THE REAL WORLD SOMEHOW? RIGHT?

>> YES, I... YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT MANY OF THE CHARACTERS-- AND I GET INTO THIS IN THE BOOK-- WERE INSPIRED BY PEOPLE I MET. BUT THEY'RE RARELY MODELS. IT'S JUST A PLACE TO BEGIN. IT'S A SERIES OF CHARACTERISTICS. AND IN MANY CASES I'D TAKE SOMEONE WHO WAS WHOLLY ADMIRABLE AND TURN THEM INTO SOMEONE WHO WAS COMPLETELY REPREHENSIBLE. THIS IS WHAT I DID TO PEOPLE I LOVED WHEN I WAS FIRST STARTING OUT.

>> Brown: SWEET.

>> BECAUSE THEY'RE JUST MORE INTERESTING.

>> Brown: MORE INTERESTING TO LOOK AT THEIR...

>> IF THEY'RE NOT PRANCING AROUND AS ROLE MODELS BUT IF THEY'RE PLAWED AND THEY'RE JUST MORE YOU CAN DO WITH THEM.

>> Brown: SOME YEARS AGO I CAME TO VISIT YOU IN THE STUDIO AND YOU TOLD ME YOU SPEND THE BEGINNING OF YOUR WORKING DAYS JUST READING THE NEWS, RIGHT? SO... BUT WHY? HOW DO YOU USE THE NEWS FOR THE STRIP?

>> WELL, I JUST TRY TO FEED MY HEAD AND ACTUALLY THIS IS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I MOST LIKE ABOUT THE INTERNET AND THE SURFING PHENOMENON IS THAT I CAN LINK MY WAY... JUST FOLLOW MY INTEREST AND IT'S SO QUICK TO FIND MYSELF IN UNEXPECTED PLACES. AND IT'S SUCH... IT'S OFTEN SUCH A PLEASURE TO JUST FOLLOW MY CURIOSITY INTO PLACES THAT I OTHERWISE WOULDN'T HAVE GONE. BUT, YES, I MARINATE IN ALL THIS STUFF THAT'S HAPPENING AROUND ME. SOMETIMES AN IDEA WILL OCCUR TO ME QUICKLY AND BY THURSDAY I'M HARD AT WORK ON IT. I SEND OUT A CASTING CALL, I DECIDE WHICH CHARACTERS WILL WORK BEST.

>> Brown: WHERE DOES THAT CALL GO TO?

>> IT GOES SOME...

>> Brown:SOME...

>> PLACE IN THE LIZARD BRAIN. I'VE JUST CREATED TWO NEW CHARACTERS IN THE LAST TWO WEEKS BECAUSE THERE WASN'T ANYONE QUITE RIGHT FOR WHAT I HAD IN MIND.

>> Brown: BECAUSE OF THE POLITICAL EDGE YOU HAVE SEEN THIS STRIP MOVED AROUND. IN SOME CASES-- MANY CASES-- MOVED OFF THE COMICS PAGE INTO THE EDITORIAL PAGE. SOMETIMES TAKEN OUT ALL TOGETHER WE CALL IT "THE FUNNIES" RIGHT? THE FUNNY PAGES. WHAT IS THE ROLE, WHAT IS THE PLACE, I GUESS, FOR POLITICAL SATIRE. WHERE DOES IT BELONG, DO YOU ANY.

>> I THINK IF IT WERE STRICTLY POLITICAL SATIRE IT WOULD BE EASY TO MAKE THE ARGUMENT, AS MANY EDITORS HAVE, I THINK SPECIOUSLY, THAT IT BELONGS ON THE OP-ED PAGE.

>> Brown: YOU HAVE FOUGHT THAT.

>> I FOUGHT THAT BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, I HAVE LONG EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIMES WHERE I'M TELLING STORIES THAT AREN'T NECESSARILY EDGY OR TOPICAL OR ANYTHING THAT WOULD JUSTIFY PUTTING THEM ON THAT PAGE. SO WE... YEAH, WE HAVE RESPECTFULLY REQUESTED THAT NEWSPAPERS PUT US BACK ON THE COMICS PAGE.

>> Brown: I WANT TO ASK YOU ABOUT ONE STRIP BEFORE WE FINISH HERE, WHICH GOES TO THIS MOST RECENT FOCUS ON THE WAR INJURIES, AND THAT'S THE STRIP IN 2004 WHERE B.D., ONE OF THE ORIGINAL CHARACTERS, WE FIND HE'S LOST HIS LEG IN BATTLE. WE ALSO FIND THAT HE HAS LOST HIS HELMET. FOR THE FIRST TILE READERS SEE HIM HOLE, IN A SENSE, RIGHT? WE SEE HIS HAIR, HIS HEAD, BUT WE ALSO SEE WHAT'S HAPPENED TO HIM.

>> RIGHT, IT TOOK ON THIS KIND OF METAPHORIC RESONANCE THAT WAS NOT WHOLLY INTENTIONAL. I WAS RACING THROUGH THAT PARTICULAR STRIP. IT WAS THE END OF A THREE-DAY REVEAL WHERE B.D.'S LOST CONSCIOUSNESS AND HE'S CUTTING IN AND OUT AND HIS TEAM PATRIOT IS TRYING TO KEEP HIM ALERT BECAUSE HE HAS A BETTER CHANCE OF SURVIVING AND IN THE LAST PANEL THE CAMERA, IF YOU WILL, PULLS BACK AND WE SEE LOOKING RIGHT DOWN ON B.D. ON A STRETCHER THAT HE'S MISSING HIS LEG AND MISSING HIS HELLMENT. THE DECISION TO REMOVE THE HELMET CAME AT THE LAST SECOND. I WAS TRYING TO SORT THROUGH THE DETAILS OF WHAT HAPPENS TO SOMEBODY DURING THAT GOLDEN HOUR ON THE BATTLE FIELD AND WHAT'S IMPORTANT TO INCLUDE AND NOT TO. WELL, THEY TAKE OFF THE HELMET. I THOUGHT, AH-HA, TAKE OFF THE HELMET. THAT WORKS ON A NUMBER OF LEVELS. SO I SCRAWLED IN A LITTLE MATTED WET HAIR ON TOP OF HIS HEAD, I DIDN'T FIGURE OUT HOW HE WAS GOING TO LOOK LATER AND I BARELY MADE MY DEADLINE AND I HAD ALL THESE CONSEQUENCES I HAD TO LIVE WITH. I'D NEVER... WITH ANY ONE PARTICULAR STRIP I'D NEVER SIGNED ON WITH THIS TREMENDOUS ROLLING RESPONSIBILITY THAT TELLING THAT STORY WOULD ENTAIL.

>> Brown: YOU FELT IT THEN?

>> I FELT THE WEIGHT OF IT THEN. BUT I GOT A LOT OF HELP VERY EARLY ON. THE NEXT DAY I GOT A... I WAS CONTACTED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE AND THEY SAID "WE SEE WHERE YOU'RE GOING WITH THIS AND WE SUSPECT YOU MIGHT NEED SOME HELP." SO I WAS INVITED DOWN TO WALTER REED TO START TALKING WITH WARRIORS AND CAREGIVERS.

>> Brown: SO WHEN YOU WENT THROUGH ALL THIS FINALLY, WHEN YOU WENT THROUGH ALL THIS 40 YEARS OF STRIPS TO PUT THIS TOGETHER, DID YOU FEEL A COHESION TO THE TALE THAT YOU HAD PUT TOGETHER? AFTER ALL, YOU'RE DOING SORT OF DAY BY DAY BY DAY AND YOU ADD UP TO, WHAT DOES IT ADD UP TO IN 40 YEARS?

>> YES, IT SORT OF TOOK ME BY SURPRISE THAT IT HAD A KIND OF NOVELISTIC TOTALITY THAT CERTAINLY WAS UNINTENTIONAL. I'M A SHORT ORDER COOK. I'M JUST TRYING TO GET THROUGH THE WEEK. I'M JUST TRYING TO PUSH THE STORY FORWARD A LITTLE BIT AND I DO THAT IN THE MOST ERRATIC WAY POSSIBLE. I'LL DO... I DO A WEEK AT A TIME AND SOMETIMES I'LL DO A THURSDAY STRIP AND THEN VILE TO REVERSE ENGINEER TO FIGURE OUT HOW I GOT TO IT. SO I KIND OF LURCH ALONG TELLING LITTLE BITS OF THE STORY AND TRY TO IMAGINE THE NEXT FEW STEPS AHEAD AND THAT'S ABOUT IT. SO IT WAS VERY SURPRISING TO STEP BACK, TO GO THROUGH THE 40 HUGE NOTEBOOKS-- ONE PER YEAR-- TO EDIT THIS BOOK DOWN AND TO SEE THAT IT ACTUALLY TOLD A STORY OF A GENERATIONAL JOURNEY AND THE BEGINNINGS OF ANOTHER JOURNEY, THE GENERATION THAT HAS FOLLOWED.

>> Brown: ALL RIGHT, 40 YEARS OF "DOONESBURY," GARY TRUDEAU, THANKS FOR TALKING TO US.

>> MY GREAT PLEASURE.

>> Woodruff: AGAIN, THE MAJOR DEVELOPMENTS OF THE DAY: PARCEL BOMBS WENT OFF AT TWO EMBASSIES IN ROME AMID CONCERNS ABOUT HOLIDAY SECURITY. AND U.N. OFFICIALS REPORTED MORE THAN 170 PEOPLE HAVE DIED IN POST-ELECTION VIOLENCE IN IVORY COAST. AND NOW TO HARI SREENIVASAN, IN OUR NEWSROOM, FOR WHAT'S ON THE "NEWSHOUR" ONLINE. HARI?

>> Sreenivasan: FIND A GALLERY OF GARY TRUDEAU'S CARTOON STRIPS ON ART BEAT. AND WHAT'S IN A WORD? WE TALKED ABOUT THE STUDY OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE WITH ERIN McKEAN THE WEBSITE WORDNIK, AND WE TRIED SOMETHING NEW WITH THE VIDEO. USERS HAVE ALREADY TRANSCRIBED OUR VIDEO FOR US, AND SOME ARE EVEN TRANSLATING US TO OTHER LANGUAGES. FIND IT ON "THE RUNDOWN" NEWS BLOG. PLUS "PATCHWORK NATION" LOOKS AT A HOLIDAY ECONOMIC DIVIDE THROUGH THE LENS OF WHERE CERTAIN RETAILERS ARE AND AREN'T LOCATED AROUND THE COUNTRY. ALL THAT AND MORE IS ON OUR WEB SITE: newshour.pbs.org. MARGARET?

>> Warner: AND THAT'S THE "NEWSHOUR" FOR TONIGHT. WE'LL BE BACK ON CHRISTMAS EVE WITH A NEWSMAKER INTERVIEW WITH GOVERNOR BILL RICHARDSON, MARK SHIELDS AND MICHAEL GERSON AMONG OTHERS. I'M MARGARET WARNER.

>> Woodruff: AND I'M JUDY WOODRUFF. WE'LL SEE YOU ON-LINE AND AGAIN HERE TOMORROW EVENING. THANK YOU AND GOOD NIGHT. MAJOR FUNDING FOR THE PBS NEWSHOUR HAS BEEN PROVIDED BY:

>> OKAY, LISTEN. SOMEBODY HAS GOT TO GET SERIOUS.

>> I THINK...

>> WE NEED RENEWABLE ENERGY.

>> ...RENEWABLE ENERGY IS VITAL TO OUR PLANET.

>> YOU HEAR ABOUT ALTERNATIVES, RIGHT? WIND, SOLAR, ALGAE.

>> I THINK IT'S GOING TO WORK AN A BIG SCALE. ONLY, I THINK IT'S GOING TO BE AFFORDABLE.

>> SO, WHERE ARE THEY?

>> IT HAS TO WORK IN THE REAL WORLD. AT CHEVRON, WE'RE INVESTING MILLIONS IN SOLAR AND BIOFUEL TECHNOLOGY TO MAKE IT WORK.

>> WE'VE GOT TO GET ON THIS NOW.

>> RIGHT NOW. AND BY THE ALFRED P. SLOAN FOUNDATION. SUPPORTING SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, AND IMPROVED ECONOMIC PERFORMANCE AND FINANCIAL LITERACY IN THE 21ST CENTURY. AND WITH THE ONGOING SUPPORT OF THESE INSTITUTIONS AND FOUNDATIONS. AND... THIS PROGRAM WAS MADE POSSIBLE BY THE CORPORATION FOR PUBLIC BROADCASTING. AND BY CONTRIBUTIONS TO YOUR PBS STATION FROM VIEWERS LIKE YOU. THANK YOU. Captioning sponsored by MacNEIL/LEHRER PRODUCTIONS Captioned by Media Access Group at WGBH access.wgbh.org Announcer: FIND YOUR VOICE AND SHARE IT. AMERICAN GREETINGS-- PROUD SPONSOR OF "THE ELECTRIC COMPANY." - BEACHES RESORTS IS A PROUD SPONSOR OF "THE ELECTRIC COMPANY," CONNECTING BRIGHT IDEAS AND COUNTLESS OUTLETS FOR HIGH-ENERGY EXCITEMENT. FROM THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION'S READY TO LEARN GRANT, AND...