New Mexico in Focus; 1134; Lenton Malry

>> FUNDING FOR NEW MEXICO INFOCUS PROVIDED BY THE MCCUNE CHARITABLE FOUNDATION AND VIEWERS LIKE YOU. >> THIS WEEK ON NEW MEXICO INFOCUS LENTON MALRY SHARES LESSONS HE LEARNED FROM DECADES OF WORKING IN EDUCATION AND POLITICS. >> I WAS TEACHING IN A TWO-ROOM, TWO-TEACHER SCHOOL ON THE NAVAJO RESERVATION AND I TAUGHT FOURTH, FIFTH AND SIXTH. >> AND THE LINE DEBATES THE OUTCOMES OF THIS YEAR'S LEGISLATIVE SESSION. NEW MEXICO INFOCUS STARTS NOW. WELCOME TO NEW MEXICO INFOCUS. LATER THIS HOUR, THE LINE DISCUSSES SCHOOL SAFETY. THIS WEEK IN NEW MEXICO THREATS ON SOCIAL MEDIA OF SCHOOL VIOLENCE HAVE HEIGHTENED FEAR AND CAUTION. NOW, IF SCHOOL SAFETY IS AN ISSUE THAT YOU WANT TO TALK ABOUT GET IN TOUCH WITH US HER AT NEWMEXICOINFOCUS.ORG. NOW, LET'S GO TO THE LINE. >> THIS YEAR'S 30-DAY LEGISLATIVE SESSION WAS NOTABLY LESS DRAMATIC THAN

OTHERS IN RECENT YEARS. A BIG PART OF THAT WAS THE BUDGET SURPLUS, CERTAINLY. LAWMAKERS WEREN'T FORCED TO MAKE TOUGH DECISIONS ABOUT CUTS, BUT WAS THERE REALLY BIPARTISAN PROGRESS THIS YEAR? TO SHARE THEIR THOUGHTS. I AM JOINED BY DEDE FELDMAN, A FORMER STATE LAWMAKER AND AUTHOR OF THE NEW BOOK, ANOTHER WAY FORWARD. >> FORMER HOUSE MINORITY WHIP, DANIEL FOLEY IS HERE. TOM GARRITY OF THE GARRITY GROUP PR IS WITH US. LAURA SANCHEZ-RIVET, AN ATTORNEY AT CUDDY & MCCARTHY. SENATOR, START WITH YOU. THIS IDEA, I MENTIONED THE WORD BIPARTISANSHIP. THAT SEEMED TO THE BUZZ WORD BUT THERE IS ALWAYS A DIFFERENT THING UNDER THE SURFACE OF REPORTING OF WHAT IS GOING ON. HOW DID YOU TAKE THIS SESSION? WAS IT SO BIPARTISAN OR WAS THERE SOMETHING ELSE GOING ON HERE? >> HAVING 300 MILLION EXTRA LOT EASIER. SO, THAT I THINK MODERATED WHAT COULD HAVE BEEN AN ACRIMONIOUS SESSION IN THAT IT

IS THE SESSION BEFORE AN ELECTION. BUT, THIS WENT -- THERE WAS A SORT OF A BIPARTISAN CONSENSUS ON AN OMNIBUS CRIME BILL, I THINK, THAT WENT THROUGH AND THE SESSION STARTED OFF WITH ADDRESSING A CRISIS AND THE LEGISLATURE IS PRETTY GOOD AT ADDRESSING CRISES. AND THE CRISIS WAS ONE WHERE NURSES WHO HAD BEEN CERTIFIED ELSEWHERE COULD NO LONGER PRACTICE IN NEW MEXICO UNLESS THE LAW WAS CHANGED. SO THAT STARTED OUT ON A GOOD FOOT BUT I THINK ALSO THE SESSION DID NOT REALLY DO MUCH TO ADDRESS THE BIG ISSUES, THE BIG PROBLEMS. AND, THEY SORT OF JUST DECIDED NOT TO DO THAT GOING IN. SO, YEAH, IT IS GOING TO BE A LOT LESS ACRIMONIOUS.

THERE WERE TWO ACRIMONIOUS CONTESTED ISSUES AND THEY WERE THE SAN JUAN COAL PLANT AND THE PERMANENT FUND WHICH WAS, YOU KNOW, LIKE GROUND HOG DAY ONCE AGAIN. SO, THOSE TWO THINGS, I THINK, CREATED SOME HEAT BUT OTHER THAN THAT, PEOPLE SEEMED TO BE EAGER TO GO HOME FROM THE VERY BEGINNING AND THAT WAS UNUSUAL. >> TO OUR OTHER LEGISLATOR AT THE TABLE, A FEW DAYS I WAS UP THERE, SENATOR JUST MENTIONED AT THE END, THE QUIETNESS IN THE ROUNDHOUSE WAS STARK, FROM THE BEGINNING TO END. JUST REALLY WASN'T MUCH JUICE IN THE BUILDING. WHAT WAS YOUR SENSE OF IT? WHAT HAPPENED THERE? WAS IT JUST ABOUT HAVING MONEY? >> NO, I THINK THAT OBVIOUSLY MAKES IT EASIER, RIGHT. WE ARE GOING TO GIVE EVERYBODY SOME OF WHAT THEY WANT, YOU FOR ME, I OBVIOUSLY WASN'T THERE AS LONG AS SENATOR FELDMAN WAS, SERVED WITH TWO GOVERNORS, GARY JOHNSON AND BILL RICHARDSON. IT SEEMED SIMILAR WHEN BOTH OF

THEM WERE LEAVING, JUST KIND OF LIKE, THE 18TH ROUND OF A CHAMPIONSHIP FIGHT, EVERYBODY IS TIRED, LEANING ON EACH OTHER. BOTH SIDES KNOW THERE IS GOING TO BE A CHANGE. I THINK I HAVE BEEN CRITICAL OF GOVERNOR MARTINEZ AT TIMES ON HERE. I THINK SHE KIND OF ESTABLISHED -- I THOUGHT HER STATE OF THE STATE SPEECH KIND OF CAME OUT SWINGING. SHE ESTABLISHED A DEAL WHERE THERE WAS A LOT OF ISSUES THAT I THINK SHE FEELS LIKE SHE WAS VINDICATED ON. AND, SO, I THINK THAT EVERYBODY JUST KIND OF WAS LIKE, LOOK, SHE CAME OUT AND SAID, YOU HAVE BEEN TELLING ME I AM ALL CRIME ALL THE TIME AND NOW MIRACULOUSLY YOU GUYS ARE CRIME. YOU TELL ME TO RAISE TAXES, I SAID, NO. NOW WE HAVE EXTRA MONEY. I THOUGH SHE SENT THE SHOT OUT THAT ALL THE LEGISLATORS KIND OF SCURRIED BACK AND SAID, LET'S GET THROUGH THIS. IT IS AN ELECTION CYCLE. WE DON'T WANT GRANDIOSE HEADLINES ABOUT WHAT WE HAVEN'T DONE. IT WAS KIND OF EVERYBODY HAS THEIR HAND ON THE BUTTON FOR MUTUAL DESTRUCTION AND THEY PULL BACK AND SAY, LET'S MOVE ON.

HAVING THE EXTRA MONEY, OBVIOUSLY HELPS, BUT IT IS ALSO -- IT IS ALSO THE FACT THAT IT IS A 30-DAY SESSION, YOU'RE LIMITED. SHE DIDN'T GO CRAZY WITH MESSAGES. SHE SEEMED TO PRETTY MUCH GIVE OUT A HANDFUL OF MESSAGES, GOT THEM OUT EARLY, DIDN'T WAIT TOO MUCH. THERE WAS A NOTICEABLE AMOUNT OF BILLS, FROM WHAT I HAVE BEEN TOLD, I'LL DEFER TO MY COLLEAGUE THAT GOES UP QUITE A BIT, THERE WAS A NUMBER OF BILLS THAT EVEN WERE ADMINISTRATION BILLS THAT EVEN DEMOCRATS WERE CARRYING TO GET THINGS DONE. SO, YOU KNOW, I DON'T THINK IT WAS THAT FAR OUT OF LINE FOR WHAT I SAW WHEN I SERVED WITH TWO DIFFERENT GOVERNORS ON THE LAST DEAL. EVERYBODY JUST KIND OF LET IT GO. WHAT I DID THINK WAS INTERESTING WAS ON THE FINAL NIGHT HAVING A REPUBLICAN GOVERNOR, REPUBLICAN LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR, COME OVER AND ADDRESS THE HOUSE AND SAY GOODBYE AS JOHN SANCHEZ DID. I KNOW HE WAS A HOUSE MEMBER BUT THE DEMOCRATS WERE IN CHARGE, SO, I THINK THERE WAS MORE OF A TONE OF BIPARTISANSHIP THAN A LOT OF

US THAT ARE CYNICAL WOULD SAY, BUT I WOULD ALSO OFFER UP THAT I AM NOT SURE THAT IS GOOD FOR THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO. I THINK THE MINORITY PARTY NEEDS TO DO ITS JOB AND BE A MINORITY PARTY. >> YOU ANTICIPATED MY NEXT QUESTION. SOMETIMES WHEN THINGS COME OUT AND REPUBLICANS ARE SORT OF THE SAME AS DEMOCRATS, DEMOCRATS ARE SORT OF THE SAME AS REPUBLICANS GOING INTO AN ELECTION YEAR, WHERE ARE THE STARK DIFFERENCES FOR THE VOTER? IT SEEMS TO ME THERE HAS TO BE TO DIFFERENT PHILOSOPHIES OF GOVERNING HERE THAT SHOW UP IN THESE LEGISLATIVE CHOICES THAT DIDN'T COME OUT THIS SESSION. WHERE DOES THE VOTER GO FROM HERE ON AN ELECTION CYCLE. >> I THINK THERE IS STILL SOME STARK DIFFERENCES IN SOME WAYS LOOKING AT IT FROM A PARTY TO IDENTIFY THOSE DIFFERENCES. THERE WERE STILL SOME MAJOR DIFFERENCES ON BILLS. WE SAW PEOPLE FAR APART ON THE PERMANENT FUND, PERMANENT FUND USE FOR EARLY CHILDHOOD, CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT THAT GOT FURTHER THAN ANY OTHER ONE

BUT DIED IN FINANCE, LIKE A LOT OF THINGS WOULD DIE. SO THAT WAS ONE WHERE I THINK PEOPLE THAT ARE BIG SUPPORTERS OF THAT ISSUE, WHATEVER SIDE, AND TEND TO BE DEMOCRATS, BUT IN GENERAL, THERE ARE SOME REPUBLICANS NOW THAT ARE ALSO SUPPORTIVE OF EARLY CHILDHOOD FUNDING, REBECCA DOW, REPUBLICAN FROM T OR C IS ACTUALLY A PROVIDER OF EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION. SO SHE WAS SUPPORTIVE OF EARLY CHILDHOOD FUNDING AS WELL, BUT I THINK -- >> ON THAT NOTE, IS THAT AN ISSUE THAT FOLKS CAN RUN ON AS A CHALLENGER THAT SOMEONE DOES NOT SUPPORT EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION BY NICKING THE PERMANENT LAND -- IS THAT BIG ENOUGH TO GET OUT THERE? >> IT DEPENDS ON THE DISTRICT. THERE ARE SOME WHERE THAT IS A BIG ISSUE AND POTENTIALLY, YOU COULD GET SOME TRACTION ON THAT BUT THERE ARE AREAS THAT IS NOT THE IMPORTANT THING. IT MIGHT BE CRIME, ECONOMY, CERTAINLY ONE OF THE BILLS I WAS WORKING ON QUITE A BIT THIS SESSION WAS THE PNM BILL ON THE COAL SHUTDOWN AND THAT WAS ONE WHERE YOU SAW PEOPLE

ON BOTH SIDES TAKING VARIOUS POSITIONS AND IT'S VERY CONTROVERSIAL BUT, ALSO, YOU KNOW, COULD HAVE DONE A LOT, I MEAN IN MY OPINION, OF COURSE I WAS WORKING TO SUPPORT THE BILL. SO, THE IDEA THERE WAS TO TRY TO FACILITATE THE SHUTDOWN OF THAT COAL PLANT AND ASSIST FOR COMMUNITY FUND FOR SAN JUAN COUNTY AREA. YOU SAW PEOPLE WERE MADE STRANGE BED FELLOWS JOINING EITHER PRO SIDE OR THE ANTI SIDE. MONTOYA REPUBLICAN FROM SAN JUAN COUNTY WAS JOINING NEW ENERGY ECONOMY, SO THAT WAS KIND WEIRD -- THAT WAS SORT OF AGAINST. >> I WOULD NOT PUT MONEY ON THAT. >> IT WAS ODD. THERE WAS BLURRING OF LINES BETWEEN THE PARTIES. THERE IS STILL CLEAR BRIGHT LINES I THINK FOR VOTERS TO BE ABLE TO LOOK AT. DO YOU WANT TO SEND THE SAME PEOPLE BACK AND I THINK THE CHALLENGERS CAN PICK FROM THAT TO SEE WHAT THEY COME UP IN TERMS OF A RACE. >> PICK UP ON THAT. THE IDEA OF AN ELECTION CYCLE AND THINGS SORT OF SPRING BOARDING OUT OF THIS SITUATION

OR DO PEOPLE JUST FORGET WHAT HAPPENED IN THE SESSION AND JUST DOESN'T MATTER, ONCE MAILERS GO OUT. >> PEOPLE ARE GOING TO FORGET WHAT HAPPENED IN THE SESSION. THAT DEFINITELY PLAYS INTO THE HANDS OF INCUMBENTS. SHELL SHOCK ABOUT HOW THE ELECTORATE RESPONDED ON BOTH SIDES. OURS AND THESE, TO PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION. AND, SO, THIS BEING THE FIRST REAL KIND OF LITMUS TEST, YOU KNOW, POST PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION, YOU HAVE A LOT ELECTIVES WHO ARE GOING, YOU KNOW WHAT, IF I STICK MY NECK OUT, IF I DO ANYTHING CONTROVERSIAL, THAT WILL COME BACK TO HAUNT ME AND BECOME A SUBJECT OF HIT PIECE FROM THE OTHER SIDE. I THINK THAT THE LACK OF CONTROVERSY, YOU KNOW, OKAY, GREAT, WHAT ARE WE GOING TO TALK ABOUT, YOU KNOW, TODAY ABOUT THE GREAT ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF THIS LEGISLATIVE SESSION? NOT MUCH. IT WAS REALLY HO HUM AND THAT WAS PROBABLY BY DESIGN. SOME HAVE TALKED ABOUT HOW QUIET IT WAS UP THERE. I WAS UP THERE THE SECOND DAY OF THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION AND

YOU WOULD HAVE THOUGHT THAT IT WAS IN RECESS. I MEAN THERE WAS ABSOLUTELY NOTHING EXCEPT THE TOURS OF THE DIFFERENT ARTS KIND OF STOPS AND STUFF LIKE THAT. >> THAT IS NOT NECESSARILY BAD. >> YEAH. >> I MEAN, I THINK THAT THE FACT THEY GOT A BALANCED BUDGET AND ABLE TO GET IT DONE. IT WASN'T SOMETHING THAT HAPPENED ON THE 11TH HOUR IS AN IMPORTANT ACCOMPLISHMENT. >> BUT I THINK PART OF THE THING IS THAT IT IS NEVER -- YOU KNOW -- SENATOR MAY DISAGREE. IT WAS NEVER HARD FOR US TO GET A BALANCED BUDGET WHEN WE HAD MORE MONEY THAN WE THOUGHT WE HAD WHEN WE GOT THERE, BUT YOU GO TO BALANCE THE BUDGET AND GET FINAL PROJECTIONS ABOUT TEN DAYS IN AND HERE IS YOUR MONEY. I THINK THE BIGGER NEWS IS THE PRESS CONFERENCE ON THURSDAY WHERE GOVERNOR MARTINEZ SAYS, I DON'T KNOW WHO I AM VOTING FOR FOR GOVERNOR. THERE IS ONLY ONE REPUBLICAN RUNNING. >> IT COMES DOWN TO, IN MY OPINION, WHAT DID THE LEGISLATURE DO TO HELP THE ECONOMY AND THE TAX BREAKS THAT WERE PUT IN PLACE MAKING SMALL BUSINESS SATURDAY, ALL RIGHT? YOU KNOW.

DOESN'T HELP -- WHAT DID THEY DO TO HELP ESTABLISH MORE OF A MANUFACTURING BASE? WHAT DID THEY DO TO HELP SECONDARY EDUCATION AND PREPARE CHILDREN AND HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATES FOR THE? WORKFORCE? MIGHT NOT FEEL A NEED TO GO TO COMMUNITY COLLEGE OR THAT UNIVERSITY EXPERIENCE IS BEST FOR THEM. WHEN YOU LOOK AT SUPPORTING SMALL BUSINESS, WHEN YOU LOOK AT -- THROUGH EITHER INCENTIVES OR JUST FEWER -- LESS PAPERWORK, THEY DIDN'T DO MUCH. WHEN THEY REALLY LOOK AT HOW DO YOU PREPARE THE WORKFORCE, I DON'T SEE MUCH. ALL THIS WHEN THERE IS INCREASED BUDGET, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE OF THE OIL AND GAS INDUSTRY, WE ARE BACK IN THAT SAME CYCLE AGAIN. SEEMS AS IF WE ARE CONTINUING TO GO DOWN THAT ROAD OF RELYING UPON THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT OR THE OIL AND GAS INDUSTRY TO SAVE OUR BACK SIDES. >> THAT IS RIGHT. >> IT IS EMINENTLY FORGETTABLE SESSION, I THINK, AND I DON'T THINK IT WILL PLAY MUCH INTO THE COMING ELECTION, BUT I THINK MARTINEZ WILL BE REMEMBERED FOR THE BIG THINGS, THE BIG CRISES THAT SHE

CREATED IN BEHAVIORAL HEALTH, IN THE DRIVER'S LICENSE, SOME OF THE -- AND THE FAILURE TO MOVE NEW MEXICO OFF THE ECONOMIC DIME. THOSE WILL BE THE FLIERS, THOSE ISSUES. >> I DON'T THINK THE PEOPLES' MEMORY IS MORE THAN 30 SECONDS SO I THINK SAYING THE DRIVER'S LICENSE, WHICH SHE SORT OF INHERITED FROM GOVERNOR RICHARDSON, I THINK TALKING ABOUT SOME OF THESE THINGS, I THINK SHE IS POSITIONED VERY WELL TO BE REMEMBERED AS THE GOVERNOR THAT LEFT A HUGE SURPLUS. TO THIS DAY, YOU THINK OF ALL THE THINGS GARY JOHNSON IS KNOWN FOR AND ALL THE THINGS GARY JOHNSON DID, IT IS THE FACT THAT THE STATE WAS IN THE BEST FISCAL STATE IT HAS EVER BEEN WHEN HE LEFT. AND SHE IS CLAIMING IT IS BETTER NOW. >> I JUST REMEMBER HIM NOT KNOWING ANYTHING ABOUT IT. >> IN JUST A MINUTE WE'LL DISCUSS SAFETY IN SCHOOLS ACROSS NEW MEXICO. >> NEW MEXICO FOCUS IS ON TWITTER AND FACEBOOK. UPDATES ON UPCOMING SHOWS AND TELL US WHAT YOU THINK ABOUT

THE TOP NEWS STORY OF THE WEEK. THEN, TUNE IN BECAUSE WE MAY SHARE YOUR COMMENTS ON THE LINE. >> THE RECENT SHOOTING AT A HIGH SCHOOL IN FLORIDA HAS PARENTS AND STUDENTS ACROSS THE COUNTRY ON EDGE. INCLUDING HERE IN NEW MEXICO. NOW AS WE SAT DOWN TO TAPE THIS WEEK, A SUSPECT WAS ARRESTED IN BELEN AFTER MAKING THREATS AGAINST BELEN HIGH SCHOOL ON SOCIAL MEDIA. LOS LUNAS, RIO RANCHO AND ALBUQUERQUE PUBLIC SCHOOLS HAVE INVESTIGATED POTENTIAL ABOUT SCHOOLS IN THIS PAST WEEK ALONE. MANY PARENTS KEPT KIDS HOME BECAUSE OF THE THREATS. THIS MADE US HERE WONDER AT NEW MEXICO INFOCUS, WHAT IS BEING DONE TO ADDRESS POTENTIAL THREATS IN SCHOOLS IN OUR AREA. DAN I MENTIONED RIO RANCHO. THAT BLEW UP ALL OVER FACEBOOK A COUPLE NIGHTS AGO. A LOT OF PARENTS WERE CONCERNED. BUT THERE IS SOME THINGS THAT HAVE COME OUT OF THE LISTENING SESSION IN THE WHITE HOUSE, CNN TOWN HALL MEETING ON WEDNESDAY NIGHT, A LOT OF IDEAS ARE OUT THERE ABOUT BEEFING UP SCHOOL SECURITY. IN YOUR MIND WHAT CAN BE DONE TO MAKE PARENTS FEEL BETTER ABOUT KIDS BEING SAFE IN SCHOOL AND FEELING SAFE?

>> THAT IS KIND OF A LOADED QUESTION. THE REASON I SAY THAT IS YOU SAY WHAT CAN BE DONE RIGHT CLEARLY A SHOW OF FORCE. IF YOU PULL UP ON TO A SCHOOL AND THERE IS MULTIPLE POLICE CARS AND OFFICERS WALKING AROUND CAMPUS, THAT IS AN IMMEDIATE SHOW OF FORCE THAT MAKES PEOPLE SAY, WE FEEL SAFER. YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT IS A SHORT-TERM SOLUTION BECAUSE I DON'T THINK IT IS SUSTAINABLE TO PUT 50 POLICE OFFICERS IN EVERY SCHOOL IN EVERY CITY IN EVERY STATE IN THE COUNTRY. BUT, I THINK, YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT IS THE ROUTE WE HAVE TO GO. I THINK THERE IS NO GREATER EXAMPLE THAN THE ANONYMITY THAT SOCIAL MEDIA GIVES PEOPLE. WE WERE TALKING JUST THE OTHER DAY. THE WORST THING YOU COULD DO WHEN I WAS IN HIGH SCHOOL WAS PULL A FIREARM. YOU PULLED A FIREARM AND I MEAN IT WAS A NO, NO, YOU GOT -- I MEAN THE ABILITY NOW TO POST SOMETHING TO THREATEN SOMEBODY WITHOUT YOUR NAME, NOBODY KNOWS WHO YOU ARE, CAUSING ALL KINDS OF WORK TO TRY TO FIGURE OUT WHO IT WAS

AND THEN YOU HAVE NO CHOICE BUT TO RESPOND. IT IS HEART WRENCHING, GUT WRENCHING. I THINK THE PRESIDENT HAS DONE A DECENT JOB GETTING THESE SIDES TOGETHER BRINGING PEOPLE IN, I THINK THAT HE IS COMING UP WITH SOLUTIONS. I THINK HE IS GOING TO TRY TO ADDRESS SOME OF THIS STUFF, WHICH I AM IMPRESSED THAT, ONE, HE'S THINKING OUTSIDE THE BOX, TWO, HE'S GOING AGAINST SOME OF THE VERY FIBER OF THE PEOPLE WHO SUPPORTED HIM WITH NRA AND FOLKS LIKE THAT, THE BUM STOCK STUFF THAT HE HAS COME OUT WITH AND CLEARLY SHOWN THAT HE IS SEPARATING HIMSELF FROM BEING THAT TWITTER ANGRY GUY. AND I THINK SOME PEOPLE ARE STARTING TO LOOK AT HIM AND GO, HE'S REALLY ON THIS ISSUE. THE MARK RUBIO, SENATOR RUBIO TOWN HALL ON CNN WAS VERY ENLIGHTENING. IT IS CLEARLY AN EMOTIONAL ISSUE. IT ALWAYS HAS BEEN AN EMOTIONAL ISSUE BUT IT HAS ALWAYS BEEN AN EMOTIONAL ISSUE

BECAUSE WE TALK ABOUT IT AND SINCE I HAVE BEEN THINKING ABOUT THESE THINGS FOR 20 PLUS YEARS, YOU MIGHT HAVE KNOWN SOMEONE WHO KNEW SOMEONE, WHO KNEW SOMEONE, WHO KNEW SOMEONE. OVER THE LAST FIVE YEARS, THAT SIX DEGREES OF SEPARATION IS DOWN TO ONE OR TWO. >> INTERESTINGLY IN THE PRESIDENT'S LISTENING SESSION HE PROPOSED THE IDEA THAT HAS BECOME THE TALK OF THE WEEK OF ARMING TEACHERS AND HIS IDEA IS 20% OF TEACHERS ACROSS THE COUNTRY SHOULD BE ABLE TO CARRY FIREARMS AND TRAINING AND THIS WOULD BE A DETERRENT. A LOT OF ACTIVITY ON FACEBOOK AND OTHER PLACES ABOUT THIS IDEA. WHAT IS YOUR SENSE OF THAT? IS THAT A WORKABLE SOLUTION IN YOUR MIND WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT IT? >> YOU KNOW, OUR FIRM WORKS A LOT WITH SCHOOL DISTRICTS AROUND THE STATE AND THIS IT IS NOT NEW AND I THINK IT IS REGIONAL. THERE IS SOME PARTS OF THE STATE WHERE PEOPLE ARE MUCH MORE COMFORTABLE WITH GUNS AND THEY HAVE, YOU KNOW, CONSIDERED THIS, TALKED ABOUT IT. IT HAS BEEN SOMETHING THAT THEY -- CERTAIN POCKETS OF THE STATE WANT TO SEE IT, MOSTLY IN SOUTHERN NEW MEXICO.

AND THEN THERE IS SOME AREAS, THEY THINK IT IS A TERRIBLE IDEA AND FOR VERY VALID REASONS. A LOT OF THEM BELIEVE THAT IT IS NOT A GOOD -- IT IS NOT A REALISTIC OPTION. FOR ONE, TEACHERS ARE VERY BUSY TO BEGIN WITH AND TO EXPECT THEM TO HAVE THE PRESENCE OF MIND AT THAT MOMENT TO REACH FOR A GUN AND USE IT COMPETENTLY, IS NOT SOMETHING PEOPLE ARE COMFORTABLE WITH. THERE IS PROBLEMS WITH THAT AS A SOLUTION. I THINK WHAT DAN SAID ABOUT, YOU KNOW, HIM -- THE PRESIDENT TAKING THIS ON RIGHT NOW, I THINK HE HAS THE OPPORTUNITY TO REALLY -- I AM NOT SURE -- I COMMEND HIM AT LEAST FOR HAVING THE MEETING AND HAVING CAMERAS IN THAT MEETING. I THINK THAT IS AN IMPORTANT CONVERSATION FOR THE AMERICAN PUBLIC TO BE ABLE TO WITNESS BUT I THINK IT ALSO DEPENDS ON WHAT HE IS GOING TO DO MOVING FORWARD. THE BUM STOCK ISSUE IS DEFINITELY A FIRST STEP AND IT SOUNDS LIKE THE NRA IS SUPPORTIVE OF THAT. >> THEY ARE NOT IN AGREEMENT

ABOUT UPPING THE AGE FROM 18 TO 21 TO BE ABLE TO BUY ARMS LIKE THIS YOUNG MAN. >> THERE IS A STILL A LOT OF AREAS WHERE THEY DRAW THE LINE AND WE'LL SEE IF HE ACTUALLY PUSHES BACK ON THAT. DEDE, YOUNG PEOPLE ARE MAKING VOICES HEARD ON THIS. WE HAVE SEEN A VERY BUSY WEEK, MARCHES IN ALBUQUERQUE. VALLEY HIGH SCHOOL WALKED OUT, SOME STUDENTS WALKED OUT. >> LA CUEVA. >> SOME FARMINGTON KIDS ARE SHOWING THEIR SUPPORT. WASHINGTON D.C. THERE WAS A VISIT TO THE CAPITOL. TALLAHASSEE. ON AND ON IT GOES. ARE YOU SENSING THIS PUSH FROM YOUNG PEOPLE THAT ARE SAYING, LOOK, WE ARE THE GENERATION THAT HAS HAD TO PUT UP WITH THIS. ADULTS CAN'T GET THIS DONE BUT WE ARE GOING TO GET THIS DONE, IS THIS REALLY THE STORY COMING OUT THIS WEEK? >> I THINK SO BECAUSE, YES, I THINK THIS WILL BE A LASTING REALLY THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT AND THE ANTIWAR MOVEMENT WAS LED INITIALLY BY HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS WHO WERE

JUST FED UP, WHO WERE JUST FED UP AND FELT THEMSELVES TO BE PONS IN THE GAME AND I THINK THAT IS WHAT A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE FEELING NOW. THAT THEY ARE PONS IN THE GAME BETWEEN THE NRA AND ELECTED OFFICIALS AND THEIR INABILITY TO SOLVE THIS PROBLEM AND MEANWHILE SHOOTING AFTER SHOOTING OCCURS WHILE COMMON SENSE SOLUTIONS ARE OUT THERE, YOU KNOW, OF BACKGROUND CHECKS AND NOT ALLOWING TEENAGERS WHO CAN'T BUY BEER TO BUY AN AUTOMATIC WEAPON AND DOMESTIC VIOLENCE PERPETRATORS ARE ALLOWED TO BUY WEAPONS AND, MEANWHILE, SHOOTINGS KEEP HAPPENING ON A REGULAR BASIS AND YOU SEE THE SUPERINTENDENTS OF SCHOOLS ON THE AIR AND THE PARENTS ON THE AIR AND THEY ARE POWERLESS.

THEY ARE POWERLESS TO DO ANYTHING. I MEAN, MY HEART BROKE TO SEE THE AZTEC SUPERINTENDENT COME ON THE TV AND SAY, WE ARE STRONGER AFTER THIS, AZTEC IS STRONG AND HERE IS THE MUG, AZTEC STRONG. WELL, THERE WERE PEOPLE KILLED. THAT DIDN'T NEED TO BE KILLED AND, YOU KNOW, IT IS A COMPLEX PROBLEM, SURE, EVERYBODY AGREES THAT WE NEED TO DO MORE IN TERMS OF MENTAL HEALTH BUT -- >> BUT IS ARMING TEACHERS A VIABLE SOLUTION? >> ARMING TEACHERS IT SHOULD BE TALKED ABOUT BUT I THINK THERE IS SO MANY DOWNSIDES IN TERMS OF TRAINING TEACHERS, THE LIABILITY ISSUES HERE, THE MANY PROBLEMS THAT SCHOOLS WOULD HAVE IN IMPLEMENTING SOMETHING LIKE THAT. I WOULD BE VERY LEERY OF IT AND I THINK TEACHERS THEMSELVES WOULD BE VERY LEERY OF THAT AND THE ACCIDENTS THAT

IT MIGHT CREATE. >> PICK UP ON THAT, A LOT OF ACTIVITY OUT THERE, PEOPLE HAVING -- IS IT WORTHY TO THINK, NRA DIRECTOR WAYNE LAPIERRE MADE A BIG SPEECH AT CPAC ON THURSDAY MORNING, TALKED ABOUT THIS NEEDS TO BE MORE -- WE DO BETTER AT PROTECTING STORES THAT SELL DIAMONDS THAN WE DO CHILDREN. IT IS A FAIR POINT BUT WHAT WORK CAN BE DONE? >> HE BROUGHT UP -- LAPIERRE, ABOUT THE COMMENTS TO CPAC WAS POLITICS VERSUS SAFETY. AND REALLY DISCERNING WHERE THE TWO LIE AND I BELIEVE THAT THE ARMING THE TEACHERS MIGHT SOUND GOOD BUT IN PRACTICALITY, NOT REALLY -- THERE ARE OTHER THINGS THAT COULD BE DONE, THINGS LIKE CONCEALED CARRY RECIPROCITY. 60 MINUTES HAD A FANTASTIC OVERVIEW AS FAR AS THE ISSUES THERE. INCREASING AGE TO 21 AS FAR TO BUY A WEAPON, AND THEN, ALSO

JUST STRENGTHENING BACKGROUND CHECKS AND FOCUS MORE ON MENTAL HEALTH AS PART OF THAT. THREE OF THOSE THINGS ARE, YOU KNOW, DEPENDING WHAT SIDE OF THE ISSUE YOU'RE ON, MIGHT SEEM LIKE YOU JUST CAN'T DO IT BUT WE NEED TO START SOMEWHERE. ARMING TEACHERS IS A THERAPEUTIC RESPONSE AND A REACTION BY THE PRESIDENT, YOU KNOW, DURING HIS TOWN HALL. I DON'T BELIEVE THAT HE'S REALLY -- OR I WOULD HOPE NOT, ANYWAY, THAT THEY ARE REALLY CONSIDERING THAT BECAUSE TEACHERS HAVE ENOUGH ON THEIR PLATE. >> THEY ARE CONSIDERING IT. THERE ARE SCHOOLS IN NEW MEXICO TRYING TO DO IT. SCHOOLS ACROSS THE COUNTRY ARE TRYING TO DO IT. OBVIOUSLY YOU'RE NOT GOING TO HAVE SCHOOLS IN SANTA FE ARMING TEACHERS. BUT SCHOOLS THAT ARE OUT IN RURAL NEW MEXICO IF THEY DIAL 911 IT MAY TAKE 30 MINUTES FOR SOMEONE TO GET THERE. YOU KNOW, THIS WHOLE ARMING TEACHERS THING IS, IT IS DEFINITELY A TOUGH CONVERSATION. I HAVE TALKED TO MANY FRIENDS OF MINE THAT ARE TEACHERS THAT

ARE PRO SECOND AMENDMENT, PRO GUNS, THEY HUNT, THEY SHOOT AND THEY SAID TO ME, LIKE, I SEE WHY WE WOULD DO IT, BUT I DON'T KNOW IF I COULD BACK TO SCHOOL IF I HAD TO SHOOT SOMEBODY. BUT I THINK THE CONVERSATION HAS GOT TO BE, YOU KNOW, I THINK AT SOME POINT WE HAVE TO HAVE A FAIR CONVERSATION ABOUT GUNS IN THIS COUNTRY AND WHAT WE CAN DO. FOR INSTANCE, YOU KNOW, EVERYBODY SAYS, THE NRA THIS AND THAT AND SECOND AMENDMENT, WELL, LISTEN, IF YOU WANT TO CHANGE THE CONSTITUTION, GO THROUGH THE PROCESS OF CHANGING THE CONSTITUTION. WHERE I HAVE CONSTERNATION IS WHEN WE WANT TO BYPASS THE PROCESS AND CHANGE THE CONSTITUTION AND WE SAY WE JUST WANT A COURT TO DO IT OR WHEN WE HAVE CONVERSATIONS AND WE ARE DISHONEST. TO SAY THAT PEOPLE WITH DOMESTIC VIOLENCE ARE BUYING GUNS LEFT AND RIGHT, YOU HAVE THE AMENDMENT THAT SAYS IF YOU'RE CONVICTED OF MISDEMEANOR DOMESTIC VIOLENCE YOU CAN'T BUY A HANDGUN. THIS EXAMPLE IN FLORIDA, YOU KNOW, WE'RE QUICK TO RUSH TO THE FRONT AND SAY, IT IS GUNS FAULT. NRA SIDE AND SECOND AMENDMENT FOLKS, THAT ARE OUT THERE RUSH

TO SAY, WELL, GUNS DON'T KILL PEOPLE, PEOPLE KILL PEOPLE, BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, NO ONE IS HAVING A SERIOUS CONVERSATION ABOUT ALL THE RULES THAT ARE IN PLACE, ALL THE SAFEGUARDS BUT, GENE, THE RULES AND SAFEGUARDS THAT ARE IN PLACE THAT WERE COMPLETELY MISSED TO PREVENT THIS FROM HAPPENING. THE CALLS THAT WENT INTO THE POLICE, TO FBI, TO ALL THESE PEOPLE THAT SAID WE HAVE GOT A PROBLEM OVER HERE AND EVERYBODY JUST SAID NO. THERE IS MULTIPLE LAWS THAT POTENTIALLY COULD HAVE PREVENTED THIS BUT THE PEOPLE WHO YOU TRUST WITH ENFORCING THOSE LAWS AND INVESTIGATING THEM KIND OF PUNTED ON IT. I THINK THAT WE CAN'T HAVE A CONVERSATION ABOUT THIS IF WE DON'T HAVE A SERIOUS CONVERSATION ABOUT MENTAL HEALTH IN THIS COUNTRY. I THINK THEY GO HAND IN HAND. I HAVE YET TO SEE ONE INSTANCE OF SHOOTINGS THAT ANYBODY WOULD SAY THE PERSON WHO COMMITTED THIS CRIME, WOW, THEY WERE JUST A GREAT SOLID MENTALLY STABLE INDIVIDUAL AND WE ARE TALKING MORE ABOUT THE

GUN THAN WE ARE -- >> THERE IS DEBATE ABOUT THAT. WHAT CONSTITUTES MENTAL ILLNESS VERSUS RAGE AND ANGER. >> OR IMMATURITY. THERE IS A LOT OF THINGS THERE THAT SCIENCE SHOWS THAT MENTALLY ILL PEOPLE DO NOT PERPETRATE THESE KIND OF CRIMES. IT IS OTHER REASONS. HAVE TO END IT THERE. COME BACK TO THIS. WHEN WE COME BACK TO THE LINE TONIGHT WE'LL DISCUSS RANK CHOICE VOTING IN SANTA FE. >> CHANGE IS DIFFICULT. PERSON AND MAKING A CHOICE, A HARD CHOICE, BETWEEN SOMEBODY THEY KIND OF LIKE AND SOMEBODY WHO IS GOING TO WIN, LET'S SAY. SO, THIS IS TO GIVE THEM A SECOND CHOICE AND I THINK THAT IS A HEALTHY THING. >> LENTON MALRY'S LIFE BEGAN IN THE JIM CROW SOUTH AND HE OFTEN FACED DISCRIMINATION BUT AS HE WRITES IN HIS AUTOBIOGRAPHY, LET'S ROLL THIS TRAIN, THOSE OBSTACLES RARELY

DISSUADED HIM AND IN FACT HE OFTEN RELISHED CHALLENGES THEY PRESENTED. HIS LIFE HAS BEEN FULL OF FIRSTS, FIRST BLACK PRINCIPAL IN ALBUQUERQUE; FIRST BLACK LEGISLATOR IN NEW MEXICO, FIRST BLACK COUNTY COMMISSIONER IN BERNALILLO COUNTY. HE TELLS CORRESPONDENT MEGAN KAMERICK WHAT DROVE HIM TO FOCUS ON EDUCATION AND TO PURSUE A CAREER IN POLITICS. >> LENTON MALRY, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE ON NEW MEXICO INFOCUS. >> THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME. >> YOU GREW UP QUITE POOR ON A FARM IN RURAL LOUISIANA. HOW DID YOUR PARENTS PUSH YOU TOWARD A DIFFERENT PATH. >> MY MOTHER REALLY WAS REALLY EDUCATION AND WE MOVED TO A TWO-TEACHER GRADE SCHOOL THAT I ATTENDED. AFTER OF THAT, A LOT OF THE NEGRO KIDS COULDN'T GO ANY FURTHER BECAUSE WE DIDN'T HAVE ANY BUS SERVICE. THE WHITE KIDS THAT LIVED IN THE AREA, THEY HAD BUS SERVICE

AND THEY WENT TO GREENWOOD HIGH SCHOOL. BUT WHAT SAVED ME MORE THAN ANYTHING ELSE IS MY MOM HAD A SISTER THAT LIVED IN SHREVEPORT AND SO MY MOM HAD ME TO GO AND LIVE WITH HER IN SHREVEPORT, LOUISIANA AND THAT IS HOW I GOT OUT OF THAT SITUATION. >> THEY IMPRESSED ON YOU THAT YOU NEED TO GET AN EDUCATION. >> MY MOM WOULD READ BY LAMP LIGHT WITH ME AND SAY, YOU NEED TO REALLY GET AN EDUCATION. AND I CARRIED OUT HER WISHES. >> SO, YOU ALSO GREW UP IN THE JIM CROW SOUTH IN SEGREGATION AND FINALLY LIVED AND WORKED IN AN INTEGRATED SITUATION WHEN YOU WENT INTO THE AIR FORCE IN THE 1950'S. THAT PRESENT? >> THAT WAS A LIFE CHANGING SITUATION, LEAVING THE RURAL AREA AND LEAVING THE SEGREGATED SITUATION AND GOING INTO THE AIR FORCE WHICH IS KIND OF A BROAD SITUATION. FIRST I WAS STATIONED IN LACKLAND AIR FORCE BASE IN SAN

ANTONIO TEXAS AND IT WAS INTEGRATED. IT WAS IN EARLY 50'S AND INTEGRATION HAD JUST TAKEN PLACE AND WE HAD A FEW INCIDENTS BUT NOTHING SERIOUS AND THEN AFTER I LEFT THERE, BY BASIC TRAINING, THEY SENT ME TO BOXDALE AIR FORCE IN SHREVEPORT. I SAID, WAIT A MINUTE, I JOINED THIS AIR FORCE TO SEE THE WORLD AND YOU'RE SENDING ME BACK HOME, WHERE I GREW UP TO BOXDALE AIR FORCE BASE, BUT I WAS THERE 11 MONTHS AND THEN I WENT TO LONDON ENGLAND AND MY WHOLE LIFE CHANGED WHEN I WENT TO LONDON ENGLAND. >> TALK ABOUT THAT. >> FIRST OF ALL, I WORKED IN EDUCATION OFFICE AND AFTER I HAD BEEN THERE ABOUT TWO WEEKS, THE EDUCATION OFFICER CAME IN MY OFFICE AND HE SAYS, I HAVE BEEN WATCHING YOU AND I GOT KIND OF SCARED, YOU HAVE BEEN WATCHING ME. HE SAYS, YOU'RE VERY SMART BUT YOU'RE A NEGRO, AND IN ORDER FOR YOU TO REACH YOUR

POTENTIAL, YOU HAVE TO GET A PH.D. I WAS SO GLAD TO HAVE A BACHELOR'S I WASN'T EVEN THINKING ABOUT PH.D. HE SAID, I AM ENROLLING YOU IN LONDON UNIVERSITY ON TUESDAY AND THURSDAY CLASSES, EDUCATION CLASSES, AND I WANT YOU TO ATTEND. SO, YES, SIR. MY WHOLE LIFE CHANGED. I MEAN, I GOT IN THAT CLASS AND A FRIEND OF MINE CUNNINGHAM FROM SCOTLAND, BECAME FRIENDLY WITH ME AND HE SAID, YOU'RE FROM THE BASE. I SAID, YEAH. HE SAID, CAN YOU GET US CIGARETTES? I SAID, WELL, SURE. I DON'T SMOKE. HE SAYS, I WANT YOU TO BE A PART OF OUR GROUP. I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT GROUP HE WAS TALKING ABOUT. THAT THURSDAY I BROUGHT TWO PACK OF CIGARETTE AND HE TOOK ME TO THE PUB WHICH IS KIND OF A BAR OUTSIDE OF THE UNIVERSITY THERE AND I SAW A GROUP OF PEOPLE SITTING OVER IN THE CORNER. HE SAYS, THIS IS LENTON MALRY. HE IS FROM THE BASE AND HE IS GOING TO BE A PART OF OUR GROUP.

I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT THAT MEANT. HE SAYS, NOW, HE EXPLAINED TO ME THAT ONCE A MONTH, WE ARE GOING TO GO TO A CITY, LIKE ROME, PARIS, ET CETERA, ET CETERA, AND YOU ARE GOING TO BE PART OF OUR GROUP AND YOU ARE GOING TO COME TO OUR FLAT AND WE ARE GOING TO STUDY SOME AND PARTY SOME. THAT IS WHAT WE DID. FOR TWO-AND-A-HALF YEARS. >> SO, YOU FOUND IN ENGLAND, EUROPE, THINGS WERE INTEGRATED. IT WAS DIFFERENT. >> IT WAS QUITE DIFFERENT. THE FIRST WEEKEND -- FIRST TRIP WE TOOK WAS TO PARIS AND WE WERE AT THE MOULIN ROUGE WATCHING THE CAN-CAN GIRLS AND I WAS PINCHING MYSELF SAYING THIS OLE COUNTRY BOY HAS COME A LONG WAYS FROM LOUISIANA. I GOT AN EDUCATION IN CLASS BUT I GOT MORE EDUCATION TRAVELING WITH THIS GROUP. WE WOULD GO TO ROME, GO TO SCOTLAND, WE WOULD GO TO MADRID, SPAIN. WE JUST WOULD TRAVEL A LOT AND SOME WEEKENDS INDIVIDUALS

WOULD HAVE PARTIES AT THEIR HOME. I WAS ALWAYS THE FIRST ONE INVITED BECAUSE I WOULD BRING THE CIGARETTES. >> GREAT WAY. HOW DID THAT INFORM WHEN YOU CAME BACK TO THE U.S. WHEN YOU DECIDED WHERE DID YOU WANT TO LIVE? >> I CAME BACK AND STRANGE THING HAPPENED. JACK SHEEHAN FROM RAPID CITY SOUTH DAKOTA WAS OUR EDUCATION OFFICER AND HE WAS PUSHING ME MORE THAN MY MOM WAS PUSHING ME TO GET AN EDUCATION. HE JUST KIND OF TOOK OVER. HE SAID, YOU HAVE TO GET A PH.D. SO, HE ENROLLED ME AT LOUISIANA STATE UNIVERSITY. WHEN I GOT HOME, I GOT OUT OF SERVICE ABOUT A MONTH-AND-A-HALF EARLIER TO ATTEND COLLEGE. SO, HE WORKED ALL THAT OUT. SO, I GOT A TELEGRAM FROM LSU, SAYING, YOU HAVE TO GET THIS FORM SIGNED BY YOUR PREVIOUS PRINCIPAL THAT SHOWS YOU HAD GOOD CHARACTER. I DIDN'T THINK MUCH ABOUT IT UNTIL I WENT AND TALKED TO MR. BROWN WHO LIVED IN THE SAME BLOCK AS MY AUNT AND THE LEGISLATURE HAD PASSED THIS

BILL AND IT SAYS, YOU HAVE TO GET THIS SIGNED BY YOUR PREVIOUS PRINCIPAL. SO I WENT OVER AND HE SAID, IF I SIGN THAT I LOSE MY JOB. THIS IS A WAY TO KEEP BLACKS OUT OF LSU. LOOK AT LSU NOW. BACK THEN, SO, WHAT HAPPENED IS I HAD TO GET IN THE SCHOOL REAL FAST AND SCHOOL STARTED THAT MONDAY AND THIS WAS FRIDAY, SO, I FOUND OUT TEXAS COLLEGE IN TYLER, TEXAS OFFERED A MASTERS DEGREE. SO, I CALLED THEM UP, I MISSED TWO DAYS BUT THEY SAID IF YOU GET OVER HERE NOW, WE'LL ADMIT YOU. SO, I GOT OVER THERE AND THAT IS WHERE I MET MY WIFE. SHE WORKED IN THE REGISTRAR OFFICE. >> YOU BOTH TOOK TEACHING JOBS OUT HERE IN THE WEST ON THE NAVAJO RESERVATION, BUT THE BUREAU OF INDIAN AFFAIRS WAS RECRUITING AFRICAN AMERICAN TEACHERS. >> I WORKED ONE YEAR IN SHERMAN, TEXAS AS A FOOTBALL COACH AND SOCIAL STUDY TEACHER AND I HAD ALREADY APPLIED FOR

A JOB ON THE RESERVATION. IT WAS LATE SUMMER IN '57, I WAS TRYING TO GET A JOB AND I WAS JUST MISSING OUT ON SOME OF THEM SO I APPLIED FOR THE NAVAJO RESERVATION. THEY SENT ME A TELEGRAM IN OCTOBER SAYING WE HAVE A JOB UNDER CONTRACT FOR THAT ONE YEAR. I TOLD THEM I WOULD BE INTERESTED THE FOLLOWING YEAR. I GOT MARRIED IN THE SUMMER OF 1958 AND MY WIFE AND I PACKED UP AND CAME OUT TO ARIZONA. WHAT A LIFE CHANGE THAT WAS. >> DID YOU SEE COMMONALITY BETWEEN WHAT NATIVE KIDS WERE GOING THROUGH GETTING AN EDUCATION AND WHAT YOU HAD FACED IN THE SEGREGATED SOUTH? >> YEAH. I WAS TEACHING IN A TWO-ROOM, TWO-TEACHER SCHOOL ON THE NAVAJO RESERVATION AND I TAUGHT FOURTH, FIFTH AND SIXTH AND MR. SOONTAG TAUGHT, 1, 2, AND 3. THAT IS THE KIND OF DEAL I GREW UP IN ON A TWO-TEACHER DEAL, YOU KNOW. BROUGHT BACK MEMORIES. >> DIDN'T HAVE A LOT OF

RESOURCES. >> NO. DIDN'T HAVE ANY RESOURCES. I WAS AT A BOARDING SCHOOL. SOME SCHOOLS WERE DAY SCHOOLS. KIDS GO IN THE DAY AND GO BACK HOME, BUT I WAS AT A BOARDING SCHOOL WHERE THE KIDS STAYED DURING THE WEEK AND PARENTS COME AND GET THEM ON WEEKENDS AND BROUGHT THEM BACK SUNDAY AFTERNOON. >> YOU GUYS EVENTUALLY, YOU AND YOUR WIFE, MOVED TO ALBUQUERQUE; BOTH GOT TEACHING JOBS HERE. YOU ONCE MORE FACED RACISM IN HOUSING WHEN YOU WENT TO GO BY A HOUSE IN THE RIDGECREST AREA. WHAT HAPPENED? >> THIS IS KIND OF AN INTERESTING SITUATION. WE HAD JOBS AND I HAD TAKEN OFF THAT SPRING SEMESTER TO WORK ON MY DOCTORATE BECAUSE JACK KEPT CALLING AND WRITING ME, YOU GOT TO GET THAT DOCTORATE. SO, I TOOK OFF THE SPRING SEMESTER OF '62 AND CAME AND LIVED IN A DORMITORY HERE AND WE GOT OUR ASSIGNMENT, WE HAD JOBS BUT WE DIDN'T HAVE OUR ASSIGNMENTS. I WAS GOING TO BE LINCOLN JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL AND MY WIFE AT LOWELL ELEMENTARY.

SO THERE WAS A KIND OF A CLOSE -- WE STARTED LOOKING FOR HOUSES IN THE AREA. SO, LOOKED AT A HOUSE AND FRIDAY AFTERNOON WE FOUND THREE HOUSES, JUST WEST OF THE RIDGECREST AREA. AND WE CALLED THE REAL ESTATE GUY, I THINK BROWN REALTORS, AND THE GUY SAID, YEAH, WE'LL PICK YOU UP AT 9:00 IN THE MORNING. WE WAS ALL READY TO GO AND THE GUY KNOCKED ON THE DOOR AND HE SAID, YOU GUYS ARE NEGROS. I SAID, YEAH, ALL OUR LIVES. HE SAID, WELL, THOSE HOUSES WERE SOLD. I SAID, OVERNIGHT? I CALLED HIM FRIDAY AFTERNOON ABOUT 4:00. THIS WAS SATURDAY MORNING AT 9:00. I SAID, THOSE HOUSES ARE SOLD, ALL THREE OF THEM? HE SAID, YEAH, I'LL SHOW YOU SOME HOUSES IN THE KIRTLAND ADDITION. I SAID, NO, I'LL DO MY OWN THING. >> WE WENT AND LOOKED IN THE SAME AREA AND LOOKED FOR HOUSES FOR SALE BY OWNER AND WE FOUND ONE ON THE CORNER OF

GIRARD AND HIDER AND I CALLED THE GUY UP AND HE WAS A PROFESSOR AT UNM. AND I SAID WE WANT TO COME TAKE A LOOK AT YOUR HOUSE, BUT I AM GOING TO TELL YOU RIGHT NOW, WE ARE NEGROS. HE SAID, JUST FOR THAT I AM GOING TO REDUCE THE PRICE $200 AND THAT'S WHERE WE LIVE ON THE CORNER OF OF GIRARD AND HIDER FOR 12 YEARS. >> I KNOW THAT MAYBE THAT TIME AND A COUPLE TIMES YOU WENT TO LOOK AT HOUSES, LIKE, THERE WERE ACTUALLY CROWDS OF NEIGHBORS THERE WAITING FOR YOU. WHY DID YOU DECIDE TO STAY IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD AFTER THAT? IT SOUNDS INTIMIDATING. >> REALLY, YOU KNOW, I HAD LIVED IN BOTH SEGREGATED SITUATION AND INTEGRATED SITUATIONS AND I WAS COMING NOW TO ANOTHER INTEGRATED SITUATION AND I THOUGHT THAT I DIDN'T THINK I WOULD HAVE THAT MUCH TROUBLE IN FINDING HOUSING IN ALBUQUERQUE BUT IN THOSE DAYS IT WAS TOUGH. EVEN WHEN I GOT THIS HOME, BOUGHT THIS HOME, I FOUND OUT LATER, THEY WERE TRYING TO GET

UP A PETITION TO BUY ME OUT AND I TELL YOU WHO SAVED ME WAS A GUY BY THE NAME OF JUDGE MCMANUS WHO WAS A DISTRICT JUDGE HERE AND HE BECAME A SUPREME COURT JUSTICE. AND HE CALLED THE ATTORNEY OFFICE DOWNTOWN AND THEY SENT PEOPLE OUT KNOCKING ON DOORS. I UNDERSTAND TWO NEGROS LIVE DOWN ON THE CORNER, YOU GUYS WANT TO BUY THEM OUT. OH, NO, NO. HE TOLD ME THAT STORY LATER ON AFTER A STATE REPRESENTATIVE BECAUSE HE WAS A SUPREME COURT JUSTICE AND USED TO HAVE LEGISLATORS OVER AND HE TOLD ME THAT STORY. >> 1960'S YOU DECIDED TO RUN FOR THE LEGISLATURE. WHY WERE YOU INTERESTED IN POLITICS? >> WELL, I GOT INTERESTED FOR ONE REASON. EDUCATION WAS NOT GETTING A FAIR SHARE OF THE MONEY FROM THE LEGISLATURE. AND, SO, WHAT WE DID IN 1966, IN JOHNSON GYM WE HAD A MEETING OF ALL -- A LOT OF EDUCATORS FROM ALL OVER THE STATE CAME AND THEY SPOKE

ABOUT A GUY BY THE NAME OF REPRESENTATIVE FOSTER FROM DEMING, NEW MEXICO, WAS THE ONLY EDUCATOR IN THE LEGISLATURE OUT OF 112. AND HE SPOKE TO US AND HE SAID, WHAT WE NEED TO DO IS RUN MORE EDUCATORS FOR THE LEGISLATURE. SO WE RAN OUR FIRST SLATE IN 1966, RAN ABOUT SIX OR EIGHT. EVERYONE LOST EXCEPT ONE GUY BY THE NAME OF BENITO CHAVEZ FROM ESPANOLA. HE WON AND THEN WE HAD A COMMITTEE GO AROUND AND GET OTHER PEOPLE TO RUN IN 1968. THEY CAME TO ME AND SAID, WE WANT YOU TO RUN. I SAID, I DON'T THINK SO I AM IN THE WRONG DISTRICT. I AM IN THE SOUTHEAST HEIGHTS RIDGECREST AREA. AND IT IS REPUBLICAN AND A REPUBLICAN IS IN THAT SEAT NOW AND THEY TALKED ME INTO RUNNING. SO WE SPENT THE WHOLE SUMMER 1968 KNOCKING ON DOORS. WE KNOCKED ON DOORS THREE TIMES. WALKED THE DISTRICT THREE TIMES. I WAS PRINCIPAL LA MESA ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AT THAT TIME AND ANOTHER GUY CAME TO MY

RESCUE, A GUY BY THE NAME OF BEN RASCOFF, A MULTI-MILLIONAIRE. AND HE HAD US ON ELECTION NIGHT -- ELECTION NIGHT EVERYONE THAT IS RUNNING FOR OFFICE, WANTS TO BE AT HOME GETTING PHONE CALLS TO SEE HOW THEY HAVE DONE IN THE DIFFERENT PRECINCTS OR THEY GOING AROUND TO THE DIFFERENT PRECINCTS. HE INVITED MY WIFE AND I FOR STEAK DINNER, AND MY SON. I AM SITTING THERE ON PINS AND NEEDLES BECAUSE THE POLLS CLOSED. HE TURNS TO ME, MR. RASCOFF, SAID, WE HAD A POLL TAKEN AND YOU ARE OKAY, YOU'RE GOING TO WIN. I SAID TO MYSELF, A POLL IS ONE THING BUT I WANT TO SEE SOME EYEBALLS AND FIGURES. SO I WENT DOWN TO THE BANDELIER SCHOOL AND MY OPPONENT WAS THERE AND CAME UP AND SHOOK MY HAND AND SAID CONGRATULATIONS. >> IT WAS A REPUBLICAN DISTRICT, CLEARLY PREDOMINANTLY WHITE, NOT VERY WELCOMING. WHY DO YOU THINK YOU WON? >> I JUST THINK THAT EDUCATION WAS A BIG FACTOR. WHAT MY PLATFORM WAS, DO MORE FOR EDUCATION.

AND THER'S A LOT OF GOOD WHITE PEOPLE IN THE WORLD AND IN ALBUQUERQUE, YOU KNOW, AND THEY JUST -- THEY JUST SAW ME AS SOMEONE THEY TRUSTED AND SOMEONE -- AND THEY ELECTED ME FIVE TIMES. >> YOU KNOW, IN YOUR AUTOBIOGRAPHY, LET'S ROLL THIS TRAIN, YOU WRITE WHEN YOU'RE DOOR KNOCKING, ONE NEIGHBOR IN PARTICULAR, ON YOUR FIRST CAMPAIGN, USED TH N WORD. HE SAID HE WOULDN'T VOTE FOR YOU. WHEN YOU RAN FOR LIKE THE FOURTH TIME, HE ACTUALLY WANTED ONE OF YOUR SIGNS, FOR HIS YARD. SO, YOU SAID THIS PROVED TO YOU THAT PEOPLE CAN CHANGE. >> HE WAS FROM MISSISSIPPI AND MOST INDIVIDUALS WHEN YOU KNOCK ON THEIR DOOR, THEY'LL TAKE YOUR BROCHURE AND THEY MAY THROW IT IN THE TRASH BEFORE YOU GET OFF THE PROPERTY, BUT THEY'LL TAKE IT. THIS GUYS SAYS, YOU KNOW, HE KIND OF SHOCKED ME, HE SAYS, I DON'T WANT THAT (BLEEP) ON MY FRONT DOOR. I WENT AROUND TO THE BACK DOOR AND PUT MY BROCHURE -- I WOULDN'T DO THAT TODAY. I WOULD NEVER DO THAT TODAY. IN 1970, I MADE SURE TO KNOCK ON THE DOOR AGAIN AND TOOK THE BROCHURE.

IN '72 HE WANTED TO TALK ABOUT PETE DOMENICI. I KNEW PETE DOMENICI. >> HE WANTED TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT HIM? >> HE WANTED TO SAY, DON'T VOTE FOR THAT (BLEEP). I HAVEN'T HEARD THAT WORD SINCE I WAS IN LOUISIANA. THEN HE GOT ON MCGOVERN WAS RUNNING FOR GOVERNOR. HE SAID I WON'T VOTE FOR THAT COMMUNIST MCGOVERN. MR. WHITE, I JUST DO MY OWN THINGS, I DON'T GET INVOLVED IN OTHER PEOPLE'S CAMPAIGNS. 1974, THE VICTORY. ONE OCTOBER AFTERNOON HE SEE ME -- HE'S SITTING OUT IN HIS YARD. HE SEES ME COMING DOWN THE STREET AND THE YEAR BEFORE I WAS CHAIRMAN OF THE HEALTH AND AGING COMMITTEE AND WE PASSED BILLS AND HELPED SENIOR CITIZENS. AND HE'S A SENIOR CITIZEN. HE SAW ME COMING DOWN THE ROAD, HE SAID, DOCTOR MALRY, COME AND HAVE A SEAT. BETSY, HE CALLED HIS WIFE, GO GET DR. MALRY A COKE. I DIDN'T KNOW WHETHER TO DRINK IT OR NOT, BUT HE MADE A

COMPLETELY CHANGED AND HE SAYS, PROFESSOR -- ACROSS THE STREET HAD ONE OF MY SIGNS IN THE YARD AND HE SAYS, WILL YOU GET ONE OF YOUR PEOPLE TO PUT A SIGN UP. YOU'RE GOING TO GET THREE VOTES OUT OF THIS HOUSE. >> DID THAT GIVE YOU OPTIMISM THAT PEOPLE CAN CHANGE? >> A LOT OF OPTIMISM. I THOUGHT ABOUT THAT A LOT. SOME PEOPLE MAY BE RACIST, MAY NOT FEEL GOOD ABOUT A MINORITY, BUT AFTER YOU PROVE TO THEM THAT YOU ARE HUMAN JUST LIKE ANYONE ELSE, THEY CAN CHANGE. PEOPLE CAN CHANGE. AND THE NEXT YEAR HE HAD GONE. I DON'T KNOW WHETHER HE PASSED AWAY OR MOVED OR WHAT, BUT, I OFTEN THINK ABOUT THAT SITUATION, HOW THIS GUY WENT FROM ONE EXTREME TO ANOTHER EXTREME. >> WHEN YOU WERE IN THE LEGISLATURE, YOU CHAIRED THE HOUSE EDUCATION COMMITTEE AND YOU FOCUSED A LOT ON EDUCATION ISSUES. WHAT DO YOU SEE AS YOUR MOST IMPORTANT ACHIEVEMENT? >> I PASSED A LOT OF

LEGISLATION, BUT THE MOST IMPORTANT BILL WAS THE STATE-WIDE KINDERGARTEN BILL. WE IN 1973 WAS ONE OF TWO STATES DIDN'T HAVE KINDERGARTEN AND MY WIFE WAS A FIRST GRADE TEACHER AND SHE KEPT LOBBYING ME THAT THESE KIDS ARE NOT READY WHEN THEY COME TO FIRST GRADE. THEY NEED KINDERGARTEN. SO, SHE LOBBIED ME AND I INTRODUCED A BILL THE FIRST YEAR I WAS THERE AND I WAS ON THE EDUCATION COMMITTEE AND IT DIDN'T GET OUT OF MY OWN COMMITTEE. SO THEN THE FOLLOWING YEAR, 1971, IT PASSED OUT OF THE HOUSE AND DIED IN THE SENATE AND I FOUND OUT THAT AUBREY DUNN, CHAIRMAN OF THE SENATE FINANCE COMMITTEE, WAS HOLDING UP MY BILL. SO, EVERY OTHER WEDNESDAY MORNING BRUCE KING HAD ALL THE CHAIRMANS OVER FOR BREAKFAST. SO I WAS A NEW CHAIRMAN AND I WENT OVER AND I TOLD AUBREY, I SAYS, YOU AND I NEED TO GO TO BULLRING AND HAVE LUNCH. HE SAID, OH, YOU WANT TO TALK ABOUT YOUR BABY SITTING --

>> BABY SITTING BILL. THAT IS WHAT HE CALLED IT? >> THAT IS WHAT HE CALLED IT. I SAID, I WANT TO TALK ABOUT THE TWO BILLS YOU HAVE IN MY COMMITTEE. HE SAID, WHAT IS WRONG WITH MY TWO BILLS? PROBABLY SAME THING WRONG WITH MY KINDERGARTEN BILL IN YOUR COMMITTEE. HE SAID, LET'S GO TO LUNCH TOMORROW. HE PROMISED ME TO GET MY BILL OUT OF COMMITTEE. DIDN'T TELL ME HE WAS GOING TO SPEAK AGAINST IT BUT ONE OF THE SENATORS CAME OVER WHEN MY BILL WAS GETTING READY TO BE DEBATED ON THE FLOOR AND SAID, YOU BOTH COME OVER AND MAKE SURE AUBREY DON'T GET UP. I SAT RIGHT ON HIS DESK, AND I SAID, DON'T GET UP. >> H WAS GOING TO OPPOSE YOUR BILL? >> IF HE HAD GOTTEN UP AND SPOKEN AGAINST IT, IT WOULD HAVE DIED. HE SAID, WELL, I AM GOING TO GET UP. HE GOT UP AND WENT TO HIS OFFICE. WAS I HAPPY. HE WENT TO HIS OFFICE AND MY BILL PASSED BY TWO OR THREE VOTES AND BRUCE KING SIGNED IT. THAT IS HOW WE GOT KINDERGARTEN IN THE STATE. >> HOW HAS NEW MEXICO CHANGED SINCE YOU FIRST CAME HERE? >> WELL, IN MANY WAYS, YOU

KNOW. FIRST OF ALL, WHEN I FIRST CAME HERE WYOMING PROBABLY WAS THE FARTHEST PAVED STREET AND THE CITY MOVED EAST, TRAMWAY AND CANDELARIA, I MEAN, TRAMWAY AND FARTHER EAST AND THEN WHEN IT STOPPED GOING EAST AND WENT NORTH FOR A WHILE. AND THEN IT WENT WEST. SO, A LOT OF THINGS NOW IS IN THE WESTERN PART OF THE CITY, WHEN IT WASN'T THERE WHEN I CAME. >> WHAT ABOUT THE GENERAL CLIMATE IN TERMS OF DISCRIMINATION -- >> I THINK DISCRIMINATION HAS BEEN ELIMINATED A LOT. PROBABLY STILL HAVE SOME DISCRIMINATION, BUT HOUSING DISCRIMINATION, FOR EXAMPLE, I DON'T THINK EXISTS ANYMORE. IF YOU HAVE THE MONEY, YOU CAN BUY A HOUSE ANYWHERE YOU WANT

TO. THAT IS PROGRESS. BUT, WE PROBABLY STILL HAVE UNDERLYING DISCRIMINATION. >> WHAT ROLE DO YOU THINK YOU PLAYED IN SOME OF THOSE CHANGES? >> I HOPE I PLAYED A POSITIVE ROLE, YOU KNOW, I DID A LOT OF THINGS THAT HELPED PEOPLE. IN FACT, ALL THE BILLS THAT I PASSED IN THE LEGISLATURE WAS SOMETHING TO HELP SOMEONE, AND HELP A GROUP OF PEOPLE OR HELP INDIVIDUALS. WHEN I WAS COUNTY COMMISSIONER, I ALSO TRIED TO DO THINGS TO HELP PEOPLE. THE EIGHT YEARS I WAS COUNTY COMMISSIONER. >> I KNOW YOU SPENT MOST OF YOUR LIFE FOCUSING ON IMPROVING EDUCATION HERE IN NEW MEXICO AND WE STILL FACE SOME BIG CHALLENGES IN THIS AREA. YOU NOTE IN THE LAST CHAPTER OF YOUR BOOK THAT THERE ARE A LOT OF THINGS THAT STILL NEED TO BE DONE. WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE HAPPEN? >> I THINK THE MOST IMPORTANT THING WE NEED IN THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO IS PREKINDERGARTEN. I PASSED A KINDERGARTEN BILL IN 1973. WE ARE WAY OVERDUE FOR

PREKINDERGARTEN. I JUST HOPE THE LEGISLATURE WILL FIND THE MONEY SOMEWHERE. THERE IS A BILL UP THERE NOW TO DO SOMETHING IN THAT AREA, I JUST SEE US REALLY NEEDING TO DO SOMETHING AND PREKINDERGARTEN -- WE NEED TO GET THESE KIDS EARLIER THAN WE ARE GETTING THEM NOW. >> LENTON MALRY, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR COMING AND TALKING TO US ON NEW MEXICO INFOCUS. >> THANK YOU. >> WELCOME BACK TO THE LINE. VOTERS IN SANTA FE HAVE AN IMPORTANT NEW OPTION IN CITY ELECTIONS THIS MONTH. RANK CHOICE VOTING IS NOW UNDER WAY, AND THIS PROCESS WAS APPROVED BY VOTERS A DECADE AGO BUT ONLY NOW GOING INTO EFFECT, AFTER LEGAL CHALLENGS LATE LAST YEAR. RANK CHOICE VOTING IS A GOOD THING FOR RESIDENTS AND ALSO PROBABLY MORE IMPORTANTLY, IS IT UNDERSTOOD AT THIS POINT? FOLKS ARE GOING TO THE BOOTH, DO YOU GET THE SENSE THIS HAS BEEN NOW UNDERSTOOD FULLY. >> YES, I THINK IT IS A GOOD IDEA. NO, IT IS NOT UNDERSTOOD FULLY.

YOU'RE JUST NOT GOING TO MAKE THIS KIND OF CHANGE OVER NIGHT. I THINK THE PR CAMPAIGN THAT THE CITY OF SANTA FE AND THEIR PR FIRM HAVE BEEN DOING IS REALLY STRONG. THEY HAVE A VERY CLEVER VIDEO THAT GOES THROUGH EVERYTHING. I THINK THAT IS HELPFUL BUT ALL OF THE PROACTIVE MESSAGES WILL ONLY BE SUPPORTIVE IF ON ELECTION NIGHT THE SYSTEM WORKS. AND IF FOR SOME REASON THE CLERK IN SANTA FE, ALL OF A SUDDEN GOES OOPS, THEN, YOU KNOW, ALL THAT PR IS FOR NOT AND THEY HAVE A BUSINESS MESS ON THEIR HANDS AT THAT POINT. I AM EXCITED TO SEE IT. I HAVE FORGOTTEN THAT IT HAS TAKEN MORE THAN 10 YEARS FOR IT TO GET FROM POINT A TO B. >> WE HAD TO WAIT FOR THE TECHNOLOGY TO CATCH UP. DEDE, TOM MENTIONED BETTY BEAR, FELIX FOX, LUCINDA LIZARD. IT GOT IT ACROSS, BUT AT THE SAME TIME THERE IS INTERESTING ARTICLE THAT WE ALL SORT OF SHARED THAT, YOU KNOW, FOLKS GOING INTO THE BOOTH, PEOPLE

BRING A HUMAN DYNAMIC INTO THESE THINGS. THEY GO IN NOT LIKING IT WHETHER IT IS REAL OR NOT. IT'S A VERY TRICKY THING. >> CHANGE IS DIFFICULT. PEOPLE ARE USED TO VOTING FOR ONE PERSON AND MAKING A SOMEBODY THAT THEY KIND OF LIKE OR SOMEBODY WHO IS GOING TO WIN, LET'S SAY. SO, THIS IS TO GIVE THEM A SECOND CHOICE AND I THINK THAT IS A HEALTHY THING BECAUSE THAT IS WHAT LIFE IS LIKE, YOU KNOW. IT IS NOT A ZERO SUM GAIN ALWAYS. AND, SO, THIS IS CHANGING THE NATURE OF CAMPAIGNS, I THINK, IN SANTA FE A LITTLE BIT AS WELL. IN TERMS OF THE CANDIDATES RELATING TO ONE ANOTHER, BECAUSE THE SECOND CHOICES ARE IMPORTANT. SO YOU MAY NOT WANT TO ALIENATE THE CANDIDATE WHO IS GOING TO -- WHO MIGHT VOTE FOR YOU, WHOSE FOLLOWERS MIGHT

VOTE FOR YOU AS A SECOND CHOICE. SO, SOME PEOPLE FEEL IT HAS LED TO A MORE CIVIL KIND OF CAMPAIGN IN SANTA FE. OTHER PEOPLE DON'T LIKE THAT. THEY FEEL THAT THE DIFFERENCES SHOULD BE MORE DELINEATED. I THINK IT IS GOING TO BE FASCINATING. I AGREE WITH TOM. IT IS GOING TO BE WHAT HAPPENS ON ELECTION NIGHT, WHETHER THERE IS ANY SNAFU WITH THE COUNTY CLERK OR THE CITY CLERK ON ELECTION NIGHT. MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT THE INITIAL ROUND TALLY WILL BE DONE THE WAY IT HAS ALWAYS BEEN DONE, POSTED ON THE DOORS OF THE POLLING PLACES SO EVERYBODY CAN GATHER THOSE TOTALS AND YOU'LL FIND OUT WHO IS IN FIRST, SECOND, THIRD, FOURTH PLACE AND THEN IS WHEN THE FUN BEGINS WHEN THEY REDISTRIBUTE THE VOTES FOR THE PERSON THAT COMES IN LAST. THE LAST PLACE PERSON HERE BECOMES RATHER IMPORTANT BECAUSE THEIR VOTES ARE

REDISTRIBUTED FIRST TO THE OTHER CANDIDATES. IT IS A PRETTY INTERESTING SYSTEM. >> THERE IS TRUST ISSUES LAURA ABOUT THAT PROCESS. DEDE MENTIONS THIS IDEA THIS DISTRIBUTION THAT IS NEW FOR FOLKS. INSTANT RUNOFF, AS SOME PEOPLE CALL IT, IS NOT TERRIBLY NEW. WHAT IS YOUR SENSE OF THAT? YOU HAVE BEEN AROUND ELECTIONS A LONG TIME. IS THIS REALLY THAT NEW TO YOU, INSTANT RUNOFF. >> IT IS NOT NEW TO ME, IN THE SENSE THAT I HAVE BEEN VERY FAMILIAR WITH THE WAY THAT CONVENTION -- I ASSUME THE REPUBLICAN AS WELL -- THE WAY THAT FUNCTIONS AND ANY DEMOCRAT OR ANY CONVENTION POLITICAL CONVENTION TENDS TO WORK THIS WAY. WHEN YOU'RE SELECTING DELEGATES, YOU VERY OFTEN -- YOU ASK FOR PEOPLES FIRST VOTE, OF COURSE, BUT YOU OFTEN GO IN WITH A PLAN TO ASK FOR EVERYBODY'S SECOND VOTE AND IT IS THAT SECOND VOTE GETTERS THAT WOULD GET ON. IN THAT SENSE YOU'RE FILLING MULTIPLE SPOTS. IT IS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT BECAUSE THERE IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO GET ON FOR THE END GAME. IN THIS CASE, I STILL THINK THERE IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THE SECOND VOTE, YOU'RE

SAYING, I THINK YOU'RE THE BEST PERSON, I UNDERSTAND THAT YOU HAVE A FAVORITE BUT I REALLY WANT YOU TO CONSIDER ME AS YOUR SECOND VOTE. THAT MAKES A BIG DIFFERENCE ON THE DOWN BALLOT OR FOLKS THAT DON'T GET AS MANY VOTES. THE DYNAMIC IS CHANGED AND IT WILL BE INTERESTING TO SEE HOW THAT TRANSLATES IN TERMS OF A MESSAGE TO VOTERS VERSUS WHAT THEY DO AT THE POLLS BECAUSE I THINK EARLY VOTERS, IT HAS BEEN A MIX. SOME PEOPLE JUST DON'T -- MAYBE THEY DON'T HAVE THE PATIENCE OR FOR WHATEVER REASON DON'T WANT TO VOTE FOR MORE THAN ONE PERSON, SO THEY ARE JUST PICKING ONE PERSON. THAT MEANS THEY ARE ESSENTIALLY THROWING AWAY THEIR OTHER VOTE. THERE IS NO OPPORTUNITY FOR THEIR VOICE TO BE HEARD WHEN IT COMES TO THE SECOND OR THIRD PEOPLE. IT IS INTERESTING, AND I THINK AS DEDE SAID, CHANGE IS HARD FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE. THERE'S NOT A LOT OF TIME TO EDUCATE FOLKS FOR THIS RACE AND WE'LL SEE IF IT HAS IMPACT AND WHETHER THEY CONTINUE TO USE IT IN THE FUTURE AND IF PEOPLE GET MORE FAMILIARITY IF THAT CHANGES THE WAY PEOPLE VOTE. >> WHEN I THINK ABOUT THIS, DAN, YOU THINK ABOUT DOWN THE ROAD A LITTLE BIT, MAYBE NOT JUST THIS RACE, THE AMOUNT OF

CANDIDATES COULD MAKE A DIFFERENCE, INCUMBENTS, HOW POPULAR THEY ARE. THERE IS A LOT OF THINGS THAT COULD GO INTO MAKE RANK CHOICE FEEL DIFFERENT. IN GENERAL TERMS ARE YOU SUPPORTIVE OF THIS IDEA? >> I DON'T KNOW THAT I AM SUPPORTIVE OF THE IDEA. WHAT I AM NOT SUPPORTIVE OF IS WHETHER IT IS PRESIDENT OF THE MEMBER, I MEAN, WE ARE ELECTING THESE PEOPLE WITH SLIM MINORITIES OF THE VOTING POPULATION GOING OUT TO VOTE. SO, I THINK CLEARLY WE HAVE TO GET SOMETHING TO GET PEOPLE MORE EXCITED ABOUT VOTING BUT I AM NOT SURE THAT MAKING IT MORE DIFFICULT OR THERE IS MORE SUSPICION IS GOING TO GET PEOPLE OUT TO VOTE. AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE HAVE TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO GET MORE PEOPLE TO TURN OUT AND VOTE. IT SEEMS LIKE PEOPLE DON'T WANT TO VOTE BUT THERE IS NO LACK OF PEOPLE THAT WANT TO COMPLAIN AFTERWARDS. SO WE HAVE TO FOCUS ON GETTING PEOPLE INVOLVED SO THEY CAN HELP MAKE A DIFFERENCE BECAUSE ELECTING THESE PEOPLE, I KNOW,

WE CAN GO DOWN TO THE SCHOOL BOARD, SOMETHING HAPPENS IN SCHOOL DISTRICT, EVERYBODY IS UP IN ARMS, YOU FIND OUT I REALLY DON'T LIKE HER. SHE IS A HORRIBLE SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER AND 212 PEOPLE ELECTED LEGISLATED HER TO THE SCHOOL BOARD. YOU'RE KIDDING, RIGHT? THERE IS 10,000 IN THE AREA THAT SHOULD HAVE VOTED AND 212 PEOPLE VOTED. THAT IS THE OVERARCHING PROBLEM. >> INTERESTING POINT HERE, THOUGH, IF THIS IN FACT SUCCEEDS, I GOT TO WONDER IF OTHER MUNICIPALITIES MIGHT LOOK AT THIS DOWN THE ROAD AROUND NEW MEXICO AND THINK THIS MIGHT NOT BE A BAD IDEA BECAUSE IT COULD ENCOURAGE ENCOURAGE MORE CANDIDATES WHICH ENCOURAGES MORE DISCUSSION, MORE IDEAS ON THE TABLE; MAYBE A GOOD THING. >> AND MORE TURNOUT. >> I WOULD AGREE WITH THAT. WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THAT? >> I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THIS IDEA GO STATE-WIDE. IT IS A GOOD SOLUTION. THE QUESTION IS, WILL IT WORK AND MY CONCERN IS IF THE VOTING IS ANYTHING LIKE THE CAMPAIGN FUND RAISING, WE WON'T REALLY SEE IF IT HAS A CHANCE TO WORK, BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, IF ONE OF THE CANDIDATES HAPPENS TO GET MAJORITY OF THE

VOTE, THEN ALL BETS ARE OFF AND YOU DON'T HAVE A CHANCE TO SEE HOW THE SYSTEM WORKS. I THINK THERE IS THAT CHALLENGE THAT WE COULD BE HERE IN ANOTHER FOUR YEARS FOR SANTA FE AND THEY ARE GOING THROUGH RANK CHOICE VOTING UNLESS ANOTHER MUNICIPALITY STEPS UP. >> WHAT WORKS IN SANTA FE DOESN'T NECESSARILY WORK ANYWHERE ELSE. >> DEDE, WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT US HERE IN ALBUQUERQUE AS WELL, THERE IS HEARTBURN SOMETIMES THE WAY WE DO IT HERE. DO YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN? >> WE JUST HAD THIS RUNOFF WHICH LEFT THE WINNER WITH 10 WORKING DAYS INTO BEING SWORN IN. NOW, INSTANT RUNOFF VOTES COST MUCH LESS. IT IS QUICKER AND IT IS MORE EFFICIENT. IF DONE RIGHT. IT IS JUST A QUESTION OF WHETHER IT CAN BE DONE RIGHT. SO, YOU KNOW, I SEE IT AS GIVING VOTERS MORE CHOICE, ENCOURAGING MORE CANDIDATES TO RUN AND THAT OFTEN MEANS THEIR FAMILY COMES OUT TO VOTE,

WHEREAS THEY MAY NOT HAVE VOTED BEFORE, AND THEN THEIR FAMILY MAKES A SECOND CHOICE OF, YOU KNOW, AND, IT MAY REALLY WORK -- >> I DON'T THINK IT WAS BIG PROBLEM FOR MAYOR KELLER. HE HAD A FANTASTIC TRANSITION TEAM HEADED UP BY SENATOR DEDE FELDMAN. THAT IS ALL THE WE HAVE THIS WEEK. IF YOU WANT TO SHARE YOUR REACTIONS TO THIS WEEK'S TOPIC GET IN TOUCH WITH US HERE AT NEWMEXICOINFOCUS.ORG. >> I AM GENE GRANT. THANKS FOR JOINING US FOR NEW MEXICO INFOCUS. AS ALWAYS WE APPRECIATE YOUR TIME AND EFFORT TO STAY INFORMED AND ENGAGED. SEE YOU NEXT WEEK, INFOCUS. PROVIDED BY THE MCCUNE

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