Hal Eisner's Blog

So here we are in San Francisco and what a day Wednesday was in this city by the bay!

Angry anti-Chinese protestors. Strong pro-Chinese voices! People screaming at each other and, all the while, the city was pulling the ultimate fake out. Sure, the mayor said for a earlier in the week that there might be a new route. That security concerns might drive them to have the torch travel in a different direction and that's what happened. When it finally made its appearance the torch showed up on streets with no people lining the sidewalks. The torch runners protected by an amphibious duck in the front and jogging police on either side. 

Sure, there were people who wanted to use the relay as a stage, but there were others (lots of others) who just wanted to see the torch. Afterall, San Francisco would be the only American stage for it. At the end of the day, it went every which way except the original route. Lots of people were disappointed. 

Given that there were no big incidents, no arrests, no injuries you have to wonder if the city could of handled the torch run as it was originally planned. Or, was it a case (as one woman told me) of San Francisco just being too scared. Either way, it wasn't what it was supposed to be and that made for a strange day. 

What do you think about the way it was handled?

I've covered so many stories in my career. Some I remember as if I reported them yesterday. Sometimes its tough to remember what I did  yesterday! 

Sometime in 1982 I was working for CNN. I was one of their correspondents attached to the Los Angeles bureau. 

As I sit here and type I can't exactly recall the specifics of the story I was sent to cover, but I remember the night drive to Beverly Hills. I and my photographer pulled up to this big house ... knocked on the door and the man who opened it called me "Mr. Eisner" and invited us inside. Mr. Eisner.  I hear that and think of my dad. But, that was the way Charleton Heston addressed me from the time he opened the door to the time he said good night.

Truly a gentleman. 
Good Night Mr. Heston!

Just when you thought your cell phone could do everything ... maybe even more things than you wanted ... welcome UPCODE! For lack of a simpler explanation, this is a bar code that helps you get music, video, coupons, promotional information, buy stuff and on and on, but first you have to have an optical reader. NO PROBLEM ... with the right software application from www.upcodeusa.com your phone can magically be turned into an optical reader. That's UPCODE USA's product. Its free to you, but costs companies that want to use it for marketing purposes.

Its pretty interesting really, wave your phone over one of UPCODE's bar-like codes and magically a door opens to wherever the code leads. Its like a "key" says one of the companies execs.

So, what do you think? A good thing? You know ... there was a time you might have said who needs a camera on a cell phone? Or, who needs text messaging? Or ... who needs ... you get the idea. What do you think?

In less than 100 days, on July first, we're all about to have a culture shock! No more driving with our cell phones to our ears. A first offense will cost $20 ... every one after that will be 50 bucks!

Okay ... so this new study comes out from The University of North Carolina Highway Research Center that says that even though California and 5 other states will begin having "handsfree" laws beginning July first .. those laws really won't make much of a difference. There's risk whether you have phone in your hand or a handsfree headset in your ear. Its all in your head! If your mind is not on the road, but somewhere else, you can still have a deadly accident.

We all know if the phone is not in your hand both of your hands can be on the wheel of your car. And, that should save lives. What the study suggests is that if your not focused on the road, but on your conversation, the new law won't matter.

Will it? Are you ready to make the transition? I'll tell you, it doesn't seem to me that these handsfree devices are very good. No matter which one I get it seems the person on the other side of the phone tells me they can't hear or understand me and I keep saying "can you hear me now?"

It won't surprise me one bit if the new handsfree law causes some drivers to develope road rage. How many times do you have to say "can you hear me now" before you throw the phone out the window?

Tonight my story for FOX11 at 10pm and MY 13 News at 11pm is about the person who you've seen to the left of the disgraced New York Governor Eliot Spitzer. Its his wife. Her name is Silda. And, like her husband, standing in front of cameras in this kind of situation -- a sex scandal -- can't be easy.
I was at a store before going to work and I heard someone say he felt badly for her .. "how tough it must be?"
So, again we have a situation where we think about Tammy Wynette's blockbuster country hit "Stand by your Man!" Should she? Should she be part of the public picture when he resigns? How do you feel? We're looking for answers as we hit the streets for tonight's story.
Looking forward to reading some of your responses.

"We're living like freakin' gypsies out of plastic bags!" That's what a man tells me in Malibu. On November 24th, like so many others, he became homeless. Fire destroyed not only his home, but the art show he was putting together. 4 years of artwork he had made he says. 

Another victim of the Corral Canyon fire says she'd really like to get back to work. She worked in her home ... made things out of leather ... lost her home ... is making nothing -- no custom leather products -- no money!

A third person tells me her now 14 month old boy celebrated his first birthday in a temporary place ... essentially, though, little Ryan blew out his first candle being homeless. A victim of a word he can't yet say ... fire.

These were some of the things I heard at the top of Corral Canyon Thursday talking with people suing the California Park System. They think the state dropped the ball when it came to keeping people out of canyon caves on park property. The area is supposed to be closed at night to the public, but partiers get in there all the time and it was, according to investigators, during the night that a fire -- started in a cave for light and warmth -- turned into a torch leaving people from over 50 homes without homes .... HOMELESS!

"Its sad," another victim tells me as she hugs her kids. Again all of this on Thursday.
On Wednesday, in Ontario, a man in his 50s tells me he needs help. He yells "the homeless are treated better in third world countries!" He's one of hundreds of homeless people living in a tent city created by the City of Ontario to help solve a problem in the Downtown area created by homelessness. Problem is ... the tent city created to solve a problem has become one!

Its gotten too big a city official tells me. Too many people -- too many tents. The tall bearded man whose upset about the conditions tells me there aren't enough portable toilets and just one shower for everyone.

The city says it wants to see people who came to Ontario to join the encampment go back to the places from where they came and get help from their own cities. "We don't have the resources!" says the official from the housing department I spoke with. but how to tell the HOMELESS to GO HOME? The official says its being discussed, but that's got to be a tricky conversation on a lot of levels.

For me, it was an eye-opening two days ... people who lost their homes -- people that have none. I've seen both of these things before. I've heard these kind of comments before. And, just like before, both were reminders that problems I have aren't nearly as big as the ones others are having!

I'm not a real tall guy ... almost 5'10" but next to the Lakers new guy I'm a shrimp! Pau Gasol is 7 feet tall. Now, think about that -- I know -- I know -- basketball players are tall, but until you've stood next to someone 7 feet tall the enormity of it doesn't quite sink in.   

The first time I had this feeling was about 26 years ago. I had just come here from Texas as a correspondent for CNN. My first L.A. interview? Not a movie star ... no, not the mayor .. but, a basketball player -- Bob McAdoo! I had to stretch my arm all the way into the air in order to get my microphone up to McAdoo's mouth. 

I really look UP at these guys. Literally! They're amazing athletes! The height may be a big assist for the Lakers not to mention his skill on the court. But, besides being struck by Pau Gasol's height, I was struck by something else -- the respect he's already engendered. 

Norm Nixon told me he likes this guy. Fans couldn't stop talking about him. I was also struck by his friendliness, willingness to chat with a reporter he hadn't met yet and his smile. I caught up with him in a Staple's Center hallway. He wasn't expecting me.  First, he saw a photographer he knew -- he smiled. I told him there were kids outside who were excited about him coming to L.A. He smiled again.  It'll be fun watching him as the Lakers go for the gold! The purple and GOLD!

In the news business we deal with the 5 Ws -- Who? What? When? Where? Why? There is also the "How?" But, its the WHY that's the most difficult of the word-questions.

"Why?" -- That's what people were asking when I walked into the newsroom just hours after the Winnetka shooting in which a suspect killed the first SWAT officer in LAPD history. Why? A shooting that happened after the suspect called police to say he killed several relatives. Why?

It may take some time to get the answers. Sometimes that's because investigators have so much to piece together in any "officer-involved" shooting.

What is clear is that its an awful day when something awful like this happens. Awful for the friends and family of Officer Randy Simmons who leaves behind a wife and two children. Awful for the friends and family of Officer James Veenstra who was seriously wounded in the shootout. And an awful for the city of Los Angeles when it loses one of its finest.

Its a sad day.

Non-Partisans ... having problems? This primary you are able to have one of three ballots -- one for NPs (with no presidential preference), one for Democrats or one for the American Independent Party. It seems from viewer calls and some voters speaking with our reporters that in Los Angeles County filling in bubbles on the ballot has some claiming bubble trouble!
In Los Angeles County voters registrered as "nonpartisan/decline to state? but who want to vote for American Independent or Democratic candidates in today presidential primary must mark the bubble saying so at the top of the ballot. According to the regisitrar's office, crossover votes will not be counted unless the "Democrat" or American Independent" bubble is selected in the party field at the top of the ballot.
The concern is that some voters are not fillng in the appropriate bubble which is creating confusion. Some public officials are even saying this could end up because cause for a recall.
Are you having a problem?

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Its not exactly the night before Christmas or New Years Eve but, c'mon on this night before Super Tuesday ... aren't you ready for primary day? Its been weeks, if not months, in the making. And, the last few days ... OPRAH ... THE KENNEDYS ... even JOHN KERRY!

Senator John Kerry was the last to make a run at the White House for the Democrats and now he's stumping for Obama.

I spent a few minutes speaking with the Senator from Massachusetts. His message was all about why Obama had a better chance of beating a republican in November than Hillary Clinton. "I'm not against anyone" his campaigning for Obama is more about "who he's for".

Back when he ran for president we had a chance to chat at UCLA. He was there for a debate and I was assigned to do a story about politicians and how music plays a role in their campaigns. He talked to me about his Beatles collection and the music he loves. Somehow that conversation hasalways stuck with me. Guess because I've always loved the Beatles.

Fast forward to the new interview. It's 4:15pm the Monday before Super Tuesday. He's in New England ... I'm here at the FOX11 studios. With the help of satellite communications he tells me all about why he likes Obama, how he thinks Obama can bring people together and change the country. And, with the insight that only a guy like Kerry could have, he tells me that Clinton and Obama have got to be pretty tired right now and probably will need a rest after Super Tuesday. He knows. When it comes to primaries, he's been there ... done that!

<--- Click to watch my interview with John Kerry.

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It's 5 minutes to showtime here at the Reagan Library ... in the FILING ROOM ... rows and rows of reporters from all over the world ... just met one from a newspaper in Argentina.
Between the rows tv monitors, and since the debate is hosted by CNN ... we're watching Lou Dobbs.
Got a question? Observation about the debate? Let's talk.

Right now I'm writing to you from the Reagan Library in Simi Valley from what's called "The Filing Room." Just across the way ... another special place. Every president debate has one of these things ... the spin room. The idea is after the debate for people from each camp to spin reporters into oblivion with why their candidates did so well and won the debate ... even if they lost!
The spin room stood still for a few moments though just hours before the debate as Rudy Guliani ended his presidential campaign and handed off his dreams to John McCain.
The interesting thing though will be to watch McCain, Mitt Romney, Mike Huckabee and Ron Paul as they stand at podiums under Air Force one in the shadow of Ronald Reagan's library ... all knowing Reagan's 11th commandment: Thou shalt not speak ill of a fellow republican.
It took 6 months to build the 3 story stage under and around the the flying white house that served Reagan and 6 other presidents from 1973 to 2001 and was the great communicators airborne office taking him some 600,000 miles around the country and world.
How many times will we hear Ronald Reagan's name during this debate? Kind of like guessing at the number of gumballs in a fishbowl ... want to take a guess?

A story almost always has a beginning, a middle and an end. 2007 brought with it many big beginnings-middles and ends, but one story just chugged along like the beginning never got to the middle. I'm talking about the race for president. For whatever reason it seems to have gone on since I was in Little League!

So, now it's that ever-so-special week between Christmas and New Years and we are literally just days away from the Iowa caucuses. For those of us in Southern California, Iowa seems a long way away!  But media has given us a front-row seat to the cornfields and the town meetings.

The question:

To what extent will what happens in Iowa affect the way you think, the way your vote?

There are people who say it seems odd a few could influence the nation.  But that's the system.  Caucuses... primaries... Super Tuesdays ...

It starts, though, with Iowa and - let's face it - for a time it looked like Iowa was going to go Romney's way because he put so much into that state.  Now, there's Huckabee.  Are you influenced by Iowa?

So ... microphone in hand and camera rolling, there I was chatting with Academy Award winning actor Benicio Del Toro, music producer Kevin Liles, actor Rob Reiner, actress Christine Lahti, actor Cuba Gooding Jr. and a few others. Interviewing them because ... I could. You know .. the first amendment. I was talking to them about our rights as Americans because I was at an event celebrating The Bill Of Rights, our rights, honoring those who fight for them and acknowleging the need to preserve and protect them.

This was the annual Bill of Rights dinner sponsored by the American Civil Liberties Union giving out awards to special people and speaking out on concerns about the rights we all share. The ACLU doesn't mince words when they talk about what they think of things going on in this country. They also won't mince words when it comes to the Bill of Rights.

Liles, one of the honorees who helped bring us Rock the Vote and has been instrumental in the careers of such superstars as Jay Z, Kanye West, Missy Elliot, LL Cool J and Mariah Carey takes The Bill of Rights pretty seriously. He also takes seriously the idea that its imortant to use one's celebrity power to help encourage people to do things like vote. Everyone at the dinner shared the highest respect for The Bill of Rights. Benecio Del Toro ... "we have to keep the constitution in check." Rob Reiner says its a different world today with terrorism and so forth. Ditto says Cuba Gooding Jr. who talks about the need to protect our rights. Wisconsin Senator Russ Feingold tells me there is nothing more important than our founding documents -- The Constitution and The Bill of Rights.

The Bill of Rights was passed by Congress on September 25, 1789. It was ratified by the states on December 15, 1791. It is the ratification of the Bill of Rights that will turn 216 years old on Saturday.

Happy Birthday Bill or Rights! Happy Birthday First Amendment -- "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press, or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances."

Happy Birthday to all of the rights in the bill ... the original ten: to keep and bear arms, housing soldiers, unreasonable search and seizure, pleading the 5th, right to a speedy trial, suits of common law, excessive bail, protection from anyone misconstruing the Constitution and states rights.

And Happy Birthday to the other amendments that would come in the years to follow including the abolition of slavery, civil rights, women's suffrage, presidential succession and so forth.

Yep ... Happy 216th Bill of Rights and MANY MORE!

You know from watching television every news story is different in nature and presentation. The pictures -- the sound -- the mood. They can make us think, laugh -- cry. Sometimes a story just does one of those things -- sometimes, all three!

This story was the result of looking at a brochure. My news director Jose Rios telling me he got the brochure in the mail about holiday cards made by kids with cancer designed to help raise money for pediatric cancer research. He asked me to check it out. I did. It didn’t take long to realize there was a big story behind this little brochure.

Last month photographer Ollin Martinez and I traveled to Irvine to the Pediatric Cancer Research Foundation. When we get there, outside the PCRF offices, we’re met by some parents, a little boy on a skateboard and others waiting for us to arrive. We would soon learn about the program’s holiday cards. The organization celebrating its 25th anniversary had sold these kid-created cards for 21 years. But, what would follow over the next few days and weeks would test even my own emotions.

While interviewing 4 of the programs young people, some of their parents and PCRF Executives, I put a call out to Joe Sachen. Joe’s daughter Savannah made a card to help in the fight against pediatric cancer. She never got to see her card sold. She died May 18th.

The card -- so cute. “Merry Kissmas,” it reads. Savannah’s drawing? Santa and Mrs. Clause stealing a smooch. But there would be no return calls .. not until almost midnight. “Hal, it’s Joe Sachen. I just got back from Hawaii and got your message.” He was just back from the big island where he, his wife Lisa and their kids scattered Savannah’s ashes off the coast of Kona. Joe and I made plans to speak the next day.

The next day, while he wasn’t sure he wanted to go public, Joe Sachen was sure he wanted to do whatever he could to fight pediatric cancer. He had even created a website in his daughter’s name called SavannahsOrganicRanch.com. We made plans to meet the next week.

As photographer Sean Lewis and I headed for the Sachen’s Orange County home, I thought our interview would be an element of the bigger piece we had already shot, but it was quite the opposite, the element was powerful. Joe and Lisa, so candid, they shared not only their feelings of losing a daughter while trying to keep her from feeling fear, but also the last video ever made of Savannah. It was a Mothers Day gift. The little girl’s smile .. a gift to behold.

This was supposed to be an interesting story about kids making cards to raise money to help fund research to save the lives of kids with cancer. It was now that and a story of where that cancer leads when it comes to children. A tough story to write afterall Peyton, Natalie, Meta and Andrew were so uplifting. Savannah’s story … so sad.

What we ultimately shared on television, and now this website, is a presentation of tragedy vs. bravery - a tragedy from pediatric cancer by a child who, with others, are trying to do something very positive – helping other kids by raising money for more research.

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Click here to watch the story, called "Kids Helping Kids by Making Cards to Fund Cancer Research."

Click here to watch the Web Extra on the story. Nancy Franks, Executive Director of the Pediatric Cancer Research Foundation, and Scott Evans, Director of Development, show us some of the cards in this year’s holiday card collection, ornaments and other items made by kids with cancer.

Click here to find out where you can find the cards, and how you can be a part of this inspiring story yourself!