Wisconsin Public Television

Transcript: In Wisconsin

Original Air Date: November 2, 2006

Patty Loew:

Hello, and welcome to "In Wisconsin." I'm Patty Loew. The eyes of the world are on the work coming out of this Wisconsin lab. Discover why that work deeply divides us.

Man:

We have probably the largest program of any place in the world, and nobody knows about that.

Loew:

Meet two candidates locked in a fierce battle to be our next top cop. Find out what drives this woman to page through the chapters of Madison's painful past.

Woman:

I got the shock of my life when I came here. We couldn't rent an apartment in this town. All three of us were black.

Loew:

And if you've somehow missed the buildup to Tuesday's election, reporter Andy Soth tells you what you need to know before you head to the polls, "In Wisconsin."

Loew:

Embryonic stem cell research has put Wisconsin on the scientific map. UW-Madison scientists were the first to isolate the cells, and their work in labs across our capitol city make up the largest embryonic stem cell program in the world. The research is controversial, and we'll get to that in just a moment. But first, reporter Frederica Freyberg takes us inside that world of breakthrough science.

Frederica Freyberg:

There are scores of scientists here working to unlock the secrets of embryonic stem cells. In all, 115 of them are fanned out across the UW-Madison campus and beyond. In labs like this one at the university-linked Wi-Cell research institute, its scientific director is Dr. Jamie Thompson, the UW-Madison professor who first isolated embryonic stem cells in 1998. His discovery began Wisconsin's stem cell boom. It places us first in the world in size and brain power for such programs, and it's now spinning into private biotech ventures.

Carl Gulbrandsen:

We have Jamie Thompson starting two companies. We have, yesterday I met with two companies from out of state that want to locate here. They are looking at this as a place where they want to be located because they want to be close to where the action is.

Freyberg:

Carl Gulbrandsen is head of the Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation, or WARF. WARF holds patents on scientific discoveries at U.W., returning more than $60 million a year in royalties back into U.W. research, and WARF holds the patents on Thompson's work. But just what are all these scientists working on and why is it so big?

Gulbrandsen:

The holy grail is really to understand what causes these cells to differentiate to a specific type of cell. And can we, for instance, make tissues from these cells? You know, can we make blood vessels? Can we make skin? Can we make heart muscle in enough quantity that you could transplant that?

Freyberg:

Scientists say those kinds of therapeutic uses for embryonic stem cells are years out, but there are some applications that are closer. One company that WARF licenses starts clinical trials using embryonic stem cells for spinal injuries as early as next year. And Jamie Thompson himself is working to find a way to create mass quantities of blood platelets which are often in short supply in emergency rooms. But embryonic stem cells capture headlines for their potential promise as cures for diseases like Parkinson's and Diabetes. Gulbrandsen answers critics who say that those kinds of cures are so distant, they may never happen.

Gulbrandsen:

There will be a lot of great discoveries made along the way, and that's the value of this technology really. Today the value is more as a research tool than the potential for human cell therapy.

Freyberg:

Scientists work toward discoveries for new medicines, for example, or for root causes of disease. We hold five of the original lines approved for government funding in Madison. They are carefully tended in the labs and reproduce indefinitely.

Lab Technician:

They're kept in these climate controlled incubators. They're kept at 37 Celsius, which is body temperature.

Freyberg:

Wi-Cell currently has trillions of stem cells in incubators and in deep freeze. And Wi-Cell is the first and only national stem cell bank in the U.S., quality assured stem cells are kept frozen before shipping out to scientists across the world. According to experts, the market for stem cell products could reach $10 billion over the next decade.

Gulbrandsen:

We have a lot to do. There's just so much time to do it. We are always in a race.

Loew:

"In Wisconsin" reporter Frederica Freyberg joins us to explain how this issue ties into the gubernatorial race.

Freyberg:

That's right, Patty. As we just heard, the scientists feel like they are in a race, and this is one that has proved to be extremely controversial, of course, also extremely controversial for the gubernatorial candidates who are in their own race. They find it has become a lightning rod. So, we asked the candidates about what they have to say about that research in Wisconsin. Beginning with democratic incumbent Jim Doyle, who promotes the planned $750 million institutes for discovery in Madison aimed at stem cell and biotech research.

Jim Doyle:

But what I'm trying to make sure is that Wisconsin remains a central major research institution. and the thought that we'd have legislators, I had to veto a bill that would have stopped the advance of stem cell research. If you can imagine, in Wisconsin, this state, we had a legislature that passed a bill that would have stopped the advance of stem cell research and would have told our researchers, why don't you go someplace else. Imagine our legislature doing that. Imagine our members of Congress from Wisconsin voting to support President Bush's veto to essentially choke off and stop stem cell research. This is not good for the health of the people of the world, and it's not good for the State of Wisconsin. I am for science. I am for research. I am for curing illnesses that we have long thought to be incurable. And the added benefit is we can build a significant part of the economy of this state around it.

Freyberg:

Jim Doyle said the president's veto of federal funding for new stem cells lines hurts the progress of the research. Republican candidate Mark green said he supports some funding for stem cell research, as long as it doesn't destroy a living human embryo. He would like to find a different method for embryonic stem cell research.

Mark Green:

So what we tried to do is to take the politics out of it. Everybody knows that Governor Doyle has tried to beat everybody over the head with this and turn this into a political issue. I think it's far too sensitive for that, myself. But the good news is that research is providing some answers for us. They're showing us some ways in which we can solve these ethical dilemmas. We can put ethics aside in pursuing our cures, and we should be able to put politics aside. So what I've unveiled is my plan to invest $25 million over four years directly into stem cell research here in Wisconsin, administered by Wi-Cell which is the nonprofit administering the stem cell bank, into those research products that are aimed at deriving embryonic stem cell lines without destroying living human embryos. We can find answers. We can find cures, and we can do it in a way that just about everybody can support.

Freyberg:

Green party candidate Nelson Eisman said he approves of embryonic stem cell research and its funding.

Nelson Eisman:

I don't have any problem with stem cell research. I think that the kind of diseases that stem cell research has the potential to cure, everyone is interested in curing, and the people who are trying to make an issue out of the material that goes into that research are just, I don't know, really kind of hanging on to some kind of fringe issue that the cells have the potential to become people, or you know, these, this material needs to be harvested for the health of our future generations.

Freyberg:

Patty, a lot of people might wonder where these embryos come from that they use in this kind of research. In the existing lines that are federally funded, these embryos come from infertility clinics. They are excess embryos. The same holds true for privately funded stem cell research. The embryos come from the same source.

Loew:

It's clearly an emotional issue for everyone. You host Wisconsin public television's political talk show "Here & Now." That happens Friday. Tell us what's coming up these few days before the election.

Freyberg:

Well, in the final hours, we will be talking about both sides of two things that are on the ballot. One of them, the marriage amendment. We will also be talking with people from both sides of the death penalty referendum which we'll also be seeing on the ballot.

Loew:

Frederica Freyberg, thank you so much. You can watch "Here and Now" Friday night at 7:00. You can also find more election-related information at our online resource, Wisconsinvote.org.

Loew:

When the incumbent state Attorney General lost her primary race in September, it left the door wide open for a new top cop to be elected in Wisconsin, and with the recent polls showing undecided votes into the double digits, Art Hackett reports that this race is shaping up to be anyone's game.

Art Hackett:

After the Attorney General's first post-primary joint appearance, republican J.B. Van Hollen and democrat Kathleen Falk stressed experience.

Kathleen Falk:

I have more experience, broader experience, and longer experience than my opponent.

Hackett:

Falk was an assistant Attorney General for 14 years, since 1997 she's been Dane County Executive.

Van Hollen:

I've been in a law enforcement leadership position almost my entire career. That's what I want. I'm not interested in being county executive. I'm not running for governor. I'm running to be the chief law enforcement officer for the State of Wisconsin.

Hackett:

J.B. Van Hollen has been an assistant state public defender, county attorney in Ashland and Bayfield counties, and most recently U.S. attorney for the western district of Wisconsin. The Attorney General is often called Wisconsin's top cop, but the Attorney General's criminal enforcement duties are limited to furnishing advice and support to county prosecutors. While the Justice Department is in charge of the state's Crime Lab and employs investigators who assist local law enforcement agencies, a state Justice Department official estimates about 60% of the department's 90 lawyers deal with civil matters. A 1974 Wisconsin law review article lamented the Wisconsin A.G.'s limited powers. The Attorney General represents the state in the Supreme Court, provides legal advice to state agencies, defends state employees when they are sued, and contests legal barriers to the sale of dairy products. Yes, you can look it up.

Van Hollen:

The overwhelming majority of the duties that the Attorney General has are law enforcement, be it civil or criminal law enforcement, and that's why the huge contrast between myself and my opponent, her never prosecuting a criminal case and myself having a long record of front-line prosecution and law enforcement leadership as U.S. Attorney is very, very important. Top cop is certainly an accurate description.

Falk:

I think everyone knows that the Attorney General, him or herself, does not walk around with a gun arresting people. That's not the job of the Attorney General. That's law enforcement job. But the job of the Attorney General is to be responsive to what local law enforcement needs, and that's an experience I have that my opponent does not have. For 10 years in running Dane County, I've added 85 new deputies and beefed up resources in the district attorney's office.

Van Hollen:

Both of us will talk about fighting crime today. The difference is I have done it.

Hackett:

In a debate sponsored by the Wisconsin Bar association, Falk argued the breadth of her experience.

Falk:

Thirty years ago while my opponent was in middle school I argued my first case in the state Supreme Court. I know the department. It's a broader job than my opponent would like it to be.

Hackett:

Van Hollen focused on the depth of his experience.

Van Hollen:

I not only have been a front-line prosecutor handling everything from speeding to homicides, so I know how to work with law enforcement to put programs into place to help them better do their jobs, but I've also managed a law enforcement agency, and that's civil and criminal law enforcement.

Hackett:

Both promise to reduce the backlog of the State Crime Lab. Falk said she had a pledge from governor Jim Doyle.

Falk:

He has promised to add, in next year's budget $1.22 million to add 15 analysts to fix the delay. I have promised if I'm honored to serve as your Attorney General that for those homicide and sexual assault cases which are almost half of the backlog, that I will process those within 30 days.

Van Hollen:

But in the event that we don't get those additional resources, which we can't always depend upon, I actually have a plan to eliminate the backlog in the Crime Lab, a plan that involves changing resources and the way they're allocated.

It comes from re-prioritizing and making sure we don't spend hundreds and thousands of dollars suing a cranberry grower who didn't violate the law, when we should be using those monies to eliminate the backlog in the Crime Lab.

Hackett:

Van Hollen is referring to a suit incumbent AG Lautenschlager brought against a cranberry grower over alleged water pollution. Lautenschlager filed the suit under a little known and somewhat ambiguous duty, enforcing nuisance laws.

Van Hollen:

It's more appropriate for things like drug houses and things that clearly are a nuisance to society by anybody's definition. The cranberry grower certainly didn't fall into that category any more than any other farmer or business in this state that's abiding by all the rules and regulations.

Falk:

You have repeatedly stated that you do not think the nuisance laws should be enforced. It's been on the books a long time.

He has actually said that he doesn't think the Attorney General should be suing another federal entity. Well, that's the job. So, for example, when President Bush and his EPA want to weaken, the mercury law, it's a highly toxic substance that's in our water, so much so that we're not even supposed to eat the fish, we will have an Attorney General, if my opponent is elected, who will not stand up and enforce those laws.

Van Hollen:

We should let various governmental bodies do their jobs, and as much as I like or dislike a certain law or what a certain agency is doing, we should only be involved in enforcing the law.

Hackett:

Both candidates are talking tough on drugs, gangs, and crime. Both are trying to please voters seeking a new top cop. Those same voters might be interested in what the Wisconsin law review called the Attorney General, the people's lawyer.

Loew:

For months now, candidates like Falk and Van Hollen have been stumping across the state. Newspaper stories have been written and TV coverage has been devoted to all things election. But still, there's a segment of the voting population that seems to tune into the fact that we have an upcoming election only days beforehand. If you are one of those folks, or just want to find out how to be better informed, then Andy Soth has this report for you.

Andy Soth:

It happens every election year.

Computer:

You've got mail!

Soth:

The emails coming to the Wisconsinvote.org site. Two years ago it was Wisconsin students at the University of Minnesota asking where on the Internet they could go to cast their vote.

While there isn't Internet voting yet, the web has become a great resource for voter information. And clearly it's the destination of choice for voters who waited until the last minute. So if you're one of those voters, here's an FAQ, frequently asked questions, we get here at Wisconsin Vote.

Ann:

How do I register to vote?

Soth:

You can't register online, and you missed the deadline to do it by mail, but don't worry, you can still do it in person before election day. Show up at your city, town, or village hall and you can register in the clerk's office. You'll need proof of residence, like a driver's license with your current address. On election day, you can register at your polling place. Of course, you need to find your polling place.

Man:

Where would I vote?

Soth:

Well, if you're one of the students over the border, it's easy to find your polling place on this Minnesota government Web site, if you choose to vote there. But unfortunately Wisconsin doesn't have a similar comprehensive site. A few cities, like Green Bay and Appleton do provide a database of their voting sites. And others provide polling addresses, maps, and district information. So your city's Web site is a good place to start your search. And there is that old technology, the telephone. Check your phone book's blue government pages for your city clerk's number. They can provide you with your district information and polling location. When you find out what district you're in, you can look it up on Wisconsin Votes candidate page and learn more about who's running in your area.

Woman:

How do I vote absentee?

Soth:

Again, it's too late to get an absentee ballot by mail, but you can get one in person at your town hall. You can even fill it out there.

Woman:

Who should I vote for?

Soth:

Well, we can't tell you that, but we can suggest you check out Wisconsinvote.org

There, you'll find plenty of candidate information and links to Wisconsin public TV and radio's election coverage. Voting day is coming right up, but there's still plenty of time to learn about the issues and candidates, and there's also time if you're one of those Wisconsin students in Minnesota to pack up the dirty laundry and head back home to vote.

Loew:

A poet once wrote, those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it. Important words to keep in mind as we head to the polls on Tuesday to make decisions that may have a lasting effect on our future. That quote also describes why the woman in our next story is so passionate about getting the younger generation to understand the past.

Narrator:

Muriel Simms is a teacher at heart. She's retired now, but spent 26 years in the Madison school system. And even though she's no longer in the classroom, she's working on a way to help the next generation of students, especially African-American.

Muriel Simms:

It's heartbreaking for me to see some of our kids behaving the way they do. But I know that they can be better, and they're talented kids there. They just need black role models.

Narrator:

Muriel Simms decided to look to the past for role models for black students, and for a very personal reason. Her parents moved to Madison in the 1930's, and when they wanted to buy their first home on the university campus, they were shut out. But Simms' parents didn't walk away. They went to court and won. She only recently found out about their successful fight in a letter from her older sister.

Simms:

I did not know that my family took a case to court, that they actually fought to buy this house.

Narrator:

Simms decided to gather stories from other African Americans in Madison, stories that illustrate what life was like in the past. Lorraine Davis remembers when she came to this city for college in 1950.

Lorraine Davis:

When I first came here, I was told that, you know, this was a very good place to come, and I got the shock of my life when I came here, because we went all over this town, and it wasn't as large then as it is now, and we couldn't rent an apartment in this town. All three of us were black.

Narrator:

While some stories detail discrimination, others recall kindness and generosity.

Davis:

And like we as students, they knew we were new and green, and so people would give you meals, because when you're a student, you know, you don't have much to eat because you don't have that much money.

Narrator:

Muriel Simms discovered a recurring theme during her interviews, a theme of timeless values that families hold dear.

Simms:

All families cared about education and wanted to make sure that their children went to school, wanted to know why if they weren't in school, why they weren't in school. They'd better get to school the next day. If they were playing hooky for any reason, they better not do that again.

Narrator:

Madison's African-American elders are providing a clearer picture of the past. Simms plans to publish their memories in a book and offer it to the Madison school system. She hopes students in the future will benefit by knowing about African-American contributions in the past.

Simms:

It gives the black community, a very strong vital black community was here, that we participated, that we worked, that we more than contributed to the development of Madison and to our own communities.

Loew:

Simms tells us that the first draft of her book will be ready this spring. That's our program for this week. Join us next Thursday when we begin a four-part series that takes us to a tough training program designed to get lost teens back on track. Reporter Frederica Freyberg follows five new recruits as they weather the Wisconsin National Guard Challenge Academy. Here's an excerpt.

Freyberg:

The place is stark, washed out white, and cold on a winter day.

Man:

Wait until it's 20 below.

Group of teens:

Yes, sir.

Freyberg:

And yet making these old Army barracks home for the next six months is the last best hope for the kids who land here. The first day offers a gut churning reality check, that this place is either going to make them or break them. In fact, in the first weeks, one in three of the 100 or so new recruits will drop out. One recent graduate remembers that first day.

What are they going through right now?

Graduate:

Fear. You don't know what's coming next.

Freyberg:

And yet, all the kids who come here do so voluntarily. They are not criminals. They are not court ordered. But mostly they are lost, either because of bad habits or bad home lives or both.

Woman recruit:

I can't give this up. This is my last chance to make something of myself.

Loew:

Tune into "In Wisconsin" for the rest of this month to find out how these young people transitioned to the military-style life at the Challenge Academy, and cope with unexpected personal tests along the way. Find out if these troubled teens can rise to the challenge and stick with this last chance program. For "In Wisconsin," I'm Patty Loew. See you next week.

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