♪♪ >>> THIS IS "METROFOCUS" WITH RAFAEL PI ROMAN, JACK FORD, AND JENNA FLANAGAN.

>>> "METROFOCUS" IS MADE POSSIBLE BY -- SUE AND EDGAR WACHENHEIM III.

SYLVIA A.

AND SIMON B. POYTA PROGRAMING ENDOWMENT TO FIGHT ANTI-SEMITISM.

THE PETER G. PETERSON AND JOAN GANZ COONEY FUND.

BERNARD AND DENISE SCHWARTZ.

BARBARA HOPE ZUCKERBERG.

THE AMBROSE MONELL FOUNDATION.

AND BY -- JANET PRINDLE SEIDLER.

JODY AND JOHN ARNHOLD.

CHERYL AND PHILIP MILSTEIN FAMILY.

JUDY AND JOSH WESTON.

DR. ROBERT C. AND TINA SOHN FOUNDATION.

>>> GOOD EVENING AND WELCOME TO "METROFOCUS."

>>> I'M JENNA FLANAGAN.

NOW THAT WE ARE SEVERAL YEARS REMOVED FROM THE OBAMA PRESIDENCY, HISTORIANS, WRITERS AND FILM MAKERS ARE LOOKING BACK TO CONSIDER THE IMPLICATIONS OF BARACK OBAMA'S TIME IN OFFICE.

THERE IS A NEW THREE-PART DOCUMENTARY SERIES COMING TO HBO AND HBO MAX TITLED "OBAMA, IN PURSUIT OF A MORE PERFECT UNION."

IT SEEKS TO EXAM THE PRESIDENT'S EARLY LIFE, FIRST PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN AND TIME IN OFFICE, WEAVING TOGETHER PAST INTERVIEWS, SPEECHES WITH DOZENS OF NEW CONVERSATIONS WITH FRIENDS, COLLEAGUES AND CRITICS OF PRESIDENT OBAMA.

THE SERIES FOCUSES NOT ONLY ON OBAMA'S PERSONAL AND POLITICAL ACHIEVEMENTS, BUT ON HOW HIS OWN RACE AND RACE RELATIONS IN THE UNITED STATES PLAYED A SIGNIFICANT ROLE IN HIS TIME AS PRESIDENT AND THE BACKLASH HE FACED WHILE IN OFFICE.

HERE IS A QUICK PREVIEW OF THE SERIES.

>> LET'S START WITH THE QUESTION THAT YOU ALWAYS SAY YOU GET FIRST.

WHAT IS WITH THE NAME?

>> MY FIRST MEMORY OF OBAMA, WE TALKED ABOUT HOW THERE WERE ONLY FOUR BLACK STUDENTS IN THE SCHOOL.

>> I WAS STRUGGLING WITH RACIAL IDENTITY.

>> THE SOLUTION FOR ME WAS TO THROW MYSELF INTO THE COMMUNITY.

>> BLACK PEOPLE WERE VERY SKEPTICAL.

WHO'S YOUR MOMMA?

WHO'S YOUR DADDY?

WHAT'S YOUR BACKGROUND?

IS HE GOING TO TAKE OUR ISSUES SERIOUSLY?

>> AS A POLITICIAN, YOU DON'T WANT TO ALIENATE YOUR WHITE CITIZENS COMING OUT OF THE BOX.

>> THERE WERE PEOPLE CHANTING RACE DOESN'T MATTER.

THAT WAS MORE OF A HOPE THAN A REALITY.

>> WHEN YOU STUDY HISTORY, EVERY TIME WE MADE A STEP FORWARD, THERE WAS ALWAYS A BACKLASH.

>> RACISM IS A CONVENIENT TOOL USED BY THOSE WHO WANT POWER.

>> BARACK OBAMA WAS MET WITH AN ABSOLUTE WALL OF REKALS TRANCE.

>> WARS IN THE MIDDLE EAST.

>> RACIAL INEQUALITY.

>> TRYING TO FIND MIDDLE GROUND, ONLY TO REALIZE THAT THE REPUBLICANS DON'T WANT HIM TO BE SUCCESSFUL IN ANY WAY.

>> IT'S ALL ABOUT RACE.

>> WE DEEPLY UNDERESTIMATE THE POWER OF HATE.

I'M WITH MY PEOPLE.

YOU ARE WITH YOURS.

>> THE LESS YOU TALK OPENLY ABOUT RACE, THE BETTER.

THEN TRAYVON MARTIN IS KILLED.

>> AS PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, HE ALLOWS MORE SENSE OF GRIEF.

>> IF I HAD A SON, HE'D LOOK LIKE TRAYVON.

ALL OF US ARE GOING TO TAKE THIS WITH THE SERIOUSNESS IT DESERVES.

>> OBAMA GETS FLAK.

THE FIRST PRESIDENCY ONLY BEING SYMBOLIC.

>> HE WAS ON A MISSION TO CREATE A SENSE OF COMMUNITY, A SENSE OF FAMILY.

>> WE MAY HAVE DIFFERENT STORIES, BUT WE HOLD COMMON HOPES.

WE MAY NOT LOOK THE SAME, BUT WE ALL WANT TO MOVE TOWARDS A BETTER FUTURE.

WE HAVE NO CHOICE IF WE ARE TO CONTINUE ON THE PATH OF A MORE PERFECT UNION.

♪♪ >> AND JOINING ME NOW TO DISCUSS THIS SERIES IS THE EXECUTIVE PRODUCER OF OBAMA: A PURSUIT OF A MORE PERFECT UNION, JELANI COBB.

FIRST I WANT TO START WHERE THE DOCUMENTARY BEGINS.

IT SORT OF TAKES US INTO THE WAY BACK MACHINE, IF YOU WILL, BACK TO THE INFAMOUS, QUOTE UNQUOTE RACE SPEECH THAT OBAMA GAVE IN A CAMPAIGN IN 2008 THAT LATER BECAME KNOWN AS THE MORE PERFECT UNION SPEECH.

WHY DID YOU OPEN WITH THAT PARTICULAR MOMENT?

AND WHAT WAS THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THAT SPEECH?

>> SO FIRST I WOULD SAY THANK YOU FOR HAVING US, HAVING ME HERE TO TALK ABOUT THE FILM.

AND WE'RE ALL VERY APPRECIATIVE OF THIS PROJECT BEING ABLE TO HAVE A FORUM TO TALK ABOUT WHY WE THINK IT'S IMPORTANT, YOU KNOW, PARTICULARLY, YOU KNOW, THE DIRECTOR AND EVERYONE AT FILMS, BUT OPENING WITH THAT FILM, WITH THAT SPEECH WAS IMPORTANT BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE HISTORY OF NOT PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDACANDIDACIES, PRESIDENCIES, BUT CANDIDACIES, WHAT YOU FIND IS THAT THEY ARE INCREDIBLY DELICATE OPERATIONS.

THERE HAVE BEEN PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES WHO HAVE BEEN DERAILED FOR THE MOST RANDOM OF THINGS.

YOU KNOW, HOWARD DEAN SPOKE OFF KEY, AND THAT WAS IT.

YOU KNOW, THE SO-CALLED DEANS FLEEING AND PEOPLE WENT FLEEING FROM HIS CAMPAIGN.

OR EVIDENCE MUSKY WHO GOT CHOKED UP OR CONGESTED DURING A SPEECH AND PEOPLE THOUGHT THAT THAT WAS IT FOR HIM.

FOR THE SIZE OF THE TIDAL WAVE HEADING AT OBAMA'S CANDIDACY, THERE WAS VIRTUALLY NO WAY TO PULL THAT OUT JUST BY CONVENTIONAL POLITICAL STANDARDS, THAT IS A CAMPAIGN THAT'S DOA.

EXCEPT IF YOU HAVE AN EXTRAORDINARY CANDIDATE AND, YOU KNOW, RACE BEING ONE OF THE THIRD RAILS IN AMERICAN SOCIETY, YOU JUST THINK THAT THIS IS NOT A CAMPAIGN THAT CAN GO ANYWHERE.

AND HE GIVES THIS SPEECH WHICH NOT ONLY SAVES THE CAMPAIGN BUT REALLY OFFERS A FRAMING DEVICE FOR WHAT HIS PRESIDENCY MIGHT LOOK LIKE OR AT LEAST THE STANDARD BY WHICH IT MIGHT BE EVALUATED.

AND, SO, THAT EXTRAORDINARY MOMENT WAS JUST REALLY IMPORTANT TO HAVE EARLY ON AND TO TALK ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WHO THIS PERSON WAS AND WHY HIS PRESIDENCY WAS SIGNIFICANT.

>> AND JUST TO FURTHER FRAME THAT MOMENT BECAUSE, AGAIN, AT THIS POINT ON 2021, 2008 CAN FEEL -- WELL, IT WAS A DECADE AGO.

BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, WHAT WAS THE CATALYST?

BECAUSE THERE WAS A VERY SPECIFIC EVENT THAT LED UP TO THAT SPEECH.

>> SURE.

SO DURING THE PRIMARIES THERE HAVE BEEN THIS IDEA THAT BARACK OBAMA ENJOYED A FAVORABLE RELATIONSHIP WITH THE MEDIA AND THAT HE HAD BEEN GIVEN A PASS OR ESSENTIALLY KIND OF AN EASY ROUTE.

AND SOME PEOPLE BEGAN LOOKING MORE CRITICALLY AT HIM.

AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT CAME UP WERE THE SPEECHES THAT CAME FROM JEREMIAH WRIGHT, WHO WAS A PASTOR AT TRINITY CHURCH IN CHICAGO WHERE BARACK OBAMA HAD BEEN A MEMBER.

HE ASKED IF ANYONE KNEW HIM OR HIS REPUTATION.

HE WAS NOT A PERSON WHO WAS EVER SHY ABOUT VOICING HIS OPINIONS AND DOING SO IN, YOU KNOW, REALLY VERY DIRECT LANGUAGE.

AND, SO, WHEN THE SPEECHES CAME OUT, YOU KNOW, ABOUT POST-9/11 AND HE SAID THE VERY INFLAMMATORY COMMENTS ABOUT GODDAMN AMERICA, WHICH HE WAS SAYING RHETORICALLY, PEOPLE WERE GOING TO TAKE LITERALLY.

SO THE QUESTION REBOUNDED BACK TO BARACK OBAMA, HOW CAN YOU BE A MEMBER OF A CHURCH WITH A PASTOR WHO SAYS SUCH INSENSITIVE THINGS, SUCH INFLAMMATORY THINGS.

AND, OF COURSE, THAT WAS KIND OF ASSUMED TO BE EVIDENCE OF JEREMIAH WRIGHT BEING RACIST OR HATING WHITE PEOPLE AND THERE WAS REALLY NO EVIDENCE OF THAT.

BUT THAT DIDN'T MATTER IN POLITICAL TERMS.

PERCEPTION IS REALITY.

AND, SO, OBAMA GIVES THIS SPEECH CONTEXT CHURLIZING HOW HUMAN JEREMIAH WRIGHT, WHO JEREMIAH WRIGHT WAS, HOW PEOPLE SEE, HOW BLACK PEOPLE SEE MATTERS OF RACE.

AND FOR THAT MATTER, HOW WHITE PEOPLE TEND TO SEE MATTERS OF RACE AND THE WAYS IN WHICH WE LOOK AND TALK PAST EACH OTHER.

IT WAS REALLY EXTRAORDINARY.

FOR ME AS A PERSON WHO IS A PROFESSOR, IT WAS A MASTER CLASS IN EDUCATION.

HE WAS A TEACHING A CLASS IN THAT SPEECH, WHICH IS SOMETHING YOU ALMOST NEVER SEE DONE IN POLITICS, AND IT BECAME THIS TOUCH POINT OR THIS TOUCH STONE FOR NOT ONLY THAT CAMPAIGN BUT THAT ENTIRE MOMENT.

>> WELL, SO THEN TO BUILD ON THAT POINT BECAUSE AFTER THE ELECTION AND BARACK OBAMA WON, THERE WAS THIS ELATION, IF YOU WILL, THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY.

AND PEOPLE WERE USING THE PHRASE POST-RACIAL.

I'M SURE FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT WAS DEFINITELY MET WITH A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF SIDE EYE, IF YOU WILL.

TAKE US BACK TO THAT POINT AND HOW YOU REEXAM THE IDEA OF WHAT POST RACIAL AMERICA REALLY WAS AND WHY THAT CAME TO BE SUCH A POPULAR PHRASE.

>> YEAH.

I THINK WE HAVE A BELIEF THAT WE CAN RESOLVE OR JUST FIX THE PROBLEM OF RACE IN THE SIMPLEST, MOST EXPEDIENT MANNER POSSIBLE.

AND, YOU KNOW, BARACK OBAMA'S CAMPAIGN AND SUCCESSFUL CAMPAIGN FOR THE PRESIDENCY WAS JUST DRAFTED INTO THAT LITANY.

OH, THIS WILL FIX THE PROBLEM.

YOU KNOW, WE'RE DONE.

YOU KNOW?

AND IN A LOT OF WAYS, THAT WAS AN UNFAIR POSITION TO PUT BARACK OBAMA IN, WHICH HE SAID -- HE SAID AS MUCH IN THAT SPEECH AND REPEATEDLY SAID IT, YOU KNOW, AFTERWARDS, THAT YOU COULD NOT RESOLVE ANYTHING AS COMPLICATED AND AS DEEPLY ROOTED AS THE ISSUES OF RACE IN AMERICAN SOCIETY IN A SINGLE PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN.

BUT AT THE SAME TIME, THERE WAS A KIND OF -- IT WAS ALMOST A KIND OF HUMOROUS ELEMENT TO IT, WHICH YOU SAW IN THE FILM "GET OUT" WHERE THE KRAKT I, A WHITE CHARACTER SAYS I WOULD HAVE VOTED FOR OBAMA A THIRD TIME IF I COULD HAVE.

HE SAYS THIS REPEATEDLY.

AND THAT'S JORDAN PEELE MAKING FUN OF VOTING FOR OBAMA ALMOST BECAME A LIT NUS TEST LIKE, YEAH, I DID THIS GREAT THING.

WE CAN MOVE PASSED RACE.

WE'RE DONE.

FOR OBAMA, AT THE SAME TIME, HIS PRESIDENCY WAS IGNITING THESE BRUSH FIRES OF RACIAL RESENTMENT.

AND, SO, THERE WAS ONE LANGUAGE ABOUT RACE BEING A NON-FACTOR IN AMERICAN LIFE AND THESE OTHER DYNAMICS POINTING TO IT INCREASINGLY BECOMING MORE OF A POLARIZING FACTOR IN AMERICAN LIFE.

IN THE MIDDLE OF THIS IS BARACK OBAMA TRYING TO NAVIGATE THE PRESIDENCY.

>> SO THEN HOW DOES THE FILM BEGIN TO EXPLORE THE NOTION OR THE IDEA THAT THERE WERE THESE RESENTMENT INSPIRED BRUSH FIRES?

BECAUSE AT THE TIME, IT WAS, NO, THIS IS NOT ABOUT RACE.

THIS IS ABOUT, YOU KNOW, OVERREACH OF GOVERNMENT.

THIS IS ABOUT SOMETHING ELSE.

THERE WAS A LOT OF RHETORIC ON THE PART OF NOT JUST THE GOP, WHO FROM THE VERY BEGINNING DID SAY THEY WANT HIM TO BE A ONE-TERM PRESIDENT, TO OTHER PEOPLE WHO WERE PERHAPS MORE ACTIVISTS ON THE RIGHT WHO HAD -- IT WAS EVERY REASON BUT RACE.

SO HOW DOES THE FILM ADDRESS THAT?

>> YEAH.

SOME OF THOSE THINGS COME OUT TO BE MUCH MORE APPARENT, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU START LOOKING AT WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING AND WHEN THEY WERE SAYING IT.

WHEN, YOU KNOW, GOING BACK TO HEARING BARACK OBAMA HATING WHITE PEOPLE.

WHEN THE AFFORDABLE CARE ACT IS BEING COMPARED UNFAVORABLY WITH WELFARE.

WHEN NEWT GINGRICH REFERS TO OBAMA AS THE WELFARE PRESIDENT.

THEN THE OVERTLY RACIST THINGS THAT BEGAN HAPPENING AT THE TEA PARTY RALLIES WHERE THERE WERE SIGNS WITH THE LIKENESS OF BARACK OBAMA MADE TO LOOK LIKE AN APE.

SO THERE WAS A LANGUAGE THAT WAS MEANT, I THINK, TO GIVE SOME DEGREE OF PLAUSIBLE DENIABILITY TO WHAT WAS HAPPENING.

THEN THERE WAS WHAT WAS ACTUALLY HAPPENING.

IF YOU GO BACK AND LOOK AT THOSE FACTS, NOT TO MENTION, YOU KNOW, THE MOST EXPLICIT INSTANCE OF THIS, WHICH WAS THE IDEA THAT BARACK OBAMA WASN'T EVEN A CITIZEN, AND HE HAD TO SHOW HIS BIRTH CERTIFICATE TO SHOW HE WAS ELIGIBLE TO VOTE IN AN ELECTION HE ACTUALLY WON.

AND, SO, WHEN YOU LOOK AT THESE THINGS THROUGH THE LENS OF HISTORY, IT DOES A FEW THINGS.

ONE OF WHICH IS GIVE YOU A GREAT DEAL MORE CLARITY THAN IS POSSIBLE TO HAVE IN THE MOMENT SOMETIMES.

>> OKAY.

SO SPEAKING ONE OF THE BIGGEST CONSPIRACIES, BIRTHERISM AS IT'S NOW REFERRED TO, THAT WAS ACTUALLY THE CATALYST FOR THE ATTENTION OF HIS SUCCESSOR.

>> I THINK THE FILM IS REALLY INVESTED IN POINTING TO ALL OF THE KIND OF DISPARATE THREADS THAT ARE COMING TOGETHER.

AND, YOU KNOW, EVEN FOR ME IN WORKING IN THE FILM AND TALKING WITH PETER AND EVERYONE ELSE INVOLVED WITH THE FILM, WE WOULD KIND OF NOTICE THINGS LIKE, ALL RIGHT, THAT DID HAPPEN.

THINGS THAT WERE COMING TOGETHER AND POINTING TO WHERE WE ARE NOW.

AND, SO, YOU KNOW, WE DON'T GO KIND OF INTO -- WE COULD GO TO JANUARY 6th.

WE COULD GO TO THIS WEEK AS THERE ARE HEARINGS ON CAPITOL HILL WHERE THE OFFICERS ARE TALKING ABOUT THE RACIAL EP THAT THES THAT WERE HURLED AT THEM ON JANUARY 6th.

THERE IS NO PLACE WE COULDN'T GO IN TERMS OF CONTEMPORARY POLITICS.

BUT WHAT WE DO INSTEAD IS TO ADD A POINT TO ALL OF THOSE ELEMENTS AND ALLOW THE VIEWER TO DRAW THOSE PARALLELS THEMSELVES.

>> A LOT OF WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, OF COURSE, FEELS SO REAL AND VERY CURRENT IN OUR POLITICAL CURRENT.

UNFORTUNATELY WE'RE COMING UP ON THE END OF OUR TIME TOGETHER, BUT I DO WANT TO ASK WHY: WHY WAS IT IMPORTANT TO DO THIS FILM NOW?

WAS THERE A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF TIME YOU FELT NEEDED TO BE PASSED BEFORE YOU COULD LOOK BACK ON THIS?

WHY WAS THIS THE RIGHT MOMENT FOR THIS DOCUMENTARY SERIES?

>> YOU KNOW, THAT ANSWER CHANGES BECAUSE WHEN WE FIRST STARTED TALKING ABOUT IT, THERE HAD BEEN ENOUGH TIME, ENOUGH COOLING OFF, SO TO SPEAK.

JUST A FRACTION OF DISTANCE BETWEEN HIS PRESIDENCY AND WHAT CAME AFTERWARD.

AND YOU COULD START THINKING ABOUT WHAT THAT TIME FRAME HAD MEANT.

BUT WE HAD NO WAY OF KNOWING THAT OBAMA AND THE FACT THAT THERE WAS A BLACK MAN ELECTED TO THE PRESIDENCY WOULD SO DICTATE THE TERMS OF OUR CONTEMPORARY POLITICS, INCLUDING THE CATASTROPHIC THINGS THAT WE'VE SEEN AT THE END OF THE TRUMP PRESIDENCY.

AND, YOU KNOW, THE SURGE IN VOTER SUPPRESSION LEGISLATION AND THE DYNAMICS THAT ARE REALLY FRACTURING AND DIVIDING THE COUNTRY IN THESE PARTICULAR WAYS THAT ALMOST SEEM TO BE A RENUNCIATION OF WHAT BARACK OBAMA WAS TALKING ABOUT IN THAT SPEECH IN 2008.

WE COULDN'T HAVE FORESEEN THAT.

AND, SO, THE FILM BECAME -- ONE IDEA ABOUT THE RELEVANCE OF BARACK OBAMA WHEN WE STARTED THIS IN A VERY DIFFERENT AND MUCH MORE PRECISE IDEA OF HIS RELEVANCE BY THE TIME WE FINISH.

>> THE THREE-PART DOCUMENTARY SERIES IS "OBAMA: IN PURSUIT OF A MORE PERFECT UNION."

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR SHARING YOUR TIME WITH US AND CREATING THIS DOCUMENTARY SERIES THAT CAN BE WATCHED ON HBO AND HBO MAX.

>> THANK YOU.

♪♪ ♪♪ FOR ONCE IN MY LIFE ♪♪ I HAVE SOMEONE WHO NEEDS ME.

>> NO ONE ELSE IN POPULAR MUSIC HAS RECORDED FOR AS LONG AND AT SUCH A HIGH LEVEL OF EXCELLENCE AS THE LEGENDARY SINGER, ARTIST AND PERFORMER TONY BENNETT.

THE 19 GRAMMY AWARD WINNER HAS SOLD MILLIONS OF RECORDS AROUND THE WORLD WITH 10 MILLION RECORDS IN THE LAST 10 YEARS ALONE.

HE HAS HAD 24 SONGS IN THE TOP 40 INCLUDING "THE GOOD LIFE," "WHO CAN I TURN TO" AND HIS SIGNATURE SONG "I LEFT MY HEART IN SAN FRANCISCO" ♪♪ I LEFT MY HEART ♪♪ IN SAN FRANCISCO.

>> BUT HE BEGAN HIS ARTISTIC ACHIEVEMENT AS A YOUNG BOY HERE IN NEW YORK IN THE SECTION OF QUEENS, NEW YORK, WHERE HE WAS BORN SOME 90 YEARS AGO.

NOW HE AND HIS WIFE, A FORMER DEDICATED TEACHER AND CHAMPION OF PUBLIC SCHOOLS ARE MAKING DREAMS COME TRUE FOR THOUSANDS OF NEW YORK CITY HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS.

THEY STARTED THE EXPLORING THE ARTS OR ETA ORGANIZATION BACK IN 1999 TO HELP TRANSFORM THE LIVES OF YOUNG PEOPLE THROUGH ART EDUCATION.

IT BEGAN WITH THEIR DREAM OF FRANK SINATRA SCHOOL OF THE ARTS.

NOW THEY SERVE 33 PUBLIC SCHOOLS.

27 HERE IN NEW YORK AND 6 IN L.A.

I RECENTLY CAUGHT UP WITH THEM, WHICH IS CELEBRATING TONY'S 90 YEARS OF ARTISTRY WITH AN EXHIBITION OF HIS ORIGINAL ART WORK.

I BEGAN BY ASKING WHY HE HAS BEEN SO PASSIONATE ABOUT SUPPORTING THE ARTS IN THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS.

>> I THINK THE AMERICAN PUBLIC SHOULD BE ENCOURAGED TO BE AS CREATIVE AS POSSIBLE.

WE SHOULD ALL CREATE.

AND THE MORE WE CREATE INDIVIDUALLY, THE MORE IT WILL GO OUT INTO THE WORLD AND WE'LL GET GREAT RESPECT FROM THE REST OF THE WORLD FOR SAYING GOOD THINGS ABOUT BEING ALIVE.

>> SUSAN, YOU ARE A TEACHER FOR MANY YEARS.

>> UH-HUH, I WAS.

>> SO I'M SURE YOU SAW WHERE AS BUDGETS GOT TIGHTER ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS THAT WENT AWAY WERE THE ARTS.

>> YEAH.

THE ARTS AND SPORTS.

TWO REASONS WHY KIDS COME TO SCHOOL.

>> TO KEEP THEM IN SCHOOL.

>> YEAH.

>> WHY WAS IT SO IMPORTANT, THEN, FOR YOU AND TONY, AND LET'S FOCUS FIRST ON THE FRANK SINATRA SCHOOL OF THE ARTS.

WHY WAS IT SO IMPORTANT TO CREATE THAT AND WHAT WERE YOU HOPING TO GET FROM IT?

>> WELL, AS YOU SAY, I WAS A TEACHER AT AN ARTS SCHOOL, ARTS HIGH SCHOOL.

TONY, WHEN HE WAS IN PUBLIC SCHOOL, THERE WERE GOOD ARTS PROGRAMS.

YOU KNOW.

SO WE EACH IN OUR OWN WAY SAW FIRSTHAND THE DIFFERENCE THAT THE ARTS MAKE IN A CHILD'S LIFE.

AND WHEN YOU TEACH THE ARTS, THE KIDS WANT TO COME TO SCHOOL.

AND THEY TEND TO DO BETTER ACROSS ALL THEIR DISCIPLINES.

THEY ARE ABLE TO DISCOVER WHO THEY ARE AT A CRITICAL TIME, YOU KNOW.

AS A TEEN, YOU ARE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHERE DO I FIT IN IN THE WORLD.

AND THEY DISCOVER THEIR CREATIVITY AND THE CREATIVITY OF OTHERS AND CELEBRATE THAT.

AND THE GREAT THING ABOUT PUBLIC EDUCATION IS IT BRINGS PEOPLE TOGETHER FROM ALL WALKS OF LIFE.

SO, YOU KNOW, YOUR FELLOW ARTIST, YOUR CLASS MATE MIGHT BE FROM A TOTALLY DIFFERENT BACKGROUND FROM YOU, BUT YOU COME TOGETHER THROUGH THIS EXPERIENCE OF CREATING OR EXPERIENCING ART.

AND YOU LOOK BEYOND THOSE DIFFERENCES AND YOU'RE NO LONGER AFRAID OF THOSE DIFFERENCES.

YOU REALLY CELEBRATE AND REALIZE THAT MY PERSPECTIVE IS AS VALUABLE AS YOUR PERSPECTIVE.

AND THAT, I THINK, IS WHAT BRINGS, YOU KNOW, THE WORLD TOGETHER, BRINGS PEOPLE TOGETHER, IS THAT SHARED EXPERIENCE IN THE ARTS.

I MEAN, AND TONY HAD ALL THESE WONDERFUL EXPERIENCES AS A YOUNGSTER WHERE HE WAS ABLE TO REALIZE HIS DREAMS, AND WE SEE THAT TAKEN AWAY, LIKE YOU SAY WITH BUDGET CUTS.

>> TONY, LET ME ASK YOU ABOUT THAT BECAUSE YOU, AS A TEENAGER, WENT TO A HIGH SCHOOL, THE HIGH SCHOOL FOR INDUSTRIAL ARTS.

>> RIGHT.

>> HOW DID THAT HELP TO SHAPE YOU?

HOW DID THAT HELP TO PUSH YOU IN THE DIRECTION THAT YOU EVENTUALLY TRAVELED IN?

>> IT MEANT EVERYTHING.

IN HIGH SCHOOL THEY ALL SAID, YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE TO DO A LOT OF WORK.

AND THE NEW SCHOOL SAID, GO INTO CENTRAL PARK.

I COULDN'T BELIEVE IT.

THEY SAID, PAINT NATURE.

>> YEAH.

WANDER INTO THE PARK AND PAINT NATURE.

>> AND THIS WAS YOUR EXPERIENCE IN HIGH SCHOOL?

>> HERE I AM 90 YEARS OLD AND I'M STILL STUDYING NATURE.

>> STILL WANDERING INTO THE PARK TO STUDY.

IT'S NOT THE TONY BENNETT SCHOOL OF THE ARTS.

IT'S THE FRANK SINATRA SCHOOL OF THE ARTS.

WHY DID YOU CHOOSE FRANK'S NAME?

>> THAT'S HOW MUCH I RESPECTED HIM.

BECAUSE HE REALLY WAS THE FIRST ONE AS A SOLO ARTIST TO MAKE POPULAR MUSIC VERY, VERY FAMOUS.

AND I WAS INSPIRED BY HIM.

BEING 50 YEARS OLDER THAN ME, AND HE WAS MY INSPIRATION.

AND TO THIS DAY, HE WAS A MAGNIFICENT ARTIST THAT ALWAYS DEPENDED ON QUALITY MUSIC.

>> I SAW AT ONE POINT IN TIME WHERE FRANK SINATRA SAID, DO YOU KNOW WHO THE BEST SINGER IS OUT THERE RIGHT NOW?

TONY BENNETT.

>> WHAT DID HE KNOW?

>> I THINK HE KNEW A LOT.

>> IF I MAY, ONE OF OUR MOST SUCCESSFUL PROGRAMS THAT WE HAVE WITH OUR NON-PROFIT EXPLORING THE ARTS IS OUR TONY BENNETT APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM.

IN A WAY, SINATRA WAS ONE OF YOUR MENTORS STARTING OUT.

>> YEAH, SO A DEGREE.

IT WASN'T A TRUE APPRENTICESHIP, BUT HE HELPED YOU OUT A LOT WHEN YOU WERE FIRST STARTING OUT.

>> HE WAS SO GENEROUS TO YOU.

YOU TALK ABOUT YOUR NONPROFIT.

TALK ABOUT EXPLORING THE ARTS.

TELL ME A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HOW THAT WORKS.

THERE ARE ABOUT 33 NOW PARTNER SCHOOLS THAT YOU HAVE.

>> BETWEEN NEW YORK AND LOS ANGELES.

>> BETWEEN NEW YORK AND LOS ANGELES.

>> EXACTLY.

>> HOW DOES IT WORK WHEN EXPLORING THE ARTS GETS INVOLVED WITH ONE OF THESE PARTNER SCHOOLS?

>> WE WERE WELCOMED IN BOTH NEW YORK AND LOS ANGELES BECAUSE BOTH CITIES VALUE THE ARTS SO MUCH AND PUBLIC EDUCATION.

IN A WAY IT IS RATHER EASY.

WE REACH OUT TO SCHOOLS.

AND THEY SEND US PROPOSALS.

WE WORK IN SCHOOLS FOR A TOTAL OF FOUR YEARS, AND THEN THEY MOVE ON TO BEING, YOU KNOW, SORT OF OUR GRADUATES SO TO SPEAK, OUR LEGACY SCHOOLS.

BUT THE SINATRA SCHOOL THEY ALWAYS SUPPORT.

THEY PRESENT THEIR GOALS AND WE WORK WITH THEM ON AN ANNUAL BASIS TO MAKE SURE THEY ARE REACHING HIGH-QUALITY SUSTAINABLE ARTS PROGRAM.

THEY HAVE TO HAVE AT LEAST ONE TEACHER.

IF THEY HAVE THAT, WE WILL COME IN WITH THE FUNDING AND THE GUIDANCE AND THE OPPORTUNITIES TO HELP THEM STRUCTURE THESE PROGRAMS SO THEY CAN, YOU KNOW, CARRY ON.

>> WHAT KIND OF REACTION HAVE THE TWO OF YOU GOTTEN TO ALL THAT YOU HAVE DONE FOR EDUCATION IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS?

WHAT KIND OF SATISFACTION HAS THAT PROVIDED FOR THE TWO OF YOU?

>> IT IS TREMENDOUSLY SATISFYING TO KNOW YOU ARE DOING SOMETHING GREAT FOR YOUNG PEOPLE, OF COURSE.

BUT I ALSO SEE IT PERSONALLY FOR ME AS I LOVE IT AS PART OF TONY'S LEGACY BECAUSE HE REALLY WANTS TO GIVE BACK THE WAY PEOPLE HELPED HIM THE WAY HE STARTED OUT.

SO THAT'S TREMENDOUSLY GRATIFYING.

ONE QUICK STORY.

YOU PROBABLY REMEMBER IT.

OUR FIRST GRADUATING CLASS OF THE SINATRA SCHOOL, AMONG PEOPLE LIKE TONY AND HARRY BELAFONTE, JERRY SEINFELD.

WE HAD THE LATE GOVERNOR MARIO CUOMO.

I HAVE NEVER FORGOTTEN THIS BECAUSE TALK ABOUT INSPIRATION AND MOTIVATING YOU TO KEEP GOING ESPECIALLY IN THIS DAY AND AGE, HE WAS TALKING TO THE KIDS, AND HE ENDED HIS SPEECH BY SAYING THAT A NATION GETS ITS SOUL FROM THE ARTS, NOT ITS MILITARY OR ITS ECONOMY.

IT GETS ITS SOUL FROM THE ARTS AND, THEREFORE, BRINGS HOPE TO THE WORLD.

SO HE CHALLENGED THE GRADUATES TO GO OUT AND GIVE HOPE TO THE WORLD.

AND I THOUGHT TO MYSELF, WHAT COULD BE BETTER THAN HELPING THESE YOUNG PEOPLE TO HAVE THAT OPPORTUNITY THAN TO GIVE OUT AND GIVE HOPE TO THE WORLD.

IT MIGHT SOUND CORNY, BUT IT TOUCHED ME.

IT TOUCHED THOSE GRADUATES.

THAT IS WHAT WE ARE HELPING THESE STUDENTS DO, GO OUT AND GIVE HOPE.

NOTHING WOULD BE BETTER THAN THAT OR MORE IMPORTANT IN THIS DAY AND AGE.

SO WE GO TO SLEEP ON THAT EVERY SINGLE DAGT.

>>> "METROFOCUS" IS MADE POSSIBLE BY -- SUE AND EDGAR WACHENHEIM III.

SYLVIA A.

AND SIMON B. POYTA PROGRAMING ENDOWMENT TO FIGHT ANTI-SEMITISM.

THE PETER G. PETERSON AND JOAN GANZ COONEY FUND.

BERNARD AND DENISE SCHWARTZ.

BARBARA HOPE ZUCKERBERG.

THE AMBROSE MONELL FOUNDATION.

AND BY -- JANET PRINDLE SEIDLER.

JODY AND JOHN ARNHOLD.

CHERYL AND PHILIP MILSTEIN FAMILY.

JUDY AND JOSH WESTON.

DR. ROBERT C. AND TINA SOHN