tavis: gd evening. from los angeles, i am tavis iley. tonight, four yearsfter the devastion of hurricane katrina, we focus onhe continuing recovery effos in an orleans. first, a coversation wth douglas inkley. his latest book, "the wilderness warrior," looks at teddy roosevelt. also tonight, aribute to the pele of new orleans from jsh charles. it is simple as helping rebuild the city. h single efft is helping rebuild the city. we are glad that yojoined us.

t our book at new orlns four years aer katrincoming out. -- o look at orleans four years aer katrina comingup. >> there areo many things that wal-mart is looking forward to doing, like helping peopleive better. but mostly, we'reelping build stroer communities and relationships. wi your help, the best is yet to come. >> nationwide insurance prouy supports "tavismiley." tavis and nationwide, working together to impre financial teracy and the enomic emwerment that comes with it. >> ♪ nationwe is on your si ♪ >> and by conibutions to your pbs station from vwers like you. thank you. [captioni made possible by kcet public televisi] tavis: douglasbrinkley is a noted historian and best-selling

author who look at hurricane katrina calledthe great deluge." his ne book is called "the wildness warrior." he joi us tnight from houston. nice to haveou on the program. >>always great to be on your ow, tavis. vis: let mestart by asking you about tedkennedy. you are aistorian of note and there have already been number of books written out his life anegacy, and god knows how many more wi be written about m. your tughts on the legacy of ted kennedy? >> ts pastear, he has done an ol history project at the university of virginia, worng on his own memoir which is supposed to me out in october. ts is thelegislative giant. people talk a lot about john nnedy, is eclsed life, and robert kennedy, is ecpsed life. teddy keedy has been pushing

for universal health care since almost d one in the senate in 1962. he had th full wind his back pushi foroting rights, civil ights. he is an unamguous liral icon, an americ icon an international icon, who even went to south africa and snt time with bish tu in the rease he did days ofpartheid and me b deith aptheid rime there. evything teddy kennedy did their that the stamp of caring out people and he is one of our great political figures. tais: you know that we have these at inflow conversations about liberalism, the "l" word, and forhe balance ofis career he never shi away from the word. what do you make >> that is rht, and he was important r the dmocratic party. bill inton said he was a new democrat, people played wh the

wordrogressive. he was a proud liberal. hehought it was part of the adition of theodore roosevelt 's new natialism and f's new deal and lyndo johnson and great socie. he was a proud liberal. now liberal isack inogue. barack obama has rlly learned a lot from ted kennedy. esident obama it is sort of my ag. john f.kennedy, we were children whenwe had e cuban missile cris, but ted kendy was out there fighting my whole teenaged yearsnd intomy 20's d 30's and 40's. the great tf heroism when endorsed barack obama made such a big differee, basically taking the baton ofcamelot and hanng it to bark obama, doing it in connction wi caroline kennedy. dramatic moment. i know that present obama will sorely misseted kennedy, t

bause he was just a health care warrr, but he always gav the senator and now presidentbama unvarnished advice. since chappuiddick, he was not tryi to run for president, he was tried to help the arican people in many ways act of redption for his ethical pses in life. he worked triple hard to try to make up for a, and the net effects stunning. bill after bi, lfter law, ted kendy stamp is on it. tavis: to yo pointabout ethic lapses, it seems to me that he was trying to balance his personalfailings, shortcomings -- and we all have them -- it seems to me that he and the public space was trying to balanceis pernal feelings and shortcomings with his pressional work. how you think history will regard how he navigated that? >> it is a grt lesson for all

of ushat when we do somhing and we fl down aefeated, we reach out and help others. much has been made about having to absorb the assassination of both h brothers, but i think when he was in that plan crashed and oke his ba and had been hospilized, realizing wh people that's been their lives iwheel chairs have to dealith, he staed fighting a gat deal for disabled people at that point and became a great champion of this. his whole life is a llercoaster ride, butt the end is just ongreat american story because he accomplisd more than 10 u.s senators combin did. tavis: it has been fouyears since hurrane katrina. ted kennedy spent the balance of his life worki r those w are disenfranchised, dispossessed. yet here we are four years after kaina and one could argue that th city is not rebounding. the pace is really slow.

what do you make ofhat? >> i have been ve disappointed at what has happened i the flooded neighborhds, the nghborhoods like the ler ninth warand new orleans est yet, the pt business isack, touri is hanging in there the french arter at up town dog wll. thoutlying areas, not enough haseen done. people have sho memors, and the more wtalk aboutatrina and thneed for proper federal tention, it is necessary. there was a story not very long a that rain thesa today about the reports coming out saying that the ppingystems are not prorly bui. it's ill seems to me that it is aity th aerica has footten. the same i true of other communities in louisiana,too. meanwhile the wlands keep disaparing. the famous statement about losin land it every day and the

gulf of mexico is gting closer to new orleans. is still a troubled region that needs a t of federal he. tavis: se people say the city has en fgotten. one of the things ted kennedy tried to do was remind us soe would no forget those who are left out, which raises e queson, who now, with aldue respect to others, who is fighting for in new orleans whoas that voice on the federal level thatas the clo and power d statureto make somethinhappen? >> we do not ha a voice down thre. it inresting, i had breakfastith rubin bridges, out early 1960's was in new orles, and she famously integrated deral marsha in school, pople through tomatoes at her. norman rockwellid a famous painting about r. that school is now boarded up. there are some signs that the school is doi better, t by and large, people'feeling in

or lanes is there is t much damage to deal with and nehborhoods are running away, and history i think will show it is one of the tragic resort - results of recen american history. i do not know h we get the momentum with the deficit and iraq and afghanistan and healt care debe. it is hard to focus wth such a full anda, but we cannot forget about newrleans. e have to ke reminding peop. tavis:our new book, n york tim best-seller st, "the wilderness warrior,"trange estion, but since we we talking about new orlea and the environment andconcerns, what ihappening now in at city, juxtapose for me roovelt's legacy and t drama we still see happening every day d north lanes? >>-- in new orleans >> rooselt was very worried.

in the state of louisiana, he created this barri island, protection island. it was for birds, but it w also to protect the city of new orleans. t is big legacy tt i write about is trying to champi green space in the united ates, making sure that people do not live in xic conditions, keeping the ver is clan and makingure we have fish ithe reams and federal wildlife preserves. today, we have over 100 national wildlife preservesn the united statesand that is the theodo roosevelt's big legacy. heegan witirds, buttarted rehabilitating everythi from buffalo to itsock. tavis: we will talk ken burns aut his wonderful seeson national parks. i am told tt you are one of the people tt has put in the preside's year that he mailed to visit the tional parks d we will talk aut the time

cannote much better that he visitthe national parks this mmer. what part of theodore roosevelt's commitmen his gacy do you think that president obamall to build upon >> thank you f askin. i think there are a couple more national parkshat need to be cread, and war, alaska, big sur, b the problem shifted. when roosevelt left 100 years ago, he lledfor glol conservation court because migrato boards. migratory bir do not know borrs. neither do rivers we have notad that kind of global conservatio corps. the obama administration is willing to talk out cmate conservation and really fuson global standards. chinautpollutg big-ti g-ght no c we stop that from happening or curtail at some tim -- curtail it somehow?

the obama administratiois starti to already do this, ty are creating wildlife corrido, how to me prerly used land, redefining som areas as wilderne. i tnk you will find a proessive andenergetic consertionagenda, but the ama administration will have it a a year orwo. another focuseson health care and is hard to get the parks in there. wi the documentary cing out and hopefully mbook is helpful andt reminds people we have a great park system, forest, monuments, scenic nders,ut weave to fight to connue to protect them, and that s r.r.'s legac -- t.r.'s legy. folks li lyndon johnson and kennedy also fought hard. the he is th the obama adminiration will do that, and so far it looks good and looks encouraging. tavis: finally, i kw they

have talk about this is soewhat, but when you refer to the theore roosevelt crusade for america, a great phrase, what you meaby that? >> he believed that if we did forest like a lo of europe, we would be in terrle trouble -- if we derest it like a lot of europe, that we would be i terrible trouble. he put aside vst millions upon millions oacreage of land, safe places, ranging om the grand canyon which was vot to be minedor zinc and asbestos, and ve crater lakend many laces in califora. could go on all day. he give us a great dip -- great gift the crusade was a darwian crusade in this sens the origin of species pot osevelt and his mindthat we had to take care of lesser creares, and he believed tat to lose an animal is like losing a masterpce of old. least have a billion passenger

pigeons -- wused to hav a billion passenger pigeons f around. there's not a single one left. roosevelt, who was a hunter, part of the paradox,hich also a great cservationist and what li protectionist. ey're still a lot that could do we' looking at species of nishing regurly all of the anet. tavis: his name is douglas brinkley perennianew york timebest selling auor. the new one is cled "the wilderness rrior." douglasnice to have you nt. thank you f joining us. >> than u so much, tavis. tavis: my pleure. up next, musician josh charles and his tribute to the peop of new orlea. stay with us. one week bfore hurricane katrina, musicianosh charles move to ignore lanes with pls to record an album tre. like so many, the storm forever

changed his life. his most recent proct is a singleevoted to the people of theig easy called "healing time." all proceeds go tward the continuingeconstruction in the city. in jusa moment, he will perform for us. at first, have you onhe program. >> thanyou. tavis: i askedhether you were ill living in the city, and you said iried. what did you mean by th? >> i attempted to mve to north lanes august 25, 05, -- i attempted to move t new orleans augu 25, 25, and my goal is to attempt to moveback there somime soon, but i feel like i am wondering nomad, trying bring attention and awareness them. itav: what you make of being in love with the citand culture in the music, going there for

days and e storm runs y out? >> asign perhaps. it is such an incrediblelace, and arrivinghere in the nsity of the summer, it s its own atmosphere and 5. i think en i got the last bus out of houston and we were driving away, lot of us wondered if we would ever see agin. the was such tensionhat we wod ner see your veins, that it would be sunk in 20 feet of water, and it camelose. tavis:hat do you make of the sl pace of rovery? it is n longer a wasteland, but people uld argue tt the recovery is sti slow. >> obviouslythere is a lot o blame that went on with the evious administration. i think the problem is wh things happen, theres a lot of attention rit away, and then it fadesway. then it becomes likeou are not aring about it, you assume it

is all right. when pele heard aboutmy project, people would say,ew orleans? that is four years ago. half the population is still missing. all you have to do is go there nd realize it. i think people are jus not thinking aboutt because there are so many problems inhe world d in the count today. what ally disturbs me is that new orles is a treasure. it is theultural birthplace of ro-and-roll, jazz, blues, food, culture. this should be prerved like a museum. that is theart that really boers me, that pple are not payi attention to ts treasure. tavis: how does a project like ts. through the noe? -- how does it break through ts noise? it really is not noise, it is silence. how'd you get pple to move beyond whatight be descrid as new orleans katra fatigue?

>> one of thehings, i wrote th song called healing time after walking aroundareas of w orleans and seeing the devastation and thinking, how muchealing time will it take to f this. we releasedhe song to befit the city. i think a lot of timeseople think we cannotive any more mey or give this and that. we put the sought out for ninety nine cents. at means $1, if 1 llion people downloading, that will go to t rebuilding. it has to be done throh private donations to rebuild the city. everybody i have tald to so far really thinks the city needs to be rebuilt and want t help, but th do not know how. i said this is a great opportunity. even the ninety nine cts will make a dference. tavis: how was it going? >> we are doing well. this is the anniversary month, two weeks away from th anniversary, so it finally comg back into people's minds

that, waia mine, we live in he united statesthis is happenin in our country. there are a lot ofroblems happenin but this is a city thatpeople go to and never forget when they go there. you go ere and it has that something speal. i thin it comes into people's minds that we ne to do somethinggain, and this is why we're outere pushing hard. ou goal is to hve million downloads, $1 million through the sale of "healing me," and i'm donating a the money to e preservati resource center which has rebuilt 2 green homes. they're rebuilding homes and architectural integrity for the city. tavis: you reference the previous administration. what is your sense othe new administrion and what they should be doing? >> hopefly, it will pay attention to it. i know that what i have readnd

heard is that ne orleans is the agena, butven health care the economy, where is the priority? even with steali time, i wrote it for new orleans personay, but ihink everybodyneeds healing timin this country uld sure use it. the ecomy and eerything is goin on in this country. theong is beyond unuely new orles, but i am donating the money to the city. tavis: tl me a little bit b the lyrics. >> the send verse of theong has the lyr, "whenou have lost allour possessions and allour left it witis te memories andouse you have grown up and is wash away," metaphoricly the house could beanything. inew orles, the house is literally somebody's house. all you need is hling time to get through the pn and rrow, there wille aetter tomorrow. i wrote the song in t sense

that it startsoff somber, and it comes to the poin where the is dealing with in the song. thatas my goal, to create some sense of a serioature, but also feeling good. even my ba plaer on the ecord called me up and said, i jusgot into a fight with my girlfriend, b song on, and feel tter, i had so "healing time." tais: up next, josh charles and his trip to the peop of new orleans withsome lyrics that may even work for y. is-few here. >> think. -- nice to ha you here. >> ank you. tavis: here cos josh. here is just traw perform his acaimed single for the ty of -- here is josh chles performinghis claim singl for t city of new orleans, "healing time."

♪ you cannot see your way through it will not stop to beeve. you cannot catch ur breath ur heart is like a drum and the world around you is a blur all you need is hling time to make it through

the pain and sorrow there wille a better tomorrow when you have lost all your possessions and all yoare left with our mories an the house where you ew up has been washe away all you need is heali time to make it through and the pa and sorow there wll be aetteromorrow

the future is tomorrow yestday is gne the battle rages on the battle res on all you need is aling time all you nd is healing time ♪ ♪ all you need is heang time all y need is healing time all youeed is healingtime

all you need is healing time all you need is heang time to make make it on through ♪ [applause] >> for more information on today's showvisit tavis smiley on pbs.org. tavis: hi, i am tavis smiley. next tim an investigation into cia torre impacting inlligence gatherg. that next time. we will see you the >>there are so many things tha wal-mart is lookg forward to doin like helping people live better. but most, we're helping ild stronger comnities and relatiships. becse with your help, the best is yet to come. >> nationwidensurance prouly supports "tavis smiley."

tavis and tionwide, wking togetheto improve financia litery and the economic empowerment that comes witit. >>♪ nationwide is on youside ♪ and by contributions to your pbstation from viewers like you. thank you. [captioning made poible by kcet pubc television] captioned the national caioning institute www.ncicap.org--