and so they behaved in ways that were antithetical to their own long-term interests. >> michael lewis, a one-time wonder boy on wall street, is ensconced in this hillside compound in berkeley, california, which has a main house and three cottages, and he is much happier writing about business than actually conducting it. he lives here with his wife, former mtv news correspondent tabitha soren, and their three children: a three-year-old son and two young daughters who he takes to all of cal berkley's women's basketball games. it's one of the few breaks that lewis allowed himself over the past 18 months as he dug into the idiocy and negligence that produced the worst financial crisis since the great depression. >> i'm afraid that our culture will come to the conclusion-- 'cause it's always the easy conclusion--that everybody was just a bunch of criminals. i think the story is much more interesting than that. i think it's a story of mass delusion. >> lewis' forte has always been discovering little-known facts and characters that change people's perception about a story. so when he finall

dorothy thompson son, michael lewis, the issue of her contemptuous and ultimately failed marriage to sinclair lewis was a lost and lonely young man who became like his father, an alcoholic. he could never measure up to his parents expect nation. and although he had a gift for acting, he ultimately succumbed to invalids and philandering. destroying the lives of his wife and his children. rebecca west's son, anthony west, was a product, and some of you may know this, of our decade long relationship with h.g. wells, whom, as you know, was one of the most celebrated authors in the english language at the time. whose legendary books are still read today. he was 46, married with two sons, and when they met. and west was a mere girl of 19. who was easily, and i might add, willingly, seduced by his intellectual brilliance and rapacious sexuality. he had indeed -- wells had indeed met his match in rebecca, but each was as ambitious and self absorbed as the other. and their union quickly unraveled, but it was their son, anthony, who would pay the price. caught in the middle he hunkered for love

lewis, out for the year for baltimore. they did not need him today. the 2nd quarter, down 2. need something kind of spark. michaele it to him as he picks it off. inside of the red zone. they can not punch it in. late 1st half. palmer, to bay. watch this tackle. 55 yard score. the raiders cut the lead to 10. is there hope? no. i will show you a play. says it about the defense. look at it skip. going into the end zone. 27-10 at halftime. they trail. you think that was easy? check this one out. to smith. he is wide open here. how does had it this happen? >> it continues. down 41-17. baltimore, now, toying with him. a fake field goal. runs it in. they were just embarrassed. 55 to 20. to 55 point record allow set in 1981. >> how demoralizing is it to come 3,000 miles to come and do this? >> it is messed up. we want to prove something on the field. it happens. they were better than us today. >> rough, rough, rough game. wid did not do good. i same out and -- well, it is my job to make sure we execute our jobs on the football field. we did not do that today. it lies with me and i have to do a better job of getting our t

lewis, out for the year did not need him today. the second quarter, raiders down. they need a spark, any spark. michael huff gave it to him. led to the field goal. it was 10-3. 20-3 late in the 1st half. palmer, to hayward bay. watch him break his tackle, right heir. 55 yard touchdown and the raiders cut the lead to 10. i want to show you a play that is as it all about this defense. look at ray. he almost skips into the end zone. come on. twefp-10 at half time. do you thank was easy? i got another one for you. second half, he falls to smith. is there anyone in the area? it can not be serious, a break down in coverage. down 41-17, baltimore holding now. now, alan was embarrassed today by baltimore. 55-20. 55 points, allowed a franchise record. tied a franchise record set in 1981. it is messed up, we don't want to lose. we go out every game trying to win ask try to prove something out here on the field. but, it happens, you know, they were better than us today. >> rough, rough, rough, rough game. you know, we did not play any good in any facet of the game. came in and got out ask played by a good football team. >> by the end

michael shure recently had the opportunity to discuss these disgraceful new voter i.d. laws with two icons of the civil rights movement, former chairman julian bond and congressman john lewis all the work that was done here, and the sacrifice that was done here, people who have lost their lives here have not lost it in vain but their victory has been lessened and cheapened by the governors in 30-odd states who introduced these draconian voter right laws. >> i happen to believe that the vote is so precious, almost sacred and it should be simple to vote. >> they have made it more difficult for pleasanter to vote. >> a coalition of conscience must be developed, a national effort to put as much pressure on these states, on the governors, the state legislatures, to say that this will not be tolerated in our society. we must create a movement similar to the civil rights movements of the 60s. people must organize mobilize those who must be mobilize, and say this must go. this is the only way that we're going to stop it, and we must stop it. >> eliot: michael shure will join us with more later in the show. but first to talk voter suppression and some of the issues we've seen in th

lewis, thanks so much for your time. >> thank you. ifill: now let's go to 30,000 feet on this evening from presidential historians and newshour regulars michael beschloss and richard norton smith. you know, michael, i have heard time and time again throughout this campaign that this has been a campaign about small things. the bi picture was missing. is that really something that w just longed for and imagine it used to be is that real? >> i think it is real because in the old days the way that you would experience a candidate would be basically long speeches on central issues. for instance, williams jennings bryant and the cross of gold speech. most people would read it in the newspaper. the point is if that you were reading the candidates' words in a newspaper as opposed to seeing him oned tv for 30on seconds ita very different way of approaching the people. >> woodruff: same question to you, richard. what about that? >> i think michael is right. i also think though there are pfferent kinds of elections. there are confirming elections. you think of ike being re-elected in '56 or bill clinton more recently in '96. those were elections that al

lewis's and arnie of books. [applause] by the time i was 8 it was thought of it. when i was 9, rather peculiarly it became storm rigor by michael more:00. didn't know it wasn't a children's book but really liked it. then for a couple years the first two books of ward of the rings because that was all they had in the school library. ahead them as individual books published in nearly 50s and fellowship of the ring and the two towers. when i got to the end of the two towers i would go back and read the fellowship of the ring. when i was 12 i won the school english prize and they said you get a book. i said i would like the return of the king. [applause] i wanted to find out how is ended. what is your advice for someone that wants to write and be published. right. finish things. make a really good and publishable. send them to people who might publish them. when they come back from those people with notes saying they can't publish them send them to somebody else, someone out there is strong enough or desperate enough to publish your story. then keep writing. don't actually go oh, i have finished my story, i have sold a story. i not

lewis, thanks so much for your time. >> thank you. ifill: now let's go to 30,000 feet on this evening from presidential historians and newshour regulars michael beschloss and richard norton smith. you know, michael, i have heard time and time again throughout this campaign that this has been a campaign about small things. the big picture was missing. is that really something that we just longed for and imagine it used to be is that real? >> i think it is real because in the old days the way that you would experience a candidate would be basically long speeches on central issues. for instance, williams jennings bryant and the cross of gold speech. most people would read it in the newspaper. the point is if that you were reading the candidates' words in a newspaper as opposed to seeing him on tv for 30 seconds it's a very different way of approaching the people. >> woodruff: same question to you, richard. what about that? >> i think michael is right. i also think though there are different kinds of elections. there are confirming elections. you think of ike being re-elected in '56 or bill clinton more recently in '96. those were elections that