take a listen. ♪ male announcer: "miss saigon," a legendmues m."the story of a young vietnamese woman who's faced with the harsh realities of war-stricken vietnam. "asian pacific america" met up with vacaville native, christine bunuan. she plays the role of gigi and is currently back in town for the production's san francisco show at the shn orpheum theatre, part of its national tour. christine bunuan: this story is about a mother's sacrifice and love for her child. it is set during the vietnam war. and it is also a love story between kim and chris. and we see kim's journey in trying to bring her son to america and what she sacrifices to give her son a better life. announcer: christine's musical upbringing and involvement in school productions were what sparked her passion for acting. christine: music has always been a part of our family ly gonna be, like, an extracurricular 'cause i did all of the shows at my high school. when i realized that i really wanted to be an actor. and when i started to pursue that as a college career, there was a little

the american embassy in saigon. the spanking new american embassy in saigon? any problems here? >> it is supposed to be a bastion of safety and security? >> what do we say that is? >> it is one of these staffers been able to do. they did not get into the building though there is some debate back and forth but these guys are in the center of the american embassy in saigon. any problem with that. >> [indiscernible-multiple speakers] >> >> how about that picture to the far right. >> how about that. >> we say that that will help liberate but we don't know what is happening with this picture. we have a person his arms are banned been shot execution style in the street when at that point he is no threat. >> if you are in peoria and you are seeing these images on a television what are you thinking. >> what the is going on. >> we are absolutely losing. what is the credibility gap ago >> what is the problem with the credibility gap? >> if the population stops trusting that you are processing the war then they will stop supporting it. than the politicians quickly have to find a new soluti

i was last year at the fashion saigon -- in saigon. this landed on my principal's death because our school was across the street from the presidential palace. thathool was interrupted, going back today i wish to acknowledge professor turner and mr. frank snap for having raised something very hot feeling to me, the sense of abandonment. being a christian i tried to live with unconditional love and forgiveness, but i'm still very hurt by the sense of betrayal. that sense of abandonment by the has sentgovernment millions of vietnamese and exodus and some cases death. diasporahe vietnamese help our brothers and sisters in vietnam to break the yoke of communist oppression? to build a government for which human rights, religious freedom and environmental justice matters? thank you. do you want to go first with that question? believe the vietnamese diaspora can play a very important role in critical role. first of all we can do advocacy because we are not citizens of the free world. we have influence over government's. our government here as

the saigon government at that time was corrupt.s far as westmoreland, i'm not defending him but -- when i was in, our area, when we got reports, which was basic third marine division and they are taking casualties, when we sent that information down to saigon, westmoreland was being told our casualties were light. the enemy was sustaining heavy losses and a lot of times this was not the case. it was political on both fronts from the vietnamese and from us. >> ok. greg, would you like to take that on? it sounds like your question is about the accuracy of reporting so that the senior commanderca can make good strategic judgment. >> it is an important point. i want to be careful, though, just simply suggesting that the saigon government failed because it was corrupt. i think there is far more complexity to that statement that we need to embrace. this is an important struggle for the south vietnamese about what i mentioned in my comments about what it means to be the enemies. and even tha question is difficult. does the enemies mean w-

the saigon government at that time was corrupt. as far as westmoreland, i'm not defending him, but, when i was in that area, we got reports, which was third marine division, that they had taken casualties in a great number, when we sent the information down to saigon, that got intercepted, with borland were that she was being told that the casualties were light and the enemies sustained heavy casualties. a lot of times, this was not the case. it was political on both sides, from the vietnamese and from us. >> greg, would you like to take that on? it sounds like sir, your question is about accuracy of reporting so that a senior commander can make good strategic decisions. >> i think it's an important point, i want to be careful though just -- suggesting that the saigon government failed just because it was corrupt, i think there is more complexity to that statement that we need to embrace. this is an important struggle for the saigon leadership about what i mentioned in my comments, what it means to be vietnamese. even that question

the americans fully undermined the legitimacy of saigon. there were errors that contribute to that perception again. >> thank you. >> next question. >> my name is tai. the republic of vietnam project, which is a worldwide project that looks back to the past for lessons to be learned. i would like to use a term. how about, back to the future? that means you have to learn from the past to apply to the future. veryave not mentioned the outstanding performance of vietnam in foreign relations. in theg the war evenpelago, south vietnam according to the geneva conference that entrusts the administration of the two hasipelagoes, south vietnam sovereignty. -- has no sovereignty. the government now has to recognize the battle as legitimate. your question is over. thank you. sorry. >> it was one minute. >> excuse me. you did not mention foreign relations of south vietnam. >> right. >> forgive me. another reminder that when you please bringphone, it closer so people can hear you. so that everybody can hear. another thing, questions only one minute. sor

she plays gigi in "miss saigon." you were amazing. >> thank you so much.ving me. >> tell us about your character and your role. >> so, gigi is one of the bar girls in dreamland in the beginning, and she is someone who has to be a prostitute in order to survive in this war-torn country. and this is what she has to do in order to keep herself alive, feed herself, help her family, but that's who she is. ♪ >> ♪ this is our land >> what's it like being on tour? what's life on the road like? >> it's pretty fun. our cast is incredible. we instantly became a family, so there is -- we let each other know like when something is happening or if there's a party or a birthday. >> performing in san francisco holds a special meaning to christine. she's originally from the bay area. >> when i first started rehearsals in new york, i was terrified. i was like, "oh, my god, i'm bringing this show, this, like, epic show to my hometown." and i actually genuinely had fear that i wasn't cut out to do this. i am not afraid anymore. i am just filled with so much joy and gratitude

she plays gigi in "miss saigon." you were amazing. >> thank you so much. thanks for having me. >> tell us about your character and your role. >> so, gigi is one of the bar girls in dreamland in the beginning, and she is someone who has to be a prostitute in order to survive in this war-torn country. and this is what she has to do in order to keep herself alive, feed herself, help her family, but that's who she is. ♪ >> ♪ this is our land >> what's it like being on tour? what's life on the road like? >> it's pretty fun. our cast is incredible. we instantly became a family, so there is -- we let each other know like when something is happening or if there's a party

miss saigon. on. >>> thursday morning is up and running. i foggy thursday morning across the bay area with another san jose international. expect delays. stadium. stadium especially in a 10 or 12 weeks because the college football playoff championship will be right here in the bay area. welcome to the 9. on the thursday morning. i know a lot of people one -- to be at the house in the bay area. i am all for it. a lot of the celebration was in san francisco but also the south bay. are you fans of having big events in the bay area, putting a spotlight on where we live? >> always. >> the best type of advertising that will hopefully last four months. >> bill hancock is a big man on campus the executive director of the college football championship that will be with us in studio and we will talk to him about the rankings and parties coming and also the person in charge of the host committee that will join him. we will talk -- temperatures all of the chapters in santa clara. with cisco. they will find out. a busy morning and that is one of the int

, 16 miles from saigon. he said, you know, why did the arvin keep getting defeated there. it was a question that dan ellsberg took like a piece of string and started pulling at the string. and he would find one answer after another. and everything he pulled came down vietnamese politics. that was the end. that was the end of piece of string. >> you know, there was a soviet journalist talking about the soviet war many afghanistan, wrote a wonderful book called "the hidden war." and he says, you know, experienced travelers will tell you to get lost in a country. that's the way you come to know it. but in afghanistan we couldn't even to that. we'd stare out at these villages through 8 inches of bulletproof glass. and i read that in iraq after coming back from a convoy which i'd stared out at iraqis through several inches of bulletproof glass. and it's always -- i mean, this is the moral force, you know, the things you can't quantify and more, the opinions and feelings of the people amongst whom you're fighting.

the last american helicopter lifts off from the roof of the american embassy in saigon. the vietnam war the thread running through this decade of change is over. a new era is about to be in that we'll see dictatorships phoning europe and new liberal ideas try. and know which way should we go should we cultivate our garden or commit to a new struggle. and he deluca has his own idea. or jews for me to do that and not it will mean. but he. did it or. even turned it into the secular press. lot and also going on say nietzsche you know but she continued in the zone i did a moment of you have been in the truth was your benedict earth will form. a core you to get anything but your own. biscuit or you shooting a lot you know ticket article it could be up toward. the you know. held back. from one hundred sixty five to one thousand nine hundred eighty five the world for talking too much struggle. i remember that we were proud sometimes and disappointed often. to be abandon some illusions to hang on to all the struggles. to remember that we which and he is only nineteen sixty eight

the last american helicopter lifts off from the roof of the american embassy in saigon. the vietnam war the thread running through this decade of change is over. a new era is about to begin that will see dictatorships phone in europe and new liberal ideas triumph. and know which way should we go should we cultivate our garden or commit to a new struggle. and he the new king has his own idea. or jude i mean that you need another good move. but in truth if you see me did it or. even turned it into the secular trend. might in all stop going on say nietzsche you know but she continued in the zone i didn't see a minute it was out there benedict earth was formed on a core you know get anything but your own. people scuttled you shooting a lot you know read it are deployed. you know. held back. from one hundred sixty five to one thousand nine hundred eighty five a world caught up in turmoil struggle. if you want more one more voice is a race against colonialist authoritarian repressive and moralizing societies. i remember that we were proud sometimes and disappointed often. to b

after that fell, the goal of getting to saigon became. much easier. but being an advise your -- became much easier. that being an advisor in a war where the people you are atising are being worked -- very hard, it is very difficult. >> you faced many challenges in both of your combat tours. what are the one or two biggest challenges you faced as a commander in battle? >> i was told by a lieutenant those my battalion commanders were superb officers. my battalion commanders were superb officers. good nottold me it is to be too concerned about your soldiers. i did not understand what the hell he was talking about. he had not ever commanded in combat. he was from a class -- i think it was 1955 or 1956, and had not commanded soldiers in combat. i thought, i will take that under advisement. but the biggest challenge i have -- i will tell you what the operation environment we had. we were in war zones see, along the cambodian border, triple canopy rain forest or rubber plantations, miles and miles of them. you heard those early lectures to search and destroy

after that fell, the goal of getting to saigon became much easier. be in advisor in a war for the people you're advising feel like they are being worked out very hard by both sides was very difficult. very difficult. >> bill, you faced many challenges in both of your combat tours. what is the one or two biggest challenges you faced as a commander in battle? i will preface that by saying i was told by a lieutenant colonel at one point, not my battalion commander -- -- both my battalion commanders were superb officers. one was a west pointer and the other was an rotc grad. this guy told me it is good not to be too concerned about your soldiers. i did not understand what the hell he was talking about. he had not ever commanded in combat. he was from a class -- i think it was 1955 or 1956, and had not commanded soldiers in combat. i thought, i will take that under advisement. but the biggest challenge i had -- i will tell you what the operational environment was. we were in war zones c, along the cambodian border, triple canopy rain forest or rubber plan

on today's show, behind the scenes of "miss saigon." >> what this story does is it shows that there is love in the most broken of places. >> then, stylish and lifelong furniture. >> we can put together a whole house. we can do living rooms, we can do family rooms, we can do dining rooms, and we can do bedrooms. >> plus, perfect pizza night at home. >> we make all of our pizzas fresh in house, and then you can take them home and bake them whenever you want in your own oven. >> and a dream kitchen revealed. >> can you believe this is your kitchen? >> i'm super grateful. i love it. i love the way it turned out. >> all of this fun driven by your northern california honda dealers. ♪

then we're going to little saigon. >> it's a good plan. the cash lump sum for the new jackpot is $494 million. someone in san francisco actually got close. lottery officials say a ticket purchased at the many marina safeway matched five of the six numbers. we don't know the value of the ticket yet but i'm thinking it's pretty good. >> it will be a lot. david might want to consider driving up to san francisco to this place to buy one. >> why not? >> seems lucky so far. >> all right. good luck out there. >>> 5:51. recreational marijuana sales have begun in canada. we'll have details coming up on the rollout. >> here's the richmond/san rafael bridge. cars are making their way overheading out to work this morning. we hope you're spending some time with us before you do. we'll be right back. janice, progressive can help you save over $650 on car insurance. how do you take two selfies with one phone? -what? -[ scoffs ] never mind. [ camera shutters click ] >>> good morning. it's 5:54. we're halfway through the workweek. daytime highs right aroun

after that fell, the goal of getting to saigon became much easier. but being an advisor in a war where the people that you're advising feel like they are being worked out very hard by both sides, it was very difficult. it was very difficult. >> you faced many challenges in both of your combat tours what is the one or two biggest challenges you faced as a commander? >> i'll preface the answer to that by saying i was told by lieutenant colonel at one point , he was not my commander, both my commanders were superb officers. this officer, who was from staff at brigade level, he told me he's not good to be to -- it's not good to be too concerned about your soldiers. he had not ever commanded in combat. he was from a class, i think 55 or 56. and he had not commanded soldiers in combat. and i thought i'll take that under advisement, but the biggest challenge i had i think was that she i'll tell you with operation was first. we were in war zones see. we were operating in triple canopy rain forest or in rubber plantations. miles and miles and miles of them. o

then we going to little saigon. >> the cash lump sum for the new jackpot is now $494 million. >>> youtube is back up and running this morning after last night's worldwide outage. visitors saw a half loading homepage which showed the names of channels but no videos. internal service error messages. youtube tweeted that it was aware of the outage but didn't explain the cause. one user tweeted out, youtube is down. everyone put down their phones and look at your family members for the first time in hours. the apocalypse is now! about an hour later the company confirmed that the website was back up and running. >>> time now, 4:41. caught on video. an oakland zoo visitor puts his life in danger. >> still ahead, details on the close encounter this has zoo officials scratching their heads. >> and let's take a live look outside on this early wednesday morning. you're taking a look at the lights of san francisco. right in front of the tiger enclosure! he got right in front of a wire fence... it in front of the tiger enclosure. he got right in front of a wire fence which keeps the tiger in its encl

go to saigon. witnessed the high-ranking and well-to-do kids driving around with motorcycles, gunning red lights, causing accidents, beating on people. friend shared a rented room. he tried to find work. the worst thing he found out was, a lot of people tried to escape the blight in situation in vietnam, they had to sign up and pay exorbitant sums to get the visa to work as a labor exporter. he fellesides this, into slavery. they worked and became addicted to drugs. they had to sell their bodies for sex. the saddest thing is, he nan an red advertisement of two young girls for sale on ebay. andper than the used car, to be delivered only in taiwan. so this is the kind of thing going on around the world. thatart that got me was even at his age, he had a lot of mistreatment. if you wanted to go overseas and get a job he had to pay for this middle man was colluding with the vietnamese government because otherwise there would be no visa, no passport. so they cannot get out of vietnam. they have to pay so

challenges in creating this cultural district when we compare ourselves to chinatown, japantown or little saigonties there that act as place makers. when you enter into little philippines, you're like where are the businesses, and that's one of the challenges we're trying to solve. >> undercover love wouldn't be possible without the help of the mayor and all of our community partnerships out there. it costs approximately $60,000 for every event. undiscovered is a great tool for the cultural district to bring awareness by bringing the best parts of our culture which is food, music, the arts and being ativism all under one roof, and by seeing it all in this way, what it allows san franciscans to see is the dynamics of the filipino-american culture. i think in san francisco, we've kind of lost track of one of our values that makes san francisco unique with just empathy, love, of being acceptable of different people, the out liers, the crazy ones. we've become so focused onic maing money that we forgot about those that make our city and community unique. when people come to discover, i want them to

first aid management of media casualties and so on we learnt a lot also for example in myanmar from saigon not this many years ago and you know it's ordinary loss of life today that would be unlikely to happen because the whole disaster risk management system is in place and that is what you need to be in many countries does with governments to learn the lessons from pasta sauces and then put national plans in place and also capacity for structure to come thank you very much that's all the time we have for so peter obviously you know and on sulawesi island they're trying to get back to life that they can at this stage very important for the reconstruction to move for but also for those local economies to get going so those people get back to work and they can move forward and also clean up and get back to a life that they once knew scott thanks very much. people in florida are assessing the damage caused by one of the strongest storms to ever make landfall in the u.s. hurricane michel ripped off roofs uprooted trees and meant a lot of flooding moving over neighboring georgia it was downgra

the civic center neighborhood welcomes people from all communities: from little saigon, hard working local merchants, visitors, museum and library goers, to the children who visit our family playground does. if victory has many parents, victory also loves soft ice cream. and if that's true, we have our children to thank. will celeste step forward? celeste drew plans for this playground, and at the end, when we asked her if it needed anything else, she said... >> soft ice cream. >> soft ice cream. so we owe a huge thanks to the kids of the tenderloin for their mission. all right. we have many people to thank, and a few different speakers, and we're going to get through the program as quickly as we can, but to celebrate with us today is our mayor, london breed. i confess, i don't know her favorite brand of ice cream, but we'll find out. she is here at civic center every day, and it is my great honor to introduce our mayor, london breed. >> the hon. london breed: wow. what an amazing community. thank you all for being here today. we know we face many challenges in our city that i am try

aid and management of media casualties and so on we learnt a lot also for example in myanmar from saigon not as many years ago and. needs of life today that would be unlikely to happen because the whole disaster risk management system is in place and that is what you would be in many countries those with governments to learn the lessons from pasta sauces and then put national funds in place of the plans to restructure meanwhile the i.m.f. and the world bank of also approved plans for zimbabwe to pay back more than two billion dollars in debt as a vital step to secure new loans to revive the economy the government also recently impose a tax on bank transaction but bad is being blamed for raising prices it's affected the health sector and a number of businesses have had to close authorities also banned protests organized by trade unions because of a cholera epidemic has more from. union leaders were in the office preparing to organize for this march this protest riot police showed up and they told them they cannot have the march because of a ban on public gatherings because of cholera the

watch in 1975, television viewers watched their tvs as the last of the refugees now are removed from saigonnorth vietnamese forces take over the entire south.>> the 1976 campaign. gerald ford finds himself pitted against a fellow by the name of jimmy carter. another southerner, not just a southerner, but a southerner from georgia. jimmy carter, and this is a time magazine cover from 1971, he had been in the united states navy. he was from plains, georgia, grew up on a farm. in the navy, he had been an engineer, done submarine duty. and he would do when he gets back, he decides he has a responsibility to run for office. his early campaigns are notable. first, he runs for state office in georgia, and then in the 1960s he decides to make a run for the governorship of georgia, and he is essentially defeated in the democratic primary by lester maddox. maddox runs a fairly racial campaign. that left carter on the outside as a moderate. in 1970 though, when carter comes back running against karl sanders, it is carter in the campaign takes the more extreme position. in fact, carter will draw off vo

>> scooters and cars and all this, and you are basically playing human frogger on the streets of saigonsee. it's not good touk a pedestrian there? >> no, they do not have the right-of-way. we are conditioned as americans that you can walk in the street and cars will stop. you have to link arms and just close your eyes and go. otherwise, you're never going to get across the road. >> jimmy: did you get to see much of the country while you were there? >> we were pretty much focused in hoch i-mihochiman city. >> jimmy: who was there? >> are you fishing for information? i was there with a couple of cast mates, and we're in the past, and we're also in the present. you, some things will happen on the tv show on a tuesday night. >> jimmy: you know you don't have to worry about it because, like, on "lost" if somebody screwed up, they would kill them off. you're already dead. >> yeah. i'm sure they could find another -- >> jimmy: a haunted crockpot. that could be a good costume for you, by the way. >> i see all the costumes, and all these, you know, jack and rebeccas, and they're all >>im>>e a ac

. >> my grandparents were business people in saigon. the war hit. they were persecuted.eir children on boats and send them off to sea and hopefully they find an opportunity on the other side. >> she was born to refugee parents in low-income housing in quincy, massachusetts. >> i was always the caregiver. it's the first born mentality, but first born on steroids because you're the hope and dream for a refugee family. >> her high school now renovated was run down and strapped for cash. but her teachers there changed the trajectory of her life. >> she's an extraordinary person. she's smart. and she's intuitive and she's kind. >> peter swanson taught chan a.p. environmental science and tennis. >> i used to say, just be sure to give back. and boy, you know, she's giving back. but i think she's giving back more than money. >> he's like, i heard you're good at science. he's like, now you will play tennis because you need to have leadership skills. you're going to go to harvard. >> and she did. on a full scholarship. a dream but one she never imagined would almost break her. >>

the final evacuation of americans in saigon had been completed. >> richard nixon had lied to us about pretty much everything. >> well, i'm not a crook. >> the country tonight is in the midst of what may be the most serious constitutional crisis in its history. >> i shall resign the presidency effective at noon tomorrow. vice president carter will be sworn in as president at that hour in this hour. >> this was america in the early 1970s. into this mayhem stepped an unlikely figure. jimmy carter a sunday teacher from georgia making a play for the country's highest office. what is it that made you do this thing because nobody was asking you to do it. >> you're right to say nobody asked me to do it. i just thought it was the best way for me to be myself and to do the best i could with the life that i had. >> i've known him for decades, even worked for him as a speechwriter, and i'm still trying to fully get my head around the man. carter's bond to his hometown and to his faith would play a key role to his unlikely assent to the white house. it was the touch stone. >> in 1976 american vote

. >> the final evacuation as americans of saigon has been completed. >> lyndon johnson had lied to us about vietnam. richard nixon had lied to us about pretty much everything. >> i'm not a crook! >> the country tonight is in the midst of what may be the most serious constitutional crisis in its history. >> i shall resign the presidency effective at noon tomorrow. vice president ford will be sworn in as president. at that hour in this office. >> this was america in the early 1970s. into this mayhem stepped an unlikely figure. jimmy carter. a sunday school teacher from a small town in georgia. making a brazen play for the country's highest office. >> i'm running for president. >> what is it that made you do this thing? because nobody was asking you to do it. >> that's true. you're right in saying that nobody asked me to do it i just thought it was the best way for me to be myself and to do the best that i could with the life that i've had. >> i've known him for decades, even worked for him as a speechwriter. i'm still trying to get my head around the man. >> good to have you back in pla

. >> we made our way to westminster, home to little saigon, and a lot of people say having grown up inern california, there are no real community gathering places around here, burr i will tell you where people gather, and it is at the car wash. wow. let me see if any of these guys will chat. i'm here because there's a big election coming up in november for congress. are you guys thinking about voting? >> no. >> what's life like in westminster, huntington beach? >> terrific. >> terrific? >> we live in california. >> nice out here, huh? a lot of people say it's a conservative area and the democrats are going to try to flip it. >> well, good luck. >> you don't think it's going to happen? >> no. we'll keep them at bay. >> what are the issues that are going to be the most important to you that you'll vote on? >> i think a lot of the racial issues that's going on. that's a big thing, especially now with trump in. >> are you a voter? do you vote here? >> not yet. >> you're not a citizen yet. >> i'm working on it. >> working on it. >> yes. >> do you think they'll flip? >> i think he's out. >>

you are dealing with a corrupt regime in saigon. george w. bush would have done a better job in iraq and afghanistan if his own leaders in congress challenged him more. in going all throughout american history as i write about, back to 1807 that's what the founders wanted. they didn't want a president to get us involved in a war single-handedly. they demanded if he want add war they go to congress and get a war resolution, a war declaration. and the problem is that since 1942 not a single president has gone to congress asking for that declaration when he wanted to steek a war. truman, johnson, george w. bush, george w bush. got the nation into war with varying ideas of doing it or not but without consulting congress. >> why didn't congress exert the legislative and constitutional prerogative. >> because too often they are lap dogs. and they are accustomed to a president going to war with only asking for a flimsy rchlgs like the gulf of tongan resolution which was in 1964. johnson and nixon used that flimsy resolution based on an attack that n

miss saigon. on. >>> thursday morning is up and running.rsday morning across the bay area with another san jose international. expect delays. stadium. stadium especially in a 10 or 12ks

if you end up going to vietnam, you will certainly be in saigon, writing checks and doing logistics. things like that. go into thegest you finance core. something happened in january of 2000. it was called the tet offensive. they called me in. we have changed the rules now. if you want to be in the finance mba even if you have an company must go here first area if you graduate in the top three .f your class top threeduate in the , the last thing you would choose would be the finance or. i went infantry. i was commissioned into the the experience that i had was quite good. out -- when i went back to school, i did research on what the school is in terms of commissioning. what i found was a program that i really believe was some of the best training that a person could have. to thet to go in operation. enjoyed every moment of it. became very interested in trying to become the best leaders that i possibly could be. orders for vietnam when i was with the airborne division. to thecluded going military advisers program in fort bragg. went to the language institute to learn the vietnamese la