1 00:00:11,344 --> 00:00:18,885 >>> HER NAME, HER REAL NAME, IS REALITY WINNER. SHE'S AN AIR FORCE VETERAN ACCUSED OF ESPIONAGE WHO SPENT 2 00:00:18,952 --> 00:00:26,593 FOUR YEARS BEHIND BARS FOR LEAKING CLASSIFIED INFORMATION TO THE MEDIA. DID SHE DO EXCEPTIONALLY GRAVE 3 00:00:26,659 --> 00:00:34,768 DAMAGE AS THE PROSECUTOR SAID, OR DID SHE REVEAL A TRUTH THAT DEFENDED AMERICA? >> I'M NOT A TRAITOR. 4 00:00:34,834 --> 00:00:44,210 >> THE YOUNG WOMAN WITH THE UNFORGETTABLE NAME IN HER FIRST TELEVISION INTERVIEW TONIGHT. >>> WHEN HURRICANE DORIAN 5 00:00:44,277 --> 00:00:53,853 SLAMMED INTO THE NORTHERN BAHAMAS ON SEPTEMBER 1st, 2019, IT WAS THE FIFTH CATEGORY 5 ATLANTIC HURRICANE IN JUST THREE 6 00:00:53,920 --> 00:01:00,393 YEARS. WHAT CAN THE CHAIN OF ISLANDS THAT SIT IN THE HEART OF HURRICANE ALLEY DO TO PROTECT 7 00:01:00,460 --> 00:01:08,668 THEMSELVES? WE FOUND A RAY OF HOPE, SPECIFICALLY A SOLAR ARRAY. DESIGNED TO SURVIVE FUTURE 8 00:01:08,735 --> 00:01:18,044 DESTRUCTIVE HURRICANES SPAWNED BY THE WARMING OCEAN WATERS. >>> THESE ARE BEAUTIFUL LAURIE ANDERSON'S LARGEST EVER U.S. 9 00:01:18,111 --> 00:01:24,551 EXHIBITION IS CURRENTLY ON DISPLAY AT THE SMITHSONIAN MUSEUM ON THE NATIONAL MALL IN WASHINGTON, D.C. 10 00:01:24,617 --> 00:01:31,357 IT'S AN ODYSSEY THROUGH HER SINGULAR CREATIVE LIFE. THIS SEEMS VERY OMINOUS TO ME. >> GOOD. 11 00:01:31,424 --> 00:01:38,198 >> WOW. IN ONE ROOM, SHE'S PAINTED WORDS AND IMAGES THAT SEEM TO EXPLODE ONTO THE WALLS AND FLOOR. 12 00:01:38,264 --> 00:01:46,272 IT'S A KIND OF MULTI-DIMENSIONAL SKETCH BOOK OF HER THOUGHTS, DREAMS, AND STORIES. ♪ 13 00:01:46,339 --> 00:01:50,610 >> I'M LESLEY STAHL. >> I'M BILL WHITAKER. >> I'M ANDERSON COOPER. >> I'M SHARYN ALFONSI. 14 00:01:50,677 --> 00:02:06,059 >> I'M JON WERTHEIM. >> I'M SCOTT PELLEY. THOSE STORIES TONIGHT ON "60 MINUTES." 15 00:02:06,125 --> 00:02:13,333 >>> A STORY ABOUT SOMEONE NAMED REALITY WINNER HAS GOT TO START WITH THE NAME. HER FATHER, PLAYING ON THE 16 00:02:13,399 --> 00:02:22,542 FAMILY NAME, EXPLAINED HE WANTED A REAL WINNER, AND SO "REALITY." MAYBE THAT STILL DOESN'T MAKE SENSE, BUT IT IS THE LEAST 17 00:02:22,609 --> 00:02:30,917 BAFFLING FACT IN THIS STORY. REALITY WINNER BECAME AN INFAMOUS NAME IN 2017 WHEN SHE WAS ACCUSED OF ESPIONAGE. 18 00:02:30,984 --> 00:02:38,725 SHE WAS HIT WITH THE LONGEST SENTENCE EVER IMPOSED ON A CIVILIAN FOR LEAKING CLASSIFIED INFORMATION TO THE MEDIA. 19 00:02:38,791 --> 00:02:46,766 NOW RELEASED, SHE SPOKE WITH US FOR A STORY THAT FIRST AIRED IN DECEMBER. DID REALITY WINNER DO 20 00:02:46,833 --> 00:02:54,340 EXCEPTIONALLY GRAVE DAMAGE AS THE PROSECUTOR SAID, OR DID SHE REVEAL A TRUTH THAT DEFENDED AMERICA? 21 00:02:54,407 --> 00:03:04,751 IT'S COMPLICATED, JUST LIKE THE WOMAN WITH THE UNFORGETTABLE NAME. >> I'M NOT A TRAITOR. 22 00:03:04,817 --> 00:03:16,262 I AM NOT A SPY. I AM SOMEBODY WHO ONLY ACTED OUT OF LOVE FOR WHAT THIS COUNTRY STANDS FOR. 23 00:03:16,329 --> 00:03:25,905 >> WE MET 30-YEAR-OLD REALITY WINNER AT HOME IN TEXAS AFTER FOUR YEARS BEHIND BARS. ESPIONAGE SEEMS SURPRISING FOR A 24 00:03:25,972 --> 00:03:36,683 WOMAN WHO JOINED THE AIR FORCE AT 19 AND WON THE AIR FORCE COMMENDATION MEDAL IN 2016 FOR, QUOTE, 600 ENEMIES KILLED IN 25 00:03:36,749 --> 00:03:43,556 ACTION. SHE DID THAT AS A LINGUIST IN A COMBAT UNIT FIGHTING SECRET MISSIONS. 26 00:03:43,623 --> 00:03:53,399 HOW MANY LANGUAGES DO YOU SPEAK? >> FARSI, DARRY, AND PASHTO. >> THESE ARE THE LANGUAGES OF AFGHANISTAN AND IRAN. 27 00:03:53,466 --> 00:04:00,106 >> YES. >> BUT HER DUTY STATION WAS 7,000 MILES AWAY FROM THOSE COUNTRIES AT FT. MEADE, 28 00:04:00,173 --> 00:04:06,145 MARYLAND. >> WHY ARE YOU AT FT. MEADE? >> NOT -- AM I ALLOWED TO SAY THAT? 29 00:04:06,212 --> 00:04:09,282 >> NOPE. >> NOPE. >> THAT'S THE VOICE OF HER LAWYER, WHO HELPED HER STEER 30 00:04:09,349 --> 00:04:17,056 CLEAR OF SECRETS IN OUR INTERVIEW. WINNER WOULDN'T SAY IT, BUT AT FT. MEADE, LINGUISTS 31 00:04:17,123 --> 00:04:25,231 EAVESDROPPED ON COMMUNICATIONS IN AFGHANISTAN TO IDENTIFY TARGETS FOR ARMED DRONES. >> IT IS NOT SOMETHING I'M 32 00:04:25,298 --> 00:04:30,336 ALLOWED TO DISCUSS. >> SHE DIDN'T DISCUSS HER MISSION WITH HER MOTHER, BILLY WINNER DAVIS. 33 00:04:30,403 --> 00:04:40,513 >> ONLY ONE CONVERSATION THAT I HAD WITH HER DID SHE EVER LET ON HOW HEAVY HER WORK WAS. I'LL NEVER FORGET BECAUSE SHE 34 00:04:40,580 --> 00:04:48,121 SAID, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU'RE WATCHING SOMEBODY ON YOUR SCREEN AND THAT PERSON GOES POOF, YOU'VE GOT TO MAKE SURE THAT 35 00:04:48,187 --> 00:04:58,898 YOU'VE GOT EVERYTHING RIGHT. >> I WAS STARTING TO SEE IN THE NEWS THAT OUR MISSION HAD A VERY HIGH CIVILIAN CASUALTY RATING. 36 00:04:58,965 --> 00:05:07,974 >> SHE BEGAN TO FEEL GUILT WHILE BATTLING ILLNESS, DEPRESSION, AND THE EATING DISORDER BULIMIA. SHE LEFT THE AIR FORCE FOR A 37 00:05:08,041 --> 00:05:18,017 TOP-SECRET CIVILIAN JOB AT THE NATIONAL SECURITY AGENCY AT FORT GORDON, IN AUGUSTA, GEORGIA. BUT HERE IN 2017, SHE SAYS WHAT 38 00:05:18,084 --> 00:05:29,062 SHE WAS HEARING IN ENGLISH WORRIED HER FAR MORE THAN INTERSEINTERERS INTERCEPS IN FARSI AND PASHTO. 39 00:05:29,128 --> 00:05:36,169 >> IF YOU DON'T CATCH A HACKER IN THE ACT, IT'S VERY HARD TO SAY WHO DID THE HACKING. >> THE PRESIDENT WAS RAISING 40 00:05:36,235 --> 00:05:40,606 DOUBT THAT RUSSIA ATTACKED THE 2016 ELECTION. HIS INTERVIEW WITH JOHN DICKERSON WAS TYPICAL OF THE 41 00:05:40,673 --> 00:05:43,710 TIME. >> I'LL GO ALONG WITH RUSSIA. COULD HAVE BEEN CHINA. COULD HAVE BEEN A LOT OF 42 00:05:43,776 --> 00:05:49,148 DIFFERENT GROUPS. >> BUT IT WAS RUSSIA, AND THE NSA KNEW IT. REALITY WINNER HAD SEEN PROOF IN 43 00:05:49,215 --> 00:05:58,224 A TOP-SECRET REPORT ON AN IN-HOUSE NEWS FEED. >> I JUST KEPT THINKING, MY GOD, SOMEBODY NEEDS TO STEP FORWARD 44 00:05:58,291 --> 00:06:08,000 AND PUT THIS RIGHT. SOMEBODY. >> THE SECRET REPORT SAID IN 2016, THE RUSSIAN MILITARY 45 00:06:08,067 --> 00:06:15,908 EXECUTED CYBER ESPIONAGE AGAINST 122 LOCAL GOVERNMENT ORGANIZATIONS, TARGETING OFFICIALS INVOLVED IN THE 46 00:06:15,975 --> 00:06:22,782 MANAGEMENT OF VOTER REGISTRATION SYSTEMS. IT WAS TOP SECRET IN PART BECAUSE IT REVEALED WHAT THE 47 00:06:22,849 --> 00:06:31,958 U.S. KNEW ABOUT RUSSIAN TACTICS. WINNER TOLD US SHE WAS EXPOSING A WHITE HOUSE COVER-UP. SHE PRINTED THE REPORT, DROPPED 48 00:06:32,024 --> 00:06:40,399 IT IN THIS MAILBOX ADDRESSED ANONYMOUSLY TO AN ONLINE NEWS SOURCE THAT SPECIALIZED IN GOVERNMENT WRONGDOING. 49 00:06:40,466 --> 00:06:46,372 THE NSA REPORT WAS PUBLISHED A MONTH LATER. YU KNEW IT WAS STAMPED TOP SECRET. 50 00:06:46,439 --> 00:06:53,346 YOU KNEW WHAT THAT MEANT. >> I KNEW THAT. I KNEW IT WAS SECRET. BUT I ALSO KNEW THAT I HAD 51 00:06:53,412 --> 00:07:00,753 PLEDGED SERVICE TO THE AMERICAN PEOPLE. AND AT THAT POINT IN TIME, IT FELT LIKE THEY WERE BEING LED 52 00:07:00,820 --> 00:07:06,692 ASTRAY. >> WINNER WAS CAUGHT AS SOON AS THE TOP-SECRET REPORT SURFACED. THE NSA COULD SEE ON ITS NETWORK 53 00:07:06,759 --> 00:07:17,103 THAT SHE PRINTED IT. SHE DROVE HOME TO A NEW REALITY. >> A PLAIN BLACK SEDAN CAME UP BEHIND MY CAR, AND TWO MEN IN 54 00:07:17,170 --> 00:07:23,676 POLO SHIRTS CAME OUT AND INTRODUCED THEMSELVES AS FBI AGENTS. >> A TRANSCRIPT SHOWS THE FBI 55 00:07:23,743 --> 00:07:30,249 AGENTS TOLD HER THE INTERROGATION WAS VOLUNTARY AND THEY DIDN'T MENTION HER RIGHT TO AN ATTORNEY. 56 00:07:30,316 --> 00:07:36,589 WINNER LIED ABOUT MAILING THE REPORT, THEN CONFESSED AND WAS ARRESTED. THE GOVERNMENT HIT HER WITH THE 57 00:07:36,656 --> 00:07:43,496 MOST SERIOUS POSSIBLE CHARGE, ESPIONAGE. BAIL WAS DENIED AFTER PROSECUTORS TOLD A JUDGE THAT 58 00:07:43,563 --> 00:07:52,338 WINNER WROTE IN HER DIARY THAT SHE WAS MAD ENOUGH TO BURN THE WHITE HOUSE. THEY SUGGESTED SHE MIGHT DEFECT 59 00:07:52,405 --> 00:07:58,945 TO THE TALIBAN. TO THE PUBLIC, THEY SAID THIS. >> DETERMINED THAT WINNER'S WILLFUL, PURPOSEFUL DISCLOSURE 60 00:07:59,011 --> 00:08:04,550 CAUSED EXCEPTIONALLY GRAVE DAMAGE TO U.S. NATIONAL SECURITY. >> BUT WHAT PROSECUTORS CALLED 61 00:08:04,617 --> 00:08:12,758 GRAVE DAMAGE WAS A BOMBSHELL OF TRUTH TO THE FEDERAL ELECTION ASSISTANCE COMMISSION, WHICH HELPS SECURE THE VOTE. 62 00:08:12,825 --> 00:08:20,800 IN HOURS, THE COMMISSION ISSUED AN ALERT ON THE NSA DOCUMENT LEAK. IT SPELLED OUT THE TOP-SECRET 63 00:08:20,867 --> 00:08:30,009 EMAIL ADDRESSES UTILIZED BY THE ATTACKERS AND URGED OFFICIALS TO CHECK EMAIL LOGS. BLINDSIDED BY WINNER'S 64 00:08:30,076 --> 00:08:39,552 REVELATION, THE COMMISSION CALLED FOR FULL DISCLOSURE OF ELECTION SECURITY INTELLIGENCE. TWO FORMER OFFICIALS TOLD US 65 00:08:39,619 --> 00:08:48,427 REALITY WINNER HELPED SECURE THE 2018 MIDTERM ELECTION. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT YOU LEARNED ABOUT THE ESPIONAGE 66 00:08:48,494 --> 00:08:57,536 CHARGE IS THAT IN COURT, YOU'RE NOT ALLOWED TO TALK ABOUT WHAT YOU LEAKED OR WHY YOU LEAKED IT. WHAT WOULD YOU HAVE TOLD THE 67 00:08:57,603 --> 00:09:09,649 JUDGE? >> THAT I THOUGHT THIS WAS THE TRUTH BUT ALSO DID NOT BETRAY OUR SOURCES AND METHODS, DID NOT 68 00:09:09,715 --> 00:09:18,157 CAUSE DAMAGE, DID NOT PUT LIVES ON THE LINE. IT ONLY FILLED IN A QUESTION MARK THAT WAS TEARING OUR 69 00:09:18,224 --> 00:09:28,267 COUNTRY IN HALF IN MAY 2017. AND THAT I MEANT NO HARM. >> BUT THERE WAS HARM, FOR HER. AS HER CASE DRAGGED ON 16 70 00:09:28,334 --> 00:09:38,344 MONTHS, SHE SAYS DEPRESSION WAS CONSUMING HER. HER MOTHER MOVED FROM TEXAS TO AUGUSTA TO BE WITH HER DAUGHTER. 71 00:09:38,411 --> 00:09:50,556 >> THERE WOULD JUST BE TIMES WHEN IT ALMOST WASN'T WORTH IT TO SEE THE END OF THIS. AND SO -- 72 00:09:50,623 --> 00:10:00,566 >> YOU HAD THOUGHTS OF TAKING YOUR OWN LIFE? >> YES. I STARTED TO PLAN MY SUICIDE, 73 00:10:00,633 --> 00:10:12,445 AND I WOULD DO PRACTICE RUNS. THE ONLY THING THAT WAS STOPPING ME WAS MY MOM BECAUSE SHE WAS STILL IN AUGUSTA. 74 00:10:12,511 --> 00:10:21,887 MY DAD HAD GONE BACK TO TEXAS TO GO TO WORK, AND I JUST REFUSED TO LET HER HEAR THAT NEWS BY HERSELF. 75 00:10:21,954 --> 00:10:29,228 SO I WOULD GET ON THE PHONE AND JUST TRY TO TALK AROUND IT AND, HEY, THERE'S NO NEED TO STICK AROUND. 76 00:10:29,295 --> 00:10:33,466 VISITATION'S NOT WORTH IT. GO BACK TO TEXAS. JUST GO. JUST GO. 77 00:10:33,532 --> 00:10:45,544 >> HER MOTHER, BILLIE, HEARD THAT WHILE SITTING IN ON OUR INTERVIEW WITH HER DAUGHTER. REALITY TOLD US THAT SHE WAS 78 00:10:45,611 --> 00:10:59,358 PLANNING TO KILL HERSELF. >> I HEARD THAT, YEAH. >> DID YOU KNOW SHE WAS IN THAT MUCH TROUBLE? 79 00:10:59,425 --> 00:11:11,070 >> I MEAN, THERE WERE SOME VERY DARK DAYS, BUT THEN THEY WOULD BE FOLLOWED BY A BETTER DAY. I JUST KNEW WHEN I WAS THERE IN 80 00:11:11,137 --> 00:11:19,311 GEORGIA, I COULDN'T LEAVE. I COULDN'T LEAVE HER. >> IN 2018 AT THE AGE OF 26, WINNER PLEADED GUILTY. 81 00:11:19,378 --> 00:11:28,354 THE JUDGE SAID HE WOULD MAKE AN EXAMPLE OF HER. SHE SERVED FOUR YEARS BEHIND BARS PLUS THREE NOW ANSWERING TO 82 00:11:28,421 --> 00:11:34,627 A PROBATION OFFICER. SHE STILL CAN'T TALK ABOUT THE CASE. >> I'VE HAD FOUR YEARS OF JUST 83 00:11:34,693 --> 00:11:44,470 TRYING TO SAY, I'M NOT A TERRORIST. I CAN'T EVEN BEGIN TO TALK ABOUT MY ACTUAL ESPIONAGE INDICTMENT 84 00:11:44,537 --> 00:11:53,913 OR HAVE A SENSE OF ACCOMPLISHMENT IN HAVING SURVIVED PRISON BECAUSE I'M STILL STAINED BY THEM ACCUSING 85 00:11:53,979 --> 00:12:04,156 ME OF BEING THE SAME GROUPS THAT I ENLISTED IN THE AIR FORCE TO FIGHT AGAINST. SO I DON'T LET MYSELF FEEL 86 00:12:04,223 --> 00:12:12,832 ANYTHING REGARDING THE ACTUAL ACT OR THE CHARGE UNTIL I CAN LET IT BE KNOWN THAT I'M NOT WHAT THEY SAID I WAS. 87 00:12:12,898 --> 00:12:21,507 >> SHE SERVED HER SENTENCE DURING PRISON LOCKDOWNS FOR COVID AND THE UNREST AFTER THE POLICE MURDER OF GEORGE FLOYD. 88 00:12:21,574 --> 00:12:30,850 IN A CELL WITH TWO COMPANIONS, DEPRESSION AND BULIMIA, SHE BECAME SELF-DESTRUCTIVE. >> YOU KNOW, EVERY TIME THAT I 89 00:12:30,916 --> 00:12:41,427 HAD TO GIVE IN TO MY ILLNESS, I PUT IT ON MY BODY. I CUT MYSELF EVERYWHERE. I COULDN'T LEAVE MY CELL. 90 00:12:41,494 --> 00:12:50,002 I COULDN'T WORK OUT. AND ALL I COULD DO WAS ASK WHY AND ASK WHY. AND A CHAPLAIN WALKED BY, AND I 91 00:12:50,069 --> 00:12:56,909 ASKED HIM WHY THEY WERE DOING THIS TO US. AND THAT SAME CHAPLAIN THAT I HAD SEEN FOR TWO YEARS LOOKED ME 92 00:12:56,976 --> 00:13:05,484 IN MY FACE AND SAID, NOBODY GIVES A [ BLEEP ] ABOUT Y'ALL IN HERE. I STARTED GETTING HIGH THAT DAY. 93 00:13:05,551 --> 00:13:14,660 EVERYONE KNOWS THERE'S DRUGS IN PRISON. I WAS REDUCED TO BINGEING AND PURGING, GETTING HIGH EVERY DAY, 94 00:13:14,727 --> 00:13:23,602 AND CUTTING MYSELF. >> HAVE YOU BEEN ABLE TO GET CLEAN? >> I HAVE. 95 00:13:23,669 --> 00:13:30,576 I JUST AM ASHAMED TO SAY HOW HARD IT IS. >> IT'S WORTH NOTING HOW INCONSISTENT THE GOVERNMENT IS 96 00:13:30,643 --> 00:13:40,019 IN THESE CASES. IN 2008, GREG BURGERSON, A PENTAGON EMPLOYEE, WAS CONVICTED OF SELLING SECRETS TO THE 97 00:13:40,085 --> 00:13:47,660 CHINESE. THAT'S HIM IN FBI SURVEILLANCE, GETTING HIS POCKET STUFFED WITH CASH. 98 00:13:47,726 --> 00:13:58,204 HIS SENTENCE WAS SIX MONTHS SHORTER THAN REALITY WINNER'S. IN 2012, FORMER ARMY GENERAL AND CIA DIRECTOR DAVID PETRAEUS GAVE 99 00:13:58,270 --> 00:14:06,779 NOTEBOOKS OF TOP-SECRET INFORMATION TO AN AUTHOR WHO WAS HIS MISTRESS. HE WAS CHARGED WITH MISDEMEANOR 100 00:14:06,845 --> 00:14:12,918 MISHANDLING OF CLASSIFIED INFORMATION AND NEVER SPENT A MINUTE IN JAIL. WAS IT WORTH IT? 101 00:14:12,985 --> 00:14:24,964 >> I TRY SO HARD NOT TO FRAME THINGS AS BEING WORTH IT OR NOT WORTH IT. WHAT I KNOW IS THAT I'M HOME 102 00:14:25,030 --> 00:14:37,109 WITH MY PARENTS, AND WE TAKE OUR LIVES EVERY DAY MOVING FORWARD AS BEING RICHER IN KNOWING WHAT TO BE GRATEFUL FOR. 103 00:14:37,176 --> 00:14:43,949 >> IT'S OKAY. YOU'RE HERE. YOU'RE HERE. >> GRATEFUL FOR THE MOMENT OF 104 00:14:44,016 --> 00:14:50,256 HER PRISON RELEASE. WE SAID THIS STORY IS COMPLICATED. ON THE ONE HAND, INDIVIDUALS 105 00:14:50,322 --> 00:14:58,430 CAN'T BE DECIDING WHAT TO DECLASSIFY. ON THE OTHER, SOME THINGS ARE CLASSIFIED TO CONCEAL 106 00:14:58,497 --> 00:15:06,939 WRONGDOING, TORTURE IN THE WAR ON TERROR, FOR EXAMPLE. IN A HOME IN TEXAS, ONE MOTHER HAS SIMPLIFIED THE STORY HER 107 00:15:07,006 --> 00:15:14,947 WAY, WITH A PORTRAIT OF A VETERAN AND A DISPLAY OF A COMMENDATION FOR MERITORIOUS SERVICE TO HER COUNTRY. 108 00:15:15,014 --> 00:15:23,155 >> WHAT REALITY DID WAS NOT ESPIONAGE. WHAT REALITY DID WAS PATRIOTISM. SHE ACTUALLY STOOD UP AND WORKED 109 00:15:23,222 --> 00:15:33,399 FOR THE AMERICAN PEOPLE TO GIVE US THE TRUTH ABOUT AN ATTACK ON OUR VOTE, AN ATTACK ON OUR DEMOCRACY, AN ATTACK ON OUR 110 00:15:33,465 --> 00:15:39,605 COUNTRY, YOU KNOW. AND I'M VERY PROUD OF HER FOR THAT. >> LAST MONTH, REALITY WINNER 111 00:15:39,672 --> 00:15:45,210 AND HER ATTORNEY ASKED PRESIDENT BIDEN FOR A PARDON. 112 00:15:52,785 --> 00:16:06,832 >>> HOW >>> WHEN HURRICANE DORIAN SLAMMED INTO THE NORTHERN BAHAMAS IN 2019, THE CATEGORY 5 113 00:16:06,899 --> 00:16:13,906 STORM CAUSED NEARLY INESTIMABLE DAMAGE ON A NUMBER OF ISLANDS. THERE'S A GROWING CONSENSUS AMONG SCIENTISTS THAT CLIMATE 114 00:16:13,972 --> 00:16:23,415 CHANGE IS MAKING HURRICANES STRONGER AND MORE DESTRUCTIVE. THAT'S VERY BAD NEWS FOR THE BAHAMAS, A STRING OF MORE THAN 115 00:16:23,482 --> 00:16:30,289 700 LOW-LYING ISLANDS STRETCHING FROM FLORIDA NEARLY DOWN TO CUBA, IN THE HEART OF WHAT'S COME TO BE KNOWN AS HURRICANE 116 00:16:30,356 --> 00:16:36,028 ALLEY. WHEN WE VISITED IN LATE 2019, HURRICANE RECOVERY WAS REALLY JUST BEGINNING. 117 00:16:36,095 --> 00:16:45,070 BUT WE DISCOVERED THAT THE BAHAMAS HAD FOUND A RAY OF HOPE, SPECIFICALLY, A SOLAR ARRAY THAT CAN SURVIVE FUTURE HURRICANES. 118 00:16:45,137 --> 00:16:57,750 AND IN THE PROCESS, IT MAY HAVE IMPORTANT LESSONS FOR THE REST OF THE WORLD. WITH SUSTAINED WINDS OF 185 119 00:16:57,816 --> 00:17:07,793 MILES PER HOUR, GUSTS ABOVE 200, AND A STORM SURGE WELL OVER 20 FEET IN SOME SPOTS -- >> PLEASE PRAY FOR US. 120 00:17:07,860 --> 00:17:15,167 >> -- HURRICANE DORIAN WREAKED UNIMAGINABLE HAVOC ON THE BAHAMIAN ISLANDS KNOWN AS THE ABAKOES. 121 00:17:15,234 --> 00:17:23,509 >> THERE'S NOT ENOUGH WORDS IN THE DICTIONARY TO DESCRIBE HOPE TOWN AFTER THAT STORM. >> HOPE TOWN HAS BEEN VERNON 122 00:17:23,575 --> 00:17:29,581 MALONE'S HOME FOR ALL OF HIS 82 YEARS. HIS FAMILY HAS LIVED HERE SINCE 1785. 123 00:17:29,648 --> 00:17:36,922 HE'S THE TOWN BAKER AND GROCER, AND HE AND HIS WIFE RODE OUT THE STORM IN HIS STORE. IT SURVIVED, BUT THEIR HOME JUST 124 00:17:36,989 --> 00:17:43,629 UP THE STREET DID NOT. >> THE ENTRANCE WENT RIGHT IN THERE. >> VERNON'S SON, BRIAN, HAD A 125 00:17:43,695 --> 00:17:51,603 HOME JUST AROUND THE CORNER. HAD A HOME. THAT PILE OF RUBBLE WE SEE THERE -- 126 00:17:51,670 --> 00:17:59,511 >> THAT'S ACTUALLY 2 1/2 HOUSES. MINE'S ON THE BOTTOM. >> HOPE TOWN IS A BAHAMIAN LANDMARK. 127 00:17:59,578 --> 00:18:07,619 ITS CANDY STRIPED LIGHT HOUSE DATED TO 1863 AND IS PICTURED ON THE COUNTRY'S $10 BILL. THE LIGHTHOUSE STOOD UP TO 128 00:18:07,686 --> 00:18:15,327 DORIAN, BUT AS WE SAW COMING INTO THE HARBOR, NOT MUCH ELSE DID. I HEAR GENERATORS EVERYWHERE. 129 00:18:15,394 --> 00:18:19,465 IS THIS HOW YOU GUYS ARE GETTING THROUGH? >> YEP. >> YEP. 130 00:18:19,531 --> 00:18:27,306 >> BRIAN MALONE AND MATT WINSLOW, AN AMERICAN WHO OWNS A VACATION HOME ON THE ISLAND, TOLD US WHY ALL THOSE GENERATORS 131 00:18:27,372 --> 00:18:33,779 ARE STILL RUNNING. >> THE SUBSTATION IN MARSH HARBOUR WHICH FEEDS US THE POWER IS DESTROYED. 132 00:18:33,846 --> 00:18:38,750 THEN OF COURSE YOU CAN SEE ALL THE UTILITY POLES ARE PRETTY MUCH DESTROYED. SO THIS ISN'T A CASE WHERE YOU 133 00:18:38,817 --> 00:18:45,924 COME IN AND REPLACE SOME POLES AND YOU FLICK A SWITCH. THIS IS MONTHS AND MONTHS AND MONTHS OF WORK. 134 00:18:45,991 --> 00:18:55,234 >> HOPETOWN IS ON ONE OF SEVERAL SMALL ISLANDS RAVAGED BY DORIAN, WHICH THEN MOVED ACROSS SEVEN MILES OF OPEN WATER TO MARSH 135 00:18:55,300 --> 00:19:04,209 HARBOUR, THE LARGEST TOWN IN THE ABAKOS. AT LEAST 60 PEOPLE DIED IN MARSH HARBOUR AND DESTRUCTION IS STILL 136 00:19:04,276 --> 00:19:09,248 EVERYWHERE. TOTAL DAMAGE AND LOSS FROM DORIAN IS ESTIMATED AT $3.4 BILLION. 137 00:19:09,314 --> 00:19:17,256 WHEN YOU SEE THE EXTENT OF THE DESTRUCTION, WHERE DO YOU EVEN BEGIN? HOW DO YOU EVEN BEGIN? 138 00:19:17,322 --> 00:19:23,795 >> THAT'S ALWAYS THE QUESTION. WHERE DO WE BEGIN? >> THE BAHAMIAN PRIME MINISTER AT THE TIME, HUBERT MINNIS, AND 139 00:19:23,862 --> 00:19:32,004 HIS AIDE, VIANA GARDNER, VISITED MARSH HARBOUR WITH US AND POINTED TO A TOP PRIORITY -- RESTORING ELECTRIC POWER. 140 00:19:32,070 --> 00:19:39,478 HOW DO YOU BRING THIS BACK? >> THE POWER, WE HAD TO MAKE DETERMINATION TO SET UP MICROGRIDS. 141 00:19:39,545 --> 00:19:46,885 >> THE MICROGRIDS PRIME MINISTER MINNIS IS TALKING ABOUT ARE SMALL-SCALE SYSTEMS. MORE AND MORE THEY'RE SOLAR 142 00:19:46,952 --> 00:19:54,526 ARRAYS WITH BATTERY STORAGE FOR WHEN THE SUN'S NOT SHINING. THEY CAN EITHER FEED ELECTRICITY INTO THE LARGER GRID OR OPERATE 143 00:19:54,593 --> 00:20:03,268 INDEPENDENTLY TO POWER A SINGLE FACILITY OR A NEIGHBORHOOD. THE WAY ELECTRICITY HAS BEEN PRODUCED IN THE BAHAMAS IS WITH 144 00:20:03,335 --> 00:20:10,609 DIESEL-FUELED GENERATING STATIONS ON EACH INHABITED ISLAND, ABOUT 30 IN ALL, FEEDING POWER TO EVERYONE THROUGH 145 00:20:10,676 --> 00:20:17,316 OVERHEAD LINES. >> THE MAIN POWER PLANT FOR THIS ISLAND IS LITERALLY 25 MILES SOUTH OF HERE. 146 00:20:17,382 --> 00:20:24,756 THAT'S 25 MILES OF LINE THAT HAS TO BE REBUILT. >> CHRIS BURGESS AND JUSTIN LOCKE RUN THE ISLAND'S ENERGY 147 00:20:24,823 --> 00:20:31,530 PROGRAM FOR AN AMERICAN NONPROFIT CALLED THE ROCKY MOUNTAIN INSTITUTE. THEY HAVE SOLAR PROJECTS 148 00:20:31,597 --> 00:20:41,506 THROUGHOUT HURRICANE ALLEY. AFTER CATEGORY 5 MARIA HIT PUERTO RICO IN 2017, THEY PUT MICROGRIDS ON THE ROOFS OF TEN 149 00:20:41,573 --> 00:20:48,981 SCHOOLS. MARIA ALSO BRUSHED ST. VINCENT. THIS IS ITS FIRST MICROGRID. NOW THE ISLAND'S ENERGY PROGRAM 150 00:20:49,047 --> 00:20:56,955 HAS COME TO MARSH HARBOUR. SO HOW BIG WILL THIS SOLAR ARRAY BE? >> 15 ACRES RIGHT THROUGH HERE. 151 00:20:57,022 --> 00:21:06,965 >> THAT MICROGRID WILL SATISFY 10% OF MARSH HARBOUR'S TOTAL POWER NEEDS AND WILL BE BUILT RIGHT BETWEEN ITS GOVERNMENT 152 00:21:07,032 --> 00:21:12,504 CENTER AND HOSPITAL. BOTH WERE WITHOUT POWER FOR WEEKS AFTER DORIAN. >> THIS IS HIGH GROUND, WHICH 153 00:21:12,571 --> 00:21:19,978 MAKES IT LESS VULNERABLE TO STORM SURGE OR OTHER TYPES OF DISASTER EVENTS. >> SO IF A STORM LIKE DORIAN 154 00:21:20,045 --> 00:21:25,050 HITS AGAIN, THE POWER TO THESE TWO CRITICAL FACILITIES STAYS ON? >> CORRECT. 155 00:21:25,117 --> 00:21:34,259 >> STAYS ON. >> THE PUSH TO BUILD STORM-PROOF SOLAR MICROGRIDS IN THE BAHAMAS BEGAN IN 2017 AFTER HURRICANE 156 00:21:34,326 --> 00:21:41,800 IRMA, ANOTHER CATEGORY 5 STORM, FOR THROUGH TINY RAGGED ISLAND AT THE SOUTHERN TIP OF THE ISLAND CHAIN. 157 00:21:41,867 --> 00:21:50,275 >> AFTER RAGGED ISLAND WAS DEVASTATED, I MADE A STATEMENT, "LET US SHOW THE WORLD WHAT CAN BE DONE. 158 00:21:50,342 --> 00:21:59,284 WE MAY BE SMALLER, BUT WE CAN SET AN EXAMPLE TO THE WORLD." >> SO IT'S YOUR -- YOUR GOAL TO MAKE RAGGED ISLAND A GREEN 159 00:21:59,351 --> 00:22:03,221 ISLAND? >> ABSOLUTELY. ABSOLUTELY, AFTER WHICH WE CAN EXPAND IT. 160 00:22:03,288 --> 00:22:12,597 WE CAN EXPAND IT. >> TO SEE THE PRIME MINISTER'S GREEN EXPERIMENT, WE FLEW TO RAGGED ISLAND WITH WHITNEY 161 00:22:12,664 --> 00:22:24,609 HASTY, CEO OF GOVERNMENT-OWNED UTILITY BAHAMAS POWER AND LIGHT. ENGINEER BURLINGTON STRAWN MET US THERE AND TOOK US TO WHAT HE 162 00:22:24,676 --> 00:22:31,116 CALLS THE VERY FIRST HURRICANE-PROOF SOLAR MICROGRID BEING INSTALLED IN THE BAHAMAS. >> UNLIKE OTHER SOLAR DESIGNS, 163 00:22:31,183 --> 00:22:37,155 IT'S VERY LOW TO THE GROUND. SO THIS INSTALLATION IS RATED TO WITHSTAND 180-MILE-AN-HOUR WINDS. 164 00:22:37,222 --> 00:22:44,429 >> WHICH IS AN EVEN HARDER PUNCH THAN IRMA LANDED BACK IN 2017. >> THERE WAS SIGNIFICANT DEVASTATION ON THIS ISLAND. 165 00:22:44,496 --> 00:22:49,101 AS YOU CAN SEE, SOME OF THE POLES SNAPPED RIGHT AT THE VERY BASE OF THE POLE. >> IS THAT WHAT HAPPENED ALL 166 00:22:49,167 --> 00:22:53,905 OVER THE ISLAND? >> THAT HAPPENED THROUGHOUT THE ISLAND. >> THIS MICROGRID WILL PRODUCE 167 00:22:53,972 --> 00:23:02,447 ENOUGH ELECTRICITY FOR RAGGED ISLAND'S ROUGHLY 100 RESIDENTS. THE PRIME MINISTER CALLS IT A LABORATORY FOR THE SOLAR FUTURE. 168 00:23:02,514 --> 00:23:12,224 THE PAST IS A DIESEL GENERATOR NEEDING BOATS TO DELIVER FUEL FROM HUNDREDS OF MILES AWAY, A SYSTEM WHITNEY HASTY SAYS IS A 169 00:23:12,290 --> 00:23:19,097 NIGHTMARE. >> IN SUMMER, WE'RE ALMOST ON THE VERGE OF RUNNING OUT OF FUEL ON SOME OF THESE ISLANDS BECAUSE 170 00:23:19,164 --> 00:23:25,737 BAD WEATHER SOMETIMES PROHIBITS THE SHIPS FROM ACTUALLY GETTING TO SOME OF THESE LOCATIONS. >> THE BAHAMIAN GOVERNMENT 171 00:23:25,804 --> 00:23:35,714 SPENDS NEARLY $400 MILLION A YEAR ON IMPORTED FUEL TO KEEP ITS POWER PLANTS RUNNING AND PASSES THAT COST ALONG TO ITS 172 00:23:35,781 --> 00:23:41,119 CITIZENS. >> THEY PAY THREE TO FOUR TIMES WHAT WE PAY ON THE MAINLAND U.S.? 173 00:23:41,186 --> 00:23:48,260 >> RIGHT. THAT'S CORRECT. >> FOR ELECTRICITY HERE? >> RIGHT, AND THAT ISN'T PRICE 174 00:23:48,326 --> 00:23:51,930 FOUJ GOUGING. THAT'S JUST INHERENT COSTS. >> EVERYTHING COSTS MORE IN THE 175 00:23:51,997 --> 00:23:58,236 ISLANDS. THE BILL TO INSTALL THIS NEW SOLAR MICROGRID IS $3 MILLION. HASTY INSISTS IT'S MONEY WELL 176 00:23:58,303 --> 00:24:07,145 SPENT. >> SO YOU HAVE THIS INITIAL BIG OUTLAY TO BUILD THESE PANELS. BUT OVER TIME, THE COST OF 177 00:24:07,212 --> 00:24:10,882 GENERATING POWER ACTUALLY GOES DOWN. >> ABSOLUTELY. ABSOLUTELY. 178 00:24:10,949 --> 00:24:17,455 BY USING WHAT GOD HAS BLESSED US WITH, WHICH IS THE NATURAL SUN. >> IT'S NOT A PERFECT SOLUTION ON RAGGED ISLAND. 179 00:24:17,522 --> 00:24:25,463 NOTABLY, THE POWER FROM THESE PANELS WILL STILL FEED INTO THE VULNERABLE OVERHEAD POWER LINES. THE MONEY'S NOT THERE YET TO 180 00:24:25,530 --> 00:24:31,403 BURY THEM. >> ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS I THINK EVERYONE CAN AGREE ON IS EVERYTHING HAS TO GO 181 00:24:31,469 --> 00:24:36,608 UNDERGROUND. >> BACK IN HOPE TOWN, MATT WINSLOW SAYS THEY HAVE THE FUNDS TO BURY THEIR LINES. 182 00:24:36,675 --> 00:24:45,083 AMERICANS WITH SECOND HOMES HERE ADD A LOT TO THE ECONOMY. WINSLOW'S FAMILY FOUNDATION HAS DONATED NEARLY $1 MILLION TO 183 00:24:45,150 --> 00:24:52,390 REBUILDING EFFORTS. THEY ALREADY HAVE A MAKESHIFT MICROGRID POWERING THE FIRE STATION AND HEALTH CLINIC, AND 184 00:24:52,457 --> 00:24:59,297 WINSLOW HAS HIRED ENGINEERS TO HELP PLAN A MUCH BIGGER ONE ON A NEARBY ISLAND. >> IT'S POSSIBLE THAT OVER IN 185 00:24:59,364 --> 00:25:08,173 GREAT ABACO, WE COULD PUT, YOU KNOW, A SOLAR ARRAY, 18 ACRES, AND THAT GOES -- THAT POWER IS PIPED THROUGH -- YOU KNOW, 186 00:25:08,240 --> 00:25:12,944 PREFERABLY A NEW UNDERSEA CABLE TO THE ISLAND, AND THAT COULD BE A MAIN SOURCE FOR OUR POWER. >> THAT WOULD BE ENOUGH TO POWER 187 00:25:13,011 --> 00:25:18,183 THIS ISLAND? >> ABSOLUTELY. >> THE BAHAMAS' GOAL IS TO PRODUCE 30% OF ITS ENERGY FROM 188 00:25:18,250 --> 00:25:26,791 RENEWABLE SOURCES BY 2030. JUSTIN LOCKE AND CHRIS BURGESS OF THE ISLAND'S ENERGY PROGRAM BELIEVE THE COUNTRY CAN DO EVEN 189 00:25:26,858 --> 00:25:32,864 BETTER. >> THE PRICE OF RENEWABLES HAVE COME DOWN TO THE POINT WHERE THEY'RE NOW VERY, VERY 190 00:25:32,931 --> 00:25:41,273 COMPETITIVE WITH DIESEL. AND IN MOST CASES, WAY CHEAPER THAN DIESEL. >> THE KEY GAME-CHANGER HAS BEEN 191 00:25:41,339 --> 00:25:46,678 BATTERY STORAGE. BATTERY STORAGE HAS DECREASED IN COST OVER 60% OVER THE LAST FIVE YEARS. 192 00:25:46,745 --> 00:25:53,685 AND WHAT BATTERY STORAGE DOES IS IT ENABLES THE SUN TO SHINE WHEN THE SUN IS NOT SHINING. RENEWABLES MAKE MORE SENSE HERE 193 00:25:53,752 --> 00:25:59,991 THAN ANYWHERE ELSE IN THE WORLD. >> AND IN THE CARIBBEAN, MICROGRIDS ARE STARTING TO SHOW THEIR VALUE. 194 00:26:00,058 --> 00:26:08,199 WHEN EARTHQUAKES STRUCK PUERTO RICO IN 2020, THE ENTIRE ISLAND'S BIG ELECTRIC GRID WAS SHUT DOWN FOR DAYS. 195 00:26:08,266 --> 00:26:17,475 BUT REMEMBER THOSE SOLAR MICROGRIDS INSTALLED AT SCHOOLS? THEY KEPT PROVIDING POWER. THE LESSONS CAN REALLY APPLY 196 00:26:17,542 --> 00:26:23,214 ANYWHERE. >> CALIFORNIA HAS THE SAME SYSTEM ARCHITECTURE AS HERE IN THE CARIBBEAN, RIGHT? 197 00:26:23,281 --> 00:26:30,021 FOSZLE FUEL, LONG TRANSMISSION DISTRIBUTION LINES, RIGHT? YOU SEE PG&E HAD TO PROACTIVELY SHUT OFF POWER TO MILLIONS OF 198 00:26:30,088 --> 00:26:38,096 PEOPLE IN ORDER TO PREVENT FIRE. >> IF THERE HAVE BEEN THESE MICROGRIDS, MIGHT IT HAVE BEEN THAT PG&E WOULD NOT HAVE HAD TO 199 00:26:38,163 --> 00:26:42,033 CUT OFF POWER TO -- >> CORRECT. >> -- MILLIONS OF CONSUMERS? >> CORRECT. 200 00:26:42,100 --> 00:26:49,541 >> HERE IN THE BAHAMAS, THERE ARE STILL HUGE ECONOMIC OBSTACLES. LOSSES FROM DORIAN EQUAL NEARLY 201 00:26:49,607 --> 00:26:58,550 30% OF THE COUNTRY'S ENTIRE ANNUAL GDP. >> YOU'VE GOT THIS INCREDIBLE OUTLAY TO REBUILD THESE ISLANDS 202 00:26:58,616 --> 00:27:09,527 THAT WERE DEVASTATED BY DORIAN. CAN YOU AFFORD TO BRING ON A NEW FORM OF ELECTRICAL GENERATION? >> WE CANNOT AFFORD IT. 203 00:27:09,594 --> 00:27:18,436 WE RECOGNIZE FROM DAY ONE THAT WE CANNOT DO IT ALONE. >> JUST WEEKS AFTER DORIAN HIT, THEN-PRIME MINISTER MINNIS SPOKE 204 00:27:18,503 --> 00:27:25,877 AT THE UNITED NATIONS. HE EMPHASIZED THAT MOST OF THE BAHAMAS WAS NOT DAMAGED AND EAGER FOR TOURISTS, LIFEBLOOD OF 205 00:27:25,944 --> 00:27:33,018 THE ECONOMY. THEN HE SAID THAT FIRST-WORLD COUNTRIES AND THEIR POLLUTION ARE AT LEAST PARTLY TO BLAME FOR 206 00:27:33,084 --> 00:27:42,060 THE THREAT OF EVER STRONGER HURRICANES. >> IT IS A TRAP WHICH WE CANNOT SURVIVE ON OUR OWN. 207 00:27:42,127 --> 00:27:49,901 >> FIRST-WORLD NATIONS, AND THIS IS WHAT I SAID AT THE U.N. I SAID FIRST-WORLD NATIONS MAKE THE GREATEST CONTRIBUTION TO 208 00:27:49,968 --> 00:27:57,008 CLIMATE CHANGE. THEY ARE THE ONES RESPONSIBLE FOR THE CHANGES THAT WE SEE, THE INCREASE IN VELOCITY AND 209 00:27:57,075 --> 00:28:05,650 FEROCITY OF THE HURRICANES AND THE DIFFERENT AND THE CHANGES, TYPHOONS, THAT WE SEE TODAY. BUT WE'RE THE INNOCENT VICTIM. 210 00:28:05,717 --> 00:28:10,588 WE'RE THE ONES THAT ARE BEING IMPACTED BY WHAT YOU HAVE CREATED. >> MINNIS AND LEADERS OF OTHER 211 00:28:10,655 --> 00:28:16,995 ISLAND NATIONS HAVE PROPOSED THAT THE U.S. AND EUROPEAN COUNTRIES CONTRIBUTE TO AN INSURANCE FUND. 212 00:28:17,062 --> 00:28:27,772 THINK OF IT AS A REALLY RAINY DAY FUND TO HELP REBUILD FROM FUTURE STORMS. THAT'S WHAT YOU SAY AND WHAT YOU 213 00:28:27,839 --> 00:28:32,010 SAID AT THE U.N. THE FIRST-WORLD NATIONS SHOULD DO. >> ABSOLUTELY. >> ARE THEY DOING IT? 214 00:28:32,077 --> 00:28:41,419 >> IT'S AN ONGOING DISCUSSION. IT'S AN ONGOING DISCUSSION. >> DOES THIS MAKE THE CHANGE TO RENEWABLE ENERGY THAT MUCH MORE 215 00:28:41,486 --> 00:28:53,131 IMPORTANT, IMPERATIVE, URGENT FOR YOU HERE IN THE BAHAMAS? >> IT IS BECAUSE EVEN THOUGH OUR CONTRIBUTION TO CLIMATE CHANGE 216 00:28:53,198 --> 00:29:02,307 IS MINIMA -- IT'S MINUSCULE TO COMPARE WITH FIRST-WORLD NATION. BUT WE STILL HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY. 217 00:29:02,373 --> 00:29:10,682 >> SINCE THIS STORY FIRST AIRED IN 2020, THAT MICROGRID WE SAW BEING INSTALLED ON RAGGED ISLAND IS NOW OPERATING AND SUPPLYING 218 00:29:10,748 --> 00:29:16,321 ALL OF THE ELECTRICITY THE ISLAND NEEDS. THEY HAVEN'T HAD TO SHIP DIESEL FUEL TO RUN THAT OLD GENERATOR 219 00:29:16,387 --> 00:29:22,827 IN MANY MONTHS, WHICH IS ESPECIALLY WELCOME NEWS GIVEN THAT THE PRICE OF FUEL HAS SKYROCKETED. 220 00:29:22,894 --> 00:29:31,536 THE BAHAMAS HAS A NEW GOVERNMENT AND NEW PRIME MINISTER, WHO SAYS HE'S JUST AS COMMITTED TO SOLAR POWER AS HIS PREDECESSOR. 221 00:29:42,280 --> 00:29:49,020 >>> LAURIE ANDERSON IS AN ARTIST WHOSE WORK DEFIES ANY EASY DESCRIPTION. SHE'S A PIONEER OF THE 222 00:29:49,087 --> 00:29:54,826 AVANT-GARDE, BUT AS WE LEARNED, THAT DOESN'T BEGIN TO DESCRIBE WHAT SHE CREATES. HER WORK ISN'T SOLD IN 223 00:29:54,893 --> 00:30:00,899 GALLERIES. IT'S EXPERIENCED BY AUDIENCES WHO COME TO SEE HER PERFORM, SINGING, TELLING STORIES, AND 224 00:30:00,965 --> 00:30:07,305 PLAYING STRANGE VIOLINS OF HER OWN INVENTION. SHE WON A GRAMMY FOR A CHAMBER MUSIC ALBUM ABOUT HURRICANE 225 00:30:07,372 --> 00:30:14,179 SANDY AND REMAINS ONE OF AMERICA'S MOST UNUSUAL AND VISIONARY ARTISTS. WE MET AT HER LARGEST EVER U.S. 226 00:30:14,245 --> 00:30:22,554 EXHIBITION AT THE SMITHSONIAN'S HIRSCHHORN MUSEUM EARLIER THIS YEAR. LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, LAURIE 227 00:30:22,620 --> 00:30:33,698 ANDERSON. ♪ SHE'S PLAYED ELECTRONIC DRUMS ON HER BODY AND ELECTRIC VIOLINS 228 00:30:33,765 --> 00:30:40,572 THAT SING AND HOWL. ♪ FOR NEARLY FIVE DECADES NOW, SHE'S BLENDED THE BEAUTIFUL AND 229 00:30:40,638 --> 00:30:47,345 THE BIZARRE. >> DAYS GO BY. >> CHALLENGING AUDIENCES WITH HOMILIES AND HUMOR. 230 00:30:47,412 --> 00:30:55,053 >> WELCOME TO DIFFICULT LISTENING HOUR. ♪ >> SHE BLURS BOUNDARIES ACROSS 231 00:30:55,119 --> 00:31:04,862 MUSIC, THEATER, DANCE, AND FILM. ♪ OH, YEAH, STRANGE DREAMS ♪ >> THIS IS MY DREAM BODY. >> IT'S NOT JUST AUDIENCES THAT 232 00:31:04,929 --> 00:31:08,933 HAVE A HARD TIME DEFINING HER WORK. LAURIE ANDERSON SOMETIMES DOES AS WELL. 233 00:31:09,000 --> 00:31:15,473 >> I USED TO SAY MULTIMEDIA ARTIST, AND THAT WAS RIDICULOUS. >> YEAH. >> MULTIMEDIA ARTIST, IT'S SO 234 00:31:15,540 --> 00:31:21,913 CLUMSY. WITH A GUN TO MY HEAD, I SAY, I TELL STORIES, AND THOSE LOOK LIKE PAINTINGS SOMETIMES. 235 00:31:21,980 --> 00:31:27,752 THEY LOOK LIKE, YOU KNOW, SONGS. THEY LOOK LIKE FILMS. THEY'RE JUST STORIES. WHAT IS A STORY? 236 00:31:27,819 --> 00:31:36,094 WHAT IS ITS FUNCTION? HOW DOES IT WORK? WHO'S TELLING IT TO WHO? ♪ 237 00:31:36,160 --> 00:31:41,399 ♪ OH SUPERMAN ♪ >> IF YOU'VE HEARD OF LAURIE ANDERSON AT ALL, IT MAY BE BECAUSE OF THIS 238 00:31:41,466 --> 00:31:47,272 EIGHT-MINUTE-LONG SONG SHE RECORDED BACK IN 1980. IT'S EERIE AND SOMEWHAT UNSETTLING, AND TO HER SURPRISE, 239 00:31:47,338 --> 00:31:58,883 IT BECAME A HIT. >> THIS WAS A SONG ABOUT HOW BASICALLY TECHNOLOGY CANNOT SAVE YOU. 240 00:31:58,950 --> 00:32:02,320 >> I FIRST HEARD IT WHEN I WAS 14. I JUST WAS LIKE, WHAT IS THIS? AND I STILL LISTEN TO IT. 241 00:32:02,387 --> 00:32:13,631 >> IT'S ABOUT A LOT OF THINGS. JUSTICE, SAFETY, POWER. ♪ THERE'S ALWAYS FORCE ♪ >> SHE RECORDED "OH SUPERMAN" 242 00:32:13,698 --> 00:32:20,505 HERSELF IN HER APARTMENT IN DOWNTOWN MANHATTAN. >> I HAD A LOT OF EQUIPMENT THAT WOULD LOOP THINGS. 243 00:32:20,571 --> 00:32:30,448 SO I WAS MAKING A LOT OF VOCAL LOOPS. ACTUALLY, YOU HAVE TO HIT IT RIGHT AT THE RIGHT SPOT. 244 00:32:30,515 --> 00:32:37,021 ♪ THIS IS THE HAND ♪ >> YOU SAY "BECAUSE WHEN LOVE IS GONE, THERE'S ALWAYS JUSTICE". >> HERE. 245 00:32:37,088 --> 00:32:49,033 HERE YOU GO. YOU CAN USE A -- HERE YOU GO. GO AHEAD. >> WHEN JUSTICE IS GONE, THERE 246 00:32:49,100 --> 00:32:59,544 IS ALWAYS FORCE. AND WHEN FORCE IS GONE, THERE IS ALWAYS MOM. HI, MOM. 247 00:32:59,610 --> 00:33:04,148 I LOVE IT. >> YOU DO THAT VERY WELL. >> I'VE BEEN LISTENING TO IT FOR -- 248 00:33:04,215 --> 00:33:12,957 >> THE SONG LED TO HER GROUNDBREAKING FIRST ALBUM, "BIG SCIENCE." ♪ WELL, YOU DON'T KNOW ME ♪ 249 00:33:13,024 --> 00:33:21,666 >> PITCHFORK SAID LISTENING TO LAURIE ANDERSON'S FIRST ALBUM IS LIKE SITTING DOWN WITH A STRANGE FORM OF LIFE THAT HAS BEEN 250 00:33:21,733 --> 00:33:30,608 STUDYING US FOR A LONG TIME. >> I'D LIKE TO MEET THAT WRITER. EVERYTHING IS, WHEN YOU ACTUALLY BREAK IT DOWN, IS BIZARRE AND 251 00:33:30,675 --> 00:33:34,746 UNLIKELY. THAT'S MY LENS, I THINK. UNLIKELY. >> LAURIE ANDERSON GREW UP IN 252 00:33:34,812 --> 00:33:41,953 GLEN ELLYN, ILLINOIS, WHERE SHE WAS WON OF EIGHT CHILDREN. EVERY WEEKEND, SHE PLAYED VIOLIN WITH THE CHICAGO YOUTH SYMPHONY 253 00:33:42,019 --> 00:33:46,724 AND THEN WALKED ACROSS THE STREET TO THE ART INSTITUTE TO STUDY PAINTING. >> AND IT DIDN'T SEEM DIFFERENT 254 00:33:46,791 --> 00:33:53,731 TO ME TO GO LIKE THIS OR GO LIKE THIS. >> IT WAS THE SAME THING? >> SAME THING. 255 00:33:53,798 --> 00:33:59,937 I WOULD JUST -- >> PLAYING THE VIOLIN OR PAINTING. >> IS IT COLORFUL ENOUGH, COOL 256 00:34:00,004 --> 00:34:08,713 ENOUGH, ADVENTUROUS ENOUGH? IS IT RIGHT ENOUGH? IT'S JUST THE SAME EXACT THING. ALL THE SAME QUESTIONS, AND IT 257 00:34:08,780 --> 00:34:16,154 WAS JUST WHAT A HAND WAS DOING AND IT'S MAKING SOUND OVER HERE. IT'S MAKING COLOR OVER HERE. >> SHE CAME TO NEW YORK IN 1966 258 00:34:16,220 --> 00:34:22,360 AND BEGAN EXPERIMENTING WITH MUSIC AND SHORT FILMS. BUT AFTER A WHILE, SHE THOUGHT HER WORK MIGHT BE BETTER 259 00:34:22,427 --> 00:34:30,968 RECEIVED IN EUROPE. YOU WANTED TO TOUR IN EUROPE. >> I DID, YEAH. I WROTE TO ABOUT MAYBE 500, 260 00:34:31,035 --> 00:34:39,644 LET'S SAY, ART CENTERS SAYING, PLANNING A TOUR IN THE FALL. I HAD NO TOUR. WOULD YOU LIKE TO BE PART OF 261 00:34:39,710 --> 00:34:46,384 THAT? >> WITH A COUPLE RESPONSES, SHE TOOK OFF FOR ITALY. THAT'S HER IN 1975 PLAYING A 262 00:34:46,451 --> 00:34:53,291 VIOLIN WITH A TAPE RECORDER INSIDE PLAYING LOOPS SO SHE COULD DUET WITH HERSELF. >> BUT THEN WHEN IS THE CONCERT 263 00:34:53,357 --> 00:34:58,529 OVER? THERE'S NO END TO A LOOP. I NEEDED A TIMING MECHANISM. SO I WORE SOME ICE SKATES WITH 264 00:34:58,596 --> 00:35:06,137 THEIR BLADES FROZEN INTO BLOCKS OF ICE. SO I'D PLAY UNTIL THE ICE STARTED MELTING AND CRACKING, 265 00:35:06,204 --> 00:35:10,041 AND THEN WHEN I BEGAN TO LOSE MY BALANCE, I WOULD JUST STOP. THAT WAS IT. THAT WAS THE CLOCK. 266 00:35:10,107 --> 00:35:14,178 >> AND YOU WERE DOING THIS ON THE STREET? >> YEAH. USUALLY IN THE HOTTEST PART OF 267 00:35:14,245 --> 00:35:22,153 TOWN BECAUSE IT COULD TAKE A LONG TIME TO HAVE THESE THINGS -- THE CUBES MELT. >> FOR YEARS SHE WAS A TRAVELING 268 00:35:22,220 --> 00:35:27,892 TROUBADOUR, EXPERIMENTING WITH SOUND, LIGHT, AND STORIES. ♪ BUT I'VE BEEN AROUND THE BLOCK BUT I DON'T CARE ♪ 269 00:35:27,959 --> 00:35:34,265 ♪ I'M ON A ROLL, I'M ON A WILD RIDE ♪ >> AFTER THE UNLIKELY SUCCESS OF OH SUPERMAN, SHE GOT AN 270 00:35:34,332 --> 00:35:41,072 EIGHT-RECORD DEAL WITH WARNER BROS. ♪ SUDDENLY THE AVANT-GARDE ARTIST 271 00:35:41,138 --> 00:35:48,779 WAS PLAYING ON MTV. THAT MUST HAVE BEEN STRANGE TO HAVE THAT KIND OF COMMERCIAL SUCCESS DANGLED BEFORE YOU. 272 00:35:48,846 --> 00:35:54,685 >> I KNEW ENOUGH ABOUT THE POP WORLD TO KNOW IT WAS EXTREMELY FICKLE. SO I SAID, OKAY. 273 00:35:54,752 --> 00:36:02,059 I'M NOT GOING TO BE TRICKED BY THIS. >> A CHANCE MEETING WITH A ROCK AND ROLL LEGEND SHE'D VAGUELY 274 00:36:02,126 --> 00:36:09,333 HEARD OF CHANGED HER LIFE. HIS NAME WAS LOU REED, AND HE ASKED HER OUT. >> AND WE WENT OVER TO THE AES 275 00:36:09,400 --> 00:36:17,508 CONVENTION AT THE JAV ITS CENTER. SUPER GEEKY THING TO DO. >> SO FOR YOUR FIRST DATE YOU 276 00:36:17,575 --> 00:36:27,818 WENT TO THE ACOUSTICAL SOCIETY --. YOU DIDN'T KNOW IT WAS DATE. >> HE SAID, LET'S GO GET A 277 00:36:27,885 --> 00:36:32,890 COFFEE. I SAID OKAY. I WAS LIKE, I KIND OF LIKE THIS GUY. 278 00:36:32,957 --> 00:36:41,499 WE WEREN'T REALLY APART FOR 21 YEARS AFTER THAT. >> WOW. >> YEAH. 279 00:36:41,566 --> 00:36:55,713 HE'S MY BEST FRIEND. ♪ HANG ON TO YOUR EMOTIONS ♪ ♪ HANG ON TO YOUR EMOTION ♪ >> SHE SHARED BUDDHISM, TAI CHI, 280 00:36:55,780 --> 00:37:05,890 AND BOUNDLESS CREATIVITY AND FINALLY GOT MARRIED IN 2008. FIVE YEARS LATER, LOU REED DIED AFTER A LONG BATTLE WITH LIVER 281 00:37:05,957 --> 00:37:14,832 CANCER. YOU WROTE ABOUT HIS DEATH, I'VE NEVER SEEN AN EXPRESSION AS FULL OF WONDER AS LOU'S AS HE DIED. 282 00:37:14,899 --> 00:37:20,271 HE WASN'T AFRAID. I'D GOTTEN TO WALK WITH HIM TO THE END OF THE WORLD. LIFE, SO BEAUTIFUL, PAINFUL, AND 283 00:37:20,338 --> 00:37:25,876 DAZZLING, DOES NOT GET BETTER THAN THAT. >> YEAH. LOU WAS A PERSON WHO HAD THOUGHT 284 00:37:25,943 --> 00:37:35,119 ABOUT THIS AND HAD PREPARED HIMSELF FOR IT, AND WAS 100% THERE. >> LAURIE ANDERSON STILL LIVES 285 00:37:35,186 --> 00:37:42,860 IN THE APARTMENT THEY SHARED IN THE WEST VILLAGE AND EVERY DAY WALKS HER DOG, LITTLE WILL, TO THE STUDIO SHE'S HAD SINCE THE 286 00:37:42,927 --> 00:37:52,670 1970s. WHEN WE DROPPED IN ON HER, SHE WAS REHEARSING WITH CELLIST RUBEN CODELI. 287 00:37:52,737 --> 00:37:59,577 ♪ >> IT'S AN OPERA SHE WROTE ABOUT AMELIA EARHART'S DOOMED ATTEMPT TO CIRCUMNAVIGATE THE GLOBE. 288 00:37:59,644 --> 00:38:07,652 >> SHE'S ON THIS CRACKLY RADIO, AND SHE'S GOING, I CAN SEE YOU BUT I CAN'T HEAR YOU. THEY'RE GOING, I CAN HEAR YOU 289 00:38:07,718 --> 00:38:12,423 BUT I CAN'T SEE YOU. >> SHE'S IN PERPETUAL MOTION, FASCINATED BY LANGUAGE AND SOUND. 290 00:38:12,490 --> 00:38:18,763 >> WHAT WAS REALLY FUN ABOUT THIS -- OH, WAIT. >> SHE'S WORKING WITH AN AUSTRALIAN UNIVERSITY ON AN 291 00:38:18,829 --> 00:38:24,535 ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE PROGRAM LOADED WITH EVERYTHING SHE'S EVER WRITTEN, SAID, OR SUNG. YOU CAN ASK IT A QUESTION OR 292 00:38:24,602 --> 00:38:31,575 GIVE IT A PHOTOGRAPH, AND THE ALGORITHM CREATES AN ORIGINAL POEM IN THE WORDS AND SPEECH PATTERN OF LAURIE ANDERSON. 293 00:38:31,642 --> 00:38:36,280 >> HALF OF IT IS REALLY TERRIBLE POETRY. A QUARTER OF IT IS KIND OF INTERESTING. 294 00:38:36,347 --> 00:38:42,653 AND A QUARTER OF IT IS REALLY KIND OF GREAT. >> TO SEE HOW IT WORKS, WE UPLOADED A PHOTOGRAPH OF MY 295 00:38:42,720 --> 00:38:49,794 NEWBORN SON, SEBASTIAN. >> THE MOUTH, THE EYE, THE HAND, THE FACE. THERE'S NOWHERE TO GO. 296 00:38:49,860 --> 00:38:52,763 IT'S EVERYWHERE. NOW THAT I'M HERE, I CAN'T BELIEVE IT'S ME. WHO DID THIS? 297 00:38:52,830 --> 00:38:57,535 WHO ARE THESE PEOPLE? WHY ARE YOU HERE? >> I'M LIKE CRYING. I FIND THIS REALLY EMOTIONAL. 298 00:38:57,601 --> 00:39:04,175 >> THE THING IS IT REALLY SHOWS US HOW MUCH OF OURSELVES WE PUT INTO LANGUAGE. >> YEAH. 299 00:39:04,241 --> 00:39:11,182 >> THERE'S A STORY IN AN ANCIENT PLAY. >> LAST YEAR, ANDERSON DELIVERED SIX VIRTUAL LECTURES AS THE 300 00:39:11,248 --> 00:39:15,686 NORTON PROFESSOR OF POETRY AT HARVARD. >> YOU KNOW THE BEST WAY TO SEE THE CITY IS AT NIGHT FROM THE 301 00:39:15,753 --> 00:39:23,094 AIR. >> FOLLOWING IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF ROBERT FROST, LEONARD BERNSTEIN, AND TONI MORRISON. 302 00:39:23,160 --> 00:39:30,634 NOT SURPRISINGLY, ANDERSON'S LECTURES WERE VERY DIFFERENT. >> THAT'S IT. OH, YOU'RE IN A CONGA ROOM. 303 00:39:30,701 --> 00:39:37,541 >> PERHAPS THE CLOSEST ANYONE CAN GET INSIDE LAURIE ANDERSON'S MIND IS THIS VIRTUAL REALITY WORLD SHE CREATED WITH A 304 00:39:37,608 --> 00:39:44,849 COLLABORATOR IN TAIWAN. >> IT'S A WORLD THAT LOOKS SPATIAL, BUT IT'S MADE OF WORDS AND DRAWINGS. 305 00:39:44,915 --> 00:39:50,321 >> WHOA! >> IT FEELS AS THOUGH YOU'RE FLYING INSIDE A WORK OF ART. >> YOU'VE BEEN WORKING WITH 306 00:39:50,387 --> 00:39:58,362 TECHNOLOGY FOR 40 YEARS NOW. DOES IT STILL FASCINATE YOU? >> YEAH, IT DOES. I'M STILL A GEEK, YOU KNOW? 307 00:39:58,429 --> 00:40:04,602 I LIKE IT. I DON'T THINK I WORSHIP IT. >> IT'S NOT THE SAVIOR THAT SOME HOPE? 308 00:40:04,668 --> 00:40:09,607 >> NO. AND THIS WAS SAID TO ME BY A CRIP TOLL GIST. IF YOU THINK TECHNOLOGY IS GOING 309 00:40:09,673 --> 00:40:15,746 TO SOLVE YOUR PROBLEM, YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND TECHNOLOGY, AND YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND YOUR PROBLEMS. 310 00:40:15,813 --> 00:40:23,621 AND I LIKED THAT VERY MUCH BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE JUST GO, OH, YEAH, THAT'S GOING TO FIX IT. 311 00:40:23,687 --> 00:40:29,326 REALLY? >> HER LARGEST EXHIBITION IS CURRENTLY ON DISPLAY AT THE SMITHSONIAN'S HIRSCHHORN MUSEUM 312 00:40:29,393 --> 00:40:36,801 ON THE NATIONAL MALL IN WASHINGTON, D.C. IT'S AN ODD SIS YSSEY THROUGH H SINGULAR CREATIVE LIFE. 313 00:40:36,867 --> 00:40:41,238 >> THIS SEEMS VERY OMINOUS TO ME. >> GOOD. THERE'S SO MUCH FLAG-WAVING 314 00:40:41,305 --> 00:40:50,948 THESE DAYS AND IT BECOMES QUITE MECHANICAL IN SOME WAYS. AND I GUESS I'M TERRIFIED OF THE RISE OF FASCISM AROUND THE WORLD 315 00:40:51,015 --> 00:40:56,587 FRANKLY. >> WOW. IN ONE ROOM, SHE'S PAINTED WORDS AND IMAGES THAT SEEM TO EXPLODE 316 00:40:56,654 --> 00:41:02,660 ONTO THE WALLS AND FLOOR. IT'S A KIND OF MULTI-DIMENSIONAL SKETCHBOOK OF HER THOUGHTS, DREAMS, AND STORIES. 317 00:41:02,726 --> 00:41:06,297 DID YOU MAP THIS OUT BEFORE YOU DID IT? >> NO. I SHOULD HAVE. 318 00:41:06,363 --> 00:41:11,368 >> NEW IDEAS ARE BUILT ON OLDER WORKS. SHE FIRST CAME UP WITH THIS CONCEPT IN THE 1970s. 319 00:41:11,435 --> 00:41:17,575 >> THIS IS CALLED "CITIZENS". >> I'VE NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE THIS. MINIATURE CLAY FIGURES WITH 320 00:41:17,641 --> 00:41:23,881 VIDEO OF PEOPLE PROJECTED ONTO THEM. AND THEY ALL, I FEEL LIKE, WANT TO KILL ME. 321 00:41:23,948 --> 00:41:29,253 >> THIS ONE DOES. >> THEY'RE ALL SHARPENING KNIVES. >> BECAUSE I THINK IT'S LIKE -- 322 00:41:29,320 --> 00:41:35,793 PEOPLE LIKE ELVES, RIGHT, AND FAIRIES? >> YEAH. >> I THINK THAT, FOR ME, IS THE 323 00:41:35,860 --> 00:41:40,097 FASCINATION -- >> THESE ARE SOME BAD ASS FAIRIES. I MEAN -- 324 00:41:40,164 --> 00:41:46,203 FROM MINIATURES TO MONUMENTS. >> WE DIDN'T SEE THE SUN. WE DIDN'T SEE THE FRESH AIR FOR WEEKS. 325 00:41:46,270 --> 00:41:52,977 >> IN ANOTHER ROOM, ANOTHER STORY. THIS ONE TOLD BY A GIANT VIDEO PROJECTION OF MOHAMMED AL GA 326 00:41:53,043 --> 00:41:59,683 RANI, HELD FOR SEVEN YEARS IN GUANTANAMO AS A TEENAGER WITHOUT CHARGE UNTIL A JUDGE RELEASED HIM. 327 00:41:59,750 --> 00:42:04,655 >> FOR ME, I GAVE THIS PERSON A MEGAPHONE TO SAY, IT'S YOUR TURN. WHAT DO YOU HAVE TO SAY? 328 00:42:04,722 --> 00:42:12,730 YOU KNOW, THIS IS NOT ABOUT MY OPINIONS OF WHAT HAPPENED HERE. THIS IS MOHAMMED AL GA RANI'S STORY. 329 00:42:12,796 --> 00:42:20,070 ♪ >> LAURIE ANDERSON IS 74 NOW AND STILL CONJURING UP NEW STORIES AND NEW WAYS TO TELL THEM. 330 00:42:20,137 --> 00:42:27,811 >> I'M NOT AN ARTIST TO MAKE THE WORLD A BETTER PLACE. THIS IS NOT MY GOAL, YOU KNOW, AT ALL. 331 00:42:27,878 --> 00:42:33,417 EXCEPT LIKE SECRETLY. >> VERY QUIETLY THAT'S YOUR GOAL? >> QUIETLY. 332 00:42:33,484 --> 00:42:44,962 BECAUSE I REALLY LOVE BEAUTIFUL THINGS BECAUSE IT'S THRILLING TO -- TO PUT YOUR MIND SOMEWHERE ELSE AND BE SOMEWHERE THAT YOU 333 00:42:45,029 --> 00:42:48,165 COULD NEVER HAVE IMAGINED. AND THEN SUDDENLY YOU'RE IMAGINING IT, AND THEN YOU'RE THERE. 334 00:42:48,232 --> 00:42:58,676 IT'S MAGIC. >>> I'M ANDERSON COOPER.