Washington and Hollywood

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Which city matters more - the capital of policy-making or the capital of pop culture?
Last week we were visited upon by legions of Washingtonians in suits. How do differences in style, taste and culture effect policy making?
Eight years Bill Clinton donned his dark sunglasses and his saxophone on the Arsenio Hall Show and, since then, Hollywood has been fascinated with the presidency, making films like Dave, The American President, Wag The Dog and Primary Colors, as well as the critically acclaimed TV show, The West Wing.
But Washington isn-t naturally hip. Politicians tend to dress very conservatively. Jane Alexander, the actress who ran the NEA for four years, despaired at their lack of interest in the arts. Joe Lieberman and Al Gore appear less amused by Hollywood than the current president.
How deep are the cultural differences between the capital of policy making and the capital of Pop? Do they matter? Will power and greed continue to unite the two?
On Reporter's Notebook: Thirty - nine current and former Los Angeles police officers have filed suit against the police department today, claiming supervisors retaliated against them for blowing the whistle on misconduct in the LAPD.

Credits

Host:

Warren Olney

Producer:

Frances Anderton