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American Morning

Denver Rejects Stress Test

Aired November 05, 2003 - 09:36   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: In politics it seems any subject can provoke animated debate, even a proposal to try and reduce stress. That's how it played out yesterday in Denver. Voters rejected a measure that would have required the city to implement programs for reducing stress.
Jeff Peckman was behind the Mile High effort to chill out. He's with us live in Denver. So, too, is City Councilman Charlie Brown back with us here on AMERICAN MORNING.

We talked about this, gentlemen, a few months ago. It's now been defeated, Jeff. How do you feel, stressed out now or not?

JEFF PECKMAN, SPONSOR OF ANTI-STRESS INITIATIVE: No, not at all because we made a lot of progress in just three months and with $80 to spend on materials. We introduced this concept of increasing public safety through a scientifically verified program. We introduced that to millions of people all over the world.

These stress-related problems are a major concern to every government, and so we know that we have done a good service. This would have helped Denver. And we'll still pursue these different approaches in other ways.

HEMMER: Council Member Brown, you say this was just flat out stupid. Don't hold back.

CHARLIE BROWN, DENVER CITY COUNCIL: Well, hey, living in the west you know, we've heard the pitch that snake oil salesmen make and I think that's what you just heard.

You made promises that this would save the city and county of Denver $80 million a year. And believe me, if that were true, the mayor and every one of my city council colleagues would have jumped on this very rapidly. I can assure you.

But we can see through the hype, and through the false promises.

HEMMER: Mr. Brown, though, what would change, though, in Denver had this thing passed yesterday? It was defeated about 68-32 percentagewise anyway. What would have changed?

BROWN: What would have changed? Denver would have been on Jay Leno tonight, and he would be making fun of us, along with David Letterman. And it would have hurt our business image, and would have made us the laughingstock of the country.

HEMMER: Well, listen, Jeff, back to you now. You say this is the beginning of a revolution. How do you see that taking root?

PECKMAN: Well, the seeds have been planted all over the world. To educate people that there is a scientific discovery that you can reduce societywide stress. And when you do that, societywide problems, crime, violence of all kinds, will be reduced simultaneously and across the board.

So now it's up to citizens all over the world to carry this discovery forward, to spread news of that, and to insist that it become part of public policy as a new approach of increasing public safety.

HEMMER: So had this thing passed, members of city council would have gotten together I guess starting today and probably going over the next several weeks, right, Council Member Brown? And try to come up with some sort of solution to satisfy this? You were going to pick the music right?

BROWN: You bet. And Hank Williams is right on top of my chart.

And -- but, you know, really this is a personal lifestyle choice. This is up to -- left up to individuals. This is not the role of government. This would have been horrible public policy. And I'm at peace knowing that the citizens of Denver soundly defeated it.

HEMMER: You know, Mr. Brown, I hear what you're saying there. But is there a part of you that says, You know, some of this is probably a good idea and well intended? And if so, drafting any of these possibilities, is that going to come there in Denver?

BROWN: No. I leave that to individual citizens to do. That's up to them. If they want to practice yoga or transcendental meditation, let them do that on their own time and on their own dime. Keep the government out of it.

HEMMER: If that failed from yesterday, Jeff, what's your next move on this?

PECKMAN: Well I'll continue promoting these cost-effective, scientifically proven solutions in the areas of health care, to save the city money. to help the citizens. I'll especially be focusing on a technology called brain fingerprinting testing to help in law enforcement, counterterrorism, and to increase or improve the criminal justice system.

HEMMER: I think you've got a ways to go to convince Charlie Brown. I saw your reaction, Council Member. You're still not buying it, are you?

BROWN: No. And neither are the voters of Denver, thanks goodness.

HEMMER: Thanks for coming back. Enjoy the weather out there with the snow coming down in the Rockies. Jeff Peckman, thanks. Charlie Brown also there live in Denver. Thank you, gentlemen.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com







Aired November 5, 2003 - 09:36   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: In politics it seems any subject can provoke animated debate, even a proposal to try and reduce stress. That's how it played out yesterday in Denver. Voters rejected a measure that would have required the city to implement programs for reducing stress.
Jeff Peckman was behind the Mile High effort to chill out. He's with us live in Denver. So, too, is City Councilman Charlie Brown back with us here on AMERICAN MORNING.

We talked about this, gentlemen, a few months ago. It's now been defeated, Jeff. How do you feel, stressed out now or not?

JEFF PECKMAN, SPONSOR OF ANTI-STRESS INITIATIVE: No, not at all because we made a lot of progress in just three months and with $80 to spend on materials. We introduced this concept of increasing public safety through a scientifically verified program. We introduced that to millions of people all over the world.

These stress-related problems are a major concern to every government, and so we know that we have done a good service. This would have helped Denver. And we'll still pursue these different approaches in other ways.

HEMMER: Council Member Brown, you say this was just flat out stupid. Don't hold back.

CHARLIE BROWN, DENVER CITY COUNCIL: Well, hey, living in the west you know, we've heard the pitch that snake oil salesmen make and I think that's what you just heard.

You made promises that this would save the city and county of Denver $80 million a year. And believe me, if that were true, the mayor and every one of my city council colleagues would have jumped on this very rapidly. I can assure you.

But we can see through the hype, and through the false promises.

HEMMER: Mr. Brown, though, what would change, though, in Denver had this thing passed yesterday? It was defeated about 68-32 percentagewise anyway. What would have changed?

BROWN: What would have changed? Denver would have been on Jay Leno tonight, and he would be making fun of us, along with David Letterman. And it would have hurt our business image, and would have made us the laughingstock of the country.

HEMMER: Well, listen, Jeff, back to you now. You say this is the beginning of a revolution. How do you see that taking root?

PECKMAN: Well, the seeds have been planted all over the world. To educate people that there is a scientific discovery that you can reduce societywide stress. And when you do that, societywide problems, crime, violence of all kinds, will be reduced simultaneously and across the board.

So now it's up to citizens all over the world to carry this discovery forward, to spread news of that, and to insist that it become part of public policy as a new approach of increasing public safety.

HEMMER: So had this thing passed, members of city council would have gotten together I guess starting today and probably going over the next several weeks, right, Council Member Brown? And try to come up with some sort of solution to satisfy this? You were going to pick the music right?

BROWN: You bet. And Hank Williams is right on top of my chart.

And -- but, you know, really this is a personal lifestyle choice. This is up to -- left up to individuals. This is not the role of government. This would have been horrible public policy. And I'm at peace knowing that the citizens of Denver soundly defeated it.

HEMMER: You know, Mr. Brown, I hear what you're saying there. But is there a part of you that says, You know, some of this is probably a good idea and well intended? And if so, drafting any of these possibilities, is that going to come there in Denver?

BROWN: No. I leave that to individual citizens to do. That's up to them. If they want to practice yoga or transcendental meditation, let them do that on their own time and on their own dime. Keep the government out of it.

HEMMER: If that failed from yesterday, Jeff, what's your next move on this?

PECKMAN: Well I'll continue promoting these cost-effective, scientifically proven solutions in the areas of health care, to save the city money. to help the citizens. I'll especially be focusing on a technology called brain fingerprinting testing to help in law enforcement, counterterrorism, and to increase or improve the criminal justice system.

HEMMER: I think you've got a ways to go to convince Charlie Brown. I saw your reaction, Council Member. You're still not buying it, are you?

BROWN: No. And neither are the voters of Denver, thanks goodness.

HEMMER: Thanks for coming back. Enjoy the weather out there with the snow coming down in the Rockies. Jeff Peckman, thanks. Charlie Brown also there live in Denver. Thank you, gentlemen.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com