>> i just want to do everything I can to make sure that, a, we Win, and, b, the presidency of
Hillary clinton is fantastic.
With my two crepts, i think i
Can help that happen.
>> i do.
Too.
>> pelley: hillary clinton and
Tim kaine joined us for their
First interview just after their
Debut as rung mates to talk
About their vision for the
Country and their opponents.
>> i often feel like there's the
Hillary standard and then
There's the standard for
Everybody else.
>> pelley: what's the hillary
Standard?
>> well, it is, you know, a lot
Of, as you saw at the republican
Convention, unfounded,
Inaccurate, mean-spirited
Attacks with no basis in truth.
>> pelley: why do you put
Yourself through it?
>> because i really believe in
This country, and boy do i
Believe in it now more than ever
After seeing what was presented
Last week.
>> bill whitaker: kaden erickson
Is fighting a deadly type of
Leukemia.
>> my number one wish choice is
To go to australia.
>> whitaker: months after his
Interview, kaden thought he was
Getting this plaque just for
Being a make-a-wish volunteer.
>> "make-a-wish, october 11,
2014.
Kaden erickson, your wish
Has..."
( applause )
"your wish has been granted!"
( cheers and applause )
>> hey, kaden, you're going to
Australia.
( cheers and applause )
>> i'm steve kroft. >> i'm lesley stahl. >> i'm bill whitaker.
>> i'm scott pelley.
Those stories tonight on "60
>> pelley: tonight we have the First and only interview with The new democratic ticket.
Last sunday on "60 minutes" we
Heard from donald trump and mike
Pence.
Now, on the eve of the
Democratic convention, we will
Hear from hillary clinton and
Her running mate tim kaine.
She introduced kaine yesterday
At a rally in the critical
Battleground state of florida.
Kaine has been a city councilman
And mayor in richmond, virginia,
Then virginia's lieutenant
Governor, governor, and now u.s.
Senator.
We asked the democrats about
Fixing the economy, fighting
Terrorism and their shared
Vision of the future.
>> pelley: why tim kaine?
>> clinton: well, as i have said
Throughout this whole process,
The most important qualification
Is that the person i pick be
Ready to become president if
Something were to happen.
I don't think there's any
Greater responsibility.
So he's highly qualified.
He's been a mayor, a governor, a
Senator.
Secondly, he's a progressive who
Likes to get things done.
That's how i describe myself.
And i look at his record, his
Civil rights record, his
Education record, his taking on
Tough issues like gun safety,
Climate change.
The whole picture is one that i
Find, you know, very appealing.
And then, finally, i want
Somebody who will be candid and
Will tell me, "hey, i don't
Agree with this," or, "could you
Think about it somewhat
Differently?"
I don't think i have all the
Answers.
I think that we'll be a good
Team.
I believe we'll work well
Together.
I believe that he will give me
His best advice.
>> pelley: senator, what did you
Tell her you were good at?
>> kaine: you know, i-i've been
A city councilman and mayor.
I've been a lieutenant governor
And governor and now in the
Senate serve on the armed
Services and foreign relations
Committee.
So i'm-i'm a utility player.
I just want to do everything i
Can to make sure a) we win and
That b) the presidency of
Hillary clinton is fantastic.
And i think i can.
With my two cents, i think i can
Help that happen.
>> clinton: i do, too.
And, well, i just have to add
That he plays a mean harmonica.
>> pelley: i heard that.
>> clinton: yeah, yeah.
>> kaine: gotta have a fallback
In my line of work.
>> pelley: senator, you're going
To be vice president in a white
House with two presidents.
>> kaine: i mean it's an
Embarrassment of riches.
>> pelley: what do you think of
That notion?
>> clinton: i think it's an all-
Hands-on-deck time.
We're going to have a cracker
Jack staff.
And we're going to have, you
Know, great efforts with our
Congressional allies and others.
>> pelley: when we wrote that
Question, i expected you to come
Up out of your chair at me and
Tell me that there was only
Going to be one president.
>> clinton: well, no.
Because i will be the president.
But it does happen to be a
Historical fact that my husband
Served as president for eight
Years.
And there's a lot that happened
Which helped the american people
During those eight years.
I want an economy that creates
More jobs.
And that's a lot of jobs.
I want an economy that gets back
To raising incomes for
Everybody.
Most americans haven't had a
Raise.
I want an economy that's going
To help lift millions of people
Out of poverty.
Because, given the great
Recession, we have fallen back
In the wrong direction.
And i'm also going to be relying
On president obama.
You know, i've already put him
On notice.
I'm going to be picking up the
Phone.
I'm going to be calling and
Asking for his advice.
And so we're going to put them
All to work.
>> pelley: senator, are you
Ready to be president of the
United states?
>> kaine: i think i'm ready to
Lead.
I-i'm ready first to be a
Supportive vice president so
That the presidency of hillary
Clinton is a fantastic one.
But if something were to put
That in my path, as much as any
Human being would be ready, i'd
Be ready.
And you got to approach it with
Humility.
But, you know what?
You know, missionary, , , vil
Rights lawyer, local official,
State official, federal
Official, like, i've-i've
Climbed, and i haven't missed a
Rung on the ladder.
And if it were to if it were to
Come that way, i could do it.
>> clinton: we have our agenda.
We have a very positive agenda.
You'll hear a lot about it in
Philadelphia this week.
You know, people make fun of me
Sometimes because i do have
Plans.
But i-i think i have this old
Fashioned idea that when you are
Asking people to vote for you,
It is kind of like a big job
Interview, and you ought to tell
People what you think you can do
For them.
I think we can create more
Economic opportunity.
I think we can improve
Education, make college
Affordable, deal with the myriad
Of issues that we confront.
>> pelley: but won't your hopes
And dreams be dead on arrival at
The republican house of
Representatives?
>> clinton: i don't think so.
And-and here's why.
First of all, i know, and tim
Knows, because we both have
Heard from many republicans--
How distressed they are at the
Direction n n at donald trump is
Taking their party.
I worked with republicans.
I came from republican home.
My father was a rock-ribbed
Republican.
I think the first democrat he
Voted for was my husband, best i
Can remember.
So we know that there are
Republicans who share our
Concerns and want to be part of
The solution, not just peddling
Fear and bigotry.
And i also am hoping we will
Have a democratic senate, and we
Will make gains in the house.
Who knows?
Maybe we can take the house
Back.
But we're going to come in with
The attitude that, "you know
What?
We will talk, work and listen to
You 24/7."
>> pelley: but wouldn't
President obama say exactly the
Same thing?
And we've had eight years of
Gridlock.
Not quite eight.
But six years of gridlock.
>> kaine: let me say, as a guy
Who's in the legislative branch
Right now, you said d.o.a., it's
Not d.o.a.
And i think it's actually maybe
Going to be easier than it's
Been in the past, a little bit.
I do think we're going to take a
Senate majority for the
Democrats.
>> pelley: in this election?
>> kaine: i do.
I absolutely do.
I think the house is going to
Remain in republican hands.
I think the margin will be
Narrowed.
Some of the big things that we
Have to do: immigration reform,
Tax reform, mental health
Reform, criminal justice reform,
They're only going to get done.
I think they're only going to
Get done probably with a divided
House scenario where each side's
Got to give on something.
Now here's the second thing.
Some people don't agree with me
On this.
I was a brand new senator in
2013.
And the idiocy of congress was
To shut the government down for
Two weeks in october.
And coming out of that, the
Pressure was put on the budget
Chair-- paul ryan's-- shoulders
And patty murray.
Conservative wisconsin
Republican, progressive
Washington democrat, come up
With a budget deal.
Nobody thought they could.
But i watched patty murray and
Paul ryan, who are principled
People, cut a deal for the good
Of the country.
I watched at the end of last
Year when paul ryan worked, and
We got an appropriations bill
That i thought was quite good.
And when he went to the
Microphone to talk about that
Bill, here's what he said,
"democrats got some things that
They liked, republicans got some
Things they liked.
We each had some things we
Didn't like."
He could have said, "hey,
Republicans control both houses.
We want it our way."
But he didn't say that.
He wants to do things.
He wants not just a portrait but
He would like a legacy.
That's my belief.
There's going to be room to make
Some things happen.
>> pelley: senator, in a sense,
We're introducing you to 49
States.
( laughter )
What hardship has formed your
Character?
>> kaine: in my public life,
I've had some suffering.
I-i was elected city councilman
In 1994 in richmond.
We had the second highest
Homicide rate in the united
States.
And i just went to too many
Crime scenes.
I went to police funerals.
And there was a hopelessness
About some of that.
And i got to be governor.
And the worst day of my life,
And it will always be the worst
Day of my life, was the murder
Of these 32 beautiful young kids
And these professors at virginia
Tech.
>> pelley: what did you do about
It?
>> kaine: first, i did what i
Could personally, which was
Within 24 hours after that
Horrible shooting, i put a panel
Together of people who had no
Connection with tech and no
Connection with the family.
And i said, "i want you to tell
Me everything that went wrong
And everything we can do to fix
It."
We improved mental health
Systems, though not enough.
We-we... There was a critical
Loop in the background record
Check system in virginia.
I was able to fix part of it of
It executively.
But when i went to my
Legislature even six months
Later, and with the wound still
Fresh, i could not get the
Virginia legislature to do the
Comprehensive background record
Check that we should do.
And then i come into the senate.
We have that same battle within
Three months of being there, you
Know, after the horrible
Shooting at-at sandy hook right
Before i came into the senate.
You know, we had a vote on the
Senate floor for common sense
Gun reform.
The chamber was-was ringed with
The family members from sandy
Hook, with virginia tech family
Members sitting with them and
Helping them.
There's a phrase in the letter
To the hebrews that says...
Talks about being surrounded by
A great cloud of witnesses.
We were surrounded by a great
Cloud of witnesses, but we
Couldn't do the right thing.
>> pelley: and you thought what?
>> kaine: i just... You know,
Our public wants us to fix this.
Gun owners want us to fix this.
N.r.a. Members want us to fix
This.
And i thought how hard it is to
Do something that makes sense.
So, you know, you-you-you mourn
Falling short, but we just got
To keep trying.
>> pelley: what can a president
Do about these terrible mass
Murders here and abroad that are
Now happening weekly in our
World?
>> clinton: let's separate the
Mass murders that we have at
Places like virginia tech, sandy
Hook, aurora, colorado, and
Recognize that those are rooted
In the much too readily
Available weapons of mass
Killings, mostly the assault
Weapons, and usually some kind
Of underlying motivation--
Whether it is mental health or,
In the case of the killer in
Charleston, deep racist hatred.
Those are homegrown.
And they have to be addressed.
And then we have people who
Claim to be and may well be
Inspired by if not directed by
I.s.i.s.
And they get radicalized.
So i think number one we've got
To have better gun safety rules,
Comprehensive background checks,
Closing the gun show loophole
And the online loophole,
Changing the speed at which you
Get real time information,
Including mental health
Information, to be part of that
Background check, and not
Selling the gun until the
Background check is completed,
Which was one of the problems in
Charleston.
For goodness sake, stopping
Terrorists, people on the watch
List from being able to buy
Weapons.
When it comes to terrorist
Killings, i.s.i.s. Inspired or
Other radical jihadist inspired,
We need an intelligence surge.
We have got to be much more
Connected from the local to the
State to the national level with
International sources of
Information.
>> kaine: and one other thing
That's really important.
As secretary clinton... Hillary
Always says, you know, we got to
Have a stronger world through
Stronger alliances.
So when, you know, donald trump
Says, "maybe we need to kind of
Pull our head back in our shell,
And we don't need to have the
Alliances.
Why do we need 'em?
Why do we need to rely on 'em?"
He's actually potentially
Cutting off exactly the kind of
Intelligence sharing that's
Going to be necessary to stop
These-these kind of random
Attacks that do cause such
Terror.
So these alliances matter.
They're not... You know, they
Weren't about yesterday.
They matter probably more today
And tomorrow than they mattered
Yesterday.
>> pelley: in a moment, we ask
Clinton and kaine about the
Republican attacks on her at
Their convention last week and
About what it would mean to have
A woman as president.
>> pelley: at the republican Convention in cleveland this Past week, there were chants of
"lock her up" relating to
Hillary clinton's use of a
Private email server for
Official business when she was
Secretary of state.
The director of the f.b.i.
Has said that clinton was
Extremely careless and that in
The tens of thousands of emails
On the unsecured server several
Contained classified
Information.
Donald trump has used the email
Issue on many occasions to raise
Doubts about her character.
Madam secretary, did you hear
The republican convention
Chanting, "lock her up?"
>> lock her up, lock her up,
Lock her up!
>> clinton: well, i didn't hear
It, because i wasn't watching.
But i certainly heard about it,
Yes.
>> pelley: did you feel
Threatened by that?
>> clinton: no, i felt sad.
>> pelley: sad?
>> clinton: it felt very sad,
Scott.
I mean, i-i don't know what
Their convention was about,
Other than criticizing me.
I seem to be the only unifying
Theme that they had.
There was no positive agenda.
It was a very dark, divisive
Campaign.
And the people who were speaking
Were painting a picture of our
Country that i did not
Recognize.
You know, negative,
Scapegoating, fear, bigotry,
Smears.
I just was so i was saddened by
It.
>> pelley: he calls you "crooked
Hillary."
What do you call him?
>> clinton: i don't call him
Anything.
And i'm not going to engage in
That kind of insult-fest that he
Seems to thrive on.
So whatever he says about me,
He's perfectly free to use up
His own air time and his own
Space to do.
I'm going to talk about what
He's done, how he has hurt
People in business time after
Time after time.
His vicious language against
Immigrants.
His insulting a distinguished
Federal judge of mexican
Heritage.
His mocking a person with a
Disability.
His really inflammatory language
About muslims, about american
Muslims, about muslims all over
The world.
His demeaning comments about
Women.
I'm going to... I'm going to
Respond to what he has said that
I think is so fundamentally at
Odds with who we are as a
Nation, where we need to be
Heading in the future, and the
Kind of dangerous, risky
Leadership that he's promising.
>> kaine: can i say this?
I-i don't want to... She's done
A good job of letting the, you
Know, water go off her back on
This.
That-that's not the way i feel.
When i see this, you know,
"crooked hillary," or i see the,
"lock her up," it's just
Ridiculous.
It is ridiculous.
The republican f.b.i. Director
Makes a decision that there's
Nothing here that is... You
Know, warrants any additional
Activity.
But oh...
>> pelley: criminal prosecution.
>> kaine: yeah, criminal, but-
But... So the... What, they're
Going to say, "well, we don't
Believe him now."
You see, you saw all these folks
Trying to rehash the tragic
Deaths of americans in libya,
Which we should all feel for
Those families.
They're trying to politicize it.
>> pelley: what's your
Responsibility for benghazi?
Did you make any mistakes around
That?
>> clinton: well, scott, there
Have been, i think now, nine
Separate investigations, and
They did not find any such
Culpability.
I took responsibility, i was
Secretary of state.
And i thought that was
Appropriate.
And what i was determined to do
Is to find answers as to what
Actually happened, not what
People claim, and what we could
Do to try to prevent that.
That was in the tradition of
What has happened in the past.
We had horrible losses in beirut
When ronald reagan was
President, and one of my
Favorite... Former predecessors,
George shultz, was secretary of
State.
We had a democratic congress.
They didn't politicize it.
So when this happened in
Benghazi, i immediately stood up
An independent committee--
Distinguished americans,
Military and civilian experts.
They came out and they said,
"you know, the ball was dropped
In security.
And, you know, some of the
Decisions that were made
Probably should have been
Rethought."
>> pelley: but wasn't that your
Ball to carry?
>> clinton: no, it wasn't.
It was not my ball to carry.
It was very... Be... Read the...
Read the reports.
Read all of the reports, all
Many hundreds of pages of them,
Including this latest one, which
Was a political exercise from
The very beginning.
Those never reached me.
Those never came to my
Attention.
>> pelley: the concerns about
The security never came to your
Attention?
Didn't reach you?
>> clinton: no, the experts...
We have security experts.
I am not going to substitute my
Judgment for people who have
Been in the field, who
Understand what our men and
Women are up against.
So this has all been
Investigated over and over
Again.
But as tim was just saying, it
Didn't get the result that some
Of the republicans wanted, so
They kept at it.
And i feel very sorry that they
Have politicized it unlike any
Prior example.
And i just think the most
Important challenge we face is
Learning from it and doing
Everything we can to keep our
People safe.
>> pelley: i've got about three
More questions that shouldn't
Take too long, one of them you
Might actually like.
( laughter )
>> kaine: one out of three?
Then we'll take one question.
>> clinton: yeah, exactly.
( laughter )
>> pelley: all right.
Do you think you blew it on the
Emails?
>> clinton: oh, i've said i did.
Absolutely.
I made a mistake.
I should've had two accounts;
One for personal and one for
Office.
And i didn't, and i take
Responsibility for that.
>> pelley: why did you do that?
Have the private email servers?
>> clinton: you know, scott,
Other people did have... Other
Secretaries of state, other
High-ranking members of
Administrations-- plural-- and
It was recommended that it would
Be convenient, and i thought it
Would be.
It's turned out to be anything
But.
>> pelley: would there be a
Private email server in the
White house?
>> clinton: i'll tell you one
Thing, that is one lesson i have
Learned the hard way, and there
Will not be any such thing in
The white house.
Although, i am quick to add,
There's no evidence that it was
Ever hacked.
And, unfortunately, you can't
Say that for a lot of the
Government.
>> pelley: i was speaking to a
Young african-american man just
The other day in a democratic
State.
And he said, and i'll quote,
"you know, i guess i would vote
For hillary except for that
Corruption problem," end quote.
As i talked to him further, he
Didn't quite know what he meant
By that.
But that was his impression and
Concern.
Why do you think people say that
About you?
>> clinton: well, first, i will
Take responsibility for any
Impression or anything i've ever
Done that people have legitimate
Questions about.
But i think that it's fair to
Say there's been a concerted
Effort to convince people like
That young man of something,
Nobody's quite sure what, but of
Something.
I often feel like there's the
Hillary standard and then
There's the standard for
Everybody else.
And...
>> pelley: what's the hillary
Standard?
>> clinton: well, it... It is...
You know, a lot of as you saw at
The republican convention--
Unfounded, inaccurate, mean-
Spirited attacks with no basis
In truth, reality, which take on
A life of their own.
And for whatever reasons-- and i
Don't want to try to analyze the
Reasons-- i see it.
I understand it.
People are very willing to say
Things about me, to make
Accusations about me that are...
I don't get upset about them
Anymore, but they-they are very
Regrettable.
>> pelley: why do you put
Yourself through it?
>> clinton: because i really
Believe in this country.
And, boy, do i believe in it now
More than ever after seeing what
Was presented last week.
I-i believe that we are better
Than what we are hearing in the
Political discourse.
I believe we can work together.
>> pelley: what do you care most
About accomplishing as
President?
>> clinton: well, i care most
About getting the economy
Working for everybody.
Not just those at the top.
I care deeply about rebuilding
The ladders of opportunity that
Have been battered, and broken,
And knocked over so that people
Can get an education that'll
Equip them for the future, that
They can afford to go to
College, that we can help them
Pay down their debt to get it
Off their backs.
I care deeply about health care,
Something that has motivated me
For many years.
And how we defend the affordable
Care act, fix it, make it work
Better, take on mental health,
Prescription drug costs,
Addiction that are just ripping
The soul out of people,
Families, and communities.
And i care deeply about the
Issues of race and
Discrimination, the kinds of
Systemic racism that we are
Still struggling with and that
We have to deal with.
And the whole suite of issues
That i've talked about through
This campaign, that i've worked
On are ones that we're going to
Tackle from immigration reform
To gun safety.
>> pelley: who gets a tax
Increase?
Who gets a tax cut?
>> clinton: the middle class
Will not get a tax increase.
That has been my pledge.
>> pelley: what does middle
Class mean?
>> clinton: well, we say below
$250,000.
Because here's what we want to
Do.
We want to go where the money
Is.
Most of the wealth increase, the
Increase in income, both active
And passive, has gone to the
Very top of the income scale.
So i'm with warren buffett, who
Says, "we need the buffett
Rule."
If you make a million dollars,
You should pay a 30% rate
Because you should not be paying
A lower rate than your
Secretary.
We need a surcharge on incomes
$5 million and up because i have
Said i will pay for everything i
Am proposing.
I feel strongly about that.
And it is in stark contrast to
The terrible plans that trump
Has been proposing, which would
Soak the middle class, hurt
Working people, and give huge
Tax breaks to millionaires and
Billionaires.
>> pelley: last one.
What will be accomplished if you
Are elected the first woman
President of the united states?
>> clinton: i think it would be
A great moment for our country
Because every little boy and
Every little girl should be
Given the chance to go as far as
His or her hard work and talent
Might take them.
I see it in the eyes of little
Girls who come to my events.
They're so excited and they're
So proud because maybe they just
Discovered we haven't had any
Girl presidents.
And to accept that nomination on
Thursday night, i'll be thinking
About all the women who came
Before, all the women who went
To seneca falls and, for the
First time in history, talked
About women's equality and
Women's rights, the
Suffragettes, the women who
Knocked their heads against all
Kinds of barriers and broke
Through in everything from, you
Know, space to politics.
And i hope that it gives other
Women and girls the feeling that
Whatever their dreams might be,
They can... They can achieve
Them in this country.
>> kaine: and, you know, if you
Think about the history of our
Nation, we stated that-that all
Are equal, right, in 1776, but
It took 100 and 44 years before
We said, "and that means women
Can vote; not just men."
So we said we were going to do
One thing, but it took 144
Years.
And then it's taken...
>> pelley: not to mention
African americans?
>> kaine: and we can march down
The story the... That equality
Promise, which was like a north
Star that we'll never reach,
But-but-but we've been... We've
Been on a journey.
And then it took another 100
Years.
I mean, we're nearly 100 years
Later, in 2020, with no woman
President.
The next president of the united
States will be the president
That will celebrate 100 years of
Women having the right to vote.
I mean, i think having a woman
President lead that celebration
Would be, you know, one of these
Instances of history really
Working out right in a poetic
And beautiful way.
And part of this journey that
We've been on, because then,
We'll tackle the next
Imperfection we have.
But this, this is something that
Is really, really exciting.
>> bill whitaker: if you could Be anything, go anywhere; meet Anyone, what would you wish for?
The make-a-wish foundation has
Been asking seriously ill
Children that question for 35-
Years.
Make-a-wish became famous by
Making dying children's final
Wishes come true.
A child doesn't have to be
Terminally ill anymore to get a
Wish.
Last year, the organization
Granted almost 15,000 wishes.
They cover a broad range--
Some children get to meet famous
Athletes; one had much of san
Francisco pretend he was batman
For a day.
Another chose to jump from an
Airplane.
We wanted to find out what leads
To these wondrous moments.
Make-a-wish is a growing
Organization that spent more
Than 200 million donated dollars
On wishes last year.
It's headquartered in phoenix,
Has more than 60 local chapters
Across the country, and almost
40 more around the world.
To see how wishes become
Reality, we spent time with some
Of its most dedicated volunteers
In one of its most active
Chapters, in the northeast
Corner of arkansas.
As we first reported back in
October, we discovered a place
Where, despite persistent
Poverty, we found inspiring
Generosity.
>> you're fine.
Appreciate you so much.
>> whitaker: they begin at dawn.
One day a year, hundreds of
Volunteers fan out across
Northeast arkansas to raise
Money-- at street corners...
>> good morning.
Thank you all.
>> whitaker: ...in schools.
>> $5,000...
>> whitaker: their goal?
>> thank you so much.
>> whitaker: to get enough money
On this one day to grant every
Wish for the area's sickest
Children.
Volunteers christie matthews and
Danna johnson have run this
Fundraiser every year since
1999.
>> christie matthews: i mean, it
Literally just exploded.
Every year, we would add another
Town.
>> whitaker: but this is small
Town america.
>> matthews: they're very small
Towns-- 600, 700 people.
A handful of change at a time.
>> whitaker: as this day's
Donation deadline approaches,
Groups of volunteers race to the
Local radio station to announce
Their town's total down to the
Penny.
>> give me a number.
>> $8,468.62!
( cheers and applause )
>> $25,301!
( cheers and applause )
>> $12,054.55!
( cheers and applause )
>> golly!
>> the big finish is just
Moments away.
Stand by!
>> whitaker: the total tally
From northeast arkansas is the
Big story on the 7:00 news.
>> what do we have here?
$323,000!
( cheers and applause )
>> whitaker: that's $323,000--
Enough to grant more than 30
Wishes donated from places with
Little to spare.
In harrisburg, 40% live in
Poverty, but this town of 2,000
Still contributed $25,000.
The wishes were going just to
Children who were dying.
And that's no longer the case?
>> matthews: we talk about it
Not being a last wish, but we
Create lasting wishes and
Memories that these families can
Take on forever.
Hi, kaden!
>> whitaker: kaden erickson is
Fighting a deadly type of
Leukemia.
At his interview as a potential
Recipient, he thought his wish
Was a longshot.
>> kaden erickson: my number one
Wish choice is to go to
Australia.
>> whitaker: folks here make
Granting the wish a big
Surprise.
Months after his interview,
Kaden thought he was getting
This plaque just for being a
Make-a-wish volunteer.
>> erickson: "make-a-wish,
October 11, 2014.
Kaden erickson, your wish
Has..."
( applause )
"your wish has been granted!"
>> hey, kaden, you're going to
Australia.
( cheers and applause )
>> whitaker: his mother jeanne. >> jeanne erickson: he was just Shaking the plaque.
And his little legs were just
Doing a little happy dance in
The chair.
And it was... It was something
Pretty special.
>> whitaker: you must have been
Surprised?
>> kaden erickson: i was the
Most surprised i've ever been in
My life.
>> kendra street: i'm so excited
For you, you know it?
>> whitaker: kendra street
Choreographed kaden's surprise.
When not playing fairy
Godmother, she's teaching at
Marmaduke elementary school.
Everyone at the school chipped
In to pay for kaden's wish; many
Turned out to share the
Revelation.
>> kaden erickson: i get to go
To australia!
I get to go to australia!
>> street: he was excited.
He was grateful.
And he knew what it meant for
Him and his family.
>> kaden erickson: thank you,
Everybody.
>> whitaker: kaden had endured
Two excruciating bone marrow
Transplants.
When he, his parents, and four
Siblings hit the beach in
Australia, they hoped he'd
Beaten the cancer.
The highlight of his trip?
>> kaden erickson: got to hold a
Koala.
>> whitaker: did he, like, put
His arms around you?
>> kaden erickson: he... It was
Like a hug.
It was about as heavy as a baby.
And it would put the claws here
And the claws here, and so it
Was like you were getting hugged
By a koala.
You kind of get attached to the
Koalas.
>> whitaker: did it make you
Forget for a while that you were
Sick?
>> kaden erickson: yes.
It made me feel a little bit
Normal, more normal than i've
Been for a while.
>> whitaker: feeling normal
Didn't last long.
Shortly after returning home,
Kaden learned his cancer had
Returned for the third time.
As we settled in for our
Interview, his mom jeanne
Adjusted the medication he
Needs.
It's pumped into his body next
To his heart.
You're in quite a struggle with
This disease.
>> kaden erickson: there are
Some bad things in my body that
Are kind of stubborn.
>> whitaker: i think you're kind
Of stubborn yourself.
>> kaden erickson: thank you...
I think.
>> whitaker: kaden is so
Stubborn that, after
Deliberating for a week, he
Decided to undergo a third
Agonizing bone marrow
Transplant.
The previous two were so
Difficult, his parents didn't
Want to force him to go through
It again.
How did you make that decision?
>> kaden erickson: would i
Rather just die or would i have
A chance of living?
It was a tough decision to make.
>> whitaker: because the therapy
Makes you feel bad?
>> kaden erickson: it can make
Me feel bad.
It can hurt me.
It could do more harm than help,
So i'm just hoping this time it
Will get rid of it for good.
>> whitaker: kaden's wish-
Granter, kendra street, was
Devastated when she learned his
Cancer had come back.
>> street: you have an
Attachment with your kids, and
Kaden's one that i've really
Attached to.
And i've gotten to keep in touch
With him, and so, seeing him
Have to go through that again,
It's... It's just painful.
He's just a really amazing kid.
>> let's give kendra a round of
Applause.
( cheers and applause )
>> whitaker: you see, kendra had
Survived her own fight with
Cancer.
Back when she was in high
School, she had her wish
Granted.
>> make-a-wish foundation is
Sending you to the atlanta
Braves.
( applause )
>> whitaker: getting to meet the
Atlanta braves was thrilling,
She says, but...
>> street: not to underestimate
What my wish was for me, but if
I had to sacrifice having my
Wish to be able to give it to
Someone else, i would definitely
Be willing to give it to someone
Else.
>> whitaker: being the granter
Of the wish is the better end of
The deal.
>> street: absolutely.
You get to give that joy.
You get to pass it on to someone
Else.
>> whitaker: the same chapter
Passed it on to gavin grubbs.
He suffers from debilitating
Muscular dystrophy, and his wish
Was to meet race car champion
Joey logano.
The day we met them outside
Charlotte, joey took gavin for a
Spin.
They met six years ago, and have Become so close, they call or Text each other every week.
>> joey logano: can you see
Anymore?
>> gavin grubbs: i can't see.
>> whitaker: gavin was a
Groomsman at joey's wedding.
It all began back when gavin was
Eight.
>> make-a-wish is sending you to
The daytona 500!
( cheers and applause )
>> whitaker: at a school
Assembly, gavin learned he'd get
His wish to go to daytona and
Meet his hero.
Then, it got better.
Logano had flown to arkansas to
Be part of gavin's surprise.
( cheers and applause )
Gavin may have a serious
Disease, but, as you'll see, he
Doesn't take himself too
Seriously.
So, gavin, tell me, you are
Fighting a rare form of muscular
Dystrophy.
>> grubbs: yes, sir.
>> whitaker: how does it affect
You?
>> grubbs: main thing is i don't
Have the strength of a normal
Kid my age.
Obviously, i mean, i'm in a
Wheelchair, but it's not all sad
Because, i mean, you're... When
You got a disability, people
Give you free stuff.
( laughs )
People let you do cool things.
I'm not saying i take advantage
Of it, but yeah, i take
Advantage of it.
( laughter )
And sometimes i feel a little
Bad for taking advantage of it,
But, you know, it's worth it,
Hanging out with this idiot.
( laughs )
>> it's okay, no pressure.
>> whitaker: gavin gives back,
Too.
He helps raise money for new
Wish kids every year.
>> grubbs: it feels good to help
Other kids.
>> logano: that's to me is
Maturity beyond your years.
You take advantage of the stuff
That comes your way, as you
Should.
But you also, you know, you give
Back.
>> whitaker: make-a-wish began
Back in 1980.
Seven-year-old chris greicius,
Dying from leukemia, told his
Parents he wanted to be a police
Officer.
Arizona police made him an
Officer for a day.
The power of his wish launched a
Movement.
Are there wishes you can't
Grant?
>> matthews: the one wish that's
The hardest to say, "i can't do"
Is, "can you make me well?"
That's a tough one.
>> whitaker: what does that do
To you?
>> johnson: makes you cry.
>> matthews: breaks your heart.
>> street: thank you so much.
Thank you.
>> whitaker: years before she
Became a volunteer, getting well
Had been kendra street's first
Wish.
At the time, she thought her
Cancer was fatal.
>> matthews: yes.
>> johnson: she was one of those
That her first wish was to "make
Me well, so i want to live long
Enough for my mom to see me
Graduate high school."
She was a senior that year.
>> matthews: they remind you
That the little things that we
Think as adults are so traumatic
Are so small.
I mean, when you think about
What these kids are going
Through-- they may not see their
Next birthday.
>> whitaker: kendra saw her next
Birthday, and since then, 14
More.
Her cancer remains in remission.
At marmaduke, where she teaches,
The whole school takes part in
Make-a-wish.
>> street: they just understand
The power of a wish.
It's just once they saw the
First wish granted here, our
Kids wanted to help give that to
Someone else.
And we're a tiny, tiny school
That's raised... Last year, we
Raised $15,000.
That's incredible.
It plays a huge part of who our
Kids grow up to be.
>> kaden erickson: there's a
Crocodile in there!
>> whitaker: i don't want to
Overstate this in any way, but
Did the trip to australia
Bolster kaden's will to live?
>> jeanne erickson: having
Australia with him, having those
Memories, talking about that, it
Kind of gives him fuel to fight.
>> kaden erickson: sometimes
When i'm sad, i can think of all
The happy things i did in
Australia, and how amazing it
Was.
>> whitaker: you're not going to
Let this cancer win.
>> kaden erickson: thank you.
>> whitaker: you saw how
Courageous kaden was, but
Unfortunately, this story has a
Very sad ending.
The cancer was relentless.
This past september, kaden died.
>> for more about kaden's family go to 60minutesovertime.com.
>> pelley: i'm scott pelley. We will be back next week with Another edition of "60 minutes"
And i will see you from
Philadelphia covering the
Democratic national convention.
Be sure to tune in tomorrow for
Convention coverage on "cbs this
Morning."