Comments on: My Crazy Conversation with Don Hewitt http://www.bernardgoldberg.com/my-crazy-conversation-with-don-hewitt/ Media Bias | Political Opinion | Conservative News Thu, 09 Feb 2012 01:26:42 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Ralph Hahn http://www.bernardgoldberg.com/my-crazy-conversation-with-don-hewitt/comment-page-1/#comment-218260 Ralph Hahn Wed, 05 Oct 2011 17:26:46 +0000 http://www.bernardgoldberg.com/content/?p=474#comment-218260 Ken: Perhaps Hewitt had done the coaching thing with JFK in 1960? Including advice what most people may think is the obvious: "Oh, Jack. Make sure you shave closely just before the broadcast." Even though Dan Rather anchored the "CBS Evening News" for five more years than Walter Cronkite had, Uncle Walter must have been a good poker player. From Cronkite's book, a woman called him directly, maybe hours after JFK was killed saying "You always hated the Kennedys." I think it was the infamous time when Walter answered the woman that she was a "goddamned idiot." When Cronkite retired, he revealed his true liberal leanings. I was trained that a journalist can't really be 'objective'. However, they must be fair. The greatest compliment from politicians I had covered was "you were always fair to us." Ken: Perhaps Hewitt had done the coaching thing with JFK in 1960? Including advice what most people may think is the obvious: “Oh, Jack. Make sure you shave closely just before the broadcast.” Even though Dan Rather anchored the “CBS Evening News” for five more years than Walter Cronkite had, Uncle Walter must have been a good poker player. From Cronkite’s book, a woman called him directly, maybe hours after JFK was killed saying “You always hated the Kennedys.” I think it was the infamous time when Walter answered the woman that she was a “goddamned idiot.” When Cronkite retired, he revealed his true liberal leanings. I was trained that a journalist can’t really be ‘objective’. However, they must be fair. The greatest compliment from politicians I had covered was “you were always fair to us.”

]]> By: Ted Kalal http://www.bernardgoldberg.com/my-crazy-conversation-with-don-hewitt/comment-page-1/#comment-345 Ted Kalal Fri, 11 Sep 2009 18:33:31 +0000 http://www.bernardgoldberg.com/content/?p=474#comment-345 This is to compare and contrast (something we all did in Freshman English) a happening that today has submerged into oblivion. In the mid seventies, Stansfield Turner became the new Director of the CIA. I was taking journalism 101 while attending evening classes at the University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee. At that time the journalism professor gave the class the assignment of comparing and contrasting the cover articles of Time and Newsweek of the same week. That week the cover topic was Stansfield Turner. Both articles discusses his mediocre grade point average at Annapolis, his rise in the military, and a lot of what he had accomplished up to then. The main take away from the two readings was that each magazine had referred to some thirty five sources that went into the articles. Each had references that were directly traceable, i.e., the president said, the chairman of the arms committee, senator XYZ said, etc. The remaining thirty information sources were untraceable, i.e., a noted White House insider, on the capitol steps I learned that, in the capital’s cloakroom, etc. The next journalism lecture met where the professor asked about the contents, any biases, and the sources of the article information. The class as a whole had much the same overall thoughts; one magazine was pro Turner and the other was not (I forget which was which). Then the professor surprised the class with the reason he assigned this writing task. It was to show each of us how much is written by what are considered accurate journalist publications where the sources of the information was almost completely missing. He advised the class to pay great attention to what we read and to be alert to the information sources traceability. That was thirty five years ago, and that’s what I remember from Journalism 101. This is to compare and contrast (something we all did in Freshman English) a happening that today has submerged into oblivion. In the mid seventies, Stansfield Turner became the new Director of the CIA. I was taking journalism 101 while attending evening classes at the University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee. At that time the journalism professor gave the class the assignment of comparing and contrasting the cover articles of Time and Newsweek of the same week. That week the cover topic was Stansfield Turner.
Both articles discusses his mediocre grade point average at Annapolis, his rise in the military, and a lot of what he had accomplished up to then. The main take away from the two readings was that each magazine had referred to some thirty five sources that went into the articles. Each had references that were directly traceable, i.e., the president said, the chairman of the arms committee, senator XYZ said, etc. The remaining thirty information sources were untraceable, i.e., a noted White House insider, on the capitol steps I learned that, in the capital’s cloakroom, etc.
The next journalism lecture met where the professor asked about the contents, any biases, and the sources of the article information. The class as a whole had much the same overall thoughts; one magazine was pro Turner and the other was not (I forget which was which). Then the professor surprised the class with the reason he assigned this writing task. It was to show each of us how much is written by what are considered accurate journalist publications where the sources of the information was almost completely missing. He advised the class to pay great attention to what we read and to be alert to the information sources traceability. That was thirty five years ago, and that’s what I remember from Journalism 101.

]]> By: Ken http://www.bernardgoldberg.com/my-crazy-conversation-with-don-hewitt/comment-page-1/#comment-344 Ken Sat, 29 Aug 2009 12:16:11 +0000 http://www.bernardgoldberg.com/content/?p=474#comment-344 Dear Bernie: I apologize if this is something you have already written about. Regarding Don Hewitt and 60 Minutes . . . You might remember this. If I recall correctly, some sort of 60 Minutes anniversary show was broadcast back in the mid-nineties. The program included a number of their most popular and/or important interviews. Of course, this included Steve Croft's interview of Bill and Hillary Clinton during the 1992 presidential campaign. This is the interview where Bill and Hillary more or less put to rest voter concerns regarding their marriage and Bill's philandering. Hillary had her arm around Bill, and appeared as his biggest defender, standing by her man as he was being unfairly attacked. What really struck me about the anniversary show wasn't the interview itself, but rather the outtakes from the interview they chose to broadcast. In these, we could see Hewitt coaching Bill and Hillary in how to answer the questions. He was passionate and forceful as he told both not just what to say, but how to say it, and how they needed to come off to the public. He was acting as a campaign aide to the Clintons. I recall thinking that were it not for Hewitt, the Clintons might not have succeeded in getting to the White House. I also recall being surprised that the producers would include these coaching sessions in the anniversary program. As a supposedly objective and unbiased news organization, shouldn't they have been embarrassed by this blatant partisanship? Perhaps they were too ignorant to understand that they should have been embarrassed, or perhaps they were so arrogant, they just assumed all right-thinking people would be happy and grateful for the assistance Hewitt provided. I had pretty much sworn-off 60 Minutes long before that piece, but seeing it really confirmed for me that my suspicions about that program and CBS News in general were well-founded. I wouldn't watch anything produced by CBS News if someone paid me. One other item: around the time of the George Clooney film "Good Night and Good Luck," lionizing Edward R. Murrow, I read a column on Bloomberg (by Andrew Ferguson, I believe). Some people who point out CBS News' blatant bias today still pay at least lip-service tribute to the legacy of Murrow. However, according to Ferguson's column, Murrow was awfully partisan himself, and it showed in his work. In addition, Ferguson charged that Murrow had falsified his resume. I remember wondering whether CBS News was ever the great paragon of virtue and objectivity they like to claim it is. It all seems like a self-serving myth. Thank you, Bernie. I hope you continue to "speak truth to power," as Dan Rather likes to say. Sincerely, Ken B. Dear Bernie:

I apologize if this is something you have already written about.

Regarding Don Hewitt and 60 Minutes . . .

You might remember this. If I recall correctly, some sort of 60 Minutes anniversary show was broadcast back in the mid-nineties. The program included a number of their most popular and/or important interviews. Of course, this included Steve Croft’s interview of Bill and Hillary Clinton during the 1992 presidential campaign.

This is the interview where Bill and Hillary more or less put to rest voter concerns regarding their marriage and Bill’s philandering. Hillary had her arm around Bill, and appeared as his biggest defender, standing by her man as he was being unfairly attacked.

What really struck me about the anniversary show wasn’t the interview itself, but rather the outtakes from the interview they chose to broadcast. In these, we could see Hewitt coaching Bill and Hillary in how to answer the questions. He was passionate and forceful as he told both not just what to say, but how to say it, and how they needed to come off to the public. He was acting as a campaign aide to the Clintons.

I recall thinking that were it not for Hewitt, the Clintons might not have succeeded in getting to the White House. I also recall being surprised that the producers would include these coaching sessions in the anniversary program. As a supposedly objective and unbiased news organization, shouldn’t they have been embarrassed by this blatant partisanship? Perhaps they were too ignorant to understand that they should have been embarrassed, or perhaps they were so arrogant, they just assumed all right-thinking people would be happy and grateful for the assistance Hewitt provided.

I had pretty much sworn-off 60 Minutes long before that piece, but seeing it really confirmed for me that my suspicions about that program and CBS News in general were well-founded. I wouldn’t watch anything produced by CBS News if someone paid me.

One other item: around the time of the George Clooney film “Good Night and Good Luck,” lionizing Edward R. Murrow, I read a column on Bloomberg (by Andrew Ferguson, I believe). Some people who point out CBS News’ blatant bias today still pay at least lip-service tribute to the legacy of Murrow. However, according to Ferguson’s column, Murrow was awfully partisan himself, and it showed in his work. In addition, Ferguson charged that Murrow had falsified his resume. I remember wondering whether CBS News was ever the great paragon of virtue and objectivity they like to claim it is. It all seems like a self-serving myth.

Thank you, Bernie. I hope you continue to “speak truth to power,” as Dan Rather likes to say.

Sincerely,
Ken B.

]]> By: Tiffany http://www.bernardgoldberg.com/my-crazy-conversation-with-don-hewitt/comment-page-1/#comment-343 Tiffany Thu, 27 Aug 2009 02:26:10 +0000 http://www.bernardgoldberg.com/content/?p=474#comment-343 You'd guess right. :) You’d guess right. :)

]]> By: Patrick Wahl http://www.bernardgoldberg.com/my-crazy-conversation-with-don-hewitt/comment-page-1/#comment-342 Patrick Wahl Wed, 26 Aug 2009 21:04:10 +0000 http://www.bernardgoldberg.com/content/?p=474#comment-342 Dear Bernie, Just wanted to write to you to tell you how much you have affected my life. When I first heard that the news was "biased," the concept did not make sense to me. How can news -- the day's events -- be biased? It's just news, not opinion! I have now read all of your books, along with dozens of others, and what you have taught me remains top of mind whenever I hear the news! I love your appearances with Sean Hannity. Keep fighting the good fight, and keep speaking truth to power. Liberals love people who speak truth to power, right?? Warmly, Pat Patrick Wahl Wilmington, DE Dear Bernie,

Just wanted to write to you to tell you how much you have affected my life.

When I first heard that the news was “biased,” the concept did not make sense to me. How can news — the day’s events — be biased? It’s just news, not opinion!

I have now read all of your books, along with dozens of others, and what you have taught me remains top of mind whenever I hear the news!

I love your appearances with Sean Hannity. Keep fighting the good fight, and keep speaking truth to power. Liberals love people who speak truth to power, right??

Warmly,

Pat
Patrick Wahl
Wilmington, DE

]]> By: Danny K. http://www.bernardgoldberg.com/my-crazy-conversation-with-don-hewitt/comment-page-1/#comment-341 Danny K. Wed, 26 Aug 2009 02:47:18 +0000 http://www.bernardgoldberg.com/content/?p=474#comment-341 Bernie, thanks for bringing back memories. One of the rare occasions I watched Larry King was that very interview with Andy Rooney. After he said what he said about Dan Rather, it was if the world had stopped. As a news/talk junkie, it was one of the rare moments I stopped and said to myself, "Did he just say what I think he said?" I also remember the deafening silence from the usual sources that came afterwards, as if those words were never uttered. That said, I don't have a lot of use these days for either conservatives or liberals these days, as neither really fit the definition of those words. To me, a true liberal looks for new ways to tackle problems. Instead, we have big government statists peddling their shopworn plans that have already bankrupted this country. A journalists' job shouldn't be to cozy up to the statist status quo, whether conservative or liberal. It should be to put people touting failed policies on the hot seat and do to them what Mike Wallace used to do to some unwitting scammer featured on 60 Minutes. There is a lot of gutlessness that has occured over the last 40 or 50 years and we have a $9 trillion debt to show for it, plus untold trillions of entitlement obligations. Both parties have been complicit in turning this country into a national version of General Motors and I think journalists need to start putting these people on the hot seat. Bernie, thanks for bringing back memories. One of the rare occasions I watched Larry King was that very interview with Andy Rooney. After he said what he said about Dan Rather, it was if the world had stopped. As a news/talk junkie, it was one of the rare moments I stopped and said to myself, “Did he just say what I think he said?” I also remember the deafening silence from the usual sources that came afterwards, as if those words were never uttered. That said, I don’t have a lot of use these days for either conservatives or liberals these days, as neither really fit the definition of those words. To me, a true liberal looks for new ways to tackle problems. Instead, we have big government statists peddling their shopworn plans that have already bankrupted this country.

A journalists’ job shouldn’t be to cozy up to the statist status quo, whether conservative or liberal. It should be to put people touting failed policies on the hot seat and do to them what Mike Wallace used to do to some unwitting scammer featured on 60 Minutes. There is a lot of gutlessness that has occured over the last 40 or 50 years and we have a $9 trillion debt to show for it, plus untold trillions of entitlement obligations. Both parties have been complicit in turning this country into a national version of General Motors and I think journalists need to start putting these people on the hot seat.

]]> By: Bernie http://www.bernardgoldberg.com/my-crazy-conversation-with-don-hewitt/comment-page-1/#comment-340 Bernie Mon, 24 Aug 2009 13:32:58 +0000 http://www.bernardgoldberg.com/content/?p=474#comment-340 Did you miss the many well-deserved compliments I gave Don throughout the piece? I was making a serious point about journalists and journalism. I'm guessing most reasonable people saw it that way. Did you miss the many well-deserved compliments I gave Don throughout the piece? I was making a serious point about journalists and journalism. I’m guessing most reasonable people saw it that way.

]]> By: bmmg39 http://www.bernardgoldberg.com/my-crazy-conversation-with-don-hewitt/comment-page-1/#comment-339 bmmg39 Sat, 22 Aug 2009 23:33:54 +0000 http://www.bernardgoldberg.com/content/?p=474#comment-339 My condolences on the loss of your former colleague. My condolences on the loss of your former colleague.

]]> By: Jon http://www.bernardgoldberg.com/my-crazy-conversation-with-don-hewitt/comment-page-1/#comment-338 Jon Sat, 22 Aug 2009 15:39:13 +0000 http://www.bernardgoldberg.com/content/?p=474#comment-338 Wow, Captain Ahab is alive and well! I am extremely disappointed that you would use the opportunity of one man's death to take a cheap potshot at that person. A person with class would have said nothing at all rather than tell some unflattering anecdote as you have--ESPECIALLY someone who makes the claim that our modern culture is in the grips of an epidemic of crass, coarse behavior. I think kicking a dead guy around qualifies as a symptom of that epidemic. Way to go harpooning that whale, Cap'n. Wow, Captain Ahab is alive and well!

I am extremely disappointed that you would use the opportunity of one man’s death to take a cheap potshot at that person. A person with class would have said nothing at all rather than tell some unflattering anecdote as you have–ESPECIALLY someone who makes the claim that our modern culture is in the grips of an epidemic of crass, coarse behavior. I think kicking a dead guy around qualifies as a symptom of that epidemic.

Way to go harpooning that whale, Cap’n.

]]> By: Bernie http://www.bernardgoldberg.com/my-crazy-conversation-with-don-hewitt/comment-page-1/#comment-337 Bernie Fri, 21 Aug 2009 21:13:31 +0000 http://www.bernardgoldberg.com/content/?p=474#comment-337 I worked with Lee at CBS ... and I'm here to tell you he's one of the best. I worked with Lee at CBS … and I’m here to tell you he’s one of the best.

]]>