Dan Rather
The Guardian
What holds, and what fails, under pressure, standards and accountability.
Dan Rather is a seasoned journalist known for his deep commitment to uncovering the truth and holding power accountable. This interview reveals his steadfastness in protecting journalistic integrity and the importance of local news in a rapidly changing media landscape.
“Well, first of all, it all happened very quickly. Realization the president has been someone who's taken a shot at the president. Not only did they take a shot at him, he was hit, he was wounded, perhaps fatally. Then quickly we confirmed that he was indeed dead. This was an enormous sledgehammer, an emotional sledgehammer to the heart.”
“If I was going to make it at CBSUs, I had to raise my game a lot. In the arrogance of youth, I thought I was a pretty good reporter, and I could write some. Couldn't spell with a damn, but I could write.”
“Say the least, he didn't. That's true. Lyndon Johnson, we were at his ranch. I'd never been to his ranch before. And I needed to call back to the radio station. Remember, there are no cell phones. And it was a small office there with a phone in it. And so I just got into the office to make a quick call to my station back in Houston.”
“Well, the short answer to that is yes. It was a very difficult period. I was not able to attend school. I was alone a lot. But the point is being alone, the radio was my constant companion. And two things in the radio just mesmerized me.”
The Axe Files with David Axelrod — Ep. 422 — Dan Rather
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