Just Musing

Eric Sevareid was a CBS News Correspondent. He was a Murrow hire and his career lasted well over forty years. When he retired, he was asked to recall his most memorable Presidential interview. He replied that he had many memorable interviews but the one that spoke the most about how the Presidency had changed was one he had with Harry Truman. Sevaraid said that both he and the President were staying at the Muelbach Hotel in Kansas City in the early 1950's. Sevaraid used the house phone to ring the President's suite. Truman himself picked up the phone and told Sevaraid to come up, but to stop first at the newstand and pick up a bottle of bourbon. Sevaraid dutifully purchased a bottle of Old Crow and went upstairs to share it with the President over an interview.

I read that Bush's recent trip to Normandy cost more than the 1944 D Day invasion, with over 5000 people involved in his direct security. Even a litre of Dr. Pepper wouldn't get a poor reporter very far today.

I suppose the true question is whether we are better served as citizens with the present standoff between the 'media' and the politician. We certainly have more news and it is processed at incredible speed. Is it any better?

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