Dan Rather
Covering the civil-rights movement was a mind- and eye-opener for me. Houston was a segregated society, as was Texas as a whole - some of it by law, a lot of it by fear and tradition. But there was no violence where I lived, and if there was hate, it was either concealed from me or I just didn't recognize it.
I think you can be an honest person and lie about any number of things.Collection: Honesty
If you're in Journalism and you're looking for friends, you should get a dog.Collection: Dog
The dream begins, most of the time, with a teacher who believes in you.Collection: Dream
Music is important. It says things you heart can't say any other way, and in a language everyone speaks. Music crosses borders, turns smiles into frowns, and vice versa. These observations are shared with a hope: that, when schools cut back on music classes, they really think about what they're doing - and don't take music for granted.Collection: Heart
Be careful. Journalism is more addictive than crack cocaine. Your life can get out of balance.Collection: Life
(Obama's) a nice person, he's very articulate this is what's been used against him, but he couldn't sell watermelons if it, you gave him the state troopers to flag down the traffic.Collection: Nice
Comedians, such as yourself, Jon Stewart and others, are a valuable supplement, and here's why: Good journalism at its best frequently speaks truth to power. What's happened with journalists - again, I don't except myself from this criticism - in some ways we've lost our guts. We need a spine transplant. What's happened is comedians, in their own way, speak truth to power and fill that vacuum that we in journalism have too often left, particularly post 9/11.Collection: Comedian
I've never believed in measuring one's worth by the size of his or her bank account. I prefer to look at distance traveled.Collection: Inspirational
Turn the lights down, the party just got wilder.Collection: Party
I got addicted. News, particularly daily news, is more addictive than crack cocaine, more addictive than heroin, more addictive than cigarettes.Collection: Addiction
Very big business is in bed with very big government in Washington, and has more to do with what the average person sees, hears and reads than most people know.Collection: Government
I quote the late Ed Murow. ... He said: 'Look, people listen to me when they want an eyewitness account. 'They think I'm a pretty good reporter. But when it comes to my opinions, mine are not worth anymore than the guy at the end of the bar.' And I believe that about myself.Collection: Believe
I'm part of nobody's world except Brezhnev's.Collection: World
Journalism is not a precise science, it's a crude artCollection: Art
It's a legitimate point to debate. But it's part of the reality. It's happening, but it's also true they (looters) are in the distinct minority. I think there's a hero on every street corner in New Orleans, and I think the reporting has shown that. I think the balance has been there.Collection: Hero
There are more Muslims in North America then Jews Now.Collection: America
The reelection of Bill Clinton is as secure as a double-knot tied in wet rawhide.Collection: Reelection
If you liked this broadcast, we hope you'll watch it again tomorrow night and maybe tell your neighbors about it.Collection: Night
By more than two to one Americans do not consider what Kevorkian did, injecting a terminally ill patient with legal drugs at the patient's request, to be the same as murder. You may want to note that laws are not supposed to be enforced on the basis of public opinion polls.Collection: Law
One finds oneself saying: 'I know the right question, but ... this is not exactly the right time to ask it.'Collection: Right Time
I'm of the belief that you can have only one commander-in-chief at a time, only one president at a time. President Bush is our president. Whatever he decides vis-a-vis war or peace in Iraq is what we will do as a country. And I for one will swing in behind him as a citizen ... and support whatever his decision is.Collection: Country
In dealing with the press, do yourself a favor, stick with one of three responses: (a) I know and I can tell you; (b) I know and I can't tell you; (c) I don't know.Collection: Three
Stay with CBS now for more news, including: Is there a pall over the mall as holiday shoppers think small?Collection: Holiday
A lot of tight Senate races out there. Let's hit those chips with another dash of salsa, Ed Bradley.Collection: Race
He [Mikhail Gorbachev] has, as many great leaders have, impressive eyes....There's a kind of laser-beam stare, a forced quality, you get from Gorbachev that does not come across as something peaceful within himself. It's the look of a kind of human volcano, or he'd probably like to describe it as a human nuclear energy plant.Collection: Eye
Have you ever had any anger about President Bush - who spent his time during the Vietnam War in the National Guard - running, in effect, a campaign that does its best to diminish your service in Vietnam? You have to be at least irritated by that, or have you been?Collection: Running
Tonight, savagery in the streets of Iraq. Ten Americans die in a single day, four of them civilians murdered, mutilated and dragged through the streets....What drives American civilians to risk death in Iraq? In this economy it may be, for some, the only job they can find.Collection: Jobs
The Republican convention opens in New York to re-nominate George W. Bush and showcase the party's, quote, 'moderate side.' Will voters buy it?Collection: New York
President Bush insisted today that he was not caving in to big-money contributors, big-time lobbyists, and overall industry pressure when he broke a campaign promise to regulate carbon dioxide emissions from power plants. But the air was thick today with accusations from people who believe that's exactly what happened.Collection: Believe
On Capitol Hill, the Republican-controlled House voted mostly along party lines tonight to pass President Bush's federal budget blueprint. This includes his big tax cut plan, partly bankrolled, critics say, through cuts in many federal aid programs for children and education.Collection: Children
It's the American way: if you don't vote, you don't get to whine.Collection: Way
I've tried everything. I can say to you with confidence, I know a fair amount about LSD. I've never been a social user of any of these things, but my curiosity has carried me into a lot of interesting areas.Collection: Confidence
When the going gets weird, anchormen punt.Collection: Anchorman
Catholic dioceses typically spent hundreds of thousands of dollars recklessly, then filed for bankruptcy. The goal was to avoid the money going to the hands of victims of predator priests.Collection: Hands
Writing is the rock on which everything is built.Collection: Writing
I read the book [My Life by Bill Clinton] completely. And I think it compares very favorably with Ulysses S. Grant's gold standard of presidential autobiographies.Collection: Book
There was a time in South Africa that people would put flaming tires around peoples' necks if they dis-sented. And in some ways the fear is that you will be necklaced here, you will have a flaming tire of lack of patriotism put around your neck. Now it is that fear that keeps journalists from asking the toughest of the tough questions... And again, I am humbled to say, I do not except myself from this criticism.Collection: Tough Questions
Foreign news is considered an expletive. Thoughtfully written analysis is out, 'live pops' are in. 'Action Jackson' is the cry. Hire lookers, not writers. Do powder puff, not probing interviews. Stay away from controversial subjects. Kiss ass, move with the mass, and for heaven and rating's sake, don't make anybody mad- - certainly not anybody you're covering, and especially not the mayor, the governor, the senator, the president or the vice-president or anybody in a position of power. Make nice, not news.Collection: Nice
Anyone who says network news cannot be profitable doesn't know what he is talking about. But anyone who says it must "always," make money is misguided and irresponsible.Collection: Talking
You'd better do what you feel good about doing. If we [try] to figure out what it is the audience wants and then try to deliver it to them, we're lost souls on the ghost ship forever.Collection: Feel Good
[My job is] a very high trapeze act, frequently with no net.Collection: Jobs
To the pilot of a deep sea submersible, upon finding out what would happen if the craft sprung a leak while submerged. I'll trust you to make sure that doesn't happen.Collection: Trust
We may see Michael Jackson's baby before we know the final outcome of this race for the House of Representatives tonight.Collection: Baby
Those of you watching and listening, get a cup of coffee or a spot of tea and join us back here in just a few moments.Collection: Coffee
They say California's the big burrito; Texas is a big taco right now. We want to follow that through. Florida is a big tamale.Collection: Florida
I had someone at the Houston police station shoot me with heroin so I could do a story about it. The experience was a special kind of hell. I came out understanding full well how one could be addicted to 'smack,' and quickly.Collection: Funny
It's the ratings, stupid, don't you know? They've got us putting more fuzz and wuzz on the air, cop-show stuff.Collection: Stupid