Bob Schieffer
Had there been a reporter along with Lieutenant Calley when he massacred those people in Vietnam, I think that probably wouldn't have happened.
Bob SchiefferI think journalism is a great way to do public service, to have an impact on your community.
Bob SchiefferI also think it's not just good for the American people to have independent observers along, I think it's also good for the military.
Bob SchiefferPrior to 9/11, everybody was talking about at least one of the evening news programs going away, that their future was very limited.
Bob SchiefferI can't think of any other job in journalism where the newsmakers come to you.
Bob SchiefferNowadays I'm not even sure if newspapers take into account whether a person is a good writer.
Bob SchiefferWell, you know, in any political campaign, you're gonna have people on one side that are gonna slip a reporter something because they think it'll hurt the guy on the other side.
Bob SchiefferBut the reporter has the responsibility to determine, number one, whether that is true, and number two, to make a judgment as to whether it's in the public interest and whether or not it should be part of the debate.
Bob SchiefferThey've asked me to do this temporarily. I don't know what temporarily means. Life is temporary.
Bob SchiefferWith Vietman, we found ourselves involved there before we really understood what was going on.
Bob SchiefferObviously, if the commander makes certain decisions that the reporter thinks is inhibiting his right to report a legitimate story, he has to appeal to the commander's boss to get that changed.
Bob SchiefferOne thing young people have to always keep in mind when deciding what they want to do with their lives is, is it fun? Is it something that I'm interested in? Is it something I enjoy?
Bob SchiefferI used to be a print reporter.
Bob SchiefferIn so many of the other beats these days, there are these layers of public relations people that you have to go through to get to the newsmakers themselves.
Bob SchiefferI always thought writing was the foundation and the basis for journalism in the same way being able to draw is the foundation for art.
Bob SchiefferI want to try to talk like normal people talk, not just stand there and bark at the camera.
Bob SchiefferI sometimes tell people, when I was hired at CBS, it was because I was a good writer, not whether I was or not was beside the point.
Bob SchiefferBut I can't think of any country in the world that has a citizenry that is more informed than the American people.
Bob SchiefferAt the White House, everybody works for the same person. They're all part of the same company. But on Capitol Hill, they're all independent contractors. They all work for themselves. That's a formula for getting news.
Bob SchiefferI take them at their word at the Pentagon, if they're going to let these reporters go along and give us a view of this war if it does come.
Bob SchiefferI had an idea in the beginning to do a book about some of the events that I had covered, just various stories that I've covered. Reporters spend a lot of time telling each other tales about how they covered stories, and that's what this book started out to be.
Bob Schieffer
