About
"The core values of journalism ought to be the same no matter what the medium is. And that's the integrity of the reporter and his courage to go to where the story is and tell it in a way that viewers or listeners can understand."
In his two-hour interview, Bob Schieffer speaks about his early years and growing up during World War II. He talks about his decision to pursue a career in journalism after seeing his byline in the school newspaper in junior high school. He outlines his earliest jobs as a reporter, including his work at the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, where he interviewed Lee Harvey Oswald's mother after John F. Kennedy's assassination and where he became the first reporter from a Texas newspaper to cover the Vietnam War (in 1965). Schieffer describes his coverage of the war as the turning point in his career, resulting in him becoming a local celebrity and becoming the news anchor at the local station WBAP, where he began his television career. He talks about his transition to Washington, first at a local station, and then at CBS. He recalls how he appeared, unannounced, to see CBS bureau chief Bill Small for a job and was hired as a general assignment reporter and then a correspondent. Schieffer describes covering demonstrations during the Vietnam War and later covering the Pentagon (including reporting on the follow-up to the landmark CBS Reports program "The Selling of the Pentagon"). He talks about serving as anchor for the CBS Saturday Evening News while still performing his duties as a White House correspondent. He speaks about the U.S. presidents from Lyndon Johnson to George W. Bush and gives his impressions of each and for some, their relationship to the press. He speaks in great detail about the news program with which he is most closely associated, Face the Nation. He speaks about covering 9/11 and its effect on him. Finally, he discusses being the anchor of the CBS Evening News from 2005-2006. Karen Herman conducted the interview on May 14, 2007 in Washington, D.C.
Highlights
Bob Schieffer on covering the assassination of John F. Kennedy for the "Fort Worth Star-Telegram," and on interviewing Marguerite Claverie Oswald, the mother of Lee Harvey Oswald
Bob Schieffer on what CBS News was like when he first started there
Bob Schieffer on his Face the Nation commentaries, and on Eric Sevareid
Bob Schieffer on his experience on 9/11
Bob Schieffer being the interim CBS Evening News anchro between Dan Rather and Katie Couric
Bob Schieffer on advice to aspiring journalists
Full Interview
Chapter 1
On his early life and influences; on deciding he wanted to be a journalist at an early age, and on early reporting jobs in radio and print; on covering the Vietnam War as a newspaper reporter
On covering the assassination of President John F. Kennedy for the "Fort Worth Star-Telegram," and on interviewing Marguerite Claverie Oswald, the mother of Lee Harvey Oswald; on his early years as a reporter
Chapter 2
On moving to Washington, D.C. and on going to work for CBS News; on his early assignments at CBS News; on covering anti-Vietnam War demonstrations for CBS News
On covering the Pentagon for CBS News; on covering the Vietnam War as the Pentagon correspondent for CBS News; on CBS president Frank Stanton
On what CBS News was like when he first started there; on anchoring the CBS Evening News on Saturday nights, and on being up for the job to replace Walter Cronkite as anchor; on covering Presidents Ford and Nixon as the White House correspondent for CBS News
Chapter 3
On Gerald Ford being his favorite president to cover at CBS News White House correspondent; on covering Jimmy Carter as CBS News chief Washington correspondent; on covering Ronald Reagan as CBS News chief Washington correspondent
On covering George H.W. Bush as CBS News chief Washington correspondent; on covering Bill Clinton as CBS News chief Washington correspondent; on covering George W. Bush and the Iraq War as CBS News chief Washington correspondent
On hosting Face the Nation; on his Face the Nation commentaries, and on Eric Sevareid; on his experience on 9/11
Chapter 4
On being the interim CBS Evening News anchro between Dan Rather and Katie Couric; on then-current projects
On how television news has changed since he started; on advice to aspiring journalists
On his family; on how he would like to be remembered
Shows
CBS Evening News with Dan Rather
Bob Schieffer being the interim CBS Evening News anchro between Dan Rather and Katie Couric
CBS Evening News with Walter Cronkite
Bob Schieffer on anchoring the CBS Evening News on Saturday nights, and on being up for the job to replace Walter Cronkite as anchor
CBS News
Bob Schieffer on his early assignments at CBS News
Bob Schieffer on covering anti-Vietnam War demonstrations for CBS News
Bob Schieffer on covering the Pentagon for CBS News
Bob Schieffer on covering the Vietnam War as the Pentagon correspondent for CBS News
Bob Schieffer on what CBS News was like when he first started there
Bob Schieffer on covering Presidents Ford and Nixon as the White House correspondent for CBS News
Bob Schieffer on Gerald Ford being his favorite president to cover as CBS News White House correspondent
Bob Schieffer on covering Jimmy Carter as chief Washington correspondent for CBS News
Bob Schieffer on covering Ronald Reagan as chief Washington correspondent for CBS News
Bob Schieffer on covering George H.W. Bush as chief Washington correspondent for CBS News
Bob Schieffer on covering Bill Clinton as chief Washington correspondent for CBS News
Bob Schieffer on covering George W. Bush and the Iraq War chief Washington correspondent for CBS News
Face the Nation
Bob Schieffer on how he started hosting Face the Nation
Bob Schieffer on how he prepares for a Face the Nation telecast, and on his ground rules for interviews
Bob Schieffer on his Face the Nation commentaries, and on Eric Sevareid
Topics
9/11
Bob Schieffer on his experience on 9/11
Advice
Bob Schieffer on advice to aspiring journalists
Bill Clinton
Bob Schieffer on covering Bill Clinton as chief Washington correspondent for CBS News
First Big Break
Bob Schieffer on moving to Washington, D.C. and on going to work for CBS News
George H.W. Bush
Bob Schieffer on covering George H.W. Bush as chief Washington correspondent for CBS News
George W. Bush
Bob Schieffer on covering George W. Bush and the Iraq War as CBS News Chief Washington correspondent
Gerald Ford
Bob Schieffer on covering Presidents Ford and Nixon as the White House correspondent for CBS News
Bob Schieffer on Gerald Ford being his favorite president to cover as CBS News White House correspondent
Historic Events and Social Change
Bob Schieffer on covering the Vietnam War as a newspaper reporter
Bob Schieffer on covering the assassination of John F. Kennedy for the "Fort Worth Star-Telegram," and on interviewing Marguerite Claverie Oswald, the mother of Lee Harvey Oswald
Bob Schieffer on covering anti-Vietnam War demonstrations for CBS News
Bob Schieffer on covering the Vietnam War as the Pentagon correspondent for CBS News
Bob Schieffer on covering George W. Bush and the Iraq War as CBS News Chief Washington correspondent
Bob Schieffer on his experience on 9/11
JFK Assassination and Funeral
Bob Schieffer on covering the assassination of John F. Kennedy for the "Fort Worth Star-Telegram," and on interviewing Marguerite Claverie Oswald, the mother of Lee Harvey Oswald
Jimmy Carter
Bob Schieffer on covering Jimmy Carter as chief Washington correspondent for CBS News
Pivotal Career Moments
Bob Schieffer on moving to Washington, D.C. and on going to work for CBS News
Richard M. Nixon
Bob Schieffer on covering Presidents Ford and Nixon as the White House correspondent for CBS News
Ronald Reagan
Bob Schieffer on covering Ronald Reagan as chief Washington correspondent for CBS News
Television and the Presidency
Bob Schieffer on covering Presidents Ford and Nixon as the White House correspondent for CBS News
Bob Schieffer on Gerald Ford being his favorite president to cover as CBS News White House correspondent
Bob Schieffer on covering Jimmy Carter as chief Washington correspondent for CBS News
Bob Schieffer on covering Ronald Reagan as chief Washington correspondent for CBS News
Bob Schieffer on covering George H.W. Bush as chief Washington correspondent for CBS News
Bob Schieffer on covering Bill Clinton as CBS News Chief Washington correspondent
Bob Schieffer on covering George W. Bush and the Iraq War as CBS News Chief Washington correspondent
Television Industry
Bob Schieffer on how television news has changed since he started
Bob Schieffer on advice to aspiring journalists
Vietnam War
Bob Schieffer on covering the Vietnam War as a newspaper reporter
Bob Schieffer on covering anti-Vietnam War demonstrations for CBS News
Bob Schieffer on covering the Vietnam War as the Pentagon correspondent for CBS News
War
Bob Schieffer on covering the Vietnam War as a newspaper reporter
Bob Schieffer on covering anti-Vietnam War demonstrations for CBS News
Bob Schieffer on covering the Vietnam War as the Pentagon correspondent for CBS News
Bob Schieffer on covering George W. Bush and the Iraq War as CBS News Chief Washington correspondent
Professions
Journalists & News Producers
Bob Schieffer on how he prepares for a Face the Nation telecast, and on his ground rules for interviews
Bob Schieffer on advice to aspiring journalists
Moderator
Bob Schieffer on how he prepares for a Face the Nation telecast, and on his ground rules for interviews
Bob Schieffer on advice to aspiring journalists
Genres
News and Documentary
Bob Schieffer on being a reporter for CBS News
Bob Schieffer on his time as CBS News chief Washington correspondent
Bob Schieffer on hosting Face the Nation
Bob Schieffer being the interim CBS Evening News anchro between Dan Rather and Katie Couric
People
George W. Bush
Bob Schieffer on covering George W. Bush and the Iraq War as CBS News Chief Washington correspondent
Jimmy Carter
Bob Schieffer on covering Jimmy Carter as chief Washington correspondent for CBS News
Bill Clinton
Bob Schieffer on covering Bill Clinton as chief Washington correspondent for CBS News
Katie Couric
Bob Schieffer being the interim CBS Evening News anchro between Dan Rather and Katie Couric
Gerald Ford
Bob Schieffer on covering Presidents Ford and Nixon as the White House correspondent for CBS News
Bob Schieffer on Gerald Ford being his favorite president to cover as CBS News White House correspondent
John F. Kennedy
Bob Schieffer on covering the assassination of John F. Kennedy for the "Fort Worth Star-Telegram," and on interviewing Marguerite Claverie Oswald, the mother of Lee Harvey Oswald
Richard M. Nixon
Bob Schieffer on covering Presidents Ford and Nixon as the White House correspondent for CBS News
Dan Rather
Bob Schieffer being the interim CBS Evening News anchro between Dan Rather and Katie Couric
Ronald Reagan
Bob Schieffer on covering Ronald Reagan as chief Washington correspondent for CBS News
Eric Sevareid
Bob Schieffer on his Face the Nation commentaries, and on Eric Sevareid
Frank Stanton
Bob Schieffer on CBS president Frank Stanton