In the perfect world every source could be identified, but like the man said, “It’s not a perfect world.”
BEN BRADLEEIn the perfect world every source could be identified, but like the man said, “It’s not a perfect world.”
BEN BRADLEEThe history of American politics is littered with bodies of people who took so pure a position that they had no clout at all.
BEN BRADLEENational security is a really big problem for journalists, because no journalist worth his salt wants to endanger the national security, but the law talks about anyone who endangers the security of the United States is going to go to jail.
BEN BRADLEEIt’s very hard to stand up to the government which is saying that publication will threaten national security. People don’t seem to realize that reporters and editors know something about national security and care deeply about it.
BEN BRADLEEAs a child, one looks for compliments. As an adult, one looks for evidence of effectiveness.
BEN BRADLEEAs long as a journalist tells the truth, in conscience and fairness, it is not his job to worry about consequences. The truth is never as dangerous as a lie in the long run. I truly believe the truth sets men free.
BEN BRADLEEI don’t want to disappoint too many people, but the number of interesting political, historical conversations we had, you could stick in your ear, it wasn’t that many. We talked about friends, family and of course girls.
BEN BRADLEEThe first rough draft of history.
BEN BRADLEEThe champagne was flowing like the Potomac in flood.
BEN BRADLEESo, here you are, especially in the Pentagon. Some guy tells you something. He says that’s a national security matter. Well, you’re supposed to tremble and get scared and it never, almost never means the security of the national government.
BEN BRADLEEI never believed that Nixon could fully resurrect himself. And the proof of that was in the obits.
BEN BRADLEESure, some journalists use anonymous sources just because they’re lazy, and I think editors ought to insist on more precise identification even if they remain anonymous.
BEN BRADLEEThe Nixon administration really put a lot of pressure on CBS not to run the second broadcast.
BEN BRADLEENothing’s riding on this, except the First Amendment to the Constitution, freedom of the press and maybe the future of the country. Not that any of that matters, but if you guys f-k up again, I’m gonna get mad.
BEN BRADLEEHire people smarter than you are and encourage them to bloom.
BEN BRADLEEOur best today; better tomorrow.
BEN BRADLEE