Honoring the Life of Media Reporting Giant David Brinkley
HONORING THE LIFE OF MEDIA REPORTING GIANT DAVID BRINKLEY
Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, I spend many of my Sunday mornings having coffee with Tony Snow, Tim Russert and Bob Schieffer. The Sunday morning talk shows are a chance for meand I'm sure every Senator in this Chamberto listen and participate in some of the best and most lively debates in America. While today's hosts are some of the best in the business, their foundation was built by a legend.
"This Week with David Brinkley" was that foundation. His show was the first Sunday talk show I remember watching. David had a passion for politics and it showed on the air. He set a pattern for all the other hosts to follow. Last Wednesday, when David passed away at the age of 82, America lost a friend.
David's interest in journalism and politics started at a very early age. He was born in Wilmington, NC, on July 10 1920. David's first job in journalism was at the Wilmington Morning Star, where he wrote for the newspaper while still in high school. Following graduation, he attended the University of North Carolina and served in the North Carolina National Guard. In 1943, after his discharge from the service, David moved to Washington, DC, and landed a job with NBC as a radio reporter covering President Franklin D. Roosevelt at the White House.
In 1956, David got his big break. He became a co-anchor with Chet Huntley during the Democratic and Republican political convention. I remember tuning in to David every night; in fact, I was probably the only 14-year-old in America that watched the conventions from gavel to gavel.
David did such an outstanding job during the conventions that NBC decided to promote him to the nightly news. "The Huntley-Brinkley Report" premiered on October 29, 1956. This was NBC's nightly newscast, and it was the show that made David Brinkley a household name. Millions of Americans tuned in to the program nightly to get their news. Their show was so popular that, in the 1960s, David and Chet both had higher name recognition than the Beatles and John Wayne.
What most Americans remember about the show was the way they signed off each night: "Goodnight, Chet . . . Goodnight, David." It became one of the country's first catchphrases.
David permanently said "goodnight" to "The Huntley-Brinkley Report" in 1970. He stayed at NBC for another 11 years, continuing to report, anchor and host a magazine show.
In 1981, ABC arrived on the scene. The network offered him a Sunday morning talk show. "This Week with David Brinkley" was the first of its kindan hour rather than 30 minutes, and it became a huge ratings hit.
During his long and outstanding career, David covered 11 presidents, 4 wars, 22 political conventions, a moon landing, and 3 assassinations. He wrote 3 books, won 10 Emmy awards, 6 Peabody awards, and in 1992, the Presidential Medal of Freedomthe Nation's highest civilian honor.
David was just as well known for his wry sense of humor, fundamental decency and gentlemanly charm as he was for his one-of-a-kind writing style. I am told that he wrote all of his own scripts, which is rare, especially in today's world of the 24-hour news channels. In 1987, he said: "it's the way I've written all my life, since I was 6 years old and working part-time at a local newspaper. I write the way I talk. Occasionally, rarely, because something happened while I was already on the air and I couldn't write it myself, somebody's written something and brought it to me. And I cannot read it. Can not!. . . And it's not that the writing is so terrible. It's just that . . . I can't read anything that isn't mine."
My prayers and deepest condolences go out to David's family and friends for their loss. Mr. President, I close by asking my colleagues to join me in paying tribute to David Brinkley's life and his contribution to journalism and politics. There will never be another one like him. He will be missed.
"Goodnight, David."
Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the resolution be agreed to, the preamble be agreed to, the motion to reconsider be laid upon the table, and that any statements relating to this matter be printed in the RECORD.