You may have heard the expression “readers are leaders.” It happens to be a favorite one of my husband’s. Well, at this year’s Palm Beach Book Festival, author and journalist, Dan Rather kinda stood that saying on its head.
Commenting on the many world leaders he has met during his long career as a journalist and news anchor, he says from the stage of the Palm Beach County Convention Center: “Not all readers are leaders, but all leaders are readers.”
Then, apparently reminding himself of the current occupant of the White House who has famously been described as not reading anything which isn’t about himself, Rather adds, “Most of them are long-time readers and deep readers, always looking beyond the horizon. The Founding Fathers were all deep readers.”
Book of the Year
Amazingly, given that Rather at 86 years old is still working as a newsman and journalist (he created the News & Guts website, and he tweets on a daily basis) the actual name of this country’s president is not uttered once during Rather’s stint on stage. However, Trump is, obviously very much an (unwelcome) presence as in this comment from Rather, who is at the Festival to talk about his new book, an essay collection, What Unites Us: Reflections on Patriotism:
“We’ve never gone through a time exactly like this, but we’ve had problems before.”
Rather, who is presented with the Festival’s Book of the Year award by Festival founder Lois Cahall (see photo), doesn’t mince words when he compares the magnitude of the country’s problems today to the Civil War. But he adds, “what has gotten us through the tough times is the difference between patriotism and nationalism. True patriotism is the constant pursuit of trying to make the country better, trying to make it a more perfect union.”
Ballot Box Revenge
“Lots of people come up to me and tell me they’re worried about the country,” Rather tells the audience, “they ask me ‘what can I do?’ and I tell them: ‘Revenge is best served at the ballot box. It’s the ballot box that decides.'”
Rather acknowledges that it’s an especially tough time for journalists now. He reminds the audience that “we have a history of respecting the right to dissent. Some of the most important things that are accomplished have been accomplished through dissent.”
Again, he is obviously addressing the subject of Trump’s constant barrage of epithets like “fake news” and “the enemy of the people” against those in the mainstream media who disagree with him and call him out on his lies.
Trump & Journalists
In fact, Rather’s remarks come just a few days before former FBI director James Comey’s redacted memos (about his interactions with Trump) are leaked publicly, and the world gets to hear about Trump’s disturbing suggestion that journalists should be jailed to compel them to identify government leakers. Comey notes that Trump suggested “being more aggressive,” with journalists, saying,”They spend a couple of days in jail, make a new friend and they are ready to talk.”
When I speak to Rather, journalist- to- journalist, after his appearance on stage (see photo), I ask him what he would ask Trump if he got the chance to interview him.
“I’d ask him: What are you afraid of?” replies Rather. “It seems to me that everything he does is driven by some sort of fear. We, in America, shouldn’t be that afraid. And, once you get a fear out in the open, it’s always better.”
Next Week: From the Palm Beach Book Festival: NYT bestselling children’s author, Kwame Alexander tells why he stopped reading at the age of 11.