Carl Bernstein gave generously of his time while he interacted with students, faculty, and community members. The Q&A session after his speech was one of the most lively and engaged I've ever seen.
Few journalists have had the impact on history and their craft as Pulitzer Prize-
winning investigative reporter Carl Bernstein. From uncovering the Watergate
scandal with Bob Woodward to writing about national and international affairs for
half a century, Bernstein’s books, reporting and commentary have revealed the
hidden workings of government and politics around the world.
Bernstein’s important on-air reporting and commentary on Donald Trump for CNN
has been widely recognized for continuing the kind of work he and Bob Woodward
pioneered during the Nixon presidency.
In 1973, Woodward and Bernstein were awarded the Pulitzer Prize for their
Watergate coverage at The Washington Post, leading to the resignation of
President Richard Nixon and setting new standards for investigative journalism.
The pair went on to write two classic best-sellers: All the President’s Men (also a
movie starring Robert Redford and Dustin Hoffman); and The Final Days,
chronicling the end of the Nixon presidency.
Bernstein’s recently released book, Chasing History: A Kid in the Newsroom,
became an instant New York Times bestseller, receiving extraordinary attention and
praise in reviews throughout the United States and Europe. In it, Bernstein
recounts his earliest days in journalism at the Washington Evening Star newspaper,
where he began his career during the Kennedy era as a 16-year-old copyboy. The
roots of his Watergate reporting can be seen in this remarkable apprenticeship as a
teenage reporter in the nation’s capital.
Bernstein’s other best-selling books demonstrate his unique range as a journalist:
Loyalties: A Son’s Memoir, about his family’s experiences in the McCarthy era;
His Holiness: Pope John Paul II and The History of Our Time – a biography of
Pope John Paul II – that revealed the Pope’s pivotal role in the fall of communism;
and A Woman in Charge: The Life of Hillary Rodham Clinton, acclaimed as the
definitive biography on the subject.
His magazine articles have appeared in Time, USA Today, Rolling Stone and The
New Republic. From 1999-2001, Bernstein served as editor and executive vice
president of Voter.com, a pioneering website that Forbes named the best political
site on the internet. He has worked as Washington bureau chief and correspondent
for ABC News; and, while at the Washington Post, was also a part-time rock critic.
Bernstein lives in New York with his wife and is the father of two sons, Jacob
Bernstein, a reporter for the New York Times; and Max Bernstein, who plays guitar
for Taylor Swift and Miley Cyrus.
Bernstein looks back over the last 40 years to discuss the unique ways the American Presidency has evolved since the Nixon White House. From annual State Of The Union addresses to scandals, advancing technology and an ever-changing political landscape, audiences get an in-depth, authoritative look at the use and abuse of power within the Oval Office, and its impact on Washington, the country and the world.
From his time as a copyboy at age 16 in the Kennedy era, through Donald Trump’s presidency, Bernstein reflects on the power of journalism and the concept of the common good as keystones of American democracy.
Bernstein points to “the best obtainable version of the truth,” his definition of real reporting, as he offers keen perspective on the role of the media today and over the years. While critical of the performance of the press, Bernstein notes a decreasing willingness by ordinary citizens to be open to the best obtainable version of the truth, while searching out news and information to reinforce their already held political, cultural, and religious beliefs.
Three Remarkable Presidents - Reagan, Bush I, Clinton, and the Problem of Their Successors