A conversation with Judy Woodruff, the former CNN news anchor(2)

2007-04-19 13:37:21 [ Big Normal Small ]  zong xing  　Comment

Z: You were born in the same year as President Clinton. As the baby boom generation, you experienced a lot of big events in American history, such as Vietnam War, assassination of President Kennedy, Watergate, etc. The most recent one of course was 911 and war in Iraq. So in your opinion, to what extent does the 911 changed the United States?

W: I think many Americans were complacent, they thought terrorism is something that happened in other places. It happened in the mid east, it happens in Iraq and Iran, but it doesn’t happen inside our country. The 911 happened when there was a group of Islamic extremists, who truly hated the United States and hate what the United States stands for. They were willing to die because they know that strongly. Americans now understand that as a result. I don’t think Americans understand that before.

Z: Word on the street is that the greatest threat to the world peace is not terrorism, but America, what do you think?

W: Well, I think that’s a very important question for the United States to think about. Because I think what you have just said is based on the principle on War on Iraq. Before the war in Iraq, I don’t think many people in the world hate United States. After 911, there was much global sympathy for the United States; many countries joined the United States and agreed that UN should go to Afghanistan, go after Taliban and try to get Ben Laden, and claim credit for 911.

Then I think the war was with the United States, I think what’s change began when the US government decided to connect that to Iraq. They say, we are going to Iraq and changed that government. I don’t happen to share that agreement, that feeling. I think U.S. desire to take over other countries to be the rulers of the world. That’s not the most American feel, but I understand why looking at Iraq, many people would say, the United States is putting itself in places where people don’t want them to be.

Z: Yes, people in other countries tend to describe U.S. as world police.

W: But I think in many instances, that’s been the role of the United States. Through UN and some other places, United States put so much money of the United Nations budget, put peace keeping forces through the U.S., I think if there was a problem in the world, like Rwanda, many years ago in the African continent, people looked at the United States, and said, why are you going in?

We are the United States, we are all the way across the nation. People say you are supposed to be right. If there is wrong, you are supposed to go in and fix it, and other places, like former Yugoslavia. I don’t think American feel that. I think some Americans do believe U.S. has a unique role to promote human rights all over the world, not to take over government, but to promote human rights, promote democratic values. But there is clearly a debate in this country. Where does that mean? Why do you do that? How far will you go? When do you send troops?

We have a big public debate in this country. One of the great strengths of this country is that we always have big debates. For the mid term election, many people say we need another approach.

Z: What kind of role does a journalist play during wartime? What kind of difference do you observe for a journalist at wartime and at peaceful time?

W: No. I think the role is always the same. The role is to report on, to help people make decisions, to both, to be an active citizen. To be a good citizen, you need to know what is going on. Journalists play a very important role in getting information to the public, not always our responsibility. I don’t think the roles change. I do think during the war, the journalist have to work very hard to get accurate information. But that’s always our job.

Z: You are known as the top journalist in the U.S., in your opinion, what qualifications are important to a competent journalist?

W: No.1, a commitment to telling the truth as much as we can know it. I don’t believe such things as the perfect truth. I think people see truth in different ways, but a commitment to get the fact straight, to holding people in position and power and responsibility accountable, I think it is crucial to be curious, to be very curious, not to take information at face value. In another word, just assume because somebody said something. Oh, that must be…OK! But keep pushing for more information until you have what you think is the whole story. Hard work and commitment, but a commitment to get all the information to the public, that’s the main role of a journalist.

Z: So that’s why you said to be a competent journalist, you have to be the first and last to ask questions.

W: I don’t know if you have to be the first. I think it is important that you get there as quickly as you can. I believe you need to be competitive, but I don’t think that’s the most important thing. To me, the most important thing is to be accurate, thorough and fair. If the New York Times gets the story before the Washington Post, OK, that’s a competitive thing. But what really matters, is getting it right, and getting the whole story and make sure it is fairly told that you didn’t leave out something. You can’t tell only one side, but left out the other side.

Z: The famous Russian female journalist Anna Politkovskaya was assassinated several months ago. I also know that you are the chairman of “courage in Journalism” award. My question is, why exploring the truth often leads to sacrifices?

W: I am the chairman of the award this year. I am a founding co-chair of the organization, it was in 1990. For your question, every country has a set of rules. Russia has moved towards democracy away from communism, but the journalists are always under threat in the power structure. I have to believe a large part of the reason why someone wants to see Anna dead because she was working very hard, reporting stories, not only about ? but other aspects of life in Russia, and somebody saw a threaten by that. They didn’t want the fact out, so they killed her. The contract killer, it is clear that someone wants to see her death.

Related:
﹣Interview with Dr. Linda Kreitzman (2007-04-16 11:13:57)
﹣Interview with Dean Joss, Stanford Graduate School of Business (GSB) (2007-04-12 13:50:48)