We wanted to share Dan’s thoughts from Monday night about his new program, The News With Dan Rather on The Young Turks. You can watch the video above or read the transcript here. Many thanks to Cenk Uygur and all the folks at The Young Turks for making the start of our joint venture a success!
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In closing tonight, a word about why we are doing this program… the purpose we hope to serve.
In a time of deep, entrenched political polarization. In a time when the chasms that divide us seem impossible to bridge, it’s tough to see those on the other side. And how do we reconcile with what we cannot recognize?
The American left used to ridicule the concept of “evil,” but sees evil now atop every branch of government. The American right used to sneer at emotionalism but now gives us politicians whose policies come from their gut and their heart. American media was supposed to inform us of what we were doing, but now stages Punch and Judy debates over “who we are.”
We are united in more ways than we know. It turns out most of us agree that our president has divided us. Toxic beliefs are sometimes shallow beliefs. Young men grow up and learn empathy. Even old guys can work at being woke. But first, we must get past what is shallow.
I’m doing this program because we let silly season run into extra innings. All of us, not just the news. And this isn’t about fake news. Like science, real news is not a body of facts–it’s a process. Real journalism is not infallibility, it’s transparency. GOOD journalism is knowing that the most insidious bias isn’t political, it’s practical: It’s when T-V news executives ignore a story they don’t know how to tell because it’s boring. Meaning–it doesn’t affect them or their loved ones. Or their wallet. Meanwhile, the target demo fills up stadiums to hear Bernie Sanders lectures on financial regulation.
As we speak, one-third of Puerto Rico is in the dark. Americans not yet born are imperiled by environmental degradation. American weapons are turning Yemen into a plague pit. Women still earn less than men while fighting for our children’s health and their own reproductive rights. People of color suffer systemic discrimination not just on horrific police videos but out of sight, as banks and lenders still deny them access to credit. We have a long way to go and we will not get there by dwelling on speculation about who will get indicted or elected. Those diversions leave the powers that be free to take us back and take us down. Well, not on my watch. Not if I can help it.
I like to say I am a reporter who got lucky, very lucky. Along the way, I was mentored and inspired by wonderful journalists who preached the importance of the role of the press as a Constitutional check on power. What that requires is fair and accurate reporting. It requires a shared sense of the truth. And it requires the time and space to pause and reflect. My hope is that is what this program will provide. I look forward to hearing from you as to how well we are doing.
Now, why The Young Turks? Well, because they asked me. And because I wanted to speak to people who care about the future and want to build a better one. I wanted to let you know that our politics today is not who we are. It never has been. Who we are is who we aspire to be. It always has been. So, I’m here to share what I’ve seen that’s taught me that our aspirations have no limits. We can be who we choose to be. We can fill the streets. Run for office. If we pay attention and do the work, we might just build a more perfect union.
With that, I leave you for this news cycle. “The Young Turks” is next, and we’ll be back with The News at this same place and time, 5-30 eastern, every Monday.
Until then… Dan Rather reporting. Stay steady.