Day 2: CBS News and Mr. Schieffer

After morning coffee, our day started at the CBS News headquarters. Mr. Schieffer introduced the interns to Jan Crawford, Chief Legal Correspondent, Christopher Isham, Vice President and Bureau Chief and Bob Orr, Chief Justice and Homeland Security Correspondent (among others). We sat in on a live broadcast of Washington Unplugged, a daily web cast of daily news and issues.

Before Washington Unplugged and at lunch, we were able to discuss in detail what it is like to be a journalist inside the Beltway. Each correspondent, including Mr. Schieffer, emphasized that there are no shortcuts to becoming an established beat journalist. It takes time and patience to build the trust of sources and gain credibility within a respective beat. When Mr. Schieffer started out at CBS News, he was given $200 a week plus $50 or $25 per story. He said he took every assignment he could get his hands on, and he made over $30,000 in a year on $200 weekly pay because of the volume of assignments he was willing to take as a young journalist.

Most conversation revolved around new media—how do the mainstream media combat the blogosphere and the rise of the clutter of unfiltered internet news? It seemed the consensus was that accuracy trumps being the first to break a story. All correspondents present recognized the pressure of deadlines, but said that as a chief servant to the public interest, verification of information, even if other news organizations ran with a story, came first and foremost. A prime example given was a false report after 9/11 that terrorist gun boats were attacking the Coast Guard in the Potomac. Mr. Orr, who is one of the most well sourced and established correspondents in D.C., refused to run with the story even though CNN had. It turned out to be a drill, and the “shots fired” were literally the scripted lines of “BANG BANG” picked up on a radio scanner.

Mr. Schieffer and the other correspondents emphasized the fact that getting a degree in journalism teaches one to think like a journalist, but learning to BE a journalist only comes with actual work experience and practice. The question was raised to a producer on the steps it takes to go after a story, the plan implemented and how to deal with major catastrophe such as on Sept. 11. The answer was that the plans are thrown out the window—as an experienced journalist you just go with what you know, follow your principles and seek truth and honesty.

On a final note, Mr. Schieffer said that he has never seen Washington so divided on partisan lines in his lifetime. Why? Because of the money it takes to run for office and the fact that campaigns have gone from amateur activism and participation to a professional business and interest. The result has become an increasingly dysfunctional Capitol Hill in the 21^st century.