For nearly sixty years, the CBS News program 60 Minutes has stood as one of the few remaining institutions in American journalism recognized as serious, independent, and unafraid of difficult subjects. Its authority was never theatrical. It came from persistence, restraint, and the belief that citizens deserve to see uncomfortable facts and decide for themselves what they mean. That legacy...

I have stopped watching national news about Donald Trump because the coverage now mirrors the damage itself. What once informed now exhausts; what once clarified now amplifies. The daily cycle no longer explains what is happening to the country—it re-enacts it. His indecent words following the death of beloved filmmaker Rob Reiner were the last straw. They recalled Joseph N....

A national media organization has recognized the seriousness of our political division and offered something we’ve been missing… A REAL beginning toward ending the death spiral the country has been living in. With the launch of NBC’s initiative, “Finding Common Ground,” the organization is making a deliberate investment in something we’ve been losing: civic dialogue grounded in respect, clarity, and...

In addition to dismantling federal agencies and undercutting states’ rights, Donald Trump has launched a systematic assault on the foundations of American democracy. He’s attacked the independence of the judiciary and the free press, politicized the Justice Department and intelligence agencies, and weakened the system of checks and balances meant to safeguard the republic. In Trump world, the ideals of...

Washington is far too often remembered for its scandals than its triumphs—a reality that would have stunned and saddened our first president. Yet history’s true measure lies with those who chose conscience over expedience, and duty over ambition.  Their choices came at a cost, but they show us what integrity in public life looks like—and how it can still guide...

Baseball:  down to the wire – Red Sox – Dodgers – Playoffs – League Pennants? – World Series? I’m a fan of both teams. For days, in the playoffs, the series—nothing else is on my mind. For days, I’m happy. For days—I’m blissful. At its core, baseball is about teamwork. True leadership isn’t found in the stats or the headlines....

If I had my way, every candidate who wins a primary election for public office—from Congress to the presidency—would be required to pass through a civic and ethical checkpoint before taking the oath. First, they would be required to read the Constitution—actually read it—and then pass a test on its key components. Not just the Bill of Rights, but the...

When the pulpit merges with power, does the sword overshadow the Sermon on the Mount? Though I’m no longer practicing, I was raised Catholic. I went through the rituals—Baptism and Confirmation and confession and “eat no meat” Fridays, and I left because it was just too rigid. However, at its heart, Catholic doctrine was about love, mercy, humility, and salvation:...

It may seem obvious, but it couldn’t be more urgent: we need about a thousand Mr. Smiths in Washington right now. We need the idealism, yes, but we also need the pragmatism. We need leaders with the courage and character to stand up for what’s right. We need leaders who can turn vision into action and build a better, more...

Though I was much older than the audience for Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood, I did watch his testimony before a congressional subcommittee. I came away inspired by his plainspoken common sense, quiet reason, and the values he passed on—kindness, honesty, respect, and the importance of becoming a person of character. In a time when volume often substitutes for values, Fred Rogers...