Week after week, CBS’s 60 Minutes has done what journalism is supposed to do: hold those in power accountable, no matter the cost. The current cost: The Trump administration has responded with threats, lawsuits, and efforts to silence dissent through sheer intimidation. The most recent episode took viewers to Ukraine, where correspondent Scott Pelley interviewed President Zelenskyy at a bombed...

Dwight D. Eisenhower didn’t lead with bravado. He didn’t govern by grievance. He led with character. A five-star general who commanded the Allied victory in Europe, Eisenhower understood power better than most. But he also understood something far more important: responsibility. As president, he brought the same calm discipline to the White House that he had brought to the battlefield—not...

This week, I’m focusing on what may be the most endangered quality in public life: integrity. Over the next 5 days, I’ll spotlight five U.S. Presidents who, when faced with defining moments, chose character over calculation. These men didn’t just hold office—they upheld a moral compass, often at personal or political cost. Their stories remind us of what principled leadership...

Beginning Monday, I’ll be highlighting five U.S. Presidents who–when confronted with defining choices–led with integrity instead of expedience. These presidents didn’t just occupy the Oval Office; they embodied the values that give leadership its true meaning. Their choices remind us that integrity is not a political strategy—it’s a standard. Today, however, I begin with a new global leader—one who speaks...

After nearly four decades at CBS News, Bill Owens, the executive producer of 60 Minutes, stepped down on April 22, 2025. His reason was simple and direct: editorial independence, once a given, was no longer assured. Owens’ departure follows mounting legal and political pressure, including a $20 billion lawsuit by former President Donald Trump and uncertainty over CBS’s sale to...

I liked Francis—a lot. How could you not? He spoke plainly, with sincerity and purpose—and people listened. His words weren’t wrapped in rhetoric; they were rooted in truth. In a time when power is too often confused with principle, Pope Francis led with something far more enduring… character. From the start, Francis made it clear that his papacy would be...

Good Night, and Good Luck, starring George Clooney on Broadway is a wake-up call about the ethical courage we desperately need today—a timely parable based on a pivotal moment in American history when journalism was not only a public service, but a moral stand. The play recalls the courage of broadcast journalist Edward R. Murrow as he confronted Senator Joseph...

In 1950, Senator Margaret Chase Smith of Maine stood alone on the Senate floor and delivered what would become one of the most courageous speeches in American political history. At a time when fear and smear were the tools of the day, she called out the reckless accusations and bullying tactics of Senator Joseph McCarthy. The Senate, she said, had...

Anyone? … Anyone at all? (Hint): He inspired generations with his vision of America. The current guy’s vision includes divisive rhetoric, and dismissive nicknames for political opponents. The other guy’s economic program focused on supply-side economics, advocating for tax cuts and deregulation to stimulate growth. The current guy’s foreign economic policy: “Tariff-the-hell out of them.” Domestic policy: Tax breaks for...

In high school, the distinction between right and wrong—more or less—appeared clear. Catholic high school made it unambiguously clear. Thanks to the good brothers of Salesian, you either learned the right path quickly or you were firmly corrected (accent on firmly.) Which brings me to a long-remembered poem whose last lines are frequently quoted. Two roads diverged in a yellow...