Howell Raines Quotes
We can make no such promises, but if the White House wanted to request the holding of a specific story, the request would have to come from the President to the Executive Editor or the Publisher.
Fleischer had asked that the White House be given advance notice of any stories the New York Times might be covering in the future dealing with national security. As outlandish as this request may seem given the first amendment, it is a good illustration of the level of concern and panic of the George W. Bush White House who saw the situation as so fearful that that they initiated many constitutionally questionable practices. See {642527} for Fleischer’s request. New York Times has had a practice over the years of holding stories then they were persuaded that damage to the nation or to individuals would ensue as the result of publication at that time. However, the government has at times abused this policy as in the Pentagon Papers Case.
Howell Raines, Journalist & Executive Editor of New York Times, Response to a Whitie House Request by Press Secretary Ari Fleischer, Shortly after the 9-11 terrorist attack on the World Trade Center, Quoted in Margaret Sullivan, “When the Government Says “Shhh!”, New York Times, December 21, 2014
Sourced by: Eigen's Political and Historical Quotations
George W. Bush. Raines refused. See {642528}.
This statement demonstrates the transformation from the Communist era where the press was considered simply as another organ of the state. Before that, it was an instrument of the Czar. This is one of the world’s most firm statements of journalistic independence although recent Russian regimes have moved to limit journalistic independence.
Commenting on a Supreme Court decision striking down a Lakewood, Ohio ordinance allowing local politicians to control newsracks placed on municipal sidewalks:
Note how the second paragraph nullifies the first of the government declares an emergency. This is a trick that is very common in constitutions.
Vladimir Lenin. Lenin was echoing criticisms that were made the world over and even by some in the United States. However, his solution to have the press controlled by the ruling party just changed the cast of characters who were propagandizing and distorting the truth. Lenin was not able to offer a better solution nor were others. However, with enough affluence the capitalist society produced enough different publishers all competing that one did not dominate public opinion. With technology of TV and the Internet, the bar to entry is so small that almost anyone can be a publisher and find an interested market. In a way technology has solved much of the problem for capitalistic and totalitarian societies alike. In the latter, even censorship is not easy or feasible on a large scale.
Howell Hiram Raines is an American journalist, editor, and writer. He was executive editor of The New York Times from 2001 until he left in 2003 in the wake of the scandal related to reporting by Jayson Blair. In 2008, Raines became a contributing editor for Condé Nast Portfolio, writing the magazine's media column. After beginning his journalism career working for Southern newspapers, he joined The Times in 1978, as a national correspondent based in Atlanta. His positions included political correspondent and bureau chief in Atlanta and Washington, DC, before joining the New York City staff in 1993.
