Alum speaks of success
Schieffer signs books, advises future journalists
By Jacque Nguyen
Staff Reporter

Despite covering war, violence and scandal, journalists can have fun too.

Bob Schieffer, chief Washington correspondent for CBS News and TCU alumnus, signed copies of his recently published book and recounted experiences to a full house of students, faculty, friends and other admirers Wednesday.

“The thing I want you to know about journalism is how much fun it is,” Schieffer said.

He signed copies of “This Just In: What I Couldn’t Tell You on TV” in Moudy Building South. Journalism department Chairman Tommy Thomason introduced Schieffer as one of TCU’s most distinguished alumni and among the nation’s most famous journalists.
Schieffer said his “monster book tour” started Jan. 30 in Austin.

“Getting out and talking about the book is more work than writing the book,” he said.
According to the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Schieffer has covered many history-making events, including the newly-integrated campus of the University of Mississippi in 1962, the assassination of John F. Kennedy, the Vietnam War, Watergate, the Monica Lewinsky scandal and the Sept. 11 terrorist attack.

Schieffer said when he went to help cover the integration at Ole Miss, a riot broke out, tear gas was fired into the mob and two snipers stood on top of a dormitory and shot into the crowd.

“To this day, (the enrollment of James Meredith at Ole Miss) remains the most terrifying moment of my life,” Schieffer said.

Schieffer also said he used to wear a snap-brim hat to blend into crime scenes and let people assume he was supposed to be there.

“In those days, we never told anybody who we were,” he said. “If we were asked, we were instructed not to lie, but if people wanted to think that we were detectives we wouldn’t tell them any different.”

Schieffer said the hat is long gone.

“I don’t have it, I don’t know where it is,” he said. “I used to have a lot of them.”
According to the Star-Telegram, Schieffer credits journalism professor Phil Record as his most influential mentor and responsible for the advice to wear the hat.

Record said Schieffer used to say, “One day, I’m going to be on TV network news,” and that they used to laugh about it and not take it seriously.

“He had his heart set on it, and he made it in a big way,” Record said.

Record said he is very honored Schieffer calls him his mentor.

“If this is so, then I really did something right,” Record said.

Schieffer said he and his wife, Patricia, live in Washington, D.C. and have two grown daughters. Patricia Schieffer said her 36-year marriage to her husband has been a lot of fun.

“It hasn’t always been easy, but it has been worthwhile,” she said.

Students came to hear Schieffer speak and lined up to get their copies of the book signed.

“I’ve read about him and heard he was one of our most famous TCU graduates, so I wanted to come out and see him,” said Kyle Martin, a senior radio-TV-film major.

Schieffer said he hopes the book will give a better understanding to civilians of what journalism is and show aspiring journalists how enjoyable journalism can be.
“You only get one trip in this life and have a little fun while you’re here,” he said.

Jacque Nguyen
j.f.nguyen@tcu.edu