We sat at the hotel bar and talked over scotch and the stories that lady told, well. She was an original, alright, the definition of a trailblazer. I never forgot the conversation, or her words of encouragement as I tried to figure out what to do with the rest of my life.
Her death was announced today. She lived 92 full years.
"[Reporters] are not there to curry presidential favor, nor can we respond to efforts at presidential intimidation. Our priority is the peoples’ right to know — without fear or favor. We are the peoples’ servants." She took that responsibility very seriously, and was deeply critical of a media that was complicit in advancing a war started under false pretenses. She wasn’t without controversy, certainly, but she believed in the best journalism could be. She’ll be missed.
