About Jim Lehrer

James Charles Lehrer was an American journalist, novelist, screenwriter, and playwright. He was the executive editor and a news anchor for the PBS News Hour on PBS and was known for his role as a debate moderator during U.S. presidential election campaigns, moderating twelve presidential debates between 1988 and 2012.

More about the author

More quotes from Jim Lehrer

There’s always a germ of truth in just about everything.

Jim Lehrer

American writer (1934-2020)

I’m not in the judgment part of journalism.

Jim Lehrer

American writer (1934-2020)

We have increasingly fewer and fewer journalists who have any military experience and understand what life is like in the military and in combat.

Jim Lehrer

American writer (1934-2020)

I started as a print reporter.

Jim Lehrer

American writer (1934-2020)

Most of the stories I have covered in 45 years have been gray stories.

Jim Lehrer

American writer (1934-2020)

On a daily basis there are some huge ones that are, sure, from time to time, but it is helping the reader sort through all this sort of gray stuff out there.

Jim Lehrer

American writer (1934-2020)

My own view, there is a need for and a demonstrated need for more journalism now than there ever has been.

Jim Lehrer

American writer (1934-2020)

I’m in the reporting part of journalism.

Jim Lehrer

American writer (1934-2020)

If we don’t have an informed electorate we don’t have a democracy. So I don’t care how people get the information, as long as they get it. I’m just doing it my particular way and I feel lucky I can do it the way I want to do it.

Jim Lehrer

American writer (1934-2020)

I’m an expert on the NewsHour and it isn’t how I practice journalism. I am not involved in the story. I serve only as a reporter or someone asking questions. I am not the story.

Jim Lehrer

American writer (1934-2020)

I have great faith in the intelligence of the American viewer and reader to put two and two together and come up with four.

Jim Lehrer

American writer (1934-2020)

Everyone should get their news however they want to and in whatever form they want. I’m not going to sit back in judgment of other people and the way they do it.

Jim Lehrer

American writer (1934-2020)

Those who know me know I won’t hesitate to turn around and point someone out.

Jim Lehrer

American writer (1934-2020)

You want to see an angry person? Let me hear a cell phone go off.

Jim Lehrer

American writer (1934-2020)

People can say anything they want to. If they don’t want to get the news from me, get it from somebody else. It’s not something I’m going to worry about, I’m sorry.

Jim Lehrer

American writer (1934-2020)

If people want bells and whistles and all of that, there are bells and whistles available. If they don’t want bells and whistles there are places to go where they are not available.

Jim Lehrer

American writer (1934-2020)

Best I can do for them is to give them every piece of information I can find and let them make the judgments. That’s just my basic view of my function as a journalist.

Jim Lehrer

American writer (1934-2020)

People can get their news any way they want. What I love about what’s happened is that there are so many different avenues, there are so many different outlets, so many different ways to debate and discuss and to inquire about any given news story.

Jim Lehrer

American writer (1934-2020)

I’m in the civil discourse business. I think it takes all kinds. And more power to everybody.

Jim Lehrer

American writer (1934-2020)

There are very few really stark black and white stories.

Jim Lehrer

American writer (1934-2020)

As I say, I’m a discourse advocate. What form it comes is less important to me than the fact that there is discourse.

Jim Lehrer

American writer (1934-2020)

I’m a journalist and that’s what I do.

Jim Lehrer

American writer (1934-2020)