Remembering Jim Lehrer

Jim Lehrer, American journalist, novelist, screenwriter and playwright, died in January, at age 84.  He was a fixture in American journalism for decades, and he will be missed. 

Most notably he was executive editor and anchor for PBS Newshour.  He moderated several debates during presidential elections, wrote several fiction and non fiction books that drew on his experience as a newsman.  He also wrote a play.

Jim began his career in 1959 at The Dallas Morning News.  He covered the assassination of JFK.  In 1972 he moved to PBS in Washington, D.C.  He began there as public affairs coordinator.  He was there that he met Robert MacNeil in 1973.  Together they covered the Watergate Hearings and Watergate Tapes were broadcast lkive on PBS.  He covered the impeachment inquiry of Richard Nixon. In 1975 he became Washington correspondent for Robert MacNeil Report, and two months later he was promoted to co anchor.

He received many accolades during his long career.  In 2011 he stepped down from the day to day involvement in PBS, but stayed involved in the news analysis segment of the show. 

Married for six decades to Kate, also a novelist,  they had three daughters and six grandchildren.  He certainly had a long, full life.  He will be missed.