Conversations with History: Institute of International Studies, UC Berkeley

See the Conversations with History Blog See a webcast of this interview: Wicker

This interview is part of the Institute's "Conversations with History" series, and uses Internet technology to share with the public Berkeley's distinction as a global forum for ideas.

Welcome to a conversation on the presidency, the press, and the foreign policy debate. I'm Harry Kreisler of the Institute of International Studies. Our guest today is Tom Wicker, Associate Editor of The New York Times. Mr. Wicker has written the "In the Nation" column for the Times since 1968.

1. Foreign Policy Issues ... failure to adapt to change ... institutional inertia
2. Presidential Leadership and Rhetoric ... Reagan as communicator ... Kennedy as communicator
3. Kennedy's Hopes and Johnson's Tragedy ... Kennedy's experience with nuclear confrontation ... speculating on Kennedy and Vietnam ... Johnson's Great Society and mistaken ideas about "credibility"
4. Reagan, Political Coalitions, and Ideology ... American self-esteem ... fickle press ... reaching for peace
5. Carter, Reagan, and the Search for New Coalitions ... split leadership in Carter administration ... inexperience in foreign policy ... importance of political networks
6. The Role of the Press ... limitations of "dailiness" ... handling the KAL 007 story ... public scrutiny of the press

© Copyright 1998, Regents of the University of California

Site questions: Email iis_webmgr at berkeley.edu.