Documenting the courage of Katharine Graham

[cliffside]

Opinion
Eugene Robinson

A new film shows how, again and again, she empowered The Post to do journalism that changed the world.

https://wapo.st/41iktEW

"Imagine this scenario: A dangerously unhinged president, enraged that a prominent newspaper is about to reveal secrets he wants to keep, leverages the vast power of the White House to threaten the paper’s owner with utter financial ruin if the information is published. In-house lawyers strongly advise the owner to back down, warning that the newspaper’s survival is at stake. But it is clear that the public has the right to know what the president is trying to hide. What should the owner do? What would you do?

Again and again, Katharine Graham defied President Richard M. Nixon’s wrath and empowered The Post to publish journalism that changed the world. The courage and integrity of this remarkable woman, whom I was privileged to know, is at the heart of a new documentary — “Becoming Katharine Graham: The Only Woman in the Room” — that premiered Sunday night at the Kennedy Center.

... An important piece of context is that Nixon seethed with contempt for the news media, which he believed had always belittled him and treated him unfairly. “Never forget: The press is the enemy,” he once told Henry Kissinger, his national security adviser. In that conversation, he repeated the phrase four times for good measure.

.... Meanwhile, The Post obtained copies of some of the Pentagon documents. Graham’s privately owned company was in the process of going public; executives warned her that publishing revelations from the secret papers could tank the stock price — and also put the broadcasting licenses of The Post’s profitable television stations at risk. Ultimately, the decision was Graham’s alone... "

[bigtree]

1. I've listened to almost all of the recorded calls between LBJ and Graham

...after her husband committed suicide.

Was more gentle with her than his wife, I think calculatingly. Provided support at a difficult time. Also coached her a few times on what to print, in the time before the Pentagon papers and all that.

[cliffside]

3. Thank you for adding that! A question, were you able to see the entire piece? nt

[elleng]

2. Was thinking of her few days ago;

good to see Gene Robinson put it in print.

[Enter stage left]

4. If you haven't seen the movie "The Post" you really need to watch it.

I'm not going to give anything away, but it shows how she had more balls ,um courage then than all of the Republicans in the congress and senate have today.

It's well worth watching.

[cliffside]

6. Thanks, will look for it, although not find finding as much time with the current destructive news of the day :( nt

[QED]

8. Good movie

I was going to suggest it too.

[dflprincess]

5. Premiered Sunday at the Kennedy Center?

I'm surprised Trump didn't cancel it. Though neither he nor his minions have any knowledge of history so he wouldn't have known what it was about.

[cliffside]

7. lol nt