Ben Bradlee: Everything an Editor Should Be

TCF media fellow Peter Osnos, who worked with Ben Bradlee at the Washington Post for eighteen years, has written a recollection for the Atlantic of the legendary chief, and his impact on the Post as well as on the way politicians were covered in the press:

His loyalty to the newsroom’s best interests was total. He had an exceptionally close relationship with Post Publisher Katharine Graham, whose confidence in him enabled him to make decisions that more than occasionally irritated Mrs. Graham’s friends—especially Henry Kissinger. When Kissinger once wrote a peevish note to Kay about a story of mine, Ben sent it along saying in a cover note that I should put it with pride into my “baby book.” Whatever pressure Ben may have felt from the powers that be in Washington, he made sure his reporters felt secure.

You can read the entire piece over at the Atlantic.

Tags: osnos, washington post, ben bradlee, media