The vast majority of Americans don't get riled up over public television. While the thought of PBS might conjure up images of Mr. Rogers and Snuffleupagus, it can also provoke thoughts of Tufts' 2001 commencement speaker, Jim Lehrer. Admittedly, my dream choice would have been Aretha Franklin or Lance Bass (by far the best *NSYNC boy), having one of this country's most respected television journalists addressing the first class of the new millennium ain't too shabby. To be perfectly honest, I was under the assumption that the Class of 2001 was going to get shafted. Sandwiched between what must have been a hefty fee to bring Bill Cosby last and what will likely be a blow-out celebration next year to honor the University's 150th birthday, it seemed inevitable that this year's speaker would be less than stellar.
Thankfully my pessimism proved to be unfounded. There are undoubtedly already rumblings amongst the disenchanted that Lehrer dulls in comparison to Bono, U2's popular frontman, who'll be making an appearance down Mass. Ave. in Cambridge. Surely many of Tufts' IR and political science majors, as well as aspiring journalists and political junkies in general are salivating at the thought of having Jim Lehrer grace the Hill with his presence. However, I truly believe that he has a wider appeal that stretches beyond fans of the highly esteemed MacNeil/Lehrer Report, the show that first brought him into the national spotlight. Lehrer is more than simply a journalist who's spent the past 40 years covering politics. A novelist and a playwright (as well as a former Marine), his career has run the gambit from his beginnings in Kansas to his current position in Washington, DC.
Overall, our speaker is a great fit for Tufts. At a university that emphasizes active citizenship, who better to invite than a man who has devoted his life to arming citizens with information they can use to make more informed decisions in their lives? What's more, the aspect of his career that strikes me as most inspiring is that Lehrer has been in public television during his 30 years in the business.
Public media outlets are not typically known for being glorious, or particularly well paying. (As an intern at a public radio station, I can say from experience that the journalists there are rarely in it for fame and fortune.) Of course, anchoring The NewsHour with Jim Lehrer or moderating the 2000 presidential debates did afford him a certain amount of notoriety. However, it's more likely that the average American would probably recognize Tom Brokaw or Dan Rather before he would recognize a man whose program airs on the same station as Masterpiece Theater. Having stayed in not-for-profit public television in an age of immensely popular and fairly lucrative half-hour news shows is truly admirable.
Another remarkable characteristic of public television news broadcasts is that they actually report news. Without needing to be watered down to make room for commercials, they have the time and the inclination to report more serious stories rather than simply attention-grabbing eye candy. Yes, the guilt-provoking beg-a-thons grow tiresome, but they're a small price to pay for quality content.
Of course, who knows if Jim Lehrer will prove to be any good as a commencement speaker? Many people were disappointed by General Powell's trumped up speech last semester. Impressive credentials and an interesting life story don't guarantee an earth-shattering speech. (Thus my choice of Aretha or Lance - you figure that even if they didn't have anything to say, they could at least break out into an entertaining song and dance.) This is not to say that we should expect empty words from Lehrer, but rather that we ought not let our collective imagination get ahead of us. Recognizing this, I still remain optimistic.
So to my fellow seniors - there's yet another reason to look forward to May 20. If we have to sit through a seemingly interminable ceremony, clad in black under the shadeless late-spring sun, we might as well have someone interesting to keep us entertained. And even though he probably couldn't do a convincing rendition of R-E-S-P-E-C-T or Tearin' Up My Heart, Jim Lehrer certainly has potential to be incredible.
Dena Sloan is a senior majoring in international relations and French. She is Viewpoints editor at the Daily.
