Jim Lehrer

James Charles "Jim" Lehrer ( /ˈlɛrə/; born May 19, 1934) is an American journalist and the executive editor and former news anchor for PBS NewsHour on PBS, known for his role as a frequent debate moderator during elections. Lehrer is an author of non-fiction and fiction, drawing from his experiences and interests in history and politics.

Early years

Lehrer was born in Wichita, Kansas, the son of Lois Catherine (née Chapman), a bank clerk, and Harry Frederick Lehrer, a bus station manager.^[1] He attended middle school in Beaumont, Texas and graduated from Thomas Jefferson High School (San Antonio, TX), where he was one of the three sports editors at the Jefferson Declaration. He also graduated from Victoria College in Texas and the Missouri School of Journalism at the University of Missouri. Lehrer joined the United States Marine Corps^[2] and attributes his service and travels with helping him to look past himself and feel a connection to the world that he would not have otherwise experienced.^[3]

Career

Lehrer began his career in journalism at The Dallas Morning News and the Dallas Times-Herald, where he covered the assassination of John F. Kennedy in 1963. From 1970 to 1973, Lehrer anchored the local single-story news show, Newsroom on KERA-TV, the local Public Broadcasting affiliate station in Dallas. Lehrer began working with PBS network in 1973, and in 1975 developed and co-anchored The MacNeil/Lehrer Report with Robert MacNeil. The news show was later renamed The MacNeil/Lehrer NewsHour, and after MacNeil's departure in 1995 was named The NewsHour with Jim Lehrer and finally PBS NewsHour in 2009.

Nicknamed the "Dean of Moderators" by CNN's Bernard Shaw, Lehrer has moderated eleven presidential candidate debates,^[4] with the most recent being the presidential debate between senators Barack Obama and John McCain on September 26, 2008.

Lehrer underwent a heart valve surgery in April 2008, and, while he recuperated, Ray Suarez anchored in his stead until his return on June 28, 2008.^[5]

On May 12, 2011, Lehrer announced he would be stepping down as anchor of PBS NewsHour on June 6, 2011, but would continue to moderate the Friday news analysis segments, and would continue to be involved with the show's production company, MacNeil/Lehrer Productions.^[6]

Personal life

Lehrer is a bus enthusiast. His father was a bus driver and also briefly operated a bus company. As a college student in the 1950s, he worked as a Trailways ticket agent in Victoria, Texas. He is a supporter of the Pacific Bus Museum in Williams, California and the Museum of Bus Transportation in Hershey, Pennsylvania. He is a collector of bus memorabilia, including depot signs, driver caps, and antique toy buses.

Lehrer is married to the novelist Kate Lehrer. They have three daughters and six grandchildren.

Honors and awards

• American Academy of Arts and Sciences Fellow (1991)
• University of Missouri School of Journalism's Medal of Honor
• William Allen White Foundation Award for Journalistic Merit
• George Foster Peabody Award
• Fred Friendly First Amendment Award,
• Emmy Award
• National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences Silver Circle (1999)
• Television Hall of Fame (1999)
• National Humanities Medal (1999)

Bibliography

Novels (One-Eyed Mack Series)

• Lehrer, Jim (1988). Kick the Can. New York: Putnam. ISBN 039913350X. 
• Lehrer, Jim (1989). Crown Oklahoma. New York: Putnam. ISBN 0399134344. 
• Lehrer, Jim (1990). The Sooner Spy. New York: Putnam. ISBN 0399135367. 
• Lehrer, Jim (1991). Lost and Found. New York: Putnam. ISBN 0399136010. 
• Lehrer, Jim (1992). Short List. New York: Putnam. ISBN 0399136657. 
• Lehrer, Jim (1994). Fine Lines. New York: Random House. ISBN 0517164353. 

Novels (Charlie Henderson Series)

• Lehrer, Jim (1993). Blue Hearts. New York: Random House. ISBN 0679422161. 
• Lehrer, Jim (1998). Purple Dots. New York: Random House. ISBN 0679452370. 

Novels (Stand-alone)

• Lehrer, Jim (1966). Viva Max!. New York: Duell, Sloan & Pearce. ASIN B001TNUMVE. 
• Lehrer, Jim (1995). The Last Debate. New York: Random House. ISBN 0517177617. 
• Lehrer, Jim (1996). White Widow. New York: Random House. ISBN 0679452362. 
• Lehrer, Jim (2000). The Special Prisoner. New York: Random House. ISBN 0375503714. 
• Lehrer, Jim (2002). No Certain Rest. New York: Random House. ISBN 0375503722. 
• Lehrer, Jim (2004). Flying Crows: A Novel. New York: Random House. ISBN 1400061970. 
• Lehrer, Jim (2005). The Franklin Affair. New York: Random House. ISBN 1400061989. 
• Lehrer, Jim (2005). False Moves. New York: Random House. ISBN 1400061989. 
• Lehrer, Jim (2006). The Phony Marine. New York: Random House. ISBN 1400064864. 
• Lehrer, Jim (2007). Eureka. New York: Random House. ISBN 1400064872. 
• Lehrer, Jim (2009). Oh, Johnny. New York: Random House. ISBN 1400067626. 
• Lehrer, Jim (2010). Super. New York: Random House. ISBN 9781400067633. 

Memoirs

• Lehrer, Jim (1975). We Were Dreamers. New York: Atheneum. ISBN 0689106939. 
• Lehrer, Jim (1992). A Bus of My Own. New York: Putnam. ISBN 0399137653. 

Screenplays

• White Widow screenplay is currently being written by Luke Wilson
• Viva Max! (1970) writing credit with Elliott Baker

Plays

• The Will and Bart Show
• Church Key Charlie Blue
• Chili Queen

References

Further reading

• Art at Our Doorstep: San Antonio Writers and Artists featuring Jim Lehrer. Edited by Nan Cuba and Riley Robinson (Trinity University Press, 2008).

External links

• Biography on PBS NewsHour
• Appearances on C-SPAN
• Jim Lehrer on Charlie Rose
• Jim Lehrer at the Internet Movie Database
• Works by or about Jim Lehrer in libraries (WorldCat catalog)
• 1998 UW Commencement Speech
• Write TV Public Television Interview with Jim Lehrer
• Archive of American Television interview
• A conversation with Jim Lehrer, on The Media Report, 10 May 2007
• Jim Lehrer discusses his novel, The Phony Marine (video)