Brokaw of 'Today Show' Says Journalists Are Folk Heroes

"The folk hero status of journalists today makes people think they are invulnerable," Tom Brokaw, host of NBC's "Today Show," said yesterday in a talk sponsored by the Law School Forum.

Brokaw added he would like the public to be "as selective of its news sources as it is about choosing a toothpaste."

Speaking before a crowd of about 150 people in the Ames Courtroom of Austin Hall, Brokaw mainly answered questions about his years as a White House correspondent during the Nixon and Ford administrations.

Perfectly Clear

"Richard M. Nixon was not driven from office by the press--the press was also on trial during Watergate," Brokaw said. "We held back often, and got all our facts in order," he added.

Brokaw also reports for the NBC "Nightly News," and was previously anchorman for the NBC "Saturday Night News."

President Carter is a "victim of historical circumstances," and is not personally responsible for the problems which still beset the nation 15 months after he took office, Brokaw said. However, Brokaw said, his handling of the neutron bomb controversy was "amateurish."

He added, "It is time for the Georgia Circle to acknowledge that there may be people from outside the circle who may be useful. President Carter refuses to acknowledge that Washington was there before he arrived."

Talking Heads

Brokaw's other duties include being stand-in for John Chancellor, anchorman for the NBC "Nightly News," a position Brokaw admitted he would like to hold. But Brokaw added that the position can be tedious, describing it as "putting on makeup and reading out loud."

The Harvard Law School Forum is a non-profit law student organization inviting authorities in areas of public interest to come to the Law School and speak on any topics related to their fields. Past speakers this year include feminist Betty Friedan and John Kenneth Galbraith, Warburg Professor of Economics Emeritus.