Theodore White '38 Honored

Two leaders in the field of journalism joined a Harvard professor to honor the achievements of one of the craft's pioneers last night at a Kennedy School forum.

Washington Post editor Benjamin C. Bradlee '43-'44, New York Times Washington correspondent R.W. Apple and Higginson Professor of History emeritus John King Fairbank gathered to honor journalist Theodore H. White '38 and inaugurate an annual lecture in his honor.

A capacity crowd of more than 500 filled the Kennedy School's forum for the event.

White, who died in 1986, was a groundbreaker in political writing, establishing a new way of reporting presidential politics in his Making of the President 1960 and the subsequent 1964 and 1972 editions.

"Teddy...began a new genre of books with his attention to detail and his intense attention to people," said Bradlee of White's books.

Apple described White as a pioneer who recognized the pivotal role television and campaign advertisements played in 1960, and who predicted their impact on future elections.

Until White's books and articles, political journalism focused largely on the November general election, panelists said. But White demonstrated the importance of the primary system in the American political process, they added.

"[White] showed us how important it is to look at the mechanics of presidential politics," Apple said.

Although one member of the audience rose to question White's "flattering" of politicians, Apple said White's work had resulted in important journalistic innovations. Apple called White, a former Time correspondent, "celebrator of the political system."

"Teddy White wasn't a perfect journalist, none of us is, what was good about Teddy is that he kept trying to improve his trade," Apple said.

Personal Reflections

The panelists also offered personal reflections about White, who entered Harvard on a scholarship in 1932.

Fairbanks, who was White's tutor and helped spur his lifelong interest in China, recalled White saying that "he had not come to Harvard for the elms or the banks of the Charles...but rather... `to get this badge which says veritas but which means a job.'"

After graduating from Harvard, White went to cover the war in China for Time magazine and other publications. From his years in China he produced the controversial book, Thunder Out of China, on the Chinese Nationalist government.

Apple also spoke about White's personal impact on him. "Teddy loved to help young people, something that has gone out of our business in these days of yuppie newsrooms. He thought it was important," Apple said.