[ Tish/NASAChatHost - 16 - 07:05:43 ]
Good morning - Judy Woodruff is on now and ready to begin. Thank you for joining us; you may begin submitting questions.

[ JudyWoodruff - 20 - 07:08:42 ]
RE: [Charlotte/UK] who was the best President to talk to?
All the Presidents I have met and interviewed have been interesting. Presidents Nixon, Ford, Carter, Reagan, Bush and Clinton have all been fascinating political figures, all with very different backgrounds, and different personalities. I can't say that one has been "the best."

[ JudyWoodruff - 21 - 07:11:24 ]
RE: [ZACCARO/EDISON] You have an extensive background in politics. Have you ever thought of running for office?
No, I haven't thought of running for office. I have covered politics since 1970, and have come to appreciate how hard most politicians work, and how committed they are to their jobs. But I am comfortable as a journalist, reporting on what happens, and making observations, and sometimes analysis. I can't imagine taking one side or another, although I do at times feel strongly about issues. When that happens, I keep those feelings to myself!

[ ZACCARO/EDISON - 22 - 07:13:31 ]
When you first co-founded the International Women's Media Foundation, how did it feel to be "lowering the barriers" in the workforce?

[ JudyWoodruff - 25 - 07:15:23 ]
RE: [ZACCARO/EDISON] What was it like in Beijing for the World COnference on Women?
The Beijing conference -- the United Nations Fourth World Conference on Women in 1995 --was one of the most "exciting" meetings I have ever covered: that is because women came from all over the world: women of every nationality and ethnic background and religion, rich women, middle class women and poor women. And they all came because they were concerned about the plight of women in need, in every corner of the earth. I was inspired by their dedication. And I came away with a whole new appreciation of how much women care about one another, and about what a political force women are in the world as we move into the 21st century.

[ JudyWoodruff - 27 - 07:18:52 ]
RE: [students/St.Joseph] How do you manage to balance your family and work? Do you ever find it difficult?
I could spend all day on this question! My husband and I have 3 children, aged 16, 11 and 8. In fact, our 16 year old son got his driver's license yesterday! Stay off the streets of Washington, D.C.! I'm just kidding, of course. It is always difficult, and always a challenge to juggle family and work. I could not do it without a very supportive husband who encourages me in my career, and who takes an active role in raising our children. Two other things: I have had to become very organized, and to make very good use of my time. I was not naturally this way! And we are fortunate to be able to have two caregivers working for our family who help with meal preparation, homework, driving to soccer practice, etc. But it's never easy! I always feel I could be doing a better job of being a mother!

[ JudyWoodruff - 29 - 07:23:04 ]
RE: [Mrs.Kelley/InglenookElementary] Which foreign language did you study and has it helped you in the interviewing these important figures?
I studied French for 7 years; 5 years in junior high and high school. And another 2 years in college. But I am sorry to say that I have not kept it up very well. I can understand it fairly well, and can speak it when I am in France, but I am not fluent. So, it has really not helped me in interviewing leaders of other nations. French, as you know, is not as commonly spoken as Chinese or Spanish. Knowing one of those languages would have been more useful, perhaps, if I had kept it up. Also: since I work for American news organizations, my audience speaks English, and all the interview I do need to be in English.

[ ZACCARO/EDISON - 32 - 07:25:33 ]
You seem to have your head in every major event that occurs in Washington and the political world. You have even covered Nixon's funeral. What is it like to be at such hard happenings? How can you cover a funeral? Have you covered any of the high-classed social scene?

[ JudyWoodruff - 33 - 07:29:00 ]
RE: [Colleen/U.S.SatelliteBroadcasting] What types of things in your upbringing and background helped you to be so successful?
There are several things in my background that have helped me, I think. My father was in the Army until I was a teenager, and although I was born in Tulsa, Oklahoma, we moved to Germany, Missouri, New Jersey, Oklahoma again, Taiwan, North Carolina, and finally Georgia, before I was 13 years old. I attended 6 different schools between first and seventh grades! It was hard for me to give up my friends so quickly after making them, but I did learn to get to know people easily, and to handle separation and moving. That probably made me more adaptable, and made me interested in working with people as a career. That's really what the type of reporting I do is: it is spending a lot of time talking to people, and getting information from them; as well as a considerable amount of reading. I also have a great deal of curiosity about things, and I love to travel: these things probably also came from all the moving I did as a young girl.

[ JudyWoodruff - 36 - 07:34:42 ]
RE: [Charlotte/UK] why did you want to be a political journalist
When I was in college, I became interested in government and politics: in why leaders make the decisions they do, and how they make those decisions; how and whether they listen to people in making the decisions; and what their leadership styles are. I first thought I might want to work in government, but the job opportunities for women back in 1968 on Capitol Hill (here in Washington) were not good, I was told. So, when I returned to Duke Univ. for my senior year of college -- I had been working as an intern in Washington for my Congressman during the summer -- I started thinking about the effect of journalism on politics. I was taking a course in that subject, and I loved my professor and the course, and that got me to thinking seriously about journalism for the first time. I didn't major in journalism; my major was political science -- so it was a natural thing for me to cover politics. I am every bit as fascinated today by politics and by political leaders as I was when I first started this work! Although, I confess, I am not pleased with what I see some politicians doing.

[ JudyWoodruff - 37 - 07:37:22 ]
RE: [FairfieldIntermediate] Have you done any coverage on the President Clinton affairs stories.
Yes, CNN has done a large number of stories on the personal allegations against President Clinton: I have probably reported on some "angle" of this story every day I've been on the air since January 23rd when the recent allegations first became publicly known. I think the press in the United States, at least the press in Washington, has done more coverage of this story than the American people really want to hear about. But as long as the Independent Counsel, appointed by the Justice Department, continues an active investigation of President Clinton, this is not a story that the press can ignore.

[ JudyWoodruff - 40 - 07:43:24 ]
RE: [students/WoodlandElem.] Do you think you education played a major role in your career or do you think you learned many things on the job? Does appearance and "social skills" play a big role in being successful in your field?
This is an excellent question. I think my education was very important: it gave me a broad background of knowledge of basic English, literature, history, science, and so forth, that permits me to understand much of what is being said and written about our government and our politics. In fact, I often wish that I had taken MORE English and especially more history, to help me put today's events in historical context. But I have also had to learn a great deal on the job: in fact, I have never stopped learning. I learn something new every day, by reading a newspaper, a magazine article, or a book -- and you will too! School is really just the beginning of your education, but it is a very important beginning, because it gives you some basic tools to help you get along, as you learn more. As for social skills -- yes,they are important, because you have to be able to get along with people to do the work that I do, to draw information out of them, or to make them feel comfortable. And appearance is important in television, because we have to be "pleasant" enough looking, so as not to take the viewer's mind off of what we are saying: if they look at us and see something messy or unusual, then they will pay attention to that, rather than the news we are reporting!

[ JudyWoodruff - 41 - 07:47:47 ]
RE: [Cheryl/LosBanosUnified] How do you feel that the role of journalism has changed with the ready availability of so many different forms of media from which the public can receive information virtually instantaneously ??
What has changed in the news media is the large number of sources of news that did not exist before: Years ago, people had only three TV networks from which to get broadcast news: now, there are still the three networks, but there are so many other sources as well, on cable television, on all=news radio channels, and obviously, on the Internet. What has changed, and CNN has been perhaps the main impetus for this, with our 24 hour, around the clock coverage -- is the fact that news is often reported before all the facts are in: we tell you stories, just as soon as we hear about them, as long as we can confirm even a piece of a story. The audience has come to understand, I hope, that the first report they hear may be incomplete, and they should wait until all the facts are in until they have the whole story. We need to appreciate this inside the news business, too!

[ JudyWoodruff - 45 - 07:52:12 ]
RE: [ZACCARO/EDISON] Are you often intimidated by the people that you interview?
No, I'm not usually intimidated by the people I interview, although I am sometimes "in awe" of what they have accomplished. For example, when I first interviewed the Polish labor leader, Lech Walensa, I was conscious of what courage he must have had to lead his labor movement despite the strong opposition of the Communist government in Poland. The same with Nelson Mandela: I would not be intimidated if I interviewed him, but I would certainly be aware of his great accomplishments. I am not intimidated by American presidents: but I will tell you that when we do get to interview a sitting President, there is so much "hoopla" associated with getting the interview: with getting permission, getting it scheduled, dealing with his staff, and so on -- that it is never a relaxed interview!

[ JudyWoodruff - 47 - 07:57:31 ]
RE: [Cheryl/LosBanosUnified] Have you ever been involved with a story that was difficult for you to report objectively ?? I would think it might be very hard to remain emotionally detached from some of the highly-charged stories such as the Jonesboro incident and the Oklahoma City bombing.
You are right: there are some stories where it is very difficult to keep from getting emotionally involved: When I covered the Oklahoma City bombing three years ago, I could not help but feel sorry for the families who lost loved ones. And I could not help but feel anger for the person or persons who carried out the bombing. But if I had covered the trial of Timothy McVeigh, who was accused in the bombing, I would have remained as objective as possible in my reporting, no matter what my private thoughts. That is what I have been trained to do as a reporter. And that is what I owe my audience: they are vnot watching to know what my opinions are. Most important, in the United States, people are presumed innocent until proven guilty. We in the press often find it easy to rush to judgment before all the facts are in. But we need to resist this temptation. Having said all that -- of course, I feel emotion whenever there is a tragic story: we ran the story the other night of a Chinese couple who have opened an orphanage in Beijing for children who have been rejected by the government orphanage: these are mostly girls, rejected by their parents who wanted a boy, and children with birth defects. I could not help but be emotionally affected by this story!

[ JudyWoodruff - 48 - 08:00:53 ]
RE: [students/St.Joseph] Do you think the journalism field is competetive and do you think there will be an age that you will retire?
Yes, journalism is very competitite. Not only among different news organizations -- as CNN is competitive with NBC or ABC or the New York Times or the Washington Post -- but also at times it is competitive WITHIN a news organization. One reporter will want to get a story before anyone else; or one person will want an interview with a top newsmaker before anyone else. We all have to be on our toes every day: this helps keep me interested in my work. But I don't like it when the press -- especially TV -- focuses more on getting a story FIRST than getting it absolutely correct. We shouldn't worry so much about being seconds ahead of the competition when facts matter more. When will I retire? Well, I expect to be doing newscasts from the nursing home when I am 95. Do you think that's too early????

[ Tish/NASAChatHost - 49 - 08:03:00 ]
We are approaching 8:00 and we know Judy has a full schedule. We will not post any more questions, but hopefully Judy can answer a few questions already posted. This chat will remain here today and then archived tomorrow and linked from Judy's profile.

[ JudyWoodruff - 50 - 08:05:36 ]
RE: [students/St.Joseph] What is an average day like for you?
Every day is different, but on most days, I come in to the office around 10 AM, and attend a meeting at 10:15 to plan our program, "Inside Politics." Later, at 11:30 there is a meeting to plan our 6 PM newscast, "Worldview". The rest of the day is taken up with phone calls, reading newspapers, news wires, and news articles, answering letters -- and preparing for each newscast and any interviews. I have to read research to prepare for each interview. And I sometimes visit people around the city in their offices to talk about the work they are doing, and a current political development. This is a secret, but I will tell you: I also have to get my hair done three mornings a week, because it has to look nice for television: so I squeeze that in after I see my three children off to school, and before I get to the office!

[ JudyWoodruff - 51 - 08:10:00 ]
RE: [ZACCARO/EDISON] When you first started out in your field, did anyone try to stop you or tell you women were not suited for your job? How did you deal with such pressures?
Actually, people didn't have to discourage me: I could look around and see that there were so few women in news reporting, especially political news reporting. In 1969, when I was working as a secretary for the news department of a TV station in Atlanta, I would ask the news director if he would let me do some reporting. His answer always was: "We already have a woman reporter!" And they did: she reported the weather, and covered light news "features". Later, when I couldn't get a job as a TV reporter, I wrote a number of radio news directors around the country, and several of them wrote back to me, saying that they didn't think women's voices were "authoritative" enough on radio. Later still, I ran into opposition in network TV, at NBC, in the late 1970's -- but I also benefited because the women's movement was by then politically active, and there was political pressure put on the broadcast networks to put more women on the air. That was a help for me!

[ JudyWoodruff - 52 - 08:12:31 ]
This has been a wonderful experience, and great fun! My 16 and 11 year old sons will be very surprised when I tell them I participated in a chat room, just as they do so often! I want to thank the Women of NASA project for sponsoring this, and for giving me a chance to meet all of you on the internet!

[ Tish/NASAChatHost - 53 - 08:14:44 ]
Thank you so much Judy - that was a wonderful hour. I would like to thank all of you who joined us as well for your well researched and thoughtful questions. This dialogue will remain here today and then be archived and available as a link from Judy Woodruff's profile tomorrow. Donna Shirley 's chat has just begun in the next chat room. The chat is full but you can always observe.