Yesterday came the news of Bill Moyers' passing at the age of 91. My first memories of Moyers were as a journalist and commentator first on CBS and later on PBS. Even as a child, I remember that Moyers had a gentle yet authoritative resonance even if I didn't always understand the substance of what he said.
Of course, Moyers came to prominence with association with President Lyndon Johnson including a stint as White House Press Secretary. Through his association with LBJ, Moyers played a critical role in the establishment of the Peace Corps, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and the launch of several Great Society programs.
Yet, at the same time, Moyers was responsible for giving birth to negative political advertising with the "Daisy" ad during the 1964 presidential election campaign which stated in no uncertain terms that Republican Barry Goldwater would blow up the world although he was never mentioned by name. Nevertheless, Goldwater never forgave Moyers for his role in the ad for as long as he lived. While Moyers wrote fondly of Martin Luther King, Jr., he gave FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover the go-ahead to try to discredit King at the behest of LBJ.
Naturally, there is both good and bad in nearly all of us. From where I sit, the good outweighed the bad. Yet in remembering Bill Moyers, it is important to acknowledge the contributions he made to American public life for both good and ill. R.I.P.
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