Spring Break
An exclusive Justice interview with Bill Schneider
News | 5/20/08
Posted online at 7:28 AM EST on 5/20/08
"I'm very excited to be coming back, to be coming home," said Bill Schneider '66, CNN's senior political analyst and the keynote speaker for last Sunday's commencement ceremony in an exclusive interview with the Justice.
On coming to Brandeis and his speech to the graduates:
Schneider said he looked forward to "having an opportunity for my generation, the baby boomers, to speak to the next generation."
"We saw impossible things happen," he said, speaking for his generation, which witnessed the Civil Rights movement, the end of the Cold War and general "changes in consciousness."
Schneider said he would challenge the students to engage in the present political arena. "I don't necessarily mean activism or protest," he said. Students should just participate , he said, such as working on a campaign.
"The only thing I regret is that in a commencement speech there is no Q & A," he said.
On journalism:
As a student at Brandeis, Schneider said he had no intention of becoming a journalist. However, he did have a love of politics, which throughout his career holds true, he said.
As a CNN senior political analyst, Schneider focuses on the voters and their opinions. "I report on what people are doing," he said. He explained that a great deal of his job is analyzing polls.
"I'm really a communicator and want my message to be simple and clear," he said. Unfortunately, he feels that these characteristics are not valued in academics.
Schneider returned to the world of academics for a semester in 2002 to teach a course at Brandeis as the Fred and Rita Richman Distinguished Visiting Professor.
After leaving academics behind he went to work in print journalism, writing mostly for the Los Angeles Times and The Atlantic Monthly. In 1991, after making guest appearances on televised news programs, he signed with CNN, where he has been working ever since.
"Journalism is practically in my blood," said Schneider, referring to his mother, who worked for a newspaper. If she hadn't gotten to the hospital fast enough, he said, he would literally have been born in a newsroom.
On coming to Brandeis and his speech to the graduates:
Schneider said he looked forward to "having an opportunity for my generation, the baby boomers, to speak to the next generation."
"We saw impossible things happen," he said, speaking for his generation, which witnessed the Civil Rights movement, the end of the Cold War and general "changes in consciousness."
Schneider said he would challenge the students to engage in the present political arena. "I don't necessarily mean activism or protest," he said. Students should just participate , he said, such as working on a campaign.
"The only thing I regret is that in a commencement speech there is no Q & A," he said.
On journalism:
As a student at Brandeis, Schneider said he had no intention of becoming a journalist. However, he did have a love of politics, which throughout his career holds true, he said.
As a CNN senior political analyst, Schneider focuses on the voters and their opinions. "I report on what people are doing," he said. He explained that a great deal of his job is analyzing polls.
"I'm really a communicator and want my message to be simple and clear," he said. Unfortunately, he feels that these characteristics are not valued in academics.
Schneider returned to the world of academics for a semester in 2002 to teach a course at Brandeis as the Fred and Rita Richman Distinguished Visiting Professor.
After leaving academics behind he went to work in print journalism, writing mostly for the Los Angeles Times and The Atlantic Monthly. In 1991, after making guest appearances on televised news programs, he signed with CNN, where he has been working ever since.
"Journalism is practically in my blood," said Schneider, referring to his mother, who worked for a newspaper. If she hadn't gotten to the hospital fast enough, he said, he would literally have been born in a newsroom.
Be the first to comment on this story