I'm not in the judgment part of journalism.
I believe an invitation from the Commission on Presidential Debates is similar to a draft notice - a civic responsibility.
I'm an expert on the NewsHour and it isn't how I practice journalism. I am not involved in the story. I serve only as a reporter or someone asking questions. I am not the story.
If people want bells and whistles and all of that, there are bells and whistles available. If they don't want bells and whistles there are places to go where they are not available.
People can get their news any way they want. What I love about what's happened is that there are so many different avenues, there are so many different outlets, so many different ways to debate and discuss and to inquire about any given news story.
If we're going to have debates, let's have real debates.
I'm in the civil discourse business. I think it takes all kinds. And more power to everybody.
Let me be clear: Despite Roger Clemens' statements to the contrary, I never injected Roger Clemens, or anyone else, with lidocaine or B-12.
I have no reason to lie and every reason not to. If I do lie, I will be prosecuted.
I was never promised any special treatment or consideration for fingering star players. I was never coerced to provide information against anyone. All that I was ever told to was to tell the truth to the best of my ability. And that is what I have done.
Make no mistake: When I told Senator Mitchell that I injected Roger Clemens with performance-enhancing drugs, I told the truth.
I'm not saying Senator Mitchell's report is entirely wrong. I am saying Brian McNamee's statements about me are wrong. Let me be clear: I have never taken steroids or HGH.
If McNamee is lying, then he has acted inexcusably, and he has made Clemens an innocent victim. If Clemens isn't telling the truth, then he has acted shamefully and has smeared McNamee. I don't think there's anything in between.
My Marine experience helped shape who I am now personally and professionally, and I am grateful for that on an almost daily basis.
A debate has one purpose, one purpose only, and that is to facilitate the exchange of ideas directly between two candidates, and that's it.
In television there are only about 12 people who do what I do.
We have increasingly fewer and fewer journalists who have any military experience and understand what life is like in the military and in combat.
I'm not in the being-annoyed business.
I'm a journalist and that's what I do.
Those who know me know I won't hesitate to turn around and point someone out.
On a daily basis there are some huge ones that are, sure, from time to time, but it is helping the reader sort through all this sort of gray stuff out there.
I always wear blue shirts and I like wine or purple ties.
My writing is extremely important, so I write every day. I just enjoy it. I get a kick out of it.
If you go to the ball game, you don't need to read the game story.
In my case, I was covering politics in Texas as a newspaper man in the 1960's.
