Wicker began working in professional journalism in 1949, as editor of the small-town Sandhill Citizen in Aberdeen, North Carolina. He eventually worked for other newspapers, including The Winston-Salem Journal and The Nashville Tennessean. By the early 1960s, he had joined The New York Times.[1] At the Times, he became well known as a political reporter; among other accomplishments, he wrote the paper's November 23, 1963, lead story of the assassination of President Kennedy, having ridden in a press bus in the Dallas motorcade that accompanied Kennedy. Wicker was a shrewd observer of the Washington, D.C. scene. In that capacity, his influential "In The Nation" column ran in the Times from 1966 through his retirement in 1991. In an exit-interview Q & A with fellow Times reporter R. W. Apple, he reflected on one primary lesson of his years in the capital. Apple asked whether Wicker had "any heroes" in political life.
I think it tends to work the other way. Which doesn't mean that I look at all those people with contempt—quite the opposite. But the journalist's perspective makes you see the feet of clay and the warts, and that's a good thing. I found them in many cases to be truly engaging human beings and admirable persons but not really, in the long run, impeccable heroes, or even just heroes without the "impeccable." We should try to see people as clearly as we can. Then if a hero does come into view, why, we can give him his due.[1]
Booksedit
External videos
Booknotes interview with Wicker on One of Us: Richard Nixon and the American Dream, April 7, 1991, C-SPAN
Wicker wrote many different books throughout his life. He is the author of several books about U.S. presidents including:
Kennedy Without Tears: The Man Beneath the Myth (1964)
JFK & LBJ: The Influence of Personality Upon Politics (1966)
One of Us: Richard Nixon and the American Dream (1991)
Dwight D. Eisenhower (2002)
George Herbert Walker Bush (2004)
Other works Wicker penned include:
The Kingpin (1953), a novel about politics
The Devil Must (1957), a novel
The Judgment (1961), a novel
Facing the Lions (1973), a novel about a presidential campaign involving a candidate modeled on Sen. Estes Kefauver
Wicker's work earned him a place on the master list of Nixon political opponents. He wrote the essay on Richard Nixon for the book Character Above All: Ten Presidents from FDR to George Bush (1995). Wicker was mentioned in a 60 Minutes report from the 1970s which detailed how, along with other journalists and members of Congress who supported desegregation busing, Wicker and the others nevertheless sent their children to DC private schools.[4]
NSA monitoring of Wicker's communicationsedit
In a secret operation code-named "Project MINARET," the National Security Agency (NSA) monitored the communications of leading Americans, including Wicker and other prominent U.S. journalists, Senators Frank Church and Howard Baker, such civil rights leaders as Martin Luther King Jr., and prominent U.S. athletes who criticized the U.S. war in Vietnam.[5] A review by NSA of the NSA's Minaret program concluded that Minaret was "disreputable if not outright illegal."[5]
Deathedit
Wicker died from an apparent heart attack, on November 25, 2011, at the age of 85.[6]
Referencesedit
^ abApple, R. W. (January 5, 1992). "Opinions Considered: A Talk With Tom Wicker". The New York Times.
^Steelman, Ben. "Tom Wicker, RIP." Star News Online, November 28, 2011.
^Simon, Tom. "Tear Are for Angels." Paperback Warrior, January 21, 2019.
Tom Wicker papers, Manuscripts and Archives Division, The New York Public Library.
February 15, 2024
wicker, thomas, grey, wicker, june, 1926, november, 2011, american, journalist, political, reporter, columnist, york, times, bornthomas, grey, wicker, 1926, june, 1926hamlet, north, carolina, diednovember, 2011, 2011, aged, rochester, vermont, occupationjourna. Thomas Grey Wicker June 18 1926 November 25 2011 was an American journalist He was a political reporter and columnist for The New York Times Tom WickerBornThomas Grey Wicker 1926 06 18 June 18 1926Hamlet North Carolina U S DiedNovember 25 2011 2011 11 25 aged 85 Rochester Vermont U S OccupationJournalist Contents 1 Background and education 2 Career 2 1 The New York Times 2 2 Books 3 Politics 4 NSA monitoring of Wicker s communications 5 Death 6 References 7 External linksBackground and education editWicker was born on June 18 1926 in Hamlet North Carolina to Delancey David a railroad freight conductor and Esta Cameron Wicker He served in the Navy in World War II Wicker was a 1948 graduate of the University of North Carolina He won a Nieman Fellowship at Harvard University in 1957 In 1993 he returned to Harvard where he was a fellow at Harvard Kennedy School Career editThe New York Times edit Wicker began working in professional journalism in 1949 as editor of the small town Sandhill Citizen in Aberdeen North Carolina He eventually worked for other newspapers including The Winston Salem Journal and The Nashville Tennessean By the early 1960s he had joined The New York Times 1 At the Times he became well known as a political reporter among other accomplishments he wrote the paper s November 23 1963 lead story of the assassination of President Kennedy having ridden in a press bus in the Dallas motorcade that accompanied Kennedy Wicker was a shrewd observer of the Washington D C scene In that capacity his influential In The Nation column ran in the Times from 1966 through his retirement in 1991 In an exit interview Q amp A with fellow Times reporter R W Apple he reflected on one primary lesson of his years in the capital Apple asked whether Wicker had any heroes in political life I think it tends to work the other way Which doesn t mean that I look at all those people with contempt quite the opposite But the journalist s perspective makes you see the feet of clay and the warts and that s a good thing I found them in many cases to be truly engaging human beings and admirable persons but not really in the long run impeccable heroes or even just heroes without the impeccable We should try to see people as clearly as we can Then if a hero does come into view why we can give him his due 1 dd Books edit External videos nbsp Booknotes interview with Wicker on One of Us Richard Nixon and the American Dream April 7 1991 C SPANWicker wrote many different books throughout his life He is the author of several books about U S presidents including Kennedy Without Tears The Man Beneath the Myth 1964 JFK amp LBJ The Influence of Personality Upon Politics 1966 One of Us Richard Nixon and the American Dream 1991 Dwight D Eisenhower 2002 George Herbert Walker Bush 2004 Other works Wicker penned include The Kingpin 1953 a novel about politics The Devil Must 1957 a novel The Judgment 1961 a novel Facing the Lions 1973 a novel about a presidential campaign involving a candidate modeled on Sen Estes Kefauver A Time to Die The Attica Prison Revolt 1975 this book recounted the events at the Attica Correctional Facility in Attica New York during September 1971 it received an Edgar Award from the Mystery Writers of America for Best Fact Crime book and inspired a 1980 made for TV movie On Press A Top Reporters Life In And Reflection On American Journalism 1978 Unto This Hour 1984 a novel of the American Civil War during the Second Battle of Bull Run 1862 Donovan s Wife 1992 a novel about the sleazy side of politics Prison Writing in 20th Century America 1992 Tragic Failure Racial Integration in America 1996 Easter Lilly A Novel of the South Today 1998 a novel about a murder in the South On the Record An Insider s Guide to Journalism 2001 Shooting Star The Brief Arc of Joe McCarthy 2006 In addition Wicker penned three standalone detective novels under the pseudonym Paul Connolly 2 Get Out of Town 1951 Tears Are for Angels 3 1952 So Far So Evil 1955 Politics editWicker s work earned him a place on the master list of Nixon political opponents He wrote the essay on Richard Nixon for the book Character Above All Ten Presidents from FDR to George Bush 1995 Wicker was mentioned in a 60 Minutes report from the 1970s which detailed how along with other journalists and members of Congress who supported desegregation busing Wicker and the others nevertheless sent their children to DC private schools 4 NSA monitoring of Wicker s communications editIn a secret operation code named Project MINARET the National Security Agency NSA monitored the communications of leading Americans including Wicker and other prominent U S journalists Senators Frank Church and Howard Baker such civil rights leaders as Martin Luther King Jr and prominent U S athletes who criticized the U S war in Vietnam 5 A review by NSA of the NSA s Minaret program concluded that Minaret was disreputable if not outright illegal 5 Death editWicker died from an apparent heart attack on November 25 2011 at the age of 85 6 References edit a b Apple R W January 5 1992 Opinions Considered A Talk With Tom Wicker The New York Times Steelman Ben Tom Wicker RIP Star News Online November 28 2011 Simon Tom Tear Are for Angels Paperback Warrior January 21 2019 Frum David 2000 How We Got Here The 70s New York New York Basic Books p 264 ISBN 0 465 04195 7 a b The Guardian 26 Sept 2013 Declassified NSA Files Show Agency Spied on Muhammad Ali and MLK McFadden Robert D November 25 2011 Tom Wicker Journalist and Observer Dies at 85 The New York Times p D8 External links edit nbsp Journalism portal nbsp Biography portalUbben Lecture at DePauw University March 12 1993 Tom Wicker biography via PBS Appearances on C SPAN Tom Wicker papers Manuscripts and Archives Division The New York Public Library Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Tom Wicker amp oldid 1160951529, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
