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Bernard Shaw (journalist)
Encyclopedia
Bernard Shaw is a retired American journalist and former news anchor for CNN
from 1980 until his retirement in March 2001.
from 1963 to 1968. He served in the U.S. Marine Corps.
in Chicago. He then worked as a reporter for the Westinghouse Broadcasting Company in Chicago, moving later to Washington as the White House
correspondent. Shaw worked as a correspondent in the Washington Bureau of CBS News
from 1971 to 1977. In 1977, Shaw moved to ABC News
as Latin American correspondent and bureau chief before becoming the Capitol Hill Senior Correspondent. He left ABC in 1980 to move to CNN as its Principal Anchor.
Shaw is widely known for the question he posed to Democratic U.S. presidential
candidate Michael Dukakis
at his second Presidential debate with George H. W. Bush
during the 1988 election, which Shaw was moderating
. Knowing that Dukakis opposed the death penalty, Shaw asked Dukakis if he would support an irrevocable death penalty for a man who hypothetically rape
d and murder
ed Dukakis's wife. Dukakis responded that he would not; some critics felt he framed his response too legalistically and logically, and did not address it sufficiently on a personal level. Other critics thought the question inflammatory and unwarranted at a presidential debate.
He is also remembered for his reporting on the 1991 Gulf War
. Reporting with CNN correspondents John Holliman
and Peter Arnett
from the Al-Rashid Hotel in Baghdad
, he found shelter under a desk as he reported cruise missile
s flying past his window. He also made frequent trips back and forth from the hotel's bomb shelter. While describing the situation in Baghdad, he famously stated "Clearly I've never been there, but this feels like we're in the center of hell."
He moderated the October 2000 vice-presidential debate between Dick Cheney
and Joe Lieberman
.
Shaw co-anchored CNN's Inside Politics from 1992 until he retired from CNN in 2001. He has occasionally appeared on CNN, including in May 2005 when a plane flew into restricted air space in Washington, D.C. He also co-anchored Judy Woodruff's
last broadcast on CNN in June 2005.
CNN
Cable News Network is a U.S. cable news channel founded in 1980 by Ted Turner. Upon its launch, CNN was the first channel to provide 24-hour television news coverage, and the first all-news television channel in the United States...
from 1980 until his retirement in March 2001.
Early years
Shaw was born in Chicago, Illinois and attended the University of Illinois at ChicagoUniversity of Illinois at Chicago
The University of Illinois at Chicago, or UIC, is a state-funded public research university located in Chicago, Illinois, United States. Its campus is in the Near West Side community area, near the Chicago Loop...
from 1963 to 1968. He served in the U.S. Marine Corps.
Career
Shaw began his broadcasting career as an anchor and reporter for WNUSWNUS
WNUS is a radio station broadcasting a Country format. Licensed to Belpre, Ohio, USA, it serves the Parkersburg-Marietta area. The station is currently owned by Clear Channel Communications....
in Chicago. He then worked as a reporter for the Westinghouse Broadcasting Company in Chicago, moving later to Washington as the White House
White House
The White House is the official residence and principal workplace of the president of the United States. Located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., the house was designed by Irish-born James Hoban, and built between 1792 and 1800 of white-painted Aquia sandstone in the Neoclassical...
correspondent. Shaw worked as a correspondent in the Washington Bureau of CBS News
CBS News
CBS News is the news division of American television and radio network CBS. The current chairman is Jeff Fager who is also the executive producer of 60 Minutes, while the current president of CBS News is David Rhodes. CBS News' flagship program is the CBS Evening News, hosted by the network's main...
from 1971 to 1977. In 1977, Shaw moved to ABC News
ABC News
ABC News is the news gathering and broadcasting division of American broadcast television network ABC, a subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company...
as Latin American correspondent and bureau chief before becoming the Capitol Hill Senior Correspondent. He left ABC in 1980 to move to CNN as its Principal Anchor.
Shaw is widely known for the question he posed to Democratic U.S. presidential
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
candidate Michael Dukakis
Michael Dukakis
Michael Stanley Dukakis served as the 65th and 67th Governor of Massachusetts from 1975–1979 and from 1983–1991, and was the Democratic presidential nominee in 1988. He was born to Greek immigrants in Brookline, Massachusetts, also the birthplace of John F. Kennedy, and was the longest serving...
at his second Presidential debate with George H. W. Bush
George H. W. Bush
George Herbert Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 41st President of the United States . He had previously served as the 43rd Vice President of the United States , a congressman, an ambassador, and Director of Central Intelligence.Bush was born in Milton, Massachusetts, to...
during the 1988 election, which Shaw was moderating
Presenter
A presenter, or host , is a person or organization responsible for running an event. A museum or university, for example, may be the presenter or host of an exhibit. Likewise, a master of ceremonies is a person that hosts or presents a show...
. Knowing that Dukakis opposed the death penalty, Shaw asked Dukakis if he would support an irrevocable death penalty for a man who hypothetically rape
Rape
Rape is a type of sexual assault usually involving sexual intercourse, which is initiated by one or more persons against another person without that person's consent. The act may be carried out by physical force, coercion, abuse of authority or with a person who is incapable of valid consent. The...
d and murder
Murder
Murder is the unlawful killing, with malice aforethought, of another human being, and generally this state of mind distinguishes murder from other forms of unlawful homicide...
ed Dukakis's wife. Dukakis responded that he would not; some critics felt he framed his response too legalistically and logically, and did not address it sufficiently on a personal level. Other critics thought the question inflammatory and unwarranted at a presidential debate.
He is also remembered for his reporting on the 1991 Gulf War
Gulf War
The Persian Gulf War , commonly referred to as simply the Gulf War, was a war waged by a U.N.-authorized coalition force from 34 nations led by the United States, against Iraq in response to Iraq's invasion and annexation of Kuwait.The war is also known under other names, such as the First Gulf...
. Reporting with CNN correspondents John Holliman
John Holliman
John Holliman was an American broadcast journalist. He was a member of the original reporting corps for CNN, serving as its agriculture correspondent after serving in the same capacity for Associated Press Radio in Washington, DC...
and Peter Arnett
Peter Arnett
Peter Gregg Arnett, ONZM is a New Zealand-American journalist.Arnett worked for National Geographic magazine, and later for various television networks, most notably CNN. He is well known for his coverage of war, including the Vietnam War and the Gulf War...
from the Al-Rashid Hotel in Baghdad
Baghdad
Baghdad is the capital of Iraq, as well as the coterminous Baghdad Governorate. The population of Baghdad in 2011 is approximately 7,216,040...
, he found shelter under a desk as he reported cruise missile
Cruise missile
A cruise missile is a guided missile that carries an explosive payload and is propelled, usually by a jet engine, towards a land-based or sea-based target. Cruise missiles are designed to deliver a large warhead over long distances with high accuracy...
s flying past his window. He also made frequent trips back and forth from the hotel's bomb shelter. While describing the situation in Baghdad, he famously stated "Clearly I've never been there, but this feels like we're in the center of hell."
He moderated the October 2000 vice-presidential debate between Dick Cheney
Dick Cheney
Richard Bruce "Dick" Cheney served as the 46th Vice President of the United States , under George W. Bush....
and Joe Lieberman
Joe Lieberman
Joseph Isadore "Joe" Lieberman is the senior United States Senator from Connecticut. A former member of the Democratic Party, he was the party's nominee for Vice President in the 2000 election. Currently an independent, he remains closely affiliated with the party.Born in Stamford, Connecticut,...
.
Shaw co-anchored CNN's Inside Politics from 1992 until he retired from CNN in 2001. He has occasionally appeared on CNN, including in May 2005 when a plane flew into restricted air space in Washington, D.C. He also co-anchored Judy Woodruff's
Judy Woodruff
Judy Woodruff is an American television news anchor and journalist.Woodruff is a Board Member at the IWMF .-Broadcast journalism career:...
last broadcast on CNN in June 2005.
External links
- Biography at the Museum of Broadcast CommunicationsMuseum of Broadcast CommunicationsThe Museum of Broadcast Communications is an American museum that currently exists exclusively on the Internet and not in any physical capacity. Its stated mission is "to collect, preserve, and present historic and contemporary radio and television content as well as educate, inform and entertain...
- CNN anchor Bernard Shaw leaving the network, CNN, November 11, 2000
- Bernard Shaw on CNN at 20
- Second Bush-Dukakis debate transcript