John Robert Starr
Encyclopedia
John Robert Starr was an American
journalist
and newspaper columnist
. Starr was noted for his role in the demise of the Arkansas Gazette
during the 1980s and his criticism of President Bill Clinton
including popularizing the term "Slick Willie".
John Robert Starr wrote sports for the Memphis Commercial Appeal and founded the Pine Bluff Star-Reporter at Pine Bluff, Arkansas
before being hired by the Associated Press
in 1957. Starr worked for the AP for nineteen years, which included ten years as the Little Rock
bureau chief.
Starr served as bureau chief during the controversial period under Governor Orval Faubus
and was responsible for reporting the social changes sweeping the state during the late 1950s and early 1960s including the critical Little Rock Crisis of 1957-58. Starr left the AP in 1976 and taught journalism for a couple of years.
John Robert Starr became managing editor of the Arkansas Democrat in 1978. He was hired by publisher Walter E. Hussman, Jr.
, who intended to take on the rival Arkansas Gazette
which was the state's premier newspaper and the oldest continuously published newspaper west of the Mississippi River
.
Soon after his arrival at the Democrat he posed for the Arkansas Times
May 1979 magazine cover with a helmet on his head and with a knife clenched between his teeth squatting atop a Gazette newspaper rack. Hussman seriously considered firing Starr for this unnaproved action but in the end only reprimanded him. Nevertheless, this photo set the tone for the bitter newspaper war that followed and foreshadowed that the battle was "to the death".
Starr was the field general for the Democrat during the 13 year long newspaper war and wrote scathing commentaries about the Gazette on the editorial pages of the Democrat. The Democrat adopted a free classified ad program and switched from an afternoon to a morning paper in order to compete directly with the Gazette. The Gazette underwent a long decline and was passed through several owners before being purchased by Hussman in 1991 and folded into the Democrat operation to form the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.
Starr played a major role in the passage of the Arkansas Freedom of Information Act which was praised as a model sunshine law at the time of its passage.
Starr stepped down as managing editor in 1992. He continued to write a daily column through the late 1990s when he reduced his output to three days a week. During this time Starr was very critical of Bill Clinton
in his columns. Starr had supported Clinton during his early years as Governor of Arkansas but became very critical after Starr claimed that Clinton had lied to him about a story.
During Clinton's election bids Starr often made appearances on national political programs to comment about his experiences covering Clinton during his Arkansas years. Starr's last columns focused on calling for the resignation of Arkansas Razorbacks
basketball coach Nolan Richardson
.
John Robert Starr died of a heart attack
while on vacation at Del Norte, Colorado
. His son is Robert "Rusty" Starr who is publisher of the Palatka Daily News
in Palatka, Florida
.
Adapted from the article John Robert Starr, from Wikinfo, licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License
.
"John Robert was as tenacious a friend as he was a foe. In good and bad times alike, I always knew him to speak his mind and say exactly what he felt. That kind of candor can be strong medicine, but I learned to respect him for it. His legion of readers might not always agree with his point of view, but they read what he had to say." President Bill Clinton released this statement from the White House upon hearing of Starr's death in April 2000.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
journalist
Journalist
A journalist collects and distributes news and other information. A journalist's work is referred to as journalism.A reporter is a type of journalist who researchs, writes, and reports on information to be presented in mass media, including print media , electronic media , and digital media A...
and newspaper columnist
Columnist
A columnist is a journalist who writes for publication in a series, creating an article that usually offers commentary and opinions. Columns appear in newspapers, magazines and other publications, including blogs....
. Starr was noted for his role in the demise of the Arkansas Gazette
Arkansas Gazette
The Arkansas Gazette, known as the oldest newspaper west of the Mississippi River, and located from 1908 until its October 18, 1991 closing at the now historic Gazette Building, was for many years the newspaper of record for Little Rock and the State of Arkansas...
during the 1980s and his criticism of President Bill Clinton
Bill Clinton
William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Inaugurated at age 46, he was the third-youngest president. He took office at the end of the Cold War, and was the first president of the baby boomer generation...
including popularizing the term "Slick Willie".
John Robert Starr wrote sports for the Memphis Commercial Appeal and founded the Pine Bluff Star-Reporter at Pine Bluff, Arkansas
Pine Bluff, Arkansas
Pine Bluff is the largest city and county seat of Jefferson County, Arkansas, United States. It is also the principal city of the Pine Bluff Metropolitan Statistical Area and part of the Little Rock-North Little Rock-Pine Bluff, Arkansas Combined Statistical Area...
before being hired by the Associated Press
Associated Press
The Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists...
in 1957. Starr worked for the AP for nineteen years, which included ten years as the Little Rock
Little Rock, Arkansas
Little Rock is the capital and the largest city of the U.S. state of Arkansas. The Metropolitan Statistical Area had a population of 699,757 people in the 2010 census...
bureau chief.
Starr served as bureau chief during the controversial period under Governor Orval Faubus
Orval Faubus
Orval Eugene Faubus was the 36th Governor of Arkansas, serving from 1955 to 1967. He is best known for his 1957 stand against the desegregation of Little Rock public schools during the Little Rock Crisis, in which he defied a unanimous decision of the United States Supreme Court by ordering the...
and was responsible for reporting the social changes sweeping the state during the late 1950s and early 1960s including the critical Little Rock Crisis of 1957-58. Starr left the AP in 1976 and taught journalism for a couple of years.
John Robert Starr became managing editor of the Arkansas Democrat in 1978. He was hired by publisher Walter E. Hussman, Jr.
Walter E. Hussman, Jr.
Walter E. Hussman, Jr. , is a third-generation newspaper publisher and chief executive officer of a mass media conglomerate known as WEHCO Media, Inc...
, who intended to take on the rival Arkansas Gazette
Arkansas Gazette
The Arkansas Gazette, known as the oldest newspaper west of the Mississippi River, and located from 1908 until its October 18, 1991 closing at the now historic Gazette Building, was for many years the newspaper of record for Little Rock and the State of Arkansas...
which was the state's premier newspaper and the oldest continuously published newspaper west of the Mississippi River
Mississippi River
The Mississippi River is the largest river system in North America. Flowing entirely in the United States, this river rises in western Minnesota and meanders slowly southwards for to the Mississippi River Delta at the Gulf of Mexico. With its many tributaries, the Mississippi's watershed drains...
.
Soon after his arrival at the Democrat he posed for the Arkansas Times
Arkansas Times
Arkansas Times, a weekly alternative newspaper based in Little Rock, Arkansas, is a publication that has circulated for more than 35 years, originally as a magazine. Its current format stems from reaction to the Arkansas Democrat buyout of assets from Gannett's closure of the Arkansas Gazette in...
May 1979 magazine cover with a helmet on his head and with a knife clenched between his teeth squatting atop a Gazette newspaper rack. Hussman seriously considered firing Starr for this unnaproved action but in the end only reprimanded him. Nevertheless, this photo set the tone for the bitter newspaper war that followed and foreshadowed that the battle was "to the death".
Starr was the field general for the Democrat during the 13 year long newspaper war and wrote scathing commentaries about the Gazette on the editorial pages of the Democrat. The Democrat adopted a free classified ad program and switched from an afternoon to a morning paper in order to compete directly with the Gazette. The Gazette underwent a long decline and was passed through several owners before being purchased by Hussman in 1991 and folded into the Democrat operation to form the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.
Starr played a major role in the passage of the Arkansas Freedom of Information Act which was praised as a model sunshine law at the time of its passage.
Starr stepped down as managing editor in 1992. He continued to write a daily column through the late 1990s when he reduced his output to three days a week. During this time Starr was very critical of Bill Clinton
Bill Clinton
William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Inaugurated at age 46, he was the third-youngest president. He took office at the end of the Cold War, and was the first president of the baby boomer generation...
in his columns. Starr had supported Clinton during his early years as Governor of Arkansas but became very critical after Starr claimed that Clinton had lied to him about a story.
During Clinton's election bids Starr often made appearances on national political programs to comment about his experiences covering Clinton during his Arkansas years. Starr's last columns focused on calling for the resignation of Arkansas Razorbacks
Arkansas Razorbacks
The Razorbacks, also known as the Hogs, are the names of college sports teams at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville, Arkansas. The term Arkansas Razorbacks properly applies to any of the sports teams at the university. The Razorbacks take their name from the feral pig of the same name...
basketball coach Nolan Richardson
Nolan Richardson
Nolan Richardson is an American basketball head coach, who was elected to the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame. He has coached teams to winning a NCAA Men's Division I Basketball National Championship, a NIT, and a Junior College National Championship, the only coach to do so. Most...
.
John Robert Starr died of a heart attack
Myocardial infarction
Myocardial infarction or acute myocardial infarction , commonly known as a heart attack, results from the interruption of blood supply to a part of the heart, causing heart cells to die...
while on vacation at Del Norte, Colorado
Del Norte, Colorado
The Town of Del Norte is a Statutory Town in and the county seat of Rio Grande County, Colorado, United States. The town population was 1,705 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Del Norte is located at ....
. His son is Robert "Rusty" Starr who is publisher of the Palatka Daily News
Palatka Daily News
The Palatka Daily News is a local newspaper published in Palatka, Florida. Founded in 1885, the paper circulates every Monday through Saturday. Coverage includes local news, sports and community events in Putnam County. Other spin-off publications are also in print. The group is owned by Community...
in Palatka, Florida
Palatka, Florida
Palatka is a city in Putnam County, Florida, United States. The population was 10,033 at the 2000 census. As of 2004, the population recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau is 10,796. It is the county seat of Putnam County and includes East Palatka. Palatka is the principal city of the Palatka...
.
Books
- Yellow Dogs and Dark Horses: Thirty Years on the Campaign Beat with John Robert Starr, (ISBN 0-87483-030-3), by John Robert Starr, published by August House.
Quotes
- "James Carville, the Cajun cur who will say anything, do anything to help Clinton. He's not in the media, but he is a mean machine. Carville called Paula Jones 'trailer camp trash,' a commodity with which he has had much experience." - on James Carville
- These characters knew the truth about Gennifer Flowers in 1992 and helped Clinton lie to the nation. He is lying again, and they are lying for him again. - on White House Aides
Quotes about
- Anyone who said he was not afraid of John R. Starr is a liar. - Ben Pollock
Adapted from the article John Robert Starr, from Wikinfo, licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License
GNU Free Documentation License
The GNU Free Documentation License is a copyleft license for free documentation, designed by the Free Software Foundation for the GNU Project. It is similar to the GNU General Public License, giving readers the rights to copy, redistribute, and modify a work and requires all copies and...
.
"John Robert was as tenacious a friend as he was a foe. In good and bad times alike, I always knew him to speak his mind and say exactly what he felt. That kind of candor can be strong medicine, but I learned to respect him for it. His legion of readers might not always agree with his point of view, but they read what he had to say." President Bill Clinton released this statement from the White House upon hearing of Starr's death in April 2000.