On Thursday, April 1 in Baker Hall, David Shribman, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and executive editor of the PittsburghPost-Gazette, spoke to students about journalism and the current American political scene. The talk, titled “Only a Lunatic Would Do This Kind of Work: A Journalist’s Perspective on the Perspective of Journalists,” was presented by Professor Tom O’Boyle as part of his Advanced Journalism class. For an hour, Shribman spoke about his experiences as a political journalist.

Early in his career, while working as a correspondent for The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal, Shribman became acquainted with the men who would one day shape the landscape of American politics, such men as Bob Dole and Alan Greenspan. “When you work in Washington for a big paper, you get to know everyone,” Shribman said.

He also spoke about what it takes to be a political journalist. He stressed the importance of a solid education: “To become a political writer, you have to do two things: you have to travel and you have to read everything, especially history and economics.” According to Shribman, an extensive knowledge of American history and culture is crucial to becoming an informed citizen. “This [knowledge] makes you a great journalist, but also a great citizen,” he said.

Shribman narrated his experiences about life on the campaign trail with wry humor. “I know where every pay phone is in the U.S.,” he joked. He spoke to his audience about pursuing journalism as a career: “The most important traits of a journalist are curiosity, a healthy skepticism, and a willingness to ask important people embarrassing questions.” Throughout the talk, Shribman spoke highly about the profession. His enthusiasm was not lost on the audience. “Journalism is a wonderful way to live because you don’t get to shape the world, but you get to shape people’s perceptions of it,” he concluded.