Politics

‘NewsHour’ host and debate moderator Jim Lehrer dies at 85

Published

7 years ago

January 24, 2020

NEW YORK (AP) — Jim Lehrer, longtime host of the nightly PBS “NewsHour” whose serious, sober demeanor made him the choice to moderate 11 presidential debates between 1988 and 2012, has died, PBS said Thursday. He was 85.

Lehrer died “peacefully in his sleep,” according to PBS. He had suffered a heart attack in 1983 and more recently, had undergone heart valve surgery in April 2008.

For Lehrer, and for his friend and longtime partner Robert MacNeil, broadcast journalism was a service, with public understanding of events and issues its primary goal.

“We both believed the American people were not as stupid as some of the folks publishing and programming for them believed,” Lehrer wrote in his 1992 memoir, “A Bus of My Own.”

“We were convinced they cared about the significant matters of human events. … And we were certain they could and would hang in there more than 35 seconds for information about those subjects if given a chance.”

Tributes poured in from colleagues and watchers alike, including from Fox News’ Bret Baier, who called Lehrer “an inspiration to a whole generation of political journalists— including this one.” Dan Rather said “few approached their work with more equanimity and integrity than Jim Lehrer.” And Jake Tapper of CNN called Lehrer “a wonderful man and a superb journalist.” House Speaker Nancy Pelosi called him a “champion for truth and transparency.”

Many Americans knew him best for his role as debate moderator. For seven straight presidential elections, he was the sole journalist sitting across from the candidates for the first debate of the general election campaign. In 1996 and 2000, he moderated all of the debates — five of them — and a vice presidential contest to boot.

He told The Associated Press in 2011 that his goal was to probe the candidates’ thinking and avoid “gotcha” questions. He felt his best debate performance was in 2004, with George W. Bush and John Kerry, not because of anything he did, but because the candidates were able to state their positions clearly.

“I didn’t get in the way,” said Lehrer, whose book “Tension City: Inside the Presidential Debates” told stories of his experiences. “Nobody was talking about what I did as a moderator. I didn’t become part of the story.”

He was lured out of retirement for his last debate in 2012 and it may have been a mistake; he received criticism that year for having too light a touch on the proceedings.

The half-hour “Robert MacNeil Report” began on PBS in 1975 with Lehrer as Washington correspondent. The two had already made names for themselves at the then-fledgling network through their work with the National Public Affairs Center for Television and its coverage of the Watergate hearings in 1973.

The nightly news broadcast, later retitled the “MacNeil-Lehrer Report,” became the nation’s first one-hour TV news broadcast in 1983 and was then known as the “MacNeil-Lehrer NewsHour.” After MacNeil bowed out in 1995, it became “The NewsHour with Jim Lehrer.”

“I’m heartbroken at the loss of someone who was central to my professional life, a mentor to me and someone whose friendship I’ve cherished for decades,” said Judy Woodruff, anchor and managing editor of the PBS NewsHour, in a statement.

Politics, international relations, economics, science, even developments in the arts were all given lengthy, detailed coverage in their show.

“When we expanded to the hour, it changed from being a supplement to an alternative,” Lehrer said in 1990. “Now we take the position that if you’re looking for a place to go every 24 hours and find out what’s happened and get some in-depth treatment, we’re the place.”

Lehrer moderated his first presidential debate in 1988 and was a frequent consensus choice for the task in subsequent presidential contests. He likened the job to “walking down the blade of a knife.”

“Anybody who would say it’s just another TV show is a liar or a fool,” he once said. “I know how important it is, but it’s not about me. It’s what the candidates say that matters.”

He also anchored PBS coverage of inaugurations and conventions, dismissing criticism from other TV news organizations that the latter had become too scripted to yield much in the way of real news.

“I think when the major political parties of this country gather together their people and resources in one place to nominate their candidates, that’s important,” he told The Associated Press in 2000. “To me, it’s a non-argument. I don’t see why someone would argue that it wasn’t important.”

Naturally, Lehrer came in for some knocks for being so low-key in the big televised events. After a matchup between George W. Bush and Al Gore in 2000, David Letterman cracked, “Last night was probably the first and only that time Jim Lehrer (was) the most exciting person in the room.”

But the real-life Lehrer — who had a tradition of buying a new tie for good luck before each debate — was more colorful than he might have seemed on PBS.

On the side, he was also a novelist and sometime playwright. His debut novel “Viva Max!” was made into a movie starring Peter Ustinov. He did a whole series of novels about the adventures of an Oklahoma politician known as The One-Eyed Mack.

“Hemingway said this, too: If you paid attention as a reporter, then when the time came to write fiction you’d have something to write about,” Lehrer told The Associated Press in 1991.

“And it turned out I did. And I’ve got all these stories stored up after 30 years in the news business. And they’re just flowing out of me.”

As Lehrer turned 75 in spring 2009, PBS announced that the show would be retitled as “PBS NewsHour” later in the year, with Lehrer pairing up on anchor duties with other show regulars.

He said he approved of the changes, telling The New York Times that having a pair of anchors would “shake things up a bit,” even as all sectors of the news business struggled to meet changing reader and viewer demands.

Lehrer was born in Wichita, Kansas, in 1934, the son of parents who ran a bus line. In addition to titling his memoir “A Bus of My Own,” he collected bus memorabilia — from station signs to a real 1946 Flxible Clipper bus.

After graduation from college in 1956, he served three years in the Marines, later calling the experience so valuable that he thought all young people should take part in national service.

“I had no close calls, no rendezvous with danger, no skirted destinies with death,” he wrote. “What I had was a chance to discover and test myself, physically and emotionally and spiritually, in important, lasting ways.”

He went to work from 1959 to 1970 at The Dallas Morning News and the now-defunct Dallas Times-Herald. Lehrer jumped to television for a Dallas nightly newscast.

Lehrer wrote that it was ironic that the Watergate hearings helped establish the importance of public TV, since President Richard Nixon hated public broadcasting. He also recalled that the lengthy hearings gave him the chance to practice his new craft, and MacNeil, already a veteran, gave him valuable pointers on how to speak on camera clearly and conversationally.

He is survived by his wife, Kate; three daughters: Jamie, Lucy, and Amanda; and six grandchildren.

Florida

Civil Rights Group Honors Nobel Peace Prize Winner Navi Pillay, Highlights Florida’s Trayvon Martin Connection

Published

3 days ago

October 13, 2026

FNN NEWS

FCRA representatives address reporters beside a “Justice for Trayvon” sign outside Florida’s regional offices in Orlando.

The Florida Civil Rights Association (FCRA) held a press conference outside the State of Florida’s regional offices in Orlando in 2012, calling on then-Gov. Rick Scott to take action following Trayvon Martin’s killing. Photo by FCRA

The Orlando-based civil rights association recalls supporting the former U.N. human rights chief’s 2012 call for an investigation into the teenager’s killing in Sanford.

ORLANDO, Fla. (FNN) — The Florida Civil Rights Association is congratulating 2026 Nobel Peace Prize winner Navanethem “Navi” Pillay, recalling her call for an investigation into Trayvon Martin’s killing and the international attention it brought to questions of racial equality and justice in Florida.

The Norwegian Nobel Committee announced Pillay’s selection Oct. 9 for her efforts to promote peace and international law. The South African jurist served as United Nations high commissioner for human rights from 2008 to 2014 and helped shape landmark international court decisions.

In a press release, FCRA President J. Willie David III said Pillay’s intervention connected a Florida family’s demand for answers to a broader concern for human rights.

“Pillay’s call for an investigation reinforced that a family’s demand for justice in Sanford mattered beyond Florida and the United States,” David said.
“We welcomed her intervention in 2012 because families deserve answers and the law must protect everyone equally.”

UN Human Rights Commissioner Navi Pillay (Photo credit: UN Photo/Jean-Marc Ferre)

FCRA recalls its response in 2012

Martin, an unarmed Black 17-year-old, was fatally shot by neighborhood watch volunteer George Zimmerman on Feb. 26, 2012, in Sanford, northeast of Orlando.

In April 2012, Pillay called for an immediate investigation into the killing as the case drew international attention and scrutiny of Florida’s Stand Your Ground law.

FCRA welcomed that call. The association’s current release cites an April 7, 2012, West Orlando News report that quoted David discussing the case’s global impact.

“The shooting death of Trayvon Martin and Florida’s Stand Your Ground Law have created a worldwide movement that calls into question how justice is delivered to victims of color,” David said at the time, according to the release.

FCRA describes the activism surrounding Martin’s death as a defining moment that galvanized a new generation of civil rights advocates.

Zimmerman was charged with second-degree murder and acquitted in July 2013. In February 2015, the U.S. Justice Department closed its separate investigation, finding insufficient evidence to pursue federal criminal civil rights charges.

Why Florida’s case drew global scrutiny

The Florida connection shows how the handling of a local killing can draw international scrutiny over racial discrimination, access to justice and the protection of human rights.

Pillay’s intervention brought those concerns into the international discussion surrounding Martin’s death. In September 2013, U.N. human rights experts also urged the United States to complete its civil rights investigation and examine concerns about racial profiling.

The significance lies in human rights oversight: how public institutions investigate deaths and provide equal treatment can attract attention beyond national borders. Pillay’s call was an appeal for investigation, rather than an international court judgment about Zimmerman’s guilt or Florida’s compliance with international law.

For FCRA, that connection remains relevant to how Florida leaders evaluate laws and practices affecting the communities they serve.

Pillay’s record in international justice

Pillay challenged discrimination under apartheid before serving on South Africa’s High Court, the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda and the International Criminal Court.

At the Rwanda tribunal, she was part of the judicial panel that established that rape and sexual violence can constitute acts of genocide, a landmark development in international criminal law.

David said honoring that career should also encourage accountability at home.

“Her Nobel Peace Prize recognizes a career built on confronting injustice through the rule of law,” he said. “Honoring that work means demanding transparent investigations and equal protection here at home. Rights belong to everyone.”

A renewed call for fairness in Florida

FCRA urged Florida leaders to safeguard impartial investigations, examine whether Stand Your Ground and other laws are applied fairly, and address policies or practices that produce discriminatory outcomes.

Founded in 2005, the association advocates for civil rights, human rights and civil liberties through education, advocacy and accountability. Its statement links Pillay’s international recognition to a continuing demand for fairness and human dignity in Florida.

Florida

Florida Governor Candidates: Donalds Spent Longer as a Democrat; Jolly Reports Longer Republican History

Published

5 days ago

October 11, 2026

FNN NEWS

Byron Donalds, left, and David Jolly, right, pictured in separate portraits with American flags behind them.

Party changes and congressional votes offer a closer look at both candidates’ records on issues affecting Black Americans.

ORLANDO, Fla. (FNN) — Republican Byron Donalds spent nearly seven years as a registered Democrat—longer than Democrat David Jolly’s approximately 18 months in the party. Jolly, however, reports having spent 25 years as a Republican, exceeding Donalds’ approximately 16½ years.

The two major-party candidates for Florida governor have political histories that cross party lines. Their congressional votes offer another basis for scrutiny: Jolly supported repealing the Affordable Care Act, while Donalds opposed major voting-rights and police-accountability proposals. Both also supported other legislation relevant to Black communities.

Why This Article Matters to Voters

Voters can examine previous decisions in public office alongside campaign promises. Party affiliation identifies a political association; legislative records show how candidates acted on specific proposals.

The measures examined here concern health insurance, employment opportunities, voting discrimination, police accountability and racial violence. These issues affect African Americans and the wider electorate, making the candidates’ records relevant to voters deciding who should lead Florida.

Who Spent Longer in Each Party?

Donalds was registered as a Democrat in Collier County from April 2003 until March 2010, according to Florida Politics. He then became a Republican. Jolly left the Republican Party in September 2018, became an unaffiliated voter and registered as a Democrat in April 2025.

Candidate	Time as a Democrat	Time as a Republican
Byron Donalds	Approximately 6 years, 11 months, April 2003–March 2010	Approximately 16 years, 7 months, March 2010–October 2026
David Jolly	Approximately 1 year, 6 months, April 2025–October 2026	25 years, according to his account, before leaving in September 2018

Durations are approximate as of Oct. 11, 2026. Jolly’s 25-year Republican history was reported by WUSF; his original Republican registration date was not independently verified for this comparison.

Donalds’ documented Democratic registration exceeds Jolly’s by approximately five years and five months. Jolly’s stated Republican history exceeds Donalds’ by approximately eight years.

Jolly’s Defeat, Party Change and Return to Electoral Politics

Jolly lost his 2016 congressional reelection bid as a Republican to Democrat Charlie Crist in Florida’s 13th Congressional District. Published election results show Crist received 184,693 votes to Jolly’s 171,149, winning by 13,544 votes.

Crist, a former Republican governor, had already moved from Republican to independent to Democrat. Jolly later followed the same sequence, although that does not establish identical motivations. Reporting republished on Jolly’s campaign website described his departure from the Republican Party as a response to its direction under Donald Trump.

Jolly declined to endorse Trump in 2016, according to Sunshine State News. PolitiFact subsequently found that a Democratic campaign advertisement portraying Jolly as a Trump ally was inaccurate.

After considering but declining another congressional run in 2018, as reported by Roll Call, Jolly returned to electoral politics with his governor campaign. He registered as a Democrat in April 2025, roughly six weeks before announcing his candidacy June 5—more than a year before the 2026 election.

Different Congressional Terms, Relevant Policy Questions

Official congressional biographies show that Jolly served in Congress from March 2014 through Jan. 3, 2017, during President Barack Obama’s administration. His service ended before Trump’s first inauguration. Donalds entered Congress in January 2021 after serving in the Florida House from 2016 through 2020.

Their congressional terms did not overlap, so this comparison examines different bills rather than votes they cast together.

Both served as Republicans during the votes examined below. Their subsequent or previous party affiliations do not change those legislative records.

Jolly Supported ACA Repeal and Workforce Training

Official U.S. House Clerk records show that Jolly voted to repeal the Affordable Care Act on Feb. 3, 2015. The proposal did not become law, but his vote supported removing a framework that expanded health insurance access for African Americans.

According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the uninsured rate among nonelderly Black Americans fell from 20.9% in 2010 to 10.8% in 2022 following implementation of the ACA’s coverage provisions. Those gains make health coverage relevant to examining repeal proposals, without establishing that Jolly’s unsuccessful repeal vote caused anyone to lose insurance.

House Clerk records also show that Jolly supported the final House agreement to the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act on July 9, 2014. The legislation supported training and employment services for people facing employment barriers, including eligible Black workers and young people. Its programs serve people across racial groups, according to the U.S. Department of Labor.

Donalds Opposed Voting-Rights and Policing Bills, Backed Antilynching Measure

House Clerk records show that Donalds voted against the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act on Aug. 24, 2021. The proposal sought stronger federal safeguards against racial discrimination in voting, including renewed requirements for certain jurisdictions to obtain approval before changing election practices.

On March 3, 2021, Donalds voted against the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act. The congressional bill summary describes proposed protections against racial profiling and changes to police accountability.

In a statement published by his congressional office, Donalds defended his opposition by arguing that the measure would defund and dismantle policing. That was his characterization of the proposal, whose provisions included measures addressing racial profiling and constitutional violations by law enforcement.

Donalds voted for the Emmett Till Antilynching Act on Feb. 28, 2022, according to House Clerk records, supporting federal legislation addressing lynching through hate-crime law—a measure with particular historical significance for African Americans.

What Voters Can Assess

These selected votes document Jolly’s support for ACA repeal and workforce opportunities, and Donalds’ opposition to major voting-rights and policing proposals alongside support for antilynching legislation.

They do not establish discriminatory intent or determine whose entire record benefited African Americans more. That would require a broader review of policies and measurable outcomes, including Donalds’ Florida legislative record.

Donalds spent longer as a documented registered Democrat, while Jolly reports a longer Republican history. Both cast the congressional votes examined here as Republicans.

Either Major-Party Candidate Would Bring a Republican History

If either of the two major-party candidates wins, Florida’s next governor will bring a substantial Republican history to office—Donalds as a current Republican and Jolly as a former Republican congressman now running as a Democrat. Voters can weigh those histories alongside their legislative records, current positions and plans for Florida.

Central Florida News

Commissioner Uribe Announces New Date for Hispanic Heritage Festival Due to Weather

Published

7 days ago

October 9, 2026

FNN NEWS

ORLANDO, Fla. (FNN) — Commissioner Uribe announced that the Hispanic Heritage Festival has been rescheduled due to weather conditions. The event will now take place Saturday, Oct. 24, 2026, from 9 a.m. to noon at Cypress Grove Park, 290 Holden Ave., Orlando.

The festival will celebrate the rich history, cultures, traditions and contributions of Hispanic and Latino communities through live music, dance performances, food and community resources.

Scheduled highlights include:

Live music by youth orchestra The Nucleus Orchestral.
Dance performances featuring Maria Saavedra of FusionFest with Huellas de Colombia, Unidos for Ecuador and Mexico Dansa.
Food from Zaza.
Community resources from 311 and other participants.

Join Commissioner Uribe and the community for a morning celebrating Hispanic and Latino heritage.

NEW DATE: Saturday, Oct. 24, 2026
TIME: 9 a.m. to noon
LOCATION: Cypress Grove Park
ADDRESS: 290 Holden Ave., Orlando, FL 32839