When Ben Bradlee left his position as executive editor of The Washington Post in 1991 he had nearly 50 years of professional experience and had spent almost a quarter of a century at the helm of a major daily newspaper.

Since his departure, he has written and spoken extensively about the news business, the ethics of journalism and hopes for its future. The following are some excerpts from his interview with Jim Lehrer, his autobiography, "A Good Life," and other comments:

On Ethics

		Bradlee, photographed here from the 1970's, continues to lecture on journalism and other matters.

"I care a lot about ethics. I mean, I care about it existentially. I mean, I believe in ethical behavior, but I think the ethics are so difficult sometimes. And what -- it's very dangerous to make an ethical rule. You can't do something or you must do something. So, I, I spent a lot of time on that and I still do."
-- From "Free Speech, Jim Lehrer with Ben Bradlee"

"I would say ethics today are higher, much higher. Compared to American business, our ethics are fantastically high. In the past, you'd get your ass thrown out of the paper on day one for this [Jayson Blair-like errors]. In my day, there weren't as many alternatives to getting bagged."
-- Editor & Publisher, June 11, 2003
[Editor's Note: Former New York Times reporter Jayson Blair was found to have fabricated many of his stories.]

"Just don't belong to anything is the best rule. Don't belong to anything. I don't belong to country clubs. I don't belong to anything. ... I don't want to make any changes in my behavior because I'm a member of something. And I don't want to have the reputation of that."
-- From "Free Speech, Jim Lehrer with Ben Bradlee"

On Truth
"Our most serious mistakes occur when we relay misinformation given us by others -- presidents, spin doctors, or ignoramuses. And here lies the heart of our dilemma: We write only the rough draft of history, in the vivid words of Phil Graham. We claim to print the truth. We have led our readers to expect the truth. We have trouble with Albert Camus' realization that 'there is no truth; only truths.' We don't cope with the reality that the truth often escapes us."
-- From "A Good Life"

"It seems to me that, lying should mildly get you in trouble and it doesn't seem to me that happens. One of the interesting things about reading all the stories currently about big-shot businessmen who are going to jail, Enron types, one common denominator is that, they didn't tell the truth."
-- From "Free Speech, Jim Lehrer with Ben Bradlee"

"The fact is that the truth does emerge, and its emergence is a normal, and vital, process of democracy. If readers are generally too impatient to wait for the truth to emerge, that is a problem. It is our problem in the press. It is far easier and more comfortable for them to accept as truth whatever fact fits their own particular bias, and dismiss whatever facts misfit their biases. It is impossible to underestimate the importance of reader bias in any serious study of press criticism."
-- From "A Good Life"

On the Role of the Journalist
"We're trying to tell you everyday what really went on in the last 24 hours, that's all, not what they said happened and not what you think should happen, but what did happen. Readers should expect an honest, straightforward account of what the hell went on yesterday, what's important.
"What is important? Now, there are all sorts of different people think different things are important, but when you get trained as a, as a good journalist, you have a pretty good idea of what's important."
-- From "Free Speech, Jim Lehrer with Ben Bradlee"

"I think that you ought to be able to say to yourself that, this newspaper is put together by people who are dedicated to finding out the truth and dedicated to the proposition that they're not going to publish any misinformation."
-- From "Free Speech, Jim Lehrer with Ben Bradlee"

On Making Mistakes
"The truth is the best defense and the whole truth is the very best defense."
-- From "A Good Life"

"It is now standard practice to admit error and admit it as soon as possible after you, after you commit it and to, if you commit a big one, a Janet Cooke thing, that you run a special story about it and how the hell did it happen.
"Many papers now have ombudsmen who are charged with that and who have great independence, who can find an error that no one's complained about and write, write about it. I think that's a wonderful, wonderful process."
-- From "Free Speech, Jim Lehrer with Ben Bradlee"

On Inspiring New Journalists

BEN BRADLEE: [I]f I saw a fire in his eye ... I would have some very specific suggestions. [N]ot about his education because I don't necessarily believe in J [journalism] school or anything like that.

But I would tell him to get a job, not in his home town. Get out of town. Get from mom and dad. Get out from the family. Get out from the experiences that you think you know. And then I'd tell him to look for a paper with a good editor, somebody who looked as if he would pay attention to you, work with you. I had three of those people in my lifetime. Then I'd say keep moving. You know, two-and-a-half years is about right for the first two or three jobs.

I would say sooner or later that, you ought to go overseas. Go somewhere where you don't come from and see how other people live. Then start picking your spot. See if you can find a place that looks like home to you.

JIM LEHRER: Where would you tell them that the rewards are if they do it?

BEN BRADLEE: That you'd never be bored if you're as lucky as I've been. You really never will be bored -- that's why I have what I think is quite a high threshold of boredom. I mean, I get bored perfectly easily. But if you're doing something you want with a group of people you want that pays you a living wage and makes a difference to how the world lives, I don't think you can get much better than that.

JIM LEHRER: And journalism does make a difference?

BEN BRADLEE: Boy, it does for me.

On Technology
"If you are going to steal, it is easier to steal, I guess. But that does not create a lower value of ethics. You could always make up quotes."
-- Editor & Publisher, June 11, 2003

On Public Service
"It's experiences of someone who devoted X amount of years to service of his country. I think that's very important. If I, if I could change one rule in America, it would be that everybody had to do that. I think that would be great ... for the country and great for the people."
-- From "Free Speech, Jim Lehrer with Ben Bradlee"