News From IOPL : David S. Broder Passes March 11, 2010

WASHINGTON -- David S. Broder, one of the nation's leading political reporters and a Pulitzer Prize winner in 1973 for distinguished commentary about the Watergate scandal, has died. He David Broder in 1997 was 81. Broder, a longtime columnist at The Washington Post, died Wednesday at Capital Hospice in Arlington, Va., from complications of diabetes.

Broder held himself to standards and techniques he urged on others, such as the importance of walking precincts and knocking on doors to learn what was on the electorate's mind. His opening gambit when interviewing strangers at campaign rallies was disarmingly simple: "Excuse me, are you a registered voter?"

Broder wrote or co-wrote seven books, including "Democracy Derailed" (2000), which described the mix of big money and statewide ballot initiatives in California and elsewhere as "alien to the spirit of the Constitution" because it enhanced the power of wealthy special interests.

From Robin Dorff
IOPL Executive Director

This week we lost one of the true icons of political and especially campaign reporting, David Broder. He continued to write incisive commentary and analysis long after many of his contemporaries had passed from the scene. Most of you with more than a passing interest in campaign politics will certainly know his work. What you might not know is that he was also a frequent contributor to our IOPL curriculum As you will see below, he and Walt DeVries, the founding Executive Director of IOPL and now its Executive Director Emeritus, were very close, and David participated in the initial start-up of IOPL and regularly presented to our Fellows. Some of you reading this may have had the pleasure of interacting with him in your own IOPL experience.

Because of these ties, and the very kind and insightful words Walt wrote and submitted to the Washington Post website following the announcement of David Broder’s death, we want to share Walt’s comments with the IOPL community.

As Walt notes, “the end of an era.”

From Walt De Vries
(Founding) Executive Director of IOPL
Executive Director Emeritus

This is a sad day and truly the end of an era. David Broder was one of the last reporters and columnists from a special group who often travelled together covering national politics from the l960’s into the 21st century. Those reporters were mostly the same age as David and included Johnny Apple, Bob Novak, Rollie Evans, Mary McGrory, Sander Vanocur, Teddy White, Jack Germond, Bruce Biossat, Warren Weaver, Jack Nelson, Alan Otten and others whose names I can’t at this moment recall. To the best of my knowledge, they are all gone and the only member of that group left is Jules Witcover who is still writing and publishing.

My introduction to David (and many of his colleagues) began in l961 at the Michigan Constitutional Convention and then followed through my association with George Romney over the years. David and I are the same age and our families each had four sons. And, we had a special relationship kept alive by our Michigan roots.

David was one of the first reporters to examine and learn the skills of the “new politics;” polling, focus groups, media analysis, and targeting voters. He was one of the first to write about my work on ticket-splitting and campaign strategy. Early on, I provided him with voter analyses that helped him travel to those targeted precincts where he became the first journalist to actually talk to voters by going door-to-door for his first-hand reporting and analysis. David also wrote the forwards to two books on the new politics and ticket-splitting co-authored by myself and Lance Tarrance.

David helped me set up the Institute of Political Leadership in North Carolina and over 40 years met annually with the Fellows of the Institute. He talked with them but more often than not was more interested in their views on politics.

I doubt many know of his interest in encouraging qualified and ethical persons to run for office and he did this until the end of his life.

One story that is typical of Broder’s sense of humor. About 20 years ago, my wife and I took David and Anne out sailing from our home in Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina. We had just left the dock and David noticed that the town incinerator located in a marsh about a half a mile away was burning. I radioed our town police department and then gave David the microphone. Now, you have to know Broder to really appreciate this. He cooly said: “This is David Broder of the Washington Post and I want to report that your town incinerator is on fire.” The police officer said: “Sure. Right. Who is this again?” With a calmness only Broder could pull off, he repeated the message and only then the fire trucks started to roll. He loved it.

What a great man and citizen he was. Fifty years of our friendship to never be repeated.

Truly one of a kind.

Walt De Vries

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