PIC No. 91:
This Nov. 19, 1978, column in The Seattle Times featured John Pearson's "news release" about the 10th anniversary of his first date with Joanne!
Welcome to Issue No. 91 of PAILS IN COMPARISON, the value-added sidekick of John Pearson’s Buckets Blog. This blog features my “PICs”—shorter reviews of helpful books—with comparisons to other books in my 20 management buckets (core competencies) filing system.
The Seattle Times Published My “News Release!”
In my previous blog, I paid tribute to President Jimmy Carter (1924-2024), our 39th U.S. President, who served a four-year term from 1977 to 1981. (See my short review of the book, Everything to Gain: Making the Most of the Rest of Your Life, by Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter.)
Now in this blog, here’s a story about the Carter family from 1978 and my journalistic outrage!
While serving as executive director of SAMBICA in Bellevue, Wash., I noticed a front-page story about Chip Carter, the son of Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter. The Seattle Times thought Chip’s separation from his wife, Caron, was newsworthy. I disagreed and wrote to the paper’s ombudsman.
Amazingly, the following column, "Did separation of Chip and Caron Carter rate Page 1?", appeared in the Sunday edition of The Seattle Times, on Nov. 19, 1978. It was written by Don Brazier, the assistant managing editor and “Ombudsman of The Times.” Enjoy!
“November 13 must have been a dry day for news,” John Pearson of Bellevue wrote. “Whose decision was it to run Chip and Caron Carter’s separation on Page 1?
“When you find out, please pass along the enclosed news release. I'm confident it has as much merit as the marital problems of the president's son.
“I'm sure lots of folks enjoyed getting the latest dirt from 1600 Pennsylvania Ave., but why does it qualify for Page 1?”
Dick Pryne, acting news editor, put the story on Page 1 because the president's family is newsworthy.
Press critics say news people are not tuned in to readers. Judge for yourself on the basis of a quick poll in our newsroom (the first 10 I saw), a bank and a convenience store.
The question: “Did Chip and Caron deserve Page 1 play?”
Newsroom: 7 no, 3 yes. Bank employees: 16 no, 1 yes. Store customers: 4 no, 2 yes.
Last New Year's Day, I polled seven Times editors on another Page 1 story to which a reader objected: the President's pastor and marriage counselor being sued for divorce. The editors disagreed, as editors often do.
Oh, yes: Pearson's “handout,” for release November 16, being used three days late:
“John and Joanne Pearson, Walt Pearson's son and daughter-in-law, are celebrating the 10th anniversary of their first date today.
“Pearson and his bride of over 9 years announced they plan to stay married and go for at least another 10 years.
“No reason was given for their unwillingness to seek a separation. However, informed sources reported it probably dates back to their first date—an inexpensive but happy encounter at a church dinner in Northbrook, Ill.
“Our marriage doesn't make any headlines,” said Pearson, “but that's the secret of our success.”
Even more fun than reading the article in the Sunday edition was leaving the newspaper open to that page on our kitchen table back in 1978. I had not told Joanne about my letter to the ombudsman. (Reminder: back then you needed a typewriter, paper, envelope, and a stamp to make your voice heard.) After she read the column, Joanne, uncharacteristically was at a loss for words. Fun!
PAILS IN COMPARISON: Remembering this story reminded me of several other must-read books (and more) in the Book Bucket, plus other buckets/core competencies.
[ ] Listen to Chip Carter’s poignant tribute to his father, Jimmy Carter, at the family service on Saturday, Jan. 4, 2025 (8 minutes), at the Carter Center in Atlanta. View the full service (37 minutes), including music by the Morehouse College Glee Club.
[ ] Know What Matters: Lessons from a Lifetime of Transformations, by Ron Shaich, founder and former CEO of Panera Bread (Harvard Business Review Press). (Read my review.)
[ ] Bonus! Read Ben Cohen’s Jan. 3, 2025, column in The Wall Street Journal about Ron Shaich (see above)—and his “premortem” annual exercise. “It’s Called a Premortem—and It’s the Most Productive Thing You’ll Do All Year. Forget about making a New Year’s resolution. Have you tried imagining your deathbed?”
[ ] Inside Out: Real Change is Possible If You're Willing to Start From the Inside Out, by Larry Crabb. (Order from Amazon.)
[ ] How Will You Measure Your Life? by Clayton M. Christensen, James Allworth, and Karen Dillon. (Read my review.)
[ ] Marriage: Its Foundation, Theology, and Mission in a Changing World. Note: the editors include: Curt Hamner, John Trent, Rebekah J. Byrd, Eric L. Johnson, and Erik Thoennes. (Order from Amazon.)
[ ] Yours Truly: An Obituary Writer's Guide to Telling Your Story, by James R. Hagerty. (Read my review.)
To order from Amazon, click on the title for Everything to Gain: Making the Most of the Rest of Your Life, by Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter. For more reviews, visit John Pearson’s Buckets Blog and subscribe to Your Weekly Staff Meeting.
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