GRAND Magazine - January/February 2018 - 18

cover story
As a journalist for over half a century, and the longest running network news anchor ever, Dan Rather
may actually have 'seen it all'. He generously shares
what he's learned along the way.
In this interview:
● How a man born in the Great Depression
reaches 20+ million on Facebook
● Why is humility essential to patriotism?
● What's so special about Texas?
● What really does make America great?
And so much more...

Following are excerpts:
click to read or hear the full interview.
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LISTEN

60 years, Jean
Dan with wife of

GRAND: We're honored and delighted to be speaking with Mr.
Dan Rather journalist, author and for 24 years, the voice and face
of news at CBS. First, you and Jean have been married 60 years!
Can you tell us a little about your grandchildren?

age where I don't even buy green bananas.
GRAND: You have published a new book that is getting a lot
of attention: What Unites Us: Reflections On Patriotism. Why did
you write this book and why at this time?

"I'm at the age where I don't even
buy green bananas"

Dan Rather: A year and a half ago I established my own
Facebook page. I was slow to come around to social media,
believing for a while I was just beyond that. However, I launched
Facebook and much to my surprise, we began to reach what for
me were a lot of people. It's not unusual to reach 3, 4, 5, or 6 million people and occasionally we reach as many as 20 or 30 million.
And what I've found on the Facebook page is that there is an
audience for what little I thought I might be able to contribute
to my country, which is to try to be a steady voice of reason that

Dan Rather: I have two grandchildren, both grandsons. And
they are still young. My oldest grandson, Martin is now 20 years
old. My youngest grandson, Andrew, whom we call Andy, is 16.
I don't have great-grandchildren yet. I'm hoping to live long
enough to see my great-grandchildren but you know I'm at the
18 GRAND

JANUARY FEBRUARY 2018

Dan and wif
e,

Jean enjoyin
g time at th
eir Texas ca
bin

This journey from intolerance to
inclusion is one that many have made,
myself included."

could give some context and perspective to the events of the
day.
Frankly the reception was so good that I began thinking maybe
I could write some new essays and put them into a book and that
I could light a few embers of steadiness and sanity and reason. My
time for being able to contribute anything is rapidly going. While
I hope to live a long time, I'm now 86. I'm particularly interested in
what is patriotism here in the second decade of the 21st century,
and the differences between patriotism and... Read full interview

Continued on next page

https://www.facebook.com/GRANDmagazine/ https://www.twitter.com/grandMmagazine http://www.grandmagazine.com/2017/12/dan-rather-if-its-going-to-be-its-up-to-me/ https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1616207825/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=grandmagazi0d-20&camp=1789&creative=9325&linkCode=as2&creativeASIN=1616207825&linkId=4d68756723045b76569c79c0ecca9cd6 https://www.facebook.com/theDanRather/ http://www.grandmagazine.com/2017/12/dan-rather-if-its-going-to-be-its-up-to-me/

GRAND Magazine - January/February 2018

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