I used to think that the image of the press in the 1940s - a bunch of guys in hats screaming on the courthouse steps - was all baloney. I used to say, 'I know reporters. We're not like that.' But we are. Richard Ben Cramer More Quotes by Richard Ben Cramer More Quotes From Richard Ben Cramer I'm out there to clean the plate. Once they've read what I've written on a subject, I want them to think, 'That's it!' I think the highest aspiration people in our trade can have is that once they've written a story, nobody will ever try it again. Richard Ben Cramer writing people thinking It's like a drug, the feeling you could make a difference. Richard Ben Cramer differences drug feelings Joe [Biden] was kind of skinny, and he stuttered, and the kids called him Bye-Bye, for the way he sounded when he tried to say his name, but Joey would never back down, and he knew how to box, when no one else did. Richard Ben Cramer politics The first time I met Alex Rodriguez, he was in the fight of his life. He was the guy who was supposed to have everything - good looks, good health, good habits - all the talent in the world and most of the money. Richard Ben Cramer good health time life Few men try for best ever, and Ted Williams is one of those. Richard Ben Cramer ever best try men At some point... Israel ground away, or gave away, her birthright of loyalty from the West. Richard Ben Cramer her ground some loyalty When there are fewer and fewer publishers of scale, it's just not good for authors. Richard Ben Cramer scale just good publishers At every step in his life, DiMaggio was what New Yorkers wanted in a hero. Richard Ben Cramer step new hero life DiMaggio was never a rube. He was very smart and very urban. Coming out of the Great Depression, he was the immigrant boy who made it big. Coming back from World War II, he had all the wealth and power that New York aspired to. When New York saw itself as the center of the world, he was its paragon of class. Richard Ben Cramer great power depression war The expectations for a nonfiction writer are awful high. Richard Ben Cramer high nonfiction awful expectations When you're working on a project that's going to take six years, you're weird from the jump. Richard Ben Cramer jump weird project you I had every stress-related illness you can get. Richard Ben Cramer every get you illness You can say you're going to take a vacation, and you can even take the time, but you might as well not, because the book is still sitting in your head. Richard Ben Cramer you vacation time book Certainly no man could be such an irredeemable 'schlub' as the American press portrays its losers. Richard Ben Cramer losers press american man This book-promotion stuff is like a political campaign. You work your butt off, and at the end of the day, you can't tell if it's made a damned bit of difference. Richard Ben Cramer end-of-the-day day you work I'm just an old storyteller, and I always wanted to know, what the hell were these candidates really like? Richard Ben Cramer like know always hell We're still in the ditch, and the Gennifer Flowers story about Bill Clinton says it all. A tabloid fired several bullets into the air, and the rest of the herd began to stampede. Richard Ben Cramer flowers rest story air We strove for more than 60 years to give Joe DiMaggio the hero's life. From his debut at Yankee Stadium in 1936 until his death in 1999, DiMaggio was, at every turn, one man we could look at who made us feel good. Richard Ben Cramer good man life death People feel overloaded, that politics has become kind of a public utility: hot- and cold-running politics any time of the day or night. Richard Ben Cramer day politics time people The whole point of Israel was to create a place where Jews could live the best life - and liveliest - in accordance with their values. Richard Ben Cramer live place best life
