BITS AND PIECES by Reese Schonfeld

A Valentine to Bernie

Bernard Shaw is retiring from CNN tomorrow night, and I won't be there. My publisher’s arranged a book signing and I can’t get out of it.

Those who have read Me and Ted, know my great regard for Bernie, but there is one Bernie story that I forgot to include.

In 1980, Ted Turner, talking off the top of his head, criticized a Reagan proposal to deploy a mobile missile system. The Department of Defense, fearing a Russian missile “nuclear first strike” wanted to put nuclear missiles on trucks and build a road network through Utah and Nevada, where the trucks will be constantly on the move.

Ted Turner thought, with a lot of others, that it was a “Rube Goldberg design”. He suggested that the only way the plan could do any good was if the missiles were put on dollies, and then towed along the road by young black men. Ted said, that way it would help solve the unemployment problem.

Ted thought he was being funny. He abhorred the threat of nuclear war and thought that words like “first strike capability” and “massive retaliation” just meant millions of deaths and massive destruction. He tried to satirize the plan. But he invoked a picture of young black men being whipped along a road, toting nuclear missiles.

Ted thought everyone would laugh.

Bernard Shaw didn’t laugh.

He called and said that he was prepared to resign unless Ted apologized publicly.

Here’s Bernie, with the job of a lifetime, and he’s ready to give it all up because Ted had played nutso once again.

I told Ted that Bernie was ready to quit.

Two hours later, Ted gathered all the TBS and CNN Atlanta employees in the big TBS studio and told them that he had not meant to offend anybody.

He thought the Pentagon plan was crazy and he apologized to everybody in sight. Even in 1980, Ted realized that Bernie Shaw’s disapproval merited a personal apology. I don’t know if there was anyone else at CNN who could have gotten Ted to say, “I’m sorry.”

Incidentally, I learned last night that CNN’s bosses had declared me Persona Non Grata and had ordered my stories removed from Bernie Shaw’s tape of tribute to be played at his retirement ceremony tomorrow.

Bernie, if you read this, I said nice things.

Reese Schonfeld is the author of Me And Ted Against The World. He founded the Cable News Network with Ted Turner in 1979, and served as its first President and CEO. At CNN, he originated the 24 hour news concept. After leaving CNN, he developed News Twelve on Long Island, Newschannel 8, and the TV Food Network. A graduate of Dartmouth College, Schonfeld received M.A. and law degrees from Columbia University. He can be reached through his website, MeAndTed.com, where Bits and Pieces originally appears. Reprinted by permission.