PAUSING FOR BRINKLEY

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP99-01448R000401660003-9
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: May 22, 2012
• Sequence Number: 3
• Publication Date: November 15, 1991
• Content Type: OPEN SOURCE

Sl Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/05/23: CIA-RDP99-01448R000401660003-9
Pausing for
Brinkley
By Roxanne Roberts
w.eraas Pak sal waa<
wry, nonchalant, almost sardonic-has proved
just the antidote to the pontificating of official
Washington.
"My favorite part is trying to find something
interesting out of very often uninteresting
people," said Brinkley. "Sometimes we suc-
ceed, sometimes we don't. And some of our
guests are molly interesting. All you have to do
is turn them on like a faucet and let them talk."
which-
were among the 400 politiciam and media
R *risM fmn7+w~,i4?Iahrdiri.Rr
This is how to do David Brinkley: First,
settle in your chair like an old dog that's seen
every trick in the book. Raise your eyebrows
and crack a half-smile. Then-in graceful,
clipped tones-say something that makes ev-
erybody else sound pretentious, wordy and
boring.
"When I was just coming out of college,-'
everybody was doing David Brinkley imita-
tions," said "Nightline's" Ted Koppel at
Wednesday night's 10th-anniversary celebra-
tion of ABC's 'rhis Week With David Brink-
ley."
"He was an influence on an entire genera-
tion of NBC correspondents," said ABC White
House correspondent Brit Hume, who does-
;for the record-a very good Brinkley. "77rey.
AlL Talked Like Brinkley. "
But no one does Brinkley quite like the
?71-year-old iminence grist of the airwaves,
who presides with Sam Donaldson and George
Will over the most popular Sunday morning
coffee klatch on television. Brinkley's style-
Qe at Union t10n ABC's
rIlrimkisaiL
KooceL Barlwra w ltprs Hugh i wrhriis
hosted ABC
Mitchell with longtime beau Alan Greenman
Sens. Lloyd Benntsen_. Bob Dole. Paul Simon
Patrick I 2hu John I and John Warner-
HUD Secre tary lack {em and former Cf(
director William ebster Saudi Ambassador
man Gen. Colin Pow el
Brinkley, said Warner, "has one of the
greatest depths of knowledge of anyone to-
day-maybe with the exception of my partner
here tonight." The recipient of that extrava-
gant compliment was none other than Walters,
which would seem to add to growing rumors of
a double-W romance.
Wallace and Chide Roberts NBC's Andrea
The Washington Post
The New York Times
F7q
The Washington Times
The Wall Street Journal
The Christian Science Monitor
New York Daly News
USA Today
The Chicago Tribune
"He's just being kind," she said. "David has
so much knowledge.... And he has more wit
than any of us. He sees life with a raised
eyebrow."
"He is a legend," said Wallace. "That's a
phrase that gets thrown around, but he is. In a
business where trends come and go, he was
there virtually at the creation and he's been
one of the great successes ever since."
"Brinkley's reputation is being able to cut to
the quick in a way that's very witty," said
Donaldson, who launched into his Brinkley
imitation: " Tennessee Last night At a Church.
Where they handled snakes The preacher took
up a seven foot rattlesnake He was 32' "
Donaldson credits "This Week's" success to
Brinkley and "chemistry.n "Brinkley plays the
role of the courteous father of the house... .
George plays the role of philosopher king... .
I play the role of the district attorney.... And
it just all seems to work."
"You'd better know what you're talking
about when you go there," said prince Bandar.
"Because between the aggressiveness of Sam
Donaldson and the grandfatherly approach of
David, they can take you apart easily."
But Wednesday night Donaldson was, in
fact, almost charming, and the rest of the
guests contented themselves with softer fare:
the weather, golf, the joys of private life.
Webster no loner provided an official car
from the CIA. took his first Metro ride last
week. "I made a trio to Chinatown with lv
one transfer," he said Droudiv. flashing hLq fare
card. "It's beautifid and it's e t Aryl if
You're careful and read the instructions YOU
cant t in too much trouble,
Wait until Brinkley hears about this.
Note to Robert Gat Read the inst uctionS
46.
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/05/23: CIA-RDP99-01448R000401660003-9