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Mort Kondracke Quotes

Powerful Mort Kondracke for Daily Growth

About Mort Kondracke

Morton "Mort" Kondracke (1943-2019) was an American journalist, political commentator, and author who made significant contributions to journalism and political discourse throughout his career. Born on May 6, 1943, in Brooklyn, New York, Kondracke grew up in a family that valued learning and politics. His father was a union organizer, and his mother was a teacher. Kondracke attended Columbia University, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science in 1965. After graduation, he worked as an assistant to New York Mayor John Lindsay before moving on to a career in journalism. Kondracke began his journalistic career at Newsweek magazine, working as a writer and editor. He later joined Roll Call, where he covered Capitol Hill for more than two decades. In the 1980s, Kondracke teamed up with Richard Cohen to write a syndicated column for The Washington Post, which was subsequently turned into a popular television show, "Crossfire," on CNN. Kondracke and Cohen's collaboration continued in their book, "The Night Washington Burned: Inside the White House on Jan. 28, 1968," published in 1990. In 1997, Kondracke co-authored the bestselling book "Primaries '96: The Battle for the Soul of the GOP" with Fred Barnes. This was followed by "The Power Game: How Washington Works (and Sometimes Breaks)," published in 2003, which offered a behind-the-scenes look at American politics. Kondracke's journalism and commentary were marked by his insightful analysis, sharp wit, and commitment to truth. He was a regular political analyst for Fox News Channel until his retirement in 2012. Kondracke passed away on September 9, 2019, leaving behind a rich legacy as a journalist, author, and commentator who enriched the political discourse of his time.

Interpretations of Popular Quotes

"The problem with political journalists is that they're more interested in being right than understanding."

Mort Kondracke suggests that political journalists may prioritize validating their existing beliefs or opinions (being right) over genuinely grasping the complexities of the issues at hand (understanding). This can lead to biased reporting, as they might selectively interpret evidence in a way that supports their preconceived notions rather than objectively presenting all relevant facts.

"To a journalist, politics is an end in itself. To the citizen, it is a means to an end."

This quote by Mort Kondracke emphasizes the perspective difference between journalists and citizens regarding politics. For journalists, politics serves as their professional domain, making it an "end in itself" because their primary goal is to report on political events and issues. On the other hand, for citizens, politics is a "means to an end." They view politics as a tool to achieve societal betterment or personal goals, such as improving living conditions, ensuring security, or promoting fairness. In essence, while journalists are focused on the process of politics, citizens prioritize its impact and outcomes.

"Politics isn't about policy, it's about power."

Mort Kondracke's quote "Politics isn't about policy, it's about power" emphasizes that the primary goal of politics is not to formulate effective policies, but rather to attain and maintain power. This perspective suggests that politicians may prioritize personal ambition, party interests, or other factors over genuine policy development for the betterment of society. It implies a cynical view of politics, where power dynamics play a significant role in shaping policy decisions and outcomes.

"The truth is that journalism has become a form of entertainment, and like any other form of entertainment, it seeks to shock and surprise."

This quote suggests that contemporary journalism has evolved into an entertaining medium rather than a strict purveyor of facts. It implies that, much like other forms of entertainment such as movies or music, the media often prioritizes sensationalism, surprise, and shock value over objectivity to maintain audience interest.

"The essence of journalism is telling the truth and nothing but the truth. But there's no rule against being fair."

Mort Kondracke's quote emphasizes two fundamental principles of journalism: truth-telling and fairness. Truth-telling implies that a journalist should strive to present factual information as accurately as possible, avoiding distortion or misrepresentation. This principle is essential because it forms the basis of public trust in the media. Fairness refers to the obligation of journalists to represent all perspectives fairly and impartially, giving equal consideration to different viewpoints. In essence, it's about being honest and balanced in reporting news stories, without favoritism or bias. In summary, Kondracke suggests that while truth-telling is the core of journalism, there is no rule against practicing fairness in how we present that truth to our audience. This balance between truth and fairness lies at the heart of ethical journalism.

Now, what tends to happen is that the stories get hyped. And the medicines are not quite as revolutionary and as dramatic as they seem to be. But, certainly, various phases of this problem are being attacked by the pharmaceutical companies.

- Mort Kondracke

Happen, Stories, Certainly, Hyped

And there are lots of drug companies that are working on cure or medicine.

- Mort Kondracke

Working, Lots, Companies, Drug Companies

The right-to-life movement and the Roman Catholic Church are saying that it is better to destroy these embryos, or preferably have them adopted - which is not going to happen - than to use them for research.

- Mort Kondracke

Happen, Going, Which, Catholic Church

Ward Churchill might be more valuable to the opponents of the academic left employed than unemployed. Above all, he can serve as a living window into the intellectual, moral, and political bankruptcy of the left.

- Mort Kondracke

Living, More, Might, Churchill

Practically every day, there is a story in the newspapers about a new breakthrough drug on Parkinson's.

- Mort Kondracke

Every Day, New, Breakthrough, Parkinson

Well, there are two kinds of stem cells: adult stem cells, which you can get from any part of a grown body, and embryonic stem cells. These are the inner- core of days-old embryos that can develop into any kind of cell.

- Mort Kondracke

Part, Stem Cells, Kinds, Embryonic

At NIH, what tends to happen is that the proven researchers tend to get the money. New researchers, younger researchers, or people on the cutting edge don't get the money until they have gray beards.

- Mort Kondracke

New, Happen, Researchers, Tends

Research is what it's going to take to cure all these diseases.

- Mort Kondracke

Going, Take, Diseases, Cure

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