posted on February 27, 2002 03:35:31 PM new Historian Doris Kearns Goodwin TakesIndefinite Leave From PBS' 'NewsHour' After Book Flap
The Associated Press
NEW YORK Feb. 27
Historian Doris Kearns Goodwin has taken an indefinite leave from PBS' "NewsHour with Jim Lehrer" after making new admissions that she quoted other writers without sufficient attribution in her book about the Kennedys.
The University of Delaware also has withdrawn an invitation to Goodwin to speak at its commencement ceremony.
Goodwin, who regularly appeared on "NewsHour" as a contributor, was absent from a panel of historians on Tuesday evening's broadcast.
"We have had a long relationship with Doris and continue to value her strength as a historian, and think she makes a great contribution to the program," said "NewsHour" spokesman Rob Flynn. "But until she gets her situation resolved we made a mutual decision that we will take a break."
In January, the Pulitzer Prize-winning writer and TV commentator admitted copying several passages from other works in her 1987 best-selling book "The Fitzgeralds and the Kennedys." She has said the copying was accidental.
In a New York Times article Saturday, she admitted that she copied more language than previously noted.
University of Delaware President David P. Roselle announced the school's decision Monday, the day the student newspaper ran an editorial criticizing Goodwin's appearance at commencement.
"We thought better to just cancel the appearance than to have her talk in front of our students and their families," Roselle said.
He said he did not consider canceling the speech after Goodwin's first admissions because he thought her explanations were plausible.
Roselle said members of the senior class would meet this week to begin the search for another speaker for the May 25 ceremony.
posted on February 27, 2002 11:56:47 PM new
I feel sad for her; obviously she's brought her trouble on herself. Who said "We create what happens to us"?
I really don't understand how experienced writers can fall into the trap of failing to attribute or footnote quotes. She claimed, I think, that they were oversights. I'm not sure that could be true.
It must be terribly tempting to writers to use other writers' stuff without crediting them. Still hard for me to understand; these days it's too easy for an enemy or just someone who's curious to do the research on your work.
posted on February 28, 2002 04:40:47 AM new
College professors have the ability to search term papers for "borrowed" phrases. I'm surprised that publishing houses don't do that automatically.
