All: This Is My Last Day - Chapter 11

CHAPTER 11

In 1993, Bill Clinton and his young crew moved into the White House. There was a bit of turmoil while the new administration felt its way into power. Clinton tried to deal with the press. I remember one so-called answer from Clinton at an Earth Summit news conference in Washington. He had been asked about the reduction of carbon dioxide emissions in the United States. His answer:
"Well, that's not the right way to ask the question. The question I can answer is, 'Would I have signed a treaty in 1992 which would have said by the year 2000, which is the end of the second term, that we would get back to 1990 levels of emission?' The answer to that is, yes, I would have been glad to sign that treaty, and I believe that would have created jobs in America and not cost jobs in America."
on 2-1-93:

Many times the hot news took a back seat to the run-of-the-mill and human interest stories.
Here is an exchange involving the First Cat in the Clinton administration. The New York bureau (NX) was asking about Socks the cat in an exchange with national editor (NTL) Jeffrey Reynolds with some input from me, Washington editor David Wiessler and White House (WHU) reporter Lori Santos:

Reynolds-ntl
Have we got socks, the cat, arriving washington via hillary's Oldsmobile driven to wa by friend of the family? Thanks. Newman-nx

Reynolds-ntl
Have we reported his arrival?
Newman-nx

Santos-whu
I'm passing on newman-reynolds message without comment. Rosso-desk

Wiessler
(socks) CBS network radio reporting arrival of socks in hillary's Oldsmobile and attendance at super bowl party yesterday. Do we have? Thanks. Newman-nx

newman-nx
(reynolds-ntl)
socks' formal debut at the whu yesterday was indeed mentioned in super-clinton sty, which was first sighting. There was not a separate, however, but cud offer details for people person today if desired.
Santos-whu

santos-whu
I am personally and journalistically allergic to cats, and they cannot appear in the people column as long as they walk on all fours and go to the bathroom in a box.
Reynolds-ntl

Santos-whu
Ur socks melted cold heart of reynolds and he is using in people column.
Wiessler

Wiessler
Reynolds always was a sucker for my copy. He hired me, after all.
Santos-whu

Santos-whu
But I didn't hire you to write shaggy cat stories.
Reynolds-ntl

Rosso-wa
Relieved to hear that socks is settling in to his new home. (also heard a good one about cats and dogs -- dogs come when you call. Cats take a number and say they'll get back to you. Burns-tr (Trenton)

Then there's this story filed 2-3-93, which shows that the White House beat is many times not at all glamorous:
Bc-clinton-watch
will he or won't he?
WASHINGTON (UPI) -- President Clinton left the Clinton watchers in the cold again Wednesday.
The press pool gathered outside the White House before dawn, ready to report on whether the chief executive went for his pre-dawn jog through the streets of the nation's capital.
They sat and waited. Inside a van. For two hours.
They saw the dawn of a new day, but not The Man.
They saw Socks, the first cat, being led around the White House grounds on a long leash.
They saw Clinton's daughter Chelsea dressed in blue jeans, leave the White House and get into a black car with her female Secret Service agent to go to school.
But they did not see the president of the United States run.
Perhaps it was Wednesday morning's below-freezing temperatures.
On Tuesday, when Clinton prepared to hit the road running, the temperature in downtown Washington was 14 degrees with a wind chill index of about 11 degrees below zero.
Clinton opted to skip his morning jog Tuesday and, instead, walked from the White House to the gym in the Executive Office Building next door to work out.
1993 was a year of ominous news all around. The new U.S. attorney general, Janet Reno, faced her toughest decision of her tenure when federal agents raided the Branch Davidian compound in Waco, Texas, ending a weeks-long seige. The compound caught fire and most of the cult members, including leader David Koresh and several children died. Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organization -- represented by PLO leader Yasir Arafat and Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin -- signed a peace accord. The North American Free Trade Agreement was signed between the United States and Canada and Mexico, Czechoslovakia split, an abortion doctor was shot and killed by an anti-abortion fanatic and Muslim fundamentalists bombed the World Trade Center in New York City, killing five people.
Shortly after 1993 began I was given the opportunity to send my own farewell message. I had gotten to the point where the frustration boiled over and I resorted to a practice that was characteristic of me and that was seldom the most prudent avenue — spontaneity. Before sending out my usual good morning “All” message, I sent an open letter to UPI management in which I vented much of the angst that had been building up within and throughout the company since the mid-1980s. I was prompted to write my message after reading the weekly neh500 file, a regular piece put out by management to laud the work of UPI. My message was greeted by an outpouring of responses from Unipressers who shared my concerns. I include many of them because they illustrate the undercurrents throbbing in the UPI infrastructure throughout the world.
6:12 a.m., Thursday, Feb. 25, 1993.
An open letter to UPI management:
Next week begins the ninth month since UPI was once again bailed out by new owners. time enough to give birth. or will there be a miscarriage?
I've never been shy about going out on a limb and this is no exception, because I believe I speak for a majority of my colleagues.
We are not getting the information we need. instead, we are reading a lot of signs that spell disaster — stringers throughout the system, worldwide, are not being paid; vendors are not being paid; phone lines are being disconnected; we are having trouble getting deliveries of essential equipment; medical claims are going ignored.
The reputation UPI now has is not the reputation it once had. stringers refuse to work for us because of the shabby treatment they have received. it may be very easy for people in offices far removed from the scene to consistently refuse to pay these people who have made it possible for us to continue to put out a news report. but the local bureau managers who hired them on good faith need to look them in the eye and need to wonder whom they can get in the future.
there is a big difference between the UPI of the "can do" determination that built this wire service into a first-class, respected organization and what we offer now.
we have been waiting for "the plan" for a long time — a very long time. it has been promised to us by many UPI administrations. We have given great chunks of our pay on the false promises of a brighter tomorrow. And tomorrow never seems to get here. We have given at the office and all we get in return is spin.
I think it is time that somebody levelled with us. Where do we stand now? What is our outlook?
I suggest that the next neh500 put aside the false, forced plaudits and deal with reality. It is past time for UPI management to be honest with the people who deliver the product.
rosso-wa

All: good morning. bumper sticker spotted yesterday: "it will be a great day when our schools get all the money they need and the air force has to hold a bake sale to buy a bomber." rosso-wa
rosso-wa
right on and amen. you probably already know about this. but several buros, including du (Detroit), recently were authorized to hire a temporary full-time staffer for nine weeks with the possible chance of the position becoming permanent once this mysterious "business plan" is announced. I contacted one of our former staffers who was laid off a couple years ago and is in real bad way financially. he was so desperate that he quit his job — not a good one, but at least a job — to return to UPI in the slim hope that it might turn into something permanent. the company approved it, it put him on the schedule and then Monday night I was called and told that UPI changed its mind and wasn't going to hire him after all. I was physically ill — literally — when told of this decision. needless to say, the guy who thought he was getting the job was pretty sick too. he's been doing a lot of stringing for us over the past couple years and hasn't received a dime in months. in my opinion this is immoral, unethical and possibly illegal.
UPI management (drop rosso): concur that dave speaks for me. concur also in hope that the next neh500 deal with the issue he raises. ian-desk
rosso-wa
re ur open letter: about time somebody spoke up about the emperor's clothes. I applaud you. I'm just speaking for myself, but I'd bet that, off or on the record, everyone in Iowa would say you've said it right. it's a lot harder to hold your head high as a unipresser than it used to be. stattmann-ia (Indianapolis)

allpoints from geimann. newser (neh500) the usual weekly edition of the UPI news is hungry, again, for news from throughout the UPI system. we're interested in yur accomplishments, news developments, etc., to be shared with sales and your colleagues around the world. cheers. geimann-wa.

rosso-wa
I always enjoy your morning messages. this morning's were particularly welcome. regards. dabney-na (Philadelphia)

rosso-wa
re management letter. thanks. no one could have said it better. no one better could have said it. three cheers. ebeck-mh (Miami)

rosso-wa
thanks for your letter to management. think you spoke for more people than you know. there is so much speculation going on, so many rumors. you're right — somebody needs to provide some details here. hope your letter prompts some response. again, thank you. wieland-uc (Milwaukee)

rosso-wa
at least we know someone who has balls in the company, huh? nancy kercheval-br (Baltimore)
It wasn’t long before Steve Geimann of UPI management interceded to express “company policy.” But, it was self-serving. The message wire, as was demonstrated during the debate over the pay cut, had always been used for personal, as well as, business correspondents. In fact, Geimann had once praised my daily “All” messages as good for morale.
allpoints from geimann:
it has long been UPI policy — and continues to be the policy — that the internal message wires are for company business only. messages of a personal nature, messages that contain profanity, or are not directly related to news-gathering are not appropriate for the message wire. cheers. geimann.

rosso-wa
this is an impersonal message, containing no profanity, agreeing with your expression of concern over the way the state of the company's business is directly, and adversely, affecting our news-gathering. small-waaudio

rosso-wa
your morning message was refreshing. I believe most, if not all, of us out here have been thinking and privately saying the same. denying newsies facts and figures on their own company just leads to natural discontent — and, as I understand, investigative books. you hit about every point squarely. hope it is taken to heart. hardin-ia.

rosso-wa
thanks for saying what needed to be said. best regards. debevec-ws (St. Paul)

rosso-wa
thanks dave. I agree it's time we're told whether UPI's going to be someone's tax write-off (forgot, they don't have those anymore) or a competitive news operation. cheers. henderson-supreme court

rosso-wa
thanks for morning message. btw, while we're going through the motions, heard that clinton is to be in new joisey monday. will someone be traveling with him? burns-tr (Trenton)

rosso-wa
thanks for saying out loud what most of us have been silently screaming. bests. sielicki-tl (Toledo)
--
rosso-wa
I admire your courage for saying what had to be said. cheers and many thanks from the whole boston staff. siera-bh

rosso-wa
somebody say amen. lyle-kt (Albany)

rosso-wa
thanks for saying what needed to be said. frustration running high at new york financial, especially with garbage piling up everywhere and t.p. running low. regards. eve-nxf (New York Financial)

rosso-wa
add my name to the list of thankful folks for whom you so eloquently spoke in your open letter. cheers. supon-tr (Trenton)

rosso-wa
yur message was a welcome sight. it recognizes the frustration we all feel. cheers. mcginnis-uc (Milwaukee)

rosso-wa
ditto. cheers. simmonds-md (Madison, Wis.)

rosso-wa
and so say all of us, dave. the whole thing is neroesque, only they reclaimed the fiddle because of non-payment, myers-lsp

rosso-wa
who was it that said one man with courage makes a majority? my last day with UPI is tomorrow but I leave still worrying about the fate of all my friends (including many stringers). thanks for voicing what everyone had been thinking privately. cheers. ayers-gx (Springfield, Ill.)

rosso-wa
Dave, your missive dealing with news-gathering and company business is right on target and demonstrates the kind of guts and integrity this news agency needs.
Daniel-wa

Rosso-wa
Wait a minute, dave. Not so fast. The business plan’s just abt to be announced. Oh, no. tt was just gas. Cudn’t agree more. Rgds. Murphy-hxs (Chicago-sports)

Finally, Geimann had read enough. He called me to his office and handed me the following official correspondence:

dear david,
I am greatly disappointed you chose to express your feelings by using the internal company message wire to send an "open letter" to management.
this was a totally inappropriate use of the message wires. the UPI policy has been stated, and restated many times: message wires are exclusively for the transaction of company business in gathering news.
your message did not fall into that category.
while I appreciate your concerns and, perhaps, frustrations, I must disagree with your method of sharing them with management. it would be wholly appropriate to request a meeting, or drop me a typewritten note; sending an "open letter" on an international message wire is not appropriate.
the process of any transition is long and perhaps painful for some. but it has always been, and always will remain, the prerogative of management to carry out the business of the company in the best interests of the company.
those who disagree have two options: support the efforts of management, or resign, there is no in between.
sincerely,
steve geimann
executive editor

friday, feb 26
It was another day and I started it as I had started all mornings — with my good morning “All” message. Messages continued coming in from bureaus around the world to my open letter posted on Thursday.

all:
good morning. digging back into the molly ivins book this morning and speaker of the texas house gib lewis: "this problem is a two-headed sword: it could grow like a mushing room." thank you all. rosso-wa

all: today's forum calendar item: "the first amendment's value is linked directly to its use. to preserve it, it must be shared. unless it is everyone's, it can be no one's." jean otto, editor.

csongos:
frank, today's fns daybook offering as of 7:35 a.m. consists of part two of general daybook and 11 entries of next week's senate and house. no president sked. no house for today. no senate for today. no economic events for today and no parts 1 and 2 of the general daybook. rosso-wa

rosso-wa-drop geimann. (letter) it's cold and rainy here in paris today, but there is a very warm spot in my heart for you. eduardo cue-paris.

rosso-wa
three cheers. couldn't agree more. reed-bh

rosso-wa
bravo, dave. I think it's about time we all started doing a little more questioning and sounding off. regards-nxs

rosso-wa (geimann) morn, dave. and many thnx for voicing our concerns in your letter to management. you certainly spoke for me. regards. haskell-bh

geimann: morn, steve. as you are no doubt aware, dave rosso's open letter to management has generated enthusiastic support. it directly relates to news gathering and was absolutely appropriate. we certainly hope you respect the workers of this company enough to address this subject in today's neh500. regards. haskell-bh

At 1:45 p.m., 15 minutes before my shift was to end, Geimann again called me to his office and handed me the following:

friday, feb. 26, 1993
dear david,
we need to revisit the matters that arose feb. 25 when you inappropriately used the internal company message wires to send an "open letter" to management.
this was not your first unauthorized use of company messages wires in direct violation of long-standing company policy. you were reprimanded in writing sept. 21, 1990, for the same action. therefore, it is clear that your actions demonstrate a willful disregard for long-standing company policy on use of the message wires.
further, your message of feb. 25 demonstrated disloyalty to the company for which you work, and this cannot be tolerated.
therefore, given your disregard for company policies it is necessary to terminate your employment with united press international, effective immediately.
the human resources department can answer any questions you night have on benefits earned through today, Feb. 26, 1993, and cobra conversion rights beyond today.
very truly,
stephen j. geimann
executive editor
and executive vice president

I returned to my desk, gathered my belongings and sent my farewell message:
all:
I have just been fired. good bye. I will miss you all. rosso-wa

dave: I’m passing on some of the tributes of what you said so eloquently for all of us and the messages of support after your wrongful dismissal. You’re the best of guys. Stay in touch and let me know what I can do to help. I’m looking for work too. Mike myers

rosso-wa
hope this gets to you. I’m sorry. Our loss. Cheers and best of luck. Kuklenski-hc (Los Angeles)

rosso-wa
I will miss you sorely. Kosek-hx (Chicago)

Rosso-wa
And we will miss you, dave. Thanks for speaking up. Cheers and bests. Sielicki-tl (Toledo)

Rosso-wa
Godspeed, dave. Pg-rv (Richmond)

Rosso-wa
You’re the best. No doubt about it. Cheers. Ebeck-mh (Miami)

Rosso-wa
Eye was very sorry to hear about your untimely dismissal. Down here in the latam circuit, we received your well-written message yesterday with admiration and your final message today with shock. I’d like to salute you for your courage to stand up and say what at least the majority of us here were thinking. You fought for our dignity and I thank you very much. Regards. Harrison-caracas.

I was later told that as I was heading home many of my colleagues marched to Geimann’s office to plead on my behalf. I lived in Manassas, Va., and by the time I arrived home, an hour after leaving the office, I had received a phone call from Lou Peck, editor of CongressDaily, a Times-Mirror publication that covered Congress and the administration. Peck was looking for an editor and we agreed to meet the following Tuesday — when he hired me.

But three years later, after Geimann left UPI, I returned to the company I loved in the winter of 1996.