Photo credit: Janet Donovan
“Sam is one of my absolute favorite Washingtonians,” said Cathy Merrill, Publisher of Washingtonian and co-host of a celebration in honor of Sam Feist at the home of Juleanna Glover with co-hosts Dana Bash and Robert Allbritton. After 33 years, Sam has left CNN and moved on to C-SPAN as CEO. “We’ve been friends for a long time and I just wanted to quickly say what I told you this summer Sam, which is I thought you were a true friend. And then I discovered you were really a true friend when we were at a dinner and there were names around the table. I showed up and I looked at the person next to me and it was somebody who I had met before and I had had very bad experience with. Sam was at the table and I went to Sam and I said, ‘Sam, will you do me a favor?’ And he said, ‘Anything.’ And I said, ‘Will you switch places with me?’ And Sam said, ‘Absolutely.’ And then he came over and he looked and he said, ‘No, I sat next to that guy before. There’s no way.’ That is the honesty of a true truth. I toast you, I toast C- Span. It is very, very important to our democracy and to giving us a view into the most important institution. They’re so lucky to have you.”
Cathy Merrill with friends
“I’m Wolf Blitzer and you’re in the situation because whatever room I’m in, there’s a situation. There’s a wonderful situation going on in this room right now, namely a very Feisty C-Span. It’s already been about eight days. Sam noted the first few days when he got there, all the C-Spanners were wearing a little button that said Feisty C-Span. Sam, like me, is a real news junkie, as I could personally testify since we worked together for so many years. He loves the news. He’ll bring the news to C-Span and he’ll make us all happy watching C-Span when some of the other networks don’t take something live. I’m personally grateful he was with me at the beginning when I made the transition from being a White House correspondent to being an anchor. Sam was with me from day one and helped me greatly. And as Ted Turner told me when he hired me 35 years ago, he said, ‘Remember Wolf we’re the cable news Network- emphasis on the word news.’ We love the word news. I’m sure C-SPAN will be doing a lot of news and Sam’s got some huge ideas, which I can’t disclose right now but it’s going to be great for all of us who are news junkies, who love news, who love politics, who love to see what the government is up to. Sam will make it happen. And we’re grateful to you, Sam.”
Juleanna Glover Sam and Danielle Feist, Wolf Blitzer
“First of all Juleanna, thank you for hosting this remarkable event,” said Sam. “As I look around the room I think my absolute favorite people in this town are here. But what’s remarkable about this room is that everybody in this town understands this town and how Washington is a special place. There are Democrats in this room, there are Republicans in this room, there are government relations people in this room. There are media people in this room. And you know what? We all get along. We can actually show the rest of the country how to get along. And that’s one of the most important things that C-Span does and will do. I had an unbelievable run, a 33 year run at CNN. I see some of my CNN colleagues here. Thank you and thank you Wolf for your remarks. I frankly never thought I was going to leave CNN, but when the opportunity to go to C-Span, literally stand in the shoes of Brian Lamb at this American institution came along, I couldn’t pass it up. We are going to need some help. It’s an important institution and like the rest of the media business is under pressure and it will change, but it’s going to be incredibly successful in part because of the people that you have gathered today. So I thank you all for coming. I ask only one thing – when I call, please take my call and then when I ask for a favor, please say yes.”
