This spring, at age 87, Bob Schieffer showed audiences he’s learned to tell stories in new ways.
Looking for the Light
Dean Kristie Bunton and Bob Schieffer ’59 at the opening of his art exhibition.
In early April, Schieffer opened his first solo art exhibition at the American University Museum of Art in Washington, D.C. Titled “Looking for the Light in the Age of Covid, Chaos and Confusion,” the show features 25 oil paintings that mix images and text from news events since 2020’s global pandemic. Schieffer’s portrait of U.S. youth poet laureate Amanda Gorman performing “Looking for the Light” at the January 2020 presidential inauguration gave his exhibition its focus. “Schieffer said, “Her poem that day ends, ‘For there is always light. If only we’re brave enough to see it. If only we’re brave enough to be it.’ It was her way of telling us that we have overcome seemingly impossible challenges throughout our history.”
Schieffer has had little formal training in art but sees his work as an extension of his career as a journalist, including his 23 years as the anchor of “CBS Morning News.”
“I think journalism is more than just being a stenographer,” Schieffer told The New York Times. “These paintings, I guess you can say they have a point of view. But I don’t consider them partisan.”
The show will run at American University through May 19, 2024.
Read more from The New York Times. Listen to more from CBS News.
Tap Into Our Fort Worth
Bob Schieffer fan in the background of the girls5eva episode “Fort Worth.”
In March, the hometown we usually call Cow Town became wow-town when the Netflix series about the adventures of a band called Girls5eva premiered its third season with the episode, “Fort Worth.” Struggling to get their act together, girls5eva wrote a song about Fort Worth, complete with a wealth of knowledge about our town, including mentions of TCU and our namesake Bob Schieffer.
In the audience, a Schieffer fan can be seen jamming along with Gives5eva while wearing a “Face the Nation” t-shirt featuring Schieffer’s face. Schieffer was thrilled to be mentioned, saying, “I thought it was hilarious. And they can sing pretty well, too. It was really funny.”
Schieffer is familiar with the grind of country music as a songwriter and performer, having formed the band Honky Tonk Confidential. In 2006, the band debuted an album, “Road Kill Stew and Other News (with Special Guest Bob Schieffer)” that included a song about Schieffer’s life in the news business called “TV Anchorman.”
Read more in Bob Schieffer is (Fort) Worth It.
Celebrating a Decade of Walking in Purple Socks
Panelists Omar Villafranca ’00, Jeff Pegues, Margaret Brennan, Bob Schieffer ’59, Susan Glasser and Peter Baker.
In case you missed it, Schieffer returned to campus last November to help us celebrate 10 years as a college named for him. He interviewed a panel of national journalists including Peter Baker (The New York Times), Margaret Brennan (CBS News and Face the Nation), Susan Glasser (The New Yorker), Jeff Pegues (formerly CBS) and alumnus Omar Villafranca ’00 (CBS).
The discussion ranged across news topics, including insight into Israel and Ukraine, and a broader conversation about the impact of artificial intelligence and media overload. Afterward, guests celebrated our college’s 10th birthday with a party on the Campus Commons.
Read more in A Night of Celebration: Symposium Brings Bob Schieffer to Campus for 10-year.