For 25 years, Richard Benedetto served as White House and national political correspondent for USA Today, and teaches journalism at American University as well as for TFAS at George Mason University. Richard is a graduate of Utica College of Syracuse University, earned a masters in journalism from Syracuse University’s Newhouse School of Public Communications, and also taught journalism at the University of Colorado and St. Bonaventure University. In this week's Liberty and Leadership Podcast, Roger and Richard discuss how journalism has evolved over the past 50 years, writing the first front-page cover story for USA Today, covering 5 presidencies, the politicization of the media, the power of optimism, and how his Italian grandfather taught him to respect the presidency - no matter who was in office. The Liberty and Leadership Podcast is hosted by TFAS President Roger Ream and produced by kglobal. If you have a comment or question for the show, please drop us an email at podcast@TFAS.org.