by John M. Curtis
(310) 204-8700

Copyright March 6, 2002
All Rights Reserved.

poiling a finely polished façade, The Standard sent more tremors through Academia reporting that Pulitzer Prize winning historian Doris Kearns Goodwin plagiarized material for her highly acclaimed book "The Fitzgeralds and the Kennedys." Far eclipsing the white lies of Mt. Holyoke historian and fellow Pulitzer recipient Joseph J. Ellis, Goodwin violated a writer's most solemn oath—never to plagiarize. Ellis was forced into temporary retirement for spinning tall tales about his heroic service in Vietnam, while actually teaching classes on the war. Goodwin now joins disgraced Stanford historian and best selling author Stephan Ambrose, also discredited for plagiarism, yet totally ducking the media. Like Ambrose, Goodwin prefers to offer feeble excuses and predigested apologies writing a self-serving op-ed in Time on Feb. 4. Goodwin omitted that her publisher Simon & Schuster paid off the source in 1987, assuring that the controversy wouldn't hit the headlines. Goodwin also didn't mention chastising Joe McGinnis for plagiarizing her in his book on Edward Kennedy, despite McGinnis citing credit in footnotes.

      Blaming her research assistants, Goodwin pulled her book off the market, admitting that there's more plagiarism than found by The Standard. "I could not bear to have this book out there the way it was," Goodwin told the New York Times Magazine, despite remaining mum for 15 years. Only after Goodwin was caught red handed and faced with professional liquidation, did she finally take corrective action. Managing her own damage control, Goodwin insists that she's guilty of nothing more than sloppy research. "The mechanical process of checking things was not as sophisticated as it should have been," said Goodwin, giving more excuses but failing to accept full responsibility. More excuses won't undo Goodwin's damaged credibility, already taking a heavy toll on her career. "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, announcing a parting of ways. "But until she gets her situation resolved we made a mutual decision that we will take a break," admitting that Goodwin is now radioactive.

      McNeil/Lehrer Productions and Public Broadcasting can't afford to be associated with Goodwin's current notoriety. Only Goodwin believes, like others fallen from grace, that the public has a short memory. But as a respected historian and Pulitzer prize winner, Goodwin's indiscretion far exceeds the personal foibles of sex, drugs and other shenanigans. Few people bear the burden of truth more than historians and journalists. High on the pedestal, both groups hold the bar high and don't tolerate major lapses. Prestigious news programs or institutions, committed to getting out the truth, can't risk associating with recognized fabricators. "We thought better to just cancel the appearance than to have her talk in front of our students and families," said University of Delaware President David P. Roselle, canceling Goodwin's scheduled commencement speech. Most universities have draconian policies against plagiarism, often disenrolling or disciplining faculty and students for getting caught. Allowing Goodwin to speak would send the wrong message to faculty, students, families and dedicated alumni.

      So far, Goodwin is trying to rewrite Websters, neatly attributing the lifted material to clerical errors. As long as she insists that she's guilty of nothing more than sloppy scholarship, it's hard to imagine any chance of rehabilitation. Sounds actually like Enron counsel Bob Bennett's defense that "Enron did nothing more than creative accounting." Every high schooler or freshman knows that if you "don't use quotation marks . . . you're plagiarizing, even if you cite" the source in footnotes or any other place, according to Harvard's manual for freshman composition—the ivory tower in which Goodwin preached. Dealing with "paper notes" has nothing to do with how counterfeit material wound up in her book. Authors are acutely aware of their own prose and easily recognize someone else's writing. Remaining defiant, Goodwin blames the media for causing her problems. Her recent publicity stunt to pull "The Fitzgeralds and the Kennedys" off the shelves doesn't erase the fact that she paid hush money 15 years ago. Only after The Standard broke the story did Goodwin fess up.

      Winning the Pulitzer in 1995 for "No Ordinary Time: Franklin and Elanor Roosevelt: The Home Front in World War II," Goodwin has served on the Pulitzer board since 1999. Pulitzer board administrator Seymour Topping announced March 3 that Goodwin "decided not to participate" in selecting the 2002 awards. Goodwin wrote Pulitzer board chairman John Carroll that she declined "because I am so distracted by the media focus on my work, I do not feel capable of giving the considerable time needed to make proper judgments." Playing the victim, Goodwin again fails to take responsibility for committing egregious abuses of public trust. Betraying herself and her profession, Goodwin shouldn't be blaming the media, she should publicly denounce her own behavior. Passing judgment on fellow journalists and writers requires impeccable integrity, at least with respect to her chosen craft. Private mistakes aside, Goodwin lacks the character to admit and apologize for her effrontery to the free press.

      Goodwin's denials and lack of contrition display cosmic chutzpah. Her limp excuses make rehabilitation an uphill climb. Carroll, who's also editor of the Los Angeles Times, indicated that the board would "do whatever was necessary to maintain the highest standard of integrity for the Pulitzer Prize process," including take disciplinary action. Proceeding without Goodwin would "allow this year's judging to proceed without distraction. It would also give the board time to weigh the issues and determine what action, if any, should be taken," said Carroll, hinting that the Pulitzer board may do the right thing. Like Olympic athletes testing positive for banned substances, Goodwin must be dismissed from the current competition—along with her board membership. No profession based on honor, deeply rooted in originality and integrity, can tolerate breaking the most sacred rules. All authors know the content of their works. They also must assume full responsibility for printed works in which they claim authorship. Reinventing Websters and blowing smoke only makes matters worse.

About the Author

John M. Curtis is editor of OnlineColumnist.com and columnist for the Los Angeles Daily Journal. He's director of a Los Angeles think tank specializing in political consulting and strategic communication. He's the author of Dodging The Bullet and Operations Charisma.

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