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‘He was not afraid.’ The funeral of Benjamin C. Bradlee ‘He was not afraid.’ The funeral of Benjamin C. Bradlee
(35 minutes later)
A sea of mourners gathered at the National Cathedral in Washington, D.C., to remember Benjamin C. Bradlee, the editor who guided The Washington Post’s newsroom for nearly a quarter of a century. Bradlee’s funeral on Wednesday morning drew colleagues from The Post, past and present, as well as family members, friends and a long list of dignitaries, politicians and luminaries that knew him from his decades as a pivotal force in American journalism. A sea of mourners gathered at the National Cathedral in Washington, D.C., to remember Benjamin C. Bradlee, the editor who guided The Washington Post’s newsroom for nearly a quarter of a century. A roster of famous names mixed with scores of people who had worked under Bradlee, remembering a man who they said inspired awe in his employees and showed no fear during a career spent searching for the truth.
Bradlee’s funeral on Wednesday morning drew colleagues from The Post, past and present, as well as family members, friends and a long list of dignitaries, politicians and luminaries that knew him from his decades as a pivotal force in American journalism.
“We knew somebody much better than his very large reputation,” Donald Graham, the first speaker and former publisher of The Post, said during his remarks. “Even braver, even smarter, much more fun.”“We knew somebody much better than his very large reputation,” Donald Graham, the first speaker and former publisher of The Post, said during his remarks. “Even braver, even smarter, much more fun.”
“He had his faults, and if my mother Katharine Graham was still here, believe me, she could go on a very long time about those,” Graham continued. “But she literally wrote the book about how great Ben Bradlee was, and it was a very long book.”“He had his faults, and if my mother Katharine Graham was still here, believe me, she could go on a very long time about those,” Graham continued. “But she literally wrote the book about how great Ben Bradlee was, and it was a very long book.”
Other speakers at the service for Bradlee, who died last week at 93, include Carl Bernstein and Bob Woodward, the reporters who broke the Watergate story under Bradlee; his children Quinn Bradlee, Ben Bradlee Jr. and Marina Bradlee Murdock; and Tom Brokaw of NBC News.Other speakers at the service for Bradlee, who died last week at 93, include Carl Bernstein and Bob Woodward, the reporters who broke the Watergate story under Bradlee; his children Quinn Bradlee, Ben Bradlee Jr. and Marina Bradlee Murdock; and Tom Brokaw of NBC News.
“He was not afraid,” Bernstein said during his remarks. He recalled a time when he and Woodward had to ask Bradlee about comments made by then-Attorney General John Mitchell. As Bernstein recalled, Bradlee told the young reporters that if their reporting was correct, if they had identified themselves, that was all that mattered.  “He was not afraid,” Bernstein said during his remarks. He recalled a time when he and Woodward had to ask Bradlee about comments made by then-Attorney General John Mitchell. As Bernstein recalled, Bradlee told the young reporters that if their reporting was correct, if they had identified themselves, that was all that mattered.
The service is open to the public, so members of the community filled the main section of the cathedral along with a roster of bold-faced names including Jeff Bezos, owner of The Post, Vice President Biden and Jill Biden, Secretary of State John Kerry, Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer and Sen. Patrick Leahy. “He pulled off being Bradlee because he wasn’t afraid,” Bernstein said. “Of presidents, of polio, of political correctness, of publishing the Pentagon Papers…of making mistakes.”
New media mingled with old media at the service, with young reporters who had never known Bradlee standing shoulder-to-shoulder with those who had answered to him. At the cathedral’s entrance before the service, two of Bradlee’s successors at The Post – Marcus Brauchli and Leonard Downie — had gathered together. Arthur Sulzberger Jr. and Dean Baquet, publisher and executive editor of the New York Times, respectively, were joined by former Washington Post publisher Katharine Weymouth. “I loved this man…” – Bob Woodward at Benjamin Bradlee Funeral – LIVE on C-SPAN http://t.co/RdY1NzvDzi pic.twitter.com/LOxBqawutC — CSPAN (@cspan) October 29, 2014
“I loved this man…” – Bob Woodward at Benjamin Bradlee Funeral – LIVE on C-SPAN http://t.co/RdY1NzvDzi pic.twitter.com/LOxBqawutC
— CSPAN (@cspan) October 29, 2014
Woodward, speaking after Bernstein, called Bradlee “a journalistic warrior” who prowled the newsroom searching for hidden truths, gossip and news. He said that the people who worked under and with Bradlee loved him.
“In almost every discussion or encounter with Ben, no matter how fleeting, he made you feel better about yourself,” Woodward said. “He made you want to be better.”
The service was open to the public, so members of the community filled the main section of the cathedral along with a roster of bold-faced names including Jeff Bezos, owner of The Post, Vice President Biden and Jill Biden, Secretary of State John Kerry, Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer and Sen. Patrick Leahy.
The room was filled with journalists who had worked for Bradlee years ago and those who only knew his legend, as new media gathered alongside old media.  At the cathedral’s entrance before the service, two of Bradlee’s successors at The Post – Marcus Brauchli and Leonard Downie — had gathered together. Arthur Sulzberger Jr. and Dean Baquet, publisher and executive editor of the New York Times, respectively, were joined by former Washington Post publisher Katharine Weymouth.
“He was larger than life,” Weymouth, a pallbearer, said. His death is “the end of an era and the beginning of a new era.”
But among those who spoke to the assembled crowd, there were calls to remember Bradlee for more than his personality and history. They instead said that people should look to the work Bradlee did and championed for guidance.
“Future journalists should ask, ‘What would Ben do?’” David Ignatius, a columnist for The Post, said during his remarks.
Outside, mourners had shared space on sidewalks with packs of St. Albans’ students in school uniforms, the children mixed with former Defense Secretary Donald Rumseld and journalist Ted Koppel.Outside, mourners had shared space on sidewalks with packs of St. Albans’ students in school uniforms, the children mixed with former Defense Secretary Donald Rumseld and journalist Ted Koppel.
Inside, people who had worked with Bradlee recalled their experiences. Peter Perl, a former Post editor and reporter, recalled his interview with Bradlee.
“Ben asked me, ‘So why should we hire you?’” Perl said Wednesday. “I said, ‘I’m a really good softball player and I can really help the Post’s team.’ Ben laughed at that. I got the job.”
Elizabeth Drew, the veteran political journalist and the preeminent chronicler of Watergate who did not work for Bradlee, looked around at the hundreds of mourners, impressed by the turnout.
“Some are here because it’s to be seen,” she said. “But for most, it’s a real affection. A lot of friendships that go way back. Look at the range of people! It’s just amazing!”
There was a reason for that, Drew said. “He was a good man,” she said. “He was a nice man. He was kind.”
Cathy Horyn, who recently retired as the New York Times’s longtime fashion critic, recalled Wednesday what happened when he hired her in August 1990 after a breakfast meeting. “I was terrified,” she said. “I was very impressed and awed. I was babbling about fashion, and finally Ben said, ‘I know nothing about fashion. I always counted on Nina Hyde to tell me what I needed to know, and I want to count on you to do that for me.”
The Very Rev. Gary Hall, the Cathedral’s dean, is officiating. The service is streaming live at washingtonpost.com and is being televised on C-SPAN.The Very Rev. Gary Hall, the Cathedral’s dean, is officiating. The service is streaming live at washingtonpost.com and is being televised on C-SPAN.
You can watch Don Graham’s remarks here:
Here is the complete program:Here is the complete program:
  
  
The memorial booklet being handed out at today’s ceremony (courtesy of Brian Noyes):The memorial booklet being handed out at today’s ceremony (courtesy of Brian Noyes):
This post will update throughout the day.This post will update throughout the day.
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READ MORE: OBITUARY: Ben Bradlee, legendary Washington Post editor, dies at 93 APPRECIATION: Woodward and Bernstein: The Ben Bradlee we knew DONALD GRAHAM: Ben Bradlee, a hero to the Post newsroom APPRECIATION: Bradlee’s sense of Style brought a new sensibility to features ILLUSTRATION: Drawing on a favorite conversation with The Post legend VIDEO: Ben Bradlee: ‘I’m not afraid of dying’READ MORE: OBITUARY: Ben Bradlee, legendary Washington Post editor, dies at 93 APPRECIATION: Woodward and Bernstein: The Ben Bradlee we knew DONALD GRAHAM: Ben Bradlee, a hero to the Post newsroom APPRECIATION: Bradlee’s sense of Style brought a new sensibility to features ILLUSTRATION: Drawing on a favorite conversation with The Post legend VIDEO: Ben Bradlee: ‘I’m not afraid of dying’