Wayne Weidie, the Chief of Staff to U.S. Representative Gene Taylor (D-Miss.) from the Fifth District, visited the MSU campus Feb. 13 to discuss his opinion of the media as well as his long career.
MSU President Charles Lee, who had to leave the event early due to a previous engagement, formally welcomed Weidie to the university. Dr. Martin Wiseman, director of the John C. Stennis Institute of Government, introduced the guest speaker and gave a short biography of Weidie’s career.
In his introduction, Wiseman talked about the journalism and congressional papers Weidie donated to MSU in 1993. Wiseman called the papers a very valuable resource to the university and the library.
The floor was then turned over to Weidie, who started the lecture off with a humorous anecdote about a hit HBO comedy series. After lightening the mood in the room, Weidie discussed his current and previous occupations.
Weidie admitted that his involvement in the newspaper business and his job in Washington, D.C., for Taylor were unplanned. He said it was accidental that he happened to become involved in journalism.
Weidie said he had strong feelings about the current state of the press.
“I am very critical of the press and very disappointed in the press,” Weidie said. “If you’re in the press, you have a lot of influence. It’s important to keep a sense of balance.”
While unhappy with the press, Weidie admitted the crucial role the media plays in the country. He calls the press “something the country cannot live without.”
When discussing the media in the nation’s capital, Weidie claimed that many journalists are just frustrated politicians. He also said that the egos of the press in Washington, D.C., were the worst he had ever seen.
Vaughn Shearer, a communication major, said she attended the lecture to hear about the Washington, D.C., press. She confessed she was interested in hearing Weidie’s viewpoint concerning the workings of the media there.
If Weidie promised one thing at the lecture it was to give his honest opinion. Throughout his speech, he shared his views of the media and those who work in it, Shearer said.
“I don’t have a problem with the editorial page. I have a problem with what is in the news section,” Weidie said.
He claimed that the nationwide media tended to have a more liberal slant.
Weidie, who graduated from MSU in 1963 with a bachelor’s degree in political science, later studied at Louisiana State University. Among his career highlights, he once worked as publisher and editor of The Ocean Springs Record and The Gautier Independent. He wrote a syndicated political column that appeared in 43 Mississippi newspapers.
In 1990, Weidie made his big career move to Washington, D.C., to work for Taylor.