Pete Williams (journalist): Difference between revisions

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1952|2|28|mf=yes}}<ref name="NYT 1991">{{cite webnews|last=Sciolino|first=Elaine|title=Voice of the Pentagon Delivers Press Curbs With a Deftness Honed on TV|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1991/02/08/world/war-gulf-washington-work-voice-pentagon-delivers-press-curbs-with-deftness-honed.html?pagewanted=all|work= [[The New York Times]]|access-date=June 6, 2013|date=February 8, 1991}}</ref>

| birth_place = [[Casper, Wyoming|Casper]], [[Wyoming]], U.S.

'''Louis Alan''' "'''Pete'''" '''Williams''' (born February 28, 1952) is ana former American journalist and former government official. SinceFrom 1993 to 2022, he has beenwas a television correspondent for [[NBC News]]. He served in the administration of President [[George H. W. Bush]].

Williams became a correspondent for [[NBC News]] in late March 1993,<ref>"People." ''(Olympia WA) Morning Olympian'', March 19, 1993, p. 8.</ref> after leaving the Defense Department. His main areas of news coverage for NBC include the [[United States Department of Justice|Department of Justice]] and [[Supreme Court of the United States|Supreme Court]]. He retired from NBC News on July 29, 2022.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/now/video/nbc-news-pete-williams-retires-after-nearly-30-years-with-network-145010757775 |title=NBC News' Pete Williams retires after nearly 30 years with network |publisher=Nbcnews.com |date= |accessdate=2022-08-01}}</ref>

Pete Williams was born and raised in [[Casper, Wyoming]], where his mother, "Bennie," was a teacher and later a realtor, and his father, Louis, was a dentist. He was one of three children.<ref>"L.J. 'Bennie' Williams." ''Casper (WY) Star-Tribune'', November 25, 2011, p. 5.</ref> Williams graduated from [[Natrona County High School]]—coincidentally, the same high school as his fellow [[Presidency of George W. Bush|Bush Administrationadministration]] alumnus [[Dick Cheney]]—in 1970.<ref name="people">{{citation|url=http://www.people.com/people/archive/article/0,,20114522,00.html|title=Defense Spokesman Pete Williams Is the Pentagon's Stand-Up Guy|author=Hewitt, Pete|work= [[People (magazine)|People]] |volume=35|issue=7|date=February 25, 1991|page=58|access-date=June 6, 2013|archive-date=May 10, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120510165540/http://www.people.com/people/archive/article/0,,20114522,00.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> He was a member of his high school's award-winning debating team,<ref>"NCHS Debaters Win at Buffalo." ''Casper (WY) Star-Journal'', March 7, 1969, p. 9.</ref> and also won an award for public speaking.<ref>"Casper Wins BHSC Forensic Tournament." ''Rapid City Journal'', February 14, 1969, p. 6.</ref> He was also active in his school's Teenage Republicans club, and a member of the [[National Honor Society]].<ref>"Boys' State Delegates Named." ''Casper (WY) Star-Tribune'', May 19, 1969, p. 6.</ref>

Williams graduated from [[Stanford University]] in 1974.<ref name="nomination">{{cite web|author=Bush, George H.W.|url=http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/?pid=16991|title=Nomination of Louis A. Williams to Be an Assistant Secretary of Defense| publisher = [[The American Presidency Project]]|date=May 2, 1989|access-date=June 6, 2013|archive-date=March 3, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303225757/http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/?pid=16991|url-status=dead}}</ref> While at Stanford, he studied Journalism and History, and spent a year studying in London in a Stanford-sponsored overseas program.<ref>"Williams: From Newsman to Pentagon Spokesman." ''Casper (WY) Star-Tribune'', February 6, 1991, p. 3.</ref>

From 1974 to 1985, Williams was a reporter and news director for the Casper-based [[KTWO-TV|KTWO television]] and [[KTWO (AM)|KTWO radio]] stations.<ref name="NBC">{{cite web|url=http://www.nbcnews.com/id/3689493/|title=Pete Williams|date=December 12, 2003 |publisher= [[NBC News]]|access-date=June 6, 2013}}</ref> Williams also served as director for the Wyoming Future Project from 1985 to 1986.<ref name="NYT 1991"/>

In 1986, Williams was hired as [[press secretary]] and legislative assistant on the staff of U.S. Representative [[Dick Cheney]]. Williams was appointed [[Assistant Secretary of Defense for Public Affairs]] in 1989, following Cheney's nomination as [[United States Secretary of Defense]] and worked as press secretary of the Defense Department. <ref name="NBC"/>

While serving as a [[The Pentagon|Pentagon]] spokesperson, he was accused of allegedly working to cover up the large-scale irregular military activities that had occurred during the US invasion of [[Panama]] under the pretense of apprehending Panamanian [[dictator]] [[Manuel Noriega]], which was later featured in the documentary film ''[[The Panama Deception]]'' (1992).<ref>{{CitationCite news needed|date=March2022-07-29 2018|title=Movie Reviews |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/reviews/movies |access-date=2022-07-29 |issn=0362-4331}}</ref>

Williams was [[outing|outed]] as [[gay]] in 1991 by journalist and activist [[Michelangelo Signorile]]. When pressed by reporters, Cheney refused to dismiss Williams (a civilian employee) despite the department's then-ban on [[LGBT]] members of the military. Cheney also implied his opposition to the ban.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Johnston|first=Erica|date=October 3, 2014|title=Meet two activists who brought sweeping change to the gay rights movement|worknewspaper=[[The Washington Post]]|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/magazine/meet-two-activists-who-brought-sweeping-change-to-the-gay-rights-movement/2014/10/02/5fbe5256-2d30-11e4-994d-202962a9150c_story.html|access-date=November 6, 2020}}</ref>

As NBC justice correspondent, Williams has interviewed United States Attorneys General [[John Ashcroft]],<ref>{{cite web|author=Williams, Pete|url=http://www.nbcnews.com/id/3032619/#34025785|title=Ashcroft: Holder lacks authority to order terror trials|publisher= [[NBC News]] |date=November 18, 2009|access-date=June 6, 2013}}</ref> [[Alberto Gonzales]],<ref>{{cite web|author=Williams, Pete|title=Gonzales: Firings were not improper|url=http://www.nbcnews.com/id/17801927/ns/nbcnightlynews/t/gonzales-firings-were-not-improper/| publisher = [[NBC News]] |access-date=June 6, 2013|date=March 27, 2007}}</ref> and [[Eric Holder]],<ref>{{cite web|author=Williams, Pete|title=Holder says he has no intention of stepping down|url=http://nbcpolitics.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/06/05/18781813-holder-says-he-has-no-intention-of-stepping-down|access-date=June 6, 2013| publisher = [[NBC News]]|date=June 5, 2013}}</ref> as well as [[Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation|FBI Director]] [[Christopher A. Wray|Christopher Wray]].<ref>{{Citecite web|url=http://www.adweek.com/tvnewser/pete-williams-marks-25-years-with-nbc-news-by-landing-an-interview-with-the-fbi-director/359907|title=Pete Williams Marks 25 Years with NBC News, By Landing An Interview with the FBI Director|website=www.adweek.com|date=March 20, 2018 |language=en-US|access-date=2018-03-21}}</ref>

In covering the [[Boston Marathon bombing]] for [[MSNBC]] and NBC News, Williams earned praise from various media analysts for choosing to report events in a restrained, cautionary fashion. In contrast with the [[Associated Press]] and [[CNN]], Williams refused to report a later-retracted claim that the [[Federal Bureau of Investigation]] had arrested a suspect for the bombing.<ref>{{cite news|last=Freedlander|first=David|title=NBC, Today Show Get Boston Marathon Bombing Coverage Right|url=http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2013/04/20/nbc-today-show-get-boston-marathon-bombing-coverage-right.html|work= [[The Daily Beast]]|access-date=June 6, 2013|date=April 20, 2013}}</ref> For ''[[Politico]]'', [[Dylan Byers]] commented: "On a major story that has been defined by inaccurate and conflicting reports and wild speculation, Williams has been calm, diligent and correct."<ref>{{cite web|last=Byers|first=Dylan|title=Pete Williams and the threat to CNN|url=http://www.politico.com/blogs/media/2013/04/pete-williams-and-the-threat-to-cnn-162096.html| publisher = Dylan Byers on Media (blog of [[Politico]]) |access-date=June 6, 2013|date=April 19, 2013}}</ref> Brian Resnick of the ''[[National Journal]]'' wrote that Williams showed "restraint in not jumping too far into conclusions."<ref>{{cite web|last=Resnick|first=Brian|title=Pete Williams' Reporting Philosophy, And Why He's Getting Boston Right|url=http://www.nationaljournal.com/domesticpolicy/pete-williams-reporting-philosophy-and-why-he-s-getting-boston-right-20130419|work=[[National Journal]]|access-date=June 6, 2013|date=April 19, 2013|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130611164027/http://www.nationaljournal.com/domesticpolicy/pete-williams-reporting-philosophy-and-why-he-s-getting-boston-right-20130419|archive-date=June 11, 2013|df=mdy-all}}</ref> The phrase "NBC's Pete Williams" became a trending topic in the overnight hours of April 19, 2013.<ref>[https://twitter.com/HuffPostMedia/status/{{cite tweet|number=325178956066201600]|user=HuffPostMedia|title='NBC's Pete Williams' is currently trending in the US.|date=April 19, 2013}}</ref>

In 2012, the University of Wyoming awarded Williams an honorary Doctor of Letters, in recognition of his many contributions to journalism. He was praised for his "sound judgment, fair mindedness, impeccable ethics, and dedication to service."<ref>"Pete Williams, Doctor of Letters (Litt.D.)" University of Wyoming website, [http://www.uwyo.edu/honorarydegree/past_honorary_degree_recepients/2012%20honorary%20degree%20recipients/pete%20williams.html] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220703084200/http://www.uwyo.edu/honorarydegree/past_honorary_degree_recepients/2012%20honorary%20degree%20recipients/pete%20williams.html |date=July 3, 2022 }}</ref>

Williams was named the recipient of the 2018 John F. Hogan Award, presented annually by the Radio Television Digital News Association (RTDNA). The Hogan Award, named after the association's first president, is given in recognition of "an individual's contributions to the journalism profession and freedom of the press..." Williams was chosen because "...Over the course of his distinguished career, Pete Williams has served the public first as a government spokesman and then, for the last 25 years, as a reporter covering government,” said Scott Libin, current Chair of RTDNA. "His insight and understanding of power and politics have proven hugely valuable to the viewers of NBC News."<ref>"Pete Williams to Receive 2018 John F. Hogan Award for His Contributions to Journalism and Freedom of the Press." Radio Television Digital News Association website, June 5, 2018. [https://rtdna.org/article/pete_williams_to_receive_2018_john_f_hogan_award_for_his_contributions_to_journalism_and_freedom_of_the_press] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221202192208/https://www.rtdna.org/article/pete_williams_to_receive_2018_john_f_hogan_award_for_his_contributions_to_journalism_and_freedom_of_the_press |date=December 2, 2022 }}</ref>

* [https://www.nbcumv.com/talent/pete-williams/bios_read_more NBC News Bio] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180717212749/https://www.nbcumv.com/talent/pete-williams/bios_read_more |date=July 17, 2018 }}

* {{C-SPAN|petewilliams8971}}