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We spoke to the anchor about the changes he’s witnessed in journalism and the country since he first started out with NBC News in 1966, the current economic crisis in America, and his hopes – and fears – for the next generation of leaders.National Writers Series: When you were on Stephen Colbert’s show (The Colbert Report) in December, you called the past 10 years in America the “Oh my God” decade. Could you put the past decade into context in comparison to what came before it?Tom Brokaw: The introduction of the past decade came with the 2000 presidential election – the ever-increasing chaos in Florida that ended with a controversial decision by the Supreme Court. That’s how this decade started. Then on September 11, 2001, America was attacked in a way that had never happened before. When I walk through airports now, I realize that that attack was successful. It has altered our lives significantly. We have much more security, we’re spending more of our resources on intelligence gathering and defense, and we’ve seen the interruption of our normal routine. On top of all that, we’ve had this massive downturn in our economy, and the reevaluation of our economic systems and our personal values.NWS: How do you think those events will factor in to the next 10 years?TB: I don’t know. That’s still playing out. If you want to take a simple example, I’ve been asking people about home construction lately and if there is still a demand for the McMansion. In this past decade, starting in 2000, the average demand for home construction went from 1500 square feet to 2400 square feet. People were building homes far beyond what they required in terms of space, and they were overreaching in terms of price. The question now is: Will there be a pullback? And will that be a metaphor for other decisions people make in their lives? Will we start scaling back to reasonable proportions?NWS: Do you feel optimistic or pessimistic about the direction America is heading?TB: I’m always optimistic about America. No other society on the planet has been able to renew itself the way we have. But it doesn’t happen by accident. It takes a proactive citizenry and a willingness on our part to learn from the lessons of the past. I do hope that what we’ve been through will be a yellow flag, a warning that says: “This could happen again.”NWS: Does the term “journalist” have the same meaning today as it did when you first started out? Or has the job description changed over the years?TB: When I started out, there were two kinds of journalists: Print or broadcast. Radio or television. That’s it. But that’s changed now. You have bloggers. News stories appear in the universe of information technology. You have the Huffington Post, the Daily Beast, Salon.com – a world I could not have imagined when I first started. We’ve expanded the screen a great deal in terms of who is considered a journalist – and we’re still working our way through it. As a culture, we’re still figuring out who we can count on and where we can get useful, factual information.

NWS: Are there any other stories from recent American history that need to be told or paid attention to in that way?TB: We’re still working our way through the ‘60s. People are still trying to find their way through that time. Sometimes it takes a long while to gain perspective. Look at all the books about Lincoln – we’re still figuring that period out. That is the rich appeal of history.NWS: You’ve shared your thoughts extensively on the Boomers and on the World War II generation. I’m curious what your thoughts are on this current generation and what their strengths and opportunities will be.TB: You’re at the beginning of your path. We’re still waiting to see how it will play out with you. You’re highly educated, you have all these incredible tools at your disposal, and you’re on a “smaller planet with many more people,” as I like to say. This generation has issues and challenges I could never have anticipated, including climate change, and the speed with which economic downturns can occur. What’s going to be the impact of the rise of Asia, of China and India? These are important issues.NWS: But you’re optimistic?TB: Yes. We’re so highly educated. When I was a young man in the ‘50s, it wasn’t unusual for me or others to be the first in the family to go to college. That’s not the case anymore. America is an innovative country, and it always rises to the challenge if it gets the kind of dialogue and strong leadership it desires.NWS: Do you have any plans to write more books, or to produce more television projects?TB: I’ve got a couple of big TV projects on the front burner. And I am working away on another book project, one that’s smaller rather than bigger. I’m keeping more busy than I think is reasonable.NWS: In an interview with Land Report Magazine, you recounted a story about being in Montana and watching a herd of mother elk cross the river with their young. You called the experience a “spiritual” one for you. What role has spirituality or faith played in your life and work?TB: That was indeed a spiritual experience for me. It reminded me of our place in this universe. Ecosystems are not just biological – they are spiritual, relating to how we all fit together. And some of it remains mysterious. When you go to Montana, or to the Upper Peninsula for that matter, and you stand outdoors – it’s humbling. It’s spiritual.Do I meditate every day watching the setting sun? No. But I’m often struck by spiritual experiences. Recently, I was helping a neighbor drive cattle early one morning – it was before dawn. We were driving up to a high meadow, and this neighbor, an old cowboy, was sitting beside me in the truck. As we were driving, the sun began to rise in the east and this cowboy turned to me suddenly and said: “Ain’t God good?” (Pauses) There’s a kind of essential truth in that moment.