Wednesday, June 15, 1960: Definition of a committee

The widely repeated quote from longtime NBC journalist Richard Harkness, writing in the New York Herald Tribune: "What is a committee? A group of the unwilling, picked from the unfit, to do the unnecessary." The full quote, which was an observation of that year's presidential race: "When it comes to facing up to serious problems, each candidate will pledge to form a committee. And what is a committee? A group of the unwilling, picked from the unfit, to do the unnecessary. But it all sounds great in a campaign speech."

Harkness is also said to have suggested to President Franklin D. Roosevelt to include "freedom from fear" in FDR's upcoming State of the Union speech in 1941. (It became known as the "Four Freedoms" speech.)

* Video clip of Harkness talking about color TV: @

* Listen to Harkness, in Washington, reporting on D-Day: @

* Text of "Four Freedoms" speech: @

* Audio of "Four Freedoms" speech: @

* "A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the White House" (book): @

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