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Who Is Marc Lacey? Meet the Times Editor Moderating the Democratic Debate | |
(1 day later) | |
BEHIND THE BYLINE | BEHIND THE BYLINE |
Interview by Lara Takenaga | Interview by Lara Takenaga |
The Reader Center has started an interview series, Behind the Byline, to introduce you to Times journalists. Is there a reporter, photographer or editor whom you would like to get to know? Tell us in the form below. | The Reader Center has started an interview series, Behind the Byline, to introduce you to Times journalists. Is there a reporter, photographer or editor whom you would like to get to know? Tell us in the form below. |
Over his 20 years at The New York Times, Marc Lacey has worn many hats: a White House correspondent, a foreign correspondent who has reported from dozens of countries, the editor of the weekend news report and, now, the National editor. | Over his 20 years at The New York Times, Marc Lacey has worn many hats: a White House correspondent, a foreign correspondent who has reported from dozens of countries, the editor of the weekend news report and, now, the National editor. |
But on Tuesday, he’ll try on a very different one. Alongside the CNN anchors Anderson Cooper and Erin Burnett, Marc will moderate the fourth Democratic debate — the first that The Times has hosted in more than a decade. | But on Tuesday, he’ll try on a very different one. Alongside the CNN anchors Anderson Cooper and Erin Burnett, Marc will moderate the fourth Democratic debate — the first that The Times has hosted in more than a decade. |
[Meet the 21 reporters covering the election for our Politics desk.] | |
Here, Marc shares how he learned about his latest gig, the career path he almost chose and his surprising hobby. | Here, Marc shares how he learned about his latest gig, the career path he almost chose and his surprising hobby. |
What was your path to becoming the National editor? | What was your path to becoming the National editor? |
I still remember when I got the call from New York in 2011 asking whether I wanted to be an editor. I was the first-ever Phoenix bureau chief for The Times and was in my home office gazing out at the man-made lake I lived on. My pontoon boat was docked nearby, with my fishing rod at the ready. | I still remember when I got the call from New York in 2011 asking whether I wanted to be an editor. I was the first-ever Phoenix bureau chief for The Times and was in my home office gazing out at the man-made lake I lived on. My pontoon boat was docked nearby, with my fishing rod at the ready. |
After more than a decade of adventurous reporting posts, I thought editing would be another adventure. I have not been wrong. I have edited some of our finest foreign correspondents, run The Times over the weekend and, since 2016, overseen coverage of the country. Regrettably, though, I no longer catch fish in the middle of the day. | After more than a decade of adventurous reporting posts, I thought editing would be another adventure. I have not been wrong. I have edited some of our finest foreign correspondents, run The Times over the weekend and, since 2016, overseen coverage of the country. Regrettably, though, I no longer catch fish in the middle of the day. |
What do you enjoy most about the role? What is most challenging about it? | What do you enjoy most about the role? What is most challenging about it? |
I’m part conductor, part coach. I no longer pick up the French horn and blow out notes. But I can tell when someone is off key. And if I wave my arms the right way, beautiful music will result. | I’m part conductor, part coach. I no longer pick up the French horn and blow out notes. But I can tell when someone is off key. And if I wave my arms the right way, beautiful music will result. |
As for the coaching part, I have an amazing team of correspondents scattered throughout the country. I call plays, together with my top-notch editing staff, and we watch from the sidelines as they carry them out. I put people in the positions that bring out the best in them and help us win, journalistically speaking. | As for the coaching part, I have an amazing team of correspondents scattered throughout the country. I call plays, together with my top-notch editing staff, and we watch from the sidelines as they carry them out. I put people in the positions that bring out the best in them and help us win, journalistically speaking. |
As for the challenges, the hours are long but nothing like those in the field. | As for the challenges, the hours are long but nothing like those in the field. |
[Read how our National desk covers the United States ahead of a pivotal election.] | |
What did you learn as a former correspondent — in Kenya, Mexico and the United States — that has informed your work as an editor? | What did you learn as a former correspondent — in Kenya, Mexico and the United States — that has informed your work as an editor? |
I learned how to go from a deep sleep to a state just alert enough to understand that the editor on the other end of the phone was sending me to a coup attempt in a place called N’Djamena, which is the capital of Chad. | I learned how to go from a deep sleep to a state just alert enough to understand that the editor on the other end of the phone was sending me to a coup attempt in a place called N’Djamena, which is the capital of Chad. |
“Were you asleep?” I used to be asked back then. If I had had the vocabulary at the time, I would have responded: “Bruh.” Now that I’m making the calls, I apologize to correspondents for waking them at ungodly hours and then mention someplace they never thought they’d go. | “Were you asleep?” I used to be asked back then. If I had had the vocabulary at the time, I would have responded: “Bruh.” Now that I’m making the calls, I apologize to correspondents for waking them at ungodly hours and then mention someplace they never thought they’d go. |
How did you find out that you would be co-moderating the next Democratic debate? What was your reaction? | How did you find out that you would be co-moderating the next Democratic debate? What was your reaction? |
My phone rang one recent night. I ignored it. It rang again. I ignored it again. The same call and no response continued a few more times right in the middle of the last presidential debate, which I was watching from home. | My phone rang one recent night. I ignored it. It rang again. I ignored it again. The same call and no response continued a few more times right in the middle of the last presidential debate, which I was watching from home. |
It turned out that it was Patrick Healy, our political editor, who had just learned that The New York Times would be co-sponsoring the next debate with CNN. Apparently there had been a meeting among the top Times brass in which various people were proposed for the Times moderator role. | It turned out that it was Patrick Healy, our political editor, who had just learned that The New York Times would be co-sponsoring the next debate with CNN. Apparently there had been a meeting among the top Times brass in which various people were proposed for the Times moderator role. |
When Pat asked me, I chuckled. It turns out he wasn’t joking. | When Pat asked me, I chuckled. It turns out he wasn’t joking. |
What’s something that readers would be surprised to learn about you? | What’s something that readers would be surprised to learn about you? |
I ride a motorcycle — not a particularly mean one, but a motorcycle nonetheless. This is very much counter to my image, which is why I don’t sell it. | I ride a motorcycle — not a particularly mean one, but a motorcycle nonetheless. This is very much counter to my image, which is why I don’t sell it. |
If you had to choose another job, in journalism or not, what would it be? | If you had to choose another job, in journalism or not, what would it be? |
I majored in biology at Cornell and believe that if the stars had aligned differently, I might have made a fine surgeon. | I majored in biology at Cornell and believe that if the stars had aligned differently, I might have made a fine surgeon. |
Journalism can be messy work just like medicine, but we, much like those in operating rooms, try to suture all the wounds and wipe away any mess before we finish. | Journalism can be messy work just like medicine, but we, much like those in operating rooms, try to suture all the wounds and wipe away any mess before we finish. |
How do you spend your time when you’re off duty? | How do you spend your time when you’re off duty? |
I have a dog named Sandy who greets me at the end of each workday with so much enthusiasm that I forget all the hostile tweets I might have received that day. The debate’s going to be great, I have no doubt, especially to my labradoodle. To her, no matter what happens onstage, I will have won. | I have a dog named Sandy who greets me at the end of each workday with so much enthusiasm that I forget all the hostile tweets I might have received that day. The debate’s going to be great, I have no doubt, especially to my labradoodle. To her, no matter what happens onstage, I will have won. |
A note to readers who are not subscribers: This article from the Reader Center does not count toward your monthly free article limit. | A note to readers who are not subscribers: This article from the Reader Center does not count toward your monthly free article limit. |
Follow the @ReaderCenter on Twitter for more coverage highlighting your perspectives and experiences and for insight into how we work. | Follow the @ReaderCenter on Twitter for more coverage highlighting your perspectives and experiences and for insight into how we work. |