My Conversation with Jann Wenner

I just had a conversation today with Jann Wenner, the founder, publisher and editor of Rolling Stone magazine.

He recently edited Gonzo: The Life of Hunter S. Thompson. Wenner first hired Thompson as a correspondent in 1970 and, in the process, forever changed political reporting.

In our discussion, Wenner said this presidential election is about change. He talked about what this meant for the Democratic field.

Here is some of what he said:

The entire conversation will be broadcast tonight on your local PBS station.

You can see it tomorrow on the Charlie Rose website.

Comments

[Hugo de Balsac]

i agree with the comment about Rolling Stone being nothing more than a passing influence on American counter-culture. there are MUCH better magazines if you're interested in understanding what the kids are really up to these days. RS magazine is more about advertising, yuppiedom and vanity than music and art from and by the American people, and it shows. which is not to say there isn't an occasional article or two that deserves recognition, it's just that the overall picture Wenner's Warship presents to the public is skewed to HIS tastes, preferences and attitudes, not ours. read the book Rolling Stone Magazine: Uncensored by Robert Draper if you want to know more about Wenner the social climber who put almost everyone he employed out of work so he could become fashion director of the free world. his views are mostly irrelevant.

[lovethesinner]

I think both Wenner and Rose deserve points for their performance in this interview. Wenner for having the guts to come down with an honest reflection of his feelings in spite of what that might mean to Rolling Stone's bottom line, --especially in California-- and Rose for pressing him to answer the question.

For the last five or six years, some of the very toughest political journalism has come from Rolling Stone, and it must be because Jann Wenner's courage is leaking down through the ranks.

Sadly, the only real change that Hillary has to offer is gender. But, in winning the '08 election, Americans need to ask themselves...

What is more important: breaking through the marble ceiling, or putting a lid on world fascism?

I don't believe she's shown us how she can do either, let alone both.

[rovezaleeker]

Sorry, Chuck. You lost a bunch of credibility with me when you bailed on the Valerie Plame interview a few weeks ago and then threw softballs underhanded to Quick Karl "I am not fat. I'm just big boned." Rove.

[Spookcatcher]

These Charlie Rose Commentaries are just blatant ADVERTISEMENT for himself. This Elitist shill has nothing mindful or relative to say about anything why is he given space by HuffingtonPost? I believe it would be hard to find if Charlie Rose has a singular ioriginal nsightful comment on anything that wasn't bought and paid for him probably since Junior High School. Now where did I put that silver spoon Kissinger gave me?...

[May2002]

I am not a frequent reader of Rolling Stone. But I have to say Jann Wenner is my type of guy.

I want change.

I want a new leader to lead the country forward to a new direction.

I definitely don't want Clinton who represents Washington establishment to reside in the White House.

I definitely don't want political families to take turn to run the country, especially after eight years of Bush fiasco.

We are supposed to be an open, democratic country where the reserve of talented political leaders is unlimited. Why should we give such important opportunity to the same group of people again? People in power for too long tend to be corrupt, arrogant and exude a sense of entitlement. There is almost no exception for this. HIllary should only be given the opportunity if she is exceptionally outstanding and has contributed a great deal to the country. I don't see she fits these descriptions. In addition, she does excude a sense of entitlement for no reason other than her name is Clinton. Simply put, Clinton had their chance. Now the opportunity belongs to next outstanding leader. To me, that person is Obama.

[chrisfletcher]

Important songs have been ignored by the mainstream media for years. When Rolling Stone stareted out the music of the day reflected the spirit of the times. If Mr Wenner would give some recognition to bands that have been paying dues for years maybe we'd have a better soundtrack to today's turbulent times. For example please listen to The Subway Sun's global warming rock anthem, "Mother Nature's Nervous Breakdown"
www.myspace.com/thesubwaysun

[perdidodog]

Mr. Rose, Please take a breath. Let your guest speak.

Unless that guest is karl rove , with whom you did nothing but breathe. In that case real questions would have been expected.

What a historical shame that sad hour was.

[horhay]

'Politics is the art of controlling your environment.'

That is one of the key things I learned in these years, and I learned it the hard way. Anybody who thinks that 'it doesn't matter who's President' has never been Drafted and sent off to fight and die in a vicious, stupid War on the other side of the World -- or been beaten and gassed by Police for trespassing on public property -- or been hounded by the IRS for purely political reasons -- or locked up in the Cook County Jail with a broken nose and no phone access and twelve perverts wanting to stomp your ass in the shower. That is when it matters who is President or Governor or Police Chief. That is when you will wish you had voted.
-Hunter S. Thompson

[Alvin4NY]

Sometimes I get a little annoyed at the folks that get the cover of Rolling Stone these days, so many seem like flash in the pan, as opposed to real artists. BUT, I can appreciate the reporting in Rolling Stone as some of the most responsible and informed out there. If the kids that buy it for the cover shots, read the rest of the issues, it can help inform a generation, and get them motivated, the same way the late 60's Music Scene impacted that generation. Mr. Wenner has earned his place in political history. I hope he continues to use his voice and his magazine, to continue keeping people informed in the most responsible way. By getting them to use their voices, and take what they know to the streets, to further inform and generate real change.