Retiring Wallace leaves big shoes to fill

It is difficult to imagine who will replace Mike Wallace now that the CBS reporter and “60 Minutes” correspondent, 88, is going into retirement. A man like Wallace doesn’t just retire. He eases into it, on a tide of interviews about his contributions to journalism, his many coups – conceding a mistake here and there.

But for all his bombast, his celebrity, his salty arrogance at times, Mike Wallace has been a major contributor to world journalism.

I got a taste of the salt, the celebrity and the mistakes all at once when Mike and I clashed over a “60 Minutes” show he’d done on Harlem. I didn’t think much of it. It seemed to be merely a Wallace voice-over – he hadn’t even visited Harlem for the piece – based on impressions from a documentary filmed by a Swedish television crew. It was a grossly distorted picture of the place where I’d grown up and gone to school. I blasted the piece in my column.

What offended me was that he failed to mention that thousands of people in Harlem are hardworking, law-abiding citizens. No reference to the businessmen, athletes, teachers, doctors, lawyers, writers, entertainers, taxi drivers, police officers and college students who live and work there – but plenty on the alcoholics and addicts.

After a phone call, he strode into my office, column in hand, raising holy hell. During our discussion, Wallace referred to North Philadelphia as “the jungle,” arguing that the term he’d heard for 20 years “is not my invention.”

“Does that make the term legitimate?” I asked.

“Well, …” Wallace said, palms upward. Then he added: “Look. I’m Jewish. I recently did a story affecting the Jewish population and was called a Nazi.”

“I’m not calling you names,” I said. “I’m only suggesting that you shouldn’t call other people names.”

Wallace smiled and shook my hand. Minutes later, he was off with his film crew to some new adventure.

Suffering is also part of journalism. After a CBS special alleging that Gen. William Westmoreland and other U.S. military leaders had misled the country about enemy troop strength, there was an acrimonious lawsuit between Westmoreland and CBS, leading to an apology by the network.

Wallace was hospitalized for depression, and on a special “60 Minutes” this past Sunday devoted to his career, he said he had come close to suicide.

I think of Mike Wallace as the Michael Jordan of broadcast journalism. Like Jordan, he made those around him, including his competitors, better at their game. Perhaps no other reporter has faced off with so many celebrities, world leaders and controversial figures as Wallace. Letting him interview you has always been risky – yet if he’s never spoken to you, you probably haven’t reached the top of your game.

He has covered international affairs, world wars, the Mafia, Freedom Fighters, the United Nations and nearly every industry or organization of significance over the last 60 years. And he has won 20 Emmys.

Despite our differences, Wallace has made a Herculean contribution to broadcast journalism. I’m not eager to see him go. I’m wondering who’s to follow him – and can that individual – can anyone? – hope to accomplish half as much as Wallace has?