[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 79 (Monday, June 9, 1997)]
[Senate]
[Pages S5426-S5427]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




    ON ALAN EMORY'S 50TH ANNIVERSARY WITH THE WATERTOWN DAILY TIMES

 Mr. MOYNIHAN. Mr. President, the Watertown Daily Times' 
Washington Bureau Chief Alan Emory marked a most felicitous occasion on 
Saturday. Alan has served the Watertown Daily Times and the people of 
New York State for a half a century. My colleague Senator D'Amato and I 
call him ``the Dean'' of the New York correspondents in our Nation's 
capital and, indeed, he is one of the Nation's most sagacious and 
indefatigable journalists.
  His capacity for balanced reporting was grounded in his upbringing. 
His father was a Democratic New York State Supreme Court judge, his 
mother a labor arbitrator for the Republican mayor of New York, 
Fiorello LaGuardia. After Emory's childhood in New York City and Long 
Island and a fine education at Exeter, Harvard, and the Columbia School 
of Journalism, the young man headed north to seek his fortune. He 
landed a job at the Watertown Times in 1947 as its correspondent in 
Massena, a small city along the St. Lawrence Seaway. He steadily rose 
up the ranks to State editor, legislative correspondent, and editorial 
writer.
  In 1951, the newspaper opened a Washington bureau. He eagerly 
accepted the Johnson family's offer to become the bureau chief and has 
served the people of New York State in Washington ever since--46 years, 
a term almost twice as long as that of our State's longest serving 
Senator, Jacob Javits, who served for 24 years.
  Mr. Emory is one of the most prolific daily journalists in 
Washington. He writes up to six stories per day and two columns per 
week for the Sunday Commentary section. He also is the Washington 
columnist for the monthly magazine, The Empire State Report. He does 
all this with a standard of accuracy and insight that few can match. 
While the Washington Post in 1977 described Mr. Emory as being one of a 
vanishing breed of Washington correspondents for regional newspapers, 
he remains an example of journalistic excellence to young reporters.
  Mr. Emory has written more than just news stories. He also is one of 
the most gelastic lyricists ever to grace the Gridiron Club's talent 
pool. He has written music for Washington's most prestigious 
journalists' club ever since he joined it 21 years ago, and he produced 
many of its most amusing skits. He has also served the Gridiron Club in

[[Page S5427]]

more serious ways--as its vice president for 1994, president for 1995, 
and current treasurer.
  Legislators and journalists are supposed to keep a healthy distance 
between them but I confess to a great personal affection for my old 
friend, Alan Emory. I congratulate him and his beloved wife, Nancy, as 
he celebrates 50 fine years with the Watertown Daily Times.

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