[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 150 (Tuesday, November 19, 2002)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2091]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      TRIBUTE TO MR. JACK COLWELL

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. TIM ROEMER

                               of indiana

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, November 19, 2002

  Mr. ROEMER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to a great 
American, an accomplished journalist, and an astute observer of 
politics, Mr. Jack Colwell of South Bend, Indiana. After nearly 40 
years as the political writer for the South Bend Tribune, Mr. Colwell 
will soon be stepping down from that post. It is my great honor to have 
this opportunity to wish him well as he embarks on his well-deserved 
retirement.
  In an age when political communication often generates more heat than 
light and political discourse is dominated by cynicism and spin, Mr. 
Colwell has set the standard for accuracy, fairness, and integrity in 
political journalism. The insights and observations found in his weekly 
column and regular news articles for the Tribune have inspired 
generations of readers to engage in the political process. As a 
longtime reader and frequent subject of Mr. Colwell's pieces, I have 
marveled at his ability to inform and entertain, report the facts while 
also providing the broader context of an issue, and share his knowledge 
with a characteristic modesty, humor, and respect for the political 
process.
  Although Hoosiers now proudly claim him as one of their own, Mr. 
Colwell originally hails from Ottawa, Illinois. Upon graduation from 
the University of Illinois College of Journalism, he began his 
professional journalistic career at the Champaign-Urbana Courier. 
Later, Mr. Colwell honed his journalistic skills while serving our 
country in the United States Army as the editor for the Fifth Army 
newspaper. Upon completion of his service, he joined the South Bend 
Tribune as a night police reporter. In 1964, Mr. Colwell assumed the 
position of political reporter for the Tribune--a post he has held ever 
since.
  Over the course of his 38 years covering politics, Mr. Colwell's 
relentless pursuit of political news led to coverage of every major 
politician in Indiana, 20 national political conventions, and too many 
local, state, and national elections to count. His distinguished career 
in journalism earned him numerous writing awards from the Hoosier State 
Press Association and the Indiana Associated Press Managing Editors.
  In addition to his obligations to the South Bend Tribune, since 1988, 
Mr. Colwell has provided a forum for conversations between citizens and 
their elected officials as the host of a local public affairs 
television program. He also finds time to share the insights of his 
craft with the next generation of journalists as an adjunct associate 
professor of journalism at the University of Notre Dame.
  Mr. Speaker, it is difficult to imagine following politics in 
Northern Indiana without the benefit of Jack Colwell's contributions. I 
believe that Jack Powers, the former managing editor of the South Bend 
Tribune, perhaps put it most succinctly when he said at the time of Mr. 
Colwell's induction into the Indiana Journalism Hall of Fame in 2000, 
``Jack Colwell is the greatest single journalist in the history of the 
community and the newspaper. He made us all look good. He still does.'' 
I join my constituents in thanking Jack for his years of service and 
wish him much success in his future endeavors.

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