Walter Lippmann's Phantom Publics

"Lippmann was one of the most successful people who ever lived.... No other journalist in American history has had so much influence on events, had his hand in so many state papers, been on such equal terms with the great. No other wrote books that became such famous keys to each era in turn, was able to impart to newspaper and magazine columns, with such a magisterial air of cultivation, political intelligence of the coolest and most decisive sort."

"Lippmann was a unique figure in American letters, someone who towers over almost every political columnist who has plied the trade since World War I. He also towers over almost all of his peers in political philosophy, with the possible exception of John Dewey. Lippmann was the public intellectual of the 20th century: Few burnished their brainy brand of opinion-slinging in print and, occasionally, broadcast media more prolifically and seriously,"

Walter Lippmann exercised extraordinary influence on American public life across the twentieth century. He combined prodigious energy, a powerful intellect, and lucid, incisive prose to shape political debate, public opinion, and elite decision-making. He authored books that functioned as interpretive keys for successive eras and translated complex political ideas into authoritative columns and broadcasts. His intellectual presence dominated both journalism and political philosophy, rivaling major thinkers in range and stature. He cultivated close relationships with political leaders and operated comfortably within corridors of power. He made memorable mistakes at times, yet his impact on American political culture remained profound and enduring.

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