I tend to overwrite; I need a good editor.

My inclination, as an old-school, classically trained journalist, is not to go with a story unless I have it hard. It's not good enough to say something based on rumors that were flying around.

There are millions and millions of patriotic Muslim Americans.

You tell the people the stories the best you know. If there is something you don't know, you be up front and make that clear. You always give the aggrieved party the chance to respond before you publish or go to air. That's just my kind of old-fashioned news values.

If you are a reliable, honest journalist, sources will open up and trust you and share good information.

You see a lot over 30 years and you try to be professional and responsible. A lot of the interviews you do can be very haunting.

You have to be precise. You have to be specific, but you want to be accurate. That is first and foremost. You want to be on top of the story, but words do matter.