Rhode Island Public Radio honored longtime philanthropists Henry Sharpe '45, a former Herald editor, and his wife Peggy Sharpe and welcomed NPR political analyst and famed journalist Cokie Roberts as a featured speaker Thursday night. The event, held at the Hope Club, drew over 200 public radio supporters including Gov. Lincoln Chafee '75 P'14 P'16, who delivered remarks preceding Roberts' speech.
The event was a "dual program" to both celebrate the Sharpes' contributions to RIPR and host Roberts, said RIPR Operations Manager James Baumgartner, who helped coordinate the event.
Joseph O'Connor, the station's general manager, opened the evening, praising all donors and singling out the Sharpes, without whom "we would not be on the air today," he said.
The Sharpes helped launch RIPR in 1998, and it has been broadcasting ever since. Until RIPR began broadcasting, Rhode Island was one of only two states without a public radio station.
In his remarks, Chafee described the Sharpes as "a couple who embodies the true meaning of philanthropy."
"'(Public radio) is free of the scramble from ratings,'" he said, quoting former U.S. President Jimmy Carter. "(It) makes room for experiment and risk-taking."
"I particularly like the political coverage," he added jokingly to laughter and applause.
Chafee's comments were followed by a video that featured leaders of various Providence nonprofit organizations and former University President Vartan Gregorian paying tribute to the Sharpes.
The main event of the evening was Roberts' speech, in which she described her childhood in Washington, D.C. and analyzed the upcoming presidential election. Roberts, who contributes to NPR's Morning Edition, discussed her experiences at the Republican and Democratic National Conventions, the immigrant voting bloc and her predictions for the outcomes of the presidential race.
"Where we are right now is a place where the president is coming ahead in most of the battleground states," she said. But the remaining 40 days in the election could still make a difference, she added. "This election is nowhere near over."
After her comments, Roberts held a brief question and answer session for the audience. Questions covered topics ranging from future books to the changing landscape of reporting in an increasingly fast-paced news environment.
Roberts stressed the importance of "solid news gathering" instead of "what sounds good in pajamas in the middle of the night."
"(Public radio) is listened to by people of all ages and all income brackets," she told The Herald after the event. "It is key in the lives of millions of Americans but also in setting the news agenda for other news organizations."
Contributions from donors like the Sharpes, she added, were "huge" in maintaining the medium.
"You have to have some very committed, large donors, because way too many people freeload," she said.
Many of the event's attendees were familiar with the Sharpes, who have deep ties to Rhode Island. Henry Sharpe hails from the noted Sharpe family, whose members include former University chancellor Henry Sharpe of Sharpe Refectory fame. Peggy Sharpe studied landscape architecture at the Rhode Island School of Design. Over the years, both have donated significantly to charitable organizations, including the Providence Preservation Society and the Rhode Island Foundation.
"They're everywhere in Providence, everywhere in Rhode Island," said attendee Heather Florence of the Sharpes. Florence, who supports many of the same organizations as the Sharpes, described the couple as "a lot of fun."
"It's Rhode Island," said attendee Carolyn Benedict-Drew. "All of us know each other, all of us that are in favor of great things."
Benedict-Drew, who said she worked with Roberts to open a shelter for battered women in Trenton, N.J., called her remarks "perfect."
"I celebrate her goodness and her continued support of human rights," she said.
But underlying the event itself was a deep-seated appreciation for the mission of public radio. "It's professional, responsible journalism, and I trust it," said attendee Barbara Schoenfeld.
