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MORAL MAJORITY
MORAL MAJORITY was founded by Rev. Jerry Falwell to promote the ide-
ology presented by conservative Christians throughout America. While it does
not specifically endorse candidates (although it has been historically traced to
support Republican ideology), it is very vocal and active in opposing "im-
moral" activities, such as abortion, pornography, and obscenity. The group's
members believe they have the right and duty to vote and promote those political
issues that uphold the moral dignity of the country and its citizens.
SOURCE: Leon Hurwitz, Historical Dictionary of Censorship in the U.S., 1985.
Jacqueline Nash Gifford

MOYERS, BILL (1934- ) is a journalist whose unique interests in meta-
physical topics have shaped an era of intellectual public television. Moyers,
whose original name was Billy Don Moyers, was born in Texas to a blue-collar
family.
His entry into the world of political communications was as a summer hire
for U.S. senator Lyndon B. Johnson's reelection campaign. It was the beginning
of a long, yet often troubled, alliance. After completing his journalism degree
at the University of Texas, he worked for Johnson as a special assistant and
later was director of public affairs of the Peace Corps, a position that combined
community affairs, political savvy, and a desire to help others.
In 1963, Johnson's sudden ascension to the presidency found Moyers leaving
the Peace Corps position and serving as an adviser to the new president. He
was later promoted to White House chief of staff and eventually press secretary.
Moyers used his journalism savvy to influence Johnson's reputation, which was
failing in the public's eyes and threatening his chances of reelection. Together
they faced tough issues, including racial unrest in the South and the country's
involvement in Vietnam. Moyers' reputation as a political adviser is best re-
membered in regard to his involvement with the creation of the ' 'Daisy Com-
mercial," which attacked Senator Barry Goldwater, who had been nominated
by the Republican Party as its presidential candidate.
In 1966, Moyers left the White House to work for Newsday, despite the
president's protests. He turned Newsday into the forerunner of today's news-
magazine format—full of sharp analyses and commentaries. Under his direction,
Newsday won three Pulitzer Prizes.
In 1970, Moyers uprooted again, only this time to reconnect with America.
He traveled a bit, interviewing common people, and wrote Listening to America:
A Traveler Rediscovers His Country, a widely accepted book. In the early 1970s,
he joined CBS as a special correspondent and also joined the staff of WNET-
TV, a public television station in New York City. There he began to look for
ways to differentiate himself from his commercial television personae. His tel-
evision program, called Bill Moyers' Journal, examined political and social top-
ics from a "thinking man's perspective," using interviews from scholars and
well-known citizens.