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Mister Rogers Saves Public Media with Heartfelt Testimony

Daniel Hautzinger
Mister Rogers

On May 1, 1969, Fred Rogers managed to convince the cynical politicians of Washington to prevent funding cuts to public media through his direct, deeply convincing testimony. He described his television show and his attempt to grant children an emotional education, inducing goosebumps in the gruff chariman of the Senate Subcommittee on Communications. He finished by reading the lyrics to one of his songs, receiving a happy response from the chairman: "I think it's wonderful. Looks like you just earned the twenty million dollars."

Watch Mister Rogers's moving testimony here.  And if you want his wisdom always close at hand, you can get a Mister Rogers mug here.