The Way We Were: Philly In '48

I mention these things to put in perspective the criticism that the press these days is increasingly guilty of pushing its own political or personal biases. And to those who charge that the media have become more celebrity oriented, I'd note that the issue of TIME that came out in the middle of the convention had a cover story on actress Jean Simmons ("a sweet-natured, spirited, unaffected girl").

When the convention was over, TIME did a story on how the new medium of television conveyed, and in some ways distorted, the reality. "Through the fast-moving telecamera, the balloting, the demonstrations, the tub-thumping speeches and sweating caucuses looked bigger and more exciting than they actually were."

Now we're at the dawn of another new era, that of the Internet, and we'll be covering the convention on Time.com (check it out!). But at the risk of again seeming quaint, let me say that, when it comes to conveying a colorful narrative tale and nuanced analysis, with elegant writing and memorable images all in a convenient package, nothing quite beats a magazine. That's just as true now as it was in 1948, and I suspect it will be true even in 2052.

Walter Isaacson, Managing Editor