Michael Posner

Mike was a fine reporter, and a larger than life character. When Pope John Paul II visited the United States in 1979, I asked Mike to do a followup about a dog at the Apostolic Nuncio's residence being moved to another location because it kept barking and howling and there was concern it would disturb His Holiness while he rested.

While Mike was interviewing a bishop on the phone from our office, then in the National Press Building, he stood up and someone removed his chair. Unfazed, Mike knelt and continued to interview the bishop while some of the wags in the newsroom started yelping like dogs. “Yes, Monsignor,” Mike told the bishop, “it’s dogs barking...yes...yes... I can't hear, what...Yes, they are baying at the moon.” Seconds later, as the human yelps continued and Mike raised his voice to be heard over the noise, our bureau chief came trotting out of his office, asking, “Yes, yes, who wants me?”  More laughter, then Mike calmly said, “Thank you, Monsignor...” put down the ’phone and, pen and paper in hand and mustache bristling, growled at no one in particular, “Good doggie, good doggie...woof, woof...” ■