President Johnson had proposed $20 million to fund it. The new Nixon administration wanted to cut that in half.
The man who would decide was Senator John Pastore of Rhode Island, who chaired the Senate’s communications subcommittee. He had a reputation for being gruff and impatient, and he had never seen Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood.
Then a quiet man in a jacket and tie sat down at the microphone. Fred Rogers was not yet a household name.
He had a prepared statement, but he asked if he could just talk instead.
He explained that his show dealt with “the inner drama of childhood”: things like getting a haircut, feelings about brothers and sisters, and the anger that comes up in families.
“I give an expression of care every day to each child,” he said, “to help him realize that he is unique.”
He told the senator how he ends every program: “There’s no person in the whole world like you, and I like you, just the way you are.”
The senator spoke up. “Well, I’m supposed to be a pretty tough guy,” Pastore said, “and this is the first time I’ve had goose bumps for the last two days.”
Then Fred Rogers recited the words of one of his songs, “What Do You Do With the Mad That You Feel?” It is about a child learning that he can stop himself from doing something wrong.
When he finished, Pastore said, “I think it’s wonderful. I think it’s wonderful. Looks like you just earned the $20 million.”
The room broke into laughter and applause. The next year, funding for public broadcasting grew from $9 million to $22 million.
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