The 2008 Pulitzer Prizes

Accomplished today: Successfully pitched another story, researched three other stories, did some on-site reporting.

Music mood: No Bad News, by Patty Griffin

The 2008 Pulitzer Prizes were announced today! Just as Hollywood bites its nails to find out who won an Oscar, those of us in the print journalism world hover in anticipation of finding out who was honored with journalism's highest prize. I actually organized my day so that I could be sitting at my computer late in the afternoon, eagerly awaiting the news.

Why do I get so excited every year? Because the Pulitzer Prize reminds me of why I chose journalism as a career; that is, the press -- despite its many flaws -- is still one of the most powerful forces for change and understanding in the world. And for all the wasted minutes spent speculating about Britney's next meltdown or Paris Hilton's latest outfit, the vast majority of American journalists are out there telling important stories every single day.

Consider just a few of the things that this year's winners accomplished:
-- Revealed the neglectful treatment of many wounded veterans at Walter Reed Hospital (Washington Post: Public Service Award)
-- Exposed the many dangerous ingredients in products imported from China, prompting major crackdowns (The New York Times: Investigative Reporting Award)
-- Exposed corruption in the enforcement of tax laws regarding public officials in Milwaukee (Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Local Reporting Award)

I used to get a lot of smirks and eye-rolls whenever I would tell my old newspaper colleagues that I wanted to win a Pulitzer someday. You know the look...it's the "who the hell does she think she is?" look that is too often adopted in the face of big dreams. It's the same look that writers get when they tell people they want to be a published author.

Is it a big dream to want to win a Pulitzer someday? Of course it is. But I would hope that every working journalist in America has that dream. Because it's not about seeking glory. It's about wanting to do the kinds of stories that make a difference.

And anyway, I like big dreams. Is there any other kind worth having?

(For a full list of winners, click here.)