For a distinguished example of reporting on national affairs, Five thousand dollars ($5,000).

Awarded to The Wall Street Journal Staff for its coverage of the struggle against AIDS in all of its aspects, the human, the scientific and the business, in light of promising treatments for the disease.

Columbia University President, George Rupp (left), presents David Sanford and Michael Waldholz with the 1997 Pulitzer Prize for National Reporting.

Finalists

Also nominated as finalists in this category were: Ronald Brownstein of the Los Angeles Times for his comprehensive political coverage during the presidential election year, and Bill Moushey of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette for his resourceful reporting on the federal Witness Protection Program illustrating how the program's secrecy and lack of oversight has led to abuses and risks to the public.