NYT: Walter Cronkite dead at 92

Ladies and Gentlemen, forgive me for writing this, but I felt compelled to do so. This is something I prayed for it not to happen, but it with an appreciation that I should.

My generation, including myself, were the benefactors of being the last generation that Uncle Walter reported the news to. I was 6 years old when he ended his run on that day, Friday, March 6, 1981. Yes, I was a pip-squeaked chubby kid in kindergarten, but I knew when 5:30 pm central time came, I dropped everything, ran into the den, and watched the evening news with my old man, and sometimes my grandparents. It was no secret that my old man was a John Chancellor man. He grew up with Huntley and Brinkley. My grandpa was a Cronkite man.

Regardless of what their preferences were, they learned more about the world. I didn't know a lot about Chancellor, though Brokaw and he became my favorites later on post-Cronkite. It was Uncle Walter I knew the best.

As a news junkie, and an unabashed one at that, I feel that a major part of me has ended this evening. Many of you feel the same, as we should.

It's somewhat pretentious to say this, even to myself, that with Cronkite's passing, the great era of broadcasting and giant broadcasters has officially ended. I don't mind being corrected, it's warranted, if I'm in error.

The regret I have is that had I been born in the 50's and 60's, my level of appreciation for his era and his body of work would deepen 200-fold. And this is coming from someone who pines for that experience today at age 33.

Uncle Walter, thank you for giving me and everyone behind me something to be proud and in awe of: professionalism to the career you love, the people who served and looked up to you, and importantly the millions of us who wanted to hear the news, the way it was, from you.

Betsy is waiting for you, Uncle Walter. So is Howard, Frank, Chancellor, Doug Edwards, and Ed.

 

Unbelievable that this should happen three days before the 40th annniversary of Apollo 11 moonwalk. People laud his JFK assassination work, but he was the voice of the Space Race. Every J-School student should have to watch every "As you Saw it" video of Walter working the big events.

 

A very interesting guy. RIP.

Anyone know why Arizona State named its journalism school after him? Did he have any connection to the school before that?

 

Dan Rather following Walter was like Dave Kingman replacing the Babe.

 

Good for Mike.

I can only wish that CBS would drop everything they do and spend a week doing special reports and tributes to Cronkite, starting tonight. Give him the same red-carpet treatment Jacko got.

 

One of my favorite Cronkite moments: that genuine emotion, the tickled-by-the-moment and honest reaction to the lunar landing. That clip is a keeper.

RIP, Mr. Cronkite.

 

I'm impressed with coverage Fox News is giving. Cronkite was probably the last anchor everyone respected.

 

Sam Donaldson on CNN just came up with one of the best quotes ever in presidential politics. When Cronkite began subtly and with much class coming out against the Vietnam War, Lyndon Johnson said, "If I've lost Walter Cronkite, I've lost America."

 

More like a pit bull replacing Lassie. Rather was probably a better technical journalist than Cronkite, but was not well suited for what the anchor job requires. Bob Schieffer should have been Cronkite's replacement, not Rather's.

 

As good a time as any:

MLK's assassination

LBJ's passing

Final Huntley-Brinkley report (with farewell from Walter ... I love the teletype as the closing sound)

Part 1 of many of JFK from Nov. 23, 1963

 

No. It should have been Roger Mudd taking over, who was the favorite inside the news division. But Rather threatened to go to ABC and CBS caved. Mudd went to NBC, where he co-anchored the NBC News with Brokaw before getting the bums rush.
Mudd brought down Teddy Kennedy's presidential campaign in 1980 by asking him - "why do you want to be President?" Kennedy pulled a Palin.

 

Lassie, my ass. He was tough when the moment called. Did you not notice the LBJ quote I posted? For Johnson to quake like that over Cronkite's stance was proof of Walter's clout.