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Walter Cronkite died; And that's the way it is
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Walter Cronkite died today (1916 - 2009) Photo by AP
Deemed the” father of television,” CBS anchor Walter Cronkite died today; Also called “the most trusted man in America,” Cronkite was suffering from cerebrovascular disease and passed away at 7:42 p.m. today in his home.
Though Cronkite quit CBS news in 1981, his influence in journalism – objectivity, honesty and integrity – continued to influence a dwindling pool of similar-minded news reporters. The loss of NBC’s Tim Russert who died last year was dramatic, due in part to his ethical and stylistic similarities to Cronkite. Both men represented middle America well, both were highly respected in their fields.
CBS News among other organizations will hold remembrances for Walter Cronkite in the upcoming days. Though a healthy collection of interesting facts, photos, quotes and carreer highlights about Cronkite appeared within an hour of his death.
To readers who are too young to remember Cronkite’s prime, it is worth a look to see how and why the news anchor gained the reputation he did.
One of the most memorable moments in his career was his coverage of the assassinations of President John F. Kennedy and the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.
Known for understated compassion, Cronkite shed a poignant tear the day President Kennedy was shot. He went on to report on many world-changing events to include Watergate and the Iran hostage crisis.
From President Johnson to the Nixon administration, the executive branch feared his Face the Nation report when they had a reason to do so.
Cronkite continued to opine on politics long after he retired from CBS to include most recently on the Iraq war and President George Bush. Yet, he made distinctions between opinion and facts. Interviewed by Larry King, he stated “We all have prejudices," he said of his fellow journalists, "but we also understand how to set them aside when we do the job."
But, according to the AP, “Cronkite repeatedly condemned television practices that put entertainment values ahead of news judgment. “And that's the way it is" … Cronkite would say to millions of viewers each night.
Remembering Cronkite:
According to Politico, "on Sunday, at 7pm, CBS will air a special on Cronkite, with remembrances from President Obama, Mike Wallaces, Morley Safer, Katie Couric, Ted Koppel, Diane Sawyer, Brian Williams and more."
