Sunday, July 19, 2009

Colleagues remember Walter Cronkite

July 18, 2009

I find it hard to fathom how nowaday journalists can speak of themselves in the same breath as Mr Walter Cronkite. Here are a few of their sound bites from the news – which make me wonder how they reconcile what they honor about Mr Cronkite with how they have behaved in regards to barry.

Will they change their behavior now that they know he can hear them?

Originally, I wanted to know what Mr Cronkite thought about the obvious pro-barry media coverage – in particular what he thought about their nonvetting and embargoing of harmful information or just plain ignoring of it (Rezko). I find it hard to believe he wouldn’t have asked barry straight out to produce his birth certificate. (I don’t know if he weighed in on it.) But then I realized that if he, too, was mesmerized it would be too much.

ROGER MUDD:

He was reassuring, he was comfortable. And when you listened to him you knew he knew his business. He had control of his broadcast and he was leveling with you. He was an honest man.

KATIE COURIC:

What I take away [shaking her head] from everything I know about Walter Cronkite is that good journalism matters. Seeking the truth is really important.

DAN RATHER (looks ill):

He was, literally, a living legend and now a legend in memory.

BARBARA WALTERS:

He was someone who made us feel safe and secure.

TOM BROKAW:

He was a quintessential American. He came from the Heartland. He wasn’t flashy one way or the other and his reporting was straightforward.

MADAME SECRETARY CLINTON (smiling): [full statement]

He was so kind to Bill and me. He took us sailing off of Martha’s Vineyard. Offered advice – both solicited and unsolicited - that we tried to follow.

POTUS statement

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