Posted on 06/18/2009 2:36:23 PM PDT by Beaten Valve
TVNewser has learned legendary CBS newsman Walter Cronkite, 92, who once held the title of "Most Trusted Man in America," is said to be gravely ill, according to multiple CBS News sources. The network began updating his obituary more than a week ago, a source adds.
CBS News executive Linda Mason, designated to speak on Cronkite's behalf, had no comment.
The avuncular Cronkite anchored "CBS Evening News" for 19 years, until 1981, when he was forced to retire. Dan Rather was named his successor. Cronkite maintained an office at CBS, where he was a special correspondent.
A native of St. Joseph, Mo., Cronkite made his mark as a World War II correspondent for United Press. He joined CBS in 1950 as a Washington correspondent. In 1962, he was named anchor of "CBS Evening News," then 15 minutes in length. The following year, it became network TV's first 30'minute weeknight newscast.
Cronkite's nightly sign-off -- "And that's the way it is..." - became part of the popular lexicon, and his gravelly voice was instantly recognizable. During his tenure, he led "Evening News" to first place in the Nielsen ratings.
Cronkite returned to "Evening News," in a manner of speaking, in September 2006, when he recorded the opening to the newscast with new anchor Katie Couric.
In an interview with this reporter in 2006, Cronkite was asked if he ever thought about death.
"When you get to be 89, you have to think about it a little bit. It doesn't prey on me, and it doesn't keep me awake nights. Occasionally, when I'm upset about something else, I think, 'My gosh, I don't know if I should do this or that because I'm not sure I'll be here that long to enjoy it.'"
“Even those of us who disagreed with his politics are tied to him through shared history. The high point was certainly the moon landing, the low point the assassination of JFK.”
Nicely stated.
May I add that the addition of his or any reporters politics degrades their reportage.
I still have more respect for this from that era:
“Just the facts Ma’am, just the facts”.
Prayers for his health.
Cronkite the man can be a likable and gracious person even as we decry Cronkite the public figure. I can't understand why so many have to interject personal venom into political differences. Do we have to hate our opponents? I know such hate is bad PR in the war for the hearts and minds of the public, as well as being an affront to Christian kindness and human decency.
sorry for his family and he seems pretty tame in his delivery by todays standards even though he was a lefty
a long life....a lot longer than I’ll see that’s for sure
one could do worse
makes me wonder what sort of guy was Paley
We won the battle of the body counts for sure. For whatever reason they outlasted us, and that's all they needed to do.
Excellent post deserves a BTTT!!!!!!
Yes, may he rest in pi$$.
My comment can only be said in person. Lucky for him.
When our opponents have the blood of millions on their hands, Yes.
I hope he dies slowly and PAINFULLY.
You are clueless.
Hardly.
He had plenty of company.
Josef Goebbels. Konstantin Chernenko.
Heck, I have more respect for Baghdad Bob.
You'll have to stand in line ...
A man may smile, and smile ... and be a villain.
You don’t know what you are talking about.
Public school education?
You might want to add something to your profile page.
I can understand it. Today's political differences are not like arguing who has the best football team. The other side wants to enslave us and I hate them for that.
No, it was our marxist media that ‘outlasted’ us.
Our leftists got away with portraying it as a loss for us, and few called them on it.
A co-worker of mine who had served in the Marines, but was born post-Vietnam, told me that at Quantico they still teach it as a victory. He was shocked when I told him that Walter Cronkite, "the most trusted man in America", had convinced the American people that it was a terrible defeat for us and that the war could not be won.
Bothers me about as much as Kennedy does. If they’re against everything I believe in, why should I care?
I was a toddler when Kennedy was shot and one of my first memories is nothing but funerals on television. Several years later I asked my mom if I should fell bad with all these funerals, and my mom told me no. She said it was ok, because they were all democrats.
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