Cronkite: I Could Have Happily Married a Man

NewsMax ^ | 3/2/04 | Limbacher

[Tumbleweed_Connection]

Walter Cronkite is doing a lot of talking these days, what with writing a syndicated column and working for several TV networks, and he recently spoke with the San Francisco Chronicle, disseminating some of his "Moses-like rhetoric" on everything from the Christian right to President Bush to Janet Jackson's anatomy.

Chronicle interviewers asked Cronkite to what he attributes his 63-year long marriage, and he quipped, "I do think one of the factors was we were of different sexes."

As laughter filled the room, he added, "That doesn't mean I wouldn't have been happy to be married to several friends I had of the same sex ... It just never came up in our particular relations."

In that same vein, he thinks the Christian right's objection to gay marriage is "... about as obnoxious a thing as has ever happened."

Cronkite also waxed dramatic ...

On Janet Jackson's exposed breast at the Super Bowl: "I was really disappointed because I was out making popcorn. I spent a lot of time in the next couple days hoping to see a replay. And then in the replays I didn't see anything at all of interest."

On his strenouous job of reading the nightly news to America: Cronkite claims he has a daily routine of playing tennis for two hours, and sailing the rest of the day. He adds, "When I was working, I read the paper for an hour and then I got on the boat."

On his "Most Trusted Man in America" tag: "Nobody polled my wife."

On presidents: Ronald Reagan told the best dirty stories, and Jimmy Carter "... knew so much about everything and was not timid about telling you about it." Herbert Hoover, Cronkite says, was an economist, and "about as interesting as most economists."

On modern news TV: He calls it trivial infotainment, populated by "shouting match" talk shows.

On the Kennedy assassination: "Most of the day I didn't have keenly felt emotions," he said. "We're so busy doing our job ... It's only afterwards that you can sit down and say, 'Golly, what was that?' Then it hits."

On editorializing for withdrawal from Vietnam: He says he only did it at the urging of CBS, and "It never occurred to me it was going to have the effect it had."

On President Bush's foreign policy: "Our arrogant stand in nearly all our diplomatic approaches to the rest of the world with this administration has been such as to deeply embarrass the United States."

On President Bush: Cronkite sneers at what he calls "the Bush administration's facade of self-righteous certainty."

On why he speaks out so much now: He told the Chronicle he wants to "vent my rage and let the chips fall where they will."

[mhking]

Does that mean that "Uncle Walter" was one of those kind of uncles?

Just damn.

If you want on the list, FReepmail me. This IS a high-volume PING list...

[sarasota]

Talk about "self righteous certainty"! The irony, Walt, the irony. (pot/kettle/black)

[bulldogs]

An old man sissy

[martin_fierro]

Not America's Most Trusted Man Anymore.

[Colonel_Flagg]

On his "Most Trusted Man in America" tag: "Nobody polled my wife."

Or us.

[mass55th]

I'm sure Mrs. Cronkite is real pleased to hear this. Is she even still alive?

[GulliverSwift]

On President Bush: Cronkite sneers at what he calls "the Bush administration's facade of self-righteous certainty."

Of course, people who make left-wing pronouncements about everything from the Vietnam war to gay marriage are not self-righteous or self-certain.

[stevem]

In that same vein, he thinks the Christian right's objection to gay marriage is "... about as obnoxious a thing as has ever happened."

Cronkite is, and always has been, one of the most obnoxious things that has ever happened.

[Psycho_Bunny]

The thing I like most about not being famous is that when I eventually lose my mind, the whole world won’t be pointing and laughing.

[Enterprise]

"In that same vein, he thinks the Christian right's objection to gay marriage is "... about as obnoxious a thing as has ever happened."

For someone being obnoxious, it't going to be tough sledding to beat Walter Crackpot.

[Russ]

As the saying goes, there's no fool like an old fool...

[BigSkyFreeper]

I don't think he could poll his wife without the blue pill.

[RichInOC]

Walt...way too much information, buddy.

[ken5050]

well, since ole Walter's a sailor of some note, guess any ole "port" will do for him..

[11th Earl of Mar]

I'm sure Mrs. Cronkite is real pleased to hear this.

Makes me wonder what she looks like.

[Dansong]

That a man of his age and experience feels the need to "vent his rage" says it all: as he faces the sunset of life it's probably beginning to hit him - liberalism doesn't work and I'm too old and tired to change my tune...

[Redcoat LI]

"Nobody polled my wife."

If you weren't busy "polling" your genltleman friends Walter,she would have been.

[Enterprise]

"He told the Chronicle he wants to "vent my rage and let the chips fall where they will."

That explains why his wife follows him around the house with a pooper scooper.

[calljack]

"That doesn't mean I wouldn't have been happy to be married to several friends I had of the same sex.

Pitching or catching???