Posted on 11/15/2004 10:13:05 AM PST by Conservative Coulter Fan
"If Walter Cronkite was around today," USA Today founder Al Neuharth proclaimed in a speech in South Dakota last week, "I think John Kerry would be President" because of "the trust the people in Middle America had in Cronkite, when he returned from Vietnam opposed to the war, public opposition soon followed." As recounted by the Daily Republic in Mitchell, South Dakota, in addition to boasting of the influence of Cronkite's bias, Neuharth "said he thought if McGovern had won the presidency in 1972, U.S. troops would have pulled out from Vietnam a lot sooner with a lot fewer casualties, the Cold War could have ended sooner and there would have been a compassionate Democratic leadership." Neuharth seriously maintained: "The seeds for ending the Cold War were sown by George McGovern."
FNC's Brit Hume in his Wednesday "Grapevine" segment quoted Neuharth's contentions and I tracked down the local newspaper story with the quotes. An excerpt from the November 10 Daily Republic article, "USA Today founder criticizes national media's political coverage," by Harold Campbell:
The national media took a few hits on election coverage from Al Neuharth, a Eureka native and founder of USA Today, who spoke at Tuesday's annual McGovern Center Conference at Dakota Wesleyan University.
"I think the media often reflects public activities or opinions rather than reports on them," he said.
Neuharth said the national media probably was more unfair to McGovern during his 1972 presidential campaign than to any other candidate he can remember.
"Many (reporters) got caught up in the country's apparent support for Vietnam," he said. "The media often reflects public activities or opinions rather than reports on them. They certainly weren't fair and objective in 1972."
However, he said he thought the presence of one journalist in the 1970s helped shape policy, Walter Cronkite.
Because of the trust people in Middle America had in Cronkite, when he returned from Vietnam opposed to the war, public opposition soon followed,
"If Walter Cronkite was around today, I think John Kerry would be president," he said.
Most of Neuharth's presentation consisted of fielding questions from audience members in the newly dedicated Sherman Center....
He also said he thought the national media was doing a good job of reporting the facts from Iraq.
"The number of troops involved and casualties are facts, and we should report those facts," he said.
"However, in a war, both sides of the conflict are great propagandists, and we have to separate facts from propaganda."
He said reporting the facts could play a key role in public response to U.S. policy in the Middle East.
"People have to ask themselves if this is worth the price," he said....
Neuharth said he has known McGovern for more than 50 years.
He said he thought if McGovern had won the presidency in 1972, U.S. troops would have pulled out from Vietnam a lot sooner with a lot fewer casualties, the Cold War could have ended sooner and there would have been a compassionate Democratic leadership.
"The seeds for ending the Cold War were sown by George McGovern," Neuharth said.
Neuharth is the founder and senior advisory chairman of the Freedom Forum, a non-partisan foundation dedicated to free press, free speech and free spirit for all people.
The Freedom Forum funds and operates the Newseum, the First Amendment Center and the Diversity Institute.
Neuharth was the chairman of the Freedom Forum from 1986 to 1997, and was a trustee of the foundation and its predecessor, the Gannett Foundation, from 1965 to 1999.
He is also the former chairman and chief executive officer of Gannett Co.
END of Excerpt
For the article in full: www.mitchellrepublic.com
Neuharth devoted his Friday USA Today column to similar praise of McGovern, "Is McGovern again ahead of the times?" For the November 12 piece, with a picture of Neuharth: www.usatoday.com
"Uncle Walter" is a courageous, valiant, fearless journalist. I read his book, and he went out sailing w/ Ted Kennedy on his yatch several times. Any man who would cross a body of water in a vehicle Teddy controls has to be DAMNED brave!
"...the 60's and 70's...sucked..."
Sorry, but I still like the 60's music - that's my teens/twenties time. Can't argue about your opinion on the clothes and hair, though.
If Walter had decided another career, we would have won Viet Nam. Embassies bombings, WACO, 9/11, OKC, Initial bombing of WTC, Sexual Revolution, Abortions, NOW Group,
dumbing down of America, and illegal drugs may never had happened either.....
All these people live in a "What-If?" world, pining nostalgically for what never was, and projecting that what never was would led us to some primrose path closed off from us today by what in fact IS. They would be much better off looking at what IS, and figuring out the logic of what IS, and how it actually transpired , not how what could or should have been DID NOT transpire. Reality is always too much for them, though.
All these people live in a "What-If?" world, pining nostalgically for what never was, and projecting that what never was would led us to some primrose path closed off from us today by what in fact IS. They would be much better off looking at what IS, and figuring out the logic of what IS, and how it actually transpired , not how what could or should have been DID NOT transpire. Reality is always too much for them, though.
LMAO, is cronkite dead? I think not, therefore, he had NO influence whatsoever, 60 million people can't be wrong imo!!
Al Neuharth (who is about 78 years old) also wrote a column recently on adult diapers, starting with the humorous anecdote of grocery shopping with his 4-year-old (adopted) child, and putting the diapers on the check-out counter, only to have the child announce they weren't for him, they were for Daddy!
USA Today was a great idea and continues to be a great money-making enterprise. Neuharth is over, and the only person, besides (apparently) the Media Research Center who believes his column matters is ... Neuharth.
Kelly,
Thank you for your service.
"USA Today founder Al Neuharth"
Hmmmm? So Al agrees that Cronkite telling the enemies in Vietnam they had won the TET offensive .. when in truth America had won .. Cronkite's statement emboldened our enemies and caused the death of 48,000 more Americans.
Yeah Al .. that's quite an accomplishment!!
ARCHIE: "Edith, what channel is the Cronkite News on?"
EDITH: "Channel 2, Archie...the one we don't watch because you keep saying that Walter Cronkite is a Communist."
Actually I think if Cronkite was around today he would be enboldened with the example of other broadcasters to bias his reports leftward. In fact, he would have developed almost into a parody of himself, much like Dan Rather is a parody of himself.
No Contest
Not all 60's music sucked, I'll admit. Just the weird hippie-flower stuff...for some reason San Fran Nan comes to mind when I say that.
Now wait a minute!
The clothes sucked, the economy sucked but the
music rocked and rolled! Just because you happen
to like Donny Osmond and The Partridge Famly is no license
to rag on Led Zepp, Styx, Nugent, Steve Miller,
The Eagles, The Who, The Beatles, Floyd, Uncle
Alice Cooper, Badfinger, Atlanta Rhythm Section,
The Doors, Lynyrd Skynyrd, CDB, Outlaws, Allman Bros,
Jefferson Airplane/Starship, Jimi, Queen, Raspberries,
TRex, Blue Oyster Cult, Bad Co, THe Stones, AC/DC,
Edgar & Johnnie Winter, Chicago, Boston, Kansas
and sooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
many countless others.
Lets keep things in perspective shall we? After
all, CDB actually called what is going on here
some 30 yrs ago:
Well gather round;
you can get loud chillen;
be proud,
you can be proud you a rebel
cuz da south's gonna do it agin;
and agin;
MV(play nice)
"Fool me once, shame on you...fool me twice, shame on me!"
So what is big Al REALLY saying? That if Walter were at the helm he would have had enough sway to persuade Americans to vote for Kerry? You mean, Al is admitting that this would have been the effort of Conkrite? and by extension, Al is saying that it is acceptable for journalists to report with an activist position in order to achieve a desired political outcome?
Wow! This is huge (or hugh as some here say). USAToday admitting that it is acceptable for a journalist to work toward, or to try and force a certain outcome by the manner in which they report! Staggering! The MSM is nothing but a lying leftist tool - a spawn of satan.
"These people need to move beyond the 60's and 70's. They need to face the fact that their clothes sucked, their hair sucked, their music sucked, and their greasy faces sucked, too. Its like they're just lying around sucking in air like a dying fish waiting for water to happen."
Can't argue that they need to move along. I'll even concede that those specific people might have needed to wash more often or cut their hair, but I HAVE to argue about the music.....
....especially since most people still listen to it.
As for the clothes.... Fringe jackets or love beads? Which one bothers you? Just curious. After all....
Memo to Today's fashion plates:
...pull your pants up.
Sheesh.
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