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Cronkite: Time for U.S. to Leave Iraq
Breitbart.com ^ | 1/15/06 | AP

Posted on 01/15/2006 4:20:31 PM PST by wagglebee

Former CBS anchor Walter Cronkite, whose 1968 conclusion that the Vietnam War was unwinnable keenly influenced public opinion then, said Sunday he'd say the same thing today about Iraq.

"It's my belief that we should get out now," Cronkite said in a meeting with reporters.

Now 89, the television journalist once known as "the most trusted man in America" has been off the "CBS Evening News" for nearly a quarter- century. He's still a CBS News employee, although he does little for them.

Cronkite said one of his proudest moments came at the end of a 1968 documentary he made following a visit to Vietnam during the Tet offensive. Urged by his boss to briefly set aside his objectivity to give his view of the situation, Cronkite said the war was unwinnable and that the U.S. should exit.

Then-President Lyndon Johnson reportedly told a White House aide after that, "If I've lost Cronkite, I've lost Middle America."

The best time to have made a similar statement about Iraq came after Hurricane Katrina, he said.

"We had an opportunity to say to the world and Iraqis after the hurricane disaster that Mother Nature has not treated us well and we find ourselves missing the amount of money it takes to help these poor people out of their homeless situation and rebuild some of our most important cities in the United States," he said. "Therefore, we are going to have to bring our troops home."

Iraqis should have been told that "our hearts are with you" and that the United States would do all it could to rebuild their country, he said.

"I think we could have been able to retire with honor," he said. "In fact, I think we can retire with honor anyway."

Cronkite has spoken out against the Iraq war in the past, saying in 2004 that Americans weren't any safer because of the invasion.

Cronkite, who is hard of hearing and walks haltingly, jokingly said that "I'm standing by if they want me" to anchor the "CBS Evening News." CBS is still searching for a permanent successor to Dan Rather, who replaced Cronkite in March 1981.

"Twenty-four hours after I told CBS News that I was stepping down at my 65th birthday I was already regretting it and I've regretted it every day since," he said. "It's too good a job for me to have given it up the way that I did."


TOPICS: Foreign Affairs; News/Current Events; War on Terror
KEYWORDS: conkedout; coot; cronkite; cronkitehascooties; cutandrun; dumbassalert; handwringers; iraq; leftist; leftistmedia; mediabias; moonbat; mrwegiveupcronkite; oldcoot; senileoldcoot; traitor; waltercronkite
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To: wagglebee
"It's my belief that we should get out now," Cronkite said in a meeting with reporters.

Guess what Uncle Wally? It ain't 1968 any more, and nobody gives a rat's patootie what your "belief" is.

121 posted on 01/15/2006 5:52:47 PM PST by El Gato (The Second Amendment is the Reset Button of the U.S. Constitution)
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To: wagglebee

Walter Cronkite is a devoted One World Government ideologue who believes that America should give up her sovereignty.
He is dung.


122 posted on 01/15/2006 5:55:53 PM PST by purpleland (Elegy 9/11/01 Vigilance and Valor! Socialism is the Opiate of Academia)
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To: El Gato

You got that right...Walter Crankcase is a fool...and perhaps some of his rag head friends would be a real pain in his butt.... http://www.masada2000.org/impalement.asx Try this on for size....don't click on in front of kids.....but this is what we have in store for us if we don't win this war...


123 posted on 01/15/2006 5:58:40 PM PST by RVN Airplane Driver (Most Americans are so spoiled with freedom they have no idea what it takes to earn and keep it.)
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To: wagglebee

He won't go away easily. I uttered my first "F*** you Walter" in 1968 when he pompously declared that the war was unwinnable. After all these years I now know that these POS won't go away just because you ignore them or wish them away.


124 posted on 01/15/2006 6:08:36 PM PST by RJS1950 (The rats are the "enemies foreign and domestic" cited in the federal oath)
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To: wagglebee

You seditious POS this isn't TET and we have a president more like Churchill than LBJ


125 posted on 01/15/2006 6:11:40 PM PST by 101st-Eagle (An appeaser is one who feeds his friends to a crocodile hoping to get eaten last-Winston Churchill)
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To: ALOHA RONNIE

He will do little for her! I'm glad.


126 posted on 01/15/2006 6:16:58 PM PST by sine_nomine (Every baby is a blessing from God, from the moment of conception.)
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To: wagglebee

Shut up, Walter. Aren't you dead yet?


127 posted on 01/15/2006 6:19:58 PM PST by bboop (Stealth Tutor)
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To: wagglebee

Then-President Lyndon Johnson reportedly told a White House aide after that, "If I've lost Cronkite, I've lost Middle America."

for a president (LBJ) to give a man who just sits and reads words off of a teleprompter that much influence over America is shocking


128 posted on 01/15/2006 6:31:42 PM PST by mfnorman
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To: sine_nomine; All

.

HILLARY's No. 1 Media Defensive Linebacker WALTER CRONKITE came on stage and interrupted DAVID LETTERMAN's opening monologue just before her guest appearance there a few years ago...

...just to publically warn DAVID on TV to go light on his good friend HILLARY when asking his questions of her that night.

...It worked.

.


129 posted on 01/15/2006 6:45:21 PM PST by ALOHA RONNIE ("ALOHA RONNIE" Guyer/Veteran-"WE WERE SOLDIERS" Battle of IA DRANG-1965 http://www.lzxray.com)
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To: TexasGus

Does anyone over the age of 25 even remember who he is?


130 posted on 01/15/2006 6:46:25 PM PST by Uncle Vlad
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To: Uncle Vlad

You mean `under' 25? Well for you 'kids':
Uncle Wally is a senile Demo-gasbag.
He's Dan Rather's mentor.
He pines for Klinton.
He's a poo.


131 posted on 01/15/2006 7:21:19 PM PST by OkieDoke
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To: ALOHA RONNIE
Walter Cronkite has not been able to retire with honor.

He is "Stuck On Stupid "

132 posted on 01/15/2006 7:23:02 PM PST by TYVets (God so loved the world he didn't send a committee)
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To: wagglebee

::::crickets:::

Walter....Walter who?

Oh yeah, wasn't he the Bounty guy? No? Hmm...

Someone needs to fill Uncle Walter in on the fact America doesn't trust him anymore. Watergate is over. Vietnam is over. Woodstock is over. Walter is over.

Welcome to the 21 Century, where you don't rule.


133 posted on 01/15/2006 7:23:55 PM PST by Soul Seeker (Mr. President: It is now time to turn over the money changers' tables.)
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To: wagglebee
Well, that's it then. Uncle Wally always gets to say when we quit.
134 posted on 01/15/2006 7:24:27 PM PST by VadeRetro (Liberalism is a cancer on society. Creationism is a cancer on conservatism.)
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To: TYVets

.

Actually,

...with a Mainstream News Media that still refuses to tell the American People the TRUTH about WALTER CRONKITE's Anti-Freedom history,

...like it or not,

...WALTER CRONKITE is still...

.."Stuck on Dangerous"

.


135 posted on 01/15/2006 7:34:22 PM PST by ALOHA RONNIE ("ALOHA RONNIE" Guyer/Veteran-"WE WERE SOLDIERS" Battle of IA DRANG-1965 http://www.lzxray.com)
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To: ALOHA RONNIE

"Cronkite, who is hard of hearing and walks haltingly, jokingly said that "I'm standing by if they want me" to anchor the "CBS Evening News." CBS is still searching for a permanent successor to Dan Rather, who replaced Cronkite in March 1981."

Hmmmm...sounds like he is interviewing for the opening.


136 posted on 01/15/2006 8:01:04 PM PST by eswan9
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To: wagglebee

Who is this cracker kite, guy, and why does what he says matter?


137 posted on 01/15/2006 8:05:28 PM PST by Exton1
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To: wagglebee

Walter Cronkite needs to "have a warm glass of milk" and say "that's the way it is January 15, 2006, then go to bed. This is Walter Cronkite, Good nite.


138 posted on 01/15/2006 8:13:22 PM PST by WyCoKsRepublican
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To: wagglebee

Most trusted man in America my ass! Even back in then, I could tell a lib from the truth........The Great Oz Has Spoken


139 posted on 01/15/2006 8:14:49 PM PST by WyCoKsRepublican
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To: operation clinton cleanup

Boy, wouldn't you have loved to have had a young Walter backing you in a bar fight?


140 posted on 01/15/2006 8:15:20 PM PST by Richard Kimball (How bout them Longhorns?)
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