Walter Cronkite At 90: To Be Honored Tonight On CBS

[RestoreGore]

http://wcbstv.com/local/local_story_138081437.html

May 18, 2007 8:19 am US/Eastern

Walter Cronkite Celebrated In Primetime Special
Legendary Newsman Honored With Stories, Remembrances From The Biggest Names In News, Politics And Entertainment
Slideshow: Walter Cronkite At 90
CBS News Interactive: This Is CBS

(CBS News) NEW YORK

It is the rare "celebrity" who is as reverentially talked about by Mike Wallace and Bill Clinton as by George Clooney and Robin Williams. Walter Cronkite, now 90 years of age, fits that bill.

The iconic newsman's colleagues and friends will celebrate his professional and personal lives in a one-hour primetime special to be broadcast Friday, May 18, on CBS.

CBS News colleagues Don Hewitt, Dan Rather, Morley Safer and Wallace take viewers behind the headlines that Cronkite masterfully reported to reveal the professionalism, dedication and extraordinary influence of the man they knew so well.

Competitors Ted Koppel, Diane Sawyer and Barbara Walters, as well as the newest generation of anchors - Katie Couric, Charles Gibson and Brian Williams - talk about the unique role Cronkite played in American culture and how he continues to influence them today.

But, lest viewers think "the most trusted man in America" was one-dimensional and singularly obsessed with the news, some of Cronkite's personal friends, including actor/comedian Williams, actor/director Clooney and Grateful Dead drummer Mickey Hart, as well as President Bill Clinton and filmmaker Spike Lee, share poignant personal thoughts and revealing recollections of the newsman's "other side."

End of excerpt.

Walter Cronkite on NPR

http://www.npr.org/news/specials/cronkite/

This is something I will not miss. For to me Walter Cronkite was a journalist in every sense of the word.

[WI_DEM]

1. It's a shame Walter retired when he did he could have gone on many more years

as anchor.

[RestoreGore]

3. I wish he had too. He is an American treasure.

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

2. One of the good guys reaches 90. One of the bad guys croaks at 73.

A happy week indeed.

[AngryOldDem]

4. Last of the real journalists, IMO...

...with the exception of Keith, of course, but you can't really compare Cronkite's era to Olbermann's.

And how ironic that Katie Couric is a part of this. :puke:

[vireo]

5. Thanks for the heads up

This has been a big week for CBS legends. Bob Barker was honored as well.

[Rob H.]

6. Listen for heads exploding at Faux and over in Freeperville

They hate him. There's more journalistic integrity in a single Cronkite moustache hair than in the entire staff of blow-dried newsreaders at Faux.

[Beausoir]

7. I wonder what Couric will have to say. n/t

[misanthrope]

15. Little of substance**nm

**

[lonestarnot]

8. Yeah Walter!

He deserves the recognition. :applause:

[bdamomma]

9. wow he's 90, what a great man and journalist, that is when

we had journalists, now we have Keith!!! and that's the way it is!!!!

[RestoreGore]

10. "Anchormen shouldn't cry"

That was what he said tonight as he cried while talking about the funeral of JFK and the salute his son gave him at his funeral. I remember wathcing him at night all my young life. He was who we watched while we ate dinner, and he gave us the story straight up. And I think anchormen should cry more, it shows their humanity. Thank you Mr. Cronkite, for being a true journalist.

[dweller]

14. some memories last forever deeply painful

i watched him as he became emotional over recalling, knowing full well how he was feeling.

i'm not an anchorperson, i'm a human and a Democrat. And i still deal that way with those memories.
dp

[RestoreGore]

18. Absolutely. And I cried with him remembering them

[dflprincess]

11. It was a wonderful show - though depressing

when you compare today's anchors to Cronkite.

I don't think CBS did Couric any favors having her on to gush out the occasional comment. It just made the difference between her and a real journalist more obvious.

I wonder if Uncle Walter would consider coming out of retirement. We need him now more than ever.

[RestoreGore]

12. yes, there truly is a void in the world of journalism

And in the program there was reference to him thinking he made a mistake by leaving when he did. I wish he could return as well. He was a voice of reason at a time when it was most needed. Katie Couric just doesn't cut it.

[SeattleGirl]

13. I agree; we could really use him now.

Gamn, but he was, and is, so good.

[lpbk2713]

16. WTF is Couric doing on a show with Cronkite? Talk about extremes.

I mean it's not like Couric is a real journalist.

[sheerjoy]

21. Now now....

she IS a 40 million dollar mistake however... gotta get something for the dime.

[Triana]

17. Katie - You are NO Walter Cronkite

...Cronkite is the LAST of a dying breed - REAL journalists.

I get nauseated at the thought of her (Couric) being in the same ROOM or on the same screen with Cronkite.

There is just NO comparison and the only one that exists is a sickening testimonial to what news as become today: melamine-laced, propaganda-flinging, corprat self-serving, pretentiously and deliberately distracting "infotainment" - ie: McNews. ie: trash, mostly. Junk that hides the truth and the facts, and distracts the public from the real issues facing them -- until it's too LATE -- all in the name of the corprat bottom-line and bottom-feeding servitude.

Public Service? NOT ANYMORE! Corprat self-service is the name of the 21st Century Lamestream Media Game!

Kudos to Mr. Cronkite, nonetheless. As for the rest - ESPECIALLY Colic (er, Couric), they just need to go inventory their brain cells.

[MetaTrope]

19. Was Uncle Walter permitted to say anything regarding the fascist junta running the country?

He's been quite vocal about it at his college speaking appearances in past years. But was the TV special all soft-soft happy-happy?

[rasputin1952]

20. I knew he was up there in age, but I didn't know he was 90...

One of the last true Journalists IMO. A national treasure, to be sure. He was trusted by virtually everyone, and he got his big break by accident on 22Nov63, when the regular anchor was away when the news of Kennedy's assassination broke. An amazinig individual.

:patriot:

[fortyfeetunder]

22. Walter: He's da MAN!

He and Edward R Murrow, were the last of a breed of real journalists, and an American treasure. He was a no-nonsense type of person and always presented himself as genuine.

Was sad to see him retire but hope maybe he's mentoring someone of the next gen to pick up his torch and continue running with real journalism.