Walter Cronkite on Ronald Reagan: "a lightweight, totally unfit to be president"

[book_worm]

there is a great new book out called "Conversations with Cronkite" and Walter makes some judgements on some presidents he has known:

Ronald Reagan: "Oh, my evaluation of Reagan is that he was a lightweight,totally unfit to be president of teh United States, and he performed accordingly." (pg. 329)

Jimmy Carter: "Oh, I always thought Carter was great. I still think he's great. I think because of that brain power I'm talking about, that kind of brain power made him the smartest president we've had in my time. His failing was as a politician--I thought he did some very fine things." (pg. 320)

Gerald Ford: "Well, Ford was probably te most personable, as far as being a regular fellow, of any of the presidents. He was an old-shoe fellow, no presumption and no pretesne. I dont' think he was terribly bright in the presidential sense, but on the other hadn, he didn't take on airs of being an intellectual either." (pg. 313)

Richard Nixon: "I believe Nixon had a psychological problem of some kind. Many times, he looked a little odd to me, his eyes looked strange. Yet he was terribly innovative in opening up China and trying to make overtures to the Soviet Union. He went further in that direction than anybody had." (pg. 264)

LBJ: "You know, he did so many domestic programs that were good. And to go out knowing he was going down in history as teh president of an unpopular war, and fearing what history's judgement would be. I think he began to believe that there were things about that war he didn't know." (pg. 225)

JFK and the 1960 WVA primary: "Kennedy paid off the voters, in effect. They really just poured a lot of money in there and Humphrey had nothing to match it. I mean, it was very blatant. It was a great tragedy, in my mind. At that moment, I think, privately, I was for Humphrey. In fact, I was up in Humphrey's hotel room when the West Virginia returns came in that night. I remember having a tear in my eye, talking to Humphrey personally, telling him that I was sorry he lost the primary." (pg. 201)

No links, just quoting from the book, put page numbers next to quotes.

[LibDemAlways]

1. Walter came from an era when mainstream journalists served an

important function - to inform the public about stories that mattered. And he did so with a seriousness of purpose but also a big, compassionate heart. He lived long enough to see "news" turned into entertainment, bread and circuses for the masses. It must have pained him greatly. We won't see anyone like him again.

[Stevenmarc]

5. He came from an era when the news division didn't have to be a profit center so it....

could concentrate on journalism and getting the story right

[struggle4progress]

8. And that's the way it was.

[TBF]

2. Interesting comments from someone who had access -

makes me want to read more.

[itsrobert]

3. I hope they catch the typos on the second printing

?

[book_worm]

9. funny--I was writing those quotes while I was looking at the book and see I missed a few

but thankfully there is someone like you to point them out.

[louis-t]

4. Cronkite reveals a truism re: Carter.

Good politicians do not necessarily make good presidents. And vicee-versee.

[gmoney]

6. Nixon opening up China...

Wow, did THAT turn out great for the US. :facepalm:

[ChoppinBroccoli]

7. I Agree With Walter AND That Director...........

............the one who refused to cast Ronald Reagan in the role of the President in his play because Reagan wasn't Presidential enough.

[Greyhound]

10. K&R. Thank you for posting this one.

He and Paley warned us repeatedly that what we have today is exactly what would happen if the wall between news and entertainment was breached.

Of course in the olden days, real news was a requirement to using our airwaves, but we've conveniently forgotten about that.
:kick: & R