Man, Walter is Gone!

[Marvin S]

Thank goodness the days of Cronkite's form of journalism are gone. Thank goodness we have access to multiple forms of media from which we can get our news, and that the days when a mere handful of men, cloaking their political beliefs under the guise of "journalism" could hold such persuasive power over a multitude of people. Thank goodness it is no longer possible for a journalist to attain the title of "most trusted man in America." He didn't deserve the moniker then, and no journalist deserves it now.

Amen to that -

[dnf777]

After North Vietnam's Tet Offensive, we had the communist on their knees. They took such heavy loses after Tet that Gen. Giap wasn't sure how long it would take for them to recover, if they ever would. Then came Mr Cronkite telling the American people after Tet that we were in a war we wouldn't win and turned the east and west coasters against the war. The communist saw the turning tide in the USA and that gave them the determination to persevere. The North Vietnamesse can thank Mr Cronkite for breeding new life into thier struggle!

If what you say is true, then I owe him thanks....my Dad's draft number was just about up when we started pulling out, and he wasn't in the Cheney Deferrment Club!

[subroc]

...your voice and diction have no bearing, so long as you fill out a low-cut designer dress and know how to shoot looks at the camera!

I have no problem with that.

I finally heard it today. Someone at work calling Walter Cronkite a liberal, media elitist, anti-war un-patriot!
Of all the things.......!

He was.

Thank goodness the days of Cronkite's form of journalism are gone. Thank goodness we have access to multiple forms of media from which we can get our news, and that the days when a mere handful of men, cloaking their political beliefs under the guise of "journalism" could hold such persuasive power over a multitude of people. Thank goodness it is no longer possible for a journalist to attain the title of "most trusted man in America." He didn't deserve the moniker then, and no journalist deserves it now.

I agree with this.

After North Vietnam's Tet Offensive, we had the communist on their knees. They took such heavy loses after Tet that Gen. Giap wasn't sure how long it would take for them to recover, if they ever would. Then came Mr Cronkite telling the American people after Tet that we were in a war we wouldn't win and turned the east and west coasters against the war. The communist saw the turning tide in the USA and that gave them the determination to persevere. The North Vietnamesse can thank Mr Cronkite for breeding new life into thier struggle!

This is my understanding of events as well. If anything he should have been discredited and charged with treason.

[YardleyLabs]

I miss having journalists and patriots with his integrity and respect for his audience. We have sacrificed all notion of journalistic integrity on the alter of the Fox, equating patriotism with being the biggest bully on the block.

With respect to Vietnam, we picked the wrong side in 1957 when Eisenhower decided to reject the elections agreed to by France and the United Nations following France's agreement to withdraw. Eisenhower's mistake was cemented by Kennedy and taken to ridiculous extremes by Johnson and McNamara (who at least had the courtesy to apologize for the lies used to justify the war). We sent 60,000 of our young men, including kids I grew up with, to die and more than 300,000 to be wounded in a war that never should have been fought with a country that should have been and may still become one of our strongest allies in Asia. I'm glad we pulled out when we did. I wish we had done so a million lives sooner.

In the words of Walter Cronkite, "That's the way it is." And in the words of Forrest Gump, "That's all I have to say about that."

[IowaBayDog]

I miss having journalists and patriots with his integrity and respect for his audience. We have sacrificed all notion of journalistic integrity on the alter of the Fox, equating patriotism with being the biggest bully on the block.
"

"Journalistic Integrity" was a fallacy that never existed. The Cronk is probably the best example, everyone took him as a respected source of news and the reality is he was just a liberal hack like most of the mainstream media today. With all the "integrity" scandals at the NY Times (Blair), CBS (Rather), et al its interesting that you singled out Fox because they lean right. Don't remember the stories of them manufacturing "evidence" on a Presidential candidate during a campaign.

[Franco]

With respect to Vietnam, we picked the wrong side in 1957 when Eisenhower decided to reject the elections agreed to by France and the United Nations following France's agreement to withdraw. Eisenhower's mistake was cemented by Kennedy and taken to ridiculous extremes by Johnson and McNamara (who at least had the courtesy to apologize for the lies used to justify the war). We sent 60,000 of our young men, including kids I grew up with, to die and more than 300,000 to be wounded in a war that never should have been fought with a country that should have been and may still become one of our strongest allies in Asia. I'm glad we pulled out when we did. I wish we had done so a million lives sooner.

In the words of Walter Cronkite, "That's the way it is." And in the words of Forrest Gump, "That's all I have to say about that."

Jeff, you missed my point. Had Walter Cronkite reported accurately after the Tet Offensive, the war might have ended in 1968 instead of 1973. Had reporter Cronkite told the American people what really happened, that we had inflicted heavy casualties on the enemy, caused massive damage to their capacity to fight and rallied American morale, The North Vietnamese would have been forced to approach the peace talks with more urgency. Instead, they learned to play into a war of attrition using the American press to serve their cause.

Yes, in hindsight the Vietnam War was a mistake. However, one journalist’s influence of it changed the course of history.

[wayne anderson]

Just wondering, who would you label as a "conservative hack?" I am a retired journalist, and a conservative and I consider Cronkite, Huntley/Brinkley and their cohorts the last true reporters to appear on TV news. They were first print journalists who moved to the new media--not the talking heads we must suffer on TV today. I agree with the notion that the majority of today's journalists are patently over-liberal and let their views enter into their reporting far too much. This has had to start with their university training. When I was a young reporter, news was news and opinions remained on the editorial pages. That was pounded into our young heads in J-school, at least at South Dakota State University, but I assume not so much today, unfortunately.

[Franco]

It's really not journalism today but, rip and read entertainment or political party talk on both sides of the issues.

[Henry V]

Amazing discussion. Is there anything you right wingers can't blame on the media?

Walter Cronkite, a left wing hack "journalist" who, as part of the media mafia of the time, single handedly extended the Vietnam War. Truly a mainstream point of view.

[road kill]

I miss having journalists and patriots with his integrity and respect for his audience. ."

You mean like Dan Rather??

Please, stop, your killin' me!!