The wrangling over the Wikipedia biography of Walter Cronkite and what is apparently his failing health has begun. Wikipedia editors often get this kind of news early, as people rush to update Wikipedia articles the moment they learn something.
Gail Shister at Mediabistro blog TVNewser is responsible for the rumor, quoting unidentified sources inside CBS. The network has officially declined to confirm reports that the news legend is in poor health.
In an interview with Shister in 2006, the now 92-year-old Cronkite was asked if he ever thought about death:
“When you get to be 89, you have to think about it a little bit. It doesn’t prey on me, and it doesn’t keep me awake nights. Occasionally, when I’m upset about something else, I think, ‘My gosh, I don’t know if I should do this or that because I’m not sure I’ll be here that long to enjoy it.’”
This story presages the inevitable “Death of News” stories that will follow when Cronkite passes. He and Edward R. Murrow are the two historical news figures that most symbolize a perceived golden era when American news was there to inform, and not entertain. Yes kids, they predate Fox News.
Update 7/18: Walter Cronkite has died.
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“This story presages the inevitable “Death of News” stories that will follow when Cronkite passes. He and Edward R. Murrow are the two historical news figures that most symbolize a perceived golden era when American news was there to inform, and not entertain. Yes kids, they predate Fox News.”
Absolutely love what you said here Dave!
Don’t you think Huntley and Brinkley need to be mentioned in this esteemed group:
Twitter: davidshankbone
says:
No. I mean, they were decent, but David Brinkley doesn’t come to mind as one of the symbols of the “Golden Era” of American journalism; at least, not as much as Murrow and Cronkite. I could be wrong.
Dear Mr.Shankbone,
Cronkite presented himself as an unbiased newsman.Nonsense!
I recall a time when he was in San Diego years back(on his yacht).He said that that he felt guilty having all these amenities of the rich because he was “An unabashed liberal.”
He pounded unmercilessly on Nixon over the silly Watergate incident(that Nixon had NOTHING to do with…he just tried to cover for John Mitchell,his Attorney General,who was responsible for the entire operation).As I recall,they were trying to get some dirt on the Democrats for playing footsy with Castro.With Obama,that isn’t even news.
Also,it was Cronkite alone that turned the tide of American opinion against the Vietnam War,for the first time exposing that America could lose it’s will in a military conflict thanks to the media.
Cronkite was very biased indeed.You would have thought covering people like Eisenhower and Churchill in WW 2,he would have been more of a patriot.
Also,when Clinton got caught getting his privates serviced,it was Cronkite that whisked the couple to his boat in New England waters to escape the “heat” in Washington,and reestablish that their “marriage” was secure.That made him a liar as well.
“That’s the way it is” wasn’t always the way it really was !
Twitter: davidshankbone
says:
You certainly seem to be living in your own head where you have come up with a reality that is divorced from the truth. Even Nixon admitted he was involved in the cover-up. That makes him part of it (not to mention he was fingered as having ordered it). Otherwise, your response is so bizarre that it doesn’t really merit a response so I will let it sit there and be judged on its own merits.
Dear David..
You apparently did not read what I said.I said Nixon WAS guilty of the coverup.
The plot was hatched by John Mitchell,not Nixon.
And….just what is so damned bizarre about my response?.Don’t you believe what I said about Cronkite ? History apparently didn’t exist
before you came of age.
Try to square Nixon’s sins against Clinton selling missle guidance systems to China for a couple of million bucks and a couple of free nights in the Lincoln Bedroom.
Maybe when you look up from your computer and see a mushroom cloud outside you window,you may consider that a second-rate burglary maybe wasn’t a big deal.
Unfortunately,I now will judge you on your merits.I think you believe that what Obama is trying to do to this country is just great,and that you feel good about Al Franken being seated in the Senate of the United States.
Rock on.
Twitter: davidshankbone
says:
When you are poo-poohing the corruption of the leader of the United States (Nixon) but using right-wing conspiracy theories to “scare” people (including the cliched ‘mushroom cloud’ scenario) then yes, you should probably question your views.
And what, exactly, is a “second-rate burglary”? I suppose first-rate would be one where Nixon and his minions weren’t caught…?
It’s a problem conservatives have: they see the direst consequences in only Democratic politicians. However, if it was Clinton who had played the very same role that Nixon played in Watergate, you’d be building websites about the horror.
Sometimes it’s really that simple, isn’t it? I feel a little stupid for not thinking of this myself/earlier, though.
Twitter: davidshankbone
says:
That’s why it’s important that liberals not be hypocrites: