Walter Cronkite

Walter Cronkite was the kind of television news anchor that simply no longer exists. Yes, he was on board with Lyndon Johnson's war in Vietnam in the early years, which reflected the bipartisan consensus of the time, but by 1968, when the Tet Offensive laid bare all of the savage illusions of that catastrophic war, Cronkite stepped up and did the right thing.

On February 8, 1968, Robert F. Kennedy had given a speech in Chicago that was a timely rebuttal to the Johnson administration's attempts to portray the Tet Offensive in Vietnam as an American victory. He had cleared the way for mainstream figures like Cronkite to take a stronger stand in opposition to the Vietnam war. On February 27, 1968, Walter Cronkite, which CBS News was fortunate enough to have as its anchor, reached the same conclusion as had Kennedy. In a special report to an audience of millions Cronkite said: "The only rational way out... will be to negotiate, not as victors, but as honorable people who lived up to their pledge to defend democracy, and did the best they could."

After watching Cronkite on the news that evening, President Johnson concluded that he had lost the American middle class on the Vietnam war.

Some among Johnson's inner circle blamed the television networks (mainly because of Cronkite) for spreading "anti-U.S. propaganda." [In His Own Right, p. 129.]

Can you imagine this charge being leveled today on any of our current journalistically -- challenged news anchors?

Walter Cronkite, like Robert F. Kennedy, spoke a language critical of U.S. policy in Vietnam that appealed to the middle class. They both could get away with harshly criticizing Johnson's war in Vietnam without worrying about being told they were "unAmerican." (Although their political enemies tried.)

CBS News has devolved a long way from the likes of a person of Cronkite's gravitas to the chirpy infotainment anchor we see today. At that moment in February 1968, Cronkite showed that he was still a journalist with integrity.

Today's vapid hairdos who pretend to be "news anchors" should look closely at Cronkite's actions at a time when he believed the nation was in peril. Where were those voices when George W. Bush was railroading the nation into yet another catastrophic war in Iraq? They were silent. And they should be ashamed of themselves.

There's only one tribute to the memory of Walter Conkrite that means anything and that would be if TV "journalists" somehow learned from his example and did their goddamn jobs!

Comments

[berkeleygirl1962]

I wonder if a few days more reflection has tempered the tendency toward hagiography. Cronkite came to the conclusion that Viet Nam was unwinnable pretty slowly--about as quickly as the MSM did on Iraq. Not to detract from the power of his words, but let's not make the error of crediting Cronkite with opposition to military adventurism. Good piece by Norman Solomon here: http://www.commondreams.org/view/2009/07/20-1

[Joseph A. Palermo - Huffpost Blogger]

Agreed, but at least he wasn't a shill after Feb 1968

[Hollow Justice]

As always, it is a pleasure to read your comments Dr. Palermo. your insight is correct in its scope and reality.Cronkite was indeed one of a kind. The only thing that i can add is that today's news anchors are concerned with making their networks money, and sadly , by spinning the news in one direction or another, they appeal to certain constituents, thereby making the network a "profit", oft-times irregardless of the truth. Couldn't agree with you more re George W. Bush & Iraq. See you on campus!

[realpolitic]

Great article as usual, Professor! Much of what is wrong with journalism today is this idea of presenting coverage in a "fair and balnced" way. Jornalists have since become mere stenographers. When the subject of climate change is discussed journalists feel they must have someone on who says it is bunk, although almost all climate scientists support the idea that co2 is a greenhouse gas which warms the environment. If conservatives state a lot of misinformation on the president's health care plan, journalists let them proceed in the interest of having balance. Journalists should again see their role as to eliminate the noise and hold interviewees to factual debate. They must be particularly well informed to do so. The idea of letting everyone yell and the loudest wins is ruining journalism.

[fabricnthreads]

As always, Palermo speaks the truth.

Thank you.

[Zanti]

Amen. What a marvelous, wonderful, decent, and astonishingly talented man.

[Estreet1964]

There's only one tribute to the memory of Walter Conkrite that means anything and that would be if TV "journalists" somehow learned from his example and did their goddamn jobs!

I had to resist the urge to stand in front of my PC and cheer as I read that last sentence.

I think it's telling that Cronkite's forced retirement from the news desk in 1981 roughly coincides with the debut of that little outfit called Cable News Network.

It's been all downhill from there.

[Joseph A. Palermo - Huffpost Blogger]

agreed Estreet

[jmpurser]

Agreed. Cronkite's life can easily be read as a condemnation of modern "journalism". From America's 4th Estate to the paid sycophants of politicians and personal diarists of Michael Jackson and Madonna. A journey from noble to less than pathetic in one lifetime.

[humorgazette]

Cronkite's death really does bring the de-evolution of TV "news" (now surreal "news-o-tainment") into sharp focus.

RIP (Anchor Cronkite and broadcast news as we once knew it)

[boycottrightwingthings]

Who can even watch the news anymore? All sensationalist tabloid crap and no real meat. The powers that own "NEWS" organizations should be ashamed of themselves. Walter was the real deal!! Now all that we have are people who try to keep us from the REAL NEWS all for political purposes. A sad commentary on our society, in my book.

[Mark Mack]

The devolution of the trusted T.V. journalist has been brought to you this week by: General Electric, Westinghouse, Disney, Viacom, Time Warner, and News Corp. From Walter Cronkite to Nancy Grace, that’s quite an achievement.

And to think, the submissive and passive television onlooker will continue to be hoodwinked by fear mongers, war fanatics, nefarious Wall Street marketers and zealots.

[leftword]

"There's only one tribute to the memory of Walter Conkrite that means anything and that would be if TV 'journalists' somehow learned from his example and did their goddamn jobs!"

YES!

Sadly, journalism is dead in this country. Look at the last 8 years, for example. Instead of real journalism we have mostly pretty faces giving us the latest in entertainment "news" and little about the real world. Yes, they're constrained by corporate interests --- but they're also constrained by their personal ambitions. In today's America the ability to get rich is prized above all else. Until that changes we'll continue to be a shallow society with no real core.

It's often been said that a successful democracy requires that its citizens be educated and actively involved in self-government. In both respects Americans fail. Is it any wonder that we so readily surrendered so much of our freedom to the Bush regime?

[Joseph A. Palermo - Huffpost Blogger]

Really, I agree, just look how the MSM is covering health care

[allenosuno]

Professional journalism like Cronkite's is todaiy only to be seen among nonprofits like PBS. Statistics should shock and depress us. Concentration of media ownership and lack of independent journalism among the corporate owned media of today is a worldwide phenomenon and it is depressing. What is the long-term consequence?James Madison warned that, “A people who mean to be their own governors, must arm themselves with the power which knowledge gives.” If that is true, we have an extraordinary number of unarmed Americans, less and less knowledgeable about public affairs or news. To what extent can a democracy exist without an informed citizenry? Moyers and Brancacchio are the heirs of Cronkite-quality journalists, with vision, a commitment to community and the wherewithal via PBS to ferret out the real stories. The problem is they are only viewed by niche viewers, who are already better educated. The mainstream media seem to drown out their work.Joseph Pulitzer once said, “Our Republic and its press will rise or fall together.... A cynical, mercenary, demagogic press will in time produce a people as base as itself....”I'm afraid that years of dumbed down television have relegated Moyers and David Brancacchio to a select audience. Rush Limbaugh types would call Cronkite a "liberal" and ridicule him. That is the type of country we've become. Our public doesn't respond to reason that much, but to bread and circuses.

[Joseph A. Palermo - Huffpost Blogger]

thanks allesnosuno

[iblogleft]

Walter Cronkite = News

Well said Joe.

[Cunningham]

"There's only one tribute to the memory of Walter Conkrite that means anything and that would be if TV "journalists" somehow learned from his example and did their goddamn jobs!"

I believe some of them try, but are hampered by the corporations for whom they work.

I trusted Walter Cronkite when I was a child watching the news with my parents, and that trust never wavered throughout the rest of his life. He made the world a better place.

[DelmarkGoldfarb]

There are no more Walter Cronkites.