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Arts and Culture

Walter Cronkite, TV’s First Anchor, Dies at 92

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Posted on Jul 17, 2009
Cronkite
AP / File

Signing off: Walter Cronkite in his New York City office before his final newscast as CBS anchor, on March 6, 1981.

One of the news industry’s longest-living legends, Walter Cronkite, died of cerebrovascular disease Friday at the age of 92. Over the course of his storied career as the anchor of CBS News, Cronkite covered some of the biggest events of the 20th century. He himself coined his famous and often-quoted sign-off line: “And that’s the way it is. ... ”

Variety:

He anchored “The CBS Evening News With Walter Cronkite” from 1962-81 and ushered Americans through some of the most tumultuous and trying times of the last century, from the assassination of President John F. Kennedy through the Vietnam War and the Watergate scandal. His daily signoff “And that’s the way it is…” became a trademark and of the most-oft repeat, and often spoofed, quotes.

In the decades after retiring from the CBS newscast, Cronkite sought to use his fame and sterling reputation to promote journalistic integrity in an era marked by cost-cutting at network news divisions and the rise of tabloid coverage in mainstream media. In 2000 he partnered with USC’s Annenberg Norman Lear Center to launch the annual Walter Cronkite Award for Excellence in Television Political Journalism.

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By dihey, July 22 at 1:47 pm #

What did “Uncle Walter” think of “Uncle Ho”?

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By rodney, July 21 at 2:18 am #
(Unregistered commenter)

We lost one of the great ones. Cable news took away all credibility.

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By coloradokarl, July 19 at 9:09 pm #

Walter was/is a Dead Head, Go Figure. His daughter called from Woodstock to say she was allright. He put the wooden stake into The heart of Vietnam. Great man, Great life, Blessings to his soul, Blessings to his family…...

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By 911truthdotorg, July 19 at 1:48 pm #

According to the Constitution, Cronkite was a traitor. He wanted a one world government…a New World Order…so does Hillary…and probably her boss.

This was recorded in 1999:

http://www.campaignforliberty.com/blog.php?view=11660

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By Inherit The Wind, July 19 at 8:41 am #

rollzone, July 18 at 2:44 pm #

hello. i will not talk to a dead man, and that’s the way it will be. his influence in the broadcast industry may never be equalled. regrettably, the man had to retire; to what i pray was reward: for giving so much to America. Walter gave America a false sense of security around the dinner table, every night; that has been sorely missed.  R.I.P.
****************************************

It’s a RHETORICAL DEVICE, you twit!  I’m not talking to Walter Cronkite per se, but to the people still living!

How did some people make it to adulthood?

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By rollzone, July 18 at 2:44 pm #

hello. i will not talk to a dead man, and that’s the way it will be. his influence in the broadcast industry may never be equalled. regrettably, the man had to retire; to what i pray was reward: for giving so much to America. Walter gave America a false sense of security around the dinner table, every night; that has been sorely missed.  R.I.P.

Report this

By idarad, July 18 at 12:47 am #

Mr. Cronkite,

Thank you for helping to set the standard, now so forgotten. There will be eulogies by those who now pretend to carry the torch, they can’t hold a burnt match to you, but I will not let their shallow words destroy my memories of you.

You Mr. Cronkite helped me through JFK’s untimely death, you helped me mourn and made me feel a part of that day, that week, a part of what was still good.  You showed me that at some point in every life and in every story, the truth could no longer hide, and your words spoken to light the path to the truth of Vietnam helped lead to the ending of that tragedy.

Had we someone of your stature, honesty and eloquence speak truth after September 11, 2001, we may have chosen a path to seek justice and not war, to seek understanding not revenge, we may have had a chance to understand our world, our place in that world and our responsibility to each other, for we are all that we have, and you my good friend, knew your place in life and you appreciated the the immensity of this social fabric we call the human experience.

May those who follow, who did not know you, understand the quality you brought to life and that everything you touched was enhanced by your honest approach to understand.  Thank you for all you gave.

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By Inherit The Wind, July 17 at 10:39 pm #

Thank you, “Uncle Walter”.

May you rest in peace and always be remembered with love by the decent people of the world—and with hatred by the evil bastards you exposed to the light!

All the brave things you did—perhaps the bravest was your broadcast after Kent State.

I hope your life was as much fun, as interesting and as satisfying as it appeared to this outsider.

You were the most trusted man in America.  No quotes needed.

A life well lived.

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