News Flash- Walter Cronkite dead at 92.

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"And that's the way it is...This is Walter Cronkite, CBS News; good night."




RIP
 
RIP indeed. Someone I thought would always be there. What an empty echoing space he leaves behind.
 
Friday Digest - Vol. 09 No. 29

Walter Cronkite and the Death of Objective Journalism

The passing of legendary anchorman Walter Cronkite last weekend at the age of 92 has brought a wealth of commentary about his six-decade career in journalism and a lot of reflection about the man once referred to as the "most trusted man in America." He reported on some of the most important events of the post-war era -- the assassinations of iconic leaders, the highlights of America's space program and the Vietnam War.

Indeed, it was his comments on the Tet Offensive in 1968 that most glaringly deviated from the calm objective manner that made him a mainstay of American news programming. Having returned from Vietnam, revolted by the carnage after reporting on the battle of Hue, Cronkite boldly told the American public that Vietnam was a "stalemate" that was no longer winnable. Nothing could have been further from the truth. Despite Cronkite's lofty oratory, Tet was an unequivocal failure for North Vietnam. The Americans and the South Vietnamese beat back the multi-pronged invasion on every front and inflicted losses that amounted to almost the entire North Vietnamese invasion force. Yet, the public believed Cronkite. He certainly believed himself. He would say years later that his assessment helped speed the end of the war, even though America's military involvement would continue for five more years, ending only when Congress refused to fund the defense of South Vietnam, eventually allowing it to fall to the Communists in 1975.

Cronkite essentially used his power with the public to inject his own views on the situation, and in turn he altered the course of public opinion, which was not as sour on America's involvement in Vietnam as the rioting college students would have us believe. In his later years at CBS and into his retirement, Cronkite would let slip his true liberal views about America. "We have to find some marvelous middle ground between capitalism and communism," he said in 1996. And like fellow traveler Sen. Harry Reid, Cronkite refused to believe that victory in Iraq was possible, even while it was happening. In 2007, he said, "[V]ictory no longer seems to be a remote possibility."

The real legacy Cronkite leaves behind in American journalism is not likely to be discussed or even admitted to by his acolytes. It is the legacy of a journalist who abandoned his obligation to report the facts and instead injected himself and his opinions into every story. He editorialized the news, and created a sad standard that is now emulated by network news anchors, cable news reporters, and newspapers across the country. The truth is now subjective. As Walter would say, "And that's the way it is." But that's not the way it should be.

http://www.patriotpost.us/
 
I was part of the '68 Tet Offensive. Vietnam was a white hat Democrat war and the liberals had one arm of the military tied behind their backs to create a level playing field. Nixon knew how to fight a war - Johnson was a dumb a** in my opinion. There were so many ways to beat the draft if your daddy had money and gave to the party. To this day I can't stand liberals. And now you see what they are doing to this country. The Iraq war has cost us 5,000 lives (volunteers) but Vietnam cost over 52,000 lives mostly draftees. I still don't believe this country has a clue as to the gravity of the damage a liberal can do. Look what happened when standards were reduced so the minority at risk population could own homes - they have created the credit mess by walking away from their mortgages and they are responsible for voting BHO into office. Who only knows what kind of damage he will reap upon this country.
 
alevin said:
I do believe in objective journalism-all the way around.
Click to expand...

I agree as well, but how about a news show with just the facts.....O'Reilly is an OP/ED right wing blow hard....not journalism.

To many apples-to-oranges comparisons now..... We are having a tough time telling News from Opinion.

I.E. - News: The House voted today on a measure that would determine the tax brackets for the 2009-2010 tax year. The bill passed 330-110 in favor with most of the democratic party in favor of the new levels. The expectations of the bill as it goes to the Senate will create a level taxation for people making under $100K. (Walter Cronkite)

I.E. - OP/ED: The left wing liberals are now sticking it to the lower-and middle class on a tax bill designed to screw everyone. The leftist bill passed today with hardly a hiccough by the democratic led House and sees NO resistance at the Senate. If you make under a $100K dollars a year...you are s-c-r-e-w-e-d..SCREWED. (Bill O'Reilly)

BTW..I am a Right Winger.....and I know the differrence:suspicious:
 
I think we're on the same wavelength, Frixxx. Too many people get the 2 confused anymore. I seldom watch TV news except local even when I do watch. One of the reasons haven't converted from cable to satellite. When I watch opinion programs, I know they are opinion programs-mostly Nat. Pub. Television. Lived with yellowrag journalism local newspaper front page anti-gov articles for years, virtually incited riots against me and co-workers, people believed (wanted to believe the worst) whatever the editor/jr. reporter would write, no matter how slanted, twisted, misrepresented, distorted they could make the articles to make people believe the worst. so glad I live in a saner, more balanced community nowdays, took me a few years to shake it off and relax about letting people here know who I work for.
 
Frixxxx said:
I agree as well, but how about a news show with just the facts.....O'Reilly is an OP/ED right wing blow hard....not journalism.

To many apples-to-oranges comparisons now..... We are having a tough time telling News from Opinion.

I.E. - News: The House voted today on a measure that would determine the tax brackets for the 2009-2010 tax year. The bill passed 330-110 in favor with most of the democratic party in favor of the new levels. The expectations of the bill as it goes to the Senate will create a level taxation for people making under $100K. (Walter Cronkite)

I.E. - OP/ED: The left wing liberals are now sticking it to the lower-and middle class on a tax bill designed to screw everyone. The leftist bill passed today with hardly a hiccough by the democratic led House and sees NO resistance at the Senate. If you make under a $100K dollars a year...you are s-c-r-e-w-e-d..SCREWED. (Bill O'Reilly)

BTW..I am a Right Winger.....and I know the differrence:suspicious:
Click to expand...
I.E. - OP/ED: A bipartisan majority in the House of Representatives passed sweeping tax reform today designed to ensure that the richest 10% of Americans paid their fair share of the tax burden in this country. For full detials, see our special report at 11:00 PM. (Liberal Mainstream Media)
 
I don't believe we can categorize the people you refer to as Newscasters, they, on the LEFT and the RIGHT are COMMENTATORS. Our old friend Walter Conkite was a real newsman. There is no comparison, its two different things.:cool:
 
Frixxxx said:
To many apples-to-oranges comparisons now..... We are having a tough time telling News from Opinion.BTW..I am a Right Winger.....and I know the differrence:suspicious:
Click to expand...

nnuut said:
I don't believe we can categorize the people you refer to as Newscasters, they, on the LEFT and the RIGHT are COMMENTATORS. Our old friend Walter Conkite was a real newsman. There is no comparison, its two different things.:cool:
Click to expand...

Hey Norm,

Based on your most excellent statement, do you know of any good ones? I usually just read online and hope I can extract the facts!:cool:
 
In my day of true News anchor people ..no one comes close to..

Chet Huntley and David Brinkley..except maybe Walter;)
 
alevin said:
And that's the way it is.
Click to expand...

keith_olbermann.jpg


KhalidShaikhOlby2.jpg


OlbermannandObama.jpg


olbermann_worst.jpg
 
Happy birthday, Birch! and here we thought you'd like your present-supporters of objective journalism coming out of the woodwork from all directions.
 
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