Saturday, July 18, 2009

"And That's The Way It Is..."

Of all of the celebrities that we have lost recently, Walter Cronkite will be the one that I miss the most. As a child of the 60's, I grew up with the voice of Walter Cronkite giving me the account of history making events. He covered the early political conventions. He told me that JFK had been killed. He told me that we had walked on the moon. As a young adult Walter Cronkite came into my living room every evening and told me about the events of the day.
He was a professional in every sense of the word. Those who knew him, called him the definition of an anchorman. There was something very soothing and comforting about that deep, resonating voice that helped us get through even the most difficult news events. There was something in his personality that told you, you could trust him. You could believe him. He would discover the truth and tell it to you without jumping on a soap box and making a major event out of something that didn't deserve to be a major event. He covered history with the honor and respect that history deserved. Walter Cronkite let the news be the star and not his personality. I think that's because he was a newspaper man first, and it was always his first love. In fact, it is said, that the word "anchorman" was coined as a result of his coverage of the 1952 presidential conventions. His signature line, "That's the way it is" ended every broadcast. Where did that come from. I'll let Walter tell you.



Walter Cronkite was 92 at the time of his death. I'm going to miss him. That's the way it is.

7 comments:

  1. there will never be a powerful journalist as him again,He will be missed.

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  2. Oh, I will miss him too. He was the epitome of a trusted male figure head. It didn't hurt that he looked good to. :)

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  3. I appreciated that he told the truth based on the facts.

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  4. I heard one report say he was the most trusted man in news. I remember hearing him as a kid, too.

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  5. Nicely done...he was our window to the world..

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  6. I'm a child of the 1970's and I still remember his broadcasts... I still remember watching his last regular broadcast when he said Dan Rather would be sitting in "for a few years"... I was saddened a while back when I heard he'd been sent home from the hospital to be with family... and now...

    Aside from "Heeeeeeeeres Johnny!", "...and that's the way it is." was a mighty and powerful memory of television of my youth.

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  7. I will miss his voice and integrity as well. I am a child of the 60's and remember him as far back as my first few views of T.V. can go! This is a great tribute Driller.
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