Walter Cronkite: A Witness to History

On Friday night, July 17th,2009 legendary CBS News anchorman Walter Cronkite died after a long illness at the age of 92. In a world without the Internet and a 24-hour news cycle, Americans trusted Cronkite to provide the news every evening for 19 years. A 1972 poll showed that Mr. Cronkite was more trusted than the president, the vice president, members of Congress, and other prominent journalists.

He reported many events including bombing in World War II, The Nuremberg Trials, combat in Vietnam War, the death of JFK, Watergate, and the Iran Hostage Crisis as well as the extensive TV coverage of the U.S. Space Shuttle and American's landing on the moon.

Since his passing, a number of high-ranking politicians, including President Obama, as well as a number of top television executives and prominent journalists released statements praising Cronkite and his incredible career.

Obama said, "His rich baritone reached millions of living rooms every night, and in an industry of icons, Walter set the standard by which all others have been judged. But Walter was always more than just an anchor. He was family. He invited us to believe in him, and he never let us down."

When Cronkite first started his career as a journalist, it seemed an unlikely fit. He was named host of "You Are There" in which key moments of history were recreated by actors. Cronkite was depicted on camera interviewing "Joan of Arc" or "Sigmund Freud." But somehow, he managed to make it believable. Cronkite's achievements were remarkable for a man whose beginnings were anything but remarkable.

While Cronkite kept a lower profile in his later years, he did make a significant contribution to the "CBS Evening News with Katie Couric" with his voice being used during the opening of the broadcast since its debut in 2006. This bridged generations and signified the newscast’s strong link to its storied past.

As Cronkite said on March 6, 1981, concluding his final broadcast as anchorman: "Old anchormen, you see, don't fade away, they just keep coming back for more. And that's the way it is."

What a remarkable journalist. He was one America could trust, rely on, and look up to...which says a lot about a journalist. He stayed calm while always maintaining his integrity. He will forever be remembered.