And that’s the Way it Was

The calm and metered voice of an entire country, the icon that stands for all that was good, and right, in news journalism, the narrator of American life, and death, in the 60s and 70s, that was Walter Cronkite. Walter Cronkite made everything a bit better, a bit easier. The celebrations that were had as a country during his tenure as CBS Evening News anchor were that much sweeter, and the losses, especially that of President John F. Kennedy, a little bit easier to take. Every night, five days a week, everyone in this country, or very close to it, were in front of their television screens for thirty minutes listening to Walter Cronkite tell us how “it was” on that day.

Thinking of it now I realize that this man could have done a radio news cast and had nearly the same affect on his audience because it was his voice, and the way in which he portioned out the information that he was giving to the country, that kept us all so captivated for so long.

Walter Cronkite was the epitome of a news journalist. He gave Americans the information they needed to know what was going on in the country without coloring the information with his own views. He was very human, and warm, but unbiased at the same time. Walter Cronkite become the measure by which all newscasters that came after would be measured, no one ever did. When Walter Cronkite retired from the evening news the seams of this country ripped apart ever so slightly, and have been ripping ever since.

Walter Cronkite was the calm and gentle voice in my childhood, he was a distinct constant. I have always had nothing but wonderful memories of the piece of my youth he filled. I was sad when he left the anchor desk, and I am profoundly sadder this evening as I learn of his death. I am eternally grateful that I was granted the privilege of having Walter Cronkite in my life in the way that he was. He is the reason the last line of this blog is ever so redundant.

I fear that my words here do not do him justice, but I had to try.

Thank you again for getting this far with me.