Remembering Walter Cronkite

I am a man just shy of 31 years, the Walter Cronkite era was before my time.

As such, my words will be scant and I instead urge you all to view the videos available here. There will be a retrospective on CBS this Sunday (7/19/09) at 7:00pm.

I did not know the man that was the legend, though I think we all know the legend that was the man.

The one word that both man and legend are most synonymous with - integrity.

It is a word that doesn't come up too often when discussing our modern day journalists.

We look to the news to be informed, to be educated, to be taught.

As with all teachers, we put our trust in these journalists.

Few people have earned the level of trust, or have been able to live up to that trust in the way that Walter Cronkite had.

He did not editorialize, he just gave it to us straight.

Walter was America's teacher.

He has been sorely missed as a part of the world of journalism since his retirement in 1981.

Now, he will simply be sorely missed as a part of the world.

Walter Cronkite, November 4, 1916 - July 17, 2009

"And that's the way it is."