Walter Cronkite brought us the bad news of President John F. Kennedy’s assassination, and he shared our fascination as Neil Armstrong walked on the moon 40 years ago.
His passing on Friday marked the end of another era in this nation’s history, but the standards of journalism and professionalism that he established remain as a testament to his legacy.
That his journalism career started in Texas should come as little surprise. He was studying the craft at the University of Texas when he started writing for a daily newspaper. From there he worked his way to the upper echelon of American journalism and set the highest standards for truth and integrity in broadcast news.
For most Americans, Cronkite was the news and the only source to be trusted in an unusual time in this nation’s history. He brought home the stories of Kennedy’s death, the protests and unrest, the lunar landing and Watergate. Because of Cronkite, the everyday viewer had front row access to the key events unfolding in the world. He made the news real and relevant to America.
His retirement from the CBS Evening News left a void in America’s living rooms, but his passing reminds us of the way it was and the way it should be.
