Did anyone else see the irony of spending most of the show talking about how great Cronkite was,
always being composed,
how Cronkite broke the story of the assignation
how Cronkite had the story under control,
then breaking it down to find that none of this was actually true?
Nothing against Cronkite but it makes the story weak.
This is how history gets rewritten.
You need to rewatch it. I don't know where you got that it wasn't true.
shareThe show itself said it, ABC Radio broke the story. I don't recall the man's name. But he announced it, Kennedy WAS dead, while Cronkite wanted more confirmation. This very show explained it.
And now recordings of the radio broadcast are available on You Tube.
And if you don't think he broke down on TV you have a different interpretation of what everyone saw. He was not composed.
Most of America, maybe all of America, found out we were living in a dream world, asleep, fat and happy, and then our President was murdered in front of the world and we found out we are a lot closer to every other corrupt country than we ever dreamed.
shareWalter Cronkite wanted official confirmation from a White House spokesman that the President was dead before announcing it to his audience. That's one call he didn't want to get wrong, and that was the right call. Those news outlets that announced the death of the President prior to getting official confirmation were taking a heck of a chance, had that been the wrong information. Walter was the consummate newsman; get the story and get it right. Sadly, people like him are missing from news programs today, and it shows. Nobody of his caliber is around today.
Yes, Walter got a bit emotional when he delivered that news, but believe me the American people were much more emotional than Walter was at that moment in history. Walter showed his humanity, and he kept on going and didn't falter. You or I would have been a basket case.