Letters to the editor
Re “Walter Cronkite, 1916-2009: A voice the nation trusted,” Obituary, July 18
In addition to being the “most respected and recognizable media figure of his era,” Walter Cronkite was one of the most humble and down-to-earth.
In 1993, students in my history class conducted a telephone interview with Cronkite regarding his views on the war in Vietnam. He fully and respectfully addressed all their questions.
He then apologized to me for disregarding the time difference between New York and California and said he hoped he hadn’t inconvenienced us “by taking up our lunchtime.” Mr. Cronkite was indeed a class act.
Linda Linville
Corona
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Almost 40 years ago, after watching extensive coverage of the moon landing and the first human beings to walk on the moon, I asked a 7-year-old neighbor: “Can you tell me the names of the astronauts who walked on the moon?” He responded, “Neil Armstrong.” I asked if he knew the name of the other one. He thought about it a couple of seconds, and then said, “Walter Cronkite.”
Well, he’s finally right. Cronkite has now gone “to the moon and beyond.” And that’s the way it is.
Jon Karp
Los Angeles
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With the passing of Cronkite goes the last “gentleman journalist.”
Walter would not have cared about Paris Hilton’s latest conquest or spent two weeks covering the death of Michael Jackson. He was a true journalist, a true newsman and sought to report true news in a professional manner.
We are in a sorry state, replacing great journalists with those who are “first on the scene” with the latest news on a celebrity scandal.
Janet C. Jones
Los Angeles
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We trusted him because he told the truth, not the editorialized truth.
Cronkite, like the late Tim Russert, set aside personal politics and did the news objectively. Is there no one to take his place?
Larry Walker
Canoga Park