In February 1968, CBS Evening News anchor Walter Cronkite gave the commentary that many believe turned the tide of public sentiment on the Vietnam War. He said, among other things:
We have been too often disappointed by the optimism of the American leaders, both in Vietnam and Washington, to have faith any longer in the silver linings they find in the darkest clouds … For it seems now more certain than ever that the bloody experience of Vietnam is to end in a stalemate.
I don’t want to get into an argument over the current war in Iraq; I do think it’s fair to say the insurgency is not in its “last throes,” by every reasonable estimation.
I don’t want to get into an argument over the Vietnam War, either; I know there are many people who believe Cronkite, Jane Fonda and other anti-war types undermined the U.S. military and caused us to lose a war we could have won.
My question to you is this:
Does any U.S. journalist have the courage to take a stance on Iraq similar to Cronkite’s on Vietnam — and the credibility to have anything approaching Cronkite’s impact?
Offhand, I can’t think of one. The journalists who have the most universal appeal in today’s polarized media world — Tim Russert, Tom Brokaw, and who else? — wouldn’t do it. And if they did, they’d be immediately and forcefully lumped in with other “liberal” journalists, both avowed and alleged.
The media war would continue as it had before. The impact would be minimal, if not nonexistent.
What do you think?
Technorati tags: Journalism, Iraq, Vietnam, Media, Walter Cronkite, Tim Russert
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Update: I posted this on Daily Kos as well and the votes so far are running about 75 percent “no.”
One commenter posted this response:
A most excellent question, and it could be answered from different perspectives…journalistic, style of communication, credibility to name a few.
It’s very interesting to look back in time to observe the art of communication. The wordsmithing of Cronkite, the leadership challenge of Kennedy as he had us look to the moon (a more recent analogy about a Mars mission is laughable), and to look back even farther….the near-poetic letters of soldiers on the battlefields of the Civil War.
However, you can’t go back.
To your question…many journalists could opine similar thoughts, but not in such a refined manner. Of course, they would be swiftboated by the end of the day. No current journalist in my view has the gravitas to come close to Cronkite in regards to the weight of the message.
At the risk of being flamed mercilessly, there is one person who came to mind that could put out a similar speech to Cronkite’s standard, even though the politics do not line up.
Pat Buchanan. Of course, nobody pays attention to Pat.
It’s a different world today. The only person I can think of would be someone like Oprah — if she used the platform of her show to preach against the war every day, it would make a difference.