Walter Cronkite: U.S. Too Ignorant to Vote

newsmax.com ^ | Monday, Oct. 3, 2005 6:56 a.m. EDT

[InvisibleChurch]

Monday, Oct. 3, 2005 6:56 a.m. EDT Walter Cronkite: U.S. Too Ignorant to Vote

The man once known as the most trusted journalist in America no longer trusts Americans to vote for their own leaders, saying average citizens are just too ignorant to cast their ballots wisely.

"We [as a nation] are not educated well enough to perform the necessary act of intelligently selecting our leaders," CBS News legend Walter Cronkite told the University of Southern California's Annenberg School for Communication last week.

In quotes picked up by the Los Angeles Times, Cronkite said journalists need to find a way to better inform the public, suggesting they pressure their employers to replace the current roundups of celebrity profiles and personal health and finance pieces with "the news of the day."

"If we fail at that," Cronkite warned, "our democracy, our republic, I think, is in serious danger."

The CBS legend also said that he fears that the blogosphere could threaten the standing of the mainstream media, adding that news consumers are already confused by cable TV's "opinion journalism."

[InvisibleChurch]

[rhombus]

What an arrogant elitist. Americans are too smart to trust the news to your ilk, Mr. Cronkite.

[Mo1]

Gee Uncle Walter ... seems you are a afraid of the truth

[Lockbar]

America's most trusted old scumbag.

[RichInOC]

You know, Walt, Ronald Reagan retired from public life when he came down with Alzheimer's.

[CDHart]

I hate to be in a position of agreement with Cronkite, but he's right in this instance. Where I work we have 70 employees. Only three, including myself, have a clue what's going on politically. The rest don't know and don't care. They just parrot what the MSM tells them. Sad.

Carolyn

[cvq3842]

Right.

Interesting how he criticizes the news for providing celebrity news rather than the news of the day, and in the next breath criticizes the blogosphere for "confusing" people with opinions (and facts the MSM does not give).

How arrogant! Everyone should just watch CSB news and not question it, I guess. national Guard story, anyone?

[evolved_rage]

Why do I suspect that Cronkite's only form of exercise is reading the NY Times and nodding his head up and down...and moving his lips.

[TNCMAXQ]

If President Gore or Kerry were in office the lefty elites like Cronkite would have a completely different attitude.

[Jeff Head]

So, when a majority, in the largest numbers to turn out in history, elects Bush, we are too ignorant.

But when a minority of the voters put Clinton in twice...we were educated, is that it Walt?

Sounds to me like the ignortant brush paints pretty broadly there Mr. Cronkite.

[Brilliant]

"We [as a nation] are not educated well enough to perform the necessary act of intelligently selecting our leaders."

I agree with Walter on this basic point, and I think it's obvious who's to blame: the media and the public schools.

Who else could it be?

[DCPatriot]

Yeah, Mr. Cronkite...you elitest ba$tard, the "ignorant" are registered Democrats.

[peteram]

I agree with you, Carolyn. Heh....for once a Lib gets it right.

Hannity has even said that many of these folks who don't know (or care) about events around them are "cancelling out" our vote at the polls each year. (He proves it every Thursday with his 'Man on the Street' interviews)

[wide meadow]

There's no little irony in those whose training is in JOURNALISM, able to construct a sentence but little or no background in economics, philosophy, and other serious ideas, telling us that we're too dumb to vote intelligently. Ignore the celebrity profiles?--Walter, you ARE a celebrity profile.

[Red Badger]

We [as a nation] are not educated well enough to perform the necessary act of intelligently selecting our leaders,"

And just whose fault is that, you old moonbat!?! You controlled the education systems for 40+ years?, You who wrotes the latest "education" bill? You who did tyour damned best to keep people from sending their kids to schools of their choice by defeating vouchers everytime? You who supported the NEA and other teacher's unions?...............

[linkinpunk]

he fears that the blogosphere could threaten the standing of the mainstream media.

Now that is funny. I actually agree with him.

[beezdotcom]

The biggest indication that this may be one of the two times today that "Broken Clock" Cronkite will be right is that people still somehow consider him newsworthy.

[thejokker]

what do you expect from a "journalist" who told a bald faced lie about the tet offensive?

[WmCraven_Wk]

"....he fears that the blogosphere could threaten the standing of the mainstream media, adding that news consumers are already confused by cable TV's "opinion journalism."

This proves two things 1) Cronkite isn't a complete idiot and 2) We in the 'blogosphere' are having an impact on the stranglehold MSM has had on public opinion and viewpoint.

Chaos and confusion on all in the MSM.

[cricket]

A voice from the 'dark side' speaks and is heard around the world.

Remember a time. . .before 'confusing' cable idea mongering; before blogospheres. . .before the internet; before talk radio. . .that I admired Walter Cronkite. . .

[Fortunately, there was. . .'National Review'; for starters. . .then R.Emmet Tyrell & company; and of course, the oncoming 'Rush revolution' ;^)]

Walter said 'good-night' a long time ago; wish he had meant it.