[T. Buzzard Trueblood]

occasionally forcing back tears

Dan Rather, infotainer. The man loves to cry on camera. He did it on Letterman shortly after 9/11, he did it numerous times on-air when he was the CBS anchorman...it's part of his schtick, like his faux-homey colloquialisms or the v-neck sweater he used to wear under his suit. The crying on cue thing is in fact the lamest aspect of Rather's schtick, and that says a lot.

I believe that Rather practices crying. I'm not kidding. I think the man works on it.

[Milhous]

Cronkite arguably invented tearing up schtick while broadcasting Kennedy's assassination. Along with everything else cry baby Ra^ther stole Cronkite's tearing up schtick and made into his SeeBS signature.