[Cronkite] said in an interview with columnist Liz Smith.
TOTAL? What BS. How could it be 'total'?
Is Walter getting his info from his terroristophilic heir?
Posted on 08/27/2002 4:11:42 PM PDT by GeneD
Walter Cronkite stepped up his criticism of the U.S. military's restrictions on coverage of troop activity in Afghanistan. "I am very upset that the Defense Department and the administration have not provided the facilities for the American people to know what their troops are doing in Afghanistan. It's been a total news blackout," he said in an interview with columnist Liz Smith. "We are not allowed to accompany troops into action, and this is a denial of the free speech and free press to which we're entitled." Forced to retire as anchor of the CBS Evening News 20 years ago when he reached the mandatory retirement age, Cronkite, a former UPI war corresondent, suggested that he would be raising hell over the issue if he were still broadcasting regularly. "I would do what I'm surprised the rest of the press is not doing, I would not let a day go by without my complaints that we were being denied the right to cover the story."
'I AM very upset that the Defense Department and the administration have not provided the facilities for the American people to know what their troops are doing in Afghanistan. It's been a total news blackout. We are not allowed to accompany troops into action, and this is a denial of the free speech and free press to which we're entitled - particularly when it's a matter of reporting our boys and girls going into action, endangering their lives to protect our democracy. We are entitled to know what they're putting up with and how they are performing."
That's what Walter Cronkite, still the most-trusted man in America, told this column during a chat about his involvement in the PBS series "Liberty's Kids." This is an animated program telling the story of the American Revolution through the eyes of teens working as apprentices in Benjamin Franklin's workshop. Walter provides the voice of Franklin. (Other voices include Whoopi Goldberg, Annette Bening, Michael Douglas, Arnold Scwharzenegger, Sylvester Stallone and Gen. Norman Schwarzkopf). The show airs over the Labor Day weekend.
Cronkite told us that if he were back in the saddle, "I would do what I'm surprised the rest of the press is not doing, I would not let a day go by without my complaints that we were being denied the right to cover the story" [in Afghanistan].
And what of that other roiling world political pot, Iraq, and a looming conflict intended to oust Saddam Hussein? Cronkite says: "I think the main thing to do is what the Administration is indicating they're not very pleased to do-and that is to be sure that the American people discuss it thoroughly, that the Congress discusses it thoroughly, and that decisions are made in a Democratic fashion as to whether we should pursue such a desperate course of initiating a defensive war."
(snip)
BTW, is that capital-D "Democratic" in the last paragraph a Freudian slip?
What planet has this writer been on? The "most trusted man in America" has been G. W. Bush since January 2001.
I don't care what Walter Cronkite says...what he thinks... or what he says he thinks!
Why, Walter? Not enough of our guys getting killed to suit you? So you can do to them what you did to our troops in Viet Nam? Fat chance. Stay retired.
TOTAL? What BS. How could it be 'total'?
Is Walter getting his info from his terroristophilic heir?
We are not allowed to accompany troops into action, and this is a denial of the free speech and free press to which we're entitled.Refusing to risk the lives of our soldiers by requiring them to escort journalists constitutes a denial of free speech?
Fat old Walter Crankcase has been a has-been ever since he became a never-was back in the stone age.
What's his screen name?
You're taking in a lot of territory there, Ole Okie.
Oook-Oook! Gumlegs watch dancing shadows in box!
Walter, you chucklehead. Your "Free Speech" screech only works here in America. Over there, you are treated like Daniel Pearl.
Or hear them, or smell them. Oops! I'm as confused as old Walter.
One can only assume that Liz, and/or her editor, believe democratic is a registered trademark...
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