What Can Bring Dan Rather and CBS Together?
It didn’t take long to see the significance of the CBS special about Walter Cronkite tonight. After a silent screen announced that 60 Minutes would not be airing, and why, a voice began to speak, sounding like a grandfather propping a grandchild onto his knee to tell an enormously important tale: “There are thousands of voices delivering the news today, but there once was a time, not long ago, when one voice mattered most.” And within the first two minutes, there was former CBS newsman, and current CBS litigant, Dan Rather. This opening segment set the tone for a powerful tribute, from fellow journalists and more, to a man who meant so much to the fourth estate. The biggest names were brought in to reflect on Cronkite in preparation of his passing (as noted by my colleague Rachel Sklar, Katie Couric’s interview was clearly done months ago): beginning with ABC’s Diane Sawyer, the first segment featured comments from NBC’s Brian Williams, actor George Clooney, ABC’s Barbara Walters, Pres
