The best interviews—like the best biographies—should sing the strangeness and variety of the human race.
Lynn Barber. British journalist
I suppose it’s another sign of aging when I enjoy a public lecture series as much as any concert. The other night On The Mark and I went to see Anderson Cooper interview Walter Cronkite.
Despite Cronkite’s difficulty hearing (he is 90 years old after all), the show was very interesting. I have even higher regard for Cooper’s journalistic skills and integrity than I did prior to the interview. Until Cooper came out and provided a brief introduction to the evening and about himself and Cronkite, I wasn’t aware of Cooper’s depth. He is among the first television reporters to a major battle or catastrophe, he doesn’t have to go, he can send other reporters and question them about what is going, but he goes himself. He has seen the dark choler and rancor of human behavior as well as its caring and consider side. He expects more from politicians than just canned answers. He says that no one has truly accepted the blame for inactivity in New Orleans.
Here are a few of Cronkite’s observations:
- Anna Nicole Smith? (I don’t believe for one second he wasn’t aware of who she was)
- Anderson Cooper is the best newsman/anchor out there, because he is not afraid to go where the action is and report what is really happening.
- People don’t realize how dangerous the situation is in the Middle East. Anyone can be killed at anytime, anywhere. During WWII there was a clear enemy and a frontline for battles.
- We never should have been in Iraq. We should not be there now.
- He does not watch Fox News since it is a biased organization, beginning with the ownership.
- Bobby Kennedy asked Cronkite to run for Senate, but Cronkite did take him seriously, since Kennedy didn’t even know what state he lived in.
- The one person he would have loved to interview was Hitler.
- The most significant event of the 20th Century was an American walking on the moon.
- Cooper asked Cronkite if was ever left speechless, “Often, I would momentarily forgot the date as I was signing off on some nights."