Legendary newsman Walter Cronkite, 92, dies at home

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By Valerie Richardson and Andre F. Radzischewski THE WASHINGTON TIMES

Walter Cronkite, the iconic television news anchor whose steady delivery and dignified bearing during turbulent times led him to be known as "the most trusted man in America," died Friday after a long illness. He was 92.

Mr. Cronkite died at 7:42 p.m. at his Manhattan, N.Y., home surrounded by his family. The cause of his death was cerebrovascular disease, his longtime chief of staff, Marlene Adler, told the Associated Press.

The baritone-voiced broadcaster took the helm of the "CBS Evening News" in 1962 and became the face of American news for two tumultuous decades. Over the course of his celebrated career, he broke the news of President John F. Kennedy's assassination, reported extensively on the Vietnam War and Watergate, and announced that a man had walked on the moon.

"He was a great broadcaster and a gentleman whose experience, honesty, professionalism and style defined the role of anchor and commentator," said CBS Corp. Chief Executive Officer Leslie Moonves.

President Obama said Friday that Mr. Cronkite "set the standard by which all others have been judged."

"He was someone we could trust to guide us through the most important issues of the day, a voice of certainty in an uncertain world," said Mr. Obama. "He was family. He invited us to believe in him, and he never let us down. This country has lost an icon and a dear friend, and he will be truly missed."

Mr. Cronkite was the first television broadcaster to be called "anchor," a title coined for him in his role as coordinator of CBS' coverage of the 1952 Democratic and Republican national conventions. His name literally became synonymous with "anchorman" in Sweden, where broadcast anchors are known as "Kronkiters," and in Holland, where they're "Cronkiters."

Mr. Cronkite helped "define the job," former CNN anchor Aaron Brown, who covered the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks and later hosted the network's "NewsNight," told The Washington Times .

"I think the rest of us, quite honestly, followed his script," Mr. Brown said.