Tributes flow after Walter Cronkite dies at 92

Jul 18, 2009, 18:22 GMT

Walter Cronkite - His delivery was straightforward, unembellished and his trademark sign off "That’s the way it is" was how most Americans received their news nightly. When the CBS evening news was on, people stopped what they were doing to watch, listen and absorb the powerful news making events of the times. © Lee Roth / RothStock / PR Photos

   Washington - Iconic news anchor Walter Cronkite, whose journalism shaped US views and policies from World War II to the Vietnam War died Friday at the age of 92, his family said.

   Cronkite, who was born in St Joseph, Missouri, in 1916, had been ill for several months with cerebrovascular disease. Among the many paying tribute to him were President Barack Obama and his predecessor George W Bush.

   Often called 'the most trusted man in America,' Cronkite's deliberate reporting and analysis, together with his rare displays of emotion made him a key observer and interpreter of seminal moments in US history including the Kennedy assassination, the civil rights struggle and the moon landing.

   Regarded as one of the all time greats of US journalism, Cronkite also played a decisive role in establishing television as a leading news medium and in defining the standards for news anchors during his stint as anchor at CBS News from 1962 to 1981.

   Obama called him 'a voice of certainty in an uncertain world.'

   'For decades, Walter Cronkite was the most trusted voice in America. His rich baritone reached millions of living rooms every night,' said Obama. 'He invited us to believe in him, and he never let us down.'

   'Walter Cronkite was an icon of American journalism who shaped his profession in countless ways during his decades on the air. Tonight, his family is in our thoughts and prayers,' Bush said.

   'It is impossible to imagine CBS News, journalism or indeed America without Walter Cronkite,' Sean McManus, president of CBS News, said in a statement.

   'More than just the best and most trusted anchor in history, he guided America through our crises, tragedies and also our victories and greatest moments.'

   Cronkite established his legendary reputation with his marathon coverage of the assassination of president John F Kennedy in 1963. His sympathetic reporting of the civil rights struggle was key in winning over American public opinion, while his conclusion that the Vietnam War was unwinnable in 1968 eroded the support of middle America for the controversial conflict. 'If I've lost Cronkite, I've lost Middle America,' said President Lyndon Johnson after Cronkite concluded that the war could not be won.

   Katie Couric, the current anchor of the CBS Evening News, said Cronkite was so trusted 'because he exhibited a sense of purpose and compassion, night after night. He was the personification of excellence.'