walter cronkite --morley safer covers his coverage in the past year. sets a new standard for war reporting in the age of television. morley? morley: thank you, walter. this emphasized one single point, tell us about it. we are at war not only with the viet cong, but at war with a devastating army. full war declarations are not necessary. ahead, even higher casualties, a point that every troop and every general in vietnam is acutely aware of, something that is not fully grasped at home. in this program, we will not try to give the order of battles. what we will try to do is give the mood and the feel of those five weeks. it all started at pleime. it was almost by accident. it looked at first like a routine vietnam attack. this was an outpost in the central highlands held by a handful of american advisers and 350 mountain tribesmen. as it turned out, this was a new kind of attack i in new kind of army. as was a full-scale, sustained assault by two heavily armed regiments aimed at wiping pleime off the map and sucking american troops into an ambush. this

. >>> this is walter cronkite >>> this is walter cronkite reporting from the capital. 131 over pattersone in dayton, ohio. this aircraft is executing a maneuver to make it and everyone in it temporarily weightless. this weightless condition is one of many that man must learn to tolerate or overcome to survive a first trip to the moon. >> cronkite was the perfect person for space because he was a space junky. he ended up covering the early mercury missions, and he just became encyclopedic on it. >> what are the hazards and what are our scientists doing to ensure man's survival in the hostile environment of outer space? that is our story. first man on the moon as the prudential insurance company of america presents the 20th century. >> this is marine lieutenant colonial john h. glenn jr. who within a few days will be the first american to fly in orbit around the world. >> we're embarking in a completely new field here, space science. and i'm happy and proud i can maybe contribute a little bit in my own way in this new field. >> john glenn came along next and flew the first orbital flight f

walter cronkite: here is a bulletin from cbs news.e shots were fired at president kennedy's motorcade in downtown dallas. the first reports say that president kennedy has been seriously wounded by this shooting. repeating, president kennedy has been shot by a would-be assassin in dallas, texas. kenneth o'donnell: governor connally has been taken upstairs for surgery. lyndon johnson: well how's the president? kenneth o'donnell: it looks bad. he's still uh, somehow he; he's still breathing. the doctors are with him. lyndon johnson: i'm in your hands kenny, what should i do? kenneth o'donnell: i uh, i'll let you know as soon as i hear about the president. lee harvey oswald: taxi! [sirens]. lee harvey oswald: 500 north beckley. [sirens]. william whaley: what the hell? i wonder what all the uproar is. [sirens]. jackie kennedy: i want to be with my husband. doris nelson: i'm sorry mrs. kennedy. jackie kennedy: i want to be with my husband. doris nelson: you can't, the doctors are doing everything they can. jackie kennedy: i'm going to get i

. >> after walter cronkite, johnson's popularity sinks. >> to most ordinary citizens, it's become obvious the war is not being won. >> opposition to the war was rising. it wasn't just beatniks and young kids. >> we are fighting a war. i'm convinced that it is one of the most unjust wars that has ever been fought in the history of the world. >> martin luther king came out against the vietnam war. his own followers said you shouldn't be focusing on that. you should be focusing on our issue. he said they're intertwined, you can't separate them. >> president kennedy said on one occasion, mankind must put an end to war. or war will put an end to mankind. you honestly think if there was an election, a vote for and against the war, that the anti-war people would win out? >> it's really hard to tell now. the polls are uncertain. but the polls do say that most of the country is discontent with the path that the war is taking. i think something ought to be done. >> when some of the anti-war activists were looking for somebody to run for president, a number of people turned them down, including robe

and i would say walter cronkite was always liberal. all of them were always liberal.out of the closet, it's out in the open so they've been exposed. that's why you know they wear their politics more on their sleeve. good thing.it now. it was always a myth. >> well i think the reason that liberals think that they're not liberals because they think that what they believe is just reality. so when they turn on the tv and they hear reality being spoken, they're like, this is an objective person, right? you just think that this must be true. so what i found was interesting and what rush wrote, there was a couple of things in it that i should have known, but didn't know. he talks but in 1993, while aboard air force base, president clinton called my st. louis affiliate to complain that i had three hours each day on the radio and there was no truth detector responding to me and and another point harry reid called clear channel and complained, wanted them to do things about what rush limbaugh was saying. this is an heavy-handed behavior by the government. i'm liberal and i can

cbs news special report by morley safer and the team in vietnam with a special introduction by walter cronkite. >> good evening. six days ago, the people of america were jolted by an announcement. a single week that exceeded the average weekly week of dead and wounded in the korean war. 240 americans killed, 470 wounded. the american public had not known until then, but they knew now. the united states is indeed at war against a formidable enemy. valley.le of ia drang costliest, and most significant fought by american troops in vietnam. safer's coverage over the past year. new standardid a for war reporting in the age of television. the weeks that followed have emphasized one single point about our commitment that has been re-emphasized in the weeks, months and years to come. that we are at war not only with south vietnam, but north vietnam and its strong army. ahead light even higher casualties, a point that every g.i. and general is acutely aware of. a point that many feel has not been fully grasped at home. we will not try to get the order of battle. there was none. we will try to give them

walter cronkite used to say that. cbs, and work at walter cronkite used to say if you are getting hit by the right and left, you must be doing something right. i think there's some truth to that. one thing i will say, and i find it interesting about this audience, is that i'm pretty sure just about everybody here grew up -- except for us on the thee and those running event -- grew up in this age of partisan media. april -- we did not grow up with ox news, msnbc. news, innocent bc. there were newspapers that took points of view and endorsed candidates, but it is not what it is now. for those of us who grew up in a different era, it's not unheard of to be objective, to be the ref, who can call it fair and square on both sides. but i do understand that mentality. "you guys just have opinions and you are letting your opinions affect your stories." we would not be where we are if that was the case. we had too many editors who would go, "get out of there. you are not doing your job right." it is checks and balances within o

walter cronkite used to say that. i used to work at cbs, and walter cronkite used to say if you are getting hit by the right and left, you must be doing something right. i think there's some truth to that. one thing i will say, and i find it interesting about this audience, is that i'm pretty sure just about everybody here grew up -- except for us on the stage and those running the event -- grew up in this age of partisan media. april, we did not grow up with fox news, msnbc. there were newspapers that took points of view and endorsed candidates, but it is not what it is now. for those of us who grew up in a different era, it's not unheard of to be objective, to be the refs who can call it fair and square on both sides. but i do understand that mentality. are you going to "you guys just have opinions and you are letting your opinions affect your stories." we would not be where we are if that were the case. we had too many editors who "you guys just have opinions and you are letting your opinions affect your stories."

. >> when walter cronkite, who is the most trusted man in america said that, lyndon johnson said "if yndon johnson realized he was no longer in charge of the war. the war was in charge of him. >> what did you lose? >> i had 36 when we started. we got 21 killed. >> what were you thinking about? >> i was thinking of my wife and my baby that i haven't seen, i guess. i got a baby coming in june. that was on my mind. i just knew we were going to get overrun. >> if you look at the history of vietnam, it was a tragic comedy of errors from beginning to end. and the tragedy of johnson is that he achieved remarkable things, particularly in terms of civil rights, but will be remembered for vietnam. >> it's the full shakespearean wheel of fortune, the man who has nothing who rises to everything and then loses it all. >> in a moment of tragedy and trauma, the duties of this office fell upon me with america's sons in the field far away, with america's future under challenge right here at home, i have concluded that i should not permit the presidency to become involved in the partisan divisions that

. >> walter cronkite news, march 18, 1975. >> according to pentagon sources, the north vietnamese haveiles east of the provincial capital of ban me thuit which fell over the weekend. >> the cease-fire which wasn't a cease-fire involved a lot of bloody combat, and for the first 11 months the south vietnamese fought quite well. but by 1975, it became more and more clear that the north vietnamese were building up a formidable logistical system that portended real danger for the south vietnamese. >> the communists began the first major attack of their offensive. saigon's troops made a stand. it was a vital one. the entire central highlands might be lost, and south vietnam could be cut in two by the north vietnamese and the viet cong. >> the plan that the north vietnamese conceived would be a two-year plan. what happened was that when attacking the central highlands town of ban my thuit the thieu government lost its composure. >> government troops were secretly ordered by president thieu to pull out of the central provinces. >> the withdrawal became a rout, civilians and soldiers fleeing in

. >> this is walter cronkite, in our newsroom.tempt on the life of president kennedy. >> just turn the mic on. i can't hear you, johnny. what do you want? you want me to move back a little bit. is it all right now? is this all right? ladies and gentlemen, i would like to introduce to you the chief cameraman. and assistant news director. this is better shipp, bert, we have brought the people pretty much up to date. would you tell them exactly what you know as of this point? >> well, i was standing at the trade mart, waiting for his arrival there. all of a sudden we saw them approaching, they didn't slow down, as a matter of fact, they were going 70, 80 miles an hour past us. and then i jumped into a police car and went to parkland. >> these two men come in and one of them had a large machine gun and was hollering for the stretchers and cots and everything. and they brought the governor in first. >> what happened next? >> then the president came in behind him and they took both of them back -- >> albert thomas, democrat of texas is

. >> ted koppel on abc news, walter cronkite, america, day 15, day 100, day 200.n people. and carter started becoming the symbol of lost american prestige. >> ronald reagan is running officially. he got in the race tonight in new york city at a fund-raising dinner. and he taped a speech yesterday for showing tonight on about 90 independent television stations. >> i'm here tonight to announce my intention to seek the republican nomination for the president of the united states. the crisis we face is not the result of any failure of the american spirit, it's a failure of our leaders. >> the country is looking for optimism, looking for a new dawn, a new beginnings. and ronald reagan epitomized all those things. >> between '76 and '80, reagan's building a coalition bringing in christian fundamentalists, and law and order nixonian people. >> reagan is realizing to sell conservatism you have to do it with a smile. you have got to do it in a way that makes people feel good not scold them. >> we can turn this country around. we can turn our economy around. and the time to

and so -- and walter cronkite used to say that -- i used to work at cbs and walter cronkite used to say, if you are getting hit by the right and the left you must be doing something right. there is some truth to that. the one thing i will say and i find it interesting about this audience, i'm pretty sure everybody grew up, except for those on the stage -- the student grew up in this age of partisan media. april, we didn't grow up with fox news, msnbc. there were newspapers that took points of view and endorsed candidates but it wasn't the way it is now where it's just saturated in television. and i think for those of us who grew up in a different era, it's not unheard of to be objective, to be the refs who can call it fair and square on both sides. but, you know, i do understand that mentality. well, you guys must have opinions and you're letting your opinions affect your stories. we wouldn't be where we are if that were the case. we have too many editors, too many people behind the scenes like, you are aout of there. you're not doing the job right. that's the way i look at it. we're th

. >> it's a recognition that cbs had tried many, many times, including walter cronkite. >> he did a morning show? >> he did. mike wallace did a morning show so cbs has a long tradition of doing morning shous and lots of people said, you know, are they ever going to get it right? and we got it right. >> i thought it was so nice when the audience applauded at that point. that was interesting. even in your fake chin, they put the dimple. >> i got there like at 3:30. it was like two hours of makeup. they put everything on you and then they paint your face and takes an hour and a half to take it off! >> geez! >> i know. >> enjoying to see you talking about that green face about president putin and president assad and still sounding like charlie rose but rooglooking like that. >> they put big shoes on you? >> not high heels but platform shoes. lady gaga shoes, they say. i love stephen. he is so much fun to work with. >> he really is. >> we have a good time. >> no! no. but they had pads and all of this other stuff. i was like 6'7". the first thing i said to stephen, y you trump! >> it was realllly

. >> would walter cronkite do this on television? >> he has a dimple in his chin! >>. [ screaming ] >> i got really, really hungry and i ate all of your halloween candy when you were at school. >> don't ever do that again! >> it is so great to bebe back here at east islip. >> boomer, you reported that the new york jets asked the nfl to sweep the locker room of the patriots. what is it about patriot paranoia evevebody has? >> the patriots are the preeminent organization and in the nfl, people don't like success, especially when it's sustained like that. >> what is the one thing all successful people have in commmm? >> hunger! >> congratulations. the news is back. you finally figured this show out. it took about 40 years but you figured it out. >> chris stapleton "traveler." >> chris stapleton! >> there is probably going to be a party tonight! let me hear you say i can'thank you >> they call you big sexy. >> i don't know where that name came from. >> do you think we have a new nickname for charlie now? at are you thinking? you are our big sexy! i'm _______it's eight-

in the network section of that, i point out that walter cronkite came back from the vietnam war, he didnot like what he saw there. lyndon johnson took himself out of the race for reelection as president. during watergate, there was an influence from new sabres and networks. three big networks, their days are over. we are in a much different media environment today. david muir is certainly not want to talk ip will not give an editorial tonight on abc news and sway public opinion in the way that giants like cronkite did. host: abc would argue that it is a way to get to the millennials. guest: that plays into other parts of my book. eeps, you see a lot of stories that test well, market well with viewers. instead of a dedication to hard news and campaign news, you see networks leading with happier stories, or certainly, stories where the anchors are featured predominantly. as i put in the book, my least favorite option, which i think is a producers dream is bad weather. nothing does as well as whet eather. weather brings us all together. you see a lot more of that than quote unquote bad new

walter cronkite. he was the north star.republican senate offices. get people that worked for republican presidents. get people on the republican side as well as just the democratic side. >> who are able to be objective. >> and richard haas, who i'm not going to pull into this, has seen it as well for 50 years about how we respect democrats that can do that. we can respect some republicans that can be objective, too, that have a background in government, in white houses, in the senate running governors' offices. >> fair? >> you don't want to get me in this conversation. >> oh, okay. >> do you disagree with anything i've said? >> to some extent yes. i find it wrong that we've reached a point in our history where being a professional as a journalist isn't enough and you now have to have political litmus tests to journalists. whatever happened to this profession? why can't you just have talented professional journalists? >> that's a whole other story. >> but the question is why are the talented professional journalists that run

in the network section of that, i point out that walter cronkite came back from the vietnam war, he didot like what he saw there. lyndon johnson took himself out of the race for reelection as president. during watergate, there was an influence from new sabres and networks. three big networks, their days are over. we are in a much different media environment today. david muir is certainly not want to talk ip will not give an editorial tonight on abc news and sway public opinion in the way that giants like cronkite did. host: abc would argue that it is a way to get to the millennials. guest: that plays into other parts of my book. eeps, you see a lot of stories that test well, market well with viewers. instead of a dedication to hard news and campaign news, you see networks leading with happier stories, or certainly, stories where the anchors are featured predominantly. as i put in the book, my least favorite option, which i think is a producers dream is bad weather. nothing does as well as whet eather. weather brings us all together. you see a lot more of that than quote unquote bad news

dan had just been made the anchor of the cbs evening news replacing walter cronkite was a huge job andtwork universe of the old days, so to be dan's writer was a fabulous honor and a great thing. but, as i say it was an uncomfortable fit. so, went to him after working for him for a few weeks and i said, you know dan, i feel like i'm not hatchery your voice and views because we come from such a different place. you politically are liberal and i've politically and conservative. dan listened to me and he did not say that he was politically liberal, but he did admit that i was politically conservative. which made us both laugh. he then said, this is how we will do the show. you will meet with me every morning at 3:00 a.m. and choose the topics. we will discuss how, if it's a right left a thing how the conservatives feel about the topic and how about liberals feel about the topic and then at the end we will conclude and i was to just where i stand and where i come out on the eschew because it's my show and i said, that is completely fair. i can do that and so that's how we did the show. the

dan had been made anchor of the cbs evening news replacing walter cronkite.back huge job in three network universes and was a fabulous honor and a great thing, but it was an uncomfortable fit. i went to him after working the first few weeks and i said i feel like i am not capturing your voice and your views because we come from such a different place, you politically are liberal and i am conservative. he did not say he was politically liberal but did admit that i was politically conservative. and meet with me every morning at 3:00 a.m. choose the topic, discuss how it is a right/left thing, how conservatives feel about the topic and how liberals feel about the topic and that the end we conclude and suggest where i stand and where i come, it is my show. let's completely fair, i can do that. that is how we did the show. the show had a huge following. conservatives were so surprised to hear their viewpoints fairly and accurately portrayed but they thought it was a conservative show. liberals were so happy dan was giving the liberal case and usually taking the si