home *** CD-ROM | disk | FTP | other *** search
- <text id=90TT2552>
- <title>
- Sep. 24, 1990: Cronkite Unbound
- </title>
- <history>
- TIME--The Weekly Newsmagazine--1990
- Sep. 24, 1990 Under The Gun
- </history>
- <article>
- <source>Time Magazine</source>
- <hdr>
- GRAPEVINE, Page 29
- Cronkite Unbound
- </hdr>
- <body>
- <p>By David Ellis/Reported by Sidney Urquhart
- </p>
- <p> Does Walter Cronkite nurse a grudge against his
- controversial successor, Dan Rather? In the past, the retired
- CBS anchorman was mostly mum on the subject. Now Cronkite, who
- has been relegated to an infinitesimal on-air role since he
- stepped down in 1981, let slip some frank criticism at a
- Manhattan gathering last week. When asked about his network's
- coverage of the Persian Gulf crisis, during which Rather
- landed an exclusive interview with Saddam Hussein, Cronkite
- acidly observed that Saddam "saved Rather's skin." While
- conceding that the younger man is a good reporter, Cronkite
- believes Rather has "blown it" as an anchor. "He's stiff and
- uncomfortable. Look at the ratings...If it weren't for
- developments in the gulf, he might be out of a job by now."
- Cronkite sees Rather's month-long sojourn in the Middle East
- as a grandstand ploy. "Why didn't he turn it over to a
- correspondent?" he asks. Cronkite, a CBS board member, confirms
- that the news division has begun yet another round of belt
- tightening, and contends that CBS News already can't cover
- events adequately.
- </p>
-
- </body>
- </article>
- </text>
-
-