I never had the ambition to be something. I had the ambition to do something. Walter Cronkite More Quotes by Walter Cronkite More Quotes From Walter Cronkite We're an ignorant nation right now. We're not really capable, I do not think, the majority of our people, of making the decisions that have to be made at election time and particularly in the selection of their legislatures and their Congress and the presidency, of course. I don't think we're bright enough to do the job that would preserve our democracy, our republic. I think we're in serious danger. Walter Cronkite anchormanjobsthinking The profession of journalism ought to be about telling people what they need to know - not what they want to know. Walter Cronkite wantpeopleneeds Freedom of the press is not just important to democracy, it is democracy. Walter Cronkite censorshipdemocracyimportant The ethic of the journalist is to recognize one's prejudices, biases, and avoid getting them into print. Walter Cronkite printethicsprejudice If that is what makes us liberals, so be it, just as long as in reporting the news we adhere to the first ideals of good journalism - that news reports must be fair, accurate and unbiased. Walter Cronkite newsunbiasedlong As anchorman of the CBS Evening News, I signed off my nightly broadcasts for nearly two decades with a simple statement: "And that's the way it is." To me, that encapsulates the newsman's highest ideal: to report the facts as he sees them, without regard for the consequences or controversy that may ensue. Walter Cronkite anchormansimpletwo Not only do we have a right to know, we have a duty to know what our Government is doing in our name. If there's a criticism to be made today, it's that the press isn't doing enough to put the pressure on the government to provide information. Walter Cronkite mediagovernmentnames America's health care system is neither healthy, caring, nor a system. Walter Cronkite healthcaringamerica We are not educated well enough to perform the necessary act of intelligently selecting our leaders. Walter Cronkite educatedleaderenough We are on the precipice of being so ignorant that our democracy is threatened. Walter Cronkite precipiceignorantdemocracy We've got a great percentage of our population that, to our great shame, either cannot or, equally unfortunate, will not read. And that portion of our public is growing. Those people are suckers for the demagogue. Walter Cronkite populationgrowingpeople Our job is only to hold up the mirror - to tell and show the public what has happened. Walter Cronkite mirrorstruthjobs I am dumbfounded that there hasn't been a crackdown with the libel and slander laws on some of these would-be writers and reporters on the Internet. Walter Cronkite internetwould-belaw And that's the way it is. Walter Cronkite journalisminspirationway There is no such thing as a little freedom. Either you are all free, or you are not free. Walter Cronkite 4th-of-julyfreedomlittles Not only do we have a right to know, we have a duty to know what our Government is doing in our name. Walter Cronkite dutygovernmentnames In seeking truth you have to get both sides of a story. Walter Cronkite two-sidestruthstories I am neither Republican nor Democrat. I am a registered independent because I find that I cast my votes not on the basis of party loyalty but on the issues of the moment and my assessment of the candidates. Walter Cronkite independentpartyloyalty The debates are part of the unconscionable fraud that our political campaigns have become a format that defies meaningful discourse. They should be charged with sabotaging the electoral process. Walter Cronkite campaignspoliticalmeaningful Success is more permanent when you achieve it without destroying your principles. Walter Cronkite accountabilitysuccessinspirational
