Walter Cronkite On America's Post-9/11 Reaction | Letterman

The esteemed newsman says America should consider other options in the aftermath of 9/11.
(From "Late Show," air date: 9/20/01)
#waltercronkite #911 #letterman
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[@Malcolmdeeb]

I waited on Mr Cronkite at a restaurant I worked at. He was 87 and as we talked, he held my hand. It’s a memory I’ll never forget.

[@sarahbgln]

What a gem of a memory! Aww 🖤

[@jacoblott1617]

Now that is something sweet. Good old men are treasures.

[@v-town1980]

Cronkite was from a generation of newscasting that was simple, honest, and professional. That's gone now.

[@Ricopolico]

Dream on, Grasshopper, dream on.

[@KungEMuller]

When it comes to the really tough times, Dave knows how to make things better. Also, Walter Cronkite will always be the most trusted news anchor in America. Those two legends are incredible.

[@lkramberg]

All these years later and Walter Cronkite still stands head and shoulders above for his wisdom and trust. Unfortunately, he wasn't listened to at the time and the deaths of both sides in Iraq and Afghanistan sadly came about. At least Walter didn't live to see what his profession and our nation has become today.

[@robertmusgrave9236]

He was thinking 20 years ahead of the time and he was 100% right. He should have be an advisor to the people in power when he was still of a sharp mind before he died.

[@GardenGirlD76]

Two national treasures speaking wise wisdom. I sincerely, thank Mr. Letterman and the Late Show staff and writers for being there. I never forget when Mr. Letterman carried on his first monologue after this dark day.

[@cynthiamason4069]

Thanks to Dave and the crew for posting this. I haven't seen it since it aired. Cronkite was a well seasoned, wise and heartfelt man. Our country would be in a much better place had we followed his advice. I recommend Walters biography if you haven't read it. ♡

[@624radicalham]

The full unedited video of this has been on KZbin for 15 years. If you're a fan of Cronkite and read his biography then you should truly search for the entire unedited interview.

[@cynthiamason4069]

@@624radicalham Thank you so much. Very kind of you to let me know♡

[@jeremycummings6702]

One of the best bios I've ever read!!!

[@Bobbingbobberscreative]

@@jeremycummings6702I agree, one of the best. David Brinkley’s I a good one too.

[@BobbySacamano]

I was a junior in high school at this time. We didn't know what to do and think, but my Old Man made sure we watched this. It may be weird, but I still tear up. Dave and Cronkite made that feel okay, and still does.

[@wjmoore17]

Pretty wild to sit here 20 years on and see how spot on Cronkite was with his concerns, especially in an emotional time when few were willing to be this rational.

[@MakatiMazz]

Walter was right, and it wasn’t an easy time for him to say this.

[@MH-Tesla]

No he wasn't. They tried that when Clinton was president. Osama then said, "America is a paper tiger." This attitude is what led to 9/11. If you don't know that, you were taught poorly in school. I lived through the 90s and this event. Walter was a moron.

[@ravenstone366]

Yes it was, to bad it wasn't heeded because as he stated when RFK was assassinated for months after MLK that the ripple effect of his lost will be felt throughout America and many generations to come. As RFK was Hope and I who wasn't even thought of yet😂 do believe that while ever of President that was assassinated before 1968 was tragic, don't get me wrong. The year of 1968 is when not just one great man with many flaws, but two great men with many flaws but they weren't afraid to admit to all mankind of their Country. They were opposite sides of the same coin, truly wanting a middle road for all of Mankind in America, where outward appearances was only suface ways of thinking like colors of a person's skin, it who they were on the individual, on the inside who makes us us humans. To work better to establishing better for all of us, best way to start is making sure all had the rights to equal schooling as education is the way to helping climb out of the hole and opening a whole new world to imagination, dream, thinking outside the box at any situation, knowing their is always more then one choice to any given situation. 😢 1968 was a year where many dared to dream that maybe finally we had two great individual souls that truly came from two walks of life's but treated each other as equals, brothers and a future of truly mending, never forgotten a better road forward as all truly free, brothers and sisters of one Nation, one Country, United We Stand.. Hope!!

[@kellywalker9827]

The autobiography Cronkite is excellent! It reads as if he's talking to you personally.

[@Maliceah]

Now I have to add that to my reading list!

[@raymondm.9954]

I especially enjoyed the audio version, read by Cronkite himself. His voice breaks when describing the pilot killed in action.

[@claytonalva7042]

Walter cronkite would have made a good president

[@jeanmank742]

That comment just brought tears to my eyes. ❤

[@thanks6248]

We could trust this man and the media in his days.

[@hayeshumphries311]

Cronkite is from Saint Joseph, MO....His dad worked across from my great grandfather.....Our families were very close.......He invited my Great Grandmother and great Aunt to stay at his luxurious apartment in NYC for a few days.....The man was a total gentleman and really was the last objective, non-biased, non-political, and just a real person.....Apollo program, JFK, Vietnam, the guy was the epitome of REAL journalism;!

[@stroock6394]

come on guys upload the full sept 17 episode, the first time back on air when Dave gave that great monologue and brought out Regis to make us feel better again

[@tomsdotter3228]

We miss The Late Show and Uncle Walter 😔

[@Drj-69]

Wow, how wonderful it is to listen to such a class act with outstanding wisdom. There will never be another trusted newsman like Walter ever again. This is a wonderful interview that I never saw before today.

[@Mr1930s]

Afghanistan was indeed a bottomless hole. We were doomed to repeat history.

[@DefenseFren]

The GAY MAFIA became known as "anonymous" in 17th C. Britain. The corporation is so used to making excuses for themselves, they are providing free cover for our mutual enemies. Now they've got the technology of Kali, and no religion to speak of. We're obviously all going to die if Washington doesn't un-f_ck themselves.

[@hunter999888]

Letterman knew when to show respect and just let the guest speak and show their pedigree.

[@dogzdad123]

WOW! I just came across this archived footage. How prophetic Uncle Walter was...and how is he sorely missed in our current geo and domestic political climate.

[@shawnuel]

That Danny Almonte joke is pure gold!

[@theskillzreport]

I literally laughed out loud; hope I didn't wake anyone (it was early here)

[@elizabethlarson9655]

This is so powerful. I'm so grateful to see it.

[@iused2BAfireman]

how much foresight and truth are on display here. thank you for reminding us on the September 11th

[@jayducharme]

He was so right.

[@steveleeart]

Wish he had still been with us over the last ten years, I think he would have had a lot of sage advice to give about many things and the many divisions that have occurred.

[@daveg9000]

Cronkite gave us the real story, real news every night. I don't recall his coverage ever being slanted. I don't remember him ever giving an opinion. Or, showing favoritism to a party, movement, and idea. Straight news. No sensationalism.

[@slmsedg44]

Miss the Late Show!

[@estradaj777]

2 legends this guys are the best in their profession.

[@1982kuba01]

What a great interview and twenty two years later this resonates hard "invasion of Afghanistan is a bottomless hole"

[@cosmojonesmusic]

The positive side of journalism. It's getting harder to find honest journalists who aren't simply interested in themselves.

[@ronflatter1235]

Letterman’s informed curiosity remains a didactic prism for us all. One could say this was a preview of what he would bring with “My Next Guest ...”

[@bstully1]

I wish there were a "Love" button. "Like" isn't a strong enough term for how I feel about this and about Cronkite. ❤

[@michelenichele294]

Walter Cronkite, the best ever!👏🏻🏆

[@gjoanne173]

Very difficult to name a single current political figure who exhibits such wisdom and foresight as Cronkite did here. He didn't speak a word of a lie

[@markweatherly6782]

Wow Cronkite was a master journalist. I only wonder how he would be perceived in todays ultra polarized “news” environment.

[@jillfromatlanta427]

He would have absolutely nothing to do with most all of it. He is spinning in his grave because of people who call themselves 'news journalists' (with a few exceptions)....I'm glad he never had to deal in any way with the criminal DT and MAGA

[@ihatezgoogle6264]

Where the heck is our generation’s trusted newsman?

[@Shellinois]

Two great broadcasters. I will forever miss when TV was a smaller stage.

[@kennethbode2017]

we should have listened to Uncle Walter

[@comicsgrinder]

Wise observations by Walter Cronkite.

[@Ryan-on5on]

No man other than Mr. Cronkite, the wise old man of television journalism whom generations of Americans tuned in to during times of tragedy, unrest, and war, was better suited for delivering wise counsel and comfort to a shell-shocked nation just a week after the attacks of September 11th. Unfortunately, few at the time heeded his advice on not letting fear and anger overcome reason and guide our response to this barbarism. The twin debacles of Afghanistan and Iraq were the result of this folly!

[@dtsdigitalden5023]

Oh my goodness, Cronkite was so quick and witty, and David (in the monent, heaven forbid I were ever in his shoes, on live TV, interviewing Cronkite) ... just didn't play into it. Cronkite was the kind of guy who makes you feel okay about being a fair human. David, now he's approaching Cronkite's age (at the time of the this interview) is also beginning to do a mighty fine job too.

[@markyncole]

Dave probably wasn't expecting it and was caught a little of guard by it.

[@Inglesemente]

He was a national treasure!

[@pschmidty5]

Please add the Dan Rather interview as well. Thank you.

[@mrdavidmcnamara]

Please post Dave's opening remarks from the 9/17/01 broadcast!

[@danam0228]

Such a wise man

[@keithgrillo8096]

Walter’s statements on the press and Germany’s thrust into WW2 should be pumped into Trump’’s prison cell everyday of his stay.

[@mikeyboy3054]

You mean Biden's.

[@BobbySacamano]

I remember the way I felt; "This is it."

[@justmenb3379]

Cronkite didn't need a juggling act for Americans to tune into his broadcast.Networks have to wake up to this,as well as us viewers.

[@ronsanford4793]

The war in Afghanistan dragged on for 20 years but it didn't turn out to be like Vietnam with people protesting and killing here in the U.S.

[@zippydooda]

Those who forget history are doomed to repeat it.

[@njpaddler]

The proper quote is not "forget" but "refuse to learn from".

[@zippydooda]

@@njpaddler wow, you're a wicked fart smeller, I mean smart fella!

[@JohnRoland]

Very wise insights from Mr Cronkite

[@donaldblankenship8057]

The most trusted and grandfatherly man we have ever known in some ways wasn't too bright but was very funny with the elbow slip on Letterman.

[@stuckintheinbetween]

Cronkite supported world government: "It seems to many of us that if we are to avoid the eventual catastrophic world conflict we must strengthen the United Nations as a first step toward a world government patterned after our own government with a legislature, executive and judiciary, and police to enforce its international laws and keep the peace. To do that, of course, we Americans will have to yield up some of our sovereignty. That would be a bitter pill. It would take a lot of courage, a lot of faith in the new order. But the American colonies did it once and brought forth one of the most nearly perfect unions the world has ever seen."

[@seanwinkel8890]

God I loved this man. How prescient was he here?

[@markstevens1729]

He saw Vietnam up close and turned against war. He was right.

[@WheezerOfJuice]

9 days after it happened and Walter sounds like he had a crystal ball that could see the future. Never forget that the last 20 years of hell we've gone through in the Middle East accomplishing nothing was clear as day and our government still walked us right into it.

[@Vanderearden]

: That's depends on how you look at it. It accomplished the goal of the U.S. government to create over 6 trillion dollars out of thin air. It allowed the U.S. government to pass the Patriot Act, which suspended the Constitution to this day and place America under War Powers Authority. It allowed for the suspension of Habeas Corpus. It allowed for the pharmaceutical industry to steal unlimited amounts of poppy to flood the streets of America with a disastrous opioid epidemic. It allowed for American corporations to plunder Afghanistan of precious minerals. It allowed for record profits of the military industrial complex. Just to name a few If you were a politician or CEO or shareholder, the invasion of Afghanistan was a highly profitable endeavor.

[@jawbone78]

He wasn't the only person who saw it so clearly. Anyone with any sense knew that going off half cocked into a guaranteed quagmire like Afghanistan was a bad idea. Not unjustified, but not smart either. Unfortunately, Cronkite was one of the few with the courage to say so honestly. The worst part of the days that followed 9/11 was how quickly the fear and confusion turned to rage, and voices who cautioned restraint and consideration were shouted down, threatened, and branded traitors.

[@goldcanyon340.]

Where are you when we need you Walt?

[@oldmoviesinbwwithsubtitles3501]

One smart man, today we lack this type of people

[@scottweaverphotovideo]

Cronkite showed such insight into the dangers of the Afghan invasion. Few wanted to listen.

[@jp1170]

What a man

[@NathanIsLame]

Cronkite held his head down when the audience gushed over his mispronunciation of the nemesis’s name. Lucy fire! Hilarious.

[@samuelperez9816]

Walter was the last good journalist that this country has had

[@pho3nix-]

Smart man

[@gongqi67]

Smart man.

[@DigiRangerScott]

He was always a good CRONK

[@cherokee60]

At 9 yrs old, I watched with tears in my eyes, the moon landing with Walter. He was such a polarizing fixture of daily life. News of any kind would be doubted, if it wasn't told by Walter. I am so blessed to be alive. Sadly, the present leadership didn't listen to Walter, back when they could have made a difference.

[@DMC88mph]

"So then how do we EXTINGUISH the entire line (of enemies)?" Interesting choice of words, Dave. We didn't start the fire. It was always burning, since the world's been turning.

[@asilong9049]

No one listened to the wise man. People ignored everything and sought revenge that fixed nothing.

[@ransom182]

He was right about everything...

[@SeanATX]

Prescient words from one of the last great newsmen

[@PV-pu5iu]

Boy, was he right about the war. On the wrong country, too.

[@garylobo3]

And that's the way it was... September 11, 2001. Walter Cronkite reporting.

[@jcsmith725]

Boy, listening to this all these years later he wasn't wrong.. All most of us were thinking was "Nukem till they glow and shoot'em in the dark!!" No telling how many of our young would still be with us and those that are, fully whole.

[@theodorejay1046]

A wise view of the world ... Walter had seen everything up to then ... a good feel for history.

[@alvinuselton912]

He is just like he was during Vietnam

[@nightowldickson]

4:10 - Walter had great foresight and decades later he was right. Although the conflict did flush Bin Laden out. The irony is an 'ally' of the US, Pakistan, was harboring Bin Laden, and the Saudis had some involvement in 9/11.

[@ilovethe1950s]

You don't see hosts nowadays let their guests talk in length. It's all about what the host has to say.

[@456zounds]

Yep, those two wars were ABSOLUTE mistakes!!!

[@dustinprewitt]

The final time America will ever be remotely united on anything.

[@624radicalham]

Did you watch this interview? They weren't united on anything. Cronkite is telling you exactly how polarized people were between going to war vs. using diplomatic solutions and intelligence

[@garylivingston9052]

He was a very wise man, no need to invade Afghanistan. Caused us many, many years of problems and continues to.

[@joshuamann5228]

I seldom profess to speak for anyone but myself but you know what we want. Please give it to us.

[@Dfturcott]

He was great on futurama.

[@SimonChan09]

Same

[@KelleneHubbard-dz4gt]

❤ We still have David Letterman 😂 but Walter is Now gone 😭😇🙏

[@stephenperkins5644]

Walter had his name right .

[@getit9066]

"We are with the President 100%" The lies just keep on coming with this guy.

[@Gracie18841]

wow prolific

[@lumpydavidg2201]

This man is what the standard should want to duplicate. And Walter Cronkite. JK. 😏

[@wxsawxsa2941]

DAN RATHER WAS CBS DALLAS KRLD CH 4 JFK CUB REPORTER

[@magnificentfailure2390]

I was fostering a teenager when this all went down. I'm sorry to say that I was completely on board with the revenge aspect. Thankfully, she duly treated my reasoning as any teen ought to treat the madness of her "parents".

[@illygah]

was this the first show back after the tragedy?

[@davewilkirson2320]

Walter was the real deal. In 2024 we have mostly lies or hyperbole for ratings driven by money.

[@starter47990]

What year is this?

[@alvallac2171]

The description says it first aired 9/20/2001, so only 9 days after the attacks.

[@uuclmusic2711]

Did George W Bush expand the Peace Corp? That’s a no…

[@SR-zc6lk]

Cronkite was right about not going into Afghanistan, but very naive about trying to lift up the world economically.

[@dillionoshea7535]

Was he through? We did that with Japan and Germany after WW2 and now we have positive relationships with both and Germany is an ally

[@johnp139]

“Has it worked in the past? Have we neutralized enemies by lifting them up economically?” How about GERMANY and JAPAN AFTER WW-II!????!! It was called the Marshall Act!!!!!

[@HiggsBJ]

This was great! Could we get some of the old skit featuring trump or monkey? Those were the best!

[@Qfungi]

11:07-11:49

[@tylerlozano9849]

Walter Cronkite should have not Retired in 1981 I think maybe 2002 or 2003 could have been the year Walter Cronkite retired from the Anchor Chair because I know if he would have stayed at CBS more money was coming in I know people said he should have retired in the ten years later like in 1991 but Walter Cronkite looks good in the video I wonder how Walter Cronkite would have covered 9/11/01 if he didn’t retire in 1981 and stayed two more decades on The Anchor Chair at CBS News?

[@624radicalham]

Dan Rather pushed him out, did you seriously not know this? It was either he leave or Dan Rather threatened to leave and CBS was not about to lose Rather. It's politics. How did you not know this?

[@tylerlozano9849]

@@624radicalham I thought I heard something like more money coming in I didn’t know Dan Rather was going to leave CBS in the 1980s at that time I just probably have to listen the story carefully because maybe because it was a CNN reporter who said something like that when Cronkite Passed Away in July of 2009.

[@tylerlozano9849]

But I didn’t know Rather was going to Leave CBS at one point something I learned today everyday you learn something new mostly.

[@624radicalham]

There are many interesting books on the matter. Rather was threatening to leave. He felt that Cronkite was purposely taking too long to retire thereby damaging his career. Alot of bad blood there. @@tylerlozano9849

[@rsgabrys----]

---------------‐--------- price of fuel .... billboard high prices is that part of the world telling us , we ain't friends , dammed if we ever be. . thanks4sharing

[@spb7883]

America could’ve gone one way in 1946. We went another. Same in 1964. Same in 2001. We always go the wrong way. We’re too excessive and shortsighted to make the right choices.

[@thomash.schwed3662]

I think you meant to say 1968 (instead of 1964) and 1980 (instead of 1946, although you were probably thinking 1948, which still would have been wrong). The only year you got right was 2001, due to the way we responded to the events of September 11, although, even here, it would have been more accurate to say 2000 as that was the year of the election which led to that type of response.

[@spb7883]

@@thomash.schwed3662 1946, because WW2 had ended, and 1964, because JFK had been assassinated in November ‘63, and the Vietnam War was escalating. But to your point, there’s always an earlier cause. For example, your reference to 2000 would also be wrong, because our policy in the Middle East went back decades prior.