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Walter Cronkite Remembered; President Obama Urges Congress to Pass Health Care Reform; Suicide Bombers Attack in Indonesia; African American M en Undertreated for Clinical Depression; New Information on Slain Couple in Florida; Sotomayor Confirmation Vote to Occur on Tuesday
Aired July 18, 2009 - 14:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: We begin the hour with America's military campaign against Afghanistan and the crash of a U.S. jet claiming the lives of two crew members.
According to a military spokesman, an F-15, eagle fighter, crashed this morning in the Ghazni province, that's southeast of Kabul, in what's described as a relatively peaceful area.
The military says the all-weather tactical jet was not brought down by enemy fire, but the actual cause has yet to be determined. The military is investigating, and more on this story as the details unfold.
The remains of a ninth person may have been found from Friday's bombing of the Marriott and Ritz-Carlton hotels in Jakarta, Indonesia. Police think this man, a notorious Malaysian born militant fugitive may be behind the assault.
CNN International Correspondent Dan Rivers has the latest from Jakarta.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DAN RIVERS, INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT, CNN: The police investigation continues here in Jakarta at the scene of both hotel blasts. The latest information the police have given us is that the death toll has risen by one.
They are confirming that there are six known hotel guests who died in the twin blasts, three Australians, one New Zealander, one Singaporean, and one local Indonesian man.
In addition to that, the police have recovered two headless corpses which they believe are possibly the suicide bombers themselves.
And they've also found one severed head which doesn't match either of the two headless bodies. They don't know whether this indicates a possible third terrorist or whether this was in fact another guest.
They're working on DNA testing and dental records to try and match up and find out the identities of those three bodies. But certainly the number of injured now is confirmed at 53, including six people from the United States, one person from Australia, two from Holland, two from Canada, one from India, two from Singapore, one from New Zealand, and one from Norway.
So a wide range of international people who were in these hotels. There was a big business meeting going on, as regularly goes on a Friday morning. And CCTV footage shows a man wheeling a suitcase across the lobby of the Marriott heading towards that meeting room.
We spoke to one security guard who challenged this man with the suitcase. He managed to persuade the guard to let him pass, saying he had to give something to his boss. And a few minutes later, a few seconds later, the bomb exploded with such devastating results.
Dan Rivers, CNN, Jakarta.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WHITFIELD: Secretary of State Hillary Clinton says the Jakarta bombings are painful reminders of fighting terror and extremism worldwide.
She said so today on her first official visit to India. And she eulogized the 166 people killed in last fall's coordinated attacks across Mumbai. She says America shares a solidarity with the city and the nation as both battle extremists.
President Obama pushed for health care reform during his weekly address this morning. He's running out of time to get a bill on his desk before Congress's August recess. And some Democrats complain the president is pushing too hard.
Elaine Quijano is live at the White House with the president's latest message -- Elaine?
ELAINE QUIJANO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Fredricka, President Obama is really trying to keep the pressure on Congress. He's trying to rally lawmakers to try and get this health care bill done.
It is not going to be easy, though. We saw this with the president yesterday. He came out and made some last minute remarks on health care reform here at the White House.
And we are going to see this once again next week. On Wednesday the president is set to hold a primetime news conference at the 9:00 p.m. eastern time.
Again though, the White House knows the battle lines here are drawn. There is a Congressional Budget Office report saying that the Democrats' legislation so far would not keep the cost of health care reform down. Republicans have really seized on that as a reason to be skeptical.
So today in the weekly address, President Obama pushed back.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BARACK OBAMA, (D) PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: The same folks who controlled the White House and Congress for the past eight years as we ran up record deficits will argue, believe it or not, that health reform will lead to record deficits.
That's simply not true. Our proposals cut hundreds of billions of dollars in unnecessary spending and unwarranted giveaways to insurance companies in Medicare and Medicaid. They change incentives so providers will give patients the best care, not just the most expensive care, which will mean big savings over time.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
QUIJANO: Now, we should note it's not just Republicans expressing concern over costs, it's conservative Democrats as well.
And there is also concern from a bipartisan group of key senators when it comes to health care reform. They're basically saying, look, let's slow this process, let's slow the debate down. They think taking additional time is really going to be critical to getting health care reform done effectively.
But, of course, Fredericka, that is not what the Obama administration wants. The president himself has set a deadline. He wants the legislation on his desk, ready to go by August. But that is looking look an increasingly ambitious goal -- Fredricka?
WHITFIELD: And the reaction from Republicans?
QUIJANO: Republicans, as you might imagine, of course, they say the Democrats and the president are pushing too hard, too fast on this. They say, look, the more Americans learn about the Democrats' proposals, the more Americans are opposed to it.
They say that, really, what the Democrats are pushing for here is just not financially sustainable. Take a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SEN. JON KYL, (R) ARIZONA: Their plan would increase spending by more than $2 trillion when fully implemented, and would, according to the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office, add additional costs on to an already unsustainable system.
It would empower Washington, not doctors and patients, to make health care decisions, and would impose a new tax on working families during a recession.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
QUIJANO: Now, President Obama dismisses all of that, really saying, look, that's just the same old scare tactics that in the past have stopped health care reform. He is going to try to make his case again once more coming up Wednesday, Again, that primetime news conference set for 9:00 eastern time -- Fredericka? WHITFIELD: And of course, we'll be covering that live. Health care reform just one of the many topics that he will be delving into during that press conference.
Elaine Quijano, thanks you so much. Appreciate that.
Well, he became part of our history as he reported on history being made.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The eagle has landed.
CRONKITE: Oh, boy.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Thank you.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: And seemingly he enjoyed it every step of the way. Walter Cronkite's reaction to the moon landing, remembering a broadcasting legend when we come back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WHITFIELD: Now to the loss of Walter Cronkite. The legendary CBS news anchorman died last night surrounded by friends and family. He was 92.
Our Anderson Cooper looks back upon a career and a man dedicated to delivering the news and all the defining moments along the way.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
WALTER CRONKITE, FORMER "CBS EVENING NEWS" ANCHOR: Of the only nation --
ANDERSON COOPER, CNN ANCHOR: For so long, for so many of us, he was the most trusted man in America.
CRONKITE: and that's the way it is.
COOPER: Walter Cronkite covered the world, and in an age of fewer channels and fewer newscasts, he changed the world as well.
CRONKITE: Looking back on it, I think I was so lucky, I just happened to fall into the right things at the right time, and it worked beautifully.
COOPER: He was born Walter Leyland Cronkite Jr. in 1916. He was a beat report and football announcer before joining United Press in 1939. When the first troops stormed Normandy, Walter Cronkite was there.
CRONKITE: As Dwight Eisenhower told me sitting on this very wall over here, on the 20th anniversary of D-Day, that he thinks of the grandchildren that these young kids will never have. And that's something for all of us to think about.
COOPER: When we think about Walter Cronkite, and generations of broadcast journalists have and will continue to, we think about his tenure at CBS, a company he joined in 1950.
Twelve years later bake the anchor of the "CBS Evening News." In that chair, in that role, he came to define what an anchor was. He told America the way it was.
Who can forget November 22, 1963? Cronkite reported and reacted to the horror in Dallas.
CRONKITE: From Dallas, Texas, the flash apparently official, President Kennedy died at 1:00 p.m. central standard time, 2:00 eastern standard time, some 38 minutes ago.
COOPER: In 1968, after returning from a trip to Vietnam, his conclusions may have helped alter the course of history.
CRONKITE: It seems now more certain than ever that the bloody experience of Vietnam is to end in a stalemate.
COOPER: The opinion reached President Johnson who reportedly said "If I've lost Cronkite, I've lost middle America."
BOB SCHIEFFER, CBS JOURNALIST: His approach to news was, when news happens, get as close to the story as you possibly can, and then tell people about it in language that they can understand.
Walter spoke like the average person. It wasn't all literary, flowery kinds of language. People don't talk that way, and Walter didn't either.
COOPER: Walter, it seemed, was always there. For the moon landing --
CRONKITE: Man on the moon. Oh, boy.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Thank you.
CRONKITE: Whew, boy.
COOPER: -- for Watergate, for the Mideast peace breakthrough.
He was humble and honest and straightforward, and never made himself the story, even on a winter company that 1981 when he sat in the anchor chair for the last time.
CRONKITE: Old anchormen don't fade away, they just keep coming back for more.
And that's the way it is, Friday, March 6, 1981. I will be away on assignment, and Dan Rather will be sitting in here the next few years.
Goodnight. COOPER: Goodnight, Mr. Cronkite, goodnight, and god speed.
Anderson Cooper, CNN, New York.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WHITFIELD: And President Obama is reacting to the passing of Walter Cronkite. He has this to say about the newsman once termed the most trusted man in America, even in the most trying of circumstances.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BARACK OBAMA, (D) PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: He was the first to share the devastating news of John F. Kennedy's assassination, crystallizing the grief of a nation while fighting back tears of his own.
He cheered with every American when we went to the moon, boldly exploring a new frontier.
And he brought us all those stories, large and small, which would come to define the 20th century.
That's why we loved Walter, because in an era before blogs and e- mail, cell phones and cable, he was the news.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: And U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton had this to say about Walter Cronkite's passing shortly after arriving today in Mumbai, India.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HILLARY CLINTON, U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE: I think every American who grew up with Walter Cronkite as I did just feels a great sense of loss today.
Here we are in India, and I'm thinking about all of the images that made up our history, Walter Cronkite telling us that President Kennedy had died, Walter Cronkite doing the coverage of the moon landing and walking 40 years ago, Walter Cronkite being a presence, almost like a member of the family, year after year.
It's a great time to look back and think about someone who played such a major role in explaining what was going on, and did it in a calm, you know, fact-based way, without the, you know, embellishments that too often get in the way of really understanding what's going on. And he will be greatly missed.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: And you too are reacting to the passing of Walter Cronkite. You have been sending your comments on my blog, as well as Facebook. Take a look at what some of you are saying right now. David Dubrunner (ph) says "Having spent at least ten days with no electricity after hurricane Betsy in New Orleans, 1965. At 5:10 p.m. the power came back on, and there was Walter speaking. The world seemed to be OK after that."
And also on my blog, Charlie Ericson says, "His voice allowed you to understand what was happening. And when he spoke of things seemingly unbelievable, you would believe it."
And then Jim says, "Walter Cronkite has inspired many of our young people to pursue ham radio, a pursuit which has led many leading scientists, engineers, and space pioneers to follow their dreams."
Then on my Facebook, Junia (ph) says "I remember Cronkite being part of the family."
Walter Cronkite, dead at the age of 92. We continue to share some of your comments on my blog, CNN.com/fredericka as well as Facebook. Walter Cronkite.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WHITFIELD: Depression affects some 14 million Americans every year. But black Americans rarely seek help for it. It's often the stigma of mental illness that keeps them from talking about it.
Our Soledad O'Brien spoke to one man who is addressing that stigma.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT, CNN: Shawn Andrews is much of the strength behind the Philadelphia Eagles' offensive line. But last summer this 6'4", 330 pound right guard almost sidelined himself.
SHAWN ANDREWS, PHILADELPHIA EAGLES PLAYER: I talked to my agent and told him that I don't think I'm going to training camp.
O'BRIEN (on camera): You wanted to quit?
ANDREWS: Yes, I wanted to give it up. And he said there is a chance you could lose a few million dollars. And at this point I was so what, Rich?
O'BRIEN: You didn't care?
ANDREWS: I didn't care.
O'BRIEN: So you knew something was wrong?
ANDREWS: I knew something was wrong.
O'BRIEN (voice-over): That something was clinical depression, an illness Andrews says he battled since grade school. But he has never talked about it to anyone. O'BRIEN (on camera): Were you thinking about killing yourself?
ANDREWS: I did have some suicide thoughts.
And I was in my truck, I'll never forget. I got up to about 140 miles an hour, I was thinking, you know, I don't want to be here.
And it's funny, just as I -- I was thinking about flipping my vehicle or whatever the case, a picture of my son came across my phone. And the look on his face was, you know, as he didn't know what was going on, but the look was, why, dad? You know? It was tough.
O'BRIEN: It stopped you from killing yourself?
ANDREWS: Yes, uh-huh.
O'BRIEN (voice-over): For many black men, depression is a dirty secret they keep hidden. They suffer mental illness as much as white men but seek help for it only half as often.
O'BRIEN (on camera): African-American men generally do not run to the therapist's office when they have a problem.
ANDREWS: Very true. I speak for a lot of African-American men. And I think a lot of guys will agree that we do in a sense have this -- not only this wall up, but we feel like we have on this mental armor that we just can't be touched.
O'BRIEN (voice-over): Health experts say societal pressures faced by black men can cause depression even in those who have achieved success.
DR. DAVID SATCHER, FORMER SURGEON GENERAL: You have a job, but the question is, do you think that you have to prove every day that you deserve to be there?
These are the kind of things that I think over time take their toll in terms of our psychological well being.
ANDREWS: I love being here.
O'BRIEN: For Shawn Andrews, a childhood marked by poverty and schoolyard teasing led to feelings of worthlessness that even a multimillion dollar contract couldn't heal.
ANDREWS: In my mind I still didn't feel like I made it. I still feel like I need to buy this $300,000 car just to make me feel like I'm successful. And I wanted people to think more of me than what I was.
O'BRIEN: Author John Head wrote a book about his 20-year struggle with depression and says the stigma of mental illness keeps many black men from seeking help.
JOHN HEAD, AUTHOR, "STANDING IN THE SHADOWS": There is this fear that if you if you admit that are struggling that way, that you are not living up to what you should be as a black men -- the idea of manhood for black men is that you don't struggle with your emotions. You barely have emotions.
O'BRIEN: Former Surgeon General David Satcher says the silence has a cost in violence and substance abuse.
SATCHER: Many of the people in our criminal justice system are suffering from mental disorders undiagnosed and untreated.
O'BRIEN: Shawn Andrews has seen a therapist, is now on medication, and is finally talking.
ANDREWS: I always knew something was wrong with me. I always was an angry person.
O'BRIEN: Shining a light on his own pain in the hopes of helping others out of their darkness.
Soledad O'Brien, CNN, Philadelphia.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WHITFIELD: And our special correspondent, Soledad O'Brien, will bring us a new look at what it means to be black in America. "Black in America 2" premieres next week, July 22nd and 22rd, only on CNN.
And strong words from President Obama's speech this week to the NAACP. The group celebrates its 100th anniversary this year, and the president celebrated it by issuing a new challenge to the nation's children.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
OBAMA: We have got to say to our children, yes, if you're African-American, the odds of growing up amid crimes and gangs are higher. Yes, if you live in a poor neighborhood you will face challenges that somebody in a wealthy suburb does not have to face.
But that's not a reason to get bad grades.
(APPLAUSE)
That's not a reason to cut class. That's not a reason to give up on your education and drop out of school.
No one has written your destiny for you. Your destiny is in your hands. You cannot forget that. That's what we have to teach all of our children -- no excuses.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: You know what, President Obama had frank talk. And it was on board "Air Force One," and he invited a handful of journalists to be there. And among them CNN contributor, Rolland Martin, he was there. Next hour, he's going to be sharing his thoughts with me about exactly that experience was like, what the dialogue was all about, and what happens from here.
And then CNN tonight, the first African-American president visits Africa. Anderson Cooper takes his historic journey with President Obama. It's an "AC 360" special tonight, 8:00 eastern on CNN.
And new developments in the investigation into the deaths of Melanie and Bird Billings, what police are finding out, and why it's generating more questions about the motives behind the killings of that Florida couple.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WHITFIELD: All right, stories we are working on right now in the newsroom.
An air force jet has crashed in Afghanistan, killing four crewmen. The F-15 went down before dawn this morning in Ghanzi province. The military says the crash was not caused by enemy fire.
And some of the victims of the Indonesia hotel bombings have been flown to Singapore for treatment. Police say the remains of another person have been found. That raises the death toll to nine, including the suicide bombers.
And tributes are pouring in for Walter Cronkite. President Obama says he was, quote, "a voice of certainty in an uncertain world." Cronkite anchored the "CBS Evening News" from 1962 to 1981. He passed away last evening at his home in New York. Walter Cronkite was 92.
And we're finding out more about the Florida couple killed in a home invasion robbery. But the new information isn't making the picture of the crime any clearer. CNN's David Mattingly has the latest on the investigation from Pensacola.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DAVID MATTINGLY, NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT, CNN: As the people who knew them best gathered to mourn the violent deaths of Bird and Melanie Billings, the family attorney made an unexpected announcement.
CRYSTAL SPENCER, BILLINGS FAMILY ATTORNEY: As a result of the intense speculation regarding the motive of the crime, I have been authorized to tell you that the safe that was removed from the Billings home contained only children's prescription medications, important family documents, and some jewelry of sentimental value.
MATTINGLY: Going public with the items locked in the Billings stolen safe was a surprise departure from law enforcement's refusal to comment on evidence.
Sheriff David Morgan explained the safe's contents had not been made public because that information was valuable when questioning suspects. SHERIFF DAVID MORGAN, ESCAMBIA COUNTY, FLORIDA: We are very concerned about any misstep that we may take or that we may make that would jeopardize the successful prosecution of the individuals that we currently have in custody.
DAVID MATTINGLY, NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT, CNN: The sheriff confirms the stolen safe was buried under a pile of bricks and recovered from the backyard of a home owned by Pamela Long Wiggins. She was the eighth arrest in the case and the only one to be released on bond.
MATTINGLY (on camera): Wiggins is described as a friend of the alleged organizer of the deadly robbery, Leonard Patrick Gonzalez Jr., whose past continues to yield allegations of violence.
MATTINGLY (voice-over): Seven years ago his now ex-wife claimed in a restraining order that Gonzalez had slapped her, kicked her, and burned her with cigarettes. She said he once threatened her, saying "I will mangle your body and shoot you in the face."
Gonzalez denied the allegations and now says he is innocent in this double homicide. Authorities say they believe they have recovered the murder weapon, but they won't say if they believe it was Gonzalez who pulled the trigger.
Meanwhile, a solemn but touching ceremony as a couple known for their devotion to children with special needs is laid to rest.
ED BROCK, MELANIE BILLING'S BROTHER: As Albert Einstein said, "Our death is not an end if we can live on in our children." Bird and Melanie will live on in our hearts forever.
MATTINGLY: And so may the lingering question about this case. Why did this couple have to die?
David Mattingly, CNN, Pensacola.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WHITFIELD: And after four days in the hot seat, the president's Supreme Court pick might find out Tuesday if she's got the job. If confirmed, Sonia Sotomayor would be the first Latina Supreme Court justice in U.S. history.
Her chances look pretty good. Three GOP moderates, including the party's senior senator Richard Lugar of Indiana were quick to throw their support behind her.
Well, one group watching the Sotomayor confirmation process very closely -- law students in their third year. I sat down with four of them from Emory University and University of Georgia Law School to get their take on this week's hearing.
And here now is part of our conversation.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) WHITFIELD: Tuesday will be the vote of her confirmation. If confirmed, will your feelings about her, will your feelings about the bench be any different?
JASON ESTEVES, EMORY UNIVERSITY LAW STUDENT: I don't think so. I think her confirmation really doesn't change the dynamic of the court, which is why I think the Republicans aren't putting up much of a big fight.
WHITFIELD: So is confirmation meaningless?
ESTEVES: No, it means a lot. It means the first Latina woman being confirmed. It means a very qualified woman being confirmed. But it doesn't change the dynamic.
WHITFIELD: Is that disappointing?
RHANI LOTT, EMORY UNIVERSITY LAW STUDENT: Well, I think it's disappointing if this were the last appointment Obama is going to make. But I think potentially Obama will have other appointments to make, and having her on the court, I mean, clearly now it will still probably be a five-four split.
But if Obama gets another chance to appoint, depending on which justice his appointment is replacing, it could make a difference.
WHITFIELD: How do you see this confirmation if it were to happen on Tuesday, meaningful?
JEFF ZACHMAN, UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA LAW STUDENT: Well, for many of the reasons that I think have been brought up in hearings, it's unclear what Sotomayor will do on the bench entirely.
But I tend to agree. I tend to feel like on a lot of the issues that the Supreme Court will hear, she'll vote very similarly to Souter. The court will probably on a lot of issues, wind up five-four one way or the other.
So just in terms of judicial decision making, it will probably be similar. But we have had surprises before, people changing their minds. Obviously that's the beauty or the bad part about life-time tenure, depending upon --
WHITFIELD: Sean, how do you see it? Tuesday's --
SEAN SOBOTTKA, EMORY UNIVERSITY LAW STUDENT: Being that it is a liberal justice stepping down, the replacement is -- it's less monumental as far as changing the -- probably changing how the court will decide decisions, how splits will come out.
So I think that politically, it's been a very interesting process. I don't know if it is going to be as monumental judicially.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WHITFIELD: All right, some law students were very analytical about all of this. Sonia Sotomayor faced questions and critical comments before the Senate Judiciary Committee most of the week. And most senators seem convinced that she will make a good Supreme Court justice.
So what do you think? Today, at 4:00 p.m. we are breaking down Judge Sotomayor's words, what she said, what she didn't say. And we are getting your thoughts. You're posting your comments on our blog at CNN.com/fredricka. And we welcome that.
And we also want to hear from you on Facebook at frederickawhitfieldcnn.com, or, guess what, you can now call us too, a new feature that we've got for you. You can leave a voice message by calling this number, 877-742-5760. And be sure to be part of the discussion today, 4:00 p.m. eastern.
And of course, I want to share with you some of the comments that we are starting to see on Facebook and my blog.
All right, so on my blog, R.J. says "While she may be qualified to be a judge, it doesn't necessarily that she is qualified for the highest court." And Greg Ontario says that "She talked like a politician. That is, she talked for several minutes and did not say anything."
And N. Roberts says "Sotomayor will be one of the best judges this country has ever had."
And then on my Facebook, Nasser Muhammad says, "She promised to base her decision on the constitution. If she keeps her promise then she will do well."
And Chris Grant also on Facebook saying "She seems to contradict her own previous statement from the past. To me that's not the consistency that you want in a position such as that."
So we welcome your comments on Facebook as well as on my blog. Thank you so much contributing them. We continue to focus on Sonia Sotomayor and potential confirmation come Tuesday, at least that's the scheduled time for the confirmation vote.
Remembering a legend in broadcast news.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
WALTER CRONKITE, CBS EVENING NEWS ANCHOR: Good evening from the CBS news control center in New York this is Walter Cronkite reporting.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: Walter Cronkite gone at the age of 92.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WHITFIELD: He is remembered as the consummate journalist. For nearly two decades he was the face of CBS News. Veteran journalist Walter Cronkite died last night at his home in Manhattan after a long illness. He was 92.
Colleagues, astronauts, even presidents remembering Cronkite.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
CRONKITE: Good evening from the CBS News control center in New York. This is Walter Cronkite reporting.
SUSAN ZIRINSKY, FORMER CRONKITE PRODUCER: In the day when we were all kids and those of us were starting under Walter, Walter embodied kind of the best of everything and the best you would aspire to.
There were three networks at that point, and Walter was the most important man. You lived and died by what he said, how he wanted pieces to be told. You were answerable to Walter when Walter picked up the phone. You were scared to death.
But, on the other hand, there was a core value in what we did. And, you know, it was a time when one voice mattered.
CRONKITE: From Dallas, Texas, the flash apparently official, President Kennedy died at 1:00 p.m. central standard time, 2:00 eastern standard time, some 38 minutes ago.
JOHN ROBERTS, CNN ANCHOR: I remember that moment where he took off his glasses and he looked at the clock, and he said, "President Kennedy has died." And that was one of the earliest moments that I can remember that I really wanted to pursue a career in news.
And I watched Walter all through the -- the days of the Apollo Space Program. And I remember him saying on July 20th, 1969, that man has landed on the moon.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The eagle has landed.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Roger -- thanks a lot.
CRONKITE: Oh, boy.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Thank you.
CRONKITE: Boy.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We're going to be busy for a minute.
CRONKITE: I'm speechless.
ROBERTS: To think he was the most trusted man in America really was an understatement, because, at that time, any time anything ever happened, any time anything bad ever happened, the world turned to Walter Cronkite, not only for news, but for reassurance.
And he was -- he was not just an icon, but he was, you know, almost look a member of your family. And to think that he is gone now is just such a sad occasion. DAN HEWITT, CREATOR, "60 MINUTES": He was the consummate television newsman. He had all the credentials to be a writer, an editor, a broadcaster. There was only one Walter Cronkite, and there may never be another one.
Being friends with Walter Cronkite was about as high as you could rise in our business. To be his colleague and his friend was a double blessing.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WHITFIELD: Walter Cronkite's voice gave credence and authority to more than just news. He also used his famous pipes in a documentary about Italian inventory Guglielmo Marconi.
Chris Seufert, producer and founder of Mooncusser Films, worked with Cronkite on the project. He joins us now by phone from Cape Cod, Massachusetts. So glad you could be with us, sorry under such circumstances. Tell me about your memories of Walter Cronkite.
CHRIS SEUFERT (via telephone), PRODUCER, FOUNDER, MOONCUSSER FILMS: Hi, how are you?
Actually, I am not as old as some of the people who have much more direct experience with the reality and the myth of Walter Cronkite. But, you know, I was in sixth grade when he retired.
But I am old enough to remember being in -- in my pajamas in the early 70s playing with trucks on the floor and seeing those helicopters swirling over the jungle canopy and hearing that voice, you know, that was sort of the nightly narration.
So, yes, when I began this project with Walter and worked on the script over many months, and then we finally walked into his office, it was certainly with some nervousness as I walked down the hallway toward that --
WHITFIELD: Give me an idea of what was the first encounter was like. Yes, you knew him as the myth, this bigger than life man. But then when you saw him and you are now face to face, were your knees knocking? Give me an idea what kind of butterflies you had in you.
SEUFERT: I was certainly shaking in my boots.
We had had some contact with him over the months before that I started to feel pretty comfortable with who he was. He was really behind the script and worked with us in a very detailed way to shape it into something he'd be proud of.
So I really admired that, because a lot of people that would -- you know, a lot of people as famous as he who donate their narration to a project like this is --
WHITFIELD: Do you know how it even came about, by the way, how you were able to convince him to depart from news and be the voice in this documentary? SEUFERT: Well, there was a producer on staff who had friend of a friend who knew that Walter was crazy about wireless radio. And so we knew someone that knew him, and basically got the word out to him that we were doing a documentary about wireless radio, and it sort of -- this untold story.
And he accepted right away, to my complete and utter shock. But we, I went into New York with several of the crew members, and we were ushered up to his floor at CBS. And it hardly look like the office of a retired man, I must say. It was just like any working professional.
WHITFIELD: Really, meaning it just seemed very down to earth, very ordinary even?
SEUFERT: No. It was pretty intimidating. And, uou know, it's right in the center of Manhattan. And he has the whole floor.
And his staff was extraordinarily professional and dedicated to him. And, you know, they worked round-the-clock. This was not a man that was -- you know, moth-balled yet.
So when we walked down the hallway and you hear that voice, your first reaction is someone left the TV on.
WHITFIELD: That booming voice.
SEUFERT: And then we walked in, it was quite the opposite. He was not intimidating at all.
WHITFIELD: That's lovely.
Well, thanks so much for sharing your experiences and having this brush with greatness, the greatness of Walter Cronkite. Thanks so much.
And, of course, we have been hearing from you as well. So many people have been sharing their memories of Walter Cronkite.
Our Josh Levs has been going through some of them. I think everyone remembers a little something if they were at least old enough to hear him, see him in action. If not, then they at least read about him or knew about him, right?
JOSH LEVS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes. Fred, I'll tell you, days like today, I love going to iReport, because it's great to hear from people who had the opportunity to work with Walter Cronkite, who had the opportunity to meet him in some cases.
But the vast majority of Americans who hold on to the memories of him only knew him as the figure he was on TV.
And we got a great iReport here from a woman who has a lot to say about what he achieved on television. Take a look.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) MARTHA LILLARD: Walter represented for a lot of us a father figure because I know he was approximately the same age as my father. And he was just such a warm and caring person. He made you love him, and he made you trust him by what he said and what he did.
The world is a much worse place without him. I wish we had more people like Walter Cronkite.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LEVS: A lot of people feel that way.
I also want to say that we have also been hearing from some people who don't have memories of him back when he was anchor and in the actual anchor chair.
But some younger people, including some aspiring broadcasters -- we got one iReport from one of our frequent iReporters who says that he aspires to be similar. And these are his thoughts.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KYLE AEVERMANN: Hey, CNN, iReporter Kyle Aevermann. The report just came in that Walter Cronkite has passed away at the age 92.
As an aspiring journalist and reporter, Walter Cronkite is definitely someone I looked up to. He was definitely way before my time. However, being an aspiring journalist and reporter, it's someone I have learned so much about.
In fact, earlier today I was watching one of his broadcasts on YouTube of the moon landing, which happened 40 years ago this weekend. It's kind of sad. That was one of his most historical broadcasts, along with the assassination of JFK.
And there are so many more historical --
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LEVS: Yes, actually, I wanted to show you just a 15-second clip. He did send us a long one there.
What has basically happened on iReport today is people have begun this long discussion about Walter Cronkite and sharing lots of memories of him. And it was just interesting what he actually said.
What I wanted to show you was him saying that he had the opportunity to be at a school that has Walter Cronkite's name on it. And he knows Walter Cronkite cared about the next generation. We'll show that to you next hour.
Meanwhile, before we go, I do want to show you this, quickly, just how you do it. It's so easy, iReport.com. Send us photos, videos, stories, whatever it takes. This is a handful, the ones we got. We are seeing photos from people who had a chance to meet him, Fred, a lot of people saying how much he touched their lives. And it is such a reminder that while we can hear from big wigs and the famous people who knew him, in the end it was about everyday Americans all over the country like all of us who were so affected by his work.
WHITFIELD: Yes, everyone was impacted in some way, shape, or form.
Josh Levs, thank you so much.
LEVS: Thanks, Fred.
WHITFIELD: Bringing new technology to the poorest areas of Ghana. It's one man's mission. We'll show you how he is doing it one computer at a time.
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WHITFIELD: Inspired by missionaries, an immigrant from Ghana decided to make a difference one computer at a time. He turned his Maryland garage into a workshop, and that's where he fixes donated computers for students back in his native country.
Hala Gorani explains in today's "Impact your World" segment.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
GORANI: By day, Setho (ph) Wosu (ph) is part of what is known as the "geek squad," installing and fixing electronics for his Best Buy retail store in Washington, D.C.
But this mild-mannered man from Ghana has another identity, founder and head of Entire Village Computers Organization, or EVCO for short.
GYAMERA MYANTAKYI, TEACHER: We just want the children here to move ahead with the computers. That is why we are trying to have the best for Africans to have access. And that is why they are helping us with these computers.
GORANI: Since 2005, villages received 120 computers from EVCO. And each device comes with a warranty of sorts. EVCO maintains and fixes every donated computer for three years after delivery.
Geek squad member by day, EVCO philanthropist by night, Setho (ph) Wosu (ph) is hoping to make an even greater impact in the future.
For "Impact your World," I'm Hala Gorani.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WHITFIELD: Is the weather wild or mild in your part uh the country? Let's take a look. Well right there it is pretty mild in Jacqui's world. She will be with us with some answers.
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WHITFIELD: Stories we are following across Americas now.
The hunt is on for 100,000 pythons slithering across Florida's Everglades. They have no natural predators, and they're eating birds and other animals that are native to the Everglades.
The Oscar Meyer Weiner mobile got itself into a real pickle when it crashed into a Wisconsin home. Police say the driver thought he had the giant hot dog in reverse, but instead it was in drive. Not a moment she'll "relish." No one was hurt.
All right, a thief who broke into a car in North Dakota took the owner's driver's license and credit cards and left a nice and helpful note behind, actually. It said the victim had amazing taste in music and advised him to lock his car in the future.
They're hard at work in zero gravity. Take a look right now, live pictures, two of Endeavour's astronauts installing a piece of a Japanese Science lab on the international space station.
The section is like a big porch that will allow residents to conduct outdoor experiments if they want. Getting the piece in place is, of course, a pretty involved effort, very tricky there. The astronauts are using the robotic arms from the space station and the shuttle.
This is the first of five planned spacewalks for Endeavor's crew, amazing pictures.
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