Cue the screeching brakes

So, I'm doing my usual morning news surf finding the usual stuff - war, famine, disease and politics and I notice this story about a memorial for Walter Cronkite at the Lincoln Center: Obama spoke and called for journalists to do a better job. Bill Clinton talked about Walter offering to take him sailing during the media feeding frenzy of the Lewinsky scandal. Katie Couric and Tom Browkaw, neither of whom should be considered qualified to carry Cronkite's lunch for him on an assignment, both paid tribute as did moonwalker Buzz Aldrin, professional curmudgeon Andy Rooney, CBS honcho Les Moonves, CBS News president Sean McManus, Grateful Dead drummer Mickey Hart...waitaminute! Mickey Hart?

There were other light moments. Mickey Hart, the former Dead drummer and Cronkite's late-in-life pal who provided entertainment, along with Jimmy Buffett and Wynton Marsalis, invoked a musical discussion he had with Cronkite after one of the band's concerts. "Mickey," Cronkite asked, "how will we know when we have the groove?"

Well suck me dry and call me "Dusty" - I never would have seen that coming! It's kind of like finding out your minister used to be a roadie for the Stones or your dad gave guitar lessons to Jimi Hendrix. Walter always did ask the right questions. Check him out about 2 minutes into this little video.




crossposted from the Woodshed