Eric Sevareid

[SGOS]

Well, he died in 1992, but for some reason, he popped into my mind this morning.  I remember him as a crusty old intellectual on the CBS News with an authoritative delivery doing a daily commentary about something that may have interested him that day, but seldom related to current events.  I would try to keep up with him as a mental exercise, but I almost always lost interest early in his commentary, and drifted off into my own thoughts.

But the last time I saw him on TV, I will never forget.  He was early in his commentary and something went wrong.  I have no idea what it was, but mid sentence, he abruptly threw his pen down on his pad, and cursed and explanation of disgust.  The feed immediately went back to the anchor, who announced they were having technical difficulties.  I didn't see anything technical.  They were right with him until he started cursing, and I never saw him on TV again.  Maybe his teleprompter was acting up.  Maybe he got sick of his own bullshit.  I never heard an explanation. 

But one of his famous quotes was, "Dealing with network executives is like being nibbled to death by ducks."  Maybe that was part of the cause.  But apparently, that was not his last appearance as I was able to find a Utube of his final farewell, which was typical of most of his commentary.  I couldn't find the one where he got pissed off and quit.  If you can stick with it to the end and feel satisfied that you understood everything he said, you're a better man than I.

I used to think he was really smart, but incredibly boring like Alan Greenspan, but with more charisma.  See what you think:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lHGHm8iPeUY

[Sal1981]

Pretty bland farewell, and I noticed he was able to squeeze in a pat on his own back in how "professional" he was.

[SGOS]

Pretty bland farewell, and I noticed he was able to squeeze in a pat on his own back in how "professional" he was.

If I was a network executive, I would have probably tried to replace his spot with someone like Andy Rooney.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S7LqsAnhrR4

[Sal1981]

I also just drink water from the faucet. It's clean enough and goes through several filters before it comes out my faucet.

[Baruch]

Sevareid was a classic TV editorialist.  Just like Cronkite was a classic TV reporter.  But like Greek ruins, we can only muse on what might have been.  Sevareid was on top of identity politics at the 1972 Democratic convention.  Paraphrase over floor fight over delegates: "But who will speak for the Lithuanian-American fishermen?".

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zJM2oJtr5y4

He was a centrist ...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wDkvEIp0nkU

[Cavebear]

I do vaguely recall Eric Sevareid's broadcast.  I followed the news even back then.  I remember better knowing he was a trustable voice.  We could use more people like him today. I miss Walter Cronkite too.

There are people like Mr. Sevareid today, but they seems drowned in the sea of talking heads from all sides.  Still, there are some who speak without shouting, talk with forethought, and analyze the events of the day. 

I like Chris Hayes and Rachel Maddow myself.  You may not.   That's OK.  But they let people talk, they don't overtalk guests in mid-sentence, and they give viewers facts with video of dates and locations.

[Cavebear]

If I was a network executive, I would have probably tried to replace his spot with someone like Andy Rooney.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S7LqsAnhrR4

The transition from Eric Sevareid to Andy Rooney was the beginning of today's blithering opinionated talking heads designed to find a dedicated following among a few as opposed to news analyzed for the many.  I cheered when Andy Rooney left the airwaves...

[Baruch]

Andy Rooney epitomized lovable curmudgeon to me.  Sevareid actually drew thoughtful conclusions.

[SGOS]

The transition from Eric Sevareid to Andy Rooney was the beginning of today's blithering opinionated talking heads designed to find a dedicated following among a few as opposed to news analyzed for the many.  I cheered when Andy Rooney left the airwaves...

Andy Rooney didn't expect anyone to take him seriously.  His shtick was just to punctuate the news with comedy.  Todays talking heads are more like shock jocks achieving self glorification and approval by pissing off 1/2 of the population, while the other half are screaming at the TV, "Ooh, that was a good one.  Hit 'em again!  Kick 'em in the teeth!  Now kill 'em!"

[SGOS]

Andy Rooney epitomized lovable curmudgeon to me.  Sevareid actually drew thoughtful conclusions.

I usually agreed with Sevareid's conclusions, but that doesn't necessarily make them thoughtful.  They may be, but he fails to explain why I should agree.  He kind of reminds me of an intellectual Donald Trump, "saying it like it is" but often without explaining why it is.  Even, while watching the videos in this thread I'm often thinking, "Yes, but why is this conclusion true?  How did you reach it?"

[Cavebear]

I usually agreed with Sevareid's conclusions, but that doesn't necessarily make them thoughtful.  They may be, but he fails to explain why I should agree.  He kind of reminds me of an intellectual Donald Trump, "saying it like it is" but often without explaining why it is.  Even, while watching the videos in this thread I'm often thinking, "Yes, but why is this conclusion true?  How did you reach it?"

I get that.  But maybe it works better to think of what he said as "food for thought"...  And compared to most talking heads today, he did offer objective thoughts to consider.  Unlike Andy Rooney who was mostly just the forefather of "that guy on Network".

[Baruch]

I usually agreed with Sevareid's conclusions, but that doesn't necessarily make them thoughtful.  They may be, but he fails to explain why I should agree.  He kind of reminds me of an intellectual Donald Trump, "saying it like it is" but often without explaining why it is.  Even, while watching the videos in this thread I'm often thinking, "Yes, but why is this conclusion true?  How did you reach it?"

Back in the day ... you had to go to William F Buckley for that.  But in the patriarchy way of his generation, us young guys should just shut up and listen.  I am not sure they weren't right.

[Cavebear]

Back in the day ... you had to go to William F Buckley for that.  But in the patriarchy way of his generation, us young guys should just shut up and listen.  I am not sure they weren't right.

I seldom agreed with Buckley.  Erudite speech does not equate to thoughtful conclusions. 

[Baruch]

I seldom agreed with Buckley.  Erudite speech does not equate to thoughtful conclusions.

Yes, judge the conclusion, then deny the argument if you don't like the conclusion ... and you got out of college with a grade?

See argument involves an open mind (yes, that is hardly found).  I you or i prejudge, then we aren't arguing.

[Cavebear]

Yes, judge the conclusion, then deny the argument if you don't like the conclusion ... and you got out of college with a grade?

See argument involves an open mind (yes, that is hardly found).  I you or i prejudge, then we aren't arguing.

What I got out of college was a little knowledge of a lot of subjects, and a lot of knowledge of a few.  It was deliberate.  I love knowing something of all things.  And I learned a lot about people who were very different from me.  My BS in Political Science and my minor in history was not the most important thing I learned.  I could easily have gone on to a PhD in either.  But I didn't see a value in that.