My note to Charlie Rose today:Charlie
I see you doing tons of stuff on JFK’s assassination as you lead up to November 22nd.
Here’s a footnote to history of which you should be aware.
I was, many years ago, a producer at CBS Sunday Morning. I used to produce Bob Pierpoint, who had been the White House correspondent for CBS News when JFK was the President.
I became fairly friendly with Bob, needless to say. I was at his house in DC when we watched CBS News’ commemoration of the 25th Anniversary. It was, of course, wall to wall Dan Rather.
Then Bob told me a very interesting story.
Bob had been in the motorcade, 3 cars behind JFK when the shots rang out. Dan, the local CBS guy had been assigned to be with Bob during the time in Dallas.
When the motorcade came to a halt, Pierpoint ran to the front and found out what had happened. The President had been shot.
Pierpoint said he looked around for Dan, couldnt find him and commandeered a car. “Get me to Parkland Hospital” he said.
Arriving at Parkland, Pierpoint made his way to the ER and grabbed a nurse. “How is he?” Pierpoint asked. The nurse, he said, was crying. “He’s dead”, she said, badly shaken.
Pierpoint rushed to a payphone and called New York. Cronkite went live.
THEN, CBS News cut to Dallas… and Rather.
Rather had seen what had happened, and instead of going to Parkland to get the story, he had headed back to the Dallas studio, had them fire up the cameras, then sat and waited for the call.
Pierpoint was a journalist – one of ‘Murrow’s boys’. Rather understood TV.
When CBS News did the 25th Anniversary, Dan completely elided Pierpoint’s name from the entire Special Broadcast – even though you could hear his voice narrating every piece of archival stuff.
This time, do him the honor to which he is entitled.
Thanks
I see you doing tons of stuff on JFK’s assassination as you lead up to November 22nd.
Here’s a footnote to history of which you should be aware.
I was, many years ago, a producer at CBS Sunday Morning. I used to produce Bob Pierpoint, who had been the White House correspondent for CBS News when JFK was the President.
I became fairly friendly with Bob, needless to say. I was at his house in DC when we watched CBS News’ commemoration of the 25th Anniversary. It was, of course, wall to wall Dan Rather.
Then Bob told me a very interesting story.
Bob had been in the motorcade, 3 cars behind JFK when the shots rang out. Dan, the local CBS guy had been assigned to be with Bob during the time in Dallas.
When the motorcade came to a halt, Pierpoint ran to the front and found out what had happened. The President had been shot.
Pierpoint said he looked around for Dan, couldnt find him and commandeered a car. “Get me to Parkland Hospital” he said.
Arriving at Parkland, Pierpoint made his way to the ER and grabbed a nurse. “How is he?” Pierpoint asked. The nurse, he said, was crying. “He’s dead”, she said, badly shaken.
Pierpoint rushed to a payphone and called New York. Cronkite went live.
THEN, CBS News cut to Dallas… and Rather.
Rather had seen what had happened, and instead of going to Parkland to get the story, he had headed back to the Dallas studio, had them fire up the cameras, then sat and waited for the call.
Pierpoint was a journalist – one of ‘Murrow’s boys’. Rather understood TV.
When CBS News did the 25th Anniversary, Dan completely elided Pierpoint’s name from the entire Special Broadcast – even though you could hear his voice narrating every piece of archival stuff.
This time, do him the honor to which he is entitled.
Thanks
Copyright Micheal Rosenblum 2013
