Just over four years ago, we Webbies found ourselved in Gram's room, huddled around the big projected TV watching in some silence and running back and forth to the roof of Stevenson Taylor Hall. That day, now referred to without mention of year, we found ourselved tuned to ABCnews for insight, composure, and coordination from the anchor chair. He handled the world's biggest news day with more aplomb and composure than the other anchors - maybe more than anybody. Over 60 hours that week he was on the air, live, unscripted, asking questions we also had and undoubtedly learning of horror just a split second before we did. From the buzz in his earpiece to what was broadcast to the world, though, an uncanny sensationalism-reducing filter was applied. What came over the airwaves was not a sense of panic or anger or confusion as we saw in the next day's papers, but the strongest sense of a nation learning what it would have to face next. Peter Jennings died yesterday at age 67.
Thank you, Mr. Jennings, for a job well done.

posted at 3:05 PM - comments