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Growing up and feeling older - THE COMMENTARY

By Joseph Planta

VANCOUVER -- It’s a Saturday morning and I’ve been up for a while. Just gone through the two daily papers that come to the house, The National Post and The Vancouver Sun. I’ve also gone through the Western Jewish Bulletin and the copy of Saturday Night that’s in my weekend Post.

A couple of thoughts: I checked my overnight e-mails and learned of Bernard Shaw’s impending departure from CNN. Bernie is the anchorman who anchored CNN’s coverage of Election 2000 alongside Judy Woodruff, the brilliant Jeff Greenfield and Bill Schnieder. I’ve long admired Bernie Shaw, as I can vividly remember that fateful night almost a decade ago when he Peter Arnett and the late John Holliman were trapped in a Baghdad hotel room, when American forces began bombing that town. They broadcast live and they kept me, an 8 year old kid, glued to the TV watching their coverage.

I distinctly remember retelling their exploits in my elementary school journal the next morning. To say they didn’t have an impact is absolutely naive. They did. Mr. Arnett subsequently left CNN after some fibbing done on a documentary and Mr. Holliman was tragically killed about two years ago in an automobile accident. I remember learning of John Holliman’s death and conjuring up images, in my minds eye, of their narration as the skies of Baghdad were lit up with American fire. Upon his death I posted a personal tribute to John, saying he and his colleagues’ endeavours that night, impacted my young life. Trivially, they brought war into my consciousness.

So, Bernie Shaw is leaving. He’s probably CNN’s chief anchorman and from the old school of Walter Cronkite. Bernie, was actually an apprentice many, many years ago, when Uncle Walter was doing the CBS Evening News. Unlike Cronkite, however, Bernie is good on his feet. He’s a masterful ad-libber, except that instance a couple of years ago, when expletives were seen/heard to leave Shaw’s mouth. I guess it’s an end of an era. That live coverage CNN did during the Gulf War was their work and it defined CNN’s role as the world’s news leader. I guess, if it isn’t live on CNN, it’s not ‘breaking news’. Arnett, Holliman and Shaw defined their employer that night in 1991.

With that triumvirate gone from CNN, it gives me pause and makes me think of my life. I grew up with people like Bernie Shaw in my consciousness. I wasn’t a fan, but immediately when thinking of news personalities in America, Bernie Shaw is up there with Jennings, Rather and Wallace. I guess the correlation to my life is that I feel older.

Sinatra, who I idolised as a youth is dead. Trudeau, who I did the same, is gone. Steve Allen, who left us a couple weeks ago, had tremendous impact on my life. (As an aside, I recently heard of Fred Rogers’ upcoming retirement.)

I don’t remember a hell of a lot growing up, but a lot of those memorable moments, now see their players exiting. I guess I’m feeling older. I guess I’m growing up.


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