Inspired By Walter Cronkite

At age 19 was privileged to work for Hubert Humphrey as head of Young Citizens for Humphrey during his presidential campaign during the summer of 1968. I worked at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago. I supervised all public relations for his children and for his celebrity spokespersons---the most notable of which were two singers you may have heard of: Sonny and Cher. One day during the convention I was hailing a cab outside of the Conrad Hilton Hotel there in Chicago. My cabbie said to me: “Guess who my next fare is going to be, kid?” I asked him who it was going to be. He bragged to me proudly: “Walter Cronkite!” He was a famous broadcast journalist that served as anchorman for the CBS Evening News for nearly two decades during its heyday. An opinion poll had called him "the most trusted man in America" ---and that image stayed with him throughout his career. He was a highly admired evening news anchor on CBS, serving as a reliable source of information for most Americans. He helped launch CBS Evening News in 1962 and served as its news anchor until his retirement. I begged the cabbie to let me stay long enough to meet Cronkite. The cabbie relented and in introducing me to Cronkite told his next fare: “Mr. Cronkite, this young man tells me he wants to be a journalist like you when he grows up!” Cronkite responded by saying: “Oh, you do, do you? Tell me. Do you like Dixieland Jazz?” I told him I loved Dixieland Jazz. So Cronkite said: “Well then, you can come with tonight and watch it. I am going to Chicago’s best places tonight to listen to it!” It was a great evening of hearing great music. And it was music to my ears when Cronkite inspired me by saying at the end of our club hopping: “Never give up on your dreams, son! You can be a journalist if you just set your mind to it!”

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The author, Dr. John B. Charnay, CEO of Charnay and Associates in Greater Los Angeles, is a former journalist and a leading and award-winning public relations advisor...and a top social media advisor. He attended the Wharton School of Finance and Commerce and the University of Pennsylvania where he received of Bachelor of Science degree in English and Political Science and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism where he received a Masters degree in Journalism. He attended Fordham University Law School and Southwestern University School of Law, where he received his Juris Doctorate (Law Degree). He was a book reviewer for the Los Angeles Times and news editor of the Hollywood Reporter and his byline has appeared in many other of the nation’s leading newspapers and magazines. He also was a publicist to many famous Hollywood celebrities, including actor Jimmy Stewart. He has been a strategic PR advisor to many famous celebrities and Fortune 1000 CEOs. He has extensive experience teaching at the graduate and undergraduate levels at leading universities throughout the greater Los Angeles area, including USC, UCLA, CSUN, FIDM, Woodbury and Pepperdine. To meet him and ask for his support, invite him to be LinkedIn (email in profile) and contact him today!