God Speed Peter Jennings

Peter Jennings is no more.
I felt like I had been dealt a body blow...and can only imagine how his family must feel at this moment.
Rarely do we come across someone who embodies our notions of grace, honesty and integrity. In these world weary, cynical and Mammon driven times, this was one media professional who actually came across as the very opposite of what we loathe about the media.
The urbane demeanor, the measured cadence and the richness of detail in his newscasts and reporting always served to underscore the professionalism and sense of integrity.
Being so easy on the eyes too was definitely an asset!
I just saw CNN's reporting on his death- with ex-colleagues who killed him (no pun intended) with that sweetly nasty praise that comes so easily to them. The guy just died for Heavens sake- lay the bitterness at the door and shut up.
Of course he was a hard task master- that is a given if you are a reporter especially one who has credentials up the wazoo. What distinguished him from the Grettas and the Larry Kings was that sense of self and a well presented perception that this man meant what he said. It wasn't the voice of God like Dan Rather or the voice of Doom like Tom Brokaw- it was the voice of a man who had actually undergone what he reported. That sense of truth came across strongly.
My biggest regret is I never met him- I would have liked to- I was actually gearing upto it this summer- it would have been wonderful to have met him and worked under him. In this I let myself down.
So... God Speed Mr. Jennings- your smile, your voice and you will be missed- as you have been since April. I only hope you left this body with some semblance of peace.
As for us, the world is a smaller place without you.