On "Peter" Jennings

Peter Jennings was the only network anchor / reporter a person could take seriously, unlike the bobble heads of CBS and NBC. When reporting about Middle Eastern affairs, he clearly understood the people and the issues there, and was not simply phoning it in. He spent considerable time in Lebanon and other areas of the Arab world, and he earned the respect of folks on both sides of the border. I’ve known people who knew him, and he was the real deal, they say, not some reporter looking for the quote that would seal an already decided opinion. I felt sad when I heard of his passing. Synaptic connections took me back to the days when I’d visit my parents (God have mercy on them) and watch the news together as we sat on a kitchen table covered with good food. When 5:30 rolled around, my mom would say (in Arabic), "Put on Peter," not "ABC," not "Channel 7," or even "the news," but Peter, as if he was part of the family. For more about his career, you can go here.