Here's The Deal RE News of any kind

Look, Walter Cronkite couldn't even get a simple, easy quote right when Neil Armstrong hopped down on the moon and spoke.  Anyone who listened for themselves and believed what they heard, and what made sense, rather than Walt's bastardization of that incredible milestone in  human history, knew he did not say, "One small step for man..".  He said "One small step for A man...".  Geez, think about it.

As Walter quoted him, Neil would be contradicting himself, and making no sense.  In that sense, man and mankind become synonymous.  So is it a small step or a giant leap?

Anyway, they finally corrected it in the last few years or so.  Forty years, plus!!

The point is, they often get it wrong, and people believe it, even when they are watching an event live.  People will go along with what they are told to think.  It was like the Emperor's new clothes; everyone pretended that "One small step for man, one giant leap for mankind" makes sense.  It does not.

Why it took so long for NASA to get it right, I do not know.  It proves that Walter was not much of a critical thinker, and that he was not the most reliable source that ever was.  But he sounded so kindly and authoritative.  People wanted him to be right because he sounded good and looked credible, and safe somehow.

So, if they couldn't even get that right, and people watched and didn't bat an eye over the nonsensical translation of Neil's words, you really want the majority, or anyone else, to have a lot of power?  This is why limits were what the Constitution was attempting to establish. To prevent or mitigate the tyranny of the majority.

I think it is a valid illustration.  Not only can bad info become accepted right before our eyes, we tend to go along because it seems the thing to do.  That requires turning a blind eye to what you know and think.  Weird.  But there you have it.  And for forty years the lie spread, and was even carved in stone in various monuments.

I'm old. I watched the landing live, and I cussed Walter while he misspoke.  No one listened. I was young and had a bit of a brush with the law, and the case was pending.  I would gladly have traded places with Neil.  Or even Walter.  But I would not have screwed up the quote.

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Is it just me, or has Geraldo become Fox's answer to Chris Matthews at wherever he works--CNN?  Here's our network horse's ass, and this election, he will be the one supplying us with cutting edge buffoonery.  Matthews sets the bar high for biased half truths and weirdness.

I think that Geraldo can best him if he tries.  Deep down he's every bit the blow hard that Chris is.

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