R.I.P. Peter Jennings

One of my favorite news anchors passed away last night.

There was just something about ABC's Peter Jennings that resonated with me, with viewers. During the week of the September 11 attacks, Jennings was on the air for more than 60 hours. And his aim, as a reporter in the field, was not to candy-coat reality, but rather provide viewers with what he called a "rough draft of history. Some days its reassuring, some days it's absolutely destructive."

Many remember Jennings' raspy announcement that he was going to undergo chemotherapy to treat his lung cancer. It's kind of scary - although he had quit smoking some 20 years ago (aside from a relapse during 9/11, if I remember correctly), he still was unable to escape this illness.

He was only 67 years old when he died. As Barbara Walters said, he died much too young.