Remembering CBS News' Robert Pierpoint
We received word late last night of the death of Robert Pierpoint, the CBS News White House correspondent who covered six presidents during a career of more than 40 years at CBS News.
Bob's first big assignment was covering the Korean War, and he appeared on the first episode of Edward R. Murrow's "See It Now" broadcast.
He came to the White House beat during the Eisenhower administration, and remained there through Jimmy Carter's years.
Along the way he covered Watergate, the Kennedy assassination, and the Iranian hostage crisis.
Bob was a great friend to me and he taught me many a lesson on how to develop sources.
As an avid tennis player he got many of his stories on the court.
And one Saturday, he came directly from the court to film a report on the White House lawn. Viewers saw him only from the waist up - but those who saw him full frame figured out quickly where he got the story.
When that picture was published, some of the brass thought it "undignified," but Bob said he got a pretty good story that day - and the rest of us loved it.
Bob was one of the best of the best. He died from complications after surgery. He was 86.
