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Tom Brokaw: I know that I speak for both of us when I say how deeply touched we are by that reception and it makes all the more poingant, the absence for our colleague Peter Jennings. We have hoped that he would be here so that we could have a reunion tonight, a celebration, because, the three of us really thought that to have been a reporter at large in a world of such profound change in the last quarter of the century was reward enough. So this recognition is a true dividend tonight, and for that we're deeply grateful.
Dan Rather: But to the millions of people who invited us into their living rooms every evening over the years, it's important for us to say-- 'coz we feel it so deeply--how much we appreciate that and that we never took that invitation lightly, nor the responsibilities. It still comes as something of a shock to say that word WE in the absence brought by Peter's passing. He left us far too soon and with everyone thought so much good work's still ahead of him.
Tom Brokaw: You know, despite the occasional differences that the three of us may have had, Dan, Peter and I had a common commitment to the importance of serious journalism because that's what the American people expected. No less than that. We also talked about the unique brotherhood that we shared that developed over the years. And we were competitive on a day- to- day basis around the world, but we are always bound together by a shared devotion to being reporters first whether we are on the anchor chair or on the road. And as for our personal relationship, Peter probably summed it up the best one, he said "yes, we are friends." then he added laughingly, "because we don't see each other very much." Our friend, our true friend, Peter's gone, but tonight Cathy, Christopher and Elizabeth, Dan and I want you to know that Peter will have a place in this brotherhood forever.
Dan Rather: And finally, finally we want to thank the Academy most of all for a gesture that I hope reaffirmed the need for strong, relevant, quality television journalism. Using this medium for good journalism comes with undeniable challenges but there are times--as we've been most recently reminded with Hurricane Katrina--when the immediacy and images that television provides--not only the best way to convey a breaking news story, but also an essential part of the story itself.
Tom Brokaw: I know that if Peter were here tonight, he'd join us and saluting our colleagues, the next great generation of broadcast journalists for their tireless and courageous work in covering the tragedy of Katrina so brilliantly for the last three weeks .
Dan Rather: Television has been called a medium of the tremendous potential powers and we continue to believe in the potential of those powers to do good. Thank you! Good night! Godspeed.
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