Mullings An American Cyber Column By Rich Galen

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Why Katie is in Third

Monday March 26, 2007

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Dear Mr. Mullings

John and Elizabeth Edwards appeared on CBS' 60 Minutes last night to talk about their decision to continue John's campaign for the Democratic nomination for President in light of the announcement that Mrs. Edwards' cancer had spread.

It was an interview which lasted about half the show but elicited no new information and, therefore, could have lasted seven minutes until the first commercial break.

Katie Couric - who did the interview - is buried deeply in third place among the evening news anchors. The CBS Evening News program trails ABC's Charlie Gibson and NBC's Brian Williams by nearly 2 MILLION viewers per night. (Gibson and Williams typically battle for first place and trade places week by week.)

If CBS were honest, they would have fired her by 8 pm last night for the way she conducted the Edwards interview.

I had the good fortune to be introduced to Mike Wallace by his son, Chris, last week at one of those Washington dinners you have go to and hope it won't go on too long.

When Mike Wallace was in his prime he was the best interviewer in the history of the medium. He would ask a question of the interviewee; get the rehearsed answer; then would ask, "Why?" and the camera would keep on rolling while Wallace waited.

THAT was why people watched 60 Minutes.

Katie Couric is not a hard-nosed newsperson. She doesn't even play one on TV, at least when the subject is a Democrat.

She used this construct perhaps four times:

"There are those who would say �" or "How do you respond to people who might say you are putting your ambition to be President ahead of your family's needs."

When I was press secretary to Dan Quayle or Newt Gingrich and a reporter started a question that way I would always say the same thing: "Who. Who is saying that? Give me a single person - not in your newsroom - who is saying that." And, of course, the reporter couldn't quote anyone and I had the upper hand from that point forward.

That approach shows a shocking lack of self-confidence. If you are the anchor of the CBS Evening News you don't need to hide behind some mysterious, mystical, anonymous "they."

It made Couric sound like she was the beltway reporter for a local TV station in Washington, DC which is, by the way, where she got her start in television.

If you are a grownup interviewer you ask: "Senator Edwards, aren't you putting personal ambition ahead of your family's needs?"

And, if you are a grownup interviewer you ask:

"Senator Edwards, in a Gallup poll released just this past Friday, you are in fourth place nationally behind Clinton, Obama, and even Al Gore. Do you realistically believe you are going to close that gap?"

After all, the Edwards' had agreed to come on 60 Minutes to talk about continuing his campaign for President, so viewers had a right to expect the questions on 60 Minutes to get beyond the "Ladies' Home Journal" level. Couric's questions were better suited to an appearance on Ellen.

Katie Couric's husband, Jay, died of colorectal cancer in 1998; she maintained her Today Show schedule throughout that ordeal.

So, from the Edwards' side, I kept waiting for John or Elizabeth to say something like: "Katie, who understands this situation better than you?"

Either no one briefed the Edwards on Couric's husband or, worse yet, they (the Edwards and Couric) jointly decided not to mention it.

People who do not have $6 million mansions or have $15 million contracts simple don't have the choice to stop everything they're doing when someone in their family gets sick.

Most people have to go to work every day and worry and pray on their own time.

Elizabeth Edwards appears to be a strong woman and is John's best asset. I pray her disease is controlled and she lives a full life for many decades to come.

CBS needs to make a change.

On the Secret Decoder Ring page today: A link to the Gallup Poll released on Friday; a short AP piece on Edwards' mansion; a Mullfoto showing how even the toniest of downtown DC shops can be brought to earth and a very amusing Catchy Caption of the Day.

ALL THAT PLUS - The latest edition of Dear Mr. Mullings. New Every Wednesday!

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