Ms. Couric Goes to Washington: The Interview
(CBS)
How'd it go?
Well, I've finally thrown together the final installment of Nicolla Hewitt's trip to Washington with Katie. Nicolla begins with the President arriving for the interview...
With the weight of the world on his shoulders – President Bush gave us a hearty Texan welcome. He was clearly focused, and clearly ready to tell Katie the advances he’s made in the ongoing war on terror.
The interview lasted for about 35 minutes, and at the end I think everyone felt Katie and the President had engaged in a frank discussion about “the news of the day.” We’d uncovered some news too – that one of the suspects had talked about a planned anthrax attack on the United States and a plan to fly & crash planes into the United States.
The President took the time to pose for a group photo and to ask Katie, “How’s Matt Lauer?” We all got a chuckle from that. Soon he bid us farewell, and soon we were bidding farewell to the White House.
Back into the car to take us to Reagan National Airport, and a flight back to New York in time for Katie to work on the Evening News, and for Susan Zirinsky to finish up the 9/11 special which airs tonight.
Many people forget Katie’s new job also includes that of Managing Editor, so in between all of this she made frequent calls to Evening News Executive Producer Rome Hartman about tonight’s show, to talk about what stories correspondents would be filing for tonight. They also talked about the right lead-ins to various pieces and what her piece on the show would look like.
During our 35-minute flight back to New York, we read copies of the transcript of her interview with the President so we knew what to pick for the special, and what to pick for the Evening News.
Our team is all here, and we’re back at work now on tonight’s show…and then the special too.
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See all 64 CommentsI have been a fan of yours for a long, long time, but I must say I am very disappointed with your debut this week. Your started with Bush telling lies and didn't attempt to pin him down. You then followed up with Armitage taking the blame for what was a much higher up conspiracy. He did a great job covering up for his bosses. But what knocked me out of my chair Katie, was Rush (the mouth) Limbaugh spouting out his anti patriot rhetoric. I am really disturbed with the direction your show is going. If I didn't see you sitting there, I would have thought that I had mistakenly tuned in to the Fox republican airwaves. If you are trying to get the Republicans re-elected, you are on the right path. Somehow, I kind of thought that you were a Democrat. Guess maybe I was hoodwinked into believing that. I am going to hang in for a few more days and see if there are equal opportunities for rebuttals to what I have viewed so far. I know that you are being paid a lot of money, but there as some things that money can%u2019t buy, and one of those things is me. If the path keeps leading to the right, I will be signing off.
Mel
GET REAL:(
Have you figured out yet that you have been duped? As a professional woman, I was excited to see a woman get the potition that you did. But instead of insisting on asking the real quesitons, you allowed someone else (maybe the administration, themselves)to write the questions. This was just a planned show to give the president free press before the elections. Its a good thing that the American people can finally see through the ***. Too bad you have been dragged into this and made to look like a cute cheerleader rather than a serious reporter.
I am ebarrased for you and think that what you did leaves you and all women open for criticism. Too bad you did not take steps to show that you could do the job. Tsk, tsk.
S
JEFF
CHICAGO
With that said, I fell into the hype and will monitor the show and site before I make presumptions.
Communicators Anonymous
http://12commanonymous.typepad.com/
Katie, as interviewer, needs to become much more aggressive in her questions. Her body language may have looked aggressive, but her questions were mostly cotton candy.
Why didn't Katie interview Rep. Murtaugh or even a few Democrats? In other words, this was NOT an even program approach to dreadful options of how to get out of Iraq with dignity.
I've been a fan of yours since your interviews during the tragic Columbine events. Your compassionate sincerity came right through the television screen into my living room.
Please follow your own instincts again in this new endeavor of evening news anchor. Don't let the "handlers" sugar coat the raw news and it's implications for 299,673,357 of us residing in the US.
Suggest watching & learning Laura Logan's delivery methodology. Just the facts, ma'am.
One last thought - PLEASE No More Bush! Fortunately, the majority of 299,673,357 Americans are not buying his (Rove's) spin of reality anymore.
________
4 Suggestions (Only the first one is serious):
________
1) That's the news. Until next time, keep an eye on CBS. (Fade to CBS television eye)
________
2) That's what's happening in your world, even as we speak! (Apologies to Willard!)
________
3) (SUNG) Hooray for Yorktown! Hooray for Yorktown!
Someone's in the bleachers yelling,
Hooray for Yorktown!
1, 2, 3, 4, Who are we yelling for?
Yorktown, that's you!
(Katie's High School fight song)
________
4) (SUNG -- tune: Auld Lang Syne)
That good old song of Wahoo-wah!
We'll sing it o'er and o'er!
It cheers our hearts and warms our blood,
To hear them shout and roar!
We come from old Virginia,
Where all is bright and ***.
Let's all join hands and give a yell,
For dear old U-V-A.
(Shout/ chant) Wahoo-wah! Wahoo-wah!
Uni-vee vir-gin-ee-uh!
Hoo-rah-ray! Hoo-rah-ray!
Hey! Hey! U-V-A!
(Katie's college fight song)
________
Respectfully submitted:
________
Gordy King
Yorktown class of 1975
Virginia CLAS 1979
It is by one person at a time,that citizens will be able to impact mainstream news. Your approach to President Bush was truly the last straw and I will no longer be tuning in to any CBS news program. This makes me sad because Face the Nation has been a part of my life for a very long time (I am 69). However, when Bob compliments Bush as he did, I know that my idea of journalistic integrity is something quite different from mine. As for Katie Couric, it is a huge disappointment to see a lack of any depth and authentic questioning of President Bush. I had already boycotted my favorite show "CBS Sunday Morning" as I watched it deterioate into a shadow of its former self - same goes for 60 minutes. Since I boycott ABC and NBC as well, that does not leave very much, does it?
My solution: Watch "Democracy Now" and Keith Olberman. Read a large number of excellent journals, and listen to the radio. Scan a large number of political blogs.
CBS really should be deeply ashamed as they had the greatest tradition in the news business and have totally wiped away all pretence of excellence.
Linda Watson
North Carolina
Your interview with the President "BOMBED"
He had already answered every question you asked in his recent PROPAGANDA SPEECHES. I do not need you have him repeat what he had just said.
Time to go back to reporter/jounalist school. Maybe you can recover before the ratings go totally in the toilet.
"I'm Katie Couric and that's my report. To be continued."
"I'm Katie Couric and that's the news. To be continued."
"I'm Katie Couric . . . that's what happened [today]. Good night."
I wasn't able to watch the news last night. I read the interview you had with the president and was wondering if you forgot what the news is all about. The question you asked is what the people know the answer to already. Remember this Katie, Journalism and anchor news caster must act like a detective to find the truth and nothing but the truth. Don't get anythig less than the truth. Also remeber this, WHO, WHAT, WHERE, WHEN, HOW and WHY is the key elements for the news. I hope the best of you as the CBS Evening News Anchor-Woman!
Your Unknown Friend,
Bush is a hypocrite!
Jim Frego
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