All Blog Posts from Couric & Co.

Last week I participated in a conference call with a group of mommy bloggers--women who blog for the sister sites of the Silicon Valley Moms Group. The topic was “Children of the Recession,” how the economy has impacted the lives of kids all around the country. I wanted to tell them about our ongoing commitment to report these stories, but mostly I just wanted to listen…I figured they would have a good sense of what was happening in their own neighborhoods, and what resources are available for people who need them.

The truth is most families have been impacted by the recession to some degree. A recent CBS News poll found that 60% of parents have had to tell their children there was not enough money to buy some of the things they did before. For some families, that may mean cutting out vacations or extra birthday presents, but for others it may be more serious…like skipping visits to the doctor or cutting back on groceries.

The Silicon Valley Moms Blogs are devoting today to this important topic, asking their readers how the recession is impacting kids in their communities.

I wanted to give them a shout out, and encourage you to join the conversation.

This video features some beautiful scenery of Afghanistan as Katie films takeoff from the cockpit on her way from Kabul to southern Afghanistan. Viewers will also get a look inside the C-17, a cavernous and loud aircraft that carries personnel and supplies.

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On her flight from Riyadh to Kabul, Katie takes us inside the cockpit to meet the Air Force pilots flying the plane.

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Katie explains the rules for women in Saudi culture. They are not permitted to drive and must wear abayas and headscarves to walk in public. She then shows viewers the building that is command central for the muttaween, the religious police. With the help of a translator, she approaches a relative of a muttawa and tries to get an answer about what the group’s role is in Saudi society. Later, she shows viewers Chop Chop Square, where public executions are performed.

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In this video, Katie introduces you to the reporters accompanying Secretary of Defense Robert Gates on his five-day trip to the Middle East and Afghanistan. She asks her fellow reporters how things have changed at the Pentagon since the Obama administration took over, and asks about the different approaches of Sec. Gates and his predecessor Sec. Donald Rumsfeld.

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Katie is anchoring the Evening News from Chicago tonight, so her First Look has a lot about the Windy City.

Just click the monitor to watch.

With Katie away, Russ Mitchell fills in at the anchor desk, and at First Look.

He previews tonight's CBS Evening News, with an assist from Correspondent Nancy Cordes.

Just click the monitor to see what's coming up.

Katie, Senior Producer Bill Owens and Correspondent Wyatt Andrews offer a First Look at tonight's Evening News. Big stories include a follow-up on Katie's interview with John and Elizabeth Edwards, plus developments in the investigation into the "friendly fire" death of Pat Tillman. Just click the monitor to watch.

Hi, everyone!

Okay, I’ve been waiting to exhale for some time now…and I finally have!!! Last night was my one week anniversary…and the good news is, I’m still employed! (I think) I’ve had no problem sleeping in until 7 every morning…and I’m really really enjoying my new gig. There’s a lot of excitement here about trying new things, and the people with whom I’m working are terrific-smart and funny and very dedicated to putting on the best product we can. I’m still getting used to the half hour format, but it’s gratifying to see how much we can get in…I so often experience information overload, being able to get a recap of the news summarized and synthesized is something I really like...hopefully some viewers feel the same!

Well, it’s been a whirlwind. I wish I could say that last Tuesday was just another day at the office -- or just another first day on the job – but it was so much more than that. I woke up more than a few times in the wee hours of that Tuesday morning…and to nobody’s surprise, the first day was jam-packed with the excitement and tension that comes with any new job. There were interviews and rehearsals and meetings throughout the day. I felt the usual butterflies in my stomach before the broadcast – actually, the butterflies felt more like gigantic peacocks (but that may have something to do with my last job). For the first time in a long time I actually had the sensation that my heart was going to actually penetrate my chest and end up on the scripts in front of me…it was beating THAT HARD.

There was some celebrating after the broadcast…some of my close friends got together to watch the show and had a martini waiting for me when I arrived at 7:30. I’m not a big drinker, but I have to say, that really hit the spot. But nothing was nicer than seeing my two daughters, probably more relieved than I was, that their mother had not completely embarrassed them on national television. They are so great. There was a little dancing and merriment (whatever that means) before I had to head to Washington to interview the president the next morning. (Good thing they cut me off after one martini!) Another crazy, surreal kind of day...

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