Katie Couric The Only Anchor Not To Moderate A Primary Debate

On Feb. 5, during MSNBC's Super Tuesday political coverage, anchor Keith Olbermann joked that during this long primary season, it sometimes seemed like everyone in the business had already anchored a debate. "I think most people at home have now moderated one as well," said Mr. Olbermann.

If Katie Couric was watching at home, chances are she wasn't laughing. Eight months and more than 20 debates into podium season, Ms. Couric has yet to get anywhere near the big stage.

How did the highest-paid anchor on evening television get upstaged by Brian Williams, Brit Hume, Charles Gibson, Wolf Blitzer, Tim Russert, George Stephanopoulos, Campbell Brown, Chris Wallace, Natalie Morales and on and on?

The official explanation from CBS: Ms. Couric was the victim of circumstance.

"I wish we had been able to work it out," said Sean McManus, the president of CBS News. "I think [Ms. Couric] would have been really good at it. I think it would have been a good showcase for CBS News. But it just wasn't to be this cycle."

Read more from the New York Observer article.

-OR-

Read Rachel Sklar's take, "Katie Couric Can't Catch A Break," from December, where she writes:

The CBS Debate set for next Monday, December 10th has been canceled due to the looming CBS News writers' strike. Which, as stated above, is a bad break for Couric, for whom the chance to act as debate moderator would have provided the perfect opportunity to shine. NBC's Brian Williams has so far gotten two kicks at the can on MSNBC, and though Charlie Gibson ceded pride of place to George Stephanopoulos on ABC, this would have been Couric's chance to display the "gravitas" necessary to moderate between presidential candidates plus the personality that would come through during the inevitable unscripted moments that occur when ten people get together on a stage. It would have been a great platform for her -- her tough luck that, of all the networks, CBS' writers are the ones poised to strike, and of all the timeslots in a schedule stretching from April through the new year, hers happened to fall smack dab in the middle of the "uncertainty created by the ongoing labor dispute between CBS and the Writers Guild of America," as per DNC Communications Director Karen Finney . Timing, as they say, is everything.

Comments

[Bulbul]

Why not ?

CBS would be much better than MSNBC, which has become a joke..

[robXdion]

Maybe she can tie this into Hillary's narrative about being picked on and hitting a glass ceiling. That would take the Tina Fey endorsement a step further with a "I feel your pain" moment...........ok, I'm kidding.

But its just hard to take her very seriously as a newsperson. Its like giving Tyra Banks or the younger women on "The View" a platform to be distinguished. She's been typecast as a cutesy, giggly
woman-child.

[willo]

With her skills she belong's down at the rescue mission. In line to get some food.

[dr4Will]

who needs her--she belongs to bush and friends!!

[NeverRepublican]

Who wants to see a botox queen speak...her lips don't move and that's sorta creepy. Maybe she can dress up like cheerleader and lead the crowds in cheers. She is NO anchor for news. Does anyone even take her serious? I think that's why she hasn't been associated with any debates....that's for the adults to take care of. Now be a little princess and go fix your wig and re-inject your face...your lines are starting to show.

[richw23]

What's really funny is that as bad as she is, at this moment in time she is not any worse than her two competitors, although the flaws differ. I can't stand Charles Gibson anymore than I can stand the guy on the "Sunday" show - especially when he peers over those glass -gaaahhhh!!!! Brian Williams is ok, but stiff - sorry!!! I assume they are still the other guys on network evening news.

So for us it comes down to CBS has the better correspondents and when we've compared more hard news than the other two - so we watch just to see what's current - then get the real news from The Daily Show, Colbert, and major newspapers on the internet. "Print" media makes tv (other than the good correspondents and the back-up anchors) look like something jr. high kids would put together - why can't tv news writers ever get the meanings of words correct. The only thing they're really good at is alliteration as far as I can tell.

[gonavy]

Is she still on TV? She would have sucked at a debate. She was so much better on the Today Show, where she could be cute and funny. Not to diminish her smarts, it's just that is a better fit for her. Matt Lauer has turned into an asshole since she left. Was couric keeping him in line? Or is Matt feeling like king of the hill now?

[ErnestineBass]

I have a question for the people in this country WITHOUT cable or satellite TV.

How many of these "debates" have you been able to watch?

One, maybe two?

[glitzqueen]

You hit on something huge here, Ernestine. I've been griping on and off about it, too. While not sufficiently interested in TV to have more than basic cable service, I've been able to watch the debates on my computer, thanks to high-speed internet. Those without premium cable, satellite or the option I used were locked out of all but one Democratic debate, I believe, and that's horribly wrong. We've essentially been required to buy a ticket, in order to participate fully in the political process.

[Average]

Based on the debates I've seen and the 'moderators' on those--I would say it means Katie is a heck of a lot smarter than the ones who have been moderators.

[wm1066]

She would have asked the same question over and over until someone came up with the right wing MSM talking point she was looking for.

[Mollye]

It sounds like Grulg is the only one who is not a cyber bully in his/her comments to this blog. Maybe if we all had to use our full names and photos, with copies of our replies sent to Grandmother and Grandfather, they would be of a much more civil tone.

[enoughalready13]

Based on her catty behavior on and off camera, it's a good thing she hasn't moderated a debate! She's an immature snobby numbskull. The Today Show is 1,000 times better without her!

[OpusIsUnderTheBed]

It would have gone like a morning, talk interview.

[javaman]

Maybe because she's a fucking dimwit.

[LittleBrother]

Poor, poor Cinderella!

After Prince Les fitted you with the glass slippers, it seemed as though you were destined to spend the rest of your life sitting on the throne!

But who expected it to be a porcelain throne?