CBS News Executives "Aggravated" By Letterman's Use Of Internal News Feed: Report

David Letterman vaulted himself into the headlines this week by mocking John McCain for canceling an appearance on his show only to show up on the CBS "Evening News" with Katie Couric. And in a classic stunt, Letterman showed the internal CBS News feed on his show to demonstrate McCain's hypocrisy.

WATCH THE VIDEO

The New York Post's Don Kaplan reports that trick didn't go over so well with CBS News executives:

Asked if CBS officials had a problem with Letterman using the internal news feed, a spokeswoman for "The Evening News" refused to address the issue.

But several CBS News executives - who asked not to be identified - said that the stunt did not go down well within the news division.

"If we had done something like that to him, someone around here would end up getting fired," one said.

News officials found out Letterman was using the internal feed shortly after it showed up on an internal CBS feed carrying the "Late Show" taping.

"They were pretty aggravated," a CBS News source told The Post.

"But they were not about to start a fight with Letterman," the source said. "We're in the middle of a heavy, heavy news cycle and Letterman is Letterman.

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"He does whatever he wants and always has."

Read Kaplan's full article here or click below to watch video of the event in question.

WATCH: Letterman Mocks McCain For Canceling "Late Show" Only To Appear On "Evening News"

Letterman kept on McCain for a second night, saying Thursday, "I feel like an ugly date."

WATCH: Letterman Attacks McCain Day 2: "I Feel Like An Ugly Date"

Comments

[nevadarose]

CBS news execs should be thrilled that Letterman found this news breaker item and exposed McCain's lie in live time after McCain had just made political hay about by announcing to the country that he was suspending his campaign and hurrying back to D.C. to solve the crisis and would not resume campaigning until the crisis had been resolved McCain has been lying about virtually everything related to the campaign for weeks and the public has been ignoring it. Finally Letterman found a newsworthy way to get the publics' attention about the real McCain. Hurray for Dave. The CBS execs are as out of touch with reality as McCain is, but then this is not news.

[Bonkers]

All Dave has done is once again show his "Spoiled Little Boy" side. Congratulations to Sen. McCain for doing what no one else apparently can't do "He does whatever he wants and always has." and damned sure isn't going to allow an overly self indulgent blowhard, who doesn't respect the woman who agreed to bear his offspring - although I would really like to see their DNA Reports - and is afraid to admit his failure in life, to dictate to a Senator in the U.S. Congress how and with whom he pander to in the totally incompetent media.

Also, it would appear that CBS Executives have finally taken a position on Katie Couric and her value to CBS. She is worth more value able than the poor little boy David. Power to her.

[dawlishgal]

Yeah right, CBS is giving its news executives the "spoiled little boy" privilege, the right to snatch people who are already committed to appear on a non-newz show on the same network. Of course, HONORABLE guests would try to keep the committment they originally made...not so with McCain le expedient....he will go wherever he thinks he will get the most fodder for his gigantic lying ego.

[DubiousAtBest]

Seems to me Dave is cleverly making lemonade from McCain lemons.
Dave got way more publicity out of this than just another routine boring McCain appearance on his show.

I think McCain knew that Dave isn't afraid to put him on the spot and give him a hard time about some of the less-than-truthful ads he's been running. Thought he could stand-up Letterman? ha!

Dave is at his BEST when he's got a feud going. And the audience LOVES IT!

McCain ends up the big loser on this one.

[quiscut]

Hey,Bonkers,your name tells us all we need to know about you.

Letterman is a much more hard hitting interview than "Kitty 'Curac. She is a stooge.
Letterman owns his own show.

The 'rat faced'McFaker lied and got caught. The LIE is the thing.

[the964kid]

CBS News: suckers.

[cigi]

The Corporate media elite, by criticizing anyone who challenges the status quo Republicans is only interested in one thing...protecting their own advertising dollars and profits. They will not stand up to their "masters" not even for good journalistic integrity in reporting. They have become the "poodles" of the Republican party and their propaganda is just that...wake up America, look elsewhere for the truth...you won't find it on NETWORK or CABLE NEWS....they have no soul or belief in doing what is right for this Country, if it interferes with their monied agenda.

[cigi]

CBS EXECs are just like the scum on Wall Street...all media execs for good measure...they will peddle anything to the American people , even calling their informercial/pundit newscasts as journalism, to sell advertising. A large number of their advertisers being Pubies didn't like Dave L. pointing out what a fraud McBush is. It's as easy as that. McCain got outed and the Publie executives who run CBS couldn't take the "heat" from their Republican advertisers....LOL! They are as big a frauds as McSame. Worse, they are selling this country down the river by supporting all the Fat Cats in the world to the disinterest of the average American and the common good of this nation!

[DogTown]

CBS Letterman's rant was the best thing to happen to your extremely boring network in a long time!

[GeorgeKaplan]

I love the courage of CBS they get laughed at by Dave Letterman and the nation, but CBS cannot do anything to Dave Letterman because he makes too much money for CBS. Shows you how much money means to CBS. Dave exposed the greed of CBS and the lies of John McCain at the same time. McCain lies to reporters all the time, but Dave Letterman put him in his place.

[JennyJay]

The CBS News Division should just sit down - and shut the frick up.
The publicity coming from this is outstanding at a time when Katie really needs it.
Everybody, everywhere is talking about the Katie interview, thanks to Letterman.
They couldn't pay for this much hype, and they are totally nutty if they don't see the good in it.

[ranchero42]

Imagine what would happen to Katie Couric's ratings if she were able to get Keith Olberman on the set for 15 minutes. Dave trumped Katie TWICE. CBS News executives are pissed off at Dave, all right, but not just for the reasons they gave.

[EndangeredJackalope]

This was good for Letterman, CBS, and even Couric (people remember she's an anchor now.)

Think about it, CBS simultaneously got their network and its two main faces & flagship programs injected into the world's biggest media story (Presidential race meets economic crisis.) CBS became the story. They were promoted all over every other network and Internet.

CBS had to act like Dave ruffled their feathers so that they wouldn't look like they were bias against or sabotaging McCain. The News dept looks a little silly b/c we imagine those halls to be hallowed and integrally sound as a vault. They can't be too butt-hurt about an in-house prank by their resident joker.

[DesertDivine]

Damned right, E. I used to be an avid Letterman junky but life intervened. Now I am once again DVR'ing Dave every night. just to watch this McCain drama continue. I LOVE IT!!!!!

[ObamAtomic]

When you are *Aggravated*you do something,in this case,you are a wimp,,shut,shut
,Letterman is the money machine!

[sarahdoodle]

Which is why we all LOVE Dave. Besides, he was right. The next morning, a McCain spin doctor was heard spinning that "we just didn't think it was a good time for humor." What better time for humor than when things are looking bleak? CBS executives, get over yourselves. You know it and we know it - he makes y'all a ton of money. I've been watching Dave for 28 years - followed him from NBC to CBS. If he leaves CBS, I'll follow him again. Hey Dave! Keep up the good work.

[kcligon]

Ha, ha, not a good time for humor, well it was for all of us voters watching, Senator, but you know, you had to be there. Oops.

[THEhillbilly]

The comments here are hilarious in their eagerness to mindlessly please the herd. Letterman is an entertainer, not a thinker. Some of the jokes his writers feed him are funny.

[DesertDivine]

Dave is much smarter than you think. He has actually been sucessful most of his life, unlike GWB, who has always been an utter failure at everything he has ever attempted. Dave often does sobering and intelligent interviews when the guest or subject warrant it.

[kcligon]

Dave's thinking is as clear as crystal. The road to the White House runs through me," as he said. It does, Dave is the heartland.

Besides, Clinton made an appearance earlier in the week and answered the kinds of questions that are on everybody's mind. This was an articulate, thoughtful interview on both sides. My guess is McCain bowed out because he knew he couldn't top it.

[Anonani]

Integrity does not exist in the McCain campaign. It is not about being a politician, not an excuse. McCain will do and say ANYTHING to win this election. He is a very scary man to put in such a powerful position. Do we really want 8 more years of lies of convenience?

[imworking4me]

Dave showed that the "Straight Talk Express" drove off of a cliff!