The New York Times' David Carr has an immodest proposal for CNN: give Larry King a "yearlong victory lap."
Carr proposes that King, whose ratings have declined (along with the rest of CNN's shows') and whose replacement CNN is rumored to be courting, would benefit from a graceful farewell tour full of A-list bookings:
Why not announce a yearlong victory lap for Mr. King? You could probably count on both Obamas, both Clintons, both George Bushes, both Martha and Jon Stewart, with maybe some Tiger, a little Oprah, all stopping by for some much deserved ring-kissing.
A byproduct of a yearlong send-off would be the opportunity to test "a rolling audition of hopefuls" vying for King's slot, Carr writes:
A year of occasional substitutes just might yield a worthy, and viewer-friendly, successor. As it is, Mr. King has been left to dangle, battered by tabloid reports, sliding ratings and his own daily battle to anchor the show five days a week.
Carr also finds a lesson in Helen Thomas's disgraceful exit from her legendary career earlier this month:
The more legendary the talent, the more delicate the endgame. Think of Helen Thomas's exit, which did not end well for anyone.