TEST 1 Totenberg Eats Shoe, Admits Misjudgment on Iraq Election's Power --3/9/2005

1. TEST 1 Totenberg Eats Shoe, Admits Misjudgment on Iraq Election's Power
NPR's Nina Totenberg eats her shoe. Asked on Inside Washington over the weekend if President Bush deserves credit for the democratic movements rising in the Middle East, Totenberg, a critic of Bush's Iraq policy, replied that "if I had a hat I would have to eat it." Then, as she briefly brought a shoe to her month, she noted that "I've got my shoe here" and conceded that "I really did not think that this election in Iraq would make that much difference and I was wrong." She quickly added, however, that "it really does help that Arafat died and they had a real election in Palestine." Totenberg soon returned to her liberal roots, cautioning "that we not engage in a certain level of triumphalism about this." The Wall Street Journal's John Harwood went even further in crediting Bush: "George Bush is going to deserve more credit," for democracy in the Middle East, "than Ronald Reagan did for the demise of the former Soviet Union."

2. Hunt Agrees with Shields' Contention a "Lynch Mob" Got Rather
"I couldn't agree more," Al Hunt, Bloomberg Washington Managing Editor and former Executive Washington Editor of the Wall Street Journal, declared of fellow Capital Gang panelist Mark Shields' contention that "the lynch mob won" in forcing Dan Rather to step down as anchor. Liberal columnist Shields argued in his "Outrage of the Week" that "Rather's career is about much more than one flawed story about George W. Bush's military service. Dan Rather for more than 40 years has been one terrific reporter" who "treated the so-called little people, the researchers, the pages, the gofers with warmth and consideration."

3. When 9-Year-Old Praises Bush's SS Plan, Couric Corrects Him
Shouldn't she pick on someone her own size? When on Friday's Today show Noah McCullough, whom NBC's Katie Couric described as a "plucky nine-year-old" who plans to run for President in 2032, explained that he supports President Bush's Social Security reform plan "because I know that it's a major problem that has to be fixed. And I don't want to have to deal with it my first day in office," Couric lectured him: "On the other hand, President Bush has admitted that private accounts really won't solve all the problems of Social Security, that there perhaps need to be other things that need to be implemented to keep the system solvent." Noah, a political trivia expert, is a spokesman for a group working to pass Bush's plan, prompting Couric to ask Noah's mother: "Do you worry about your adorable and brilliant son being exploited for political reasons at all?"

4. FNC's Ratings Continue Rising While CNN's Plummet in Prime Time
CNN's prime time ratings plummeted 21 percent in February, as MSNBC's fell by 14 percent, but FNC's ratings actually rose 18 percent. That put FNC's average prime time audience at 1.57 million, compared to less than half, 637,000 for CNN, and even fewer for MSNBC, the New York Post reported on Thursday.

TEST 1 Totenberg Eats Shoe, Admits Misjudgment
on Iraq Election's Power

NPR's Nina Totenberg eats her shoe. Asked on Inside Washington over the weekend if President Bush deserves credit for the democratic movements rising in the Middle East, Totenberg, a critic of Bush's Iraq policy, replied that "if I had a hat I would have to eat it." Then, as she briefly brought a shoe to her month, she noted that "I've got my shoe here" and conceded that "I really did not think that this election in Iraq would make that much difference and I was wrong." She quickly added, however, that "it really does help that Arafat died and they had a real election in Palestine." Totenberg soon returned to her liberal roots, cautioning "that we not engage in a certain level of triumphalism about this." The Wall Street Journal's John Harwood went even further in crediting Bush: "George Bush is going to deserve more credit," for democracy in the Middle East, "than Ronald Reagan did for the demise of the former Soviet Union."

Opening the second segment of the panel program produced at, and carried by, Washington, DC's ABC affiliate, WJLA-TV, host Gordon Peterson showed video of protesters in Lebanon and then read from a March 1 New York Times editorial: "The New York Times wrote: 'The Bush administration is entitled to claim a healthy share of the credit for many of these advances. It boldly proclaimed the cause of Middle East democracy at a time when few in the west thought it had a realistic chance.' Is this the Bush doctrine here?"
Totenberg eagerly answered: "Let me say something here. If I had a hat I would have to eat it. [brings shoe to mouth] I've got my shoe here. I really did not think that this election in Iraq would make that much difference and I was wrong. Of course, it really does help that Arafat died and they had a real election in Palestine. That's just not insignificant. But, Charles [Krauthammer], when you were right, you were right."

Peterson soon turned to former Washington Post reporter Eugene Robinson, who is now a columnist: "Can we put it at the foot of the Bush administration?"
Robinson: "Well, you know, yeah, sure. I mean, a stopped clock is right a couple of times a day..."

A bit later, Harwood proposed: "If we continue on this positive track we're on, George Bush is going to deserve more credit for that than Ronald Reagan did for the demise of the former Soviet Union and the felling of the Berlin Wall. When Ronald Reagan took office, a lot of people, including Daniel Patrick Moynihan -- a lot of Republicans' favorite Democrat -- were predicting the collapse of the Soviet Union because of internal strains. What George Bush has set in motion, with the Iraq war and Iraq elections, are something very few people thought were going to happen and it's almost entirely due to what he has done.".

After some comments from columnist Charles Krauthammer, Totenberg cautioned: "I think it's important, Charles, that we not engage in a certain level of triumphalism about this."

Inside Washington, the descendent of the old Agronsky & Company, airs Saturday night at 7pm local time in the Washington, DC area on cable's NewsChannel 8 and again at 11:30am Sunday on WJLA-TV, channel 7.

The Web site for Inside Washington: www.insidewashington.tv

The show's page on Totenberg: www.wjla.com

Hunt Agrees with Shields' Contention
a "Lynch Mob" Got Rather

"I couldn't agree more," Al Hunt, Bloomberg Washington Managing Editor and former Executive Washington Editor of the Wall Street Journal, declared of fellow Capital Gang panelist Mark Shields' contention that "the lynch mob won" in forcing Dan Rather to step down as anchor. Liberal columnist Shields argued in his "Outrage of the Week" that "Rather's career is about much more than one flawed story about George W. Bush's military service. Dan Rather for more than 40 years has been one terrific reporter" who "treated the so-called little people, the researchers, the pages, the gofers with warmth and consideration."

The "Outrage of the Week" from Shields at the end of the March 5 Capital Gang on CNN:
"Al, the lynch mob won. Wednesday will be Dan Rather's last night anchoring the CBS Evening News but Rather's career is about much more than one flawed story about George W. Bush's military service. Dan Rather for more than 40 years has been one terrific reporter through the JFK assassination, Vietnam, Watergate and around the globe. Throughout both 1984 conventions, I sat near Dan Rather. I shall never forget how Dan Rather treated the so-called little people, the researchers, the pages, the gofers with warmth and consideration. Thanks, Dan, for a job well done."
Hunt then remarked: "Mark, I couldn't agree more."

CNN's page for Capital Gang: www.cnn.com

When 9-Year-Old Praises Bush's SS Plan,
Couric Corrects Him

Shouldn't she pick on someone her own size? When on Friday's Today show Noah McCullough, whom NBC's Katie Couric described as a "plucky nine-year-old" who plans to run for President in 2032, explained that he supports President Bush's Social Security reform plan "because I know that it's a major problem that has to be fixed. And I don't want to have to deal with it my first day in office," Couric lectured to him: "On the other hand, President Bush has admitted that private accounts really won't solve all the problems of Social Security, that there perhaps need to be other things that need to be implemented to keep the system solvent." Noah, a political trivia expert, is a spokesman for a group working to pass Bush's plan, prompting Couric to ask Noah's mother: "Do you worry about your adorable and brilliant son being exploited for political reasons at all?"

Noah McCulluogh, a frequent guest on NBC's Tonight Show where he shows off his knowledge of political and presidential trivia, appeared with his mother in the 7:30am half hour of Friday's Today, the MRC's Ken Shepherd noticed.

After explaining how he's serving as a spokesman for Progress for America, Couric wondered: "So, why did you decide to become a Republican? What was it that was more appealing to you about the Republican Party?"
Noah McCullough, who sat on a sofa next to Courics, said he looked at both parties and found he agreed more with Republicans, but that his mother is a Democrat.
Couric to Donna McCullough, Noah's mother: "So, that must make for some lively discussions over mac and cheese, right? How do you feel about, first of all, that your son is such an incredible brainiac, Donna, I mean, you must be proud of him. But also, politically, is it difficult for you all to see eye to eye on the issues? I can't believe I'm asking you that."
Donna McCullough, condensed: At first it was, but maybe that's how a future President starts out.
Couric: "And I know you've been to President Bush's, the first President Bush's library in Houston how many times now?"
Noah McCullough: "Twenty-seven times."
Couric: "Twenty-seven times."
Noah McCullough: "Twenty-seven times."
Couric: "Is your favorite President, though, Ronald Reagan, is that true, or who would you say is your favorite?"
Noah McCullough: "It's a tie between Ronald Reagan, George Herbert Walker Bush, and George W. Bush."
Couric: "Okay. Well, very good. Very political, by the way. You'd like to run for President one day I understand, right?"

Noah confirmed his plan to run in 2032.

Couric soon arrived at Social Security: "Tell me why you agreed to stump for Social Security for President Bush."
Noah McCullough: "Because I know that it's a major problem that has to be fixed. And I don't want to have to deal with it my first day in office."
Couric countered: "On the other hand, President Bush has admitted that private accounts really won't solve all the problems of Social Security, that there perhaps need to be other things that need to be implemented to keep the system solvent."
Noah McCullough: I think it will be revived and we can go from there. Bush plan "kind of like the medication to get it back."
Couric: "So down the road you think it will help the system become healthier?"
Noah McCullough: "Revive it..."

Couric moved on to how Noah has beaten Howard Dean, Tim Russert and Al Sharpton in trivia contests, and Noah claimed that Russert cheated by pushing his hand way from the bell.

Following a couple of trivia questions for Noah, which he answered correctly, Couric turned serious: "Quick question, Donna. Do you worry about your adorable and brilliant son being exploited for political reasons at all? I know he's working for Progress for America, which, or has been to asked to help by this group, which spent, I guess $45 million re-electing President Bush and $20 million it plans to spend pushing Social Security reform. Do you feel completely comfortable with it?"
Donna McCullough replied that at first she thought it wasn't any place for a child, but after he was asked to appear on the Leno show and got to meet Presidents, she decided it was healthy for him.

Couric wrapped up: "Noah, so nice to meet you. Good luck in 2032."
Noah McCullough: "2032. I have your vote, right?"
Couric demurred: "We'll see. If I'm around, you never know, right? That's a long ways off, Noah. Thanks so much. And Donna, thanks so much to you as well."

See the posted version of the item for a picture of Noah on the March 4 Today.

Home page for Progress for America: www.progressforamerica.org

FNC's Ratings Continue Rising While CNN's
Plummet in Prime Time

CNN's prime time ratings plummeted 21 percent in February, as MSNBC's fell by 14 percent, but FNC's ratings actually rose 18 percent. That put FNC's average prime time audience at 1.57 million, compared to less than half, 637,000 for CNN, and even fewer for MSNBC, the New York Post reported on Thursday.

An excerpt from "CNN Sinking in Fox Hole," a March 3 article by Tim Arango:

CNN saw its prime-time ratings drop sharply in February, falling further behind Fox News.

CNN's ratings dipped 16 percent overall and 21 percent in prime time during February, according to Nielsen Media Research, as some of the cable news channel's biggest stars lost viewers.

Fox News was the only one among the four cable news networks to post ratings gains during the month....

Fox saw its ratings rise 18 percent to an average of 1.57 million viewers. This compares with an average of 637,000 viewers for CNN....

Among individual shows, CNN's "Paula Zahn Now," which airs from 8 p.m. to 9 p.m., saw a 17 percent drop in ratings, while its Fox competitor, "The O'Reilly Factor," saw a 9 percent jump.

In the 9 p.m. to 10 p.m. time slot, CNN's "Larry King Live" saw its ratings tumble 23 percent, while Fox's "Hannity & Colmes" posted a 19 percent rise.

The only CNN show airing between 4 p.m. and 10 p.m. to post a ratings gain was "Anderson Cooper 360," which airs from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. It gained only 2 percent.

The other two cable news networks, CNBC and MSNBC, also saw ratings declines in February.

CNBC's overall ratings declined 23 percent and in prime time they dropped 42 percent. MSNBC's ratings dropped 15 percent overall and 14 percent in prime time.

END of Excerpt

For the story in full: www.nypost.com

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