Haha, this debate. This debate was so out of left field. Like, who knew to put Joe the Plumber down in their debate bingo square instead of maverick? If you for some reason had decided to take a drink every time Obama and McCain referenced their imaginary friend, you'd be dead. Dead of alcohol poisoning.
Who saw Bob Scheiffer being so in the bag for Obama? It was all over with the VP question, right? Look at McCain's reaction when he had to talk about why Sarah Palin would be a better president than Joe Biden:
Bob Scheiffer is going to wreck this last debate. The CBS anchor is already planning his moderator status on an episode of The West Wing (to be fair, Aaron Sorkin characters are way more precise and eloquent than anything you're going to hear tomorrow night), and is hoping for a "freewheeling" debate where the candidates just talk honestly and sufficiently about the issues at hand, all the while being mindful of the time constraints. Oh, wait, that's not what freewheeling means?
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When television networks are treated to the ratings bonanza (read: 60 million viewers) known as this fall's four presidential debates, viewers will see PBS anchors Jim Lehrer and Gwein Ifill each moderate a debate, along with NBC's special something Tom Brokaw and CBS News' former anchor and current chief Washington correspondent Bob Scheiffer. That means no involvement from ABC News or, for that matter, a one Katie Couric. But you know who was selected to participate by the Commission on Presidential Debates? MySpace. News Corp.'s social network will power MyDebates.org, which will live stream the debates and poll users in real time on the issues being discussed. Granted, this is not the same thing as letting MySpace users frame the questions, like the CNN-YouTube primary debates did. But at least they were asked to the table. Sorry Couric. Sorry Gibson.
Putting to rest any notion that he's going to try to save the CBS Evening News, the network's news chief Sean McManus insists Bob Scheiffer is not returning to the anchor chair. [B&C]
From a CBS source: Katie Couric's camp is working out the final numbers to sever her deal with CBS News. Word has it that Bob Scheiffer will step in, "at least for a while." And expect exec producer Rick Kaplan to make his way to the door as well.
Better than Jon Friedman's (recycled) argument that Bob Scheiffer should replace Katie Couric, who herself replaced Bob Sheiffer? Watching Friedman deliver the argument in this "Media Web Minute." [Marketwatch]
Tony Bennett wasn't the only one singing a toast to Sumner Redstone at a tribute to him last week. Face The Nation anchor and country crooner Bob Schieffer, who's leaving CBS News, also gave the Viacom honcho a tune:
"You are the guru, and who would know but you what a little change in Viacom’s name would do. Have an éclair, Mr. Redstone, buy some networks, make a movie, play a tune. Take a break now, Mr. Redstone, ’cause another deal will come along real soon."
But a call to arms wasn't the only idea on Bob's mind; the ousted Tom Cruise also got a shout out. CONTINUED »
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