still smells like B.S.
Posted on 02/02/2005 10:30:41 AM PST by RatherBiased.com
Bob Schieffer, who is turning 68 later this month, has been named as the interim replacement for Dan Rather after the 73-year-old steps down on March 9.
Schieffer, host of the long-struggling "Face the Nation" Sunday political show, has seen his ratings go up after ABC News appointed the hapless former Clinton Administration spokesman George Stephanopolous to head up "This Week."
On the MSNBC's "Hardball" last night, Schieffer was asked about taking over CBS's struggling evening news show by host Chris Matthews:
MATTHEWS: Speaking of refighting a war, are you going to be sitting in as "Evening News" anchor when Dan steps down?
SCHIEFFER: I don't know. I'm kind of like Vice President Cheney, Chris. I do not aspire to higher office.
MATTHEWS: But you are qualified to take it if necessary.
I'm very happy to do whatever they need me to do. But at this stage in my life, to be the anchor of the "CBS Evening News," I think they'll find somebody else. If they want me to do it, you know, on a short term basis, I'll do what I'm asked to do.
The Schieffer appointment is widely regarded as a stopgap measure as the network seeks to find either a younger anchor or to overhaul the format of "Evening" entirely. While Schieffer has also been accused frequently of being liberally biased, he is not known for being as hard-edged and self-righteous as his predecessor. Commenting on the Memogate debacle that led to the ouster of Dan Rather, Schieffer remarked yesterday that his colleagues "fell in love" with their story accusing President Bush of shirking his military obligations.
"We made a terrible mistake. This team fell in love with its own story. That's the worst thing that can happen," Schieffer said in a speech at the University of Maryland.
OFFICIAL CBS NEWS RELEASE
Bob Schieffer, CBS News' chief Washington correspondent and anchor of Face the Nation, will serve as the interim anchor of the CBS Evening News for a short transition period until the new format of the broadcast is launched, it was announced by Andrew Heyward, President, CBS News. Schieffer will begin those duties on Thursday, March 10.
Dan Rather announced in November that he will step down from the post the previous day, marking, to the day, an unprecedented 24 years as anchor of the broadcast. Schieffer is broadcast journalism's most experienced Washington reporter. He has been anchor and moderator of Face the Nation, the Network's Sunday public affairs broadcast, since May 1991, and has covered Washington for CBS News for more than 30 years.
Schieffer is one of the few broadcast or print journalists to have covered all four major beats in the nation's capital -- the White House, the Pentagon, the State Department and Capitol Hill. He has covered every presidential campaign and been a floor reporter at all of the Democratic and Republican National Conventions since 1972 and moderated the third and final 2004 presidential debate last October.
Schieffer is a member of the Broadcasting & Cable Hall of Fame and is the recipient of the 2003 Paul White Award presented by the Radio-Television News Directors Association, which recognizes an individual's lifetime contribution to electronic journalism, as well as six Emmys and two Sigma Delta Chi Awards.
He has been a principal anchor for CBS News since 1973, when he was named anchor of the "CBS Sunday Night News," and joined CBS News in 1969.
Previously, Schieffer was a reporter at the Fort Worth Star-Telegram and later became a news anchor at WBAP-TV Dallas/Fort Worth.
Replace a 73 year old with a 68 year old. Wow, good planning.
The old MSM at CBS are holding on by their finger-nails, but can't give up. They will not even groom replacements, they have to keep it all, it defines their very existence.
Pathetic human beings.
They probably have a deal with Katie Couric to come over once her NBC contract expires in a year or so.
Good choice though. He is quintessentially CBS.
Old same, old same....
I figured it would be Schieffer - couldn't remember his name, but could see his face. That says a lot, doesn't it?
Dear old Bob squinty eyes (shiv the Republicans) Scheifer - no change here - just re-arranging.................Titanic.
who give a shiv?
snore...............
This proves they had absolutely NO PLAN for Rather to retire!
And we get another Democratic Texan!
Isn't he kinda young for CBS?
If it was Claudia Schiffer, I'd watch....
Maybe this is CBS's way of "fading out" of the news business entirely. These broadcasts are like blacksmiths and linotype operators anyway in terms of obsolescence. CBS would do well to give up news altogether and put ordinary sitcoms or other shows on in the time slot. With the self-righteous Rather gone and the other fossils like Scheiffer and Wallace with one foot in the grave, CBS is probably going to jack up news altogether on a national level.
(Another old, Democrat, Texan, now with time on his hands.)
I wouldn't listen, though (then again, who would need to listen? ;-)
Geritol bump.
If CBS drops out of the game that may be the signal for FNC to jump IN with both feet landing on whats left of the competition.
They are going after a more youthful demographic.
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