April 20, 2006

Hotline After Dark

"Law and Order" may rule the broadcast nets, but cable will always give us chaos.

The WH staff changes were the talk of TV last night:

MSNBC's Olbermann noted of the next WH spokesperson: "The first three rumored candidates could carry conflicts
of news interest with Fox, with CNN, with NBC" ("Countdown," 4/19). But CNN's Malveaux reported that could be what the admin wants: "They are even potentially looking at journalists, perhaps, as filling Scott McClellan's seat. They say they want things to be more open and more efficient here at the White House, specifically with the press. We will see if all of that, of course, is just spin" ("AC 360," 4/19).

But one candidate took herself out the running. On the "Situation Room" last night, Torie Clarke addressed reports the WH wanted her for the job: "Not happening. It's not under consideration. They're not going to ask. And I'm not going to do it" (CNN, 4/19).

FNC's Cameron, on rumored candidate Tony Snow: "He's still mulling over all the angles, talking to family. He has not given an indication of his timetable. The White House is very tight-lipped about all of this, but there are still a number of other people being discussed" ("Special Report," 4/19).

CNN's Roberts: "I think the money is probably riding between Rob Nichols and Tony Snow" ("Situation Room," 4/19).

On "Countdown" last night, Washington Post's Milbank talked about the possibility Snow may get the gig: "It does raise some questions. We first have to ask if Tony's going to get back pay, and we then have to ask, is this just the beginning of a trend? Does Sean Hannity replace Rumsfeld at the Pentagon? Does Bill O'Reilly get the FBI? Then the man is really going to have some cops, Keith, and your viewers are going to be in some serious trouble."

Olbermann: "I'm screwed" (4/19).

WH Counselor Dan Bartlett, on McClellan: "This is not an indication that he did a poor job. This is just an indication that it's time for a new team to come in and help the president sprint to the finish" ("Hardball," MSNBC, 4/19).

Time's Klein: "This has been a White House that has been far more interested in winning the daily news cycle, winning the week, than planning out strategy ... over the long term. That is a Karl Rove signature" ("AC 360," CNN, 4/19).

IT'S ALL ABOUT OUR NEEDS

It's interesting that the WH should announce the Rove change along with the McClellan news, because the TV last night was 90 percent about McClellan, with a little bit about Rove thrown in at the end.

New York Times' Bumiller: "Karl is being cast in this way of being very happy about this, even though it is seen by some Republicans in Washington as certainly as a diminishment of his role. But I think it is true that right now Republicans are facing such difficult prospects in the midterms, and they're viewing Karl as their potential savior here, to see if they can pull this out one more time" ("NewsHour," PBS, 4/19).

NBC's Gregory: "This really signals how important keeping control of Congress is for this White House" ("Hardball," MSNBC, 4/19).

Newsweek's Wolffe: "Democrats, I don't think they really know how to deal with it. Yes, they're happy to see Karl being moved around. But this guy has been pretty good at elections so far, so it's a mixed bag for them" ("Countdown," MSNBC, 4/19). [EMILY GOODIN]

Posted at 07:18 AM

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