Why I Don't Watch Katie Couric

Perhaps in trying to atone for Dan Rather's unfactual broadcast on Bush's military service, the CBS Evening News is now broadcasting fabrications about the democrats.

On April 12, Katie Couric in her notebook again resurrected the canard that Barack Obama studied in a madrassa, a charge that was debunked by the Chicago Tribune, CNN, ABC, AP, and other media outlets.

Anyway, here is Journalist Couric's scribblings and my commentary in italics.

COURIC: Hi, everyone.

Isn't this Dr. Nick's line on the Simpsons cartoon show?

Is America ready to elect a president who grew up praying in a mosque?

An authoritative introduction. Alas, it is a lie. Couric could have pushed the envelop a bit by stating something just as nonsensical. How about: Is America ready to elect a president who was Elvis' love child?

Barack Obama has arguably the most diverse religious background of any candidate ever. He was raised in Indonesia by a Christian mother and Muslim stepfather and attended a Catholic school -- but while growing up, also studied Islam.

So? I studied Islam in tenth grade. Does that make me a Taliban wannerbe?

That background sparked rumors

So CBS is now in the rumor dissemination business? A more honest and interesting story would highlight who sparked these rumors.

that he had studied in a radical madrassa, or Quranic school -- rumors his campaign denied, declaring that Obama is now a practicing Christian.

Couric is practicing the National Enquirer method of journalism. Fabricate a rumor, get the target to deny the rumor, and then in the name of "balance" continue to fan the rumor.

Last month, the Los Angeles Times interviewed people who grew up with Obama. "We prayed in the mosque," one of them said, "but not seriously," noting that Obama also prayed with his Catholic schoolmates.

Last month, I interviewed people who grew up with Katie. "Miss Couric is most certainly the love child of Elvis." one of them said.

It's too soon to know what America will decide about Barack Obama or his background, but it's not too soon to wonder if America will see that as an asset or a liability.

What a weaselly conclusion. A bit like: While Miss Couric is Elvis' love child, time will tell if that is a good thing or a bad thing.

That's a page from my notebook. I'm Katie Couric, CBS News.

At least she didn't call the man Barack Osama.

Perhaps chastened by posts such as mine in the blogosphere, Managing Editor Couric has blue-penciled her ruminations. It's still incoherent and adds nothing to our knowledge of Mr. Obama. The additions are in bold, as follows:

Is America ready to elect a President whose connections with Islam were the subject of rumor and innuendo?

Barack Obama has arguably the most diverse religious background of any candidate, ever. He was raised in Indonesia by a Christian mother and Muslim stepfather, and attended a Catholic school, but while growing up, also studied Islam. That background sparked rumors that he had studied in a radical madrasa, or Koranic school – rumors later disproved . Obama is now a practicing Christian.

Last month, the Los Angeles Times interviewed a person who grew up with Obama. In the LA Times article he said, "We prayed in the mosque, but not seriously," noting that Obama also prayed with his Catholic schoolmates. In a later Chicago Tribune article, however, the source said he was not certain whether they prayed together.

It's too soon to know what America will decide about Barack Obama or his background.

But it's not too soon to wonder if America will see that background as an asset...or a liability.

(sigh)