Katie Couric thinks you need a bath

Once was a time when network news nabobs considered everything between the New York-DC corridor and Los Angeles as "flyover country"-- the vast middle of America that looked eastward for guidance and leadership, and west for news of dead celebrities and earthquakes.,not worthy or economical for coverage beyond the occasional natural disaster or shooting spree. That time passed abut twenty-five years ago, as cheap satellite technology made it possible to set up camp in any part of the world, and the advent of tabloid television era broke the elitist network news grip on coverage and influence and changed the news coverage palette for good.

So it's quaint at the least to see that "Katie" Couric, who's taken over as "anchor" of the anachronistic CBS Evening News, still refers to everything West of the Hudson as "this great unwashed middle of the country."

"Unwashed" or "Great unwashed" is a derogatory term for the multitude of "ordinary" people.

CBS News handout photo

Now you know why you haven't noticed those network news shows, and why it's probably a good idea, as Howard Kurtz's article in the Daily Beast indicates, that she stay on the job for a few more years at a reduced salary.

Why don't people watch Katie Couric? She lies.

The Los Angeles Times reports:

"Katie Couric said she’s not going anywhere -- at least not any time soon.

"Facing the press for the first time since reports surfaced this spring that she was preparing to leave the CBS News anchor chair after the presidential election, Couric said today that she’s staying put.

“'We have no plans to part company any time soon,' Couric said. 'And there were a lot of speculative pieces that I think got, quite frankly, spun out of control.'

"...The anchor referred obliquely to talks she had with CBS executives earlier this year about her future on the broadcast. In the discussions, Couric and the network officials agreed to table any decision until after the presidential election.

“'You know, we always assess how the show is doing and what direction we want to go in. And so clearly when you work for an organization you have ongoing discussions,' Couric said. 'But I’m very committed to the people here.'”

Network newsreaders ought to talk straight. Katie's "denial" is Clintonesque in its equivocation. Of course she's leaving soon. the network just doesn't want to blow off the election ratings and they can't let her walk until Lara Logan is back from maternity leave.

Parsing the words to squeeze out the real meaning:

"any time soon."

"ongoing discussions."