CNN Hires Client #9 -- Eliot Spitzer
So it's official: CNN has hired disgraced former governor Eliot Spitzer for its 8 pm ET slot. He and columnist Kathleen Parker will be replacing Campbell Brown.
Spitzer, destined to be remembered as "Client #9," takes another step in his, uh, comeback.
Ironies, as well as double entendres, abound.
First, the return of "Crossfire" to a network that had tooted its own corporate horn--easy, Eliot!--for being, er, down the middle. CNN's president, Jon Klein, made a big deal about cancelling "Crossfire," five years ago, because Jon Stewart told him to stop--and what liberal Manhattanite doesn't do what Stewart says? But in fact, audiences like lively discussion. Now, CNN is admitting its mistake, but it is doing it with a very strange set of characters. Spitzer, well, we know about him. And as for Parker, many would dispute that she is a genuine conservative, as opposed to the sort of housebroken conservative that the Washington Establishment favors.
Second, speaking of genuine conservatives, what do we suppose that another CNN contributor Erick Erickson, has had to say about Spitzer, and for that matter, what he has written or said about Parker? For reasons noted above, it obviously never occurred to CNN to put Erickson in the conservative "chair."
Third, speaking of genuine liberals, what are feminists going to say about Spitzer? Talk about yer objectifying women! If Fox hired, say, David Vitter, there'd be protestors and bullhorns out front of Fox HQ. But instead, we'll most likely get silence from feminist groups. Although maybe Rachel Maddow, now anchoring at MSNBC, can stir 'em up.
Full disclosure: I am a contributor to the Fox News Channel, although I can't say that I am worried about this new competition. There won't be a day that goes by that someone doesn't make a joke about Spitzer, or find a funny juxtaposition, or discover a pun.
And finally, let's state the obvious: There's something wrong with Spitzer. He's a rich kid--a rich, arrogant kid. But as in most such cases, the arrogance covers for insecurity and self-destructiveness. Spitzer destroyed himself once; my bet is that he'll do it again. Only this next time, it might well be televised.
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Re: CNN Hires Client #9 -- Eliot Spitzer
If I may, Jim, let me make a little list:
Tim Russert worked for Daniel Patrick Moynihan. George Stephanopoulos worked for Clinton. Andrew Cuomo was--is--the son of a former--and the brother of a future--Democratic governor of New York. Chris Matthews worked for Tip O'Neill and Jimmy Carter. And Eliot Spitzer worked for, ahem, himself.
And they wonder why the rest of us feel such loyalty to Fox News?
Re: CNN Hires Client #9 -- Eliot Spitzer
It has been an amazing trajectory: from world leader in television news to....Eliot Spitzer. Really, the Decline of CNN should be taught at business schools. They tried so hard to differentiate themselves from FoxNews that they forgot a key thing: they're in the television business, too. Canceling Crossfire was the first and biggest sign that CNN was clueless about their business and their audience.
What's worse, they can't even do Crossfire right anymore. It's as if Jeff Zucker were running the place.
It will be enjoyable, though, to have Eliot Spitzer keep abreast of the news."Eliot Spitzer! On Top of Your World!" Has a nice hook.
May '10
Re: CNN Hires Client #9 -- Eliot Spitzer
It is a nagging source of disappointment and resentment to me that Eliot Spitzer gets better gigs than Ashley Alexandra Dupre. At least she did something.
Then again, being regularly walloped in the Nielsens by Joy Behar is a fate I would (definitely) wish on my worst enemy. So we should all feel good for Andrea having escaped that embarrassment.
May '10
Re: CNN Hires Client #9 -- Eliot Spitzer
Ashley Alexandra, I mean. Jeepers. We should have a delete button...
Jun '10
Re: CNN Hires Client #9 -- Eliot Spitzer
Doesn't it cause a person to wonder? Why do rotten apples so often bob to the top of the barrel time and time again? Interesting list you have put forth Mr Robinson.
Re: CNN Hires Client #9 -- Eliot Spitzer
Rob, as a Fox employee, it's a comfort to me knowing that Jon Klein is running CNN, and that Jeff Zucker is overseeing MSNBC and CNBC, in his capacity as president of NBC-Universal. From that perch, of course, he caused one of the biggest fiascos in TV history, the Jay-Conan switch, which cost the company $200 million, it's estimated. Unfortunately, Jeff probably won't last--at least not in a meaningful role--at NBC-U when Comcast takes over.
Edited on Jun 27, 2010 at 4:27pmRe: CNN Hires Client #9 -- Eliot Spitzer
It helps that Roger Ailes is a genius, and the greatest broadcast mind since, well, Bill Paley, but the truth is, he had a lot of help from Jon Klein at CNN and Jeff Zucker at NBC/Universal. The three of them really did make FoxNews such a roaring success. Roger, of course, was smart enough to get paid to do it.
Bringing back Crossfire is a smart move. Putting Spitzer in it isn't. So, speaking as a television industry veteran, I think you're still safe, Jim. Go ahead and buy that boat.
Re: CNN Hires Client #9 -- Eliot Spitzer
The Atlantic Wire has a great roundup of Spitzfire reactions.