Katie Couric's reported status as a lame duck may torpedo what was supposed to be her biggest night - a starring role as the host of a presidential debate between Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama.CBS is still waiting to hear from the Sen. Obama campaign about whether he will agree to a proposed debate before the North Carolina Democratic primary.
The network - which has not hosted any of the previous 24 debates or forums - is offering Obama a plum timeslot, right after 60 Minutes on April 27. Sen. Clinton has already signed off on the debate.
But reports that Couric is getting ready to leave the newscast after the election - or even sooner - are not helping her chances of landing a debate for CBS. She even visited the Obama campaign offices in Chicago last week where she reportedly tried to sway the candidate - so far, without luck.
"Certainly there is now the impression that she is not someone to worry about after inauguration day," says a former White House official with experience in these matters. "The feeling is that you're dealing with the No. 3-ranked news division and a potentially lame-duck news anchor".
The thought that the current gossip would affect a decision of such national importance is absurd," a CBS News spokeswoman said.
Obama and Clinton are set to debate tomorrow - on ABC - before the Pennsylvania primary next Tuesday. North Carolina holds its primary May 6. But because Obama is leading in that state's polls, his campaign apparently believes he may not need to do another debate.
Elsewhere, Barack Obama proves he's a better baller than bowler, that's for sure. The front-runner for the Democratic presidential nomination reveals his skills on the basketball court - but little else - on HBO's Real Sports Tuesday night at 10. "I watch a good basketball game, or I play in a good basketball game, it makes me feel good," Obama cordially tells host Bryant Gumbel. The one-on-one is soft as a Nerf, with Gumbel avoiding a full-court press in favour of a lay-up line.
But interrogation clearly wasn't the game plan for the 13-minute segment. To the network's credit, it again finds rare video to score points, like highlights from the 1979 Hawaii state championship game, featuring Obama and his Punahou High School team that won the title, and clips from a pick-up game the candidate played last month in North Carolina, soon to hold its primary.
Obama, now sporting a YMCA-caliber game, admits he was no more than the seventh or eighth man in his only varsity season, but there is some hyperbole from his former coach, Chris McLachlin. "He would play basketball before school, he would play at lunchtime, he'd be first one at practice, last one to leave," says McLachlin, who at least doesn't claim Barry walked to practice pinned down under sniper fire.
Obama's brother-in-law, Chris Robinson, is the only one who says anything remotely useful to opportunistic race-baiters - or age-baiters, for that matter. He says the 46-year-old Senator used to be "a black player who plays black," but now he's "a black player who plays white" to keep from getting hurt. "I think if you're using that verbiage," Robinson says, "y'know, after 35, we all play white."
Those who do want to read between the sidelines can latch onto an Obama observation how the basketball court - or chasing super-delegates? - reveals one's character. "For example, people who keep on shooting even though they have no jump shot, you can tell that there's a certain self-delusional aspect to their game, right?" he says. "That says something about who they are."
The interview took place before Obama's now legendary 37 bowling score in Pennsylvania, yet still managed to reveal some foresight about that. "I was thinking I was going to have to tear down the (White House) bowling alley and build a basketball court," he says.
After seeing Obama try both, it's hard for any party to argue with that policy.
