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Couric shines in ‘60 Minutes’ interview with Sen. Edwards and Elizabeth
It could have been soft and squishy and embarrassing, but Katie Couric’s interview with former Sen. John Edwards and his wife Elizabeth was surprisingly tough last night.
On last night’s edition of “60 Minutes,” Couric landed the first of what is likely to be dozens of joint interviews with the Democratic presidential hopeful and his wife, who last week revealed that her breast cancer has spread to her bones. It is considered incurable but treatable.
Couric’s husband Jay Monahan died of colon cancer in 1998, so her sit-down with the Edwardses could easily have deteriorated into a weep-fest. Instead, Couric focused on the growing concerns about the candidate’s decision to stay in the race.
The CBS anchor asked the couple point-blank why they were choosing political ambition over family. The couple plans to hit the campaign trail together and stay there as much as possible. Besides a teenage son who was killed in a car accident years ago, the Edwards family includes a grown daughter but two very young children, ages 6 and 8.
When Elizabeth told Couric she thought one of the most important things a parent can give a child is “wings to fly,” Couric responded, “But they’re really baby birds.” Both parents seemed eager to change the subject after that.
Couric asked the senator how he can promise supporters that he’ll be in the race to the end, when he’s also said he will be with his wife if her illness worsens. The Edwardses staunchly maintained their optimism.
The only hard question Couric didn’t ask was what effect Elizabeth’s health crisis will have on the former senator’s fundraising. With the possibility that John Edwards will have to drop out of the race, will donors continue to invest in his presidential campaign? If the money dries up, won’t his campaign dry up, too?
All in all, Couric did a good job with this piece — no giggling, no weeping, just questioning.
You can watch the interview on CBS’s web site.
Permalink | Comments (3) | Post your comment | Categories: News coverage
Comments
By Brocktoon
March 28, 2007 10:00 AM | Link to this
Couric is a hypocrite. I didn't notice her abandoning her career when her husband was diagnosed with cancer. Hypocrite.
By Kimberly
March 26, 2007 7:14 PM | Link to this
She was awful. Her technique was awful. It was ... awful.
And somewhat hypocritical, given that Couric kept her job through her husband's illness.
By austinights
March 26, 2007 1:48 PM | Link to this
The problem with Katie...she's ending her career and will soon be a Barbara Walters/Jane Pauley type figure. Nothing personal against her, but the move to CBS is not likely to shoot her to the top of the news world. Of course, she could do like Tom Brokaw and other anchors have done....travel and report from around the world. It might make her newscast a bit more interesting than the interview of someone running for President, even if part of the focus was cancer. I'd rather hear more from Lance Armstrong's foundation than a politician on what is being done on cancer, though. With the government...there is always some type of political spin behind it.