Cable news channels were all over the suspicious devices in Boston today. Only it turned out the devices were part of a publicity campaign that had been around for weeks. Lost Remote has more, including an interesting, albeit probably unfair, comment about CNN…

It’s enough to make you rethink the term “guerrilla marketing.” Police, bomb squads, the feds, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission and more all converged on Boston Wednesday because of … a “mooninite.” Viewers of Cartoon Network’s “Aqua Teen Hunger Force” immediately recognized the “devices” as LEDs put on a circuit board and powered by some batteries. The police and the media, however, had the event play out as though there were 10 bombs (and then 10 “hoax bombs”) planted suddenly around Boston. Turns out the devices had been up for weeks. And not just in Boston, but in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Atlanta, Seattle, Portland, Austin, San Francisco, and Philadelphia, according to Turner Broadcasting, the parent of the Cartoon Network.

So how did the Boston police get so badly shaken? Pictures from the guerrilla marketing campaign are all over Flickr. I had two friends IM me as soon as the story broke: “Don’t they know it’s a Mooninite?” No, they didn’t. And while the police can certainly be forgiven for not recognizing a Turner cartoon character – how about CNN? Someone at Turner could have walked down the hall to CNN, right? The devices were made by a marketing company. They couldn’t tell anyone?

Cable News Daily Ratings for January 30, 2007

P2+ Total Day
FNC – 918,000 viewers
CNN – 484,000 viewers
MSNBC – 323,000 viewers
CNBC – 257,000 viewers
HLN – 196,000 viewers

P2+ Prime Time
FNC – 1,812,000 viewers
CNN – 730,000 viewers
MSNBC – 516,000 viewers
CNBC – 474,000 viewers
HLN – 272,000 viewers

25-54 Total Day
FNC – 280,000 viewers
CNN –164,000 viewers
MSNBC – 132,000 viewers
CNBC – 106,000 viewers
HLN – 98,000 viewers

25-54 Prime Time
FNC – 462,000 viewers
CNN – 212,000 viewers
MSNBC – 193,000 viewers
CNBC – 223,000 viewers
HLN – 85,000 viewers

Morning programs P2+ (25-54)
FOX & Friends – 697,000 viewers (305,000)
American Morning – 378,000 viewers (181,000)
Imus in the Morning– 368,000 viewers (130,000)
Robin & Co. – 211,000 viewers (130,000)
(more…)

President Bush’s appearance on Your World is happening as I type this but already news from the interview is spreading over the wires…

Reuters…

President George W. Bush said on Wednesday that Democratic Sen. Barack Obama was an impressive politician but had a “long way to go to be president,” as he weighed in on the race for the White House in 2008.

“He hasn’t gotten elected yet. He hasn’t even gotten the party’s nomination. He’s an attractive guy. He’s articulate,” Bush said in an interview with Fox News.

Reuters again…
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This afternoon President Bush made a surprise visit to the floor of the New York Stock Exchange. CNN Financial correspondent Susan Lisovicz was on the floor of the NYSE as the President walked the floor and was able to ask about the reception he was getting. Transcript follows…

LISOVICZ: President Bush, welcome to Wall Street. Welcome to Wall Street.

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Good to be here, thanks.

LISOVICZ: What do you think of the reception here?

BUSH: I’m impressed and grateful.

LISOVICZ: Do you think it’s warmer than on Capitol Hill right now?

Kyra?

PHILLIPS: Susan Lisovicz, I knew you could do it. You of all people got the president live on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange.
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BC Beat’s Anne Becker blogs about the HLN Prime 2nd Anniversary party where attack ads were the subject of discussion…

Among the huddled masses having cocktails at the Time Warner Center’s “home of the future” Tuesday night were HP’s Nancy Grace and AJ Hammer, along with CNN prime’s Paula Zahn and CNN Worldwide chief Ken Jautz, who oversees Headline.

No specific comments, but the competition’s negative ads did come up in various conversations, mainly regarding what sort of response - if any - would be most appropriate from CNN. In any case, the ads didn’t cast any pall over Headline’s well attended event. Guests stayed well past the planned conclusion at 8 p.m., listening to the pumped-in jazz and nibbling on fish and chips and potato pancakes.

UPDATE: Here’s a photo from the event with (from left to right) AJ Hammer, Nancy Grace, Glenn Beck, and Headline News head Ken Jautz.

Daryn Kagan profiles Betty Nguyen and her charity efforts…

CNN announced this morning that it had named Paula Newton it’s International Security Correspondent…

With the increased emphasis on terrorism, security and cultural tension around the world, CNN has appointed Paula Newton to fill the newly created role of international security correspondent, it was announced today by Tony Maddox, senior vice president for CNN International newsgathering. Newton, an international correspondent for CNN since 2005, will be based in the network’s European headquarters in London.

This new post will enable CNN to widen its coverage of the issues surrounding the threat of global terrorism, including the implementation of anti-terrorism measures, tensions within communities and immigration as well as the impact these issues have on the daily lives of people worldwide.

“This role has been created in recognition of the growing significance of international terrorism in the global news agenda,” Maddox said. “London is on the frontline in the war on terrorism, and we want to use CNN’s strong newsgathering and production infrastructure in London to explore this issue.”
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Here is the January 2007 program ranker…
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The Washington Post’s Mary Ann Akers blogs about the after effects of the Insight Magazine story for FNC and whether Obama is freezing out the network…

The same source pointed out that Fox News political correspondent Carl Cameron interviewed Obama on Monday during the senator’s trip to attend a field hearing on Hurricane Katrina.

But, as others pointed out, Cameron’s interview wasn’t prearranged; Cameron walked alongside Obama, who didn’t even stop while answering the questions.

No one is suggesting the icy conditions are permanent. In fact, a thawing of sorts may already have begun thanks to two telephone conversations Fox News Channel CEO Roger Ailes had with Obama.

Aides to Obama said they weren’t sure what exactly was said during the conversations. A Fox News spokesperson, who, though an official voice for the company asked not to be quoted by name, could neither confirm nor deny that conversations took place between Ailes and Obama. But of the “alleged freezing out” of Fox journalists by Obama’s office, she said, “If true, perhaps Mr. [Robert] Gibbs should reconsider that ill-advised strategy given his candidate is trailing by 20 points in the polls.”

UPDATE: FishbowlDC has more information…

A FOX News insider adds a bit more details to the story, telling FishbowlDC that it was Senator Obama who called FOX News Chairman & CEO Roger Ailes prior to the freezing out and both calls were made without the knowledge of Obama’s staff.

The insider tells us that, while Ailes did not apologize, the conversations were cordial. Our source said that Obama spokesperson Robert Gibbs made an “error in judgment” by attacking Fox News and now supposedly freezing them out, which makes this Foxie’s quote in Akers’ story all the more noteworthy: “If true, perhaps Mr. [Robert] Gibbs should reconsider that ill-advised strategy given his candidate is trailing by 20 points in the polls.”

The TVSpy board is talking about a huge malfunction that hit The Situation Room on Monday. From the comments it appears the DC bureau went down and the coverage had to be shifted to out of New York for about fifteen minutes without graphics. When Wolf Blitzer finally got back on the air there was no mention of whatever happened. Can anyone add more to this?

FOX News Channel’s Neil Cavuto will conduct a sit-down interview with President George W. Bush on Wednesday, January 31st. Taking place on Wall Street, the interview will be presented on “Your World with Neil Cavuto” on Wednesday from 4-5PM/ET. A week following the State of the Union address, President Bush will focus on the economy and will address the major issues facing America, amongst other topics.

Marketwatch’s Jon Friedman jumps on the story for the second time in a week, a strong indicator of just how hot this story is, with a devastating must read…

Executives at CNBC may feel that their network is a victim because Citigroup appears to be leading the media-relations campaign against Bartiromo.

And of course, by extension, that would mean that big bad Citigroup is also kicking sand at CNBC.

Let’s get this straight: CNBC is anything but a victim. The network originally let Bartiromo manipulate the standard rules of good journalism by looking the other way when she developed a cozy relationship with a powerful source.

CNBC, a unit of General Electric, has insisted that its star broke no rules by flying on the Citigroup jet. It rationalized this questionable judgment by reassuring journalists that it paid her way. But many news agencies have raised the appropriate point, which is whether CNBC actually paid the tens of thousands of bucks that it would cost to fly on a corporate aircraft. A ticket on a commercial airplane, by sharp contrast, would only set CNBC back a few thousand dollars.

If the conduct is proper because it adhered to the rules, as CNBC contends, then the rules are messed up. Change them.

Who are we kidding? CNBC apparently thinks it’s swell for Bartiromo to try to trademark her nickname of “the Money Honey.”

Variety’s Michael Learmonth writes about a new MSNBC ad, which I’ve heard about but haven’t seen yet.

UPATE: YouTube has the video…

“We’re looking to differentiate our brand from both Fox and CNN. The far more achievable goal is beating CNN,” said MSNBC spokesman Jeremy Gaines. “Now is the time for us to find our voice, given our recent ratings success.”

A Fox News rep was amused: “When you’ve been an embarrassment to your parent company for 10 years, it certainly never hurts to take chances.”

Variety’s Michael Learmonth…

Cable news audiences grew broadly in January, driven by ratings gains for opinionated hosts helped by the Democratic takeover of Congress and a presidential field stocked with celebrities.

The highest-rated hour in cable news was the president’s State of the Union address, which drew 4.6 million total viewers to cable; 45 million watched one of the broadcast nets.

MSNBC had the biggest growth among cable news nets in January, up 75% in primetime and justification for its new tagline “the fastest-growing news channel.”

CNN also saw gains, but it’s increasingly a two-horse race for second to Fox News Channel as MSNBC posted its smallest gap with CNN in total viewers .

FNC marked its fifth year in first place in January, with total-viewer numbers essentially flat from the previous year. The network’s primetime lineup is up 9% over last year, averaging more than 1.9 million total viewers vs. 920,000 for CNN and 618,000 for MSNBC.

The Politico’s Anne Schroeder writes about what happened to Rita Cosby’s business card at the National Review Institute’s Conservative Summit…

When the evening concluded, the group retired to the hotel bar, where, our sources say, a doctored version of Rita Cosby’s business card was passed around, much to the amusement of late-night attendees. “FOR A GOOD TIME CALL …” was printed above Cosby’s contact information for her former program “Live & Direct,” in manuscript block letters.

Yes, Washington truly is like high school.

Cosby told Shenanigans: “I love my buddies at the National Review, but I’m sorry I missed this prom. It sounds like they needed a ‘good time!’ “

Extreme Mortman has the card. Or is it a facsimile?

FNC had a good night with Special Report, The Fox Report, and The O’Reilly Factor all having strong numbers.

Cable News Daily Ratings for January 29, 2007

P2+ Total Day
FNC – 941,000 viewers
CNN – 515,000 viewers
MSNBC – 294,000 viewers
CNBC – 239,000 viewers
HLN – 181,000 viewers

P2+ Prime Time
FNC – 1,941,000 viewers
CNN – 724,000 viewers
MSNBC – 443,000 viewers
CNBC – 213,000 viewers
HLN – 373,000 viewers

25-54 Total Day
FNC – 285,000 viewers
CNN –191,000 viewers
MSNBC – 112,000 viewers
CNBC – 105,000 viewers
HLN – 71,000 viewers

25-54 Prime Time
FNC – 490,000 viewers
CNN – 251,000 viewers
MSNBC – 167,000 viewers
CNBC – 123,000 viewers
HLN – 135,000 viewers

Morning programs P2+ (25-54)
FOX & Friends – 768,000 viewers (261,000)
American Morning – 440,000 viewers (218,000)
Imus in the Morning– 383,000 viewers (122,000)
Robin & Co. – 159,000 viewers (89,000)
(more…)

MSNBC issued a release on the January 2007 ratings…

MSNBC CONTINUES STRONG GROWTH TREND IN JANUARY WITH GREATEST SHARE OF PRIMETIME AUDIENCE AMONG VIEWERS 25-54 SINCE NOVEMBER 2001

MSNBC’S Primetime Adult Demographic Increases 78% Over A Year Ago, With Total Viewers Up 74%

“Countdown With Keith Olbermann” Handily Beats CNN For The Month, Earning A 36% Advantage in The Adult Demographic And An 11% Advantage In Total Viewers

SECAUCUS, NJ – January 30, 2007 – MSNBC continued its ratings surge in January, up more than any other cable network in primetime with a +78% increase over January 2006 in the adult 25-54 demographic (254,000 v. 143,000) and a +74% increase in total viewers (615,000 v. 353,000), according to Nielsen Media Research. The network also logged its greatest share of primetime audience for the month (22 share), since November 2001. In total day, MSNBC was up +53% over a year ago in the adult demographic (139,000 v. 91,000) and +40% in total viewers (334,000 v. 238,000), with the strongest growth of any cable network and the best total viewer delivery since September 2005.

“Countdown with Keith Olbermann” (8 p.m. ET) continued its ratings dominance, up a whopping +89% in the adult demo (283,000 v. 150,000) and +85% in total viewers (715,000 v. 387,000), with a +36% advantage over CNN in the demo and a +11% advantage in total viewers. While CNN was up +22% in the demo (208,000 v. 171,000), the network was down –8% in total viewers (643,000 v. 700,000). Fox News Channel was up only +6% in the demo (499,000 v. 472,000) and a mere +3% in total viewers (2,397,000 v. 2,327,000).
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FNC issued a release on the January 2007 ratings…

FOX NEWS CHANNEL MARKS FIVE YEARS AT NUMBER ONE
Network Kicks Off the Year Ranked Sixth In Primetime Basic Cable

FOX News Channel (FNC) marked five consecutive years as the number one cable news channel in January and ranked sixth overall in primetime basic cable, according to Nielsen Media Research. FNC has been the only cable network to take down a category leader in the modern television era.

During the month of January, FNC averaged 874,000 viewers (down 3%) in Total Day to CNN’s 521,000 (up 13%) and MSNBC’s 332,000 (up 39%). In Primetime, FNC beat the competition combined, garnering 1,605,000 viewers (up 8%), to CNN’s 809,000 viewers (up 12%) and MSNBC’s 530,000. (up 52%)*

In the 25-54 demo for the month of January, FNC again maintained its lead with a Primetime average of 389,000 (up 22% over January 2006), while CNN (260,000/up 29%) and MSNBC (217,000/up 45%) were locked in a heated battle for second place. In Total Day, FNC grew 11% in the key demo leading with an average of 262,000, while CNN garnered 186,000 (up 28%) and MSNBC attracted 138,000 (up 52%).*

FNC also captured ten of the top 12 shows in cable news during January. The O’Reilly Factor remained the most watched program in the genre with 2,424,000 viewers. Rounding out the top five were Hannity & Colmes with 1,706,000 viewers and The Fox Report with Shepard Smith at 1375,000. Special Report w/ Brit Hume and On the Record w/ Greta Van Susteren tied for fifth place with each program averaging 1,319,000 viewers. Larry King clocked in with 1,025,000 viewers and remained CNN’s only program in the top ten and the network’s only showing with more than one million viewers for the month.
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Here is a Jan ‘07 vs. Jan ‘06 ratings comparison for the cable news channels…
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Here’s the basic cable channel ranker for January…
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Hannity’s America was big for FNC Sunday. It had 1,376,000 Total Viewers and 408,000 Demo viewers. The show was up 40% in total viewers and 113% in demo viewers vs. the same day last year.

Cable News Ratings for January 27, 2007

P2+ Total Day
FNC – 707,000 viewers
CNN – 505,000 viewers
MSNBC – 268,000 viewers
CNBC – 327,000 viewers
HLN – 240,000 viewers

P2+ Prime Time
FNC – 881,000 viewers
CNN – 657,000 viewers
MSNBC – 371,000 viewers
CNBC – 382,000 viewers
HLN – 217,000 viewers

25-54 Total Day
FNC – 215,000 viewers
CNN – 193,000 viewers
MSNBC – 120,000 viewers
CNBC – 114,000 viewers
HLN – 100,000 viewers

25-54 Prime Time
FNC – 222,000 viewers
CNN – 194,000 viewers
MSNBC – 148,000 viewers
CNBC – 123,000 viewers
HLN – 65,000 viewers

Cable News Ratings for January 28, 2007
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FNC seems to be having trouble making up its mind about what Joe Lieberman is…

Joe Lieberman; Democratic Senator?

Or, Joseph Lieberman; Independent Senator?

I guess the graphics department needs to flush those old lower thirds…

Slate’s Jack Shafer writes about the story by deconstructing the Wall Street Journal’s articles on the story…

Delineating a friendship that includes a trans-Pacific flight alone in a corporate jet, an apparently significant sighting in an expensive restaurant, and a dressing down in which a corporate executive is told to reduce his contact with his friend of the opposite sex, all but draws the doughnut and tosses the hot dog through it. On Jan. 26, the Journal rehashes some of the Thomson-Bartiromo story, referring to their jet trip home from Asia, their “friendship,” and their “relationship” (twice). The story breaks new ground in reporting that Thomson tried and failed to get Bartiromo on his jet more than a year ago, while entertaining clients in Montana.

You can almost hear the Journal reporters snicker when they write that CNBC insisted that any jet trips taken by Bartiromo “fell under the ’source development’ section of its code of ethics.” Wink, wink, nudge, nudge, say no more!

Having dumped the compost, planted the seed, and fertilized and watered the earth, the Journal leaves it to nobody’s imagination what species the flowering Thomson-Bartiromo friendship, relationship, and contact is without actually coming out and writing anything that 1) they can’t prove and 2) invites a libel suit. This is the sort of copy a clever lawyer directs reporters to write when they “know” something but can’t prove it. Leave it to the reader to assemble the meaning of the facts in their minds, the wise libel attorney tells his clients.

USA Today’s Del Jones writes about the story but doesn’t advance the story any.

News of Bartiromo’s trademark application follows reports last week by the New York Post, New York Times, Wall Street Journal and others about Citigroup’s decision to fire executive Todd Thomson, 45, for running up lavish expenses on the corporate account that included a $5 million sponsorship of a TV program on the Sundance Channel that was to be hosted by Bartiromo.

They also reported that Thomson bumped three other executives off the Citigroup corporate jet, causing them to fly commercial to make room on the Gulfstream for Bartiromo to travel with Thomson on a 16-hour flight from Asia.

The journalism ethics of Bartiromo and CNBC have been called into question. CNBC has defended the flight as an opportunity for Bartiromo to develop sources and said Bartiromo received advance approval and that CNBC reimbursed Citigroup for the flight.

Yesterday CNBC opened its new Silicon Valley bureau. The bureau, where Jim Goldman gives daily updates, is broadcasting from NBC O&O KNTV NBC 11’s studios which also serves as the home of the local Telemundo station (though the Telemundo newscasts now originate out of L.A. thanks to NBCU 2.0 cuts).

The New York Post’s Janet Whitman and Roddy Boyd write about Maria Bartiromo trying to get her own show…

Bartiromo is in talks with the network about launching her own branded TV show, following a format used by people like Charlie Rose and Bill Moyers.

The move coincides with her filing at least eight applications to trademark her Wall Street pet name, the “Money Honey,” which sources stressed may not signal the name of a show.

“She’s pitching it to the network,” said one source. “There’s no guarantee that if it were ever developed that ‘Money Honey’ would even be a part of it.”

Anybody catch what exactly Don Imus was going off on Bill O’Reilly over this morning? I just caught the tail end of it but I don’t know what the “it” was…

The Philadelphia Inquirer’s Gail Shister writes about the bruhaha…

Latest volley in the verbal jihad between the cable rivals is an FNC ad in trade journal Television Week blasting CNN golden boy Anderson Cooper as “the Paris Hilton of television news.”

Responded CNN president Jonathan Klein, “It’s a sign of desperation to resort to infantile name calling.”

The magazine hit the stands yesterday. Cooper is not seen or named in the two-page spread, but he’s the target.

A silver-haired man with his back to readers stands to the left (get it?) of such wet-kiss phrases as “style over substance,” “endless hype” and “media darling.”

UPDATE: An FNC spokesperson explained to ICN that Shister misquoted the figures today – Anderson is in fact 17th for the month, not 7th.

The New York Post’s Don Kaplan writes that Rita Cosby’s voice has changed. I didn’t see Rita yesterday so I don’t know exactly what he’s referring to.

Cosby declined to say what exactly she’d done to get her voice back.

But she did say that she had been to a see a doctor before her three weeks off the radar.

“There’s nothing like going to the doctor and getting a prescription that includes an enforced vacation (I went to Mexico), getting some vocal rest, and coming back with a tan to this arctic weather,” Cosby told the Post yesterday in a prepared statement.

“I am getting so many compliments about my voice, I intend to keep it this way. . . Thanks for noticing how energetic my voice sounds.”

The New York Times’ Allessandra Stanley reviews the new FNC Sunday night program. Of course I knew she’d pan the program. But she’s doing it in an unorthodox manner…

This Sunday night talk show, led by Sean Hannity, the conservative radio and television personality, may look like the kind of ultrapatriotic, Blame-the-Clintons-First program that is the lifeblood of Fox News. But it’s more likely a secular progressive front, a sleeper show sending dangerous hidden messages to the enemy.

Underneath the flag-waving swagger, Mr. Hannity’s show is riddled with leftist subliminal suggestion and degrading, un-American images of violence and pornography. Last Sunday Mr. Hannity toured the Bunny Ranch brothel in Nevada and stood over two prostitutes lolling on a bed in skimpy lingerie, their hands placed between their legs, and asked them if they believed in God.

“Every week we will bring you a different side of the country you love,” Mr. Hannity promised on the show’s premiere on Jan. 7. Mostly, however, he seems to be exposing the worst excesses of godless capitalism.

Henry Blogdet in Slate writes that you shouldn’t be taking investment advice from Jim Cramer seriously…

It would be impossible to write a “Bad Advice” column about investing without discussing Jim Cramer. I have been through several stages of feelings about Cramer. My initial belief was that the former hedge-fund manager, host of CNBC’s hit show Mad Money, and author of several books about speculating was perhaps the worst thing to happen to the financial security of average Americans since the crumbling of the Social Security system. I developed this theory in the early Mad Money days, when Cramer’s stock-picking track record—if on-air shouts, blurts, and Tourette’s-style tics can ever be called a “record,” which, in a serious context, they obviously can’t—remained close enough to market averages that Cramer was not laughed out of town when he suggested with a straight face that he was giving good advice.

UPDATE: Is this a case of pot meets kettle?

Tonight on Countdown, Keith Olbermann will be doing another segment on the Insight Magazine story. Over on FNC, Bill O’Reilly will be doing something on the Maria Bartiromo/Citigroup scandal.

UPDATE: Can’t watch both so I’m watched O’Reilly first (I’ll catch Countdown on the repeat). O’Reilly started out the top of the segment by trying to tie Bartiromo to “problems” at NBC News and NBC Entertainment…

As we reported NBC News has taken a sharp turn to the left. Under executives Jeff Zucker and Robert Wright with elements at NBC News (Translation: Keith Olbermann who doesn’t work at NBC News- Spud) now actually using propaganda from far left websites as primary source material. Unbelievable. In this week’s New York Magazine former General Electric CEO Jack Welch implies that if he were still in charge, he’d fire Zucker.

(section describing the Bartiromo scandal removed to save time)

NBC News denies any wrong doing (what’s NBC News have to do with CNBC? - Spud). But there is no denying trouble at NBC News headquarters in New York city. ABC News may overtake NBC’s newscast and CNBC and MSNBC have major ratings problems.

At that point I stopped watching. This was just too much. If O’Reilly wants to do a segment on Bartiromo, fine. I think CNBC needs to come clean and give an honest accounting of why this isn’t a conflict of interest for Bartiromo or the network. This “try to ignore the story and hope it blows over” approach isn’t serving either the network or its viewers well. You can quibble about the speed with which FNC addressed the Insight story issue, with each subsequent on the record comment going into greater detail about what happened and why it shouldn’t have happened, but at least FNC was trying to address the issue. CNBC is denying that a problem, or even the appearance of a problem, took place. At the very least it’s bad PR because it gives the appearance of impropriety.

But for O’Reilly to try and lump Bartiromo in with other comptletely unrelated issues, issues which are insulated from each other because of the respective divisions and organizations they take place in…which have no overlapping jurisdictions or responsibilities, is just ridiculous. This is O’Reilly in full “get NBC at all costs” mode throwing everything at the wall and trying to make it stick.

UPDATE 2: Even though it was announced via an MSNBC media release (not to be confused with a press release via the NBC Media Village), Countdown didn’t do the Insight article segment.

Senator Hillary Clinton will be interviewed by Anderson Cooper tonight. Cooper is in San Antonio, Texas for the opening ceremony of the Center for the Intrepid rehabilitation facility. The two-hour AC 360, titled THE TOUGHEST BATTLE: HEALING HEROES, takes a look inside the rehabilitation center for men and women of the Armed Forces who were severely injured in the current global war on terrorism. The transcript of Cooper’s interview with Senator Clinton follows…

ANDERSON COOPER: HOW MOVING WAS IT FOR YOU TO BE HERE TODAY?

Senator Hillary Clinton: it was extremely moving. Because we had several hundred wounded warriors from Iraq and Afghanistan who were really not only part of the ceremony but the reason we’re here. This center for the intrepid is going to provide highest rehab services available really anywhere in the world to our young men and women who have been wounded and come here to do everything they can to heal and regain as much mobility as they can and lead as productive a life as they can.

Cooper: CENTER COST $15 MIL. AMERICAN CITIZENS SOME GIVING A DOLLAR HERE, OTHERS LARGE DONATIONS. HAVE GIVEN A LOT. IT SAYS A LOT ABOUT AMERICAN PEOPLE WHAT DOES IT SAY ABOUT THE GOVT?
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Cable News Daily Ratings for January 26, 2007

P2+ Total Day
FNC – 879,000 viewers
CNN – 538,000 viewers
MSNBC – 279,000 viewers
CNBC – 208,000 viewers
HLN – 216,000 viewers

P2+ Prime Time
FNC – 1,547,000 viewers
CNN – 827,000 viewers
MSNBC – 457,000 viewers
CNBC – 206,000 viewers
HLN – 412,000 viewers

25-54 Total Day
FNC – 255,000 viewers
CNN –214,000 viewers
MSNBC – 115,000 viewers
CNBC – 93,000 viewers
HLN – 86,000 viewers

25-54 Prime Time
FNC – 315,000 viewers
CNN – 260,000 viewers
MSNBC – 186,000 viewers
CNBC – 121,000 viewers
HLN – 180,000 viewers

Morning programs P2+ (25-54)
FOX & Friends – 769,000 viewers (329,000)
American Morning – 362,000 viewers (193,000)
Imus in the Morning– 334,000 viewers (117,000)
Robin & Co. – 240,000 viewers (110,000)
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A lot of noise flying around today between FNC and CNN. I don’t have a lot to say about this. Yeah, it’s brash and in your face but it’s also classic FNC advertising. Nothing really new here. You’re either going to like it or you’re not. All the networks do it to some degree or another. MSNBC has been doing it a lot lately aimed at both CNN and FNC.

That said I do have to say something about this…

CNN also points to awards — A Peabody, DuPont, and three Emmys for 360 in 2006. Greta Van Susteren? Zero.

Not that Van Susteren needs defending by ICN on this point but everyone in the business knows that FNC does not submit for awards. They did long ago but they stopped and haven’t done it since. CNN knows this. TVNewser knows this. So this whole award total comparison argument is patently pointless when only one side is playing the award collecting game.