UVA Grad Lands Big Time Network Job
BY KYLE ANDREW BROWN
Washington, April 13 – Norah O’Donnell’s departure from NBC to CBS often gets pegged as a defection of sorts.
The Associated Press coverage makes a passing reference to Norah O’Donnell reporting that “CBS wants her to concentrate on hosting the network’s weekday morning show.”
But Norah’s handlers probably recognized she was just treading reportorial water in her two minute stand ups in the Capitol Rotunda for Nightly News. And those early dawn sit downs on the set of MSNBC’s Morning Joe.
Norah is not a reporter known for having a particular interest – or depth of knowledge – outside of tabloid Hollywood and Washington headliners. Good luck googling Norah O’Donnell to find something she’s investigated or commented on.
So often television reporters are eye candy video wallpaper teleprompter readers.
John Dickerson has, on the other hand, a respectable online reportorial presence via Slate. Over there he carries the title of Chief Political Correspondent where he’s given to explore the repetitive dynamics of Washington’s partisan warfare.
“Strategists from both parties rarely admit that states are no longer competitive, but the closer you get to the end, the more participants must weigh their spin against their future reputations in the business.”
Some numbers are tossed in about political advertising expenditures. And those copy paste political word pairs like end game – Senate control – voter enthusiasm. Maybe at UVA this gets you into Time Inc., and a degree with Distinction.
At Wisconsin maybe a B- at the undergrad level. C+ in grad school.
Which is not to be off putting with our regard for Norah O’Donnell and John Dickerson. Washington does enjoy waking up to Norah O’Donnell. Back at NBC remember those snappy repartees between Norah and Mika Brizinski that began to shape the political day as the camera zoomed in from overhead to sizzle up what they’re wearing – their political mood – their girlish reactions at whatever Wille Geist was putting out
And John. He has the self confidence you’d expect coming from a Washington kid went to the Friends School and grew up on a 49 acre estate with a 36-room Georgian style mansion. High on a leafy bluff overlooking the Potomac Riverra, says Wikipedia
Gotta understand on the Face the Nation set John Dickerson is gonna be chatting up Republican Muscleman John McCain in the first segment. And Gay Boy Barney Frank in the second.
Then comes along Streets Smart Peggy Noonan who will preside over the closer.
See, the anchor on Face the Nation is both differential to this parade of Washington insiders who speak in agenda reinforcing scripted snippets.
And clearly in charge – as a reporter. So far, John Dickerson is not so much a reporter as he is a musing commentator.
Millennial Monitor, Washington, DC Copyright 2015 MillennialMonitor.com