ZAHN WITH THE WIND (CNN's Paula Zahn Tanking)

New York Post ^ | 7/31/03 | DON KAPLAN

[kattracks]

July 31, 2003 -- CNN dumped Connie Chung last year because her ratings were disappointing - but her replacement, Paula Zahn, is drawing even fewer viewers.

On average, 761,000 viewers watched Chung's tabloid-style 8 p.m. show last July compared to 579,000 for Zahn's show this month.

[JohnHuang2]

CNN dumped Connie Chung last year because her ratings were disappointing - but her replacement, Paula Zahn, is drawing even fewer viewers.

bwahahaHAHAHA!

[Hugin]

My one lasting impression of Zahn is from FOX on election night 2000. When they announced that Gore had won FL Paula was positively giddy. When they announced that FL was being changed to "Too close to call" she looked stunned. When they announced that FL was a Bush win, she looked like someone smacked her in the head. She just went glassy eyed and could barely stay coherent. That's my indelible image of Paula Zahn.

[Political Junkie Too]

ZZZiiiiippp!!

-PJ

[risk]

>>>> That's my indelible image of Paula Zahn.

In other words, when there wasn't a story (i.e. a no-contest political event) she was happy. But when our entire democratic system began to be tested, and it became obvious that a complex series of constitutional crises would occur (i.e. big stories, lots to discuss, much to investigate and speculate) she was unhappy?

That's not a reporter, that's a partisan propagandist. For Democrats and Republicans alike, the 2000 election and its nexus in Florida was one of the most critical events in recent election history. I was fascinated, and so should have Zahn been.

[txzman]

I knew Paula was toast after watching her pair off with Rush Limbaugh on her Fox show for 10 minutes.

By the end of it she was in tatters - her pointed questions in dissarray, no argument to stand on and having been made to look like a liberal tool by Rush. It was a masterful, piecemeal take-apart by a master of logic.

[Jeff Gordon]

from FOX on election night 2000

I love moments like that.

My all time favorite was Walter Cronkite on the night of Reagan's first election. I thought Walter was going to split an artery right then and there. A very pleasing memory indeed.

[malia]

I hear you. I watched her one more time - when she interviewed Jennifer Dunn of WA. she was rude. Never watched her again.

Then again, I can't watch Susan Estrich, Eleanor Clift, Ellen Ratner just to name a few.

[gonzo]

"...I can't watch Susan Estrich, Eleanor Clift, Ellen Ratner just to name a few..."

Susan Ostrich is scary - always seems to be about to fall into my living room. Eleanor Clit and Ellen Ratface seem to be notably absent on FOX anymore without the rapist to defend.

Perhaps they'll be yodelling their praises when hildabeaste-the-antiChrist announces for prez............FRegards

[RandallFlagg]

I knew Paula was toast after watching her pair off with Rush Limbaugh on her Fox show for 10 minutes. By the end of it she was in tatters - her pointed questions in dissarray, no argument to stand on and having been made to look like a liberal tool by Rush. It was a masterful, piecemeal take-apart by a master of logic. The way Rush talks about her, they're good friends.

[jagrmeister]

>When they announced that FL was a Bush win, she looked like someone smacked her in the head.

That's pretty funny. Looks like she slunk into catatonia with the cameras on her. Other than Larry King (which can't do too much damage since it has more aging celebrities than political figures), CNN's ratings are so low that they can't impact the political arena like they once could. O'Reilly beats out all other shows usually by 300% to 400% on a daily basis. FoxNews is taking charge and influencing the debate in Washington.

[Tree of Liberty]

When they announced that Gore had won FL Paula was positively giddy.

I see this mistake a lot. That wasn't Zahn, it was Geraldine Ferraro who was doing commentary with O'Reilly.

[Wolverine]

It won't help ratings, even if she washes her hair!

[TomGuy]

When CNN dumps Zahn, maybe they will replace her with....uhhhh...Phil Donahue. I hear he's available. [snicker]

[Hillarys Gate Cult]

I love this story from "Fox and Friends". The president of CNN, Walter Isaacson wanted to hire the highest paid on air personality away from FOX News Channel. He picked Paula Zahn. How did he know Zahn was the highest paid talking head at FOX? She told him. An easy check of the facts by CNN would have told them that she was the third highest paid one there, way below O'Reilly and Hannity. She doubled her salary by lying because CNN was too dumb to do any research.

[malia]

ooooooooooh, just the thought!

[The Duke]

Susan Ostrich is scary - always seems to be about to fall into my living room. Eleanor Clit and Ellen Ratface seem to be notably absent on FOX anymore without the rapist to defend.

Didn't Ellen Radnor move to Afghanistan and join the Taliban? Last time I heard her she was expressing her hopes that bad things would happen to Americans in Iraq.

[YaYa123]

Have you ever wondered how an avowed liberal like Ellen Ratner can be a member of the White House press corps? I finally found a bio for her, under a column she writes for World Net Daily:

"Ellen Ratner is the White House correspondent and bureau chief for the Talk Radio News service. She is also Washington bureau chief and political editor for Talkers Magazine. In addition, Ratner is a news analyst at the Fox News Channel."

Yesterday during President Bush's Rose Garden Press Conference, I noticed Ellen Ratner sitting among the reporters, and as President Bush gave a response, the camera caught Ellen, as she turned in her seat, and shared a smirk with one of her colleagues.

Just think, before FOXNews and the internet, we would have thought Ellen Ratner was a legitimate, unbiased reporter.

[Straight Vermonter]

Maybe one day they will start looking to content rather than personalities.

[Highest Authority]

Ellen TheRat's brother was the one who wanted to change the statue of the famous three New York Firemen raising the 9/11 American flag to a "political correct" version. Thankfully, the public outrage shot his idea down.