Kerry Picks Veep

Dear Viewers,

Yes ... the guessing game is over. Senator John Kerry has chosen Senator John Edwards (search). While the announcement was made today, the contemplation caused much discussion — and preparation — in the hours leading up to our show yesterday. About 6p.m. Monday, I received a call from one of our political analysts saying Senator Kerry had chosen Senator Edwards. I then notified my producers in N.Y. Next we needed to decide if we should change our show or not ... and how much. Do we do one segment? Two? Three? Half the show?

We had planned an hour on the Scott Peterson (search) murder trial but the selection of the v-p candidate would certainly have changed our plans. We could not get confirmation from another source, so we did not have any discussion on last night's show about the v-p choice. We did not want to be wrong and we also knew many rumors were flying. You can be sure we were ready with "stand-by" political guests in the event we did get a second source (which we did not get before our show or during.) There are so many shows we do where we have people on "stand-by." Plus during the show we have people pounding the phones making calls to confirm information we hear.  Almost every night we have guests on "stand-by" relating to the events in Iraq.

I hope the show always looks orderly to you because you have no idea how many discussions I have with the producers during the show about what we are doing, and what must change while on the air etc. A good example last night was at the end of our show. Just as we were going into the last segment of the show last night, my N.Y. based producer said in my earpiece, "we have Ron Frey (Amber's father) on the phone. Go to him after I confirm that it is really Ron Frey."

Moments later, in the middle of another guest talking, I was told she was sure it was Ron Frey. He had called into our show (we routinely give newsmakers phone numbers so that they can call in if they want.) So...I went to Amber's father Ron on the phone.

Click here to read transcript from last night

Finally, at the top of our show, there was an audio glitch and I quickly pointed it out. I wish I had not pointed it out to you, the viewers. Why? because apparently you did not have the problem — only those of us on the show could not hear Hammer. Viewers at home could hear Jim perfectly.

I had asked Jim Hammer who was in N.Y. a question and Bernie Grimm and I could only see his lips move. We could not hear Jim. Bernie and I both made gestures to each other on the set so it was clear to me that Bernie could not hear and I knew I could not.

I then heard Jayne Weintraub say "I can't hear him." I figured that you, the viewer, could not hear, so I interrupted Jim and went to another guest. During the commercial break that followed my N.Y. producer told me that the viewers could hear him — just not those of us on the show.

It would have been better for me to let Jim finish his answer (waited for his lips to stop moving) and then asked a question of another while the problem got worked out. I have done this many times before. Unfortunately I did not know the problem was limited to those of us on the show ... oh well ...

Greta

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