Last night on the CBS Evening News, as part of the excellent ongoing series, "Presidential Questions," CBS News' Katie Couric asked both presidential candidates about the last time they had cried and why.

Their responses:

OBAMA: This one is pretty easy. It was Malia, my 10-year-old daughter's birthday party. We were in Montana. And you know, she's a Fourth of July baby. So often times, during this campaign, we'd be traveling during birthdays. And so we were in this small hotel, I think a Holiday Inn. And we had this big public thing. The staff organized for a smaller family party.  read more »

Earlier today, Katie Couric caught up with Senator John McCain and Alaska Governor Sarah Palin, who were campaigning in Ohio.

At one point during the interview, Ms. Couric asked about an apparent difference in positions between the two politicians on the same ticket.

"Over the weekend, Gov. Palin, you said the U.S. should absolutely launch cross-border attacks from Afghanistan into Pakistan to, quote, 'stop the terrorists from coming any further in," said Ms. Couric. "Now, that's almost the exact position that Barack Obama has taken and that you, Sen. McCain, have criticized as something you do not say out loud. So, Gov. Palin, are you two on the same page on this?"  read more »

Ever since word of Katie Couric's supposed lame-duck status at CBS News spread far and wide across the Internet last month, the ratings at her evening news show have continued to drop.

Now, Steve Krakauer at TV Newser is reporting that CBS Evening News with Katie Couric hit a new low last week.

"The broadcast averaged 5.33 million Total Viewers and 1.54M in A25-54." reports Mr. Krakauer. "The week of April 21, the previous low, the broadcast drew 5.34M Total Viewers and 1.58M in the demo."

In the new issue of The New Yorker, television critic Nancy Franklin takes a look at Katie Couric's performance on "The CBS Evening News."

Her verdict?

Not super!

"Couric's interpretation of the role of anchor led her to repress the qualities that drew people to her in the first place, and she often comes across as hollow and robotic," writes Ms. Franklin. "I'm never as aware that anybody is reading from a teleprompter as I am when I'm watching Couric."  read more »

With all her years of experience in front of the camera, one would think Katie Couric might stash the snark when preparing to go live. Not so.

In this clip, after complaining about her crappy microphone, Ms. Couric, 51, goes on to joke that “Giuliani’s dead,” pretending to decapitate herself. After a few more moments of idle chitchat, the CBS Evening News anchor compares John McCain’s wife, Cindy, to a Husky (as in the breed of dog). “Look at those eyes, she’s freakin’ me out a little,” she wisecracks of the politico’s spouse.

Jibes aside, Ms. Couric comes off as kind of hysterical—the life of the party, in fact. Even still, after she jokes about suffering a heart attack, the set crew cheers excitedly off-camera.  read more »