Abc News | The New York Observer

She's Headed to Prime Time, and She's Solo

Tue, 08 Sep 2009 19:31:49 -0400

It was Tuesday morning, the day after Labor Day, and Diane Sawyer was smiling brightly and wearing black. Toward the top of the hour, Chris Cuomo, one of her co-anchors on Good Morning America, looked at the camera and ran through the morning’s headlines. There was swine flu spreading rapidly through American schools, an alleged serial killer arrested in Milwaukee, great white sharks off the coast of Cape Cod, bombings in Afghanistan, cracks in...

ABC News' Bob Woodruff Returns to Iraq

Mon, 13 Jul 2009 09:01:46 -0400

ABC News' Bob Woodruff is returning to Iraq for the first time since January of 2006 when a roadside bomb there nearly took his life. This morning, in a blog post for ABC News, Mr. Woodruff explained his decision to return to the war zone:

I was in Iraq for the seventh time when I was injured. None of us ever could have imagined then that I would ever be able to go back,...

Why Did ABC News Bump Stossel for MJ? The Numbers Behind the 'Pandering'

Thu, 02 Jul 2009 12:02:54 -0400

Last Friday night, ABC news executives bumped a 20/20 piece by John Stossel about health care in favor of more Michael Jackson coverage. Apparently, Mr. Stossel was not amused. Afterwards, he vented on an ABC News blog.

"Yes, I am sick of the Michael Jackson coverage," he wrote. "I hate it that ABC didn't run my piece. Free markets sometimes encourage pandering to the masses. I still say, bless the market."

Sure enough, when it comes to...

ABC News' Prime-Time Obama Special Attracts 4.7 Million Viewers

Thu, 25 Jun 2009 15:59:44 -0400

After all the controversy, ABC News' prime-time town-hall-style interview with the president, Questions for the President: Prescription for America, put up so-so ratings on Wednesday night.

At the 10 p.m. hour, the special, moderated by Diane Sawyer and Charles Gibson, attracted 4.7 million viewers. That's slighly more than half the audience that tuned in earlier this month to watch NBC News' prime-time special, Inside the Obama White House, which drew 9.1 million its first night...

D.C. Bureau Chief of ABC News on Town Hall with the President

Tue, 23 Jun 2009 18:04:55 -0400

"Health care reform is not a Democratic party issue and it's not a Republican party issue," said Robin Sproul. "There are so many diverse points of view within each party."

Ms. Sproul, the D.C. Bureau Chief for ABC News, was on the phone, speaking with The Observer about ABC News' upcoming prime-time, town-hall special about health care reform. The event, which will air at 10 p.m. on Wednesday night, will feature Charles Gibson and Diane...

Diane Sawyer: ABC News Pitched Bush Administration on Town Hall Forum; Bush Passed

Mon, 22 Jun 2009 09:26:01 -0400

On Sunday, Diane Sawyer appeared as a guest on CNN's Reliable Sources, where anchor Howard Kurtz asked her about the controversy surrounding ABC News' upcoming town hall style interview with President Obama about health care reform.

During the interview, Ms. Sawyer revealed that ABC News had tried to set up a similar type style forum during the Bush administration, but was turned down by the former President's staff.

"This is not theater," said Ms. Sawyer. "This...

A is For Access? ABC News Chronicles a Day in the Life of Tim Geithner

Wed, 17 Jun 2009 17:53:56 -0400

Earlier this week, ABC executives announced that on Wednesday, June 24, the news division would be broadcasting a series of shows at the White House, culminating with a prime-time interview with President Obama focusing on his plans for health care reform. Shortly thereafter, a range of conservative lawmakers and pundits criticized the set-up and alleged that ABC was turning its network over to the Obama administration for a health care "infomercial."

ABC News executives have...

ABC News Shuttering In-House Library in Favor of 'Digital Research Facility'; Looking To Donate Print Materials

Thu, 04 Jun 2009 14:36:30 -0400

Once upon a time (at the zenith of 20th century analog media), maintaining an on-site, in-house library crammed full of archived periodicals and rows and rows of hefty, solemn reference books, was all the rage at large media organizations.

In 2009, not so much.

Today, yet another bricks-and-mortar media bibliothèque fell victim to the digital age.

This afternoon, in an email to his staff, David Westin, the president of ABC News, announced that ABC News...

Camp Liberty Revisited

Tue, 12 May 2009 18:52:29 -0400

At 9:31 a.m. on the morning of Monday, May 11, Martha Raddatz, the senior foreign affairs correspondent for ABC News, read a jolting message on the network’s internal distribution list.

An ABC News producer in Iraq had just posted some breaking news from Baghdad. According to a press release from the U.S. military, five American troops had just been shot and killed inside Camp Liberty. The names of the dead were being withheld. The...

NBC Exploring Possible Changes at Its Longtime Headquarters in Washington D.C.

Wed, 29 Apr 2009 07:39:31 -0400

NBC is currently exploring the possibility of leasing out part of its longtime headquarters in Washington, D.C., to an outside organization, according to sources familiar with the situation.

One possible partner? American University.

The longtime home of NBC News, MSNBC, and WRC-TV Channel 4—NBC’s owned and operated station in D.C.—is located on Nebraska Avenue, a short walk from the university’s bucolic campus in Northwest Washington.

What American University would do with space...

Kabul Fever: Turning to Afghanistan, the Press Learns Its Own Lessons from Baghdad

Tue, 21 Apr 2009 18:41:29 -0400

Not long ago, Richard Engel, the chief foreign correspondent for NBC News, was working on a story in eastern Afghanistan near the border with Pakistan. One day, he hiked for 45 minutes up a mountain. On the top of the hill, he found a tiny guard tower, looking over into Pakistan, where a few U.S. soldiers and stray dogs were hanging out.

“It turned out I’d been on a patrol with one of them...

Economic Crisis: Where Can President Find an Adviser Who Gives Good Television?

Tue, 31 Mar 2009 16:00:00 -0400

Not long ago, President Barack Obama finally got around to filling three of the top jobs at the Treasury Department that had been vacant since his inauguration.

But even afterward, one top financial job was left conspicuously unfilled—namely, the role of Economic Surrogate in Chief.

A good economic statesman—somebody who can crunch budget projections by day and give good TV by night—can be hard to find. It’s a lesson that’s been driven home in Washington in...

President of Disney-ABC TV Sends Email to Staff, Warns of "Harsh Reality of Having to Eliminate Jobs"

Thu, 29 Jan 2009 11:09:58 -0500

This morning at 10:24 a.m., Anne Sweeney, the president of the Disney-ABC Television Group, sent out a cryptic email to all staffers informing them that today would be "an extremely difficult day," and that due to a "weakening economy," the group is "now faced with the harsh reality of having to eliminate jobs in some areas."

Back in December, the Media Mob reported that ABC executives were considering cuts to the news division, which would...

ABC's This Week Pulls Off Ratings Victory Over NBC's Meet the Press

Thu, 15 Jan 2009 14:08:05 -0500

According to an ABC press release, this past Sunday, January 11, ABC's This Week with George Stephanopoulos pulled off a narrow upset victory over NBC's Meet the Press.

Mr. Stephanopolous' show, which featured an extensive interview with President Elect Barack Obama, pulled in 4.34 million viewers while Mr. Gregory's show pulled in 4.30 million.

ABC claims it was the first time This Week has beaten Meet the Press in total...

How Much Will CBS News Save by Cutting Staff at Tel Aviv Bureau?

Thu, 08 Jan 2009 11:54:16 -0500

Earlier this week, we wrote about heavy cuts that CBS News made to its Tel Aviv bureau shortly before the outbreak of war in Gaza.

The layoffs come at a time when just about everyone in the media is suffering from a serious downturn in advertising.

So how much money will CBS News save by reducing a once bustling bureau down to a bare-bones...

The Week In Trends

Thu, 11 Dec 2008 11:39:45 -0500

- Christmas Is Canceled!: "In this chilly economic climate, some companies are dumping holiday fetes—but others are still partying like it's 2007," by Elizabeth Gallagher, Page Six Magazine.

- Gender Bender: "More women are drinking, and the women who drink are drinking more, in some cases matching their male peers. This is the kind of equality nobody was fighting for," by Alex Morris, New York Magazine.

- Childless for 50 yrs,...

ABC News Contemplates Job Cuts in the New Year

Fri, 05 Dec 2008 13:50:31 -0500

But wait, there's more! At the end of a week of intense laying-off in television, the Media Mob has learned from several sources at the network that ABC executives are considering cuts to the news division. The focus would be on a slimming down of political units the network bulked up during the presidential campaign.

Rumors about the cuts have been circulating for weeks now around the ABC News offices, but the rumors have numbers:...

Election Night Ratings: ABC Wins in Broadcast; CNN Wins on Cable

Thu, 06 Nov 2008 10:42:38 -0500

On Tuesday night, some 71.5 million viewers tuned in across 14 television networks to watch Senator Barack Obama's victory over Senator John McCain, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Overall it was the highest rated election night since 1980.

On broadcast television, ABC News was big winner. On cable, CNN dominated.

The Nielsen numbers for total viewers via THR:

ABC: 13,135,000

...

ABC News Names Jake Tapper New Chief White House Correspondent

Wed, 05 Nov 2008 11:41:51 -0500

Today, ABC News named prolific reporter Jake Tapper as the network's new Chief White House Correspondent.

In addition to his on air duties, Mr. Tapper also writes Polical Punch, which is arguably the best political blog by anyone in TV News. Presumably, he'll keep writing the blog after shifting over to the White House beat.

ABC News President David Westin also announced two other changes today. Martha Raddatz will become the network's new Senior...

Fox News on Bill Ayers' and Bill Clinton's Shared Secret (Hint: Millions of Americans May Share It, Too)

Tue, 04 Nov 2008 12:37:07 -0500

Who says liberals and leftists can't get airtime on FOX News? The Huffington Post has video of an important Election Alert from Ruper Murdoch's the "fair and balanced" news network that features William Ayers—the man whom Senator John McCain referred to in the third debate as "an old washed-up terrorist"—voting in Chicago.

Here's Megyn Kelly's artful segue into the segment:

'Well, I'll tell ya what: From Bill Clinton to a very different kind of...

Where to Watch Election Night Online

Mon, 03 Nov 2008 14:07:35 -0500

The Web is revving its engine for tomorrow's big night. Here's where you can tune in on your computer and your iPhone:

ABC News is offering live streams of its own TV broadcast and they'll have Web cams at the McCain and Obama campaign headquarters. CBS News will be offering county-by-county, up-to-the-minute results with live blogging, and a simulcast of its TV coverage, starting at 6:30 p.m. Around 2 a.m, Katie Couric will live...

Boo! A Terrifying Look Back at The Media Biz's Nightmare Week

Thu, 30 Oct 2008 18:19:04 -0400

As Gawker noted the other day, the newly-dismissed staff of Radar is throwing a Halloween bash tonight to "celebrate" the demise of their magazine. A lot of people in this town can probably use a drink tonight.

On Friday, Media Mob's John Koblin broke the news that Radar would be closing. Later that day, he spoke to founder and editor Maer Roshan, who said, "Up until today I thought we could still talk...

ABC News to Transform Times Square Into 'Outdoor Global Viewing Event' for Election Night

Mon, 27 Oct 2008 13:41:02 -0400

Today ABC News executives announced their network's plans for election night. Coverage will begin at 7 P.M. EST and continue until at least 2:00 A.M. Charles Gibson, Diane Sawyer, and George Stephanopoulos will anchor the live coverage from Times Square.

According to the press release, ABC News will be constructing on outdoor set in Times Square for the occasion, complete with "real time election results on three iconic screens—ABC's Super Sign, the enormous digital...

In E-mail, ABC News President Tells Staff No Holiday Parties This Year; All Print Subs Canceled; Execs Must Stay at 'B' Hotels

Fri, 24 Oct 2008 15:29:57 -0400

This morning David Westin, president of ABC News, sent out an e-mail to staffers warning that ABC News is not "immune from the downturn," and that the division (along with the rest of Disney's Media Networks Group) will be implementing new "guidelines" to "reduce administrative costs."

As part of the cost-cutting measures, ABC News will be canceling all of its magazine and newspaper subscriptions, will not be throwing any holiday parties, and will be...

ABC Names Ian Cameron Executive Producer of This Week with George Stephanopoulos

Mon, 06 Oct 2008 12:06:32 -0400

ABC News announced today that Ian Cameron, formerly a producer for World News with Charles Gibson, will be the new executive producer of This Week with George Stephanopoulos.

Mr. Cameron replaces Kathy O'Hearn. In July, ABC announced that Ms. O'Hearn would be leaving the show to become a producer on the network's special events political team.

The move comes at a critical time for This Week. With the future of NBC's Meet the Press, still...

Critics, Pundits, Reporters Agree: Charles Gibson, Some Sort of Educator

Fri, 12 Sep 2008 12:59:42 -0400

"At times visibly nervous, at others appearing to hew so closely to prepared answers that she used the exact same phrases repeatedly, Ms. Palin most visibly stumbled when she was asked by Mr. Gibson if she agreed with the Bush doctrine. Ms. Palin did not seem to know what he was talking about. Mr. Gibson, sounding like an impatient teacher, informed her that it meant the right of 'anticipatory self-defense.'"– Jim Rutenberg, The New...

The Gibson Strategy on Day One: Play It Serious

Fri, 12 Sep 2008 08:31:45 -0400

"When I asked John McCain about your national security credentials, he cited the fact that you have command of the Alaskan National Guard and that Alaska is close to Russia. Are those sufficient credentials?" asked Charlie Gibson.

Mr. Gibson was just a few short minutes into his high-stakes interview with Sarah Palin, and he was already hitting his stride. He gazed toward the vice presidential candidate through a...

Vicarious Journalism: What Should ABC's Charlie Gibson Ask Sarah Palin? (Thursday Roundup Edition)

Thu, 11 Sep 2008 15:59:57 -0400

What questions will Charlie Gibson of ABC News ask Sarah Palin? Nobody knows. What questions should Mr. Gibson ask the Alaskan Governor turned vice presidential nominee?

Everybody knows!

Herein, a sampling of what other journalists would like Mr. Gibson to ask Ms. Palin.

Jack Shafer of Slate has 10 questions, including, "How are you like Hillary Clinton?"

Over at Foreign Policy, Rebecca Frankel has 20 questions, including "What is your preferred plan for peace between...

ABC News' Charlie Gibson Lands Interview with Sarah Palin

Mon, 08 Sep 2008 10:23:10 -0400

The Associated Press broke the news over the weekend that Charlie Gibson of ABC News has landed the covetted first post-convention on-air interview with Alaska Governor and Vice Presidential Nominee Sarah Palin.

ABC News has since confirmed the news. No details yet about when the interview will take place or when it will air. Although, according to the AP, the interview will be conducted in Ms. Palin's home state of Alaska....

ABC News' Charlie Gibson to Anchor 'World News' from New Orleans

Sun, 31 Aug 2008 16:23:11 -0400

Tonight, ABC News' Charlie Gibson will be anchoring World News from New Orleans. George Stephanopoulos will head up the network's convention coverage from St. Paul.

Denver Police Arrest ABC News Producer For 'Trespass, Interference, and Failure to Follow a Lawful Order'

Wed, 27 Aug 2008 18:36:54 -0400

Producers with ABC News' investigative unit are currently on assignment in Denver, looking in the role that big money donors play at the Democratic convention.

Today, one of those producers, Asa Eslocker, was arrested outside the swank Brown Palace Hotel, where Democratic senators were meeting with donors at a private party.

According to ABC News, Mr. Eslocker is being charged with "tresspass, interference, and failure to follow a lawful order."...

Monday Morning John Edwards-Rielle Hunter Round Up

Mon, 11 Aug 2008 10:27:16 -0400

After months of sitting on the sideline, the mainstream media let loose over the past three days with coverage of former Senator John Edwards' admission that he had had an affair with filmmaker Rielle Hunter.

Some highlights from the coverage:

On ABC's web site, "The Blotter," Brian Ross and company posted a story today entitled "Is John Edwards Still Lying," which includes an exclusive interview with a friend of Ms. Hunter's named (apparently) Pidgeon,...

In Interview With ABC News, John Edwards Admits to Affair; Denies Fathering "Love Child"

Fri, 08 Aug 2008 15:18:22 -0400

Well, that didn't take long.

Earlier today, we reported that ABC News' chief investigative reporter Brian Ross was working on a story about John Edwards' alleged affair with filmmaker Rielle Hunter.

Now, you can strike "alleged" from the record.

Mr. Ross and producer Rhonda Schwartz just posted an article on ABC's "The Blotter," under the blockbuster headline, "Edwards Admits Sexual Affair; Lied as Presidential Candidate."

According to the post, Mr. Edwards made the admission...

ABC News Chief Investigative Correspondent Brian Ross Looking Into Edwards' 'Love Child' Scandal

Fri, 08 Aug 2008 11:52:26 -0400

The Media Mob has learned that Brian Ross, chief investigative correspondent for ABC News, currently has his team of reporters looking into a story that few of his colleagues at major news organizations have been willing to investigate—namely, the so-called "love child" scandal, involving former U.S. Senator John Edwards.

For weeks, members of the media meta-sphere have been debating about whether the MSM should follow up on the numerous stories in The National Enquirer,...

ABC's This Week With... Jake Tapper!

Thu, 07 Aug 2008 16:28:18 -0400

It's August, and George Stephanopolous is apparently on vacation.

So, who'll fill in for Mr. Stephanopolous on his upcoming public affairs program on Sunday Morning?

Jake Tapper, of course.

Mr. Tapper broke the news this afternoon on his ABC political blog Political Punch.

"We have some great guests," wrote Mr. Tapper. "I can't think of two pols with whom I'd rather talk about energy and politics than Louisiana's GOP Gov. Bobby Jindal...

Beyond Gigli: Ben Affleck Takes Nightline To The Congo

Thu, 26 Jun 2008 13:12:10 -0400

Tonight on ABC's Nightline, Ben Affleck will report an "essay" on his recent fact-finding mission concerning the humanitarian crisis in the Congo.

"It's fairly clear that in the modern age that there is a currency to celebrity, or celebrity is a currency, really," Mr. Affleck told David Bauder of The Associated Press. "I've discovered that you can spend it in a lot of ways, or you can squander it. You can be taxed, as...

Features from a War Zone: A Different Kind of Boom in Baghdad

Thu, 12 Jun 2008 11:11:42 -0400

Terry McCarthy of ABC News recently told the Observer that as the level of violence in Iraq has dropped off in recent months, correspondents in Baghdad have had more time to work on feature stories about the state of the country—rather than, say, report on the latest suicide bombing.

Last night, Mr. McCarthy reported one such "believe it or not" feature for World News with Charlie Gibson. The story was about booming housing prices...

General Petraeus and the 'Information War'

Thu, 12 Jun 2008 08:34:15 -0400

Jamie Tarabay, the former Baghdad Bureau Chief for NPR, was stationed in Iraq in the early months of 2007 when General David Petraeus arrived to take over command of the U.S. forces there.

In the weeks and months to come, like many of her professional colleagues in the war zone, she eventually accompanied Mr. Petraeus on a number of walk-along interviews as he strolled through the streets of the occupied city.

"He does the same thing...

Martin Bashir Diagnosed with Brain Tumor

Mon, 09 Jun 2008 11:19:38 -0400

Martin Bashir, the co-anchor of ABC News' Nightline has been diagnosed with a brain tumor growing on his pituitary gland.

Doctors discovered the tumor recently after Mr. Bashir injured his head on the set of Nightline and was taken to the hospital for stitches.

According to a report in the UK's Daily Mail, Mr. Bashir is feeling well and will continue to host the show while doctors monitor his health situation....

One for the McCain Oppo File

Thu, 17 Apr 2008 11:34:38 -0400

Andrew Rice emails his take on (part of) last night’s debate:

Due to unavoidable conflicts--it was my night to cook dinner, and I had to run to the grocery store--I missed the first 40 minutes of the debate last night. I came away thinking that it was actually a very sober, issues-driven affair. Just goes to show 1)you should show up on time and, 2)how little anyone in the press actually cares about, say, the...

Wolfson Declines an Offer to Grumble About ABC

Thu, 17 Apr 2008 10:49:54 -0400

The Clinton campaign thinks that the sort of questions Barack Obama faced last night—tough in a way that angered Obama’s sympathizers, but not at all unexpected—were appropriate.

On a conference call now, New Yorker legal writer Jeffrey Toobin just gave Howard Wolfson and Phil Singer the chance to perform some media criticism, asking them if questions about Barack Obama's acquaintances and other "trivia" were a valuable part of the political process.

"In an ideal...

At Debate, Obama Gets the Hillary Treatment

Thu, 17 Apr 2008 07:24:26 -0400

ABC News devoted the first 30 minutes or so of the roughly two-hour Democratic debate on April 17 to trivial and petty gotcha questions, which pretty much set the tone for the evening.

“Do you think Reverend Wright loves America as much as you do?” George Stephanopoulos actually asked Barack Obama—twice.

Obama was also quizzed, via one of two video questions from voters that ABC saw fit to include, about his seeming reluctance to wear an...

McCain-Rice Gets a Little More Real

Sun, 06 Apr 2008 23:06:51 -0400

Sort of like the idle Colin Powell rumors that swirled before the 1996 and 2000 Republican conventions, we’ve been forced this campaign cycle to endure months of sporadic chatter about Condoleezza Rice’s supposed candidacy for the number two spot on the G.O.P. ticket.

Except that the speculation may have just taken a twist that the Powell talk never did: There’s suddenly reason to believe there might be something to it.

The twist was provided by, of...

ABC News Wins Polk Award for 'Myanmar Undercover'

Tue, 19 Feb 2008 10:39:05 -0500

Yesterday, Long Island University announced the 14 winners of the annual George Polk Awards for excellency in journalism.

Among the winners, ABC News received the award for television reporting for work done by Senior Correspondent Jim Sciutto, producer Angus Hines, and field producer Tom Murphy on a series of reports called "Myanmar Undercover."

From ABC's press release:

The ABC News team was recognized for "Myanmar Undercover," a series of reports on "World News with...

Charlie Gibson to Moderate Back-to-Back NH Presidential Debates

Thu, 20 Dec 2007 15:12:13 -0500

It's that time of the year when, all across New York, even more TV anchors, producers, and news crews are getting ready to pack up their bags and head out to the frontlines of the presidential campaigns.

That group includes, ABC's Charlie Gibson, who will soon be heading out to New Hampshire.

On Saturday, January 5, Mr. Gibson will be moderating back-to-back Democratic and Republican presidential debates at the campus...

Hold the Champagne—Are Brian Ross’ ABC Scoops All They’re Cracked Up to Be?

Wed, 05 Dec 2007 00:10:00 -0500

Last December, ABC News President David Westin threw a champagne cocktail party at the division’s executive offices, to celebrate the work of his star investigative reporter, Brian Ross.

Mr. Westin had good reason to toast Mr. Ross. Over the past few years, the network’s chief investigative correspondent has produced widely praised reports on topics ranging from secret C.I.A. prisons, campaign-finance reform, and Congressman Mark Foley’s lewd instant messaging. In the process,...

ABC News and Writers' Guild Reach Agreement

Fri, 30 Nov 2007 13:05:13 -0500

Yesterday, ABC News announced that it had reached a tentative contract agreement with the Writers Guild of America East, which represents roughly 250 ABC News employees. The previous contract had expired in January of 2005. The new agreement, which will go before union members for a vote on December 13, would institute a 3.5-percent wage increase.

"In addition to the annual wage increase, the new agreement, which expires Feb. 1, 2010, includes a one-time...

Did Williams' SNL Appearance Gives NBC News a Ratings Boost? Signs Point to Yes!

Wed, 14 Nov 2007 11:14:28 -0500

The Huffington Post notes that NBC Nightly News had almost a million more viewers last week than the week before, putting it back on top in the ratings--and attributes the bump, plausibly, to anchor Brian Williams' much-hyped November 3 appearance on Saturday Night Live.

The obvious lesson the networks will draw is that the best way to promote their news anchors to a younger audience is by putting them on shows that young...

TV News Luminaries Gather to Celebrate Jennings Book, Jennings

Fri, 02 Nov 2007 08:35:46 -0400

On Thursday evening, near a window in a banquet hall overlooking the Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. in Times Square, Andy Rooney sidled up to a makeshift bar and asked for a bourbon.

No bourbon, explained the bartender. Wine?

Mr. Rooney shook his head no, furled his massive white eyebrows, and shuffled off into the crowd. The barkeep, having just witnessed the potential genesis of a future...

Mark Halperin Tells Audience of Political Junkies What Non-Experts Need to Know About the Candidates

Tue, 30 Oct 2007 13:08:14 -0400

Last night, Time and ABC News political analyst Mark Halperin was talking to an audience at the at Barnes & Noble on West 82nd Street about his new book, The Undecided Voter's Guide to the Next President.

He said that his new book is geared toward people who "aren't particularly political," focusing less on the campaigns themselves than on "who can do the best job."

"I tried to say, with the information we have about the...