If You Can't Beat Them, Copy Them

CNN has been engaged in a battle for ratings with Fox News for some time now, and in recent weeks they have made some bold programming moves and snapped up some high-profile conservative talent to chip away at FNC's arguably larger audience.

Losing Robert Novak to Fox News was a bad blow for Ted Turner's kids, but they didn't seem to have much place for him after he stormed off a live broadcast of Crossfire hurling curses at co-host Paul Begala (I'm so jealous; Novak has all the fun). On the plus side, they did manage to slough off that pantywaist Aaron Brown, whose touch-feely brand of journalism made watching his program feel like a session on a psychiatrist's couch.

But in recent weeks, CNN has picked up radio talk show personality Glenn Beck, former Republican congressman and strategist JC Watts, and just recently author and talk-show host William Bennett.

CNN will probably only succeed in alienating some of its built-in audience. It's doubtful they'll pull away hardcore Fox News viewers by trying to be all things to all people. Ironic; isn't that what the Democrats are doing?