The American Spectator

Washington Prowler

p> WOLF DEMOCRATS br> Lots of headscratching was going on Friday evening and over the weekend about the decision by CNN producers and uberanchor Wolf Blitzer to blindside former colleague (she hosted "CNN Crossfire" back in the day) Lynn Cheney . /p>

Aside from using questions culled from talking points on the Jim Webb scandal provided to a CNN associate producer by the Democrat Senatorial Campaign Committee, Blitzer, -- without checking out the veracity of the talking points -- quizzed Cheney about the techniques used against suspected terrorists and her views on the Bush Administration. Cheney had been invited to discuss her new children's book, but came prepared to battle Blitzer, and more than held her own.

Why was Blitzer so aggressive? "It was all about ratings, and the fact that we have this series of specials called 'Where the Right Went Wrong' running on the network," says the CNN insider.

Part of that series ran later Friday evening after Cheney's emasculation of Blitzer (video here).

In fact, CNN producers, with the approval of more senior executives, intend to run the highly politicized, pro-Democrat Party "Where the Right Went Wrong" in the days leading into Election Day. The series uses original reporting, as well as materials, including statistics and research developed by the DNC, MoveOn.org and the labor-funded 527, Americans Coming Together, though the those sources are never mentioned in the segments.

"There are people who are wondering why this is being run so close to election day," says the CNN employee. "The questions have been asked, but we haven't gotten a satisfactory answer. But as soon as we saw the Cheney segment, we knew what they were trying to do. It wasn't just about attacking Cheney. It was about building momentum for the other programming we are running. It's about counterprogramming Fox News."

p> McGREEVEY KIND OF LOVE

topics:
Nancy Pelosi, NATO