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'Today' show's Kitty Kelley quandary
By Elizabeth Jensen
Times Staff Writer
Sep 11 2004
NEW YORK -- NBC's "Today" show beat out ABC's "Good Morning America" for first TV interview rights to Kitty Kelley's controversial new biography of President Bush, but the big "get" may turn out to be more trouble than it's worth.
With the close-fought presidential election in full force and Kelley's past work regularly the subject of skeptical questioning, many TV media outlets decided to stay clear of an author interview. Not so NBC. Starting Monday, top-rated "Today" will devote three mornings to "The Family: The Real Story of the Bush Dynasty," which is being published next week by Doubleday Broadway. According to news reports, among its pages are allegations of drug use by the president when he was younger.
<snip>"Today's" interviews with Kelley will be conducted by co-anchor Matt Lauer. He also just interviewed the president, in a taped session that stretched out over an equal three days during the recent Republican National Convention. NBC declined to comment on why Lauer was chosen to do the interview over co-anchor Katie Couric.
In addition, "Hardball With Chris Matthews," which airs on NBC's MSNBC cable network, and the syndicated entertainment newsmagazine "Extra," which airs on a number of NBC-owned stations, will conduct interviews with Kelley on Tuesday.<snip>
Three other CNN programs have scheduled interviews with Kelley, starting Tuesday: "LateNight with Aaron Brown," "American Morning" and "Lou Dobbs Tonight." CNN Washington Bureau Chief David Bohrman said he had not heard from the White House regarding the scheduled interviews.<snip>