The Washington Times' Scott Galupo writes about the way cable networks have covered the 2008 primary election this season. Galupo describes the factors that have contributed to the networks' decision to make broadcasts, "a more improvisational, laid-bare affair."

One of those was the use of movement. "Leggy Fox News anchor Megyn Kelly has patented a background-to-foreground approach to the camera, chitchatting as she makes her way down the studio ramp. CNN's Wolf Blitzer and Anderson Cooper stand and chat with panelists as though they're at the office water cooler," he writes.

Another key element to the change in coverage has been technology. CNN SVP and Washington bureau chief David Bohrman describes the huge "liquid wall" in CNN's Election Center. "It had been something I wanted to do for years," he said. "I wanted this big, dynamic room where we'd be able to toggle between individual tote boards and be able to transform it at the snap of a finger to a wall full of live remotes."

If there are still two candidates in the Democratic election by May 30, and they both agree, the cable networks may be headed for another primary election debate broadcast.

TVNewser has learned the FOX stations in Montana are offering to host a live Democratic Debate on May 30 at 10pmET, four days ahead of the Montana primary.

The debate would have limited commercial interruption and would be hosted by Gary Lee Robbins of "Unreliable Sources," (what does CNN think of that name?) and aired with limited commercial interruption.

The debate feed would be made available at no charge to any media outlet, available for either live or tape delayed simulcast, much like the Iowa debates in December.

The timing of tonight's John Edwards endorsement of Barack Obama, in the middle of the 6:30 live feed of the evening network newscasts, created a dilemma for the broadcasters: take it live or turn it around.

Here's how ABC, CBS, and NBC worked it out:

• ABC — World News began with a live picture with Charlie Gibson delivering the news of the endorsement saying, "we'll go to the rally momentarily when the speaking begins." He then turned to the earthquake aftermath in China. At 6:36pmET, Gibson was joined by David Wright at the event in Michigan and George Stephanopoulos in Washington. Including the Wright set up piece, ABC spent nearly six minutes on the story. "Timed for maximum exposure. Timed to coincide with the evening newscasts," said Gibson. For the later feeds, Gibson led with the news including a short soundbite from Obama and the longer endorsement soundbite from Edwards.

• CBS — at 6:30ET Katie Couric led with the story with correspondent Dean Reynolds live in Grand Rapids. It was not treated so much as a live news event, but rather as a backdrop for their lead story. For the later feeds, Couric's follow-up Q&A with Reynolds occurred while Obama was speaking, then at the end of the West Coast feed (around 6:56pmPT), Couric repeated the news paraphrasing Edwards' endorsement of Obama.

• NBC — at 6:30pmET Brian Williams also led with the story with correspondent Lee Cowan in Grand Rapids, but with cross-talk only. The updated version of Nightly News had Cowan using an endorsement soundbite from Edwards.

After the jump, how one cable network covered...or didn't cover...the endorsement.

continued...

TVNewser hears networks are preparing for the news of a possible John Edwards endorsement of Sen. Barack Obama tonight. If it does happen, it sets the stage for a possible prime time live speech from the former Democratic presidential nominee.

Edwards hinted at a possible Obama endorsement when he appeared on MSNBC's Morning Joe last week.

A network insider says the channel is making preparations for how to break the news.

• Update: All three cable networks are now reporting Edwards' endorsement of Obama. MSNBC was first with the news, at 5:13:20pmET. CNN was in commercial at the time, and reported the news about 30 seconds after MSNBC. FNC had the news at 5:15pmET. All networks MSNBC sourced the Associated Press with the news when breaking the news.

> More: ABC News was the first news organization to report the endorsement, with a blog post on Political Radar on ABCNews.com at 5:04pmET.

After last week's marathon live blog of Super Tuesday III, tonight's lone primary, West Virginia, should be called well before Wednesday begins (the most recent poll shows a 36-point Hillary Clinton lead). The networks will be covering the action, in very different ways. Polls close at 7:30pmET:

• ABC: Kate Snow follows the Clinton campaign and David Wright follows the Obama campaign.

• Bloomberg: Live coverage begins at 9pmET, with Ron Christie discussing results. World News with Charles Gibson will be updated for time zones across the country. Cynthia McFadden anchors Nightline.

• CNN: Wolf Blitzer anchors coverage starting at 7pmET, and Campbell Brown joins at 8pmET, along with the BPTOT. Anderson Cooper 360 airs at 10pmET, Larry King Live airs at MidnightET.

• FNC: Brit Hume anchors coverage of election results from 7-8pmET. Shepard Smith moderates the Strategy Room. Regarding the one hour of coverage, SVP Bill Shine tells TVNewser, "It's, so far, looking like it's going to be her night."

• MSNBC: Keith Olbermann and Chris Matthews anchor from 6-11pmET, and Dan Abrams takes over with After Hours from 11pmET-2amET. Mike Huckabee and Harold Ford, Jr. serve as MSNBC Insiders.

• Broadcasting & Cable's Marisa Guthrie reports Fox News is expanding its partnership with the web site The Palestra, a student reporter site with 200 college affiliates. The site relaunches next week as Palestra.net, and will include daily news updates available to mobile phone users.

Some reporters for the site have been offspring of tvnewsers — Peter Doocy (son of FNC's Steve Doocy) and Stephan Holt (son of NBC's Lester Holt) have contributed reports. (pictured is Palestra correspondent Tiffany Wilson)

• Howard Kurtz profiles NBC political director Chuck Todd in today's Washington Post. "For political junkies, Todd has become all but inescapable," writes Kurtz of the previously out-of-the-limelight personality.

Tim Russert, who hired Todd says, "The secret to his success is he understands politics and can explain it. Our platforms are 24/7, and someone has to man the platforms."

• TV Week's Michele Greppi reveals the results of the yearly poll of Sunday morning news show bookers. Topping the biggest get category? Democratic nominees Sens. Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama.

Other category winners are Sen. John McCain ("star of the green room"), Rudy Giuliani ("highest maintenance") and Sen. Lindsey Graham ("easiest to deal with").

The NYTimes sums up the new, new thing in American political punditry: Karl Rove.

Jim Rutenberg and Jacques Steinberg write, "There are 'Karl Rove-types,' and there is Karl Rove, who helped to define the modern brand of hardball politics and built a new team of Republican operatives..."

At times clearly partisan, at others apparently offering down-the-middle analysis, Mr. Rove in his new role as a media star marks another step in the evolution of mainstream journalism, where opinion, "straight news" reporting and unmistakable spin increasingly mingle, especially on television.

The story points to other operatives-turned-TV pundits including, George Stephanopoulos whose "abrupt move 11 years ago from the Clinton White House to ABC News raised hackles inside and outside the network;" Nicolle Wallace, who's gone from politics to TV and back again; Alex Castellanos: from the Mitt Romney campaign to CNN; and three other members of CNN's BPTOT: Paul Begala, James Carville, and Donna Brazile. As for "the architects" TV performance, Rutenberg and Steinberg write:

As an on-camera presence, Mr. Rove is not necessarily a natural. Neither his doughy chin nor his ashen complexion would be confused with those of, say, Brian Williams of NBC News.

It appears the Clinton campaign is still going after NBC/MSNBC for their coverage of the candidiate. This time, they are targeting Tim Russert for telling viewers Tuesday night: "We now know who the Democratic nominee is going to be, and no one is going to dispute it."

Howard Kurtz writes today that Jay Carson, Clinton's press secretary, "fired off an e-mail yesterday to Chuck Todd, NBC's political director. While assuring Todd that he was 'not trying to be a jerk,' Carson wrote: 'Can you think of one good reason we should continue to cart you guys around the country with us given that your network has declared the entire race over?'"

Well, well. Of course, NBC and everyone else pays to be on the flights. And further, NBC was hardly the only network declaring it's over.

ABC's George Stephanopoulos, the same George Stephanopoulos who, because he once worked for Pres. Clinton, has been accused of being cozy with the campaign, made the declaration much earlier than his competitors. But the call went nearly unnoticed because Stephanopoulos said it during the west coast update of World News. At 9:33 ET (6:33 PT), Stephanopoulos told anchor Charlie Gibson:

"There is no math for her to come back. There's no realistic path for the nomination now for Hillary Clinton. Barring some kind of revelation, that drops Obama from the race, he is going to be the nominee."

Wait, wait...what was that about CNN landing Sen. Barack Obama's, "first national TV interview since the Indiana and North Carolina primaries"?

NBC Nightly News anchor Brian Williams is currently en route to Washington, DC to interview Obama from the Newseum. The full interview airs tonight on Nightly News, but excerpts will air this afternoon on MSNBC. Wolf Blitzer's interview also takes place at the Newseum will take place this afternoon in The Situation Room studio, with CNN planning to air it in parts beginning at 4pmET. But will MSNBC get the Williams interview up first?

Gentlemen, start your engines...

> Update: This just in from Wolf and the team — pieces of the interview will begin airing in the 1pmET hour. Well...that was a quick race.

With the Democratic primary still on, The NYObserver's Felix Gillette looks ahead to the general election and the Google/YouTube presidential forum announced last month and planned for New Orleans Sept. 18.

If the candidates eventually agree to participate in the forum — which is no sure thing — will Google add a TV partner? "We're looking at all sorts of options that include either forming a partnership with a network, or figuring out a way to independently produce it," said [Google communications exec. Bob] Boorstin. In the latter case, Google would likely give away the feed for free to anyone who wants it.

When contacted recently by The Observer, one TV news executive said that any network, including his own, would jump at the opportunity to co-host the New Orleans debate with Google and Co. That said, he was skeptical that the candidates would ultimately agree to add another debate (with its heavy preparation time) to their jam-packed schedules.

(jupiterimages Unlimited)