As TVNewser first reported on Friday, CNN is mulling a return of “Crossfire,” the long-running political debate show that was canceled in 2005. It isn’t entirely clear when (or if) CNN will give the official go-ahead, and who would be involved in the new program, although we hear CNN’s current political contributor lineup would likely fill the roles.

That said, The Huffington Post’s Michael Calderone spoke to a number of former “Crossfire” hosts, and all agreed that bringing the show back is a good idea. They also took issue with the comments made by Jon Stewart on the program, when he said it was “Hurting America.”

“In a city that’s run with interest groups and lobbyists and gerrymandering, and money and everything else, the idea that somehow or another the whole thing was brought down from 4 to 4:30 Eastern on CNN is completely asinine,” said James Carville, a Democratic strategist and former “Crossfire” co-host who recently left the network.

“There are a lot of things that contribute to the problems in this country,” Carville added. “’Crossfire’ wasn’t one of them.”

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Politico’s Mackenzie Weinger profiles liberal radio host and Current TV talent Bill Press.

And now that he’s on Current TV, even with its small share of viewers, Press said he sees an opportunity for his brand to really flourish.
Current TV’s executive vice president of programming Shelley Lewis said Press “was one of the first people we thought of when we were ready to expand our programming line up.”

“The fact that he gave us a high-profile presence in Washington was a factor. But there are lots of people doing radio or TV shows in Washington,” Lewis said. “Bill is a standout — he’s so smart, so connected, so passionately progressive and so much fun to listen to and watch.”

One of the big challenges facing Press (and Current TV) is that the liberal networks has failed to attract any sort of meaningful viewership since the departure of Keith Olbermann.

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• Our sister blog FishbowlLA speaks to Current TV hosts Bill Press and Stephanie Miller about he cabler’s morning lineup. “At the time, Imus didn’t have a huge following nationwide, but he did in D.C.,” Press said. “In a sense, Bohrman is attempting to repeat his experiences at MSNBC with this Current morning block.”

• C-SPAN, which always has the most comprehensive convention coverage of any cable news channel, is going big for this year’s DNC and RNC, beyond just the gavel-to gavel coverage it is known for. “Washington Journal” and “Newsmakers” will originate from Tampa and Charlotte, with additional coverage of the party platforms draftings, and other events in town.

• The Weather Channel announced a number of new programs and initiatives during the Television Critics Association Summer press tour in Los Angeles. The biggest is the series “Tipping Points,” which will tackle climate change and its effects ion the environment head-on. The 60-minute series will debut on The Weatehr Channel in October, 2013.

Bill Press‘ remarks earlier this week calling the National Anthem “an abomination” have ignited a war of words between the Current TV host and Fox News. On Wednesday, Sean Hannity said he’d pay for a private jet to fly Press out of the country as long as Press promised “not to come back,” while FNC contributor Michelle Malkin said on “Fox & Friends” that Press hasn’t been relevant “since Bill Clinton was in office.”

“They’re very good at the name calling, aren’t they? I mean, communist, socialist, fascist — they don’t even know what the words mean — they just throw them out there,” Press responded on Cenk Uygur‘s Current TV show yesterday night. “If they like the Star Spangled Banner so much then let’s start with Bill O’Reilly. He can sing it. Sing it, right now. All four verses.” Watch:

Last night on Fox News, Sean Hannity‘s “Great American Panel” took on Current TV’s Bill Press for remarks he made yesterday calling the National Anthem “an abomination” and saying he is “embarrassed every time I hear it.”

The entire panel, including Democratic pollster Doug Schoen, disagreed with Press’ statement, with Hannity concluding that Press just “wants attention.”

“I’ll buy him a plane ticket anywhere else he’d like go to in this world,” panelist Leann Tweeden said.

“I’ll take it a step further. We’ll get him a private jet,” Hannity responded. “I’ll pay for it. But he’s got to promise not to come back.”

Press’ remarks were also the topic of a segment with FNC contributor Michelle Malkin on “Fox & Friends” this morning. “We are so lucky to live in this amazing country and let’s say and sing these words with dignity,” Gretchen Carlson said.

On his radio show, which is simulcast on Current TV, former CNN and MSNBC host Bill Press reiterated his dislike of the National Anthem.

“It is a major crusade of mine to get rid of the Star-Spangled Banner,” said Press. “Now I know you’re going to say I am not a true American I’m not patriotic. I don’t think patriotism has anything to do with it. The National Anthem is just absolutely monumentally un-singable. I mean there’s so much wrong with it. I don’t know where to start.”

“It’s an abomination.”

Our sister blog FishbowlDC was in the studio yesterday, as radio host Bill Press began simulcasting his program on Current TV.

An excerpt:

Press is hitting a range of lefty notes today. He’s asking viewers about former Veep Dick Cheney‘s heart transplant. His big question: “Would you want your heart going to Dick Cheney?” Press reassured his viewers and listeners that he doesn’t wish the man harm. “I’m not saying we should let him die,” he says. But he adds, “People in their seventies. Are they the ones who should be getting new hearts? I would say no, I want it to go to someone younger. Dick Cheney has had a long life, not a good life.” Another topic: the hoodies. He’s incorporating a lot of chatter about the Martin killing, including time to rag on FNC’s Geraldo Rivera for saying that hoodies are as responsible for Martin’s death as George Zimmerman.

Check out the entire piece at FishbowlDC, here.

• CBS News correspondent Norah O’Donnell is one of Elle’s “10 Most Powerful Women in DC.” “‘The more I think about it, the more convinced I am that Norah O’Donnell’s departure…may be the biggest defection NBC has endured in nearly two decades,’ wrote one wonk”

• FNC’s Bret Baier talks to Michigan Avenue about tonight’s Illinois primary, as well as who his mentors were in television: “My mentor Brit Hume was always someone I looked up to. I also looked up to Tim Russert in the way he conducted interviews and the preparation and effort he put into all of his interviews on Meet the Press.”

• Current TV’s new morning lineup will debut Monday, March 26 at 6 AM. The new lineup features simulcasts of radio programs hosted by Bill Press and Stephanie Miller. In addition, Current will break into the programs at the top of every hour to provide two-minute political news breaks.

Current TV is finally getting into the morning TV game, adding simulcasts of radio programs “The Bill Press Show” and The Stephanie Miller Show.”

The shows will start simulcasting in the Spring, with Press airing from 6-9AM and Miller from 9AM-12PM. The new shows will add six hours of original programming to Current’s lineup, effectively doubling it. At the moment the network has original programming from 7-10PM.

Press regularly fills in as a guest host on “Countdown,” and Miller appears on Current with some regularity.

In a statement, both Press and Current TV president David Bohrman took aim squarely at MSNBC’s “Morning Joe,” which has been a centerpiece of Current TV’s criticism of that network:

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Primary season continues as voters head to the polls in Florida today, and the broadcast and cable networks have scheduled special coverage for the election results tonight.

CNN’s coverage, hosted by Wolf Blitzer, Anderson Cooper, Erin Burnett and John King, kicks off at 7pmET. Cooper will host a live “AC360″ at 10pmET, followed by a live “Piers Morgan Tonight” at midnight.

On MSNBC, Rachel Maddow will anchor coverage beginning at 6pmET. She will be joined by Chris Matthews, who will host “Hardball” from Miami today, Al Sharpton, Ed Schultz and Lawrence O’Donnell.

Megyn Kelly and Bret Baier are at the anchor desk on Fox News from 8-11pmET. Sean Hannity takes over at 11pm, followed by a live “On the Record with Greta Van Susteren” at midnight.

The broadcast networks will offer special reports as the results come in. Brian Williams will anchor on NBC. Scott Pelley will anchor from Florida on CBS. On ABC, Diane Sawyer and George Stephanopoulos will anchor special reports together. On PBS, “NewsHour” will broadcast a live primary special at 11pmET, co-anchored by Gwen Ifill and Judy Woodruff.

Elsewhere on cable:

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