If I were Anderson Cooper, I would enjoy a very brief honeymoon period over this and I use the word loosely, promotion.

If network brass are capable and eager to oust a respected and prominent anchor like Aaron Brown, does Cooper, Zahn, or anyone else have a secure future on network television? The answer is a resounding, NO.

Network television is very much like the fashion industry, what is the flavor du jour is not necessarily the flavor of choice tomorrow.

We are no longer reside in the era of true journalism. We have entered an embarrassing pantheon of photo journalism. Edward R. Murrow was hardly a photogenic icon, heck, he used to smoke on the air. For that matter, neither was Cronkite, Severeid, Brinkley, Reasoner, Downs, you get the picture.

The on-air personas today have to look like a particular type of runway model first and report news secondly. After all, the demographic is what these changes are all about; well that and the income of said demographic.

This is not to disparage younger news anchors or reporters. The truth of the matter is, the priority in television journalism today is looks, then, ability. I think, I may just stick to my papers or even the radio.

I'm going to get hammered for this letter by some, but, that goes with the territory of opinion.

We Americans are obsessed with celebrity and celebrity drama. Why? Well, it�s sort of nice to see pretty, rich and seemingly unapproachable people have a tough time or two, makes us feel better about ourselves. Now, don�t let�s get our Prada bag in a knot; it�s true.

Let�s me ask you a very honest question and answer honestly. Would you care about the triangle of Jennifer-Brad-Angelina if these people weren�t who they are? If the three people were factory workers, blue collar people, people who are invisible in society and do not have their lives open for public scrutiny and perusal, the question beckons, would we care? No, we would not. Why? Because we have a streak in most of us that likes to see those we perceive as beautiful, successful and highly public personas, unattainable to most of us in the secular world, to, if not fall, slip a bit in murky waters. We also love victims.

When Bill Clinton came clean about his involvement with Monica Lewinsky, we vilified Bill, at least for awhile and felt for Hillary and Chelsea. Victimization=Drama. If you add causes c�l�bres, add water, mix and you have stories galore for endless articles and tidbits about the tormented lives of beautiful people.

The beautiful sweetheart of America, a Friend for heaven�s sake, Jennifer Aniston, was victimized by two of her own, the beautiful, highly publicity seeking disadvantaged child adopting and rich Angelina and the very hunky mega watt star, Brad. This is the stuff Lifetime movies are made of.

We love this stuff. We love hearing about it, we love reading about it and we don�t like it to end because we feel better about ourselves. We feel better knowing that people living under the publicity machines veneer of perfection are, upon closer inspection, flawed. Good heavens, people like Dominick Dunne has made careers of dropping names and revealing the acerbic truths of society�s mainstays. The tabloids and tabloid television. Good grief, where would they be without scandals to report and what would we do without them to read and hear and watch?

So let�s really ask not why are we fixated by Jennifer, but we are we really fixated on celeb gossip? By the way, are Angelina and Brad an item? I need to know. I have to go now folks, I need to go get the Enquirer.

Today we're sadly reading about Rep. Duke Cunningham having taken bribes in California.

This has nothing to do with Republicans, Democrats, the Christian Coalition, or, any other factor. I've read many items on several blogs and boards on how people are disgruntled over the fact the Clintons may have done worse, this is a witch hunt against Republicans, that Democrats are furthering an agenda, etc., etc., etc.

The bottom line is this - Mr. Cunningham, the individual, committed crimes. He committed crimes and broke the public trust. When this happens the system fails completely. Mr. Cunningham's actions have nothing to do with any political party affiliation, religious sector, conservative or liberal beliefs. These crimes were committed by an individual to enrich himself and used his public office to do so. Let's keep this in perspective.

Mr. Cunningham is the type of politician most of us should fear. Any unscrupulous person in a position of power is subject to hurting the disadvantaged, or, any persons who cannot enrich him. As a result, it is the disadvantaged constituent who always suffers at a politico like this. This is a severe consequence of an unscrupulous power player.

We can never fully insure against this type of behavior in politics, but it is necessary to have the necessary watchdogs in place to make sure people in such lofty positions do not begin to form a God complex. Again and I repeat, this whole matter is not about religion, political party affiliation or any outside or other factor, this is about greed and avarice.