The public tribulations of CBS News continue to unfold. The Wall Street Journal reported today that Evening News anchor Katie Couric will retire after the presidential election due to tepid ratings — two years before her $15 million-a-year contract runs out in 2011. Some say she'll take over on CNN for Larry King, who is 74 and facing the end of his own contract in 2009.

CBS and Couric blithely deny the rumors, though.

"We are very proud of the 'CBS Evening News,' particularly our political coverage, and we have no plans for any changes regarding Katie or the broadcast," the network said in a statement.

Miss Couric, in her own missive, said she was simply "working hard and having fun."

But just reported: Manhattan Judicial Hearing Officer Ira Gammerman has filed a motion to dismiss a portion of the $70 million lawsuit former CBS anchor Dan Rather filed against CBS top brass Les Moonves, Andrew Heyward and Sumner Redstone last year. His suit against CBS and parent company Viacom will go forward, however. Mr. Rather was forced to resign after producing a report for "60 Minutes" in 2004 based on falsified documents claiming President Bush compromised his Vietnam era military service.

The veteran newsman has since migrated to HDTV, an online broadcast enterprise — and today announced his own scoop, proof that veteran newsmen don't fade away easily. He has snagged an exclusive with Sen. Barack Obama, to air April 15.

"There's no doubt that sometimes this is a grind," the Illinois Democrat says in the one-on-one interview. "Every time I start feeling sorry for myself, I'm reminded of the troops who are on 15-month rotations in Baghdad. What I'm going through is nothing like what they're going through."

— Jennifer Harper, National reporter, The Washington Times