Favorite programs on TV, and this week's print column

My all time favorite news show is Dateline NBC. And the best series ever has to be Chris Hansen's "To Catch a Predator." Unbelievable the morons that get caught and are engaged in sexually preying on young children online.

But Dateline NBC overall has overshadowed CBS TV's 60 Minutes, which for years was the best program on TV. I could never handle that curmudgeon Andy Rooney at the end of the show -- I met him once at a conference of the National Society of Newspaper Columnists. He was an arrogant SOB. No class. Bore.

I'm not sure if the reason is Katie Couric. She was the sprite, funnygirl on NBC's Today Show. Moving to CBS is not her personality. I just don't see her as a serious journalist. Sorry. Of course, I am not that enamored with ABC's Charlie Gibson, either. Gibson is more serious. But you can't sit on a morning show and then suddenly become Walter Cronkite. I like Brian Williams and the NBC Nightly News the best. Very professional.

Anyway, this week's print column focuses on two congressional districts on the Southwest Side/suburbs, one up and one down. Rick Munoz has a great future. A Chicago alderman who symbolizes ethics and morality in much the same way as another alderman I respect, the 49th Ward's Joe Moore. Munoz will be running to succeed U.S. Rep. Luis Gutierrez, who I once was close to but now I am not -- he sold himself to the high-priced consulting whores.

And then there is Daniel Lipinski in the 3rd District, "Son of Bill." His career has blown the tires out of a vehicle I once thought was "high expectations." Very disappointing. Make sure to grab this weeks Southwest News-Herald to read the column on Page 3 ... or wait until Thursday night to read it online.

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