RATHER REPLACEMENT PREDICTION

APPOINTMENTS OFTEN SURPRISE. WHOODA THUNK THAT CHERTOFF WOULDA BEEN PICKED FOR DHS? NO ONE.

In that spirit, I predict that Moonves will select LESLEY STAHL to replace Dan Rather.

She has a more impressive CV than John Roberts or Scott Pelli (the two most often cited as potential Rather replacements by the Old Media), and she has more gravitas, and a higher Q rating (more of the public knows who she is). PLUS: she's a woman - which will help CBS create some product differentiation without subverting the product or the brand (since she is a respected reporter/moderator/host and an old CBS hand).

DOWNSIDE: She's older than Roberts and Pelli; (she was born in 1941). BUT - (IMHO) - the younger male wannabes - Roberts and Pelli - would NOT NECESSARILY attract a younger demographic; no anchor will (unless Moonves selects Carson Daly or Howard Stern!). She's young enough to anchor for the next 5-10 years - and that's EONS in the media game! So I say, Moonves will let the kid Brian Williams scramble for the relatively small youngish demographic (which barely watches TV news, anyhow), and try to "OUT-GRAVITAS" both NBC, AND the soon-to-be Jenning-less ABC, by going with the experienced, trustworthy and well-known Stahl.