Katie Couric saw a lot of Hillary Clinton in herself as she became the first female network news anchor.
According to the New York Daily News, which acquired a copy of the new book The News Sorority by Sheila Weller, Couric felt embattled by her colleagues at CBS News and she continued to personally identify with Clinton:
"In private, Katie—who had recently turned 50—was now beginning to actively and repeatedly compare herself to the embattled but energized Hillary Clinton."
"Katie deeply related to Hillary; she felt she was being pummeled as the first female anchor just like Clinton was being pummeled as the first major female presidential candidate," Weller wrote.
Why was Couric being pummeled at CBS News? According to Weller's sources, it was envy over her astounding $15 million salary.
"The resentment was virtually immediate," a CBS source told Weller, "People were waiting to see her disprove the reputation she arrived with. You’ve gotta be conscious of the fact that you’re making at least ten or fifteen or twenty times more than anybody on the show."
The Daily News reports that Couric didn't do much to help her image around Black Rock.
"Katie can put on a charm offensive if she wants to," the book says. "But really, she doesn’t give a s--- about you only as much as it affected her."
Instead of taking on the "real work" associated with being a managing editor, the book says, "Katie was out doing other things."
"She was being a star."
It's interesting to note that Couric so identified and felt sympathy for Clinton considering she could very well be called upon to interview and cover her anticipated presidential run next year. Last time Couric had to interview a woman who was nominated on a national ticket, she was pretty hard on her. Sarah Palin didn't receive the level of empathy it seems Couric had for Hillary. Wonder why.