Charlie's Angles

"I think Diane, fairly or unfairly to Katie, will be afforded an acceptance and support from the, quote, journalistic community that maybe Katie wasn't." Outgoing ABC "World News Tonight" anchor Charlie Gibson in a Wash Post Howard Kurtz PR piece spun to dismiss chatter that Gibson and Sawyer hate each other.

But then he turns around and bitchslaps his successor:  "I don't like the term star power, but she'll bring a buzz and an attention to this program that I could not. "That will bring a lot of people in the tent. But do you keep them?"

Diane lamely claimed she was "gobsmacked" (utterly astounded) when Charlie announced his "retirement."

Who among you believes that?  Read between the lines.  Charlie's taking shots all through Howard's piece. Charlie's last day is Friday December 18th. His parting shot is an Obama interview Wednesday.  Diane takes over Monday the 21st.