Talk about your long and winding roads, let alone product placement. The U.S. Supreme Court won't allow cameras to cover Friday's historic arguments by lawyers representing candidates George W. Bush and Al Gore. It will, however, release audiotapes of the proceedings, which the networks can play and replay at will after the scheduled 90-minute hearing concludes. Viewers with insatiable appetites for this post-Election Day fight for the White House have nowhere to turn but cable. Viewers are informed hours ahead of time that a candidate, court official or campaign spokesman will be making a televised appearance or statement.
Reporters file constant live dispatches from outside the candidates' residences.
Mr. Bush invariably is heading to or coming from a workout. Mr. Gore seems to be less a creature of habit, but lately has made himself more accessible to interviewers than even Sen. Arlen Specter. No one, of course, would dream of turning Mr. Gore or Mr. Bush down. The airwaves have been theirs for the asking, with just one notable exception. Mr. Bush's live post-Florida certification address to the nation Sunday, which lasted less than five minutes, wasn't deemed big enough for NBC to interrupt its precious broadcast TV premiere of Titanic .