Well Katie, I don’t accept the premise 42 percent of Americans consider themselves independents. Let’s go back again to a consistently asked question (since 2004) by a group represented by both conservative and liberal pollsters – the George Washington University Battleground Poll.

Question: When thinking about politics and government, do you consider yourself to be…

• Very conservative (19%)
• Somewhat conservative (40%)
• Moderate (4%)
• Somewhat liberal (26%)
• Very liberal (10%)
• Unsure/Refused to answer (2%)

That’s 59 percent of the 1,000 polled that consider themselves generally conservative. Notice that a party – Republican, Democrat, Libertarian, Green or “independent” – are not the choices.

In Couric’s recent Notebook segment (hat tip Newsbusters and Gateway Pundit), she suggests – as do some in the Republican National Committee -  the GOP simply needs to get numbers and more people registered. The problem, for those of you party big-wigs who have missed the point of the TEA parties, is that the GOP is no longer meeting the requirements of not just the very conservative base (19 percent), but they are also loosing most of the somewhat conservatives (40 percent) who are simply sick of RINOs.

They are also sick of Republicans and Democrats who play to conservative principles while in campaign mode, only to drop them when they return to the beltway.

She references “far-right conservatives [who] have hijacked the message” and being more inclusive than the “sideshows that are popping up along the party’s fringe”. We’re not sideshows Katie, and liberal attacks on Palin, Limbaugh and others are backfiring.

I guess the real poll happens this Nov. 3 and at the mid-term elections in 2010. If Republicans – hopefully conservatives – take back seats, will that gain be in despite of the sideshow fringe who have hijacked the parties message?

If the GOP really wants to increase their numbers, maybe they should start listening to Limbaugh, Palin, Levin, Vicevich, McGough and the other conservatives out there who represent 59 percent of Americans.

Here’s the historical background…

So, in my mind Katie, you’re a failure when it comes to being a evening news anchor. I guess I may have just burned a bridge that I have yet to cross, but I’ll take my chances and assume she’s not going to proceed with a hit-job piece on me.

Speaking of hit jobs, Couric encourages college graduates of the day to not be a hater, and guard against nastiness. Last week, she spoke at Class Day on the hallowed grounds of Princeton University in New Jersey. In her remarks, she showed herself to be a liberal hack as well as an anchor failure.

She starts off the speech…

It’s a tremendous honor to be part of your Class Day. When Princeton called to invite me I was thrilled. It also gave me a perfect excuse for turning down Harvard and Yale – my safety schools! And since I’ve been called a cougar lately in the tabloid press – today I’m very happy to be an honorary tiger! Coming here was a real no brainer! After all, I can see New Jersey from my house!

Nice shot at Gov. Sarah Palin, who never said that she can see Russia from her house. Couric continues.

So, I’d like to officially welcome Princeton to the 21st Century. You’ve embraced the female gender at the perfect time…because it’s been quite a year for women.

After all, a Latina has just been nominated to the Supreme Court…only the third woman in history. And I heard she graduated summa cum laude from a little school in New Jersey! Hillary Clinton was the first serious female presidential candidate and made 18 million cracks in the ultimate glass ceiling. And then of course, there’s Carrie Prejean, Miss California. No one has done more to motivate gay rights activists since Anita Bryant. [Your parents know who she is.]

Nice shot at Carrie Prejean. By the way, can you name the Miss USA 2009 pageant winner? Didn’t think so.

Concerning graduates finding a job in this economy…

There may be some opportunities in the Republican Party. They’re still looking for an effective spokesman, and the only person they can find so far is Rush Limbaugh….and he won’t take the job because he doesn’t want to give up his prescription plan.

Yeah, when all else fails, bring that up again.

Couric goes on to praise other graduates including the first lady, Michelle Obama. No jokes about her or her hubby … they are really working hard to solve your problems right now.

Couric takes shots at Donald Rumsfeld and even a couple Democrats, but then she told graduates not to do what she had just been doing, my emphasis added.

Next, don’t be a hater. Princeton has taught you to think critically, to approach things with a healthy dose of skepticism…and that’s a good thing, as Martha Stewart would say. But you really must guard against the cynicism and nastiness that are so pervasive today, particularly on the internet. It can be a wonderful, powerful and equalizing tool, but it’s also populated by haters and trolls. People think they can say or do anything online under the cloak of anonymity. Don’t get sucked in…In his book, entitled “Snark”, David Denby writes, “Snark often functions as an enforcer of mediocrity and conformity. In its cozy knowingness, snark flatters you in assuming that you get the contemptuous joke. You’ve been admitted or re-admitted to a club, but it may be a club of the second rate.”

Rise above the collegial nastiness and instead….celebrate excellence. The joy of reveling in someone else’s success is much sweeter than the bitter vitriol of sites like Juicy Campus. By the way, Juicy Campus RIP. Shutting that website down, in my view, was a huge victory for civility.

Couric’s speech was a good-portion of collegial nastiness, but note she was asked by her guests to ensure remarks were edgy. That’s fair enough – gotta have some fun – but unfortunately, Couric’s speech takes away from – in my opinion – all of the good she has done to highlight the need for colonoscopy screenings. She continues…

When my husband Jay died, I felt I needed to do something. I needed to educate Americans about colon cancer, the second leading cancer killer of men and women in this country…I needed to help them understand that this cancer can often be prevented entirely if people get screened. I didn’t want others to experience the pain my family had endured.

So, I did what any self-respecting journalist with a built in bully pulpit would do…I had a colonoscopy on national television. At one point, loopy on anesthesia, I believe I told the world that I had a pretty little colon. I was fortunate to be able to reach a large audience, and colonoscopy screenings increased by 20 percent. Researchers called it “The Couric Effect.” I think it’s the Katie and Jay effect. There are people I may never meet who are now living healthier lives…with emphasis on LIVING…simply because I helped bring colon cancer out of the closet.

And I was so gratified to be part of a team that helped organize Stand Up 2 Cancer, which raised over 100 million dollars to fund the unsung heroes of this countries…scientists who work day in a day out…without fame or big checks so many more people can live with cancer and not die from it.

So I make fun of your pitiful ratings Katie Couric, yet praise you for your efforts in fighting cancer, completely comfortable with the fact that I don’t get paid to write this stuff, and my audience quite frequently can fit on the landing of a small stairwell.

Hat tip to Drudge and CNSNews.com. Morrissey at Hot Air has more.