Couric: "It's a long, painful, arduous process."

I know I joked about her a little earlier, but I am totally impressed with CBS's Katie Couric and her reporting from the warzone. You go girl! A few quotes via the Washington Post:

• In a phone conversation Sunday from Baghdad, Couric said she better understands the frustrations facing U.S. troops but believes it is unrealistic for Americans to expect "instant results" from Bush's military surge.


• "I said, 'Some people think this is a dog-and-pony show while the rest of Iraq remains a nightmare,' " said a tired-sounding Couric, recounting her conversation with Petraeus. "He said, 'Yup, that's true, but does that mean we shouldn't show you where things are going well?' "


• Dismissing detractors who say she is concerned mainly with promoting her third-place newscast ...she said: "There's going to be criticism if I wear a white blouse. It's all about the work for me."


• Earlier in the trip, after talking with Iraqi families, Couric said she was struck by "the daily challenges of survival," especially the lack of sustained electricity and clean water.


• "The soldiers have their doubts, but I also think they're very committed. One of them said: 'We can't leave our Iraqi friends high and dry. It would be disastrous.' "

This really means alot, I think, her coming here and reporting the truth, which will now be spread among a vaster audience than the Internet. To paraphrase Lyndon Johnson "If Bush has won Katie Couric, then he's won Middle America"!