Jon Friedman Just Doesn't Get Anderson Cooper

What's Jon Friedman's belated birthday gift to the lovable Anderson Cooper? Good 'ol fashioned criticism.

Friedman isn't as crazy about the silver haired news superstar. He says that while CNN is "chock full of seasoned anchors and gritty beat reporters, especially in its Washington bureau," the network is pushing Cooper "front and center to trump them all." The critic believes Coop's likability isn't reason enough for him to be the new face of CNN. He thinks he needs more substance.

"I don't question Cooper's sincerity. I don't think he emotes strictly because he hopes to attain big ratings. But he doesn't seem to mind having it as his trademark, either."

Friedman concludes that "what matters (about a news anchor) is emoting." We disagree. Sure, in the age of reality television, it does seem like news anchors are getting more and more sensitive. But what's really always mattered most to audiences is trust, something that Cooper exudes on a daily basis.