There are few shows on 24-hour cable news that I am actually able to watch. Aside from Comedy Central's "The Daily Show" and HBO's "Real Time with Bill Maher," neither of which actually fits into the category, I can watch MSNBC's "Countdown with Keith Olbermann" on a regular basis and CNN's "News Night with Aaron Brown" from time to time. Now there is a new host I can watch -- at least when Larry King is unable to perform his duties. The New York Times' Bill Carter has this to say about Larry's usual replacement, Bob Costas.

For Bob Costas, the issue was not complicated.

The longtime NBC sports and talk show host, who signed on this year to be an occasional substitute for Larry King on CNN, resisted a request last Thursday to be the host of a King program devoted to interviewing guests about the already widely covered Natalee Holloway missing-person case in Aruba.

When he could not get the show's topic changed, Mr. Costas said he respectfully decided not to participate.

"I don't believe there was a single American who was sitting around saying 'I'd really like to see Bob Costas's take on this,' " Mr. Costas said in telephone interview.

[...]

Mr. Costas, who agreed to fill in for Mr. King on 20 occasions, said that no bridges were burned by his decision to steer clear of the Holloway case. It was "completely amicable," Mr. Costas said. He is expected to continue filling in for Mr. King when his schedule allows.

For those who have yet to see Costas fill in for King, I highly recommend you trying to check him out. Costas asks tough and informed questions that keep the show interesting. He does a really great job, and I'd love to see him eventually take over for Larry -- even if that would mean giving up his posh gig over at HBO.