Katie Couric is now the GOP's favorite news anchor.

Despite their near constant scorn of the "liberal" media, Republicans these days can't seem to get enough enough of third-ranked evening newscaster Katie Couric, whose reporting from Iraq recently seemed to give credence to White House arguments about "progress" in Iraq.

Roll Call's Heard on the Hill gossip column reported that Couric's positive assessments of Iraq, filed when the anchor spent four days reporting there, were pointed out to members of Congress as they prepared for this week's testimony from Gen. David Petraeus and Ambassador Ryan Crocker on the results of President Bush's troop surge.

"She's our sweetheart -- at least for now," an unnamed Republican told the column.

And just like that the last shred of journalistic integrity that Katie still clung to was ripped from her carefully manicured hands.