Presidential race coverage raises conflict issues

NPR's Norris is taking a break from "All Things Considered" until Election Day next year. She said she'll continue to report for the organization, but not on campaign news.

Prompted to take care of some "housekeeping" by ABC's "This Week" host Christiane Amanpour, commentator Will told viewers last month that his wife, Mari Maseng, had signed on to help Perry prepare for debates. He said Maseng was a longtime political professional who had worked as a campaign speechwriter for Ronald Reagan. But the website Politico wrote about her job before Will addressed it on television.

Fox's Van Susteren fought back last week after it was pointed out in news reports that during a segment on her show about Cain's campaign, she made no mention that her husband, lawyer John Coale, had offered advice to Cain.

Van Susteren wrote on her blog that Coale was not paid for any advice. She said he has many friends across party lines with whom he talks politics, including Bill and Hillary Clinton, Gingrich, Sarah Palin, John Kerry and Alexandra Pelosi, and hasn't been paid by any of them.

It's all part of living in Washington, she said.

"My critics will assume something sinister and so be it," Van Susteren wrote. "You listen to my questions and watch my interviews and you tell me whether you think they are fair or not."