Aaron Brown is speaking for the first time about his abrupt departure from CNN and the general cable news business to E&P .

Couple of choice bits.

But in a competitive race, Fox knows exactly what its audience wants. It's been one of the most remarkable things I've ever seen in television: no matter what the story is, no matter what the circumstances are, if it's not what the audience wants, they will walk away from the story."

He cites examples.

Immediately after Hurricane Katrina, Fox's reporting was terrific, Brown said. He specifically mentioned Shep Smith's reports. And then...

"In my mind, when it became clear that the story had become the incompetence of the administration, that did not fit their view, so they walked away. They pulled troops out," Brown said.

I miss his show.