The "CBS Evening News" anchor, a guest on last night's "Late Show," was grilled -- sort of -- by Letterman on whether she'll stay at CBS once her $15 million-a-year contract expires in early June.
"I have no idea, actually," Couric said, hesitating.
"So that means, theoretically, you could actually leave the network? You can't leave the network, could you?" Letterman asked half-seriously.
"I'm figuring out what I want to do," Couric replied. "I'm in the process of figuring it out."
"Once you take the anchor chair, that's what you do," Letterman shot back. "It's not like a temporary gig."
"Five years isn't too temporary," Couric replied.
Letterman then rattled off the names of several anchors -- Walter Cronkite, Tom Brokaw, Peter Jennings -- who stayed in their network anchor chairs for years.
"They get in, they saddle up and they ride into the sunset. Into the sunset!" he said.
"I love doing the 'Evening News.' I'm really proud of it," Couric said.
"You can't leave. There's a period of adjustment to get accustomed . . . to build up faith in the character of the person presenting the news," Letterman said.
"OK. OK, Dave," Couric said, laughing.
