final address to the nation before hostilities began. Across the next four weeks more than 200 hours of live coverage was aired. Prior to this, Kaplan was a teaching fellow at the Shorenstein Center of Harvard University's John F. Kennedy School of Government. He spent the next two years lecturing there and at a number of universities across the country. MSNBC (2004–2006) Kaplan was named President of MSNBC in February 2004. During his tenure ratings for virtually every hour of the program day rose double digit numbers 24% in daytime, 27% in primetime and across 2005-2006 grew 67% in audience share. He developed new programs such as The Most with Alison Stewart, Rita Cosby: Live & Direct and The Situation with Tucker Carlson. Kaplan worked to define existing programming such as Hardball with Chris Matthews and Countdown with Keith Olbermann to capture their highest ratings in history. He is credited with stabilizing the previously volatile MSNBC schedule, improving daily news coverage and the better coordination of the cable-broadcast network news assets. He also produced major news events including Election Night 2004 and A Concert for Hurricane Relief. CBS News (2007–2011) Kaplan was named executive producer of the CBS Evening News with Katie Couric in March 2007. In revamping this evening newscast he produced multiple hours of special political and election coverage which included series such as Primary Questions and Presidential Questions, which gave viewers a chance to hear all the candidates answer a series of character and life questions and hear those answers in the same broadcast. He also planned and produced extensive issue reports acclaimed for their depth of content, and a series of candidate interviews which included the game changing Katie Couric interviews with Sarah Palin. Kaplan was the executive producer responsible for all aspects and production of the 2008 Political Conventions in Denver and Minneapolis, 2008 Election Night and the 2009 Inauguration of Barack Obama. He also produced coverage of the shootings at Virginia Tech and the decisions at the conclusion of the rape case at Duke. In Spring 2007 he moved the broadcast to Baghdad and Damascus for a week of programs which took a first look at the progress made by the "surge" and originated from across the country. The program then proceeded to Syria and was highlighted by an interview with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. Kaplan was named interim executive producer of The Early