The root of the issue? The vice-presidential debate, where O’Donnell and Brennan took the stage not just as moderators but as unofficial fact-checkers-in-chief. Every time a candidate made a claim, especially when it came from J.D. Vance, the duo was there with a quick correction, a stat, or a snarky smile.
“It felt more like a live episode of ‘Fact-Checkers Gone Wild’ than a debate,” said one CBS insider who wished to remain anonymous. “I mean, sure, fact-checking is important, but you don’t have to treat it like a competitive sport.”
Vance, at one point, quipped that it felt like he was debating the moderators more than his opponent, a sentiment echoed by many viewers who noticed the relentless interruptions.
“You could tell Vance was trying to speak, but every time he said something, Norah or Margaret would swoop in like a hawk with a fact-check ready to drop,” commented one Twitter user. “It was like a game show where the prize was getting through a sentence without being corrected.”
When news broke that CBS had fired O’Donnell and Brennan, the media world was stunned. These were not just any moderators—these were seasoned journalists who had spent years building up their careers. O’Donnell, the anchor of CBS Evening News, and Brennan, host of Face the Nation, are well-known faces on the network and respected across the political spectrum. But it seems their performance during the debate was a step too far, even for CBS.
“We’ve always valued journalistic integrity,” said an unnamed CBS executive in an off-the-record conversation. “But there’s a fine line between moderating and micromanaging, and we believe our moderators may have crossed that line during the debate.”
