On Monday’s CBS Mornings, the A-block ended with co-host Tony Dokoupil showing anger, emotion, and exhaustion at Hamas’s reign of terror attacks Saturday slaughtering hundreds of innocent Israelis as, for those unaware, two of Dokoupil’s four children live in Israel with his ex-wife (and the other two in U.S. with him alongside current wife, MSNBC anchor Katy Tur).
“Look, this has been a very long weekend, it’s been a very tough situation. First of all, I should say thank you to everybody, our colleagues, friends who reached out to ask how I’m doing, how my family’s doing. I heard from a lot of people online as well. It’s tough,” Dokoupil began, noting hid kids in Israel are 11 and 14 years old and “are safe.”
Nonetheless, it’s been agonizing for him: “[B]ut just as a father, I think people can understand if somebody — anybody is firing rockets in the direction of your children without regard to whether they are struck or not, you’re going to feel a thing or two, so it’s been a roller coaster weekend.”
Asked by co-host Gayle King if he had talked to them, Dokoupil responded that not only has he spoken to them, but he did so “as the sirens went off the first time, but the rockets are just step one”.
Dokoupil shared that he’s “been sad and angry and disgusted to see the news” with “the direct, close range murder of more than 700 civilians in their cars, in their homes at a festival and then the kidnappings and then the hostage taking and then the evidence of rape.”
The CBS co-host then made the crucial point that “I think there’s enough moral clarity in the world to say that this is wrong” and “terrorism and if it’s being done in your name, speak up, speak up.”
“I’m also heartbroken for the innocent people who are in Gaza and their children, and what will happen to them in the days ahead and I’m — I’m disappointed and frustrated...I am disappointed that 75 years after the United Nations and the world said Jews, Arabs live in peace. Divide up the land, two countries, the two people have been unable to do so,” he added.
He continued, fretting that “now it’s my kids” and “other people’s kids” who have to “li[e] through war and terror and trauma.”
Asked by King to explain Hamas and their motivations, Dokoupil spoke the truth:
Hamas is a terror organization according to every major government in the world. have committed suicide bombings, cafe bombings, bus bombings, and we just saw there militants kill hundreds of people at close range. What will they do with the hostages? I don’t know. But look at their history. There’s a clear answer here and understandable fear on behalf of the Israelis.
Before they had to cut to a local weather update, King said she “wasn’t sure you’re going to be at work today,” but Dokoupil said there was no doubt in his mind: “I had to be at work here today, but I also just wanted to be clear with our viewers that I — I come to this fairly and as a journalist but I’m also father. And you can’t separate those two at a certain point.”
To see the relevant transcript from October 9, click “expand.”
CBS Mornings
October 9, 2023
7:16 a.m. EasternTONY DOKOUPIL: Look, this has been a very long weekend, it’s been a very tough situation.
GAYLE KING: I’ll bet.
DOKOUPIL: First of all, I should say thank you to everybody, our colleagues, friends who reached out to ask how I’m doing, how my family’s doing. I heard from a lot of people online as well. It’s tough. I have an 11-year-old and a 14-year-old who live in Israel. They live there with their mother, my ex-wife. They are safe, but just as a father, I think people can understand if somebody — anybody is firing rockets in the direction of your children without regard to whether they are struck or not, you’re going to feel a thing or two, so it’s been a roller coaster weekend.
KING: Have you been able to talk to them? I was wondering, too.
DOKOUPIL: I’ve talked to them as the sirens went off the first time, but the rockets are just step one. I mean, that’s the beginning of it.
NATE BURLESON: Yeah.
DOKOUPIL: I’ve been sad and angry —
KING: Mmhmm.
DOKOUPIL: — and disgusted to see the news that unfolded in the 48 hours since. We’re talking about the direct, close range murder of more than 700 civilians —
KING: Mmhmm.
DOKOUPIL: — in their cars, in their homes —
KING: Mmhmm.
DOKOUPIL: — at a festival —
KING: Mmhmm.
BURLESON: Mmhmm.
DOKOUPIL: — and then the kidnappings and then the hostage taking and then the evidence of rape and I think there’s enough moral clarity in the world to say that this is wrong.
BURLESON: Mmhmm.
DOKOUPIL: It’s terrorism and if it’s being done in your name —
KING: Mmhmm. Mmhmm.
DOKOUPIL: — speak up, speak up. I’m also heartbroken for the innocent people who are in Gaza and their children, and what will happen to them in the days ahead and I’m — I’m disappointed and frustrated that 75 years, Gayle, you asked how did it come to this?
KING: Yeah. Yeah.
DOKOUPIL: I am disappointed that 75 years after the United Nations and the world said Jews, Arabs live in peace. Divide up the land, two countries, the two people have been unable to do so.
KING: Yeah.
DOKOUPIL: And so three generations now, I’ve been living through war and terror and trauma. And now it’s my kids, it’s other people’s kids.
KING: Yeah.
DOKOUPIL: What’s the solution here? What now?
KING: Help — help me understand about the hostages. They take the hostages and what is going to happen? We heard the experts say — the former intelligence that don’t be surprised if they start killing hostages on television.
BURLESON: On camera.
KING: Do you see that happening?
DOKOUPIL: Hamas is a terror organization according to every major government in the world.
KING: Yeah.
DOKOUPIL: They have committed suicide bombings, cafe bombings, bus bombings, and we just saw there militants kill hundreds of people at close range. What will they do with the hostages? I don’t know. But look at their history. There’s a clear answer here and understandable fear —
BURLESON: Yeah.
DOKOUPIL: — on behalf of the Israelis.
KING: And Tony, neither side is backing down, but I reached out to you because I was wondering how you’re functioning. I wasn’t sure you’re going to be at work today.
BURLESON: Yeah.
DOKOUPIL: I had to be at work here today —
KING: Have you been able to talk to them?
DOKOUPIL: — but I also —
KING: Yeah.
DOKOUPIL — just wanted to be clear with our viewers that I — I come to this fairly and as a journalist —
KING: Yeah.
DOKOUPIL: — but I’m also father.
KING: Right, right, right.
BURLESON: Also a father.
DOKOUPIL: And you can’t separate those two at a certain point.
BURLESON: Yes.
KING: And you shouldn’t separate them.
BURLESON: Thank you for sharing that, Tony.
