Time to wave bye-bye to Norah O’Donnell. The CBS Evening News anchor’s final show will be Thursday. So as is customary here at NewsBusters — whenever a longtime left-leaning host departs their program or network — we like to show them the door with a reminder of their most biased moments.
O’Donnell (who began her run in the anchor chair in July 2019) most recently inserted herself in the 2024 campaign. NewsBusters readers will remember when she and her colleague Margaret Brennan tag-teamed against J.D. Vance, as they live fact-checked him in the Vice Presidential debate.
After the first attempt on President Donald Trump’s life O’Donnell actually blamed Trump’s “rhetoric” for the attack as she questioned: “The rhetoric’s gotten hotter….Does Donald Trump bear some responsibility for that? Does he need to change his rhetoric?”
The following are just a few of O’Donnell’s worst hits against conservatives and suck-ups to progressives since 2019:
After First Trump Shooting, O’Donnell Presses: Does He Need to Change His “Rhetoric?”
“It’s almost like the rhetoric’s gotten hotter since then [Jan.6]….Does Donald Trump bear some responsibility for that? Does he need to change his rhetoric?...Did you say that to Donald Trump today? Did you say, look, we need to think about the kind of rhetoric we have here? We can set a standard here.””
— CBS Evening News anchor Norah O’Donnell to Rep. Kevin McCarthy on live coverage of President Joe Biden’s remarks on the first assassination attempt on Donald Trump, July 14, 2024.
Trump “Castrates the Facts”
“The President of the United States castrating the facts of the election results that have been reported tonight, falsely claiming that he has won the election and disenfranchising millions of voters whose ballots have not been counted sadly because of the raging pandemic and the failures of the administration to contain the pandemic.”
— CBS Evening News anchor Norah O’Donnell on CBS News 2020: Election Night — America Decides, election night/early morning coverage November 4, 2020 EST.
RNC Fireworks Leaves O’Donnell Despondent
“This is an extraordinary thing to — to see this in Washington as the fireworks that spell out ‘Trump’ on government land. There are some things the President said tonight that deserve some clarification. John Dickerson, it took more than half an hour before the President addressed the pandemic that has claimed 180,000 lives and infected more than five million Americans.”
— CBS Evening News anchor Norah O’Donnell on CBS News: 2020 America Decides: Republican Convention, August 27, 2020.
Time to Celebrate the Pandemic! It Led to “Cleaner Air and Cleaner Water”
“Tonight, we mark the 50th anniversary of Earth Day. There were supposed to be big celebrations around the world, but instead, people are celebrating inside and they’re celebrating cleaner air and cleaner water.”
— Anchor Norah O’Donnell on CBS Evening News, April 22, 2020.
Lobbing Softball to Liz
“You have been known as a champion for the middle class. Why have you made that your calling?”
— Co-host Norah O’Donnell to Senator Elizabeth Warren on CBS This Morning, April 22, 2014.
“Uncle Joe” Talking About America’s “Core Values”
“He’s [Joe Biden] really talking about the core values of this nation are at stake. I mean, he comes with a wealth of background and to take him on are what, essentially are issues like character....But apart from these [endorsements], this is Uncle Joe. You know? Regular Joe from Scranton, Pennsylvania and the rust belt states and the white working class voters that Democrats lost in the last election.”
— Co-host Norah O’Donnell on CBS This Morning, April 25, 2019.
“You always remember the person....that comes to your family member or friend’s funeral or calls you. And that’s what a lot of people say about Joe Biden, is that he’s that first person who calls and shows up at a family member’s funeral.”
— Co-host Norah O’Donnell on CBS This Morning, April 4, 2019.
Should “Dangerous” Trump Be Removed from Office?
“If he is dangerous to democracy, as you say, should he be removed from office?”
— Co-host Norah O’Donnell question to Sen. Jeff Flake on CBS This Morning, October 25, 2017.
Norah’s Plea: Can Anything Be Done to “Stop” Brett Kavanaugh?
“We know that if Brett Kavanaugh is confirmed, this will shift the balance of power on the Supreme Court for decades to come. Republicans control the majority. Is there anything you can do to stop this nomination?”
— Co-anchor Norah O’Donnell’s question to Democratic Senator Chuck Schumer as aired on CBS This Morning, July 10, 2018.
