Norah O'Donnell's Most Controversial Moments

CBS News anchor Norah O'Donnell has quite a monumental gig coming up: she'll be moderating Tuesday's vice presidential debate alongside Margaret Brennan of "Face the Nation." On October 1, Democratic Minnesota Governor Tim Walz will debate Republican Senator JD Vance as the pair of vice presidential candidates inches ahead of election day. Clearly moderating this debate is of the utmost importance, so it's no surprise that O'Donnell was chosen. She has been a journalist for almost three decades, and during that time, she has taken home Emmy Awards, an Edward R. Murrow Award, and more. This is the eighth election she's covered over the course of her career. Still, just because O'Donnell is qualified to moderate the debate on paper, that doesn't mean that her career has been without controversial moments.

O'Donnell has had a long career in the spotlight, and consequently, she has had a few run-ins with controversy over time. Some things that have landed O'Donnell's name in the news, rather than sharing the news, have never been officially confirmed and could just be rumors. Still, enough gossip has surrounded the anchor over the years, suggesting that there may be some truth to what sources have said goes on behind the scenes.

When it comes to the world of news, the 2024 presidential election is clearly a major focus. But once the election is over, Norah O'Donnell will be leaving "CBS Evening News" to take over as a senior correspondent. This move comes two years after a source told the New York Post that O'Donnell's allegedly toxic behavior may have her on the chopping block. 

The source likened O'Donnell's behavior to that of Meryl Streep's famous abusive boss character in "The Devil Wears Prada," explaining, "There was an incident last year in the studio where she ranted about how her bronzer was wrong ... We are in the middle of a pandemic and people are dying." According to other sources, the anchor required a dress rehearsal before each episode of the news, which is uncommon for anchors. They noted that she was prone to meltdowns, often having to do with O'Donnell's costuming, hair, and makeup. These would occasionally result in crying staff members. Her wardrobe was said to cost a whopping $65,000 annually, due in part to her commitment to certain designers, and other accusations of diva-like behavior poured in. 

However, it is unclear if this alleged toxic conduct had anything to do with her ultimately leaving the show. Her publicist also vehemently denied the claims.

The rumors of Norah O'Donnell's bad attitude toward folks on set hasn't been the only gossip about her not getting along with her coworkers. In 2023, rumors swirled that O'Donnell and "CBS Mornings" co-anchor Gayle King were in the midst of a feud. When former CBS News President Neeraj Khemlani stepped down after his own accusations of being difficult to work with, a source told Radar that O'Donnell and King "both see this as an opportunity to become the undisputed queen of CBS News."

According to the source, both O'Donnell and King took the opportunity of positions shifting around seriously, each hoping to climb the ladder higher than the other. They added that the journalists were trying to outwit each other while "stabbing each other in the back whenever they can!" This came a few years after it was announced that O'Donnell would be taking over on "The CBS Evening News," which prompted another slew of rumors about her and King feuding. 

As the rumors swirled in 2019, O'Donnell denied any bad blood, even calling King her "work BFF" in an interview with Extra. "I am the luckiest person to work with Gayle King," she explained, adding, "Gayle King has made me a better journalist, a better person, and a better mother ... She's not just my work BFF, she is also my therapist."

Back in 2019, "CBS Evening News" was covering a story about Placido Domingo, an opera singer who was accused of sexual harassment by multiple people. As the news segment about the allegations against Domingo came to a close, the show quoted the singer's statement, which explained that he believed all of the relations his accusers recalled were consensual, per NBC News. Norah O'Donnell, apparently not realizing that her microphone was on, allegedly muttered, "Sounds like somebody else here."

It was unclear exactly what O'Donnell was saying or to whom she was referring, but in any event, the segment was removed from the CBS website. If O'Donnell was, as it appeared, likening Domingo's defense against sexual misconduct allegations to someone who worked at CBS, there were a few people about whom she easily could have been talking. She had previously hosted "CBS This Morning" with Charlie Rose, who was fired two years prior for sexual harassment allegations. In 2018, former CBS CEO Les Moonves left his role after he faced similar accusations.

If you or anyone you know has been a victim of sexual assault, help is available. Visit the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network website or contact RAINN's National Helpline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673).