The claim: CBS fired vice presidential debate moderators
An Oct. 6 Facebook post ( direct link , archive link ) includes side-by-side images of CBS journalists Norah O’Donnell and Margaret Brennan.
“CBS Officially Fires Debate Moderators Norah O’Donnell and Margaret Brennan: Disgrace Cannot Be Allowed to Remain on Our Network,” reads the caption on the post.
Other versions of the claim spread widely on Facebook and Threads .
More from the Fact-Check Team: How we pick and research claims | Email newsletter | Facebook page
Our rating: False
The claim is baseless. Both women remained listed as CBS employees and have appeared on the network since the post was made. The claim originated on a satirical website.
Outlet that published claim says 'nothing on this website is real'
O’Donnell and Brennan moderated the Oct. 1 vice presidential debate between Ohio Sen. JD Vance, the Republican nominee, and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, the Democratic nominee. At one point during the event, Vance clashed with Brennan after she fact-checked the senator’s misleading claims about Haitian immigrants in Ohio. Vance protested what he deemed a violation of the debate’s fact-check rules and continued speaking as Walz jumped in, at which point both nominees’ mics were muted .
But the claim that Brennan and O’Donnell have been fired since the debate is baseless.
Live fact check: Vice presidential debate fact check: What Tim Walz, JD Vance got right (and wrong)
The link in the first comment of the post takes users to an article that first appeared Oct. 3 on SpaceXMania.com , a satirical outlet that notes “Nothing on this website is real.” The article includes a satire label at the top.
The article includes several details that further demonstrate its lack of legitimacy, including a claim that the debate included a live audience and an assertion that Brennan and O’Donnell issued a joint statement after their supposed firings – neither of which actually happened.
The claim is an example of what could be called "stolen satire," where stories written as satire and presented that way originally are reposted in a way that makes them appear to be legitimate news. As a result, readers of the second-generation post are misled, as was the case here.
Fact check : No those weren't transmitters in Kamala Harris' ears during debate
CBS News’ website still referenced Brennan and O’Donnell as employees as of Oct. 10. Both women have also continued hosting their respective shows – “Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan” and “CBS Evening News with Norah O’Donnell” – in the days since the claim was posted.
CBS News has not issued any public statements that indicate either woman has been fired or demoted from any of their duties.
USA TODAY previously debunked a claim that ABC fired presidential debate moderators David Muir and Linsey Davis after the Sept. 10 event between former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris.
USA TODAY reached out to several users who shared the post for comment but did not immediately receive a response.
Our fact-check sources:
- Paramount, accessed Oct. 10, Releases
- CBS News, accessed Oct. 9, Margaret Brennan
- CBS News, accessed Oct. 9, Norah O’Donnell
- SpaceXMania.com, Oct. 9, About Us
- CBS Evening News (YouTube), Oct. 8, ‘CBS Evening News’ Full Broadcast | October 8, 2024
- Face the Nation (YouTube), Oct. 6, Open: This is ‘Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan,’ Oct. 6, 2024
- SpaceXMania.com, Oct. 3, CBS Removes Debate Moderators Norah O’Donnell and Margaret Brennan: ‘They’re a Disgrace to Our Network’
Thank you for supporting our journalism. You can subscribe to our print edition, ad-free app or e-newspaper here .
USA TODAY is a verified signatory of the International Fact-Checking Network, which requires a demonstrated commitment to nonpartisanship, fairness and transparency. Our fact-check work is supported in part by a grant from Meta .
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Vice presidential debate moderators still at CBS, contrary to online claims | Fact check
Local News
