Social media lit up with reactions, from disbelief to celebration, depending on which side of the political fence people fell on. Some praised CBS for taking swift action, while others criticized the network for bowing to political pressure.
“Wait, they got fired for being too accurate? That’s 2024 for you,” joked a commentator on X (formerly known as Twitter).
But there are also those who saw the firings as CBS trying to do damage control amid growing backlash. The network had been facing complaints from conservative circles, with accusations that the moderators were unfairly targeting Vance, while giving Tim Walz a more lenient platform.
O’Donnell and Brennan have remained tight-lipped about their firing, but a source close to the former moderators said that they were “disappointed but not surprised” by CBS’s decision.
“The truth was just too much for some people to handle,” said the source, hinting that O’Donnell and Brennan were sticking by their fact-heavy moderating style. “They were committed to making sure the American people heard the facts, whether the candidates liked it or not.”
