President Obama is scheduled to comment on the disaster in Oklahoma at 10 AM and it is likely that all of the broadcast networks will break into regular programming to cover it. “CBS This Morning” went into the 9 AM hour to cover the fallout. We hear that “CTM” will stay live until 12 PM on the east coast covering the damage, and 10 AM pacific.
Update: “Our prayers are with the people of Oklahoma today,” Obama said. “Oklahoma needs to get everything that it needs right away.”
“If there is hope to hold onto, not just in Oklahoma but around the country, it is the knowledge that the good people there in Oklahoma are more prepared than most, and what they can be certain about is that Americans around the country will be right there with them,” he added.
Meanwhile, the news channels are sending their A-teams to Oklahoma to cover the fallout from the tornado.
As we noted yesterday, NBC has Brian Williams, Lester Holt, Ann Curry, Harry Smith, Kate Snow, Anne Thompson and Dr. Nancy Snyderman in Oklahoma, as well as the Weather Channel team of Jim Cantore, Mike Bettes, and Mike Seidel.
ABC News has Sam Champion, Ginger Zee, David Muir and Alex Perez in Oklahoma. Byron Pitts, Mike Boettcher, and Cecilia Vega are also either in Moore or en route.
CBS has Norah O’Donnell anchoring from Moore, and Anna Werner on the ground, and Scott Pelley will anchor the “CBS Evening News” there this evening.
Fox News is sending Shepard Smith to Oklahoma where he will anchor his programs. Also in Moore for FNC: John Roberts, Rick Reichmuth, Casey Stegall, Alicia Acuna, Jonathan Hunt, Griff Jenkins and Garrett Tenney.
CNN is sending nearly the entire primetime lineup, with Anderson Cooper, Wolf Blitzer, Jake Tapper, Chris Cuomo, John Berman and Dr. Sanjay Gupta either in or on their way to Oklahoma.
MSNBC has Chris Jansing and Thomas Roberts anchoring live from Oklahoma today.