The retirement of CBS News veteran and “Face the Nation” host Bob Schieffer presents CBS News boss David Rhodes with a challenge: get it right.
NBC’s awkward fumble in naming David Gregory host of “Meet the Press” after the sudden death of Tim Russert–and then deciding he wasn’t the guy–has been seen to have damaged the brand, a fix-it that now falls to Andy Lack.
For Rhodes, seen inside CBS as an effective leader with a steady hand in launching CBSN and breathing competitive life into “CBS This Morning,” the retirement of Shieffer presents a challenge. Unlike NBC, Rhodes has time to think–Schieffer plans to leave over the summer–and a stable of talent to consider. On the flip side, he has the pressure of an increasingly heated election cycle heading into 2016.
Dylan Byers, writing at Politico, cites CBS insiders as confirming there is already a “short list”:
Internally, Rhodes and his fellow executives are looking at Major Garrett, the network’s chief White House correspondent and Norah O’Donnell, the co-anchor of CBS This Morning and substitute host for Schieffer on “Face.” One source also said that John Dickerson, the network’s political director, is on the list of potential replacements.
But the CBS brass is also considering outside talent as well: Jake Tapper, the CNN host who previously substituted for George Stephanopoulos on ABC’s Sunday show, “This Week,” is a top consideration. ABC News chief White House correspondent Jonathan Karl is also under consideration. However, both men are believed to under contract with their respective employers.