Video News Clips: In Their Own Words

New ‘CBS Evening News’ Anchor Has On-Air Flub During Second Broadcast

Screenshot/Rumble/CBS News

“CBS Evening News” anchor Tony Dokoupil experienced technical issues during his second broadcast on Monday.

Dokoupil debuted his show early on Saturday to cover the United States’ capture of Venezuelan dictator Nicolas Maduro. During his Monday broadcast, the anchor expressed confusion about what he was supposed to cover.

WATCH:

“With Maduro now out, that base of power and influence could be out, too. All right, to other news. As you just heard from Jill, well, to other news now, to [Democratic Minnesota] Governor [Tim] Walz. No, we’re going to do [Democratic Arizona Sen.] Mark Kelly,” Dokoupil said. “First day, first day, big problems here. Are we going to Kelly here or are we going to go to [CBS News reporter] Jonah Kaplan?”

“We’re doing Mark Kelly, possibly demoted from his retired rank of captain in the Navy. [War Secretary Pete] Hegseth issued what’s known as a letter of censure for the Arizona Democrat over his participation in a video that called on service members to defy illegal orders without specifying which orders he had in mind,” he continued. “Hegseth called what the former combat pilot and astronaut did an act of sedition. Now we go to Minnesota.”

Moreover, Dokoupil pledged in a Thursday video message that he would prioritize “the average American” over “elites” in his coverage on his new show.

“The point is on too many stories, the press has missed the story because we’ve taken into account the perspective of advocates and not the average American,” Dokoupil said in the video. “Or we put too much weight in the analysis of academics or elites and not enough on you. And I know this because at certain points, I have been you. I have felt this way too. I felt like what I was seeing and hearing on the news didn’t reflect what I was seeing and hearing in my own life.”

“And that the most urgent questions simply weren’t being asked. So here’s my promise to you today and every time you see me in this chair,” he added. “You come first, not advertisers, not politicians, not corporate interests. And yes, that does include the corporate owners of CBS.”

Dokoupil was previously a co-host of “CBS Mornings,” where he challenged prominent Democrats, including Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren.

Bari Weiss became CBS News’ editor-in-chief in October, causing staffing turnover, layoffs and major changes to its political coverage.