After eight women accused famed TV host Charlie Rose of sexual misconduct on Monday, his employers PBS and CBS immediately suspended the journalist and launched an investigation. On Tuesday, his CBS This Morning co-anchors Gayle King and Norah O’Donnell opened the show with a damning admonishment of their former colleague and of sexual harassment at large. After reporting that CBS had independently confirmed the Washington Post report with one of the accusers, O’Donnell said the network understood the severity of the allegations. “Let me be very clear: There is no excuse for this alleged behavior. It is systematic and pervasive,†she said. “This I know is true: Women cannot achieve equality in the workplace or in society until there is a reckoning and a taking of responsibility.†She added, “This will be investigated. This has to end. This behavior is wrong. Period.â€
King said she was “still reeling†and received phone calls from family and friends, including Oprah, asking how she was doing. “I am not okay,†she began her emotional remarks. “I’m really struggling, because what do you say when someone that you deeply care about has done something that is so horrible? How do you wrap your brain around that? I’m really grappling with that.†Speaking on behalf of the show, she added, “Charlie does not get a pass here. He doesn’t get a pass from anyone in this room. We are all deeply affected and rocked by this. He doesn’t get a pass because I can’t stop thinking about the anguish of these women. What happened to their dignity, what happened to their bodies, what happened maybe even to their careers.â€