huffpost Press
CBS Anchor Not In Beijing For Trump Summit Due To 'Very Sloppy' Mishap: Reports
Images
CBS News’ Tony Dokoupil, sometimes referred to as the network’s “MAGA-coded anchor,” won’t be getting anywhere near President Donald Trump during his visit to China. The newsman failed to obtain a visa and is reporting from Taiwan instead, according to reports. Citing two sources familiar with the issue, Semafor reported that it was unclear whether Dokoupil’s visa request was denied for its lateness or another problem. But sources told the New York Post that CBS News editor-in-chief Bari Weiss, who’s overseeing a Trump-friendlier conversion at the network, wanted Dokoupil in Beijing after she found out that ABC rival anchor David Muir would be there. But it was too late, so Taipei was used as a fallback. The tabloid’s sources called the maneuvering “very sloppy” and “stupid.” The network had a positive take on Dokoupil’s location, saying that Taiwan would be a major topic at the summit between Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping. “The democratic state is at the center of the high stakes talks as China’s geopolitical tensions with Taiwan run high,” read a release, per the Independent. “Dokoupil reports on what’s at stake and why it matters for Americans.” In one broadcast, Doukipil called the tension between Taiwan and China “one of the most important geopolitical stories of our time.” Taiwan functions as an independent state but China considers it part of its territory. There are concerns China will take aggressive action, and Xi made a veiled threat to Trump about a possible conflict. Dokoupil’s coverage from the island took a dramatic turn Thursday morning when a CBS cameraman collapsed during his report. (The cameraman was “OK” after the “medical emergency,” CBS reported.) Yikes: The 'CBS Evening News' in Taiwan -- not Beijing due to reported visa issues -- ended on a bizarre and premature note as someone off-screen collapsed in some sort of medical emergency pic.twitter.com/XHP0KFrLUQ CBS News reporters Weijia Jiang and Anna Coren are in Beijing. Dokoupil has endured several embarrassments in his short reign as anchor. He has been mocked for what appeared to be fawning commentary about Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and was subjected to personal insults from unnamed associates in a recent Vanity Fair piece. They called him a “useful idiot” who was “good eye candy” but out of his depth and lacking self-awareness. His ratings are an improvement over his predecessors, but CBS still trails NBC and first-place ABC by millions of viewers. HuffPost has reached out to CBS for comment. By entering your email and clicking Sign Up, you're agreeing to let us send you customized marketing messages about us and our advertising partners. You are also agreeing to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.
Comments
You must be logged in to comment.