Charlie Rose‘s co-anchors spoke out against him after eight female employees accused him of making unwanted sexual advances. On Tuesday’s CBS This Morning, Norah O’Donnell and Gayle King discussed the sexual misconduct allegations.
“This is a moment that demands a frank and honest assessment about where we stand and more generally the safety of women,” O’Donnell said. “Let me be very clear: There is no excuse for this alleged behavior. It is systematic and pervasive. I’ve been doing a lot of listening, and I’m going to continue to do that.”
She continued, “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. I’m really proud to work at CBS News. There are so many incredible people here, especially on this show. All of you here. This will be investigated. This has to end. This behavior is wrong. Period.”
King added that Rose, who has been a co-host on the show since 2012, is “not the man I know.”
“I’ve held him in such high regard,” she said, ” I’m really struggling. 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. That said, Charlie does not get a pass here. He doesn’t get a pass from anyone in this room. We are all deeply affected. We are all rocked by this.”
The two then praised the women who came forward in The Washington Post‘s bombshell report.
While they admitted that they have not spoken to Rose, King said she will speak to him “later today.”
Radaronline.com first reported Rose’s shocking behavior in 2007 when a woman claimed he “palmed her buttock like a honeydew.”
Now, Rose is being accused of making unwanted sexual advances against eight women, including “lewd phone calls, walking around naked in their presence, or groping their breasts, buttocks or genital areas.”
Rose apologized for his behavior, and has been suspended by CBS and PBS.
