Meet the moderators for the VP debate, Norah O’Donnell and Margaret Brennan

Meet the moderators for the VP debate, Norah O’Donnell and Margaret Brennan


The vice presidential debate between Ohio Sen. JD Vance and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz on Tuesday night time, hosted by CBS Information in New York, was the primary and solely assembly between the 2 vice presidential candidates. It comes as voters in a number of states have begun receiving their ballots for November’s election.

The controversy was moderated by “CBS Night Information” anchor and managing editor Norah O’Donnell and “Face the Nation” moderator and chief overseas affairs correspondent Margaret Brennan. 

There was no studio viewers for the controversy, and solely O’Donnell and Brennan requested the questions. Here is what to know concerning the moderators and the way they ready for the occasion:

How O’Donnell and Brennan ready for tonight’s VP debate

O’Donnell mentioned the vice presidential debate is a “distinctive alternative for the American public to see the 2 vice presidential candidates debate an important points for voters.” 

“We acknowledge the historic nature of those debates; and our objective as moderators is to make sure a substantive and civil dialog that helps voters perceive extra about what might be advanced coverage positions,” she mentioned.

“Margaret and I are lucky to work with the CBS Information political group and researchers to assist put together for this debate,” O’Donnell added. “They’ve labored with us to verify we’ve got all the data we want for a substantive dialog.”

Brennan mentioned she thinks of moderating the controversy “as a public service to the viewer.”

“We have been learning every marketing campaign’s views on insurance policies and the problems our CBS Information polling present us folks care about,” she mentioned. “Our objective is to offer these two vice presidential candidates alternatives to make their case to the American folks and draw a distinction to the opposite on the controversy stage.”

Brennan mentioned making ready to average the controversy is “like cramming for a ultimate examination,” noting that it takes “loads of studying, taking notes, speaking it by way of with my colleagues about find out how to craft a wise query.” 

“We’ve an unbelievable group who’s working with us to suppose by way of the questions that mirror what our personal CBS Information polling tells us voters care about forward of November,” she mentioned.

The “Face the Nation” moderator mentioned that making ready for the controversy is analogous in some methods to making ready for an interview, however totally different in key respects.

“In each instances, I am ensuring that I am absolutely read-in on the information in addition to the nuances of coverage positions,” she mentioned. “However moderating a debate is a unique format from what I do on ‘Face the Nation,’ the place I comply with up, comply with up and comply with up once more if I do not get a solution to my query, or if I really feel like a solution deserves additional clarification. In a debate, there’s a formulation with exhausting deadlines for Norah’s and my questioning.”

She added: “The intent is totally different, too. In a debate, we’re performing a public service and that’s to tee up a dialog during which the candidates use the time themselves to make their case about why their coverage is finest for People — and why their ticket must be elected.”

What’s Norah O’Donnell’s background?

O’Donnell has earned a number of Emmy Awards over her practically three many years of expertise in journalism. She is overlaying her eighth presidential election and has interviewed each dwelling president of the US. 

She has been anchor and managing editor of the “CBS Night Information” since 2019, main CBS Information’ flagship broadcast from Washington, D.C. O’Donnell not too long ago secured a historic interview with Pope Francis

O’Donnell has performed interviews with newsmakers in Washington and past for the “CBS Night Information,” together with President Biden’s first interview since taking workplace; an unique sit-down with Vice President Mike Pence after the killing of Iranian army commander Qasem Soleimani; the first-ever interview with the 4 highest-ranking girls within the U.S. army; an unique interview with a former staffer for New York’s then-Gov. Andrew Cuomo who alleged sexual harassment; and extra.

She additionally contributes to “60 Minutes” and is the host of CBS Information 24/7’s “Particular person to Particular person.” 

O’Donnell joined CBS Information in 2011 as chief White Home correspondent and was the co-anchor of “CBS This Morning” (now “CBS Mornings”) from 2012 to 2019.

She started her profession as a print reporter for Roll Name, a Capitol Hill newspaper, earlier than working for greater than a decade at NBC Information, the place she coated the Pentagon, Congress and the White Home. O’Donnell is a graduate of Georgetown College’s School of Arts and Sciences. 

What’s Margaret Brennan’s background?

Brennan has been the moderator of “Face the Nation” since 2018, when she turned the second girl to host the celebrated Sunday morning public affairs program. She has interviewed world leaders like Presidents Joe Biden and Donald Trump, U.Ok. Prime Minister Boris Johnson and French President Emmanuel Macron, in addition to congressional leaders together with Home Audio system Mike Johnson, Kevin McCarthy and Nancy Pelosi.

In 2023, “Face the Nation” was acknowledged with a Walter Cronkite Award for Excellence in TV Political Journalism, citing Brennan’s moderating strategy as “measured, utterly constant, researched and ready.” 

Earlier than changing into moderator of “Face the Nation,” she held a number of roles at CBS Information, together with State Division and White Home correspondent. She stays the community’s chief overseas affairs correspondent.

She has coated historic moments such because the landmark nuclear take care of Iran; restoration of diplomatic ties with Cuba; the standoff with North Korea; the battle in Ukraine; and the accord to switch management of Syria’s chemical weapons. She broke the information that members of Trump’s Cupboard have been discussing invoking the twenty fifth Modification following the Jan. 6 assault on the U.S. Capitol, and her interview with McCarthy in 2023 performed a task in his ouster as speaker simply days later.

She started her profession as a producer at CNBC and spent a decade overlaying international monetary markets earlier than becoming a member of CBS Information in 2012. Brennan graduated from the College of Virginia in 2002. 

CBS Information will host the one deliberate vice presidential debate between Vance and Walz tonight at 9 p.m. ET on CBS and CBS Information 24/7. Obtain the free CBS Information app for stay protection, post-debate evaluation, complete reality checks and extra.



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