Bari Weiss is eyeing Fox News star Bret Baier and CNN's Anderson Cooper for 'CBS Evening News' anchor chair

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: The Independent

Saturday 25 October 2025 10:54 EDT


Looking to make a splash during her first few weeks as CBS News’ editor-in-chief, Bari Weiss has been eyeing a few big names to potentially helm the network’s flagship evening program – including Fox News chief political anchor Bret Baier, two sources familiar with the matter told The Independent. Weiss’ interest in poaching Baier from Fox News to lead CBS Evening News was first reported by Status News.

Since officially arriving as the Tiffany Network’s newsroom leader earlier this month, Weiss – the founder of anti-woke digital outlet The Free Press, which was also purchased by CBS’s parent company Paramount – Weiss has quickly made her presence felt at the broadcast news outlet.

Besides causing staffers to literally roll their eyes at her Sorkinesque battle cry and sparking confusion with a DOGE-style missive ordering employees to describe their workdays amid pending layoffs, Weiss has involved herself in the network’s booking process – such as setting up morning anchor Tony Dokoupil’s exclusive interview with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

As the network’s coverage starts to echo her sensibilities, including her sister and Free Press co-founder promoting her articles on air, Weiss has also sought to recruit ideological allies to help carry out her vision of “radically centrist” contrarianism.

Read more: https://www.the-independent.com/news/world/americas/us-politics/bari-weiss-bret-baier-cbs-evening-news-b2851723.html

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[not fooled]

1. A couple of points

1. Anyone who takes the position loses all credibility with informed people. Anyone educated knows the person will be a stooge for pushing RW propaganda, albeit couched in a more subtle manner than on Mordoch's (typo and it stays) propaganda venue.

2. I won't be watching.

[3825-87867]

2. Not only will I NOT be watching 60 minutes...

but sticking to 'net programming with and without VPN.
BUT...I WILL be checking to see who the sponsors were and will seriously consider alternatives and will let them know

Remember the Kimmel!!!

[William Seger]

3. CBS says it wants out of late night comedy; it should get out of news

... if it's going to play the old Fox "fair and balanced" scam while giving everything a right-hand spin and not reporting anything that makes the right-wingnuts look bad.

[Jimvanhise]

4. ISN'T SHE GONE YET?

John Oliver did a terrific expose of her incompetence a couple weeks ago. No reason anyone should pay any attention to her any more. She's just the pawn of a billionaire.

[Dulcinea]

6. Oh Bari, bless your heart.

Apparently she thinks she's "punk rock" according to that expose. I can't think of anyone less punk rock than this charlatan.

[Lucky Luciano]

7. She is probably somewhere between "Anti-punk" and "Basically a cop."

[fujiyamasan]

9. Interesting scale. Where would Spinoza land?

[Lucky Luciano]

11. I asked ChatGPT as I'm no expert on his thoughts.

“Where would you rank Spinoza on this chart? Wikipedia mentions he is influenced by Descartes and Heidegger which is close to like a cop, but his push to end theocratic influence in government seems definitely punk to me!”

That’s a great and nuanced question — and you’re right to notice the tension between Spinoza’s rationalism (influenced by Descartes) and his radical political stance (closer to the punks).

Let’s break it down by “punk metrics”:

⸻

🧠 Philosophical Style: Rationalist → Not Punk Leaning

Spinoza’s method is geometric and rigorously deductive — Ethics is written in axioms and proofs like Euclid. That kind of formal rationalism feels closer to Descartes, Kant, and Aristotle — all pretty un-punk in temperament. He seeks order, necessity, and intellectual love of God (Deus sive Natura) rather than rebellion for its own sake.

→ This part puts him around “Not punk” (next to Descartes, maybe one step higher).

⸻

⚡ Social and Political Thought: Secular, Democratic, Anti-Clerical → Very Punk

Here’s where Spinoza shines.
• He was excommunicated from the Amsterdam Jewish community at 23 for heretical views — the OG punk credential.
• He argued for freedom of thought and speech in the Theological-Political Treatise, claiming the state shouldn’t police belief — radical in the 17th century.
• He rejected both religious and monarchical authority, advocating an early form of democracy and secularism.
• Lived modestly, refused university posts and pensions, grinding lenses for a living — DIY ethos incarnate.

→ This moves him solidly up to “Punk”, arguably brushing against “Very punk.”

⸻

💀 Overall Verdict

He’s too rational and serene to be as punk as Diogenes or Marx, but too defiant and uncompromising to be lumped with Kant or Descartes.

👉 Final placement: high “Punk,” maybe touching the bottom edge of “Very Punk.”
You could picture him between Camus and Wittgenstein, or right beside Fanon and Wollstonecraft — a serene but dangerous rebel.

⸻

If you like, I can mock up a version of that chart with Spinoza added in visually at the right spot. Would you like me to do that?

[fujiyamasan]

12. Awesome, I knew Spinoza would be up there!

[Crowman2009]

8. Bari Weiss is about as punk rock as Pat Boone.

[RedArkGuy]

5. Hahahaha, she thinks she can get Cooper?!?

Oh man, that's a good one. Try to get Rachel Maddow or Christiane Amanpour while you're at it, Bari.

Maybe they'll dig up Irving R. Stone for you.

[MLWR]

10. Another couple of points.

1) MAGAts don't watch CBS; they watch FOX.

2) CBS WILL LOSE their current viewership if they do this.

But go ahead. See how long you last before your sponsors start pulling away.