Making Sen. Al Franken (D-Minn.) look like a choirboy, 75-year-old veteran CBS and PBS broadcast journalist Charlie Rose was accused by eight women of inappropriate sexual behavior. Appearing like Mr. Clean in his outside persona, Rose allegedly stripped and flaunted his genitalia at several women, in what appears another case of undiagnosed sexual perversity. Unknown apparently to CBS until the Washington Post broke the story yesterday, CBS left no doubt parting ways with one of their most respected journalists. Quick to condemn President Donald Trump for his alleged groping incident, Rose looked down with disdain at recent sexual allegations against legendary Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein, exhibiting, by all accounts, similar depravity to Rose. CBS News President David Rhodes had no choice to part ways with the 75-year-old journalist.
Getting away with his sleazy underworld until exposed yesterday by the Washington Post, Rose enjoyed a carefully crafted reputation of nonpartisan journalism until Trump was elected. After that, he paraded as many anti-Trump pundits and politicians as possible, gleefully asking them leading questions. Coming as a shock, revelations about Rose’s sexual indiscretions should surprise no one in political or entertainment circles. Calling Rose’s actions “extremely disturbing and intolerable behavior,” Rhodes acted decisively to sever ties. Rose’s sexual misconduct paralleled that of Weinstein, where he paraded naked, exposing himself in front of the aggrieved parties. Several women, all between the ages of 21 and 37 at the time of incidents, describe Rose groping, lewd phone calls, walking around naked, in what amounts to unmistakable sexual assault.
Rose, who holds a law degree from Duke University, conducted his journalistic interviews like a cross examination, unless he chose to preach to the choir. Acting above the political fray, Rose’s exterior presentation was one of dignified respect, when a sexual predator lurked beneath his carefully crafted façade. Given the slew of political and entertainment depravity in the news, Rose didn’t hesitate to show contempt for already exposed sexual predators, including New York Times star White House correspondent Glen Thrush. When former Fox News host Gretchen Carlson sued the network June 6, 2016 for sexual harassment by former news director Roger Ailes, stories of sexual misconduct hit the headlines. It wasn’t long after Ailes got the ax June 23, 2016, that Fox News No. 1-rated show host Bill O’Reilly got snared. While denying it at first, O’Reilly got canned Sept. 19.
Sexual perversity is commonplace in political and entertainment circles, where ambitious men and women seek opportunities to advance careers. When men in high positions interact with ambitious young women, there’s a flirtatious interaction that sometimes results in unwanted advances. Rose, like O’Reilly and Ailes, crossed the line with underlings over whom he had power, at least in terms of advancing careers. Unlike Weinstein, who categorically denied anything but “consensual” sex, Rose tried his hand at a feeble apology. “It is essential that those women know I hear them and that I deeply apologize for my inappropriate behavior. I am greatly embarrassed. I have behaved insensitively at times, and I accept responsibility for that, though I do not believe that all of these allegations are accurate. I always felt that I was pursuing shared feelings, even though I know realize I was mistaken,” Rose said.
Rose’s apology lacks sincerity, attempting to undo the PR crisis that left him fired from CBS and PBS. When you look reports of Rose exposing his genitals to his subordinates, it’s an egregious form of lewd conduct. Hedging by saying he doesn’t believe all the allegations are accurate, Rose tries to give himself some legal wiggle room in what could cost CBS and PBS millions in lawsuits. One of Rose’s accusers, Kyle Godfrey-Ryan reported Rose’s sexual harassment to her supervisor, 52-year-old Evette Vega. Vega’s failure to respond to Godfrey-Ryans’ sexual harassment complaint exposes CBS and PBS to added liability. “I should have stood up for them,” said Vega, admitting she received complaints but did nothing other than protect Rose and her job. “I failed. It’s crushing. I deeply regret not helping them,” Vega said, putting on record the validity of the complaints—and her negligence.
An inveterate bachelor since at least 1980 when divorced from Mary King, Rose found plenty opportunities with young, ambitious, vulnerable female interns looking to advance their careers. Rose covered former President Bill Clinton’s affair and legal problems with Monica Lewinsky like flypaper. Never hinting for one moment that like, Clinton, he too was a sexual predator capitalizing on his position with striving young women. Predators like Rose are all toO common in many settings where poor interpersonal relations and failed marriages make work environments a breeding ground for sexual predators. ”These allegations are extremely disturbing and we take them very seriously,” Rose’s former co-host Norah O’Donnell said on “This Morning” today. Instead of dealing with his proclivities, Rose chose to exploit vulnerable young women for his sexual gratification.
