A resurfaced interview with Gayle King questioning Thomas Hand, the father of a child taken hostage by Hamas, has sparked debate over perceived double standards at CBS. In the interview, aired in November 2023, King pressed Hand on the political backdrop of his daughter’s abduction. “Now this seems to be all about politics. What do you say about that?” she asked, to which Hand replied, “I’m not interested in politics at all. My only concern is getting Emily back.” Emily Hand, who had been kidnapped during the October 7 attack, was eventually returned after 50 days in captivity.
Critics accuse CBS of hypocrisy, as Jewish co-host Tony Dokoupil faced backlash for recently challenging author Ta-Nehisi Coates on his anti-Israel views. Journalist Lahav Harkov expressed frustration, arguing that King’s line of questioning with Hand was just as challenging but wasn’t condemned by the network. Harkov stated, “It violates CBS standards for Tony Dokoupil to ask Ta-Nehisi Coates tough questions about his anti-Israel screed but apparently it was totally fine for Gayle King to make accusations to the father of a hostage.”
The reaction online has been intense, with viewers calling CBS’s approach “immoral” and “hypocritical.” Further complicating the situation, Coates shared that King had allegedly briefed him on her planned questions backstage, a move that some claim violated CBS’s journalistic standards.