Anderson Cooper's '60 Minutes' exit is unmistakable message: insiders

Anderson Cooper is leaving CBS News and "60 Minutes" after nearly two decades, delivering what insiders characterize as a rebuke to Bari Weiss' new leadership. Months earlier, Weiss offered Cooper the opportunity to anchor "CBS Evening News," but he rejected the role and is now departing entirely. A senior CBS News staffer told Zeteo that Cooper's exit "has to sting for Bari," describing the decision as an unambiguous rejection. Cooper recently signed a fresh deal with CNN and released a statement citing his desire to spend more time with his young children. He described his two-decade tenure at "60 Minutes" as "one of the great honors" of his career, crediting the network's producers, editors, and camera crews.