Liberal journalist and former CBS anchor Katie Couric admitted Thursday that CBS News editor in chief Bari Weiss had little choice but to fire longtime "60 Minutes" correspondent Scott Pelley after his explosive confrontation with network leadership, even as she expressed sympathy for his frustrations over changes at the storied newsmagazine."I don't think that Bari Weiss had any choice but to let Scott Pelley go," Couric said on her online show."I mean, I think it's a classic definition of insubordination."The remarks came days after Pelley was fired following a contentious staff meeting in which he harshly criticized Weiss and her management of "60 Minutes," amid a broader shake-up at CBS News under new ownership.Couric, who worked at CBS News for five years, said she understood why Pelley was angry but argued that the way he aired those grievances left management with few options.'60 MINUTES' MELTDOWN: SCOTT PELLEY FIRED, PRAISED, SCOLDED FOR ATTACKING BARI WEISS, CHARGES BIASKatie Couric said Scott Pelley’s clash with CBS leadership left Bari Weiss with little choice but to remove the veteran correspondent.
(David M.Russell/CBS via Getty Images/Al Drago/Bloomberg via Getty Images)"I admired that he stood up for his principles," Couric said.
"I just think perhaps the way that he did it and the way he expressed himself might have been handled differently."Pelley was incensed over last week's firings of senior "60 Minutes" figures, including executive producer Tanya Simon and reporters Cecilia Vega and Sharyn Alfonsi. "I think that Scott was really, really angry first and foremost about that," Couric said, adding that concerns about what she described as "creeping" editorial interference also fueled tensions inside the program.CBS NEWS IN TRANSITION: WHO'S IN AND WHO'S OUT AFTER A TUMULTUOUS YEAR AT THE NETWORKCouric argued Pelley was standing up for his principles but said his public confrontation with network executives amounted to insubordination that made ...