Through the first three hours of CBS’s election night coverage, things were looking promising for Republicans and former President Trump, based solely on the reactions of the assembled liberal journalists, who seethed over Donald Trump as a “dark” figure spewing “lies about criminal migrants” and it being “factually untrue” they’re “pouring through our border” and ready to stir up “violence in the streets” of Pennsylvania if he doesn’t win the Keystone State.

The network also maintained a somber mood as they fretted over the fact that life prevailed in Florida with a state amendment to the constitution expanding abortion having failed.

It started early with longtime CBS analyst/host John Dickerson huffing about how Trump shouldn’t even be in the race given January 6:

CBS’s John Dickerson: “There will be plenty of surprises. How could there not be in this race full of surprises where you have two candidates who should not be here. Kamala Harris the understudy at center stage, Donald Trump was agreed by the leaders of both parties, including… pic.twitter.com/afk4jeXmiX

— Curtis Houck (@CurtisHouck) November 6, 2024

Having covered Trump for his campaign and presidency at ABC, CBS’s 60 Minutes correspondent Cecilia Vega declared just after 7:15 p.m. Eastern that she had “never heard” Trump’s “messaging as dark as it has been in recent weeks” with “lies about criminal migrants” and deeming it “factually untrue” that illegal immigrants “poured through our border.”

Vega also expressed disgust at Trump “speak[ing] to young men who feel aggrieved” instead of “hope and optimism” for all:

Contender for early meltdown of the night on CBS with Cecilia Vega (formerly at ABC) lashing out at Trump for his “messaging” being “as dark as it has been,” spreading “lies about criminal migrants...that is just factually untrue,” and “tapping into a frustration” of “aggrieved”… pic.twitter.com/RdHXq26k4I

— Curtis Houck (@CurtisHouck) November 6, 2024

CBS Evening News anchor Norah O’Donnell was also not pleased, teaming with Dickerson (who will be one of three voices to succeed O’Donnell at her show) to lament the exit polls and Trump’s final rally:

CBS’s Norah O’Donnell: “[T]he Harris campaign has said on the record that they believe those late deciders were breaking by double digits for them. We don't have the full exit polls yet from the whole country, so we don't know yet exactly if that is true. But then, last night the… pic.twitter.com/YU8OpRG81y

— Curtis Houck (@CurtisHouck) November 6, 2024

Face the Nation host Margaret Brennan — who’ll also work with Dickerson at the Evening News — expressed hope about the role of abortion in the election, gushing over how “[i]t’s a unique” issue since “the man on the ballot is the president who appointed the justices that overturned Roe versus Wade” and is facing “the woman on the ballot for the Democrats has put reproductive health care, women's reproductive health care at the center of her campaign in a really unique way.”

“I don't think we have ever had such a national conversation about health care and the way that we have. And it is an emotional one. It is a galvanizing issue,” she added.

But, when it came time to discuss the failed vote in Florida to dramatically expand abortion and loosen requirements (including parental consent), Brennan was crestfallen, wondering about “what does that mean for the people in Florida” and suggesting the exceptions for victims of rape will have a difficult time still receiving abortions.

She even falsely argued that, by voting no on the amendment in Florida, Trump will support a six-week abortion limit (with the implication of taking it national) (click “expand” to see the transcript)::

MELTDOWN: CBS's Margaret Brennan and Norah O'Donnell were not having fun when having to talk about the result of Florida's #VoteNoOn4Florida, protecting unborn babies pic.twitter.com/jwILC76XWi

— Curtis Houck (@CurtisHouck) November 6, 2024

BRENNAN: Well, I want to zero in on Florida which Anthony just highlighted for you because this was the first place we were seeing the results of this referendum. 84 percent of that — 83 percent of that vote already in. It is lean no. Why? They haven't reached the super majority threshold of 60 percent. Put that aside. What does that mean for the people of Florida? Well, the current law is that abortion is restricted after six weeks of pregnancy when a fetal heartbeat is often detected.

O’DONNELL: One of the most restrictive in the country.

BRENNAN: One of the most restrictive in the country, particularly — it — you can get an abortion after 15 weeks if you can prove you were a victim of rape, of incest, or human trafficking. You gotta hand in a police report or court order with proof that you were victimized. That's the only way you can get it after six weeks. The referendum asks do voters want to change that and actually amend the constitution to include the right to an abortion. And so far, we are at lean no because they have not reached the supermajority. Now, Norah, it's so interesting not just on the very practical, real-world implications the women of the state, from the political level, we were talking about ticket splitting between Major and Anthony, they were pointing that out. Vice President Harris has put at the center of her campaign the issue of women’s reproductive health care. It doesn’t necessarily, this would suggest, always break in her favor and also what we saw here is for the very first time in this country, when reproductive health care has been put to the voters in a state, it hasn't expanded access. Seven times we've seen referendums and states on this issue, even in ruby red states where it was a surprise, even in Ohio, even Kansas you saw.

(....)

BRENNAN: One final point on Florida, this is a state where Donald Trump is a resident. He cast a vote for this today and he said he was going to vote no. So, for the candidate who’s — has — as Robert Costa pointed out, sort of changing publicly his position on what his view is on abortion, he went to the voting booth and he cast a vote he said no, which would mean he has effectively endorsed a six-week restriction on access to abortion.

O’DONNELL: Interesting. 

The mood was even more somber once O’Donnell and Brennan made the official projection:

CBS's Margaret Brennan and Norah O'Donnell sound so sad when they officially announce CBS News's projection that #VoteNo4Florida would prevail, protecting life starting at 15 weeks.

"Very restrictive," "reproductive rights were restricted, not expanded." pic.twitter.com/XQbJKmDNbh

— Curtis Houck (@CurtisHouck) November 6, 2024

Vega returned to the well just before 10:00 p.m. Eastern with desperation, grossly predicting “violence in the streets” of Pennsylvania:

Fear porn on CBS News: Cecilia Vega predicts "violence in the streets" of Pennsylvania if the vote isn't counted fast enough and Donald Trump isn't stopped from his "strategy" of "laying the groundwork to challenge the results" pic.twitter.com/vmT9PmAwfR

— Curtis Houck (@CurtisHouck) November 6, 2024

And, in discussing the black turnout, former longtime BET anchor Ed Gordon seemed pessimistic about Harris:

This is maybe just me, but former longtime BET anchor Ed Gordon seems VERY nervous on CBS about things for his candidate Kamala Harris pic.twitter.com/3sleSqOgWa

— Curtis Houck (@CurtisHouck) November 6, 2024

To see the relevant CBS transcript from November 5, click here.