CBS News President on Sullenberger Hire: ‘If anybody is going to get any training, I think he can train us’

Former airline pilot Chesley Sullenberger, known better as “Sully” Sullenberger, made his debut as CBS News’ aviation analyst on the “CBS Evening News” last night. Sullenberger spoke to anchor Harry Smith about the Air France flight 447 disaster:

Sullenberger and CBS news president David Rhodes spoke to the AP’s David Bauder about his new job and revealed a few interesting tidbits, including how the relationship began:

His relationship with CBS News developed after giving a “60 Minutes” interview about U.S. Airways Flight 1549 when the show’s executive producer, and now CBS News chairman, Jeff Fager visited his northern California home. Hiring Sullenberger was a coup for CBS, which announced it to cheers at a recent meeting with its affiliated stations.

Sullenberger has been a regular face on TV since the “Miracle on the Hudson” just over two years ago, and Rhodes laughed off a question of whether he needed additional media training.

CBS’ Rhodes laughed when asked whether Sullenberger is going through any kind of training for the television work.

“If anybody is going to get any training, I think he can train us,” Rhodes said.

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