I was thinking that, then hear he's out interviewing the secretary.
Will a stand-in do the news tonight and tell the audience "Dan is on assignment"?
no, that's not what he said. he said that the people in the newsroom down the hall speculate that dan is done. the newsroom down the hall is wabc.
One of those two is false (at least one).
And I don't think they have any more time before this modified full hangout they're planning--certainly no time to just say "Dan's on assignment." If they try that they're certifiable, because NO ONE will believe it, and it will only feed speculation.
Rather sat for a week like a frog in a pot of cold water pretending nothing was happening but now, guess what, the water is boiling.