Andrea Mitchell

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Andrea Mitchell

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Andrea Mitchell (born October 30, 1946) is an American journalist, television commentator, and writer.

She covers burgeoning international issues for all NBC News broadcasts, including NBC Nightly News with Brian Williams, Today, and MSNBC. She is also often a guest on Hardball with Chris Matthews.

Mitchell graduated with a B.A. in English literature from the University of Pennsylvania in 1967, where she served as News Director of student radio station WXPN. She joined Philadelphia NBC affiliate KYW radio and TV as a reporter that same year.

After several years at KYW, she moved to CBS affiliate WTOP in Washington, DC in 1976. Two years later, Mitchell moved to NBC's network news operation, where she served as a general correspondent. In 1979, she was named NBC News’ Energy correspondent and reported on the late 1970's energy crisis and the Three Mile Island nuclear incident. Mitchell also covered the White House from 1981 until becoming Chief Congressional Correspondent in 1988.

She has been the Chief Foreign Affairs Correspondent for NBC News since November 1994. Previously, she had served as Chief White House Correspondent (1993-1994) and Chief Congressional Correspondent (1988-1992) for NBC News.

Mitchell married her second husband, Alan Greenspan, then the Federal Reserve Chairman, in 1997. Previously, she was married to Gil Jackson; that marriage ended in divorce in the mid 1970s.

She is a frequent guest on Don Imus's radio program. She jokingly calls the sharp-tongued radio personality her "personal terrorist"[1].

In July 2005, Mitchell was forcibly ejected from a room after asking Sudanese President Omar el-Bashir some pointed questions. "Can you tell us why the violence is continuing?" (referring to genocide in Sudan's Darfur province). "Can you tell us why the government is supporting the militias?" "Why should Americans believe your promises?" At this point two armed security guards grabbed her and shoved her out the door.

"It is our job to ask," Mitchell said after the incident. "They can always say 'no comment'… but to drag a reporter out just for asking is inexcusable behavior."

Prior to the incident, Sudanese officials expressed reservations about allowing American newspaper or television reporters to join the Sudanese press pool. Sean McCormack, the U.S. State Department's assistant secretary for public affairs, said to his Sudanese counterpart, "I'll convey your desires about not permitting reporters to ask questions, but that's all I'll do. We have a free press." McCormack's Sudanese counterpart replied, "There is no freedom of the press here."

Also in 2005, Mitchell wrote a book entitled Talking Back... to Presidents, Dictators, and Assorted Scoundrels, chronicling her work as a journalist.