Andrea Mitchell
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Andrea Mitchell (born October 30, 1946) is a Jewish 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.
She frequently anchors the 11AM hour of MSNBC Live.
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 1970s 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, formerly the Federal Reserve Chairman, in 1997. Her husband, first appointed to the position in August 1987 by President Reagan, retired in 2006. Previously, she was married to Gil Jackson; that marriage ended in divorce in the mid 1970s.
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[edit] Role in the Lewis Libby Trial
A report in the Washington Post that Mitchell was an original recipient of the leak of Valerie Plame's identity led to her being questioned by the FBI in the case. While Andrea Mitchell never appeared before the grand jury in the indictment or in the trial of Lewis Libby, she was on the subpoena list as a person of interest. In 2003, Mitchell mistakenly told a reporter that it was widely known among journalists that Joe Wilson's wife was in the CIA, a statement that she later retracted. As a reporter, Mitchell has controversially covered the case, expressing personal opinions, without acknowledging her own involvement.
The trial resulted in guilty verdicts for Mr. Libby. In a post-trial appearance on MSNBC on March 12th 2007, Mitchell stated erroneously that polls show that most Americans want to see Lewis Libby pardoned. However, the most recent poll taken by CNN at the time showed that only 18% support a Libby pardon.
She is a frequent guest on Don Imus's radio program and has answered a number of his questions about the case and her involvement. She jokingly calls the sharp-tongued radio personality her "personal terrorist"[1].
[edit] Sudan Incident
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.
[edit] References
- Official biography at MSNBC
- biography at infoplease almanac
[edit] See also
- Talking Back: . . . to Presidents, Dictators, and Assorted Scoundrels ISBN 0143038737
