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Person

Andrea Mitchell

Andrea Mitchell (link)
Nationality:

American
Occupation:

Television Journalist

Anchor, “Andrea Mitchell Reports”
Residence:

Washington, D.C

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Andrea Mitchell is a television journalist who is the host of “Andrea Mitchell Reports” on cable news network MSNBC. 1 She is also the chief Washington correspondent and the chief foreign affairs correspondent for NBC News. 2 Mitchell has worked in various capacities for NBC News since joining the network in 1978 as a correspondent. 3 4

In 2021, Mitchell called then-Virginia gubernatorial candidate Glenn Youngkin (R) a “textbook case” of someone who distorts cultural issues. She also claimed that critical race theory was not taught in Virginia schools and said that Youngkin only was in a close election with former Virginia Governor and Democratic Party fundraiser Terry McAuliffe (D) because he “arguably distorted” education issues. 5

In a 2017 interview, Mitchell said that she “can’t think of” any time when she has been biased. 6 She has endorsed numerous liberal positions, calling gas-tax holidays “terrible climate policy,” 7 calling the Trump administration’s decision to move the U.S. embassy to Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem “appalling,” 8 and referring to southwest Virginia as “real redneck, sort of, bordering on Appalachia country” in 2008. 9

Career

Andrea Mitchell is a television journalist who is the host of “Andrea Mitchell Reports” on cable news network MSNBC. 10 She is also the chief Washington correspondent and the chief foreign affairs correspondent for NBC News. 11

Mitchell’s career in journalism began in 1967 in Philadelphia after she graduated from the University of Pennsylvania. Mitchell remained in Philadelphia until 1976, where she covered the administration of Philadelphia Mayor Frank Rizzo (D). 12 13 14 From 1976 to 1978, Mitchell covered Maryland politics for the CBS affiliate in Washington, D.C. 15

In 1978, Mitchell joined NBC News as a network correspondent. She was named NBC’s energy correspondent in 1979 and has worked in various roles with the network since then. She was NBC News’s White House correspondent during Clinton administration and Reagan administration. She also worked as NBC’s chief Congressional correspondent for several years and covered the confirmation hearings of Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas. In 1994, Mitchell was selected as NBC News’s chief foreign affairs correspondent, a role she holds as of August 2022. 16 17

Andrea Mitchell has covered every presidential campaign for NBC News since 1980 and was NBC’s lead correspondent with Hillary Clinton’s 2016 presidential campaign. 18 She has reported on Bill and Hillary Clinton for more than 30 years beginning with Bill Clinton’s 1992 presidential campaign 19 and has been referred to as the “dean of the Clinton press corps” due to her work covering both the Clinton administration and Hillary Clinton’s multiple runs for elected office. 20

In a 2017 interview with Women’s Wear Daily, Mitchell said that she “can’t think of” any time when she has been biased. In that interview, she also said that she may have been “too aggressive” asking questions of Hillary Clinton during her unsuccessful 2016 presidential campaign. 21 This comes despite allegations that a Clinton campaign spokesman fed Mitchell questions for an impromptu press conference on the Clinton campaign plane in October 2016. 22

Mitchell was selected as a Daughter of Pennsylvania by Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf (D) in 2017. 23

In 2006, Mitchell released a memoir about her career, entitled Talking Back. 24

Controversies

In an August 2022 interview with U.S. Senator Mike Rounds (R-SD), Mitchell claimed that the traditional definition of a recession as being defined by two consecutive quarters of economic contraction was “out of date” after Rounds said the U.S. had entered recession after reports of two consecutive quarters of economic contraction. 25 Earlier in 2022, Mitchell also attacked gas-tax holidays as “terrible climate policy.” 26

In 2021, Mitchell called then-Virginia gubernatorial candidate Glenn Youngkin (R) a “textbook case” of distorting cultural issues. She also claimed that critical race theory was not taught in Virginia schools and said that Youngkin only was in a close election with former Virginia Governor and Democratic Party fundraiser Terry McAuliffe (D) because Youngkin “arguably distorted” education issues. 27 Mitchell also said that critical race theory is “not a big deal” but became a cause of outrage in so many school boards in Virginia. 28

In 2018, Mitchell said the Trump administration’s decision to move the U.S. embassy to Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem was “appalling.” 29 That same year, Mitchell sided with the Philadelphia Eagles and their decision not to meet with then-President Donald Trump at the White House to celebrate their Super Bowl victory due to a dispute over ongoing national anthem protests in the National Football League. 30

Mitchell referred to southwest Virginia as “real redneck, sort of, bordering on Appalachia country” 31 during the 2008 presidential election campaign. In an apology message, she explained her choice of words based on reporting by “Democratic strategists” to explain why the Obama campaign was active in that part of the state. 32 33

Mitchell said that she “messed up” when she told an interviewer that Valerie Plame’s association with the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) was “widely known.” 34

Nonprofit Roles and Awards

Andrea Mitchell is on the board of directors of the International Women’s Media Foundation, 35 the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation, 36 and America’s Promise Alliance. 37 She is on the steering committee of the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press and a member of the Gridiron Club journalists’ organization. 38

In November 2022, Mitchell will be given an award from the International Center for Journalists for excellence in journalism. 39 She has received other lifetime or career awards from organizations including the Society for Professional Journalists, 40 Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government, 41 the International Women’s Media Foundation, 42 the Radio-Television News Directors Association, the National Press Foundation, 43 and the Emmys. 44

University of Pennsylvania

In 2017, Andrea Mitchell founded the Andrea Mitchell Center for the Study of Democracy at the University of Pennsylvania with a grant to the university. The Mitchell Center allowed the university’s Program on Democracy, Citizenship, and Constitutionalism to expand and permanently support the program, which was originally established with a $2.5 million grant from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation in 2006. 45 46 47

Mitchell is the emerita board chair of Penn Arts and Sciences Board of Advisors and is a University of Pennsylvania trustee emerita. 48 49 50

Personal Information

Andrea Mitchell is married to former chairman of the Federal Reserve Alan Greenspan and resides in Washington, D.C. 51 Mitchell received an undergraduate degree in English literature from the University of Pennsylvania College of Liberal Arts for Women in 1967. 52 53 54

References

  1. “Andrea Mitchell.” International Center for Journalists. Accessed August 28, 2022. https://www.icfj.org/about/profiles/andrea-mitchell.
  2. Andrea Mitchell Twitter Bio. Twitter. Accessed August 28, 2022. https://twitter.com/mitchellreports.
  3. “Profile: Board of Overseers Chair Andrea Mitchell CW’67.” University of Pennsylvania. December 31, 2016. Accessed August 28, 2022. https://omnia.sas.upenn.edu/story/profile-board-overseers-chair-andrea-mitchell-cw%E2%80%9967-0.
  4. “Andrea Mitchell.” International Center for Journalists. Accessed August 28, 2022. https://www.icfj.org/about/profiles/andrea-mitchell.
  5. Kornick, Lindsay. “MSNBC’s Andrea Mitchell calls Youngkin ‘textbook case’ of dishonest culture warrior.” Fox News. November 2, 2021. Accessed August 28, 2022. https://www.foxnews.com/media/msnbc-andrea-mitchell-calls-youngkin-textbook-case-of-dishonest-culture-warrior
  6. Steingrad, Alexandra. “50 Years As a Political Reporter Hasn’t Worn Andrea Mitchell Down.” Women’s Wear Daily. July 18, 2017. Accessed August 28, 2022. https://wwd.com/business-news/media/50-years-as-a-political-reporter-hasnt-worn-andrea-mitchell-down-10947771/.
  7. “Andrea Mitchell: Gas-tax holiday proposals are ‘terrible climate policy’.” Meet the Press Sundays, NBC News. March 3, 2022. Accessed August 28, 2022. https://www.nbc.com/meet-the-press/video/andrea-mitchell-gas-tax-holiday-proposals-are-terrible-climate-policy/796805514
  8. Crookston, Paul. “MSNBC’s Andrea Mitchell: Appalling How U.S. Moved Embassy to Jerusalem.” Washington Free Beacon. May 15, 2018. Accessed August 28, 2022. https://freebeacon.com/issues/msnbcs-andrea-mitchell-appalling-u-s-moved-embassy-jerusalem/.
  9. [1] YouTube post of Mitchell Comments on MSNBC. “Andrea Mitchell and Virginian Rednecks.” Posted June 9, 2008. Accessed August 28, 2022. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5raIzKI97hw.
  10. “Andrea Mitchell.” International Center for Journalists. Accessed August 28, 2022. https://www.icfj.org/about/profiles/andrea-mitchell.
  11. Andrea Mitchell Twitter Bio. Twitter. Accessed August 28, 2022. https://twitter.com/mitchellreports.
  12. Mitchell, Andrea. “Me and Frank.” Philadelphia Weekly. September 7, 2005. Accessed August 28, 2022. https://philadelphiaweekly.com/memoir/.
  13. “Andrea Mitchell.” International Center for Journalists. Accessed August 28, 2022. https://www.icfj.org/about/profiles/andrea-mitchell.
  14. “Andrea Mitchell: Rizzo Tried to Get Me Fired.” Philadelphia: The Great Experiment YouTube. Posted April 17, 2013. Accessed August 28, 2022. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ReWzwQGhUUg.
  15. “NBC Chief Foreign Affairs Correspondent to Speak at UNLV.” University of Nevada, Las Vegas. April 29, 1998. Accessed August 29, 2022. https://www.unlv.edu/news/release/nbc-chief-foreign-affairs-correspondent-speak-unlv.
  16. “Profile: Board of Overseers Chair Andrea Mitchell CW’67.” University of Pennsylvania. December 31, 2016. Accessed August 28, 2022. https://omnia.sas.upenn.edu/story/profile-board-overseers-chair-andrea-mitchell-cw%E2%80%9967-0.
  17. “Andrea Mitchell.” International Center for Journalists. Accessed August 28, 2022. https://www.icfj.org/about/profiles/andrea-mitchell.
  18. “Andrea Mitchell.” Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press. Accessed August 28, 2022. https://www.rcfp.org/andrea-mitchell/.
  19. “Andrea Mitchell.” NBC News. Accessed August 28, 2022. https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna3688874.
  20.  “Andrea Mitchell.” International Center for Journalists. Accessed August 28, 2022. https://www.icfj.org/about/profiles/andrea-mitchell.
  21. Steingrad, Alexandra. “50 Years As a Political Reporter Hasn’t Worn Andrea Mitchell Down.” Women’s Wear Daily. July 18, 2017. Accessed August 28, 2022. https://wwd.com/business-news/media/50-years-as-a-political-reporter-hasnt-worn-andrea-mitchell-down-10947771/.
  22. Rutz, David. “Clinton Aid Writes on His Phone, Shows It To Andrea Mitchell Before She Asks Clinton Softball Question.” Washington Free Beacon. October 21, 2016. Accessed August 28, 2022. https://freebeacon.com/politics/clinton-aide-phone-andrea-mitchell-clinton-softball-question/.
  23. “Andrea Mitchell: Distinguished Daughter of Pennsylvania.” University of Pennsylvania Almanac. November 21, 2017. Accessed August 28, 2022. https://almanac.upenn.edu/articles/andrea-mitchell-distinguished-daughter-of-pennsylvania.
  24. [1] “Andrea Mitchell.” Aspen Ideas Fest. Accessed August 28, 2022. https://www.aspenideas.org/speakers/andrea-mitchell.
  25. Bedard, Paul. “Liberal Media Scream: Andrea Mitchell slaps down GOP Senator.” Washington Examiner. August 15, 2022. Accessed August 28, 2022. https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/washington-secrets/liberal-media-scream-andrea-mitchell-slaps-down-gop-senator.
  26. “Andrea Mitchell: Gas-tax holiday proposals are ‘terrible climate policy’.” Meet the Press Sundays, NBC News. March 3, 2022. Accessed August 28, 2022. https://www.nbc.com/meet-the-press/video/andrea-mitchell-gas-tax-holiday-proposals-are-terrible-climate-policy/796805514.
  27. Kornick, Lindsay. “MSNBC’s Andrea Mitchell calls Youngkin ‘textbook case’ of dishonest culture warrior.” Fox News. November 2, 2021. Accessed August 28, 2022. https://www.foxnews.com/media/msnbc-andrea-mitchell-calls-youngkin-textbook-case-of-dishonest-culture-warrior.
  28.  Kornick, Lindsay. “MSNBC’s Andrea Mitchell calls Youngkin ‘textbook case’ of dishonest culture warrior.” Fox News. November 2, 2021. Accessed August 28, 2022. https://www.foxnews.com/media/msnbc-andrea-mitchell-calls-youngkin-textbook-case-of-dishonest-culture-warrior
  29. Crookston, Paul. “MSNBC’s Andrea Mitchell: Appalling How U.S. Moved Embassy to Jerusalem.” Washington Free Beacon. May 15, 2018. Accessed August 28, 2022. https://freebeacon.com/issues/msnbcs-andrea-mitchell-appalling-u-s-moved-embassy-jerusalem/.
  30. Flood, Brian. “NBC News’ ‘self-described unbiased journalist’ Andrea Mitchell slammed for siding with Eagles over Trump.” Fox News. June 5, 2018. Accessed August 28, 2022. https://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/nbc-news-self-described-unbiased-journalist-andrea-mitchell-slammed-for-siding-with-eagles-over-trump.
  31. YouTube post of Mitchell Comments on MSNBC. “Andrea Mitchell and Virginian Rednecks.” Posted June 9, 2008. Accessed August 28, 2022. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5raIzKI97hw.
  32. Chiachiere, Ryan. “NBC’s Mitchell apologizes for “redneck” comments. Media Matters for America. June 9, 2008. Accessed August 28, 2022. https://www.mediamatters.org/msnbc/nbcs-mitchell-apologizes-redneck-comments.
  33. “NBC’s Andera Mitchell Apologizes for “Redneck” Comments.” Bristol Herald Courier. Published April 18, 2008. Accessed via web Archive August 28, 2022. https://archive.ph/Matb0.
  34. Maguire, Tom. “Andrea Mitchell: Take Two.” Huffpost. Posted November 25, 2005. Updated May 25, 2011. Accessed August 28, 2022. https://www.huffpost.com/entry/andrea-mitchell-take-two_b_11251.
  35. “International Women’s Media Foundation.” Return of Organization Exempt From Income Tax. (Form 990). 2019. Part VI. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/521648942/202003119349302240/full.
  36. “Andrea Mitchell.” NBC News. Accessed August 28, 2022. https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna3688874.
  37. “Andrea Mitchell.” The WICT Network. Accessed August 28, 2022. https://www.wict.org/bio/andrea-mitchell/.
  38. “Andrea Mitchell.” Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press. Accessed August 28, 2022. https://www.rcfp.org/andrea-mitchell/.
  39. Katz, A.J. “Andrea Mitchell to Receive Top Award From International Center for Journalists.” TV Newser. March 31, 2022. Accessed August 28, 2022. https://www.adweek.com/tvnewser/andrea-mitchell-to-receive-top-award-from-international-center-for-journalists/504453/.
  40.  “Hall of Fame Dinner June 11.” Washington, D.C., Pro SPJ Chapter. April 2, 2013. Accessed August 28, 2022. https://spjdc.org/2013/04/hall-of-fame-dinner-june-11/.
  41. “Andrea Mitchell.” International Center for Journalists. Accessed August 28, 2022. https://www.icfj.org/about/profiles/andrea-mitchell.
  42. Flood, Brian. “International Women’s Media Foundation names 2017 Winners.” May 11, 2017. Accessed August 28, 2022. https://www.thewrap.com/andrea-mitchell-to-receive-lifetime-achievement-award-at-news-documentary-emmys/.
  43. “Award Winner – Andrea Mitchell.” National Press Foundation. 2010. Accessed August 28, 2022. https://nationalpress.org/award-winner/andrea-mitchell/.
  44. Ellefson, Lindsey. “Andrea Mitchell to Receive Lifetime Achievement Award at News and Documentary Emmys.” The Wrap. July 15, 2019. Accessed August 28, 2022. https://www.thewrap.com/andrea-mitchell-to-receive-lifetime-achievement-award-at-news-documentary-emmys/.
  45. “About.” The Andrea Mitchell Center for the Study of Democracy. Accessed August 28, 2022. https://amc.sas.upenn.edu/about.
  46. “Gift to Endow Andrea Mitchell Center for the Study of Diplomacy at Penn.” University of Pennsylvania Almanac. August 29, 2017. Volume 64, Number 2. Accessed August 28, 2022. https://almanac.upenn.edu/uploads/media/082817.pdf.
  47. “University of Pennsylvania.” Mellon Foundation. September 15, 2006. Accessed August 28, 2022. https://mellon.org/grants/grants-database/grants/university-of-pennsylvania/30600659/.
  48. “Andrea Mitchell, CW ’67.” Penn Arts and Sciences. Accessed August 28, 2022. https://web.sas.upenn.edu/endowed-professors/andrea-mitchell/.
  49. “Profile: Board of Overseers Chair Andrea Mitchell CW’67.” University of Pennsylvania. December 31, 2016. Accessed August 28, 2022. https://omnia.sas.upenn.edu/story/profile-board-overseers-chair-andrea-mitchell-cw%E2%80%9967-0.
  50. “Profile: Board of Overseers Chair Andrea Mitchell CW’67.” University of Pennsylvania. December 31, 2016. Accessed August 28, 2022. https://omnia.sas.upenn.edu/story/profile-board-overseers-chair-andrea-mitchell-cw%E2%80%9967-0.
  51. “Andrea Mitchell.” Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press. Accessed August 28, 2022. https://www.rcfp.org/andrea-mitchell/.
  52. “UPenn Ignited NBC Icon Andrea Mitchell’s Passion For Broadcast Media.” Alumni Spotlight. May 6, 2021. Accessed August 28, 2022. https://alumnispotlight.com/2021/05/06/upenn-ignited-nbc-icon-andrea-mitchells-passion-for-broadcast-media/.
  53. “Andrea Mitchell.” Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press. Accessed August 28, 2022. https://www.rcfp.org/andrea-mitchell/.
  54. “Profile: Board of Overseers Chair Andrea Mitchell CW’67.” University of Pennsylvania. December 31, 2016. Accessed August 28, 2022. https://omnia.sas.upenn.edu/story/profile-board-overseers-chair-andrea-mitchell-cw%E2%80%9967-0.
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