Sam Donaldson
Sam Donaldson
Samuel Andrew "Sam" Donaldson, Jr.is an American reporter and news anchor, serving with ABC News from 1967 to 2013. He is best known as the network's White House Correspondentand as a panelist and later co-anchor of the network's Sunday program, This Week...
ProfessionJournalist
Date of Birth11 March 1934
CityEl Paso, TX
home thinking victory-and-defeat
Some days the competition would beat me and I'd go home thinking awful thoughts, want to hide under the bed, depressed. But of course, in the news business, when you're working a daily news broadcast, you get your victories and defeats every day.
college thinking people
As I went to college, I went into radio and television. Now I suppose most people think that's one step ahead of basket weaving as a major in college, but it was part of the journalism department.
mother thinking want
And really, the basis, I think, of achieving some success in what I want to do today comes from my mother's push to get me to read and to make something of myself from the standpoint of an education.
american-journalist final five high promoted sergeant six year
At the end of that year I was promoted to sergeant. Only five or six of us got promoted to sergeant for our final year in high school.
american-journalist listening realized remember voice
But a distinctive voice is important. I don't think I realized this as a young kid, but I do remember listening to those voices.
bring coffee dumb women
Women couldn't be on television, ... They could bring you coffee or something. She's so dumb she didn't know that.
asked comment further understand
We understand the investigation is continuing, and we have been asked by authorities not to comment further at this time.
abc american-journalist whereas
Whereas at ABC I was anchoring some of their programs, some of their specials, immediately, because there wasn't that much competition.
clarity greater nine punch
He can take a story, compress it into nine or 10 words, and have a greater clarity and punch then when I write two paragraphs.
american-journalist content ingredient
I can't tell you what that little ingredient is which makes that first person want to go on and aggressively do more, and the other person be content to not do that. It's a mystery, but it does happen.
american-journalist certainly news
But my observation has been, certainly in the news business, you've got to give 110 percent.
american-journalist business enjoyed five knew liked year
I wanted to be in this business, and once I got into the business I knew I enjoyed it, and I liked it, and I wanted to continue, but I never had a five year plan.
american-journalist found fulfilled full importance looking truth understanding whatever
The truth is, when I got started in this business, it wasn't because I had a full understanding of the importance of the business, but because I thought it was fun. I found it exciting. It fulfilled me, whatever it was that I was looking for.
american-journalist anyone confidence expect guess lesson whatever worth
But I guess the lesson is this: If you don't have confidence in yourself and think that you are worth hiring, or whatever it is, you can't expect anyone else to.