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
years age east
I didn't come east of the Mississippi for the first time in my life until I was 26 years of age, but I knew. I read magazines, I listened to radio, I watched television. I knew there was something out there, and I wanted a part of it.
mistake years president
In 27 years of reporting from Washington, I've never heard a President admit he made a mistake.
mother war years
But in 1941, on December 8th, after the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor, my mother bought a radio and we listened to the war news. We'd not had a radio up to that time. I was born in 1934, so I was seven years of age.
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.