George Stephanopoulos facts for kids

Quick facts for kids George Stephanopoulos
Stephanopoulos in 2024
Senior Advisor to the President
In office June 7, 1993 – December 10, 1996
President	Bill Clinton
Preceded by	Rahm Emanuel
Succeeded by	Sidney Blumenthal
White House Communications Director
In office January 20, 1993 – June 7, 1993
President	Bill Clinton
Preceded by	Margaret D. Tutwiler
Succeeded by	Mark Gearan
Personal details
Born	George Robert Stephanopoulos (1961-02-10) February 10, 1961 (age 64) Fall River, Massachusetts, U.S.
Political party	Democratic
Spouse	Ali Wentworth ​ (m. 2001)​
Children	2
Education	Columbia University (BA) Balliol College, Oxford (MA)

George Robert Stephanopoulos (born February 10, 1961) is an American television host, political commentator, and former advisor for the Democratic Party. He is well-known as a co-anchor on Good Morning America and as the host of This Week, ABC's Sunday morning news program.

Before becoming a journalist, Stephanopoulos worked as an important advisor in politics. He gained attention as the communications director for Bill Clinton's 1992 presidential campaign. Later, he became the White House communications director and then a senior advisor, leaving his role in December 1996.

Early Life and Education

George Stephanopoulos was born in Fall River, Massachusetts. His parents, Nickolitsa and Robert, are of Greek descent. His father is a Greek Orthodox priest.

After living in Purchase, New York, George moved to Cleveland, Ohio. He finished high school in 1978 at Orange High School in Pepper Pike.

Stephanopoulos speaking at Virginia Tech in March 2006

In 1982, Stephanopoulos earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science from Columbia University in New York. He graduated with very high honors (summa cum laude) and was the second-highest-ranked student in his class. While at Columbia, he joined the Phi Beta Kappa honor society and received a Harry S. Truman Scholarship. He also worked as a sports broadcaster for the university's radio station, WKCR-FM.

After college, George worked in Washington, D.C., as an aide for Democratic Congressman Ed Feighan from Ohio. He later became Feighan's chief of staff.

Stephanopoulos then attended Balliol College at the University of Oxford in England as a Rhodes Scholar. He earned a Master of Arts degree in Theology in 1984.

Political Career

Early Political Work

George Stephanopoulos started his career in Washington, D.C., working for Congressman Ed Feighan. His duties included writing letters, memos, and speeches. He later became Feighan's chief of staff.

In 1988, Stephanopoulos worked on the Michael Dukakis U.S. presidential campaign. He was drawn to this campaign because Dukakis was a Greek-American from Massachusetts. After this, Stephanopoulos became an assistant to Dick Gephardt, who was the Majority Leader in the U.S. House of Representatives. He held this job until he joined the Clinton campaign.

Working with President Clinton

Stephanopoulos and President Bill Clinton prepare for the State of the Union Address in 1994

Stephanopoulos was a key member of Clinton's 1992 U.S. presidential campaign, along with David Wilhelm and James Carville. His role in the campaign was shown in the documentary film The War Room (1993), which was nominated for an Academy Award.

In the Clinton administration, Stephanopoulos was a senior advisor for policy and strategy. He worked on important issues like crime laws, equal opportunity, and health care. At the start of Clinton's presidency, he also acted as the main spokesperson for the White House, giving briefings to the press. He was considered a close advisor to President Clinton.

In 1995, Stephanopoulos was involved in a minor car accident in Georgetown. He was charged with leaving the scene and driving with an expired license. The charge of leaving the scene was later dropped.

Stephanopoulos left the Clinton administration shortly after Clinton was re-elected in 1996. He was among the first inside the White House to understand the serious problems that could arise from the Lewinsky affair for Clinton's presidency.

His memoir, All Too Human: A Political Education (1999), was published after he left the White House. It quickly became a number-one bestseller. In the book, Stephanopoulos shared about the intense pressure he felt working in the White House. President Clinton later mentioned the book in his own autobiography, My Life, expressing regret for the stress he put on his young staff.

Stephanopoulos's book covers his time with Clinton from 1991 to 1996, including two presidential campaigns and four years in the White House. He described Clinton as a "complicated man" who reacted to public life in ways that were both "awesome and appalling."

Journalism Career

After leaving the White House, Stephanopoulos became a political analyst for ABC News. He worked as a correspondent for This Week, World News Tonight, and Good Morning America, as well as other special broadcasts.

Secretary of Defense Robert M. Gates and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton talk with George Stephanopoulos in December 2009 in Washington, D.C.

In September 2002, Stephanopoulos became the host of This Week. ABC News officially named him "Chief Washington Correspondent" in December 2005.

In 2008, Stephanopoulos co-moderated a major Democratic Party presidential debate with Charles Gibson. While the debate had very high ratings, some people criticized the moderators for focusing too much on campaign controversies instead of important issues like the economy or the Iraq War. Stephanopoulos admitted that the order of questions could have been better, but he noted that these were important issues in the campaign.

During the 2008 presidential election, Stephanopoulos started a blog called George's Bottom Line on the ABC News website. He wrote about political news and analysis from Washington.

Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Adm. Mike Mullen is interviewed by Good Morning America's Stephanopoulos.

Stephanopoulos interviews President Joe Biden in 2021

In December 2009, ABC News offered Stephanopoulos a co-anchor job on Good Morning America. He accepted and began co-anchoring GMA on December 14, 2009. He announced on January 10, 2010, that it would be his last broadcast as the permanent host of This Week. However, he returned as host of This Week in December 2011 after his successor left the show. He signed a deal to stay with ABC until 2021.

After Diane Sawyer left World News in August 2014, Stephanopoulos became the Chief Anchor at ABC News from 2014 to 2020. He continued his roles on GMA and This Week. Stephanopoulos also leads a new documentary unit for Disney's digital platforms and hosts special primetime shows on ABC each year.

Other Ventures

George Stephanopoulos is a co-founder of two production companies, BedBy8 and George Stephanopoulos Productions. These companies have produced several documentaries, including Pretty Baby: Brooke Shields and Power Trip: Those Who Seek Power and Those Who Chase Them.

Personal Life

Stephanopoulos is a Greek Orthodox Christian and has a master's degree in theology.

He married Ali Wentworth, an actress, comedian, and writer, in 2001. They were married at the Archdiocesan Cathedral of the Holy Trinity in New York City. They have two daughters, born in 2002 and 2005. Stephanopoulos learned about transcendental meditation from Jerry Seinfeld. He has spoken about how this practice has made a difference in people's lives.

Honors and Awards

In May 2007, Stephanopoulos received an Honorary Doctor of Laws from St. John's University in New York City.

He has won two News and Documentary Emmy Awards and has been nominated for 17 of them.

See also

In Spanish: George Stephanopoulos para niños