Sam Donaldson facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Sam Donaldson
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Donaldson in 1995
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| Born |
Samuel Andrew Donaldson, Jr.
March 11, 1934 El Paso, Texas, U.S.
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| Occupation | Journalist; television news pundit; panelist for ABC News Now |
| Years active | 1967-2009 |
| Spouse(s) |
Patricia Oates
(m. 1954; div. 1962)Billie Kay Butler
(m. 1963; div. 1980)Janice C. Smith
(m. 1983; div. 2014)Sandra Martorelli
(m. 2014) |
| Children | 4 |
| Military service | |
| Branch | United States Army |
| Service years | 1956–1959 |
| Rank | Captain |
Samuel Andrew Donaldson Jr. (born March 11, 1934) is an American journalist who worked in television news. He was a reporter and news anchor for ABC News for many years, from 1967 to 2009. He was especially known for his time as the White House Correspondent, where he covered presidents and their activities. People often remembered his loud voice, which could get the attention of President Reagan even over the sound of helicopters. He also appeared on the Sunday news program This Week on the ABC network.
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Early Life and Start in Journalism
Sam Donaldson was born in El Paso, Texas. He grew up on his family's farm in Chamberino, New Mexico. His mother, Chloe, was a school teacher, and his father, Samuel, was a farmer.
He went to New Mexico Military Institute and later to Texas Western College, which is now called the University of Texas at El Paso. While in college, he managed the campus radio station, KTEP. After college, from 1956 to 1959, Donaldson served in the United States Army as an artillery officer and became a Captain. During his time in the Army, he was one of the military observers who witnessed an atomic test in Nevada.
After his military service, Donaldson started his career in television news. He worked at KRLD-TV in Dallas, Texas, for a year. Then, in 1961, he moved to Washington, D.C., and joined WTOP-TV. There, he reported on both local news and important national events. He covered the 1964 presidential campaign and major debates in the Senate about civil rights and Medicare.
Working at ABC News
In October 1967, Sam Donaldson joined ABC News as a correspondent in Washington. He covered important political events, like the major party conventions in 1968. He also started anchoring the network's late-night newscasts on Saturdays and Sundays in 1969.
In 1971, Donaldson reported from Vietnam during the Vietnam War. He was also ABC's main reporter for the Watergate scandal in 1973 and 1974. He covered the trials and investigations related to this big political event.
Reporting from the White House
Donaldson covered Jimmy Carter's presidential campaign in 1976. In January 1977, he became ABC's White House Correspondent, a job he held until 1989. He returned to this role in 1998 and stayed until mid-1999. During his time at the White House, he was known for asking tough questions. One famous moment was when he asked President Reagan if any of the blame for a recession belonged to him. Reagan famously replied, "Yes, because for many years I was a Democrat!" Donaldson also covered the events surrounding President Clinton in the late 1990s.
Being a Panelist on This Week
Sam Donaldson was a regular panelist on the Sunday morning show This Week with David Brinkley from when it started in 1981. After Brinkley retired in 1996, Donaldson co-anchored the show with Cokie Roberts until 2002. He still sometimes appeared as a panelist on the program after that.
Primetime Live and 20/20
In August 1989, Donaldson became a co-anchor for ABC's new news magazine show, Primetime Live, alongside Diane Sawyer. They worked together on Primetime Live until 1998, and then on its follow-up show, 20/20 Wednesday, until 2000. One of his notable reports involved interviewing a person in Argentina who was involved in a serious historical event during World War II. This interview led to the person being brought to justice in Italy.
Other Reporting Roles
Donaldson also anchored the ABC Sunday Evening News from 1979 to 1989.
In 1990 and 1991, he covered the Gulf War. He even co-anchored Primetime Live from Kuwait City after Iraqi troops left. In 1991, he announced the dissolution of the Soviet Union on ABC News Nightline, showing the lowering of the Soviet flag and the raising of the Russian flag.
In 1992, while on assignment in Sarajevo, his producer, David Kaplan, was tragically killed by a sniper. Donaldson reported on this sad event that same night.
Later in his career, in 2002, Donaldson anchored one of the first regular U.S. news broadcasts on the Internet. He also hosted the "Politics Live" broadcast for ABC News Now. He retired from ABC News in 2009.
Awards and Recognition
Sam Donaldson received many awards for his work in journalism. Readers of the Washington Journalism Review voted him Best White House Correspondent in 1985. They also named him Best Television Correspondent for four years in a row, from 1986 to 1989.
Among his other honors, he won four Emmy Awards and three Peabody Awards. He also received the Edward R. Murrow Award in 1997 and the Paul White Award in 1998. In 2002, he and his wife Jan were named "Washingtonians of the Year" by Washingtonian magazine. In 2019, he received an honorary degree from New Mexico State University.
Public Discussions About Farm Subsidies
In the mid-1990s, there was a public discussion about government spending and farm subsidies. Sam Donaldson, who owned a family farm, was mentioned in news reports as someone who received federal money for his farm. This led to a debate about whether wealthy individuals should receive such subsidies.
Donaldson defended himself by saying that the government helps many types of businesses, and he used programs he was eligible for. He also explained that if you are in the sheep ranching business, you have to protect your lambs from predators like coyotes.
Career Timeline
- 1961–1967: Reporter and Anchor at WTOP-TV, Washington, D.C.
- 1967–1977: ABC News Capitol Hill Correspondent
- 1977–1989, January 1998 – August 1999: ABC News Chief White House Correspondent
- 1979–1989: World News Sunday anchor
- 1981–1996, 2002–2013: This Week panelist
- August 1989 – 1998: Primetime Live co-anchor
- November 1996 – September 2002: This Week co-moderator
- 1998–2000: 20/20 anchor
- 1999–2001: Sam Donaldson ABCNews.com host
- October 2001 – May 2004: The Sam Donaldson Show -- Live in America host
- May 2004 – February 2009: "Politics Live" anchor, ABC News Now
- February 2009: Retired from ABC News
Personal Life
Sam Donaldson has been married to Sandra Martorelli Donaldson since December 2014. They live in Albuquerque, New Mexico. He has four children from his earlier marriages: Samuel III, Jennifer, Thomas, and Robert.
In 1995, Donaldson had a type of skin cancer called melanoma removed. Since then, he has been a strong supporter of cancer research.
He also operates a family cattle ranch in Lincoln County, New Mexico.
Donaldson has been involved with several important organizations. He was a member of the board of directors for the Library of American Broadcasting and the American Academy of Achievement. He also served as president of the advisory board for the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars and chairman emeritus of the advisory board for the H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center. He is currently a member of the Board of New Mexico First and the Ford Theater Advisory Council.
