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ABC's Donaldson to Retire Next Week

Bellowing newscaster is 'sweetheart underneath'

By Kevin Spak,  Newser Staff

Posted Feb 16, 2009 11:33 AM CST
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(Newser) – Sam Donaldson is calling it quits after a 41-year career distinguished by a booming voice and tough demeanor, Howard Kurtz reports in the Washington Post. “I guess it’ll be on my tombstone,” Donaldson muses. “He yelled at Ronald Reagan.” Donaldson became famous for shouting questions at the Gipper on the White House lawn in the ‘80s, before cable news made confrontational reporting the standard.

Recently, Donaldson has been co-hosting ABC’s Web show, “talking to an audience of dozens,” he jokes. Were he on a higher-profile show—something like 60 Minutes—the 74-year-old says he might stick around, but as it stands, he didn’t want to hang on too long. “If they were going to push me,” he says, “at least I jumped before they did.”

ABC newscaster Sam Donaldson clowns around with the media on the red carpet at Ford's Theatre for its reopening and the bicentennial celebration of Lincoln's birth, Feb. 11, 2009.
ABC newscaster Sam Donaldson clowns around with the media on the red carpet at Ford's Theatre for its reopening and the bicentennial celebration of Lincoln's birth, Feb. 11, 2009.   (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)
This Week co-host Sam Donaldson speaks with reporters before he participates as a panelist on Covering the News After 9/11 March 5, 2002 in Beverly Hills, CA.
"This Week" co-host Sam Donaldson speaks with reporters before he participates as a panelist on "Covering the News After 9/11" March 5, 2002 in Beverly Hills, CA.   (Getty Images)
Host Sam Donaldson arrives at the12th Annual Broadcasting and Cable Hall of Fame Gala at the Marriott Marquis November 11, 2002, in New York.
Host Sam Donaldson arrives at the12th Annual Broadcasting and Cable Hall of Fame Gala at the Marriott Marquis November 11, 2002, in New York.   (Getty Images)
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COMMENTS
Showing 3 of 6 comments
hopeandchange
Jun 1, 2010 6:33 AM CDT
he would love for his tombstone to read "he yelled at Reagan" as if reporters yelling questions is anything special. what it will read is "here lies the man that single handedly killed evening TV news by trying to affect a presidential election with fraudulent documents."
Shannonals
Feb 17, 2009 2:27 AM CST
Great, 74 yrs old, he deserves to retire
inky
Feb 16, 2009 4:10 AM CST
As a veteran of several newsrooms, I can completely picture the sailor86 secret bird-flippage.

One of Donaldson's more recent commentary segments
ABC News

Donaldson will make appearances on 'This Week'
Mediabistro

 
ABC • retirement • journalist • ABC News • television news • network news

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