ABC News’ political director Rick Klein has been named vice president and Washington D.C. bureau chief for the network.
Klein has been a member of the ABC’s team in Washington D.C. since 2007 and will now oversee bureau operations and manage all news teams based there on breaking news, daily coverage and special events. He will also oversee all political coverage, including the network’s Sunday morning public affairs program, This Week with George Stephanopoulos.
ABC News is scheduled to host the next presidential debate on Sept. 10, with World News Tonight anchor David Muir and ABC News Live Prime anchor Linsey Davis. President Biden sat down with ABC News for his first interview after the June 27 debate hosted on CNN.
“As a seasoned and highly respected journalist, Rick is uniquely qualified to lead our Washington bureau at such a pivotal moment in our nation’s history. His years of guiding our coverage of the biggest political news events, including five presidential elections, and providing critical analysis across ABC News’ programs and platforms are invaluable to our exceptional team and viewers,” said Debra OConnell, president, News Group and Networks, Disney Entertainment.
Klein has helped plan and produce more than 20 debates and candidate town halls for ABC News, in addition to presidential interviews with a numerous ABC News anchors and correspondents. Klein himself has interviewed notable political figures, including President Joe Biden, former President Donald Trump, Sen. Mitt Romney, former House Speaker Paul Ryan, and the late Senators Edward M. Kennedy and John McCain.
Before becoming political director in 2013, Klein was the senior Washington editor for World News with Diane Sawyer and the longtime primary author of the daily political tipsheet The Note. He co-hosted the streaming political program Top Line and co-anchored ABC News’ digital election coverage in 2008 alongside Sam Donaldson.
“I have grown up professionally working with the legendary journalists of ABC News in Washington,” Klein said. “I’m honored to step into the role of bureau chief at this critical time and for the chance to work more closely with my colleagues in Washington and beyond. Our audience depends on us more than ever for straightforward reporting about our government and political institutions – reporting that is essential to our democracy and around the world.”
Klein will report to OConnell until a new president of ABC News is named. Kim Godwin stepped down as president in early May.