Press release - Corporate
July 8, 2024
ABC News Veteran Rick Klein Named Vice President and Washington D.C. Bureau Chief
Klein Has Been With the Network Since 2007, Most Recently as Political Director
ABC News’ longtime political director Rick Klein has been named vice president and Washington D.C. bureau chief, it was announced today by Debra OConnell, president, News Group and Networks, Disney Entertainment.
Klein, a veteran journalist who has been a key member of the D.C. team since joining the company in 2007, will oversee bureau operations and manage all news teams based in Washington for breaking news, daily coverage and special events. He will set the editorial vision out of the Washington bureau, overseeing all political coverage, including the network’s Sunday morning public affairs program, “This Week with George Stephanopoulos,” and will drive collaboration across ABC News’ powerhouse political team and D.C.-based reporters with all divisions and departments, as well as with ABC-owned stations and affiliates.
In announcing the appointment, OConnell said, “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. His expertise and deep relationships both inside and outside the Beltway are vital to our success as the No. 1 news network in the country.”
“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.”
During his time at ABC News, Klein has filled a wide range of roles both on air and off. He has helped plan and produce more than 20 debates and candidate town halls for ABC News, as well as presidential interviews with a broad range of ABC News anchors and correspondents, from Diane Sawyer, Charlie Gibson and Barbara Walters to David Muir, Robin Roberts and George Stephanopoulos. Klein has also interviewed a wide range of key 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, among other prominent individuals.
Before becoming political director in 2013, Klein was the senior Washington editor for “World News with Diane Sawyer” and was 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. He also co-hosted the podcasts “Powerhouse Politics” and “Capital Games” and made frequent guest appearances on Fox News and NPR panels.
Klein will report to OConnell until a new president of ABC News is named. He will also continue to appear on-air for ABC News platforms to contribute political analysis and reporting, including coverage of political data, polling and demographics.
Before joining ABC News, Klein was a reporter for The Boston Globe, where he covered the Massachusetts State House and Boston City Hall, before moving to Washington to cover Congress and national politics. A native of Long Island, New York, Klein graduated from Princeton University and previously worked as a metro reporter at The Dallas Morning News.
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ABC News Media Relations
Jeannie Kedas
jeannie.kedas@abc.com
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