‘There is no place like home’- CBS News Anchor Credits San Antonio for Key Values
On Thursday, September 24th, San Antonio Observer Columnist, Doug Heath, sat down, virtually, with CBS Evening News Anchor, Norah O’Donnell. Arguably the most influential woman in the news industry, O’Donnell has roots in the Alamo City. Moving to San Antonio at the age of 10, O’Donnell is a graduate of MacArthur High School. Observer columnist, Doug Heath, who cited O’Donnell as his favorite news host, had the honor of interviewing O’Donnell for this article.
As news anchor of the “Most Trusted News Source” in America, O’Donnell is guided by her hometown values. She begins every evening with the goal of revealing new and objective information that is based on the facts. San Antonio provided the values that she employs on the evening news, and while this self-described San Antonio “girl” has been all over the world, there is no place like home. During her conversation, she often mentioned how the city taught her the importance of showing respect for different perspectives.
“demonstrating respect for others is a key element for earning trust”
Norah O’Donnell, CBS Evening News Anchor
O’Donnell said that “demonstrating respect for others is a key element for earning trust” and mentioned “integrity, honesty, friendships and a [high] quality of life” as other attributes that she traces to her roots in San Antonio. According to O’Donnell a person’s quality of life is, “based upon the quality of your relationships.” Once you meet Norah, she makes you feel as if you have known her for years, and she has a warm and open presence. As a testimonial to the importance of the relationships in her life, she still has the same childhood friends, and they have a reunion every two years.
O’Donnell is the product of a military family. In addition to Texas, she lived in Germany and South Korea prior to her graduation from Georgetown University. She began her career as a beat reporter for a Capitol Hill newspaper and spent a decade at NBC covering the White House, the Pentagon, and Congress before making the move to CBS This Morning in 2012 and 60 Minutes in 2013. She has interviewed some of the world’s most important leaders, including five of the last seven U.S. presidents. “America is the most powerful country in the world, and Washington’s the most powerful city in the world,” she explains. “We believe that the best way to tell a story and understand what’s happening is to get as close to it as we can.” O’Donnell closed the interview by calling the ability to present the news to America on a nightly basis and “sit in the same seat as Walter Cronkite” an honor.
Many of us may not know O’Donnell personally, but she is a great friend for us here in San Antonio. A friend who stands by the facts each night and provides truth to our world. Factual news and unbiased opinions are hard to sort through. Norah is a straight shooter on a huge platform where her voice is influential in millions of lives.
We are lucky enough to be ‘home’ to O’Donnell. They say that, “San Antonio is a big city with a small-town feel”. This shows whether you see a childhood friend at the store or you see your childhood friend anchoring the news of the hour you still feel that home vibe. During such a tumultuous time in our nation, it is encouraging to see a familiar face and the values behind its reporting.
It is great to know that we have a prime-time news anchor who is guided by San Antonio values. Norah O’Donnell, truly, is another San Antonio hometown hero.
