Andrea Mitchell bids farewell to MSNBC in emotional finale
Veteran NBC journalist Andrea Mitchell has said farewell to her daytime MSNBC show, Andrea Mitchell Reports.
After revealing her departure date earlier this week, Mitchell shared some final thoughts on air Friday, following a montage of clips from her 17 years on the show. "Just a few final thoughts about the stories that we've shared over these 17 years, you and I, and the miles I've traveled to bring them to you," she said. "I've anchored this program all over the world, as you just saw, from Moscow to Beijing, Nairobi to Ramallah, Havana, Islamabad, Kabul, Baghdad, yes, telling America's story, as well, all over the United States, starting with Iowa and New Hampshire."
Mitchell emphasized that she would still be a presence at NBC News, continuing in her roles as chief Washington correspondent and chief foreign affairs correspondent.
"This hour has always been driven by what I love most, deep reporting on politics and foreign policy," Mitchell continued. "As I announced last October, in these challenging times, I want to get back to my roots and learn more about your lives, tell your stories as we face tectonic changes in our nation and our world, after also doing that for 17 years, hosting this daily show on MSNBC, I'll be doing that from now on full-time, where this amazing ride first started 47 years ago, right here at NBC News as chief Washington and chief foreign policy correspondent, continuing to cover politics and foreign policy."
As the show drew to a close, the journalist was surprised by a large group of colleagues who had worked with her on the news program. They streamed into the studio to give her hugs and express their best wishes. Mitchell was visibly moved by the gesture and her final words as anchor were to mention that she would be on Friday's Nightly News and Meet the Press on Sunday.
Mitchell's departure, announced a week after NBC's longtime political director, Chuck Todd, left to pursue new projects, marks the end of an era for the network's longest-running daytime program.
In the days leading up to the presidential election, Mitchell explained her decision to leave, saying she wanted "to do more of what I love the most: more connecting, listening and reporting in the field," she said. "Especially as whoever is elected next week is going to undertake the monumental task of handling two foreign wars and the political divisions here at home."
She expressed her desire to cover news stories from a "different vantage point," and "not on the schedule of a daily show."
