PERSON: Lesley Stahl

Journalist

Lesley Rene Stahl (born December 16, 1941) is an American television journalist. Since 1991, she has reported for CBS on “60 Minutes.”<br> <br> A graduate of Wheaton College, Stahl began her television broadcasting career at Boston’s original Channel 5, WHDH-TV as a producer and on-air reporter. Her prominence grew after later joining CBS News and covering the Watergate affair. Stahl went on to become White House correspondent during the presidencies of Jimmy Carter, Ronald Reagan, and George H. W. Bush. It was she who on CBS at the Republican Convention of 1980 first broke the news that Reagan’s negotiations with ex-President Ford had broken down and the answer to the question of who would be vice-presidential nominee was: “It’s Bush! Yes, it’s Bush!” George H. W. Bush had been standing perhaps not far away, largely off by himself, looking discouraged because he was sure he wasn’t going to be chosen. That decision led to 12 years of Bush family presidential service, over the next 28 years. Stahl was the moderator of “Face the Nation” between September 1983 and May 1991. In addition, from 2002–2004, she hosted “48 Hours Investigates.” In 2002, Stahl made headlines when Al Gore appeared on “60 Minutes” and revealed for the first time that he would not run for president again in 2004. When Katie Couric was hired, CBS News asked Stahl to reduce her salary by $500,000 to accommodate Couric’s salary, bringing her salary down to $1.8 million. In October 2007, Nicolas Sarkozy, president of France, stood up and walked away from an interview with Stahl, because she asked him about his relationship with his soon-to-be estranged spouse.<br> <br> In 1998, she appeared in an episode of “Frasier,” playing herself in the episode “Desperately Seeking Closure.”<br> <br> She has written one book, “Reporting Live,” which was published in 1999.<br> <br> She received a doctorate of humane letters honoris causa from Colgate University in 2008 and a doctorate of humane letters honoris causa from Loyola College in Maryland in 2008.<br> <br> Lesley Stahl is one of the founding members, along with Liz Smith, Mary Wells Lawrence, and Joni Evans, of wowOwow.com, a website for women to talk about culture, politics, and gossip.<br> <br> She is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations.<br> <br> >> Wikipedia