NBC News chief foreign affairs correspondent and MSNBC anchor Andrea Mitchell is in Panama City, covering the Summit of the Americas. But she managed to take a few minutes to answer our 5 questions about her career, her husband, former Federal Reserve chairman Alan Greenspan, and the pleasure of getting out of Washington.
TVNewser: You’re currently in Central America ahead of Pres. Obama’s arrival there. What’s the most exotic location you’ve been to on assignment covering a President?
Mitchell: It wasn’t exotic but following Ronald Reagan to Barbados for Easter vacation was fun – perhaps Reykjavik, Iceland for the showdown with Gorbachev. And all those trips to Iraq and Afghanistan with Secretaries of State.
TVNewser: With all the gridlock in Washington, how do you ensure that your reporting doesn’t get bogged down in the do-nothing nature of DC ?
Mitchell: That’s why I love going overseas – I learn so much and get a fresh perspective on Washington.
TVNewser: How do you balance foreign travel with hosting a daily show on MSNBC?
Mitchell: I do both -we were live today in Panama and I did portions of my show from Lausanne and Israel in the past few weeks.
TVNewser: You and your husband and very busy with your professional lives, so what do you do for fun?
Mitchell: We love tennis, music, baseball and good friends.
TVNewser: What’s a specific meal you look forward to when you know you’re visiting a particular city?
Mitchell: You mean we are supposed to take breaks for meals?
