- Why did you want to work for CNN?

I wanted to see the world. When news breaks, I don’t want to wring my hands and wait. I want to go!  And as a result, I’ve traveled to major breaking news and covered 3 wars with a network unparalleled in it’s international reach.
 

- How difficult is it to be an anchor?

A lot harder than it looks. The easier it looks, the harder it is. Imagine when the spiritual leader of Hamas is killed in a rocket attack but no information beyond that. You’re on TV, and all the producer can say is “keep talking!” We call it “carrying the air”. That’s what you do. You draw on every thread of experience you have, from having been in the Middle East, and a career of talking to the experts.

- What do you do from Monday - Friday?

I work a Wed-Sunday schedule because I cover the weekend primetime shows. During the weekdays it’s a scrunched combination of meetings with my weeked producers about pre-taping guest segments along with anchoring weekday shows or doing breaking news from the Breaking News Desk. I love it!  Unscripted, immediate and the chance to be first. Can you tell I’m competitive? Saturday and Sunday it’s intense. The afternoon starts with an editorial meeting on the top stories of the day and what we expect our coverage that night to be. Then the discussion of the x-factor---the stories people are talking about and how we best serve the viewer by reporting them.

- Please describe a normal day at work.

There’s no such thing as normal. One day it’s putting together a medical story, the next it’s covering a Hurricane. I never want normal. Normal is boring!

 

- If you would get the chance to host a 1 h program each day - what would we see on TV?

You would see webcam contributers from hotspots around the  world---a Palestinian teen and an Israeli teen during the incursions into the West Bank and Gaza. I’d have a cast of regulars who literally live the stories we report on. One of the best hospitals in the country would come to us via webcam to react to the latest cancer development etc---but you’d here from the people being affected by the new plan. The beat cop who’s seen it all, along with the inmate who’s regretted his past. It would be unscripted with only bulletpoints and a great producer to guide me.  It would feel authentic and real and transparent. You would expect the unexpected.

- We all know your famous words "This just in, you're looking..." on September 11th. How did you deal with 9/11 after your anchor-job that morning was over?

I called my husband, and like the rest of the world, told my loved one to turn on the tv—and help me validate and understand what we’re looking at. I was then standing in the newsroom when the second plane hit and I was terrified for friends and family in New York. Fortunately every one was okay. Professionally, it was then about finding the right place in this story. We had some of our top anchors in New York carrying the live coverage. And some terrific correspondents being sent to the various crash sites. I knew within days I wanted to get as close to Afghanistan and possible. So while CNN felt it needed me anchoring various shifts during this, I made it nearly impossible for CNN not to send me. I got the call. “You’re going to southern Pakistan, along the Afghan border—Taliban country essentially. Remember, the Taliban would not allow female journalists in to Afghanistan at that time.

- What at CNN Center is special compared to CNN NY or CNN WSH?

It is still the world headquarters for all the CNN networks. When you’re here, you see the tape coming in from around the world. The editors and most of the key executives are here. The national and international assignment desks are here and the overall network direction and editorial decisions are made in Atlanta.

- What did surprise you the most during your CNN-time so far?

How influential and respected CNN is around the world. One 2 minute report on CNN International and people stop and ask you questions at airports everywhere.   That, and how nice people are in the newsroom.

- What was your biggest challenge at CNN so far?

In the world of getting news everywhere, including the internet, fighting for the relevance of an hour of news on television.