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LifestyleTranscript
00:00I have really started to realize that taking care of your own health is not being selfish.
00:04It is a necessary part of being a good mom, of being present for my kids, of being an
00:10effective moderator.
00:12And so I try to carve out time for myself every week to exercise, to get outside, to
00:17take a long walk.
00:19Sometimes I'm walking and I'm pushing a stroller with two kids in it, and those are the best
00:22kinds of walks.
00:24But to make sure that I am taking that pause so that I can recharge both mentally and physically.
00:30Hey Essence fam, I am News and Politics Editor Melissa Noel and we are back with another
00:38edition of Black Women in the News.
00:41And today I have the honor and pleasure of sitting with Kristen Welker, the host of Meet
00:47the Press.
00:48Kristen, it is absolutely a pleasure to have you join us today and to actually get to chat
00:54with you because we got to cover your historic debut on Meet the Press a year ago.
01:00And now we get to chat with you a year later.
01:02So we're excited.
01:03Well, Melissa, it's an honor to be with you all.
01:06Thank you so much.
01:07And I'm excited to chat with you as well.
01:09It's great to be with you.
01:10Ah, awesome.
01:11Awesome.
01:12So Black Women in the News has been a really, really great way for our audience to not only
01:18get to know a little bit more about the black women who are covering the news that we hear
01:25we see and we're consuming every day, but to get to know a little bit more about your
01:29journey.
01:30So I want to just take a minute and I think I'd be remiss if we don't talk about the historic
01:36debut that you made a year ago on Meet the Press, becoming the first black journalist
01:40to host the show, which is the longest running show on television.
01:45So reflecting on this milestone, how would you say you put your personal stamp on the
01:50program over the past year?
01:53What has it been like balancing the rich legacy of the show, but also the vision that you
01:58have for it?
02:00Well, Melissa, it's a really great question.
02:02It was an incredible honor to be given the opportunity to moderate Meet the Press.
02:09The second woman to moderate Meet the Press, Martha Roundtree, who actually created the
02:16show all of those years ago, was the first woman.
02:19So I really stand on her shoulders and the shoulders of all of the moderators before
02:24me.
02:25And my goal really every Sunday is to live up to the great legacy of Meet the Press,
02:29to hold those who are in power or who are seeking power accountable for their words,
02:34for their actions, to get answers on behalf of the American people.
02:38And the way that I've approached this role and the way that I've really tried to put
02:41my own stamp on it is to make sure that we are hearing from a wider range of voices,
02:47to make sure that no one is left out of this conversation.
02:50We've created a segment called Meet the Moment, which allows us to talk to people who impact
02:55our politics, but who aren't necessarily elected officials.
02:58So talking to Alison Felix about black maternal health, talking to Selma Blair about rights
03:05for those who are living with disabilities.
03:07And I think that expanding the conversation has been really my goal and focus.
03:13No, and I thank you for that.
03:14And you brought me right into the next point, which is just talking about bringing some
03:20of those voices who may not necessarily be elected officials, but they may be what audiences
03:26or people that the audience members see every day or may know quicker than they may know
03:32other elected officials or other people.
03:35So how have you seen that be impactful in terms of what the audience has said to see
03:41someone like an Alison Felix talking directly about maternal health and being able to bring
03:45another voice to it outside of, of course, elected officials who are either writing the
03:50laws or making some of those decisions?
03:52Well, I think that expanding our voices is part of our way of reaching a wider and also
03:58younger audience.
03:59And that is such an important part of our politics.
04:02Our young voices, our young voters play such a critical role.
04:06And these are issues that matter to them.
04:09So we just recently featured a Meet the Moment with JJ Velasquez, who was wrongfully convicted
04:15decades ago, and he was finally exonerated.
04:19And we got to report on that and share his powerful story.
04:22We also interviewed Dan Slepian, who is the Dateline producer, who helped to shine a light
04:27on the fact that he was wrongly convicted and just dealing with these issues, again,
04:32that impacts our politics, our culture, families all across the country.
04:36I really see that as the expanding role of Meet the Press.
04:39Yeah, thank you so much.
04:41And as you said, widening the audience, especially, you know, Gen Z being really vocal to what's
04:47going on.
04:48They're telling us like it is, and they're holding people's feet to the fire.
04:52So to be able to meet that moment with them, I think has certainly been critical, especially
04:56in these political times.
04:59So you have, we're literally just about a month away from the election.
05:04I cannot believe it's like, it's always seemed so far away, but yet here we are.
05:09Here we are, Melissa.
05:10Oh, my goodness.
05:11Lots of long nights ahead.
05:12So I'm sending you good vibes early because I know you will be up.
05:19So as we're heading into the 2024 presidential election, what do you see as some of the biggest
05:27issues that will likely shape the outcome?
05:31And are there any emerging topics that, or topics that you think that we're not necessarily
05:36paying enough attention to that may just turn out to be a deciding factor as we, as Americans
05:43head to the polls?
05:44We know early voting has already begun in some places, but just as these things get
05:49underway.
05:50Well, we have to think about the economy.
05:53That is the top issue for voters all across the country and voters who cut across all
06:01different groups.
06:02And it's really fascinating that that has been a constant.
06:05And so we are trying to keep that in focus when we have our conversations on Meet the
06:09Press every Sunday.
06:12But look, there are a number of other issues that have risen to the forefront.
06:15This is going to be the first presidential election, Melissa, after Roe v. Wade was overturned.
06:21Abortion is going to be on the ballot in 10 different states.
06:25We've seen it be an energizing factor in elections since Roe v. Wade was overturned.
06:30So we have to keep our focus on that as well.
06:32And then again, I go back to younger voters.
06:34What are issues they care about?
06:36Gun control, climate change.
06:39So really covering the range of issues for voters.
06:42Yeah, it definitely spans the wide range of issues and definitely people want their voices
06:50heard.
06:52And we see how social media has really played a huge role in that.
06:57How have you been connecting with your viewers who are viewing Meet the Press and especially
07:02younger viewers as the audience expands?
07:05How have you been connecting with them on social media, online, kind of meeting those
07:09moments, meeting people where they are?
07:12Being on social media is, you're absolutely right, about meeting our viewers and meeting
07:16voters, quite frankly, where they are.
07:18So we do have a really robust presence online where we try to make sure that we are getting
07:23the news out as quickly as possible from the program, but then going a step beyond that
07:29to make sure that we're delving deeper into some of these topic areas, making sure that
07:33that is being shared online as well, and just making sure that we have that presence.
07:40And I'm so proud that after a year sitting in the chair, our online presence has grown,
07:46our presence on YouTube has grown, and the number of views that we are getting and viewers
07:51that we are getting in all of those spaces.
07:53And it's really an area that we have been focused on.
07:56And I think you're seeing, look, candidates and campaigns increasingly focused on it as
08:01well because that is where our younger viewers in particular are getting their news.
08:07And I think that it's such an important part of informing the public.
08:11That is our goal every single week to make sure that we are getting critical information
08:15to our viewers, to voters all across this country, so that they can make the best decision
08:20for themselves when they walk into the voting booth or when they vote early.
08:23Yeah.
08:24And we have so many ways we can do that as elections approach.
08:29We know that you host a show that really you have political interviews we know can be intense
08:36sometimes, especially given the stakes of today's conversations.
08:41What would you say have been some of the most challenging moments you've had?
08:47Or how have you navigated some of those challenging moments in terms of interviewing
08:52politicians that you want to get the questions answered, you're trying to inform American people,
08:57but it can be difficult.
08:59How do you navigate those tough conversations?
09:01And what advice can you give to our audience who, whether they're trying to go into journalism
09:07or just any other role, how to navigate difficult experiences on the job?
09:14The way that I navigate a challenging interview, and quite frankly, they all are,
09:17is to always go back to this fundamental question.
09:20Have I gotten an answer to the question that I just asked?
09:23Sometimes someone's answer requires a little bit of fact-checking or that I fill in some
09:28context in between.
09:29So that really requires me to be read in on whatever topic I'm asking.
09:35If I don't know the topic, Melissa, 10 layers deep, I don't ask the question.
09:39And I think that's a really important principle to keep in mind.
09:43And I'm always asking myself, did I get an answer to the question?
09:47If not, I try to go back to the question to say, I didn't hear an answer to what I just
09:53asked.
09:53And I think that viewers appreciate that because they're following along.
09:58And when I talk to voters, Melissa, and this is one of the things that I'm proud of also,
10:01I have spent a lot of time on the trail talking to voters about the issues that matter to
10:06them.
10:06What did they want answers to?
10:08I try to keep their voices in my head.
10:12And I try to get answers on behalf of them because if they watch a program and they feel
10:16like, boy, I really didn't get the answers that she asked, then I haven't done my job.
10:22And so that is my guiding principle.
10:24That is my advice to any aspiring journalist.
10:27When you ask a question, make sure that you understand the context of the question that
10:32you're asking.
10:33And be patient.
10:35Don't be afraid to go back two or three times to say, let me try again and try to get an
10:40answer to the original question that I just asked.
10:43Because I do think that viewers really appreciate that because they know that you're getting
10:47answers on behalf of them.
10:49Thank you so much for that.
10:50That fundamental principle, right?
10:51You can always go back to it, get that question answered, or try to at least in different
10:57ways that you can.
10:59So I want to kind of take a little turn here.
11:01We know that you grew up in Philadelphia.
11:05And Pennsylvania, of course, is a huge battleground state this time around for the elections.
11:11But just Pennsylvania and the role that it's played in democracy, America's democracy in
11:17general.
11:18How does your Philly upbringing?
11:20How has it informed and influenced the way that you do your storytelling, as well as
11:26what you bring to the show?
11:28Well, I think it inspired me to become a journalist in the first place because Philadelphia is
11:34in many ways the birthplace of our democracy and has played such a critical role in our
11:39democracy moving forward.
11:41My mom was very involved in politics when I grew up.
11:44She ran for city council.
11:46So I got to watch that from the side of someone who was cheering for a candidate, but also
11:52got to watch how the media treated her as a Black politician.
11:58And I understood the importance at a young age, I was in high school when she first ran
12:01for city council, of getting her story right.
12:05And so that was one of the experiences as a kid growing up in Philly that really inspired
12:11me, the power of politics, the power of political journalism to play a role in our democracy.
12:18And so I've really carried those principles forward as a journalist now on the national
12:23stage.
12:24And I have loved being a kid from Philadelphia who now gets to be a journalist, watching
12:32what has happened with Pennsylvania.
12:34By the way, I spent five years reporting in Pennsylvania, including during the 2008 election.
12:40So I got to interview the late Senator John McCain, then Senators Obama and Hillary Clinton
12:46as a local reporter.
12:48And that was an incredibly important moment for Pennsylvania as well.
12:52And so here we are again in 2024.
12:55Pennsylvania is going to be key.
12:57I think it is a razor tight race in Pennsylvania.
13:00There's a lot of focus.
13:01The candidates are there.
13:02Former President Barack Obama is going to start his campaigning.
13:06Harris in Pennsylvania.
13:07I think it all underscores just how critical of a battleground state Pennsylvania is.
13:12I so appreciate that context there and just hearing a little bit more about your journey.
13:17And I know your mom must be so proud of you for sure.
13:22And I thank you for just taking a little time to not only talk about your journey there,
13:28but also just how critical a state like Pennsylvania is and how just important it is for us to be
13:35engaged and informed as we not only move into this election, but just in general.
13:41Absolutely.
13:42And I have to say, I give so much credit to my parents.
13:46They are proud and they're so supportive.
13:49Melissa, they still watch every single live shot, every single broadcast.
13:54Sometimes my mom has some commentary, some constructive criticism.
13:59Of course, she wouldn't be mom without that.
14:01Absolutely.
14:03But they are my role models because the lesson that they passed along to me when I was growing
14:08up is that you have to be engaged in your community.
14:11And that is one of my guiding principles as a journalist.
14:16And so they still live in Pennsylvania.
14:18They are two of my most important focus group members because I'm always asking them what's
14:25happening on the ground in Pennsylvania.
14:27They keep me informed there.
14:29But obviously, we have spent so much time focused on Pennsylvania and not just the polling
14:35there, but the mood of the people.
14:36And Pennsylvania was one of the states that I traveled to to conduct a real focus group
14:41with voters to get their sense of what they care about in this election.
14:45And so it is a state that we will be returning to from now until Election Day.
14:50And of course, there are so many battleground states that we're focused on as we get closer
14:54to the election.
14:55For sure.
14:56And now talking about your, we talked about your parents.
15:00But now I want to talk about you a little bit.
15:02You know, you're in this high profile role at Meet the Press, but you are also a new
15:06mom.
15:07And so I'd like to know, how have you managed to find a balance between the demands of such
15:14an important program and just your professional life in general and your family life?
15:20Well, when I accepted the role as moderator, I made a promise to myself to give this role
15:26150 percent, to give it all of me.
15:28And of course, I have to give my kids 200 percent.
15:32And the way that I do that is that when I am at home, I put my phone down.
15:36I am focused on them.
15:39I don't do any work until bedtime and until everyone is tucked in and everyone has had
15:44a wonderful dinner.
15:46And then I focus on my work as moderator of Meet the Press.
15:50And Melissa, I have to tell you, that means a lot of late nights.
15:53Last night I was up well past midnight doing my research, preparing for this Sunday's
15:58show.
15:59But it is worth it.
16:00And I feel so invigorated every day because I feel so blessed for the life that I have,
16:06for the two beautiful children that I have, Margo and John Zachary.
16:11John Zachary just turned four months.
16:14Margo is three years old and she has this amazing personality that is developing.
16:20And I feel happy every day being with them and watching them grow and also knowing that
16:27I get to work on this extraordinary program that does have this incredible legacy.
16:32And in them, I am always reminded of my purpose, which is to make sure that I am educating,
16:40not just my generation, the older generation, but the next generation.
16:46And so it is really, I think, being a mom and a working mom is just a way to focus what
16:53my principles are and what my priorities are, which is to help educate this great country.
16:58Oh, thank you so much for that.
17:00I think that will resonate with a lot of the working moms in our audience who are like,
17:05how can I get this all done?
17:08But every day is different, of course.
17:10But I just thank you for sharing that with us.
17:14I wanted to know, to round out this conversation here, a couple more questions.
17:19How do you recharge?
17:21We know, especially a political show, it's high stakes, high pressure.
17:26A lot is going on.
17:27So what do you do to recharge and just reset for Kristen?
17:32The best way to recharge is to spend time with my family.
17:37In fact, this Sunday when I finish the show, we're going to go pick out a pumpkin and everyone's
17:43really excited about that.
17:46And I unplug and I stay focused on our family activities and what we are doing.
17:52And I also try to make sure I'm getting time outside and that I am taking care of my own
17:58health, Melissa.
17:59That is so important.
18:01I have really started to realize that taking care of your own health is not being selfish.
18:06It is a necessary part of being a good mom, of being present for my kids, of being an
18:11effective moderator.
18:13And so I try to carve out time for myself every week to exercise, to get outside, to
18:19take a long walk.
18:19Sometimes I'm walking and I'm pushing a stroller with two kids in it.
18:23And those are the best kinds of walks.
18:25But to make sure that I am taking that pause so that I can recharge both mentally and physically.
18:32Oh, I absolutely appreciate that.
18:34As you said, it's so simple, but sometimes we're so busy we don't even think about it.
18:38Absolutely.
18:39Take a minute to just go outside, get fresh air, take a walk.
18:43Some days it's like, did I eat lunch?
18:46Did I go outside today?
18:47And so that reminder is critical.
18:50And I appreciate you for sharing that.
18:53And so the last question I just have for you is, this, again, is Black Women in the News.
18:59And part of what we do here is ensuring that the next generation of Black women who are
19:05interested in news, who are watching you, know that they can do it too.
19:11So the question I have here is, what would you say to an aspiring storyteller?
19:17Because maybe they want to be a journalist, maybe they're going to do something a little
19:20different, but their voices are important.
19:23What would you say to them, especially if they're struggling right now, they're not
19:27sure how to find their way?
19:29What would your advice be to them about just continuing along the path?
19:35My advice to aspiring Black journalists is believe in yourself, never give up.
19:41Look to the past to know that you are capable of doing anything you set your mind to if
19:47you put the work in.
19:48I look at some of those who inspired me, Carol Simpson, Gwen Ifill, who took me to dinner
19:56when I first got to Washington, gave me great advice and really helped me to find my footing
20:05when I first arrived here in this incredibly competitive environment.
20:09They continue to inspire me.
20:11Of course, Gwen Ifill, we mourn the fact that she's no longer with us.
20:16And I would say to those who are aspiring to be journalists to look around you.
20:22Who inspires you?
20:23Don't be afraid to reach out for help, for advice, for guidance.
20:29You're going to have tough days.
20:30You're going to have days when it feels like, boy, I don't know if I can do this job.
20:34I have had plenty of those days.
20:37We all have.
20:38We certainly all have.
20:40Believing in yourself and knowing that you can do it.
20:43And to our more senior journalists, I would say it is so important that we don't let young
20:50journalists, Black journalists, journalists of color, women journalists fall through the
20:54cracks.
20:54Make sure that you are paying it forward, that you are taking time for that lunch or
20:59that dinner so that you can give advice, so that you can pass your information along to
21:05the next generation.
21:06Because ultimately, that is our responsibility.
21:09And that is what being a great journalist is really about.
21:12Oh, I so appreciate that.
21:14And with that, I just want to say thank you so much again, Kristen Welker, the host of
21:21Meet the Press.
21:22We so appreciate your time and for joining us on this edition of Black Women in the News.
21:28Melissa, thank you so much.
21:29It's such a great conversation.
21:31Wonderful to be with you.
21:32I really loved it.