David Greene

David Greene is NPR's Morning Programming Host/Correspondent. In this role he is the primary substitute host for Morning Edition as well as Weekend Edition Saturday and Sunday. When he is not hosting he brings his deep reporting talents to these programs.

For two years prior to taking on his current role in 2012, Greene was an NPR foreign correspondent based in Moscow covering the region from Ukraine and the Baltics, east to Siberia. During that time he brought listeners stories as wide ranging as Chernobyl 25 years later and Beatles-singing Russian Babushkas. He spent a month in Libya reporting riveting stories in the most difficult of circumstances as NATO bombs fell on Tripoli. He was honored with the 2011 Daniel Schorr Journalism Prize from WBUR and Boston University for that coverage of the Arab Spring.

Greene's voice became familiar to NPR listeners from his four years covering the White House. To report on former President George W. Bush's second term, Greene spent hours in NPR's spacious booth in the basement of the West Wing (it's about the size of your average broom closet). He also spent time trekking across five continents, reporting on White House visits to places like Iraq, Afghanistan, Mongolia, Rwanda, Uruguay – and, of course, Crawford, Texas.

During the days following Hurricane Katrina, Greene was aboard Air Force One when President Bush flew low over the Gulf Coast and caught his first glimpse of the storm's destruction. On the ground in New Orleans, Greene brought listeners a moving interview with the late Ethel Williams, a then-74-year-old flood victim who got an unexpected visit from the president.

Greene was an integral part of NPR's coverage of the historic 2008 election, covering Hillary Clinton's campaign from start to finish, and also focusing on how racial attitudes were playing into voters' decisions. The White House Correspondents Association took special note of Greene's report on a speech by then-candidate Barack Obama, addressing the nation's racial divide. Greene was given the association's 2008 Merriman Smith award for deadline coverage of the presidency.

After President Obama took office, Greene kept one eye trained on the White House and the other eye on the road. He spent three months driving across America – with a recorder, camera and lots of caffeine – to learn how the recession was touching Americans during President Obama's first 100 days in office. The series was called "100 Days: On the Road in Troubled Times."

Before joining NPR in 2005, Greene spent nearly seven years as a newspaper reporter for the Baltimore Sun. He covered the White House during the Bush administration's first term, and wrote about an array of other topics for the paper: Why Oklahomans love the sport of cockfighting, why two Amish men in Pennsylvania were caught trafficking methamphetamine and how one woman brought Christmas back to a small town in Maryland.

Before graduating magna cum laude from Harvard in 1998 with a degree in government, Greene worked as the senior editor on the Harvard Crimson. In 2004, he was named co-volunteer of the year for Coaching for College, a Washington, D.C., program offering tutoring to inner-city youth.

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4:53am

Tue May 28, 2013
Research News

Why Do Whistle-Blowers Become Whistle-Blowers?

Originally published on Tue May 28, 2013 7:58 am

Transcript

RENEE MONTAGNE, HOST:

This is MORNING EDITION from NPR News. I'm Renee Montagne.

DAVID GREENE, HOST:

And I'm David Greene, good morning

Let's say you're at work and you find a document that shows your company has been giving out misleading information. Or, let's say you see a co-worker act in an abusive or unethical manner. Would you speak up? Well, social scientists have been asking why whistle-blowers become whistle-blowers.

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7:03am

Wed May 22, 2013
Sports

Plenty Of Overtime NHL Playoff Games Attributed To Parity

Originally published on Wed May 22, 2013 9:29 am

Transcript

DAVID GREENE, HOST:

Let's talk hockey this morning. In the NHL playoffs last night, the last two Stanley Cup champions were both in action. The Boston Bruins beat the New York Rangers, giving the Bruins a three games-to-nothing lead in their second round series. But the reigning champion, Los Angeles Kings, lost to the San Jose Sharks and their series is now tied at two and two.

Joining me now to talk hockey is NPR sports correspondent Tom Goldman. Hey, Tom.

TOM GOLDMAN, BYLINE: Hi, David.

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4:24am

Thu May 16, 2013
Politics

Obama Acts To Control Controversies

Originally published on Thu May 16, 2013 5:08 am

The White House on Wednesday tried to turn the fire hose on two big flare-ups. The administration released 100 pages of emails related to the Benghazi terrorist attacks in Libya, and President Obama announced that the acting IRS commissioner is stepping down.

6:08am

Thu May 9, 2013
Education

Perry's Vision For University Of Texas Criticized

Transcript

DAVID GREENE, HOST:

It's MORNING EDITION from NPR News. I'm David Greene.

STEVE INSKEEP, HOST:

And I'm Steve Inskeep. It's college graduation season, a time when young people stop worrying about final exams and start worrying about getting a job. In a minute we'll hear some popular career advice dished out by commencement speakers. First, there's an ongoing debate over how well universities are preparing graduates for the real world and whether colleges themselves should operate more like businesses.

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6:08am

Wed May 8, 2013
Sports

Can Chicago's Bulls Beat Defending Champion Miami Heat?

Originally published on Thu May 9, 2013 11:43 am

Transcript

DAVID GREENE, HOST:

We are getting deeper into the NBA playoffs and the question of the moment: Can the Chicago Bulls really beat the defending champion Miami Heat? The Bulls showed they can do it at least in one game. They won the opener Monday in their second-round series. It was really a stunning result, considering that Chicago is missing several of its best players because of injury and illness.

Tonight, Game 2 in Miami, and NPR's Tom Goldman joins me for some playoff chatter. And, Tom, can I thank you for something?

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4:41am

Fri May 3, 2013
Politics

Congress, Staffers Caught Up In Health Act's Sticky Political Situation

Originally published on Fri May 3, 2013 12:14 pm

Transcript

DAVID GREENE, HOST:

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4:41am

Fri May 3, 2013
Economy

Economists Predict April's Jobless Rate Will Remain Steady

Originally published on Fri May 3, 2013 12:14 pm

The Labor Department's monthly employment report is issued Friday morning. Economists are predicting that more than 100,000 jobs were added last month, but not enough to change the jobless rate of 7.6 percent.

5:15am

Thu April 11, 2013
Sports

Woods Is Favored To Win Masters And 5th Green Jacket

Originally published on Thu April 11, 2013 10:59 am

Transcript

DAVID GREENE, HOST:

Well, the first round of golf's first major tournament of the year tees off today. And if people are not excited enough about the Masters, there is added drama this year. The most recognizable golfer on the planet, Tiger Woods, is a bonafide favorite to win his fifth green jacket. NPR's Tom Goldman has been wandering, strolling the grounds of golf's most storied course. He joins us now from Augusta, Georgia. And, Tom, how did you get this assignment?

TOM GOLDMAN, BYLINE: Hard duty, David.

GREENE: Really.

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4:38am

Wed April 10, 2013
Politics

White House To Unveil 2014 Budget Plan

Originally published on Wed April 10, 2013 7:20 am

President Obama formally releases his budget for fiscal 2014 Wednesday. But it's not clear if anyone in the Republican leadership is even willing to negotiate the details.

4:31am

Fri April 5, 2013
Economy

Jobless Date In March: Like A Lamb Or Lion?

Originally published on Fri April 5, 2013 12:31 pm

The Labor Department on Friday reported the nation's unemployment rate inched down to 7.6 percent in March, the lowest rate in four years, mainly due to more people stopping their search for work. In February, the job rate was 7.7 percent.

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