Don Gonyea

Although Don Gonyea is a NPR National Political Correspondent based in Washington, D.C., he spends much of his time traveling throughout the United States covering campaigns, elections, and the political climate throughout the country. His reports can be heard on all NPR programs and at NPR.org.

During the 2000 presidential campaign, Gonyea chronicled the controversial election and the ensuing legal recount battles in the courts. At the same time George W. Bush moved into the White House in 2001, Gonyea started as NPR's White House Correspondent. He was at the White House on the morning of September 11, 2001, providing live reports following the evacuation of the building.

As White House correspondent, Gonyea covered the Bush administration's prosecution of wars in both Afghanistan and Iraq and during the 2004 campaign he traveled with President Bush and Democratic nominee John Kerry. In November 2006, Gonyea co-anchored NPR's coverage of historic elections when Democrats captured control of both houses of the US Congress. In 2008, Gonyea was the lead reporter covering the entire Obama presidential campaign for NPR, from the Iowa caucuses to victory night in Chicago. He was also there when candidate Obama visited the Middle East and Europe. He continued covering the White House and President Barack Obama until spring 2010, when he moved into his current position.

Gonyea has filed stories from around the globe, including Moscow, Beijing, London, Islamabad, Doha, Budapest, Seoul, San Salvador, and Hanoi. He attended President Bush's first ever meeting with Russia's Vladimir Putin in Slovenia in 2001, and subsequent, at times testy meetings between the two leaders in St. Petersburg, Shanghai and Bratislava. He also covered Mr.Obama's first trip overseas as president.

In 1986, Gonyea got his start at NPR reporting from Detroit on labor unions and the automobile industry. He spent countless hours on picket lines and in union halls covering strikes, including numerous lengthy work stoppages at GM in the late 1990s. Gonyea also reported on the development of alternative fuel and hybrid-powered automobiles, Dr. Jack Kevorkian's assisted-suicide crusade, and the 1999 closing of Detroit's classic Tiger Stadium — the ballpark of his youth.

Over the years Gonyea has contributed to PBS's NewsHour with Jim Lehrer, the BBC, CBC, AP Radio, and the Columbia Journalism Review. He periodically teaches college journalism courses.

Gonyea has won numerous national and state awards for his reporting. He was part of the team that earned NPR a 2000 George Foster Peabody Award for the All Things Considered series "Lost & Found Sound."

A native of Monroe, Michigan, Gonyea is an honors graduate of Michigan State University.

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6:43am

Wed August 29, 2012
Election 2012

Ryan Won't Get All The Votes In Janesville, Wis.

Originally published on Thu August 30, 2012 4:04 am

Transcript

DAVID GREENE, HOST:

People have been thinking quite a bit about politics in Janesville, Wisconsin, home of the freshly nominated Republican vice presidential candidate. Paul Ryan still lives in Janesville. His hometown is near the Illinois border. Its politics lean Democratic, although Ryan's own congressional district votes Republican. NPR's Don Gonyea talked to some of those who know and knew Ryan well.

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4:30am

Mon August 20, 2012
Around the Nation

Janesville Librarians Prepared For Onslaught Of Reporters

Originally published on Mon August 20, 2012 1:50 pm

Transcript

DAVID GREENE, HOST:

For the residents of Janesville, Wisconsin, Mitt Romney's selection of Paul Ryan as his running mate was a story of a local man becoming the biggest news in the country. But for the librarians of Janesville, it meant something else entirely, as NPR's Don Gonyea found out last week.

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5:14am

Wed August 15, 2012
Election 2012

In Colorado With Rep. Ryan

Originally published on Wed August 15, 2012 7:03 am

Wisconsin Congressman Paul Ryan continues to introduce himself to voters. Over the weekend, Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney announced Ryan would be his running mate. So far, Ryan has campaigned exclusively in battleground states that were carried by Democrats in 2008.

4:45am

Tue August 14, 2012
Election 2012

Hecklers Interrupt Ryan At Iowa State Fair Stop

Originally published on Tue August 14, 2012 5:09 am

On Monday, GOP Rep. Paul Ryan made his first solo campaign trip since being named Mitt Romney's vice presidential running mate. Ryan went to the Iowa State where candidates are a common sight. Ryan drew a big crowd but it wasn't always friendly.

6:15pm

Wed August 8, 2012
It's All Politics

In Brawl Over Romney's Tax Returns, Harry Reid Gets Marquee Billing

Originally published on Wed August 8, 2012 6:57 pm

Credit T.J. Kirkpatrick / Getty Images

Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney's decision not to release more of his past tax returns has fueled countless attacks and counterattacks.

The former Massachusetts governor has released his 2010 tax return and promises that his 2011 return is forthcoming. He says that's enough.

But that's not enough for Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev. The result is an increasingly ugly fight.

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3:26am

Tue August 7, 2012
Election 2012

Older, Tougher — But Will The Tea Party Be Stronger?

Originally published on Wed August 8, 2012 2:39 pm

The 2010 elections were a coming of age for the Tea Party, with big gains in Congress and in statehouses. As 2012 approached, the movement was looking for similar success. Then came this year's GOP presidential primaries, with no surviving Tea Party favorite.

Polls showed public support for the movement falling off significantly after several nasty showdowns in Congress. But the Tea Party remains a force in many states. Its favored candidate for the U.S. Senate won big in Texas last week, sending the strongest signal yet that the movement will be a factor this fall.

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7:19am

Tue July 31, 2012
Election 2012

Presidential Race Zeroes In On Nevada

Originally published on Tue July 31, 2012 7:45 am

Nevada has just six electoral votes, but it's much fought over in presidential elections. In 2008, it gave an unexpectedly big boost to Democratic candidate Barack Obama. This year the contest is shaping up to be much closer as Nevada copes with both the worst unemployment in the nation and one of the country's highest home foreclosure rates.

6:05am

Wed July 25, 2012
Election 2012

Romney Attacks Obama's Foreign Policy

Originally published on Wed July 25, 2012 8:12 am

Republican presidential hopeful Mitt Romney attacked President Obama's foreign policy during a speech to the Veterans of Foreign Wars on Tuesday. He spoke a day after the president addressed the same group's national convention in Reno, Nevada.

6:48am

Tue July 24, 2012
Election 2012

Obama To Vets: Tough Fights Abroad, At Home

Originally published on Wed July 25, 2012 10:30 am

Transcript

STEVE INSKEEP, HOST:

It's MORNING EDITION, from NPR News. I'm Steve Inskeep.

Mitt Romney speaks to the Veterans of Foreign Wars in Reno, Nevada today, and he's expected to call for a stronger military, as well as no cuts to the defense budget. He's also likely to criticize President Obama's policies on Iran and Syria. Yesterday was President Obama's day at the VFW convention, and NPR's Don Gonyea was there.

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6:29am

Sun July 22, 2012
Election 2012

He's A Long Shot, But Don't Count Huckabee Out

Originally published on Mon July 23, 2012 11:08 am

Credit Chip Somodevilla / Getty Images

Among the many contenders who could wind up becoming presumptive Republican nominee Mitt Romney's running mate, there are some potential surprises — like former presidential candidate-turned TV and radio host Mike Huckabee.

Putting Huckabee on the GOP ticket could certainly liven up the presidential race. In addition to being a respected former governor of Arkansas, he's well known for his good-natured public persona. At a Huckabee campaign event, you might find him playing an electric bass with the old-time rock 'n' roll band Capitol Offense.

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