Candy Crowley To Helm ‘State Of The Union'

Network veteran named anchor of CNN Sunday program

By Marisa Guthrie -- Broadcasting & Cable, 1/31/2010 11:15:10 AM

CNN senior political correspondent Candy Crowley has been named anchor of State of the Union, the cable news network's Sunday political affairs program.

John King made the announcement on Jan. 31 on the program. King is departing to host a new show, which will air at 7 p.m. in Lou Dobbs' old slot and is expected to premiere in the next couple weeks.

Crowley has filled in on State of the Union since King left. She will officially take the reins next Sunday, Feb. 7, when SOTU will go to an hour format at 9 a.m. followed by Fareed Zakaria GPS at 10 a.m. and Howard Kurtz's Reliable Sources at 11 a.m. An updated edition of SOTU will air at noon.

"Candy's rare combination of shrewd insight and healthy irreverence for the games politicians play has made her one of the most honored political journalists and a cult figure among CNN viewers," said CNN/US President Jon Klein. "Every Sunday she'll translate Washington-speak into plain English that every American can understand, as she has been doing better than any reporter on the beat for decades."

Crowley called Sunday morning a "sweet spot."

"[It's] a weekly meeting place to bring the hopes, worries and questions of everyday Americans I talk with along the campaign trail to the people I talk with in the Corridors of Power," Crowley said in a statement. "Add to those conversations, interviews with A-team experts and international heavyweights making sense of global issues and what you have is interesting, relevant information. I can't wait."

CNN has yet to name an executive producer for SOTU. Former executive producer Michelle Jaconi will move with King to his primetime program.