Rick Klein Promoted to ABC News Political Director

Replaces Amy Walter, who left network last December

By Andrea Morabito -- Broadcasting & Cable, 2/27/2013 9:43:34 AM

Rick Klein is taking on a larger role at ABC News as the network's political director.

In the job, he will oversee ABC news' political unit, lead its digital efforts around politics and help steer coverage of major news events on all platforms.

"Rick's sharp instincts and penetrating insights played a critical role throughout the 2012 election cycle, helping guide World News reporting on campaigns and political battles in Washington," said ABC News president Ben Sherwood in a memo to staff on Wednesday.

Klein had been senior Washington editor for World News with Diane Sawyer and an on-air political analyst. He also cohosts the daily webcast Top Line. From 2007-10 Klein wrote "The Note," the political blog on ABCNews.com. He joined the network in 2007 from The Boston Globe.

Klein replaces Amy Walter in the political director role, who left last December. His promotion is the latest in a series of moves in ABC's political unit, including the hire earlier this week of New York Times reporters Jeff Zeleny and Susan Saulny.