Barbara West (TV news anchor): Difference between revisions

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			{{Short description\|American television journalist}}
	{{for\|the RMS Titanic survivor\|Barbara West}}		{{for\|the RMS Titanic survivor\|Barbara West}}
			{{Infobox pageant titleholder
			\| photo=
			\| title={{ubl\|] 1969\|Miss University of Vermont 1969}}
			\| name=Barbara West
			\| competitions=]
			\| birth_place=
			\| birth_name= Barbara Schmitt
			\| birth_date= {{birth_year and age\|1948}}
			\| eye_color=Brown
			\| hair_color=Blonde
			\| height =
			\| weight =
			\| education= ]
			\| occupation = TV journalist, ]
			}}

	'''Barbara West''' is a television journalist and ] for ] in ].		'''Barbara West''' (née Schmitt; born 1948) is an American television journalist and former ] for ] in ]. She and her husband have now organized a not-for-profit foundation that raises significant amounts of money for leading hospitals, animal shelters, hospices, educational institutions and other charitable organizations across the country.

	==Personal ~~life~~==		==Personal information==
	West attended the ]. While there, she won the 1969 ] contest and was selected to represent her state in the national ] competition. ~~She later obtained a Master's Degree from the University of Vermont.~~ Before starting her career in television news, she was an assistant professor at the ~~University of Vermont~~.		West attended the ] and obtained a ]. While there, she won the 1969 ] contest and was selected to represent her state in the national ] competition. Before starting her career in television news, she was an assistant professor at the university.

	West's husband Wade West is a media trainer who has consulted for Republican candidates and donated money to Republican campaigns.<ref>" Oct 27, 2008 ]</ref><ref>Bercovici, Jeff. . Portfolio.com. October 26, 2008.</ref> According to the '']'', Barbara is a registered Republican.<ref>" Oct 27, 2008 ]</ref> This has led left-leaning blogs and the ] television program '']'' to question whether West has had a ] in her presidential candidate interviews. <ref>http://www.bluetidalwave.com/2008/10/conflict-of-interest-orlando-journalist.html "Orlando TV "Journalist" Barbara West's Husband is a GOP Media Consultant" Oct 25, 2008, Blue Tidal Wave</ref> <ref>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y6-DQmC5vU8</ref> (See ])

			West's husband Wade West is a former political strategist for both ] and ], including presidential cabinet members and the Bush and Clinton administrations.

	==Journalism career==		==Journalism career==
	West was principal assistant to ] while he was anchor for ]'s ] in London. She helped cover such stories as the ] and the ].~~<ref~~ ~~name="officialbio">{{cite~~ ~~web~~\|~~url=http~~:~~//www~~.~~wftv~~.~~com/station/1874549/detail.html\|publisher=~~]~~\|accessdate=2008-10-27\|title=Official~~ ~~bio}}~~</ref>		West was principal assistant to ] while he was anchor for ]'s '']'' in ]. She helped cover such stories as the ] and the ]. Since 1992 she has served as health reporter and anchor for ]'s ] news at noon and 5:30. As a health reporter she traveled to Canada to report on its ] system and to Ukraine to report on the tenth anniversary of the ] disaster and its health effects. She received the 2002 Summit Award for Community service from Central Florida Women's Resource Center and an ] for her reporting on women fighting ]. On her official biography page on WFTV.com, she lists her first two specific accomplishments as covering the inauguration of President ] and covering the impeachment of President ].<ref name="officialbio">
			{{cite web
			\|title=Barbara West - WFTV News Story - WFTV Orlando
			\|publisher=]
			\|year=2008
			\|url=http://www.wftv.com/station/1874549/detail.html
			\|access-date=2008-10-27
			\|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081102181452/http://www.wftv.com/station/1874549/detail.html
			\|archive-date=2 November 2008
			\|url-status=dead
			}}
			</ref>

			==2008 presidential race interviews ==
	West makes only two specific claims in the beginning of her WFTV.com biography. Those claims were that her work has taken her to President Bush's inauguration and to President Clinton's impeachment.
			On October 23, 2008, West interviewed Democratic vice-presidential candidate ] with questions she personally wrote.<ref name="officialResponse">{{cite web\|url=http://www.wftv.com/news/17815391/detail.html \|publisher=]\|access-date=2008-10-27\|title=Obama Campaign Responds To "Absurd" WFTV Interview Of Joe Biden\| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20081030042852/http://www.wftv.com/news/17815391/detail.html\| archive-date= 30 October 2008 \| url-status= live}}</ref> West asked Biden if he was "embarrassed about ]'s affiliation with ]" given allegations of voter registration fraud by ACORN in elections past, likened Obama's response to a question from ] voter "]" to a quote from ], asked how Obama is not being a ] given his views on "spreading the wealth", and questioned if Obama might lead the U.S. "into a ] country much like Sweden." At one point, Biden asked West if she was joking, and later suggested she was offering "talking points" against Obama.<ref>{{cite web
	<ref>{{cite web\|url=http://www.wftv.com/station/1874549/detail.html\|publisher=]\|accessdate=2008-10-26\|title=Official biography}}</ref>
			\|date= October 27, 2008
			\|last= West
			\|first= Barbara
			\|author-link= Barbara West
			\|url= http://rncnyc2004.blogspot.com/2008/10/barbara-west-joe-biden-video.html
			\|title= Barbara West Joe Biden Transcript and Video
			\|publisher= ]
			\|access-date= 2008-10-28
			}}</ref><ref>{{cite web
			\|date= October 27, 2008
			\|last= Blitzer
			\|first= Wolf
			\|author-link= Wolf Blitzer
			\|url= http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0810/27/sitroom.02.html
			\|title= THE SITUATION ROOM
			\|publisher= ]
			\|access-date= November 19, 2008
			}}</ref><ref name="OR102808" />

			The Obama campaign responded saying "This station's interview with Joe Biden wasn't tough — it was just absurd."<ref name="officialResponse"/> The Obama campaign cancelled a subsequent interview with the candidate's wife, ].<ref>{{cite web\|url=http://trailblazersblog.dallasnews.com/archives/2008/10/biden-to-florida-news-anchor-a.html \|publisher=]\|access-date=2008-10-27\|title=Biden to Florida news anchor: 'Are you joking?'\| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20081029050706/http://trailblazersblog.dallasnews.com/archives/2008/10/biden-to-florida-news-anchor-a.html\| archive-date= 29 October 2008 \| url-status= live}}</ref> Obama's ] spokeswoman called West "both combative and woefully uninformed about simple facts."<ref></ref>
	Barbara West has served as health reporter and anchor for WFTV's news at noon and 5:30 for the past 16 years.<ref name="officialbio" />
			WFTV's news director defended her, saying she had not been inappropriately tough: "I'd rather be known as aggressive than pulling punches. We ask questions on behalf of viewers."<ref></ref><ref>{{cite web
			\|date=2008-10-28
			\|last=Boedeker
			\|first=Hal
			\|url=http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/politics/sfl-1028-wftv-anchor-biden,0,7492119.story
			\|title=WFTV anchor Barbara West stirs frenzy with Joe Biden interview
			\|publisher=]
			\|access-date=2008-11-10
			\|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081031145805/http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/politics/sfl-1028-wftv-anchor-biden%2C0%2C7492119.story
			\|archive-date=31 October 2008
			\|url-status=live
			}}</ref>

			While praised by "birther conspirators", reactions from mainstream commentators were negative. Her performance was criticized as a "desperate audition for a primetime job at Fox News", considered a partisan stunt after she gave a soft interview to Republican candidate ]<ref>{{cite web\|url=http://www.wftv.com/video/17712615/index.html \|publisher=] \|access-date=2008-10-14 \|title=McCain one-on-one \|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081015083044/http://www.wftv.com/video/17712615/index.html \|archive-date=15 October 2008 \|url-status=dead }}</ref><ref name="JB102608" /><ref>Zaleski, Katharine. . ]. October 25, 2008.</ref><ref>{{cite web
	==2008 presidential race interviews controversy==
			\|date=2008-10-27
			\|last=Thomas
			\|first=Mike
			\|url=http://blogs.orlandosentinel.com/news_columnist_mikethomas/2008/10/thats-the-last.html
			\|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081031021558/http://blogs.orlandosentinel.com/news_columnist_mikethomas/2008/10/thats-the-last.html
			\|archive-date=2008-10-31
			\|title=That's the last time John McCain helps out Barbara West
			\|publisher=]
			\|access-date=2008-10-28
			\|url-status=dead
			}}</ref> and West was characterized as exhibiting ] ].<ref name="JB102608">{{cite web
			\|date= 2008-10-26
			\|last= Bercovici
			\|first= Jeff
			\|url= http://www.portfolio.com/views/blogs/mixed-media/2008/10/26/local-newslady-goes-all-roy-cohn-on-biden
			\|title= Local Newslady Goes All Roy Cohn on Biden
			\|publisher= ]
			\|quote=Personally, I was impressed by Biden's good humor in the face of what was less a grilling than a desperate audition for a primetime job at Fox News.
			\|access-date= 2008-10-28
			}}</ref><ref name="KO102708">{{cite web
			\|date= 2008-10-27
			\|last= Olbermann
			\|first= Keith
			\|author-link= Keith Olbermann
			\|url= https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna27420415
			\|title= 'Countdown with Keith Olbermann' for Monday October 27, 2008
			\|work= ]
			\|access-date= 2008-10-28
			}}</ref> Others said that these characterizations were unfair and that Biden had overreacted.<ref name="OR102808">{{cite web
			\|date=2008-10-28
			\|last=O'Reilly
			\|first=Bill
			\|author-link=Bill O'Reilly (political commentator)
			\|url=https://www.foxnews.com/story/florida-anchor-barbara-west-responds-to-controversial-biden-interview
			\|title=Florida Anchor Barbara West Responds to Controversial Biden Interview
			\|publisher=]
			\|access-date=2008-11-10
			\|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081031072947/http://www.foxnews.com/story/0%2C2933%2C444507%2C00.html
			\|archive-date=31 October 2008
			\|url-status=live
			}}</ref> A few noted her husband's connections with the Republican Party, questioning if that was an influencing factor. West attempted and failed to deflect criticisms by promoting her husband's relationships with the Clinton Administration State Department and the Department of Justice Office of Civil Rights Enforcement.

			==References==
	On October 23, 2008, Barbara West interviewed the Democratic vice-presidential candidate ] with questions she personally wrote.<ref name="officialResponse">{{cite web\|url=http://www.wftv.com/news/17815391/detail.html \|publisher=]\|accessdate=2008-10-27\|title=Obama Campaign Responds To "Absurd" WFTV Interview Of Joe Biden}}</ref> West asked Biden if he was "embarrassed" about ]'s affiliation with ], allegations of voter registration fraud by ACORN in elections past, comparing Obama's response to a question from ] voter "]" to a quote from ], and suggesting that Obama was a Marxist who wants to turn the U.S. "into a socialist country much like ]." At one point during the interview, Senator Biden asked West if she was joking, and later suggested she was offering "talking points" against Barack Obama.
			{{reflist}}

			==External links==
	The Obama campaign responded saying "This campaign has now spanned 21 months and Barack Obama, Michelle Obama and Joe and Jill Biden have done countless tough interviews and they've answered every single question. Let's be clear: This station's interview with Joe Biden wasn't tough -- it was just absurd."<ref name="officialResponse"/> A subsequent interview with the candidate's wife, ], was cancelled.<ref>{{cite web\|url=http://trailblazersblog.dallasnews.com/archives/2008/10/biden-to-florida-news-anchor-a.html \|publisher=]\|accessdate=2008-10-27\|title=Biden to Florida news anchor: 'Are you joking?'}}</ref> Obama's Florida spokeswoman, Adrianne Marsh, called Biden's interviewer, Barbara West, "''both combative and woefully uninformed about simple facts.''"<ref>http://www.orlandosentinel.com/services/newspaper/printedition/saturday/orl-a2backstage2508oct25,0,5927037.column</ref>
			*
			*
			*
			*
			*
			*

			{{start box}}
	WFTV's news director defended West, saying she had not been inappropriately tough,<ref>http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2008/10/26/biden-laughs-off-questions-of-obamas-marxist-principles/</ref> but some media commentators criticized her performance by comparing<ref>http://www.portfolio.com/views/blogs/mixed-media/2008/10/26/local-newslady-goes-all-roy-cohn-on-biden</ref> it to her interview with Republican candidate ] when she had asked him questions such as "Why haven't you gone after on these serious issues of voter registration fraud and the mortgage crisis?" and "Do you feel that the Democrats are trying to paint you into a box — in other words, make it impossible for you to criticize Sen. Obama?".<ref name="officialResponse">{{cite web\|url=http://www.wftv.com/video/17712615/index.html \|publisher=]\|accessdate=2008-10-14\|title=McCain one-on-one}}</ref><ref>Zaleski, Katharine. . ]. October 25, 2008.</ref>
			{{s-ach}}
			{{succession box
			\| before=Elizabeth Sackler
			\| title=]
			\| years=1969
			\| after=]
			}}
			{{end box}}

			{{Miss America 1970 Delegates}}
	===Republican Ties===
	Portfolio.com has reported that West's husband Wade West is a media trainer who has consulted for Republican candidates and donated money to Republican campaigns. <ref>http://www.portfolio.com/views/blogs/mixed-media/2008/10/26/local-newslady-goes-all-roy-cohn-on-biden</ref>

			{{Vermont Pageant Winners}}
	==References==
	{{reflist\|2}}

			{{authority control}}
	==External links==
	*
	*
	*{{TVQ\|WFTV}}
	*{{BIA\|WFTV\|TV\|TV}}
	* - Joe Biden interview
	* - John McCain interview

	{{DEFAULTSORT:West, Barbara}}		{{DEFAULTSORT:West, Barbara}}
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Latest revision as of 18:31, 10 October 2024

American television journalist For the RMS Titanic survivor, see Barbara West.

Barbara West
Born	Barbara Schmitt 1948 (age 76–77)
Education	University of Vermont
Occupation(s)	TV journalist, news anchor
Beauty pageant titleholder
Title	Miss Vermont 1969 Miss University of Vermont 1969
Hair color	Blonde
Eye color	Brown
Major competition(s)	Miss America 1970

Barbara West (née Schmitt; born 1948) is an American television journalist and former news anchor for WFTV in Orlando, Florida. She and her husband have now organized a not-for-profit foundation that raises significant amounts of money for leading hospitals, animal shelters, hospices, educational institutions and other charitable organizations across the country.

Personal information

West attended the University of Vermont and obtained a Master's degree. While there, she won the 1969 Miss Vermont contest and was selected to represent her state in the national Miss America competition. Before starting her career in television news, she was an assistant professor at the university.

West's husband Wade West is a former political strategist for both Democrats and Republicans, including presidential cabinet members and the Bush and Clinton administrations.

Journalism career

West was principal assistant to Peter Jennings while he was anchor for ABC's World News Tonight in London. She helped cover such stories as the Royal Wedding of Charles and Diana and the Iranian Hostage Crisis. Since 1992 she has served as health reporter and anchor for Orlando's WFTV news at noon and 5:30. As a health reporter she traveled to Canada to report on its health care system and to Ukraine to report on the tenth anniversary of the Chernobyl disaster and its health effects. She received the 2002 Summit Award for Community service from Central Florida Women's Resource Center and an Emmy for her reporting on women fighting breast cancer. On her official biography page on WFTV.com, she lists her first two specific accomplishments as covering the inauguration of President George W. Bush and covering the impeachment of President Bill Clinton.

2008 presidential race interviews

On October 23, 2008, West interviewed Democratic vice-presidential candidate Joe Biden with questions she personally wrote. West asked Biden if he was "embarrassed about Barack Obama's affiliation with ACORN" given allegations of voter registration fraud by ACORN in elections past, likened Obama's response to a question from Ohio voter "Joe the Plumber" to a quote from Karl Marx, asked how Obama is not being a Marxist given his views on "spreading the wealth", and questioned if Obama might lead the U.S. "into a socialist country much like Sweden." At one point, Biden asked West if she was joking, and later suggested she was offering "talking points" against Obama.

The Obama campaign responded saying "This station's interview with Joe Biden wasn't tough — it was just absurd." The Obama campaign cancelled a subsequent interview with the candidate's wife, Jill Biden. Obama's Florida spokeswoman called West "both combative and woefully uninformed about simple facts." WFTV's news director defended her, saying she had not been inappropriately tough: "I'd rather be known as aggressive than pulling punches. We ask questions on behalf of viewers."

While praised by "birther conspirators", reactions from mainstream commentators were negative. Her performance was criticized as a "desperate audition for a primetime job at Fox News", considered a partisan stunt after she gave a soft interview to Republican candidate John McCain and West was characterized as exhibiting conservative bias. Others said that these characterizations were unfair and that Biden had overreacted. A few noted her husband's connections with the Republican Party, questioning if that was an influencing factor. West attempted and failed to deflect criticisms by promoting her husband's relationships with the Clinton Administration State Department and the Department of Justice Office of Civil Rights Enforcement.

References

"Barbara West - WFTV News Story - WFTV Orlando". WFTV. 2008. Archived from the original on 2 November 2008. Retrieved 2008-10-27.
^ "Obama Campaign Responds To "Absurd" WFTV Interview Of Joe Biden". WFTV. Archived from the original on 30 October 2008. Retrieved 2008-10-27.
West, Barbara (October 27, 2008). "Barbara West Joe Biden Transcript and Video". WFTV. Retrieved 2008-10-28.
Blitzer, Wolf (October 27, 2008). "THE SITUATION ROOM". CNN. Retrieved November 19, 2008.
^ O'Reilly, Bill (2008-10-28). "Florida Anchor Barbara West Responds to Controversial Biden Interview". Fox News. Archived from the original on 31 October 2008. Retrieved 2008-11-10.
"Biden to Florida news anchor: 'Are you joking?'". Dallas Morning News. Archived from the original on 29 October 2008. Retrieved 2008-10-27.
Orlando Sentinel
Political Ticker
Boedeker, Hal (2008-10-28). "WFTV anchor Barbara West stirs frenzy with Joe Biden interview". Orlando Sentinel. Archived from the original on 31 October 2008. Retrieved 2008-11-10.
"McCain one-on-one". WFTV. Archived from the original on 15 October 2008. Retrieved 2008-10-14.
^ Bercovici, Jeff (2008-10-26). "Local Newslady Goes All Roy Cohn on Biden". Portfolio. Retrieved 2008-10-28. Personally, I was impressed by Biden's good humor in the face of what was less a grilling than a desperate audition for a primetime job at Fox News.
Zaleski, Katharine. Biden Slammed During Florida Interview, Same Anchor Gives McCain Softballs. The Huffington Post. October 25, 2008.
Thomas, Mike (2008-10-27). "That's the last time John McCain helps out Barbara West". Orlando Sentinel. Archived from the original on 2008-10-31. Retrieved 2008-10-28.
Olbermann, Keith (2008-10-27). "'Countdown with Keith Olbermann' for Monday October 27, 2008". NBC News. Retrieved 2008-10-28.

External links

Awards and achievements
Preceded byElizabeth Sackler	Miss Vermont 1969	Succeeded byPati Papineau

v t e Miss America 1970, state titleholders
AL: Ann Fowler CA: Susan Anton MI: Pamela Eldred VT: Barbara Schmitt

v t e Vermont pageant winners
Miss Vermont	Carlene King Johnson (1953) Barbara Schmitt (1969) Vanessa Branch (1994) Ashley Wheeler (2008) Alayna Westcom (2015)
Miss Vermont USA	Carlene King Johnson (1955)
Miss Vermont Teen USA	Charlotte Lopez (1993)

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