While you ’re belike familiar with forthcoming presidential debate cobalt - anchor Anderson Cooper , you may not know as much about his October 9 broadcast partner , Martha Raddatz , an ABC News old hand whoseems eagerto imperativeness both prospect on issues that drop dead unexplored during their first face - off in September .
Before the fireworks start , we ’ve unpacked some facts about Raddatz , from her prat on a bombardment commission to being mortify at a very un - presidential ringtone go off in the White House briefing elbow room .
1. SHE WENT TO HIGH SCHOOL WITH ROSEANNE BARR.
bear in Idaho Falls , Idaho in 1953 , Martha Raddatz serve East Lake High in Salt Lake City , Utah and look course with Roseanne Barr . While Raddatzearnedher diploma in 1971 , Barr opted out of further education to follow a career in funniness .
2. SHE’S A COLLEGE DROPOUT.
( Not that there ’s anything wrong with that . ) Raddatz attend the University of Utah near her childhood menage in Salt Lake without much of an idea of what she wanted to do for a living . When a job position opened up at nearby idiot box affiliate KTVX , Raddatz prefer to drop out of college during her senior year . While she laterdescribedthe decision as “ stupid , ” Raddatz was able to move up from humble task to shoot her own stories , eventually becoming an on - tv camera mien by the years of 24 .
3. SHE’S BEEN TO IRAQ MORE THAN 20 TIMES.
Raddatz worked her path up to positions at an ABC affiliate in Boston and at National Public Radio before becoming ABC ’s master White House correspondent in 2005 . Uncomfortable remaining in the press corp in Washington , Raddatz insist on traveling to Iraqmultiple timesin order to pull ahead a proficient savvy of how the warfare was affecting the area . Military officialscitedher determination to give back to those tumultuous live stain as one reason they respected her coverage ; Raddatzlater compiledsome of her experience in Iraq into a book , The Long Road Home .
4. SHE TOOK PART IN A BOMB-DROPPING MISSION.
Eager to get the rigors of combat firsthand , Raddatz spent days render to convince the U.S. war machine to give up her to wing along on a bombing raid . She finally got her wish : Raddatz was inside an F-15E when it wasloadedwith explosive machine weigh more than 500 hammering each .
5. BUT THAT WASN’T THE MOST DANGEROUS THING.
Crossing a river in Jalalabad near Afghanistan , Raddatz hitched a drive on a makeshift inflatable raftsteeredby an eight - year - former local . It was the only path that would get her near an area that was once home to Osama bin Laden .
6. SHE TOLD HER SON ONE OF HISTORY’S BIGGEST SECRETS.
Raddatz ’s globetrotting has had one unwanted side issue : it has proven worrisome to her kids , including her Word Jake , who get interested for her female parent ’s safety gadget whenever she was about to journey . In 2011 , Raddatz washeaded for Kabulwhen she incur word that the U.S. governance had located and killed Osama bin Laden . anticipate Jake to tell him she would n’t be make the trip , she then had to tell him why : he was sworn to concealment until the President of the United States announced it on television later that day .
7. SHE USED CHAMILLIONAIRE’S “RIDIN’ DIRTY” AS A RINGTONE.
During her time as a White House correspondent , Raddatz often had trouble hearing incoming calls or messages on her cellular telephone sound — press gatherings are frequently busy , crowded , and noisy . To allow her to receipt of import incoming song , sheasked Jaketo program a garish ringtone into her cubicle . He chose Chamillionaire ’s “ Ridin ’ Dirty . ” In a 2007 White House briefing , it went off in her purse , and she had to scramble to flex it off .
When Chamillionaireheardthe story , he was pleased , " Ca n’t rest , " he tweeted . " That just made my Nox . value it . @MarthaRaddatz Keep it gangsta . ”
