Norah O’Donnell and Lawrence O’Donnell are two prominent names in the American media industry. Norah is the anchor and managing editor of the CBS Evening News, a correspondent for 60 Minutes, and a former co-anchor of CBS This Morning. Lawrence is the host of The Last Word with Lawrence O’Donnell, an MSNBC opinion and news program, and a former writer and producer for the NBC series The West Wing.
Given their shared surname and profession, many people have wondered if they are related to each other. Some have even speculated that they are siblings or spouses. However, the truth is that Norah O’Donnell and Lawrence O’Donnell are not related, according to NBC.
Norah O’Donnell’s Background
Norah O’Donnell was born in Washington, D.C., on January 23, 1974, the daughter of Noreen Bernadette (O’Kane) and Francis Lawrence O’Donnell, a medical doctor and U.S. Army officer.Her parents are both of Irish descent, with roots in Derry, Belfast, and Donegal.Three of her grandparents were immigrants, and her maternal grandfather lived in the U.S. illegally for 16 years.
When Norah was three, her family moved to San Antonio, Texas. When she was 10, the family spent two years in Seoul, living in Yongsan Garrison as her father was assigned to work there. While an elementary student, she started her career in broadcasting by giving videotaped English lessons for the Korean Educational Development Institute.The family moved back to San Antonio, where she attended Douglas MacArthur High School, from which she graduated in 1991.
She then went on to attend Georgetown University, where she graduated in 1995 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in philosophy and a Master of Arts degree in liberal studies in 2003.She worked as a staff writer for Roll Call, where she covered Congress. She spent twelve years of her career at the NBC networks as a commentator for the Today Show, Chief Washington Correspondent for MSNBC, and a White House correspondent for NBC News. She also reported for various NBC News broadcasts, including NBC Nightly News, The Today Show, Dateline NBC, and MSNBC. She joined CBS in 2011 as chief White House correspondent and became a co-anchor on CBS This Morning in 2012. In 2019, she was named anchor and managing editor of the CBS Evening News.
Norah O’Donnell is married to Geoff Tracy, a restaurateur whom she met at Georgetown University. They have three children: twins Grace and Henry (born May 20, 2007), and Riley Norah (born July 5, 2008).
Lawrence O’Donnell’s Background
Lawrence O’Donnell was born in Boston on November 7, 1951, the son of Frances Marie (Buckley), an office manager, and Lawrence Francis O’Donnell Sr., an attorney and member of the Supreme Court Bar.He is of Irish descent and grew up Catholic. He attended St. Sebastian’s School (class of 1970), where he was captain of the baseball team and wide receiver on their undefeated football team. He majored in economics at Harvard College, from which he graduated in 1976.While at Harvard, he wrote for the Harvard Lampoon.
From 1977 to 1988, O’Donnell was a writer. In 1983, he published the book Deadly Force , about a case of wrongful death and police brutality in which his father was the plaintiff’s lawyer. In 1986, the book was made into the film A Case of Deadly Force , in which he was associate producer. In 2017, he published the book Playing with Fire: The 1968 Election and the Transformation of American Politics .
From 1989 to 1995, O’Donnell was a legislative aide to Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan. He served as senior advisor to Moynihan from 1989 to 1991; staff director of the United States Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works from 1992 to 1993; and staff director of the United States Senate Committee on Finance from 1993 to 1995.
From 1999 to 2006, O’Donnell was associated with the television drama The West Wing . He wrote 16 episodes and played the role of President Bartlet’s father in flashbacks. He was also the creator and executive producer of the NBC series Mister Sterling . He appeared as a recurring character on the HBO series Big Love and as a guest star on Homeland .
O’Donnell began his career as a political analyst in 1996, appearing on The McLaughlin Group . He joined MSNBC in 2009 as a regular contributor and a substitute host for Countdown with Keith Olbermann . In 2010, he became the host of The Last Word with Lawrence O’Donnell , an opinion and news program that airs on weeknights. He also appears frequently on Morning Joe and other MSNBC shows.
Lawrence O’Donnell was married to Kathryn Harrold, an actress, from 1994 to 2013. They have one daughter, Elizabeth Buckley Harrold O’Donnell, who is a clinical psychologist.
Conclusion
Norah O’Donnell and Lawrence O’Donnell are not related, despite sharing a common surname and working in the same field. They have different backgrounds, families, and careers. They are both respected journalists who have made significant contributions to the
