David Greene

David Greene is NPR's Morning Programming Host/Correspondent. In this role he is the primary substitute host for Morning Edition as well as Weekend Edition Saturday and Sunday. When he is not hosting he brings his deep reporting talents to these programs.

For two years prior to taking on his current role in 2012, Greene was an NPR foreign correspondent based in Moscow covering the region from Ukraine and the Baltics, east to Siberia. During that time he brought listeners stories as wide ranging as Chernobyl 25 years later and Beatles-singing Russian Babushkas. He spent a month in Libya reporting riveting stories in the most difficult of circumstances as NATO bombs fell on Tripoli. He was honored with the 2011 Daniel Schorr Journalism Prize from WBUR and Boston University for that coverage of the Arab Spring.

Greene's voice became familiar to NPR listeners from his four years covering the White House. To report on former President George W. Bush's second term, Greene spent hours in NPR's spacious booth in the basement of the West Wing (it's about the size of your average broom closet). He also spent time trekking across five continents, reporting on White House visits to places like Iraq, Afghanistan, Mongolia, Rwanda, Uruguay – and, of course, Crawford, Texas.

During the days following Hurricane Katrina, Greene was aboard Air Force One when President Bush flew low over the Gulf Coast and caught his first glimpse of the storm's destruction. On the ground in New Orleans, Greene brought listeners a moving interview with the late Ethel Williams, a then-74-year-old flood victim who got an unexpected visit from the president.

Greene was an integral part of NPR's coverage of the historic 2008 election, covering Hillary Clinton's campaign from start to finish, and also focusing on how racial attitudes were playing into voters' decisions. The White House Correspondents Association took special note of Greene's report on a speech by then-candidate Barack Obama, addressing the nation's racial divide. Greene was given the association's 2008 Merriman Smith award for deadline coverage of the presidency.

After President Obama took office, Greene kept one eye trained on the White House and the other eye on the road. He spent three months driving across America – with a recorder, camera and lots of caffeine – to learn how the recession was touching Americans during President Obama's first 100 days in office. The series was called "100 Days: On the Road in Troubled Times."

Before joining NPR in 2005, Greene spent nearly seven years as a newspaper reporter for the Baltimore Sun. He covered the White House during the Bush administration's first term, and wrote about an array of other topics for the paper: Why Oklahomans love the sport of cockfighting, why two Amish men in Pennsylvania were caught trafficking methamphetamine and how one woman brought Christmas back to a small town in Maryland.

Before graduating magna cum laude from Harvard in 1998 with a degree in government, Greene worked as the senior editor on the Harvard Crimson. In 2004, he was named co-volunteer of the year for Coaching for College, a Washington, D.C., program offering tutoring to inner-city youth.

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Around the Nation
3:46 am
Thu August 30, 2012

Isaac Aftermath Update

Originally published on Thu August 30, 2012 4:26 am

Even though Isaac has been down graded from its hurricane strength, it hasn't lost all its punch. The storm continues drench Louisiana and Mississippi, and it's making it difficult to restore electricity and to get a full sense of damage.

Around the Nation
6:50 am
Wed August 29, 2012

Even At Category 1, Isacc Packs A Punch

Originally published on Thu August 30, 2012 2:04 am

Transcript

STEVE INSKEEP, HOST:

It's MORNING EDITION from NPR News. I'm Steve Inskeep.

DAVID GREENE, HOST:

And I'm David Greene. Hurricane Isaac made landfall last night in Louisiana and it is battering the Gulf Coast with high winds and a lot of rain. For the latest we turn to NPR's Greg Allen. He's in New Orleans and we have reached him by telephone. And Greg, give us a sense of this storm. It sounds like, you know, Category 1, which, you know, makes you not worry so much, but a lot of people fearing that it could just stay in one place for a good while.

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Analysis
3:18 am
Mon August 27, 2012

Politics In The News

Originally published on Mon August 27, 2012 4:47 am

The Republican National Convention will come to order at 2 p.m. in Tampa, Fla., and then quickly go into recess. Because of Tropical Storm Isaac, the main events have been delayed until Tuesday. This is the second convention in a row where the GOP had to delay the opening because of bad weather.

First And Main
1:22 am
Thu August 23, 2012

Wis. Business Owner Relates To Romney's Resume

Originally published on Thu August 23, 2012 6:47 pm

As the presidential election nears, Morning Edition is visiting swing counties in swing states for our series First and Main. We're listening to voters where they live — to understand what's shaping their thinking this election year.

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First And Main
1:04 am
Wed August 22, 2012

Wis. State Senator Connects Her Politics To Her Past

Credit John W. Poole / NPR
Wisconsin state Sen. Jessica King stands at the corner of Main Street and Algoma Boulevard in downtown Oshkosh. She won her seat in a senatorial recall campaign last year.

Originally published on Wed August 22, 2012 6:35 pm

As the presidential election nears, Morning Edition is visiting swing counties in swing states for our series First and Main. We're listening to voters where they live — to understand what's shaping their thinking this election year. This week, we're spending time in Winnebago County, Wis., where we spoke with two women — one Democrat, one Republican — who embody their state's Midwestern charm and spirit of self-reliance. First, we hear from the Democrat.

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First And Main
1:23 am
Tue August 21, 2012

In Wis. Swing County, Voters Criticize 'Handouts'

Originally published on Wed August 22, 2012 7:01 am

As the presidential election nears, Morning Edition is visiting swing counties in swing states for our series First and Main. We're listening to voters where they live — to understand what's shaping their thinking this election year. This week, we're spending time in Winnebago County, Wis.

We began our conversations in the lakeside city of Oshkosh, at a cafe on Main Street. But now, we're heading outside town to the Winnebago County Fair, where I was eager to taste Wisconsin's most famous food: cheese curds.

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First And Main
1:26 am
Mon August 20, 2012

Weary Wis. Union Workers Face Another Campaign

Originally published on Tue August 21, 2012 2:37 pm

As the presidential election nears, Morning Edition is visiting swing counties in swing states for our series First and Main. We're listening to voters where they live — to understand what's shaping their thinking this election year.

This week, we're visiting Winnebago County, Wis. — a county that went Republican in the 2004 presidential election and flipped to the Democrats in 2008.

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Around the Nation
4:11 am
Fri August 17, 2012

Stories Of People Pitching In To Help Communities

Originally published on Fri August 17, 2012 9:06 am

Transcript

DAVID GREENE, HOST:

Sometimes it can feel like a lot of what we hear is bad news. Well, we're going to hear next about some stories that inspire. All month, we've been collecting stories on NPR.org about good things Americans are doing, how they're working together to improve their communities.

RENEE MONTAGNE, HOST:

We call it Participation Nation. You've told us about a California doctor who turned a two-room free clinic into a community health center.

GREENE: A writing program to help young people in Maine become storytellers.

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Europe
2:42 am
Fri August 17, 2012

Russian Judge To Rule In Punk Band's Anti-Putin Case

Originally published on Mon August 20, 2012 2:48 pm

Transcript

RENEE MONTAGNE, HOST:

This is MORNING EDITION from NPR News. I'm Renee Montagne.

DAVID GREENE, HOST:

And I'm David Greene. In Russia today, a judge has delivered a guilty verdict for three members of the feminist punk band Pussy Riot. The band members were given a two-year sentence. They were found guilty of hooliganism motivated by religious hatred, after staging a protest in Moscow's main cathedral last February.

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Crime In The City
1:33 am
Mon July 2, 2012

Philly Author's 'Confession': I Lived These Stories

Originally published on Thu July 5, 2012 2:49 pm

Philadelphia may be called the City of Brotherly Love, but author Solomon Jones sees the sadder, more complex side of the city.

Jones' books feature Philly police detective Mike Coletti. When we meet him in The Last Confession, he's on the verge of retirement, but before he can head off into the sunset, he's got to confront some demons from his past and catch a serial killer calling himself the Angel of Death.

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Sports
3:53 am
Tue June 12, 2012

Los Angeles Kings Capture Their First Stanley Cup

Originally published on Tue June 12, 2012 6:18 am

In Monday night's Stanley Cup championship, the Los Angeles Kings won for the first time, defeating the New Jersey Devils 6-1.

Latin America
3:19 am
Fri June 8, 2012

Cancer-Stricken Chavez To Seek 4th Term

Originally published on Mon June 11, 2012 1:03 pm

Transcript

DAVID GREENE, HOST:

In Venezuela, the populist President Hugo Chavez says he'll register on Monday as a candidate for October's presidential election. It will be his forth campaign, going back to the late 1990s. But Chavez is badly hobbled. Cancer has invaded his body. And Venezuelans are wondering if he'll even make it to the October election. NPR's Juan Forero is in Caracas.

And Juan, I understand this is important weekend on the Venezuelan election calendar. Explain to us what's happening.

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Afghanistan
4:33 am
Thu June 7, 2012

Panetta Makes An Unannounced Trip To Afghanistan

Transcript

DAVID GREENE, HOST:

Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta is in Kabul, Afghanistan. He arrived this morning for a quick, unannounced visit with troops and also to check in on the progress of the war. Panetta's trip comes a day after a Taliban attack in southern Afghanistan left over 20 dead and at least 50 people wounded. Also yesterday, NATO forces were being blamed for allegedly killing civilians in an early morning strike.

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NPR Story
2:29 am
Wed June 6, 2012

Europe's Debt Crisis Contributes To Lower U.S. Exports

Originally published on Thu June 14, 2012 10:07 am

Transcript

DAVID GREENE, HOST:

And let's turn to the issue that is front and center this election year - the economy. Austerity measures aimed at curing Europe's debt crisis have thrown a number of eurozone countries into recession. The threat of defaults in Greece and even larger countries like Spain have rattled U.S. financial markets, and President Obama recently said that Europe's troubles are casting a shadow over the U.S. economy.

To better understand what the president is talking about, we brought in NPR economics correspondent John Ydstie.

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Middle East
4:23 am
Mon June 4, 2012

Assad Deflects Blame In Houla Massacre

Originally published on Mon June 4, 2012 9:10 am

Transcript

DAVID GREENE, HOST:

Let's turn to Syria now. Syria's president gave his first public speech in five months yesterday. Bashar al-Assad told the Syrian Parliament that his government was not responsible for the massacre in Houla last month, in which more than 100 people were killed, nearly half of them children. Also, there is new Syria-related violence in northern Lebanon, near the Syrian border. And to talk about this we've reached NPR's Kelly McEvers.

Kelly, good morning.

KELLY MCEVERS, BYLINE: Good morning.

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Family Matters: The Money Squeeze
1:01 am
Tue May 29, 2012

Family Matters: Pitching In To Take Care Of Grandma

Originally published on Tue March 5, 2013 7:18 am

On a recent evening, the Martin family of Harrisburg, Pa., had too many places it needed to be.

AnnaBelle Bowers, the 87-year-old matriarch of the family who is also known as "Snootzie," was at home — watching television and getting ready for bed.

Someone needed to care for her. That fell to Chris Martin, her 14-year-old great-grandson.

His willingness to stay at home meant his sister, Lauren, could play in a softball game.

It also meant her parents, David and LaDonna Martin, could watch.

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Europe
7:51 am
Tue May 15, 2012

'News Of The World' Editor Charged With Conspiracy

Former News of the World editor Rebekah Brooks faces allegations of conspiracy to pervert the course of justice in the latest development in Britain's phone hacking scandal.

Election 2012
3:14 am
Fri May 11, 2012

Romney Apologizes For High School Bullying Incident

Originally published on Fri May 11, 2012 5:10 am

Mitt Romney's presidential campaign is in damage control mode after an article in The Washington Post accused the candidate of bullying in high school. Romney says he does not remember the incidents. Several of his classmates independently recall him going after students who seemed different, vulnerable or effeminate.

National Security
2:22 am
Wed May 9, 2012

CIA Informant Foil Underwear Bomb Plot

Originally published on Thu May 10, 2012 1:59 pm

Transcript

STEVE INSKEEP, HOST:

It's MORNING EDITION from NPR News. Good morning, I'm Steve Inskeep.

DAVID GREENE, HOST:

And I'm David Greene. There are new developments this morning in the story of the al-Qaida plot to bomb an airplane heading to the United States. It turns out that the man who was thought to be the bomber was actually a double agent - that, according to U.S. officials.

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National Security
4:19 am
Tue May 8, 2012

Al-Qaida Airline Plot Wasn't A Public Threat

Originally published on Tue May 8, 2012 5:41 am

The White House and FBI have confirmed al-Qaida attempted to target a plane bound for the United States. All indications are the plan was conceived by al-Qaida's arm in Yemen. But officials say the plot was foiled before it was any threat to the public.

Asia
7:57 am
Fri May 4, 2012

Deal Would Allow Activist To Leave China

The U.S. and China formed the outlines of a deal Friday in an attempt to resolve the dispute over Chinese activist Chen Guangcheng. U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said progress was made to fulfill Guangcheng's request to take his family abroad. David Greene talks to NPR's Michele Kelemen for the latest on the story.

World
8:31 am
Thu May 3, 2012

A Look At Bin Laden's Letters To Confidants

Some of the documents found during the raid on Osama bin Laden's hideaway in Pakistan were released Thursday. West Point's Combating Terrorism Center has been reviewing those documents.

Remembrances
4:05 am
Thu May 3, 2012

Seau's Death Being Investigated As A Suicide

Originally published on Thu May 3, 2012 8:31 am

Former NFL linebacker Junior Seau was found dead of a gunshot wound to the chest, in what authorities believe is an apparent suicide. His body was discovered at his home in Oceanside, Calif., Wednesday. Seau was 43.

Media
8:16 am
Tue April 3, 2012

James Murdoch Steps Down From BSkyB

Transcript

DAVID GREENE, HOST:

In Britain, scandal has plagued the Murdoch family and its News Corp. media conglomerate. And today, another blow. Under pressure, Rupert Murdoch's son, James Murdoch, is stepping down as chairman of British Sky Broadcasting, also known as BSkyB. This occurs against the backdrop, of course, of the phone hacking and police bribery scandal that has focused heavily on two Murdoch tabloid newspapers. NPR's media correspondent David Folkenflik has been covering all of this and he joins us now to sort this out. Good morning, David.

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Business
2:00 am
Fri March 30, 2012

The Last Word In Business

You've heard of mystery meats, how about mystery powders courtesy of the ever-innovative food industry. David Greene and NPR's Allison Aubrey offer up a preview of a potentially stomach-turning mystery.

Sports
2:00 am
Tue March 27, 2012

Do Big Salaries For Coaches Guarantee Team Wins?

NCAA coaches are routinely paid six figure salaries as colleges hunt for the best talent to get their teams to a championship. New research, however, debunks the idea that paying more for coaches improves the odds of winning.

Judging The Health Care Law
8:40 am
Mon March 26, 2012

Protesters, Spectators Gather Outside Supreme Court

The U.S. Supreme Court begin hearing oral arguments on the health care law Monday. Outside the court, protesters and counter-protesters gathered with signs and chants. Also, people hoping to get in to witness the proceedings started lining up Friday morning.

Sports
2:00 am
Thu March 22, 2012

NFL Shake-Ups: 'Bounty' Suspension, Tebow Trade

Transcript

DAVID GREENE, HOST:

March Madness is supposed to be all about basketball. But it was the NFL that produced a dizzying day of news yesterday. The NFL came down like a ton of bricks on the New Orleans Saints. The league suspended head coach Sean Payton for the entire 2012 season. That was punishment for the team's bounty system, which paid players for injuring opponents.

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Food
2:07 am
Wed March 21, 2012

Italian 'Nonnas' Bring Taste Of Home To Staten Island

Originally published on Wed March 21, 2012 8:23 am

America is dotted with countless restaurants large and small. Many of those are well-loved for their distinct character — and for what they can teach diners about cooking, and about life.

One such establishment is Enoteca Maria, an Italian restaurant on New York's Staten Island.

After losing his mom and sister, owner Joe Scaravella missed sitting down with family for home-cooked meals. So he created something of an oxymoron: a place to go out for a home-cooked meal.

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Research News
2:00 am
Wed February 29, 2012

Do NASCAR Races Contribute To Motorists' Wrecks?

Originally published on Wed February 29, 2012 9:02 am

New research indicates that five days after major NASCAR races, there is a measurable increase in traffic accidents caused by aggressive driving.

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