Donaldson to Retire from ABC

Sam Donaldson, venerable ABC newsman for the past 41 years, is retiring next week with four Emmys to his name and a reputation as a dogged veteran reporter. The brazen journalist began his career as a weekend anchor during the Kennedy administration and, years later, co-hosted This Week alongside Cokie Roberts, and PrimeTime Live with Diane Sawyer, but in recent years was cast aside to Politics Live on ABC's digital channel, "talking to an audience of dozens," he said. Donaldson occasionally made waves—he once shouted questions to President Reagan on the White House lawn—but his combativeness might just be his most endearing quality: "Underneath he absolutely has a heart of gold," anchor Charlie Gibson said.