Face the Nation

Becoming the Face of Face the Nation

Ask Bob what his favorite assignment was during his more than four decades at CBS News, and he wouldn't miss a beat. "Face the Nation," he said.

"I wanted to be a reporter because I wanted to talk to the people who made the news. 'Face' was the only assignment I ever had where the newsmakers come to you; you don’t even have to go to them. I loved every minute of it."

Bob anchored the broadcast for 24 years, interviewing world leaders, presidents, and sometimes just people who had been caught up in the news of the day.

Nearly 4 million viewers watched Bob's final Face the Nation broadcast on May 31, 2015. He told viewers, "I will be honest, I'm going to miss being in the middle of things, but the one thing I will never forget is the trust you placed in me and how nice you were to have me as a guest in your home over so many years. That meant the world to me. And it always will. Thank you."

Scroll to hear a quote from Bob about his time at Face the Nation

A Moderator for the Masses

Bob had been moderating Face the Nation for 13 years when the non-partisan Debate Commission asked him to moderate the 2004 debate between John Kerry and President George W. Bush.

Four years later, Bob moderated the debate between Barrack Obama and John McCain, and in 2012, Bob moderated the last debate of the season between Obama and Mitt Romney. He announced the next month that the 2012 debate would be his last. He retired in May 2015 after more than four decades at CBS News. But as the 2016 campaign heated up, CBS News asked him to come out of retirement and offer commentary and analysis. For the 12th time he was back on the presidential campaign trail.

Key Video Moments from Bob's Time at Face the Nation