Kristen Welker Becomes NBC News' White House Correspondent

Kristen Welker will become the newest White House Correspondent for NBC News, the network announced on Wednesday.

She will be joining Chuck Todd and Mike Viqueira. Welker has been filling in on the beat since June, during which time she traveled with President Obama and the First Lady. She became an NBC News correspondent in the fall of 2010. Before that, she was a local news anchor.

The network announced that Peter Alexander will be covering the Republican presidential race on the ground. NBC News president Steve Capus praised Welker and Alexander in a statement, saying "Kristen and Peter have proven reporting skills and combined with the A-Team that already exists with David Gregory, Chuck Todd, Andrea Mitchell, Ron Allen, Ron Mott, Kelly O'Donnell and John Yang -- this is the team you want to stick with during 2012."

The major coverage assignments come as NBC News ramps up its political coverage for the election season. Perry Bacon, Jr. is joining thegrio.com as political editor from the Washington Post. The network also launched NBCPolitics.com, its new website for political coverage, and announced a partnership with foursquare.

Comments

[Mike Clark II]

12:15 AM on 12/16/2011

she is awesome. congrats

[qtpi410]

03:29 PM on 12/15/2011

Kristen was our local new anchor here in Phila. at NBC. I was sorry to see her leave but very happy that she is still with NBC and on the national seen. Congrats Kristen.

[chessfun7]

11:23 AM on 12/15/2011

Ditto, MakersMark.....

[chessfun7]

11:19 AM on 12/15/2011

A perfect choice....

[MakersMark]

10:12 AM on 12/15/2011

Finally, maybe an NBC correspondent that can play it down the middle or even give the President some slack instead of always giving the GOP spin on everything. I also like Peter Alexander. I am sick of Chuck Todd, Kelly O'Donnell, David Gregory, Andrea Mitchell, and Luke Russert.

[MrUniteUs]

06:27 AM on 12/15/2011

Will be watching

[Sons]

03:13 AM on 12/15/2011

Dump Todd. Where is the journalistic beef in this guy?

Listen to him sometime. There is very little actual substance that comes out of him.

[illini74]

09:40 PM on 12/14/2011

she's been an NBC White House reporter for many months... why is this news?

[Liberalholly]

07:46 PM on 12/14/2011

I wish her well, and while she is poised and professional, I don't think she has the gravitas for this job.

[ECB]

06:21 PM on 12/14/2011

Great ! I wish her the best of luck.

[WorldGoneWild]

02:01 PM on 12/14/2011

Congrats to Kristin Welker. Liked her when she was on NBC10 in Philly.

[maxout22]

07:07 AM on 12/15/2011

Me too.

[mater]

01:57 PM on 12/14/2011

She's doing a great job. Glad she's getting recognition for her diligent work.

[PhillyPhilly]

01:47 PM on 12/14/2011

This is great, and I understand why she beat out Aditi Roy for this posting.

[dwill123]

07:31 PM on 12/14/2011

They both used to be here in Philadelphia, just recently.

[signfine]

01:44 PM on 12/14/2011

Kudos to the other Bush twin for turning down this job and a true journalist receiving it!

[gomezrules]

01:25 PM on 12/14/2011

So, Andrea Mitchell will no longer be the best looking 'thang' NBC can offer up? LOL..Thank GOODNESS!