Longtime CNN chief political correspondent Dana Bash began her stint as host of Inside Politics Monday and welcomed former host Judy Woodruff to the program to kick off her duties.
Bash joined CNN 30 years ago, and rose from desk assistant to Inside Politics producer before ultimately becoming the program’s host. In addition to hosting the midday show, she will continue her role as co-anchor of the network’s political affairs Sunday show State of the Union.
Woodruff returned to CNN to join Bash on the set of the program she anchored from 1993 to 2005. In her appearance, she shared her pride with Bash, watching her ascend to the program’s host. She anchored Inside Politics with Bernard Shaw, who died last September.
“I want to remember Bernard Shaw who passed away nine months ago,” Bash said on her debut episode. “He was a journalist’s journalist, and he led the way in being a good person both on and off the air. We really do miss him.”
Inside Politics was revived by CNN in 2014 with John King as host. Bash thanked her colleague before diving into the topics of the day.
“I want to thank John King for reviving the storied Inside Politics brand about a decade ago, building it back to a show where viewers can get information from the best in the business,” said Bash. “Thanks for joining Inside Politics.”
