Robert Costa is an American journalist, political analyst, moderator, and reporter who currently works as the Chief Election and Campaign Correspondent for CBS News. Before joining CBS in 2022, Robert worked as a political reporter for The Washington Post.
With more than a decade of reporting experience, Robert Costa has established a place among the creme de la creme of the news world. His reportage on the Republican Party in Congress during the U. S. federal government shutdown in 2013 earned him the title of the “most important reporter in the country” by the New Republic.
The classy journalist also led National Review’s Capitol Hill bureau as their Washington editor before joining the Washington Post as a national political reporter in 2014, three years before becoming a moderator for the Washington Week.
Robert Costa’s Early Life and Education
Robert Costa is one of America’s next-generation journalists, a breath of fresh air in an industry full of old heads. He is one of the four children born to lawyers Thomas E. and Anne-Dillon D. Costa. The journalist first came into this world on the 14th day of October 1985, and his birth took place in Richmond, Virginia, the U.S.
However, he grew up in Lower Makefield Township, Bucks County, Yardley, Pennsylvania, where he was known as Bob. His siblings include his twin brother James, younger sister Ellen, and younger brother Tim. He was very sociable as a child and also good at sports, but one thing that stood out from his early years was his interest in journalism, particularly politics.
While studying at Pennsbury High School, he was remarkable for his social skills and passion for journalism. Before graduating in 2004, he served as a reporter for The Bucks County Courier Times and the students’ TV station PHS-TV, where he covered professional and local sports. Notably, he will be remembered for his ability to bring top musicians like Maroon 5, John Mayer, and Eve 6 to perform at his school events.
Following his high school graduation, the aspiring journalist moved to Indiana to attend the University of Notre Dame. He graduated in 2008 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in American Studies. As an undergraduate, Robert Costa took his journalism interest to a greater height by interning for a few reputable journalism outfits, including PBS and ABC. He also had an internship at the UK’s House of Commons.
Costa serves on the advisory council for the Donald R. Keough School of Global Affairs (founded in 2014). In 2009, he bagged a master’s degree in politics from the University of Cambridge, where he was an active member of the Cambridge Union debating society. With his reporting and writing background, he became a Robert L. Bartley Fellow at The Wall Street Journal, which set the ground for his professional career.
A Recap of Robert Costa’s Education:
- He attended Pennsbury High School and graduated in 2004
- He got his bachelor’s degree in American studies from the University of Notre Dame in 2008.
- The following year (2009), he acquired his master’s degree in politics from the University of Cambridge.
How Did He Become Famous As A Journalist?
Robert Costa joined the National Review magazine as a reporter in 2010. Two years later, he was made their Washington editor. Before leaving the publication in 2013, he built strong followership with his deep reporting on Republican leadership and the conservative movement. He also contributed to CNBC and MSNBC.
With nearly a decade of reporting experience, he joined The Washington Post in January 2014 as a national political reporter, covering the White House, Congress, and campaigns. By December of the following year, he was named a political analyst for both NBC News and MSNBC.
Costa is known for his deep sourcing within national political circles. The various extensive interviews he has had with Donald Trump earned him the moniker “Trump Whisperer.” In the course of his career, the golden boy of the recent government shutdown, as per New York magazine, has covered top political issues.
Some of them include the battle over health-care policy during the Obama presidency, the 2010 mid-term elections, and the Republican presidential nomination in 2012, which stood him out as one of the nation’s best chroniclers of the Republican party, as per HuffPost.
His coverage of presidential campaigns drew him widespread acclaim, shooting him to the esteemed position of moderator for Washington Week on PBS. He joined the show in April 2017, becoming the eighth moderator in her 50-year history. Before his appointment, he has been a panelist on Washington Week since 2014 and a guest moderator more recently.
Is Robert Costa Married?
The Notre Dame alumnus seems to live a very private life. So far, he has managed to keep his personal affair away from the all-seeing eye of the media, despite having an active social media life. However, there are unsubstantiated reports that he is married with kids even with no records of his past relationships or dating life.
He portrays someone that centers his interest on his profession rather than entangling himself in nurturing a relationship. As a result of this, the details of his love life have been an enigma to the media. Meanwhile, his twin brother, James, got married in September 2013. The news of his wedding saw the light of the day when Robert Costa congratulated him in a tweet.
