Kelly O'Donnell is in Cleveland to Cover Her Sixth Presidential Election

Kelly O’Donnell has seen the thrill of victory — and the agony of defeat. The 51-year-old NBC News Capitol Hill correspondent has covered six presidential campaigns for the network dating back to Bill Clinton’s win over Bob Dole in 1996. She’s covered candidates, issues and conventions, and has been on the road reporting on Donald Trump, Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton this year. Ahead of this month’s convention, where she’ll be reporting live, we caught up with the former Westlake resident and former WJW-TV8 anchor and reporter to talk politics and people. 

Part of what makes campaigns so endlessly fascinating is that we don’t know the outcome, and at any moment a twist or turn can happen.

Rallies are one of my favorite experiences. After all these years, I still love attending them. The rallies are a sensory experience.

I was with Bernie Sanders in California. When I kind of stood on the riser behind him, you could see what his eyes could see — an endless crowd. It’s an amazing experience.

There’s almost nothing that compares to running for president. They want it more than any of us can ever understand. 

It is extraordinary to watch someone whose hopes and dreams and their whole passion about life is in that moment.

Watching people lose is a very poignant and painful experience for them. To see the humanity of that has always interested me.

I was with John Kerry when he said, “I was for it, before I was against it.” 

There are times when that is a very true statement, but it was so critical in his election because he was labeled a flip-flopper. He was answering the question honestly.

Donald Trump and Bernie Sanders have exhibited a great deal of fearlessness in the way they have campaigned, and that has at times surprised people, offended them, angered them, but it has been completely and totally fascinating to watch.

I try to push myself, and I try to take some steps outside my comfort zone, but I would not presume to say that I am totally fearless.

When I land in a new city, I always talk to the taxi cab driver. I talk to the person at the hotel. I talk to someone near me at a restaurant. 

It’s amazing how much information you can get just by listening to people.

There was a time when voters really trusted that a resume and experience were sufficient to perform well in office. I think for a few cycles now, voters have been frustrated that people who have been elected have not been able to accomplish what they said they wanted to.

Voters are really in charge here. They have a voice in this. They are determining this.