The Robin Toner Program in Political Reporting

ROBIN TONER

Robin Toner

Robin Toner was the first woman to be national political correspondent of The New York Times.

In her nearly 25 years with The Times, she covered five presidential campaigns, scores of Congressional and gubernatorial races and most of the country’s major political and policy issues. She was The Times’ lead reporter on the 1992 presidential election of Bill Clinton and one of its most authoritative journalists covering health-care policy and politics. Toner’s work was distinguished by her expertise and insight, by her meticulous fact-checking and accuracy, and by her elegant writing.

The late Senator Edward M. Kennedy described Toner as “a reporter’s reporter who deeply cared about the people and the issues she covered.”

Robin Toner grew up in Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania, one of six children. She was a summa cum laude graduate of Syracuse University with dual degrees in journalism and political science. Toner started her journalism career in West Virginia with the Charleston Daily Mail and reported for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. She was married to fellow journalist Peter Gosselin, most recently the national economics correspondent for the Los Angeles Times. She was the mother of twins, Nora and Jacob.

Robin Toner died in December 2008, leaving indelible marks on the profession and people she so loved. To honor her life and work, the Robin Toner Endowed Fund has been created by her family, friends and classmates. Syracuse University and the S. I. Newhouse School of Public Communications have launched a fundraising campaign to support The Robin Toner Program in Political Reporting. To learn how you can contribute, please click DONATE.