Thank you.
>> And now I'm going to do
something unusual.
I'm introducing a video that I
know nothing about.
It was produced as a surprise
for me on this last night of the
anchor chair by my colleagues.
Lisa Desjardins, dance a gallon,
and Amada her new a.
>> Judy woodruff is the best of
us.
>> Judy woodruff is a total pro.
>> And I come.
>> Fair and balanced.
>> Tenacious.
>> A model, not just in the
newsroom, but in life.
>> Judy is tireless.
She must have some sort of
secret nuclear core power source
like iron man.
>> I am amazed at your stamina.
>> I don't know how you do it.
>> Every time I walk out of
Judy's office, I think I'm so
lucky to work with this woman.
>> Judy woodruff is a national
treasure.
>> The gold standard of
trustworthy journalism.
>> The northstar journalism.
>> Triumph marked by struggles
against adversity.
>> Judy woodruff is running
late.
>> But she is going to make her
flight.
Probably.
>> Judy woodruff is a champion
for journalism.
>> And youth voices.
>> Her reporting is valued and
respected by so many Americans
all over.
>> You are a good person.
>> Judy woodruff is one of my
role models.
>> Incredibly genuine and down
to Earth.
>> The nicest girl I've ever had
the pleasure to work with.
>> Exactly the same person on
camera as she is off.
Outstanding.
>> Incomparable, generous.
>> Judy is Judy.
Not many people like her.
She is pretty special.
>> My grandfather is her number
one fan, which I have told her
many times.
She was so kind his past
birthday to record three takes
of her wishing him a happy
birthday.
It meant the world to him.
>> She has been a cheerleader
for me through here, and an
incredible support for my family
personally.
>> I had the privilege of
working with Judy, Gwen, robin,
and Jim.
>> I never met someone who works
as hard as Judy day in and day
out.
>> Judy, you are a mentor,
rockstar in the world of
journalism, but mostly a lot of
fun, like 2008.
>> We have spent a lot of
blustery days like this
traveling across Iowa and new
Hampshire.
I will always remember you Joe
goering -- juggling calls.
>> In Las Vegas, in Florida,
still in awe of how she combines
strength and kindness.
>> She's always looking to get
depth and precision and facts
and empathy from the people
she's reporting on.
It doesn't matter what kind of
deadline pressure she's under,
or what the schedule is like.
>> The kind of work I do that we
did would not be possible
without all of the barriers you
broke, the paths you paved, and
the reputation you build.
>> Working with Judy on the
obituaries for people across the
country who had died of
covid-19, I got to see firsthand
the amount of care and attention
to detail she put into capturing
the essence of every person we
profiled.
>> I remember the most difficult
night of television I ever had
to make.
The night our friend Gwen passed
away.
We had just finished a whole
program listening to all of
these dear friends of Gwen and
what she meant to them.
It was difficult.
But Judy did.
>> She took the time to stop
what she was doing and shake my
hand and said welcome to the
newshour.
I was starstruck land, and
honestly I'm still starstruck
now.
>> She would always take time to
say thank you and ask me how I
was doing.
Sometimes she would even
complement my sweaters.
From the bottom of my heart and
my wardrobe, thank you, Judy.
>> Thank you, Judy.
>> Thank you for letting me
achieve my goal and cutting your
hair.
I'm so happy.
>> Thank you for all of your
support through the years.
>> Thank you, Judy.
>> Thank you.
>> Thank you, Judy.
>> Just thank you.
>> We can't thank you enough.
>> Thank you, Judy.
>> Thank you for everything.
>> Thank you, Judy.
>> Thank you so much for every
thing.
>> Thank you so much.
>> Thank you.
>> Thanks, Judy.
>> I can barely hold it
together.
But as I turn over this special
anchor desk with its remarkable
history to the new team, just a
few words to all of you about
what it has meant to sit here
versus a substitute anchor in
the 1980's and 1990's, and for
the past 11 years through some
of the most tumultuous events of
our times, seven presidential
elections, and a cold war.
The start of many hot ones.
Most fresh in my mind, the covid
pandemic.
Reckoning over race in America.
Mass shootings in schools and
grocery stores.
And our nation's deepening
political divide.
Through it all, I have tried to
stay true about the what the
program founders believed so
fiercely that we are here to
report and tell you as
accurately and fairly as we can
what is going on in the world
and to let you make of your
minds on what to think.
And have the courage as my
beloved coanchor to ask the
tough questions to hold people
in power accountable.
And I would add to care enough
about each one of you to respect
you and your beliefs what your
lives are like.
It has been the honor of a
lifetime to be in this chair, to
tell these hugely important
stories, to share the worst and
the best of humanity, all of
which we need to hear to be the
best possible citizens we can
be.
And of course, to support the
work done by my remarkable
newshour colleagues.
I'm just the tip of the iceberg.
They do the work day in and day
out that gets this program on
the air.
They research, they write, they
produce, take pictures and
video, adjust lighting and
audio, edit, fix, direct all the
things without which there would
be no program.
On the digital side online, they
do all that and more, plus
streaming and social media.
They don't sleep.
That is why I know with all of
my brilliant on-air colleagues
and newco anchors, the newshour
will not only thrive, it will
soar.
And just a reminder, I'm not
leaving the newshour, I will
still be around as a
correspondent.
Taking on a big project called
America at a crossroads.
Trying to understand our country
better and how we Americans seem
so divided.
I also plan to do reporting on
what people with disabilities
face.
Finally, thank you watching in
the United States and around the
world, the best viewers anywhere
, concerned citizens who hold us
to a high standard every single
day.
Thank you for trusting us to
tell it straight.
I step away now with a heart
full of gratitude for this
singular opportunity to share
the most critical stories of our
time.
And as we say every evening,
that is the newshour for
tonight.
I'm.
Judy woodruff for all of us at
the pbs newshour, thank you,
stay safe, and we will see you
soon.