Steve Kroft

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<h2>Background and Early Life</h2>

<p>Steve Kroft was born on August 22, 1945, in Kokomo, Indiana, to Margaret and Fred Kroft. He spent his formative years in Indiana, where he also completed his early education.</p>

<h2>Education</h2>

<p>Kroft earned his bachelor's degree from Syracuse University in 1967. Decades later, in recognition of his distinguished career, he received the George Arents Medal, the highest honor given to a Syracuse University alumnus.</p>

<h2>Military Service and Early Journalism Career</h2>

<p>After graduating from Syracuse, Kroft was drafted into the United States Army and served in the Vietnam War. Upon completing his military service, he began his journalism career, which would span several decades and earn him national recognition.</p>

<h2>Career at CBS News</h2>

<p>Steve Kroft joined CBS News in 1980 as a reporter for the Northeast Bureau based in New York City. In 1981, he was promoted to correspondent and reassigned to the Southwest Bureau in Dallas. By 1983, he had moved to CBS's Miami bureau, where his reporting frequently took him to the Caribbean and Latin America. His coverage included key international stories such as the civil war in El Salvador and the U.S. invasion of Grenada.</p>

<p>In 1989, Kroft officially joined the staff of <em>60 Minutes</em>, CBS’s prestigious investigative journalism program. Among his early groundbreaking assignments was his exclusive report from the contaminated grounds of the Chernobyl nuclear facility in 1990—the first such access granted to an American journalist. This piece earned him an Emmy Award.</p>

<p>Throughout his time on <em>60 Minutes</em>, Kroft conducted many high-profile interviews. Notably, during the 1992 U.S. presidential election, he interviewed then-<a href="/biography/bill-clinton">Governor</a> <a href="/biography/bill-clinton">Bill Clinton</a> and his <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hillary_Clinton">wife</a>, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hillary_Clinton">Hillary Clinton</a>, following allegations of infidelity. The interview became a pivotal moment in the campaign. In 1997, he interviewed <a href="/biography/clint-eastwood">Clint Eastwood</a> and, in a bold move, asked the private actor about his children. Eastwood, caught off guard, responded evasively, highlighting Kroft’s fearless yet tactful interviewing style.</p>

<h2>Awards and Honors</h2>

<p>Kroft has received numerous prestigious journalism awards throughout his career. He is an 11-time Emmy Award <a href="/biography/steve-kroft">winner</a>, including a Lifetime Achievement Emmy awarded in 2003. He has also won five Peabody Awards and two Columbia University duPont Awards.</p>

<p>In addition to his George Arents Medal, Kroft has received honorary doctorates from Indiana University, Binghamton University, and Long Island University. Other significant recognitions include the University at Albany’s Medallion of the University in 2007 and the Gerald Loeb Award in 2009. That same year, he was included in the list of George Polk Award winners. In 2010, he earned the Paul White Award from the Radio Television Digital News Association, honoring lifetime achievement in electronic journalism.</p>

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<h2>Personal Life</h2>

<p>Steve Kroft currently resides in New York City with his wife, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jennet_Conant">Jennet Conant</a>, a journalist and best-selling author. The couple has one son, John Conant Kroft, who began attending the Juilliard School in 2012 to pursue performing arts.</p>

<p>In 2015, Kroft publicly acknowledged involvement in an extramarital affair with Lisan Goines, a New York-based lawyer and Columbia Law School graduate. While news of the affair attracted media commentary, it did not overshadow his professional legacy in journalism.</p>

<h2>Social Media Presence</h2>

<p>Despite his prominence, Kroft maintains a modest social media presence. His Facebook profile, listed under the name "Steve Croft," has approximately 1,731 followers. On Twitter, under the handle Steve Kroft, he has about 590 followers. His Instagram account (@kroftsteve) has only a handful of followers, suggesting he uses these platforms sparingly.</p>

<h2>Notable Interviews and Public Criticism</h2>

<p>Kroft’s interviews—particularly with U.S. presidents and public figures—have often sparked dialogue. On December 13, 2009, during an interview with <a href="/biography/barack-obama">President</a> <a href="/biography/barack-obama">Barack Obama</a>, Kroft stated that "Most Americans right now don't believe this war's worth fighting" in reference to the War in Afghanistan. This assertion was later challenged by Gallup Editor-in-Chief Frank Newport, who cited polling data showing Americans were split in opinion on the issue. Nonetheless, Kroft’s question captured a sentiment present in public discourse at the time.</p>

<p>In March 2009, while discussing the recession in another interview with President <a href="/biography/barack-obama">Obama</a>, Kroft questioned the president’s tone when he appeared to laugh during the segment. The moment received diverse reactions but further showcased Kroft’s commitment to addressing serious issues with candor.</p>

<h2>Additional Resources</h2>

<p><strong>Wikipedia:</strong> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Kroft</p>
<p><strong>IMDb:</strong> <a href="https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0471901/">https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0471901/</a></p>
<p><strong>Twitter:</strong> <a href="https://twitter.com/stevekroft?lang=en">https://twitter.com/stevekroft?lang=en</a></p>

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