CNN to Offer Multi-Platform Coverage of Obama Primetime Address

Utilizing its world-wide resources, CNN will provide live, global, multi-platform coverage of President Barack Obama’s address on Afghanistan on Tuesday, Dec. 1. Special coverage of Decision: Afghanistan will begin at 7:30 p.m. ET. Surrounding the President’s address at 8 p.m. ET, CNN lead political anchor Wolf Blitzer, along with Campbell Brown and Anderson Cooper will anchor live coverage from New York. CNN anchors including Christiane Amanpour, Dr. Sanjay Gupta, John King and Fareed Zakaria will offer insight and analysis. Senior political analysts Gloria Borger and David Gergen will provide political perspective, while senior White House correspondent Ed Henry reports live from West Point, the site of President Obama’s address. CNN’s Michael Ware will also be reporting from New York and will offer his foreign affairs expertise. Special coverage will kick off at 7 p.m. with a special edition of CNN Tonight with John Roberts anchoring.

CNN’s award-winning correspondents also will be positioned around the country and around the world to report on President Obama’s plans in Afghanistan. Senior international correspondent Nic Robertson and international correspondents Atia Abawi and Frederik Pleitgen will report live from Kabul. Roberston reported from Afghanistan on Sept. 11, 2001, and has reported extensively from the region since then. Abawi is the network’s correspondent who is permanently based in Kabul. Moscow bureau chief Matthew Chance will report live from Moscow, and international correspondent Rezah Sayah will report live from Pakistan.

In addition, Pentagon correspondents Chris Lawrence and Barbara Starr and foreign affairs correspondent Jill Dougherty will be on air throughout the night. From North Carolina to Indiana to New Hampshire, network correspondents Deborah Feyerick, David Mattingly and Mary Snow will provide viewers with reaction from civilians and troops at military bases around the U.S., including Ft. Hood, Ft. Bragg, 29 Palms and others. CNN Radio correspondent Bob Costantini will anchor live coverage from Washington, D.C. for CNN Radio affiliates and on CNN.com.

Online, CNN.com also will feature extensive coverage of the announcement, including breaking news updates and analysis, and live video via the site’s homepage and the CNN App for the iPhone and iPod Touch. CNN iReport will showcase contributions and viewpoints from users regarding their views of success in Afghanistan and what Obama’s address means to them. Additionally, CNN’s new blog, “Afghanistan Crossroads” will serve as the center for global coverage of the decision and all ongoing reporting related to Afghanistan – from daily news developments to a close look at the life and culture of the people of Afghanistan. Visitors to www.cnn.com/Afghanistan will find the best of CNN’s comprehensive Afghanistan coverage through blog posts from CNN’s correspondents around the world, stunning video and photography, as well as lively discussion among CNN’s numerous op-ed contributors and the site’s users.

CNN.com also aims to provide its users with background and perspective to better understand the many layers of this important story through interactive charts and explainers detailing U.S. troop levels over the years in the region; Afghanistan’s long standing at the crossroads of history; and the growth of the Taliban.