Hotline On Call

Every Friday, The Hotline's Latest Edition features a profile of a media figure. From all walks of the industry, we ask questions varying from the personal to the absurd. Today, we thought readers would enjoy our latest Friday Feature, CNN's Candy Crowley.

On October 16th, Crowley will be the first woman in twenty years to host a presidential debate. Crowley will be moderating a town-hall style debate at Hofstra University in Hempstead, New York.

You can catch Crowley on CNN's State of the Union, where she took the reins in February 2010. In her role as chief political correspondent, she covers a broad range of stories, including presidential, congressional and gubernatorial races and major legislative developments on Capitol Hill. Crowley has covered the presidential campaigns from Pat Buchanan to John Kerry to Ronald Reagan. She's been to every national convention since the nomination of Jimmy Carter. Earlier this cycle, she moderated the Virginia Senate debate between Tim Kaine and George Allen. Crowley has won awards including an Emmy for her work on CNN Presents Enemy Within and an Edward R. Murrow award for her coverage of the 2004 presidential race.

Without further ado, here is our Friday Feature!

Where's your hometown? Born in Kalamazoo?
Michigan but grew up outside St. Louis, Missouri.

What was it like?
You know that Norman Rockwell illustration "Freedom from Want," everyone around the grandparents' Thanksgiving table in their Sunday clothes with the perfect turkey and the good dishes? I have dozens of pictures like that and of Christmases that look the same, except Mom has on a Christmas sweater. We went sledding down the hill on winter days and firefly-catching on hot nights. We were not wealthy, but we were fine, so far as I knew. We had freedom from want.

What were you like in high school?
I think I was pretty normal in high school, although those of us who have had children in high school know that's an oxymoron. It may also be untrue. Several years ago I ran into a high school classmate, who, with a look of total disbelief on his face said, "None of us can believe you're doing what you're doing." He seemed to think I knew why, but I don't. I leave that to you to translate.

Most Embarrassing Thing on the air?
The only thing I'm willing to cop to is that during the 2000 campaign, I repeatedly threw back to Wolf Blitzer and called him "Bush", as in "back to you, Bush." For anything else, see You-Tube. No, don't.