ABC’s Presidential Debate moderator, David Muir, is of white ethnicity. He was born into a Catholic family in Syracuse, New York, and raised in the Onondaga Hill neighborhood.
Muir was born on November 8, 1973, to Ronald Muir and Pat Mills. However, his parents divorced when he was still young.
Despite the separation, they co-parented him, and his mother later moved to Skaneateles.
Muir grew up in the Onondaga Hill neighborhood of Syracuse, New York, where he still owns a stunning lakeside property. He has one older sibling, two younger stepsiblings, and is an uncle to six nieces and three nephews.
In 1991, Muir graduated from Onondaga Central Junior-Senior High School and went on to attend Ithaca College, where he graduated magna cum laude in May 1995 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in journalism.
During his high school years, he interned at WTVH-TV in Syracuse, and while at Ithaca, a professor encouraged him by saying he had “the cut of a TV newsman.”
Muir also spent a semester at the Institute on Political Journalism at Georgetown University and another at the University of Salamanca in Spain, enriching his education with international experiences.
His Biggest Supporters Are His Parents
From a young age, Muir was captivated by ABC News, watching the network’s flagship program with his family every night. He cites Peter Jennings, a longtime anchor, as his greatest journalistic influence.
In an interview with Syracuse.com, David reflected on his parents driving him to the television studios where he interned.
“One of the images I won’t forget is my mother and father driving me there during summer vacations or school breaks,” Muir recalled.
“While most kids were off doing other things, I remember just begging them to take me to the TV station. I’m sure they dreaded it, but between the two of them, they made sure I got there. To this day, I’m grateful they would drive me to 980 James St.”
David Muir
