History of Abby Phillip in Timeline

By Popular Timelines Editorial Team · Updated: March 12, 2026

Abby Phillip is an American CNN news anchor, currently hosting CNN NewsNight and CNN Saturday Morning Table for Five. Prior to CNN, Phillip worked for Politico, covering the Obama White House. She also served as a national political reporter for The Washington Post and as a digital reporter for politics at ABC News. Her career has focused on political reporting and analysis, solidifying her role as a prominent figure in American journalism.

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Full Timeline

November 25, 1988: Abby Phillip's Birth

On November 25, 1988, Abigail Daniella Phillip, who is now a CNN news anchor, was born.

1988: Jesse Jackson's Presidential Run

In 1988, Reverend Jesse Jackson ran for the Democratic presidential nomination, an event that Abby Phillip would later write about in her book.

2010: Graduation from Harvard

In 2010, Abby Phillip graduated from Harvard College with a Bachelor of Arts in government, initially planning to study pre-med. During her time at Harvard, she also wrote for The Harvard Crimson.

2017: Joins CNN

In 2017, Abby Phillip joined CNN and covered the Trump Administration.

May 2018: Marriage to Marcus Richardson

In May 2018, Abby Phillip married Marcus Richardson, a cybersecurity consultant, at the Larz Anderson House.

January 14, 2020: Co-moderates Democratic Debate

On January 14, 2020, Abby Phillip co-moderated the seventh Democratic debate of the 2020 Democratic Party presidential primaries at Drake University. She faced criticism for perceived unfair treatment of Bernie Sanders during the debate.

2020: Book Deal with Flatiron Books

In 2020, Abby Phillip secured a deal with Flatiron Books for "The Dream Deferred", a book about Reverend Jesse Jackson's 1988 presidential run.

A Dream Deferred: Jesse Jackson and the Fight for Black Political Power

Check it on Amazon

January 11, 2021: Named Anchor of Inside Politics Sunday

On January 11, 2021, Abby Phillip was announced as the new anchor of the weekend edition of Inside Politics, starting January 24, replacing John King on the Sunday morning version. The show is titled Inside Politics Sunday With Abby Phillip.

August 2021: Birth of First Child

In August 2021, Abby Phillip gave birth to her first child, a daughter.

2022: Signs with United Talent Agency

In 2022, Abby Phillip signed with United Talent Agency.

2022: "The Dream Deferred" original release date

Originally, "The Dream Deferred" was scheduled to be released in 2022.

A Dream Deferred: Jesse Jackson and the Fight for Black Political Power

Check it on Amazon

August 2023: Named Host of CNN NewsNight

In August 2023, as part of a weekday/weekend programming overhaul, Abby Phillip was named the permanent host of CNN's 10 p.m. ET hour with a new show titled CNN NewsNight with Abby Phillip. Manu Raju took over Inside Politics on Sunday mornings.