Harwood joins CNBC as Washington correspondent

The Wall Street Journal writer John Harwood has been named CNBC’s chief Washington correspondent, effective Monday, according to TVWeek.com.

“We expect John will use his contacts and his insights to effectively cover major stories coming out of Washington,” said David Friend, senior vice president of business news for CNBC.

Harwood will continue to be a senior contributing writer for The Wall Street Journal, writing the weekly Washington Wire political column and overseeing the Wall Street Journal/NBC News poll. He joined The Wall Street Journal as White House correspondent in 1991 and became national political editor in 1997.

Harwood was born in Louisville, Ky., and grew up in the Maryland suburbs outside of the nation’s capital. While still in high school, he began his journalism career as a copy-boy at the Washington Star. He studied history and economics at Duke University and graduated magna cum laude in 1978.

Following graduation Harwood joined the St. Petersburg Times, reporting on police, investigative projects, local government and politics. Later he became state capital correspondent, Washington correspondent and Political Editor. His assignments ranged from presidential campaigns to unrest against the apartheid regime in South Africa, which he visited three times during the 1980s.