Hired by NBC in 1969 , she anchored a half-hour newscast at WRC-TV , its Washington affiliate , in addition to her reporting responsibilities . Mackin received national attention three years later when she became that network 's first woman floor reporter at the Democratic and Republican presidential conventions . Her work contributed to the subsequent award of an Emmy to the NBC news team for its coverage . Her report later that year on President Richard Nixon 's re-election campaign , in which she stated that the President was saying things about opponent George McGovern that were untrue , was highlighted in Timothy Crouse 's book , '' The Boys on the Bus '' . After a stint in Los Angeles , Mackin returned to Washington in 1974 as the Sunday evening anchor and congressional correspondent
Republican presidential conventions
1972 Republican National Convention
Catherine Mackin