Maria Bartiromo Hasn't Been At Fox Business Long

Though she's an undeniable pioneer for women in journalism, Maria Bartiromo has worked at Fox Business for a surprisingly short period of time. But don’t let her two-year history at the network fool you into thinking that she won't be a debate moderator to be reckoned with. The cheekily-nicknamed Money Honey has a 25-year career in business and economic journalism so solid that legendary punk musician Joey Ramone even wrote a song about her. Bartiromo will once again preside over Fox Business’ Republican presidential primary debate this Thursday.

Bartiromo joined Fox Business two years ago as a global markets editor, and now hosts Sunday Morning Futures and anchors Mornings with Maria. But, like many journalists, Bartiromo spent the early years of her career paying her dues with hard work and long hours off-camera. An internship at CNN led to a full-time job with the network and allowed Bartiromo to build up an on-air portfolio over the span of five years, which eventually landed her a job with CNBC. It was at CNBC, where Bartiromo worked for 20 years, that the business journalist began to establish herself as a household name.

In fact, her decision to leave CNBC for a six-year-old rival network with considerably lower ratings came as a considerable shock to her colleagues in financial news. It was hypothesized that Bartiromo was lured away to Fox Business by a higher salary and the opportunity to host her own Sunday show. Business Insider claimed that she was also looking for a network more in line with her political opinions, which she was beginning to share on her show, Closing Bell.

In an interview with a Fox affiliate on her one-year anniversary, Bartiromo said that she was proud to be a part of Fox Business. "I've got an unbelievable team," Bartiromo said. "I really do feel like we've got the best team in business information here at the Fox Business Network."

Her history at CNBC — and her willingness to criticize her former employer — has added an interesting layer to the 2016 presidential debates. In the run-up to November’s debate, Bartiromo told International Business Times that she thought CNBC had failed its viewers by neglecting to help them understand candidates’ stances on important issues. That first debate on Fox Business drew in a record 13.5 million viewers, and was hailed as more of a success than CNBC’s much-criticized debate.

But it is Bartiromo’s reputation for holding her own in a roomful of men that really sets her apart as a moderator. During her tenure at CNBC, Bartiromo became the first journalist to report live from the floor of the New York Stock Exchange, often having to shout over traders’ voices and stand firm against men’s jostling. By asking questions that get right at the heart of important campaign matters, like candidates’ proposed tax policies, economic reforms, and even foreign policy issues, Bartiromo can help voters see how and where candidates on the GOP’s exhaustive primary ballot differ in the lead-up to the Iowa and New Hampshire caucuses.