Bob Schieffer says he’s retiring from CBS News this summer

REPORTING FROM NEW YORK  —  “Face the Nation” moderator and CBS News chief Washington correspondent Bob Schieffer said he will retire this summer after 46 years at the network.

Schieffer announced his decision Wednesday night during an annual symposium held at the Texas Christian University’s Schieffer College of Communications, which is named after him.

“It’s been a great adventure,” he told the crowd at TCU. “You know, I’m one of the luckiest people in the world because as a little boy, as a young reporter, I always wanted to be a journalist, and I got to do that. And not many people get to do that, and I couldn’t have asked for a better life or something that was more fun and more fulfilling.”

Although Schieffer has said he’s hanging it up before, his comments at TCU were followed by a statement from CBS News President David Rhodes acknowledging the announcement.

“He’s been an inspiration and a mentor to so many colleagues -- and frankly, to me,” Rhodes said.

No word on who will replace Schieffer at “Face the Nation.” But early speculation is likely to focus on network insiders John Dickerson, political director for CBS News, and “CBS This Morning” co-anchor Norah O’Donnell.

Schieffer started his career as a newspaper reporter working for the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. He is the last active network TV reporter who worked in Dallas on Nov. 22, 1963, and covered the assassination of President Kennedy. He also covered the Vietnam War for the newspaper.

He joined CBS News in 1969. From the Washington bureau, Schieffer covered the Pentagon, the White House, Congress and the State Department. He was anchor of the Saturday edition of the “CBS Evening News” from 1973 to 1996. In 1991, he took over as moderator of CBS’ Sunday public affairs program “Face the Nation.”

Schieffer also stepped in to anchor the weeknight edition of “The CBS Evening News” when Dan Rather was pushed out by the network in 2005. Schieffer held the anchor chair for a year before the arrival of Katie Couric.

Schieffer also moderated presidential debates in 2004, 2008 and 2012.