Short questions with Dana Perino for Chad Pergram

You've seen us on screen, but have you ever wondered what we're like off-camera? 

For the last few months, I’ve enjoyed checking in with some of your favorite Fox personalities to learn more about who they are behind the scenes. 

What's the one thing Jesse Watters couldn’t live without? What's Bill Hemmer’s favorite Halloween costume? And what's sitting on Greg Gutfeld’s nightstand? 

But that's not all! The fun is just getting started.

This week, we're excited to shine the spotlight on Chad Pergram, senior congressional correspondent at Fox News Channel. He joined the network in Sept. 2007 and is based in Washington, D.C.

Most recently, Chad covered the dramatic elections for House Speaker; he reported from the Capitol throughout the removal of Kevin McCarthy as Speaker, as well as the numerous votes that ultimately led to Mike Johnson becoming the new Speaker of the House. Earlier in 2023, he provided Fox News viewers with historical context, deciphering maneuvers and strategy from the House floor as House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) finally prevailed in a post-witching hour vote. 

Previously, Chad contributed to FNC's 2022 Midterm Election coverage and also reported on the hearings of The Select Committee’s Investigation of the Jan. 6th Attack on the United States Capitol. Chad reported live from inside the Capitol building as it was mobbed by rioters on Jan. 6, 2021.

P.S. We have so much more in store for you. Stay tuned each week for new editions of "Short Questions with Dana Perino" — and if there’s a question you want answers to or a suggestion for the person I should interview next, leave a note in the comments section below. 

Chad Pergram, senior congressional correspondent at Fox News Channel, grew up in Ohio. "The great thing about covering Congress is you cover history every day," he told Dana Perino for this Fox News Digital piece.  (Fox News)

Q: Let’s start with a little background. Where are you from? Where’d you go to school? And what local markets did you work in prior to joining Fox?

CP: I am from Jacksonburg, Ohio. It was the smallest incorporated village in the state when I lived there. Population: 52. 

James M. Cox who was governor of Ohio, a congressman and the Democratic nominee for president in 1920, is also from there. His farm is across the road from where I grew up.

I went to Edgewood High School in Trenton, Ohio, and began working for WKRC Radio when I was still a student. 

I later worked at WKRC-TV and WMUB-FM before moving to Washington without a job. I earned both degrees at Miami University (OH) in Oxford, Ohio. It’s just down the road from where I grew up.

Q: You’ve covered a number of big stories since starting here at Fox. Which one stands out to you as your favorite assignment to date and why? 

CP: The riot at the Capitol was without question the biggest story I have ever covered. I was on the air for 15 straight hours, barricaded in the basement as the House and Senate finally certified the Electoral College results. 

I was also the first broadcast/cable reporter to confirm the death of Osama bin Laden in 2011.

"American history plays out underneath the Capitol dome. I see it with my own eyes."

The ousting of former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) was extraordinary. House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-LA) was shot in Alexandria, Virginia, during a baseball practice close to where I live. I was there within minutes, reporting in sweatpants and a hoodie. 

The great thing about covering Congress is you cover history every day. American history plays out underneath the Capitol dome. I see it with my own eyes. 

I also reported on the expulsion from baseball of Pete Rose when I was in college. 

And, I covered the first race for Congress by former House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH), years before he matriculated to the speaker’s suite.

Q: Imagine I’m sending you on an epic all-American food road trip. Lobster rolls in Cape Cod, deep dish in Chicago, Gumbo in New Orleans, you get the picture. Which U.S. city do you think would steal the show and what iconic food would be its crowning glory?

CP: As for chow, I would send everyone to where I grew up. Stop for a sausage and pepperoni pizza at Cassano’s by the bridge in Trenton, Ohio.

Order a thin crust pizza with pepperoni and sausage. The pieces are cut into bite-sized squares.

I am also a Cincinnati chili addict. I prefer Skyline Chili, which is a staple of the Queen City diet. I usually order what they call a "three-way" (spaghetti, chili and shredded cheddar cheese). 

I prefer the location at the corner of Ludlow and Vine near the University of Cincinnati campus. Or, the Skyline in Oxford on High Street.

"While in Oxford, walk two blocks and order a milkshake from UDF — short for United Dairy Farmers."

How about dessert? While in Oxford, walk two blocks and order a milkshake from UDF — short for United Dairy Farmers.

Or, head to Graeter’s ice cream in Cincinnati. I like the location right off Hyde Park Square. You can get your ice cream and then enjoy it on the square. 

And if you’re lucky, a "tenured" employee at Graeter’s might even whip a "WEBN" for you. WEBN is a rock radio station in Cincinnati. Their studios used to be right next to Graeter’s on Hyde Park Square. A "WEBN" is a whipped chocolate and marshmallow dessert. Very gooey.

Q: Washington, D.C., is home to countless iconic monuments and museums. Each one tells a unique story about the fabric of America. I loved visiting them when I lived in DC many years ago. What is your favorite national monument or museum to visit in D.C. and why? 

CP: My favorite "monument" is the U.S. Capitol. 

I especially like sitting in the Capitol Rotunda at night when few people are in the building. I rest on a favorite bench near the statue of Dwight Eisenhower and think about how many people have trod those halls. And I think about how many people are driving around the city, looking at the Capitol Dome — but I’m the only one inside.

Also in the Capitol, I really enjoy the light in the Brumidi Corridor in the Senate wing of the Capitol — right between the Parliamentarian’s Office and the Appropriations Committee. 

"I especially like sitting in the Capitol Rotunda at night when few people are in the building. I rest on a favorite bench near the statue of Dwight Eisenhower and think about how many people have trod those halls."

It’s great to catch the light in that hallway when the days are short in late November or December. Go around 4:30 p.m. It’s the most gorgeous spot in the entire Capitol.

Q: In an alternate universe where you have a different career, what would you be doing?

CP: I would likely report on sports. I have covered the Congressional Baseball Game for FS1 the past two years. 

As field reporter in 2022, I did color commentary in 2022. I also did pregame, postgame and intermission reports for the Washington Capitals radio broadcast a few years ago. 

Q: If you were a superhero, what would your superpower be, and what would your superhero name be?

CP: I was always a Batman fan. He has no superpowers. Batman uses his mind, his cunning and his physical discipline to combat his foes.

Q: What is the most adventurous thing you’ve ever done?

CP: I used to ski a lot. I liked challenging courses in the Alps or the Canadian Rockies.

Q: If you could host a dinner party at the White House with any three former U.S. presidents, dead or alive, who would you invite?

CP: I would invite President John Tyler. 

He became president one month after William Henry Harrison died a month into office. His fights with Congress were legendary because lawmakers didn’t view him as a legitimate leader. 

Q: What's a classic novel you think everyone should read at least once?

CP: "The Gay Place" by Billy Lee Brammer. 

Brammer was an aide to Lyndon Johnson, future president and Senate majority leader. The book focuses on Texas politics — and provides insight into everything you need to know about politics at any level.

Q: If you could hop on a plane right now and go anywhere in the world, where would you go and why?

CP: Probably to Scotland. I like the quiet there.

Q: What do you love most about working for Fox News?

CP: The opportunity to learn every day and take complex congressional and parliamentary events and distill them into something tangible for the viewer.

CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR LIFESTYLE NEWSLETTER

To read all of Dana Perino's earlier "Short Questions" interviews for Fox News Digital, check out this (long) list!

For her interview with Mike Emanuel, click here. 

For her interview with Gillian Turner, click here. 

For her interview with Madison Alworth, click here. 

For her interview with Nate Foy, click here.

For her interview with Laura Ingraham, click here. 

For her interview with five New York FOX reporters, click here. 

For her interview with Katie Pavlich, click here.

For her interview with Guy Benson, click here. 

For her interview with Pete Hegseth, click here. 

For her interview with Sandra Smith, click here. 

For her interview with Nicolas Yannicelli, click here. 

For her interview with Abby Hornacek, click here. 

For her interview with Elise Bitter, click here. 

For her interview with Brian Kilmeade, click here.

For her interview with Kennedy, click here. 

For her interview with John Roberts, click here. 

For her interview with Janice Dean, click here. 

For her interview with Charles Payne, click here. 

For her interview with Trey Gowdy, click here. 

For her interview with Johnny "Joey" Jones, click here. 

For her interview with Bill Melugin, click here. 

For her interview with Jimmy Failla, click here. 

For her interview with Tyrus, click here. 

For her interview with Ainsley Earhardt, click here. 

For her interview with Lawrence Jones, click here. 

For her interview with Dr. Arash Akhavan, click here. 

For her interview with Martha MacCallum, click here. 

For her interview with Bret Baier, click here. 

For her interview with Kayleigh McEnany, click here.

For her interview with Harold Ford Jr., click here. 

For her interview with Shannon Bream, click here. 

For her interview with Jessica Tarlov, click here.

For her interview with Leo Terrell, click here.

For her interview with Geraldo Rivera, click here. 

For her interview with Clay Travis, click here.

For her interview with Bill Hemmer, click here. 

For her interview with Greg Gutfeld, click here. 

For her interview with Benjamin Hall, click here. 

For her interview with Judge Jeanine Pirro, click here.

For her interview with Jesse Watters, click here. 

For more Lifestyle articles, visit www.foxnews.com/lifestyle.

Dana Perino currently serves as a co-anchor of "America's Newsroom with Bill Hemmer & Dana Perino" (weekdays 9-11 a.m. ET) and also serves as co-host of "The Five" (weekdays 5-6 p.m. ET) and "Dana Perino's Book Club" on Fox Nation. She joined the network in 2009 as a contributor. Follow her on Twitter@DanaPerino.