From the New York Times; "William Safire, a speechwriter for President Richard M. Nixon and a Pulitzer Prize-winning political columnist for The New York Times who also wrote books on politics and a treasury of articles on language, has died at age 79."
A family spokesman said the cause was pancreatic cancer.
Click here to read The NYTimes' story on Safire's death.
In 1978, Safire won a Pulitzer for columns that accused President Jimmy Carter's budget director, Bert Lance, of improper financial transactions. Lance resigned, and later was acquitted during a high-profile trial. Ironically, Lance and Safire became friends.
Safire wrote many great lines for politicians, including the classi one that is often credited to Vice President Spiro T. Agnew: "Nattering nabobs of negativism." Agnew delivered the line in a speech, but Safire wrote it about the news media of the time.
For more than 30 years, Safire wrote columns for the op/ed page of the New York Times. They included political columns and commentaries on language usage.
"Lance resigned." He sure did after then Senate Majority Leader Robert Byrd (D) called on Lance step to down."
I think we should give him more credit. Particularly in further understanding our current Secretary of State for what he recognized then as her penchant for prevarication. Saphire called Hillary Clinton a "congenital liar."
"Rest in peace, sir. You were one of the last remaining bastions of honest conservative commentary, right behind William F. Buckley,"
Except for the first four words, I disagree. No comparison. William Buckley was erudite, always chose his language carefully. And the politically ultra conservative Buckley was a gentleman, he was highly civilized. Calling the opposition congenital liars was not his style.
I'm not interested in making one man better. They both contrubuted immensely by uttering their thoughts for us to process with discipline. Saphire was speaking of one person with a particular character flaw, not her political group.
Glad to know about this issue!
While reading of him last evening, I learned that he was appointed to the Pulitzer Board in 1995. I also learned how to spell his name correctly. Forgive me, I have been reading a used book purchased at the Book Barn in Clovis, Zim's Golden Nature Guide to Rocks and Minerals 1957(probably the only volume I did not read ,cover to cover, a hundred times as a child.) Maybe that is why I misrepresented Safire as a gem "striking for its ...brilliance," not my worst mistake. That's my story an I'm stickin' to it.
"Gold" you are not going to learn much here. William Safire's name is not remotely related to the gemstone sapphire. His name had been 'Safir" and he added the e. Being a staunch supporter of Israel but changing ones Jewish name makes not much sense to me. As I have said...you won't learn much here. If you want to learn why, proceed to my post in "Republicans don't mention they played huge role in the loss of farm water." 9.29 at 10:09 AM
I must be a little dense today. Can’t for the life of me figure out what your point is; Are you objecting to Bill Safire changing the spelling of his name or his support of Israel - or both? And does it make a difference? Or should it make a difference?
FYI, many individuals coming to this country have simplified and "anglicized" their names, no disgrace in that! If name chances are a problem to you, then what are you going to say about former Democrat senator Gary Hartpence, who changed his name to Gary Hart in 1961?
"I must be a little dense today." Mr. Morgan, skip the today and you have your level of comprehension. Im am not objecting to anything. But certain things just don't go together in logical sequence. And it is my right and privilege to wonder about anything I want to wonder. Go and stick your head into a bucket to cool off your perma-choler.
Ah Hah! I read what you said Isabell! I knew right away you were wondering again, but I could not prove it until now!
Hello Ira,
Did you have something you wanted to say? Im interested to know.