Columnist William Safire Dies

Sunday, September 27, 2009

Pulitzer Prize-winning conservative columnist, language expert and former White House speechwriter William Safire died Sunday at a hospice in Maryland. He was 79.

Posted by Phoenix at 07:00 PM | 24 COMMENTS | permalink | Comment on This Entry

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When he was still writing op-ed pieces for the NYT, his was the first column I read. Can't think of a sharper political analyst -- and I say that from the far left. RIP.

#1 | Posted by Phoenix at 2009-09-27 03:25 PM | Reply | Flag:

Good guy. One of the last of the non-batshit-crazy conservatives.

#2 | Posted by nullifidian at 2009-09-27 03:30 PM | Reply | Flag:

""Safire was also wrote several novels and served as chairman of the Dana Foundation, a philanthropy that supports brain science, immunology and arts education.""

Something horribly wrong about the poor writing skills, and proofing skills which are so common anong today's, supposedly professional, writers.
Especially in a death announcement, the AP writer should do better than that.

#3 | Posted by danni at 2009-09-27 04:01 PM | Reply | Flag:

"Especially in a death announcement, the AP writer should do better than that."

Safire the language lover would be appalled.

#4 | Posted by nullifidian at 2009-09-27 04:04 PM | Reply | Flag:

I found his language writing often tedious (though it was a topic he obvioulsy dearly loved); his political analyses, even when not spot on, held considerable interest. A well informed, well read, solid writer who represented his views with elan and intelligence. RIP.

#5 | Posted by Doc_Sarvis at 2009-09-27 04:30 PM | Reply | Flag:

A moment of silence, please.

#6 | Posted by pragmatist at 2009-09-27 04:38 PM | Reply | Flag:

I found his language writing often tedious... -- #5 | Posted by Doc_Sarvis

"What would a `nattering nabob...' sound like," Alex.

#7 | Posted by Phoenix at 2009-09-27 04:51 PM | Reply | Flag:

Safire's last On Language column appeared Sept. 13, and its final subject was the unforgettable nonsense expression "Nov shmoz ka pop?" That's a nice way to end a life in words, I think. I always liked Safire, particularly for his word geekery. Adieu, perspicacious etymologist.

#8 | Posted by rcade at 2009-09-27 07:03 PM | Reply | Flag:

Safire was an accomplished writer, however he will be best know as a NIXON apologist. One who believed that NIXON could do no wrong because after all he was the President. Hell of legacy there Mr. Safire, RIP.......

#9 | Posted by celisary at 2009-09-27 08:40 PM | Reply | Flag:

Anybody who wrote "nattering nabobs of negativism" without issuing an apology has no right to critique anyone else's writing.

Fortunately he lived long enough to watch yet another Republican fail miserably in the White House.

#10 | Posted by northguy3 at 2009-09-27 08:42 PM | Reply | Flag:

kaddish.....

#11 | Posted by badgerwest at 2009-09-27 10:10 PM | Reply | Flag:

Stay classy NG3. Stay classy.

#12 | Posted by zulu at 2009-09-27 10:16 PM | Reply | Flag:

As a bit of a wordy meself Spud appreciated Safire's obvious love of language and while oft-times diametrically opposed ideologically to Spud he could at least be understood to be making a rational argument which is more than can be sed about many of his predecessors.

After the death of Safire the right will now have almost nobody left to tether them to reality.

Not good.

RIP Bill Safire.

Be Well.

#13 | Posted by dethspud at 2009-09-27 11:57 PM | Reply | Flag:

Why can't douche bags Limbaugh and Glen Beck kick the bucket?

#14 | Posted by Legio at 2009-09-28 12:22 AM | Reply | Flag:

Why can't douche bags Limbaugh and Glen Beck kick the bucket?

That would leave only Sarah! for the left whine about

#15 | Posted by goatman at 2009-09-28 12:24 AM | Reply | Flag:

Read a few language articles of Mr. Safire in the overseas Herald Tirbune. He was fun to read.

RIP

Crisis

#16 | Posted by CrisisStills at 2009-09-28 04:24 AM | Reply | Flag:

Anybody who wrote "nattering nabobs of negativism" without issuing an apology ... -- #10 | Posted by northguy3

He sort of did, though! I'll never find a link, because it was so long ago that while I think it was on a televised news show, I'm not even sure of that. But I remember laughing out loud when an interviewer asked him what he thought his worst writing was (or something like that), and he rolled his eyes and lampooned "nattering nabobs...".

It was one of the reasons I liked him so much -- he had a wonderfully self-effacing sense of humor about his word geekiness.

#17 | Posted by Phoenix at 2009-09-28 10:41 AM | Reply | Flag:

"Why can't douche bags Limbaugh and Glen Beck kick the bucket?"

'Cause they're not 79 and fighting pancreatic cancer?

#18 | Posted by pragmatist at 2009-09-28 11:06 AM | Reply | Flag:

Wonder which job he reaaly liked best - writing the "conservative" column for the liberal NYT or the language column.

Did a good job on both, though. RIP.

#19 | Posted by AILtd at 2009-09-28 12:31 PM | Reply | Flag:

too bad
now there are even fewer with the times who arent just obama media operatives and shills..

#20 | Posted by afkabl2 at 2009-09-28 04:12 PM | Reply | Flag:

Sane, smart and sophisticated was Safire. A far cry from the Hannity's, the Beck's and the Limbaugh's who dominate the media with alleged conservatism. You may not have always agreed with Bill Safire, but you
had to respect him. How many rational media conservatives remain who can state their case above a 5th grade level? Maybe David Brooks, Richard Brookheiser or George Will. Anyone else?

#21 | Posted by tiger150 at 2009-09-28 04:24 PM | Reply | Flag:

I thought this washed up old fuck had already died? Oh well, it's a bonus, I guess. I get to celebrate his death all over again.

#22 | Posted by 101Chairborne at 2009-09-28 04:28 PM | Reply | Flag:

#9 | POSTED BY CELISARY

I guess this is to be expected from you, but I have to say that with "he will be best know as a NIXON apologist", you've gone down the path of silly. Perhaps YOU will remember him "best" for that, but that's you. People 35 and under will remember him for far better things.

And by the way, putting "NIXON" in all caps, does not, in fact, strengthen your argument. I don't care if you "agree" with him or not; I didn't always "agree" with him. Nonetheless, he was one of the best and the brightest, and far far more than a mere "Nixon apologist".

(Except for the "nattering nabobs of negativism", and even Safire himself thought that sucked. But when you're writing for Agnew, there are limited tools at your disposal.)

#23 | Posted by TheTom at 2009-09-28 11:56 PM | Reply | Flag:

Nov shmoz ka pop?

An inspiration for R Crumb's Mr Natural?

Kewlness!

Be Well.

#24 | Posted by dethspud at 2009-09-30 06:10 AM | Reply | Flag: