MISCmedia by Clark Humphrey » Blog Archive WILLIAM SAFIRE, R.I.P.

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WILLIAM SAFIRE, R.I.P.

September 28th, 2009 by Clark Humphrey

The NYTimes opinion section’s former token far-rightie and well-regarded grammar snoot had previously written some of Nixon and Agnew’s most infamous lines, in a speechwriting staff that also included MSNBC’s token wingnut Pat Buchanan. But by modern standards, he was an example of that rapidly dwindling species, a sane Republican who believed in rational persuasion rather than X-treme demagoguery. He’s already missed.

One Response

Dennis R. White writes:
September 30th, 20093:27 pmat

Thanks for even the briefest mention of William Safire’s passing. Safire has been a favorite of mine ever since I discovered his ‘On Language’ column in the early 1970’s. He taught me alot about the joy of words. Even though I’ll remember him as a talented and clever writer, most will look back on him as a conservative pundit and editorialist. If only more of his flavor of conservatives still existed. He was not quite effete as William Buckley, but he was every bit as rigorous in his use of intellect. He believed in facts, reason and logic, instead of decibles. I believe his world view was politically askew, but he was an honest and worthy opponent of the left. Progressives will miss him as much as the few relics of the near-extinct conservative movement.