Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
News
Times Columnist William Safire Dies At 79
By
Jen Chung
Published Sep 27, 2009
Modified Sep 27, 2009
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
Never miss a story
Email address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .
By
Jen Chung
Published Sep 27, 2009
Modified Sep 27, 2009
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
We rely on your support to make local news available to all
Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
William Safire, the former Nixon speechwriter and Pultizer Prize-winning NY Times columnist, died at 79 today. He had been suffering from pancreatic cancer. The Times notes, "There may be many sides in a genteel debate, but in the Safire world of politics and journalism it was simpler: there was his own unambiguous wit and wisdom on one hand and, on the other, the blubber of fools he called 'nattering nabobs of negativism' and 'hopeless, hysterical hypochondriacs of history.'" Safire, a college dropout, also called Hillary Clinton a "congenital liar." You can read his columns here.
Tagged
obituary
President Nixon
William Safire
Jen Chung
Jen Chung is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE news
New Yorkers enrolled in SNAP will get more money for fresh produce next year
Residents enrolled in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program will receive 40% more through the Health Bucks program.
By
Giulia Heyward
Published Oct 29, 2026 at 4:19 p.m. ET
'You can't even look out the window': Asbestos dust coats Brooklyn NYCHA building walls
Nearly two dozen apartments are affected, with residents offered relocation.
By
Catalina Gonella
News
'You can't even look out the window': Asbestos dust coats Brooklyn NYCHA building walls
Nearly two dozen apartments are affected, with residents offered relocation.
By
Catalina Gonella
Trash containers take over Brooklyn parking spaces as NYC gets garbage bags off sidewalks
By
Liam Quigley
Mamdani says he's 'confident' NYC will collect $500 million with pied-à-terre tax
By
Elizabeth Kim
and
David Brand
NYPD won't enforce NYC's bus fare while MTA security force is suspended
By
Clayton Guse
and
Ramsey Khalifeh
Never miss a story
Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.
Sign upEmail address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .