CHEVY CHASE, Md. (AP) — Political commentator and columnist Mark Shields, who shared his perception into American politics and wit on “PBS NewsHour” for many years, died Saturday. He was 85.
Shields died at his Chevy Chase, Maryland, house, from kidney failure, “PBS NewsHour” spokesman Nick Massella mentioned.
Shields was an everyday on the present beginning in 1987, the 12 months the present started, and stepped down from his common Friday evening dialogue section in December 2020. He had collaborated with David Brooks since 2001 to supply evaluation and commentary of their weekly Shields & Brooks section and through election specials and conventions and earlier than that with David Gergen and Paul Gigot, in keeping with “PBS NewsHour.” His tenure there spanned six presidencies.
Brooks tweeted his 2020 tribute to Shields in The New York Occasions, calling it “an try and seize one of many best and beloved males” he had ever recognized.
“We’ve had 1000’s of disagreements through the years, however by no means a second of acrimony,” Brooks wrote within the piece. “Mark radiates a generosity of spirit that improves all who come inside his gentle.”
Judy Woodruff, “PBS NewsHour” anchor and managing editor, tweeted that she was ”heartbroken” to share the information and famous Sheilds’ spouse Anne was at his aspect at his loss of life.
“Mark Shields had a magical mixture of abilities: an unsurpassed information of politics and a ardour, pleasure, and irrepressible humor that shone via in all his work,” Woodruff mentioned in a press release. “He cherished most politicians, however may spot a phony and was at all times daring to name out injustice. Together with Jim Lehrer and Robin MacNeil, he personified all that’s particular within the PBS NewsHour.“
For many years, she mentioned, Shields “wowed us along with his encyclopedic information of American politics, his humorousness and primarily his large coronary heart.”
The Weymouth, Massachusetts, native graduated from the College of Notre Dame and served within the U.S. Marine Corps, in keeping with “PBS NewsHour.” He started his profession in Washington as a legislative assistant and speechwriter for Wisconsin Sen. William Proxmire in 1965, in keeping with “PBS NewsHour.” Three years later, Shields joined New York Sen. Robert F. Kennedy’s presidential marketing campaign and later labored on quite a few campaigns. In 1979, he started writing a column at The Washington Submit that was later distributed by Creators Syndicate.
Shields was a moderator and panelist on CNN’s “Capital Gang” from 1988 to 2005 and an everyday panelist on “Inside Washington,” which aired on PBS and ABC, from 2005 till 2013. He additionally wrote “On the Marketing campaign Path,” an account of the 1984 presidential marketing campaign.
Niece Carolyn Ryan, managing editor of The New York Occasions, tweeted: “So unhappy to inform you that my uncle, Mark Shields, died this morning. He was a particular man: stuffed with coronary heart and knowledge and love. Love of politics, sports activities, and so many individuals.”
Figuring out and dealing with Shields was a privilege, “PBS NewsHour” Chief Correspondent Amna Nawaz tweeted.
“Really considered one of a sort. Mark’s mind, wit, and coronary heart had been unmatched,” she wrote. “I left each single dialog I ever had with him smarter and smiling.”
