Tony Blankley, conservative commentator and former Gingrich press secretary, dies at 63
WASHINGTON Tony Blankley, a conservative author and commentator who served as press secretary to Newt Gingrich during the 1990s, when Republicans took control of Congress, has died. He was 63.
Blankley, who had been suffering from stomach cancer, died Saturday night at Sibley Memorial Hospital in Washington, his wife, Lynda Davis, said Sunday.
In his long career as a political operative and pundit, his most visible role was as a spokesman for and adviser to Gingrich from 1990 to 1997. Gingrich became House Speaker when Republicans took control of the U.S. House of Representatives following the 1994 midterm elections.
Earlier, Blankley spent six years in the Reagan administration in a variety of positions, including speechwriter and senior policy analyst.
tularetom
(23,664 posts)There was a period of time when you couldn't turn on any talking head TV program without seeing him.
Then all of a sudden he wasn't around anymore and I wondered what happened to him.
roguevalley
(40,656 posts)I don't fear it since my near death experience so I know he's looking at his life right now and kicking himself for all the bad he did. Also, he's smiling over the good. RIP, Mr. B.
Ecumenist
(6,086 posts)I Completely Agree!! He's alright now and Reassessing his life and his actions in a serious way.
roguevalley
(40,656 posts)CTyankee
(63,773 posts)It's too bad. 63 is too young. The poor guy...
Trajan
(19,089 posts)Our condolences to his family.
emilyg
(22,742 posts)Response to Amerigo Vespucci (Original post)
Post removed
Ishoutandscream2
(6,656 posts)No sympathy here as well. Excellent post.
DavidDvorkin
(19,406 posts)provis99
(13,062 posts)but if he had died of a heart attack, given his monumental gluttony, it would have been schadenfreude all over.
CBHagman
(16,968 posts)Thank you for being unable to censor yourself at a time like this. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. Especially from someone who has not only had a heart attack but lost two members of my immediate family to a heart attack.
Thank you, provis99, thank you. You are a class act.
nolabear
(41,915 posts)Truly.
CBHagman
(16,968 posts)I am truly sorry to hear of this, and moreover I hope he didn't suffer.
klook
(12,134 posts)a second Obama term.
tabasco
(22,974 posts)Fuck him.
alp227
(31,962 posts)And he wrote the anti-Obama book American grit : what it will take to survive and win in the 21st century. This death was shocking, and much respect and thought to his family.
DFW
(54,058 posts)He was true to his sleazy bosses and right wing beliefs, but stomach cancer is an evil way to go, and while there are some for whom I would not feel badly, I'm sorry for him and his family that they had to go through this.
stlsaxman
(9,236 posts)Brooklyns_Finest
(789 posts)Shame on people on this thread for cursing the dead. I'm glad I don't know you in real life.
babylonsister
(170,964 posts)unkachuck
(6,295 posts)JohnnyRingo
(18,581 posts)RIP
Ron Obvious
(6,261 posts)As a long-time listener to Left, Right, and Centre, I'm shocked and saddened to hear this. A didn't agree much with Tony, but at least he was civil and didn't infuriate me unlike most right-wing commentators.
RIP Tony.
nolabear
(41,915 posts)I've never imagined the pundit game was anything other than a pundit game, played by those who enjoyed playing it. And he played it well. He met the Great Leveler, and I wish him peace.
Beacool
(30,244 posts)He was a human being with loved ones who are left to mourn their loss. I didn't agree with his politics, but 63 is too young to die.
My condolences to his family.
May he rest in peace.
Mz Pip
(27,405 posts)on some cable show and thought he looked pretty sick. So now I know why. Hardly recognizable but he was still out there pushing the GOP talking points.
RIP.
Itchinjim
(3,083 posts)but my mother died of stomach cancer and I wouldn't wish it upon anybody. RIP Tony, I hope you passed painlessly.
peace frog
(5,609 posts)I'm sure he will rest in peace, though it's difficult to comprehend how.
Samantha
(9,314 posts)Sorry and shocked to see you go so early and my condolences are extended to your family. Sure, you really got me going many, many times but you should have had a lot more years to do what you did so well. Washington will miss you.
Sam
Major Hogwash
(17,656 posts)Or deny that he knew him or try to blame Tony for losing his job in Congress.
I'll bet you a dollar that Noot doesn't take a day off of the campaign trail to go to his funeral.
Instead, Noot will say something ridiculously stoopid like "America needs me worse at this point in time, and I'm sure that Tony would agree that I need to press on in my quest to save the world by running for President, although a snowball in hell would have a better chance than I would."
Bruce Wayne
(692 posts)He also seemed a lot more fair-minded in debate than most Republicans manage to be.
librechik
(30,663 posts)he was nowhere near the worst of his tribe. He deserves respect for always being a gentleman.
JCMach1
(27,544 posts)that's good enough for me...
http://www.bing.com/videos/watch/video/remembering-tony-blankley/6u5bgrw