Exit Safire

One less reason to read the Times, coming this January;Safire is retiring.

Safire's always been an inspiration to me. He's had more careers than I have, although I have 34 years to catch him.

I love this bit:

Safire said he often enjoyed the column more when those he disagreed with were in power. "You can inveigh with glee when you are denouncing the political opposition," he told E&P. "It is tougher when your guys are there because most of the time you agree with them."

So true.

What must it be like, being a libertarian/conservative in a place like the Times?

Looking back on his 31 years at the paper, Safire had mostly positive memories. He praised the Times leadership for giving him a chance and always backing him up. "I was looked at [by some Times staffers] as a Nixon flack when I came to the paper," he recalled. "When [Nixon] resigned [in 1974], the newsroom exploded in an outpouring of glee. Abe [Rosenthal, former Times executive editor] came over, put his arm around me and said, 'It must be a tough time for you.' That was a rare side of Abe Rosenthal."

Safire recalled that the Times' Washington staff eventually warmed up to him after he saved the daughter of colleague James Naughton (later the head of the Poynter Institute) from drowning in a pool at a staff picnic. "My wife pushed me in to get her," Safire said. "At that point, they kind of accepted me. I guess they thought I couldn't be all bad."

I can hardly wait for the autobiography.

Silver lining: "On Language" isn't going anywhere.

Posted by Mitch at November 16, 2004 05:53 AM | TrackBack