William Safire

William Safire receiving the 2006 Presidential Medal of Freedom
Born:	December 17, 1929 (1929-12-17) (age 77) New York City, New York U.S.
Occupation:	Author, Columnist, Journalist, and Speechwriter
Nationality:	American
Genres:	Non-fiction
Subjects:	Politics

William L. Safire (born December 17, 1929) is an American author, semi-retired columnist, and former journalist and presidential speechwriter. Image File history File linksMetadata No higher resolution available. ... The Presidential Medal of Freedom The Presidential Medal of Freedom is one of the two highest civilian awards in the United States and is bestowed by the President of the United States (the other award which is considered its equivalent is the Congressional Gold Medal, which is bestowed by an... December 17 is the 351st day of the year (352nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1929 (MCMXXIX) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Image File history File links This is a lossless scalable vector image. ... New York, New York redirects here. ... Motto: (Out Of Many, One) (traditional) In God We Trust (1956 to date) Anthem: The Star-Spangled Banner Capital Washington D.C. Largest city New York City None at federal level (English de facto) Government Federal constitutional republic  - President George Walker Bush (R)  - Vice President Dick Cheney (R) Independence from... This article is about work. ... In English usage, nationality is the legal relationship between a person and a country. ... A literary genre is one of the divisions of literature into genres according to particular criteria such as literary technique, tone, or content. ... December 17 is the 351st day of the year (352nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1929 (MCMXXIX) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... For other uses, see Journalist (disambiguation). ... Federal courts Supreme Court Circuit Courts of Appeal District Courts Elections Presidential elections Midterm elections Political Parties Democratic Republican Third parties State & Local government Governors Legislatures (List) State Courts Local Government Other countries Atlas  US Government Portal      For other uses, see President of the United States (disambiguation). ... Look up speechwriter in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ...

He is perhaps best known as a long-time syndicated political columnist for The New York Times and a regular contributor to "On Language" in the New York Times Magazine, a column on popular etymology, new or unusual usages, and other language-related topics. Print Syndication is a form of syndication in which news articles, columns, or comic strips are made available to newspapers and magazines. ... The New York Times is a daily newspaper published in New York City and distributed internationally. ... The New York Times is an internationally known daily newspaper published in New York City and distributed in the United States and many other nations worldwide. ... Not to be confused with Entomology, the scientific study of insects. ...

Biography

Born to a Jewish family called Safir, William later added the "e" for pronunciation reasons, though some of his relatives continue to use the original spelling. Safire is a graduate of the Bronx High School of Science, an elite public school in New York City. He attended Syracuse University but dropped out after having attended only two years. Safire would later deliver a commencement address at Syracuse and become a trustee of the university. The Bronx High School of Science, commonly called Bronx Science, Bronx Sci, or just Science, is a specialized New York City public high school located in the Bedford Park section of the Bronx, with no tuition charges and admission by exam (reportedly taken by more than 20,000 students). ... Syracuse University (SU) is a private nonsectarian research university located in Syracuse, New York. ...

From 1955 to 1960, Safire was a public relations executive. Previously, he had been a radio and television producer and a United States Army correspondent. Safire worked as a publicist for a homebuilder who exhibited a model home in Moscow in 1957. In the model home Richard Nixon and Nikita Khruschev had their famous ""Kitchen Debate". Safire subsequently joined Nixon's campaign for the 1960 Presidential campaign, and again on the 1968 campaign. After Nixon's 1968 victory Safire served as a speechwriter for Richard Nixon and Spiro Agnew; he is well known for having created Agnew's famous term, "nattering nabobs of negativism." Year 1955 (MCMLV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays the 1955 Gregorian calendar). ... Year 1960 (MCMLX) was a leap year starting on Friday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... A Television producer oversees the making of television penis programs. ... The United States Army is the largest and oldest branch of the armed forces of the United States. ... A journalist is a person who practices journalism. ... Richard Milhous Nixon (January 9, 1913 – April 22, 1994) was the 37th President of the United States, serving from 1969 to 1974. ... Nikita Khrushchev in 1962 Nikita Sergeyevich Khrushchev (Russian: Ники́та Серге́евич Хрущёв) (nih-KEE-tah khroo-SHCHYOFF) (April 17, 1894 – September 11, 1971) was the leader of the Soviet Union... Richard Milhous Nixon (January 9, 1913 – April 22, 1994) was the 37th President of the United States, serving from 1969 to 1974. ... Spiro Theodore Agnew (November 9, 1918 – September 17, 1996) was the thirty-ninth Vice President of the United States serving under President Richard M. Nixon, and the fifty-fifth Governor of Maryland. ...

Safire joined the New York Times as a political columnist in 1973. In 1978, he won the Pulitzer Prize for commentary on Bert Lance's alleged budgetary irregularities. However, subsequent investigations by Congress could find no wrongdoing. The New York Times is an internationally known daily newspaper published in New York City and distributed in the United States and many other nations worldwide. ... For the song by James Blunt, see 1973 (song). ... Year 1978 (MCMLXXVIII) was a common year starting on Sunday (link displays the 1978 Gregorian calendar). ... The Pulitzer Prize is an American award regarded as the highest national honor in print journalism, literary achievements, and musical composition. ... The Pulitzer Prize for Commentary has been awarded since 1970. ... Thomas Bertram Lance, known as Bert Lance, was director of the Office of Management and the Budget (OMB) during the presidency of Jimmy Carter. ... Congress in Joint Session. ...

Upon announcing the retirement of Safire's political column in 2005, Arthur Sulzberger, Jr., publisher of The New York Times, said: Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Arthur Ochs Punch Sulzberger or often called Arthur Sulzberger Jr. ...

The New York Times without Bill Safire is all but unimaginable, Bill's provocative and insightful commentary has held our readers captive since he first graced our Op-Ed Page in 1973. Reaching for his column became a critical and enjoyable part of the day for our readers across the country and around the world. Whether you agreed with him or not was never the point, his writing is delightful, informed and engaging."

Since 1995 Safire has served as a member of the Pulitzer Board. After ending his op-ed column, Safire became the full-time chief executive of the Dana Foundation where he has been chairman since 2000. An Op-Ed is a piece of writing expressing an opinion. ... Year 1995 (MCMXCV) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display full 1995 Gregorian calendar). ... The Pulitzer Prize is an American award regarded as the highest national honor in print journalism, literary achievements, and musical composition. ... The Dana Foundation is a private institution based in New York dedicated to the support of activities and publications in science, health, and education, particularly in the neurosciences. ... Year 2000 (MM) was a leap year starting on Saturday (link will display full 2000 Gregorian calendar). ...

In 2006, Safire was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by George W. Bush. The Presidential Medal of Freedom The Presidential Medal of Freedom is one of the two highest civilian awards in the United States and is bestowed by the President of the United States (the other award which is considered its equivalent is the Congressional Gold Medal, which is bestowed by an...

Politics

Safire describes himself as a libertarian conservative. A Washington Post story on the ending of his op-ed column quotes him on the subject: This article does not adequately cite its references. ... Ths article deals with conservatism as a political philosophy. ...

I'm willing to zap conservatives when they do things that are not libertarian. [After the 9/11 attacks,] I was the first to really go after George W. on his treatment of prisoners.

After voting for Bill Clinton in 1992, Safire became one of the leading critics of Clinton's administration. Hillary Clinton in particular was often the target of his ire. He caused a mild tempest when he called her a "congenital liar;" Hillary responded that she didn't feel offended for herself, but for her mother's sake. According to the president's press secretary at the time, Mike McCurry, "the president, if he were not the president, would have delivered a more forceful response to that on the bridge of Mr. Safire's nose." A sequential look at United Flight 175 crashing into the south tower of the World Trade Center The September 11, 2001 attacks (often referred to as 9/11—pronounced nine eleven or nine one one) consisted of a series of coordinated terrorist[1] suicide attacks upon the United States, predominantly... George Walker Bush (born July 6, 1946) is the 43rd and current President of the United States, inaugurated on January 20, 2001. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Camp Delta. ... Presidential electoral votes by state. ... Hillary Clinton Hillary Diane Rodham Clinton (born October 26, 1947), was First Lady of the United States from 1993 to 2001, as the wife of President Bill Clinton. ... Mike McCurry conducts a White House press conference Mike McCurry (born 27 October 1954) is best known as the former press secretary for Bill Clintons administration. ...

Safire was one of several voices who called for war with Iraq, and predicted a "quick war," with Iraqis cheering their liberators. Many readers who followed his columns in the New York Times felt dismayed when he consistently brought up the point that Iraqi intelligence agents met with the 9/11 attackers in Prague, Czech Republic^[1]. This theory had been debunked by the CIA and other credible intelligence agencies^[2] (see Atta in Prague). Still Safire kept insisting that this theory was true and used it to make a case for war against Iraq. Atta in Prague refers to allegations of a meeting between September 11 hijacker Mohamed Atta and Iraqi consulate Ahmad Samir al-Ani in April 2001. ...

He is a staunch defender of Israel and for this reason received the Guardian of Zion Award of Bar-Ilan University in 2005. The Guardian of Zion Award is an annual award given to Jews who have been supportive to the State of Israel. ... Bar-Ilan University (BIU, אוניברסיטת בר-אילן) is a university in Ramat Gan, Israel. ...

Bibliography

The following is a partial list of his writings:

• Language
  • The Right Word in the Right Place at the Right Time: Wit and Wisdom from the Popular Language Column in the New York Times Magazine (2004) ISBN 0-7432-4244-0
  • No Uncertain Terms: More Writing from the Popular "On Language" Column in The New York Times Magazine (2003) ISBN 0-7432-4243-2
• Novels
  • Scandalmonger (2000) ISBN 0-684-86719-2
  • Sleeper Spy (1995) ISBN 0-679-43447-X
  • Freedom: A Novel of Abraham Lincoln and the Civil War (1987) ISBN 0-385-15903-X
  • Full Disclosure (1978) ISBN 0-385-12115-6
• Selections
  • Lend Me Your Ears: Great Speeches in History (1997) ISBN 0-393-04005-4
  • Words of Wisdom: More Good Advice (1989) ISBN 0-671-67535-4
  • Good Advice (1982) quotations compiled with his brother, Leonard Safire ISBN 0-517-08473-2
• Political works
  • Safire's Political Dictionary, 3rd edition, Random House, NY, l968, l972, l978. ISBN 0394502612
  • The Relations Explosion
  • Plunging into Politics
  • Before the Fall: An Inside View of the Pre-Watergate White House

References

• Larry Berman and Bruce W. Jentleson, "Bush and the Post-Cold War World" New Challenges for American Leadership" in Colin Campbell, S.J., and Bert A. Rockman, ed.s The Bush Presidency: First Appraisals. 1991. Chatham House. ISBN 0-934540-90-X.

1. ^ William Safire: 'Missing Links Found. The New York Times, November 24, 2003
2. ^ See for example the chapter "Atta’s Alleged Trip to Prague" in the 9-11 Commission Report [1], p228-29

This article or section should be merged with Summary of 9/11 Commission Report The cover of the final 9/11 report, which can be purchased in bookstores across the United States and around the world The 9/11 Commission Report, officially titled The Final Report of the National Commission...

External links

• Profile: William Safire, SourceWatch
• David Corn. The Propaganda of William Safire, The Nation, February 25, 2004.
• Columnist Biography, William Safire, from the New York Times
• Archive of political columns (subscription required) from the New York Times
• William Safire Retires Times Op-Ed Column, a January 2005 story from NPR
• Safire to Retire from 'NYT' Op-Ed Column, a November 2004 article from Editor & Publisher
• William Safire to End Op-Ed Run at N.Y. Times, a November 2004 article from The Washington Post
• Clinton's reaction after Safire calls his wife a liar, from the National Archives and Records Administration
• In Event of Moon Disaster, a presidential speech Safire wrote (but Nixon never delivered), from The Smoking Gun
• 1987 audio interview of William Safire, RealAudio