by Pa Rock
Citizen Journalist
I saw a news report a few minutes ago which said that veteran journalist Cokie Roberts passed away earlier this morning in Washington, DC, apparently due to breast cancer. The television and radio reporter and commentator was born Mary Martha Corrine Morrison Claiborne Boggs in 1943. Her father, Hale Boggs, was a prominent Democratic congressman from Louisiana who went on to become the Majority Leader in the House. After he was killed in a plane crash, Cokie's mother, Lindy Boggs, took her husband's place in Congress and served there for many years.
As a literal child of Congress, Cokie Boggs grew up in a unique political milieu, one that gave her access to many of the political movers and shakers in American government. She began her journalism career with CBS Radio, and later moved to a more or less permanent presence on National Public Radio where she was making regular appearances until shortly before her death. Cokie was also a regular on ABC's This Week with David Brinkley for several years where she sparred with other querulous news types including Sam Donaldson and George Will.
Cokie Roberts was married to fellow journalist Steve Roberts for over fifty years. The couple had two grown children.
It March of 2008, just a few months after I began penning this blog, I ran into Cokie Roberts at National Airport in Washington, DC. I had been at a conference in DC that week and was waiting to catch a flight back to Phoenix. She was disembarking from a flight after - presumably - doing one of the Sunday morning talk shows. Our eyes met and she looked at me as if in anticipation of yet another inane greeting from a fan, but I kept quiet and moved on - and so did she. She was visiting with a fellow passenger, and I caught just enough of her conversation to know that she was on her way home. So was I.
My blog entry from that brief encounter follows: (March 19, 2008)
Cokie, your travels have ended and you are finally home for good. My you rest in peace and contentment following a life well lived.
Citizen Journalist
I saw a news report a few minutes ago which said that veteran journalist Cokie Roberts passed away earlier this morning in Washington, DC, apparently due to breast cancer. The television and radio reporter and commentator was born Mary Martha Corrine Morrison Claiborne Boggs in 1943. Her father, Hale Boggs, was a prominent Democratic congressman from Louisiana who went on to become the Majority Leader in the House. After he was killed in a plane crash, Cokie's mother, Lindy Boggs, took her husband's place in Congress and served there for many years.
As a literal child of Congress, Cokie Boggs grew up in a unique political milieu, one that gave her access to many of the political movers and shakers in American government. She began her journalism career with CBS Radio, and later moved to a more or less permanent presence on National Public Radio where she was making regular appearances until shortly before her death. Cokie was also a regular on ABC's This Week with David Brinkley for several years where she sparred with other querulous news types including Sam Donaldson and George Will.
Cokie Roberts was married to fellow journalist Steve Roberts for over fifty years. The couple had two grown children.
It March of 2008, just a few months after I began penning this blog, I ran into Cokie Roberts at National Airport in Washington, DC. I had been at a conference in DC that week and was waiting to catch a flight back to Phoenix. She was disembarking from a flight after - presumably - doing one of the Sunday morning talk shows. Our eyes met and she looked at me as if in anticipation of yet another inane greeting from a fan, but I kept quiet and moved on - and so did she. She was visiting with a fellow passenger, and I caught just enough of her conversation to know that she was on her way home. So was I.
My blog entry from that brief encounter follows: (March 19, 2008)
It was at National Airport as I was waiting to leave where I had my only celebrity sighting of the trip. I was sitting outside of Gate 42 at US Air as passengers began coming off of a plane that had just arrived. One of the first off was a nice looking lady who was clutching a large carry-on bag to her person. As soon as I saw her, I felt like I was running into an old friend. It was Cokie Roberts of ABC's "This Week" and National Public Radio fame. She was chatting with a male passenger, and he said, "Well, you're home now." Cokie replied, "Yes, I'm home, but only for a very brief time." And I kept quiet. (That's as it should be!)
Cokie, your travels have ended and you are finally home for good. My you rest in peace and contentment following a life well lived.
No comments:
Post a Comment