William Safire Lays Down His Pen

Posted on November 15, 2004

Well, perhaps that's a bit overdramatic. But when the premier conservative columnist for The New York Times announces his retirement, it feels like some dramatic response is required. The Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist has written a political column for the newspaper for over thirty years, which was read by conservatives and liberals alike.

"It's time to leave when you're still hitting the long ball and have something else you want to do," Safire said. He revealed that he informed Times publisher Arthur Sulzberger Jr. last year that the 2004 campaign would be his "last hurrah" and that Sulzberger "expressed the proper dismay" but urged him not to give up his "On Language" column, which he will continue writing. He also said he will continue to weigh in from time to time on political issues, as warranted.

Safire is leaving to become the full-time chief executive of the Dana Foundation, a philanthropic organization interested in brain research and immunology, where he has been chairman for four years.