Longtime political pundit on ‘PBS NewsHour,’ CNN
MARK SHIELDS 1937-2022
CHEVY CHASE, Md. — Political commentator and columnist Mark Shields, who shared his wit and his insight into American politics on “PBS NewsHour” for decades, died Saturday. He was 85.
Shields died at his Chevy Chase, Md., home, from kidney failure, “PBS NewsHour” spokesperson Nick Massella said.
Shields was a regular on the show starting in 1987, the year the show began, and stepped down from his regular Friday night discussion segment in December 2020. He had collaborated with David Brooks since 2001 to provide analysis and commentary in their weekly Shields & Brooks segment and during election specials and conventions and before that with David Gergen and Paul Gigot. His tenure there spanned six presidencies.
Judy Woodruff, “PBS NewsHour” anchor and managing editor, tweeted that she was ”heartbroken” to share the news and noted Sheilds’ wife Anne was at his side at his death.
“Mark Shields had a magical combination of talents: an unsurpassed knowledge of politics and a passion, joy, and irrepressible humor that shone through in all his work,” Woodruff said in a statement. “He loved most politicians, but could spot a phony and was always bold to call out injustice. Along with Jim Lehrer and Robin MacNeil, he personified all that’s special in the PBS NewsHour.”
He began his career in Washington as a legislative assistant and speechwriter for Wisconsin Sen. William Proxmire in 1965. Three years later, Shields joined New York Sen. Robert F. Kennedy’s presidential campaign and later worked on numerous campaigns.
Shields was also moderator and panelist on CNN’s “Capital Gang” from 1988 to 2005 and a regular panelist on “Inside Washington,” which aired on PBS and ABC, from 2005 until 2013.