A Great Loss [Tony Blankley]

National Review Online ^ | Jan. 9, 2012 | Ed Gillespie

[La Enchiladita]

The conservative community lost a sage and distinct voice Saturday evening with Tony Blankley’s passing, and I lost a dear friend who’d been a mentor to me.

I came to know Tony when I handled press for then–House Republican Conference chairman Dick Armey and he did the same for then–Minority Whip Newt Gingrich. In the culture of Capitol Hill, press secretaries tend to be competitive (as opposed to legislative staffers, who tend to be collaborative.) Especially in the ’90s, when the old traditional media were dominant, the mentality of most flacks was a zero-sum one. Every inch of coverage another member of Congress got was an inch your boss didn’t. A bad story about someone else was good for you, and if you needed to go “on background” to help foster that, well, so be it.

Tony was different. He was not only brilliant in advising Gingrich on how to pursue his political and legislative goals through the media, he helped plant positive stories about rising House Republican stars and shepherded a flock of young press secretaries and communications aides, including me.

[La Enchiladita]

My father was in Irish immigrant who grew up in a gritty area of North Philadelphia, and he and my uncle would have to walk to and from school with their backs to one another to avoid being jumped. I told Tony that that’s how I felt we were in dealing with the press in those days.

And he was like a brother to me — an older, more nattily attired, and more erudite, English brother. On Friday afternoons, with the House adjourned and most of the other exhausted staff gone, Tony and I would sit in his Capitol office and reflect on the past week — aided by a cigar and some Irish whiskey (which I insisted he drink!). I should have paid him for those sessions.

We interrupt this chaotic, contentious political firestorm to bring you a tender reminiscence and tribute to the newly departed Tony Blankley, by a true friend of his.

[freedumb2003]

>>We interrupt this chaotic, contentious political firestorm to bring you a tender reminiscence and tribute to the newly departed Tony Blankley<<

A great conservative voice has been sadly silenced and a fine person (from all accounts that I have ever seen as well as seeing his demeanor on TV) has left this mortal coil. And too young!

This was a nice tribute and I agree a moment of sanity in the midst of a lot of chaos.

RIP, Mr. Blankley and prayers for the family.

[mtnwmn]

He was one of the best.

[Bobalu]

[Choose Ye This Day]

Oh, no! When did this happen? I listened to him every week on Left, Right and Center. A class act.

[goodnesswins]

This past Sunday....very sad.

[ridesthemiles]

He certainly does not look very old. Do we know a cause of death?

[simonjo]

Stomach cancer.

[leaning conservative]

I remember the first time I saw him. I think it was on The MacClaughlin Group and I just remember how dashing I thought he looked & sounded. He had real class and real intelligence and he saw no need to shout like a maniac. It was apparent that he had friends from all political stripes after reading some of the tributes.

RIP Mr. Blankley, you were a true gentleman.

[SuziQ]

I believe he was about 56, and he died from stomach cancer.

[Theodore R.]

I did not recall that he had been a child actor too.

[Pelham]

bttt

[silverleaf]

I always read a what he wrote.
RIP Tony- now with another great Tony- Tony Snow.

[Marie Antoinette]

That he took the time to endorse Newt Gingrich while on his deathbed is just amazing to me.

He was a class act and will be missed.