Former PBS NewsHour anchor Jim Lehrer passed away this morning peacefully at his Washington D.C. home. He was 85.
Journalists have been tweeting out their respects to the TV news legend throughout the afternoon. Below is a sample.
First, his former PBS NewsHour colleague (and current NewsHour anchor) Judy Woodruff:
I am devastated to share news that my dear friend and cofounder of the @NEWSHOUR Jim Lehrer died today at home. Sending love to his Kate and their family. https://t.co/ZxNsCcaZBj
— Judy Woodruff (@JudyWoodruff) January 23, 2020
And present NewsHour journalists:
It’s a sad day at @NewsHour.
The founder of this program and longtime anchor, managing editor and soul of this program, Jim Lehrer, has passed away. https://t.co/jIycJipqsK
— Yamiche Alcindor (@Yamiche) January 23, 2020
JIM LEHRER RIP. This man changed news so much for the better. So grateful to be part of Jim Lehrer’s legacy.
Very sad he is no longer in the world. But, suspect Jim Lehrer would just tell us to move on and cover the story. pic.twitter.com/8s1CW5STvS
— Lisa Desjardins (@LisaDNews) January 23, 2020
Also, CNN’s Jake Tapper:
Oh no…. Jim Lehrer has passed away. What a loss. A wonderful man and superb journalist. https://t.co/XpVlbWlZDF
— Jake Tapper (@jaketapper) January 23, 2020
Sending love and support to Kate Lehrer and her family and to all my friends at @NewsHour — @JudyWoodruff and @sarajust and all the talented journalists feeling Jim Lehrer’s loss so acutely today…. May his memory be a blessing
— Jake Tapper (@jaketapper) January 23, 2020
Jim Lehrer, a friend and mentor to many, has died. What a life. What a journalist. A sad day but his legacy and example will carry on. I will miss him, particularly the love of country and politics he brought to everything he did. https://t.co/CGFHR8fGtZ
— Robert Costa (@costareports) January 23, 2020
Truly a major loss — R.I.P. Jim Lehrer – a legend in our business & a very genuine, gracious man in person. One of the best debate moderators & an inspiration to a whole generation of political journalists— including this one. https://t.co/i6QtXjl1ix
— Bret Baier (@BretBaier) January 23, 2020
In the trenches of electronic journalism over the decades, I met a lot of people. Few approached their work with more equanimity and integrity than Jim Lehrer. He was a gentlemen, and a helluva journalist. He will be missed.
— Dan Rather (@DanRather) January 23, 2020
So saddened to hear of Jim Lehrer’s passing. The epitome of fairness. Always good-humored, self-effacing. The go-to moderator for a dozen presidential debates, & wrote novels. Jim was always gracious to me in so many interviews & encounters. RIP
— HowardKurtz (@HowardKurtz) January 23, 2020
I grew up with #JimLehrer. He will be missed. “Jim Lehrer of the ‘MacNeil-Lehrer Report’ dies at 85” https://t.co/ozoBqIVR9Z
— Maya Wiley (@mayawiley) January 23, 2020
Remembering Jim Lehrer https://t.co/Qw7x0uHr3Z
A thought on his attention to his craft: https://t.co/0Pm3Qw3Vbj
— John Dickerson (@jdickerson) January 23, 2020
NewsHour executive producer Sara Just:
Such very sad news today. Jim Lehrer set the standard for journalistic integrity and objectivity. All of us @newshour and @pbs are in his debt.
https://t.co/sJyrsEW0zu— Sara Just (@sarajust) January 23, 2020
The Speaker of the House weighed in:
Our nation has lost a champion for truth and transparency. As one of the founders of PBS NewsHour, as well as its longtime host, Jim Lehrer worked to keep America’s leaders accountable to the people. My prayers are with his wife, Kate, and their family. https://t.co/5BU80D0u3p
— Nancy Pelosi (@SpeakerPelosi) January 23, 2020
As did a duo of former Secretaries of State:
Jim Lehrer was a steady voice for truth, a prolific writer, and the soul of @NewsHour. We’ll miss him. Bill and I send our condolences to his family.
— Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) January 23, 2020
If you ever want to see a masterclass in a journalist soliciting serious substantive differences between two candidates, then watch Jim moderate the Miami debate 15 years ago. Tough but fair, and a good, gentle man who cared about the dialogue in his country – we’ll all miss him. https://t.co/XgE1fEL8XM
— John Kerry (@JohnKerry) January 23, 2020