Walter Shapiro: A Multifaceted Voice in Political Journalism

Walter Shapiro, a perceptive and often contrarian political columnist whose illustrious career spanned various roles including presidential speechwriter, stand-up comic, professor, and author, passed away on Sunday in Manhattan. He was 77 years old. According to his wife, the esteemed journalist and author Meryl Gordon, the cause of his death was an infection related to recent cancer treatment.

Shapiro’s enduring fascination with politics ignited in 1962 when, as a high school student in Norwalk, Connecticut, his mother gifted him a copy of The Making of the President 1960 by Theodore H. White. This pivotal moment inspired him to board an airplane for the first time at the tender age of 16 to attend the funeral of President John F. Kennedy.

He embarked on his journalism career at Congressional Quarterly before making his mark with articles in numerous prestigious publications, including:

• Washington Monthly
• The Washington Post
• Newsweek
• Time
• USA Today
• The New Republic
• Esquire
• Salon
• Yahoo News
• Politics Daily
• Roll Call

As a political columnist, Shapiro had a unique ability to cut through the noise of snarky commentary, predictive polling, and the bluster of politicians. His insightful observations often brought clarity to complex political landscapes. James Fallows, a former editor of The Atlantic who began working with Shapiro at Washington Monthly in 1972, remarked, “He was able to convey what was simultaneously ridiculous, ennobling, squalid, and necessary.” This ability to balance humor with seriousness made Shapiro a standout voice in political discourse.