William Safire (1929-2009)

Mr. Safire was an American author, columnist, journalist and presidential speechwriter. He is best known as a long-time syndicated political columnist for the New York Times and a regular contributor to “On Language” in the New York Times Magazine.

Safire is the latest person to succumb to an apparent epidemic of pancreatic cancer among public figures; Patrick Swayze died of this disease less than two weeks ago. Surgery for cancer of the pancreas is called the Whipple procedure.