William Safire
William Safire Safire receiving the 2006 Presidential Medal of Freedom Born William Lewis Safir (1929-12-17)December 17, 1929 New York City, New York, U.S. Died September 27, 2009(2009-09-27) (aged 79) Rockville, Maryland, U.S. Occupation Author, columnist, lexicographer, journalist, and political speechwriter Nationality American Genre Non-fiction Subject Politics Spouse Helene Belmar Julius William Lewis Safire (/ˈsæfaɪər/; December 17, 1929 – September 27, 2009) was an American author, columnist, journalist, and presidential speechwriter. He was perhaps best known as a long-time syndicated political columnist for the New York Times and the author of "On Language" in the New York Times Magazine, a column on popular etymology, new or unusual usages, and other language-related topics from its inception.