Political figures pay tribute to Charles Krauthammer

Various political figures paid tribute to conservative commentator Charles Krauthammer on a Thursday after he died at the age of 68 following a battle with cancer.

Vice President Pence offered his condolences to Krauthammer’s family in a tweet, writing that the longtime Fox News commentator and Pulitzer-winning columnist “will long be remembered for his eloquence, his triumph in hardship, and his countless contributions to American political thought.”  

Charles Krauthammer will long be remembered for his eloquence, his triumph in hardship, and his countless contributions to American political thought. Karen & I send our condolences and prayers to his family and friends during this difficult time.

— Vice President Mike Pence (@VP) June 21, 2018

Former President George W. Bush credited Krauthammer with strengthening U.S. democracy, saying he and his wife Laura were “deeply saddened by the loss of an intellectual giant and dear friend.”

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“His work was far-reaching and influential – and while his voice will be deeply missed, his ideas and values will always be a part of our country,” Bush said in a statement.

“Just because this news didn’t come as a surprise does not make it any easier to face,” Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) said. 

“As a writer, speaker, and commentator, Charles served our society as a public intellectual in the truest sense. His pen functioned like a lighthouse, helping all of us see more clearly and reason more thoroughly through the most important issues that our nation faced,” McConnell added.

Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) referred to Krauthammer as “one of the great thinkers of our time.”

“A giant in his intellect and his character. A good and gracious man. And a dear friend. This is such a loss. Our prayers are with his family, friends, and colleagues,” Ryan tweeted.  

Charles Krauthammer was one of the great thinkers of our time. A giant in his intellect and his character. A good and gracious man. And a dear friend. This is such a loss. Our prayers are with his family, friends, and colleagues.

— Paul Ryan (@SpeakerRyan) June 21, 2018

House Majority Whip Steve Scalise (R-La.) mourned Krauthammer’s death on Twitter, remembering him as “a kind man and an intellectual giant, who contributed so much throughout his life and faced his death with grace and courage.” 

I’m very saddened to learn of Charles Krauthammer’s passing. He was a kind man and an intellectual giant, who contributed so much throughout his life and faced his death with grace and courage. https://t.co/9U9N6TeHRQ

— Rep. Steve Scalise (@SteveScalise) June 21, 2018  

U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley also remembered Krauthammer in a tweet, while Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) called him “a man of extraordinary intellect” and “truly one of a kind.”

A loss of wisdom and talent…RIP Charles Krauthammer @krauthammer

— Nikki Haley (@nikkihaley) June 21, 2018 

Charles Krauthammer was a man of extraordinary intellect. Truly one of a kind. The conservative movement & the nation will miss his incredible insight, especially in times such as these. We offer our deepest condolences to his family. May he Rest In Peace https://t.co/ebuAYGZhND

— Marco Rubio (@marcorubio) June 21, 2018

Krauthammer was known in the nation’s capital for his conservative commentary in The Washington Post and on Fox News. 

He had not been on Fox since last August and said in May that he was “finally getting back on track.” But in a letter shared earlier this month, he revealed that a “secondary cancer” had spread after doctors removed a tumor in his abdomen.

“My doctors tell me their best estimate is that I have only a few weeks left to live. This is the final verdict. My fight is over,” he wrote on June 8.

The conservative commentator thanked his readers and viewers, as well as his friends for “a lifetime of memories” earlier this month. 

“I leave this life with no regrets. It was a wonderful life full and complete with the great loves and great endeavors that make it worth living. I am sad to leave, but I leave with the knowledge that I lived the life that I intended,” he said.