Conservative Political Commentator John McLaughlin Dead At 89

FILE - In this April 28, 2012 file photo, John McLaughlin arrives at the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner in Washington. McLaughlin, the conservative political commentator and host of the namesake long-... FILE - In this April 28, 2012 file photo, John McLaughlin arrives at the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner in Washington. McLaughlin, the conservative political commentator and host of the namesake long-running television show that pioneered hollering-heads discussions of Washington politics, died Tuesday, Aug. 16, 2016, according to the Facebook page for “The McLaughlin Group.” He was 89. (AP Photo/Kevin Wolf, File) MORE LESS
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NEW YORK (AP) — John McLaughlin, the conservative political commentator and host of the namesake long-running television show that pioneered hollering-heads discussions of Washington, D.C., politics, has died. He was 89.

McLaughlin died Tuesday morning, according to the Facebook page for “The McLaughlin Group.”

Since its debut in April 1982, the syndicated “The McLaughlin Group” upended the soft-spoken and non-confrontational style of shows such as “Firing Line,” ”Washington Week in Review” and “Agronsky & Company” with a raucous format that largely dispensed with politicians. It instead featured journalists quizzing, talking over and sometimes insulting each other.

He said informing an audience could be entertaining: “The acquisition of knowledge need not be like listening to the Gregorian chant.”

Copyright 2016 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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  1. I have occasionally watched this show and sometimes found the discussions interesting. I noticed the other day a news brief that said McLaughlin on Friday missed appearing on the program for the first time in 34 years.

  2. Sorry for the family …

    Not sorry for a GOP vote lost —

    The only demographic they have just isn’t keeping up —

  3. With Buckley gone and now this, are there any sane members left in the GOP. RIP, as your show was indeed interesting and at least sticked to the facts.

    I am NOT opposed to the fiscal conservative right, just all the wingnuts that have stolen a legit ideology. I may not have agreed, but you argued from reason. How refreshing.

  4. I won’t need to keep the volume down on my TV now when PBS is on.

  5. Buh-bye…

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