William Safire (1929–2009) was an American political speechwriter, journalist, political columnist, and language expert who transformed his reputation from a fiercely partisan commentator of the right into a widely respected “man of letters”.
Nixon’s speechwriter
Safire began his career in public relations before becoming a speechwriter for President Richard Nixon and Vice President Spiro Agnew. He arguably wrote some of the most memorable political rhetoric of his era.
One of Safire’s most famous lines was “nattering nabobs of negativism” written for Spiro Agnew in 1970. In a speech criticising the press and intellectuals who opposed the Republican administration, Agnew declared: “In the United States today, we have more than our share of the nattering nabobs of negativism.” It became one of the most quoted phrases of the Nixon era and became associated with Agnew’s reputation as an attack dog against the media.
In Event of Moon Disaster
Safire also prepared a famous speech for Nixon to deliver on television if the 1969 Apollo 11 astronauts were stranded on the Moon. Apollo 11 was the first landing on the Moon (when Neil Armstrong made his famous “giant leap for mankind” speech). Safire’s speech “In Event of Moon Disaster” (which was never needed) read:
Fate has ordained that the men who went to the Moon to explore in peace will stay on the Moon to rest in peace.
Political columnist
In 1973, William Safire joined The New York Times as a conservative political columnist, earning a reputation for his sharp, combative style. While admired by the right, he was unpopular among liberals, who saw him as an unrelenting defender of Nixon and a harsh critic of Democratic leaders.
William Safire the writer
Over time, however, Safire’s interest in language softened his image. In 1979, he began writing On Language, a widely beloved column for The New York Times Magazine that explored etymology, grammar, and the quirks of American English. His witty, insightful takes on language—often laced with humour—won over readers across the political spectrum.
A perfect example of his ability to entertain while educating was his famous “Rules for Writing”. His rules are an often quoted (and often not attributed) tongue-in-cheek list that deliberately breaks the rules it sets out to teach. This playful approach made grammar more accessible and cemented Safire’s reputation as someone who understood both the logic and the absurdity of language.
William Safire’s Rules for Writing
- Remember to never split an infinitive.
- The passive voice should never be used.
- Do not put statements in the negative form.
- Verbs have to agree with their subjects.
- Proofread carefully to see if you words out.
- If you reread your work, you can find on rereading a great deal of repetition can be by rereading and editing.
- A writer must not shift your point of view.
- And don’t start a sentence with a conjunction. (Remember, too, a preposition is a terrible word to end a sentence with.)
- Don’t overuse exclamation marks!!
- Place pronouns as close as possible, especially in long sentences, as of 10 or more words, to their antecedents.
- Writing carefully, dangling participles must be avoided.
- If any word is improper at the end of a sentence, a linking verb is.
- Take the bull by the hand and avoid mixing metaphors.
- Avoid trendy locutions that sound flaky.
- Everyone should be careful to use a singular pronoun with singular nouns in their writing.
- Always pick on the correct idiom.
- The adverb always follows the verb.
- Last but not least, avoid cliches like the plague; seek viable alternatives.
Politics
William Safire held some quite divisive political views that did not endear him to everybody.
As a former Nixon speechwriter, Safire remained loyal long after Watergate destroyed the president’s reputation. Even as The New York Times played a key role in exposing the scandal, Safire continued to downplay its significance. Many liberal readers saw him as a relic of the Nixon administration, unwilling to admit wrongdoing.
Even after shifting from political columnist to language expert, Safire remained a major advocate for the U.S. invasion of Iraq. He insisted that Saddam Hussein had weapons of mass destruction (WMDs), a claim later proven false. His unwavering support for the war, even as public sentiment turned against it, hurt his credibility with many readers.
One of Safire’s most infamous columns was a 1996 piece in The New York Times titled “Blizzard of Lies”. In it he called then-First Lady Hillary Clinton a “congenital liar.” He accused her of repeatedly misleading the public on multiple issues, including the Whitewater Scandal – a failed real estate investment in Arkansas that was under federal investigation. It was an extraordinarily harsh accusation and it infuriated Hillary Clinton and the White House. Bill Clinton publicly defended his wife, while Hillary dismissed Safire’s attacks as partisan smears.
William Safire’s legacy
By the time of his retirement in 2005, William Safire had started to shed his image as a divisive political figure. He finally was celebrated as a master of words. Even those who had once disagreed with his politics had become to admire his linguistic expertise, wit, and love for the English language. In the end, he may be remembered as one of America’s great language enthusiasts.