By Kevin McCauley
Tony Blankley, a former Ronald Reagan speechwriter, press secretary to former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, editorial page editor at the Washington Times and political pundit, died Jan. 7 from stomach cancer. He was 67.
Gingrich hailed Blankley as a great professional and very dear friend.” He was a “tremendous amount of fun, remarkably erudite and educated,” according to the Washington Times report. Blankley played a key role in Gingrich’s “Contract with America.”
At his death, Blankley was executive VP at Edelman, visiting senior fellow at the Heritage Foundation and political commentator for CNN, NBC and NPR.
The U.K. born Blankley became an American citizen after his parents moved to California following WWII. As a child actor, Blankley appeared in TV shows such as “Lassie” and “Make Room for Daddy.”
He met Reagan at a USO performance during the 1950s and then volunteered for his campaigns for California governor and president.
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