A longtime Fox News star, Democratic strategist, and “The Five” co-host for over a decade, Bob Beckel passed away on Monday at age 73.
Before coming to television, Beckel had a successful career in politics. From 1977 to 1980, Beckel worked as the youngest deputy assistant secretary of state for former President Jimmy Carter’s State Department.
Beckel served as the campaign manager for former Vice President Walter Mondale’s unsuccessful 1984 presidential campaign. Mondale was soundly beaten by then-President Ronald Reagan.
Beckel first joined Fox News as a political analyst in 2000, and became best known to the American public as a regular on Fox’s “The Five,” where he discussed news stories with four conservative panelists for over 700 episodes between 2011 and 2017.
Beckel left Fox News briefly in 2015 while struggling with substance abuse problems. He subsequently wrote a book “I Should Be Dead: My Life Surviving Politics, TV and Addiction” and joined CNN for a short while before returning to the network in 2017. Fox and Beckel again parted ways later that year.
On his show Monday, Fox News’ Sean Hannity remembered Beckel as a great friend. Despite their political differences, “he and I got along great” and they were so close Beckel “had a key to my house” and Hannity’s children called him “Uncle Bob.”
“He was always full of joy, happiness, light, sunshine,” Hannity said. “He loved God and Jesus and we miss him already. God bless you, God speed, Bob Beckel.”
Columnist Cal Thomas also remembered his friend on social media —
My friend and spiritual brother, Bob Beckel, has passed into the presence of the Lord he loved. We did so many things together and I hope we modeled what two people of different political persuasions can be like when they love one another. For ten years we wrote the “Common Ground” column for USA Today and a book by that title. The name of his ironically titled autobiography is “I Should Be Dead.” It is a highly readable book about a difficult life that was dramatically changed in the last 15 years. I will see you soon Bob. You are loved.
The Horn editorial team