Catholic Culture Liturgical Living
Catholic Culture Liturgical Living
Catholic World News

Priest who wrote speeches for Nixon dead at 89

August 17, 2016

John McLaughlin, a Jesuit priest who worked as one of President Richard Nixon’s speechwriters and was subsequently dispensed from his vows, has died of cancer at age 89.

McLaughlin worked for the Republican president at a time when another Jesuit, Father Robert Drinan (1920-2007), served as a Democratic congressman.

McLaughlin later started The McLaughlin Group, a syndicated political television program.

 


For all current news, visit our News home page.


 
Further information:
Sound Off! CatholicCulture.org supporters weigh in.

All comments are moderated. To lighten our editing burden, only current donors are allowed to Sound Off. If you are a current donor, log in to see the comment form; otherwise please support our work, and Sound Off!

  • Posted by: seraphic avenger - Aug. 18, 2016 10:09 AM ET USA

    LOVED that Show-- from his first to his last! What no one's commented on was how many times his predictions came true! Too bad he couldn't have been a better exemplar for Catholicism....

  • Posted by: Randal Mandock - Aug. 18, 2016 9:57 AM ET USA

    Is this news report attempting to assert some sort of moral equivalence between the public political activities of the radical Jesuit Drinan and the private advisory activities of the politically-conservative McLaughlin? In accordance with canon law (n. 287), the Church has rightly removed from the clerical state priests who persist in occupying political posts. A member of congress occupies such a post; a speechwriter does not. The Jesuits apparently booted McLaughlin out, but embraced Drinan.