Cokie Roberts, the daughter of politicians who grew up to cover family affairs in Washington State for ABC News and the NPR over several decades, died Tuesday in Washington of complications from breast cancer. She was 75.
ABC broke into network programming to announce his death and pay tribute.
Roberts was the daughter of Hale Boggs, a former House Leader of the majority of Louisiana, and Lindy Boggs, who succeeded her husband in Congress. Roberts worked on radio and CBS News and PBS before joining ABC News in 1988.
She was a congress journalist and analyst who co-anchored Sunday, political program “This Week” with Sam Donaldson from 1996 to 2002.
Roberts, who was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2002, continued working almost to the end. She appeared at the “This Week” in August, drawing enough concern about her obvious weight loss that she issued a statement saying “I’m fine,” and was looking forward to the election’s coverage. ‘next year.
She has co-authored a political column for many years with her 53-year-old husband, Steven, who survives. They had two children.
Roberts has written books, focusing on the role of women in history. She wrote two with her husband, one on families of religions and “From This Day,” an account of their marriage.
Current ABC News, politics, journalist Jonathan Karl recalled being in awe of Roberts when he first started working in the network.
“When I think of politics, I think Cokie Roberts,” he says.
Her colleagues said she never became cynical or lost her love for politics. She made the NPR’s strength in clarifying her role as a commentator, when she wrote a column in 2016 calling the Republican Party’s “Rational Wing” to reject Donald Trump as their presidential candidate.
BREAKING: Legendary journalist and @ABC News political commentator Cokie Roberts has died, according to her family. She was 75. https://t.co/nZxQ5P5MV8
— ABC News (@ABC) September 17, 2019