Ex-US Sen. Howard Baker Jr. Dies

[Rhiannon12866]

Source: ABC News

Former Sen. Howard H. Baker Jr., a moderate Republican known as the politician who inquired what President Richard Nixon knew during the 1973 Senate Watergate hearings, has died. He was 88.

Baker, who served as U.S. ambassador to Japan from 2001 until early 2005, died Thursday at his home, according to an email distributed at the law firm where Baker was senior counsel. He died as a result of complications from a stroke suffered Saturday, the email said.

The scion of a political family, Baker served 18 years in the Senate, winning widespread respect from Republicans and Democrats alike and rising to the post of majority leader.

<snip>

But it was his instantly famous question — "What did the president know and when did he know it?" — that made him an enduring household name. It instantly focused the nation's attention on the cover-up that perhaps more than the Watergate break-in itself eventually brought down Nixon's presidency.

Read more: http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/us-sen-howard-baker-jr-dies-24318528

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[Frustratedlady]

1. I always liked Senator Baker.

May he RIP.

[upaloopa]

2. He would be labeled a rino by today's repubs.

His kind of republican no longer exists.

[Dawson Leery]

3. +1,000,000,000,000

[progressoid]

15. hell, he was to the left of some of our Democrats.

Baker was a centrist Republican according to GovTrack's own analysis of bill sponsorship from Baker’s time serving in the Senate. Baker’s bills had a total of 253 cosponsors in the 98th Congress.

Use this chart to compare Baker to other members of the Senate in the 98th Congress on leadership and ideology.

https://www.govtrack.us/congress/members/howard_baker/401067

[hlthe2b]

4. the last of a generation of Repugs that retained some sense of honor...

In the face of a Republican President's grotesque criminality, he stood up for the constitution--something few would do today.

RIP, Senator

[Rhiannon12866]

6. Very well said...

[DeSwiss]

23. Today, Howard couldn't be in the Repug Party.

- He'd be seen as too liberal.

[ballyhoo]

5. Dern. I really liked that dude. He was smart and cared about

people. I remember him from Watergate well. RIP Senator Baker. You were a good one. One of the last of a dying Party.

[JohnnyLib2]

7. A sad reminder that things have been different.

RIP

[alp227]

8. AP expanded the intro:

http://bigstory.ap.org/article/ex-us-sen-howard-baker-jr-dies

WASHINGTON (AP) — Former Sen. Howard H. Baker Jr., a moderate Republican known as the politician who inquired what President Richard Nixon knew during the 1973 Senate Watergate hearings, has died. He was 88.

Baker, who served as U.S. ambassador to Japan from 2001 until early 2005, died Thursday at his home, according to an email distributed at the law firm where Baker was senior counsel. He died as a result of complications from a stroke suffered Saturday, the email said.

The scion of a political family, Baker served 18 years in the Senate, winning widespread respect from Republicans and Democrats alike and rising to the post of majority leader.

"Senator Baker truly earned his nickname: the Great Conciliator. I know he will be remembered with fondness by members of both political parties," Sen. Mitch McConnell of Kentucky on the Senate floor Thursday, announcing Baker's death to the chamber.

More coverage: Washington Post, The Tennessean, Knoxville News Sentinel

[Rhiannon12866]

9. Thank you! I edited the OP...

The ABC article was the latest of a very few when I looked for it.

[Alex P Notkeaton]

10. When the GOP wasn't a fanatical cult

Rest in peace, sir.

[George II]

11. One of the last of the TRUE politicians and statesmen - he did his job, whatever it was....

....(he had many) as an AMERICAN, not as a republican, and did what he could to improve the country, politics notwithstanding.

One of the best in my lifetime.

[longship]

12. He married Nancy Landon Kassebaum in 1996.

She was the last Republican for whom I voted. And she was a very good senator.

Sorry to hear about Baker. He was another good one.

[monmouth3]

13. Wasn't he also married to Everett Dirksen's daughter? n/t

[Rhiannon12866]

14. Yes! Good memory!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Howard_Baker#Personal_life

Baker has been married to the daughters of two prominent Republicans. Baker's late first wife, Joy, who died of cancer, was the daughter of former Senate Minority Leader Everett Dirksen. In 1996, he married former U.S. Senator Nancy Landon Kassebaum, the daughter of the late Kansas Governor Alfred M. Landon, who was the Republican nominee for President in 1936.

[monmouth3]

16. Just old...LOL..

[Rhiannon12866]

17. Join the club...

[Ikonoklast]

18. A decent man who saw his duty was to the country, not to a party.

Able senator.


A man like him couldn't get elected as a Republican nowadays, he wouldn't be insane enough.

[Uncle Joe]

19. Rest in peace, Howard, thank you for your service, honor and courage, you were a good man.

Thanks for the thread, Rhiannon.

[Rhiannon12866]

21. Thank you! I totally agree...

The current Republicans could learn a lot from Senator Baker.

[Uncle Joe]

29. Tennessee hasn't had a Republican coming close to approaching Baker, since he retired from

the Senate.

He actually worked toward solving the nation's problems with Democrats, instead of trying to block everything just for narrow, self-serving partisanship purposes.

[Rhiannon12866]

31. We don't seem to have any anymore...

Or if we did, they're attacked and voted out. The current crop make Goldwater - and Nixon! - seem like liberals. And how can people vote for those who are only in Washington to obstruct?! BTW, my cousin moved to Tennessee and suddenly I'm getting e-mail supporting prayer in schools.

[tabasco]

20. OMG - He was a true American hero during the clean-up of Nixon's criminal regime

RIP. I will never forget your courage, Senator Baker.

[Cooley Hurd]

22. One of the greatest Senators of ANY party.

Cross gently, Senator.

[bpj62]

24. Moderate Republicans

That is a phrase that is on the verge of extinction and will only be used when describing the passing of such politicians. That entire generation gave us good people on both sides of the isle and day by day they are going to the great beyond. Instead of looking at how they were able to get things done in a minority environment the right continues to canonize Ronald Reagan without even realizing that by todays standards he would also be a moderate republican as well. RIP Senator Baker

[DeSwiss]

25. Decent Republican.

- Two words that almost never appear together in a sentence anymore, except maybe in obituaries.

Howard, you done good.....

K&R
[center][/center]

[BumRushDaShow]

26. R.I.P.

Saw a breaking news banner earlier.

When you look at GOPers like Howard Baker & Jack Kemp, you really see how far that party has fallen into complete, foaming-at-the-mouth lunacy.

[Peacetrain]

27. R.I.P Howard Baker..

Your journey is done..

[LoisB]

28. may he rest in peace

[840high]

30. RIP good man.

[SkatmanRoth]

32. The last good Republican dies

and we are still left with Dick Cheney.