John McLaughlin, creator and host of the public affairs talk show The McLaughlin Group, has died, confirmed the show’s Facebook page on Tuesday. McLaughlin was 89.
The political pundit had been struggling with his health for some time. McLaughlin’s last public message addressed his absences from the show.
“As the panel's recent absences attest, I am under the weather,” he wrote in an Aug. 13 post on the show’s website. “The final issue of this episode has my voice, but please forgive me for its weaker than usual quality. Yet my spirit is strong and my dedication to the show remains absolute.”
Born in Rhode Island, McLaughlin was a former Jesuit priest, teacher and speechwriter for Richard Nixon before founding the talk show in 1982. The McLaughlin Group airs nationwide on PBS affiliates. He also hosted interview show John McLaughlin's One on One from 1984 to 2013 as well as late-night CNBC talker McLaughlin, which ran from 1989-1994.
