Obama, Bush among those paying tribute to Cokie Roberts: ‘A trailblazing figure’

Former Presidents Obama and George W. Bush were among the leaders from both parties offering tributes to pioneering journalist Cokie Roberts on Tuesday following her death at 75.

“She was a trailblazing figure; a role model to young women at a time when the profession was still dominated by men; a constant over forty years of a shifting media landscape and changing world, informing voters about the issues of our time and mentoring young journalists every step of the way,” Obama said in a statement.

{mosads}”She will be missed — and we send our condolences to her family,” he added.

Former President George W. Bush and former first lady Laura Bush in a joint statement said Roberts “covered us for decades as a talented, tough, and fair reporter.”

“We respected her drive and appreciated her humor. She became a friend,” they added.

“Cokie Roberts was a trailblazer who transformed the role of women in the newsroom & our history books as she told the stories of the unsung women who built our nation,” Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) said in a statement Tuesday.

Cokie Roberts was a trailblazer who transformed the role of women in the newsroom & our history books as she told the stories of the unsung women who built our nation. Her warmth, wit and wisdom will be deeply missed by all. https://t.co/24k1sqAkGQ

— Nancy Pelosi (@SpeakerPelosi) September 17, 2019

And White House counselor Kellyanne Conway tweeted that Roberts was “kind” and “disagreed agreeably.”

Cokie Roberts was kind. She disagreed agreeably. Cokie listened, offered advice, showed patience and poise, worked hard, put faith & family first. God bless. RIP. https://t.co/De5scz18ta

— Kellyanne Conway (@KellyannePolls) September 17, 2019

“The work of political journalists is critical to our democracy,” tweeted former Housing and Urban Development Secretary Julián Castro, a 2020 presidential candidate. “Cokie Roberts was a paragon of that work and a pioneer in her industry. Her voice will be missed.”

The work of political journalists is critical to our democracy.

Cokie Roberts was a paragon of that work and a pioneer in her industry. Her voice will be missed.

https://t.co/rEacBuOvUp

— Julián Castro (@JulianCastro) September 17, 2019

“We’ve lost a true pioneer” in Roberts, fellow 2020 candidate Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) tweeted. 

We’ve lost a true pioneer in Cokie Roberts. She was the best. I love the picture in this story of their all women NPR team from 1979. https://t.co/RZ5BAkO8Pe

— Amy Klobuchar (@amyklobuchar) September 17, 2019

“She was a staple of Sunday morning TV news for so long and a great example of loving our democracy and politics but also being an able critic of both,” tweeted former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie (R), an ABC News contributor.

Our condolences to the family of my @ABC colleague Cokie Roberts. She was a staple of Sunday morning TV news for so long and a great example of loving our democracy and politics but also being an able critic of both. Mary Pat and I will both miss her good humor and kindness.

— Governor Christie (@GovChristie) September 17, 2019