[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 26 (Thursday, March 12, 1998)]
[Senate]
[Page S1901]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
ERIC BREINDEL
Mr. MOYNIHAN. Mr. President, I rise to pay tribute to Eric Breindel,
a proud son of New York who was taken from us all too suddenly and all
too soon this past Saturday. Eric lived life at a hectic pace, almost
as if he knew that his years would be so painfully limited that he
would do well to fill as much meaning and involvement as he could into
every single day. The Talmud teaches that fools measure their lives in
years, while wise people measure them in days. Eric was wise in this
respect as he was in so many others.
As I noted in his funeral on Monday, ``I taught him for two years at
Harvard and learned from him for the next twenty.'' His passion for the
truth, for justice, for democracy, were all well reflected in the
editorial pages of the New York Post, where he presided for eleven
madcap years as the editorial page editor. I ask unanimous consent to
place in the Congressional Record his obituary from The New York Times
and the Post's tribute to this brilliant journalist and passionate
American.
The obituaries follow:
[From the New York Post, March 8, 1998]
Eric Breindel, 1955-1998
Eric Breindel once said that life granted few gifts greater
than the ability to influence the political debate in the
greatest city in the world. He exercised that, influence for
10 years as the editor of this column, and his horribly
untimely death yesterday at the age of 42 robs this city and
this nation of one of its wisest young men.
He was, first and forever, a patriot.
He fiercely contested the claims of those who blamed
America for all of the planet's woes. And he was particularly
unforgiving of those Americans who served foreign ideologies
and interests during times of grave crisis--and who lied
about it all after the emergencies had passed.
As might be expected of the son of Holocaust survivors, he
had a profound understanding of the importance of a strong
state of Israel--not only for Jews, and not only as an
abiding symbol of enlightenment in a section of the world
often sorely in need of such guidance, but also for the
furtherance of American political, economic and military
global interests.
His patience with those who failed to view issues in wide--
indeed, often global--terms was slight. He knew that what
might happen in Tokyo today could have an impact in Times
Square tomorrow and it was with such understanding that he
crafted the content of these pages.
Readers need not agree with his views--indeed, often it
seemed that many did not--to concede that they were strongly
held, lucidly and respectfully presented and not at all given
to equivocation.
It is true that Eric Briendel was very much out of step
with conventional political and social wisdom. He understood
this; indeed, he was quietly proud of it.
In an age given to the promotion of self-esteen--at the
expense of actual accomplishment--he championed hard work and
individual enterprise.
He knew that, these days, equality of outcome is meant to
trump equality of opportuinity--but he wouldn't accept it.
He was equally unforgiving of double standards when it came
to public conduct--even when race, ethnicity and gender were
at issue.
And while he never ducked controversy, he understood that
public affairs are conducted by people who had feelings--and
families. He tried not to wound, and in this he succeeded
more often than not.
The decade-plus during which he edited these pages were
among the most tumultuous in New York's history.
It was the time of Howard Beach and Tawana Brawley, of
Crown Heights and Yusuf Hawkins. There were three mayors and
two governors and no end of governmental crises and political
scandal and strife.
Through it all, New Yorkers knew where to turn for finely
crafted, literate and insightful commentary.
Eric Breindel is gone now, at much too young an age. New
York is the poorer for it. And for us at The Post, who had
the honor and the pleasure of knowing him, enjoying his
company, learning from him, gossiping with him--we share the
sorrow of his family and will always treasure the memory of
our dear friend.
____
[From the New York Times, March 8, 1998]
Eric Breindel, 42, Commentator and New York Post Columnist
(By Charlie LeDuff)
Eric M. Breindel, the former editorial page editor for the
New York Post and the conservative moderator of a weekly news
show on public affairs on the Fox News Channel, died
yesterday afternoon. He was 42.
Mr. Breindel, a lifelong resident of New York City, died at
New York Hospital-Cornell Medical Center. He was undergoing
treatment for a liver ailment and suffered a massive
hemorrhage, said Lally Weymouth, a longtime friend and
columnist for The Washington Post.
Mr. Breindel, a senior vice president of the News
Corporation, which owns The Post, was best known for his
years as the leader of the Post's lively opinion pages, which
hold a decidedly conservative edge.
He was hired as the editorial page editor of The Post in
1986 and in January 1997, he left that position to develop
strategic policy for the News Corporation. He continued to
write a weekly column in The Post and was seen by some as a
tormentor of liberal politicians.
``Whether he agreed with you or not, you always knew he
listened to you and understood your point of view,'' said the
City Council Speaker, Peter F. Vallone, a Democrat.
More recently, Mr. Breindel was the host of a weekly
television show that aired on Saturdays on the Fox News
Channel, ``Fox News Watch.''
Mr. Breindel was a friend of New York City police officers
and during last year's mayoral election, he branded the
Democratic challenger to Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani, the
Manhattan Borough President, Ruth W. Messinger, as a ``cop-
basher.''
``Eric was a very close friend,'' Mr. Giuliani said. ``He
had a unique understanding of all that makes up the City of
New York. He had a particular insight into the challenges
faced by New York City police officers, and even when there
might be a media frenzy seeking to unfairly accuse police
officers, Eric was often one of the few who courageously
stood up for them.''
Rupert Murdoch, chairman of the News Corporation, said of
him, ``He was a brilliant leader of the editorial page and
one of the most influential people in New York.''
While Mr. Breindel's ideas carried influence, said Martin
Peretz, editor-in-chief of The New Republic, he is perhaps
known best in New York City for his coverage of the 1991
racial unrest in Crown Heights.
Charlie Rose, the talk-show host, called his death shocking
and said, ``His capacity to influence world affairs was
growing.''
Born in New York City in 1955, Mr. Breindel graduated magna
cum laude from Harvard College in 1977, where he was
editorial chairman of The Harvard Crimson. He received a law
degree from Harvard in 1982 and served as a legislative
assistant to United States Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan, a
correspondent for the Public Broadcasting System and an
editorial page editor with The Daily News before joining The
Post.
Mr. Breindel is survived by his parents, Dr. Joseph H. and
Sonia Breindel of New York City, and a sister, Dr. Monique
Breindel.
Funeral services will be held tomorrow at 11 A.M. at the
Park Avenue Synagogue.
____________________