When Shields retired from regular commentary on NewsHour, Robert MacNeil, one of the founders of the program, credited him for an “absolute authenticity.” He graduated from the University of Notre Dame in 1959, with a major in philosophy and a minor in history, and then served in the Marines. Shields was born on and raised in Weymouth, MA. In addition to his wife Anne Hudson Shields, he is survived by their daughter Amy Shields Doyle, son-in-law Christo Doyle, and grandchildren Jack and Frances Doyle. Information on services was not immediately available. Mark radiates a generosity of spirit that improves all who come within his light.” On NewsHour, his on-screen counterpart in Friday night commentary was David Brooks and, before that, figures such as William Safire, Paul Gigot and, initially, David Gergen.īut unlike so many segments on cable TV pitting pundits from opposite ends of the spectrum, the PBS NewsHour segments were notable for their cordiality.īrooks called Shields “one of the finest and beloved men I’ve ever known.” in a column he wrote when Shields retired, Brooks said that “we’ve had thousands of disagreements over the years, but never a second of acrimony. He also was a guest on other panel shows such as Meet the Press, and was part of the team that launched the CNN series The Capital Gang, which ran from 1988 to 2005. He joined the editorial staff of The Washington Post in 1979, and a year later began writing a column, which has been syndicated to publications around the country.

Shields went on to hold senior positions in other presidential campaigns, including those of Edmund Muskie in 1972 and Morris Udall in 1976, and the vice presidential campaign of Sargent Shriver in 1972. Shields started his career in government and politics in the mid-1960s, first as a legislative assistant and speechwriter for Senator William Proxmire and later for Robert Kennedy’s 1968 presidential campaign, as he helped to organize the California primary. Shields retired from the regular segments in 2020, having done a regular segment on the broadcast for more than 33 years. Judy Woodruff, the anchor of NewsHour, wrote on Twitter, “I am heartbroken to share this.the NewsHour’s beloved long-time Friday night analyst Mark Shields, who for decades wowed us with his encyclopedic knowledge of American politics, his sense of humor and mainly his big heart, has passed away at 85, with his wife Anne at his side.”

David brooks article about mark shields