RIP Tom Braden - Founder of Crossfire.

[jefferson_dem]

Awww... Sad to see Tom Braden has passed. I imagine some of you, like me, were introduced to the American political game (in part, at least) via the old food fights Braden used to have with Novak and Buchanan on Crossfire.

'Crossfire' creator Tom Braden dies at age 92
By NAFEESA SYEED – 21 minutes ago

WASHINGTON (AP) — Tom Wardell Braden, who once worked for the CIA and helped launch CNN's political debate show "Crossfire," has died, his family said. He was 92. Braden also was known for writing "Eight is Enough," a 1975 book about his eight children that inspired a TV show.

Braden died Friday from natural causes at his home in Denver, according to his daughter, Susan Braden of Takoma Park, Md.

Braden's 1975 book about life with his eight children inspired the namesake TV show "Eight is Enough" that ran on ABC from 1977 to 1981. Susan Braden said her father captured the humor of his bustling household.

"He had a gift for writing about kids. He could relate to them and write about them in a way that I really haven't seen anybody else do," Braden said. "He had that gift to write about everyday life that we all know, but we can't really write about like he could."

Braden was born on Feb. 22, 1917, in Greene, Iowa. He moved to New York City during the Great Depression and worked for a printer. He later graduated from Dartmouth College in New Hampshire, which accepted him even though he didn't have a high school diploma, his daughter said.

<SNIP>

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5g32GenVv6vUwbzP-LEVsgf7UKzaQD97BAMVG1

A classic, from the archives - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B9856_xv8gc

[Dennis Donovan]

1. Rest in peace, Dick Van Patten...

:silly:

[fortyfeetunder]

2. Yes, he was a classic.

RIP Tom Braden.

[burning rain]

3. Good man! RIP, indeed.

*

[Sebastian Doyle]

4. I miss the old Crossfire

Even though Novak & Buchanan have both had their douchebag moments over the years, they were able to restrain themselves to reasonable political debate on that show, and it seemed like they and Braden actually liked each other. Not a hatefest like anything on FAUX, or the Carville/Fucker Carlson post-AOHell takeover version of "Crossfire" was.

And as far as sappy family oriented 70's TV shows went, I'd take Eight is Enough over The Waltons or Little House on the Prairie any time.

Rest in peace, Tom. :(

[Raine]

5. R-I-P Tom

sad news indeed. :-(

[MinM]

6. Braden was a key figure in the early days of Operation Mockingbird...

Democratic Underground - Operation Mockingbird - Democratic Underground

"Watching Crossfire was like watching the left wing of the CIA debating the right wing of the CIA". Timothy Leary

http://educationforum.ipbhost.com/index.php?showtopic=3600

Thomas Braden was a key figure in the early days of Operation Mockingbird. He was officially head of the CIA's International Organizations Division (Cord Meyer was his deputy)...

http://www.latimes.com/news/obituaries/la-me-thomas-braden4-2009apr04,0,6736553.story

[MinM]

8. huffingtonpost.com: tom braden

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/04/04/tom-braden-crossfire-crea_n_183098.html

Thomas Braden, was a key figure in the early days of Operation Mockingbird. He was officially head of the CIA's International Organizations Division (Cord Meyer was his deputy). In 1954 Braden was replaced by Meyer in this job...

http://realhistoryarchives.blogspot.com/2009/03/cia-and-media.html

[BeyondGeography]

7. I loved his scorn for Reagan back in the day

Eight kids, 92 years of life...great run, Tom. :patriot:

[MinM]

9. Tom Braden's Omituary ...

http://www.slate.com/blogs/blogs/kausfiles/archive/2009/04/06/tom-braden-s-omituary-plus-sniggergate-and-donilon-envy.aspx

Left out of the Tom Braden obits: Braden was a California newspaper editor when (according to Braden) future Senator Alan Cranston personally showed him compromising photos of an opponent. "I thought it was pretty shoddy business. It certainly changed my opinion of ," Braden said (as first reported by Carl Cannon). Cranston denied the charge. I believe Braden. ... 1:25 A.M.

http://realhistoryarchives.blogspot.com/2009/03/cia-and-media.html