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Norman Podhoretz, Longtime Commentary Editor and Neoconservative Pillar, Dies at 95

His 35-year helm of Commentary remade the magazine into a cornerstone of neoconservative foreign‑policy debate.

Overview

  • John Podhoretz confirmed his father died peacefully Tuesday night at age 95 in a statement on Commentary’s website.
  • Named editor in 1960, he steered Commentary from a liberal journal to a leading forum for conservative ideas through 1995.
  • Essays he published helped elevate Daniel Patrick Moynihan and Jeane Kirkpatrick to U.N. ambassador roles, underscoring his reach beyond magazines.
  • A prominent advocate of anti-communism, assertive U.S. engagement and staunch support for Israel, he received the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2004.
  • The family’s initial notice did not specify a cause, though later reports cited his son telling The New York Times he died from complications of pneumonia.