Political commentator Sean Hannity also announced Beckel’s passing on Fox News, saying:
The cause of Beckel’s demise is yet unknown. However, he reportedly struggled with addiction in the past. During a 2011 episode of The Five, the host referred to himself as a “recovering addict.”
In 2015, Fox mentioned that Beckel was missing from the network due to “health-related issues.” It was later revealed that he underwent major back surgery at a New York hospital.
A look back into the life of Bob Beckel
Bob Beckel was an American political analyst, pundit, and commentator, best remembered as a former co-host of The Five at Fox News. He was born to Ellen Gilliland and Cambridge Graham Beckel Jr. on November 15, 1948, in Connecticut.
The news host earned a bachelor’s degree from Wagner College in Staten Island and started working for Robert F. Kennedy’s presidential campaign in 1968. He also served as a Peace Corps volunteer in the Philippines between 1971 and 1972.
Beckel worked as a graduate school professor of politics at George Washington University before joining the United States Department of State in 1997. He served in the position until 1980 and became the youngest deputy assistant secretary of state for congressional relations in the Carter administration.
The analyst was the campaign manager for Walter Mondale’s 1984 presidential campaign and also formed consulting firm Bob Beckel & Associates that same year. He also managed Alan Blinken’s 2002 campaign for the United States Senate in Idaho.
Beckel joined Fox News in 2011 as a co-host of The Five in 2011 and appeared on more than 700 episodes of the show. He was released from the show over his health issues in 2015. The following year, he was hired as a political commentator by CNN.
The media personality rejoined The Five in 2017 but was released by the Fox network once again due to an alleged racially inappropriate comment against another employee.
He was also associated with USA Today between 2005 and 2015 and actively contributed to the publication as a columnist alongside close friend and political opponent Cal Thomas.
Beckel published his memoir I Should Be Dead: My Life Surviving Politics, TV, and Addiction in 2015 and opened up about his struggles with alcoholism and near-death experiences caused by addiction.
Following the news of Beckel’s demise, several people took to Twitter to pour in their heartfelt tributes to the political expert:
As tributes continue to pour in online, it is certain that Beckel will be missed by his family, friends, colleagues and well-wishers. He is survived by his former wife Leland Ingham and their two children.
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