William Safire

William Lewis Safir (December 17, 1929 – September 27, 2009), better known as William Safire (), was an American author, columnist, journalist, and presidential speechwriter.
He was best known as a long-time political columnist for the "New York Times" and the author of "On Language" in the "New York Times Magazine", a column on popular etymology, new or unusual usages, and other language-related topics from its inception.
Safire died from pancreatic cancer at a hospice in Rockville, Maryland, on September 27, 2009, aged 79.