Peggy Noonan facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Peggy Noonan
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Noonan in 2016
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Margaret Ellen Noonan
September 7, 1950 New York City, New York, U.S.
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| Education | Fairleigh Dickinson University (BA) |
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| Political party | Republican |
Margaret Ellen "Peggy" Noonan (born September 7, 1950) is a well-known American writer and political expert. She writes a weekly column for The Wall Street Journal newspaper. She also shares her ideas on TV shows for NBC News and ABC News.
Peggy Noonan was a main speechwriter for President Ronald Reagan from 1984 to 1986. She has written several books that became New York Times bestsellers. She was also nominated for an Emmy Award for her work on a special TV show called America: A Tribute to Heroes.
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Early Life and First Jobs
Peggy Noonan was born in Brooklyn, New York, on September 7, 1950. Her father worked as a sailor. Her family has Irish roots.
She went to Rutherford High School in Rutherford, New Jersey. Later, she studied at Fairleigh Dickinson University. Before working in politics, Noonan wrote daily comments for anchorman Dan Rather at CBS News. She once said he was "the best boss I ever had." From 1975 to 1977, she worked at WEEI Radio in Boston. She was a newswriter there, often working at night. She also taught journalism at New York University in 1978 and 1979.
Writing Speeches for Presidents
In 1984, Peggy Noonan became a speechwriter for President Ronald Reagan. She wrote his famous "The boys of Pointe du Hoc" speech. He gave this speech on the 40th anniversary of D-Day.
She also wrote President Reagan's speech after the sad Challenger explosion. In that speech, she used words from a poem about pilots. The poem said they "slipped the surly bonds of earth... and touched the face of God." This speech is thought to be one of the best American political speeches of the 20th century. Her "The boys of Pointe du Hoc" speech is also highly ranked.
Noonan helped write a speech for President Reagan to honor President John F. Kennedy. This was at a special event in 1984. Later, she worked for Vice President George H. W. Bush during his 1988 presidential campaign. She created the well-known phrases "a kinder, gentler nation" and "a thousand points of light." These phrases became very popular.
She also wrote Bush's acceptance speech at the 1988 Republican National Convention. In that speech, he promised "Read my lips: no new taxes." When he later changed this promise, it was a big reason he lost the 1992 election. In 1995, Noonan received the Golden Plate Award. This award is given by the American Academy of Achievement.
Later Career and Awards
Peggy Noonan also worked as a helper for the American TV show The West Wing. In 2003, she supported the US invasion of Iraq. For a short time in 2004, she left The Wall Street Journal to help with George W. Bush's re-election campaign. In 2007, she helped start a website called wowOwow.com.
During the 2008 presidential campaign, Noonan wrote about Sarah Palin's run for Vice President. She shared her thoughts that Palin might not have all the skills needed for a high office. Noonan felt this showed a "vulgarization in American Politics."
Noonan's weekly column for The Wall Street Journal is called "Declarations." It has been running since 2000. She also often appears on NBC's Meet the Press TV show. In 2017, Noonan won the Pulitzer Prize for Commentary. She won for her "beautifully written columns" that helped readers connect during a very divided political time.
Personal Life
In November 1985, Peggy Noonan married Richard W. Rahn. He was an economist. Their son, Will, was born in 1987. Noonan and her husband divorced after five years. In 1989, she moved back to New York with her son. She lived in a brownstone in Brooklyn Heights. Her son went to Saint Ann's School nearby.
Today, Noonan lives in Manhattan. She is a Catholic and goes to St. Thomas More Church. In recent years, Noonan has moved away from the Republican Party because of Donald Trump. In both 2016 and 2020, she chose not to vote for either Trump or his opponent. In 2020, she wrote in the name of an old political thinker, Edmund Burke.
Books Written by Peggy Noonan
- 1990: What I Saw at the Revolution: A Political Life in the Reagan Era (ISBN: 0-8129-6989-8)
- 1994: Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness (ISBN: 1-55850-509-1)
- 1998: Simply Speaking: How to Communicate Your Ideas With Style, Substance, and Clarity (ISBN: 0-7881-6775-8) (Also known as On Speaking Well)
- 1999: Character Above All (ISBN: 0-684-82709-3) (part of a collection of writings)
- 2000: The Case Against Hillary Clinton (ISBN: 0-06-039340-8)
- 2001: When Character Was King: A Story of Ronald Reagan (ISBN: 0-14-200168-6)
- 2003: A Heart, A Cross And A Flag (ISBN: 0-7432-5005-2)
- 2005: John Paul The Great: Remembering a Spiritual Father (ISBN: 0-670-03748-6)
- 2008: Patriotic Grace: What It Is and Why We Need It Now (ISBN: 978-0-06-173582-0)
- 2015: The Time of Our Lives: Collected Writings (ISBN: 978-1-45-556313-5)
- 2024: A Certain Idea of America: Selected Writings (ISBN: 978-0593854778)
