Veteran journalist Cokie Roberts died on Tuesday in Washington, D.C., of complications from breast cancer. She was 75 years old. Roberts was known for her pioneering work as a high-profile woman in broadcasting at a time when the field was dominated by men. She began her broadcast career with National Public Radio in the late 1970s, joining ABC News in 1988. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and former President Obama described her as a trailblazer. In a statement, the Obamas referred to Roberts as “a role model to young women at a time when the profession was still dominated by men.” Colleagues honored her as a media pioneer who transformed the role of women in the newsroom.
In 2001, the media watchdog group Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting criticized Cokie Roberts’s reporting, awarding her a so-called “P.U.-litzer Prize” for her comments about the U.S. military. Speaking on the David Letterman show in 2001, she said, “I am, I will just confess to you, a total sucker for the guys who stand up with all the ribbons on and stuff, and [if] they say it’s true, and I’m ready to believe it.”