Rex Murphy, R.I.P.

This is a great loss for journalism and public discourse. Rex was one of the greats, as he amply demonstrated on Cross Country Checkup. Once he left the CBC, he became known for his conservative positions. One can't help but wonder if he was a conservative all the time, or only came to embrace Canadian conservatism in his later years.

I don't mind his conservative bent in later life, but I do feel that journalists have a special obligation to analyze political and other events across the spectrum of ideas. You can be a conservative or liberal or even a social democrat in private, but as a journalist or broadcaster, you need to be able to move beyond your own preconceived notions and outright opinions. I would have liked to see Murphy do a bit more of that in later life. 

But again, none of that takes away from the fact that Rex was a great journalist and commentator. He will be sadly missed by so many, and journalism is undoubtedly diminished by his departure. My condolences to his family, colleagues and friends.