Charlie Peters, who died yesterday on Thanksgiving at age 96, left many people with much to thank him for, not least the many writers who, as young men (or, in some cases, young women), were noisily edited by him and, having learned from that experience, have gone on to illustrious and successful careers. Check out Politico for testimony from many of them, most of whom worked for him in the many years (1969-2001) he founded and edited the Washington Monthly.
He also left behind many readers with reason to give thanks. Charlie grew up in a politically active and liberal Democratic household in Charleston, West Virginia. He squired candidate John F. Kennedy around during the 1960 campaign and, as I remember him telling me, when he was asked at one point by the candidate who was the terrific looking blonde over there, answered, “That’s my wife.”
