NBC reporter Vaughn Ververs, who started out in politics as an assistant press secretary for Pat Buchanan’s 1992 presidential campaign before moving into political journalism permanently, died “suddenly” on Sunday at the age of 54, NBC’s Andrea Mitchell reported Tuesday. Ververs leaves behind his wife and three children. Obviously, he was well regarded by his colleagues for his knowledge and kindness.
“Our NBC News family has suffered a terrible loss with the sudden passing of our beloved top digital editor in Washington Vaughn Ververs, a mentor to many and a kind-hearted colleague to all. Our most sincere condolences to his wife Lisa and his 3 children”
Our NBC News family suffered a terrible loss with the sudden passing of our beloved top digital editor in Washington Vaughn Ververs, a mentor to many and a kind-hearted colleague to all. Our most sincere condolences to his wife Lisa and his 3 children https://t.co/Ku7pknfszN
— Andrea Mitchell (@mitchellreports) March 21, 2023
Ververs was the Hotline’s editor many years ago.
“Former Hotline editor Vaughn Ververs, 54, died on Sunday. A longtime member of the political media, Ververs was a media pioneer beloved by colleagues, friends and subjects for his keen judgment on the timeliness, skillful writing and benevolent leadership.” @kirk_bado writing. pic.twitter.com/PvlPmLkLx6
– National Journal hotline (@njhotline) March 21, 2023
Other journalists mourned his passing:
I briefly worked with Vaughn Ververs at Politico.
At the time, he was a DC journalism veteran and just getting started, having spent years covering local/state politics and government.
He was very generous with his insight and experience.
A nice guy https://t.co/qUeb5yKbaX
— Kenneth P. Vogel (@kenvogel) March 21, 2023
An all-time good person and a smart political reporter. ‘We all miss him terribly’: Andrea Mitchell remembers longtime NBC digital editor Vaughn Ververs https://t.co/P35i0t7G8d via @MSNBC
— Dante Chinni (@Dchinni) March 21, 2023
What sad news regarding the passing of Vaughn Ververs. I worked with him at Politico and NBC/CNBC. He was an unerringly enthusiastic and intelligent presence in my newsrooms, and now he’s gone too soon. I think of his family today. https://t.co/UTu2ws9FM0
—Eamon Javers (@EamonJavers) March 21, 2023
Vaughn Ververs was everything you’d expect from an editor. His political BS detector was strong. He mentored a generation of writers.
He was smart, funny and above all, just a great guy.
And he loved his @CUBoulder Bitten.
He will be greatly missed by all of us. https://t.co/YP9Ybz06Ce—Doug Adams (@DougNBC) March 21, 2023
He wouldn’t want you to realize it until he got to know you, but Vaughn Ververs was incredibly warm and generous. We worked together for 13 years; his knowledge was limitless and he knew *everyone*. https://t.co/9mmDof6LiG
— Alex Johnson (@MAlexJohnson) March 21, 2023
I am sorry to learn of the passing of Vaughn Ververs, a pioneer in digital political journalism. Also a source of political and historical knowledge, and a nice guy who has mentored many people in a range of DC newsrooms.
— David Mark (@DavidMarkDC) March 21, 2023
Mourning the loss of Vaughn Ververs…a great friend and legacy to@njhotlineTHANKS@mitchellreports @MSNBCfor the tribute… pic.twitter.com/abBbRk4m2I
— Howard Mortman (@HowardMortman) March 21, 2023
George Mason University’s About Vaughn Ververs page (through google caching.):
Vaughn Ververs is currently the political editor of MSNBC.com. Ververs, a veteran journalist and media writer, was formerly Politico’s senior political editor, as well as CBSnews.com’s senior political editor, responsible for daily coverage and long-term planning of the website’s political coverage.
Prior to joining the CBS News Interactive Group as editor of Public Eye when it was founded in 2005, Mr. Ververs served as editor of The Hotline, Washington D.C.’s premier daily online political news source. , and wrote Talking Heads, a weekly column detailing how the press covers Washington. While at The Hotline, Mr. Ververs was a regular guest on C-SPAN’s Washington Journal and frequently discussed campaign news and events on shows such as PBS’s The McLaughlin Group, Fox’s The O’Reilly Factor News Channel and MSNBC’s Hardball. Additionally, he has appeared frequently on CBS, NBC, CNN, MSNBC and Fox News Channel as a political analyst and was a regular guest on ABC radio’s John Batchelor Show. Prior to that, he worked with Fox News Channel as field producer, booker, executive producer and associate producer for Fox News Sunday (1997-98). He was associate producer and researcher for the political unit of CBS News (1995-96).
Prior to the start of his journalism career, Ververs was assistant press secretary for Pat Buchanan’s 1992 presidential campaign. Ververs was born in Colorado Springs, Colorado, and raised in Simla, Colorado. He lives in Alexandria, Virginia with his wife and three children.
