Fox News presenter Sean Hannity has led tributes to his fellow host Bob Beckel who has died at the age of 73.
The political analyst, who was a former co-host of The Five on Fox News, passed away on February 21.
During his illustrious career, Beckel, served as a campaign manager for Walter Mondale’s Democratic bid for the Presidency in 1984 and was the youngest Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for the Carter Administration.
On Monday night, Hannity paid tribute to his ‘dear friend’ and said he ‘missed him already’.
He told viewers: ‘A very dear friend of this channel and a dear friend personally that man right there Bob Beckel. I got a call from his son Alex, great kid, earlier today that his dad had passed away.
Bob Beckel, who was a former co-host of The Five on Fox News, has died at the age of 73
Fox News presenter Sean Hannity led tributes to his fellow host and said he ‘missed him already’
‘What people might not know is he and I got along great. He had a key to my house, he was always full of joy, happiness, light, sunshine. He loved God and Jesus and we miss him already.
‘God bless you, godspeed Bob Beckel.’
The television host added: ‘My kids would call him uncle Bob because he was here a lot when I was home and he would come to my house and he would be up at 7am smoking cigars and I would have to explain to my kids why he was smoking cigars.
‘Now I have to explain my e-cigarette but I loved him and godspeed to him. We miss him.’
Meanwhile Fox News host Laura Ingraham called Beckel an ‘old time liberal’ who you could ‘always have a laugh’ with.
She said: ‘That’s really sad news. I liked him so much too. I’m just in shock, I’m just learning this from you.
‘He was an old time liberal who you could fight with and you and I fought with him many times over the 20 plus years but we always had a laugh afterward.’
Beckel, who was born in New York City in 1948, began his career working for the State Department and became the youngest Deputy Assistant Secretary of State in the department’s history.
He went on to serve as a campaign manager for Walter Mondale’s Democratic bid for the Presidency in 1984.
Hannity said he had received a call from Beckel’s son Alex telling him that his father had passed away
Fox News host Laura Ingraham called Beckel an ‘old time liberal’ who you could ‘always have a laugh’ with
During his illustrious career, Beckel, served as a campaign manager for Walter Mondale’s Democratic bid for the Presidency in 1984 and was a co-host of The Five on Fox News
In 2000, he joined Fox News as a contributor and would provide viewers with an analysis of the political stories.
He left the network in 2015 to join CNN as a political commentator before rejoining the news channel as a co-host of The Five.
During his illustrious career, he also made appearance on NBC Nightly News, DCBS This Morning and Nightline and was a columnist for USA Today.
In 2007 he and American columnist Cal Thomas co-authored the book Common Ground: How to Stop the Partisan War That is Destroying America which how analysed bipartisanship and consensus politics are good for the democratic process.
The Democratic strategist married Leland Ingham in 1992 before the pair parted ways in 2002. The couple share two children.
The cause of his death is not yet known.
Last night friends of Beckel paid tribute to the former co-host of The Five.
Friends of Beckel paid tribute to the former co-host of The Five last night
Columnist Cal Thomas wrote on social media: ‘My friend and spiritual brother, Bob Beckel, has passed into the presence of the Lord he loved.
‘We did so many things together and I hope we modeled what two people of different political persuasions can be like when they love one another.
‘For ten years we wrote the ‘Common Ground’ column for USA Today and a book by that title. The name of his ironically titled autobiography is ‘I Should Be Dead.’
‘It is a highly readable book about a difficult life that was dramatically changed in the last 15 years. I will see you soon Bob. You are loved.’
While chief Washington correspondent Mike Emanuel said: ‘Rest in Peace, Bob.’
And Fox News reporter Joseph A. Wulfsohn said: ‘I was probable the only person at my college to set my DVR for The Five every weekday. Bob Beckel constantly had me laughing and you can always count on him to spice up the conversation. He will be missed.’
