Washington Post editor Ben Bradlee dies at 93

Ben Bradlee
Ben Bradlee, former executive editor of The Washington Post, is seated during an event sponsored by The Washington Post to commemorate the 40th anniversary of Watergate.
Alex Brandon / AP 2012

The hard-charging editor who guided The Washington Post through its coverage of the Watergate scandal, Ben Bradlee, has died. He was 93.

The Washington Post reports that Bradlee died at his home Tuesday of natural causes.

As managing editor first and later as executive editor, the raspy-voiced Bradlee engineered the transformation of the Post from a sleepy hometown paper into a great national one. He brought in a cast of talented journalists and set editorial standards that brought the paper new respect.

Bradlee got an early break as a journalist thanks to his friendship with one president, John F. Kennedy, and became famous for his role in toppling another, Richard Nixon, helping guide Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein's Pulitzer Prize-winning coverage of the Watergate scandal.

Political Coverage Powered by You

Your gift today creates a more connected Minnesota. MPR News is your trusted resource for election coverage, reporting and breaking news. With your support, MPR News brings accessible, courageous journalism and authentic conversation to everyone - free of paywalls and barriers. Your gift makes a difference.