NBC Newsman Vaughn Ververs, who started out in politics as deputy press secretary for Pat Buchanan’s 1992 presidential campaign before making a permanent move into political reporting, passed away “suddenly” on Sunday at age 54, NBC’s Andrea Mitchell reported on Tuesday. Ververs leaves behind his wife and three children. By all accounts he was well thought of 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 big-hearted colleague to all. Our deepest condolences to his wife wife Lisa and 3 children”
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 big-hearted colleague to all. Our deepest condolences to his wife wife Lisa and 3 children https://t.co/Ku7pknfszN
— Andrea Mitchell (@mitchellreports) March 21, 2023
Ververs was editor of the Hotline many years ago.
“Former Hotline editor Vaughn Ververs, 54, died on Sunday. A longtime fixture of political media, Ververs was a media pioneer beloved by his colleagues, friends, and subjects for his sharp news judgment, skilled editing, and kind leadership,” @kirk_bado writes. pic.twitter.com/PvlPmLkLx6
— National Journal Hotline (@njhotline) March 21, 2023
Fellow reporters mourned his passing:
I worked with Vaughn Ververs briefly at Politico.
At the time, he was a veteran of DC journalism & I was just getting started, having spent years covering local/state politics & government.
He was very generous with his insight & experience.
A sweet guy https://t.co/qUeb5yKbaX
— Kenneth P. Vogel (@kenvogel) March 21, 2023
An all-time good person and 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
Such sad news about the death of Vaughn Ververs. I worked with him at Politico and at NBC/CNBC. He was an unfailingly enthusiastic and intelligent presence in my newsrooms, and he is now gone too soon. Thinking of his family today. https://t.co/UTu2ws9FM0
— Eamon Javers (@EamonJavers) March 21, 2023
Vaughn Ververs was everything you want in an editor. His political BS detector was strong. He was a mentor to a generation of writers.He was smart, funny, and most of all, just a great guy. And he loved his @CUBoulder Buffs.We will all miss him dearly. 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 *everybody.* https://t.co/9mmDof6LiG
— Alex Johnson (@MAlexJohnson) March 21, 2023
So sorry to hear about the passing of Vaughn Ververs, a pioneer in digital political journalism. Also a fount of political knowledge and history, and straight-up nice guy who mentored many in a range of D.C. newsrooms.
— David Mark (@DavidMarkDC) March 21, 2023
Mourning the loss of Vaughn Ververs … a great friend and a legacy at @njhotline … thank you @mitchellreports @MSNBC for the tribute … pic.twitter.com/abBbRk4m2I
— Howard Mortman (@HowardMortman) March 21, 2023
The about page for Vaughn Ververs from George Mason University (via Google cache.):
Vaughn Ververs is currently the political editor for MSNBC.com. Ververs, a veteran reporter and media writer formerly served as an editor for Politico, as well as senior political editor for CBSnews.com, responsible for daily coverage and long-term planning for the website’s political coverage.
Before joining the CBS News interactive group as editor of Public Eye at its inception in 2005, Mr. Ververs served as the editor of The Hotline, Washington D.C.’s premier daily online political news source, and wrote Talking Heads, a weekly column explaining 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’ The McLaughlin Group, Fox News Channel’s The O’Reilly Factor and MSNBC’s Hardball. In addition, he frequently appeared 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 the Fox News Channel as a field producer, booker, line producer and associate producer for Fox News Sunday (1997-98). He was an associate producer and researcher for the political unit of CBS News (1995-96).
Before his journalism career began, Ververs was the deputy press secretary for Pat Buchanan’s presidential campaign in 1992. Ververs was born in Colorado Springs, Colorado, and grew up in Simla, Colorado. He lives in Alexandria, Virginia with his wife and three children.