Society
JUST IN: CNN Political Commentator Alice Stewart Dies Suddenly After ‘Medical Emergency’
Alice Stewart, a veteran political adviser and analyst for CNN, died suddenly on Saturday at the age of 58.
According to law enforcement officials, Stewart’s body was found outdoors in the Bellevue neighborhood in northern Virginia early Saturday morning. A cause of death has not been released, though it is believed that Stewart suffered a “medical emergency.” Foul play is not suspected, CNN reported.
“Alice was a very dear friend and colleague to all of us at CNN,” network CEO Mark Thompson said in an email to staff on Saturday. “A political veteran and an Emmy Award-winning journalist who brought an incomparable spark to CNN’s coverage, known across our bureaus not only for her political savvy, but for her unwavering kindness. Our hearts are heavy as we mourn such an extraordinary loss.”
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Stewart started her career as a local reporter in Georgia before moving to Little Rock, Arkansas, to be a news anchor, Stewart told the Harvard International Review. She later went on to work as a communications director for then-Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee before serving in a similar role for his Republican presidential bid in 2008.
The veteran political operative also worked as communications director for a number of additional presidential candidates, including former U.S. Rep. Michelle Bachmann and former U.S. Senator Rick Santorum. Most recently, she served as the communications director for Senator Ted Cruz’s presidential bid in 2016.
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Ahead of the 2016 election, Stewart was hired as a political commentator for CNN. She frequently appeared on panels to discuss political news of the day. Her final appearance came just yesterday on “The Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer.”
“We always invited her to come on my show because we knew we would be a little bit smarter at the end of that conversation,” Blitzer told Jessica Dean on “CNN Newsroom.” “She helped our viewers better appreciate what was going on and that’s why we will miss her so much.”
Stewart was also a co-host of the podcast “Hot Mics From Left to Right,” alongside fellow CNN commentator Maria Cardona.
When speaking about her role at CNN with the Harvard Political Review in 2020, Stewart stated that she brings “a perspective that I think CNN appreciates.”
“My position at CNN is to be a conservative voice yet an independent thinker,” Stewart said. “I’m not a Kool-Aid drinker; I’m not a never-Trumper, and I didn’t check my common sense and decency at the door when I voted for (Trump).”
This is a developing story.
