Tony Day, 1933-2007

On June 7, 1970, the Times, in this space, announced its support for a withdrawal of American forces from Vietnam. “The time has come,” that editorial stated, “for the United States to leave Vietnam, to leave it swiftly, wholly, and without equivocation.” That was a thunderclap in the history of this paper and that war, which The Times until then supported. The author of that editorial and the editor of these pages when it appeared was Anthony Day. Tony Day died this weekend.

Tony was a fine colleague and a good man, a writer of conscience and clarity, of decency and wisdom. He built an outstanding team, the most diverse of its era, and helped to make The Times a leading voice in Los Angeles and the nation. He did so with abundant, graceful intelligence and without shrillness or rancor. We miss him at the conference table where the editorial board meets and in the quiet comfort of clear and cultured logic, well argued, that he gave to his colleagues and his readers. We are honored to follow him; this city and nation are lucky to have had him.