Mark Shields

Mark Shields was an American political commentator.

Shields shared his insight into American politics on PBS NewsHour for decades. He was a regular on the show starting in 1987, the year the show began, and stepped down from his regular Friday night discussion segment in December 2020.

He had also collaborated with David Brooks since 2001 to provide analysis and commentary in their weekly Shields & Brooks segment and during election specials and conventions. Before that he had paired with with David Gergen and Paul Gigot. His tenure at PBS NewsHour spanned six presidencies.

He began his career in Washington as a legislative assistant and speechwriter for Wisconsin Sen. William Proxmire in 1965. Three years later, Shields joined New York Sen. Robert F. Kennedy's presidential campaign and later worked on numerous campaigns.

In 1979, he began writing a column at The Washington Post that was later distributed by Creators Syndicate.

Shields was a moderator and panelist on CNN's Capital Gang from 1988 to 2005 and a regular panelist on Inside Washington, which aired on PBS and ABC, from 2005 until 2013. He also wrote On the Campaign Trail, an account of the 1984 presidential campaign.

Shields died June 18, 2022 in Chevy Chase, Maryland. He was 85.