Lars-Erik Nelson
Encyclopedia
Lars-Erik Nelson was an American journalist, political columnist and author best known for his syndicated column in The New York Daily News.
, New York
the eldest child of immigrants who met while studying art at Cooper Union
. He grew up in Riverdale
and attended Bronx High School of Science
. In 1964, Nelson graduated from Columbia University
with a degree in Russian
. He also was fluent in Czech, French and Swedish.
. Nelson went to work for the Riverdale Press
before joining Reuters
in 1967 as a correspondent. His postings including Prague
, where in 1968 he covered the Prague Spring
. Nelson joined The New York Daily News Washington staff in 1979. Shortly after beginning his career at The Daily News, Mr. Nelson won a Albert Merriman Smith
Memorial Award, named after the longtime reporter for United Press International
, for writing under deadline pressure. Nelson was bureau chief at The Daily News for about a decade before becoming a columnist for Newsday
in 1993. In 1995, he returned to The New York Daily News as a columnist.
Lars-Erik Nelson became well known for his syndicated column in The New York Daily News, but his career in the news industry spanned over 40 years and took him all over the world. His work appeared in The New York Review of Books
, The Nation Magazine, Mother Jones
, Foreign Affairs
, among others, and his column ran in newspapers across the country.
While Nelson was questioning Newt Gingrich
in November 1995, Gingrich admitted that he had shut down the federal government because President Bill Clinton
had made him sit at the back of Air Force One
. The infamous Daily News “Cry Baby” cover story ran the following day.
In November 2000, Nelson broke the story that Katherine Harris
, then-State Attorney General in Florida
, was not a neutral participant in the Florida ballot controversy
, but that she had been significantly involved in George W. Bush
’s presidential campaign.
Just a few months before his death, Nelson was a guest on The News Hour with Jim Lehrer and said this about coverage by The New York Times of Wen Ho Lee
:
Nelson died on Monday at his home in Bethesda, Maryland
in 2000. Mortimer B. Zuckerman, publisher of The New York Daily News, subsequently announced that the newspaper had established the Lars-Erik Nelson Prize for excellence in reporting and writing, an annual $5,000 award at Columbia University's Graduate School of Journalism.
Background
Lars-Erik Nelson was born in BrooklynBrooklyn
Brooklyn is the most populous of New York City's five boroughs, with nearly 2.6 million residents, and the second-largest in area. Since 1896, Brooklyn has had the same boundaries as Kings County, which is now the most populous county in New York State and the second-most densely populated...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
the eldest child of immigrants who met while studying art at Cooper Union
Cooper Union
The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art, commonly referred to simply as Cooper Union, is a privately funded college in the East Village neighborhood of Manhattan, New York City, United States, located at Cooper Square and Astor Place...
. He grew up in Riverdale
Riverdale, Bronx
Riverdale is an affluent residential neighborhood in the northwest portion of the Bronx in New York City. Riverdale contains the northernmost point in New York City.-History:...
and attended Bronx High School of Science
Bronx High School of Science
The Bronx High School of Science is a specialized New York City public high school often considered the premier science magnet school in the United States. Founded in 1938, it is now located in the Bedford Park section of the Bronx...
. In 1964, Nelson graduated from Columbia University
Columbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
with a degree in Russian
Russian language
Russian is a Slavic language used primarily in Russia, Belarus, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan. It is an unofficial but widely spoken language in Ukraine, Moldova, Latvia, Turkmenistan and Estonia and, to a lesser extent, the other countries that were once constituent republics...
. He also was fluent in Czech, French and Swedish.
Career
Nelson subsequently worked at the Digest of Soviet Press, The Bergen County Record, and The New York Herald TribuneNew York Herald Tribune
The New York Herald Tribune was a daily newspaper created in 1924 when the New York Tribune acquired the New York Herald.Other predecessors, which had earlier merged into the New York Tribune, included the original The New Yorker newsweekly , and the Whig Party's Log Cabin.The paper was home to...
. Nelson went to work for the Riverdale Press
Riverdale Press
Founded in 1950 by David A. Stein, The Riverdale Press is a weekly newspaper that covers the Northwest Bronx neighborhoods of Riverdale, Kingsbridge, Kingsbridge Heights and Van Cortlandt Village. It is one of a handful of weeklies to win a Pulitzer Prize....
before joining Reuters
Reuters
Reuters is a news agency headquartered in New York City. Until 2008 the Reuters news agency formed part of a British independent company, Reuters Group plc, which was also a provider of financial market data...
in 1967 as a correspondent. His postings including Prague
Prague
Prague is the capital and largest city of the Czech Republic. Situated in the north-west of the country on the Vltava river, the city is home to about 1.3 million people, while its metropolitan area is estimated to have a population of over 2.3 million...
, where in 1968 he covered the Prague Spring
Prague Spring
The Prague Spring was a period of political liberalization in Czechoslovakia during the era of its domination by the Soviet Union after World War II...
. Nelson joined The New York Daily News Washington staff in 1979. Shortly after beginning his career at The Daily News, Mr. Nelson won a Albert Merriman Smith
Albert Merriman Smith
Merriman Smith was a wire service reporter, notably serving as White House correspondent for United Press International and its predecessor, United Press.He was born in Savannah, Georgia....
Memorial Award, named after the longtime reporter for United Press International
United Press International
United Press International is a once-major international news agency, whose newswires, photo, news film and audio services provided news material to thousands of newspapers, magazines and radio and television stations for most of the twentieth century...
, for writing under deadline pressure. Nelson was bureau chief at The Daily News for about a decade before becoming a columnist for Newsday
Newsday
Newsday is a daily American newspaper that primarily serves Nassau and Suffolk counties and the New York City borough of Queens on Long Island, although it is sold throughout the New York metropolitan area...
in 1993. In 1995, he returned to The New York Daily News as a columnist.
Lars-Erik Nelson became well known for his syndicated column in The New York Daily News, but his career in the news industry spanned over 40 years and took him all over the world. His work appeared in The New York Review of Books
The New York Review of Books
The New York Review of Books is a fortnightly magazine with articles on literature, culture and current affairs. Published in New York City, it takes as its point of departure that the discussion of important books is itself an indispensable literary activity...
, The Nation Magazine, Mother Jones
Mother Jones (magazine)
Mother Jones is an American independent news organization, featuring investigative and breaking news reporting on politics, the environment, human rights, and culture. Mother Jones has been nominated for 23 National Magazine Awards and has won six times, including for General Excellence in 2001,...
, Foreign Affairs
Foreign Affairs
Foreign Affairs is an American magazine and website on international relations and U.S. foreign policy published since 1922 by the Council on Foreign Relations six times annually...
, among others, and his column ran in newspapers across the country.
While Nelson was questioning Newt Gingrich
Newt Gingrich
Newton Leroy "Newt" Gingrich is a U.S. Republican Party politician who served as the House Minority Whip from 1989 to 1995 and as the 58th Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives from 1995 to 1999....
in November 1995, Gingrich admitted that he had shut down the federal government because President Bill Clinton
Bill Clinton
William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Inaugurated at age 46, he was the third-youngest president. He took office at the end of the Cold War, and was the first president of the baby boomer generation...
had made him sit at the back of Air Force One
Air Force One
Air Force One is the official air traffic control call sign of any United States Air Force aircraft carrying the President of the United States. In common parlance the term refers to those Air Force aircraft whose primary mission is to transport the president; however, any U.S. Air Force aircraft...
. The infamous Daily News “Cry Baby” cover story ran the following day.
In November 2000, Nelson broke the story that Katherine Harris
Katherine Harris
Katherine Harris is an American Republican politician, former Secretary of State of Florida, and former member of the United States House of Representatives. Harris won the 2002 election to represent Florida's 13th congressional district in the U.S. House of Representatives. She held that post...
, then-State Attorney General in Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
, was not a neutral participant in the Florida ballot controversy
United States presidential election in Florida, 2000
The 2000 United States presidential election in Florida took place on November 7, 2000 as it did in the other 49 states and D.C., which was part of the 2000 United States presidential election...
, but that she had been significantly involved in George W. Bush
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
’s presidential campaign.
Just a few months before his death, Nelson was a guest on The News Hour with Jim Lehrer and said this about coverage by The New York Times of Wen Ho Lee
Wen Ho Lee
Dr. Wen Ho Lee is a Taiwan-born Taiwanese American scientist who worked for the University of California at the Los Alamos National Laboratory. He created simulations of nuclear explosions for the purposes of scientific inquiry, as well as for improving the safety and reliability of the US nuclear...
:
Nelson died on Monday at his home in Bethesda, Maryland
Bethesda, Maryland
Bethesda is a census designated place in southern Montgomery County, Maryland, United States, just northwest of Washington, D.C. It takes its name from a local church, the Bethesda Meeting House , which in turn took its name from Jerusalem's Pool of Bethesda...
in 2000. Mortimer B. Zuckerman, publisher of The New York Daily News, subsequently announced that the newspaper had established the Lars-Erik Nelson Prize for excellence in reporting and writing, an annual $5,000 award at Columbia University's Graduate School of Journalism.
Selected works
- Call the Briefing: Reagan and Bush, Sam and Helen, A Decade with Presidents and the Press (Columbia Journalism Review. 1996)
- After Clinton (New York Review of Books. 2000)