Brit Hume
A steady, trenchant voice in political journalism who transitioned from network news anchor to a defining commentator for a conservative audience.
Born 1943 (age 83)·American political commentator·Birthday: June 22·The Silent Generation
Biography
Brit Hume built a reputation on a foundation of old-school reporting rigor and a calm, unflappable delivery. His journalism career began in print, covering Capitol Hill for newspapers like the Baltimore Evening Sun, which instilled in him a deep understanding of political machinery. He brought that substance to television at ABC News, where for over two decades he served as a congressional and later chief White House correspondent, covering the administrations of George H.W. Bush and Bill Clinton with a measured, facts-first approach. In 1996, he made a pivotal shift, joining the fledgling Fox News Channel to anchor its political news coverage. There, his persona evolved; while maintaining his reporter's core, his analysis took on a more pointed, conservative perspective, making him a cornerstone of the network's identity. As managing editor of Fox's Washington bureau, he shaped its political coverage for a generation, becoming a trusted guide for viewers who felt alienated by the mainstream media he once represented.
The Silent Generation
1928–1945
Born between the Depression and the end of WWII. Too young to fight, old enough to remember. They became the conformist middle managers of the 1950s — and the civil rights leaders who quietly dismantled Jim Crow.
Brit was born in 1943, placing them squarely in The Silent Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Brit Was Born
The biggest hits of 1943
#1 Movie
For Whom the Bell Tolls
Best Picture
Casablanca
Brit's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1943Born
Allies invade Sicily; Battle of Stalingrad ends
Gas: $0.21/galHome: $3,290Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"I've Heard That Song Before" — Harry JamesBest Picture: Casablanca
1948Started school
Israel declares independence; Berlin Blockade begins
Gas: $0.26/galHome: $7,450Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Twelfth Street Rag" — Pee Wee HuntBest Picture: Hamlet
1956Became a teenager
Elvis Presley appears on The Ed Sullivan Show
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $10,050Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Heartbreak Hotel" — Elvis PresleyBest Picture: Around the World in 80 Days
1959Could drive
Fidel Castro takes power in Cuba
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $12,400Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"The Battle of New Orleans" — Johnny HortonBest Picture: Ben-Hur
1961Could vote
Yuri Gagarin becomes the first human in space
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $12,500Min wage: $1.15/hrPresident: John F. Kennedy"Tossin' and Turnin'" — Bobby LewisBest Picture: West Side Story
1964Turned 21
Civil Rights Act signed; Beatles arrive in America
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $13,450Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"I Want to Hold Your Hand" — The BeatlesBest Picture: My Fair Lady
1973Turned 30
US withdraws from Vietnam; Roe v. Wade decided
Gas: $0.39/galHome: $22,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree" — Tony Orlando & DawnBest Picture: The Sting
1983Turned 40
Internet adopts TCP/IP, creating the modern internet
Gas: $1.16/galHome: $57,700Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Every Breath You Take" — The PoliceBest Picture: Terms of Endearment
1993Turned 50
European Union officially established
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $86,600Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"I Will Always Love You" — Whitney HoustonBest Picture: Schindler's List
2003Turned 60
US invades Iraq; Human Genome Project completed
Gas: $1.59/galHome: $146,000Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"In Da Club" — 50 CentBest Picture: The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
2013Turned 70
Edward Snowden reveals NSA surveillance programs
Gas: $3.53/galHome: $152,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Thrift Shop" — Macklemore & Ryan LewisBest Picture: 12 Years a Slave
2023Turned 80
ChatGPT goes mainstream; Israel-Hamas war begins
Gas: $3.52/galHome: $361,600Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"Flowers" — Miley CyrusBest Picture: Oppenheimer
2026Age 83 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Served as ABC News Chief White House Correspondent from 1989 to 1996, covering two presidential administrations.
- Was the founding anchor and managing editor of 'Fox News Sunday', the network's flagship political talk show, from 1996 to 2008.
- Led Fox News Channel's political coverage as its Washington Managing Editor during pivotal elections and the September 11th attacks.
- Received the Sol Taishoff Award for Excellence in Broadcast Journalism from the National Press Foundation in 2009.
Did You Know?
He began his career as a newspaper reporter for the Hartford Times and later the United Press International wire service.
He is an avid golfer and has participated in multiple celebrity pro-am tournaments.
His son, Sandy Hume, was also a journalist who worked for Fox News and The Hill before his death in 1998.
He is known for his distinctive, deep voice and often wears a bow tie on air.
““The truth is not always the friend of the powerful, and the press is not always the enemy of the powerful.””
