Debra Saunders
{{Infobox person
| name = Debra Saunders
| image = Debra J. Saunders.jpg
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| occupation = Journalist
| employer = Las Vegas Review-Journal
| spouse = Wesley J. Smith
| alma_mater = University of Massachusetts
| citizenship = American
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Debra J. Saunders is the Washington columnist for the Las Vegas Review-Journal. She returned to the Review-Journal in January 2024 after serving as the newspaper's White House correspondent during former president Donald J. Trump's term and in the early weeks of President Joe Biden's administration. Her podcast, "Covering Trump: War Stories from the White House Press Corps," laid out the experience in six episodes. Her column is syndicated by Creators Syndicate and is carried by newspapers in the United States. Saunders served as a fellow with the Discovery Institute's Chapman Center for Citizen Leadership from 2021 through 2023.
Biography
Saunders graduated in 1980 from the University of Massachusetts at Boston. She majored in Greek and Latin.{{Cite web|url=https://www.creators.com/author/debra-j-saunders|title=About Debra J. Saunders | Creators Syndicate|website=www.creators.com}}
In 1992, she became an opinion-page columnist for the San Francisco Chronicle, also syndicated by Creators. She later augmented her thrice-weekly columns with the Token Conservative blog,{{Cite web|url=https://blog.sfgate.com/djsaunders/2013/04/04/foreskin-man-goes-to-turkey/|title=Foreskin Man goes to Turkey|first1=Debra J. Saunders on|last1=April 4|first2=2013 at 1:24|last2=PM|date=April 4, 2013|website=Debra J. Saunders}} before leaving the paper in 2016.
Between 1987 and 1992, Saunders was a columnist and editorial writer for the Los Angeles Daily News. She previously worked for conservative advocacy groups and for a Republican leader of the California State Assembly.
In addition to her columns, Saunders has written for The Wall Street Journal and The Weekly Standard. She is the author of one book, The World According to Gore ({{ISBN|1-893554-14-7}}).
Saunders is married to Wesley J. Smith.{{Cite web|url=https://www.nationalreview.com/corner/500000-californians-lose-health-policies-wesley-j-smith/|title=500,000 Californians Lose Health Policies|website=National Review |date=October 25, 2013}}
Views
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In 2006, Saunders wrote articles opposing the War on Drugs.[http://townhall.com/columnists/DebraJSaunders/2006/11/23/pardon_more_than_the_turkey&Comments=true Pardon more than the turkey] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061127055425/http://www.townhall.com/columnists/DebraJSaunders/2006/11/23/pardon_more_than_the_turkey |date=2006-11-27 }} Debra Saunders, Nov. 23, 2006[http://www.townhall.com/columnists/DebraJSaunders/2006/02/12/your_tax_dollars_on_drugs Your Tax dollars on Drugs] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110611033825/http://townhall.com/columnists/debrajsaunders/2006/02/12/your_tax_dollars_on_drugs |date=2011-06-11 }} Debra Saunders, Feb. 12, 2006 She campaigned in her column for President Bush to issue more pardons and sentence commutations.
Saunders voted against Proposition 22 in 2000. In 2004, Saunders wrote in support of same-sex marriage.[http://townhall.com/columnists/DebraJSaunders/2004/11/10/the_homophobic_party The homophobic party?] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100128113040/http://townhall.com/columnists/DebraJSaunders/2004/11/10/the_homophobic_party |date=2010-01-28 }} Debra Saunders, Nov. 10, 2004 She was critical of the California Supreme Court decision that legalized same-sex marriage.[http://townhall.com/columnists/DebraJSaunders/2008/05/16/city_hall_of_love City Hall of Love] Debra Saunders, May 16, 2008
In 2007, she wrote an article that criticized the imprisoned freelance journalist Josh Wolf, although she opposed his imprisonment.[http://www.townhall.com/columnists/DebraJSaunders/2007/02/27/josh_wolf_--_blogger_--_has_no_press_pass Josh Wolf - Blogger - Has No Press Pass] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070302115902/http://townhall.com/columnists/DebraJSaunders/2007/02/27/josh_wolf_--_blogger_--_has_no_press_pass |date=2007-03-02 }} Debra Saunders, Feb. 27, 2007
In 2007, Saunders described herself as a climate change skeptic.[https://www.sfgate.com/opinion/article/Polar-bear-pandering-3235473.php Polar bear pandering] Debra Saunders, Nov. 4, 2007
In 2011, she wrote about the comic character Foreskin Man, which was being used to promote a ballot initiative to ban circumcision in San Francisco.[http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/blogs/djsaunders/detail?entry_id=90153 Circumcision ballot measure and anti-Semitism] Debra Saunders, June 2, 2011
Saunders has described herself as a supporter of capital punishment, and has written articles arguing that Kevin Cooper, a death row inmate who claimed innocence, was in fact guilty.
References
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External links
- [http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/blogs/djsaunders/index?blogid=208 Token Conservative]
- [http://outloudopinion.com Podcasts of Saunders' recent articles]
- [https://archive.today/20130105014239/http://www.streetgangs.com/magazine/112105sanquentin.html Debra Saunders speaks against clemency for Stanley Tookie Williams]
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