His "Letters From America" were exceptionally brilliant. It was always on late at night when NPR turned into the BBC for a few blessed hours. Hearing his voice, my (insomniac) hand would dart to my lil' clock radio's volume dial. Up with the volume! I had to make sure that I didn't miss anything he had to say.

...the NewsHour has a nice retrospective. Link to follow. Transcript here.

...Safire weighs in.

...Andrew Sullivan.