Wow I hadn't heard anything about him being ill but he probably didn't want to make a big deal about it. RIP.
William Safire had the highest possible compliment from his boss: “The government is full of Jews,” Nixon said. “Second, most Jews are disloyal. You know what I mean? You have a [White House Consultant Leonard] Garment and a [National Security Adviser Henry A.] Kissinger and, frankly, a [White House Speechwriter William L.] Safire, and, by God, they’re exceptions. But, Bob [Haldeman], generally speaking, you can’t trust the bastards. They turn on you.”