MSNBC anchor Stephanie Ruhle ended her show “The 11th Hour” on Tuesday with a tribute to business journalist Ben White, who died Saturday after a brief illness:
The last thing before we go tonight, remembering our dear friend, Ben White, a frequent guest on this show and my 9 a.m. show. Long time CNBC contributor Ben White has died after a brief illness. He was just 52 years old. Ben was a truly good man, a proud father, and accomplished reporter who worked at Politico, the New York Times, and The Messenger. Ben’s partner shared the news and reminded us of how he lived as a family man, a huge sports fan rooting for the Yankees and, sadly for him, for many years, the Commanders.
During Covid, Ben was a voice of reason for us talking about the real impacts of the shutdowns on society and the economy. I had the honor of being on television with him over 100 times over the years, and every time he joined us, he helped us achieve our main goal, to get better and smarter. That was easy for him because Ben White was the very best.
I will forever be grateful for the knowledge he shared with us, but more than anything, for his friendship. This is a hard and competitive business, and having a friend in this business like Ben was a gift and I will treasure our friendship forever. Our condolences go out to his entire family and all those who are grateful to know and love him.
