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June 4, 2007

Barrington man who made Nixon's 'enemies list' dies

BARRINGTON -- James Deakin -- a longtime White House correspondent whose critical reporting put him on Richard Nixon's ``enemies list'' and earned angry rebukes from Lyndon Johnson -- has died. He was 77 years old.

Deakin died yesterday of liver cancer in a nursing home near his home in Barrington.

Deakin covered the White House from 1958 to 1980 for the Saint Louis Dispatch. He wrote several books -- including a critical report about lobbying and President Lyndon B. Johnson, titled: ``Lyndon Johnson's Credibility Gap.''

The Saint Louis native dictated his own obituary three weeks before his death.

In it, Deakin says his dealings with Johnson were stormy and that he was the first reporter to ask Nixon whether he thought he ought to be impeached for violating the Constitution.

Deakin is survived by his wife of 51 years, Doris; a sister; a son, daughter-in-law and two grandsons.

A private burial is scheduled for Wednesday morning in Barrington. A memorial service will be held in several weeks.

-- The Associated Press

Posted by Mike McKinney  at 12:46 PM | Permalink

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