President Barack Obama on Monday said he was "saddened" to learn of the death of CLTV political reporter Carlos Hernandez Gomez.
Hernandez Gomez died Sunday at Northwestern Memorial Hospital in Chicago after battling cancer for more than a year. He was 36.
Obama recalled that he was a state senator when he first met Hernandez Gomez.
"He was a throwback in the style of Chicago's storied political reporters. He loved Chicago, and he relentlessly sought to tell its story with the commitment to truth and the insatiable curiosity that any good reporter has to have," the president said.
"Hernandez Gomez was easily recognized for his trademark fedora, thick black glasses, bow ties and machine-gun style of questioning public figures. He filled his reports with his vast knowledge of local political characters and the city's rich political history," wrote John Chase in the Chicago Tribune.
"I quickly learned that when you saw his sharp fedora in a crowd, hard questions were coming. But Carlos always played it straight. And I always enjoyed our interactions in Springfield, Chicago, or on the campaign trail," Obama said. "Carlos was a role model to many, and an integral part of the Chicago story he strived to tell."
Gov. Pat Quinn called Hernandez Gomez a "talented journlist, a loving husband and a good friend to us all."
"Everyone who knew Carlos always respected his vigor, professionalism and personal integrity. He served as a role model as we watched him battle cancer with courage, tenacity and, above all, optimism. Illinois has lost one of its best. He will be deeply missed," said Quinn.
Prior to his time at CLTV, Hernandez Gomez also worked for Chicago's National Public Radio partner, WBEZ. Staffers there are sharing their stories of him on their Web site.
TheCapitolFaxBlog.com also offers more remembrances of Hernandez Gomez.
