Properly-known to followers of the blogosphere and seekers of clever, percipient commentary on public coverage, Kevin Drum handed away Friday after an extended battle with a number of myeloma, a most cancers of the bone marrow.
The affliction is incurable, however Kevin handled his viewers to detailed accountings of his therapies and of the standing of his well being, typically with good humor, after he was first recognized in 2014.
For the longest time he appeared to have held the situation at bay, however earlier this 12 months he reported on his weblog,, that he was failing. A few of his fellow bloggers on-line. On , “Fading quick. Pneumonia worse. Ventilator subsequent. Not trying good. Deal with Donald Trump for me.”
His associates and followers, myself included, seen with a sinking feeling that after a publish dated March 4 — a well being replace wherein he reported, “All the things is getting worse … and I really feel horrible” — his web site went silent.
In my expertise, Drum was distinctive. His quest for empirical truths and his distaste for the misuse of statistics was forthright and unparalleled on-line, the product, a minimum of partly, of the 2 years he studied at Caltech earlier than transferring to Cal State Lengthy Seaside and pursuing his curiosity in journalism. felt his sting and earned his contempt.
Amongst his favored matters was equivalent to leaded gasoline. His thesis, which has been supported by a superb quantity of analysis, was that social pathologies together with violent crime and psychological sickness may very well be tied to guide, and their decline in latest a long time to measures equivalent to a ban on leaded fuel.
Kevin was a Southern Californian, born in Lengthy Seaside and a longtime resident of Irvine, in a house he shared along with his spouse Marian and a succession of cats that bought their photos on his weblog each Friday.
He first made his mark on-line in 2003 with a private weblog titled “Calpundit,” and moved the next 12 months to the Washington Month-to-month, the place he took over its “Political Animal” weblog, moved to Mom Jones in 2008 and reverted to impartial running a blog in 2021.
Marian reported his passing on his web site Monday. She requested that in lieu of flowers well-wishers “please donate to the charity or political reason behind your selection.”
Kevin and I corresponded repeatedly about every others’ work as associates, and shared a companionable lunch or two after his diagnoses. On most points, although not all, we have been largely on the identical web page; definitely I by no means learn a single publish by him that didn’t warrant shut consideration or, indirectly or one other, earn my respect and admiration. He modified my thoughts much more typically than I feel I modified his, which solely testifies to the authority of his mental presents.
This one hurts. The battle in opposition to misinformation and disinformation has misplaced a well-weaponed warrior. He will likely be missed.
