Kevin Drum offered sharply intelligent, conscientious, data-driven commentary on a wide range of issues related to public policy for the past two decades. He was always worth reading. His even-handed posts, which invariably gave folks with whom he disagreed the benefit of the doubt — without rancor or cheap shots; his openness to speaking about his treatment for multiple myeloma (after his 2014 diagnosis); and his fondness for his cats (he originated cat blogging) conveyed his personal character to readers. He was clearly a good guy. That’s why he will be missed by so many of us.
Folks who knew Drum personally and other readers familiar with his work, who are more articulate than I am, offered their takes:
I discovered political blogs shortly after Kevin Drum arrived at the Washington Monthly. I recall visiting his first blog (after he had stopped posting there), calpundit, a number of times just to soak up more of his thinking. I have read Drum virtually every day since that day. He has been my favorite blogger for nearly two decades. I occasionally disagreed with him, but his take was always thoughtful and well grounded.
Reading the post pictured above was a body blow. It was heartbreaking to think of losing him. The next several weeks, with Drum’s occasional posting about his health among his usual fare, and the absence of posting for days at a time, have been distressing. This past Monday readers learned from his wife that Kevin Drum had passed.
“He will be sorely missed, especially in these terrible times.” — Paul Campos.