Earlier this morning, Katrina vanden Heuvel tweeted the sad news that left-wing journalist Alexander Cockburn has died. He was a columnist at The Nation and co-editor of CounterPunch.
Condolences:
So sorry to hear death of Alexander Cockburn. Wonderful writer. Preferred Hitch politics but Alex in Nation, WSJ radical, provocative, fun
— Denis MacShane (@DenisMacShane) July 21, 2012
https://twitter.com/JLLLOW/status/226610808426229761
https://twitter.com/Bollywdheckler/status/226636417642659841
https://twitter.com/OwenJones84/status/226586868458852352
Alexander Cockburn, one of many moral & political consciences in my hometown, has passed on. He was honest, unafraid, & true to himself. RIP
— Elijah Nouvelage (@wanderinghome) July 21, 2012
https://twitter.com/kendall/status/226643944329596928
I disagreed w/ him often, but admired his fierce independence. MT @KatrinaNation: RIP Alexander Cockburn, columnist, radical journalist
— Erik Gunn (@erikgunn) July 21, 2012
https://twitter.com/tricityjdw/status/226667275867021313
Update: Cockburn’s CounterPunch co-editor Jeffrey St. Clair wrote a moving obituary this morning:
Alex lived a huge life and he lived it his way. He hated compromise in politics and he didn’t tolerate it in his own life. Alex was my pal, my mentor, my comrade. We joked, gossiped, argued and worked together nearly every day for the last twenty years. He leaves a huge void in our lives. But he taught at least two generations how to think, how to look at the world, how to live a life of resistance. So, the struggle continues and we’re going to remain engaged. He wouldn’t have it any other way.
According to St. Clair, Cockburn died of cancer last night in Germany.
More condolences:
My uncle, the brilliant, kind, and hilarious Alexander Cockburn, passed away last night. He was my friend, and my hero. RIP Uncle Al.
— olivia wilde (@oliviawilde) July 21, 2012
Alexander Cockburn legendary American journalist has died.God have mercy upon him. Brave principled selfless, like his father before. RIP
— George Galloway (@georgegalloway) July 21, 2012