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You are here: Home / Absent Friends / RIP / RIP, Doug Mataconis

RIP, Doug Mataconis

by | 14 Comments

This post is in: 

Via the always excellent Outside the Beltway comes the terrible news that Doug Mataconis has died:

Jazz Shaw drew my attention to a post on Doug’s Facebook feed from last evening:

To all of Doug’s friends, it is with a very sad heart and deep regret that we share that Doug passed away. We and the rest of the extended family appreciate all of the support that everyone has shown for Doug over the years.

Alas, I have no further details and have not yet found any other confirmation of the news but have no reason to doubt that it’s true.

Despite his long association with this blog—he started posting here in May 2010 and contributed a staggering 16,483 posts and likely twice that many comments—I did not know Doug well. I had lunch with him once shortly after he joined the team and saw him a handful of times at CPAC.

Doug was an interesting character, someone with whom I rarely agreed as he was a self-proclaimed libertarian, but when I did agree with him, it was virtually 100% agreement. He was funny, though, quick witted, enjoyed life and it showed through his writing, and at the same time frustrating because he loathed the modern GOP and would write posts excoriating them and then veer off and say something to the extent of “but the Democrats are no better” and all I could think was “YOU WERE SO DAMNED CLOSE.”

All, that aside, from my interactions with him I can say he was a good man and will be missed.

Reader Interactions

14Comments

  1. 1.

    senyordave

    There are three blogs I read pretty regularly. BJ, OTB and Digby. I have read OTB the longest, and I always read Doug’s posts with interest. While I disagreed often he struck me as a very thoughtful man who could be swayed (and on occasion, swayed me). I was saddened by the news of his passing, he will be missed by many.

  2. 2.

    Other Other Other John

    I’ve read OTB for almost as long as I’ve read BJ, and losing a longtime contributor like Doug is like losing a close colleague or even a friend… definitely not a guy I always agreed with, but so thoughtful and such an interesting thinker.

  3. 3.

    cmorenc

    For just an instant I worried that the reference was to BJ’s own front-pager DougJ until I read more carefully and saw it was Doug M from OTB.  Nevertheless, sounds from your description that Doug M was an intelligent man worthy of our respect, and will be missed by many for his constructive contributions to intelligent political understanding and discourse.

  4. 4.

    SiubhanDuinne

    I am personally unfamiliar with OTB and Doug Mataconis (though I vaguely recognise the name), but my condolences to everyone who knew him and considered him a friend, either online or IRL. It sounds as though he was an engaging and thoughtful blogger, and I’m sorry for the loss.

  5. 5.

    Omnes Omnibus

    I almost reflexively disagreed with him, but he struck me as someone who argued in good faith.  That alone is an accomplishment.

  6. 6.

    Mary G

    I don’t read OTB much anymore, but Doug was thoughtful and intelligent, and was willing to debate in the comments.

  7. 7.

    Four Seasons Total Landscaping mistermix

    I still read OTB.  I often disagreed with Doug (and still do with James Joyner) but it was always worth reading him.  Sad to see that he passed away.

  9. 9.

    Chip Daniels

    @Omnes Omnibus:

    Likewise, he argued in good faith and from a place of sincerity, and had no problem changing his  mind when new facts arose.

     

    His voice will be missed.

  12. 12.

    Gimmeabreak41

    This precisely sums up my online relationship with Mataconis since at least 2008, if not earlier.

    He would be highly embarrassed by all this positive attention. I’m gonna miss him and I hope he has found the peace he sought.

  13. 13.

    Wayne

    I knew Doug only online for about 8 years now. By the book. He saw law by the book. He took no joy when it went against normal people, but stuck to the facts of the law and reamed a new one when it was usurped.  Always ready to accept our “newest overlords” he worried about the fate of the nation, and the world, through insightful and caring eyes. I will miss his counsel and freindship.

  14. 14.

    Bokonon

    Doug was a long-time personal friend, dating back to the 1990’s in the Washington DC area (where he was a law school classmate of my wife’s). I am talking with our old circle of friends and acquaintances to find out what happened.

    Godspeed, Doug. I am going to miss you. Miss you like hell.

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