RIP Eugene McCarthy

Love him or hate him, the man arguably changed the face of American politics more than any other person in the last half century. Principly by shifting the balance of national political power from the infamous "smoke filled" backrooms of the national party conventions to the state by state primary elections.

The Washington Post has an excellent piece on McCarthy and his death: Gentle Senator, Presidential Hopeful Empowered U.S. Antiwar Movement

A former college professor and novice in a Benedictine monastery, McCarthy had never marched in lockstep with the political chieftains of his day. He had a gentle demeanor, and it was often said that he had the heart and soul of a philosopher. He spoke with a cadence that sometimes made it seem as if he were quoting the Irish poet William Butler Yeats, and when he was at his best on the campaign hustings, he could stir the spirits and fire the imaginations of his audience.

The AP also has a very good piece (via Yahoo): 1968 Presidential Upstart McCarthy Dies

In an interview a month before the 2003 invasion of Iraq, McCarthy compared the Bush administration with the characters in the William Golding novel "Lord of the Flies," in which a group of boys stranded on an island turn to savagery.

"The bullies are running it," McCarthy said. "Bush is bullying everything."

Those wanting to dig deeper may want to read the Wikipedia entry on him: Eugene McCarthy