Michael Hastings has died

[Synthaholic]

Newsweek/Rolling Stone/Buzzfeed journalist Michael Hastings was killed in an L.A. auto accident this morning. Very sad. I just saw him Saturday morning, slamming Obama's drone speech, on 'Up With Steve Kornacki'.

He was only 33 years old.

 

[daveman]

Only 33. How awful. My condolences to his family and friends.

 

[hortysir]

I'm terrible with names so I had to search his work.
I am familiar with some of it and it was good stuff.

He seemed to be a good watchdog


Praying for those he left behind

 

[Political Junky]

Michael Hastings, the fearless journalist whose reporting brought down the career of General Stanley McChrystal, has died in a car accident in Los Angeles, Rolling Stone has learned. He was 33.

Hastings' unvarnished 2010 profile of McChrystal in the pages of Rolling Stone, "The Runaway General," captured the then-supreme commander of the U.S.-led war effort in Afghanistan openly mocking his civilian commanders in the White House. The maelstrom sparked by its publication concluded with President Obama recalling McChrystal to Washington and the general resigning his post. "The conduct represented in the recently published article does not meet the standard that should be met by – set by a commanding general," Obama said, announcing McChrystal's departure. "It undermines the civilian control of the military that is at the core of our democratic system."

Hastings' hallmark as reporter was his refusal to cozy up to power. While other embedded reporters were charmed by McChrystal's bad-boy bravado and might have excused his insubordination as a joke, Hastings was determined to expose the recklessness of a man leading what Hastings believed to be a reckless war. "Runaway General" was a finalist for a National Magazine Award, won the 2010 Polk award for magazine reporting, and was the basis for Hastings' book, The Operators: The Wild and Terrifying Inside Story of America's War in Afghanistan.

Read more: Michael Hastings Dead at 33 | Politics News | Rolling Stone

 

[Synthaholic]

His advice to young journalists: put a fact in each sentence. Good advice.

He was the one who wrote the Rolling Stone article that forced Gen. Stanley McChrystal to resign. He was also a frequent critic of President Obama, and other journalists:

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZpzSCax1gxw]Michael Hastings Defends Insulting CNN's Barbara Starr - YouTube[/ame]

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZQqtlekUPYI]Journalist Michael Hastings Dies in Fiery Hollywood Crash - 6/18/2013 - YouTube[/ame]

 

[skye]

Never heard of him but RIP Michael Hastings.

 

[Synthaholic]

He was married to the beautiful and talented journalist Elise Jordon.

 

[Gracie]

What Skye said.

 

[westwall]

A sad end for a diligent reporter. RIP.

 

[Synthaholic]

Here's a Hastings story about something I bet we all missed, back in May:

Exclusive: The Tragic Imprisonment Of John McTiernan, Hollywood Icon

The legendary director of Die Hard and The Hunt for Red October is serving a year in federal prison thanks to a Hollywood wannabe prosecutor, a remake of Rollerball, and a rogue private eye. In an exclusive interview, McTiernan’s wife Gail says, “I don’t know if he’s going to make it.”

 

[bripat9643]

Newsweek/Rolling Stone/Buzzfeed journalist Michael Hastings was killed in an L.A. auto accident this morning. Very sad. I just saw him Saturday morning, slamming Obama's drone speech, on 'Up With Steve Kornacki'.

He was only 33 years old.

God riddance. Now if only the rest of the staff of the Rolling Stone would off themselves.

 

[Mad Scientist]

God riddance. Now if only the rest of the staff of the Rolling Stone would off themselves.

Don't count them out, Rolling Stone has some good articles, especially when Matt Taibi writes them.