Kevin Drum
Encyclopedia
Kevin Drum is an American
political blog
ger and columnist. He was born in Long Beach, California
and now lives in Irvine, California
.
for two years. He transferred to California State University, Long Beach
and received his bachelor's degree in journalism
in 1981. While at CSULB he served as city editor of the university's student run newspaper, the Daily 49er.
blog Calpundit (2003–2004) and through his blog Political Animal (2004–2008) published by the Washington Monthly. In 2008, he took a position blogging at Mother Jones
magazine web site.
Stylistically, his blog is known for offering original statistical or graphical analysis, with special attention to oil supply, especially peak oil theory
, and related issues. While blogging at Calpundit he is credited with pioneering the trend of "Friday catblogging."
Prior to writing full time about politics he worked as a technical writer, then moved into high-tech marketing. He was with Kofax
Image Products for nine years as VP for Marketing
and general manager of the software
division. He also has worked as a consultant.
In an interview with Norman Geras
, Drum stated that his intellectual heroes were Franklin Delano Roosevelt, Isaac Newton
, John Maynard Keynes
, Edward R. Murrow
and Charles Darwin
. He also considers Benjamin Franklin
his all-time favorite political hero.
's approach was incapable of accomplishing the goals it was meant to accomplish). Since then, I've pretty much come to the conclusion that, in fact, I should have opposed it all along on philosophical grounds: namely that it was a fundamentally flawed concept and had no chance of working even if it had been competently executed."
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
political blog
Blog
A blog is a type of website or part of a website supposed to be updated with new content from time to time. Blogs are usually maintained by an individual with regular entries of commentary, descriptions of events, or other material such as graphics or video. Entries are commonly displayed in...
ger and columnist. He was born in Long Beach, California
Long Beach, California
Long Beach is a city situated in Los Angeles County in Southern California, on the Pacific coast of the United States. The city is the 36th-largest city in the nation and the seventh-largest in California. As of 2010, its population was 462,257...
and now lives in Irvine, California
Irvine, California
Irvine is a suburban incorporated city in Orange County, California, United States. It is a planned city, mainly developed by the Irvine Company since the 1960s. Formally incorporated on December 28, 1971, the city has a population of 212,375 as of the 2010 census. However, the California...
.
Education
Drum attended CaltechCalifornia Institute of Technology
The California Institute of Technology is a private research university located in Pasadena, California, United States. Caltech has six academic divisions with strong emphases on science and engineering...
for two years. He transferred to California State University, Long Beach
California State University, Long Beach
California State University, Long Beach is the second largest campus of the California State University system and the third largest university in the state of California by enrollment...
and received his bachelor's degree in journalism
Journalism
Journalism is the practice of investigation and reporting of events, issues and trends to a broad audience in a timely fashion. Though there are many variations of journalism, the ideal is to inform the intended audience. Along with covering organizations and institutions such as government and...
in 1981. While at CSULB he served as city editor of the university's student run newspaper, the Daily 49er.
Career
Drum rose to prominence through the popularity of his now-defunct independent liberalLiberalism in the United States
Liberalism in the United States is a broad political philosophy centered on the unalienable rights of the individual. The fundamental liberal ideals of freedom of speech, freedom of the press, freedom of religion for all belief systems, and the separation of church and state, right to due process...
blog Calpundit (2003–2004) and through his blog Political Animal (2004–2008) published by the Washington Monthly. In 2008, he took a position blogging at Mother Jones
Mother Jones (magazine)
Mother Jones is an American independent news organization, featuring investigative and breaking news reporting on politics, the environment, human rights, and culture. Mother Jones has been nominated for 23 National Magazine Awards and has won six times, including for General Excellence in 2001,...
magazine web site.
Stylistically, his blog is known for offering original statistical or graphical analysis, with special attention to oil supply, especially peak oil theory
Hubbert peak theory
The Hubbert peak theory posits that for any given geographical area, from an individual oil-producing region to the planet as a whole, the rate of petroleum production tends to follow a bell-shaped curve...
, and related issues. While blogging at Calpundit he is credited with pioneering the trend of "Friday catblogging."
Prior to writing full time about politics he worked as a technical writer, then moved into high-tech marketing. He was with Kofax
Kofax
Kofax is a company which manufactures and sells computer hardware, software and services. It is listed on the London Stock Exchange.-History:...
Image Products for nine years as VP for Marketing
Marketing
Marketing is the process used to determine what products or services may be of interest to customers, and the strategy to use in sales, communications and business development. It generates the strategy that underlies sales techniques, business communication, and business developments...
and general manager of the software
Computer software
Computer software, or just software, is a collection of computer programs and related data that provide the instructions for telling a computer what to do and how to do it....
division. He also has worked as a consultant.
In an interview with Norman Geras
Norman Geras
Norman Geras is Professor Emeritus of Government at the University of Manchester. In a long academic career, he has contributed substantially to the analysis of the works of Karl Marx, particularly in his book Marx and Human Nature and the article 'The Controversy About Marx and Justice', which...
, Drum stated that his intellectual heroes were Franklin Delano Roosevelt, Isaac Newton
Isaac Newton
Sir Isaac Newton PRS was an English physicist, mathematician, astronomer, natural philosopher, alchemist, and theologian, who has been "considered by many to be the greatest and most influential scientist who ever lived."...
, John Maynard Keynes
John Maynard Keynes
John Maynard Keynes, Baron Keynes of Tilton, CB FBA , was a British economist whose ideas have profoundly affected the theory and practice of modern macroeconomics, as well as the economic policies of governments...
, Edward R. Murrow
Edward R. Murrow
Edward Roscoe Murrow, KBE was an American broadcast journalist. He first came to prominence with a series of radio news broadcasts during World War II, which were followed by millions of listeners in the United States and Canada.Fellow journalists Eric Sevareid, Ed Bliss, and Alexander Kendrick...
and Charles Darwin
Charles Darwin
Charles Robert Darwin FRS was an English naturalist. He established that all species of life have descended over time from common ancestry, and proposed the scientific theory that this branching pattern of evolution resulted from a process that he called natural selection.He published his theory...
. He also considers Benjamin Franklin
Benjamin Franklin
Dr. Benjamin Franklin was one of the Founding Fathers of the United States. A noted polymath, Franklin was a leading author, printer, political theorist, politician, postmaster, scientist, musician, inventor, satirist, civic activist, statesman, and diplomat...
his all-time favorite political hero.
The Iraq war
Drum initially supported the 2003 Iraq War, but immediately before its initiation by the United States he came out in opposition to it. He said, "Before the war started I switched to opposition on practical grounds (i.e., that George W. BushGeorge W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
's approach was incapable of accomplishing the goals it was meant to accomplish). Since then, I've pretty much come to the conclusion that, in fact, I should have opposed it all along on philosophical grounds: namely that it was a fundamentally flawed concept and had no chance of working even if it had been competently executed."
External links
- Kevin Drum's blog at Mother Jones.
- Biographical information.
- Kevin Drum interview at The Potomac Journal.