http://twitter.com/#!/KatrinaNation/status/226581420137664512

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

Very sad to hear of Alexander Cockburn's passing. Writers of that calibre always leave a void behind.

— JLLLOW (@JLLLOW) July 21, 2012

We will be flying our flag at half mast all week as Alexander Cockburn is dead. He will be welcomed to the great radical valhallah. #RIP

— BOLLYWOOD HECKLER (@Bollywdheckler) July 21, 2012

Deeply saddened by the death of Alexander Cockburn. An inspiration to radical journalists the world over. RIP

— Owen Jones (@OwenJones84) July 21, 2012

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

Alexander Cockburn published some of my political scribblings and was very kind to me as a young, fairly clueless writer. He will be missed.

— Kendall G. Clark (@kendall) July 21, 2012

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

Read more: http://twitchy.com/2012/07/21/rip-alexander-cockburn/