Although his circulation was good, and his ability to cover national politics in an entertaining, compelling and nonpartisan way was undiminished, he reportedly was never able to overcome the tragic loss of his famous young father, who died in a plane crash in 1999.
Psychologists said Mr. George's constitution may have been sapped by chronic low self-esteem. It was thought to be a result of petty faultfinding from his doddering cousins, including the New Republic, who frequently made fun of Mr. George for being too frivolous and insufficiently dull.
Handicapped by a congenital lack of cynicism, Mr. George was known for a charming, albeit naïve, belief that those who seek political power in America are “lively and engaging men and women who shape public life.”
Mr. George is survived by his editor-in-chief, Frank Lalli; his publisher Hachette Fillipacchi Magazines; Sen. Ted Kennedy; several hundred lesser Kennedys and 500,000 readers.
No memorial service is planned. Mr. George's family requests that in lieu of flowers, mourners should read the special Farewell Issue of George magazine, which has a portrait of John Kennedy on the cover.
Inside are examples of Mr. George's work and highlights from his short but often bright-and-shining career. Included are snippets from articles by Norman Mailer and interviews his father John did with famous people like George Wallace.
Speaking of obituaries, American Spectator, the infamously partisan and once very hot and healthy conservative magazine, was nearly in need of one itself until George Gilder, the guru of future technology, bought it last year.
As debuted by its March issue, American Spectator has completely rejiggered its once-distinctive graphics (not for the better) and has changed its editorial bearings. Its politics are unchanged, and Tom Bethell, John Corry and its all-star crew of conservative-libertarians are still aboard.
But there's a new emphasis on digital technology, the New Economy and science. March's highlights include Gilder's piece on the technology-unfriendly, left-wing politics of Sun Microsystems founder Bill Joy and an interview with cover-boy Lawrence Kudlow, the supply-side economist.
And off the left bow, April's Mother Jones lists the top 400 campaign contributors of election 2000, which saw $3 billion poured into federal elections alone.
MJ, naturally, is terrified that evil corporations and fat cats who gave President Bush and GOP congressional candidates $646 million will soon get the special laws and favors they paid for. The piece is valuable, though labor-union contributions are conveniently unmentioned.
Mother Jones loves government power too much and understands individual freedom too little to ever appreciate the only sure way to get money out of politics — make government so weak and insignificant it doesn't pay to give office holders a dime.
It will always be ideologically challenged, but MJ is arguably America's most readable, best looking political magazine — as long as Mr. George stays dead.
(This article can also be found on WorldNetDaily.)
