Hunter S Thompson

My introduction to Thompson was through articles in Rolling Stone back in the 70's. A couple of his books were excerpted, including "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas" and "Fear and Loathing on the Campaign Trail 1972", my personal favorite. I had never read anything like it. A mix of fact and the fertile drug-induced imagination of Thompson, the reader never quite knew what was real. I believe this was the desired effect, but that is just a guess on my part. When interviewed, Thompson proved as elusive and confusing as Bob Dylan about his style and substance.

His campaign for Sheriff of Pitkin County, Colorado was also a highlight. Home of Aspen and of Thompson, the "freak" vote almost elected him. Among other platform planks, he suggested changing Aspen's name to "Fat City".

His writing and his personal life were outrageous. He was the inspiration for the "Uncle Duke" character in the Doonesbury comic strip. Although somewhat a shadow of his former self in recent years, he still had the sharp satirical wit whenever discussing politicians. An avowed Nixon-hater, some of his best quotes are about Tricky Dick:

"Richard Nixon has never been one of my favorite people anyway. For years I've regarded his existence as a monument to all the rancid genes and broken chromosones that corrupt the possibilities of the American Dream; he was a foul caricature of himself, a man with no soul, no inner convictions, with the integrity of a hyena and the style of a poison toad. The Nixon I remembered was absolutely humorless; I couldn't imagine him laughing at anything except maybe a paraplegic who wanted to vote Democratic but couldn't quite reach the lever on the voting machine."

However, he compared GWB to Nixon this way:"Richard Nixon looks like a flaming liberal today, compared to a golem like George Bush. Indeed. Where is Richard Nixon now that we finally need him?" "Nixon was a professional politician, and I despised everything he stood for -- but if he were running for president this year against the evil Bush-Cheney gang, I would happily vote for him."

For whatever reason, Thompson decided to end his life with a bullet to the brain. Rest in peace, Hunter. We'll not see the likes of you again.