Finalist: the Los Angeles Times , by Steve Lopez
For his engaging commentary on death and dying, marked by pieces on his own father's rapid physical and mental decline, that stir readers to address end-of-life questions.
Winners
Prize Winner in Commentary in 2012:
Mary Schmich
For her wide range of down-to-earth columns that reflect the character and capture the culture of her famed city.
Commentary
Finalists
Nominated as finalists in Commentary in 2012:
Nicholas Kristof
For his valorous columns that transport readers into dangerous international scenes, from Egypt to Kenya to Cambodia, often focusing on the disenfranchised and always providing insight.
The Jury
The Jury
Michael Pride(Chair )
former editor
Patricia Calhoun
editor
Valerie Hoeppner
director of education
Maricarrol Kueter
executive editor
Kerry Lauerman
editor in chief
Mark E. Russell
editor
Tom Waseleski
editorial page editor
Winners in Commentary
David Leonhardt
For his graceful penetration of America's complicated economic questions, from the federal budget deficit to health care reform.
Kathleen Parker
For her perceptive, often witty columns on an array of political and moral issues, gracefully sharing the experiences and values that lead her to unpredictable conclusions.
Eugene Robinson
For his eloquent columns on the 2008 presidential campaign that focus on the election of the first African-American president, showcasing graceful writing and grasp of the larger historic picture.
Steven Pearlstein
For his insightful columns that explore the nation's complex economic ills with masterful clarity.
2012 Prize Winners
No award
No award
Manning Marable
An exploration of the legendary life and provocative views of one of the most significant African-Americans in U.S. history, a work that separates fact from fiction and blends the heroic and tragic.
John Lewis Gaddis
An engaging portrait of a globetrotting diplomat whose complicated life was interwoven with the Cold War and America's emergence as the world's dominant power.
Tracy K. Smith
A collection of bold, skillful poems, taking readers into the universe and moving them to an authentic mix of joy and pain.