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2008 Pulitzer Prizes

See 2008 Board Members

Journalism

Category
Winners
Finalists
Public Service

The Washington Post, for the work of Dana Priest, Anne Hull and photographer Michel du Cille

in exposing mistreatment of wounded veterans at Walter Reed Hospital, evoking a national outcry and producing reforms by federal officials.
Finalists:
Charlotte Observer
Newsday, Long Island, NY
Breaking News Reporting

Staff of The Washington Post

For its exceptional, multi-faceted coverage of the deadly shooting rampage at Virginia Tech, telling the developing story in print and online.
Finalists:
Staff of The New York Times
Staff of Idaho Statesman
Investigative Reporting

Walt Bogdanich and Jake Hooker of The New York Times

For their stories on toxic ingredients in medicine and other everyday products imported from China, leading to crackdowns by American and Chinese officials.

Staff of Chicago Tribune

For its exposure of faulty governmental regulation of toys, car seats and cribs, resulting in the extensive recall of hazardous products and congressional action to tighten supervision.
Finalists:
Miles Moffeit and Susan Greene of The Denver Post
Explanatory Reporting

Amy Harmon of The New York Times

For her striking examination of the dilemmas and ethical issues that accompany DNA testing, using human stories to sharpen her reports.
Finalists:
Beth Daley of The Boston Globe
Staff of The Oregonian, Portland
Local Reporting

David Umhoefer of Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

For his stories on the skirting of tax laws to pad pensions of county employees, prompting change and possible prosecution of key figures.
Finalists:
Chris Davis, Matthew Doig and Tiffany Lankes of Sarasota (FA) Herald Tribune
Jeff Pillets, John Brennan and Tim Nostrand of The Record, Bergen County, NJ
National Reporting

Jo Becker and Barton Gellman of The Washington Post

For their lucid exploration of Vice President Dick Cheney and his powerful yet sometimes disguised influence on national policy.
Finalists:
Staff of The New York Times
Howard Witt of Chicago Tribune
International Reporting

Steve Fainaru of The Washington Post

For his heavily reported series on private security contractors in Iraq that operate outside most of the laws governing American forces.
Finalists:
Staff of The New York Times
Staff of The Wall Street Journal
Feature Writing

Gene Weingarten of The Washington Post

For his chronicling of a world-class violinist who, as an experiment, played beautiful music in a subway station filled with unheeding commuters.
Finalists:
Thomas Curwen of Los Angeles Times
Kevin Vaughan of Rocky Mountain News, Denver, CO
Commentary

Steven Pearlstein of The Washington Post

For his insightful columns that explore the nation's complex economic ills with masterful clarity.
Finalists:
Regina Brett of The Plain Dealer, Cleveland
John Kass of Chicago Tribune
Criticism

Mark Feeney of The Boston Globe

For his penetrating and versatile command of the visual arts, from film and photography to painting.
Finalists:
Ann Hornaday of The Washington Post
Inga Saffron of Philadelphia Inquirer
Breaking News Photography

Adrees Latif of Reuters

For his dramatic photograph of a Japanese videographer, sprawled on the pavement, fatally wounded during a street demonstration in Myanmar.
Finalists:
Mahmud Hams of Agence France-Presse
Staff of Los Angeles Times
Feature Photography

Preston Gannaway of Concord (NH) Monitor

For her intimate chronicle of a family coping with a parent's terminal illness.
Finalists:
David Guttenfelder of Associated Press
Mona Reeder of Dallas Morning News
Editorial Cartooning

Michael Ramirez of Investor's Business Daily

For his provocative cartoons that rely on originality, humor and detailed artistry.
Finalists:
Tom Batiuk of King Features
Clay Bennett of The Christian Science Monitor, Boston, MA

Special Citations

Special Citations and Awards

Bob Dylan

For his profound impact on popular music and American culture, marked by lyrical compositions of extraordinary poetic power.

Books, Drama & Music

Category
Winners
Finalists
Music

The Little Match Girl Passion, by David Lang

Co-commissioned by the Carnegie Hall Corporation and The Perth Theater and Concert Hall, and premiered October 25, 2007 in Zankel Hall at Carnegie Hall, New York City (G. Schirmer, Inc.).
Finalists:
(ELR Music Publishing, Inc.)
(Subito Music Publishing)

2008 Press Releases

Pulitzer Prizes broadened to include online-only publications primarily devoted to original news reporting
Pulitzer Prize Board elects two new Board members
Joyce Dehli joins the Pulitzer Prize Board
Columbia University announces new co-chairs of Pulitzer Prize Board
See 2008 Board Members