Most people with common sense are deeply suspicious of Michael Hastings' death.

[MADem]

37. People also make assumptions that their heroes are just like them...well, because...

But no one knows the political affiliation of Mister Hastings. He may have been a (gasp) Republican. Of course, with all the Obamahate happening in these parts lately, that would probably fuel a conspiracy theory rather than tamp it down.

I know he liked women who were comfortable in GOP political circles. His late fiancee, the one who worked for the NGO in Baghdad, and who did public relations for Air America, was also a PR flack for Jane Swift, Republican Governor of Massachusetts (she fleeted up to the job from LTGOV, and was bigfooted out of running for the GOP nomination by Mitt Romney, FWIW).

His wife, who delivered that eloquent smackdown to Geraldo, used to work for the Bush administration, and she also worked for Condi Rice during Condi's SecState days.

No one "knows" this guy. They liked his "in yer face" reporting style, bridge-burning though it was, because it was tough and honest and refreshing. But they don't know what his views were on the issues of the day, everything from gun ownership to abortion to public school funding. We only know him from a few articles on very narrow subjects.

It's a shame he's dead, but it's premature in the extreme to start looking for a "murderer" who "set him up" and "faked a car accident."

If someone were going to do that, the best time to do it would have been during the day with lots of witnesses.