Bartcop the original liberal blogger has passed away.

[Buzz cook]

Source: Name of source Bartcop.com

We are deeply saddened to report the passing of Bart on the morning of March 5, 2014. He died peacefully due to his flu, pneumonia and his Leukemia. His last word is below as well as opportunities to communicate what he and his Tequila Tree House have meant to you over the years.

As we grieve the loss and celebrate Bart's life we will consider our options for the future of the page in the days ahead. Send us your thoughts.

Donations to help Mrs. Bart cover Bart's medical expenses are greatly appreciated.

Read more: Link to sourcehttp://www.bartcop.com/

---

Bartcop started posting in 1996 in a Blog originally title "Rush Limbaugh Lying Nazi Whore"

Since that time he continued posting humor about the right and their ways.
Many prominent bloggers passed Bartcop in popularity but he was the first and influenced many of them.

He will be missed.

[mcar]

1. Sad news. RIP Bart

I used to read his blog faithfully. He had a good sense of humorous.

[Adenoid_Hynkel]

103. In honor of him, here's Shirley Manson

[SteveG]

2. He will definitely be missed

this is sad. I found his page about 14 years ago. some of his stuff was hilarious.

[shenmue]

3. Mike Malloy talked about him a lot

I wonder if he has read about this. I think Mike may mention it on the show tonight.



Rest in peace.

[OKNancy]

4. How terrible. He was a good Oklahoman

He lived nearby. His was the first political site I really read on a daily basis.

[Kingofalldems]

5. I remember him from the old Prodigy network pre internet.

There was a political message board where he used to destroy the Limbaugh dittoheads on a daily basis.

His name was Terry Coppage.

RIP, Terry.

[Gothmog]

6. May he rest in peace

[modrepub]

7. A man who could be way over the top

and made me laugh and think. Remember his stories about seeing Frank Sinatra. It's been awhile since I've been in the treehouse.

[tea and oranges]

8. RIP Bart

Bartcop was one of the 1st blogs I came across way back in the days before the Bush selection.

And what a find! Always slow to load, but quick to bring laughter or a smile, Bartcop was sustenance at a time when it was all corporate media all the time.

Rest in Peace, you old truth-teller you. If I could drink, I'd have a shot of the best tequila I can find in Seattle in your honor.

[Ghost Dog]

96. Yeah.

(Don't drink Bad idea.).

[blm]

9. Sad to hear this, Buzz.

Even when we were at loggerheads I could still find a laugh or two.

[GoCubsGo]

10. Damn it.

I read his page from the beginning. He helped me get through the Clinton impeachment lunacy, as well as much of the Bush nightmare. He kind of lost me during the 2008 primary, but I started reading him again on occasion fairly recently. I'm sad to hear that he's gone.

[BradBlog]

11. A few words, 'In Memoriam' on Terry from The BRAD BLOG...

In Memoriam: Terry 'BartCop' Coppage
http://www.bradblog.com/?p=10529

[loudsue]

56. Gawd, Brad! Where have you been?

I haven't seen you around these parts in a while. Have you been here, and I just missed you?

[BradBlog]

105. "Have you been here, and I just missed you?"

Yes. Though, admittedly, as DU moderators have removed/locked some of my posts to LBN over recent months (without good reason), I've been less inclined to bring them here first.

But, yes, I'm still around and at BradBlog.com, Salon, The Progressive, KPFK/Pacifica, ProgressiveVoices channel among other places!

[loudsue]

106. Yep. I've had a bunch of my posts locked, too.

Looks like the new mods don't so much like the old liberal voices around here.

[Chef Eric]

12. I used to read Bartcop almost every day. nt

[SCVDem]

13. Damn!

Bart was a daily read for many of us.

Are there any pics of him?

Rest in peace Bartdude.

[ramblin_dave]

73. A picture

http://marc.perkel.com/2014/03/07/bartcop-has-died/

[SCVDem]

80. Thank you

And as Bart would say; A shot of Chinaco Añejo for you.

Terry really helped me survive NOT only Bush and the BFEE, but my unemployment.

I am also concerned about Lisa at AHNC.

[herding cats]

14. Sad news.

Leukemia sucks.

I'll be having a shot of tequila in memory of better times when he was well and whole. I hope his wife is faring well with his passing.

[The Wizard]

15. An Internet legend

His posts will be seriously missed.

[Joey Liberal]

72. Bigtime

His blog was a liberal oasis.

[adirondacker]

16. A pioneer that helped me get through the Bush years.

Condolences to family and friends.

[BumRushDaShow]

17. Wow. Oft-posted here on DU.

Still linked to on the front page. R.I.P.

[Joey Liberal]

18. Bartcop helped me a lot

Living in Oklahoma and being surrounded by republicans of the worst sort, it was always relaxing and fun to read Bartcop's blog after a long day at work. He was priceless.

[PSPS]

19. Wow

I am utterly gobsmacked. Bartcop would make the occasional oblique reference to being sick, but I had no idea it was this serious. Reading Bartcop was something I looked forward to each and every day, so I will miss and remember Bartcop from now on, each and every day.

[byronius]

20. I will seriously miss that guy.

[Denis 11]

21. I found DU through Bartcop.com, I am very sad at the news of his passing.

I will have a shot of Chinaco Anejo in memory of Terry.

[dhill926]

41. This...

[Frank Cannon]

63. So did I

His page was a daily read for me for years, as far back as 1999.

So long, Mr. Coppage. You were one of a kind.

[angel823]

75. and another

who found DU from originally reading Bartcop.

Angel in Texas

[wfhell]

82. Annnd another

Way back when DU was just a few months old.

I still have a copy of my favorite Bartcop rant on my old PC's hard drive - from Nov 2000, it's a great history lesson for anyone who's too young to remember the Clinton years:

http://www.bartcop.com/kissmyass.htm

Think I may go find my old Juliefest t-shirt and have a couple tonight (Jack, though - not Chinaco) in his memory.

RIP, Terry.

[DeSwiss]

22. RIP

[onehandle]

23. I was a moderator in Bartcop's forum. Met him at an amazing meetup in Washington D.C. in 2002.

We organized the event at James Carville's restaurant. A number of prominent people from our side were attending including David Brock, Joe Conason, Duncan Black and others.

He's the original. All other liberal bloggers should thank him tonight.

[blm]

25. Atrios, Digby...... : (

.

[joshcryer]

61. OMG.

I'm choking up.

[mooseandsquirrel]

26. Hey onehandle! Been a long time. Look me up on Facebook if you do that. Just search Bill Osment.

We lost a good friend. I'm truly sad about this.

m&s

[blm]

79. (( mooseandsquirrel ))

.

[Justpat]

27. I was at that event in DC too.

It was a great day. I loved meeting Bart and Mrs. Bart too.
Like so many others, Bart helped keep me sane during the Bush nightmare years.
He was a liberal warrior and I will miss him so very much.

[ReRe]

28. That he was... an original.

Tipping a shot glass in his honor tonight.

[johnfunk]

39. Juliefest 2002 -- I was there!

Julie Hiatt Steele was the guest of honor. Meeting Atrios, David Brock, and Mark from Buzzflash was a trip.

"Shirley Manson, please contact Bartcop!"

Terry was an underappreciated liberal Web pioneer.

[EarlG]

42. I was there that night too

and Skinner. We were pretty gobsmacked by all the celebs in attendance. It was a big deal!

[onehandle]

45. Yeah. I was introduced to the two of you by a mutual acquaintance.

The event made quite an impression on me and my wife. She told me a few minutes ago that she was thinking about the immensity of the occasion just the other day.

[SoLeftIAmRight]

58. I was there also.

I will send a Juliefest T-shirt to highest bidder. All proceeds go to Ms. Bartcop and the cats.

[joshcryer]

62. Holy shit I remember that.

Holy fucking shit. I wasn't there mind you but I remember the pictures posted and the bumper stickers. It was really a starting point for blogging back then. He never did change how his site worked. This was before Livejournal, Friendster, it was literally how political blogging started. Media Whores Online, I remember it being announced on TV. Went to it first thing.

You bring back wonderful, amazing memories.

[myrna minx]

66. I remember reading about the event. Yes, he really was a voice in the wilderness.

Rest in Peace Bartcop.

[Skinner]

68. I was there too.

[Joe Bacon]

100. I remember.

I tried to go into the chat room Friday night, but I just kept crying.

[The Second Stone]

24. My condolences to all in the tequila clubhouse

http://www.metrolyrics.com/john-henry-lyrics-woody-guthrie.html

John Henry, when he was a baby
Settin' on his mammy's knee
Picked up an hammer in his little right hand
Said, "Hammer be the death of me, me, me
Hammer be the death of me"

Some say he's born in Texas
Some say he's born up in Maine
I just say he was a Louisiana man
Leader of a steel-driving chain gang
Leader on a steel-driving gang

Read more: Woody Guthrie - John Henry Lyrics | MetroLyrics

[SalviaBlue]

29. RIP ...I found DU from Bartcop

[KoKo]

30. Very Sad News...One of our First to SPEAK OUT... Inspired Many!

Condolences to his family and friends and those here who started out with him.

[go west young man]

31. Holy cow.

He was a great one. His last words will bring tears to your eyes. RIP Bart.

[Jesus Malverde]

32. He was a legend.

He was obsessed with Shirley..

[Buzz cook]

36. He loved Garbage

He wrote a trip report that had "Beautiful Garbage" as the sound track.

[Frank Cannon]

64. He used to end every page with a picture of Shirley Manson.

I swear that for years, he never repeated a single one. You would think she was the most photographed woman on the planet.

[WiseguyUSA]

88. The Day He Missed Shirleys Call

Have you seen this? I was the foulmouthed friend calling him LOL

http://www.bartcop.com/shirley-manson-call-missed.htm

[Frank Cannon]

94. Wow, I missed that. Thanks for that!

And so, SO sorry for your loss.

[wyldwolf]

33. :( The very first liberal voice I found online. He doesn't get near the credit he deserves.

[GP6971]

76. So true. n/t

[deutsey]

34. RIP, my friend

Sigh. And fuckwads like Limbaugh live on.

What a fucked up reality. What a fucked up reality.


Thank you, Terry. You fought the good fight.

[TxDemChem]

35. RIP Bartcop

...

[Jerry442]

37. Oh man, I can't believe he's gone.

He was a mensch when all the other info sources I was seeing were a bunch of toadies. You have no idea what a relief it was to see someone out there writing, "No, you're not nuts. Yes, the situation is exactly as f'ed up as you think it is!"

Goodbye Bart.

[mn9driver]

38. I just visited his page a few days ago.

Always funny. Always worth a stop. RIP Bart.

[alfredo]

40. RIP brother.

[winstars]

43. Like others, I found DU thru Bartcop in 2001.... Thanks my friend....

[IowaUnionman]

44. Bartcop

I have never felt the need to have my opinion heard but with the passing of Bart i have to comment. The world is going to miss his hard hitting hammer of truth. His blunt, to the point voice of the common man was much needed. although it seemed his voice was almost drowned out by corporate media whores and Wall Street democrats he never stopped swinging his hammer. Thanks Bart we will miss you.

[sharp_stick]

46. Welcome to DU

We will all miss him.

[mazzarro]

47. RIP - Bartcop; You Will Be Missed Alot! - n/t

[Riverman100]

48. I was honored

when he recently used one of my pictures of Pittsburgh as his "mystery city". But reading his blog was a highlight of the day for me. I stole so many of his graphics to use on my face book page. Damn this makes me sad

[Manifestor_of_Light]

49. Obituary.

http://www.floralhaven.com/obituaries/Terrence-Coppage/#!/Obituary

Damn I miss him. Started reading his page years ago. RIP. Terry, you fought the good fight.

[SteveG]

51. Thank you for posting this.

He was an original.

[geomon666]

50. I found this site through Bartcop back in '01.

He'll be greatly missed.

[Codeine]

52. As with many other DUers I found this site via Bartcop.

He was a funny, impassioned advocate and the world is a bit less for his passing.

[AverageJoe90]

53. Damn, man, Bart was one of the first guys I'd heard about.

R.I.P. Bart; we'll miss you.

[tandot]

54. Flu, pneumonia, and leukemia

I just said good-bye to my cousin who was 40 and had the flu and then pneumonia. She decided to not get the flu shot this year. she had lupus and her bodie wasn't able to fight off the flu ... Devastating

[Archae]

55. I had a row with Bartcop over Obama, back in 2008.

Bartcop was obviously pro-Hillary and I supported Obama, and I ended up in one of his "Monkey Mails."

We did "kiss and make up" the next year though, when Bartcop changed his mind about Obama.

I enjoyed his humor, his "Mystery Celebrities," "History Mysteries," and the Bartcop Hotties.

One thing, Bartcop was instrumental in the exposure of "Dr" Laura Schlesinger, posting her nude pictures.

[mozan]

57. help Bart out

If we have extra money help wife. if we can start posting to BARTBLOG lets swing the hammer for BART.

[mozan]

59. lets try warren buffet

everybody send e-mail to warren buffet. get him to pay off the money ms bart needs.. give it a try people she needs our help.

[joshcryer]

60. BartCop answered every email I ever sent him.

Was a really good guy. I miss him already. I wish he'd only seen Hillary win the Presidency. I know, I know, whatever you want to say. He supported Hillary though.

[KansDem]

65. I found DU through Bartcop!

Rest in peace.

[LaydeeBug]

67. RIP Bart. Godspeed Lorena. nt

[itsrobert]

69. How do we know he is the original?

Is it self proclaimed?

[Joey Liberal]

70. He was the first

He was the original.

[itsrobert]

71. I'll let my question go for now

n/t

[Enraged_Ape]

74. He started Rush Limbaugh Lying Nazi Whore in 1996.

Before the Internet had really taken off.

He was the first one I ever discovered. His site led me to DU, Smirking Chimp, Media Whores Online, and other liberal blogs over the years.

This is really sad. His site was an island of sanity for me during the election theft and the ensuing awful Bush years.

[Buzz cook]

81. Depends on who's doing the math

Picking who was the first is relative because of course the concept of a blog post dates Bartcop and the few other early bloggers.

It is my opinion that Bart was the first. Here is why.

I got my first PC with a modem in late 95 and got on the world wide web in January of 96. As most of us do I followed my interests to web sites and forums that catered to those interests, in my case history.

Not long after I started my first of many political arguments.

During that and the many subsequent ones I search all over the net. First I searched for facts that would bolster my arguments. Then at some point I started looking for like minded people.
Almost all the liberal pages on the net at that time were similar to what Steve Kangas had. A set of static articles covering different topics.
Bartcop was the only one that was writing in relative real time about things happening in the news. The closest poster to Bart was Rack Jite who was also a humorist.

So there you go. In 1996 I search the whole internet (might be a slight exaggeration) and Bartcop was the only one with a site that resembles a modern liberal political blog.

[WiseguyUSA]

92. Humble Beginnings

I posted this before in the wrong place... sorry.

Back in the days before even dial-up internet there were online services like Prodigy, AOL, GEnie, Compuserve etc.

Terry was a driver for a vending company, and would drive a giant circle between Tulsa, OK, Ft Smith, AR and Joplin MO (and all tiny spots inbetween) in a small Suburu with all of the seats except for the drivers taken out so that the car could be filled with candy, chips, cigarettes, toys for the claw machine and change from the vending machines.

This car only had an AM radio, so he would spend long hours alone in the car with nothing but AM Talk radio for mental stimulation he would stew all day over Rush, and have no outlet to rebuke the "vulger pigboy" rants spewing from AM "Newstalk Radio"

He first entered the online political forums on Prodigy, which is where many of his "Bartisms" came from (Ditto Monkey, Swear to Koresh etc.) the name "Bartcop" came from his cat "Bart" and his last name (Coppage)

When he moved from Prodigy to dial up internet he moved into usenet groups like alt.politics

Soon thereafter he started a "Newsletter" and later a listserv titled "Rush Limba - Lying Nazi Whore"

When Mark Prekel (did I spell that right?) approached him to do a webpage, I taught him HTML and BartCop.com was born in 1997-ish (?)

You can decide for yourself if he was the "original" or not.

[santamargarita]

77. RIP Bart.

[Sky Masterson]

78. I started my online political life through Bartcop.com

I found DU through that page. I was GoPsUx at the time.
I can't imagine the friends I wouldn't have known if I never found Bartcop who led me to DU.
Rest in peace, Bartcop. I'll pour out a little tequila for you.

[frazzled]

85. Same here

I've been out of town and am just learning this sad news.

A fond hello to friends in the Tree House circa 2000.

[RussBLib]

97. yo tambien

I discovered Bartcop shortly after the "election" of 2000. He inspired many of us here in Houston to put a TV show on Access TV that mercilessly skewered the Bush Gang. Bartcop was one of our guests. It was great fun.

I started blogging shortly thereafter and patterned my blog after Bartcop's design.

I'm so glad he got to visit Colorado after they legalized weed. He spent almost as much time lobbying for weed as he did lobbying against Bush.

I will really, truly miss him, and I'm going to send Debby a few bucks to help out.

[bitchkitty]

83. RIP. I didn't know that he was sick.

I used to read his page religiously but tapered off after Obama was elected.

[WiseguyUSA]

89. CLL

In 2004 (I believe) he was diagnosed with Chronic lymphocytic leukemia he posted about it on his page a few weeks later.

[bitchkitty]

91. Guess I must have missed it.

And I must have stopped reading before Obama was elected, because I do not recall it. He kept up the page, and I guess he didn't post much about his illness. I'm sorry to see him go - I liked him, as a personality and as a person.

[WiseguyUSA]

93. Anniversary

Sadly the trip to Colorado was to celibrate the (10th?) anniversary of his diagnosis and it has been speculated that he caught something on the crowded flight back to OK.

[Frank Cannon]

95. OMG.

There's really nothing to say about that other than that just fucking sucks.

[WiseguyUSA]

84. #RIPBartcop

I was the "Obvious Felon" that taught Terry HTML so he could take his listserve and and publish a website (the word "Blog" had yet to be coined) Later I helped him build the studio and start the podcast, which I was a guest on a few times. In beetween, I fixed his PC a few times, crashed it once, and found stuff that he misplaced (that guy had NO filing system)

I knew him since I was 14. To give you an idea, in his famous bar-owner period that he writes about... I was too young to get in. Whatever grief you feel about the absence of his guiding wisdom, factor in my turbulent adolecence and culture shock after moving to Knuckledrag from Washington, DC and I would argue the loss is 10 fold.

Take my grief, factor it by 100 and you can imagine how his family feel.

Even though we all knew about his Lukemia somehow this still managed to blindside all of us.

Please remember to tag your posts with #RIPBartcop so that "Mrs. Bart" can find them easily.

[uppityperson]

86. Thank you for your story, I am sorry. It doesn't begin to help, but so sorry.

[In_The_Wind]

87. Weicome to DU, WiseguyUSA.

I'm sorry for your loss of a true friend. May he rest in peace.

[CanSocDem]

98. Thank you for your posts...

...and the help you provided BartCop. My condolences to you and the BartCop family.

He showed us the way.


.

[WiseguyUSA]

99. Late to the party

Sorry I waited so long to join DU, I knew about it for a long time, just never joined.

I am here now!

[LiberalLovinLug]

101. RIP Bart

Long time follower. Always appreciated his humour and that he put political cartoons on his page.

[WiseguyUSA]

102. Best Way I Can Explain It...

For those reading this, that haven't read some of my other responses on the subject: Terry was a close friend and in 1997 He paid my $55 course fees + $100 to take a Continuing Ed class on Web Design & HTML and teach him what I learned in the comfort his home "Bartcop Manor"

Soon after, that "Rush Limba Lying Nazi Whore" listserv died, and "BartCop.com" was born.

What I have read over and over is "I would have never survived the Bush years without BartCop!"

and to that I say: I would have never survived the REAGAN years without Terry!

Sorry that it took me so long to arrive here at DU, but here I am!

[WiseguyUSA]

104. If You Have the Bartcop Julie Fest 2002 DVD...

If you have the Juliefest 2002 DVD and can take a high res still capture of a good close up shot of Bart at the event PLEASE Email it to: [e-mail] ASAP for use in an upcoming piece in a Tulsa Alt Bi-Weekly Newspaper (yes.. "Dead Tree Media" LOL)

Original story here: http://www.bartcop.com/juliefest2002.htm