A grievous blow: Rep. Bob Matsui, 26 year veteran of the House, a one-time Japanese-American internee during World War II and now the Dems point-man on Social Security, has died at the age of 63.

According to this late wire story, he was diagnosed "several months ago with [Myelodysplastic] Disorder, a rare stem cell disorder that reduces the body's ability to produce red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets. Victims of the disease are left more susceptible to other illnesses, with less ability to fight them off."

He entered the hospital on Christmas Eve and died last night.

I met Matsui last year at a dinner party in Washington. And then we got together for breakfast on Capitol Hill a few weeks later to talk about politics, the election and new media activism. This was a sharp, kind, warmhearted and unpretentious man. As I said, a grievous blow. He will be sorely missed.

Here is a link to the announcement of his death on his congressional website.