I'm so very proud to announce that Digby (Heather Parton) won the 2014 Hillman Award for Opinion and Analysis Journalism.

Digby’s 2013 commentary on economic inequality and the ongoing battle inside Washington on cutting social spending was stoic in defense of both the powerless and the American middle class. She took official Washington to task on behalf of those too often left out of the American Dream. She criticized the political brinksmanship over the Federal budget and examined its real-world victims.

She took on both welfare reformers on the left and budget slicers on the right, providing context for a steadily decreasing middle class and more Americans living in poverty, particularly children. Digby chided deficit hawks for ignoring the growing poverty picture, pushed back on Democrats seeking a “grand bargain,” and analyzed how voters sometimes ignore their own economic self-interest.

It’s her sharp rhetorical blade that influences so many other voices, creates a real network of thought, and urges people to action. She has taken on politicians — both Democrats and Republicans — for abandoning the underpinnings of our national promise. And she has turned her often-withering gaze on the Beltway media — or in Digbyspeak, “the Villagers” — with razor-sharp media criticism.

C&Lers know that she's a dear friend as well as a colleague in our Progressive Political PAC, Blue America. I couldn't be more happier that not only did she win, but it was a well deserved award. By the way, she's an excellent chef too.

Here's what she had to say about her award.

Who would have thought that could ever happen when I started this ugly little blog 11 years ago? I couldn't have seen it coming, that's for sure.

I won't belabor this except to express my gratitude to the Hillman Foundation, particularly Lindsay Beyerstein and Tom Watson. It's a great privilege to be listed among such wonderful writers and journalists, especially my friend Jonathan Cohn. I am also indebted to my great blog contributors over the years --- David Atkins, Dennis Hartley, David Dayen and Tristero --- and my Blue America partners Howie Klein and John Amato for being wonderful friends and collaborators.

And finally, many, many thanks to the generous readers who have supported this blog all these years. That support is what allowed me to stay independent and do this on my own terms which is a very precious and unusual gift in this life. So thank you from the bottom of my heart for making this thrilling day possible for me.