Thomas Frank: Meat eater, proud Lancer

Thomas Frank

​Much like the role the conservative David Brooks plays at The New York Times, Thomas Frank provides Wall Street Journal readers with a liberal perspective. In his most recent column, the author of What's the Matter With Kansas? and The Wrecking Crew calls Sarah Palin's new book a "prolonged, keening wail, larded with petty vindictiveness."

In addition to being a populist and a gifted stylist, Frank is a proud Kansas Citian. How proud? The author's bio that accompanies his WSJ column name-checks Shawnee Mission East High.

Frank graduated from S.M. East in 1983. He refers to his family's residence in Mission Hills as the "teardown" throughout What's the Matter With Kansas?

Frank is also a carnivore. Writing about meatpacking in What's the Matter With Kansas?, Frank describes himself as a "great eater of beef". His Palin column makes use of the clause "I sure do like pot roast" in a way that Jon Stewart's writers would envy.