His voice will be missed.
[Update a couple minutes later]
More thoughts from Dave Swindle.
[Update a while later]
Roger Simon remembers him as well:
The phrase Tikkun olam – to repair the world — is often used in the Jewish tradition, sometimes by people Barry did not think the best of, and for good reason. But Barry himself embodied that tradition more than anyone I can think of. He indeed was a “repairer of the world,” the conscience of the White City. To say that he will be missed is a cliché not worthy of him.
But he will be.
I worked with Barry when I had my job in the Pentagram. I worked on the Iraq policy desk; Barry was an employee there too for a time. He was a knowledgable, very nice guy. He’d walk aound the inside of the Pentagon at lunch for half an hour — but with a phone glued to his ear, talking to people. I am extremely gobsmacked to hear this news. RIP Barry; ya done good.