For distinguished commentary, Seven thousand five hundred dollars ($7,500).

Awarded to Thomas Friedman of The New York Times for his clarity of vision, based on extensive reporting, in commenting on the worldwide impact of the terrorist threat.

Columbia University President George Rupp (left) presents Thomas Friedman with the 2002 Pulitzer Prize for Commentary.

Finalists

Also nominated as finalists in this category were: Michael Daly of the Daily News, New York, for his compassionate and humane columns, particularly those written after the terrorist attack on New York City, and Nat Hentoff of The Village Voice, a New York City weekly, for his persuasive and authoritative columns on the threats to American civil liberties following the September 11th terrorist attacks.