Top 10 US Political Pundits
Monday May 5, 2008
The UK Telegraph has published its list of the top 10 US political pundits: (10) Mark Halperin of ABC's The Note; (9) David Brooks, NYT columnist and regular on PBS NewsHour; (8) Jon Stewart, Comedy Central's most enduring political satirist; (7) Tim Russert, Meet The Press; (6) Matt Drudge, master of 'publish first, fact check later' "journalism"; (5) John Harris & Jim VandeHei, exiles from the WaPost who started Politico.com; (4) Rush Limbaugh, king of "talk" radio; (3) Sean Hannity, FOX News and radio (second to Limbaugh); (2) Chris Matthews, MSNBC Hardball; and (1) Karl Rove, FOX News, Newsweek and the Wall Street Journal (the newest kid on this "journalistic" block).
What's interesting to me? They're all male (51% of the US voting population is female); they're all white (8-in-10 Americans are white); eight represent TV and radio -- media known more for soundbites and emotion than reasoned argument; five might be better classified as "shouting heads"; and the newest kid is ranked as the most powerful.
Who is missing? Who should not be here?
Comments
They could remove Jon Stewart. He’s a comedian isn’t he? I’ve never ever seen the guy except on some awards show. Chris Matthews is an emarrasment to any pundit. Never heard of the last two? Some of these folks are simply hosts and don’t give opinions, such as Tim Russert. So, I wouldn’t call him a pundit.
I think you could add Dick Morris to the list. I think he’s an offbeat intelligent guy with a lot of insight.
A few others would be Charles Krauthammer, Juan Williams, Newt Gingrich, Alan Colmes. Hmmm? Here’s my list.
1. Newt Gingrich
2. Karl Rove
3. Juan Williams
4. Matt Drudge
5. Jim Vandehei
6. Charles Krauthammer
7. Geraldine Ferraro
8. Mike Rosen(local guy)
9. Tony Snow
10. George Will
12. Bob Beckel(honorble mention)
My list would exclude people like Limbaugh, Hannity and Matthews. I think these guys spend too much time throwing bombs and are more entertainers than pundits/analysts. Although I like the first two and can’t tolerate Matthews.
C
Thanks, Chuck!
Probably depends a lot on what you think of as “pundit” — is it expert or critic or someone with a soapbox?
I agree with your assessment that most of these guys are in “entertainment” rather than “news” or “analysis”
You’ve picked mostly columnists, not TV hosts. Unfortunately, most Americans get most of their political news/opinion from the tube.:-/
I suppose my view of a pundit would be someone well spoken and appears on an opinion based TV program offering their view, right or left, on politics and issues. True, many are columnists but most all appear on FOXNEWS which would explain why you don’t see them as much as I do. George Will, Newt Gingrich appear quite often on network Sunday Morning programs and I hear Tony Snow just joined CNN?
I struggled hard to find a female pundit and the only one who came to mind as being credible and not overly opinionated was Ferraro. I thought of Andrea Mitchell but she’s still considered a journalist and I just don’t think she has the gravitas that the others carry. I guess you could add Ann Coulter to the list but I didn’t want my home firebombed ;op
C
Thanks for your list Chuck. As for Ann Coulter, I think she falls in the same list as Stewart: she definitely is entertainment (if you have some kind of third degree humour, of course)…
Jon Stewart? The guys who do South Park have been providing scathing political commentary much longer…and their barbs are less partisan.
Matt Drudge… publish then fact check?…does Dan Rather know his spot was taken by someone else?
You want women? How about Ann Coulter and Laura Ingraham? How about Michelle Malkin for a non-Caucasian female? On the other side of the fence, how about Arianna Huffingtion?
A non-white male? Walter E. Williams come to mind instantly.
Just goes to show the Brits don’t know everything.