Pop Politics

Anyone who is anyone seems to have their own blog these days. Warren Beatty just signed up for one, half of the Fox News team blogs, and of course, Michael Moore regularly posts his rantings. Everyday people can now be publishers. According to Harris Interactive, 40% of adults admit to reading political blogs at least once a month.

Political blogs, or poliblgos, are political commentaries with links to other websites. Blogs have become very important in mainstream media. A blog broke the story that the documents used in the 60 Minutes II segment about President Bush's National Guard service were in fact produced on a word processor, not a typewriter, thereby establishing that the documents were not authentic. With that in mind, Washington Life magazine asked a few talking-heads, bloggers, and network political directors to talk about about their favorite blogs and on-line news sources.

Paul Begala

Why we asked them?
Everyday, Begala's progressive views can be heard on CNN's Crossfire. He's the other half of the political consulting firm Carville& Begala that helped secure Bill Clinton's presidential victories. After serving as a counselor in the White House, he has authored several bestselling books.

Favorite political blog
DailyKos.com and ThinkProgress.org

Why read it?
“They are cutting-edge, take-noprisoners sites. And they combine insight with links to real news stories by credible journalists.”

Favorite on-line news source?
CNN.com and AmericanProgress.org

Why read it?
“CNN.com combines the global reach of CNN and the in-depth perspective of some of the best and bravest journalists in the world. Still, even when I didn't work for CNN, this is where I turned for news. The Center for American Progress is the best thing that's happened to progressive thought since minimum wage. It's an absolute, daily must-read.”

Did you know?
Begala is a research professor of governments at Georgetown University and he is said to have been the inspiration behind the character of Josh Lyman on NBC's West Wing.

David Brock

Why we asked them?
Brock serves as the President and CEO of Media Matters for America, a web based information center that “monitors, analyzes, and corrects conservative misinformation in the U.S. media.”

Favorite political blog
www.talkingpointsmemo.com and Columbia Journalism Review Daily (www.cjrdaily.com).

Why read it?
“John Marshall (of Talking Points Memo) does serious writing on serious topics, and encourages his readers to do the same. CJR's focus on media standards is a useful complement to Media Matters' approach to combating and correcting conservative misinformation in the media.”

Favorite on-line news source?
Poynter.org

Why read it?
Anyone interested in how the media works and the storybehind- the-story should make Poynter a regular read.”

Did you know?
He has written several books, the last of which included “The Republican Noise Machine: Right-Wing Media and How It Corrupts Democracy” and“Blinded by the Right: The Conscience of an Ex-Conservative.”

Al Franken

Why we asked them?
After writing for Saturday Night Live, Franken now hosts the The Al Franken show where he critiques the Bush administration and conservative media, then uses “their lies and distortions to heap scorn and ridicule upon them.”

Favorite political blog
www.talkingpointsmemo.com and DailyKos.Com

Why read it?
Talking Points Memo has been great on Social Security. And it actually seems to have some impact. Plus, everything it says is true.”

Favorite on-line news source?
Media Matters for America www.mediamatters.org

Why read it?
“It's a great media watchdog site. I have professional interest in the study and debunkery of lies. Particularly media lies.”

Did you know?
Franken's ideal media source would be “an NPR without the stories of guys building a road across Minnesota.”

Mark Halperin

Why we asked them?
As the political director for ABC News, Halperin plans all political editorial content. He also writes The Note, a daily political news digest that former Bush adviser Mary Matalin described as “the insider's insider's insider.”

Favorite political blog
National Review's The Corner (www.nationalreview.com/thecorner.com) and American Prospect's Tapped (www.prospect.org/weblog)

Why read it?
“The National Review's The Corner is well-written, comprehensively updated, and it doesn't take itself too seriously. Good inside-the-Beltway connections mixed in with healthy outsidethe- Beltway instincts. And American Prospect's Tapped has some of the liveliest liberal commentary around from upand- coming thinkers.”

Favorite on-line news source?
ABCNews.com

Why read it?
“Of course, [it's my favorite].”

Did you know?
It's been reported that President and Senator Clinton, Senator Frist, Terry McAuliffe, and Karl Rove are among the many readers who regularly read The Note.

Elizabeth Wilner

Why we asked them?
She's the political director for NBC news and is responsible for all political news content delivered by such veterans such as Tim Russert and Brian Williams.

Favorite political blog
Real Clear Politics (www.realcl earpolitics.com), Drudge Report (thedrudgereport.com) and The Wonkette (www.wonkette.com).

Why read it?
“Frankly, no one checks just one blog, so this is a ʻdesert island' question, and Real Clear Politics is the desert island site for the politically hardcore. The Wonkette and Drudge, because they're both fresh and yet still familiar like the first dirty novel you ever read.”

Favorite on-line news source?
Wall Street Journal (www.wsj.com) and National Journal (nationaljournal.com)

Why read it?
“The WSJ because business and politics share a lot of the same ethos, and because there's an economic angle to just about everything. National Journal, because we grew up together, professionally speaking. When I started covering politics, The Hotline came by fax and the Almanac of American Politics arrived by mail.”

Did you know?
She's only 34 and The Washingtonian has placed her on its “Cool People” list.

Matt Drudge

Why we asked them?
Though considered a tabloid by some, The Drudge Report continues to be one of the most read on-line news sources. On certain days, he receives more hits than the New York Times.

Favorite political blog
In an article with The New York Observer, Drudge claimed he didn't read any blogs. “I don't read them. I like to create waves and not surf them. He does admit to reading Rosie O'Donnell's blog though. (www.rosie.com/blog/rosie)

Why read it?
“She's the new Maureen Dowd now. Oh, Rosie's on fire. She's the must-read.”

Favorite on-line news source?
Maureen Dowd (www.nytimes.com/top/opinion/editorialsandoped/oped/columnists/maureendowd)

Why read it?
“We read Dowd second [after Rosie O'Donnell].”

Did you know?
Drudge says that the perfect Drudge story would be, “An earthquake hitting a hospital with Bill Clinton having surgery and President Bush in the waiting room and an asteroid coming its way.”

Dennis Miller

Why we asked them?
Miller serves as the executive producer and host of “Dennis Miller” on CNBC.

Favorite political blog
Kausfiles, (www.kausfiles.com)

Why read it?
“I dig Mickey.”

Favorite on-line news source?
The Drudge Report (www.thedrudgereport.com)

Why read it?
“He invented the game.”

Did you know?
Miller has appeared in dramatic roles in “Disclosure,” “The Net,” and “Murder at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.” He also made a visit to the Bush campaign headquarters where he reportedly told staff that he became a Republican after 9/11.

Ana Marie Cox

Why we asked them?
Cox is the editor of one of the most read blogs, the Wonkette. Her reputation as being young and sassy made her an ideal choice to handle the election for MTV.

Favorite political blog
National Review's the Corner (www.nationalreview.com/ thecorner) and The Minor Fall (and www.popfactor.com)

Why read it?
“I like things like yelling at the tv, or in this case the computer. [There's] Nothing better than getting worked up and these sites do that for me.”

Favorite on-line news source?
The Drudge Report (www.thedru dgereport.com) and C-Span (www.cspan.com).

Why read it?
“C-Span is nothing but the truth and no spin. Drudge is all spin.”

Did you know?
Before launching the Wonkette with Nick Denton, Cox insists that she was “fired or asked to leave from almost every legitimate publication in Washington.” This included a short stay at National Geographic.