Voting Station

David S. Broder

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Commentator

The Resume

    (September 11, 1929-March 9, 2011)
    Born in Chicago Heights, Illinois
    Political reporter/columnist for the Washington Post (1967-2011)
    Wrote 'The Republican Establishment: The Present and Future of the G.O.P.' (with Stephen Hess, 1967), 'The Party's Over: The Failure of Politics in America' (1972), 'Changing of the Guard: Power and Leadership in America' (1980), 'Behind the Front Page: A Candid Look at How the News Is Made' (1987), 'The Man Who Would Be President: Dan Quayle' (with Bob Woodward, 1992), 'The System: The American Way of Politics at the Breaking Point' (with Haynes Johnson, 1996) and 'Democracy Derailed: Initiative Campaigns and the Power of Money' (2000)
    Won a Pulitzer Prize for commentary (1973)
    Known as 'Dean of the Washington press corps'

Why he might be annoying:

    He submitted his resignation after incorrectly reporting that Morris Udall had won the Wisconsin primary (the actual winner was Jimmy Carter), but he was talked out of it by editor Ben Bradlee (1976).
    He claimed Bill Clinton's behavior with Monica Lewinsky was worse than Richard Nixon's during Watergate, because Nixon's actions 'however neurotic and criminal were motivated and connected to the exercise of presidential power.'
    He wrote a column suggesting President Obama could improve the economy by starting a war with Iran (2010).
    He criticized journalists for taking speaking fees, saying the practice raised 'exactly the same kind of conflict-of-interest questions that we are constantly raising with people in public life.' (1996)
    Harper's reported that he had violated the Washington Post's ethics policies by accepting speaking fees and free accommodations from business and health care groups, in one instance writing an opinion piece supporting the positions favored by one of the groups paying him (2008).
    Frank Rich of the New York Times called him the nation's 'bloviator-in-chief.'

Why he might not be annoying:

    He entered the University of Chicago at age 15.
    He was married to Ann Colar for 59 years until his death.
    He was considered the political journalist with the best-informed contacts, from the precinct level on up.
    His writing was known for its clarity of analysis.
    In 'The Boys on the Bus,' a history of the '72 presidential campaign, he was called 'the high priest of political journalism, the most powerful and important man in the trade.'
    He appeared on Meet the Press a record 401 times. (Runner-up Robert Novak made about 250 appearances.)

Credit: C. Fishel


Featured in the following Annoying Collections:

Year In Review:

    In 2023, Out of 4 Votes: 75.00% Annoying
    In 2022, Out of 1 Votes: 0% Annoying
    In 2021, Out of 12 Votes: 100% Annoying
    In 2020, Out of 2 Votes: 100% Annoying
    In 2019, Out of 3 Votes: 33.33% Annoying
    In 2018, Out of 2 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2017, Out of 5 Votes: 60.0% Annoying
    In 2016, Out of 2 Votes: 100% Annoying
    In 2015, Out of 5 Votes: 100% Annoying
    In 2014, Out of 8 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2013, Out of 16 Votes: 62.50% Annoying
    In 2012, Out of 12 Votes: 75.00% Annoying
    In 2011, Out of 100 Votes: 70.0% Annoying