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RealClearPolitics

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RealClearPolitics
File:RealClearPolitics Logo-sub.png
Type of site
Aggregator
Available inEnglish
OwnerRealClear Holdings LLC, of which Forbes Media has a 51% interest
Created byJohn McIntyre, Tom Bevan
Revenueunknown
URLhttp://www.realclearpolitics.com/
RegistrationOptional

RealClearPolitics is a non-partisan[2][3][4] political news and polling data aggregator[5] based in Chicago, Illinois. The site's founders say their goal is to give readers "ideological diversity."[6] They have described themselves as frustrated with what they perceive as anti-conservative, anti-Christian media bias,[7] and while some have suggested the column selection is conservative-leaning,[8] the site aggregates columns and commentary from both sides of the political spectrum, including those by noted liberals Frank Rich, Paul Krugman, Bob Shrum, and E.J. Dionne.

The site was founded in 2000 by former options trader John McIntyre and former advertising agency account executive Tom Bevan.[7][9][10] Forbes Media LLC bought a 51% equity interest in the site in 2007.[11]

Origin and philosophy

Origin

The Web site was founded in 2000 by McIntyre, a former trader at the Chicago Board Options Exchange, and Bevan, a former advertising agency account executive.[9] McIntyre explained "[i]t really wasn't any more complicated than there should be a place online that pulled together all this quality information."[12] They call what they do "intelligent aggregation."[13] The site has grown in election-season spurts since it first went online. It has expanded from a two-man operation on a shoestring budget to a full-time staff of more than two-dozen employees overseeing the company's mainstay, RealClearPolitics, as well as three smaller sites: RealClearMarkets, RealClearWorld, and RealClearSports.

Philosophy

In an interview with the conservative magazine Human Events, McIntyre described the philosophy behind the Web site as based on "freedom" and "common-sense values." Said Bevan, "We think debate on the issues is a very important thing. We post a variety of opinions." He further stated, "we have a frustration all conservatives have", which is "the bias in media against conservatives, religious conservatives, [and] Christian conservatives."[7] When Nate Silver of rival site FiveThirtyEight.com claimed RealClearPolitics.com was rigging its averages to favor Senator John McCain and other Republicans, McIntyre denied having a conservative bent, stating, "We’re running a business, We have no interest in screwing around with that for partisan purposes.”[14] Silver later backed away from the claim and said the two sites had a friendly rivalry and grudging respect for each other.[14]

Format

Updated continuously, the RealClearPolitics sites, which are based in Chicago, aggregate content from a wide range of sources, sources that run the gamut of locations and political persuasions. Stories from the Washington Post and other large-circulation media frequently run alongside articles from such lesser-known papers as the Ottawa Citizen, while analyses from the liberal New Republic may be paired with more conservative publications such as the Weekly Standard. McIntyre's purported objective is "to give readers ideological diversity. We're trying to stay immersed in the nation's political bloodstream at all times. That way, we can show you every small, little twist and turn, and give multiple sides to every story."[6]

Ownership

Forbes Media announced on November 7, 2007 that it had acquired a 51% stake in RealClearPolitics.com. The founders will remain owners and management.[11] In November, 2008, Forbes President and CEO Steve Forbes sent a memo directing that the company's online brands, including Forbes.com, Investopedia and RealClearPolitics.com be combined.[15]

RealClearPolitics also owns RealClearMarkets, RealClearWorld and RealClearSports.[16] RealClearMarkets and RealClearSports were launched in November 2007. RealClearWorld, the international news and politics site, was launched in August 2008.

Original content

In addition to linking to external content, RealClearPolitics also provides original commentary.

Bevan and Kyle Trygstad write "The RCP Blog," which is hosted by TIME. Trygstad and Mike Memoli write the "PoliticsNation" blog.[17] Doctoral student Jay Cost writes the "HorseRaceBlog."[18] Veteran journalist Doug Clawson writes the "Media Watch" blog.[19]

The site's political commentary, election analysis and polling averages have been featured in national media outlets, including The New York Times,[20] Fox News Channel,[20] The Economist,[21] Investor's Business Daily,[22] and The Chicago Sun-Times.[23] RealClearPolitics polling averages are used on MSNBC's Hardball, Fox News, and the Web sites of CBS News and the Washington Post.[24]

Political poll averaging

Statisticians explain that it is sometimes misleading to average results from multiple polls.[24] Richard Gott III, a professor at Princeton, and Wes Colley, a researcher at the University of Alabama in Huntsville, published findings in the journal Mathematical and Computer Modeling.[25] New York Times contributor Neil Tyson, wrote in an Op-Ed piece that “in swing states, the median result of all the polls conducted in the weeks prior to an election is an especially effective predictor of which candidate will win that election — even in states where the polls consistently fall within the margin of error.”[26]

Reader accolades

New York Times columnist David Brooks said, "Some people wake up every morning with a raw egg and exercise. I wake up every morning with RealClearPolitics.com. It's the perfect one-stop shopping for the smartest commentary on politics and life." Howard Fineman, Newsweek chief political correspondent, states that, "RealClearPolitics.com is a site that makes a credible effort to do the impossible: to provide a comprehensive, real-time (and not just Beltway- based) overview of the entire American political conversation."[27]

See also

References

  1. ^ "Realclearpolitics.com - Site Info from Alexa". www.alexa.com. Retrieved 2010-06-14.
  2. ^ Knowlton, Brian; Rutenberg, Jim (October 16, 2008). "In projections, Obama holds electoral lead". The New York Times. Retrieved 2009-11-05.
  3. ^ "Obama Chances in Suburbs Rest on Population Shift". Bloomberg. October 28, 2008. Retrieved 2009-11-05.
  4. ^ Jones, Tim (October 19, 2008). "Candidates come courting the Hoosiers". The Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2009-11-05.
  5. ^ "Polling Averages". RealClearPolitics. April 21, 2008. Retrieved 2008-04-21.
  6. ^ a b "On Web, Political Junkies Make a Real Clear Choice". The New York Sun. March 10, 2008. Retrieved 2008-08-08.
  7. ^ a b c D'Agostino, Joseph A (March 31, 2003). "Conservative Spotlight: Real Clear Politics". Human Events. Retrieved 2008-09-01.
  8. ^ Patrick Stack (2004). "Cheat Sheet: Election Websites". TIME. Retrieved 2009-07-15. RealClearPolitics.com scores points for its in-depth, right-leaning commentary section {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help)
  9. ^ a b Zorn, Eric (2004). "Political site polls well with election junkies". Chicago Tribune: Metro, p. 1. {{cite journal}}: Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help)
  10. ^ Wolinsky, Howard (2006). "Politicking pays off: Web site a must-read for political fanatics" ([dead link]). Chicago Sun-Times: 55. {{cite journal}}: Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help)
  11. ^ a b "Forbes Media Acquires Fifty-One Percent Stake in RealClearPolitics.com". www.businesswire.com. Retrieved 2009-11-05.
  12. ^ "Political Junkies Spawn a Real, Clear Success". U.S. News & World Report. December 12, 2007. Retrieved 2008-04-07.
  13. ^ "Real Clear Politics Real Clear on its Growth, Mission". The Chicago Tribune. February 7, 2008. Retrieved 2008-04-07. [dead link]
  14. ^ a b Becker, Bernie (2008-10-28). "Political Polling Sites Are in a Race of Their Own - NYTimes.com". www.nytimes.com. Retrieved 2009-11-07.
  15. ^ "Forbes to combine print and online staffs, cuts jobs :: BtoB Magazine". www.btobonline.com. Retrieved 2009-11-04.
  16. ^ "On Web, Political Junkies Make a Real Clear Choice". New York Sun. March 10, 2008. Retrieved 2008-03-25.
  17. ^ "Politics Nation". RealClearPolitics. September 17, 2007. Retrieved 2008-03-27. [dead link]
  18. ^ "HorseRaceBlog". RealClearPolitics. May 30, 2007. Archived from the original on January 17, 2008. Retrieved 2008-03-27.
  19. ^ "Media Watch". RealClearPolitics. December 21, 2008. Retrieved 2009-03-04.
  20. ^ a b Cart, Bill (November 7, 2006). "The 2006 Campaign: Election Night Viewing Includes Web's Bells and Whistles". The New York Times. Retrieved 2007-07-17. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
  21. ^ "On leaving Los Angeles". The Economist. November 3, 2006. Retrieved 2007-07-17.
  22. ^ Barnako, Frank (December 15, 2004). "Best blogs of 2004". Investor's Business Daily (archived version). Retrieved 2007-07-17.
  23. ^ Bevan, Tom (May 18, 2007). "Don't count out McCain just yet". The Chicago Sun-Times (archived version). Retrieved 2009-06-10.
  24. ^ a b Bialik, Carl (February 15, 2008). "Election Handicappers Are Using Risky Tool: Mixed Poll Averages". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 2008-08-08.
  25. ^ "Median statistics in polling". Mathematical Modeling of Voting Systems and Elections: Theory and Applications :Mathematical and Computer Modelling. 48 (9–10): 1396–1408. November 2008. Retrieved 26 October 2009. In 2004, we used a very simple, but surprisingly effective, method to successfully predict the outcome of the U.S. Presidential election. Using the median poll in the last month for each state, we correctly predicted the results in all states but one (Hawaii). Just as we had originally hoped, the method made it possible to predict successfully the results in the large close states (Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Florida) where there were a great many polls taken. States with only a few polls were generally not close, and so the median poll also predicted these states successfully. The method appears particularly well adapted to U.S. Presidential elections where the candidates are chosen well in advance, and where outcomes in individual states determine the winner. {{cite journal}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
  26. ^ "Vote by Numbers". The New York Times. June 6, 2008. Retrieved 2008-07-30.
  27. ^ "RealClearPolitics.com Launches New Web Site, Announces Financing". PR Newswire. March 14, 2006. Retrieved 2008-08-08.
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