I came to a realization today. Politics are my sports. Most guys are so into sports (or a particular sport) that they would watch a game every night if one was available. They listen to sports radio, read sports web sites and the sports page of the newspaper.Well, politics are my sports. I read about politics constantly. Watch primary and caucus coverage for hours. Listen to political podcasts. Sports fans support their teams by buying tickets or merchandise. I support my candidates by donating and (sometimes) volunteering. Like sports fans, I feel deeply invested in the outcomes, and can be elated or depressed/angry for days as a result of some election or development.
This campaign cycle has been the most exciting cycle that I've seen in my lifetime...and it's made one thing abundantly clear: Television is the worst place to keep up with politics. All right, I'll admit that primary night coverage on the cable news networks is good for getting fast numbers and exit poll information, but as a general medium, television has a poor record when it comes to accuracy or completeness.
Reputable blogs have really rocketed past television in recent years as a source for political news and analysis. Sadly, even The Daily Show and The Colbert Report have more complete coverage than your average nightly news program.
For your service, here is a listing of some of the best political sources on the Internet:
- Talking Points Memo
- Daily Kos
- Politico
- Andrew Sullivan's Daily Dish (more commentary than news)
- KCRW's Left, Right and Center podcast
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