David S. Broder
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David S. Broder (born September 11, 1929) is a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist, currently with The Washington Post. Before joining the Post in 1966 he worked at the New York Times, Congressional Quarterly, the now defunct Washington Star and the Bloomington Pantagraph. The longtime columnist is informally known as the "Dean" of the Washington press corps. For many years he has appeared on Washington Week and other current affairs television programs. Broder, who is in his late 70s, exemplifies an earlier, declining journalistic tradition. Unlike many younger commentators, he eschews partisanship and ideological crusades. In an era of increasingly outsized media personalities, his style is bland and earnest. Broder remains first and foremost a reporter. At his advanced age he continues his longstanding practice of knocking on doors to interview ordinary voters as well as meeting with political figures throughout the country.
Broder's only discernible biases beyond his upholding of journalistic norms are a very mild reformist liberalism and a somewhat deferential orientation toward officials in both parties and what remains of the "Washington Establishment." Individuals on the political extremes and anti-Washington populists of any stripe are unlikely to meet with his approval. Broder is widely seen as something of a bellwether of the "conventional wisdom". Broder won his Pulitzer for commentary in 1973 and has been the recipient of numerous awards and academic honors before and since. He is the author of several books about contemporary politics. He received a A.B. and an A.M. in Political Science from the University of Chicago.