Charlie Cook

When Charlie Cook makes a pronouncement based on his analysis of the political scene in America, people who want to “be in the know” sit up and listen. For more than two decades he has been Washington’s most trusted—and most accurate—voice on all things political, whether it’s the outcome of a Congressional, Gubernatorial, or state election. As the publisher of The Cook Political Report and a political analyst for the National Journal Group, his prodigious writing output is the direct line to politics for those who want to know what is happening behind the scenes in America’s halls of power. He writes weekly for National Journal magazine and CongressDailyAM, and he also pens a regular column for the Washington Quarterly, published by the Center for Strategic and International Studies. Once deemed “the Picasso of election analysis” by the Wall Street Journal and represented exclusively by Leading Authorities, Cook produces the sharpest political handicapping in the business, serving as the one-man, go-to-source for Americans who want to be truly informed. 

A Political Oracle. The plaudits for Charlie Cook are the best kind of broken record, an endless loop of praise. The New York Times has called Cook “one of the best political handicappers in the nation” and noted that The Cook Political Report is “a newsletter that both parties regard as authoritative,” and Bob Schieffer of CBS News calls it “the bible of the political community.” David Broder of the Washington Post has said Cook is “perhaps the best non-partisan tracker of Congressional races.” In its feature “The Top 50 Journalists in Washington,” The Washingtonian called him a “master observer” and the man who knows more about politics than anyone else. 

A political analyst for NBC News, Cook’s expertise has also been featured on the ABC, CBS, Good Morning America, the Today show, Nightline, Meet the Press, and This Week. He is also a welcome fixture on CNBC, MSNBC, C-SPAN, and National Public Radio. Before joining the National Journal Group in 1998, Cook wrote a twice-weekly column in Roll Call, Capitol Hill’s premier newspaper. Charlie also served as an election night analyst for CBS in 1990 and 1992, and for every presidential election on NBC since 1994. 

Keeping America Informed. A hugely popular speaker, Cook addresses dozens of associations and corporate clients each year. With his encyclopedic knowledge of American politics, memorable stories, quick wit, and meaningful insights, Cook’s speeches focus on the broad implications of the latest election results. Using poll numbers, economic indicators, and historical data, Cook forecasts the fortunes of each party in a balanced, non-partisan manner and furnishes audiences with the concrete information they need to hear about today’s political and legislative environments.