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Kathleen Parker

Columnist for The Washington Post

Former co-host of CNN’s “Parker Spitzer”
Ranked second for her accuracy in political predictions
Helps educate Washington audiences about life beyond the District

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Kathleen Parker is a Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist for the Washington Post, writing twice-weekly on politics and culture. The most widely syndicated columnist in the country, her 750-word essays appear in more than 450 newspapers across the country, which translates to about 80 million print readers and countless millions online. A renowned political analyst and commentator, in a retrospective study of political pundits’ predictions, Parker scored highest for accuracy.

Parker is a popular commentator on news shows and a regular guest on NBC’s Meet the Press, as well as MSNBC’s Hardball and Fox News’ Media Buzz. In 2010, she launched and was co-anchor of CNN’s prime time news show, Parker Spitzer. She approaches politics with the common sense – and humor – so often lacking in DC’s political and media culture. She is quick-witted, very funny, and delightfully sassy. Describing herself as “slightly to the right of center” politically, she addresses politics, culture, and contemporary issues.

Journalistic History. A columnist since 1987, Parker has worked for five newspapers, from Florida to California, and has written for several magazines, including the Weekly Standard, TIME, Newsweek, Town & Country, Cosmopolitan, and Fortune Small Business. Parker joined the Washington Post Writers Group in 2006, following 11 years with Tribune Media Services.

In 2010, she became co-host of CNN’s Parker Spitzer, along with former New York governor Eliot Spitzer. She left the show in 2011 to focus on her writing. She is also the author of Save the Males: Why Men Matter, Why Women Should Care.

Awards. With a selection of political opinion columns, Kathleen Parker won the 2010 Pulitzer Prize for Commentary for “her perceptive, often witty columns on an array of political and moral issues, gracefully sharing the experiences and values that lead her to unpredictable conclusions.” She is also the 1993 winner of the H.L. Mencken writing award presented by the Baltimore Sun. The Week magazine named her one of the nation’s “Top Five Columnists” in 2004 and 2005.

Can’t Stand Election Suspense? Why wait? Kathleen Parker, whose political predictions have been on target more often than any other commentator’s (so says Media Matters and they don’t even like her), will cut through the wheat, the chaff, the hulls, the dross, and, yes, the indigenous products of the bovine alimentary canal. She’ll tell you who’s up to what, who’s going to be the next president and why you really should turn off the TV. You don’t even have to vote, though you probably should. “It ain’t math,” says Parker. “You don’t have to be a nerd with a calculator to predict politics. All you need is common sense and a keen understanding of human nature. Alas, I’m cursed with both.”

Politics, Culture, and Contemporary Issues. Kathleen Parker has more than two decades of experience as a columnist and television personality. She has cultivated that immense experience into invaluable expertise in politics, culture, contemporary issues, and how the three intertwine. Discussing the politics du jour, Parker gives her audiences unique insights on the issues that get under their skin.

Civility in Politics. The degree of civility in politics has decreased dramatically in the last few years. Gone are the days of the Trent Lotts and John Breauxs who are polarized ideologically but manage to remain close friends. Kathleen Parker explains where the breakdown occurred, how our society got to this point, and what can be done to improve the situation – the overall “niceness” in politics.

“The Spy for Bubba.” Kathleen Parker takes advantage of her South Carolina roots and political expertise to act as a “double agent” between Washington outsiders and those inside the Beltway. We always hear pundits ask, “What were they thinking?” and Parker can translate the nuance of the “other” side’s decisions.