Dear Friend,
I hope you’re enjoying your weekend. I wanted to take a few minutes to share something with you.
This year marks 25 years of RealClearPolitics. A quarter century. I’ve been thinking about that a lot lately. What it means, and why it matters.
When RCP launched in 2000, the idea was simple: Give people the best writing and reporting from across the political spectrum, all in one place. No filter. No slant. Just trust the reader to think for themselves.
Twenty-five years later, that idea is more necessary than ever. The media landscape has fractured into a thousand competing megaphones, each one telling you exactly what you’re supposed to think. Algorithms sort you into a tribe. Cable news picks a side and never looks back. And if you want the whole story? Good luck finding it.
That’s what makes RealClear different. And honestly, it’s what makes you different.
I don’t think most people appreciate how unusual our readers are. You’re the kind of person who actually wants to read the other side’s argument. Not to get angry, but to understand. You don’t need to be told what to think. You want the facts, the competing perspectives, and the freedom to make up your own mind.
In 40 years of journalism, I can tell you: That quality is rarer than it should be. And it’s the reason this place exists.
I’m proud of the newsroom we’ve built. Our reporters don’t write to please a political faction. They chase stories wherever the facts lead, and you’ll be hearing more about that kind of work in the coming days. The investigations we’ve produced, the access our White House correspondents have earned, the accountability journalism that has led to real consequences. It all happens because there’s an audience that demands it.
That audience is you.
We put together a short video about what RealClear has meant over these 25 years and where we’re headed next. I’d love for you to watch it:
Watch the RealClear 25th Anniversary Video
Over the next week, you’ll hear from a few of us about what we’re working on and why it matters, especially as we head into the 2026 midterms. I think you’ll find it worth your time.
Thank you for reading. Thank you for thinking. And thank you for 25 years.
Carl
Carl M. Cannon
Washington Bureau Chief
RealClearPolitics
Carl M. Cannon is the Washington bureau chief for RealClearPolitics and executive editor of RealClearMedia Group. Reach him at ccannon@realclearpolitics.com or on X @CarlCannon.
