Accessibility links
Political Analysis NPR features regular political commentary and analysis from Cokie Roberts, Juan Williams, Linda Wertheimer and other personalities.
Special Series

Political Analysis

Opinion

Lessons of Super Tuesday

Sen. John McCain is calling himself the front-runner in the Republican race for president. McCain benefited from Rudy Giuliani's departure and subsequent endorsement. There is still no clear front-runner on the Democratic side.

Cokie Roberts: What We Learned Tuesday

Listen
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/18737582/18737537" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

Opinion

Setting the Table for 'Super Tuesday'

About 60 percent of the country's eligible voters will have the chance to participate Tuesday in a primary, caucus or convention. Will the results produce a clear front-runner from either party?

Setting the Table for 'Super Tuesday'

Listen
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/18656626/18656593" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

Presidential Race Turns to Florida

While Sen. Barack Obama gets a big boost from South Carolina, Sen. Hillary Clinton stakes a claim in Florida, which at the moment offers Democrats no delegates. On the Republican side, however, Florida is very important indeed.

Presidential Race Turns to Florida

Listen
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/18468263/18468228" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

GOP Presidential Race a Three-Way Bid

Republican Presidential hopeful Mitt Romney wins the Michigan primary by a wide margin over John McCain. Mike Huckabee places third. Romney put a lot of money into last-minute ads in Michigan, persuading independent voters. The GOP candidates head to South Carolina next.

GOP Presidential Race a Three-Way Bid

Listen
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/18137731/18137845" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

Race in Presidential Race: Harmless or Offensive

The dispute between Democratic presidential contenders Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama about the role of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King in the Civil Rights Act of 1964, reveals differences in perceptions of voters.

Race in Presidential Race: Harmless or Offensive

Listen
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/18106245/18106225" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

New Campaign Polls Show Big Changes

Two new national polls show the Democratic and Republican presidential nominations are still in flux. GOP candidate John McCain pulls ahead, while on the Democratic side Hillary Clinton is well ahead of Barack Obama. Michigan's primary is Jan. 15.

New Campaign Polls Show Big Changes

Listen
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/18067887/18067854" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

New Hampshire Voters Say Clinton Understands

Democratic presidential contender Hillary Clinton's triumph in New Hampshire surprises even her advisers. But state organizers prove to be their own Democratic Party machine, wooing union workers, women and seniors. They say Clinton understands key issues.

New Hampshire Voters Say Clinton Understands

Listen
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/17952897/17952873" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

Obama Leads; Clinton, Edwards Vow to Persevere

With the New Hampshire primary a day away, Democratic presidential hopeful Barack Obama is edging out Hillary Clinton. His surprising victory deals a blow to the other leading candidates but they pledge to press onward. Clinton has the money to keep going.

Obama Leads; Clinton, Edwards Vow to Persevere

Listen
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/17894676/17894633" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

Iowa Caucuses Shift Political Landscape

The political landscape has been remade ahead of the New Hampshire primaries next week. The win for Barack Obama redefines the Democratic contest, as he was backed by a variety of constituents. Mike Huckabee's boost comes from conservative voters and a strong turnout.

Iowa Caucuses Shift Political Landscape

Listen
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/17840838/17840815" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

Huckabee, Romney Center of Iowa's GOP Caucuses

Republican presidential hopefuls Mike Huckabee and Mitt Romney are expected to get more than half the support when GOP caucuses meet in Iowa. Key to the outcome of the caucuses is how many Republicans will attend, and how many independents join them.

Huckabee, Romney Center of Iowa's GOP Caucuses

Listen
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/17774499/17774465" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

Presidential Hopefuls Take Short Break for Holiday

After the briefest of breaks for Christmas, most presidential hopefuls will resume campaigning this week. Voting takes place earlier than ever. Iowa's caucuses are Jan. 3, and New Hampshire's primaries are Jan. 8. New polls show the races for both parties too close to call.

Presidential Hopefuls Take Short Break for Holiday

Listen
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/17570311/17570281" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

Week in Review: Congress, CIA, Election 2008

The Democratic-led Congress ends with troops still in Iraq. With slight improvements in the war and the economy worsening the public's attention shifted. The CIA promises to cooperate with investigators probing destroyed tapes. The presidential race becomes more of a dead heat.

Week in Review: Congress, CIA, Election 2008

Listen
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/17547985/17547954" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

Giuliani's Presidential Prospects Slipping

While the presidential campaign of John McCain has revived, other GOP presidential contenders have seen their fortunes decline, especially Rudy Giuliani. He leads in most national polls measuring presidential preference among Republicans — but barely. Mike Huckabee is gaining.

Giuliani's Presidential Prospects Slipping

Listen
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/17390464/17390418" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

Forecasting Difficult for Presidential Nominee

With Iowa's caucuses and New Hampshire's primaries less than three weeks away, it is still too tough to call who will emerge as nominee for each party. John McCain could benefit from the Mike Huckabee-Mitt Romney fight. John Edwards may benefit from Hillary Clinton-Barack Obama fight.

Forecasting Difficult for Presidential Nominee

Listen
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/17307598/17307555" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

Huckabee Gets Momentum; Oprah Helps Obama

New polls have former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee gaining ground among Republican presidential candidates; on the Democratic side, TV host Oprah Winfrey spent the weekend stumping for Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama. NPR News Analyst Cokie Roberts analyzes the presidential races.

Huckabee Gets Momentum; Oprah Helps Obama

Listen
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/17067228/17067179" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

Opinion

Romney to Address Mormon Faith

Republican presidential hopeful Mitt Romney is due to give a speech Thursday about his Mormon faith and the role it would play in his presidency. The speech from Romney, who could be the first Mormon president, draws comparisons to an address by John F. Kennedy about his Catholic faith.

Romney to Address Mormon Faith

Listen
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/16827610/16827577" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

Bush Due to Greet Gore, Election Update, Mideast

President Bush is due to greet former Vice President Al Gore at a gathering of Nobel Prize winners honored at the White House. That get-together comes at a time when the competition to succeed President Bush is moving into high gear.

Bush Due to Greet Gore, Election Update, Mideast

Listen
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/16612721/16611620" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

U.S. Rapport with Musharraf Evokes Shah Era

America's close relationship with Pakistan's President Gen. Pervez Musharraf recalls another ally: the Shah of Iran. It's nearly 30 years since the fall of the Shah and the rise of an Islamic state hostile toward the United States. It's still not clear whether the U.S. put too much pressure on the Shah.

U.S. Rapport with Musharraf Evokes Shah Era

Listen
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/16452546/16450906" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

Democratic Presidential Debate Set for Las Vegas

With seven weeks to go before Iowa casts the first primary votes, Democrats vying for president are set to make one more pitch in a debate in Las Vegas. Sen. Hillary Clinton, who will be the center of the debate, needs to redeem herself from the last contest, analysts say.

Democratic Presidential Debate Set for Las Vegas

Listen
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/16315133/16314741" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

Right-to-Life Group Expected to Back Thompson

The National Right to Life Committee is expected to endorse Republican presidential candidate Fred Thompson, the actor and former senator from Tennessee. It is another sign that the support of social conservatives is unusually diffused as early primary voting approaches.

Right-to-Life Group Expected to Back Thompson

Listen
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/16245036/16243693" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

Polls and Debates

New polls show Sen. Hillary Clinton's lead among Democrats vying for president shrinking a bit in New Hampshire. Meanwhile, Republican presidential hopeful Mitt Romney moves up some. For both parties, the war in Iraq no longer towers over other issues; the economy does.

Polls and Debates

Listen
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/16211971/16211201" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript
Browse archive or search npr.org