Political commentary is the expression of opinions or beliefs regarding political issues, events and policies. Unlike traditional news reporting, political commentators aim to influence public opinion by educating readers and viewers about political processes and by informing audiences about the implications of specific policy decisions.
Although this approach is sometimes criticized for its alleged bias, it can also be useful in exposing the partisanship of political debate and the ways that public policy discussions are distorted by certain ideological assumptions. Often, the most effective political commentary is subtle and oblique, such as in the comic sections of newspapers with a left-of-center leaning (Li’l Abner, Pogo, Doonesbury, etc). Other examples are more explicitly polemical.
Regardless of their philosophical approach, all forms of political commentary share the same underlying premise: that the human condition is inherently value-laden and that it is impossible to separate facts from values. The empiricism/positivism view holds that human behavior can be objectively studied to establish laws and regularities; the interpretivist approach, however, takes a more relativistic view, arguing that social analysis is an inherently subjective enterprise.
For example, the political commentary Thucydides provides in his depiction of the plague, describing how Athenians abandon societal norms and behavioural restraints in their desire for security, is a powerful piece of social commentary that encourages readers to question their own cognitive biases, rather than simply assuming that democratic deliberation can produce sound policy. NPR’s reliance on sparring partners for its Monday Morning Edition and Friday All Things Considered segments is also effective in providing an opportunity for different viewpoints to be presented, though this format may not be as logically sound as one that includes multiple voices over the course of each segment.