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You almost certainly know that, for decades, Stu Rothenberg and his Rothenberg Political Report (now Inside Elections) penned among the most influential political analysis in Washington. But you probably don't know the origin story...his initial academic career track, how he cut his political teeth at the conservative Heritage Foundation, and what led to launching his own newsletter. In this conversation, we talk through all of that plus his most memorable interactions with candidates, biggest surprises, savviest politicians, and when he knew it was time to pass the newsletter baton to his partner Nathan Gonzales.

IN THIS EPISODE

Stu grows up in a family of Rockefeller Republicans in Central Park West Manhattan…

Stu’s growing interest in politics and initial career trajectory to become an academic…

How Stu’s path diverted from the academic track to join the political operation of the conservative Heritage Foundation…

Stu’s tutelage under conservative political icon Paul Weyrich…

What led to launching the Rothenberg Report newsletter…

Stu’s early intersection with fellow newsletter groundbreaker Charlie Cook…

Stu's memories from “candidate interviews” with Ted Cruz, Nikki Haley, and Barack Obama…

Stu on the single biggest surprising result in his decades as a political observer…

Stu talks some of the smartest political minds in Congress & the one committee chair who was a “giant pain in the ass”…

The backstory behind a favorite Rothenberg column “For the Thousandth Time, Don’t Call It a Push Poll”…

Stu’s memorable 2006 meeting with then-Vice President Dick Cheney…

How Stu handled passing the torch of the Rothenberg Report to Inside Elections with Nathan Gonzales…

AND The Almanac of American Politics, Morton Blackwell, Bill Bradley, Sherry Boehlert, Mary Bono, Sonny Bono, William Buckley, Bucknell University, CNN, CSX, Canadian-American regional integration, the Club for Growth, Colby College, complicated conservatives, Ted Cruz, Al D’Amato, Mitch Daniels, Tom Davis, David Dewhurst, egomaniacs, Rollie Fingers, Charles Franklin, the Free Congress Research and Education Foundation, Mark French, Milton Friedman, Martin Frost, The Greenbrier, Nikki Haley, Tom Harkin, Peter Hart, Friedrich Hayek, Blair Hull, “It’s Only Politics”, Jan Plans, Jacob Javits, Roger Jepsen, Tommy John, Ben Jones, Doris Kearns Goodwin, Kenneth Keating, Harmon Killebrew, Leading Authorities, Louis Lefkowitz, Jon Lerner, John Lindsay, Juan Marichal, Marxist feminists, John McCain, Joe McLean, Ed Muskie, NYU, Lindsey Nelson, Frank Newport, Richard Nixon, George Pataki, political goo, Walter Rich, Roll Call, Jack Ryan, Larry Sabato, sewage trolls, Casey Stengel, Inez Tenenbaum, total losers, Donald Trump, UCONN, Amy Walter…& more!