BoscoX
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You: "I'm never wrong about nuthin'"
Also you: "There were no pundits before FOX News."
From Grok:
quote:
Some famous early political pundits and commentators emerged in the eras of print media (pamphlets, newspapers, and essays), political cartoons, radio, and early television. The term "pundit" (from Sanskrit for a learned person) came into broader English use later, but the role of offering public opinion on politics, policy, and current events dates back centuries.
en.wikipedia.org +1
Print Era and Pamphleteers (18th–19th Centuries)Early commentators often used essays, pamphlets, newspapers, and satire to influence public opinion, especially during revolutions and reforms.Benjamin Franklin (1706–1790): A foundational American figure whose 1754 "Join or Die" cartoon urged colonial unity. He blended witty essays, almanacs, and political advocacy.
britannica.com
Thomas Paine (1737–1809): His pamphlets Common Sense (1776) and Rights of Man (1791) were massively influential in advocating American independence and revolutionary ideas. He exemplified fiery, accessible political writing.
henryharvin.com
Joseph Addison and Richard Steele (early 18th century): Their periodicals The Tatler and The Spectator popularized elegant, moral, and social-political commentary that shaped public discourse.
digitens.org
Horace Greeley (1811–1872): Influential newspaper editor (New York Tribune) who promoted Whig/Republican causes, abolitionism, and reforms through editorials.
niemanlab.org
Mark Twain (Samuel Clemens) (1835–1910): Used sharp humor and essays to critique politics, imperialism, and society in the late 19th/early 20th centuries.
britannica.com
Thomas Nast (1840–1902): Pioneering political cartoonist whose illustrations attacked corruption (e.g., Boss Tweed) and popularized symbols like the Republican elephant and Democratic donkey.
britannica.com
Other 19th-century voices included literary critics and essayists like William Hazlitt and abolitionist writers whose work blurred into political commentary.
facebook.com
Early 20th Century: Columnists and IntellectualsNewspapers and magazines amplified syndicated columnists who analyzed policy with authority.Walter Lippmann (1889–1974): Often called the "dean of American political journalism" or "father of modern journalism." He co-founded The New Republic, wrote the influential book Public Opinion (1922) critiquing media and democracy, and penned the syndicated column "Today and Tomorrow" (1931 onward), which appeared in hundreds of papers. He advised presidents and shaped views on liberalism, foreign policy, and the Cold War.
en.wikipedia.org +2
H.L. Mencken (1880–1956): Iconoclastic journalist and satirist known for biting commentary on American politics, democracy, and culture through The American Mercury and columns.
Radio Era (1920s–1930s/40s)Radio brought mass-audience, real-time commentary, often partisan or demagogic.Father Charles Coughlin ("The Radio Priest," 1891–1979): Reached up to 30 million listeners in the 1930s with populist, initially pro-New Deal then anti-Semitic and isolationist rants. A prototype for later talk radio.
radioworld.com
Walter Winchell (1897–1972): Gossip columnist turned radio news commentator whose rapid-fire style mixed news, opinion, and celebrity with huge audiences in the 1930s–1950s.
en.wikipedia.org
Others like Boake Carter and "Fighting Bob" Shuler offered crusading or controversial takes.
radioworld.com
Early Television (1940s–1960s)TV formalized "talking heads" with news analysis.Edward R. Murrow (1908–1965): Legendary broadcaster whose See It Now series featured opinionated reporting and commentary (e.g., against McCarthyism). A bridge from radio to TV.
pbs.org
Eric Sevareid (1912–1992): Respected CBS commentator known for thoughtful, analytical essays on air.
pbs.org
Transition to Modern EraWilliam F. Buckley Jr. (1925–2008) and his 1960s TV debates (e.g., vs. Gore Vidal) marked a shift to combative, ideological TV punditry, influencing later cable formats.
pbs.org
These figures laid the groundwork for today's pundits by leveraging new media to shape opinion— from pamphlets reaching thousands to broadcasts reaching millions. Many blended reporting, philosophy, satire, and advocacy, often sparking controversy. "Early" is relative; true mass-media punditry accelerated with broadcasting in the 20th century.
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RE: “Sovereignty" beat “Journalism” - 
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