Why most 2022 midterm forecasts collapsed so predictably
The job description of prognosticator is pretty straight forward, requiring just a single qualifier: To predict. Correctly. So what does...
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Nov. 13, 2022 – Vol. 3, Issue 5
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Jeff Burdick
- Aug 18
Sac Bee again on wrong warpath against extremist-tied Kevin Kiley
The best weapon journalists have against questionable politics is good, thoughtful journalism. But such an arrow is once again missing...
Jeff Burdick
- Jul 31
Obituary for Sacramento Bee election coverage
The Washington Post has the most memorable and consequential motto in journalism: “Democracy dies in darkness.” Adopted in 2017, the...
Jeff Burdick
- Jun 9
How ‘voter apathy’ should inspire the news media
In the last week, a bit of digital ink was spilled about how registered voter turnout for California’s primaries this week would be far...
Jeff Burdick
- May 16
H.S. journalist Justin Ha on asking Kevin Kiley about speaking at radical’s rally
Justin Ha is a 17-year-old news editor for the Granite Bay High School newspaper in Placer County, Calif. In February, he became the only...
Jeff Burdick
- May 2
4th Major Sacramento-area GOP Campaign Criticizes Sac Bee Ed Board
The 2022 primary season has quickly turned into a losing referendum on the Sacramento Bee Editorial Board. Two weeks ago, three major GOP...
Jeff Burdick
- Apr 26
Midterm checkup: How healthy is California democracy?
Maintaining a healthy democracy is like maintaining a healthy body. Regular attention and checkups are required. Fortunately, each...
Jeff Burdick
- Apr 26
Hate Triangle: Sheriff Jones, Kiley & Sac Bee
When a top Congressional candidate refuses a newspaper’s invitation to sit for an endorsement interview, that often says a bit about the...
Jeff Burdick
- Apr 12
Most Attorney General candidates taking the fifth
Most frontrunning incumbents avoid debate stages. Especially in crowded primary fields, debates pose too much risk of wall-to-wall...
Jeff Burdick
- Mar 29
Midterm roundup & updates: Why the media apathy?
Many items in the following midterm election roundup remind me of a 1990s quote from former Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley. When asked...
Jeff Burdick
- Feb 21
Is Sacramento Supervisor Frost being over-persecuted?
A personal saying of mine is “If you must exaggerate to prove a point, others may think your point is exaggerated too.” It’s a reminder...
Jeff Burdick
- Dec 15, 2021
Year-in-Review: Our 10 best political articles of 2021
Foremost, 2021 will be remembered as the second year of the Covid-19 Pandemic, but it was also an extremely busy year in politics –...
Jeff Burdick
- Nov 26, 2021
Opioids, extremism & Sacramento Bee alligator arms
“Long-time” readers of the Sacto Politico (we are just 14 months old) know my brand of media criticism can seem sharpest toward the...
Jeff Burdick
- Oct 24, 2021
Does California need a statewide debate commission?
Every election provides sort of an MRI snapshot of the health of the democratic process. Take California’s recent recall election. This...
Jeff Burdick
- Sep 30, 2021
Recall roundup: GOP denialism, landslide donors & more
Following the landslide defeat of the $276 million recall, a prominent storyline has been how many state Republicans were in threadbare...
Jeff Burdick
- Sep 9, 2021
A proud anniversary covering California politics
With this issue, the SactoPolitico.com marks its first full year of publishing. Coincidentally, that’s the paper anniversary, which is...
Jeff Burdick
- Aug 30, 2021
Why we published: Great Debate Mystery stories
This the third time I’ve written a “Why we published” editorial in the Sacto Politico’s first year of existence. Each time, the occasion...
Jeff Burdick
- Aug 30, 2021
GOP candidates decry Sacto Press Club secrecy
This article was updated at 10:20 a.m. PT based on new information. See editor’s notes. When political candidates take debate questions...
Jeff Burdick
- Aug 26, 2021
Supervisor Frost on vax mandates, Sac Bee criticisms
The Sacramento Bee editorial board is no stranger to trafficking in sophomoric insult. In recent years, it has called targets “dimwits”...
Jeff Burdick
- Aug 26, 2021
John Cox subpoena mystery: Who provided debate ticket?
Over the last four California Recall Debates – including last night’s – the potential replacement candidates have answered dozens of...