Anna Palmer Explained

Anna Palmer
Other Names:Anna Alda
Birth Date:25 May 1982
Birth Place:Le Sueur, Minnesota, U.S.
Education:St. Olaf College (BA)
Occupation:Journalist
Known For:Co-founder and CEO of Punchbowl News

Anna Palmer (born May 25, 1982)[1] is an American political journalist based in Washington, D.C. She has been the co-founder and CEO of Punchbowl News since January 2021, and the host of the related Daily Punch Podcast. She was previously a reporter for Politico and became its senior Washington correspondent.[2] [3] [4] [5]

Early life and education

Palmer was born, as Anna Alda, in Le Sueur, Minnesota and raised in North Dakota. She attended high school in Kindred, North Dakota, and served as a page for U.S. Senator Kent Conrad. She is a 2004 graduate of St. Olaf College, where she double-majored in political science and English, with a concentration in mass communications, and (starting in 2000) wrote for its newspaper, the Manitou Messenger, becoming its executive editor. Her multiple internships included a summer at the Washington, D.C. bureau of The New York Times.[6] [7] [8]

Career

Early career

After graduation, Palmer's first significant job was at the biweekly lobbying industry newsletter Influence. In 2005, working for the Legal Times, the parent company of Influence, she became one of the key journalists investigating the activities of lobbyist Jack Abramoff, who orchestrated a vast network of corruption, resulting in over three years in prison for Abramoff, and convictions of 20 others. Palmer's work on the case brought her first national notoriety.

In 2007, Palmer moved to Roll Call, a prominent Washington-insider newsletter.

At Politico

Initial work

In 2011, Palmer moved to Politico—a Washington political reporting journal.

Herman Cain revelation

In October of that year, she was one of the team of Politico reporters who investigated and reported on allegations against Republican presidential candidate Herman Cain, that—when he headed the National Restaurant Association in the 1990s—he had sexually harassed two female employees, and the lobbying organization had, in response, paid the women to resign and keep quiet about the matter.[9] [10] [11]

Within a few weeks, two more cases were discovered by journalists, and a fifth woman alleged a long-time, recently-ended affair with Cain. The cumulative effect was blamed for Cain's sudden plunge in survey polls, and his early-December decision to suspend his campaign, less than a month and a half after Palmer's initial story broke.[12] [13]

Women Rule project

Among Palmer's other responsibilities at Politico, Palmer took the lead in Women Rule—a project focused on expanding leadership opportunities for women—becoming its Editorial Director. She also hosted Politico's Women Rule podcast.[14]

Sherman partnership and Schock revelations

While at Politico, Palmer partnered with fellow journalist Jake Sherman, to cover political affairs in the capital, particularly the U.S. Congress. Palmer and Sherman have reported corruption among Democrats and Republicans. Their reporting on the spending habits of Illinois Congressman Aaron Schock reportedly led to his 2015 resignation.[15]

Politico Playbook

From 2016 to 2020, the duo co-authored the Politico Playbook[16] —a media franchise tracking the early Trump administration and its relations with the U.S. Congress. The duo tripled the platform's readership and doubled its revenue.

The Hill to Die On

In 2019, the duo also co-authored The Hill to Die On: The Battle for Congress and the Future of Trump’s America[17] (a New York Times best-selling account of the Congressional politics of the early Trump presidency),[18] [19] [20] which attracted extensive media attention.[21] [22] [23] [24] [25]

The book drew attention to Palmer and Sherman, who then became the subject of numerous interview and discussion programs related to the themes of the book—in the news media, political/documentary media,[26] [27] and in the business-and-lobbying community.[28] [29]

At Punchbowl News

Palmer and Sherman departed Politico, together, in late 2020 to start Punchbowl News, an online news service focused on non-partisan reporting of power players, and inside events and leaders, in Congress and the Washington establishment — Palmer becoming Punchbowl's CEO.[18]

Other involvements

Palmer has spoken or moderated discussions at the World Economic Forum, the United Nations General Assembly, the Milken Institute Global Forum, the Aspen Ideas Festival, the Texas Tribune Festival and SXSW.

Palmer has been a political commentator on CBS, NBC, ABC, Fox News, CNN, MSNBC, and PBS's Washington Week.[30]

Awards and recognition

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Palmer, Anna A. (Anna Alda), 1982–. Library of Congress Name Authority File. Library of Congress. 2022-03-21. April 4, 2019. March 21, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220321075923/https://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/no2019050001.html. live.
  2. https://www.pbs.org/weta/washingtonweek/profile/anna-palmer "Anna Palmer,"
  3. https://www.nytimes.com/2021/01/03/business/media/punchbowl-playbook-capitol-hill-politics.html "The Media Equation: They Seem to Think the Next Four Years Will Be Normal: A Beltway school of journalism wants to get back to just-the-facts-ma’am reporting..."
  4. https://muckrack.com/media-outlet/punchbowl-news "Punchbowl,"
  5. Vernon, Pete: "Q&A: Punchbowl’s Jake Sherman on Capitol coverage in the new Washington," January 19, 2021, Columbia Journalism Review, retrieved April 19, 2021
  6. https://www.washingtonian.com/2020/09/22/meet-the-winners-of-the-2020-washington-women-in-journalism-awards/ "Meet the Winners of the 2020 Washington Women in Journalism Awards"
  7. https://wp.stolaf.edu/news/the-state-of-journalism-and-reporting-in-2020-ole-alumni-panel-and-discussion "The State of Journalism and Reporting in 2020: Ole alumni panel and discussion,"
  8. Peterson, Erin: "Politico Insider," Fall, 2016, St. Olaf Magazine, retrieved April 19, 2021
  9. Palmer, Anna; Jonathan Martin, Maggie Haberman and Kenneth P. Vogel: "Exclusive: 2 women accused Cain of inappropriate behavior," October 30, 2011, Politico, retrieved April 20, 2021
  10. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-15566388 "Third woman claims inappropriate behaviour from Cain,"
  11. [John M. Sides|Sides, John]
  12. News: Cain Poll Numbers Plummet in Iowa . . Joy . Lin . December 2, 2011 . December 3, 2011 . https://web.archive.org/web/20111205173231/http://politics.blogs.foxnews.com/2011/12/02/cain-poll-numbers-plummet-iowa . December 5, 2011 . dead .
  13. News: Herman Cain drops out of presidential race . . James . Oliphant . December 3, 2011 . December 3, 2011.
  14. https://www.uschamberfoundation.org/bio/anna-palmer "Anna Palmer,"
  15. Rutenberg,Jim: "Mike Allen, Politico’s Newsletter Pioneer, Is Handing Over the Reins" [to Palmer and Sherman], June 19, 2016, The New York Times, retrieved April 19, 2021
  16. Dalton, Meg and Pete Vernon:"Podcast: A dive into the swamp with the authors of Politico Playbook," November 30, 2017, Columbia Journalism Review, retrieved April 19, 2021
  17. Kushnick, Hannah: "Top 10" in "Spring 2019 Announcements: Politics & Current Events" (book release announcements), Dec 07, 2018, Publishers Weekly, retrieved April 20, 2021
  18. Johnson, Ted: "Media Startup Punchbowl News Launches Podcast As D.C. Spotlight Shifts To Capitol," February 1, 2021, Deadline, retrieved April 19, 2021
  19. Eilperin, Juliet: Review: "In this portrait of Congress, lawmakers’ ambition breeds dysfunction," April 5, 2019, The Washington Post, retrieved April 19, 2021
  20. Green, Lloyd: "The Hill to Die On review: Trump, Ryan and a Republican dumpster fire," April 6, 2019, The Guardian, retrieved April 19, 2021
  21. VanDenburgh, Barbara:"5 books not to miss: ...'The Hill to Die On,' ..." April 7, 2019, USA Today, retrieved April 19, 2021
  22. Video:"Authors of 'The Hill to Die On' talk new book, Congress and Trump" April 9, 2020, CBS News, retrieved April 19, 2021
  23. Audio and transcript:"Reporters Say Members Of Congress Are 'Obsessed' With Getting Re-Elected" April 9, 2020, National Public Radio, retrieved April 19, 2021
  24. https://radio.foxnews.com/2019/04/09/anna-palmer-on-why-president-trump-gets-along-with-senator-mcconnell-didnt-get-along-with-speaker-ryan/ "Anna Palmer On Why President Trump Gets Along With Senator McConnell & Didn’t Get Along With Speaker Ryan"
  25. [Robert Costa (journalist)|Costa, Robert]
  26. https://www.c-span.org/video/?459944-4/washington-journal-jake-sherman-anna-palmer-discuss-the-hill-die-on&event=459944&playEvent "Jake Sherman and Anna Palmer on The Hill to Die On,"
  27. https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/frontline/interview/anna-palmer/ "Anna Palmer, Co-Author, The Hill to Die On: The Battle for Congress and the Future of Trump's America,"
  28. https://www.goldmansachs.com/insights/talks-at-gs/anna-palmer-jake-sherman.html "Talks at GS: POLITICO Playbook’s Anna Palmer and Jake Sherman, Co-Authors of The Hill to Die On,"
  29. https://www.acg.org/events/acg-member-summit "Speakers: Featured Session Speakers,"
  30. https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/sunday-week-treasury-secretary-steven-mnuchin-sen-bill/story?id=50041056 "Sunday on 'This Week':..."

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