Writer

About
Matt Bai

 

Matt Bai is an author, journalist, and screenwriter.

He’s also one of the nation’s leading voices on American politics. Matt’s a contributing columnist for The Washington Post and writes the Bai Lines newsletter. He’s also been the chief political correspondent for the New York Times Magazine, a columnist for the Times, and the national political columnist for Yahoo News.

Matt’s also a little obsessive about crossword puzzles and the Yankees. This and everything else you ever wanted to know about him (including his brief but stellar acting career) is in his official bio.

 
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Bai Lines

An independent view on politics, media and culture.

 

The Washington Post

Matt’s most recent columns.

 

All the Truth Is Out

Now a major motion picture called The Front Runner with Hugh Jackman, and an NPR Best Book of the Year

“Compelling… Bai’s superb book provokes many questions, and I gulped it down in a single sitting.”
—Ken Auletta, The New Yorker

“In buoyant, vivid prose… All the Truth Is Out gives the reader a visceral appreciation of how our political discourse has changed in the last two and a half decades, and how those changes reflect broader cultural and social shifts.”
—Michiko Kakutani, The New York Times

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The Argument: Inside the Battle to Remake Democratic Politics

“I had more fun reading The Argument than I’ve had reading any political book in ages. It was fun the way The Boys on the Bus was fun. The way Fear and Loathing: On the Campaign Trail ’72 was fun…”
—Kevin Drum, Washington Monthly

“Engaging and painstakingly reported.”
—The Economist

“Sharply written, exhaustively reported.”
—Nick Gillespie, The New York Times Book Review

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Film & TV

 

Matt co-wrote the feature film adapted from his book, The Front Runner. Directed by Jason Reitman and starring Hugh Jackman as Gary Hart, the film debuted in theaters nationally in 2018. Check out the trailer below.

Matt has appeared frequently on NBC’s Meet the Press and played himself in a recurring role on season two of the Netflix drama House of Cards.

Watch this space for more about Matt’s upcoming projects on screen. (Writing and producing, yes. Acting, probably not.)

 
 

Speaking

 

Bai lectures about the role of media in a political landscape and the influence of generational changes in American politics and society.

To inquire about availability, contact the Penguin Random House Speakers Bureau.

 
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