Early in her career, before she became a well-known brand in the take-no-prisoners world of political journalism, Tara Palmeri, SOC/BA ’08, had an unglamorous daily routine. She woke up at 3 a.m. to hand out scripts and coffee to TV reporters, Palmeri said during her American Forum appearance at AU on October 17.  

During the event, moderated by journalism professor Jane Hall, the Sine Institute of Policy and Politics 2025 fellow fielded questions from students curious about what it’s like to cover national politics.

Palmeri said her career journey has been rewarding—but it has tested her resilience. Working in journalism “wears on you; it grates on you,” she said. “This is a tough business. There are layoffs. The pay’s not great. But if you love it and you’re passionate about it,” it’s a great gig. 

Palmeri moved on from coffee duty to work for print, online, and TV news outlets, including Politico, ABC News, and CNN.

In 2022, she joined the website Puck as a partner and senior political columnist. She also hosts the podcast Somebody’s Gotta Win and appears frequently on cable TV news programs.

Working as a political journalist is like being in combat, Palmeri said. Campaign staffers and advisors “are the most type A people you’ll ever work with. If you’re breaking news, then you’re figuring out things the administration or the campaigns probably don’t want out there,” Palmeri said. “If you’re doing your job well, they’re probably not doing their job well.”

Part of her job is to manage relationships with sources who can become testy by her reporting. “I hate being screamed at,” Palmeri said. “But I love my job.”