A selected directory of reporting, commentary, public records, and research. Start with a source, follow its evidence, and read in context.
Reporting, opinion, and original records serve different purposes. This directory keeps them separate. Sources marked “EDW favorite” are personal favorites. Other entries are further-reading resources. Inclusion is a starting point, not agreement with everything a source publishes. Official records establish what an institution said or published; their claims still deserve scrutiny.
Explore the video archiveNews wire
Global reporting for checking the basic facts of a developing story, with coverage across politics, business, science, and world affairs.
Access: Mixed access; a subscription may be required.
Visit Reuters External sourcePublic-media newsroom
Reporting, interviews, and audio journalism from NPR and its member-station network.
Access: Most reporting is free; some audio extras require subscriptions.
Visit NPR External sourceNewspaper newsroom
National and international reporting, investigations, and explanatory journalism. Check whether an item is reporting, analysis, or opinion before citing it.
Access: Subscription commonly required; some material is freely available.
Visit The New York Times External sourceNewspaper newsroom
Reporting on government, politics, and public affairs. News, analysis, and opinion are distinct formats.
Access: Subscription commonly required; access varies by article and offer.
Visit The Washington Post External sourceNewspaper newsroom
Business, economics, policy, and international reporting. Read the news pages and the separately labeled Opinion section with their different purposes in mind.
Access: Subscription commonly required.
Visit The Wall Street Journal External sourceHistorian's analysis and commentary
Boston College historian Heather Cox Richardson connects current American politics with historical context. An individual scholar's interpretation, with links that can lead back to the underlying reporting and records.
Access: Free and paid subscription options.
Visit Heather Cox Richardson: Letters from an American External sourceOfficial legislative information
Check a bill's exact text, sponsors, amendments, and progress through Congress. Start with the document and its status before treating a proposal as enacted law.
Access: Free.
Visit Congress.gov External sourceU.S. Government Publishing Office
Find published laws, congressional hearings, the Congressional Record, and other federal documents. Useful for retrieving the published record behind a claim.
Access: Free.
Visit GovInfo External sourceFederal rulemaking and presidential documents
Search proposed rules, final rules, notices, and presidential documents. Check the effective date and document type; follow the linked GovInfo PDF for the official edition.
Access: Free. The searchable web text is an unofficial informational rendition.
Visit Federal Register External sourceOfficial judicial documents
Read the Court's opinions, including concurrences and dissents, at the source. Check the decision itself before relying on a headline or summary.
Access: Free.
Visit Supreme Court: Opinions External sourcePublic institution; historical interpretation
Place-based American history, museum collections, and historic-site resources. Useful for connecting national events with the people, landscapes, and buildings involved.
Access: Free online resources.
Visit National Park Service: Discover History External sourcePublic institution; archival records
A starting point for locating federal records, archival collections, and research guides. Use the collection description to understand who created a record and why.
Access: Free guides and digitized records; not all holdings are online.
Visit National Archives: Research Our Records External sourcePublic institution; presidential records
Find presidential-library collections, documents, photographs, and recordings through the National Archives directory. Digital holdings and research services vary by library.
Access: Free online resources; digitization and access vary by collection.
Visit National Archives: Presidential Libraries External sourcePublic institution; digitized collections
Explore historical newspapers, manuscripts, maps, photographs, sound recordings, and films. Check each item's date, provenance, and rights statement before quoting or reusing it.
Access: Free digitized collections; availability and reuse rights vary.
Visit Library of Congress: Digital Collections External sourcePublic-affairs network; video archive
Long-form coverage of hearings, speeches, interviews, and public events. Look for the complete program when a short clip leaves out context. C-SPAN is a media organization, not a government agency.
Access: Extensive free video archive; some live-network access may require authentication.
Visit C-SPAN External sourceOfficial House floor video
Watch House floor proceedings directly through the Office of the Clerk. Check the recording when a quotation or exchange needs its full context.
Access: Free; video features require a compatible browser.
Visit U.S. House: FloorCast External sourceOfficial Senate floor video
The Senate's own floor webcast, with links to proceedings, votes, and schedules. A direct starting point for checking what happened in the chamber.
Access: Free; live coverage depends on the Senate's schedule.
Visit U.S. Senate: Floor Webcast External sourceOfficial oral-argument audio
Listen to Supreme Court oral arguments in full. Arguments show what the lawyers and justices said; use the eventual opinion to establish what the Court decided.
Access: Free.
Visit Supreme Court: Argument Audio External sourceOfficial executive-branch communications
Administration-published speeches, briefings, and event videos. Useful for verifying the administration's own words; selection and presentation reflect the administration's perspective.
Access: Free. Some uploads are edited clips; check for a full recording.
Visit White House: Videos External sourceCompare the coverage, check the original record, and distinguish fact from interpretation.