Political commentary is a genre of journalism that is analyzed and discussed in newspaper articles, radio or television news programs, and the Internet. Unlike editorials and debate articles, political commentaries are free to express opinions on current events without being tied to specific party or ideological positions. In many countries, political commentaries have become a regular part of media and are a key component in democracy.

The main objective of a political essay is to provide readers with a fresh perspective on an ongoing public conversation. Writers of commentary use a variety of rhetorical tools to support their arguments including, but not limited to:

An important tip for writers of commentary is to always stick with reliable sources for their facts and figures. Avoid blogs and websites that offer biased information as they will skew your argument in a negative direction. Using scholarly articles and data from government resources can give you credibility as a writer of commentary.

Often, commentaries (along with letters to the editor and op-ed pieces) contain a brief explanation of the topic or event that the piece is discussing. This helps readers understand the context and history of the topic. The amount of explanation needed depends on how familiar the reader is with both the topic and the issue. Writers of commentary also often consider their audience when determining the amount of detail to include in an article. For example, a more complex discussion on a foreign policy topic may require an academic background while a personal experience in the field is less likely to be necessary.