

A tenacious CNN correspondent whose sharp, persistent questioning in Capitol Hill hallways has become essential viewing for understanding American politics.
Manu Raju operates in the fast-paced, high-stakes theater of the U.S. Congress, where his calm demeanor and dogged pursuit of answers have made him a defining voice in political journalism. As CNN's chief congressional correspondent, he is a fixture in the marbled hallways of the Capitol, known for catching lawmakers off-guard with direct, clarifying questions that cut through political spin. Raju built his reputation through deep sourcing and a relentless work ethic, first at Inside Washington Publishers and then as a senior hill correspondent for Politico. His reporting style is straightforward and substantive, focusing on the mechanics of lawmaking and the real tensions within parties. Anchoring CNN's 'Inside Politics' on Sundays, he synthesizes the week's chaos into coherent narrative. In an era of partisan noise, Raju has carved out a space as a trusted explainer, someone who understands the procedural chess game and holds its players accountable, making the complexities of Congress accessible to a national audience.
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Manu was born in 1980, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
The biggest hits of 1980
#1 Movie
The Empire Strikes Back
Best Picture
Ordinary People
#1 TV Show
Dallas
The world at every milestone
John Lennon shot and killed in New York
Live Aid concerts raise money for Ethiopian famine
European Union officially established
Dolly the sheep cloned
Google founded; Clinton impeachment
September 11 attacks transform the world
Deepwater Horizon oil spill; iPad launched
COVID-19 pandemic shuts down the world
He is a graduate of the University of Florida, where he studied journalism.
Raju began his career covering tax policy for a niche Washington publication called 'Inside Washington Publishers.'
He is known for his signature sign-off, 'Manu Raju, CNN, Capitol Hill.'
He frequently appears on CNN's podcast 'The Daily DC' to provide deeper analysis of his reporting.
“I need to ask you a question about the vote.”