Ted Rueter earned a master's degree from the University of Chicago and a Ph.D. from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, both in political science. He has taught at Middlebury College, Georgetown University, Smith College, Tulane, DePauw, and Beloit. At UCLA, he taught courses on public opinion and voting behavior, political behavior, mass media, political parties, American government, and political activism.

Ted has worked for the mayor of Madison, for a United States Congressman, for the Wisconsin and Minnesota state legislatures, and for several candidates for political office.

He is also director of  Noise Free America, a national citizens group
opposed to noise pollution.

His last name is pronounced "rooter."

Ted is the author or editor of twelve books:

Carter vs. Ford: The Counterfeit Debates of 1976 (with Lloyd Bitzer) (University of Wisconsin Press, 1980).

Teaching Assistant Strategies: An Introduction to College Teaching (with R.R. Allen) (Kendall-Hunt, 1990).

The United States in the World Political Economy (McGraw-Hill, 1993).

The Minnesota House of Representatives and the Professionalization of Politics (University Press of America, 1994).

The Politics of Race: African Americans and the Political System (M.E. Sharpe, 1995).

The Rush Limbaugh Quiz Book (Andrews McMeel, 1995).

The Newt Gingrich Quiz Book (Andrews McMeel, 1995).

The 267 Stupidest Things Republicans Ever Said/The 267 Stupidest Things Democrats Ever Said (Crown Publishing, 2000).

449 Stupid Things Republicans Have Said (Andrews McMeel, 2004).

449 Stupid Things Democrats Have Said (Andrews McMeel, 2004).

185 Stupid Things Republicans Have Said (Andrews McMeel, 2008).

185 Stupid Things Democrats Have Said (Andrews McMeel, 2008).