In interesting interview of one liberal and one conservative blogger, combined with a panel discussion on presidential election prospects for the Democrats. Byron York is identified as being "conservative" but "objective," the latter being a label wityh which many would disagree. York's response had nothing to do with the question that was asked, and Russert did not call him on it. Alter's claim that violence in Iraq might now decrease also was not countered. I was left wondering whether Russert was bothering to even listen to the answers, or if we he was just sticking to his scripted questions. An interesting contrast when Russert apparently tried to downplay Busby's success by noting that she got 45% in a district in which ... More »

This is a novel story - bloggers speaking out on network television. The thing important about it - and the thing rare - is that it gives emphasis to a fact that the American electorate is not divided between Bushies and Liberals, or between red states and blue states. Mainline news media commentators seem often to have lost this perspective. The bloggers note that Democrats, opponents of the Bush Administration, Americans who do not vote Republican may be liberals, they may be voters who could be labeled progressives, there are latter-day populists, there are people who bear allegiance to the Democratic party, there are Democrats who can be rated fiscal conservatives, there are Democrats who match most criteria for a definition ... More »

Overall a decent story for evenhandedness.