BLOGGER SPOTLIGHT: Ed Morrissey

Today the Blogometer talks to Hot Air's Ed Morrissey.

(If you're looking for Friday's edition of Blogometer, click here).

Where did you grow up?
Cerritos, California, just after it changed its name from Dairy Valley but before the dairies all left for Chino.

Where do you live now?
In the Twin Cities area of Minnesota. We've been here for more than 11 years.

If you have an occupation other than blogging, what is it?
I actually make my living at blogging now, but before then, I managed call centers for alarm companies.

What's on your iPod right now?
iPod? What iPod? If I had one, I'd fill it with 70s music, Cowboy Junkies, and classical. If I had one. ;-)

What book do you think every person should read?
Well, that's tough -- there are so many everyone should read. The Bible, even if just for its philosophy. The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich (Shirer) and A Peace to End All Peace (Fromkin) to understand the world situation today. Bias (Goldberg), to understand the built-in bias in American media. Brave New World (Huxley), Lord of the Rings (Tolkien), Count of Monte Cristo and Three Musketeers (Dumas), Caine Mutiny (Wouk) ... I could go on and on ...

Please finish this sentence: "When I'm not blogging, you'll probably find me..."
Sleeping. Ask my wife. It never ends. Otherwise, I'm spending time with my granddaughters or watching movies.

What has been your favorite blog post, or your favorite story to write about?
My favorite story was the Canadian Adscam scandal in 2005, but I've enjoyed covering the two national conventions, interviews with interesting newsmakers, and so on. The most enjoyable blog posts are the ones where I can have some fun and employ some humor.

Which blogger(s) do you consider indispensable, if any?
Glenn Reynolds, The Corner, Hugh Hewitt. On economics, my friend King Banaian at SCSU Scholars; on religious matters, The Anchoress; on the war, Bill Roggio and Michael Yon.

Who's your favorite non-conservative blogger?
I enjoy a few, mainly at The Moderate Voice and AOL's Political Machine. Joe Gandelman, Jazz Shaw, T-Steel at TMV are terrific reads. At AOL-PM, I really enjoy Tommy Christopher's writing even though we have almost nothing in common politically.

Who's your favorite active politician? Least favorite?
Oh, I try very hard not to have "favorites," because in the end they'll disappoint. I like and respect quite a few, even some with whom I disagree. Least favorite? Depends on the day, I think, although I'd have to put Jimmy Carter on the all-time list.

What would you realistically like to see Republicans accomplish in 2009?
They need to establish some credibility on small-government conservatism and fiscal responsibility. Realistically speaking, they can't affect policy at the moment, especially with Nancy Pelosi locking them out of the negotiations on legislation. Instead, they have to start thinking of themselves as the rational alternative and focus on presenting their own policies and legislation to the American public.

If you could give President Obama some advice, what would it be?
Lead instead of following. He let Nancy Pelosi lead him by the nose on the stimulus package and it spun out of control. He fumbled his Cabinet appointments by not paying attention to detail. He needs to stop campaigning and start acting like the American President rather than the Democratic President. If he can figure out how to do that and get Pelosi and Harry Reid under control, he may succeed.

What keeps you up at night?
What kind of world will my granddaughters live in? Will they have the same standard of living I've had? That's why I do what I do.