Bush's Campaign Manager

Steve Inskeep of NPR's Morning Edition is interviewing campaign managers for Bush and Kerry. Today they aired his interview of Bush's campaign manager, Ken Mehlman. As Ken spewed the same rhetoric he's fed Bush for speeches (Kerry's flip-flopping, etc.), Steve completely blasted him with rebuttals of Bush doing similar things (proposing the war at $50 billion, then spending $200 billion).

Steve's attacks included quoting some of Kerry's statements, then quoting the Bush administration's twisted manipulation of those statements, then proving his point asking, "Do you really think John Kerry is a Saddam supporter?"

Ken's statements sounded very familiar with what we hear the Bush people saying all the time, but Steve's pointed attacks almost made me uncomfortable for the poor guy. He didn't seem to be wearing his "objective reporter" hat at all. I don't think I approve of his conduct, but we'll see how the interview goes Monday with Kerry's campaign manager. Maybe he'll be just as direct and critical.

Update (28 September 2004): Steve's interview with Mary Beth Cahill was noticeably more amicable, though she also made more sense than Mehlman. I have a tendency to let the difference in interview technique slide, though, since I agreed more with Cahill and understand not being able to find something on which to rip her apart. Steve and Mary were definitely of like mind and their more conversational demeanor demonstrated that.