BLOGOMETER HAS HIGHLIGHTS of the McCain podcast. That’s nice for people who don’t want to listen, and wish we had transcripts. (Sorry — I type too much as it is!)
I think, however, that their comparison of Hugh Hewitt to Daily Kos in terms of tone is rather unfair. Hugh’s pretty unhappy with McCain, but I don’t think you can compare his treatment of McCain to the Kossacks’ treatment of Joe Lieberman. And — as I recall quite clearly from when I was at cross-purposes with the social-conservative right over the Terri Schiavo affair — Hugh can and does show courtesy to people he disagrees with (and he and I disagree on plenty, actually). That’s even true where he talks about the Kos Krowd, as he recently reminded his readers: “They aren’t our enemies, only our opponents.”
The Kos Krowd doesn’t show that spirit, as evident in the response to my favorable comments on James Webb — instead of welcoming me into the pro-Webb tent, they aimed scorn my way because I wasn’t sufficiently respectful to the Kos Krowd. When it comes to issues, I probably disagree with Hugh on as many as I disagree with Kos. But when it comes to tone I think we’re closer. I do think that people who, in Blogometer’s words, emphasize common ground where it’s possible to do so are more likely to do better in politics and life than those who look for divisions, and I’m pretty sure that Hugh feels that way, too.