I think my debut as guest host of the Hugh Hewitt show went pretty darn well; the listeners seemed pretty happy. The appearance confirmed something I had long suspected, having watched Hugh, as well as Cam and Michael Graham and other radio hosts at various events — being a host is hard work! As a guest, you generally have a ballpark idea of how much time you have to speak, and the host helps guide you; as the host, you have to keep that pace, and estimate, in your head, how long it will take to get a question out and a guest’s answer in — and whether it takes a minute and ten seconds or a minute and twenty seconds makes a significant difference. We had no major snafus, but the role clearly requires a much different skill set than what I’m used to writing, blogging, and being a guest on programs like that.
I was lucky to have an ideal crew of guests, who were able to provide a great range of information and some laughs — familiar names in these parts: Jen Rubin, David Freddoso, Mark Hemingway, Ed Morrissey, and David Frum. Thanks to all of them for appearing, in some cases on short notice. Hugh’s producer, Duane Patterson, guided me through perfectly; he made a perfect Steve McCrosky to my Ted Striker, and I was helped by Chris at WAVA in Arlington. Thanks to Bill Bennett for letting us use his studio. Thanks to Hugh for putting the ball in my hands and trusting me not to fumble; and to all who listened, thank you.
UPDATE: For those who missed it, you can down load the show here.