Washingtonian John Gizzi is political editor of the Human Events magazine, which calls itself the “headquarters of the conservative underground.” Gizzi in 2002 was named journalist of the year by the Conservative Political Action Conference. Most days he can be found at the White House, digging up fodder for his weekly political column.
What’s is like being a conservative covering a Democratic White House?
Some days it feels like a minnow trying to swim against a strong current. But most of the time, I enjoy myself and feel no different than I did with a Republican press secretary. Robert Gibbs answers my questions, although sometimes not to my satisfaction. But then again, the last four press secretaries under President Bush did not always give me the answers I sought.
How is the Republican Party going to climb out of the dumps?
By making up in 2010 quite a few of the losses in the House and Senate it experienced in 2006 and 2008, as well as picking up governorships in Colorado, Illinois, Ohio, Michigan and Pennsylvania. The formula for the winning rebound is for Republicans to return to their roots as the party of smaller government and greater freedom.
What is the future of conservative media?
Quite promising. Conservatives have long been behind liberals in terms of mastering the Internet, but this is clearly changing. To master the Internet for someone in politics today is akin to a candidate mastering radio in the 1930s or television in the 1960s.
What do you miss about President George W. Bush?
His good-natured attitude and steadfast refusal not to take himself too seriously. When I last saw him in an interview seven days before he left office, I asked him some questions he was clearly uncomfortable with. But he never got upset, and even extended the interview by 15 minutes.
– Julie Mason
