OxBlog

# Posted 6:32 PM by Ariel David Adesnik

SUNDAY MORNING ROUND-UP: Joe Malchow wonders how OxBlog and others can watch so many shows that are broadcast almost simultaneously. Joe, I've got one word for ya: Podcasts. That said, let's get down to business.

On NBC, there was a roundtable Tom Daschle, Jane Harman, Pat Roberts and Peter Hoekstra. On CBS, Face the Nation had Condi and Howard Dean. On ABC, Condi again, Joe Biden and Lynn Swann. Here goes:

Tom Daschle & Jane Harman: B and A-. Daschle was pretty ho-hum. Harman struck me as much more candid than most talk show pols, especially on the politically sensitive issue of how well she was briefed about the wiretapping program in 2003 and 2004. Harman was also firm in her insistence that the program is a valuable one and should continue.

Pat Roberts & Hoekstra: B & A-. Roberts stayed as close to the party line as ever. Hoekstra strikes me as quite intelligent.

Condi on CBS: A-. No tough questions, but her manner is superb. Calm. Calming. More responsive to questions than most and always well-informed. She's ready for prime time.

Howard Dean: A-. He was tough on Bush but went through the whole interview without saying anything that struck me as unreasonable, even though I'm primed to resent him. For Howard Dean, that's pretty unusual.

Condi on ABC: B+. 'B+' only because it's time to raise the bar for someone who is such a strong performer. I think the SecState was just slightly unsure of how to handle questions about Moqtada's Sadr influence in the Iraqi parliament.

Joe Biden: A-. A strong message on Iran. If they don't back down, it will be time for a boycott. It will hurt them more than it hurts us. But it will hurt us and we have to be ready to pay that price.

Lynn Swann: B+. If one were grading him entirely on the football player scale, Swann would get an A+. But he's running for governor, so it's time to raise the bar. The substance of Swann's answers were nothing special. But his manner is very comfortable, very down-to-earth.

And now for the hosts:

Tim Russert: B+. It's not easy to keep four legislators under control. But no particularly good shots.

Bob Schieffer: A-. Same performance as always during the interviews. But Schieffer delivered a very forceful editorial at the end of the show. I didn't agree with everything he said, but it is very refreshing to hear an influential journalist express his own opinions candidly and passionately.

George Stephanopoulos: B. Competent but unexceptional.

See you next week.

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