Article III Groupie's two-part interview with Judge John Tinder (S.D. Ind.) was well-received throughout the blogosphere -- which was not surprising, given that her interviewee is a delightful and distinguished jurist. A reader sent A3G this lovely note:
Many thanks for turning the spotlight on the southern district of Indiana. I have worked in close proximity to Judge Tinder [as a law clerk to another judge] but feel I got to know a side of him that I might otherwise never have known. You have terrific interview skills. Keep it up!
A3G would like to keep it up -- but she needs your help. Please help her locate her next guest for Questions Presented!
And now, the real point of this post: for A3G to express how miffed she was upon seeing this "10 questions" interview with DHS Secretary Michael Chertoff, formerly a judge on the Third Circuit. Back when he was a judge, Mike Chertoff declined to answer 20 questions for UTR. So he can make time for Time, but he can't stop to shoot the breeze with the Gossip Queen of the Third Branch? For shame!
Here are the three most interesting exchanges from the interview (interesting to A3G, since they touch on personal rather than policy matters):
Q: You had a lifetime appointment as a judge -- you couldn't be fired. You had time to jog in the mornings and spend time with your family. Why leave that?
A: There is no question I left behind a very enviable professional situation. But for me, after living through 9/11, I really think [securing our country] is the most important challenge of my generation.
Q: You grew up the son of a rabbi. Has that informed your thinking in the way you approach this job?
A: My parents always taught me two things: Do the difficult and unpleasant things first, and always admit your mistakes if you make them. Don't try to shave the truth. You are much better off if you come out up front and say, "Hey, I messed up."
Q: You have said securing the homeland is not a sprint, it's a marathon. Ever run a marathon?
A: No, I've never run a marathon. Generally I run four to six miles. I have kind of been toying with the idea of doing a marathon, but I don't quite understand why I would want to do it. I guess I should have said, "It's not a sprint, it's a middle-distance run."
Reasonably interesting stuff -- but nothing terribly new, at least not to those of you who took UTR's Chertoff Challenge.
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